Proof that Kurt Cobain was murdered

Everyone knows that Kurt Cobain committed suicide. But did he really? This website by private investigator Tom Grant says that Cobain did not kill himself, but was murdered. The site is rather comprehensive looking at the facts surrounding the case. It's quite convincing that the Nirvana's frontman's death is due to murder. Well, who really knows? It's an intriguing read anyway.

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Nintendogs to Nintengirls...

First there's Nintendogs where you rear a virtual pup. The natural progression after dogs will be... girls? At least that's what some folks think. The featured link is a series of pictures of an imaginary game that will surely drive boys wild. It's called Nintengirls: College girls & Friends. If it is a real product, you'll be able to interact with the girls, and with the DS touchscreen, touching the screen will have a whole new meaning, eh?
Link

Flock explained

What is Flock? It is a new type of web browser. Based on the Mozilla code, Flock is developed to include features that are used by those into the blogging aspects of the Net. Flock includes integration with social bookmarking, Flickr, and of course, blogging. It seems interesting but since it's still in its early development stages, some of you may want to hold out for a while before trying it. This article gives an overview of what Flock is and why you should use it.

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iPod Nano & Soundbuzz promo by SingNet don't mix

In the Straits Times today, there's a broadband promotion by SingNet that is offering up a free iPod Nano with their broadband plans. In one of the package, they're also offering 8 MP3 songs download from Soundbuzz.

Does anyone notice something that's not quite right here? They are offering free music downloads for a digital music player that can't play those tunes! Need more clarification? Well, what it means simply is that if you've downloaded those free tunes from Soundbuzz thinking that you can listen to them in your free Nano, well, YOU CAN'T. Why? Because Soundbuzz offers music in WMA format with DRM as it has stated clearly on their website:

Before transferring music to a portable digital audio player, insure (sic) that it support the WMA format and DRM (Digital Rights Management) secured music standards. Players must have security settings at the 1000 level.

Of course, Apple's iPods can't play these files. So what's the point of offering up these free downloads? Won't it confuse any Joe consumer?

Of course, there's a way around this, if you're tech-savvy enough. You can burn the tunes you download to a CD as audio, then rip that CD to iTunes and transfer to your Nano. But strictly speaking, won't that be "illegal" as ripping in this sense is not right in Singapore?

Once again, this whole issue of music download DRM vs consumer fair use is making things rather complicated for us. What are we to do? The follies of DRM... sigh.

Update: I posted this originally on 8 Oct. On today's paper, SingTel has amended their ad and it doesn't say "8 MP3 Song Downloads from Soundbuzz" anymore. It now says "8 Songs Downloads from MusicVibes SingNet powered by Soundbuzz".

Mossberg against DRM

Wall Street Journal's tech columnist is speaking out against DRM. In his recent article, he wrote about the evils of DRM and how it actually imposes limits and inconvenience consumers, so much so that many are turned off by the way DRM is implemented. It's something that Cory Doctorow has written about many times and it's refreshing to see this idea in print in a mainstream medium.

In my view, both sides have a point, but the real issue isn't DRM itself -- it's the manner in which DRM is used by copyright holders. Companies have a right to protect their property, and DRM is one means to do so. But treating all consumers as potential criminals by using DRM to overly limit their activities is just plain wrong.

Link

Which sci-fi character are you?

This is a questionnaire that aims to find out which sci-fi or fantasy character you are. Go through the series of questions and answer them and you'll know who you are. For me, I seem to be a Gandalf, that's quite cool...

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Wi-fi as basic amenity?

The BBC has posted a story on the growing number of US cities planning to offer wi-fi connection that covers the entire city and that the wi-fi service will be offered at a low cost for citizens. The idea of wi-fi as an amenity like water and electricity is certainly an intriguing one. Will Singapore, a city that is suppose to be one of the most technologically advanced in the world, follow this idea and cover the entire island with cheap wi-fi? As someone who is connected to the Net for most of my waking hour, I certainly hope that this dream will come true.

Look like OS X on a PC

For those folks with Mac-envy, or those who just want to beautify and modify their Windows look, the FlyakiteOSX is a free software that will turn your Windows interface into a OS X-lookalike. Everything here is like OS X from the menus to the docks. The website is also worth checking out as the website itself looks like OS X... a case of taking the love of the Mac OS to the extreme?
Link

iPod Video Converter

The freeware community doesn't disappoint. Within weeks of the release of the iPod video, there's now a tool which you can convert video so that you can use it on your 5G iPod. The software called Videora Converter supports the h.264 standard and this app is essential for 5G iPod owners who wants to see their own stuff on video. Only thing is that it is only available for Windows and hopefully there's a Mac version somewhere too.

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Add more Hard Disk to your Xbox

This may just be the ultimate mod for your Xbox. Although the new Xbox360 may be just on the horizon, the original black Xbox still is probably more moddable, at least for now. This kit, which allows you to add up to four hard disks, may be just what you need if you're into the homebrew software/games scene. Also, for those who're not too comfortable with the soldering iron, this kit does not require soldering. Sounds good to me, but I don't think this will be available as a commercial product any time soon.
Link

Street Fighter vs. Mortal Kombat

Here's a pretty amazing and funny video some folks put together where Raiden of the Mortal Kombat universe battles Ken from Street Fighter. Pretty well done actually. See it to believe...

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Using Gmail as online storage

Gmail's 1GB and still growing disk space is good for more than just email. You can use those free storage space to keep your files. But first, you need to grab these apps to enable that function.

• For Windows users, try the GMail Drive shell extension.
  
• For Mac users, try the gDisk.

Now, who says Gmail is just for mail?

Putting Movies on Your iPod

With the new iPod, folks will be wondering how they can watch the DVDs that they purchase on their device. Here are two methods to put the movies, on your Apple-branded player.Pretty useful...

• Rip DVD Movies To Your iPod
• Put Vids On Your iPod

The new video iPod

Yeah, the new iPod is out. It means that my 4G 60GB iPod Photo is now obsolete. The new iPod is certainly sweet, and it plays video. Well, the video playing feature is nice, but I don't see many occasions where I can actually put it to good use. You can listen to tunes while walking around, but watching video and walking is rather dangerous for your health.

