MethodShop

Pirate Bay - Sold!

2009-07-01T12:17:00.001-04:00

The torrent community is in mourning today.

Yesterday, The Pirate Bay, was sold to Global Gaming Factory (GGF), a Stockholm-based software developer and Internet/gaming cafe franchise. GGF plans to add a compensation model to the existing Pirate Bay infrastructure and turn it legal.

GGF will reportedly pay $60 million Swedish Kronor, or $7.8 million dollars, for the the notorious P2P file sharing service. GGF also acquired Peerialism, the technology company that originally developed The Pirate Bay's file sharing platform.

"We would like to introduce models which entail that content providers and copyright owners get paid for content that is downloaded via the site," said Hans Pandeya, CEO of GGF in a press release.

Last week The Pirate Bay lost their appeal in Swedish court for a retrial. In April, the site's 3 founders were found guilty of aiding copyright infringement, given a $3.9 million dollar fine and sentenced to a year in jail.

So what's next for the Pirate Bay founders? How are they going to spend their $60 million Swedish Kronor? After they pay off their fine, the founders plan on putting the money into a foundation to promote the "freedom of speech, freedom of information and the openness of the nets." Does that mean another torrent file-sharing service? We'll just have to wait and see.

If you are interested in learning how to download files using torrents, here's a BitTorrent tutorial.

methodshop

Internet Temporarily Crippled By Michael Jackson Mourners

2009-07-01T09:57:00.002-04:00

The sudden death of the King of Pop last week was both a curse and blessing for many websites and social networking services. According to Akamai's news net usage index, traffic to news sites increased an average of 20%, but the increased traffic caused server outages everywhere.

Even the mighty Google wasn't immune to traffic surge issues. At one point last Thursday, Google News had to temporarily block all "Michael Jackson" search requests. Google's systems incorrectly thought they were under a "denial of service" attack meant to crash their servers.

Google was able to stay online by adding the temporary block, but other sites, including Jackson's official website and London's O2 concert venue, where Jackson was set to kick off his 50-date come back tour next month, weren't so lucky.

Wikipedia administrators also had to take protective measures. Michael Jackson's Wikipedia page had to be locked down after users accessed it over 1 million times in less than an hour.

And let's not forget Twitter. The social networking site's activity almost tripled as millions of users tweeted real time information of Jackson's arrival at the hospital, rumors of a coma and eventually confirmation of his death. As a result of all the extra traffic, Twitter's Fail Whale error page made multiple unwanted cameos on Thursday and Friday.

Online retailers were the lucky ones. Their servers weren't bombarded with curious people looking for information, but by mourners looking to remember Jackson and purchase some of his music. As news of Jacko's death spread, sales of his music on iTunes and Amazon.com skyrocketed. Currently 6 of the top 10 selling songs on iTunes are Jackson's.

methodshop

Teen Throws Temper Tantrum After Mom Cancels World Of Warcraft Account [video]

2009-06-30T09:50:00.005-04:00

What's the worst part about being a teenager? Acne? Bullies? Awkward growth spurts? What about having your mom cancel your World of Warcraft account? Then what if your little brother secretly records your resulting teenage temper tantrum and posts it on YouTube?

We're not kidding. After learning his account was canceled, the teenager writhes around in such angry fury that his clothes come off. He also proceeds to beat himself in the face with his own shoe and aimlessly walk in and out of a closet. If you checkout wafflepwn's YouTube channel, you'll see his brother has a tendency to overreact and they've been discretely filming his teen tantrums for years.

Enjoy your summer kid. The Warcraft Temper Tantrum video is a huge viral hit. Your first day back at school in September is going to be a little Besharded.

methodshop

Nike Low Dunk [Unboxing]

2009-06-29T08:43:00.007-04:00

Many geeks shoot photos of the "unboxing" of their new gear. Well, yesterday I was able to get the last pair of the exclusive Nike Japanese Low Dunks at Foot Action! The hottest kicks in New York City.

These photos document the event...

