Got the Munchies? Take a Bite Out of Something That's Truly Tasty.

4/20. Del.icio.us. No, it's not food, rather a new way to keep bookmarks to your favorite Web sites organized on-line so you can pull them up on more than one computer. Taking a strong hint from the professor a few class periods ago, I decided to test-drive and give somewhat of a wordy review of this Internet innovation.

The site, which markets itself as "social bookmarking," allows users to consolidate often-used Internet sites and pages on one, easy-to-use database. Going on a road trip anytime soon? Don't bring the computer if you are just looking to surf the net. Just login to your del.icio.us account on any available Mac or PC and you've got all of the comforts of home at your fingertips.

In fact, it's a Safari-based Web site, meaning it is optimized for Mac users, like me (I found this to be a very good quality). For those not using Safari, del.icio.us gives equally helpful alternative instructions for Firefox, Opera, and Explorer.

Registration is relatively easy. The first step asks for things such as a username, password, and an e-mail address--a no-brainer. The second asks the user to drag two icons--labeled "post to del.icio.us" and "my del.icio.us"--into his bookmarks (for Safari registration, anyway), which is almost as quick and painless. A mere button tutorial is listed as the third step, which gives the user the option of saving the current page to their account ("post to ...") or viewing his saved pages ("my ...").

I tried out the buttons on the common "facebook" site. Upon getting to that page, I clicked the "post to" button, which activated a page that asked what I should name it and if I wanted to "tag" it. I decided to forgo the tag and just save it to my account. Upon checking my saved sites, I found "Facebook | Welcome to Facebook" sitting alone on my page, although apparently 6164 individuals had already saved it as a link as well.

Seeing my lonely "facebook" link made me a bit trigger-happy, and by the end of it all I had five other items on my del.icio.us page. I felt it was a waste of time manually clicking on individual pages I had previously bookmarked on my computer and adding them to my account.

To solve this, I went to the "settings" link on my account's page and scrolled down to the "Bookmarks" section. From there, I clicked "Import/Upload" button, which took me to a page that said to click "Export Bookmarks" from my "File" menu. After that, I uploaded my Safari bookmarks to the page and clicked the "Import Bookmarks" button.

It quickly loaded the bookmarks onto del.icio.us, and I was onto the new task: trying it out on another computer. I went on my roommate's Dell (without asking, mind you), used Firefox to log in to my account and found that all of the bookmarks I had uploaded from the Big Mac were there.

Overall, I was pleased with the smooth operation of the Web site. My biggest concerns were my bookmarks were not listed alphabetically (which I am still trying to do) and the layout of the page was a bit messy. Aside from that, I found del.icio.us to be a very easy-to-use technological advancement.



Information for this post was obtained from my use of the del.icio.us Web site.

Are Compact Motor Cars Truly a Mark of Intelligence?

As the world grows more environmentally conscious, people want to contribute their part in being more "green-friendly." Using fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescents, halting use of spray-cans containing CFCs, and downsizing automobiles are various ways people have reduced pollutants.

But when talking cars, how small is too small?

Take the German-bred "smart" car for instance. Shorter than a standard golf cart, the tiny automobile was originally developed in 1998 for easier parallel parking. According to Wikipedia.org, Swatch (the Swiss watch company) jokingly designed the car to "transport two people and a case of beer."

The name “smart” is an acronym for Swatch Mercedes Art according to Wikipedia.org—the only intelligent indication about the car. Though the vehicle is quite gas conserving—averaging 40 miles per gallon—its price tag is far from the originally desired amount.

While developing the compact heart for the miniature marvel, Swatch pulled out of the project due to the estimated cost of the “smart’s” engine. The total product markets for around $30,000—more than roomier, even more gas-conscious hybrids. DaimlerChrysler, the company that finally went through manufacturing and marketing the “smart” car, has had to discontinue several of its “smart” models, as the motorcar has proved to be more of a financial setback than gain.

The only country where the “smart” car is in high demand is Canada, where the car is sold in the less environmentally friendly diesel format. As of now, the “smart” car has yet to be released in the United States, although DaimlerChrysler plans to unveil it in 2008, according to Wikipedia.org.

Why would someone pay $30,000 for a car with a top-speed of 80 mph and a maximum capacity of two people when he could get away with a more comfortable, fuel-efficient vehicle with for less money that is capable of going 40 mph faster? It would have to be for the eye-catching design, because any other reason for buying that car would be seemingly dim.



Information for this post was obtained from the Wikipedia article "smart (automobile)."

Feel the Nice, Blubbery Warmth

Bulky and sleek. Antique and modern. Analog and digital.

These opposites have somehow found their common ground in new stereo accessories for the iPod. British developers have been working on vacuum tube docking stations and amplifiers designed specifically for use with Apple's popular mp3 player.

This incorporation of old world technology in the present age is not a new idea by any means. Many guitarists currently use instrument-specific tube amplifiers and praise them over their solid-state brethren. To them, a tube amplifier captures the natural sound of the electric guitar and brings forth nuances often pushed aside by more modern methods of amplification.

Other stereos made specifically for the iPod have used solid-state technology, which audiophiles say lacks the warm, creamy tangibility of tubes. To please discerning ears, Roth Audio developed two models of their tube-driven systems: the Cocoon MC4 and the iTube Fatman.

“The cocoon goes well on a desktop while the Fatman is more for the living room,” according to James Roth, managing director of Roth Audio.

The Cocoon MC4 is an all-in-one docking station and amplifier with volume control and an on/off knob powered by four tubes. The iTube Fatman is a two-piece system that hosts the docking station on one part and the brain of the stereo on the other. The Fatman has additional inputs for auxiliary devices, an S-video output (for TV hookup), comes with a remote, and features a cool, interactive tube with a bouncing green light to indicate the system’s volume.

Both audio systems cost $649—more than the cost of a tube guitar amplifier with comparable wattage—which may be unwanted distortion to some ears. Still, music buffs are likely to weigh sound quality over cost.

“If you put an iPod into a docking station with good pre-amplification, it’s going to sound a lot better than putting it into a cheap one,” said David Chesky, a composer and co-owner of Chesky Records in Manhattan, which uses vacuum-tube-based recording equipment.



Information for this post was obtained from Anne Eisenberg's article "The iPod and the Vacuum Tube Sing a Warm Duet."