The Gadget Blog | Latest Gadgets, Technology

November 26th, 2008

The Case Against Cyber-Bullying

For all the courts’ poor rep of lawyers getting clients off on technicalities and the possibility of corruption affecting the process, an open record of evaluation is still the best way to resolve an issue. Both sides get to present their case, and hopefully the public record will at least serve as a lesson for society in general.

The lesson from Megan Meier’s suicide and Lori Drew’s trial is clear: online harassment can be very dangerous, because it can affect a target on a very deep level, even if that wasn’t the intended result—and even if good intentions paved the road. That has a lot to do with the unparalleled anonymity enjoyed by the average netizen.

More here.

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November 26th, 2008

HIV/AIDS Sufferers to be Tagged With Tracking Devices

Lawmaker John Manangsang, seeking to curb his province’s high-rate of HIV infections, has proposed a law where HIV/AIDS patients will be implanted with microchips to facilitate their tracking. The plan is to stay on top of their location, and “punish” them if they infect a healthy person.

How knowing someone’s location will help curb the spread of AIDs isn’t clear, unless you use that information to maintain constant surveillance, in which is very wrong. It’s easy to understand Manangsang’s reasons for pushing this program, but before we know it people could be implanted with RFID chips simply because they suffer from the common cold. Read More

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November 25th, 2008

Geek Gets Google Interview: What Happened

Apparently, scoring an interview with Google—and making all the way to final stages of the evaluation process—is enough to get some attention online. That’s what happened to erstwhile blogger Peteris Krumins, who summed up the challenging telephone and in-person questions and relatively posh life as a Google applicant like with “It was also nice that Google paid for my trip, hotel, cab and food. I had zero expenses!” and:

Overall the Google interviews were pure fun for me. The interview questions were technical but not very challenging or difficult.

Thanks for the opportunity Google!

Looks like Mr. Krumins didn’t get the job, being told that he needed more experience for such a “mission-critical” position. But his straightforward and clear narration is very worth the read for any Google fans out there, as it provides a sneak peek into a small facet of the company’s operations. At the very least, we know Google’s willing to pay for the Latvian’s round-trip, lodging and food while he was on-site! Also, the comments, divided between haters, encouragers, and neutral opiners, is also worth some attention

(image from catonmat.net)

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November 24th, 2008

New 3D Printer Models Guarantee Geekasm

Bear with me folks: if you know anything about 3D modeling, then you know how complicated that process can be, especially when it involves unorthodox shapes that aren’t easily understood by the spatial mind. Read More

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November 24th, 2008

Text Messages Leave Clear Record of Paid Murder Plan

So you think what applies to politicians won’t on you? That’s the mistake Tonia Mullins made, attempting to hire a hitman to kill his lover’s wife, forgetting that sending text messages create a record of conversation

Don’t care who as long as they can in no way be traced 2 me or u guys through someone else,” the 32-year-old Oklahoma woman texted a would-be intermediary. “Price is going 2 be the big factor here. What r we lookin at?

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November 23rd, 2008

Apparent Gmail Vulnerability Should Make You Check Your Filters!

I’ve been using Gmail for over two years now, for a wide variety of reasons (like conversations and inbox archiving for instance). Apparently, so do a lot of domain owners, who woke up one day to find that their online properties were stolen.

Here’s a summary: a hacker manages to gain access to a Gmail account, just enough to modify its Filters. The end result is that any emails sent by the domain registrar—including ones sent due to a “Forgot my Password” request—are forwarded to the hacker. This allows said hacker to grab control of the domain, and demand money for its return.

Thanks to online WhoIS services, which reveal the owner of a website and their email, pulling it off seems relatively easy. I’m honestly not sure if Gmail really suffers from a security flaw, but you can check out the complete details here—and check your Gmail filters just to be safe. It takes only a few seconds after all.

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November 23rd, 2008

This Week: Palm to Lay off Workers

Palm’s suffering was—and continues to be—for the long-haul. And apparently, the financial apocalypse didn’t help matters. Starting this week, some of the company’s 1,050-strong workforce will start having to look for other jobs.

This development is probably a symptom of everything that’s wrong with Palm, who have only managed to secure orders 5% of the business-phone market in the US, compared to RIM’s 75% and Apple’s near-25%. Once again, how the great have fallen! This is the very company that started the whole smartphone thing; look where they are now. But cutting jobs is a way of becoming more efficient. While this could be the beginning of the end for the palm, it might also represent the start of something new.

Ah well, in any case, maybe it’s wise not to apply for the most recent job posting posted on Palm’s corporate website.

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November 22nd, 2008

Anuschka Laptop Organizer May be More Expensive Than Your Laptop

Read on for some thoughts and info about the Anuschka Laptop Organizer. Read More

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November 22nd, 2008

Suicide Webcast Proves Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory

You’ve probably heard about a college student suffering from bipolar disorder intentionally overdosing on drugs in front a webcam. So of course, you’ve got shocked relatives, and professors attempting to express the incident in academic terms Read More

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November 21st, 2008

Random Geekery

(by GEARFUSE) Read More

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