Unboxing [pics]: Nike Japanese Low Dunks

methodshop

Fake Air France 447 Crash Footage from LOST Dupes Bolivian TV Station

2009-06-26T08:01:00.002-04:00

Have you gotten any emails lately with photos from inside Air France Flight 447 moments before it crashed? Since last Friday, an email has been making the rounds on the Internet with 2 photo attachments claiming to have been recently recovered from a passengers broken camera at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. Although very detailed, the email was just a cruel hoax. The photos are actually screen grabs from the JJ Abrams American TV series Lost, a fictional drama about a group of plane crash survivors stranded on a mysterious island in the Pacific.

But the fake photos and the elaborate description fooled a lot of people including PAT, a television station in Bolivia. The station aired the photographs during a nightly news report. After viewers recognized the photos and called the station in protest, an embarrassed news director issued a statement apologizing and saying that the photographs came to the station via the Internet. Remember, when in trouble, blame the Internet.

Eagle eyed viewers might notice that the photographs feature well-known actress Evangeline Lilly, who plays Kate Austen from the TV series Lost. The photos are also in a wide screen format, which is more commonly used in TV and film production. And the most obvious clue that the images are fake, is the time of day. Flight 447 was a nighttime flight. The images here where clearly taken during daylight.

For comparison purposes, both the Bolivian news report and the plane crash scene from Lost can be seen below.

Here's the exact text from the June 19th hoax email accompanying the photos:

"Feel so sad for all the passengers including the extraordinary photographer, who kept his cool even in his last moments of life and took this photo. Hats off to him!!! the world saw the disappearance of an A330 Air France during a trans Atlantic flight between Rio to Paris.

Two shots taken inside the plane before it crashed. Unbelievable!

The two photos attached were apparently taken by one of the passengers, and before the aircraft crashed. The photos were retrieved from the camera's memory stick. You will never get to see photos like this. In the first photo, there is a gaping hole in the fuselage through which you can see the tailplane and vertical fin of the aircraft. In the second photo, one of the passengers is being sucked out of the gaping hole.

These photos were found in a digital Casio Z750, amidst the remains . Although the camera was destroyed, the Memory Stick was recovered. Investigating the serial number of the camera, the owner was identified as Paulo G. Muller, an actor of a theatre for children known in the outskirts of Porto Alegre. It can be imagined that he was standing during the impact with the Embraer Legacy and during the turbulence, he managed to take these photos, just seconds after the tail loss the aircraft plunged. So the camera was found near the cockpit. The structural stress probably ripped the engines away, diminishing the falling speed, protecting the electronic equipment but not unfortunately the victims. Paulo Muller leaves behind two daughters, Bruna and Beatriz."

The Air France aircraft was carrying 216 passengers and a crew of 12 when it plunged into the Atlantic Ocean off of Brazil on June 1st.

The origin of the hoax email has not yet been determined.

Do you think the Bolivian news director still has a job?

methodshop

Geeky Tattoos [pics]

2009-06-25T08:06:00.002-04:00

Marriages, fame, and fortune... everything comes and goes. That is, everything except a tattoo. Tattoos are permanently inked onto your body. So when someone gets a geeky tattoo, it just makes it all the more special.

Can you tell what video game tattoo is on the lower back of the woman above? What about the image to the right? Have you seen that coding language before?

PICTS: Geeky Tatoos

methodshop

Surving the Twitpocalypse

2009-06-23T09:46:00.023-04:00

Where were you during the Twitpocalypse? On June 12, 2009 at 23:52:04 GMT, the number of Twitter status updates exceeded 2,147,483,6471, the limit for 32-bit signed integers. This caused many 3rd party Twitter apps to break or start malfunctioning. The developers at WhereCloud even setup Twitpocalypse.com to help track the impending doom many Twitter applications were facing.

June 12th came and went. So what happened? Was the Twitpocalypse over hyped like the Y2K bug? Actually, a lot of Twitter applications did indeed crash and burn. You can track the aftermath of the Twitpocalypse and the current status of your favorite app on Twitter using the #Twitpocalypse hash tag.

