Local Innovation - Branded Eggs

Ever seen a brand stamp on eggs ??? Here you go


I saw these "desi-eggs" during my recent vacation in Delhi. Other than marketer's stamp on the shell, the colour of egg shell is a little brownish-yellow. They came in market recently and are known to have more energy than traditional white-shell eggs. Its like .. old wine in new shells .. ;-)

btw ... Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too ..
Enjoy the vacations ...

DESIGN21: Social Design Network

Launched in 1994 by UNESCO and Felissimo, Design 21 was an international design competition that took place every two years and was exhibited around the world. Its goal was to promote cultural understanding and the sharing of ideas and values between young creators around the world.

DESIGN 21: Social Design Network continues this objective to challenge designers of all disciplines to find solutions to global issues.

DESIGN21: Social Design Network - Join here

LG debuts "ebook" concept laptop with OLED screen and liquid fuel

Two things that make it unique ..
- OLED Screen (organic light-emitting diodes)
- Liquied Fuel ... Goshhhhh .. wht is that !!!

The ebook has just won the Red Dot Award, a German prize for industrial design. Lets hope its launched soon.

Source: Engadget

Adobe coming up with new ebook software - Digital Editions

Digital Editions is the name given to the new ebook reader software. It can read PDF pages as well as XHTML-formatted content, which makes it suitable for both longer texts, such as books, and shorter texts, such as magazine articles. Digital publishers can combine text with Flash videos and animations.




The first release of Digital Editions will be a beta test version for Microsoft Windows, Adobe said. It is expected to be released in a final version early next year.

You can download and try the BETA version from Adobe Labs.

Source: Adobe tries again with e-books | CNET News.com

>> FOR DISCUSSION, SEE COMMENTS ...

Bad usability is like a leaky pipe

Ref: 90 Percent of Everything

Demo of the $100 Laptop "Sugar" User Interface (Linux OS)

>> FOR DISCUSSION, SEE COMMENTS...

Pankhudi Foundation - Cloth Collection Drive

Well, just finished with the Cloth and Books Collection Drive for the Refugee Camp. We were able to source around a mini-truck full of clothes across Bangalore for around 200 children in the camp.

Chk ~Pankhudi Bangalore website for more photos and details.

My Technorati Profile

Technorati Profile

Seven Phases of Owning an iPod

Every iPod owner passes through seven distinct phases, this illustrated guide depicts the journey all iPod owners must undertake. Very nicely illustrated. Chk the link below.

Experience matters.

Drivl.com | The Seven Phases of Owning an iPod - An Illustrated Journey

Sketch your own Furniture

Motion Capture technology records a line drawn in the air, and translates it into a 3D Sketch. A laser solidifies the liquid plastic, layer by layer, reproducing the sketch as a piece of furniture.

World Usability Day 2006 - Bangalore Edition

Check out the Bangalore events and happenings here

Ms. Dewey - helps u search

Ahaan .. New search engines coming up.
Some more contextual .. some more sexier ..

Check this one .. Ms. Dewey

Intel Classmate PC - EXCLUSIVE

Intel launches its Student Laptop ..
check out the link for more details ..

TrustedReviews - Intel Classmate PC - EXCLUSIVE

Google's social networking site (Orkut) in trouble

The Times of India
10th October' 2006

The Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to issue notice to Google for the alleged spread of hatred about India by its social network service `Orkut'.
A picture of burning the national tricolour, bearing anti-India message, has been put on www.orkut.com and a community "We Hate India" has been created on the site, the petition said.

Full article here:

AppleInsider | Google pockets YouTube for $1.65 billion

Ending a week of rumors, Google on Monday said it has agreed to acquire YouTube for $1.65 billion in a stock-for-stock transaction.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based Internet search giant said YouTube will operate independently following the transaction in order to preserve its successful brand and passionate community.

The acquisition combines one of the largest and fastest growing online video entertainment communities with Google's expertise in organizing information and and its own fledgling video business.

AppleInsider | Google pockets YouTube for $1.65 billion

The pleasure of finding things out - RP Feynman

Excellent short 40 min documentary interview with Dr. RP Feynman- one of the greatest physicist of our times and a Nobel Laureate.

Steve Job's Speech in Stanford Ceremony

This is an amazing speech by Steve Jobs in Stanford University's graduation ceremony!

TV + Internet

Skype Founders' Venice Project Revealed

A project that combines the best things about television with the social power of the internet - a project that gives viewers, advertisers and content owners more choice, control and creativity than ever before.

Skype co-founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom are preparing to unveil their latest venture to the public—a video Web site that combines professionally produced TV and video with the interactive tools of the Web.

Check out The Venice Project website

Full Article - Business Week

A Miniature Earth

http://www.miniature-earth.com

Bangalore International Marathon 2006

Bangalore went rocking with approx. 12000 guys participating in the International Marathon on Sunday Morning - 17th Sept 06.
More pics: Bangalore International Marathon 2006

Google developing eavesdropping software

The first thing that came out of our mouths when we heard that Google is working on a system that listens to what's on your TV playing in the background, and then serves you relevant adverts, was "that's cool, but dangerous" - The Register.

