This thing looks really cool, but is it just a gimmick? The claim is that it is a 100% frictionless mouse that hovers over the mouse pad by about 1 cm. The pictures on the site show the mouse hovering but do not show how it works when someone is resting their hand on it. Will it still float?
Although this looks cool, I'll wait to see some reliable industry hardware reviews before putting down my cash on this one!
A 22-year old hacker known as "DVD Jon" has developed a method of making music purchased on iTunes work on players other than iPods AND has made it so that music purchased from other sources will play on the iPod! Since this new method does not remove any copyright protections and does not try to "hack through" any DRM schemes, it is perfectly legal. The system tricks the iPod into thinking it is playing a song with Apple's FairPlay copyright technology while at the same time allows that song to be played by competing mp3 players.
Read more about this here.
DoubleTwist Ventures for whom "DVD Jon" is working, says they plan to license this system to businesses allowing them to complete directly with Apple on their own turf.
This all sounds great but iPod users already have another alternative to free themselves from the DRM shackles slapped on them by Apple. This solution sounds a lot more appealing to me however I'm sure that DoubleTwist's solution is easier for those iPod owners who are less technically savvy.
Here is a wonderful article about the launch of Nintendo's Wii. Roughly 3,000 people lined up at Toys "R" Us in Times Square NY to get their hands on the new system. There was no pushing, no shoving, no altercations and no-one was overly anxious in line because everyone knew that although there were 3,000 fans waiting to get their hands on the new system, Nintendo had supplied Toys "R" Us with 4,000 units!
To help entertain waiting fans, Nintendo sent staff up and down the line riding Segways with TV monitors and Wii gaming systems attached, giving people a chance to play the new system. The only time things got a little wild was when Nintendo staff gave out swag (T-shirts, beanies and baseball caps).
It sounds to me like this was a positive, exciting experience for fans of the new Nintendo system and that Nintendo put some thought into ensuring that its customers would be "satisfied". This makes the whole ruckus and mob mentality around the release of the much more expensive Sony PS3 seem rediculous. It makes me wonder if Sony intentionally created a shortage in order to create sensational hype and increased media coverage. Considering several people have gotten hurt in the zeal over getting a new PS3, and a few reported cases of shootings, I would think that Sony fans might re-think their allegiance.
