Computers

I put out a call via Twitter and Facebook last month for you guys to vote for "Computer Engineer" as Barbie's new career — and you totally did! Announced today, the newest additions to the Barbie family will include two professions: computer engineer (which won by popular vote — way to go geeks!) and news anchor (took the top vote among girls).

Not only will Computer Engineer Barbie be attached to her shiny pink laptop and Bluetooth earpiece, but Mattel worked closely with the Society of Women Engineers to ensure that Barbie's fashions were as geek chic as possible. She sports a binary tee, black skinny pants, retro-styled glasses, and totes a smartphone along with her other essentials. Although I may disagree a bit with the color scheme, I can't complain — there's finally a geeky Barbie for girls to relate to! Computer engineer Barbie (along with her sidekick, News Anchor Barbie) were unveiled this morning at the NY Toy Fair, and will be hitting shelves this Fall.

The OLPC XO is Haiti-bound. A "ruggedized" version of the Linux-based machine — which is already in the hands of millions of children around the world — is being sent to reconstruction groups who are helping to rebuild the destroyed cities of Haiti after last week's earthquake. This isn't the first high-tech way we've seen aid flow to the country — you can also buy apps and donate your old cell phones for the cause as well.

Humanitarian and reconstruction groups are invited to request the laptops with an application, and can also request solar-charging backpacks to recharge the machines and other devices.

The joy of playing roller coaster Tycoon on the PC is that you get to create the roller coaster of your dreams. You know, the kind you were always too short to ride as a kid? But at Walt Disney World in Florida, Mickey is taking things one step further and letting you design your own actual roller coaster, and then setting you off in a virtual world to enjoy it.

Called "The Sum of All Thrills", this DIY experience has you choosing dips, turns, and loops on a computer tablet, then hopping into a robotic car to test your creation. I'm in love with this idea, since there are an endless combination of possibilities, meaning you'll probably never get the same ride twice. However, this doesn't mean that I would replace the thrill of a regular roller coaster with a VR one on a regular basis. The good news for us coaster fans is that VR rides are pretty expensive to produce. Personally, I think traditional roller coasters are here to stay, and virtual coasters are just the icing on the cake.

I'm already in love with the sound quality of Dr. Dre's Beats headphones I tested out last year, so getting a free pair with an HP computer bundle would be pretty sweet. But not just any computer of course, one that also comes with a copy of Traktor LE DJing software so I can get my scratch on at the clubs. Who am I kidding, I'm no DJ — but I'll pretend to be one once DJ Hero hits the shelves this month!

HP has announced the HP Envy 15 Beats Limited Edition (which comes stocked with the same hardware as the original Envy 15, but with a pumped up graphics card), which is perfect for DJs and producers with all of its bundled beat-loving goodies. It's pretty sleek with a glossy black finish and red logo (which you'll also find on the matching headphones), but brace yourself for the price: the Envy 15 LE will start at $2,299. . . wowzas.

It's time for a classic game of "Would You Rather?" only instead of something saucy, we'll discuss something tech.

So: If you had to, would you rather go a weekend without your computer or your cell phone? Strip away all the work-arounds for either situation (you have a smartphone with a browser and email, you can send texts online), and think of it for convenience's sake.

Do you catch up on the blogs in your reader all weekend, and surf for fun? I do, and it would make giving up my computer painful. Do you make a lot of weekend plans and need the phone to coordinate with? I do, and not having my phone would definitely mess up my plans.

Everyone likes to be disconnected every once in awhile, but it sucks when it's against your will. So I'm making you choose: which one would you rather give up for a weekend?

Photo courtesy of The CW

And you thought you had enough issues with your looks: a grad student in Canada has programmed a computer that can evaluate human attractiveness.

If that weren't frightening enough — it judges you on a scale of 1-10 (thankfully, there doesn't seem to be anything about a bathing suit round). The evaluation is based on the core data, from volunteer students that submitted photos with people they judged attractive. The computer is now able to recognize the good-looking features and rate accordingly.

Though I will tell you right now that I would rather stick a toothpick in my eye than find out if a computer thinks I'm hot, I'd be lying a little. I'm curious. Now you, be honest: Would you want to know what the computer "thought" about you?