Here's our take on news that matters for Thursday, May 4. Today's theme is it's still going around , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- You have only to look at the World of Warcraft to see some potential obstacles for MMORPG's. In this case, users are complaining about delays in getting in the game and other interactive hiccups that occur during game play. As an educator, these remind me of complaints associated with online learning. Could it be that education was actually at the front of a technology wave? Also, Cory Doctorow links to his interview with Danny Hillis on how theme parks are different than games.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- CBS has announced that it will follow ABC into the Web broadcast trend. Interestingly, the service is a combination of Web-only productions and popular prime time shows.


• Mobile Computing and Cell Phones -- Intel has been pushing its way to the forefront with its new $400 laptop and other aid for developing countries. The Intel folk are critical of the MIT $100 laptop program saying it is giving the less fortunate last year's technology. Or perhaps, Intel just wants to take everyone's mind off of AMD? At any rate, here's more on Intel's low cost laptop solution. Nice pictures too. Also, I mentioned the new Helio phone earlier this week. Well, the folks over at Engadget Mobile have a nice review of the hardware. Finally, Opera has released its new Opera Mini 2.0 browser. "Users can download mp3s, pictures and videos directly onto their phones. This feature, along with buying content via sms automatically were missing from 1.0."
  
• Social Networks -- Robin Good has a great review of Skype's new Skypecasting service. And, not to be outdone, AOL has announced its new plan to offer its AIM users (41 million of them) a free phone number that will allow people to call them from regular phones while they are online. The new service will also feature more traditional Skype-like services as well as AIM Pages that will extend AIM into the MySpace territory.
  
• Technology Talks -- Microsoft announced yesterday the launch of its new proprietary adCenter. "AdCenter will now be the sole platform serving up advertisements on MSN, Windows Live, and other Microsoft Web sites, Microsoft said. Microsoft has previously relied on partners like Yahoo to sell advertising on its behalf, said Nate Elliott, an analyst with Jupiter Research."

Here's our take on news that matters for Thursday, May 4. Today's theme is it's still going around , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- More good news for consumers in the console wars. A lead developer for Starbreeze AB -- best known for their critically acclaimed title Chronicles of Riddick -- says that it will be virtually impossible to distinguish game quality between the Xbox 360 and the PS3.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- John Dvorak reports that the New York Times has standardized all of its inside blogs on WordPress. More validation for that excellent platform. Says Dvorak, " The New York Times's blogs are much slicker than the in-house blogs that I've seen from other newspapers and online publications. WordPress is the reason; it's real blogging software."


• Handhelds -- According to this report, "Over 16.7 million 'smart mobile devices' (including smartphones and other handhelds) were sold in the first quarter of 2006, a 55% increase over the same period last year." And, Nokia started shipping its Blackberry-rival phone -- the E61 -- yesterday.


• Social Networks -- . The Technology Review has a nice article on Wallop, "an online social space that promises to redefine the notion of social networking, by focusing it on conversations and media tidbits, such as songs and photos, rather than on members and their profiles."


• Technology Talks -- Admitting when you've made mistakes is usually a good thing. In the case of Microsoft, it might even be scary good. Yesterday, Bill Gates admitted that the Redmond company had made mistakes recently but that they would improve and start keeping their competitors honest. Yes, they're backing it up with $2 billion, but the important thing to note is the attitude. I think they're finally taking this Web thing very seriously. Not a bad thing for consumers. And, in case you thought the build-it-yourself movement was dead in computing, think again! Wal-Mart will start selling build-your-own-computer kits in more than 1/3 of its U.S. stores this month. Finally, hats off to Intel for putting its money where its mouth is. The company is investing $1 billion in developing worlds. Initiatives include a $400 laptop and providing Internet connectivity and computing services to 300,000 Mexican teachers.

Here's our take on news that matters for Wednesday, May 3. Today's theme is are you real? , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- If the lines between reality and fantasy weren't already blurred enough, you can now get real cash backed by online virtual dollars from the new Entropia Universe ATM cards. Now players can withdraw their hard-earned PEDs from the ATM machine down on the corner. In another example of this kind of blurring, USC will simulcast its public diplomacy competition both in real life and Second Life.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Pete Cashmore has a nice review/comparison of Slide and FilmLoop, two slide-creation services. Slide is a particularly good example of combining multiple Web 2.0 services.


• Handhelds -- Creative is just one of the many companies trudging along behind Apple's iPod. Their recent losses? $114 million.


• Social Networks -- Skype continues to try to put distance between itself and competitors. The company "is piloting a new community conference call service, which can support as many as 100 callers, and is also offering a beta version of its new Internet calling software designed for easier use." Also, current theory is that MySpace played an important role in boosting box office numbers for the new Disney Movie "Stick It" last weekend.


• Technology Talks -- It looks like Microsoft will dare to tread where Yahoo! already failed. This article from the NY Times discusses Microsoft's partnership with Hollywood to offer Web-original broadcasting. We know people like watching user-made footage on popular video sharing sites. And we also know that folks will watch popular TV shows (old and new) via the Web. But, is it a suitable place to launch expensive productions and can it support them? That is the question?

Here's our take on news that matters for Tuesday, May 2. 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 -- Looks like we can expect details on Nintendo Lite pricing and launch info later this week. Also, Electronic Arts will be releasing the new role playing game "Orcs & Elves" to Verizon Wireless customers this month.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- If you haven't been following this controversy, The Los Angeles Times has taken action against Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Hiltzik for blogging under anonymous names. The editor's note at the Times read: "The Times is discontinuing Michael Hiltzik's Golden State column, which ran in the Business section, because the columnist violated the newspaper's ethics guidelines. This follows the suspension last week of his blog on latimes.com, which also has been discontinued. Hiltzik has acknowledged using pseudonyms to post a single comment on his blog on latimes.com and multiple comments elsewhere on the Web that dealt with his column and other issues involving the newspaper."
  


• Handhelds -- Visa and Nokia are testing a new Cell Phone/RFID combo in Malaysia that will allows users to make purchases of in-store goods using their cell phones. This technology is aimed at eliminating the need for customers to carry credit cards. "Houston, we have confirmation. Apple and the record labels have agreed to stick with their pricing of $.99 per tune."


• Social Networks -- beginning today, you can get your new Helio phone and service. This is the newest venture by Earthlink founder Sky Dalton and is aimed at the younger generation who want social networking and other rich media extended to their cell phones. Pete Cashmore has this review of kSolo, an online karaoke site. Yep, you heard me. I'll even hum a few bars if you like.
  
• Technology Talks -- Microsoft has announced that it will spend an additional $2 billion on technology acquisition in the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1. This jives with Microsoft's commitment to position itself more competitively against Yahoo! and Google, as well as the company's historical pattern of being a second mover in technology trends. The New York Times has this good article on how the battle between Microsoft and google will shape the future of how we access information.

Here's our take on technology 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.

