I found a post today while browsing Gizmodo which showed off a new innovation in railgun technology. We can already launch objects at Mach 5-6 (5 to 6 times the speed of sound), but now we can shoot them further.
The old projectile for the railgun was a slug in every sense of the word. It was basically a brick of solid metal, and while it moved fast, it didn't have any aerodynamics. At those speeds, anything will fly, but have you ever tried to throw a kite into the wind?
The new rounds look more like a metal replica of a missile than anything, and we can shoot them through steel plates like they are paper.
Check it out on Gizmodo
Thursday, April 7, 2011 Notepad. On super steroids!
It's called Notepad++. It's a free, open source notepad clone. I shouldn't say clone though. Notepad++ is far, far more than notepad.
Notepad++ is one of my favorite pieces of open source software. It supports syntax highlighting, find and replace, side by side editing, and tabbed open files. My favorite feature is the custom syntax highlighting. When I was in my class for assembly language, I made highlighting for MIPS.
Especially if you don't have Microsoft Word, Notepad++ is great to check out. Here's the website where you can download it: Notepad++
Notepad++ is one of my favorite pieces of open source software. It supports syntax highlighting, find and replace, side by side editing, and tabbed open files. My favorite feature is the custom syntax highlighting. When I was in my class for assembly language, I made highlighting for MIPS.
Especially if you don't have Microsoft Word, Notepad++ is great to check out. Here's the website where you can download it: Notepad++
Friday, March 4, 2011 Razer Gaming makes dedicated gaming platform.
If any of you have ever shopped for mice or keyboards online or at Best Buy, you have definitely seen a lot of Microsoft and Logitech stuff. Both of those companies make great stuff, but a manufacturer named Razer makes what I consider the best.
For example, most of their mice are 3000-4000 DPI. DPI, or dots per inch, measures how precisely a mouse tracks its own motion. A higher number means less skipping when you move your mouse, and the average mouse has less than 1000 DPI.
Razer's keyboards have a 1 millisecond response time, and anti-ghosting capability, which lets the keyboard register multiple simultaneous key presses.
I personally use a mouse and keyboard that were a collaborative effort from Razer and Microsoft, the Habu and Reclusa, respectively.
However, Razer is looking to redefine PC gaming by making a console dedicated to it. The Razer Switchblade looks a little bit like a laptop or netbook, but it is more specialized than those devices.
As you can see, this new device would be the thing to have for PC gaming. I can't wait for it to come out!
I got my info from The Razer Zone
For example, most of their mice are 3000-4000 DPI. DPI, or dots per inch, measures how precisely a mouse tracks its own motion. A higher number means less skipping when you move your mouse, and the average mouse has less than 1000 DPI.
Razer's keyboards have a 1 millisecond response time, and anti-ghosting capability, which lets the keyboard register multiple simultaneous key presses.
I personally use a mouse and keyboard that were a collaborative effort from Razer and Microsoft, the Habu and Reclusa, respectively.
However, Razer is looking to redefine PC gaming by making a console dedicated to it. The Razer Switchblade looks a little bit like a laptop or netbook, but it is more specialized than those devices.
As you can see, this new device would be the thing to have for PC gaming. I can't wait for it to come out!
I got my info from The Razer Zone
Posted from android
Hey guys! So, I'm finally in the smartphone world, and in honor of that, here is a post made using the blogger app!
The picture is of the case that comes with a mytouch.
Enjoy!
I can read your mind! Well, mostly anyway.
A company called Emotiv has taken the first step towards making me feel like a Jedi! They have developed a peripheral called EPOC which functions as a controller. It doesn't use buttons, or a touchpad, or Kinect. This new "headset" reads the thoughts you project at it to do what you want in your games.
I can also vouch for this personally, because one of my good friends who goes to Rolla (okay, MS&T now, I still call us CMSU sometimes) has one. He owns a headset which can read everything from thoughts to facial expression to head movement.
My mind was totally blown when I first heard about this, I hope yours is too. For lots more information, check out their website: emotiv.com
I can also vouch for this personally, because one of my good friends who goes to Rolla (okay, MS&T now, I still call us CMSU sometimes) has one. He owns a headset which can read everything from thoughts to facial expression to head movement.
My mind was totally blown when I first heard about this, I hope yours is too. For lots more information, check out their website: emotiv.com
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Android 3.0 Tablet vs iPad: Why I like Android
LifeHacker posted a great article on this, and I'd like to summarize their points and add a few of my own. For those who don't know, Google is going to release a tablet with a new Android OS (3.0 Honeycomb) that is specialized for tablets.
1. Along the bottom of the screen, the new OS has a great notifications bar, which is non-intrusive, unlike the iPad's pop-ups.
2. The new tablet will have front and rear facing cameras, for google talk and taking pictures and video. Also, the camera app has become almost a digital camera OS of its own. Seriously feature-packed
3. WIDGETS!!! The iPad has such a huge screen, but you can only use square, static icons to represent apps! There's not even a weather widget, on apple's tablet. Check out the gmail widget, or the book reading widget in this video! Imagine the facebook, or even an embedded youtube widget!
