Archives

Archives / 2005 / September
  • RE: Have car PCs found their killer app?

    Damien Stolarz, CTO of Carbot, has posted his presentation from the Telematics Update Conference in Berlin at CarHacks.

    Stolarz’ killer app? Convergence - the PC platform is ideally positioned to tie together all the mobile consumer devices now competing for our dashboard space. (Check out the specs for the Carbot M2, pictured at right)

    Arguably the most compelling advantage of an open PC architecture is the broad-based hardware and software innovation that can result. For an example, look no farther than the proliferation of Google Earth mash-ups since the basic app’s introduction earlier this year.

  • RE: Upcoming Speaking Events

    Make sure to see Eric at the SDForum! I met him at the Blogger Business Summit a few weeks ago, he is really paving the way for Podcasting! I'd call him an independent reporter of sorts!

    9/7-8 Podcast Jams, Portland, OR
    9/14 SD Forum, Yahoo Campus, Sunnyvale, CA
    9/16 Bulldog Reporter PR University, San Francisco, CA
    9/23-25 Webzine 2005, San Francisco, CA
    9/27-28 Duke University Podcast Symposium
    11/11-12 Podcast and Portable Media Expo, Ontario, CA

    TBA: Los Angeles Podcast Roadshow, Irvine
    TBA: Phoenix Podcast Roadshow, Scottsdale
    [Via Eric Rice]

  • RE: Kansei, Japan's emotional android

    Dude, we’re not in the Uncanny Valley any more; researchers at Japan’s Robot and Science Institute are taking us for a stroll through the freaking Leatherface Valley with Kansei, a creepy new robot with a vocabulary of over 430,000 words that’s designed to react emotionally to whatever it’s discussing. If you’ve been waiting for a robot that can turn that frown upside down this is it — researchers have taught Kansei how to smile when it’s happy and frown when it’s sad by using word association software to build an artificial intelligence program that allows the bot to make judgements about whether it likes something or not.

    [Via Mike’s List]

  • RE: Blaupunkt's Lucca portable car GPS unit

    Blaupunkt showed off their Lucca portable car GPS unit at the IFA show in Berlin today, the audio-centric company’s first such unit. The Lucca will come in two different models, a £370 version that apparantly attaches to your windshield, and slightly pricier £430 Smart Cradle edition that’s wired straight to your car’s speakers. Both versions will play music and display photos in addition to giving you voice directions. Maps are stored on SD cards, so we presume that’s what you use for MP3s and pics as well. Both units should be on sale in the UK by mid-October. Also on display at Blankpunkt booth was a concept Bluetooth iPod dock that the company says will be available in 2007, which will let you control your iPod using the Lucca’s touchscreen display.

  • The Trials and Tribulations of a Startup

    So, as some of you know or may have been able to figure out, I'm starting a speech company.
    No big secret there. What I found out along this path is that there are two types of people out there, the selfish type
    and the ones who consistently lend a hand without thinking "What's in this for me?"

    What I've also found is that the people at the top of their game in this world, the true "masters of the universe,"
    tend to be the type to help others out, no strings attached.

    I'd like to take a moment and publically thank everyone who has consistently been very helpful and also when needed,
    gone out on a limb for me. Sometimes that limb is only a twig!

    Alex Rudnicky
    Anand Manikutty
    Andre Vanier
    Arthur Chan
    Ashleigh Anderson Felber
    Ashu Kumra (Ash Gianni)
    Catherine Copetas
    Christian Chu
    Ed Lin
    Itamar Drexler
    Jim Bai
    Jon Anderson
    Kimberly Lutjen
    Manjul Bose
    Mark Stehlik
    Melodie McBride
    Mike Shafer
    Mom
    Renee Lo
    Ricky Houghton
    Robert Scoble
    Sarah Revi Sterling
    Saureen Shah
    Sean Patterson
    Susan Trainer
    Ted Havill
    Vinod Krishnan
    Yan Ke
    These types of people are rare, and to be cherished dearly.
    THANK YOU!!!

    If you have a story to share about someone remarkable, feel free to either link it in the comments or mention them there.
    People on this list are welcome to make fun of me, make jokes about me, or do whatever they feel like in the comments :)
    If one or more of these people happens to also be one of your friends, you are a very lucky person, and consider yourself blessed!