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Disney Debuts Computer-Based DIY Thrill Ride

GeekSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:45:38 -0700

The joy of playing roller coaster Tycoon on the PC is that you get to create the roller coaster of your dreams. You know, the kind you were always too short to ride as a kid? But at Walt Disney World in Florida, Mickey is taking things one step further and letting you design your own actual roller coaster, and then setting you off in a virtual world to enjoy it.

Called "The Sum of All Thrills", this DIY experience has you choosing dips, turns, and loops on a computer tablet, then hopping into a robotic car to test your creation. I'm in love with this idea, since there are an endless combination of possibilities, meaning you'll probably never get the same ride twice. However, this doesn't mean that I would replace the thrill of a regular roller coaster with a VR one on a regular basis. The good news for us coaster fans is that VR rides are pretty expensive to produce. Personally, I think traditional roller coasters are here to stay, and virtual coasters are just the icing on the cake.

HP's Envy 15 Beats LE Comes Bundled With Dre's Headphones

GeekSugar — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:02:00 -0700

I'm already in love with the sound quality of Dr. Dre's Beats headphones I tested out last year, so getting a free pair with an HP computer bundle would be pretty sweet. But not just any computer of course, one that also comes with a copy of Traktor LE DJing software so I can get my scratch on at the clubs. Who am I kidding, I'm no DJ - but I'll pretend to be one once DJ Hero hits the shelves this month!

HP has announced the HP Envy 15 Beats Limited Edition (which comes stocked with the same hardware as the original Envy 15, but with a pumped up graphics card), which is perfect for DJs and producers with all of its bundled beat-loving goodies. It's pretty sleek with a glossy black finish and red logo (which you'll also find on the matching headphones), but brace yourself for the price: the Envy 15 LE will start at $2,299. . . wowzas.

Geek Tip: Make Money at Home With These Online Jobs

GeekSugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:33:22 -0700

In today's world, technology rules the roost, and there's no reason why you can't work from home and still be able to provide for yourself and your family. Have laptop, will travel, that's what I say. So if you're stuck in a job rut, or are one of the millions still searching for a job, hop online and check out these interesting and unconventional ways you can make money at home with an Internet connection and a computer.

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If You Had To: Give Up Phone or Computer For a Weekend?

GeekSugar — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:15:32 -0700

It's time for a classic game of "Would You Rather?" only instead of something saucy, we'll discuss something tech.

So: If you had to, would you rather go a weekend without your computer or your cell phone? Strip away all the work-arounds for either situation (you have a smartphone with a browser and email, you can send texts online), and think of it for convenience's sake.

Do you catch up on the blogs in your reader all weekend, and surf for fun? I do, and it would make giving up my computer painful. Do you make a lot of weekend plans and need the phone to coordinate with? I do, and not having my phone would definitely mess up my plans.

Everyone likes to be disconnected every once in awhile, but it sucks when it's against your will. So I'm making you choose: which one would you rather give up for a weekend?

Photo courtesy of The CW

Would You Want to Know If a Computer Thinks You're Pretty?

GeekSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:30:08 -0700

And you thought you had enough issues with your looks: a grad student in Canada has programmed a computer that can evaluate human attractiveness.

If that weren't frightening enough - it judges you on a scale of 1-10 (thankfully, there doesn't seem to be anything about a bathing suit round). The evaluation is based on the core data, from volunteer students that submitted photos with people they judged attractive. The computer is now able to recognize the good-looking features and rate accordingly.

Though I will tell you right now that I would rather stick a toothpick in my eye than find out if a computer thinks I'm hot, I'd be lying a little. I'm curious. Now you, be honest: Would you want to know what the computer "thought" about you?

The Computer Man Fixes Your Mac, Stars in Your Nightmares

GeekSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0700

The Computer Man, from a late '90s commercial, is pretty frightening, rather than the paragon of security he's supposed to be. And what's with the ice cream man garb? He's singing, he's running, he's freaking me out. Only question: would you rather have this guy or Nick Burns fix your computer?

Dream Cooking Scenario: A Computer in the Kitchen

GeekSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:01:46 -0700

My skills in the kitchen tend to fluctuate from the very elementary to the occasionally sophisticated (case in point: a beautiful soufflé that shall never be reproduced). What makes the biggest difference for me is having instructions, and not everything I want to make is in the Joy of Cooking.

I get most of my recipe ideas from food blogs like YumSugar, and my best solution for using a recipe I found online was printing it out and getting it covered with ingredients in my messy kitchen, or keeping my laptop somewhere safe and traveling to it for the next step. But when I saw this Kitchn reader's solution, a mounted computer that the reader's husband scored on the cheap, I swooned. And wish I'd thought of it first.

Imagine, having all the recipes you've saved on the Internet in one place - right where you need it.

Do You Share Your Home Computer?

GeekSugar — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:10:39 -0700

PC means personal computer, and most people I know do have their own personal computer. In fact, it's a rarity if a household doesn't have at least one computer these days. But personally, having the job that I have, and with my boyfriend also having a geeky job, I couldn't imagine us having to share a household computer. We each need our own machine, and can be found many nights sitting on the couch, laptops in front of each of us.

Among my friends though, we're the exception - the other couples we chill with share a computer, and what's more, seem fine with it (joint gadget purchasers, they are). I haven't heard a complaint out of anyone that one person hogs it more than the other, which would so not be the case if my boyfriend and I had only one computer.

But that's us, and I realize that financial ability and job necessity are what makes things the way they are, and am sure I could make do if our situation was different.

But tell me - do you share your home computer with your significant other, family members, or roommate?

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Have You Ever Been Mac or PC Curious?

GeekSugar — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:10:45 -0700

So you're a Mac. Or a PC. And you are very happy with your chosen OS - Windows or OS X having never done you wrong. But sometimes you catch yourself daydreaming. . . wondering. . . what the other side is like.

Perhaps, if you're a Mac, you find yourself wanting a Dell Mini or other netbook - how great it would be for travel! It's so light, and so cheap! Or if you're a PC, maybe you've just been told too many times how nice and easy using a Mac is.

Hey, even happily platformed geeks like to think about how the other half lives, even the most hardcore loyalists (like the gentlemen of Diggnation, pictured). Have you ever been curious about Macs if you're a PC, or vice versa?

Would You Rather: Netbook or Nettop?

GeekSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:04:43 -0700

So with the majority of you on board with the whole Netbook craze, let me just throw a little wrench in your wish list and savings plan - it's called the Nettop. Although most people are smitten with the tiny portable computers, some are not so infatuated with the small keyboard, screen, and storage availability to match. Nettops, which made a big impact at the CES conference in Las Vegas this year, are smaller than your average desktop (with screens ranging from 15-19 inches), and come in an all-in-one bundle, which is easy on the eyes and great for maximizing space.

Both netbooks and nettops run Windows or Linux, and come with a smaller price tag than their full-grown counterparts - the eee Top shown above sells for around $550 and comes with a touchscreen. So knowing that the mini computer market will now grow from a laptop-dominated world to include mini desktops (seven million units are expected to sell by next year), which would you rather buy?

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