Here's our take on news that matters for Friday, April 21. Today's theme is onward and upward!, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- BusinessWeek has this good overview of the money that is being made from Second Life. And, speaking of making money, Sony has decided it wants to increase sales of its aging PS2 console. That means a lower selling price. Get yours today for only $129.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Renee Callahan over at Corante has an insightful article about Blogging as a form of open source knowledge management. Good stuff here.


• Handhelds -- Nokia's global share of the handheld market has increased form 32% to 35% thanks to strong sales in North America and Asia. Strategy Analytics said total mobile phone sales worldwide could top one billion in 2006 for the first time. Bill Gates sees a world in which Tablet PCs replace textbooks for students. Well, he and I agree on the fact that textbooks will go the way of the DoDo bird, but I'm not sure Tablet PCs will be the winning answer.


• Social Networks -- AOL is continuing to make noise about becoming a major player in the social networking space. Scripting News has a rumor that AOL is getting ready to launch a new site aimed directly at MySpace and Facebook. Time will tell. Also, Mashable! gives its take on a couple of new social networking sites. Check out Yuku (a slickly designed MySpace competitor with cool AJAX scripting) and SocialPicks. Finally, according to Om Malik, Skype continues to grow but not at a rate that will help eBay make back its $2+ billion investment anytime soon.


• Technology Talks -- Well, it looks like Microsoft is going after the consumer storage space as well with a new product called Live Drive. The goal is to connect everything Microsoft as well as all out our personal items. Google and Microsoft are as hard to differentiate as the men and the pigs these days.

Here's our take on news that matters for Thursday, April 20. Today's theme is now that's something I needed! , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- A new study from the Consumer Electronics Association says that there are many more women gamers, ages 25 to 34, than men because of games like solitaire and Tetris. Also, expect in-game advertising revenue to increase dramatically in upcoming years. The Yankee Group "predicts that in-game advertising is 'poised for explosive growth' and will reach $732 million by 2010, representing more than five times the current value of the in-game ad market."


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- In the "extremely useful" category -- Feedburner has launched a new service that provides blog feeds via e-mail.


• Handhelds -- Gas prices are on the rise but it looks like Apple iPod's will cost a bit less in the coming quarter. I can do without my car but my iPod? C' mon! And Palm has released it's first update for the Treo 700w. This update includes push email capability for wireless synchronization of e-mail and calendar information.


• Social Networks -- Social networking sites may indeed be a dot com fad but they are certainly attracting lots of money. New deals are made almost daily. Facebook has raised $25 million in its latest round of funding from venture-capital firms. Also, Mashable! has a nice take on how, if you can't beat MySpace you should definitely think about joining them.


• Technology Talks -- The latest Pew survey on Internet life has some interesting information on how Americans rely on the Web. "Some 45 percent of internet users, or an estimated 60 million Americans, said the internet helped them make big decisions or face a major moment in their life during the previous two years."

Here's our take on news that matters for Wednesday, April 19. Today's theme is me too!, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- A University of Miami study shows that playing video games does actually help people burn calories. Okay, don't take this too far. This is in no way a substitute for the exercise derived from walking back and forth to the refrigerator. Also, a new study shows that a continued increase in cell phone ownership could lead to a majority of people browsing the Web via handheld. Finally, Xbox developer Kevin Bachus opens up about the upcoming console wars in this interview.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- It seems like everyone wants to get in on the act of putting content online. This time it's PBS. The company is considering making its television shows available on the Internet or portable devices like MP3 players. And, Yahoo is continuing its world-domination ways, this time by acquiring most of DVR company Meedio. From the article:

  "Earlier this year, Yahoo made a big splash with the introduction of its Yahoo Go initiative, whose goal is to extend the access to Yahoo online services and content beyond the PC to other devices. The TV portion of Yahoo Go isn't available yet, but Yahoo has said it will allow access from TVs to photo albums, online radio stations, music clips, as well as search for video on the Web. Yahoo does have an existing agreement with TiVo Inc., the popular provider of DVR devices and services, to let TiVo subscribers access Yahoo services through the TiVo TV-based interface."

  Feedburner is currently tracking approximately 45,000 podcasts and the number is growing at 15% monthly. This compares with the 6,000 podcast feeds the company was managing at the time of its last report in May 2005. These podcast numbers exceed the total number of radio stations worldwide.


• Handhelds -- Are you having trouble keeping up with all the new Web 2.0 companies? Me too! But, never fear, there is help in this article as it lists some great directories that can guide us. Also, with the growth of the cell phone market and the evolution of handheld functionality and speed, a new study predicts that cell phones could become the dominant device for accessing the Web, particularly among certain age groups.


• Social Networks -- Another reason TV companies should worry about YouTube -- the online video distribution site is attracting marketers. " Nike, Warner Bros., MTV2 and Dimension Films are among the firms seeding the site with commercial clips. Now, along with consumer-made videos of newborn babies, weddings and teens pulling pranks, is a short of soccer star Ronaldinho in his new Nike sneakers." Also, this is the introduction to Sabifoo's site: "Sabifoo makes it easier than ever to publish to the web. By combining instant messaging with RSS (Really Simple Syndication), a whole new publishing infrastructure has been born. Now publishing to the world is as simple as sending a message." There are lots of possibilities here. Beyond publishing to RSS via your IM client, this could lead to some interesting mashups that would make desktop publishing take on a whole new meaning in the office space. Finally, BusinessWeek has this article about Visible Path, a company bringing the power of Social Networking to the corporate environment.


• Technology Talks --

Here's our take on news that matters for Tuesday, April 18. Today's theme is coming up , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- A recent study conducted among 100 university undergraduates at the University of York, soon to be published in the Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, says that video gamers consistently out performed their peers in a series of tricky mental tests. The best performers were found to be adept video gamers and were bilingual. Also, Alice Taylor has a good post on what she calls the "ick factor" in gaming (from a female perspective). Her point is that women have to work their way through the icky gore and violence of some game concepts to get to the fun. But, she says, turnabout is fair play now that an increasing number of "girl-oriented" games are appearing. looks like the guys will have to work through their own "ick factor." Finally, Gamasutra has this interesting article related to video game art. While realistic, 3D graphics are most prevalent, other,more stylized forms are popular too.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Rise of on-demand programming may mean a wider audience but radio and TV affiliates worry about losing ad dollars. Also, this article in IndyStar.com by two Indianapolis teens provides a good take on teens and blogs (from the kids' perspective). For another teen's point of view, see katrina Rinaldi's two articles (Part 1 and Part 2)on Xanga.


• Handhelds -- I don't guess we needed a report from the U of Maryland to tell us that, while we're attracted to all the cool features in devices and Web sites, ultimately simpler is better. BusinessWeek has this slide show on the evolution of online and distributed video.


• Social Networks -- Excitement is growing around Cyworld's U.S. launch. Marc Canter weighs in on Cyworld's Korean aesthetics and why the site might be more appealing that MySpace. Jackson West also weighs in with discussion about their potential appeal to a younger market and their approach to commercialization.