The good news is, the world didn't end and the Twittersphere lives on... it's just slightly more buggy. As it says on Twitpocalypse.com, "The tweets must flow"!

methodshop

The Story (so far) of Twitter [pic]

2009-06-22T12:34:00.002-04:00

Twitter is everywhere these days (even on fire safety posters). But where did it all begin? How did Twitter co-founders Biz, Evan, and Jack all meet? You could of course go read the Wikipedia page for Twitter. But why read when you can look at pretty pictures? Manolith.com has a wonderful "infographic" showing the history of Twitter in picture form.

PIC: The Story (so far) of Twitter

methodshop

In case of fire, do NOT use Twitter [pic]

2009-06-19T18:46:00.004-04:00

Everyone from Jack Welch to Dave Matthews and Walt Ribeiro have Twitter accounts. Can Twitter get any more mainstream? Sadly, yes.

"Do NOT Twitter" warnings are now being added to fire safety posters. If there's a fire in your building, don't tweet about it... until you are safely outside.

Still not sure what this "Twitter" thing is all about? This methodshop.com tutorial might shed some light on your problem.

Tutorial: How to Explain Twitter to Your Grandma

methodshop

Google Street View: Getting Laid Edition [pic]

2009-06-19T07:42:00.003-04:00

Google has been known to capture controversial images with their Google Earth satellites and Google Street View camera before. Since it was launched in 2007, Google Street View has drawn complaints from individuals and institutions (including the Pentagon) that have been photographed. When you are photographing the entire planet, you are bound to capture a few embarrassing moments.

For example, let's examine the images here of a half-naked girl talking to a guy in a van. The images were captured by a Google Street View car just south of Madrid, Spain (GoogleSightseeing).

What exactly are we looking at here? Is she a "working girl"? Hold on! Let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe it was a really hot day and this young lady was just looking for an ice cream truck. Maybe there's a pool nearby. Or maybe it's laundry day and the only thing clean was her orange thong. And maybe the guy in the dirty windowless van is just asking for directions... maybe not.

Want more? Whores in Madrid are just the beginning! Here are some more things Google has captured on camera:

methodshop

How to Tweet Video Clips on Twitter Using BubbleTweet

2009-06-18T09:14:00.004-04:00

Can't fully express yourself with Twitter's 140-character limit? It can be tough. And sometimes plain text just isn't enough. Luckily services like TwitPic and Ping.fm allow us to embed picture links in our tweets. But what about video? There are actually a few services helping bring video to Twitter and BubbleTweet is one of the best.

A "BubbleTweet" is a short video clip that plays in a"bubble video player" that floats on top of your Twitter page. That's right. When one of your Twitter followers clicks on your BubbleTweet URL, the video clip plays on top of your Twitter page. Then, when the video is done playing, the player "pops" and goes away. It's simple, easy to use and just plain fun.

Besides a Twitter account, all you need to start BubbleTweeting is an existing video clip or a webcam. Ready to make your first BubbleTweet? The tutorial link below will walk you through the process step-by-step.

Tutorial: How to tweet video clips on Twitter using BubbleTweet

methodshop

Faith No More Reunion Tour

2009-06-16T08:13:00.002-04:00

Are you Cucko for Caca and Digging the Grave in an Epic the Land of Sunshine? If so, then you'll probably remember a popular alternative metal band called Faith No More that broke up in 1998.

Last February, FNM announced that they'd be reforming for a reunion tour... but most fans were skeptical. The band didn't exactly part on happy terms. Then it happened. Faith No More played their first show in 15 years on June 10th and they didn't kill each other.

In fact, Faith No More are now headlining music festivals all over Europe this summer. Even record executives are getting excited. To coincide with the band's reunion tour, last week Rhino released a Faith No More compilation, The Very Best Definitive Ultimate Greatest Hits Collection, a double album that includes their hit singles and b sides & rarities.

The line up for the reunion tour remains unchanged from their last released album, Album of the Year (1998). Mike Patton is back on vocals and Jon Hudson on guitar. Hardcore FNM fans will notice the absence of Jim Martin, Courtney Love and Chuck Mosley.

Mike Patton - lead vocals

Billy Gould - bass guitar

Mike Bordin - drums

Roddy Bottum - keyboards

Jon Hudson - guitar

Even though Faith No More hasn't played together in 15 years, they still sound great. Here's a YouTube video of the hit song "Easy" from a recent performance at the "Download Festival" in Donington Park (UK).

