Google announces 'Buzz' for a social Gmail

Google announced today a social or micro-blogging-like new "Buzz" feature in Gmail. The Google Buzz service auto-follows you to people you have e-mailed in the past. It supports Twitter-like public posting, as well as Facebook-like private posting. The private posting can go to groups created by the user, or individuals.

When bloggers collide on the streets...

Blogger Mike Arrington was talking on his cell phone while driving in front of Google's headquarters this week, looking for a place to park. Another blogger named Michael Shields, who works at Google, decided to engage in an act of resistance against Arrington's cell phone driving, and stood in front of Arrington's car. What's funny is that both snapped cell phone pictures of the standoff, and both blogged it. Here's Arrington's side of the story. Here's Shields'.

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Homer Simpson gets an iPhone

Laptop with see-through screen to hit within a year.

Samsung’s AMOLED notebook has a see-through screen and lid. The company says the laptop will ship within a year.

Mystery Pic 109: What is it?

What is it? Post your guess in the comments section below. If you're first with the right answer, you'll earn the dubious honor of getting your name in the next issue of the awe-inspiring Mike's List newsletter. The answer will be revealed in the next issue of Mike's List. Go here to subscribe. (It's free!)

China recruits moms to surf the Web for porn.

The Chinese government has recruited sixty mothers to form a "Mom jury." Their mission? To surf the web in search of porn. When they find it, their job is to report it to authorities. The initiative is part of the Chinese government's "purify the social environment" campaign (not the "corrupt the mothers" campaign).

Worst USB gadget yet: Hand-cranked music box mouse!

A Japanese catalog called Generate LE, which specializes in rare products, is offering a USB mouse that looks like an old-fashioned children's music box. You turn the crank to scroll, or change window size. Fortunately, they're selling only five of them. (Props to the Red Ferret)

Banker caught looking at naked pictures on live TV.

A live news program in Australia interview an analyst, and used a bank's control center as a background. Unfortunately, one banker was unaware of the cameras, and was caught flipping back and forth between spreadsheets and cheesecake with some kind of boss key. (Click through for video.) 

Inside the Chinese hacker underground.

As I described in my Computerworld column Friday, an enormous, sophisticated and professionalized hacker industry emerging in China. The New York Times did a nice piece on the topic, and interviewed some of the hackers. 

Suddenly, Gmail is a LOT more powerful!

Google Labs has for months offered an optional add-on to Gmail that places a search window right there in the "Compose Mail" view of Gmail. Now they've added several powerful new features. What's new is what you can look up. Here are the new features.

Google adds search to Gmail's 'Compose Mail'?

Go2web20 co-founder Orli Yakuel discovered that Google added a search window in the Gmail "Compose Mail" view. Unfortunately, it doesn't show up for me. Do you have it? Let me know in the comments area here.

Steve Jobs says Google's 'don't be evil' is 'bull****'

Apple's CEO reportedly ripped into Google at an Apple town hall meeting. Here's what else he said about Google.

Prediction: Google to offer 'click to call' for PCs

Google hauled its click to call program out of beta this week, enabling one-click calling of participating AdWords advertisers -- but only by smart phone users. Here's why I think a PC or desktop version is coming soon.

China develops underwater firearms.

A recent documentary aired in China shows that the Chinese government has developed a range of underwater guns. There's not much detail on these other than that they appear to be based on Russian designs. I want one.

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What sort of person reads Mike's List?

A person always on the go (usually going to the bank). He's not afraid to say, "look, I'm a fricken billionaire, OK? I'm so incredibly rich that I tell other people to build my dream gadgets for me, then my adoring fans pay me millions to play with them." That's the sort of person who reads Mike's List. Fact: One out of three Mike's List readers is really, really, really wealthy. The rest are just really wealthy. Get rich. Subscribe here.

The iPad goes head-to-head with a rock!

(Props to TechCrunch)

Mystery Pic 108: What is it?

What is it? Post your guess in the comments section below. If you're first with the right answer, you'll earn the dubious honor of getting your name in the next issue of the awe-inspiring Mike's List newsletter. The answer will be revealed in the next issue of Mike's List. Go here to subscribe. (It's free!)

Fake Google search engine emerges in China

And it highlights why Google should leave China.

The Complete Apple iPad in 60 Seconds!

