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Apple's MobileMe drops support for IE 6 on 37signals: "So it’s interesting that MobileMe is the first major web application (that I know of, at least) that’s dropped IE 6 support completely. It’s a gutsy move, since Apple’s billing it as a way to access your data from anywhere.
And I’m hoping it’s the beginning of a trend. IE 6 is definitely the most painful browser for us to support – it’s seven years old and doesn’t even fully support the CSS 1.0 standard created in 1996."
Let the cheerleading for the abandoment of IE6 begin, and let it continue with me.The Tragedy of America's Disappearing Fathers on WSJ.com: "As we celebrate Father's Day tomorrow, we should reflect upon a sad fact: It is now common to meet young people in our big city schools, foster-care homes and juvenile centers who do not know their dads. Most of those children have come face-to-face with their father at some point; but most have little regular contact with the man, or have any faith that he loves or cares about them...
This represents a dramatic shift in American life. In the early 1960s, only 2.3% of white children and 24% of black children were born to a single mom. Having a dad, in short, is now a privilege, a ticket to middle-class status on par with getting into a good college."Remembering Russert: Bills had a special place in journalist's life on NFL.com: "Tim Russert truly loved the Buffalo Bills. Loved them because they were his hometown team. Loved them because they were an integral part of his earliest and fondest childhood memories. Loved them because of the bond they helped create between him and his father, the subject of his bestselling book, Big Russ & Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life. Loved them because of the direct and unbreakable link between his heart and their fortunes.
When I heard the shocking news that his heart had suddenly stopped beating on Friday, I, like others who call Buffalo home, immediately thought about the connection between Russert and the Bills."
What a shame that he died so young and so close to Father's Day.How to Eat Healthily at Top Chain Restaurants on Lifehacker: "The food experts at Health magazine have scoured the menus at popular restaurant chains in search of the healthiest foods on the menu, rounding up several healthy menu options at otherwise unhealthy chains."
They found reasonably healthy choices at Denny's, Ruby Tuesday, and P.F. Chang's, among others.The "missing" iPhone ringtone on TUAW: "We've all seen the iPhone ads.... None are identical, but most have something in common. Namely, that peculiar ringtone. We call it peculiar because it isn't actually included with the iPhone. Luckily, most of us have it installed on our computers already."
The article goes on to explain how to convert the Apple Loop that comes with GarageBand (part of iLife '08) into a ringtone for your iPhone.Ode To A Burrito -- Chipotle Mexican Grill on Fast Company: "Good food wrapped in a socially responsible message has created legions of Chipotle fans -- and a superhot business. Acquired by McDonald's in 1998 when there were only 14 Chipotles, the company went public in 2006 with 500 stores and watched its stock rise from $22 to $110 in 18 months. The now-independent outfit is enjoying an 80% revenue run-up over three years....
"Chipotle has achieved these impressive stats by spurning fast-food orthodoxy. Workers make each burrito by hand, which leads to long lines of customers waiting far beyond the four-minute industry standard. Turns out, that's not a problem for many customers." There aren't many Chipotles in Pennsylvania, but one just opened in Warrington, in the same complex with one of our two closest Wegman's. Why can't we eat there more often? [ via 37signals SVN ]Torvalds: Leopard file system "utter crap" on MacNN: "Linux creator Linus Torvalds recently blasted Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard for having a file system that is 'complete and utter crap' at a Linux conference in Melbourne."
The Leopard file system, technically known as HFS+, has been around in some form since the last time I was a Mac developer-- 1992. Of course Apple would like to move to something more robust. They've been building up to switch to ZFS, or some other sophisticated file system, for some time now.
Forty years since Masterton's death on the Globe on Hockey Blog: "Masterton, 29 at the time, was checked by Larry Cahan and Ron Harris of the Oakland Seals, and hit his head on the ice after falling backwards. The game took place Jan. 13, 1968, in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Masterton died in hospital two days later due to a brain injury."
