B-List

Technology is a double-edged sword.  Most is good, but a lot is bad or
just plain unnecessary.  Tech companies are always hyping the latest
gizmos for consumers to waste their money on.  I have a long list of
examples of Microsoft Snake Oil that I will write about on my rants
blog when I get time.  In the meantime, here are some examples of
cases to "Just Say No", plus an antidote.

1. "Top 5ive Gadgets You Shouldn't Buy"
  <http://www.smartmoney.com/top5/index.cfm?story=20070213>

2. "ABC to get Second Life"
  <http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1836755.htm>
"The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Telstra and Tourism
 Australia are building islands in the virtual online world of Second
 Life. Companies are recognising the huge marketing potential of the
 three-dimensional world, where people escape their own existences to
 live a different virtual life, and are racing to set up shop there and
 in other virtual worlds."

Last week Four Corners took a look at Second Life in a program called
"You Only Live Twice":
  <http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2007/s1873399.htm>
You can read the transcripts and watch the "vodcast".  But be warned -
it doesn't take long to find out where the real money will be made with
this "virtual reality".
My favourite quote: Clay Shirky, on the suggestion that Second Life
"citizens" are excited about buying a book through Amazon when they
are "in-world":
"No. No-one is excited about that. People are excited about other
 people being excited about it."

3. "Pizzaky: The Open-Air Electric Pizza Oven"
  <http://www.tokyomango.com/tokyo_mango/2007/03/pizzaky_the_ope.html>
"This open-air, ovenless pizza cooker will cook up to a 12-inch pizza
 using its upper and lower electric heaters. The flavor might not be
 as good as the conventional brick oven, but who has the money--never
 mind the space--to install one these days? This one's just a little
 under $70."

4. "Introducing the Hipster PDA"
  <http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/03/introducing-the-hipster-pda/>
"Recently, I got sick of lugging my Palm V around, so I developed a
 vastly superior, greatly simplified device for capturing and sharing
 information. I call it 'The Hipster PDA.'"

Like the author, I too bought a Palm V a few years ago.  It was an
interesting toy, but I didn't find it at useful as I had hoped.  I've
had a look at newer PDAs since stashing away my Palm, but nothing
excites me.  It can be a hassle carrying a pen and scraps of paper
in my shirt pocket, but the old tech is much more flexible.

An add-on - the Hipster Shuffle
  <http://www.restlessdreaming.com/hipster-shuffle/>