Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Sunday, May 08, 2011

How News of bin Laden's Death Spread on Twitter [Visualizations]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5799593/how-news-of-bin-ladens-death-spread-on-twitter

The fact that the death of Osama bin Laden rocked the Twitterverse is very much common knowledge. Here, though, is a visualization showing just how far and fast the news spread in those first moments after the news leaked.

SocialFlow, a social media platform, did their analysis of the announcement that presents the major players, Keith Urbahn and Brian Stelter, as the epicenters of the explosion that would see 4,000 excited tweets a second. Pretty cool. [SocialFlow via Mashable]

Artist Turned Typewriter Into This Sculpture of Your Grandpa [Art]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5799585/artist-turned-typewriter-into-this-sculpture-of-your-grandpa

What with all the recent buzz about the death of the typewriter — that turned out to be super false — artist Jeremy Mayer went ahead and created this piece, Bust V (Grandfather), to comment on the hullabaloo.

Mayer is no stranger to repurposing typewriters for his decidedly badass sculptures. However, this piece in particular tries to embody the typewriter as a proud, if aged, medium.

The initial inspiration for the piece was that I wanted to create a self-portrait in my old age. I wanted to say something about aging, transition (particularly transition into new technology), and the place of the personal mechanical machine in modern society, all without making the piece look too "robotic". I wanted to convey a little human weakness, malaise, boredom, and pain, but with an underlying strength and pride.

So cheers, old man. The truth is, if you have to go out, you'll certainly do it with some style. [BoingBoing]

Tachyon launches OPS and OPS HD helmet cameras, not as durable but way more tiny

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/07/tachyon-launches-ops-and-ops-hd-helmet-cameras-not-as-durable-b/

Tachyon launches OPS and OPS HD helmet cameras, just as durable but way more tiny

We can't say we've ever been particularly impressed by the video quality delivered by the Tachyon line of helmet cameras, but they're a good choice for those who need a recorder that can take one heck of a beating -- if you don't mind some extra bulk. That fat has been banished in the new, slimmer OPS line which will be available in two flavors: a $90 VGA base unit and a slightly higher-end HD (720p) one for $140. If you're keeping track that's the same as the earlier XC and XC HD models, but these aren't waterproof like those. The SD model is less than an inch wide and 2.252-inches long, while the HD model looks to be roughly $0.25 longer. Each camera is square in profile, meaning it can be rotated in four orientations on its mount, or flipped around backward. And yes, just like the XC cameras, Tachyon will be releasing a range of mounts for all your extreme endeavors, including shotguns, picatinny rails, and one that looks like an overgrown tie clip. It should be perfect for when things get fancy down at the range.

Gallery: Tachyon OPS and OPS HD

Continue reading Tachyon launches OPS and OPS HD helmet cameras, not as durable but way more tiny

Tachyon launches OPS and OPS HD helmet cameras, not as durable but way more tiny originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 May 2011 17:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nearly half a million customers left T-Mobile in Q1 2011

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/08/nearly-half-a-million-contract-customers-left-t-mobile-in-q1-201/

Not even promises of a new Sidekick can keep T-Mobile from hemorrhaging customers, it seems, as the company reported significant losses in its Q1 statement for 2011. According to official Q1 financials, 471,000 contract customers either failed to re-up, or outright canceled their contracts. Stacked against a shortcoming growth of just 372,000 prepaid customers (including MVNO customers for sub-carriers), T-Mobile suffered a net loss of 99,000 users, a 29-percent increase in losses over the same period for the previous year. Ouch. The firm chalked its loss to increased "competitive pressures," which lends credence to AT&T's insistence that Sprint and Verizon are such fierce opponents that it has to acquire T-Mobile for the magenta-tinted carrier to stay in the game. You can judge the profits and pitfalls for yourself -- just hit the source link for the full financials.

Nearly half a million customers left T-Mobile in Q1 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 May 2011 10:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AUO's 71-inch ultra-wide 3D LCD panel eyes-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/08/auos-71-inch-ultra-wide-3d-lcd-panel-eyes-on/

While strolling around Shenzhen earlier today, we decided to stop by at the China Optoelectronics Display Expo to feast our eyes on AUO's "world's largest" 71-inch 21:9 3D LCD panel. Phew, what a mouthful, but this 240Hz ultrawidescreen is indeed larger than the sub-60-inch offerings from Vizio, JVC, and Philips. But is it any good? We put on our passive 3D glasses and found the experience to be surprisingly comfortable and effective (even at about 40 degrees from the center before we hit the wall), though the glossy screen's reflection of the neighboring booth was slightly off-putting. This would probably be less of a problem at your humble abode, anyhow.

In terms of availability, AUO told us that China-based TCL will be the first to pick up this beast of a panel, and the final product should be out in August. Apart from that, we couldn't squeeze out further info about other brands, so you best be writing to your nearest dealership to import this exotic cinema TV. More eyes-on pics in the gallery below.

Gallery: AUO's 71-inch Cinema Scope 3D LCD panel eyes-on