by Ryan Block, posted Jun 28th 2008 at 3:27AM
You didn’t really think we’d make it through his retirement without running the sexiest of all Bill photos, did you? We have to wonder what he’ll feel like tomorrow morning, though — we hear the headache on a 33 year software hangover is absolutely vicious.

Anyhow, just because the man’s left the building doesn’t mean you can’t take home a few of his fine products. Hit the contests below, they close up Sunday night.

Feel the love
The Bill Gates Engadgethology
Bill Gates: top ten greatest hits (and misses) - the Microsoft years
Engadget’s farewell card to Bill G
Bill Gates wipes away tears at Microsoft farewell
How would you change Microsoft if you were Bill Gates?
Celebrate Bill Gates Day with us here at Engadget

Contests
The Bill Day giveaway (part 1) - Toshiba Gigabeat T400
The Bill Day giveaway (part 2) - Office Ultimate 2007
The Bill Day giveaway (part 3) - Zune 80GB (black)
The Bill Day giveaway (part 4) - Windows Vista Ultimate

Read - Coverage of Bill’s farewell town hall event
Read - Clip from Bill’s little speech to employees

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Filed in archive Announcement by jim on June 28, 2008

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Here's a concept I just discovered and it really appeals to me.

The organization, "World Wide Moment", has a goal of attaining peace on Earth, for at least one moment, on August 08, 2008, or, 08-08-08@08:08+08GMT.

The idea is that if everyone stops at that particular time and snaps a photo the world will have been at peace for that moment.

By doing so the photos will forever preserve what the world was like in various places for that moment.

World Wide Moment intends to store and display the photos both in galleries and online for all to see.

I think this is a cool idea and I intend to participate and I hope you will too.

Source:www.worldwidemoment.org

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by Donald Melanson, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 10:22PMWhile mind-control interfaces are all well and good, sometimes a simpler solution makes a bit more sense, and that’s where this so-called Copycat Arm comes in. Developed by a group of researchers at the University of Tsukub, it makes use of a high-speed camera to monitor a person’s movements, which are apparently instantly (and creepily) mimicked by the robot arm.Eventually, the researchers say the same system could be used as a computer interface, which they say could eliminate the need for a mouse and keyboard. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a video of the arm in action, but those heading to SIGGRAPH 2008 will apparently be able to check it out first hand.

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Earlier this month, Pandigital, maker of digital photo frames, released its multi-functional Kitchen HDTV/Digital Cookbook/Digital Photo Frame. From the most used room in your home, you can watch TV, view photos, and call up recipes on the 15″ LCD screen. The device comes with preloaded recipes, and additional recipes can be loaded into the TV’s internal memory. Photos can be loaded via the memory card reader or by connecting to Picasa, Google’s popular photo sharing site. The 512MB of memory stores 3,200 pages of recipes or photos. It supports a variety of media cards, and a wide range of audio, video, and image formats.

The exterior of the device was designed with the messy kitchen environment in mind. A glass seal protects it from water, oil, and whatever splatters in its direction, and makes it easy to wipe clean. Because everyone’s kitchen is a little different, it comes with three different faceplates (brush steel, black, and white), and can be mounted under a cabinet or on the wall, or placed on a countertop stand. Retails for around $400, and will probably show up on the shelves of large retailers such as Target and Amazon.com.

Via Kitchen Contraptions.

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by Ross Rubin, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 11:39PMEach week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment

If the pen truly is mightier than the sword, Livescribe’s Pulse smartpen ($149 with 1GB of flash memory, $199 with 2GB) may be able to take out a tank at 50 meters. Arguably the most technologically advanced writing instrument not intended for killing a Bond villain, the Pulse includes an infrared camera (for recording text), dual microphones, a speaker, a headphone jack, and an OLED display that can even play back short “movies” (animations synced with sound). And it manages to pack it all in a pen size that, while still a bit thick, is relatively comfortable and thinner than its closest technological ancestor, the now-discontinued Logitech io2.

Using its noise-canceling microphones and ink recognition system, the Pulse can be used to either take written notes that are uploaded to the PC, or record audio. But its greatest advance for note-taking over previous smartpen systems such as the io2 is the ability to synchronize written notes with audio. Simply put the pen into “Paper Replay” mode and tap on some text to hear what was being said as you scribbled. The result is the next best thing to real-time transcription. It can be used to check what may be an unclear or hastily scribbled note, focus on commentary while the pen captures the content, or create or copy a diagram while it is explained via audio.

But first, whatever is being written will have to be done so on paper designed explicitly for the pen. Like previous products that use Anoto technology, the Pulse needs smart “dot paper” to make transcription work. Without a doubt, this requirement will be a deal-killer for many, and limit the Pulse’s everyday utility for some time to come. In contrast, simpler products such as the IOGear Mobile Digital Scribe uses ultrasound to track a pen’s position and can be used on any paper (and the pens in such systems are smaller as well). To make dot paper more readily accessible, though, Livescribe will offer a template that should allow many customers to print their own dot paper at home. And dot paper enables the Pulse to pull off some pretty slick feats. Read on.