Well, the one big reason that this 5G iPod is attractive to me is simply the slimmer form factor. If there's a reason I will buy it, it's probably that. But then, I think it may be better for me to hold out since the video feature is still not so attractive for me. Maybe if an 80GB version is out, then I'll consider ugrading. For now, I'll stick to my current version.

Anyway, if you can't wait and want to get your sweet paws on the new iPod, Apple has posted links on how you can get your own vids on the machine. Look closer at the Digg posts and you'll find more tips in getting other videos on the iPod.

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GremSpot's 5-mins of fame in TODAY

Hmm... I didn't expect my post commenting on Digital Life's review of the EA's fighting game Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects would generate so much comments. What surprised and amused me even more, was that the post was referenced in an opinion piece on the free daily TODAY. The article is written by blogger Mr Miyagi and you can read the full text in the link below. I've only quoted the parts that refered to my post.

"Gremlin" (gremspot.blogspot.com) had his doubts about one newspaper's glowing review of a particular computer game, as most other publications had given it only a "fair rating".

"Maybe because the game was provided for review, there's sense to want to please the company.

"Otherwise, it's that the reviewer does not have enough experience with bad games to give an honest review," he speculated.

The great thing about this is that on Tomorrow.sg's comments section, Christopher Huang, the writer who reviewed that game, had a fair go at justifying his review.

"All I have to say is that reviews are subjective in nature and one man's meat may be another man's poison," he wrote — though his comment was sandwiched between 17 others slamming the accuracy of game reviews.

Well, I've seen my name in print a number of times when I was working as a writer, now, it's my blog's five minutes of fame. Amusing...

Entertainment Software Association to sue California

Seems like the ESA in US is taking the fight on games legistation to courts. Recently, the State of California has passed a bill that has outlawed the sale of violent video games to minors. However, the ESA is not taking this lying down. There's an interesting piece on Ars Technica examining this and it is an interesting read.

The Entertainment Software Association is planning to sue the State of California over the passage of AB1179, a bill that has outlawed the sale of violent video games to minors. President Douglas Lowenstein said that he "intends to file a lawsuit to strike this law down," and added that he is "confident that we will prevail."

Is this a case of the ESA throwing respect for laws meant to protect children to the wind?

Simulate spread of zombies!

After seeing zombie movies like Land of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, and various versions of XXX of the Dead, ever wondered how long it takes for a group of zombies to infect a city? In comes the Zombie Infection Simulator. The link leads to an interesting simulation of how fast a group of zombie invades and infects a city. There are also links to versions where you can fight back, drop nukes. Interesting!

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If Microsoft Never Existed...

Wonder what the world will be like if Microsoft never existed? ExtremeTech has a commentary speculating what we will do with our computers if the Redmond giant, well, didn't become a giant. It's a world where Apple would have dominated, but not exactly in the good way that we think. It's interesting read... more like sci-fi than anything else though.

How To Find Podsafe Music

If you're looking a doing a music-based podcast, you'd know that unless you've paid royalties, you'd get into trouble playing music by artistes from major music labels. But don't despair, there're still plenty of music out there. The most obvious source of what is know as "Podsafe" music is of course the Podsafe Music Network.

Of course, the PMN is not the only source. The iPodArmy site has highlighted other sources for "podsafe" music. Go check those out if you're looking for real indie music.

The iPod smasher

Although the iPod may be the most popular digital music player out there, there are still plenty of iPod-haters on the loose. But I don't think anyone has taken their iPod non-love to this extreme. On the website Smashmyipod.com, they are getting donations to buy an iPod, then smash the brand new purchase, filming it in the process. Till date, they have actually raised half the amount needed to purchase the iPod.

To further this concept, these folks are also starting collections to smash a Xbox, a PS3, and the Nintendo Revolution. People do the strangest thing.

The invite-only Darknet

When you make filesharing criminal, you turn all filesharers into criminals. You can of course do it underground and be in some exclusive private groups that share files where membership is invite only. The New York Times has an interesting article about this phenonmenon where such networks are known as "Darknets". Goes to show that you can't kill P2P, only drive it underground.

These are "darknets": exclusive peer-to-peer networks in which membership is based on circles of trust, whose activities are veiled from the general public. And though people who are adept at configuring servers and comfortable with File Transfer Protocol have used such systems for years, a spate of new online services aimed at everyday users is sure to draw new attention to under-the-radar file sharing.

Inaccurate review in Digital Life?

If you've read this week's Digital Life, you'd have read a review of the latest Marvel superheroes-based game by EA called Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects. The reviewer, in Digital Life, gave the game a stellar review and even gave the piece a headline titled "Super Fun". Here're some of the words he used in his piece. (Emphasis my own.)

In story mode, EA has come up with a winning single-player concept that takes you beyond the classic game progression, allowing you to choose from a series of superheroes as they progress through separate yet intertwined phases of the underlying plot.
...
The action is fast and engaging, no doubt enhanced by the game's realism and challenging artificial intelligence.
...
Marvel Nemesis is definitely a strong contender for Game Of The Year.

There's really nothing wrong with this review... until you start to read other reviews on the Internet. It seems like every other major gaming press are only giving the game a fair rating. If you look at the summary of ratings in Gamerankings.com for the Xbox version, you'd notice these ratings by the major gaming press.

• Gamespot.com - 6.4 out of 10
  
• Gamespy.com - 3.5 out of 5
  
• IGN - 5.1 out of 10
  
• Electronic Gaming Monthly - 5.33 out of 10
  

Overall, the average rating is 64.5% for the Xbox version, 58.1% for the PS2 version, and 59.9% for the GameCube version. Well, doesn't sound like a game that's suppose to be a "strong contender for Game Of The Year".

There's more. On gaming blog, Joystiq.com, there's a piece that actually mentions that a EA developer is criticising the game. Imagine, saying something bad about a game that's from the company you're working in. The full review by the EA developer is on Game Girl Advance. Now, the game sure doesn't sound like a "game of the year" anymore.

