Into Tech

Here’s an emotionally satisfying piece of performance art, an installation called “Spamtrap” by artist Bill Shackelford. Its sole purpose is to entrap spam email into its Pentium II PC that’s connected to a wireless network, print out the messages, and then unceremoniously rip them all to shreds, accumulating into a big pathetic pile of rubbish.

Part of the fun is the artist’s luring of the spam by posting email addresses on numerous websites and bulletin boards. And, as spam messages are received, their addresses are sent to various blacklists on the Interwebs in an attempt to spare others the craptastic suffering from such detritus. Of course, the pile of shredded paper is recycled to alleviate any guilt or bad karma.

Take the jump to see the grisly executions, as well as a few observations.

“Spamtrap” - watch the video

There’s something truly gratifying about seeing this spam physically executed right there in front of you. This reminds us of a malevolent boss from long ago whose picture adorned a dartboard at home, and became our whipping post for venting daily frustrations. Sometimes destroying such effigies can be a catharsis, exactly what’s needed against such seemingly unwinnable battles. – Charlie White

Artist’s Page [Bill Shackelford, via boing boing]

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A start-up backed by
Silicon Valley’s power elite hopes to convince regulators to
back a business plan that could scrap many restrictions on
wireless networks and help Internet service providers like
Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. into the market.

Last week, CNN expertly told us why the Microsoft Zune sucks (hint: it doesn’t get e-mail—wtf? neither does my ball point pen…) and this week they show us some of the hottest technologies to be on the lookout for. You see, this is what happens when reporters try to go beyond their beat. Up next, us here at Gizmodo giving advice on how to cure world hunger. For the highlights of the Tech List That CNN Built, keep reading.

Here’s what CNN says we need to keep an eye on for the next few (months? years? the article doesn’t specify): RFID, hybrid cars, HDTV, DVDs (as in Blu-ray and HD DVD), DVRs, Cellphones, E-ink and wireless networks.

CNN is stuck in 2004 it seems.

Let’s see here… hybrid cars have been around for a while (try sounding masculine while saying “Prius”) and the same goes for HDTV. Cellphones are currently mired in “feature creep” mode while next-gen DVDs have all but committed seppuku. The best has to be wireless networking. If your house doesn’t already have at least one insecure wireless connection, I doubt you even know how to spell “technology,” let along know how to implement it.

Thanks, CNN, for telling us what to keep an eye on. Maybe next time they’ll tell us that something called “video game” are popular with youngsters. – Nicholas Deleon

Thanks, Richard!

Trends in technology [CNN]

Last week, CNN expertly told us why the Microsoft Zune sucks (hint: it doesn’t get e-mail—wtf? neither does my ball point pen…) and this week they show us some of the hottest technologies to be on the lookout for. You see, this is what happens when reporters try to go beyond their beat. Up next, us here at Gizmodo giving advice on how to cure world hunger. For the highlights of the Tech List That CNN Built, keep reading.

Here’s what CNN says we need to keep an eye on for the next few (months? years? the article doesn’t specify): RFID, hybrid cars, HDTV, DVDs (as in Blu-ray and HD DVD), DVRs, Cellphones, E-ink and wireless networks.

CNN is stuck in 2004 it seems.

Let’s see here… hybrid cars have been around for a while (try sounding masculine while saying “Prius”) and the same goes for HDTV. Cellphones are currently mired in “feature creep” mode while next-gen DVDs have all but committed seppuku. The best has to be wireless networking. If your house doesn’t already have at least one insecure wireless connection, I doubt you even know how to spell “technology,” let along know how to implement it.

Thanks, CNN, for telling us what to keep an eye on. Maybe next time they’ll tell us that something called “video game” are popular with youngsters. – Nicholas Deleon

Thanks, Richard!

Trends in technology [CNN]

Last week, CNN expertly told us why the Microsoft Zune sucks (hint: it doesn’t get e-mail—wtf? neither does my ball point pen…) and this week they show us some of the hottest technologies to be on the lookout for. You see, this is what happens when reporters try to go beyond their beat. Up next, us here at Gizmodo giving advice on how to cure world hunger. For the highlights of the Tech List That CNN Built, keep reading.

Here’s what CNN says we need to keep an eye on for the next few (months? years? the article doesn’t specify): RFID, hybrid cars, HDTV, DVDs (as in Blu-ray and HD DVD), DVRs, Cellphones, E-ink and wireless networks.

CNN is stuck in 2004 it seems.

Let’s see here… hybrid cars have been around for a while (try sounding masculine while saying “Prius”) and the same goes for HDTV. Cellphones are currently mired in “feature creep” mode while next-gen DVDs have all but committed seppuku. The best has to be wireless networking. If your house doesn’t already have at least one insecure wireless connection, I doubt you even know how to spell “technology,” let along know how to implement it.

Thanks, CNN, for telling us what to keep an eye on. Maybe next time they’ll tell us that something called “video game” are popular with youngsters. – Nicholas Deleon

Thanks, Richard!

