CrunchGear » Matt Hickey

Video: All-robot band and their catchy tune

Matt Hickey — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:30:51 +0000

Sure, it’s not the first all-home-made-robots rock band ever, but this one’s a little more sophisticated than most, and it has a robotic singer. Nice touch.

What I’d like to know is this: How come there’s no video of robots playing Rock Band as a rock band yet? We’ve seen bits and pieces, but I want the whole four-piece. You heard me, robohobbyists, get busy.

Thanks, Andy!

Firefox 3 flaw found, could be exploited by hackers

Matt Hickey — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:35 +0000

This kind of sucks. After all the ballyhoo yesterday regarding Firefox 3 and it’s 8.4 million downloads comes word of the first vulnerability in the browser, ~~a zero day attack~~ (see update here) that would allow an attacker to trick a user into executing their code, which could wreak all kinds of havoc on a computer.

The details of the hole aren’t given, so hacker types can’t take advantage of it. And the people behind Firefox, Mozilla, have been notified so they can patch it up, though there’s no word yet on when that update might come.

Zero day attacks are a popular way for malicious users to infect other computers with spyware, worms, trojans, and all sorts of nastiness. Hopefully this one gets patched up before someone not as nice as the Zero Day Initiative can exploit it.

Review: Verizon Centro, featuring Sudoku!

Matt Hickey — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:30:54 +0000

The Palm Centro for Verizon is finally here. It’s coming in at the $99 price that many first-time smartphone buyers look for, but it doesn’t skimp on features, though it’s not as rich as its AT&T and Sprint cousins. But it has Sudoku!

The Centro

The Centro is Palm’s new low-end device, replacing the “p” series of Treo smartphones. Running Palm OS 5.4.9 Garnet, it’s compatible with thousands of add-on applications, but comes with enough built-in to be useful out of the box.

The Good Stuff

The 320×320 touchscreen is bright and clear, with little pixelization and a very accurate digitizer. That means you don’t miss what you’re aiming for often.

The full QWERTY keyboard has a good feel despite the small size, and is quite usable. You won’t be writing a novel with it, but it’s great for emails or text messaging. Speaking of texting, Palm’s unique threaded text messaging is intact, giving you an IM-like interface for texts.

Sadly there’s no integrated IM client as the AT&T model includes, but there are many third-party apps around to take care of that minor annoyance.

The customizable side button can be mapped to launch the application of your choice. I keep mine on “camera”, mostly because my friends are idiots and photogenic.

I’m glad to see Palm maintained the ringer mute switch at the top of the device, one of the favorite features of the original Treos.

Palm also included City ID, a neat service that tells you the city and state that a call’s coming from or going to.

Not so good

The device takes advantage of Verizon’s fast EV-DO network, though I would have liked to have seen it running on the faster r1 data network Verizon uses rather than the 1xEV-DO r0 network.

The keypad is possibly too tiny for some users. I have big fingers but I’m used to tiny QWERTYs, so I was okay, but other users might not have such an easy time.

The stylus, while adequate, has a cheap, flimsy feel to it. There are replacement styli out there, but the users this phone is marketed to likely wouldn’t know where to start.

The lack of applications is a little disappointing. The lack of IM messaging mentioned above is an annoyance, as is the lack of more than Sudoku or good video apps, and it’s a shame.

One other problem I noticed is that I can’t connected via SSL to a mail sever that uses a self-signed SSL cert. Palm has a tool to get around this on its website, but I couldn’t get it to work. If you have exchange or POP that uses a self-signing cert, don’t use Palm OS.

Conclusion

The Centro is Palm’s consumer smartphone, and in that regard, it’s really great. If you’re a power user or require a faster connection, look elsewhere.

Video: Nerf Vulcan chain-fed, automatic gun makes sneak appearance in Hasbro viral vid

Matt Hickey — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:00:35 +0000

You may have already seen the above video of a great Nerf gun office war. What some eagle-eyed Nerf gun fans — they’re out there — have noticed is the video features the Nerf Vulcan, the first fully automatic, chain fed Nerf gun. The geeks have had their eyes on this thing since it was announced earlier this year, and as its anticipated fall release draws near they’re saving their money.

The awesome gun makes its first appearance at about the 1:46 mark. If that doesn’t make you want one, I’m not sure what could. Oh, it cures cancer.

Thanks, Scott!

YouTube to allow two-hour uploads to partners

Matt Hickey — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:30:03 +0000

YouTube is a great way to get a message out. It’s also a great way to make a name for yourself as a filmmaker. And soon, through a new deal YouTube is offering its partners, filmmakers will be allowed to publish long form videos through the site, up to two hours long each.