"His death led to the lobbying of more widespread use of helmets, and a mandatory helmet rule was passed in the summer of 1979." Anyone playing ice hockey should pause for a moment and remember Bill Masterton. His unfortunate death began a series of rule changes and other protective measures that have made our sport much safer.
Andrea Jung Joins Apple Board of Directors on MacRumors.com: "Apple has announced that Andrea Jung has been elected to Apple's board. Andrea also serves as Chairman and CEO of Avon Products, board member of General Electric, and member of the New York Presbyterian Hospital board of trustees and the Catalyst board of directors."
Why the CEO of Avon and why now? Speculation is that her board seat at GE will make her helpful in brokering an agreement with NBC Universal to bring them back into the iTunes fold.
PC Makers Take A Stylish Turn To Tackle Apple in The Wall Street Journal: "...Spurred in part by the success of Apple Inc.'s innovative products, as well as a consumer shift toward notebook computers, PC makers have begun a radical overhaul of their machines' appearance. They're racing to replace boring boxes with sexy silhouettes that will differentiate their products, entice new buyers and command higher prices...."
I think that this will prove to be a classic misunderstanding of the market, akin to the mobile phone companies' efforts to find a touch screen handset to compete with the iPhone-- Apple doesn't depend on industrial design alone to sell its products.
Washington Post Flubs Story On RIAA -- RIAA Still Not Going After Personal Copies (Yet) on Techdirt: "While we know that the RIAA is constantly pushing to extend both the meaning and scope of copyright law, in this case the details were pretty clear that they were not going after Howell for just ripping his CDs, but for putting those ripped files into a shared Kazaa folder. Now you can (and we do!) disagree that simply putting files into a shared folder are infringement, but that's different than just claiming that ripping the CDs is illegal or that he was being targeted just for ripping the CDs."
This analysis contradicts the story we linked to early this week in our article RIAA Suing Individuals Over Ripping CDs for Personal Use. I don't know who's right on this issue.
Bills return to Buffalo by bus after loss in Cleveland, The Associated Press on ESPN.com: "Mother Nature sure had it in for the Buffalo Bills this weekend."
"Bad enough that a blizzard contributed to Buffalo's loss at Cleveland on Sunday, ending the team's playoff chances. Then, following an unscheduled overnight stay because of bad weather, the Bills were forced to bus home Monday after their charter plane got stuck in mud off a runway in Cleveland...." [ Thanks Julie Howson ]
Verizon FiOS with only a Apple Airport Extreme {sic} on Elecktronkind.org: Excellent article on the things you need to do to replace the ActionTec router that Verizon provides to most FiOS users with an Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station. Something we hope to do in The Home Office in Newtown sometime after Christmas.
One key fact to note from this article: You do need to keep the ActionTec router on the network if you have Verizon's digital cable service that's delivered over FiOS. Hopefully we can turn off the wireless capability of the ActionTec and put the AirPort Extreme Base Station behind it.
Amazon.com Sets Deadlines for Christmas Orders: Super Saver Shipping deadline is December 17. Standard Shipping is December 18. Amazon Prime December 20 by 6pm Eastern Standard Time.
One date that I didn't see in this list that's probably important: HDTV sale deadline is December 16th.
DirecTV Sat-Go Impressions (How Much is TV Anywhere Worth to You?) on Gizmodo: "Earl of DBStalk really loves TV. He (and people like him) is the reason why DirecTV invented this 26-pound satellite TV box that lets you get satellite television anywhere. If you're asking yourself who would actually lug this thing around when they go camping, vacationing, or traveling, you're obviously not in the target '8 hours of TV a day' audience."
I guess there isn't a pro football tailgater or a pro cycling fan among Gizmodo's editors. Those groups could be the prime targets for DirecTV Sat-Go, in my opinion.
Operation Gadget doesn't publish false stories on April Fools Day, but we don't mind pointing out good sources of April Fools Day information to keep the spirit of the day alive.
