Computer Mechanics - Blog

Measure your cerebral activity

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:32:38 +0800

With new gadgetry shown off at CeBit in Germany recently. LOTSA gadgetry here. Worth a quick squiz.

Skin as keyboard

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:36:53 +0800

Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon Uni in the states have prototyped 'skinput', which lets you tap on your body instead of clicking a key. You can also project buttons on to yourself so you can like, interface and interarm. The video on this page is pretty exciting but it finishes abruptly - maybe someone put on a coat during the filming.

Schools using monitoring software to spy on students

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:42:07 +0800

An American doco raises privacy issues about what surveillance teachers are entitled to use to monitor student computer activity. The video starts getting spooky about 4 minutes 30 in... Question for your school: do they use such software? If so, who on staff is watching your kid?

Who stole my free wifi?

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:12 +0800

So this American lady has been using someone else's unsecured wireless Internet connection but it stops working. What to do? Phone up leading tech support guy Leo Laporte. Or in French, Mr Door. Here's the video of him taking the call, it has to be said, quite good naturedly. Have you secured your wi-fi? If you don't know how, ask someone who does or even call 9325 1196 for a Computer Mechanic.

3D Desktop

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:59:50 +0800

Bumptop is an attempt to improve how your Desktop works. Bloody GOOD attempt. Check out the video. Note that you will need a good, fast video card to run this program. Your basic old PC might not cut it.

Zooks!

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:47:49 +0800

It's the TIME COMPUTER.

Source.

Next time you have nothing to do

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:49:00 +0800

Track down the Google Maps car and see if you can get yourself photographed. You'll need to dress up.

Just what you were looking for!

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:34:28 +0800

Another social networking product. Google Buzz does the social thing for anyone with a Gmail address. It's nicely simple but it won't challenge Facebook anytime soon. You don't need to configure anything, it just works. Here's the pretty video.

What typeface are you?

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:02:09 +0800

What font matches your personality? I answered the questions and was told I am a font called Universal. Interesting the way it's done. Because there's a human telling you, it's somehow more believable than if you just ticked boxes.

Cubism

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:56:55 +0800

OK it's Art Installation with Spooky Music time. A one minute video for modern art lovers.

Keylogger vs Candid Camera

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:17:41 +0800

South Australian Police are after a man who broke into a recruitment firm and installed remote monitoring software on a computer. It was captured on closed circuit TV. Candidate for a Darwin Award.

Games for kids

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:35:20 +0800

The Age recently asked readers to nominate best games for kids under 10. Some names that came up: Aquaria and World of Goo. They're both around $20 and they work extremely well for kids over 10 too.

Crayon Physics

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 22:15:49 +0800

As a birthday promotion (turns out companies have birthdays too) Crayon Physics is offering itself at Pay What You Want rates. So be as generous or stingy as you like. Crayon Physics is a favourite game of Computer Mechanics staff because it doesn't have any guns in it and we are all pacifists. The offer is valid til January 15th. Company birthdays run for more than just one day you see.

And you thought the Pop-up Pub was big...

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:29:29 +0800

Here's a video about big.

Cheese or font?

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:29:12 +0800

When I look back at the year that was, I sometimes think I don't know the difference between a type of cheese and the name of a font. Computers do that to you.

Very cool game with steampunk graphics and sophisticated soundtrack

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:06:31 +0800

Bound to fail. Anyway, it's our US$10 Christmas gift suggestion. Here's the video, Here's the demo and download page.

Botnets

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:15:06 +0800

Ever wondered how criminals run the bad stuff on the net? Kaspersky spells it out in an article on Botnets. Here is the short version and here is the long version so you can ramp up your geek credentials.

Christmas lights for the laptop

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:36:11 +0800

A photo of a laptop with Christmas lights. Yes, they plug into your USB port. Replacing your USB mouse.

Office work getting you down?

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:14:37 +0800

The USB Chainsaw is the solution.