• Technology Talks -- The move is from eyeballs to attention in terms of Web traffic. This article talks about that shift and what one company, Attention Trust, is doing about it.

Here's our take on news that matters for Monday, April 17. Today's theme is getting there, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- Game Daily has a nice post on the use of voice in video games. This will become a more pervasive technology in all video games over the upcoming years. Also, look for LucasArts to continue working its way up the video game food chain in the upcoming 18 months.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Dave Sifry, the founder of Technorati, has posted his updated State of the Blogosphere. Of note:
  • The number of blogs is doubling every 6 months
  • The blogosphere is 60 times larger than it was three years ago
  • 55% of new bloggers continue to blog after 3 months
  • 3.9 million bloggers update their blogs at least weekly

  Also, for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. Or, in this case, for every detractor there is a promoter. First, Forrester reported this podcasting stuff wasn't so promising. Now comes an Arbitron study that says the future of radio is bright precisely because of ... podcasting! Finally, BusinessWeek has this article about creating good Web Buzz. The secret formula? Blogging and solid partnerships.



• Handhelds -- Wll, after all the buzz at CeBIT, Samsung is getting ready to launch its first Origami product into the market. Samsung is the first to bring Origami to market. The company is taking preorders now, and has invited journalists to a launch event on May 1. Also, the proof is in the profit for Sony Ericsson. Demand for their Walkman phone that plays MP3s and take pictures tripled profits for the company in the first quarter.


• Social Networks -- Microsoft trying to up the ante in social networking apps. It is in talks to purchase or partner with two-year old startup Eurekster, creators of the social search tool Swicki. . Also, Om Malik has this interesting take on Web 2.0. He does some nice comparisons between Web 1.0 and the next generation of the Web. Is there really anything new under the sun?


• Technology Talks -- One of the bigger gaps between open-source database program MySQL and Oracle has been the lack of a transaction engine. Well, that gap is getting ready to narrow as Solid Information Technology has announced that it will create an open-source storage "engine" for the MySQL.

Here's our take on news that matters for Tuesday, April 11. Today's theme is me too, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- According to Nintendo of America's George Harrison , we can expect twenty new game titles at the launch of Nintendo's Revolution.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Last week we mentioned the new report out by Forrester's Charlene Li that hedges all bets on the viability of podcasting as a real and a sure-bet technology adopted ubiquitously. Since Li's original post, there have been a number of responses by those who disagree. David Utter over at Webpronews has a nice summary of responses to the Forrester report. Also, you might be interested in BlogBurst, a new service that feeds the best of the blogosphere to traditional publishers. This will be interesting to follow to see how well the marriage takes. Finally, Audible's stock jumped 10% in anticipation of a positive report on podcasting adevrtising revenue.


• Handhelds -- David Grimes from the Sarasota Herald Tribune has a fun op-ed piece devoted to that segment of society that really doesn't want more new features on their cell phones. In fact, he argues, there is a group of people who with the thing had never been invented in the first place. Okay, I'm a bit of a sucker for kids' stuff (maybe because mine are almost grown. Check out the new iTod from Fisher-Price.


• Social Networks -- Heilio is the only place where you can really get the full social network experience (MySpace) while mobile.


• Technology Talks -- After AOL made their move with old television shows streamed ont eh Web, it wa sonly a a matter of time until other companies followed suit. Disney (ABC) has announced that it will be airing popular shows on the Web in a :trial" during the months of May and June. Webaroo and Acer have put together an unplugged serach solution for the Web. Their new software service enables consumers to instantly search web pages and view web sites anytime, anywhere, without an Internet connection, on their handhelds and laptop computers.

Here's our take on news that matters for Monday, April 10. Today's theme is virtual is good, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- Microsoft's Xbox 360 has plenty of detractors in Japan. The main complaint isn't that it's an American import but rather than it lacks a strong list of compelling, must-have games. Also, Piper Jaffray has announced the results of its 11th bi-annual proprietary research survey on teen spending habits. For what it's worth, almost 80 percent of teens indicated that they intend to spend less time playing video games in 2006. Finally, there's a new version of Mario Brothers coming out soon for the Nintendo DS.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- While last week's news from Forrester that podcasting may not be such a big deal might have some scratching their heads, the solutions for better penetration is really simple. We require easy-to-use solutions and better content. This article about PodBop provides a hint at how better content can be distributed in a meaningful manner.


• Handhelds -- AP has this article out about VoIP cell phones and the fact that they are closer than ever. And, in another kind of convergence, cable companies are crafting wireless deals to pull of the quadruple threat.


• Social Networks -- Digital Video Guru has this analysis and comparison of the different video sharing sites out there. Their numbers show YouTube with more traffic and better community features than anyone else but Vimeo has the fastest and JumpCut offers the best editing tools.And, according to this BusinessWeek article, social networking sites are finding ways to make money.


• Technology Talks -- Of course, it was only a matter of time. Someone has successfully managed to install Windows Vista on a Mac using Boot Camp. Also, check out this story about a musician who successfully took her music to the people over the Web. Lots of applications to publishing here.

Here's our take on news that matters for Friday, April 7. Today's theme is it's better than you think, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- Microsoft continues to strengthen its gaming portfolio. Yesterday, it announced the acquisition of innovative game company Lionhead Studios, makers of the popular game Fable. Also, two recent studies provide new forecasts for the online gaming market.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Forrester has released survey results on podcasting and the long and short of it is that the existing market isn't that big but the potential remains strong. This may explain why VC funding is cool on the technology for now


• Handhelds -- It looks like now that it has its patent struggles mostly in the rearview mirror, RIM is moving forward aggressively. It announced this week that it will be adding Yahoo! Web services to the BlackBerry. As Om Malik points out, this could be a significant bit of news that portends the shift from Blackberry as a corporate device to Blackberry as a phone for the rest of us. And, , in another indication that cell phones are the ultimate convergent devices online photo service company Getty sees cell phones as next powerful picture platform. Also, Adobe has signed its first Flash deal for mobile phones. The deal will see it build Flash animation software into Verizon mobile phones. Disney has announced its new phone service that allows parents to monitor how their kids use their mobile phones. Finally, take note that Mobile PayPal has launched.


• Social Networks -- BusinessWeek has a good slideshow that gives the lowdown on some niche social network players. There are interesting trends here and some good ideas about how social networks can become increasingly important in education. I've mentioned the new video remixing site eyespot.com recently, and we can now add to that some other video remix wannabes. Check out jumcut.com, Dabble, and MotionBox as well.


• Technology Talks -- Ross Rubin has an insightful article about Adobe's place in the e-book market. As he says, it is a nascent, immature market that has plenty of room for someone with a full solution. Adobe owns much of the traditional education e-book market but look for that to change iof the software giant doesn't move quickly. Also, you might be interested in taking a look at tweakheadz laband their overview of home studio recording. This is a great reference site!