More is Better: Cochlear Implants on Ivanhoe.com: "One cochlear implant can change the world for someone with significant hearing loss. Now, researchers say two cochlear implants, devices that transmit sound signals to the brain, can make an even bigger difference.
"Children with two cochlear implants are better able to understand speech and locate the source of different sounds, according to researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison." [ via Medgadget.com ]
Birmingham Hip, or How to Sell Fresh Hips to Boomers on Medgadget: "In an effort to help their physically active baby-boomer patients, orthopedic surgeons are turning to a new but growing technique known as 'hip resurfacing'.... This bone-sparing procedure promises to last much longer than traditional hip replacements while allowing a great range of physical activity for the patient." This article cites a Forbes piecs that's behing the paywall at the moment.
According to FloydLandis.com, Floyd Landis' received Birmingham Hip Resurfacing, so this is undoubtedly the best practice for athletes of any age.
Punch Counting Software May Predict Boxing Fatality on Medgadget: "Drs. Miele and Bailes from the Virginia University School of Medicine looked at the ability of punch counting software, PunchStat, to objectively identify fatal bouts and determine which fights should be stopped. Their findings showed that amongst average boxers, the software had some predictive value that faded with more competitive fighters."
According to HBO, Punchstat was created by CompuBox, Inc., a Long Island, NY-based company run by boxing expert Bob Canobbio
Y'all come - 2007 Tour de Georgia gets green light on TdGblog: "This year's edition of the Tour de Georgia is a definite go, after organizers canvassed existing sponsors, teams, and some additional Georgia businesses to make up for the lack of a true title sponsor.
"The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that the race still faces a shortfall of around $200,000, and that organizers continue to seek “additional opportunities for fundraising.”
Bucks getting 'sleeted to death' on PhillyBurbs.com: "...As of 2:30 p.m., a quarter of an inch of sleet has pounded {Southern Bucks County, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia}. As much as three inches of sleet could mount by midnight."
"You can just keep piling on several inches of sleet," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Bob Smerback.
"If it was all snow you could end up with 10 inches of snow or a heavy rain storm if it was a little warmer. It looks like we’re going to get sleeted to death here with this one."
Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Early Spring, Associated Press story on MyWay.com: "Phil did not see his shadow on Friday, which, according to German folklore, means folks can expect an early spring instead of six more weeks of winter."
"Since 1886, Phil has seen his shadow 96 times, hasn't seen it 15 times and there are no records for nine years, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. The last time Phil failed to see his shadow was in 1999."
Punxsutawney, PA is 301 miles NNW of Newtown, near Clearfield and Dubois.
Landmark Legal Foundation Nominates Rush Limbaugh for 2007 Nobel Peace Prize on news.yahoo.com: "We are offering this nomination for Mr. Limbaugh's nearly two decades of tireless efforts to promote liberty, equality and opportunity for all mankind, regardless of race, creed, economic stratum or national origin. We fervently believe that these are the only real cornerstones of just and lasting peace throughout the world."
The Left will have a field day with this one. [ via Drudge Report ]
Episode 31: Homemade Zamboni, a podcast on Popular Science Blog: "Inventor Damian Renzello has been making portable skating rinks and related accessories for years, so it's not surprising that it's come to this: a homemade super zamboni that blows snow, shaves ice, and looks totally awesome."
It's kind of a sacrilege that Popular Science calls this ice resurfacing machine a zamboni with a small "Z", but the editor apparently didn't know who Frank J. Zamboni was. [ via Make Blog ]
Inconspicuous Consumption: Hiding the Plasma TV on WSJ.com: "Big home-entertainment systems and flat-screen plasma television sets may remain status symbols for some, but as prices continue to drop -- and the devices become ubiquitous -- an increasing number of consumers are downplaying their living-room gadgetry."