Livescribe notebooks include a variety of controls at the bottom of the page, including areas that can create and navigate bookmarks in the audio, and control playback speed and volume. Also included is a four-arrow control that must be used to navigate the Pulse’s functions. Livescribe makes the printed control available on a sheath used to protect the Pulse, but it would be more convenient to have an integrated scroll wheel or some other means of navigating the Pulse’s user interface without having to use a printed surface.

Once “sessions” — which can consist of written notes, audio or both — are recorded, they are transferred to a PC using a docking cradle. The Windows-only Livescribe Desktop software (a Mac version is slated for development) can be used to play back recorded audio or audio-synchronized note-taking sessions, search for text in the notes, or copy whole pages to the clipboard. Unfortunately, there is no character recognition function to turn written words into editable text, although such software has been a mixed bag in previous smartpen offerings. Livescribe Desktop also cannot save pages as PDF, but there are several quality free PDF print drivers to work around that. And the software facilitates uploading files to Livescribe’s site, where they can be shared as a PDF or Flash movie.

In giving each Livescribe owner 250MB online for storing Livescribe documents and creating a community around them, the company has in essence created a new form of media that it has dubbed “pencasts”. One of the more humorous ones on the site parodies the thought process of George Lucas in 1976 as he noodles different concepts for Star Wars or, as he previously considers naming it in the pencast, “Space Conflagration.” As the author doodles, he waxes, “I have a vision: flashlight plus sword equals bags of cash.”

As impressive as the Pulse’s note-taking function is, it is merely one of what Livescribe aims to turn into a whole ecosystem of pen-based applications, Livescribe includes some intriguing demos such as one that allows you to draw your own playable piano as well as one that can recognize a few words and display the translation for them in a number of languages on the device’s display. The company plans to make a range of content and software development tools available to appeal to different kinds of developers, including Java coders.

Applications and new forms of smart printed content will be sold through the Livescribe web site. One potential application example of such content is Livescribe CEO Jim Maggraff’s business card, which is printed on dot paper. Write something on the back on the card and when you dock the pen what you wrote can be e-mailed to him. Livescribe plans to roll out this functionality later this year.

Creating a system of smart content and applications around a smartpen takes a page from LeapFrog’s successful Fly franchise, which has been the most successful of the bunch. The next Switched On will explore whether Livescribe has done enough to translate that success into a tool for adults in a slow-to-develop market.

Ross Rubin is director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.

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I can’t help but feel the iPod Gramophone is somewhat akin to the PhonoFone II which we covered earlier this month.

Handcrafted entirely of slip-cast ceramic to replicate the curvature and passive amplification of a French horn, this is the iPod gramophone that augments sound from an iPod without requiring auxiliary power or speaker components. The gramophone projects music using authentic horn acoustics; simply place Apple earbuds on the gramophones integrated cradles and music channels through the coiled tube and resonates out of the flared bell, resulting in warm, amplified sound up to 55 decibels (near the sound level of laptop computer speakers). The gramophone is compatible with all iPod models and similar in size to a desk lamp, allowing for use on a nightstand, credenza, or desktop. The unit is best suited for amplifying blues, folk, classical, jazz, and other music genres that do not produce heavy base frequencies. Includes adapters for earbuds. White ceramic with a clear glaze finish.

If you want a piece of retro plus modern electronics mixed into a single device in your home, the ipod Gramophone can be yours for $499.95.

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by Darren Murph, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 8:52PM
Motorola so had this down pat last year, but we suppose O2 is just showcasing its pedal-powered charging system now that such devices are all the rage. Just days after we had a look at two unorthodox chargers from Orange, along comes rival O2 with a bicycle-related alternative. Reportedly, the eco-friendly device will be demonstrated at the O2 Wireless Festival in London’s Hyde Park, but unfortunately, each of the demo bikes will be stationary. Still no word on whether O2 has a mind to take this thing commercial, but for cyclists the world over, here’s to hoping it does.

[Thanks, Adam]

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Pioneer, world’s leading audio solution providers, has come up with an interesting product called Pioneer Portable Satellite Radio inno2BK. Enjoy all your favorite music from over 170 crystal-clear channels of live XM radio on Pioneer Portable Satellite Radio inno2BK. Pioneer Portable Satellite Radio inno2BK offers a battery time of 15 hours for playback and 5 hours for Live XM.

Features

• Mix your MP3’s/WMA’s and XM Tracks.
• Record your Favorite XM Channels and songs.
• Listen to XM Radio.
• 50 Present Channels.

Pioneer Portable Satellite Radio inno2BK comes with a built-in XM Tuner. Sporting a 1.7-inch full color TFT screen, Pioneer Portable Satellite Radio inno2BK offers a resolution of 180 x 180 pixels. With Pioneer Portable Satellite Radio inno2BK, you get a 90 days warranty on parts and labor.

