An iPod Before Apple?

Let’s look back in time to the dark ages before Al Gore’s intertubes ruled the world and everyone had a two-way wrist communicator like Dick Tracy’s.

Way back in ancient history in 1979, inventor Kane Kramer got a patent for an idea/invention that was basically Apple’s iPod.

“Kramer’s device, the IXI, was flash-based, even though flash memory in 1979 only could have held about three minutes of audio, and featured a screen, four-way controls, and was about the size of a cigarette pack. Even weirder, he envisioned the creation and sale of digital music …”

Wouldn’t you be kicking yourself if you let the patent go out of date for this like Kramer did in 1988?

Also, please don’t get Kane Kramer confused with Cosmo Kramer, inventor of the Manzier.

Gizmodo has more on the prehistoric iPod story.

Facebook Flipouts

I never got a MySpace page. I figured I could express my moods  just as well here at ye olde blog.

However, Newscoma finally talked me into getting a Facebook page not too long ago.

It’s ok, but I don’t put too much personal stuff up over there. I don’t shoot people with water guns and I haven’t joined a mafia. I don’t plant flowers or send flair. I just keep up with people in my community.

Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka may want to think about backing down on the amount of time and personal stuff he puts on Facebook. The NFL player was arrested and charged with simple battery after he and his wife got into a brawl when she discovered he was talking with another woman on Facebook.

He claims she stabbed him with a pen.

If she’d used the Mil-Tac Tactical Defense Pen, he might not have been able to throw her down the stairs and then she could have used it to sign all the police paperwork.

I Want A Disco Keyboard

Trendhunter found me a disco keyboard.

You can set it up to flash multiple colors or so that each key stroke lights individually.

It would likely get very annoying after one set of “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

It’s from Luxeed, a Korean company.

Cooties – Perry Bible Fellowship

I spent an entire afternoon back in the fall at CWage’s abode perusing the Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack by Nicholas Gurewitch while he and Newscoma worked on her blog.

One word – hysterical.

I recently bumped into the link above to PBFA which has all the comic strips from the book.

Go spend some time there.

Newscoma Gets Hacked

Poor Newscoma and the tech friends she relies on.

They’ve spent the past 48 hours battling some geek who wants to keep the world from reading about Mabel, zombies, Bigfoot and redneck Christmas trees.

How un-American can they be?

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Get Your Guitar Hero Online

I’m not a huge gamer, but I know I’m probably in the minority.

For those of you who can sneak it in at your desk at work (break out headphones), I present to you a link to an online version of Guitar Hero called Tube Rockers that uses your keyboard as the guitar.

There’s even a Family Guy tune among the list of songs you can strum or in this case click.

Rock on!!!

Happy Birthday Newscoma

Happy Birthday to Newscoma!!!!

I baked her up something special for her big day. BTW, she’s already celebrated 40.

Go wish her well on her special day.

If you don’t read her stuff, start today. If you don’t know her, you’re missing out.

Who wouldn’t want a big bite of this tasty bakery confection.

This one takes the urinal cake.

For other photos of crappy cakes and directions on how to bake and decorate them, go here.

Survivor Blogs – The Reading Tribe Has Spoken

I’m so glad Survivor is back on the air for its 17th season.

The drama, the tears, the dirty fingernails, the back stabbing – ahhh, I love it.

In addition to the hour each week I spend watching the actual show, one of the big treats of the season is my weekly reading of Entertainment Weekly correspondent Dalton Ross’ online recaps. He’s funny. He ridicules the cast members’ obvious strategic gaffes. He loves Milwaukee’s Best (and I’m not talking about the Brewers’ C.C. Sabbathia). He has crushes on some of the Survivors. He’s a fan of the show who has inside connections. In recent seasons, he’s gotten to visit the Survivor sets and run through some of the challenges as the production crew tests them out beforehand.

If you aren’t reading Dalton on Friday mornings, you’re missing out.

Now EW.com has added to my reading pleasure.

Survivor host (and Emmy winner) Jeff Probst is now also doing a blog for the online magazine. Probst, in his first two postings, has made some irreverent observations about the Survivor competitors. He’s also provided some behind the scenes info. Probst lets it slip that even the behind the scenes crew were annoyed by Gillian’s incessant cheerleading and were just as happy to see her leave the show as the tribe members who voted her out.

This Probst blog post covers the debut two-hour episode and this one highlights the second episode (what they call Episode 3 due to the extra long debut).

It’s the inside stuff like that that makes it an interesting and funny read.

It also gives you a little extra Survivor boost for the week.

Matter of fact, ew.com has recaps of several popular shows the day after they air. Most are spot-on hysterical. You’ll find them under the heading “TV Watch” on the site. It’s not just reality shows (Amazing Race, Project Runway) they cover; they watch everything from sitcoms (The Office is another good one read weekly) to dramas.

Enjoy their blogs and let me know who are you rooting for this Survivor season?

Me, I’m kind of leaning toward Sugar at the moment, but that could change with one stupid strategic move. We’ll see how it pans out.

Newscoma’s Latest Give-away – kd lang tix

Newscoma has another giveaway going on over at her new digs.

She’s handing out a pair of tickets to see kd lang perform at the Ryman in Nashville later this month.

To win, you just have to leave a comment on her post. The winner will be randomly drawn from all those who have put a “how do you do” on her blog with the winner announced on Oct. 15.

Go on over there and good luck.

Goofing on Google

The Google has covered the Earth.

The Google is in your neighborhood.

The Google is seeing your future.

The Vacationeers have satirized everyone’s Google experience in some short and funny video clips.

Here are some extra links to bizarre Google Earth captures.

And Google Street (Walkers) visit Oklahoma City.