Highlights of this article include discussions of the VisionArt system of retractable artwork that can be used to hide flat panel TVs, PCs manufactured by Suissa Computers that have custom wood cabinetry, and Wood Contour computer peripherals. [ Paid subscription probably required to read this article. ]
Wrestling suspended after herpes outbreak, Associated Press article on ESPN.com: "The Minnesota State High School League banned competitions and direct contact between wrestlers in practice until Feb. 6 after 24 cases of herpes gladiatorum were reported by 10 teams. The virus is spread by skin-to-skin contact, and symptoms include lesions on the face, head and neck."
It seems like some herpes outbreaks like this have been missed by doctors who are looking for signs of MRSA outbreaks in athletics.
Runometer.com: "The run database that uses your Apple iPod™ with Nike+™ and matches it up with the routes you run."
"Tired of long downloads and slow, proprietary sites to view and compare your runs recorded with a popular music/pedometer integration? Wish you could relate the workout data you collect to the routes you run? We provide a free, for-fun service that lets you combine maps of runs with the information you've recorded." [ via Hack A Day ]
Solvang Camp: DC Team Travel on ThePaceline.com: "Getting from Point A to Point B might sound like an easy proposition,a but what if you have almost 30 Point A's to begin with? Is it still as easy as A-B-C? Well, if you take the word of Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team logistics specialist Barbara Van Maeldergem it's literally all in a day's work. Barbara is an enthusiastic twenty-four year old from Brakel, Belgium, and she organizes the travel to and from the races for the riders and staff all year long. She's been working for DC since last April and connected up with the team through the service crews who live in her town. She studied Tourism, speaks perfect English (as well as four other languages), and has always had a love of sports."
Team Discovery Channel's off-season cycling camp is getting underway in Solvang, CA. This article describes travel arrangements for a pro cycling team. [ Free registration required to read content from The Paceline. ]
January 24 is the first anniversary of my season-ending leg injury that was the end result of a high speed collision between me, working as an ice hockey official, and a player from the Red Bank Catholic boys' varsity ice hockey team during a game against St. Augustine Prep School in Vineland, NJ. Physically and mentally, I'm fully recovered.
The skinny on the new NHL uniforms on ESPN.com: "It could've been worse. A lot worse."
"That's Uni Watch's preliminary reaction to the NHL's new Reebok-designed, snug-fitting 'uniform system,' which will get a test drive in Wednesday night's All-Star Game and then be used league-wide next season. Uni Watch emphasizes the 'preliminary' qualifier there, because for now the NHL is only revealing the All-Star Game version of the new uni. It remains to be seen how the 30 NHL teams will fit their logos and other graphics into the new silhouette. We won't see those designs (several of which aren't even finalized yet) until this spring or summer.
It's a good thing that the NHL didn't bring back Cooperalls. Some of us are still getting over that mistake.
The NHL SuperSkills Competition airs on Tuesday night at 7:30 Eastern Time on Versus, and CBC and RDS in Canada. The All-Star Game will air at 8:00pm Eastern Time on Wednesday on the same networks.
iPhone - the roach motel business model on Boing Boing: "Lock-in isn't good for you. Does anyone really believe that Apple will make better products if its customers aren't free to switch to a competitor? Or that Cingular's network and pricing will be improved by lock-in?" The article claims that iTunes digital rights management, a subscriber lock forcing you to keep using Cingular service indefinitely, and a prohibition on installing third-party software on the iPhone will all lead to a less than satisfying user experience.
I doubt that third-party software will be totally prohibited, but wonder what it will take to get an application or a widget for the iPhone certified.
Equal Cheers for Boys and Girls Draw Some Boos on NYTimes.com: "Whitney Point is one of 14 high schools in the Binghamton area that began sending cheerleaders to girls’ games in late November, after the mother of a female basketball player in Johnson City, N.Y., filed a discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Education. She said the lack of official sideline support made the girls seem like second-string, and violated Title IX’s promise of equal playing fields for both sexes."
"But the ruling has left many people here and across the New York region booing, as dozens of schools have chosen to stop sending cheerleaders to away games, as part of an effort to squeeze all the home girls’ games into the cheerleading schedule."