This is big news for the online video world. As YouTube branches out from its Web-based roots to devices like the iPhone or Apple TV, the idea of being able to watch a real film on demand is very obvious. While you likely won’t see the latest from Hollywood right away, you’d be able to discover new indie and low-budget productions you might have missed otherwise.

Right now uploads are limited to one gigabyte, which for a decently compressed Quicktime movie is more than enough allowance. We’d expect the next move to be an upgrade to HD, again for content partners only, but that, coupled with an Apple TV, could really put the devices into living rooms.

Actual headline: Man gets Windows Vista to work with printer

Matt Hickey — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:30:20 +0000

What sounds like a headline from The Onion is from the real story of an area man who did get Windows Vista to work with his printer, but not without the help of Microsoft software engineers.

PI reporter Todd Bishop first brought word of the man’s trouble not long ago on the PI blog and local geeks wanted to help, as Seattle-area geeks tend to do. One helper was a Microsoft test engineer from the Windows printing group, who went out of his way to visit the man and fix the problem.

To be fair, it wasn’t really a Vista problem, as the man was installing the original XP drivers on the Vista system, which didn’t work. After removing the old drivers and installing new Vista drivers, they were able to make it work.

However the point remains that of all the work put into Vista, shouldn’t there be something that tells you when you’re doing it wrong?

Frets on Fire is like an open-source Guitar Hero

Matt Hickey — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:30:29 +0000

Yesterday we brought news of a desktop version of Rock Band for Facebook that was mediocre at best. And today, we have Frets on Fire, an open-source Guitar Hero clone that looks like it could actually be pretty badass.

You can play along to the included songs, or you can import your own from Guitar Hero 1 or 2 discs, a neat trick. Or you can create your own with the in-game song creator. Or, and this is the part that’s fun, you can import songs from other instrumentoke sites like Keyboards on Fire.

We haven’t tried it out yet, but apparently with some hacking it’ll work with a Guitar Hero controller, but because the Xbox 360 version is USB-based, and pirate drivers are already out for Windows and OSX for them, you should be able to tweak it to to work without too much hassle. Just keep your office shredding to a minimum, because that would just be dumb.

Video: Samsung’s 3D dino out tour in UK

Matt Hickey — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:00:56 +0000

A month ago, Samsung released a viral video featuring 10 optical illusions. It was pretty good. Today, we get the video above, where the same group takes the illusiontastic dinosaur from the first video on a truck back tour of England. The people on the street were not expecting an optical illusion dinosaur, it seems.

These guys are having a good time, and we’re happy Samsung keeps them busy.

Android to appear on HTC handsets this year, with WinMo 7 to follow shortly after

Matt Hickey — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:30:02 +0000

We’ve been hating on Windows Mobile pretty bad lately, but we don’t feel bad about it. It’s a bloated, crappy OS in need of a major overhaul. Sadly, it’s one of the only viable commercial smartphone operating systems out right now, which is why companies like HTC use it on their smartphones.

But that may be changing. One of the general managers at HTC let slip to an intrepid blogger that HTC was planning on releasing an Android-based phone by the end of the year.

Android is Google’s smartphone OS that many of us geeks are very excited about. Linux-based and open for development, the OS could be a great rival to Apple’s iPhone, and will possibly hasten the end of Windows Mobile’s dominance.

It’s entirely possible, despite being commited to Windows Mobile 7 next year, that HTC could retreat from WinMo completely in favor of Android. We wouldn’t be surprised if Android became HTC’s default OS early next year if its as popular as we think it’ll be. We hope that’s the way things go, though we hear nice things about WinMo 7, so it’ll be an interesting year.

Upstart gaming system does WiMAX, has large game library, seems cool

Matt Hickey — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:30:54 +0000

They’re saying WiMAX is the future, and it may well be, and many are gambling thusly. Flyvo is doing just that with this WiMAX-enabled handheld gaming system, the G100.

Featuring a 4-inch touchscreen and powered Windows CE (!?) Pro 5, the machine’s outfitted to play many games already available at sites like PocketGear.

It has WiFi and Bluetooth as well for multiplayer gaming and 4GB internal memory, not bad at all. It’s hitting SoKo first, but we should see it here by next spring. If it takes off, it could be the first mass market casual gaming device that could take on the coming iPhone wave.

USB “tube clock” looks cool, sadly not the real thing

Matt Hickey — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:30:22 +0000

I’ve seen handmade versions of clocks similar to this, and I’ve liked them. Thus I like this one as well, though it’s a little cheap looking. Powered by USB, the clock is a replica of the famous vacuum tube clocks tinkerers have been making for a couple of years now. Of course it’s a modern fake, but it still looks cool on your desk.

And of course it’s Brando who brings us this fun toy, as they’re the undisputed master of all things whimsical via USB. This clock is yours for $70.

