Wednesday, May 14, 2008
SMS makes intergalactic chat look cheap
8:04PM Sarah Stokely | Trying to kick a bad texting habit? Here’s some news that should help you say no to SMS: The SMS data rate is four times as expensive as sending data from the Hubble Space Telescope. Ouch. More » 
XP extended to 2010 on Eee PCs
6:58PM Sarah Stokely | Here’s a twist on the tale of the Windows XP phaseout – Microsoft has confirmed it’s going to keep selling XP on certain ultraportable computers, including the ASUS Eee PC, until 2010. Microsoft had already extended the XP phaseout once, to June this year, but it will be sold on the Eee and similar form factor products until 2010. Interesting! [via] More » 
Eat like a Googler with the Food 2.0 cookbook
6:34PM Sarah Stokely | There’s a new recipe book out in the States called Food 2.0: Secrets from the Chef who fed Google.I have to admit that when I saw the title, I wondered who the hell would want to buy a recipe book for food served by an IT company – especially when that company is famous for fattening up its programmers. But I read on out of interest.Of course, being a Google chef, author Charlie Ayers isn’t just any chef, but the former caterer for the Grateful Dead (ah, California).The CNET review describes Food 2.0 as “a ridiculously healthy cookbook in the most Northern California sense possible” but it sounds like it strikes a balance between fresh, healthy ingredients and being tasty enough to appeal to finicky programmers. :) By the time I reached the end of the review, I have to admit I was kind of tempted – more for the Jade Smoothie recipe (sliced cucumber, mint leaves, apple cider, and lemon sorbet) than the Google hot sauce. Now I feel like a Google tragic. :) More » Delicious bookmark addon now available for Internet Explorer
6:16PM Sarah Stokely | Social bookmarking tool Del.icio.us has had a Firefox extension for a while, and now Yahoo has released a beta version for Internet Explorer too. You can download the extension here.Features include a del.icio.us Sidebar and Toolbar which will already be familiar to users of the Firefox version.It promises “near instantaneous” searching with very large accounts of over 10,000 bookmarks. Other features include full del.icio.us sidebar and toolbar
implementation with bookmark sync and typedown search.It is just in beta at the moment, so the usual warnings apply. The Del.icio.us Internet Explorer Extension works with Internet Explorer 6 and above.[via] More » 
Read the Wikipedia in Bite-sized Chunks
12:44PM Gina Trapani | Previously mentioned service DailyLit, which breaks down classic books into small chunks and emails them to you one piece at a time, has started distributing Wikipedia tours. Get DailyLit email instalments of Wikipedia topics, like major world religions, wine 101, or world capitals delivered to your inbox each day. [via] More »
Google Now Maps Real Estate Listings
10:32AM Gina Trapani | US-Centric (for now!): Google Maps now makes it easy to check out real estate listings in a certain area: click on the “Show search options” link next to the Search Maps button, and choose “Real Estate” from the drop down. Your search will map homes for sale, with photos and prices. Search blog Google Operating System reports that the results come from real estate site feeds, not Google Base. You can also refine your search by price, number of bathrooms and bedrooms. Looks like Google Maps is giving Zillow a run for its money, though Zillow offers home valuations for property that’s not necessarily for sale. Google Maps Adds Real Estate Search [Google Operating System] More »
Best RSS Newsreader?
9:00AM Adam Pash | If you spend any amount of time on the web, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you haven’t found a decent RSS newsreader to keep on top of your favourite web sites. If you aren’t using one, it’s time you start; if you are, the question remains: Are you using the best newsreader for your needs (and feeds)? So for this week’s Hive Five, we want you to tell us all about your favourite RSS newsreader. Hit the jump for more details and to nominate your favourite newsreader—be it web- or desktop-based—in the comments. More »
Get Vista’s Best Features in XP
8:00AM Adam Pash | Despite the fact that most of you prefer XP to Vista and would rather Microsoft extended XP’s shelf-life, several new and improved features available in Vista would be great to have in XP. This new functionality may not be enough to get you to switch to Vista, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can incorporate Windows Vista’s best features into your current XP PC for free. More »
Keep Your Muscles Healthy, Not Big
7:50AM Kevin Purdy | The New York Times’ Well section has reassuring news for anyone hitting the gym and not seeing results. Many researchers agree that muscle size and definition are not as important to your long-term health as those muscles’ endurance and strength, which prevent atrophy and weakness in old age: To maintain endurance, you should engage in activities that pump blood to the muscles, like walking. For strength, you need to lift weights, concentrating on what Professor Fitts calls the antigravity muscles, those of the back and legs. And, he adds, you should also maintain arm strength. More »