"... as the New York State Public High School Athletic Association warned in a letter to its 768 members in November, the education department determined that cheerleaders should be provided 'regardless of whether the girls’ basketball teams wanted and/or asked for' them."
Hockey-Coach Quota on WSJ.com: "The University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves hockey team is on a roll, and interim coach Dave Shyiak is a top candidate for coach of the year in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association."
"But the team has a big problem. Mr. Shyiak was born in Canada and is working as a so-called temporary H1-B professional worker. His visa is expiring and U.S. immigration officials fret that this foreigner may be taking a job from an American citizen. So the university must comply with rules that require it to verify that there is no American worker who is 'able, willing, qualified, and available to accept the job at the prevailing wage for that occupation.' The university is taking out newspaper ads for the hockey team's head-coach position and hoping no one applies."
Who would have thought that the H1-B visa program would impact NCAA Division I college hockey? [ Subscription probably required. ]
Does VMware for Macs have a chance? on news.yahoo.com from Infoworld: "About 70,000 people registered for a free download of {VMware for Intel-based Macintosh computers} prior to the release of the beta version Dec. 21 and since then, about half of them have proceeded with the download, said Srinivas Krishnamurti, director of product management and market development for VMware."
This software is probably going to make Parallels look a little weak before too long. VMware has some amazing virtualization technology in its arsenal.
The North Face Endurus XCR Boa Trail Running Shoe on 37 Signals SVN: "I’m a sucker for novel inventions that solve real problems. Enter the Endurus XCR Boa by The North Face. It may not solve a problem that a whole lot of people face, but it’s a real innovation for long distance runners."
"In The Perfect Human, Dean Karnazes — a man who ran 50 marathons in 50 days — shares his 12 secrets for success. Among them: Go laceless."
The Endurus XCR Boa is not the first laceless running shoe, but it looks like a good design. My wife will probably want to buy a pair for me, since I often have to stop and retie my shoes when we go on walks around Newtown.
I was on the road Monday, so this is my first opportunity to get some links up from the past few days.
The true meaning of Hanukkah from CranburyPress.com: "Though not a major holiday on the Jewish calendar, local rabbis say Hanukkah's message of religious freedom and tolerance is an important one."
"Hanukkah begins today (Friday) at sundown and ends sundown Dec. 23. The holiday commemorates the triumph of the Jews over the religious persecution of Greco-Syrians and the miracle thereafter by which one day's worth of oil burned for eight days."
Happy Hanukkah to all from Operation Gadget.
Why You Can't See the Game in HDTV on WSJ.com: "A warning to fans who plan to buy a TV before Christmas: Watching sports in HD is no slam dunk. Many nationally televised sports events are now available in HD, but most games are still beamed by regional cable sports networks or independent stations that don't yet broadcast in high definition."
"The amount of HD coverage varies widely depending on the team and region, but many popular sports franchises remain tough to see in HD." [ Joint pick by Martin O'Donnell and Dave Aiello; Subscription probably required. ]
At the rink today for my first NJSIAA-sanctioned high school hockey game of the season. If you are at Mercer County Park in West Windsor, NJ at 4:00pm, I'll see you there.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family from Operation Gadget.
It's amazing how much less cluttered my laptop screen is now.
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Operation Gadget is a weblog dedicated to news and reviews of electronic gadgets and technology used in sports.
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editor and publisher: Dave Aiello
west coast bureau chief: Martin O'Donnell Copyright © 2003-2006, Chatham Township Data Corporation. All Rights Reserved. "Operation Gadget" is a service mark of Chatham Township Data Corporation. All other products and company names mentioned on Operation Gadget may be trademarks of their respective owners. Any comments posted to Operation Gadget are the legal responsibility of the person that posted them. Comments may be removed from this system at any time, at the sole discretion of Chatham Township Data Corporation or its authorized agents. |
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