In what passes for "historic" here in Silicon Valley, Apple CEO Steve Jobs today unveiled his long-awaited iPad, an iPhone-like touch tablet. You've seen the speculation, rumor, hype and baloney. Finally, here are the facts – boiled down to 60 seconds of reading.

Here's the video Jobs showed about the iPad

http://www.apple.com/ipad/#video

Steve Jobs rolls out iPad (video)

Links to 16 sites live-blogging the Apple event.

1. 9to5 Mac
2. All Things D
3. Arstechnica
4. CNET
5. ComputerWorld
6. Engadget
7. Financial Times
8. Gearlog
9. Gizmodo
10. IGN
11. iLounge
12. MacWorld
13. Seattle PI
14. TheAppleBlog
15. Which
16. Wired

Sneakers tweet about your walking (so you don't have to)

New "Rambler" shoes connect to your cell phone via Bluetooth, and send out tweets to your Twitter feed about what's going on with your feet. The data takes the form of the words "step" and "tap," and a period when nothing is happening. So when you're sitting at your computer tapping your feet, tweets look like this: ".....tap tap tap.... tap." When you're walking, they look like this: "step step step step." This is why Al Gore invented Twitter. (Props to Nerd With Swag)

New gadget will let your dog use Twitter

A new, $30 device called Puppy Tweets will monitor your dog's activities, and automatically send out messages on Twitter based on what Fido is doing. Unfortunately, the unit can only detect crude motion data, such as not moving at all, or running around. It then sends lame canned messages, such as "I finally caught that tail I've been chasing and...OOUUUCHH!" Yeah, that'll get old fast. 

Worst USB gadget yet: Dead Mouse flash drive!

Some dude built a USB flash drive into a taxidermied (i.e. dead) mouse. He even replaced the eyes with flashing red lights! (Props to MAKE)

iPhone app lists, tracks mobile tech rumors.

Called the Prediction, a new $3 iPhone app lists and enables you to guess whether various predictions about mobile technology are accurate. Once the news hits one way or another, you can see how well you guessed. 

Does this video show the real Apple tablet in action?

It comes from a video sharing site in the Netherlands. Real, fake or something else? 

Video games blamed for rise in rickets.

Rickets is caused by not getting enough sun. Two UK researchers say that a recent rise in rickets cases in that country is caused by more kids spending all their time indoors playing video games. 

Mystery Pic 107: What is it?

What is it? Post your guess in the comments section below. If you're first with the right answer, you'll earn the dubious honor of getting your name in the next issue of the awe-inspiring Mike's List newsletter. The answer will be revealed in the next issue of Mike's List. Go here to subscribe. (It's free!)

Fake Chinese MacBooks feature plastic unibody construction.

Shameless design thieves in China have copied the Apple MacBook Air, right down to the unibody construction -- but not without dubious "improvements." Instead of being carved from a single slab of aluminum, the "FakeBook Air" is plastic. The Apple logo on the lid lights up just like the real thing. But instead of glowing a sophisticated white, it lights up with cheesy, garish colors. Inside, it's all just generic PC innards. (Props to Cult of Mac)

Video camera has two cameras, one forward, one back!

My first thought upon seeing the Ion Twin Video recorder was, “oh, great -- another narcissism enabler.” But my second thought was, "actually, this is pretty cool."

New electric guitar replaces strings with a touch-screen.

How cool is this? The Misa Digital Guitar has no strings. Instead, a touch-pad enables the player to instantly adjust the sound of the guitar by where he or she places fingers. (Props)

How can you tell if a robot is Japanese?

Well, sometimes you can't. But if it's got a doll head with cat ears and is dressed like a little girl, you can bet it's of Japanese manufacture. Why, Japan? Why? (Props)

London vicar blesses laptops, cell phones

The Rev. Canon David Parrott came up with the idea of using his magic Jesus powers to "bless" laptops and smart phones on the altar of London's 17th-century St. Lawrence Jewry church. If I have my laptop "blessed," with that help me with my driver issues?

Most excessive iPhone accessory yet: SteadyCam rig!

A company that makes Steadicams, which are weighted rigs that hold a camera still while you're holding it, has made one for iPhones. Called the Smoothee, the device grips your iPhone with clamps, and provides a handle for holding it all. Don't try to put it in your pocket. 

Worst USB gadget yet: vacuum-cleaning mouse.

The $13 USB Dust Vacuum Mouse is an ordinary PC pointing device, plus it's a USB-powered desk vacuum. (Props to the Red Ferret)

Wow! iPhone gets a full-size, QWERTY keyboard. Will Apple crush it?

