Free CAD program

So I'm going to add google sketchup to my tools. It seems really neat (for a free CAD program) considering that industry standard programs like Solidworks costs $5000+

New tech tools

I don't have quite enough information inputs to need this yet but I can see the day when I might. Pretty creepy that to live in "modern" world we need this kind of thing huh?

This open-source curriculum center sounds really cool. I don't have a current use for it now but I might in the future.

New discoveries

Coupla things...

I love reading Cleantechnica, they have all sorts of posts that make me happy and give me hope that well used technology can really help people live better lives. So reading this, and this made for a good day.

Dean Kamen seems to be working on an electric car based on his stirling engine, we'll see how that works out.

A new tool for evaluating the embodied water in objects (Dune much?)

Why iTunes sucks

/Rant on
Webmonkey has a summery of iTunes issues and suckage.
/Rant off

Good essay on the future of free speech

One area that hasn't gotten a great deal of legal attention (that I'm aware of). Is free speech legislation on the internet. Here, BoingBoing links to a great summery of some of the issues and dilemmas.

TRON!!!!!!

Enter your own 80s fantasy! Be Tron!!

Changing sound

Check out Reality Sandwich's (counterculture magazine that has some good stuff from time to time) article on how sound technology is changing. I'll be interested to see how some of this pans out.

Programs to have

Slate lists 18 programs they think (and I tend to agree) everyone should have on their computer.

Why you shouldn't go out and buy Blu-ray discs

'Cus they'll probably be replaced by these in a few years

Cool Concept Car

Mazda has a neat new concept car focused around the idea of water.

New Insight Looks Neat

Wired has a review

I'm going to follow this

This could be really neat, an ebay for learning things, sort of. Too bad it's only in the UK, I hope it moves to the US.

A new broswer

Google's just put out a browser, I'm trying it out now. So far so good, better than IE and Safari, probably better than Opera, not sure if it's better than Firefox

Kinetic Motion Energy storage device

Ok, Winter and I have talked about this for a long time and I've been more on the "con" side that the "pro" side but this charger is really cool! Maybe I'll have to rethink my position.

Another Apple Sucks Article

Slate theorizes on why Apple doesn't seem to care that it's products increasingly suck.

Alvin is being replaced

NYT has a profile of the new submersible that is replacing Alvin. Some of the construction photos are really neat.

Copy and Paste for the iTouch/IPhone

Wired has an article on a new ap to copy and paste

I'm torn about this

On the one hand the idea that this is out there I find really disturbing (what if there are errors? What about the potential for abuse?). On the other I found myself actually wanting to use it on a few people that I know, but feel suspicious of.

Energy saving software for your computer

I'll have to download this and give it a try.

New developments in solar tech

I wasn't going to post about this because there's been some skepticism from the scientific community but I haven't seen an outright refutation of the science yet so I might as well post. From MIT a "major" new development in solar energy storage.