Faith No More hasn't been active the last 15 years, but you've probably been exposed their music. Do you recognize or remember any of the following?

"We Care a Lot" is the theme song for the Discovery Channel show Dirty Jobs.

"Easy" was used in a commercial for Levi's in 2006.

"Midlife Crisis" was used in the video games Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Tony Hawk's Underground 2

"From out of Nowhere" was featured in EA Sports' Madden NFL 2005 and NHL 2005.

"Epic" is featured in a trailer for Street Fighter IV, on the Burnout Paradise soundtrack, and is a playable track in Rock Band

"We Care a Lot" is also available on Rock Band via download

"We Care a Lot" was also included on the sound track to the 1997 John Cusack film Grosse Pointe Blank.

"Falling to Pieces" was featured in Ridley Scott's 2001 war movie Black Hawk Down, as background music while soldiers prepare for their mission.

Here's some more random Faith No More trivia:

FNM's breakthrough 1989 album, The Real Thing, reached the top ten on the charts thanks largely to MTV's heavy rotation of the "Epic" music video. The controversial music video featured footage of a fish out of water that died. The fish was later revealed to be Björk's and controversy around the fish further helped increase the band's name recognition.

Faith No More was best known for their influential and creative combination of elements associated with multiple music genres including heavy metal, funk, progressive rock, hip hop, punk and jazz.

After the band broke up in 1998, the members disbanded and went off to do solo and side projects. Since 1998, Mike Patton has written, sang or produced albums with Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk, Lovage, Fantômas, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Peeping Tom, John Zorn, The Melvins, Melt-Banana, Kool Keith, Hemophiliac, Maldoror, Painkiller, Naked City General Patton vs. The X-Ecutioners and Björk. He's also released two solo albums Adult Themes for Voice (1996) and Pranzo Oltranzista (1997).

methodshop

iPhone Helps Apple Triple Total Number of Mac Users in Only 2 Years

2009-06-15T08:44:00.004-04:00

Before announcing the new iPhone 3.0 S at WWDC last Monday, Apple's SVP of Marketing, Phil Schiller, presented some big news about the increasing number of Mac users.

"We’ve TRIPLED the number of users," he said to big applause. "It's astounding."

In the 5 years after Apple launched Mac OS X, the number of Mac users has grown steadily to 25 million. But between 2007 and 2009, the number of Mac users tripled and now surpasses 75 million.

According to statistics compiled by Net Applications, Mac OS X is the second most popular general-purpose operating system in use, after Microsoft Windows, with a 9.6% market share. It is also the most successful UNIX-based operating system ever released.

So what happened in 2007 that could have caused the spike in new Mac users? If you guessed the iPhone, then give yourself a pat on the back. Apple first announced the iPhone in January 2007.

methodshop

iPhone 3GS Feature Roundup

2009-06-11T16:32:00.022-04:00

In case you were hiding under a rock all week, Apple announced a new iPhone Monday at WWDC. It's called the iPhone 3GS and according to Phil Schiller, Apple CIO, the "S" stands for speed.

"It’s the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet. What’s inside is entirely new. It's a REALLY fast iPhone. Everything you do will have incredible speedups."

Besides being fast, what else does both the new iPhone 3Gs and its 3.0 operating system have to offer? Let's take a look:

iPhone 3.0 OS:

MMS - Unfortunately MMS won’t be available on AT&T right away. Americans will have to wait til late Summer. The rest of the world gets it right away. Why is MMS so hard for AT&T to figure out?
Cut, Copy and Paste - Really? WTF. Why did "copy and paste" have to wait until version 3.0?
In App Purchases, allowing developers sell content and services from within their apps
Peer to Peer Connectivity, particularly useful for multi-player game apps
Email Push Notification
A new Map Kit framework integrating Google Mobile Maps
iPod Library Access allowing users tap into their music, podcast or audio book libraries from third party apps
The ability to search your iPhone
Read and compose email and text messages in landscape orientation
Find My iPhone - Did you lose your iPhone? Did you leave it at a restaurant, a friend's house, or maybe in a taxi? The Find My iPhone service will show you exactly where your iPhone is on a map. You can even make your phone emit a sound (even in Silent mode) to help you find it. You can also display a message on its screen like "$50 reward" or even remotly wipe the phone's data if you think it’s lost for good.
Direct TV and Movie Downloads
Turn-by-Navigation - GPS manufacturers like Tom Tom are producing navigation software for the iPhone. They are also planning on selling dashboard mounting kits with the app. Very smart.

