Cracking Siri

http://applidium.com/en/news/cracking_siri/

November 14, 2011 Posted in: Computers & Computing, Do It Yourself No Comments

3M film turns windows into transparent solar panels

http://www.itworld.com/hardware/210279/3m-film-turns-windows-transparent-solar-panels

October 5, 2011 Posted in: Technology, Energy & Science No Comments

Modern-day aviation pioneer achieves world’s first untethered, manned electric helicopter flight

http://www.gizmag.com/first-successful-manned-electric-helicopter-flight/19716

September 5, 2011 Posted in: Do It Yourself, Transportation No Comments

Killing a cancer cell from the inside out

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/cancer-detection-circuit-0902.html

September 2, 2011 Posted in: Health & Medicine No Comments

Police Try To Bring Wiretapping Charges Against Woman Who Filmed Them Beating A Man

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110812/23525115512/police-try-to-bring-wiretapping-charges-against-woman-who-filmed-them-beating-man.shtml

August 15, 2011 Posted in: Police State No Comments

Researchers create artificial lung that works with air rather than pure oxygen

http://www.gizmag.com/artificial-lung/19332/

July 27, 2011 Posted in: Do It Yourself, Health & Medicine No Comments

One Coffee Cup a Day | 30 Days 30 Cups

http://cunicode.com/one-coffee-cup-a-day/

June 30, 2011 Posted in: Art, Coffee No Comments

LSD Alleviates ‘Suicide Headaches’

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/06/lsd-alleviates-suicide-headaches.html

June 28, 2011 Posted in: Drugs, Health & Medicine No Comments

Markus Kayser Builds a Solar-Powered 3D Printer that Prints Glass from Sand and a Sun-Powered Cutter

http://thisiscolossal.com/2011/06/markus-kayser-builds-a-solar-powered-3d-printer-that-prints-glass-from-sand-and-a-sun-powered-laser-cutter/

June 26, 2011 Posted in: Do It Yourself, Technology, Energy & Science No Comments

Star Wars Galaxies To Gasp It’s Dying Breath December 15, 2011

Dear Star Wars Galaxies™ Community Member,

We write to you today to inform you that on December 15, 2011, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and LucasArts will end all services (MMO and Trading Card Game) for Star Wars Galaxies (SWG). The shutdown of SWG is a very difficult decision, but SOE and LucasArts have mutually agreed that the end of 2011 is the appropriate time to end the game.

We are extremely grateful to all of the SWG fans. We have had the rare opportunity to host one of the most dedicated and passionate online gaming communities and we truly appreciate the support we’ve received from each and every one of you over the course of the past eight years.

In recognition of your incredible loyalty, we are extending special Fan Appreciation offers to the current SWG community. We also plan to go out with a bang with a galaxy-ending in-game event in December and hope to see you all there. The details relating to these offers and events as well as the timeline and specifics regarding the discontinuation of the service, are provided below.

Again, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our player community for making SWG one of the best online communities in gaming history.

Sincerely,
Sony Online Entertainment & LucasArts

The Fine Details:

Discontinuation of Services:

As of September 15, 2011, the SWG MMO and Trading Card Game will no longer be available for sale or subscription at both retail and all online digital retailers. All billing for active subscribers with accounts in good standing, except for Station Access subscribers, will end on October 15, 2011.

If you are an active subscriber in good standing as of September 15, 2011, then you can play for free for the final months. Players wishing to play through the end of the game and participate in the galaxy-ending event planned for the last week of live service in December will need to re-activate or join the game on or before September 15th. No new or reactivated accounts will be accepted after September 15, 2011.

As of today, June 24, 2011, we are discontinuing the 12, 6, and 3-month subscription plans, meaning these subscription options will no longer be offered for newly created SWG accounts. SWG subscribers who have prepaid six (6) or twelve (12)-month game time plans that extend their subscription period past October 15, 2011 will receive a pro-rated refund for any such pre-paid excess subscription payments*. Such refunds are expected to be issued within 90-days after the game ends.

