Fantasy tabletop game built out of legos

From BoingBoing:

Fantasy tabletop game built out of legos:

Cory Doctorow:


BrickQuest is a tabletop fantasy game that is built out of legos, both official and custom -- the "BrickMaster" snaps together elaborate dungeons, and then little legomen move around the board, fighting monsters, finding secret doors, etc.

Link

(Thanks, Mark!)

Bob Parsons?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ hardass time management

From 43Folders:

Bob Parsons?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ hardass time management:

“Not so polite” time saving tips — that work.

Bob Parsons may not win any awards for congeniality, but I like the way he lays down the law on managing your time — with a focus on not being a victim of your own phone. This is tough, in-your-face talk, but frankly I think it’s time we get tougher with the people who demand our time.

In my own opinion, you’ll never get out from under until you learn to seize back control of your phone and your email inbox; that’s the the two places where the world will never stop hollering for your attention; it’s up to you to say “no,” and hit delete. After all, if you don’t respect how you parcel out your time and attention, why should you expect anyone else to?

A few of Bob’s observations:

If a stranger calls me they better get right to the point.
I insist that if someone is calling me and I don’t know them, that they immediately get to the point with what they want. In fact, if I have someone on the line and they start rambling and simply talking about who they are, I will chime in that they have 30 seconds to get to the point. If they don’t immediately get to the point, I hang up. Once they get to the point, if it’s something I’m not interested in, I will simply say, “I’m not interested,” and immediately hang up. If they are foolish enough to immediately call me back –I have found that often some knucklehead feels this tactic might work – I say once again, “I told you I’m not interested” and hang up again. Usually, they never call back…

Customer calls are always important to me.
If the caller is a customer, I always consider the call important and will usually listen to whatever the problem happens to be. I will ask for their name and phone number, and how long they will be at that number. Then I will have one of my customer service people get in touch with them and resolve the issue. Once again, I keep these calls very short and to the point…

I very rarely return any voice message.
If someone leaves their name and number with a message without detailing what they want, it’s been my practice to very rarely return the call. For me to return any call, the message has to be understandable, it has to be of immediate interest to me and it has to be something that I want. If a message left on your phone doesn’t meet these criteria, I think it’s nuts to return the call.

Remember: when you call someone, you’re demanding instant access to their undivided attention, no matter what they might be doing. If they loan that attention to you, treat it like the golden resource that it is.

[ Thanks, Sean Conlan ]

Tags: telephone, office

Microsoft responds to Xbox 360 crash reports

From Engadget:

Microsoft responds to Xbox 360 crash reports:


src="http://img.engadget.com/common/images/3060000000055291.jpg?0.36918395507449653" align="right" border="1"

height="189" hspace="4" vspace="16" width="240" />

We know Microsoft has a lot riding on the Xbox

360’s success, so it makes sense that in response to the first

reports of Xbox crashes, they told Reuters there were “a

few isolated reports of consoles not working as expected” for a “very, very small fraction” of Xboxes sold, and that

their “number of calls was not unexpected.” Maybe so, maybe no; there are always a certain amount of defective units on

any product launch — especially one as huge as this — and it’s not usually something anyone can call just based reports

on forums alone. Molly O’Donnell, Microsoft spokesperson, called it “Par for the course.” Then again, we did have to

call the Xbox support line about six times before we could even get on hold to talk to someone, and wound up on the

horn over two and a half hours because one of our retail units (the one that crashed a couple times) wouldn’t (and

still won’t) connect to Live. We’ll have to chalk that up to amazing odds, since only time will tell how pervasive and

persistent the Xbox 360 crash problems really are, but in the mean time Microsoft says they’ll overnight repair or

replace any defective 360s in your midst. So if you’re seeing screens like those above, holla at ‘em.

[Thanks, gamestopzak]

Hands-on: Sony PSP Talkman - Translate, Speak...

Hands-on: Sony PSP Talkman - Translate, Speak...:

Lik-Sang is running a feature on the PSP Talkman, which is a "Universal Translator" of sorts. Described as a voice-activated translation software application, it can translate between English Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.

I predict that it's somewhat frustrating to use but not as frustrating as being completely up the creek when it comes to communications in a foreign country... unless I'm mis-judging how far voice recognition software has come since I last fooled with trying to get a computer to understand what I was saying.

The Talkman will also make an attempt to teach you language with a game mode. I find that somewhat enticing. Any serious attempt at learning language as an adult, from what I hear, is best with the "Pimsleur series.

Of course, considering the Pimsleur stuff is often as expensive as a PSP with this software included, that'll be a tough call when I'm finally traveling to Korea.

I hope that's not unintentionally rude...

Hands-on: Sony PSP Talkman - Translate, Speak...