Here's our take on news that matters for Thursday, April 6. Today's theme is keeping the faith, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- We're seeing initial pricing coming out for the PS3 in Europe. Considering all the factors, the console could go on sale in the U.S. for approximately $499. With console prices rising, we may be past the days where so many people own multiple consoles.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Wired has updated its Fortune 500 Business Blogging Wiki. According to their research, 27 (5.4%) of the Fortune 500 are blogging as of 4/4/06. Also, it looks like podcasting presents some groups with the same issues for audio as DVR technology did for TV content providers. Some listeners are downloading podcasts at NPR in order to avoid listening to fundraising pushes (kind of like fast forwarding through commercials).


• Handhelds -- Looks like Facebook's services will be available to students via cell phone at more than 2,000 colleges and universities by the end of the month. Finally the Census Bureau will distribute some 500,000 handhelds for the 2010 Census.


• Social Networks -- Well, YouTube just snagged another $8 million in financing.


• Technology Talks -- Nicholas Negropopnte fired back at critics of the $100 laptop yesterday and also provided further information about the project. Bottom line? The hand crank has been dropped, the real cost per unit in 2007 will be around $135, and he believes that number will drop to as low as $50 per unit by 2010. Also, Apple has jumped on the bandwagon. They have announced that they will officially support installing Windows XP on their Mac Intel machines. And, if you're having trouble keeping up with all of Google's new releases, Ars Technica has a nice list and overview for you.

Here's our take on news that matters for Wednesday, April 5. Today's theme is if at first you don't succeed... and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn. Also, Forbes has an interview with Andrew Pederson from Electronic Arts about casual games and their impact on the industry.

• Gaming -- Check out the Game Videos site to watch videos from games and people playing games. It is very helpful in trems of looking at how other view and play games, and what is powerful about them.
  
• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Podcasting is an interesting phenomenon these days. Projections for usage are up but there still exists no clear path for making money directly (other than via podcasting content). VC money is not jumping on board at the moment.

• Handhelds -- It seems that companies have ongoing security fears about integrating handhelds into their environments. About 60% of businesses surveyed recently say they are hesitating on mobile deployments.


• Social Networks -- CNET's new photo-sharing site is yet another attempt at making it big the niche social networking market. This concept offers tailored sites for more than 4,000 universities to plan and document their semesters' worth of parties and social events. Also, it seems that Yahoo is racking up a big advantage over its rivals in terms of stickiness.
  
• Technology Talks -- E-books are obviously making a push again but experts warn that having an adequate number of titles available for the devices is key to their success.

Here's our take on news that matters for Tuesday, April 4. Today's theme is going...going..., and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- An interesting discussion with Trip Hawkins regarding his company, Digital Chocolate, and the growing market for mobile gaming. "We see the mobile phone as the social computer. In modern urban environments people have lost the social context they had in the old days when people lived in small villages. So they have become rabid adopters of social computing technologies." And, Second Life is spawning other companies around it that can provide custom terraforming and construction in its metaverse. This article on one of those companies, Electric Sheep, provides insight on some of the uses companies envision fro Second Life. Finally, Ars Technica has an article on the decline in violent video games. Citing findings from a recent paper by Adam Thierer, a writer for the Progress and Freedom Foundation, "The fraction of video games that are rated "AO" or Adult Only was less than one percent of total sales for 2005. Games rated "M" for Mature comprised only 12 percent of the total, down from the average of 18 percent between the years 2001 and 2005."


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- A cookbook from the U.S. has won the first literary prize for bloggers turned authors. Also, here's an overview of Knowledge Management 2.0 using structured blogging. Finally, movie studios and TV broadcasters may be moving quickly into the podcasting space but record labels are still holding back. Chris Anderson has some interesting insights on music industry sales for the past year at The Long Tail.

• Handhelds -- There's a nice article on the iPod Generation over at ExtremeTech. The article's question focuses on what we gain and miss by being hooked up to media devices constantly. Also, XM Satellite reports that its subscriber base has topped 6.5 million. Finally, you may be interested in a new poll that reveals the many ways young people use their phones. "Almost two-thirds of young adults use their phones to send text messages. More than half use them to take pictures and almost half to play games. They use these features, as well as Internet connections, about twice as often as cell phone users overall."


• Social Networks -- In response to the concerns of Internet advertisers, MySpace has removed 200,000 "objectionable" profiles from its social network. The site erased profiles containing risque or hate speech content. Also, check out these two Creative Commons photo galleries -- EveryStockPhoto and Yotophoto


• Technology Talks -- Well, it was only a matter of time, although it took much more time than it could or should have. Hollywood is finally going to begin making movies available for download at the same time their DVD versions go an sale in stores. For a more pointed review of the services, read Om Malik's review. Two companies will be offering the service and downloads are limited, at least for now, to PCs or specified consoles (Xbox). This is barely the tip of the tip of the iceberg but it is the important starting point.

Here's our take on news that matters for Monday, April 3. Today's theme is virtual is good, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- It looks like Halo 3 will be coming out in spring, 2007. Like some people, all I ever do in this game is fall down and get run over. For everyone else, however, 2007 will be your dream come true.
  
• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- For some, the best thing about podcasting is that it means never having to go to church again but still being able to call yourself religious. According to this article, some churches are dealing with dwindling attendance numbers by putting sermons and services online as podcasts for their congregants' listening pleasure and convenience.

• Handhelds -- Nuance is set to launch its new speech recognition software for handheld devices. The company claims the same 99% accuracy rating that it boasts for its desktop software. Also, it seems that one of the most popular trends in Japan is watching TV on-the -go via cell phone. Stores are having difficulty keeping TV-capable phones in stock. Fasten you seatbelts! Finally, it seems that mobile marketing is finally poised to take off. "According to emarketer, a survey by Marketing Sherpa found that mobile tied with video in the top spot in a list of tactics that marketers would like to experiment with. This beats RSS, blogs and podcasting, for instance"


• Social Networks -- Normally I wouldn't even bother with an idea like this but my attitude has been turned somewhat while watching my son play around on Hive7 this past weekend. So with that in mind, let me mention Meez , a site that lets you create your own 3D avatar identity. An important trend to keep up with is the proliferation of Epinon sites. These services, like MyPickList , allow users to display their favorite products on their blogs and get paid.


• Technology Talks -- It seems that South Korea has plans to put a robot in every house by 2020. We're not certain yet whether or not this is an evolution of the "chicken in every pot" theme.

Here's our take on news that matters for Wednesday, March 29. Today's theme is show me the money , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- The NY Times runs this article about solo play coming back in the gaming market. Well, that's nice but despite the rapidly growing popularity of MMORPGs, solo play -- in advanced or casual games -- has never gone away. And, even in many MMORPGs, much of the play is still solo.
  
• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Disney will begin offering free, ad-supported podcasts for kids in June. Free is good. Disney is good. Disney ads? Hmmm...

