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Oh. My. God.

Apple has apologised for a “deeply offensive” iPhone application called Baby Shaker, which made a game of quieting crying babies by shaking them.

It removed the $0.99 (£0.59) game from its iTunes Store on Wednesday, two days after it went on sale.

It sparked outrage from children’s groups and brain injury foundations.

The aim of the game was to quiet babies by shaking the iPhone until a pair of thick red Xs appeared over each eye of a baby drawn in black-and-white.

Full story here.

This is way over the line. I’m all for a nice controversial game… if you never played Sock & Awe, the infamous flash game in which you fling shoes at old Dubya, I highly recommend it. Of course Bush supporters were offended, but who cares about them, right? Besides, there are two sides to political issues. Some are for the issue, and some against.

There are no two sides here. I’ve never heard of a group that defends the shaking of infants as a suitable disciplinary technique. It’s universally agreed that shaking the hell out of a crying baby is despicable and damaging.

If the inventor of this app was going for funny, they missed the mark in a major way. Only psychos would find this game amusing, and it’s not likely that sociopaths make up a large part of Apple’s consumer base. This game was sure to offend everyone who came across it. Not a very smart move in regards to public relations.

The game was taken down from the iTunes site a mere two days after making its debut, and public apologies were made, but I have to wonder if irreversible damage has been done. I also wonder how the bloody hell this app got past the approval department. I have a feeling someone’s getting fired, and rightfully so.

Time Warner tries again, fails to justify caps and charges – Ars Technica.

This makes me sooo happy I have Verizon FIOS.  TWC, get it togther

Time Warner Cable, stung by public reaction to the Internet data caps it is now trialing in several markets, has issued yet another public statement. Turns out, the problem here doesn’t rest with the caps but with the “press reports” that “were premature and did not tell the full story.”

All of which perfectly explains why Time Warner Cable has also boosted cap limits in every tier.

Security concerns grew last week when it was suspected that the computer of the Dalai Lama was infiltrated with a new development that allows hackers to hear and see what is going on through other people’s computers. The theory that an espionage network based in china had hacked into the Dalai Lamas computer was outlined in a security experts report released on Sunday.  A Foreign diplomats’ staff were believed to have been contacted by the Chinese government about a proposed visit by the Dalai Lama, a possibility that had only just been discussed in an email moments before.  These networks of Malware (malicious software) are believed to not be exclusive to China, with a number of countries allegedly capable of using Ghost net to infiltrate unsecured computers. The computers of the priminister of Laos and NATO were also stated to have been affected.
This Ghost network is said to be able to take control of extra attachments such as microphones and cameras and use them to listen and observe in private premises. The hackers gain access by sending cleverly designed emails disguised to look like they are from contacts. Once accepted, other emails can be hijacked having their attachments deleted replaced by other contaminated files.

This is an amazing development in computer technology, email bugs have been a problem for a long time, however the progress of this type of computer access is scary. Everyone now knows not to open strange emails titled “your uncle john, or Hi its me” especially when the email addresses always look so strange.  Hackers need to get way smarter if they want to access my living room.
I doubt anyone would be interested in what is going on in my house anyway…. but what if they were?.  I assume keeping up with computer espionage is an essential part of most government’s security measures.
This type of hacking is considered cyber crime by many governments .If this technology fell into the hands of the wrong people it will be used for fraud and become a huge risk to our privacy.  The idea of web cams being used to watch us in our own home is the stuff of creepy movie scripts so I hope governments and computer companies are designing appropriate anti virus software to thwart such problems.   So maybe in the mean time its time to throw a towel over you web cam if your planning to pick your nose at your desk, as you never know who will be watching.

Face.com – Face recognition for the masses..

This seems like a pretty cool idea.  It is a Facebook app that will first scan known pictures of you and then go out and find other that perhaps you don’t know are out there.  I have signed up for the alpha and will let you know how it works once I get a chance to play with it.

Facial Recognition Software

Text Message Technology Gets A Green Thumb.

In Israel a new use for text message technology has been implemented to help farmers monitor crop irrigation.  Metal electrodes placed inside the roots of plants are able to detect water levels in soil, this data is then sent via a walkie-talkie type method to a computer that then sends a text message to the farmer alerting him to water the plants.  The idea was first experimented with to protect crops from over watering and to save on water costs. The technology has taken over 7 years to perfect and is an exciting lead in the progressive convenience of mobile phone technology.

I love the idea of the little plants being able to communicate with the farmer. “We r thirsty, could you also pick up a bag of fertiliser on your way home and come and sing us a lullaby, as we cant sleep until you’re home to tuck us in… Luv Marijuana plantation .

The reduction in water wastage would be grand as many crops are irrigated by automatic sprinkler systems. This development could cut irrigation costs by half, although the phone bills may be higher than usual. If you had a 5000-tree orchard it could cost as little as $250 a year in text messages. This technology could also be used for private gardeners who travel. They wouldn’t have to rely on timer switches that can often over water plants after rain, ruining gardens.