A company called Ion is showing two prototype full-size keyboards for the Apple iPhone. One uses flat, MacBook-style keys, and the other standard PC keyboard keys. Called the iType, the keyboard has its own battery, which may also be used to charge the iPhone. Will Apple allow this?

$65 spy pen shoots video in high-def.

Thanko just unveiled a new spy pen -- an ordinary ball point pen with a hidden camera. Called the Super Slim Video Pen 2, it shoots video at a resolution of 1,280×960 and a frame rate of 30fps. It also takes still photos. It comes with internal memory -- enough for an hour and a half of video, but you can add your own microSD card. (Props to CrunchGear)

Concept cell phone goes better with Coke.

A designer named Daizi Zheng has come up with a concept phone for Nokia that would be powered by soft drinks. The idea is a phone that uses enzymes to make energy from simple carbs.

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2009: The Year In FAIL videos.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1927354

Researchers created touchless pointing system for phones.

Tokyo University geniusus have come up with a touchless pointing system for mobile devices. Move your finger around in front of the device, and the pointer moves. "Air click" and the system responds as if it were a double-click. Awkward, but cool tech. (Props to Geek.com)

New TSA rule: Everybody goes naked on airline flights

Let's ban all clothing from all flights. Both the shoe bomber and Abdulmutallab used clothing -- not Wi-Fi and not live TV -- to make their failed attempts. Go here to learn more about this brilliant proposal.

Worst earbuds ever: arrow through head illusion?

Leave it to Japan to come up with the worst/best earbuds ever. This wacky collection at Solid Alliance features one set that makes it look like you've got an arrow through the head, and another a knife through the head. Somebody make it stop!

Latest job taken by robots: Hummingbird!

Japanese robot geniuses have invented a hummingbird robot that can "flutter around freely in mid-air with rapid wing movements." The robot has a tiny motor that flaps the robot's wings 30 times per second. The next step in the development of this project (clearly aiming for military applications) is the ability to hover in place like a real hummingbird, and also snap pictures and video with a tiny camera. I want one.

How book publishers could clobber Amazon.com

Walk into your local bookstore, and all is peace and order. But the tranquility masks an industry on fire. The traditional book business is being burned to the ground by technology, by recession, by the Internet -- but mostly by Amazon. 

Amazon is the best thing that ever happened to self-published authors. They offer a complete publishing service that includes editing, design, and distribution -- even into brick-and-mortar bookstores. Meanwhile, they're getting ready to dictate terms over the fast-growing eBook market. Traditional publishing is being decimated, and the future looks bleak. 

What can publishers do about Amazon? Simple: They should get into the self-publishing business, too. Here's how self-publishing could transform mainstream publishing. 

Dell netbook catches fire, burns hole in floor.

A woman's Dell Mini 9 suddenly made a "popping noise" -- never a good sign -- then began to "hiss and sizzle" and fill the room with smoke. She nudged it with her foot, and discovered that it burned her floor. (Probably a good thing she didn't have carpet.) Dell replaced it, and says they're investigating. 

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Weird cell phone sports round screen!

A strange new $159 phone from an obscure Chinese company has something few other phones have: a round screen. The KINGK N99 also has a shiny steel casing, and buttons hidden under a sliding door. (Props to technabob)

Mystery Pic 106: What is it?

What is it? Post your guess in the comments section below. If you're first with the right answer, you'll earn the dubious honor of getting your name in the next issue of the awe-inspiring Mike's List newsletter. The answer will be revealed in the next issue of Mike's List. Go here to subscribe. (It's free!)

The Ten Worst Predictions for 2009

What is it about the change from one year to the next that compels people to guess about what's going to happen? 

Some predictions by technology pundits are bad because they're vague and nebulous ("The mobile industry is going to be boring"). Others are bad because they're based on solid, existing trends ("PCs will get faster"). And then we have the most amusing kind: predictions that are clearly, unambiguously and spectacularly wrong. Here are my Top Ten Bad Tech Predictions for 2009 in reverse "David Letterman style" order.

How Google will make the Nexus One free

Everyone is wrong about Google's new phone, the Nexus One. It doesn't compete with the iPhone, and it's more of a threat to carriers than anyone says. The Nexus One will probably be free, subsidized both by advertising and by carriers. Here's why.