GeekSugar

Get Smart(er) With MIT OpenCourseWare

GeekSugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:00:56 -0700

How cool would it be to study up with the best minds in the country at MIT without having to pay for the tuition? If you have a thirst for knowledge, let MIT OpenCourseWare be your tall glass of water.

Now with over 1,800 courses open for you to follow – spanning their entire curriculum – you can read through lecture notes and labs and watch the same demonstration vids that the smarty pants see at the prestigious college, but at a substantial discount. Like, 100 percent. Yup, that's right, it's all free. To see why I think it's so cool, just read more.

When I first checked out OpenCourseWare, there was a small selection of classes to choose from. But since MIT knows that knowledge is for everyone, they've offered up their entire curriculum to the masses. You can go at your own pace, follow along with the assignments as well as tune in to the lectures. Granted, you won't get that engineering degree that you've been jonesing for, but at least you can impress your friends at your next shindig with your endless knowledge of Biomolecular Kinetics and Cell Dynamics! Or maybe study up on Script Analysis so you can learn how to write that play you've been thinking about for years now. There's plenty of free courses to choose from, so go learn something!

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No More Power Cords! Sony Announces Wireless Technology

GeekSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:47:35 -0700

Last week, Sony announced they have developed a "highly efficient" wireless power transfer system. Meaning that soon you can purchase a Sony TV without a power cord! The technology is based on magnetic resonance, meaning that electromagnetic energy will be transferred between a transmitter unit and the device. Currently, the transfer can occur at a distance of about two feet.

Similar technology already exists in Dell's new Latitude Z notebook computers that charge without wires. When this sort of technology was first announced in 2007 by a team of researchers at MIT, 74 percent of you said you were into the idea.

Sony hasn't set a release date for gadgets containing the new technology, but the thought of wall-mounting a completely wireless TV is pretty exciting!

Now Here's a Freaky Bedtime Story

GeekSugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:04:12 -0800

Can talking on a cell phone before bed result in health complications? That's what the Daily Mail is reporting, repeating that old rumor that radiation from cell phones is to blame.

They say the radiation from your phone causes headaches and insomnia, which leads to lost sleep, and in turn causes a slew of health problems like depression, etc. The lead scientist of the study, which was published by MIT and funded by handset manufacturers, claims that radiation activates the brain's stress system, which makes you more alert and less likely to fall asleep.

Personally, I think a rollicking conversation about your best friend's love life can get your mind racing too, so maybe gabbing is a habit you want to drop right before bedtime, and pick up a good book instead?

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Tech News Roundup - Next Generation Of Glowing TVs

GeekSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:00:43 -0700

Philips did something truly different on the TV front when it introduced its AmbiLight technology, where light panels on the back illuminate the wall behind and change color in response to whatever is on the screen. Philips Aurea – The Next Generation Of Glowing TVs - UK Gizmodo
If high-tech car gadgets are what you've been holding out for, you can finally make that Lamborghini purchase. Lamborghini tunes in to iPod - Crave
Do you have a WiFi connection but want to listen to your Internet radio without putting their computer's fan on overdrive? Tangent Quattro WiFi Internet Radio: retro style, modern core - Shiny Shiny
Though Apple still can't quite manage to get the entire Beatles collection on iTunes yet, it has managed to get 3/4 of the solo work that came after the Beatles squared away with the new addition of John Lennon's 13 solo albums. Apple Adds Lennon to iTunes - Switched
We can all agree it's hard getting into shape, but do we really need robotic help. MIT Working on Robotic Weight Loss Coach - Gina Hughes

Would You Use Wireless Electricity?

GeekSugar — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 07:00:25 -0700

This week a group of researchers - ahem, major geeks - from Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced that they made a 60-watt light bulb light up by sending it energy wirelessly.

The project is being hailed as a preview of a future where cellphones and other gadgets will get juice without having to be plugged in. Scientists are calling the breakthrough "WiTricity" as in "Wireless+Electricity" and while they acknowledge that it will take a lot of tweaking and likely a few years until it could be made available to the public, the possibilities are really exciting.

So far, the MIT crew has lit a 60-watt bulb that was 7 feet away from the power-generating appliance. So what do you think? Would you use wireless electricity to charge your cell phone or gadgets?

Source

Tech News Roundup - Let There Be A Nacho Fountain!

GeekSugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 13:30:00 -0800

MIT graduates recreate nacho fountain from Talladega Nights - Engadget
German scientists invent mind-reading machine - Gizmodo
Radio controlled water cannons. Oh my! - Shiny Shiny
Put your love to the test - Techie Diva
Rice Omelet Mouse - Need I Say More? - UK Gizmodo

Best Geek Bars In US, According to Wired

GeekSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 10:00:47 -0800

This month's Wired Magazine features a list of the top six geek bars in the US that can't be missed if you're a bar-going geek. While the concept of a geek bar excites me to no end, I do worry the crowd at such places is slightly more likely to use pick up lines like "you make me want to upgrade my Tivo" and "by looking at you I can tell you're 36-25-36, which by the way are all perfect squares." Just a guess. I must admit, their pick for Edinburgh Castle in my hometown of San Francisco is spot on. The A-listers include:

Miracle of Science
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
The giant menu on the wall is in the form of the periodic table of the elements, and it’s just a short unicycle ride from MIT.

Barcade
BROOKLYN
The large selection of beers on tap is outdone by 25 mint-condition, 1980s arcade games lining the walls.

Quark’s Bar
LAS VEGAS
Only at the Las Vegas Hilton can you drink Romulan ale and be amused by roaming Klingons.

For the rest of the Best Geek Bars visit Wired.