United to iPodify its flights with video

Matt Hickey — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:30:21 +0000

Looking to one-up Virgin America and the Linux-based RED in-flight entertainment systems, United said yesterday it’s rolling out iPod-connected video and audio systems into the seat backs of its airplanes.

Using a standard dock connector, passengers will be able to watch their iPod’s content on a 15-inch screen right in front of their eyes. The iPods will charge at the same time, something many travelers have wanted for awhile.

The question isn’t the technology, it’s the content. Do you know what kinds of things people keep on their iPods? I’m not sure I want the guy next to me to be able to watch anything he wants on a screen that big right in front of me. Or that he’d want to see what I’ve got.

Recently on a flight from DC to San Francisco I finally got around to watching Bad Santa on my iPod Touch. That movie works on the small screen of the iPod, but I’d be nervous about a more visible showing. When do you think the first drunk guy will be kicked off a plane for showing his porn?

Spy shots: Bumblebee on the ground in Philly

Matt Hickey — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:30:37 +0000

Yes, that’s Bumblebee, and no it’s not from last summer’s Transformers, it’s from a shoot in Philly where they’re shooting the sequel, the questionably-named Transformers: Rise of the Fallen. And he’s never looked better.

Autoblog has a nice spy shot gallery up of everyone’s favorite 2008 Camaro SS, so why not have a look? It’ll help get you through your Tuesday.

Rock Band on Facebook just might be a fail

Matt Hickey — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:00:05 +0000

I love Facebook, and I love Rock Band, but I’m not sure about Rock Band on Facebook.

The app lives in a Flash player and is a series of games that don’t seem to have anything to do with the real game Rock Band. To play drums, for example, you quickly click on drum set icons, whack-a-mole style. You invite your friends to join your band and try to rack up better scores than the other rock bands. Mine’s called Notorious Pervert.

If you’re really bored or really enjoy repetitive, mind-numbing tasks with rock music in the background, try blogging. Or the new Rock Band game on Facebook.

Rumor: In-store activation for iPhone 3G not required after all?

Matt Hickey — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:30:47 +0000

When we reported last week that Apple and AT&T would require iPhone 3Gs to be activated in-store or else no dice, the Internet let out a collective sigh. There are many who want to use the handset on non-AT&T networks, like T-Mobile. Being that they’re subsidized heavily, AT&T doesn’t like that idea at all, thus the policy. But there comes word today that the notion of in-store only activations might not be necessarily so.

Rumors from Apple Insider point to the idea that home activation may be possible if customers sign up online, making the in-store process smoother and shorter. While our AT&T rep can’t confirm or deny anything we haven’t already published, we think both companies would be foolish to put up extra hurdles for potential customers to jump through. And if there’s one thing the iPhone has shown us, people will find a way to unlock them and use them as they want, no matter what AT&T — or Apple — do.

Shock report: Workers buying their own laptops, cell phones

Matt Hickey — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:00:18 +0000

If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time on the road, and a laptop and cellphone are vital to your work. I’m fortunate enough to have a job that takes care of the hardware issue, but many aren’t so lucky. Some people who travel have to buy their own equipment, and some people aren’t happy about it.

But there’s a question there. What should an employee reasonably be expected to own on their own? If you’re in certain industries, you’re to wear a suit to work, but the company doesn’t buy your suits for you. So why would a laptop be any different?

I’m not saying it’s right, I think an employer has a responsibility to provide everything an employee needs to do his or her job, especially hardware, but the argument that certain things are expected — a telephone, a computer — in this modern time is a good one.

FCC Chairman hints at federal regulation of cellphone industry

Matt Hickey — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:00:18 +0000

Stopping short of coming out and saying the FCC would start regulating cellphone company early termination fees, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin did publicize ideas for how such regulations would work. I’ve met Kevin Martin and he’s a very intelligent man, though I normally disagree with his ideas. This one, though, I love.

Right now carriers are free to come up with any fees they want, knowing if the customer wants to sing up badly enough they’ll do it despite the fine print. That means most people face fees of about $200 to cancel their contracts, even if they only have a few months left.

The chairman’s idea would eliminate that problem, calling for pro-rated fees. The longer you’re in-contract, the less you’ll pay to get out. This is fair. Also, more expensive phones would be allowed to have such high fees, but cheaper handsets — like the RAZR, for example — would have lower fees. This also makes sense, as being locked into a two-year contract with a $200 early termination fee doesn’t make sense for users who get basic handsets.

One interesting idea he also put forth calls for companies to have reasonable time frames, maybe a year, for contracts, and not require users to re-up the entire contract for service upgrades.

So there’s a plan for a plan, but no real plan for FCC regulation. That being said, we think it’s only a matter of time before the FCC steps in and keeps the carriers from pillaging your bank account they way they are now.