So what went wrong with the Digital Life review? I can only speculate. Maybe because the game was provided by EA for review, there's a sense to want to please the company, hence the good review. Otherwise, it's that the reviewer does not have enough experience with bad games to give an honest review... a case of lack of gaming journalism culture/experience? Having been a gaming editor with a major gaming site, I do know that it's not easy to find gamers who can write, and also get some sort of recognition as a games journalist.

Ultimately, I'm feeling sorry for folks or parents who depend on reviews for making their purchase. They may have wasted their hard-earned S$69.90 on a game that's only mediocre.

Star Wars Mix... out of this world!

I managed to get my Force-inspired paws on a BBC Essential Dance Mix session done by DJ Tom Middleton. The mix has a Star Wars theme and is essentially out of this world! This mix contains snippets from the Star Wars movies, soundtrack from the film, and also dance tunes from folks like the Chemical Brothers (Galvanise [Half-Arsed Beat edit]), Daft Punk (Technologic), and even Bebel Gilberto (Simplesementes [Tom Middleton Cosmos Club Vox]). It's an out of this world smashing Sith and Jedi-embedded experience.
Link

SuprNova.org is now NewNova.org

The BitTorrents keep on coming. SuprNova.org used to be a popular BT site but it died, probably due to copyright issues. Now, it seems like the guy from SuprNova.org gave his old code to a new owner, and NewNova.org is born. Looks exactly like SuprNova a torrent site, obviously.

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HBO Attacking BitTorrent

Seems like HBO is going on the offensive against BitTorrent. Interesting read on how HBO is blocking the downloads of the Rome TV series, and how folks using BitTorrent are fighting back.

HBO is actively poisoning the BitTorrent downloads of the new show Rome. In addition to an older tactic of offering bogus downloads that never complete, HBO is now obstructing the downloads offered by other people.

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DJ Food mixes mashup music

Love remixes? Go here to download a recording called "Raiding the 20th Century". What it this, you ask? Well, it is a remix by DJ Food which attempts to catalogue the history of cut up music, from avant garde tape manipulation to turntable mixes to bastard pop mash ups. Great music for your listening pleasure. You can also grab them using BitTorrent on DJ Food's page.

Dylan Thomas: The Caedmon Collection

MP3s are not just about music. There are plenty of great spoken words MP3s floating around on the net. On Salon, you can download a great recording by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas called "Dylan Thomas: The Caedmon Collection".

On February 22, 1952, Dylan Thomas made his first recording for Caedmon Records, "A Child's Christmas in Wales and Five Poems." It was the first of many albums Thomas was to record for Caedmon and the recording not only launched Caedmon as a company, but initiated the spoken-word industry as well.

Go download this gem of a collection.

6 Ways to use your iPods in a car

You can carry a few thousand songs in your iPod, but you don't know how to play them when you're driving. This piece in PC Mag is here to help and gives you a run-down, from worst to best, ways to link your iPod and other digital music player to your car's radio.

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BBC offering P2P download with Internet Media Player

BBC gets it. They are offering a BBC Internet Media Player which allows UK viewers to download TV shows via P2P. It's all legal but for now, it is only works on Windows using IE and Windows Media Player. Also, it is only for UK citizens. Guess the rest of the world will have to wait a while before their broadcasters catch up to such a radically cool idea.

Upcoming Erotic MMO Targets Female Audience

Massive Multiplayer Online games are moving into the realm of more mature materials. In fact, a company called Republik is working on a MMO about sex called Spend The Night. In the game, adults can meet other adults and act out their fantasies through graphically rich avatars. Presumably, they can also spend virtual nights together. The game is also suppose to attract more female players but I'm skeptical if the theme will actually attract more males pretending to be females instead.

"This is a fantasy multiplayer dating game," says Coshland. "It's not like the dating games that we've seen coming out of Japan where you try to win the favor of someone of the opposite sex. We're providing more of a game where two people can go on a date and interact in a 3D space."
...
"There is little to nothing with erotic content, that has been developed specifically targeted to women either in the game industry or in the adult industry," he says. "For whatever reason, women tend to be written off as people who have no interest in sexual content. We don't believe that to be true."

Apple iPod not tops in Asia

Although Apple's iPod is the hottest digital music device globally, it is not dominating in Asia as the Samsung Yepp emerged as the most popular MP3 player brand amongst users in seven Asian countries. The findings is from a research done by research firm Synovate. In Singapore, Creative is holding on the the market with a majority share of 40% amongst Singaporeans. Seems like Sim Wong Hoo's marketing and anti-Apple trashtalking works in Singapore, but not in other markets.

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Kevin Smith Video Diary Begins - Making of Clerks 2

Ever since I saw Kevin Smith's Clerks, I've been a fan. Now, he's starting work on the sequel which is called... get ready... The Passion of the Clerks. You can't expect anything less from the guy who did the controversial but hilariously funny and honest Dogma. The website of Clerks 2 is now online and he's posting his "making of" video diaries online. Snooches!

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Herbie in Bishan?

When I woke up this morning and looked out the window to the carpark below, I saw something interesting. Well, the famous Herbie is in the HDB carpark! I thought my eyes were deceiving me but they were not. It's actually a Volkswagen painted with the Herbie strips. Seems like the folks promoting the Herbie movie must really be taking their promotion to the streets. Later in the day, I caught another Volkswagen Beetle with similar strips and decals. It must be the invasion of Herbie and its siblings... but I can bet that Lindsay Lohan (or a Lindsay lookalike) was not driving the Herbie-lookalike below my flat.

Free Harvey Danger music download

I love music that you can grab from the Internet, and I mean the legitimate ones. And I especially love those musicians who recognise the value of offering their music up for sharing. In short, the record labels just don't get it, when it comes to P2P, BitTorrent, and other such stuff. Anyway, here's an album that you can download for free. You can get it as a direct download or as a BitTorrent download. Why is this band offering their release as a download? You can read their reason here. Support the indies!
Link

Use WinXP apps without using Windows!

