BlueGrind is a useful service which converts text based blog/news articles into speech. Although, it is not a new technology, yet the presentation and the implementation is pretty neat. The service is primarily aimed at facilitating visually impaired people, however, the ability to download the converted audio files as mp3 means that you can carry your news around in your portable media player as a podcast.
“Adobe Systems Inc. unveiled on Sunday video-player software that lets consumers play back video online or offline, a move that could help reshape an acrimonious debate over video-sharing. Adobe Video Player builds on the leading design software maker’s Flash player, already the dominant technology used to stream video online by sites ranging from YouTube to MySpace to MSN to Yahoo Video.” – PC Magazine
I received a Joost invitation to test the Beta version after 2 months of signing up for it on its website. The first impressions of the website/application are great. The whole look and feel makes it a very pleasant experience. However, on my 1.2 GHz PIII Mobile Laptop with 510MB (available) Ram, and 4Mbps internet connection, the video is rather jerky and the application crashes very often. If you want an invitation to test it, drop in a comment to this post (update: more invites available).
Related Posts: Joost may make IPTV a reality?
The new LG Prada phone looks quite impressive. It is quite similar to the iPhone in functionality, big touch screen, easy to use interface, etc. However at 85 grams is considerably lighter than the iPhone which is 130 grams (the main reason why I might not get an iPhone) and more importantly being available in UK for £350 is a lot more wallet friendly than the iPhone which is expected to retail at around £600. Well, perhaps iPod owners/lovers will be more inclined to get the iPhone ofcourse (excluding me), not to mention that it will support iTunes content, will be easy to sync and has WiFi unlike Prada.
Related posts: iPhone… wow!
“a Knowledge@Wharton article explains that there are two kinds of workers: segmentors and integrators. Segmentors want to maintain a strict separation between work and home while integrators don’t mind mixing the two. The piece posits that segmentors might actually mind too many perks at their workplace and find their commitment eroding. Does Google have a disproportionate number of integrators in its workforce? What kind of worker are you — segmentor or integrator?” Via /.
Perk Place: The Benefits Offered by Google and Others May Be Grand, but They’re All Business
“we present the 10 technologies we find most exciting — and most likely to alter industries, fields of research, and even the way we live.”
Got something you don’t use anymore, but can’t be bothered to sell it on eBay? Don’t throw it away and contribute to unnecessary waste, but consider freecycling it! Alternatively, interested in a freebie and looking for the next bargain at £0.00? Freecycle is for you! Freecycle network consists of local groups that give/get such things for free.
Appalling infrastructure and corruption are very serious concerns; there is some hope – Entrepreneurs and the Right-To-Information Act.
Dataquest magazine’s 2002 tribute to the people who have helped turn the Indian IT dream into reality. With a five years hindsight, there is no denial that it is an impressively accurate list!
A Dataquest Tribute: The IT Indians
Related Post: 15 Most respected Indian companies