I know loads of people that want to play with one of these but, like me, just don’t have $300US to plunk down for one. So, with that said go and read a review of it here:
RadioShack’s VEX Robotics Design System reviewed
Author: John
The Cut-Out Computer.
This is a real cool idea. By using electroluminescent material and flex connectors (I’m guessing on that one) on a printed ‘fold-it-yourself’ paper computer, the various parts can be shown working when one of the buttons are pressed. In fact, the major components have to be installed correctly in order for the device to function.
Now when will I be able to buy a printer that will print conductive lines and electroluminescent parts? I’m sure that once such a printer is on the market things like paper computers will look amazingly simple compared to what people dream up.
The Official WiNGs Website v2.0
You just can’t put the Commodore 64 down. years out of date, massively under powered, and has not seen a retail store shelf in decades, you can now get an OS that has features that rival most modern operating systems.
WiNGs is a modern Operating System for the Commodore 64 and 128 Computers… The OS includes an optional Graphical User Interface, multiple shell consoles, and integration with the internet via TCP/IP over PPP.
Now, before you call up your mom back home in South Dakota begging her to crawl into the attic and send your old C-64 to you be warned – you can’t run this on you standard stock Commie.
You will need a C64 or C128 Computer with a SuperCPU and at least one Megabyte of SuperRam. An REU or Ramlink can not be substituted in place of SuperRam. You will also need a DiskDrive of some moderate size. A 1581 is the smallest comfortable size recommended, though a limited distribution could be made to run on a 1571 or even a 1541. A CMD HD or Ramlink is preferred over a disk drive. And finally an IDE64 will give you the best (Astounding) results. If you want to use the Graphical User Interface, a 1351 compatible mouse is required. If you want to use the internet, either a Turbo232, Swiftlink or IDE64 Duart is required to interface to a modem.
Your going to be haunting eBay for a while to collect all these things. So before you do that have a look at a few screenshots.
Pretty neat, eh? Your mission, if you choose to accecpt, is to super charge you old Commodore 64 (or better yet, the new C64DTV) with new parts, install WiNGs and hack it into your car. First person that does that and send me some darn good proof I’ll send them an 8×10 of any photo from my gallery or my Flickr account.
The Official WiNGs Website v2.0
Plane Crash in Greece
121 passengers perished in a crash of a Greek Cypriot airliner (Boeing 737), apparently due to asphyxiation. From reports made by the pilots of two scrambled Greek F-16 fighters, oxygen masks were seen deployed in the cabin and the pilots were slumped over in their seats. They also said that they saw two people standing in the cockpit trying to regain control of the plane. They might have been stewardesses.
Shortly after takeoff the pilot reported that their air conditioning system was not working correctly and from all indications so far it appears that the emergency oxygen system was not working either.
This air crash may have broad ranging implications for travel as Boeing 737 in service around the world.
For more information read the headline summery on Google News.
Pizza Cones
Umm… Yeah… Pizza in a cone… I’m torn between the practicality of this – easy to eat in a car (maybe), and the absurdity of it. Pizza in a cone? I have to try one before I declare if this is one of those things that should be put on the big shelf of bad ideas.
It could ber that mankind just isn’t ready for a food such as this… Yet.
Making The Future Brighter For Film
I saw this on Ektopia today.
If you’re into all things film you should check out Retrothing’s call for help in saving Super 8 from premature doom. Making the Future Brighter for Film. “Film is an endangered species; it’s estimated there are only 20,000 serious Super 8 shooters left. To raise the profile of the format and keep it alive, a German publisher is introducing small format, an English language version of their 50 year-old German moviemaking mag. To be successful, they apparently need 1000 subscribers. That’s a lot of people for such a small community.”
This is what you will get in the first issue of ‘Small Format’:
Take a look at our first issue: It’s got everything you want to know about the international Super-8 scene, new products, tips for better filming, tests, labs, film material, the history of camera brands, a collector’s marketplace, and portraits of interesting groups and films – worldwide. And it’s got stories on cameras, projectors, splicers, and covers details about every format: Super-8, Single-8, 8mm, 9.5mm, 16mm.
When was the last time you saw info on things like that in a magazine? Last time I saw it it was in old issues of ‘Cinemagic‘
Go have a look and support this fine film format.
Making The Future Brighter For Film