Audio 'fingerprint' for content-relevant ads
The idea is to use the existing PC microphone to listen to whatever is heard in the background, be it music, your phone going off or the TV turned down. The PC then identifies it, using fingerprinting, and then shows you relevant content, whether that's advertisements or search results, or a chat room on the subject.

Read the full article

SuperPen Translator

The WizCom SuperPen is a hand-held scanner and translator. This pen provides the functionality of our Quicktionary together with the scanning applications.

Scan and Translate: The SuperPen comes with over 30 downloadable language dictionaries - absolutely free! These enable users to scan full lines of text, receive instantaneous word-by-word translation/s and hear scanned English words pronounced aloud. By changing dictionaries as needed, users around the world easily become fluent. Integrated Text-to-Speech technology enables users to pronounce new English words with confidence. These and other SuperPen features have made this product the reading tool of choice for students and travelers alike.

More ...

Sub-$100 laptop design unveiled

Nicholas Negroponte, chairman and founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Labs, has been outlining designs for a sub-$100 PC. The laptop will be tough and foldable in different ways, with a hand crank for when there is no power supply.

Professor Negroponte came up with the idea for a cheap computer for all after visiting a Cambodian village.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Sub-$100 laptop design unveiled

Yahoo! and MSN Msgr are together now

Yahoo! & Microsoft have joined forces

It's a great day for the world of instant messaging. Working hand-in-hand with our friends at Windows Live™ (MSN), we've connected our IM communities, making it even easier for you to stay in touch.


Download the new messenger here

Dell recalls over 4 million notebook batteries

Guys, check this ..

Many firms recalling defected batteries including Dell and Apple.
Well, my laptop battery might require a change too .. :)

RED HERRING | Dude, You're Getting a Recall: "Dell recalls over 4 million notebook batteries"

To replace your Dell Batteries .. check here ..
https://www.dellbatteryprogram.com

Apple Powerbooks explodes due to battery

"I would compare this to the type of fire you saw in Kuwait during the first Gulf war. This type of laptop uses lithium-ion batteries, and they create their own oxygen when they burn. So you can't stop the fire by choking it, halon doesn't work either. Putting out the fire with water is not to be recommended, as poisonous gases develop, and water dissipates it faster." - An excerpt from article posted at gizmodo.

Read full article here ...

Suggestion: Try not to keep you laptop switched on and unattended.

MIT $100 Laptop - First Working Prototype

Demonstration of the first working prototype of the One Laptop per Child computer.

Free SMS across India

Many of you guys might be knowing about it, but it seems many of you still donot know about it.

Rediff BOL Messenger allows you to send free SMS to any mobile network across India.

It allows you to send 3 sms to a particular mobile in a day. If you get a reply from a particular mobile, then you can send 3 more sms's for free :-)

Download Rediff BOL here ...
Enjoy SMS'ing

JanaGanaMana National Anthem

Pandora of Music

It builds a customized music station based on your earlier choices of songs ...
Select one artist u wanna listen to and it makes the remaining list automatically ..

Enjoy listening to Pandora ..

www.pandora.com

Intel unveils 'juggernaut' computer for rural India

31st March' 2006
Intel this week unveiled its entry into the low-cost developing-world computer stakes, and it's a whopper. Designed for India, the tower-on-its-side system is dubbed 'Jaagruti - which means 'awakening' in the local lingo - though 'juggernaut' might be a better choice given its size.

Intel is pitching the machine as a system that rural commuities can share, so it's more Communal Computer than Personal Computer. The beast's size comes, presumably, from its "rugged" chassis, designed to "withstand dusty conditions, varying temperatures and high humidity", and to keep the mobo cool at room temperatures of 45°C and humidities of 70-85.

It also contains a power supply unit with an integrated uninterruptible power supply capable of mainting "continuous load power in the event of a power outage".

Check the full article here ...

Device reads printed words to the blind

Dallas: Breakthrough innovation is talk of conference this week

By KIM HORNER / The Dallas Morning News

The 3,000 people in Dallas this week for the National Federation of the Blind convention are getting a demonstration of what life is like when you can read printed menus, mail, business cards and memos.

Dwight Sayer photographs the nametag of Barbara Loos at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas with the Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader. An innovative handheld device that snaps a photo and then reads material aloud has been the biggest attraction at the exhibit hall in Dallas' Hilton Anatole Hotel. The federation teamed up with inventor Ray Kurzweil to create the device, which is being unveiled for the first time.

The Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader, the first portable device of its kind, looks like a PDA attached to a camera.

Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Local News

Beaming Books via Satellite

Many of Africa's cities and populous areas are reaping extraordinary benefits from new cellular telephone networks and Internet access. But it will be many years before rural interior areas -- where the majority of Africans live -- follow the cities into the information age. Children there don't even have recent-edition textbooks, much less Web-connected computers.

But help could be on the way in the form of a narrowband but workable technology: one-way delivery of digital information via satellite.