Hands-on: Sony PSP Talkman - Translate, Speak...:

Lik-Sang is running a feature on the PSP Talkman, which is a "Universal Translator" of sorts. Described as a voice-activated translation software application, it can translate between English Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.

I predict that it's somewhat frustrating to use but not as frustrating as being completely up the creek when it comes to communications in a foreign country... unless I'm mis-judging how far voice recognition software has come since I last fooled with trying to get a computer to understand what I was saying.

The Talkman will also make an attempt to teach you language with a game mode. I find that somewhat enticing. Any serious attempt at learning language as an adult, from what I hear, is best with the "Pimsleur series.

Of course, considering the Pimsleur stuff is often as expensive as a PSP with this software included, that'll be a tough call when I'm finally traveling to Korea.

I hope that's not unintentionally rude...

Can more than 60% be wrong?

Seth has (of course) an interesting take on the role design plays on experience. I think he's right.

Can more than 60% be wrong?:

12,000 people have taken a blind taste test. You do a search you're familiar with, it shows you the results from Google, MSN and Yahoo. Which is the most relevant, it asks?

About 65% of those tested said that Yahoo or MSN was the most relevant.

Which reinforces my point that Google isn't "better" for most people if "better" means more relevant or deeper. Google is better because it feels better and quicker and leaner and easier to use. The story we tell ourselves about Google is very different, and we use it differently as a result. Think about that the next time you insist you need a "better" formula or a faster server or a stronger first baseman.

Music sounds better through an iPod because we think it does. Design matters. Stories matter most of all.

How the PowerBook was Born

From... Slashdot... :

How the PowerBook was Born:

Sabah Arif writes "Apple had no presence in the portables market prior to 1992. Its attempt at creating a laptop Macintosh, the Macintosh Portable, weighed almost 15 lbs and failed to sell. On the personal behest of John Sculley, Apple contracted with Sony to create Asahi, a smaller Portable. Apple developed two high end models in company. After 1992 and until the disastrous 5300, Apple was the leading notebook maker."

Man accused of stealing $200,000 worth of Legos

From CNN: Man accused of stealing $200,000 worth of Legos

It seems he was very, very busy. His particular M.O. was to switch the barcodes on merchandise at various Target locations in Oregon.

Since 2002, he had sold nearly $600,000 worth!

Hemp Portfolio by Artisan Gear

From Treehugger:

Hemp Portfolio by Artisan Gear:

This hemp portfolio has five internal pockets and a 50 sheet pad of hemp writing paper. It's priced at $25 at Good Humans. Artisan Gear makes the portfolio in the U.S., and they also have a large range of bags available, read more details about the company's production methods. :: Good Humans

iPod Shrine of the Day

From Gizmodo:

iPod Shrine of the Day:

This is one of two Lego-based shrines entered into the Apple iPod 30GB video player contest. And the iRobot shrine with the spooky 80s face is among the worthiest thus far.

Keep building... what else are you going to do while the turkey roasts? Entries must be accompanied by a photograph in JPG format—72 dpi, max 400 pixels on the top side. Please, NO HUGE PHOTOS OR WE WILL CRY (download Gimp if you don’t have a good photo editor). Also, write us two or three sentences describing the devotional, its symbology and what makes it sacred. Send entries to gizmodobox@gmail.com with IPOD SHRINE in the subject line. Repeat: Entries must be sent to gizmodobox@gmail.com with the subject line IPOD SHRINE; all others will be unceremoniously deleted.

Man robbed for Xbox 360 (with weird article wording)

Florida Man Robbed at Gunpoint for Xbox...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- After standing in line for several hours in Tallahassee and spending nearly $400 on the holiday season's hottest electronic game, a man said he was robbed at gunpoint.

Tallahassee police said the man got a Microsoft Xbox 360 when it went on sale at a local Wal-Mart shortly after midnight Tuesday.

Reports said when he left the store, two men in ski masks followed him in a car to his apartment. The shopper tried to run but was held at gunpoint by one man while the other blocked his path.

The man wasn't seriously injured.

The system has a high-definition graphics and gaming aptitude.

The new consoles can also play music, display photos and show DVDs.

WTF? gaming aptitude? Odd non-sequitur. I don't think that is why they robbed him for it...

LaCie Lego Bricks

From Gizmodo:

LaCie Lego Bricks:

Damn you, LaCie! These Brick Desktop and Mobile hard drives in the shape of Lego blocks are irresistible to the child and tinkerer in me. Designed by Ora-Ïto, who has done crazy beautiful work for LG, Toyota, Swatch, and others, these stackable drives come in red, white or blue. The desktops range from 160-500 GB ($119-$399), and the mobile versions are 40-120GB ($119-$329). The red 250GB desktop brick is in stock now; the rest of the desktop drives are up for pre-order and ship in December. The Mobile versions come out in January.

