XplanaZine

Here’s our take on news that matters for Monday, May 1. Today’s theme is they’re still here , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming — Well, there’s a new game in town, or at least a new physics chip for games. The new chip is designed to add a new level of reality to game play. ”
  Buildings will blow up spectacularly, football tackles will become more
  bone-crunching, and cloth will flutter and crumple, lending a dramatic
  flair to online role-playing games.” Also, in the “no big surprise” category, Sony has announced that it is expecting big losses on its new PS3 console.
• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations — Napster is back to offering free music but it’s only free is you listen to streaming music from your computer and you are limited to the number of times you can listen to a track (5). These tactics seem peculiar to me given that they tend to be Web and Flash-based, something that many handhelds will be able to handle in the next 12-18 months. At that point, I guess it’s just the limited play of tracks that will be a detractor. I mean really, in two years downloading just won’t be that big of a deal to subscribers. Also, according to a study by Jacobs Media, podcasting may be the up and coming way to Rock.
• Handhelds – Thankfully, researchers are working on a universal chip for cell phones that would allow any phone to sync with any mobile service worldwide. Now that’s useful technology!
• Social Networks –
  MyNewPlace is an online apartment search service using a series of Web 2.0 services such as map mashups and blogs. According to this article, “The site differentiates itself from competitors by giving would-be
  renters the opportunity to post blog entries talking about their
  experiences and asking for tips, and by also providing Google maps
  showing apartments’ locations with even the simplest searches.” And yes, the video sharing space was already crowded, but now there is yet another player — SelfCastTV. Better look at it quick because it may not be around long as it offers no serious threat to YouTube. If you haven’t been checking out all the online video sites, never fear, Wired as this guide.
• Technology Talks — A couple of good articles appeared over the weekend that addressed new advances with e-ink and other e-book technologies. The CNET article has more information on the iLiad reader along with a link to a nice slide show. The New York Times ran an article about Microsoft’s new Vista-based reader that allows users to download entire newspapers and view them offline on a handheld or desktop. Also, Yahoo is launching a new Technology news and assistance site. It will be interesting to see how they marry this effort with other Web 2.0 services.