There is a rather ambitious project going on called the ReactOS Project. It is about building an implementation of a Microsoft WinXP compatible operating system from the ground up. What it means to you in plain terms is that with ReactOS, you will not need WinXP to run software written for the Wintel platform. You probably may not need to spend your hard-earned cash on WinXP and use this instead. Sounds cool and since it'll be free, it sounds really attractive. The only problem is that we may have to wait a long time for this and it may become a target for the Redmond lawyers.

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Gmail Skin!...change the look of Gmail

If you want to do some tinkering and change the look of Gmail, there's this little little how-to on how to change Gmail to have a .Mac look. Maybe Gmail should look ahead and introduce skinnable interface for Gmail, that would be rad.

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Tips to search on Google effectively

I guess most of us have used Google for most of the searches that we perform on the Internet. So, it's not a bad thing that we review some tips that will help us do our searches. This article has some tips that will perhaps help you find the things that you want in the wide wild world of cyberspace.
Link

Play D&D, not MMORPGs

A fan of RPGs? Well, it seems like the folks who started this whole phenonemon is striking back at the virtual versions, the MMORPGs. Yes, it seems that there is a Dungeons & Dragons ad out there that is encouraging folks to play the real table RPG over the virtual one. The copy on the ad is great fun...

If you're going to sit in your basement pretending to be an elf, you should at least have some friends over to help. Dungeons and Dragons: Get together. Roll some Dice. Have Fun.

SHE roped in to promote World of Warcraft

Seems like Blizzard is going all out to attract gamers in China to
play World of Warcraft! There's even this Coke commercial featuring
the gals from the pop group SHE where computer-generated versions of
the pop trio dressed in fantasy warriors outfits fought an evil record
company exec who turns into an orc. The ad is to promote Coke and the
co-branded Coke-WoW website. Maybe Coke is the drink that will fuel
you when you're playing WoW. What happened to the standard gamers'
preferred drink of choice to keep you awake playing hours on end...
Red Bull?

TIME interviews Neil Gaiman & Joss Whedon on geeks

Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon are two of my most admired folks creating sci-fi/fantasy stories right now. Neil Gaiman is the author of the Sandman series and also many other books. Joss Whedon is the creator of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Their works have such an influence on today's pop culture and I believe they will go down in history as key figures in pop culture. Here, they're interviewed and they also gave their perspective on their fan geeks. Yeah, I'm proud to be one such geek.

If your neighbour is the Simpsons, this would be their house

There's actually a house that looks exactly like the Simpsons House in the cartoon series. The walls are painted in vibrant cartoony-like colors and everything looks like they just pop out from the cartoon. Like Bart would say... cool dude!

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Windows Vista to boot in 2-3 seconds.

Booting up a PC is such a chore. You can go fix a cuppa, come back to your PC, and your Windows may still be booting up... just kidding, but not too far from the truth. The new Windows Vista may change all that. From the new Microsoft Windows Vista Website, the Redmond giant is claiming that "A Windows Vista computer starts and shuts down as quickly and reliably as a television, typically within 2 to 3 seconds." How true will that be? We'll have to wait to find out...

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Mac user thinking of switching back to Windows...

This piece is written by a fellow who has used a Mac and is thinking of going back to the Wintel platform. Now that I've used both Mac and Windows, there are some points in his long long list that I agree with, but some of them seems to be just unjustified. Well, all I would say is to read it, then personally try out both platforms and come to your own conclusion.

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Legal music downloads in Singapore, but not for iPod users

The Straits Times has a report that to battle illegal music downloading, the RIAS and the music industry is getting young people to download legal music by offering discounts on legit music for university students on online music store Soundbuzz. Soundbuzz is one of two legal music download sites in Singapore. The other is ;Play. However, there's one thing that is oft overlooked. The files offered on these music sites are DRM protected in the form of WMA files. This means that those cool teens with an iPod cannot play music from these stores. Does anyone else see the problem/irony here? Apple's iPod is one of the most popular digital music player ever, but if you're using it in Singapore and listening to music, you're probably listening to illegal downloaded tunes. Unless you're only listening to tunes with a Creative Common license or you're talking about those bands that are explicitly allowing their music to be shared and downloaded, which probably does not include your regular pop artistes ruling the airwaves and the pop charts. You may be listening to Podcasts, which is another story entirely.

Remember, previously, someone pointed out that ripping music off your own CDs is also illegal in Singapore. Now, that is really strange right? In short, for Apple iPod users in Singapore to be using their device legally, they can only listen to Podcasts and other "free" downloaded music. You're actually not suppose to listen to Green Day, U2, MayDay, and any other music with labels who are members of the RIAS.

Ah... the whole farce and perils of legal-vs-illegal music and the usage of digital music players in Singapore. We live in a ridiculous world!

Cleo's 50 Most Eligible Bachelors (The Kana Sai Edition)

There is this really funny piece on the Cheeky by nature blog. The author has written a spoof of the "Most Eligible Bachelors" articles you find in magazines. It's really funny, so read to find out.
Link

Huge huge huge toy collection

If you love toys, you've got to check out this guy's toy collection. This must be one of the biggest toy collection I've seen, ranging from Spawn to Star Wars, from Simpsons to Clerks. You gotta wonder how much this fellow spent on all these toys.

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The Complete Codec Pack for XP

The XP Codec Pack is suppose to be one of the most complete codec pack around. What's a codec pack you ask? Well, in simple layman terms, it's to help you play most major audio and video files in oyur media player. If you want to view media files that you grab from the Net, this easy-to-install package will help.

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BitTorrent clients compared on a Wiki

If you're still searching for the right BitTorrent client, check out this table on Wikipedia. There's an interesting table that compares the features of 25 different Bittorrent clients. Take a look and take your pick.

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Put a KDE on your Mac

AppleTalk, the Ozzie Mac community, has put up a guide on how you can get the KDE desktop running on your Mac. If you're up for some experimenting and ready to tweak your Apple machine for some Linux-based fun, check it out.

GBA SP Gets Brighter

This is so unfair. The GBA SP gets a brighter screen and I'm stuck with the older one which has a dim screen. At least it's better than those folks who got the original GBA, which comes without a backlight. This is the progress of technology for ya.