But don't go dropping your ducats just yet, because LaCie says this is just the first of several HDD products from famed designers that the company is introducing in the next 6-12 months.

Lacie Lego Bricks [Product Page]

EyeToy Kinetic

Looks pretty neat, and yes, I want one.

Nice! Hand-Powered Night Vision Monocular

From TreeHugger. For the frugal stalker in all of us..

Hand-Powered Night Vision Monocular:

This device is a night vision scope, and quite fortuitously, it doesn't require any batteries. Instead, it's has a lever-activated power supply, so you can generate your own power ad hoc, and thereby see in the night, without fear of energy failure (that is, unless sudden a lassitude engulfs you). Camping Station

NES Controller MP3 Player

From Gizmodo:

NES Controller MP3 Player:

Oh, you kids love your vintage crap gaming memorabilia. We've seen a slew of NES controller mods and here is another. Some Germans have gutted out an NES controller and replaced it with some bottom-of-the-line flash MP3 player. All of the original NES buttons function as the controls for the MP3 player. The site is in German, so bear with the Google translation.

NESamp MP3 Player [FutureNews.at]

Prices for Original NES Controllers to mod your own [Ebay]

Neuroscience and Meditation (and the Dalai Lama!)

NPR ran a story on the 11th about research into the long term effects meditation has on the brain.

From the article:

"Some small studies have suggested that meditating on compassion can affect parts of the brain associated with positive thoughts. The Dalai Lama's talk will discuss meditation as a way to promote well-being and compassion."

Component ''tower'' for Mac mini

This is neat: Green House, a Japanese company, has released a series of "extensions" for the Mac Mini. Speakers, hubs, external drives etc... I like it!

Google Sighting..

Google's Urchin division is about to offer their services for free: Google Analytics.

Ultrazoid Keyboard

From Gizmodo

Ultrazoid Keyboard:

I have something of a penchant for acting out scenes from '80s movies in real life. Whether it is using my favourite chat up line, "come with me if you want to live" at bars, instinctively contorting my body into a wobbly "crane" position when faced with impending violence, or coaxing drunken fat friends into doing the "truffle shuffle" — my life is a veritable what's-what of how to act like you are still a teenage boy in love with Belinda Carlisle or any member of The Bangles.

So imagine my elation upon stumbling across Suzuki Instruments' "Foot Note" — a giant musical keyboard that you play with your feet, a little like the contraption Tom Hanks uses in the pivotal scene of "Big" where he plays chopsticks with his boss and ends up getting a massive promotion in exactly the kind of way that would never happen in real life.

Foot Note (or "Bigfoot" in the US) comes in 3 sets for 3 different octaves and you can connect the sets together to form Ultrazoid Board (a name which I have made up) — a four meter long 3 octave jumbo keyboard, which I have decided that every house party from now on ever must have.

Suzuki Instruments' Foot Note [Product Page]
Suzuki Instruments' Big Foot (Western Version) [Product Page]

Darknets Are Inevitable

Slashdot has a posting about Darknets. I consider them an inevitable evolution. Tightly knit groups of users with their own private networks, tunneled over the available commercial Internet via tools like m0n0wall for example... The title of the /. article is Darknets Coming Soon?^(below), but I would think the real question is how long have they already been here, and how many are there?

Darknets Coming Soon?:

Anonymous Stalwart writes "CIO.com is running a story on darknets and their implications for security. With the ruling against Grokster, darknets seem poised to become a reality. How this will impact the future of the workplace, from top-level IT/IS managers all the way to non-IT jobs will depend on how the tech community that is developing this technology treats it."

Rumored? Circuit City Will Sell The Xbox 360 On Friday

Rumor and speculation? Maybe not, you -could- get one early. XBox 360 to be sold on Friday at Circuit City. [Mobility Today]

Circuit City Page

Kool KITTY Keyboard Kontraption

From Gizmodo

Kool KITTY Keyboard Kontraption:

No we aren’t talking about the fact that cats love to lie on top of keyboards (cat owners know what I'm talking about) but this is a revolution in wearable input device technology. KITTY TECH, the manufacturer, is an acronym for Keyboard Independent Touch Typing Technology and if it is kitty-related we here at Gizmodo fully endorse it. This peripheral was designed from some smarty pants at the University of California and the overall idea is somewhat simple. Wear these electric circuit thing around your fingers and you type by holding your fingers and thumbs in various positions. Neat stuff, lets hope it actually gets fully developed and not trashed as another farfetched keyboard gadget.

Keyboard Begone. [Red Ferret]

Quick mention of Stikfas

Stikfas are mentioned often as examples of the emerging industrial design identity forming in Singapore.

linkage to article.

Stikfas models were highlighted as a well-designed Singapore product that could make a splash internationally with good marketing and strong support from the DesignSingapore Council.