 This type of text message technology is a useful application of such an impersonal means of communication.  Imagine how amazing it will be when the fridge can automatically text through a shopping list of products running low to the online supermarket, as the washing machine robotically detects the smell in the dirty clothes basket, then sorts the colours and clicks on. It would really need to sense those darn hidden tissues though.

Google Voice : Coming soon – Google Voice Help.

This is going to be very cool.

Google Voice: Coming soon

Google Voice is a service that gives you one number for all your phones, voicemail that is easy as email, and many enhanced calling features like call blocking and screening, voicemail transcripts, call conferencing, international calls, and more.

Google Voice is currently available for GrandCentral users only, but will be open to new users soon. In the meantime, please leave us your email address and we’ll notify you as soon as Google Voice becomes available. To learn more about Google Voice, check out our feature videos.

mental_floss Blog » What’s a Hulu? The Origins of 8 High-Tech Names.

1. TiVo

Can you imagine if, instead of “TiVo-ing” the latest episode of Lost, you were “Bongo-ing” it? “Bongo” and “Lasso” are just two of the 800 possible names the marketing folks kicked around before settling on TiVo. The final name was cobbled together from “TV” and the engineering acronym “I/O,” which stands for “input/output.” Little did they know their noun would become a verb and their oddly-named invention would forever change the way people watch television.

2. Bluetooth

Despite the lack of dignity displayed by people who shout into their Bluetooth headsets wherever they go, the name of the device actually has a rather regal origin. In the 10th Century, Danish King Harald Blatand was able to unite warring factions in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark under one banner. Similarly, the developers of the Bluetooth signal wanted to unite many different forms of technology – cars, computers, and mobile phones – under one communications network. So when they were coming up with a name, they went with the English translation of the Danish king’s last name, “Bluetooth.”

3. Hulu

Hulu means many things to many people. To some, it’s a great online resource for watching their favorite TV shows and movies. But to a native Hawaiian, it means “hair.” To someone who speaks Swahili, it means “cease.” To an Indonesian, it means “butt.” While these translations are accurate, the folks behind naming hulu.com were inspired by a couple of Mandarin Chinese definitions instead – “interactive recording” and “a hollowed-out gourd used to hold precious things.” Despite this often misunderstood word, the website is rapidly becoming one of the biggest names in streaming video. Well, except in Indonesia…

Check out mentalfloss.com for the rest of the list

Here Come The 12 Inch Netbooks, And Intel Isn’t Happy About It.

At what point is it too big to be a net book?

12 inch Netbooks are coming. Dell has the Inspiron Mini 12, Samsung will unveil its 12 inch netbook model to the U.S. shortly, and more are coming. And Intel isn’t happy about this at all.

In fact, the whole Netbook market may be making them nervous. Despite the fact that they power most of these devices with their new Atom chip that handles some PC chores well and uses a lot less power (so batteries are smaller and last longer). Intel sees Netbooks as devices for people who can’t afford normal laptops, or as second devices. But it’s clear that a lot of people are buying them instead of normal dual core machines, despite their very serious limitations.

That means that for the most part, every Netbook sold is one less Dual Core that Intel can sell at a higher price and higher margin. Which explains exactly why the company has been publicly criticizing the performance of the machines. “If you’ve ever used a Netbook and used a 10-inch screen size–it’s fine for an hour. It’s not something you’re going to use day in and day out,” said Intel VP Stu Pann at an event last year.

Sling Updates: HD Streaming Coming to Mac, iPhone Sling App Scheduled for Q1.

I am soooo excited!

Sling Media to Demonstrate SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone and Slingbox HD Streaming on the Mac at Macworld

San Francisco — Macworld — January 6, 2009 — Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is demonstrating a version of SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone being developed for the iTunes store at this year’s Macworld. Sling Media will deliver a version of SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone to Apple for certification in Q1.

Sling Media is also unveiling a prototype of a new SlingPlayer for Mac HD which allows Slingbox PRO-HD users to stream HD to their Mac desktop or laptop computer. The new SlingPlayer for Mac HD is a web-based version of the SlingPlayer software that will be accessible from Sling.com, Sling Media’s recently launched video entertainment web site.

“SlingPlayer Mobile is ideally suited for the iPhone’s large touch screen display and I know iPhone users are eagerly anticipating the application’s availability,” said Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media. “Add to that HD streaming support for Slingbox PRO-HD customers and live TV support on our video entertainment site, Sling.com, and you can see Sling Media is committed to delivering great solutions for Mac users.”

SlingPlayer Mobile gives consumers their entire home TV experience, including local channels, local sports teams, video on demand, pay per view, etc. Any program that you can watch on your sofa back home, you can now watch via your iPhone using a standard network connection (3G Cellular, WiFi). In addition, SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone users can also control their home digital video recorder (DVR) to watch recorded shows, pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV, or even queue new recordings while on the road.

Pricing and Availability
SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone will be submitted to Apple for testing and approval in Q1. The price has not been determined at this time. SlingPlayer for Mac HD will be available for free via the web-based SlingPlayer within Sling.com later in Q1. Mac customers will be able to use either Safari or Firefox web browsers to get both HD streaming and Live TV within Sling.com.