Since stores are still stocking the original Game Boy Advance SP systems with the older front light technology, the way to know when a system has the new backlit LCD is pretty obvious -- Nintendo isn't hiding the fact that they've made the swap, since they brand the boxes with a huge "Now with a BRIGHTER backlit screen!"

Link

Free sci-fi audio books

Sci-fi writer James Patrick Kelly is offering up a couple of his short stories as downable MP3 audio files. These audio short stories are offered under a Creative Commons license and many of them have been published in Sci-fi mags such as Asimov's Science Fiction. If you're a sci-fi reader, you should head over to his site to grab these goodies now.
Link

Opera Web Browser is now free

Yes, you used to have to pay to get rid of the banner ads in the excellent Opera browser. Now, the company has decided to give it out free, without the banner ads. Windows users can start grabbing this great and feature rich browser. Seems like the browser wars is really starting to heat up.
Link

Plague in virtual World of Warcraft.

Think you can only catch the plague in the real world of flesh and blood? Think again. It seems that there's actually a plague spreading throughout the MMORPG called World of Warcraft. An epidemic in the virtual world... that is so cool, unless it's your avatar that's being infected.

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Is an iNote tablet on the horizon?

From its almost "gone" state, Apple is now once again on the cutting edge. Hence, an analyst looks at Apple's recent hardware release, including the iPod Nano, and speculates that that perhaps a tablet computer from Apple is on the horizon. The article must not be entirely predictive, but it sure does gives an insight on Apple's product strategy. So perhaps the Apple Newton will have a successor?

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Straits Times offering free Dashboard Widget

Hmm... someone working in Straits Times must be a Mac-head. They are offering a Dashboard Widget for the Straits Times Interactive where you can read the headlines and possibly the lead of the story. You would probably still have to be a paid subscriber to read the full article.

Since Konfabulator is available now for free on both Mac and PC, why not offer a Konfab widget so that Mac and PC users can use it? That'll actually reach a wider audience than just one that's for the Tiger OS. Let's wait and see if they do that.

Placeopedia.com - linking Wikipedia articles with their locations

This is an interesting project that utilises the community-based Wikipeida and Google's open API Maps. What it does is that it will link places, or rather, Wikipedia articles with their locations on a Google Map. Now, you can know where exotic places like Tintagel Castle and Saint Michael's Mount are. Cool.

The SeaMonkey Project

This SeaMonkey is not the shrimp-like thing that those marketeers try to sell you. This is actually a community effort that's built on the Mozilla code and is suppose to form what is known as the "Mozilla Application Suite". It's in Alpha release now, but it will eventually have a browser, mail/newsgroup, and also HTML editor features. As of now, they are still looking for a logo for the beta release and is asking the community to submit logos.

Is your iPod playlist really random

Ever wondered if the shuffle function on your iPod really throws up tunes that are random? Well, maybe not. Wired News has an interesting article that looks at the randomisation feature on Apple's MP3 player and examines the whole idea of expecting tunes to be random.

The problem, it turns out, isn't that the programs aren't randomizing my playlists. They are. According to Jeff Lait, a mathematician and author of randomm3u, it's what's happening between my ears, specifically, in my expectations of what it means for something to be random.

Interesting read.
Link

Install SLAX on an iPod nano

If you're a Linux lover with an iPod Nano, you can carry the SLAX Linux distro on your Nano and run it off the slimmer than Kate Moss MP3 player. The following link has all the instructions that you'll need. Only power users need try it out.
Link

Getting a SuSE linux server up and running

This is for those taking a leap into running their own server. Since it contains step-by-step info on how to set up a web, mail and FTP server using the SuSE linux distro, it's perfect for beginners. It also has plenty of screenshots to guide you through the process.

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How the RIAA really treats it's artists

The RIAA is really the bad guy in the music recording business, together with its music label partners, according to this piece. This story looks at the breakdown of where the money goes to when a band signs a recording contract and from it, it's clear who the winners are... certainly not the band members. In fact, the band may actually ends up owing money. It's really sad. Once again I say, support the indies...

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Hacking in Legoland

This is such a refreshing thing to hear. In an age where narrow-minded, DRM-happy corporations what to control what you do with their products, or maybe specifically finding the chance to sue you if you tinker with the products which you have bought, LEGO is doing something unusual.

When Lego executives recently discovered that adult fans of the iconic plastic bricks had hacked one of the company's new development tools for digital designers, they did a surprising thing: They cheered.

Read on for more details, but suffice to say, that's why I like LEGO.

Suprnova.org is back!

Wow, the ex-BitTorrent site called Suprnova.org seems to be back in business. However, it is now revamped, not as a file-sharing site, but one that offers P2P news source. So for those interested in keeping up with the latest in P2P technology, find out from the guys who were at the forefront of the "revolution".

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Sept. 13th, 2005 Mario turns 20 years old! Happy Birthday!

Hey hey, the original Jumpman, Mr Mario, turns 20. He actually has the same birthday as yours truly! Mario brought fun and joy to plenty of gamers worldwide. Below is a link that leads you to wikipedia and other Mario-related stuff. Happy Birthday Mario, me too. :) There's also an Edge piece on Mario's debut day.

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Holland... or Nederlands

I've just got back from a business trip to Brussels and Hilversum, Netherlands. It's my first time in Holland, so I've got to visit Amsterdam. The link contains photos of Amsterdam and some shots from Hilversum (grouped together with the picts from Belgium), the broadcast media town of Holland, where I stayed and also where all of my business meeting took place. Hilversum is a nice peaceful town, although it's considered one of the bigger towns. Amsterdam, on the other hand, is a tad more chaotic. Nevertheless, it's a fascinating city and it's really eye-opening to see drugs and prostitution legally available on the streets.
Link

How much do artists actually make on CDs?

Ever wonder how much the artists you support earn per CD that you buy? This article explains, in plain English, how contracts with most record companies work. Apparently, the artists get routinely screwed. So is buying a CD supporting your fave artist? Guess not... so attend their gigs, or buy direct from indie artists.

