Get out of my head!

Dreams may no longer be secret with Japan computer screen

This is the craziest thing ever!  Japan is developing technology that’ll enable computers to project images from inside your brain on to a screen.  We’ll finally be able to see those crazy dreams of ours.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081211/sc_afp/sciencejapanbrainoffbeat_081211052641

Windows Live SkyDrive

This free internet application allows you to store your files. They give you 25 GB free and if you download the small software it can be used just like an external hard drive, you can drag and drop files in and out. Another plus is that everyone has a public folder where the files can be accessed by anyone, or just your friends. Just google SkyDrive.

Ubiquitous Wirelessness

Thanks to a recent FCC ruling, wireless technologies will become even more expansive and pervasive.  The ruling allows wireless technologies to use the white-spaces between broadcast television channels.  Use of the white-spaces will expand the reach of the internet and increase speeds for mobile date exchange. 

 

http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/21671/?a=f

eSocializing

In case you had any doubts, a $50 million dollar project revealed that there are, in fact, benefits to socializing online and that there may be more positive than negative effects.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/us/20internet.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Select Media Festival

The festival is organized by Public Media Institute, a group of artists, technologists, and community members.  As described on the site their “mission is to promote art, technology and social activism in order to transform people – socially and intellectually – through the production of festivals, events, exhibitions, community projects, artifacts and other media.”  This year’s festival is called “Infoporn” and is focused on information design and data visualization. 

 

http://www.selectmediafestival.org/where.html

 

 

Games in Education

Eventually, I think that games will become a more integral part to higher education.  This article suggests some of the ways that they will.  Teaching politics, literature and economics are just a few of the many applications that the article envisions.  Architecture?

 

http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Review/GamesforHigherEducation20/46975

 

Another site called Institute of Play….

http://www.instituteofplay.com/

VoxOx

This software enables communications to run out of the same interface.  It can accommodate e-mail, text messaging, video conferencing, phone calls, file sharing and interaction with social networks.   As this article points out, there is already software than unifies communications, but this one “offers a more exhaustive list of services”.

 

http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/21667/?a=f

Flash Mob Snowball Fight

I got this invite over facebook. see you there.

Snowball Fight – The Flurry Fury – CHICAGO, IL

[submitted-2008-10-23 19:51:22 PST]

Wednesday, January 14th @ 4:48 CST
Where: S. Riverside Plaza, Outside Union Station, Adams Rd. Entrance
My name is Matt Nissenbaum and I am attempting to orchestrate a

GIANT SNOWBALL FIGHT!!!!!!!!!

Alright, we encourage people dress warmly, but costumes and other clothing statements are fine too. We will need some help because I would like to fill some styrofoam coolers with snowballs just in case the supply in that area is limited and I would like it if someone could videotape the event.

Now that you have received your “mission”… there better be no
excuses and don’t be late or you may completely miss out. The snowball fight will commence when the horn is blown and it will end when the
horn is blown a second time. When the second horn is blown… we all
need to immediately stop and walk away as if nothing had ever happen.
Ignore, deny and inform anyone that ask about the incident that you
don’t know what they are talking.
EMAIL ME AT mnissenb@yahoo.com

THE GOAL IS OVER 5100 PEOPLE!!!

*****I’m looking for sponsors and a venue for the after-party.*****

TELL EVERYBODY TO JOIN IN, TELL NO ONE IT HAPPENED!

Allegorical Video Games

Check out these two video games by Jason Rohrer, “Passage” and “Immortality.” He is not making video games in the traditional sense. He is telling a story, preaching even. Very interesting.

Augmented Reality in the Military

I read an article in the Economist about how troops on the ground could have augmented reality goggles in the (not too distant) future.  The goggles would overlay information from satellite, plane and drone views so that troops would have a digital image of enemies over the hill or through buildings. The descriptions, at least in my mind, sounded almost too much like the little “blips” in Halo and other video games.