Age of Information Overload

Finally, someone else agrees. Over at CNN they posted "Age of Information Overload" which talks about the ubiquitous nature of information in today's modern digital world. It's everywhere and we (as a society) are getting flooded with it by the minute. It ponders the point of are we drowning? My thoughts are yes we are. So to get out of this scenario you have to change your habits and attain new skills for acquiring, accessing and using this stuff.

First US Military Exoskeleton Prototype

Over at Slashdot, they posted an article today about the first prototype Military Exoskeleton. This thing looks pretty incredible and scary. I knew the DoD would have this technology first in America.

Run a Linux LiveCD as your Windows Screensaver

I read about this at SlashDot. An IBM Software Engineer posted the article, "Linux screensaver for Windows", describing how to do this at developerWorks. Based on reading the article, I am going to have to try this. It sounds pretty cool and would be fun to make work.

EPA invents battery-less hybrid system

I couldn't believe this when I read "EPA invents battery-less hybrid system" posted at CNNMoney. I wonder if we'll ever see this technology anytime soon? It would be nice and sounds like yet another alternative energy solution that we may never see.

Honda To Mass Produce Solar Cells

This was a surprising announcment, "Honda to mass produce solar cells by 2007". Honda said they are building a new factory on the site of one of their auto manufacturing plants in Japan to start producing solar products. Honda said its solar cells would be composed of non-silicon compound materials, consuming half as much energy and generating 50 percent less carbon dioxide during production when compared with conventional solar cells made from silicon.

The company aims to sell the solar cells for both residential and industrial use. It will initially target the Japanese market.

Is this the beginning of when my future hybrid or fuel cell Honda vehicle also has a solar rooftop to charge the batteries? That would be cool.

Archos Gmini402 20GB Camcorder/Camera Personal Video Recorder

Archos continues to be the sleeper innovator this year. I found this at Costco. It is also at Amazon. The Archos
Gmini402 20GB Camcorder/ Camera Personal Video Recorder is a pretty cool next generation device. Here's a review of it. It merges the digital camera, camcorder, portable media device all into one. It is a bit light on the camera side with its 1.2 megapixel camera, however, this trend towards integrating digital pictures with digital camcorders in a very portable format is a step in the right direction. I have used my Sony Cybershot as a portable digital video recorder for a while now. The video specs on my Cybershot are ok (640x480 video), however would be nice to be full 780p like the Archos is. In the next few years, my next camera/camcorder device will be some evolution of that the Archos Gmini402 represents. For now, my Cybershot and Handycam are sufficient.

Wolverine MVP 60GB Media Storage and Player

I was perusing the web looking for tech gadgets and found the Wolverine MVP 60GB Media Storage and Player from Wolverine Data. I actually found it at Costco site and after reading about it also found it at Amazon.com Doing a bit more research I found a 12/1/2005 review at PCMag. The cool thing about this device is that it has a large HD (60GB or 100GB) and has a 7-in-1 reader. Pretty cool if you have multiple gadgets and multiple flash memory formats. The MVP appears to a great digital camera companion.

Honda Asimo Robot updated

Honda just demonstrated an upgraded version of its Asimo robot that can now serve tea, push a cart, and run twice as fast. "Honda Robot Serves Tea, Pushes Mail Carts". Watching video of Asimo is quite entertaining and incredible. I have to keep convincing myself that this is not special effects in a movie. Asimo moves very fluidly and very human like.

Creative Zen Vision:M portable music/video device

I saw this last night at the I4U.com site. Then just today at The Register is a decent first look at the Creative Zen Vision:M portable music/video player. This high end device looks to be good competitor to the Apple iPod Video. It has more features and support more formats.

Scientists figure out how cancer spreads

I think this is a breakthrough in cancer research. Just like how Australian scientists have use stem cell research to treat melanoma and some in some cases cure it. "Scientist Unlock Reasons Cancer Spreads". Positive news like this raises my hope that maybe I'll live to see the day when a cure for cancer is found.

Sony VAIO VGN-U50 Palmtop computer

Leave it up to Sony to create a super tiny palmtop computer (Sony VAIO VGN-U50) that has a 20GB HDD and runs Windows XP Professional. The U50 is about the size of the Sony PSP (one of my favorite gadgets in 2005) and only available in Japan. If you really want to get one you will have to goto a site like Dynamism.com which specializes in tech gadgets that are only available in Japan.

CNET reviewed the Sony VAIO VGN-U50 in Oct2004 (review). This thing has been out in Japan for over a year and still nothing like it exists in the U.S. for sale. The only issue I see with the U50 is its price. If you can afford one then it is definitely the ultimate in portability for a computer.

Maybe the palmtop format will take off in 2006 here in the U.S.