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Brussels, Belgium-European charm

I am currently on a business trip to Brussels, Belgium and Hilversum, Netherlands. First to Brussels, then Hilversum. But it's only at Hilversum that I manage to get wi-fi access in the hotel. So, follow the link to see a set of specially handpicked pics of Brussels that I've posted on Flickr. So far, the trip has been good with no major incidents. More pics of Hilversum and Amsterdam will follow soon.
Link

Bruce Sterling on Singapore

One of the pioneers of Cyberpunk, Bruce Sterling, was recently in Singapore participating in the Singapore Writer's Festival. It's a pity I can't attend his talks since I'm busy preparing for a Europe business trip. Anyway, Sterling blogged about his experience in Singapore on the Wired Blogs site. It's interesting to read what he says about Singapore. It's just like Gibson's piece which called Singapore the Disneyland with Death Penalty. Frankly, his comments are not entirely negative, but does accurately reflect's the pragmatic nature of the Singapore government.

Now that I'm out of Singapore, I reckon it's safe to allege that Singapore has tidy, authoritarian, city-state machine politics. Presumably, I won't get sued for libel for saying this. I mean, it's the truth.
...
You know what? If Singapore had just been hit by a giant typhoon, the regime wouldn't be snivelling 
and making excuses about the hunger and looting. Eco-catastrophe and martial law would surely put the Singapore power-elite really on top of their game. They wouldn't spin their "clean-up effort". They would assign resources, put trained people on the job and actually clean up. Because they are not just a spin machine. They possess competence.


Competence doesn't seem like a big deal until you are forced to realize that your own government 
has none.

These links contain Sterling's entries on Singapore.

• Sterling's entry into Singapore


• Sinking ship and bus stops


• Zheng He's exhibition and MICA building


• Overall thoughts...

The Katrina Disaster Map 'Wiki'

It's amazing what the Internet can do. In the recent Katrina Hurricane disaster, some smart folks are using Internet as a resource. The best has to be this Wiki featured in Wired News.

Of all of the websites tracking the Katrina disaster, surely one of the most remarkable is Scipionus.com.

Visitors swoop down over a map of the Gulf Coast that's awash in hundreds of red teardrops, each denoting information about specific geographical points in the area. That's pretty amazing in itself, but there's more: All of the information on the map has been provided by ordinary citizens, most of whom presumably have come to the site in search of information on the flood themselves.

Once again, we can celebrate the power of the Net, and the ingenious folks who come up with these amazing tools.
Link

Tunes from Rockstar INXS

I've to admit that I'm hooked on the reality programme called Rockstar INXS. It's an Idol-like show where the remaining members of the Ozzie band INXS looks for someone to fill the shoes of the deceased frontman Michael Hutchence. The performances on the show by the contestants are actually not bad and some of them even gave splendid performances of some classic rock tunes. So for those who wants to listen to these versions, you can grab the MP3 files off the link below. Don't know where to start? Well grab the encore performances as they are normally good. Some of the memorable ones for me include Marty's version of Nirvana's Lithium, and MiG's version of Baby I Love Your Way. Cool.
Link

Free game: Doukutsu Monogatari

Games are fun. Free games are even better. What's rare is a game that's free, and contains as much playability value as those games you have to buy. This game, called Doukutsu Monogatari: Tale of the Cave, is a side-scroller that is said to have enough gaming action that rivals classics like Castlevania and Metroid. It's available on Windows and Mac, and there's even an English patch so that us English speakers can follow the plot. Try it!
Link

Public officer blog now blank?

I previously mentioned a candid yet funny blog called Scholar I am Not that looks at the funny side of working in the public service.
It seems like that the entries on the blog is gone. The site is blank save for the heading. Is it a case of the author deleting the entries? A case of some hacker attack? A case of computer worm/virus/trojan with a nasty blog deleting payload? Or some secret soldiers deleting the articles and throwing the author in some detention cell? Only the author will know.

Scaring the maids?

It is reported in the Life! section of Straits Times that Raintree pictures will treat maids in Singapore to see the horror flick "The Maid".

MediaCorp Raintree Pictures and Golden Village Pictures will treat 500 maids to an 11am screening at Prince 2 in Beach Road on Sunday.

All they need to do is to present their employment pass from 10am onwards.

The $1.5-million film, directed by Kelvin Tong, broke the opening weekend record for horror movies here. It has been Singapore's No. 1 movie for two consecutive weeks.

Are they trying to scare these maids out of their wits so that they will not want to work here any more? :)

Another victim of the RIAA forced to settle for $6000

Here's a sad tale of what the RIAA did. An innocent fellow settles with RIAA despite his claims of innocence. He gave in because he is emotionally and financially worn. That's not the best way to go right, RIAA?

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Device to snare rapists

A South African inventer has come up with a device that is a "rape trap".

A medieval device built on hatred of men? Or a cheap, easy-to-use invention that could free millions of South African women from fear of rape, in a country with the world's worst sexual assault record?

Dubbed the "rape trap", trademarked "Rapex", the condom-like device bristling with internal hooks designed to snare rapists has re-ignited controversy over South Africa's alarming rape rate, even before plans for its production were announced in Western Cape this week.

Scary? You bet. But anything that can protect women and even deter assault on women can only be a good thing.

Legs of chair

Legs of chair
Originally uploaded by Gremlink.

While attending a corporate session, I found a different angle to look at a chair. Looks a bit like drumsticks to me.

Signs that election is coming up...

On the SPUG forum, there's a thread that's ongoing which takes a funny look at signs that the general election is coming in Singapore. Here're some of the points as of writing. Funny stuff...

1. You get a note in yr HDB letterbox informing you that yr MP is coming to visit.. after an absence of almost four years

2. Smiley faces of rubbish collectors knocking on ur doors and unsolicited offering help, even though nothing probably get done.

3. Everything will be promised (without a target date, notably lift upgrading program)

4. Buangkok MRT station will open

5. Ministers suddenly become very open to opinions

6. When MPs or Ministers start to signal they gg to retire and then got some1 will broadcast he got 10+ potential female candidates, only to deny making such statement the following day.

7. When some1 will announce there is still many good years left but neber say for who

8. The LTA is repaving & repainting some of the roads. Noticed that signs of such activities are increasing. Gf commented that maybe election is coming....

