Joel Johnson

Video: Max Silvestri Endorses McCain (and I Shoot It with my Sanyo Xacti CG6)

Above, Max Silvestri's endorsement of John McCain, specially tailored for the elderly. Below, the rough version, shown on March 6th at Silvestri's "I Like Attention" comedy event, held at Williamsburg's Sound Fix Records.

It was the first video I shot using my new Sanyo Xacti CG6 (that wasn't of my dog, anyway), and I have to say that while its video fidelity doesn't hold a candle to my Canon HV20, the ability to keep it in my pocket and to copy .mp4 files right off its memory card up to YouTube makes for an easy workflow. I wanted a still/video camera I could just keep on me at all times, even in the summer with its dearth of pocket space, and for $200 I couldn't be happier. (Well, it'd be nice if it had a lens cap iris instead of a pop-off cap, but I'll manage.)

The CG6 tops out at VGA (640 by 480) video, but for my purposes—getting stuff up onto the web fast—that suits me just fine.

Below is a sponsored mobile post widget from Microsoft.

Joel Johnson

Arthur C. Clarke Dead at 90

No details yet, but an aide has reported that Arthur C. Clarke, luminous fiction author and progenitor of geosynchronous communication satellites (among other novel notions), has passed away in Sri Lanka at 90.

Arthur C. Clarke dies at age of 90 in Sri Lanka [LATimes/AP]

Joel Johnson

The Fuzzy Wonder, Goat Automaton

No, I have no idea what this is about, either, but it's certainly wonderful—and fuzzy! As the product description admonishes, "to create more amusement, we suggest that goat be manipulated by persons wearing burlesque costumes." Words to live by.

The Fuzzy Wonder Goat [PhoenixMasonry.org]

Joel Johnson

Using Cellphones as Boarding Passes

The Times is reporting that airlines will soon allow flyers to use their cell phones as boarding passes by displaying a two-dimensional bar code on device screens.

As mobile devices become more sophisticated and applications for smaller screens evolve, airlines expect passengers will be able to use their phones, BlackBerrys and other mobile devices for a growing number of services, like rebooking a ticket after a missed connection, switching seats, checking standby status or seeking an upgrade.

"We kind of like the idea long term of having a kiosk in your pocket," said Mark Bergsrud, senior vice president for marketing programs and distribution with Continental.

Paper Is Out, Cellphones Are In [NYTimes via Crunchgear]

Charles Shopsin

Modern Mechanix Round-UP

Today on Modern Mechanix we look at this idea for a floating pitstop for military airships, the 1936 Popular Mechanics premiere of the Hindenburg, some very odd techniques for growing giant mushrooms, and the new auto racing sport of balloon breaking. Have you ever been out to a movie and thought to yourself "I sure do wish I was fishing right now!"? Well, the patrons of this Florida drive in apparently did. We also learned about this 1936 operation to fly all of Tibet's stockpile of gold out of the country and what lies ahead in the Transportation of Tomorrow.

Joel Johnson

Triple-Lensed Analog Camera for Stereo Imaging

The "120 Tri-lens Stereo Camera" seems misnamed at first—why would you need three lens to take a stereo image? Turns out you don't. The top lens is for sighting.

No price yet, but considering this is a completely manual film-based camera, I would imagine those of you interested in stereographic images are already used to paying a premium for your equipment.

Tricloptic SLR Camera Only Takes Bicloptic Pictures [OhGizmo]

Joel Johnson

When Apple Fans Go Crazy

Farhad Manjoo, excerpting his new book "True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society," on overzealous Mac fans:

Last year, I praised the iPhone in something of the way Romeo once praised Juliet: The device, I said, is revolutionary -- "it marks a new way of life. One day we'll all have iPhones, or things that aim to do what this first one does, and your life will be better for it." But because I'd concluded that the phone was, at the time, too expensive to keep (this was before Apple cut the price), several readers alleged that I was an Apple hater. For instance: "Does Salon actually pay you or are you being paid under the table by rival companies?"

David Pogue, the New York Times' tech critic, gets much the same response. In 2005, he wrote a quite positive review of Apple's iPod Nano. His only problem with the music player was that, per gigabyte of music-storage space, the Nano was more expensive than the iPod Mini it replaced. Also, at the time, it wasn't available in multiple colors. These small slights prompted Apple fans to ask Pogue, among other things, whether he was happy "licking Bill Gates' balls."

I believe this is changing, thank God, as a lessening percentage of Mac users represent those persecuted stalwarts who kept the company going even when their computer were actually pretty crappy. And PC users have gotten more mellow over the years, finally conceding that the Mac can be a perfectly decent computing platform.

Why Apple fans hate tech reporters [Machinist.Salon.com]

Joel Johnson

Star Wars Shaggin' Wagon for Sale on eBay

This 1977 Dodge Tradesman van, available for sale on eBay, has a custom Star Wars mural painted on the side. The van appears to be pretty much falling apart, sadly, but perhaps that's why the bids have only gone just over $1,000. It is a really nice paint job, though. It's a shame that the painted van has fallen out of favor, putting thousands of skilled airbrushers out on the street.

Auction Page [eBay.com via Star Wars blog]

Joel Johnson

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

• iPhone – 8GB refurbished iPhone from AT&T for $250, 2-year contract required. [Slickdeals]

• Digital Camera Backs – Various refurbished camera backs from Mamiya, Hasselblad, and Contax available for 25% off, bringing prices as low as $12,000. [Dealhack]

• Window Thermometer – Today's Woot! is the La Crosse Technology Window Thermometer 2 Pack for $15, shipped.