Tag Archives: technology links

Each week we scour the internet to find the best stories on technology, digital living and news of note. This week features an art exhibit displaying Pac-Man and Tetris, a 5-year-old spending $2,500 on an iPad game in 10 minutes, and Google Glass going for a new look. All that and more in this edition of Mozy’s Technically Speaking.

Museum of Modern Art Exhibit Showcases Classic Video Games

Playing Tetris and Pac-Man were a huge part of growing up for some people, and now some are actually being considered pieces of art. (Apologies if this makes you feel old.) PC Mag reports that 14 video games have been chosen to be showcased in the Museum of Modern Art’s Applied Design installation as part of a 100 object exhibit representing contemporary design. Also included with the video games are 3-D printed chairs and an app that culls data from the National Digital Forecast database to render a living portrait of the U.S. wind landscape. Video games being displayed include Pac-Man (1980), Tetris (1984), Myst (1993), SimCity 2000 (1994), Dwarf Fortress (2006), and Portal (2007).

Grounded for Life? 5-Year Old Racks Up $2500 in Ipad Charges in Just 10 Minutes

Note to parents: don’t leave your 5-year old alone with an iPad–even if it is just for a few minutes. A story out of Warmley, England this week is that a child asked his parents to play with the iPad for just a few minutes. He wanted to play the game Zombies vs. Ninja, reports CNET’s Chris Matyszczyk. The parents didn’t think anything of it. The game is free (at least up front) and it would occupy their son for the time being. The problem: while the game is free to play, there are several add-ons, like weapons, that you can purchase to give your character a boost. Well, the young boy decided he wanted quite a boost for his character. So much so that he spent $2,500 on the game in 10 minutes.

Company Allows Users to Watch Commercials to Save Money

The company Hitbliss, which sells streaming movies and television shows much like Netflix, has developed a new idea for how customers can make payments: watch ads in place of paying your bill. According to Forbes, this could be the future of ad-supported content. On Hitbliss users have the option of paying for a movie or television show or watching 30-second ads to build up credit on their account. Most of the time customers are able to watch a movie or show after viewing approximately a minute or two of commercials. Or they can just skip the ads and fork up the dough. Which would you prefer?

Can Google Glass Become Fashionable?

There is a ton of hype in the tech community around the launch of Google Glass, a new invention that allows people to always have the Internet within their line of sight–all they have to do is wear a pair of glasses. These aren’t your ordinary glasses though; they come complete with a battery, a computer processor, and a tiny screen. Realizing it’s probably not the most fashionable look out there, Google has reached out to Warby Parker, a startup known for selling trendy eyeglasses, says Clair Cain Miller of the New York Times.

Stressed about Having to do Taxes? Try One of These Apps 

It’s the time of the year when most people are either working on their tax returns or paying a professional to do it for them. Thanks to the evolution of technology, doing your own taxes may not be as difficult as you think. Jeff Reeves of USA Today goes over the top five apps for getting taxes done. And the best part? Some of them are free.

Each week we scour the internet to find the best stories on technology, digital living and news of note. This week, we have Google going retail, t-shirts going biometric and a 3D printer helping a child overcome disability. All that and more in this week’s edition of Mozy’s Technically Speaking.

5 Year Old with Disability Recipient of “Robohand” 

A 5-year-old boy born without fingers was the recipient of a new robohand this week, thanks to new technology and a remarkable collaboration. The robohand, “an open-sourced device built with customized prosthetic fingers,” according to Mashable’s Camille Bautista, was built using 3D printing. The duo that created the device live across the world from each other (one in Washington state, the other in South Africa) and used Skype to communicate and share ideas.

Coming to a Shopping Mall Near You: Google Stores

One of the companies you’re used to seeing all over the web may soon be all over your local shopping malls as well. Venture Beat reports that Google plans to launch its own retail stores just in time for the 2013 holiday season. The move could be considered an attempt to compete with Apple, which currently operates 400 stores in 12 countries, according to the article. The Google stores will feature the company’s products, like the new Chromebook, and will also have employees offering technical support, similar to what Apple does.

President Obama Urges Schools to Focus More on Technology

President Obama mentioned technology in his State of the Union Address last week, saying that he would like to see schools “meet the demands of a high-tech economy.” The President suggested that schools focusing more on technology—and subjects like science, engineering, and math—would be rewarded. While exciting people who have been pushing for more coding to be taught in schools, implementation may be an uphill battle. According to Forbes’ Anthony Wing Kosner, schools face challenges such as a lack of computer science teachers and time in their current daily schedules.

Under Armour Working on Technology for Touchscreen Tees

Technology and exercise have become fast friends. Smartphones are now valuable devices for workouts, as several apps and features have emerged to help motivate and keep track of miles, time, weight, and more. But what if you didn’t need your phone at all? If Under Armour’s vision comes true, all of that technology might be available right on a person’s arm—in the fabric of the shirt they’re wearing. Ryan Gearhardt for Mashable writes that, while the idea hasn’t been perfected yet, the company is hard at work on developing “wearable” technology, or touchscreen shirts.