• Handhelds -- Research continues to show that, at least in Europe, more people than ever are downloading music on their mobile phones. Nearly seven per cent of all chart music bought this year has been downloaded through a mobile service, according to the Official UK Charts Company (OCC). If you've been hearing or following the buzz about MVNO's, read Om Malik's take and, possibly, reconsider the hype.


• Social Networks -- This will be interesting to check out. Next week, Pixsy will launch its new search engine that taps RSS feeds for video and photo results. The engine brings back thumbnail images that promise to make video and image searching much more visual.


• Technology Talks -- It seems increasingly likely that Apple is working on ways to allow its users to run Windows apps without rebooting or the use of an emulator.

Here's our take on news that matters for Wednesday, March 29. Today's theme is show me the money , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- In a sign that its has more growth ahead of it, the online alternative reality site Second Life has received an additional $11 million of funding. Second Life, with more than 165,000 users, is an open-ended "metaverse" that allows anyone to join and participate for free and to create and own any kind of clothing, vehicles, buildings or other objects at no cost. Also, another addition to the "games as therapy" front -- it seems that playing video games may be good for that affliction known as amblyopia, or "lazy eye." Finally, governments are taking an increased interest in virtual reality and games.
  
• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- One of the things I've been preaching lately is that adoption of multimedia Web production (podcasting and vodcasting) by lower-end users can't happen until the means of production becomes completely accessible and easy-to-use. It seems to me that Video Egg is definitely a step in the right direction. Video is still complex but Video Egg focuses on easy upload, basic editing, and convenient distribution.

• Handhelds -- A new study by Forrester shows that online music sales in Europe are expected to take in more than $4.5 billion annually by 2011. That's a tenfold increase and will account for more than one third of all music sales on the continent. Mobile music services account for one of the largest factors behind this growth. Also, BusinessWeek has a nice slide show on the next generation of mobile phones. Finally, the market for full track music downloads to mobile devices was twenty times larger at the end of 2005 than it was twelve months earlier, a new study from ABI Research has revealed.
  


• Social Networks -- Well, it seems that Facebook is finally on the block and looking to go mainstream. Its owners hope to fetch as much as $2 billion.


• Technology Talks -- In the search wars, Google continues to widen its lead over competitors. Google's domestic market share rose to 42.3 percent in February, up from 36.3 percent a year earlier, ComScore said. Yahoo's search market share in the United States fell to 27.6 percent from 31.1 percent a year ago, while Microsoft's MSN fell to 13.5 percent from 16.3 percent and Time Warner's America Online fell to 8 percent from 8.9 percent. Also, check out Jimmy Wales' for-profit venture Wikia Wikia will be using and contributing to the MediaWiki wiki platform that Wikipedia uses, but will provide free hosting for people who want to use the Wikia for special interests and topics.

Here's our take on news that matters for Tuesday, March 28. Today's theme is what's next? , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- Nintendo has announced that it is ramping up production of the DS Lite consoles to ease shortage pains in Japan.


• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Podcasting may be popular but it seems to have little to do with the "pods." A study by Bridge Data concluded that 80 percent of podcasts are either listened to and/or watched on a PC, or simply deleted. Also, if you're interested in trying out a new, free podcasting solution, visit Evoca. In the political world, the Federal Election Commission decided Monday that the nation's new campaign finance law will not apply to most political activity on the internet. The decision means that bloggers and online publications will not be covered by provisions of the new election law.

• Handhelds -- Palm turns ten years old this week. Take a look back at the company's history and how their work helped transform the handheld business. In England, a report is out that show cheating on exams is on the rise and cell phones are a contributing factor. " "Over recent years we have seen a noticeable rise in the number of mobile-phone related incidents in examination halls across the country," said QCA Chief Executive Ken Boston." Qualcomm is making a push to become a serious media player by pushing TV services to cell phones.


• Social Networks -- Pete Cashmore provides this update on MySpace and discusses how the big social network site is breaking lots of rules (and building new paradigms in the process). Don Thorson has this great piece on the live web. "The live web changes everything. One -way communication, (an artifact of the printed page), is finally leaving us. The promise of hypertext   is now real and as a new generation grabs the wheel,  it's morphing the social infrastructure and changing reality as we know it - And once again, "you're either on the bus, or off the bus" .


• Technology Talks -- Microsoft has provided further details about its Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere (WPF/E)software for writing applications to run on multiple browsers and operating systems. The WPF/E software is an alternative to Adobe's Flash and will be released next spring after Windows Vista. This is yet further evidence of Microsoft's announced commitment to be a player in the front-end graphics market.

Here's our take on news that matters for Monday, March 27. Today's theme is guilty pleasures , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- Top-ten research findings from the Game Developer's conference (see also Alice Taylor's blog post ). There is lots of good research here ranging from the importance of music in games to facial expressions and controller/interface issues. Alice also keeps score on the "Game Developers' Rant" at this year's GDC. A thought-provoking quote from Warren Spector:

  "Creations of new game styles that spawn imitators and whole new markets. The story of the past few decades is not about graphics and processing power, but startling innovation and industry. That’s why we love games. BUT IT’S OVER NOW! ... [Big] budgets and teams ensure the death of innovation ... You have choices too: work in a massive sweatshop publisher-run studio with thousands of others making the next racing game with the same gameplay as Pole Position. Or you can riot in the streets of Redwood City! Choose another business model, development path, and you can choose to remember why you love games and make sure in a generation’s time there are still games to love. You can start today."

  Nintendo president Satoru Iwata delivered his keynote speech Game Developers Conference, and in it he mentioned Nintendo's 4 I's of software development (thanks to Clark Quinn for the link)--

  "First, is it truly innovative - something different from what has come before? Second, is it intuitive? Do the control of the game and the direction of gameplay seem natural? Third, is it inviting? Do you want to spend time in this world? And finally, how does it measure up in terms of interface? Can the player connect in new ways?"

  Finally, check out this summary of a GDC workshop on the importance of emotions in gaming. There is much here for those working on education simulations.

• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- The Diffusion Group has an article on recasting the definition of podcasting. The main idea is that, originally, much of podcasting's importance and meaning was based on the concept of portability. Recent statistics, however, show that many people listen to this audio on their computer instead of on a portable device. How does this lack of portability in podcasting reshape its importance or meaning? Also, some are beginning to evaluate how and why the mainstream media (MSM) blogs. Kevin Anderson says there are " compelling reasons for journalists (not the citizen variety but us old school sorts) to use blogs: 1) Open up and have a conversation with our audience 2) reinvigorate the immediacy of our journalism.

• Handhelds -- The Q is coming! The Q is coming! It looks like Motorola may finally launch their Q Smart Phone this coming month. Also, Apple is busy packaging videos for next iPod push with a goal of creating bundles that will lead to a higher content profit margin. And, finally, Will Wright announced at GDC this past week that his new game Spore will be released for handheld systems as well.