Full Metal Jacket

daring fireball has a brief review of the new 15-inch PowerBook G4 that they have entitled Full Metal Jacket

He proffers the idea that the 15" Powerbook is a good desktop replacement, even for power users. I concur. About 3 weeks ago my dual G4 suffered a hard drive failure (due to heat and usage, that's the culprit). I replaced my desktop with my 12" Powerbook G4, setting up the VGA out to allow for dual monitors.

I haven't looked back.

Nintendo Famicom Business Card Holder

Weird? Yes. Cool? Well, yes, if you're in the right crowd of people.

Behold.

Katamari creator dreams of playgrounds

A man widely considered to be one of the most imaginative and creative figures in the world of video games has bad news for his fans.

Keita Takahashi plans to exit the video game industry within a decade. Personally, for the most part I can't blame him. He is responsible for some of the most innovative games I have played in a long time.

This article from BBC News Has more info.

Katamari Damacy was a game that demanded no sequel, but it got one anyway. Thankfully it was good, and it was because of Keita Takahashi.

Getting Things Done @ MacMerc

MacMerc gets into the GTD spirit...


Getting Things Done:

Too much to do and not enough time to do it? Maybe you just need a new set of tools.





This week we'll look at task management services and software. I've got everything from AJAX web services to...


[[ This is just a taste, visit MacMerc.com for the full story! ]]

Doom for the iPod Nano

From BoingBoing:


Doom for the iPod Nano:

Cory Doctorow:


Once you get iPod Linux running on your iPod Nano (takes about ten minutes), you can install iDoom -- an iPod port of Doom that now runs on the Nano!

Link

(via Digg)

Gates, Jobs, & the Zen aesthetic

I enjoyed this posting on Presentation Zen regarding Gates, Jobs, & the Zen aesthetic

A preview:

As a follow up to yesterday's post on Bill Gates' presentation style, I thought it would be useful to examine briefly the two contrasting visual approaches employed by Gates and Jobs in their presentations while keeping key aesthetic concepts found in Zen in mind. I believe we can use many of the concepts in Zen and Zen aesthetics to help us compare their presentation visuals as well as help us improve our own visuals. My point in comparing Jobs and Gates is not to poke fun but to learn.

Check that out, and take a look at many of the other postings there. Originally linked from Seth Godin's Blog.

Stainless Steel Mini Hard Drives

From Gizmag

Stainless Steel Mini Hard Drives:

Check out the latest Monstor Drives from US Modular– portable storage has been awaiting an ultra cool form factor and this combination between Zippo cool, 120GB capacity and palm-sized chromium objet d'art which is substantial enough so you won’t lose it is absolutely ideal and we’re predicting it will become a must-have for sleek geeks during 2006. ..

Matrox VGA Y-Splitter

Matrox VGA Y-Splitter:

Tuesday Matrox announced a peripheral that can take a single VGA input and split it out to two monitors. With all of the latest and greatest PC video cards already having dual-monitor supports, this product is probably aimed more towards the laptop user. The DualHead2Go actually is pretty cool. Instead of just cloning the image twice, the splitter tricks your computer into thinking an extremely widescreen monitor is plugged in. This could be really useful in multi-projector presentations via laptop or dual-screen pR0N/FPS marathons. The DualHead2Go will run around $170 and should be shipping soon.

Matrox Box Splits One Monitor Into Two [Extremetech]

TAG! You're Stolen!

From Gizmodo

TAG! You're Stolen!:

Kerstin von Locquenghien has created an RFID embedded cabinet for her master's media project. In the center is a screen surrounded by multiple shelves with random items sitting around. When one of the objects with an RFID tag is placed on a shelf located directly below the screen, the information about that particular object pops up on the screen. The project is called "TAGGED!" and is designed to get more attention to how RFID is used in the public and to get people talking more about RFID. The funny thing about this is that all the objects are stolen and the RFID gives clues to the stories behind each object. Those crafty artists!

TAGGED! Stolen Things [WMMNA]

Tim O'Reilly BBC interview on Open Source's origins

Tim O'Reilly BBC interview on Open Source's origins:

Cory Doctorow:

The BBC has a two-part interview with Tim O'Reilly on open source -- available as a transcript or podcast:

The geeks are out there on the front edge. But coming back to this idea of open source - this idea that when you put people together with the internet they start doing things in different ways and the geeks, if you like, discovered pretty early that one of the great ways that you can use the internet was you give your stuff away and it gets the word out and that was sort of the beginning of what we now call viral marketing.

Photo-sharing sites liked Flickr are examples of the participatory web

They also discovered that when you give your stuff away, you can actually get a coalition of people to help you with it and so you were able to build new forms of social organisation around projects that people care about.

Podcast Link, Interview Link



(Thanks, Stuart!)