Price and Availability

Pioneer Portable Satellite Radio inno2BK is available at a price of $ 250.00. The box content of Pioneer Portable Satellite Radio inno2BK includes AC Power Adapter, Travel Power Cable, RCA audio cable, USB cable, XM+ Napster install CD, Battery, Remote Home dock and Home XM Antenna.

Source: Pioneerelectronics

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I must agree with Morgan Webb - the Gizmodo venture down into the Lego vault that has every single Lego set ever made is truly amazing, and even though it’s only 2 minutes long, this video totally captures my childhood Lego memories.

What’s even more remarkable is how the author and myself almost have the same single memorable Lego kit - the Lego Space Galaxy Explorer (except mine was the kit with the attached space station - yay me ).

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by Engadget staff, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 7:54PM
Well, Bill, it’s just about quittin’ time out here on the left coast, so with your final day at Microsoft drawing to a close, we wanted to present you with a little farewell card. It’s not much, but we hope you like it.

Bill,
I can’t believe you’re already taking off! They even going to let your pension fully vest? Just kidding, I think heard somewhere that you’re worth a lot of money or something. Thanks for the Xbox 360 and for always being so damn friendly — promise I’ll try my best to think only of Allchin whenever I bluescreen. Come visit soon and KIT, okay?
Yours Truly, Ryan

Dear Bill,
We didn’t know each other too well, you were a bit older than me, and we ran in different circles anyways, but I just wanted to take this one last opportunity to inform you how incredibly foolhardy that whole Harvard business was. Seriously, what were you thinking? A college degree is an absolute minimum in the modern world, and with your intelligence you really could’ve been somebody… those mainframes aren’t going to program themselves! What the world needs is stick-to-it-ive-ness and Computer Science majors, not a bunch of wannabe entrepreneurs. Sure, you ended up doing alright for yourself, but I can’t help but think that with only half a college education you only reached half your potential.
-Regretfully yours, Paul

Bill,
Can’t say I’ve ever had the luxury of swinging by your office, but I have to admit, I really enjoyed all those press calls. And look, we both know you should have left at the top of Microsoft’s game and all, but don’t pull a Michael Jordan and show back up wearing a Zune uniform next year, okay? Live a little. And don’t spend it all in one place.
-Darren

Bill,
Can’t believe it’s that time already. Is this really goodbye, or are you going to follow your good friend Hov and come back wearing the 4-5, maybe after dropping a Lil’ Wayne “A Trilli” remix? Just a thought, something to drop on your Zune one of these days. Anyway, good luck, and thanks for not holding that one time I let someone borrow disk 7 of my Windows 3.1 installer against me.
-Richard

So long, Bill, and thanks for all the sweaters.
-Don

Bill,
My scratched-up SPOT watch has seen better days, and without you around to promote these sorts of fun, unprofitable, over-the-top geeky projects in the boardroom, I don’t know who’s going to carry the torch. It’s a loss for me personally and a greater loss for large-wristed technophiles the world over — I think I speak for a lot of folks when I say I wish it was Vista packing up and leaving instead of you!
-Chris

Bill,
You’ve had a good run. Through the great times (DOS) and those not so great times (ME), I won’t be forgetting you any time soon. Oh, and that whole not being the #1 richest guy in the world anymore thing? You’re still number one to me, Bill. And frankly, that’s all that should matter.
-Dante

Hey Bill,
I know we didn’t always get along, what with me getting an Apple //e back in the day instead of an AT box with MS-DOS. But let’s face it: you always had the better games. And for that, I owe you one. If you’ll forgive me, I’ve got a watch here to send you away. A nice one, from 1972, made by this company called Commodore Business Machines (remember them?). Digital, too! Figured you’d dig that.
-Joshua Fruhlinger

I hope you crack the problems of world poverty and suffering as quickly as I cracked Vista.
Love, Thomas

Bill:
I know we haven’t really talked since, well, ever, but you were always like the older, geekier brother who didn’t know I existed, and it’s your passion for natural interfaces like speech and touch that’s inspired me to constantly scream at and physically destroy my various computers over the years. That, and several of your products. I’ll miss you, man — hit me up on Live sometime.
-Yours, Nilay

PS. I know you and 50 have had some tough times lately, but I just want you to know that I’ll always think of you as original G-Unit. That tape is a lie, man.

Dear Bill,
I’ll remember you fondly as one of the driving forces behind my decision to switch to a Mac when I was 13 years old. The divide your business practices helped create between “creatives” and “suits” will be forever etched in my mind, and your choices as the head of Microsoft will always represent a high-water mark of polarizing nerd ideology. Still, I’ll never forget building my first PC, or booting up The Bard’s Tale on my XT in glorious CGA — and for that, I’m eternally grateful.
Your close friend, Joshua Topolsky

[Readers, feel free to leave your own in comments.]

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