Location-aware technologies combined with mapping and other data are poised to create a whole new class of web apps and services. Maps are becoming an interface, helping us to visualize and access a variety of data. Location is fertile ground for hackers and researchers who mash up Google Maps with Craigslist or plug restaurant info into dashboard navigation. MAKE will be there June 29th and 30th. Link.
In this week’s pulpit, Bob describes how to properly use new software from a company called IPDrum. Basically, you use the free mobile-to-mobile feature of any major carrier to call a dedicated cell phone attached to your computer. That call is then connected to Skype, allowing you to make free cell calls just about anywhere. Just how long till someone does this on a large scale, by overselling the dedicated lines, and starts selling true unlimited cell plans? [via] Link.
The real victim: American innovation. “Rip, Mix, Burn”—more than an Apple marketing campaign, it was a rallying cry that meant “Take control of your music!” Well, today the Supreme Court killed Rip, Mix, Burn, or at least the innovative spirit behind it. Great article by Cory Doctorow on PopSci- Link.
There is an application available for the Motorola i860 on the Nextel network that allows you to easily upload geo-stamped cameraphone pictures to a website: www.geosnapper.com There is an Easter egg in the application that lets you upload geostamped pictures directly to flickr.com Here is a link to one of my pictures: geo-stamped flickr pic The phone adds tags of the city, state, and zip code of where the picture was taken as well as adding a link to a MapQuest map of the location. To enter your flickr email press # *your pin* 8 7 5 0 # from the first start-up screen. So if your pin is 1234 you would press the keys # 1 2 3 4 8 7 5 0 # and a screen will pop-up that lets you enter your flickr email and password Link.
Today the Supreme Court ruled against Grokster. “One who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright … is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties using the device, regardless of the device’s lawful uses.” I’ll update this post as more information comes in, it was an unanimous ruling too. [via] Link.
The energy for a mouse-trap powered cars is stored in the mouse trap spring and it drives a wheel by some arrangement such as a string connected from the trap’s jaws. There was a competition among the mechanical engineers at my University to build a mouse trap car that could travel the furthest. There were plenty of different designs. The winners had a design that released energy from the spring slowly and had only two wheels. Thanks Stuartcw! Link.
If you ever wanted to use an Xbox controller on your Windows PC, here’s how. Exports ~32 controls to Windows: Up to 24 digital buttons, 7 axes(X, Y, Z, RX, RY, RZ, Slider) in Windows 2000/XP, 6 axes(X, Y, Z, RX, RZ, Slider) in 98/ME, POV hat switch with 8 directions Link.
