Microsoft to test Windows on '$100 laptop

This article caught my eye because it has to do with our first discussion board assignment. The "One Laptop per Child." Microsoft Corp will begin testing a version of Windows XP in January on the "$100 laptop." The XO uses flash memory instead of a hard drive and offers less storage space than most mainstream PCs.
I'm just excited that this is catching on. This will in a way change the world or at least the education in third world countries but I'm sure this computer will be used in classrooms In the US as well.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22135752/

Death goes digital: The electronic tombstone

This new technology is weird...it's basically an electronic tombstone. They are called Serenity Panels and they cost about 2000. The panel mounts to the front of the gravestone and pays tribute to the deceased in color pictures, words, music and even videos. It's weather proof and it gets its power by the sun.
I personally don't like this it's weird. It's one of those weird futuristic inventions that shouldn't be used for another 1000 years. I just think it's abnormal. But according to the article they airn't popular yet and sales are extremely low.


http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/12/10/video.tombstones.ap/index.html

Reality-check or rip off? People spending millions on virtual gifts

This article is mostly about Facebook and it's virtual gifts.
"computer-generated items given and displayed online -- are quickly becoming must-haves. And increasingly, people are willing to pay cold, hard, real-life cash to purchase them for friends, family and co-workers."
"For the person who gets the gift, it is like a badge of honor," says Dave Coffey, who tracks online trends for Sapient, a Florida-based marketing company."

Since they were introduced in February, Facebook says its users have purchased more than 24 million of these dollar items, which are sold in limited editions to generate more interest.

My personal opinion on all of this...STUPID face book has made millions of of this. The weirdest thing is people are actully paying for it. I have a face book and I though that they were interesting so I sent one to a friend (it was free) when i went to send one to another friend they were charging me $1 and asking for my credit card information (the first one was complimentry i guess) and I quit that real fast no way is facebook getting a buck from me I have better things to spend my money on even if it is just a dollar.


http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/12/04/virtual.gifts.ap/index.html

Killer Robots could replace soilders

Whoa!!!!! this is crazy according to this article a company called Robotex combines engineering skill and groundbreaking weaponry to create a new generation of soldiers. It's a robot that is two feet tall, travels ten miles an hour, and spins on a dime. Remote-controlled over an encrypted frequency that jams nearby radios and cellphones, it'll blow a ten-inch hole through a steel door with deadly accuracy from 400 meters. And a big plus about this robot is it uses investor money rather than [government] research money and it's about 30,000 tp 50,000.
I personally think that this is AMAZING!!! We have so many young soilders dying overseas this would cut down the deaths so much and we also wouldn't be spending government money to do so...I really hope this catches on in the future. They just have to make sure that they work and won't be killing the wrong people or become evil (IROBOT) haha!!!

http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/03/technology/robotex.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2007120403?cnn=yes