In addition, we will be discontinuing the sale of all Star Wars Galaxies™ Trading Card Game (TCG) digital card packs as of today, June 24, 2011. Loot cards will not be redeemable in the SWG MMO after September 15, 2011. The TCG will continue to operate until the final service closure on December 15, 2011.

Galaxy-Ending Event – Be Part of this Historic Event

During the last week that SWG is available, we’re inviting the community to participate in a galaxy-ending event. We’re going to end with a bang and we want the final chapter of the galaxy to be written in part by the dedicated and passionate SWG community. Details will be announced at a later date.

Fan Appreciation Offers

We welcome those active SWG subscribers in good standing to play one or all of the below SOE massively-multiplayer online PC games at a fully-paid subscriber status (or “membership” status where relevant) at no cost between October 15, 2011 and December 31, 2011 (subject to the terms and conditions described below). To activate these special offers, use the same Station Account you use now to subscribe to SWG** and simply click on the game you would like to try to download the game software. We are offering the following SOE games: Free Realms^®, Star Wars^®: Clone Wars Adventures™, EverQuest^®, EverQuest^® II and DC Universe™ Online. The game software will all be made available for download on a link accessible from the StarWarsGalaxies.com web site beginning on October 15, 2011.

June 24, 2011 Posted in: Games and Gaming, Nostalgia No Comments

Building a Gary Gygax Memorial

http://www.gygaxmemorialfund.com/index.php/2-uncategorised-uncategorised/9-land-in-donian-park

June 20, 2011 Posted in: Games and Gaming, Nostalgia No Comments

Miami Beach Police Ordered Videographer At Gunpoint To Hand Over Phone

http://www.pixiq.com/article/MIami Beach Police Ordered Videographer At Gunpoint To Hand Over

June 4, 2011 Posted in: Police State No Comments

Wind power harnesses the energy of galloping

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21028145.700-wind-power-harnesses-the-energy-of-galloping.html

June 4, 2011 Posted in: Nature, Technology, Energy & Science No Comments

The Slow, Strange Death Of The Demo

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/05/26/the-slow-strange-death-of-the-demo/

May 27, 2011 Posted in: Games and Gaming No Comments

Growing a Brain in a Dish

http://scienceblogs.com/deanscorner/2011/05/growing_a_brain_in_a_dish.php

May 26, 2011 Posted in: Health & Medicine No Comments

Arizona Governor Sues To Stop Medical Marijuana Program

http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2011/05/arizona_governor_sues_to_stop_medical_marijuana_pr.php

May 25, 2011 Posted in: Drugs, Police State No Comments

SOE Hack = Over a month of free gaming to all current & former players

There seems to be a potential silver lining to the Sony hack:

To show our gratitude for your patience and support, SOE is offering a Welcome Back program. As part of this program, you will receive 45 days of game time (30 days plus 1 day for each day of the outage), added to your Station Account. This game time applies to any game you have currently or previously activated on your Station Account.

For those customers currently on an active paying plan, this time will be added to the end of your current billing cycle. For all other customers, your time begins upon your first login to each of the relevant games.

Please note, customers must log in by 11:59 pm PST August 31, 2011 to claim the game time.

Should you require game software, visit www.soe.com/getthegame.

Additionally, many games are offering a variety of items and special events to welcome players back. Get the Welcome Back Program details.

SOE is committed to helping its customers protect their personal data and will provide a complimentary identity theft protection program. For Station Account holders in the United States, we have made arrangements with Debix, Inc., one of the industry’s most reputable identity protection firms, to offer a 12-month complimentary enrollment in the AllClear ID PLUS identity theft protection program. For detailed program information, click here.

Complimentary enrollment begins upon registration for the program and you will have until June 28, 2011 to sign up for AllClear ID PLUS. You will need to sign up directly through Debix after claiming your access code from SOE. Please note, you will need to reset your Station Account password before you can enroll for this service. Get your access code and instructions, here.

Step 1 - Reset Your Station Account Password

Step 2 - Obtain AllClear ID PLUS access code

Step 3 - Sign up for AllClear ID PLUS at www.allclearid.com/sony