• Social Networks -- Bruce Sterling notes that folksonomies are spawning personomies. Personomy is a term to describe one's “personal information environment.”


• Technology Talks -- Here are some items from the "miscellaneous" department. First movie theaters hope to begin showing live 3D sports events by early 2007. This is an effort to offset sagging mid-week ticket sales and transform the public's perception of what a theater really is. Also, it appears that Microsoft's Vista problems may be bigger than reported. Some are estimating that up to 60% of the code will need to be rewritten. And don't pretend you're not sneaking a few guilty peeks at some of the classic TV shows available on AOL TV. The 80's hair is weird but I always wanted to watch all the episodes of V. Finally, Slingbox Media has released its SlingPlayer Mobile which will let you view all your favorite TV shows on a Pocket PC or cell phone. Okay, now I'm starting to get dizzy.

Here's our take on news that matters for Friday, March 24. Today's theme is it's not what it seems , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- As we think more and more about games in education, keep these numbers in mind. According to the latest survey conducted by the Entertainment Software Association, the average gamer is 30 years old and 75 percent of heads of household play video games. The survey also reveals that almost half of all video game players are female. In his GDC keynote, Jesper Juul explained that open-ended games that provide a multitude of meaningful choices will attract a broader audience. A wider range of potential and current gamers could be attracted to games with no or optional goals.

• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- David Scott Lewis has a nice analysis of various podcasting solutions out in the wild. He discusses everything from podcatching to audio tools and it's definitely worth a read.


• Handhelds -- Cory Doctorow has an interesting take on Apple's response to proposed French legislation requiring the iPod DRM to be opened up for users in that country. "If Apple doesn't think iTunes stops "piracy," then why include it? Because it lets them send legal threats to competitors like Real when they make players for their own DRMed music that run on Apple devices."
  
• Social Networks -- Mobber is the latest in new mashups and Web services to get some hype. In the company's own words, Mobber "shows you who's on a particular web page, allowing you to chat with them privately or in a group. We make the web a two-way real-time medium." Also, Wired has a good take on personal map-mashup Palatial. "provides a home for people who love quirky geographical information or just want to mark the locations that have meaning to them. Sign up for a free account, and you can start building and sharing personalized maps, complete with place markers, tags and descriptions of each spot. Collaborate on them with your buddies, or keep them to yourself."


• Technology Talks -- Well, if you thought Writely (bought by Google) was an interesting Web-based word processing application, check out ajaxWrite. It was developed by the well-known Michael Robertson and looks amazingly like MS Word circa 1997. here's how he describes it.

  "What's unique about the approach with ajaxWrite is that it's the first ajax application which doesn't feel or look like a web program, but looks like a traditional software program," explained Mr. Robertson in an e-mail to Ars. "ajaxWrite is just the first program we are releasing. We're going to release a new one every Wednesday on ajaxLaunch.com. The goal is to obsolete big bulky desktop software and replace them with snappy ajax programs."

Finally, the release of Microsoft Office 2007 to the general public will be delayed to coincide with the al ready-delayed launch of Windows Vista. Sorry about that, folks (at leas for those of you counting on seeing it earlier). In the meanwhile, ajaxWrite and its creator Robertson may keep you busy.

Here's our take on news that matters for Thursday, March 23. Today's theme is extensions, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- In an interesting mix of analog and digital worlds, Jeopardy is putting tests online to screen for potential game contestants. Also, while there are serious problems in the serious games market in general, some on-the-job video interactive training tools are captivating employees and saving companies money And, finally, Sony has officially announced its online service for PS3. This has been an area of dominance for Microsoft and it will be interesting to see how the new service stacks up.

• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Both eBay and Amazon are extending their RSS features. EBay now lets its users create content-syndication feeds for searches they conduct on its online marketplace, and over on Amazon RSS feeds now can be created for all of its users' wish lists. And, first it was soccer moms and now it's podcasting moms? Yes, Mommycast is real and they've even received $200,000 sponsorship from paper giant Dixie.


• Handhelds -- Yahoo announced today that is is launching its Instant Message phone in the U.S. This is a Skype-like service that lets people make phone calls through the company's instant messaging software. Yahoo Messenger with Voice rates average between 20 percent and 30 percent lower than those charged by Skype to many major markets outside the United States, according to a comparison furnished by Yahoo. This seems to be a common strategy with Yahoo -- copy an existing and popular service (iTunes or Skype) and try to bully your way into the market with lower pricing. Here are some Screenshots of the service. Finally, analysts are finding Microsoft's first round of "push e-mail" software lacking. There are at lest three primary weaknesses: 1) Mobile Outlook is still too hard to navigate on a mobile device; 2) Windows devices still use too much battery power compared to the Blackberry; 3) The security and manageability features in the 1.0 release are inferior to those on the Blackberry.


• Social Networks -- It's pretty obvious that the mainstream movie folk don't know exactly what to make of YouTube. If you want to know where people are hanging out, think about this. YouTube has twice the traffic of Yahoo! Video and more than three times that of Google Video and AOL Video.


• Technology Talks -- At last, it's official. Dell is buying Alienware. The deal gives Dell a chance to tap into the profitable high-end PC gaming market.

   

Here's our take on news that matters for Wednesday, March 22. Today's theme is get serious , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- Serious games (read education here) have to make more of an effort to convince users that they are fun and really game-like. At least that's some of what's being said at this weeks Game Developer Conference(GDC). There are other issues to work on as well, all of which are summarized nicely in the article. Also, it looks like Microsoft may finally start taking advantage of Sony's blunders. The Redmond company has announced it will create a surge in available supplies of the Xbox 360 to make the most of a seven-month delay in Sony's launch of the PS3.

• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Georgie Anne Geyer argues that the decline of newspaper reading is hurting our society. She writes " Think a little further. If more Americans had had a comprehensive view of the world -- the kind that is irrevocably blurred by the 80,000 new blogging sites launched every week -- it would have been barely possible for the 30 people who in essence started the Iraq war to have acted without the accord of the American people." I would argue that the 80,000 blogging sites do not blur the news but rather make it more accurate and more meaningful. But then again, I only read USA Today when it's free at the hotel.


• Handhelds -- Dataviz Roadsync 2 is a new product that allows non-Windows handhelds to sync their Exchange information. Currently Symbian UIQ, Palm OS, Java MIDP 2 and Symbian Series 80 are supported. In other news, AirPlay Network Inc. has announced plans to plans to launch multiplayer interactive games for mobile phones that would be synchronized with live sports and other TV programming.


• Social Networks -- Pixrat is a good example of a new type of social networking business opportunity -- the photo aggregator. Pete Cahsmore as a nice post on Pixrat and asks an important question -- is there any value really in having a generic photo bookmarking site?


