Keefer Madness

Las Vegas Almost Had a Full Size Starship Enterprise

// April 10th, 2012 // No Comments » // Film, Strange & Bizarre, Tech

This would have been massive and crazy cool, but I’m not sure it’d be the universal attraction Vegas would profit from. Sure, Vegas ended up with the Star Trek Experience, but this would have been unprcedented — and out of place. It would have been great for Trekkies though.

But man, construction costs were $150,000,000 (in 1992 dollars).

Now It Can Be Told: The “Star Trek” Attraction that Almost Came to Life in 1992

Bike Lets You Change Gears With Your Mind

// March 12th, 2012 // No Comments » // Cycling, Tech

Co-worker sent this over this morning — a technlogy project partnership between Toyota and Parlee. An up or down thought could translate into a gear up or downshift. Pretty cool concept.

Bike Lets You Change Gears With Your Mind

Samsung TV Capacitor Settlement Notice

// March 11th, 2012 // No Comments » // Tech, TV Talk

So happy I was surfing Engadget’s RSS feed this evening before bed.

For quite awhile now, our 42″ Samsung LCD takes a long time to power on. It clicks every couple seconds and eventually comes on. After Googling it to find out what possibly could be going on, I quickly found others with the same problem, including some pictures of the problematic innards of the Samsung sets.

Turns out Samsung used some crappy capacitors in some of their sets. Visual inspection of these capacitors often shows a visible swelling of the components. While the parts to change out are cheap and readily available, until recently, Samsung wasn’t footing the bill to do it. According to the link below, they’re now acknowledging the problem now after being hit with a class action lawsuit.

I’m now chatting with a very polite Samsung rep to see about getting ours fixed. Will update after I’ve got more info, but feel pretty confident that our TV is going to be covered (it’s the first model number in the list of affected sets and it’s definitely exhibiting the symptoms).

I just hope we get it taken care of before the TV goes further south.

I’m also hopeful I don’t have to solder in capacitors myself.

Only wish the same outcome were in the process for my third red-ringed Xbox 360.

Samsung TV Capacitor Settlement Notice

Roku’s Tiny HDMI “Streaming Stick” to Bring Netflix, Hulu to Smart TVs

// January 4th, 2012 // No Comments » // Internet / Web, Tech, TV Talk

This sounds like a pretty [little] cool concept: a little memory stick that plugs into Smart TV’s HDMI ports to allow video streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. Sadly, it won’t work with any old HDMI port. It’s got to be one that supports Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL).

The more I think of it, other than having small size, how’s this better than a normal Roku box or the already pretty small Apple TV 2.0? Sure, a memory-stick sized streaming device would eliminate a set of cords (a power and an HDMI), but other than that, not sure what its appeal or audience will be.

Roku’s Tiny HDMI “Streaming Stick” to Bring Netflix, Hulu to Smart TVs

Discovery, Innovation and New Destinations Highlight “This Year @NASA”

// December 29th, 2011 // No Comments » // Space Stuff & NASA, Tech, Video

This was posted two days before Christmas, but I just found it on YouTube yesterday. It highlights NASA’s accomplishments in 2011 — a year that was highlighted with the 30+ year space shuttle program decommissioned, scientific missions (including Juno, MSL Curiosity, Aquarius and the one I got to see launch, GRAIL) and partnerships with four different commercial companies taking over and modifying Kennedy Space Center facilities to continue low-Earth orbit.

NASA is now poised to focus on further targets. The video is quite long but simultaneously very in-depth and informative.

Kill the Kindle Special Offers Ads For Free

// December 19th, 2011 // No Comments » // Tech

Hmm, not sure how I feel about this. I’m a huge fan of Amazon, and really think if you don’t want to see the ads, buy the one without ads. It sounds like from the Lifehacker you can’t also buy the ad-supported and pay to disable them later.

We bought our Kindle meer weeks before the special offer subsidized Kindle came out, but it wouldn’t have changed our decision — I’m fine with paying a little more, and not getting the ads.

EULA or not, I kind of feel like you either pay for the ad-free, or you deal with having the ads.

Kill the Kindle Special Offers Ads For Free

Samsung Flexible and Transparent Screen

// December 11th, 2011 // No Comments » // Tech

A guy at work shared this on Friday. It’s a commercial that shows a future technology of a flexible and transparent display. So cool. Can’t wait till technology like this is commonplace.

Amazon Prime Members Now Get Free Kindle E-Book Rentals

// November 5th, 2011 // No Comments » // Tech

I saw this yesterday morning and meant to post it. I’m really excited about this, and need to check it out this weekend, though I’ve got a backlog of books (25% through the new Steve Jobs biography).

Regardless, the Kindle lending through the local libraries is quite underwhelming. I’m hoping this is a bit more intriguing and offers a lot more selections.

Amazon Prime Members Now Get Free Kindle E-Book Rentals

Bike Riding Robot

// October 28th, 2011 // No Comments » // Cycling, Tech

Check out this biped robot riding a bike. I wouldn’t want to be in a placeline with the thing, but very very impressive nonetheless.

Originally seen on Bike Rumor’s Robot Rides Bicycle, UCI Cries Foul

Introducing the Fitbit Ultra. Now Track Stairs, and More!

// October 4th, 2011 // No Comments » // Health & Fitness, Tech

I’m a big fan of the Fitbit, and have had one clipped to my belt almost daily since I first got mine a little less than two years ago. It’s a great little steps/activity tracker, and I’ve been impressed with their support and willingness to stand behind their product — even with early adopter types like myself.

Yesterday, they announced the new Fitbit Ultra, which I’d call the Fitbit 2.0 or maybe 1.5. It looks like the original model, and is priced at $99 like the original, yet it has some improved (and oft requested features) such as customization of the info showed, a clock and a altimeter. Oh yeah, and it comes in multiple colors.

While it’s not enough of a leap forward to necessitate upgrading from the original, it’s definitely worth it for those of you who don’t have one and/or have been on the fence on getting one.

Introducing the Fitbit Ultra. Now Track Stairs, and More!