Harry Chen Thinks Aloud

The old news that is Nintendo will release its new game console Wii later this year. The new news is that I plan to buy one when it comes out. I’m not a die-hard gamer, but I’m love with Wii, especially its game controller.

The new controller shapes like a typical TV remote control, but it provides more that just few button inputs. Embedded with motion sensors, the new controller “allows users to direct action on the screen by swinging it like a bat, a sword, a racquet or a golf club”.

Take a look at this Nintendo Wii E3 video, and get really excited about Wii.

More videos and podcast shows from E3.

Release date: 4Q of 2006 (yahoo! news)

I’m fluent in two different languages, Chinese and English. Tim Finin’s recent blog post on “China predicted to have 60,000,000 bloggers by year’s end” got me to think about the benefits of being bilingual (or multi-lingual) on the Internet.

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In Nevada, the Gaming Control Board recently recommend Cantor Gaming as the state’s first licensed manufacturer and distributor of wireless gambling devices. I think the idea is that in the future people will be able to use wireless devices to enter bets, play poker and bingo while sitting in pool-side chairs and enjoying sunshines.

This again demonstrates the power of technology and its impact on traditional business models. Back in days, electronic porkers machines were the hottest devices that had attracted many people to the Vegas casinos. In the next few years, I think we will see wireless gambling devices and the likes will attracting more tech-oriented people to the Sin City.

Though, I’m do have worries about this kind of technology. Especially, they may encourage minors to participate in gambling since young people are at the forth front of new technology adoption.

Source: Wireless Gambling Co. Gets Nevada Backing, WashingtonPost.com, May 3, 2006

The other day, while I was watching TV, I thought I heard my cellphone ringing, but it turned out to be some high pitch noise from my TV. According the experts, this is called audio illusion — or phantom phone rings, ringxiety, or fauxcellarm.

So what causes our brains to think that our cellphones are ringing, but in fact they are not?

Some sound experts suspect that because cellphones have become a fifth limb for many, people now live in a constant state of phone vigilance, and hearing sounds that seem like a telephone’s ring can send an expectant brain into action.

“My experience has been hearing just a few notes that are similar to my phone’s ring, my brain will fill in the rest,” said David Laramie, a doctoral student at the Los Angeles campus of the California School of Professional Psychology, who is writing his dissertation about the effect of cellphones on behavior.”

Source: Anybody else hear that ringing?, IHT technology, May 4, 2006.

Personally, I have encountered other types audio illusion. Sometimes random noises cause me to think that a message was received on my Instant Messenger application, or a text message was received on my cellphone. Welcome to my digitally connected life style!

Skype announced a new service that allows up to 100 people to chat over the Internet. This service called Skypecast targets the growing social network phenomenon on the Internet. It will provide a virtual space for people to chat about computers, blogs, and other “stuff”.

If you’re worried about some people not going to shut up during a community chat, Skypecast has built-in functions that solve this problem.

“The service is moderated by a designated host who passes a virtual microphone to participants when they wish to speak. To keep conversations on track, the software allows the moderator to silence or eject detractors.”

Source: ‘Skypecast’ to bring 100 people in for a chat, IHT, May 3, 2006.

I think Skypecast is a really good idea. An application that I can immediately benefit is using it for my neighborhood’s Home Association meetings. Many people in the neighborhood don’t attend those meetings because they are lazy, which I don’t blame them. If we allow people to call in with Skypecast, I think more people will attend the meetings. Maybe I will bring up this issue the next time I go.

Recently Yahoo! announced a technology review website called Yahoo! Tech. This new site is aimed to help average people to follow and track the latest technology development. It’s kind of like what CNET does.

Few things I like about Yahoo! Tech:

• It allows users to save and share tech products that they plan to purchase. Users can also comment on products that they already own, and these comments are automatically shared with the community.
• It’s an eye-candy. A lot of Flash and Ajax. There is even an option that allows you to adjust the web page layout to fit either a wide-screen display or a normal display.

Few things I don’t like about Yahoo! Tech:

• The user interface is too fancy. Though I think the use of Ajax and Flash are exciting, but too much of it becomes a distraction when I want to focus on the content of the page.
• Not enough information. Maybe because the site is new, not many tech products have expert reviews and user comments. I guess this will improve as time pasts.

I think Yahoo! Tech is a good project and has a lot of potential. If it is to compete with CNET, its content must be improved and expanded. Until then, I stick with CNET reviews for my tech shopping needs.

We all know iPod is for music and entertainment. Few years ago, no one would ever guess that iPod could also be used for education. There is a growing number of “iTunes U” in the US. These universities explore the use podcasts and iPods to encourage students to learn.

Here are some real uses of iPods and podcasts:

• A history professor asks students to download 39 films to their video-capable iPods so she doesn’t have to spend class time screening the movies.
• A psychology professor has found a new-age answer to office hours: a podcast of the week’s most asked questions.
• Foreign language students use iPods to immerse themselves in coursework.
• University administrators want to use podcasts to recruit high schoolers to the 3,000-student campus.

Source: Rural college push iPod use for lectures, CNN, March 20, 2006

Technology evolution is a strange thing. Sometimes it’s extremely difficult to predict how a new technology will use when it gets into the hands of general population. The use of iPod is a good example.

BusinessWeek runs an article on “The Top Ten Hybrid Myths“. It talks about few interesting hybrid vehicle facts that most people don’t know about. I recommend this article not only because it’s informative, but also some reader comments are worthy of additional discussions.

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