• Technology Talks -- The consumer version of Windows will be delayed until January, 2007. "This could really put the chill on the PC industry, which has been counting on a Vista driven upgrade cycle. "

   

Here's our take on news that matters for Tuesday, March 21. Today's theme is Another Monday, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Video games bad? Video games good! Under the latter category we can put video games as therapy for trauma patients. Ethan Myers was brain dead after a car accident in 2002. Since then he has made a remarkable comeback thanks, in part, to neurofeedback training on the CyberLearning Technology system, which is often used to play car racing video games.Also, the Game Developer's Conference (GDC) opens this week and we expect lots of news and new developments. The biggest theme so far is related to mobile game development. Soon, this extension of the video game market may rival the console game divisions. Also, Sony has announced that it will be using open source database software from EnterpriseDB for its Sony Online gaming hub. Finally, Nokia has announced that it will provide a simplified business solution for creating online communities in mobile Java games.

• Blogging, mediacasting, and online creations -- Diane Duane is making good on her vow to to write the last volume in her Feline Wizards trilogy as a reader-supported open ebook (thanks to Cory Doctorow for the link). She's soliciting donations from readers, who get early access to her chapters as she posts them and a hardcopy of the book from Lulu.com once it's done. This is an interesting business proposition for writers and one other publishers may pick up on as well.


• Handhelds -- The Mercury News has an article about Microsoft's plans for its handheld gaming device/iPod killer. Interesting reading. The article's author, Dean Takahashi, writes, "By anchoring its entertainment device as a handheld game player, Microsoft is starting from its position of strength in the entertainment business that it hopes Apple cannot match, even with its iPod."


• Social Networks -- Nike and Google have teamed up to create Joga.com, The site is dedicated to creating a niche social network for soccer fans worldwide. Windows Live Expo goes after Craigslist. So, can a behemoth generalist beat out a niche-player specialist? Sure! The average person simply wants results.


• Technology Talks -- From the "this ain't your daddy's oldsmobile" category, Texas Instruments' calculators can now play students' favorite music as well.

  "Besides whiling away boring Calculus and Physics classes with grainy movies and painstakingly-detailed recreations of such classics as Wolfenstein, Tetris and Super Mario Brothers, disinterested students can now actually listen to music from their trusty TI's, thanks to James Montelongo's Real Sound 1.0."

Here's our take on news that matters for Monday, March 20. Today's theme is Magic Monday , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- It's not just the big games that bring in the cash. Last year, 5 million to 6 million American mobile-phone subscribers downloaded at least one game a month. Also, if you want to take a look at the subtle blurring between real life and fantasy in the video game market, check out Wired magazines report on 'La Fuga' (The Escape). "You overcome physical and mental challenges to escape a prison. Not just any live-action role playing game, this one is run in a $20 million facility in Madrid. A networked PDA and RFID tag keep you in touch while you play. The company is now building a 30,000-square-foot game center at 49th and Broadway in New York City."

• Blogging, Podcasting, and Vodcasting -- As a sign that blogging and podcasting are all about content, Podtech has raised $5.5 million to create the "NPR of podcasting". Podtech's Furrier is just a person who started doing regular podcasts. Now, "We're a media company dedicated to podcasting," he says. "We're not trying to build a network, or aggregate. We're just trying to create content."


• Handhelds -- In a European contest, music groups are vying for mobile success. Fifteen aspiring bands are bidding to have a song released on a national mobile phone network in the US before they even have a record deal. They have been selected from a total of 4,033 entrants in a contest being held by US mobile operator Verizon Wireless and online community service MySpace.com. Goodbye American Idol and hello MySpace.And now, mobile users can access a special version of Mobile Wikipedia. thanks to New Zealand-based company Instinct. And, in news for the rest of us, NBC has announce that it will air Web-only episodes of The Office this summer in an effort to gain a wider support base for the show. Even better, they will air some new episodes on the Web that have not been seen on traditional TV.


• Social Networks -- So, social networks are all about making friends and being nice, right? Wrong! Check out Nemester, a social networking site that that connects paranoids, egotists, villains, and monomaniacs through networks of competing agendas and incompatible ideologies for bitter conflicts, mutual loathing, or to find their one, true nemesis. Also, Yahoo continues to ads more personalization to its portal. Now the Web giant is allowing users to add local news. Finally, check out Kathy Sierra's take on Web 2.0. "More and more, the Web 2.0 and Blog world feels like a highly-scaleable, web-enabled way to peek into more medicine cabinets. And it's even sucking the slightly elicit fun out of that now that we're all encouraged to Share. Where's the mystery? Where's the excitement that comes from not knowing everything? Is the (metaphorical) allure of the strip-tease gone forever?"


• Technology Talks -- IBM's Magic Book voice recorder is more than just another pretty recorder. It records and offers a variety of searching options including time range, keywords or even a person's voice. All of this is done thanks to advanced voice-recognition technology. And, e-book readers are back in vogue. And, first, we had Sony's new device and now we have news of iRex's new iLiad reader. This e-ink device has lots of memory and also boasts over a week of three-hour-a-day reading sessions are possible between charges. The company promises to expand upon the PDF, XHTML, TXT, and MP3 formats that will supported at launch. Finally, if you haven't been keeping up with SXSW action, read Jackson West's full summary.

Here's our take on news that matters for Friday, March 17. Today's theme is March Madness!, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- At least one gaming company is pushing the idea of building video games as serialized entertainment. The next game from Tom Mustaine's Ritual Entertainment, a first-person shooter called "SiN," will be released as TV-style episodes. They'll have cliffhangers, recaps of previous installments and a story path partially steered by the player community's response to past episodes. May we could start doing our school courses this way to make kids more interested.

• Blogging, Podcasting, and Vodcasting -- This article talks about the podcasting craze spreads to children's programming. Well it's certainly a no-brainer. Parents need audio to play to the kids in the car, while they're sitting in their high chairs in the kitchen, and when they put them to bed at night. This may actually be one of the most pragmatic uses of Podcasting.


• Handhelds -- Yahoo is releasing its updated version of Communicator, its Skype competitor. The pricing for the callout numbers is not certain as yet, though the current generation communicator allows unlimited incoming calls for $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year.


• Social Networks -- Rumor has it that Time Warner wants to turn Netscape into a social network hub. Well, it's available and not getting much use. Why not? Also, Transmedia released Glide Effortless 1.1 yesterday. Their aim is to balance self-expression with self-protection through digital rights management, parental controls, and user preferences.


• Technology Talks -- Finally, from the we never would have guessed category, this article on Google's plan to make a big splash in the online retail business. "According to an article published in Financial Times, which includes portions of an interview with European Google exec Nikesh Arora, it has been revealed that Google is undertaking the move to allow retailers to host their wares on the Google Base site." Now all your base will belong to them.

Here's our take on news that matters for Thursday, March 16. Today's theme is it's here!, and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- Microsoft trying to expand its gaming appeal to less "hard core gamers." To that end, the company is launching its new gaming concept, 'Viva Piñata'. This product collection will hit the ground this year with a cartoon TV show, a video game and toys. In Europe, a recent survey shows that "Computer games are central to the lives of many young people. Online gaming, the ability to play against other gamers across the internet, has only added to the form's potency. A recent UK survey highlighted that 82% of nine to 19-year-olds have at least one games console and 70% play computer games online."