The iPhone 3.0 software will be available on June 17th. It's free for iPhone users and $9.99 if you have an iPod Touch.

iPhone 3GS:

Video Camera - 3MP camera with 30 FPS video recording and editing capabilities. Upload by Email or to YouTube or MobileMe from the device.
Voice commands - You can now use your voice to place calls or play songs. For example, "Call methodshop.com" or "Play a song by David Hasselhoff."
Built-in Digital Compass
Colors - Black or White
$199 (16GB version) and $299 (32GB version) from 19th June.

Apple also reduced the cost of the original 8GB iPhone 3G to only $99.

methodshop

Texas Cop Tasers 72-Year-Old Grandmother [video]

2009-06-11T01:46:00.004-04:00

Think old people tend to get away with everything? Maybe, but not in Texas.

On May 11, Kathryn Winkfein was pulled over in Austin by Travis County Constable Deputy Chris Bieze for speeding. The 72-year-old great-grandmother was allegedly driving 60 mph in a 45 mph speed zone.

The officer's dashboard camera caught the entire incident on tape. During the traffic stop, Winkfein can be heard arguing with the officer and refusing to sign the speeding ticket. The grandmother then dares the officer to shoot her with the taser as she tries to get back into her car. That's when the officer fired the taser to subdue the grandmother and bring the situation under control. Take that Grandma!

The video was released to refute statements by Winkein that she had done nothing to provoke being tasered by police. And guess what? The video has become an Internet sensation. It's tough to resist clicking on a link that says Texas Cop Tasers 72-Year-Old Grandmother [video].

Did the officer go too far? Or did Grandma need a little zap? Drop a comment below.

And if you're still in the tasering mood, here's a clip of someone getting tasered on an episode of Chris Hansen's Dateline NBC: To Catch a Predator.

methodshop

Apple Pricing Snow Leopard To Sell

2009-06-09T13:16:00.002-04:00

Looks like Apple is doing their part to help the struggling US economy... or at least give consumers a break. An upgrade to Apple’s next major operating system, called Snow Leopard, will only cost $29.

The announcement was made at the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday morning. Apple usually charges over $100 for their operating systems, but they are heavily discounting Snow Leopard to help encourage users to upgrade quickly. Apple's discounted OS, slated for a September 2009 release, might also spark a price war with Redmond. Microsoft's next OS, Windows 7, is slated for release a month after Snow Leopard. Microsoft hasn't released any pricing information for Windows 7, but Microsoft's operating systems typically cost ~$100.

Snow Leopard will be compatible with all Intel-based Macintosh computers and features an onslaught of new speed improvements. Several of the new speed and interface enhancements were demonstrated for the audience at WWDC.

Snow Leopard isn't just fast, it's also a lot leaner. Compared to to Apple's current operating system, OS X Leopard, Snow Leopard will is 6 GBs lighter.

methodshop

Sorry - Kissing Not Allowed! [pic]

2009-06-08T10:24:00.002-04:00

Late for work again? Blame it on the kissers. In an effort to streamline pedestrian traffic flow, the Warrington Bank Quay Train Station in the UK has banned couples from kissing. The station's managers say that kissing delays other commuters and holds up traffic. The no kissing signs are part of a £650,000 station refurbishment.

So what happens if you are caught locking lips in a no-kissing zone? Do you get slapped on the lips with a fine? Well... not exactly.

According to Colin Daniels, chief executive of the Warrington Chamber of Commerce, the signs are just a "bit of fun" and "they may seem frivolous but there is a serious message underneath." The Warrington Station has become increasingly busy since introducing the Pendolino and Super Voyager trains. The signs are just a lighthearted way to keep pedestrian traffic moving along at the station.

