» Smart Phones, Web Design, Google or whatever
Archive for July, 2011
Mass Effect 3 Video Previews
Jul 21st
Mass Effect 3 Live Action by Bioware
looks like a movie preview, though its for the game
Mass Effect 3 E3 2011 Fall of Earth Trailer [HD] by Machinima
complete with adrenaline-pumping music
Mass Effect 3 Video Preview By IGN on Youtube
including ME, ME2 effects in ME3
BIOWARE’S MASS EFFECT 3 GAME DESCRIPTION
An ancient alien race, known only as Reapers, has launched an all-out invasion leaving nothing but a trail of destruction in their wake. Earth has been taken, the galaxy is on the verge of total annihilation, and you are the only one who can stop them. You are Commander Shepard, a character that you can forge in your own image. You determine how events will play out, which planets to explore, and whom to form alliances with as you rally a force to eliminate the Reaper threat once and for all. How you wage this war is completely up to you: go into combat with guns blazing or use cover to plan a more tactical assault. Utilize your squad to full effect or take a lone wolf approach. Rain death from a distance or go toe–to-toe with enemies using devastating melee attacks. Mass Effect 3 will react to each decision you make as you play through a truly unique experience of your own creation.
Google Labs Closing (Not Gmail or Maps Labs)
Jul 20th
In a post just today Google announced it will be closing Google Labs [Google Labs website]. Some current labs projects will vanish and some will be incorporated into applicable places in “googledom”. Says Google:
In many cases, this will mean ending Labs experiments—in others we’ll incorporate Labs products and technologies into different product areas. And many of the Labs products that are Android apps today will continue to be available on Android Market. We’ll update you on our progress via the Google Labs website.
- GOOGLE POST: More wood behind fewer arrows
The Increasing Dangers of Facebook
Jul 19th
If you search the terms “top social media networks” your likely to get lots of lists of the top 10 social networks, and Facebook is 
almost always going to be in the first five. Even so, Facebook is not without its list of detractors and dissatisfied customers waiting for Facebook to “get it right”. They change things around on a pretty regular basis, even a Dec. 6, 2010 ABC News video is touts “Facebook Facelift: Rolling Out Another Makeover”. Online tech sites like ZDNet have guides on locking down your Facebook account!
So why can’t Facebook “get it right”, why do they change so often? Several factors weigh in, and just a few of those are advertising income, new features from Facebook user feedback, keeping ahead of the competition, and privacy policy advocates. With all of these conflicting forces, Facebook changes aren’t so simple. Imagine the task of meeting the demands of privacy policy advocates, keeping ahead of the competition, and at the same keeping revenues up!
More >
More Gmail Flexibility, Inbox Favorites
Jul 14th
Gmail will be rolling out options to change your inbox without diving into Mail Settings. In an interesting twist on Priority Inbox, and Multiple Inboxes, Google will be allowing you to easily switch between different Inbox views [when this new feature is rolled out]. If you like one you just keep it, and after a while the buttons will go away, at which point you will be able to use Mail Settings if you change your mind.
Choices for Inbox views will be Class, Important First, Unread First, Starred First, and Priority Inbox. Still looking for more to read? How about reading about Google’s new look?
How I Can Hack Your WiFi
Jul 14th
Well, to be honest I can’t hack your Wi-Fi, but a Minnesota man was jailed for 18 years for hacking his neighbor’s Wi-Fi and “impersonating” him online. The ARS Technica article WiFi-hacking neighbor from hell gets 18 years in prison reports that the 46 year old computer technician downloaded WiFi hacking software and cracked his neighbor’s WEP encrypted password.
This blogspot post about WEP vs WPA vs WPA2 shows at the top how long it takes to break a password using BRUTE FORCE [WIKIPEDIA: brute force password attack] against WEP, WPA and WAP2 encryption. The long and short of the article is that if you have a choice between the 3, you should choose WPA2 for the best security.
MORE READING
WPA vs WPA2 (on About.com)