• Blogging, Podcasting, and Vodcasting -- One of the ongoing trends in Web-based writing is how to create the best authoring interfaces for online work. This has not always been easy as everything started out on the desktop. Writely and done a nice job with their RTE but Google and Yahoo have been hard at work with AJAX, building environments that feel increasingly like working on your desktop from within a browser. As an example of this work, and a sign of cool things to come in the interface and human factor wars, check out the Zimbra browser-based e-mail application.


• Handhelds -- Google has signed numerous deals with handset manufacturers this quarter to make its search and blogging available on mobile devices. To make their product viable, they have introduced software to adapt Internet sites for cell phones. Users who perform a Google search on their handsets and click on resulting links are provided access to stripped-down versions of the sites that are reportedly more efficient to deliver and easier to read.Also, if a "handheld isn't exactly your cup of tea, you might try a new Wrist Worn Personal Computer (WWPC). Can anyone spell g-e-e-k?


• Social Networks -- In his "Manifesto for Networked Objects," ( Why Things Matter), Julian Bleecker, describes what he calls "blogjects" or "objects that blog." The three major characteristics of a blogject are its sense of space combined with its ability to track where it has been, its knowledge of its encounters and previous experiences, and more importantly, its ability to participate in an assertive way to social networks.

  " The Internet of Things has evolved into a nascent conceptual framework for understanding how physical objects, once networked and imbued with informatic capabilities, will occupy space and occupy themselves in a world in which things were once quite passive. This paper describes the Internet of Things as more than a world of RFID tags and networked sensors."

Also, Tagworld just released its new music recommendation feature. It streams music and can recommend new choices based on some pre-programmed criteria. It also has Last.fm-style social recommendations.

• Technology Talks -- In something reminiscent of I, Robot, a Japanese company and shown a prototype of a robot designed to look after the elderly. A Japanese-led research team said it had made a seeing, hearing and smelling robot that can carry human beings and is aimed at helping care for the country's growing number of elderly. Finally, it looks like a solution for providing a bootable Windows XP solution on a Mac-based Intel computer is real.

Here's our take on news that matters for Wednesday, March 15. Today's theme is get a life , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- Okay, Sony has made it official. The PS3 will launch in Japan, the United States, and Europe within the first ten days of November. And, determined not to be outdone by Nintendo in the handheld, Sony announced updates for the PSP. These include GPS, retrofitting PS1 games, and eventual support of Macromedia Flash. Now it's really "Game on!"

• Blogging, Podcasting, and Vodcasting -- Dave Winer says he's stop blogging at the end of the year to focus on business and to get our of the limelight temporarily. "I want some privacy, I want to matter less, so I can retool, and matter more, in different ways," he wrote at the end of a blog entry Monday. This sound somewhat familiar to the recent self-imposed blogging hiatus by Stephen Downes and echoes what others have been saying. Blogging consistently takes time. It becomes a bigger part of your life than you imagined. It can also lead to a certain fame and responsibility that go on top of everything else in your life. Also, if you're interested in podcasting transcription solutions, check out this review of CastingWords .

• Handhelds -- EQO, will be offering a software client that would allow you to IM people on your Skype-list from your mobile phones. Also, One of the first casualties of last week's UMPC rollouts may be OQO . OQO led the way several years ago in the handheld PC market but its price point and narrow features can't compete with the next wave of products.


• Social Networks -- Will Pate posts this summary of Craig Newmark's (Craig's List) keynote at SXSW. Here's his train of thought on how TiVo can save democracy. 1) Digital video recorders allow people to skip commercials 2) If everyone started skipping political commercials it would defeat their purpose 3) Maybe politicians would then have to say more, there would be less of a race to raise cash for expensive political ads 4) It is the patriotic duty of people to get digital video recorders and skip political commercials.


• Technology Talks -- Google had announced that it will add a new feature to its Google Print Library that will allow users to purchase access to online titles.Also, NBC Universal's chief is telling folks not to come pitching new shows unless you know how it's will play competitively on the Web as well as on iPods, cell phones, and Origami devices. And, some mysterious reports purport a successful porting of Microsoft XP to the new Apple Intel platform -- game over?

Here's our take on news that matters for Monday, March 14. Today's theme is get a life , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- It has often been argued that games are an escape from reality. Bending that idea into a fill circle, some argue that the fantasy aspect of games can help prepare people for real life. Check out this article with ideas on how Second Life can help people deal with real situations .

• Blogging, Podcasting, and Vodcasting -- Bloggers showed up in droves at SXSW and one of the main attractions was a keynote by Heather Armstrong (Dooce) who was probably the first person to be fired for blogging. What's interesting about Armstrong is that she has become a real celebrity (although most wouldn't recognize her) and is actually supporting her family with her blog. If you look at Armstrong's blog, one of the things you'll may find interesting is the number of comments on her posts. It is not uncommon for her to receive 100-300 comments per post. That is a big audience of regular readers and it's also a testimony of sort for posting regular content.

• Handhelds -- The biggest observation from last week's CeBIT conference was thatgadgets are starting to blur the lines between the concept of the telephone and the Internet appliance. More and more handset manufacturers are coming out with phones that surf, take pictures, play games, blog, and watch TV. Oh, and you can handle most of your office productivity work too. And, speaking of mobile, TV, it seems that Europeans are giving it a thumbs up.


• Social Networks -- Just when you thought there was nothing new under the sun when it comes to Instant Messaging, MySpace Messenger is on the way. Screenshots seem to indicate that the IM service will support listening you users' music. Okay, maybe AIM didn't have anything to fear from MSN or Yahoo, but this is something different. The kids may have found something they like more than their parents' Oldsmobile. By the way, Crisscross.com, a mix of news, social network, and tagging. Also, The Physics of Friendship is a cool depiction of a high school’s empirical friendship network from the scientists’ data.


• Technology Talks -- A few years ago, I was advocating that people take an interest in Questia, and online library that comes with a subscription of $20 per month or $100 per year. Well, Questia may have a few holes in their holdings, but they keep chugging along and continue to get press. At the moment, the roughly 150,000 Questia subscribers can download 65,000 books accessible through the site.

Here's our take on news that matters for Monday, March 13. Today's theme is onward an upward , and here are a some links to headlines about technology that is changing the way we live and learn.

• Gaming -- Here's a nice summary of a recent report from DFC Intelligence Online Game Market Forecasts. According to the report, "subscription revenue from online games was $2 billion in 2005 and is expected to grow to $6.8 billion by 2011. Furthermore, subscription revenue is only one part of the online game business equation. Advertising and digital distribution revenue are also expected to grow significantly."

• Blogging, Podcasting, and Vodcasting -- Six Ap