9. When TP pretend neber see u speeding. And even if stop u also greet u nicely, give u a gentle verbal warning but when turn back only bang his own chest.

10. When there is newer version of New Singapore Shares.

11. When carpark auntie (and mata uncle see point 9) stop being so fastitious with issuing parking/traffic summons.

12. When suddenly bus frequencies go up.

13. When newspapers go over time into writing glowing CVs in 2 full page articles for MPs (especially new ones), complete with picture of kissing babies, shaking hawkers' hands, being garlanded by residents, family photos, interivews with long lost classmates, etc.

Dungeons & Dragons in libraries

The role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons have been previously marginalised by many and was thought to be, among other things, satanic and only for geeks and freaks. Oh how things have changed. These days, D&D is looking to be played in public libraries in the US and the company currently holding the rights to the game, Wizards of the Coast, has developed a program called "The Afternoon Adventure with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS" which will help librarians to start gaming sessions in libraries.

What was once unacceptable is now acceptable. The geeks and freaks will inherit the earth...

Cool sounding Shure e4

So, I've used the Shure e2c. It's a pretty sweet sound isolating earbuds that almost blocks out ambient noises, especially when I'm listening to my music and podcasts on the underground train. So when my e2c met an untimely death, I'm at a lost. I totally can't use any other headphones as their sound can't compare to the e2c. I even bought a Sony MDR-EX51 as a substitute, but it was so unacceptable that I went back to my Koss plugs and sold the Sony.

Today, my new Shure e4 arrived in the mail. It's simply amazing. Ordering the plugs on the Internet is certainly more affordable than buying it from the local shops. I ordered the e4 rather than the white e4c because I'd rather use a grey headset than broadcast to the world that I have an iPod with a white earbuds. The sound of this baby is crystal clear, but I think some burn in is required. The fit in the ear also needs some getting use to, since I've been using the e2c for some time. I'm looking forward to further using the e4 and swim in sweet sound heaven!

Internet Filtering in Singapore

There is a study which you can find on the Net conducted by the OpenNet Initiative on the extend of Net filtering, i.e. censorship in Singapore. Here's quoting the conclusion of the report.

Singapore’s state-mandated filtering of Internet sites is quite limited. Our testing found only six pornographic sites, one illegal drugs site, and one fanatical religion site blocked, and each of these sites could be reached in at least some of our tests. Only six sites were blocked in more than one-third of our tests, including five pornographic sites. We believe that these six sites are those most likely targeted for deliberate blocking by Singapore. Moreover, similar content is readily available at other, unblocked sites. Thus, the state’s technological Internet censorship is minimal, reflecting the MDA’s professed symbolic commitment to preventing access to this type of material.

However, ONI’s legal and background research demonstrates that Singapore uses other, non-technological measures to prevent online posting of and access to certain material, particularly that related to political groups other than the People’s Action Party and to religious and ethnic conflict. The threats of extremely high fines or even criminal prosecution as a result of defamation lawsuits, imprisonment without judicial approval under the Internal Security Act, and police monitoring of computer use may deter users in Singapore from creating or obtaining access to potentially objectionable material. Thus, Singapore’s filtering regime for political, religious, and ethnic material is primarily low-tech, yet nonetheless potentially effective.

So, it seems that the Internet environment is quite free, but not as free as you would imagine, if you know what I mean.

The Xbox 360 Biopsy

It's amazing what those homebrew modder folks can do. The guys at SmartXX got their hands on some Xbox 360 Xenon Development Kits and, well, simply dissected the units. If you're interested in the bones and guts of Microsoft's next-gen console, head over there to see all the gory details.

The best hacker/computer movies

Sometimes, computer and computer users are not presented accurately in movies. Still, computer/hacker movies are fun to watch. This list looks at some of the raddest computer-related films. On the list include Hackers (unrealistic but high in cool factor), Swordfish (quite lame except for the Halle Berry bares it scene), The Thirteen Floor (computer noir at its finest), and Ghost In The Shell (cyberspace + anime = kiss ass philosophical action). Some of the films in the list that I've yet to see include Lawnmower Man and Pirates of Silicon Valley (really want to see this just for how Bill and Steve are portrayed).

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Mac Freeware blog

Freeware is the best! This blog looks at free stuff for your Mac and sometimes, the best things in life ARE really free.

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See animation on your iPod Photo

Do you know that on your iPod Photo, you can quickly scroll through the photos? Because of that, you can actually create animation that's based on the technique that's similar to flicking pages quickly and hence seeing the animation. This site called iPodscrubs has a collection of such animations that you can install on your music player. Interesting and fun...
Link

Musings on Singapore's Anti-piracy policy

I've previously posted links to the recent blog posts that ripping MP3s from CDs that you own are illegal. Yes, when you buy CDs, under the Singapore law, you can't transfer the tunes to your MP3 players. So, your MP3 players are essentially paperweights... well, in a sense.

Anyway, on the "Snowburn" blog, the author has posted his own views on this... Interesting views, but I'm still not convinced.

Alternative to Star Wars Galaxies

If you're not keen on the official Star Wars MMORPG called Galaxies, there's actually an alternative called Star Wars Combine. It's a free massively multiplayer online role-playing simulation game based on the Star Wars Universe. It's developed by amateurs and uses a top down view. And it's free, of course.

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The 29 Healthiest Foods on the Planet

Health freaks listen up! The following is a "healthy food hot list" of the 29 food that will give you the biggest nutritional bang for you caloric buck, as well as providing other health benifits. Good read for general knowledge too if you want to watch out for your diet.

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Bittorrent resource

Digg has a link to a page that will be heaven for Bittorrent users, with links over 500 sites containing torrents and other clients. Useful for those who know.

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Best Tech shows on the Internet

There are very few, almost none, good tech-focused TV shows on real TV. So what's a tech-savvy guy to do? Get them from cyberspace of course! This link will show you which are the 15 best free downloadable tech shows currently available on the Internet. Go get your tech TV fix now!

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China's method of dealing with online game addiction

Becoming addicted to online games? If you're living in China, the government has come up with a way to help you beat your gaming addiction.