4. Youtube. I've seen the youtube on iPad, and while it's nice to see the screen, it's not that great. The new Android will have a redesigned youtube, as shown.
5. You can multitask. Not a huge thing for me, especially since I still see no sign of side by side or (gasp) grid apps, but it's still nice to play music while you're browsing, if you're of the type. While we're on that, you'll be able to control your music pretty easily without switching, similar to windows 7's live previews.
6. The browser is awesome, and if it's not awesome enough for you, mozilla is developing for android (They already have a firefox for android 2.x) Tabs, better highlighting, easy copy and paste with soft keys, better websites (like gmail and youtube).
7. Options. This is more personal preference, and can be a bad thing if manufacturers release crappy hardware, but I really like having choices and competition when I'm buying a device. Android runs on nearly everything these days, and being able to buy a cheap tablet (sans camera perhaps?) or Google's latest batch of awesomeness will be nice.
8. Updates. On iOS, you usually wait until the next device releases before you get an update. Google's update schedule is every six months. Also on the update side, why is it that a device that is wireless for EVERYTHING else has to connect via sync cable to a computer to even download apps? Grow up, Apple, it's the 21st century.
Now, I must be fair, and point out a few places where Apple still wins, however much I dislike their company.
First, Apple was first. They released the iPad a long time before anyone else started thinking tablets. Innovation has always been a strong suit of theirs.
Also, the iPad inevitably will have better battery life than the Android. Apple's hardware is the best, simply because they make all of it in house.
Finally, AirPlay's wireless media streaming is the best in the business, and Google can't really compete without going hardware.
1. Along the bottom of the screen, the new OS has a great notifications bar, which is non-intrusive, unlike the iPad's pop-ups.
2. The new tablet will have front and rear facing cameras, for google talk and taking pictures and video. Also, the camera app has become almost a digital camera OS of its own. Seriously feature-packed
3. WIDGETS!!! The iPad has such a huge screen, but you can only use square, static icons to represent apps! There's not even a weather widget, on apple's tablet. Check out the gmail widget, or the book reading widget in this video! Imagine the facebook, or even an embedded youtube widget!
4. Youtube. I've seen the youtube on iPad, and while it's nice to see the screen, it's not that great. The new Android will have a redesigned youtube, as shown.
5. You can multitask. Not a huge thing for me, especially since I still see no sign of side by side or (gasp) grid apps, but it's still nice to play music while you're browsing, if you're of the type. While we're on that, you'll be able to control your music pretty easily without switching, similar to windows 7's live previews.
6. The browser is awesome, and if it's not awesome enough for you, mozilla is developing for android (They already have a firefox for android 2.x) Tabs, better highlighting, easy copy and paste with soft keys, better websites (like gmail and youtube).
7. Options. This is more personal preference, and can be a bad thing if manufacturers release crappy hardware, but I really like having choices and competition when I'm buying a device. Android runs on nearly everything these days, and being able to buy a cheap tablet (sans camera perhaps?) or Google's latest batch of awesomeness will be nice.
8. Updates. On iOS, you usually wait until the next device releases before you get an update. Google's update schedule is every six months. Also on the update side, why is it that a device that is wireless for EVERYTHING else has to connect via sync cable to a computer to even download apps? Grow up, Apple, it's the 21st century.
Now, I must be fair, and point out a few places where Apple still wins, however much I dislike their company.
First, Apple was first. They released the iPad a long time before anyone else started thinking tablets. Innovation has always been a strong suit of theirs.
Also, the iPad inevitably will have better battery life than the Android. Apple's hardware is the best, simply because they make all of it in house.
Finally, AirPlay's wireless media streaming is the best in the business, and Google can't really compete without going hardware.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 A Little Online Resumé Help
So, I was reading on LifeHacker a little while ago, and I found something that is interesting and could be useful. There is a program (webapp, really) on the internet that will give your resumé a grade. It doesn't replace people, but it can give you some good advice about words you use too often, or the overall tone of your resumé.
With the Career Fair next week (Wednesday 16th) this is a great way to make some improvements before you head over to Career Services. Enjoy!
Here are the links to the article and the website:
http://lifehacker.com/#!5719489/rezscore-grades-your-resumes-and-offers-free-advice
http://rezscore.com/
With the Career Fair next week (Wednesday 16th) this is a great way to make some improvements before you head over to Career Services. Enjoy!
Here are the links to the article and the website:
http://lifehacker.com/#!5719489/rezscore-grades-your-resumes-and-offers-free-advice
http://rezscore.com/
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 3DS vs. NGP, has Sony finally caught up?
I've always been a bit of a nintendo fan. (Okay fanboy, let's be honest here) My first console was a SNES, my first handheld a GameBoy Advance. The Mario Series is awesome, the Zelda Series continues to impress, and up until the latest installment, the Metroid series has been my all-time favorite. And the new 3DS looks to be up to the standards: solid feel, new 3D without glasses technology, and of course all the things you love about the DSi. My single concern is the games. I already have a Wii which can play games from any Nintendo console (and a few Sega ones, as well). I like the idea of refreshed (3D!!!!) games from my past, like StarFox 64, and perhaps Ocarina of Time. But where are the new series? Games today can accomplish feats that would have been impossible on earlier hardware, but Nintendo is rereleasing their same games that we've seen before. I'll be waiting on the 3DS for just this reason.
