We’ve shown you NASA’s neat ATHLETE robots before and it looks like the little hexapod machines have been getting more sophisticated. This vid of two ATHLETEs collaborating to lift a heavy habitat load onto the ground sent faint Matrix-esque shivers down my spine. NASA is taking development of the robots seriously, as it turns out their multiple-wheeled dexterity make them perfect for carrying mobile habitats across the rocky, uneven lunar terrain. They’ve even been discussed in the most recent mission planning, so they really might be trotting-rolling across the Moon’s surface in a short bunch of years. Next up for ATHLETE: a mock mobile lunar base trial. [NASA and New Scientist]
The story of Daniel_K vs. Creative reaches a temporary conclusion as Creative reinstates the deleted forum posts by Daniel that helped other users get their sound cards work under Vista. The company did this as a result of angry forum and blog posts (some here as well), mostly all siding with Daniel.
Dear Sprint and Intel, I’m sorry to hear about your recent WiMax delays and struggles, I really am. The Xohm service was originally scheduled to launch this month, but all you’ve given us are a few prototypes and half-baked demos in controlled environments—the public has yet to see the technology truly in action. WiMax in general and Xohm in particular have the potential for greatness, but you guys seem to have lost your way. Here are all the signs that WiMax may be washed up:
Sure, you could wear a raincoat if you don’t feel like carrying an umbrella, but does it really keep you dry? I didn’t think so. And are raincoats “the wings for your arms”? No. UFO Cap does all of that and more, like keep away pesky girls asking you out for drinks. Sadly, it’s Korea-only for now, but I’m pretty sure they’ll be glad to ship one to you. [UFO Cap via io9]
Since the 1980s, cities like Guiyu, China, have been taking in electronic waste from other countries for dismantlement and processing. It’s great for other countries, but takes a huge toll on the people managing the effort because of the “metal extraction of circuit boards” and “open dumping of waste and ash residue into open water”. It’s made the well water and ground water of Guiyu undrinkable, and has to be trucked in from other villages. The lead poisoning level in children is 69%. [China-Pix via Crunchgear]
Oh… oh my. This is a running-powered bicycle (although technically, it’s a tricycle, which gives it even less dignity). There are no pedals; instead, you run with the seat jammed up in your crotch and hop on the foot holds when you get enough speed going to coast. It is amazingly ridiculous, and it only gets funnier when you see the video of some dude running on it with, as I said, the seat jammed up in his crotch.
A Boston judge has just followed up on the previous NY judge ruling that just making files available isn’t enough to constitute copyright infringement. According to the EFF, it’s the most “extensive analysis yet of the recording industry’s ‘making available’ argument”, but doesn’t actually make things better for people who are being sued by the RIAA. The same judge ruled that even though the “offer to distribute” won’t be enough to decide a case, it is enough to permit a lawsuit to move forward. On the other hand, another NY judge has ruled in the opposite manner, that making an “offer to distribute” could violate copyright, even if nobody downloaded whatever you put up. [EFF via Boing Boing]
Remember that camera modded to shock anyone who used it? Some genius thought it would be absolutely hilarious to use it at school. (Okay, it would be.) Anyway! The mischievous little bastard didn’t even get the chance to zap the schoolyard bully before the cops swooped in and busted his arse, though they deprived us of ironic hilarity by not tasing him. Instead, they slapped him with possession of a dangerous weapon on school grounds, attempted assault and breach of peace. So try this at home, not at school, kids. [WCBS via Geekologie]
A strange quote from Bill Gates today as he claims the next version of Windows, code-named Windows 7, is going to be released “sometime in the next year or so.” That’s way ahead of the previous estimates, which claimed Windows 7 was not going to be released in 2009 at all, but somewhere in 2010 or 2011.
newVideoPlayer("BSG_what_the_frak_H264.flv", 494, 390,""); Battlestar Galactica! Starbuck! Fracking Battlestar Galactica! Today! Starbuck! Fraksters! Did you forget something about it? Shame on you! But don’t worry: get up to speed with this 8-minute summary video of the whole series, you fracking Cylons! And then, skip the need to watch the Final Season by reading our exclusive BSG spoilers list.
