Gallup finds out what "gadgets" Americans are using

In a pretty interesting poll, Gallup looked at what types of electronic devices are being used by different demographics in the United States. For example: 88% of respondents had a VCR, while only 83% had a DVD player.

What stood out was this quote:

A majority of Americans under age 50 say they have a video game system. This compares with just 18% of 50- to 64-year-olds and only 6% of those aged 65 and older.

"ONLY" six percent?? Who are these tens of thousands of seniors playing some Grand Theft Auto?

Mini-reactors!? that's awesome....!

So apparently, a company called Hyperion Power Generation (HPG) is marketing small reactors (only 1.5 m across) that can power up to 20,000 homes at a cost of only $25 million. That's a steal. Anyway, they sound pretty confident their "Hyperion Power Modules" are fool proof. These power modules will be safe underground and guarded, according to their website. I'm sure someone will manage to screw something up somehow though.

Monty Python musical at Husky Stadium

Interesting half-time show at my first (and probably only) UW football game.

Secret effort to make everyone buy a second G1?

TechCrunch details an interesting new application available this week in the Google Android market. The "Punch-O-Meter" lets you do an air punch, while gripping your $200 (or $400) phone in your hand, and will tell you the acceleration of said punch. Sounds like it can only lead to fun times, though. Nintendo watch out, the Wii has a serious contender in the punch-o-meter.

"Sound Like Thunder"

Just read a pretty sweet article on Nature.com, I guess some Chinese mad scientists have used a sheet of carbon nanotubes (CNT's) as a speaker. They've explained the sheet of CNT's produces sound the same way lightning produces thunder, by heating up the surrounding air, thereby, causing a change in pressure. The thermoacoustic effect these CNT's display apparently produces sound just as well as commercial speakers. Even more awesome, "The nanotube loudspeakers could be strechted to up to twice their original size without breaking and with little change to the intensity of the sound...". The applications these CNT loudspeakers could spawn in the future are mindboggling...can't wait.
Here's a video of an ipod connected to the CNT loudspeaker.
Enjoy the article and the video...

Singularity looms as CBS types with their mind

CBS plugs themselves into some pre-singularity tech. Definitely worth a watch (look out for another appearance of the chimp who eats with a robot arm... watch out because some day he may crush humanity with that same arm).


Watch CBS Videos Online