If you've been in a Malaysian taxi recently, you might have seen their signs banning kissing. Kissers beware! Unlike at the Warrington Station, the Malaysian signs are no joke. You will get fined in Malaysia.

methodshop

iPhone 3.0 to Get Direct Video Downloads

2009-06-03T09:09:00.003-04:00

According to Apple Insider, the new Apple iPhone 3.0 operating system will include the ability to directly download movies and TV shows from the iTunes Store. Users would be able to skip the step of downloading and syncing an iPhone or iPod Touch with their Mac or PC.

Apple already supports the direct downloading of video podcasts and music from their mobile version of the iTunes Store, but has held off directly selling movies and TV shows while mobile carriers expanded their 3G network capacity. The update will make Apple one of the top companies selling paid content to mobile users.

The iPhone 3.0 software update is due to arrive later this summer. In addition to direct downloads, the update will introduce over 100 new features, including the ability to:

Send photos, contacts, audio files, and location via MMS
In App Purchases, allowing developers sell content and services from within their apps
Peer to Peer Connectivity, particularly useful for multi-player game apps
Cut, copy, and paste
Email Push Notification
A new Map Kit framework integrating Google Mobile Maps
iPod Library Access allowing users tap into their music, podcast or audio book libraries from third party apps
The ability to search your iPhone
Read and compose email and text messages in landscape orientation

methodshop

Dealing with iTunes Duplicates

2009-06-02T13:18:00.001-04:00

As your iTunes Library grows, you will probably lose track of exactly what music you have already imported and end up with duplicate songs. You might accidentally import a CD twice or add files from BitTorrent. Or maybe a friend with a big Terabyte hard drive "loaded you up" with a lot of music recently.

Here are a few tips and techniques on how to get rid of duplicate songs in your iTunes Library as well as some precautions you should take before deleting duplicate tracks.

Tutorial: Managing Duplicate Songs in Your iTunes Library

methodshop

Twootles: Search Google and Twitter At the Same Time

2009-06-01T10:50:00.002-04:00

It's probably only a matter of time until Google integrates Twitter tweets into their search results. But until that day comes, there's Twootles.

Twootles a simple but web service that let's you search on Google and Twitter at the same time and will displays both results side-by-side. That's all that Twootles does right now but the developers promise that more features are on their way. You can give Twootles a try at twootles.com.

Still not sure what this "Twitter" thing is all about? This methodshop.com tutorial might shed some light on your problem.

Tutorial: How to Explain Twitter to Your Grandma

methodshop

WTF - Printers As Hazardous to Your Health As Cigarettes

2009-05-28T09:57:00.005-04:00

What's more dangerous to your health? A pack of cigarettes or the laser printer down the hall from your cubicle? The answer to that question might surprise you.

A study published in the journal of Environmental Science and Technology has found that some printers can release almost as many ultra-fine particles as a burning cigarette.

The study analyzed particle emissions from 37 different office printers, including models manufactured by Toshiba, Canon, Ricoh and Hewlett-Packard.

According to the study's author, Lidia Morawska, regular inhalation of printer particles can cause a variety of health problems ranging from cardiovascular and respiratory problems to even cancer.

But not all printers are equally as hazardous. Some printers are safe and don't emit any particles including the HP LaserJet 4050 series and Ricoh Aficio models. But concerned consumers should stay away high particle emitting printers like the HP LaserJet 1320 and 4250. These models actually increased the air particle count more than tenfold.

Besides purchasing a low particle emitting printer, what else can you do to protect yourself from printer particles?

Always place printers in well ventilated areas.
Avoid close proximity to newer toner cartridges. They emit more particles than older cartridges.
Keep your distance from printers printing photos and graphics. High ink documents cause the printer to emit an increased amount of particles compared to plain text documents and emails.
If you work in the print industry or at a large copy center, you might want to start working on your resume.

methodshop

Tutorial: Making Celebrity Miis for the Nintendo Wii

2009-05-27T13:16:00.001-04:00

The Nintendo Wii is a great console. It's family friendly, fun and allows you to customize your characters, called Miis, used in many of the games.

