Underworld - Barking

Bruce Springsteen - I'm On Fire (Cousin Cole's Bad Desire Mix)

We've been wondering what Google would do with VoIP service Gizmo5 since their recent acquisition. Now we're getting the first hints of the plan. Google is apparently testing a new VoIP service that will be built into Gmail. The service is expected to allow calls to be placed from a user's Google Voice number. Could this also mean Google Voice is about to open up?

The Gmail interface will gain a new button that will bring up a phone keypad with access to contacts and a credit balance. Before now, if you wanted to make a call using Google Voice you needed a phone to route the call over a voice network. This will also allow users to initiate calls on their Google Voice connected phones.

In addition to the Gmail integration, a desktop app is also in the works. All this is still not open to the public, and Google has been tightlipped about it so far. We find this pretty exciting, you?

Source: www.maximumpc.com

The Washington Post conducted an experiment in which world famous violinist Joshua Bell busked a busy Washington, D.C. metro stop during rush hour. The experiment aimed to see how many people would stop and listen if they heard a concert-quality, professional musician performing, even if he appeared at a subway stop. A second outcome indicates that very few people stop to throw money at someone they encounter as a street musician, even if that someone ordinarily commands $100 a seat in a concert venue.

So on Friday morning, January 12, Joshua Bell set himself up at the L'Enfant Plaza in D.C. and began to play Bach's Chaconne on a Stradivarius violin. After 43 minutes, 5 more classical pieces, and 1,097 people passing by, Joshua Bell had made $32.17 (not counting $20 received from one person who recognized him).

The lack of recognition and response surprised the researchers and editors at the Washington Post, who had worried about crowd control. Leonard Slatkin, music director of the National Symphony Orchestra, speculated that a classical musician would get more notice in Europe.

Source: www.suite101.com

Still need a reason why Windows XP will outlive us all? Then know Microsoft has once again decided to extend the period in which customers will be able to downgrade from a new Windows OS to the highlander that is Windows XP.

Initially, the downgrade option was intended to be available for six months after Windows 7 release, but a re-think made it so that this was possible for 18 months or until Service Pack 1 launched. This third policy tweak practically enables people to downgrade to Windows XP throughout the Windows 7 lifecycle - presumably until early 2010 as that's the extended support schedule for Win 7. Long live XP?

Source: www.tcmagazine.com

Amazing!

Episode 1

Episode 2

You’ve got to see this video to believe it.

Willow Garage, a company that develops software for robotics applications, have taught their robot to play a game of pool and they’ve done this in just a week!

There’re no humans assisting the robot – he can hold the cue and select shots completely on his own. Very impressive!

Willow Garage was founded by Scott Hassan who earlier launched eGroups, a service that was later acquired by Yahoo! and is now known as Yahoo! Groups.

Source: www.labnol.org