LIVEdigitally

Most of us use a standard keyboard and mouse on our computer. Bill O’Brien has done an excellent job of cataloguing alternative input devices of many different varieties. If your wrist hurts, and you’ve got some bucks to spend, check it out.

Some input devices aren’t easily categorized — like the touch screen. IBM tried to introduce a touch-screen system about two decades ago. It was a clunky and unreliable. Sometimes you got what you touched, sometimes you didn’t, and sometimes you had to reboot the system. Hardly ready for prime time. Today they’re much more accurate and much better protected against moisture, dust, and the general grime and oil that collects on our fingertips.

Touch-screens also don’t need to be complete monitors. There are touch-screen overlays available for existing displays and notebooks. Of course, you’ll still need mouse-driven application software to interpret the screen touching. (In case you hadn’t noticed, your PDA uses a touch screen, as do many smart phones.)

Geeks all have one universal problem. No, I’m not talking about Microsoft. Geeks never get chicks (and my mom says that when I stop calling them chicks that will change).

As I was saying, geeks around the world have one problem, getting chicks. We’re smart, innovative, and have somewhat of an imagination –why not just build a chick? Professor Hiroshi Ishiguru did just that (how could you doubt a guy with the word guru in his name?) Repilee Q1 is her name, and silicon skin is her game. (more…)

iPod. That’s all anyone needs to say these days and the notion of downloading music, iTunes, a computer, and the actual iPod come to mind. Not RCA’s mind.

RCA has a bookshelf system that will now transfer CD’s directly to your mp3 player. “Three easy steps are all it takes to move your favorite music from CD to a portable digital music player…” claims RCA.

Reasons this idea is good: No need for a PC, no need to download songs, and it’s the first I’ve seen of this kind.

Reasons this idea is bad: (more…)