The "Mii" is a brilliant concept. Instead of being some generic character in a game, you can be yourself. You can also make a celebrity look alike Mii. That way the next time you are playing Baseball on Wii Sports, you might end up with a celebrity Mii on your team like Oprah, Borat (pictured below), Charlie Brown (pictured on right) or even Dwight Schrute from the American TV show The Office.

This tutorial will guide you through making a Mii and sharing it on the Internet as well as give you plenty of celebrity Mii ideas.

Tutorial: How to Make and Share Celebrity Miis for the Nintendo Wii

methodshop

Astronauts’ Drink of Choice: Urine

2009-05-21T10:10:00.006-04:00

How to you celebrate the installation of a wastewater recycling system? How about with a bag of recycled urine water? This week 3 astronauts aboard the International Space Station drank their own urine [video], officially testing the facility’s Urine Processing Assembly.

NASA has been working on a urine recycling system for years. The system is a vital part of NASA's plan to put astronaut outposts on the moon and Mars. The water recycler will also help budget strapped space mission budgets by reducing the amount of water shipped into space by Russian resupply ships.

While demonstrating the new system for the press, U.S. astronaut Michael Barratt joked "We have these highly attractive labels on our water bags that essentially say 'brought to you by ECLSS,' and 'drink when real water is over 200 miles away.'"

So how does this new $250 million dollar wastewater recycling system work? The system takes the crew's urine from the toilets and pumps it into a big tank where the water is boiled and water vapor collected.

Yummy!

methodshop

Palm Pre Release Date Confirmed

2009-05-21T08:04:00.003-04:00

Good news iPhone haters, this week, Palm announced the release date for the Palm Pre. The much-anticipated touchscreen/keyboard hybrid will be available June 6th at several locations including Sprint stores, RadioShack, Best Buy and even Wal-Mart.

So why is everyone so excited for the Palm Pre anyway? The Palm Pre has several main advantages over the iPhone. They include:

Touchscreen / Keyboard Hybrid - One of the biggest complaints of iPhone users is the lack of keyboard. The Pre combines the QWERTY keyboard of the BlackBerry with the touchscreen easy of the iPhone.
Synergy - Palm's new Synergy service allows you to group all your conversations by contact not service. This means all conversations with a contact - even if it's a mix of several services including phone, MMS, IM, email, or SMS - will all be grouped together on the same screen.
Multi-App OS - Palm's new OS allows users to run more than one application at a time and quickly switch between them. In comparison, the iPhone has to shut down each app before opeing another.

The Pre was the darling gadget of CES 2009 and Palm has a lot of momentum right now. Palm is using this momentum by aggressively going after Apple. Not only are they matching the iPhone price of $200 with a 2-year commitment, but June 6th is only two days before Apple's WWDC keynote. Two days doesn't give Apple much time to calculate a response. The rumor mills have been pretty quiet, but who knows, maybe Apple has something clever up their sleeves for WWDC.

methodshop

Napster Relaunches Under Best Buy

2009-05-19T12:39:00.002-04:00

If you go to Napster.com, you might recognize the same old Napster logo from the Shawn Fanning days (Napster's founder circa 1999), but now there's a tiny Best Buy tag in the bottom of the homepage. Last year right before the American economy tanked, Best Buy bought Napster for a $121 million. All has been quiet on the Napster front until this week when Best Buy unveiled their new plan for the former file sharing service.

The new version of Napster now has a $5 monthly subscription plan (when Roxio owned Napster it used to be $15). So what do you get for your $5 a month?

5 MP3 downloads per month
free on-demand streaming of more than 7 million songs
access to the Napster music store where you can download additional MP3s priced between $0.69 and $1.29.

Can this new version of Napster really compete with Apple's iTunes? It's doubtful. The only feature Napster offers that iTunes doesn't is streaming music. But there are plenty of free services on the Internet, like Pandora, that offer streaming music. iTunes users can just buy what music they want in the iTunes Store, use Pandora for free and get everything the new Napster offers without the $5 subscription fee.

methodshop