In a test last year at the Mbita Point primary school on the Kenya-Uganda border, 60 youngsters got a taste of what's possible. A Swiss foundation called BioVision installed a satellite receiver at the school, gave out handheld computers running Linux-based software, and downloaded up-to-date curricula from Kenya's education ministry. BioVision says this approach is far cheaper than buying books every year.

Read full article here ..

Life would be different if ...

Life would be different if ...

If I could enjoy every touch,
And do things, I wanna do so much

If I could admire the feathers of spring,
And warble, as the birds sing.

If I could be afraid of truth,
And lead my life, in sheer couth

If I could discover their minds in time,
And stick up for, but never whine

Only if I could be adult,
And could manage all this tumult

My life would be different ...

Even though it’s late,
And I see my tumble-down fate

Still ...

I wish I could rewrite life,
And erase all the strains of time’s knife ...


- Written by Tanu (my sis).

Usability.gov

Updated and made much more usable ..
Check it out ...

Usability.gov

Think Laterally ...

Aarti Creations .. ;-)

Disruptive Innovation

Another Disruptive Innovation is on its way ... from my side.

I am declaring it beforehand to all .. keep watching this space .. ;)


What is Disruptive Technology - Wikipedia

Animator vs Animation

Awesome animation ..
somewhat similar to pencilmation ..

Check it out ..

Wowwwwwwww ....

True software engineer .. ;-)

Reflections

Reflections - Laser Games

You think you are a lateral thinker ..
Test out your capabilities ..

Pencilmation 2

"Pencilmation II"

Check it out ...

A vegetable seller & his flying machine- The Economic Times

Dreams do drive design ... ;-)
Check this out ...

A vegetable seller & his flying machine - The Economic Times

Pencil Clock

Pencil Clock

Wish it was so easy to erase and write your time .. ;-)

dO NoT pResS

Check out this BIG RED BUTTON ...

nice and engaging one ..

http://www.85qm.de/up/BigRedButton.swf

and remember .. dO NoT pResS .. :-)

The End of Usability Culture ...

The End of Usability Culture, Redux

Check out this article ... for all usability guys ... ;-)

SMS your resume

A new process innovation ...
Send your resume just by doing an sms .. ;-)

SMS Resume - Adding Wings To your Resume

You need to register with SMSResume.com and upload your Resume and covering letter.
Now send an SMS to 3030 : Resumeyour email idrecipient email idsubject
e.g: Resume geetha123@yahoo.com jobs@indianhr.com Software Engineer

Done ... ;-)

cl1p.net - The internet clipboard

cl1p.net - The internet clipboard

With cl1p.net you can copy and paste between computers.

Just enter in any URL that starts with http://cl1p.net (example: http://cl1p.net/sailmaker/) and post. Then from any other computer enter the same URL and copy."

Freelancing Design Jobs

Writing and Graphic design jobs for freelancers

http://www.directfreelance.com/profile_projects.asp

Creative Futures - British Council

Creative Futures is a mentoring program that intends to nurture the rising generation of creative entrepreneurs in India by empowering idea generators.

Creative Future, Arts and Culture - British Council

Check it out .. and participate ...

DesignEducation.ca

DesignEducation.ca - Thousands of Design Resources

Nice collection of Design resources ...

India Rising - reports ABC News

Check out this video ..

India is rising .. be a part of it ...

India Rising: One Billion Reasons to Care

Grand Illusions - Homepage

Check out the various amazing Illusions ...


Also check the russion puzzle ...
http://www.grand-illusions.com/articles/russian_puzzle/

On Target Urinal Games

On Target Urinal Games - Gizmodo

check it out .. ;-)

Eternal Gandhi

Eternal Gandhi Multimedia Museum

- by Ranjit Makkuni

Sacred World Research labratory, 2005

Falkland Road: Prostitutes of Bombay

The Power of Staying Power by Peter Howe- The Digital Journalist: "Falkland Road: Prostitutes of Bombay "

Nice Article on an upcomnig book - "Falkland Road" on life of prostitutes of Bombay ...

Check it out ...

Google Code Jam' 2006

Mind-racing problems. Intense competition. Big prize money.

check it out ...

The Quest For The Rest - game

Help the three lost members reunite with the rest of their group by guiding them through three different environments and you will be rewarded ...

The Polyphonic Spree - The Quest For The Rest

enjoy ...

The amazing village FM radio station ...

It may well be the only village FM radio station on the Asian sub-continent. It is certainly illegal.

The transmission equipment, costing just over $1, may be the cheapest in the world. But the local people definitely love it ...

BBC The amazing village FM radio station

What if you could live your life over again ?

Alter Ego

Have you ever wondered what your life could have been like if things had gone a little bit differently?

Well, in this game, you can find out.

You can click here to play the game.

Information Architecture Links

From the most current thinking on information architecture to essential repositories of Web and usability standards, here are links to resources that you will find useful, interesting, and fun.

Dynamic Diagrams > About Us > Recommended Links