The Chinese Government unveiled a new system Tuesday to prevent individuals from playing online games for more than three consecutive hours, which must be installed for every online game in the country.

"This timing mechanism can prevent young people from becoming addicted to online games," Kou Xiaowei, Deputy Director of the Audiovisual and Internet Publication Department of the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP), said during a press conference.

Maybe they're come up with something for TV addicts, book addicts, net addicts, and whatever form of addictions there are out there.

The economics of "piracy"

Cory Doctorow on Boing Boing has responded to an interesting article that looks at how some piracy allow for more net revenue to vendors.

The only exception I take to Chris's argument is the idea that some "copy-protection" (DRM) technology can reduce downloading. The thing is, if I want to download a song instead of buying it, then all I require is a search tool and a copy of that song that someone, somewhere has cracked. It doesn't matter how strong or weak the DRM is on the copy that I choose not to buy -- all that matters is how much resource one cracker, somewhere in the world, was willing to devote to breaking the DRM. The first copy may be very expensive, but all subsequent copies are free.

Interesting reading.

Violence in games translate to real life... yes or no?

Frankly, I'm really getting sick of all these questions on whether violence in games does or does not translate into real life violence. One week, you've a study saying nay to this and that there are no evidences to link games to violence. Then another week, you've another party claiming yes to the link. This new report is reported in Washington Post and can be found in the link below.

Research indicates exposure to violence in video games increases aggressive thoughts, aggressive behavior and angry feelings among youth, the association said in a statement issued Wednesday. In addition, the APA statement said, this exposure reduces helpful behavior and increases physiological arousal in children and adolescents. ...

So, is games violence and real life violence linked? Who knows? My take is that games are just tools. And like the saying about guns, games don't kill, people do. I just want to play my game and have some fun, even if it contains violence.

Straits Times caught the podcasting bug...

There you go... the mainstream media in sunny island Singapore has actually caught the podcasting fever and has started a podcast. Unlike the SDP one, this is an actual podcast complete with RSS feed. So, it's true blue podcasting for you eh? At least they got the tech right. The first few podcasts are all about the National Day rally. Most of the files are reproduction of PM Lee's rally speech. Nothing really interesting there. I'd rather listen to Adam Curry than the PM Lee speech again... once is enough, I reckon.

Anyway, what is more interesting is the upcoming podcast where some journos will analyse the Rally. Wonder what they are gonna say... Also, I doubt this podcast will be a long term thing, probably it's only for the National Day Rally.

On other podcasting front, Dr Chee actually went on The Pilot'n'Jo show for an interview. I've it loaded on my iPod but have not heard it yet. Wonder if he's gonna say anything silly, like he did on his own "podcast" on the SDP website. Not that he actually said humourous stuff, but his arguments are just plain "funny", if you know what I mean. A video of that will be up soon too. Can't wait...

Ripping CD illegal in Singapore?

This blog post by loupgarou shows what a whole load of crap the copyright stance employed by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore. The reponse to the poster's questions are not quite "intellectual".

Q. How do I know whether the songs in my computer or MP3 player are legal?

A. If you didn't buy it from a legal site like Soundbuzz, it is probably
illegal. Plus, when you buy a CD, the rights only apply to the CD; this means you cannot rip songs out and make them into MP3s for your player. Generally, it's advisable to check the terms and conditions of use before you make a copy of the songs.

What a whole lotta bull! This essentially makes everyone with an MP3 player a potential criminal. Intellectual property is a huge farce it seems if that's the stance...

What's like in the Singapore Public Service...

Ever wonder what it's like to work in the Public Service in Singapore? Well, working for the Public Service is actually serving a greater good. I mean, it's all about helping the nation, serving the people, the government, yadda yadda right? Well, that's true, but there's a darker side to the Public Service, dark not in the sense that it's shady, but a side one would not reveal publicly.

This blog called "Scholar I am not" actually pokes fun at that dark side. It's a humourous look into the workings of the nation state's Public Service. Quite a fun read, especially if you are in the situations described.

A Walk Through The Xbox 360 Evaluation Lab

Dean Takahashi, the guy who wrote about the development of the Xbox in the book Open the Xbox, went on a tour of the Xbox 360 lab. Good reading if you want to get behind the scene in the making of the next-gen MS console.

On the tour, I got to see some working prototypes, as well as many with their guts torn out. Behind doors with coded keypads, Microsoft is literally baking some of these machines to see if they can live up to tough quality standards before they begin shipping this fall. Here and there, engineers say that they’re the first to begin playing next-generation games.

Link

Slipknot in Singapore

I went to see Slipknot perform at Fort Canning Park during their recent trip to Singapore. I was standing at stage right and since I was not in the moshpit, I couldn't get any close-up pictures of the band.
Still, I manage to get some interesting photos with the coloured lights providing the atmosphere.
The band was rockin' in this concert. Not since Metallica was here more than 10 years ago have I seen such an intense performance by an international act. Of course, the band played songs from their Iowa and Subliminal Verses album, as well as other older tunes.
The crowd was also pretty pumped up and sang along with all the songs, from Left Behind to Vermillion, etc.
All in all, it was a fantastic gig.
You can head to my Flickr page to see more picts.

Sharing folders like dotMac

As mentioned on the Gigaom.com site, there is a software/service called Foldershare where you can use P2P to share folders between PC and Mac. It sounds really interesting and may be really useful for those who needs to sync different folders over different machines. With this, you can even say goodbye to your thumbdrive, as long as you have access to a Net connection.

iPodLinux on a 4G iPod

iPodLinux is a version of the Linux OS where you can get the penguin code running on your iPod. Now, there's an installer for the 4G iPod which is suppose to make it easy to put Linux on your music player. With it, you can run more games than what is available, including Doom, although not at a high framerate. Try it out if you're up for hacking your iPod.

Free speech and opposition parties in Singapore

Here's a paper done by James Gomez which looks at "the use of free speech by opposition parties in Singapore. In particular, it looks at the impact, several key legislations such as the Public Entertainments and Meetings Act, the Defamation Act and Parliamentary Privileges, have on opposition party communication." You can download and read it at his site and can be access from the link... Is speech ever free?