IBM Brows-hare, Brow-share, Bro-share?

So anyways IBM has developed an interface that works with your browser to allow 2 people to simultaneously look at and control a single browser window.  The idea is for easy online collaboration between 2 people sitting with each other discussing some sort of web material (stocks, videos, reports, etc.).  Both users will have a separate mouse pointer, and everytime either one clicks or changes a portion of the page, the program will have the browser update based on whatever was changed.

It seems weird to me….I guess I don’t see the application for this yet, but can’t 2 people sit at a computer and talk about what’s on the screen?  How hard is it to tell someone to click a link if you want to check something you’re working on?  Oh well, there’s still development and other steps to happen so maybe they’ll develop it into something worth using.

Moderation, rated.

Google has yet another application called Google Moderator.  This app allows anyone with a google account to submit questions tovarious threads like “ask a world leader” “ask the president” or “ask a google engineer”.  Once questions are submitted, users can vote on whether or not the question is a good one, tallying votes and listing questions in order of most popular.  I’m not sure though that the questions ever get answered, so maybe it’s more of a suggestion towards journalists as to what questions they should ask next time they see President Obama, or ideas for google engineers to improve software.  Some really good questions, though.

Obama delays digital changeover, nobody listens

Initially the digital transfer was supposed to take place on February 17th, but President Obama decided to delay the changeover until June 12th citing that many Americans would not be ready.  Even with the delay, by the end of next week 40% (681 stations) are expected to make the changeover.  Obama may be in charge of our country, but apparently not our television!

The Kindle 2 offers creepy, illegal bedtime story

The Kindle 2 is a new text-to-speech device offered for Amazon.com e-books.  You can buy the e-books through amazon and read them on your kindle, or use the fancy text-to-speech option and have the book read to you.

The problem is similar to that which CD’s are facing.  With CD’s people are exclaiming that buying them then ripping them onto iTunes is illegal because you’re getting 2 copies but only paying for one.  Similarly, the kindle 2 is said to be an e-book as well as an audiotape, again for one price.  This seems like another argument that will bounce around the courts for years to come.

There is no technology bubble

Here’s a funny video originally posted (and sinced threatened and removed) by dailymotion but luckily Techcrunch saved it.  The video begins with Peter Thiel (venture capitalist, co-founder of paypal, and early supporter of facebook) claims there is no technology bubble.  A technology bubble is in reference to the early 2000’s “dotcom bubble.”  The idea is that like the dotcom era, technology will rapidly expand then burst, dropping stocks rapidly.  Following his Thiel’s statement a video rolls with excellent lyrics explaining that web 2.0 companies and applications are raking in the cash and here to stay.

Why call your friends when you can stalk them?

So this program isn’t exactly brand new…but it’s interesting.  Everyone at one time or another has found themselves “stalking” someone across facebook (hopefully a friend of a friend, otherwise you might be one of these people.

But loopt has taken it a step farther and allowed you to find the location of your friends by using the gps on their cell phone.  Granted it is slightly delayed and sometimes inaccurately triangulated,  but still.  Maybe once it’s refined it could be a good program for overprotective moms but although it’s a cool idea…you won’t be triangulating me anytime soon.