Trends in technology [CNN]

Last week, CNN expertly told us why the Microsoft Zune sucks (hint: it doesn’t get e-mail—wtf? neither does my ball point pen…) and this week they show us some of the hottest technologies to be on the lookout for. You see, this is what happens when reporters try to go beyond their beat. Up next, us here at Gizmodo giving advice on how to cure world hunger. For the highlights of the Tech List That CNN Built, keep reading.

Here’s what CNN says we need to keep an eye on for the next few (months? years? the article doesn’t specify): RFID, hybrid cars, HDTV, DVDs (as in Blu-ray and HD DVD), DVRs, Cellphones, E-ink and wireless networks.

CNN is stuck in 2004 it seems.

Let’s see here… hybrid cars have been around for a while (try sounding masculine while saying “Prius”) and the same goes for HDTV. Cellphones are currently mired in “feature creep” mode while next-gen DVDs have all but committed seppuku. The best has to be wireless networking. If your house doesn’t already have at least one insecure wireless connection, I doubt you even know how to spell “technology,” let along know how to implement it.

Thanks, CNN, for telling us what to keep an eye on. Maybe next time they’ll tell us that something called “video game” are popular with youngsters. – Nicholas Deleon

Thanks, Richard!

Trends in technology [CNN]

Last week, CNN expertly told us why the Microsoft Zune sucks (hint: it doesn’t get e-mail—wtf? neither does my ball point pen…) and this week they show us some of the hottest technologies to be on the lookout for. You see, this is what happens when reporters try to go beyond their beat. Up next, us here at Gizmodo giving advice on how to cure world hunger. For the highlights of the Tech List That CNN Built, keep reading.

Here’s what CNN says we need to keep an eye on for the next few (months? years? the article doesn’t specify): RFID, hybrid cars, HDTV, DVDs (as in Blu-ray and HD DVD), DVRs, Cellphones, E-ink and wireless networks.

CNN is stuck in 2004 it seems.

Let’s see here… hybrid cars have been around for a while (try sounding masculine while saying “Prius”) and the same goes for HDTV. Cellphones are currently mired in “feature creep” mode while next-gen DVDs have all but committed seppuku. The best has to be wireless networking. If your house doesn’t already have at least one insecure wireless connection, I doubt you even know how to spell “technology,” let along know how to implement it.

Thanks, CNN, for telling us what to keep an eye on. Maybe next time they’ll tell us that something called “video game” are popular with youngsters. – Nicholas Deleon

Thanks, Richard!

Trends in technology [CNN]

For what feels like centuries, the iPod was considered the must-have music device. An elegant design and simple interface made even the sluttiest of fratboys fall in love.

But then came along Microsoft’s Zune. Instead of a dainty, scratch-prone piece of MP3 china, the Zune is chunky and coated in spank-me-harder rubber. And the Zune was there for us with a shoulder to cry on during those nights we vented how the iPod lacked WiFi, FM, and a general understanding of “a woman’s needs”. Even if it only goes up to 30GB.

We appreciate that the Zune let’s us hook up and share moments on trains or bathroom stalls, but we still crave the monogamy of iTunes DRM support. Hit the jump for our Frankenreview: A review culled from the bits and pieces of Pogue’s NYTimes article, Mossberg’s work at the WSJ, and opinions from our friends at Business Week and CNet. There’s a lot to say, so we’ve sectioned off the writeup into categories on Design, Screen, UI, Software, and Sharing. And we’ve got all of our beautiful gallery shots after the jump. What are you waiting for? Jump on through!

Design:

“It can’t touch the iPod’s looks or coolness, but it’s certainly more practical…won’t get fingerprinty and scratched…”

“The hardware feels rushed and incomplete. It is 60% larger and 17% heavier than the comparable iPod.”

“…it’s a nice size and weight…neither too thin to hold nor too big to pocket…”

“…You’ll want to scroll the circular controller at first impulse…”

“…it lacks the famous iPod scroll wheel, instead using a common four-way navigation pad…”

“…while the controls lack the elegant minimalism of iPod’s scroll wheel they are well designed…”

“Scrolling accelerates as you press the top or bottom button, but the iPod’s wheel is much more efficient…”

WINNER: iPod

Screen:

“The Zune’s screen is taller than it is wide — unlike the iPod’s — so you can see more of your lists without scrolling.”
“It has three brightness settings and though the display is slightly washed out, it’s colorful and bright enough for outdoor use…”
“…when videos or photos play, the screen image rotates, meaning you have to turn the player 90 degrees. And just as on the iPod, portrait-oriented photos are now shrunken…”
“…While it is three inches versus 2.5 inches for the iPod’s screen, it uses the same resolution…”
“…many album covers look worse than they do on the iPod.”
WINNER: Tie


Interface:
“…the interface is dark, clean, and stable. It’s aesthetically pleasing and functional…”

“The software design is beautiful, simple and graced by brief, classy animations.”

“…the entire interface is more colorful and visually satisfying than the iPod’s.”

“You can also select your own photo as the wallpaper or background for the device.”

WINNER: Zune


Software/Store: