HP's WebOS "Think Beyond" and "HP Summit" Video

Here is HP's WebOS big technology reveal event (from Feb 9th, 2011):

Any opinions??
I really want to be excited.  I really do.  It seems like HP is trying to simultaneously get me excited about their products whilst ignoring all other similar products on the market.  Time will tell if these products have the staying power that they need to survive and thrive in the current tech environment.  I hope they do, since there are some really cool features here.

Here is the March 14th keynote video from the HP Summit:

This seems a little better. An HP public cloud, eh? That might be interesting.

The official Google Code blog: Google I/O extends virtually around the world

The official Google Code blog: Google I/O extends virtually around the world: "In celebration of Google I/O 2011, many Google offices around the world, as well as GTUG partners and Student Ambassadors, are hosting free viewing parties of Google I/O sessions. If you can't attend Google I/O in person, these events are a way to connect with other talented developers and watch live feeds of the conference. "

Here are just a few of the locations hosting an I/O Extended event:
Africa

• Cairo, Egypt

Asia

• Manila, Philippines

• Pune, India

• Taipei, Taiwan

Europe

• Aachen, Germany

• Barcelona, Spain

• Berlin, Germany

• Brussels, Belgium

• Bucharest, Romania

• Dublin, Ireland

• London, England

• Madrid, Spain

• Malaga, Spain

• Istanbul, Turkey

• Kyiv, Ukraine

• Munich, Germany

• Murcia, Spain

• Vienna, Austria

• Warsaw, Poland

North America

• Boise, ID, USA

• Charlotte, NC, USA

• Maui, HI, USA

• San Jose, CA, USA

• Twin Cities, MN, USA

• Washington, DC, USA

• Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

South America and Central America

• Belo Horizonte, Brazil

• Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Guatemala City, Guatemala

Combined with the Last Call for Google I/O, this announcement has really helped Google extend its reach beyond those that have the resources to travel to San Francisco on a whim.  Check out the Google I/O Extended page for more details.

LCD Monitors - Explained

Here is an incredibly detailed, straightforward explanation of how an LCD monitor works, courtesy of Bill, the Engineer Guy:

Comparing Pandora's LCD Screen to other devices

It's always nice to have some perspective. Here is a little comparitive video by Kloplop321 showing the Pandora as well as some other digital devices:
Apple iPad
Apple iPhone 3GS
Palm Zire 72s
Dell Axim x30
Motion Computing Tablet M1200
Nintendo DS

Computer Hardware Chart

Behold, Sonic84's excellent computer hardware poster.

Link to the full sized image here.

Apparently, a version 2.0 is in progress. Keep up the good work. This is great for people who work with a variety of different computer hardware.

Saab Announces new Android-based in-car OS - IQon

The open nature of Android has left the door wide open for car manufacturers to embrace it as a car-based platform, and a major car company has recently taken the plunge. Earlier this month, Saab announced IQon (press release here), the car-based "infotainment" system.

Saab will release an API for third party developers, and these apps will be sold on Saab's own app marketplace. Interesting stuff. I will continue to follow this as time goes on.

So, as an app developer, what does this mean for you? The Saab Blog has some more information:

I feel proud that Saab is leading the way in developing the most advanced car infotainment system that’s out there. It will deliver the multi-media experience we’re all used to in the office, at home, or on the move with our smartphones. But what’s even smarter with IQon, is that we’re opening up what the car is doing, as well. We will be giving the global developer community access to more than 500 data inputs – everything from vehicle speed to steering angle or the sun’s position – and challenging them to come up with some useful and imaginative IQon apps, which can be downloaded from our Saab IQon app store.

Then there is all the remote diagnostics possibilities with communication to and from the car. As I see it, the possibilities are almost endless and we’re just starting to scratch the surface.

Everyone is asking me when we are going to start fitting IQon to our cars. Well, we’re doing it already with beta versions in some of our company test cars, and I can confirm that customers will get to experience the system in the next generation of Saabs. In a couple of months’ time, we’re going to put up an IQon Developer Zone on the web, which will give app developers the opportunity to get started. These are exciting times at Saab: a new company, new cars and new technologies like IQon. Watch this space for more news as we push the program forward.

It's probably too much to ask for a development unit... but it does bring up an interesting question: How do you design apps for a car if you don't have access to the data that the car would provide? This is an interesting challenge, and I look forward to the solutions.

Junkyard Jumbotron, courtesy of MIT

The link to the Junkyard Jumbotron project page is http://jumbotron.media.mit.edu/