However, Sony has done some crazy technological innovation of its own. The new Next Generation Portable (NGP for short) has two analog sticks for console style shooters, the regular D-Pad and 4 buttons, 2 shoulder buttons, 6-Axis motion detection... and touchscreens. That's right folks. Touchscreens. Front and Back. You can use the back touchscreen intuitively for games such as Uncharted 2, which will be ported from the PS3. That's the other thing about the NGP. It's been announced that it will be as powerful as a PS3. The screen will feature a resolution similar to the iPad. If Sony can deliver on all these features at a decent price, this will be the handheld to have this holiday season.
The Bottom Line: If Nintendo can get some new games on the market, the 3DS has the 3D to make them awesome. If Sony keeps the price down, the NGP may well be a must-buy this holiday season.
Info for this came from:
http://psp.ign.com/articles/114/1146585p1.html
http://gizmodo.com/5744521/sony-ngp-an-oled+equipped-dual-analog-touch+sensitive-portable-powerhouse
Friday, January 28, 2011 What has society come to?
Most days when I post on my blog, it's something I find cool, or interesting. Today is not one of those days. Today I saw something completely uncool.
I'm watching Comedy Central, because I love Comedy Central, it's hilarious! And Gabriel Iglesias was cracking me up. Then they played a commercial...
... I could not believe that any network would play this! The commercials all have the website at the end, so I checked it out. The site has a $250 guaranteed affair! What's worse, more than 5 million people have used the service!
After I got over my initial shock and disgust, I came up with a few new taglines for them:
Don't let life ruin your marriage, let us do it!
$250 and we'll guarantee you get a divorce!
and the best one: How would you like to be Tiger Woods for a day?
If you're as disgusted as I am, or think up some more humor to help me get over this, leave it in the comments!
I'm watching Comedy Central, because I love Comedy Central, it's hilarious! And Gabriel Iglesias was cracking me up. Then they played a commercial...
... I could not believe that any network would play this! The commercials all have the website at the end, so I checked it out. The site has a $250 guaranteed affair! What's worse, more than 5 million people have used the service!
After I got over my initial shock and disgust, I came up with a few new taglines for them:
Don't let life ruin your marriage, let us do it!
$250 and we'll guarantee you get a divorce!
and the best one: How would you like to be Tiger Woods for a day?
If you're as disgusted as I am, or think up some more humor to help me get over this, leave it in the comments!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Solid State Drives
If you built your own computer, or you simply like the idea of getting the best that money can buy, you've probably heard of Solid State Drives (SSD). These drives seem horribly overpriced, considering a 60 GB costs you $100, and I just got a Terabyte for half that.
However, don't discount them simply because of their price. Not only do they use less power than a traditional magnetic disk drive, they are significantly faster and more durable.
Why use them? If you install your windows (or mac, or linux) installation on a solid state drive, you could be cutting your boot time in half or smaller. I know my next hard drive will be solid state.
Why use hard disk drives, if SSDs are so much better? Storage capacity. The faster access speed of the solid state drive doesn't matter if you're watching a saved movie, or listening to music. I have a large music library, and I'll be using hard drives to store it for a while to come.
I got most of my info from these sites:
http://www.snia.org/apps/group_public/download.php/35796/SSSI%20Wht%20Paper%20Final.pdf
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/windows-7-and-ssds-just-how-fast-are-they/2902
Why is my page so dark?
I, being your average college student, am nocturnal by nature. And I have a very bright LCD monitor. Pages like Facebook hurt my eyes when I read them at night, and I like your eyes. They're beautiful. So enjoy the nice quiet darkness of my page, and read on, faithful readers, read on!
Monday, January 24, 2011 Beauty Sleep
I'm sure with many of us already in dating age, and approaching marriageable age, we all want to look more attractive. As it turns out, a Swedish study tells us there's a very easy way to do this. Sleep better.
That means getting those 8 hours every night, preferably starting before ten (or 2200 for you military types). That means adapting your circadian rhythym (the daily cycle of your body) to a standardized sleep schedule. That means no more staying up playing Halo, or CoD, or checking textsfromlastnight.com one last time at midnight or later.
The benefits are tangible. Not only will you feel better, you'll look better too. The study proves it.
Links: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/201101/is-your-new-year-s-resolution-look-better-beauty-sleep-need-i-say-more
http://helpguide.org/life/sleep_tips.htm
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 If you love tech...
Then you should totally check out this awesome website:
Lifehacker.com
I have found so many useful and interesting articles here, Do it Yourself (DIY) articles, Psychology, Software, Hardware, tech news. Everything!
Lifehacker.com
I have found so many useful and interesting articles here, Do it Yourself (DIY) articles, Psychology, Software, Hardware, tech news. Everything!
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