PopSugar

Wikipedia's Army of Volunteer Editors Are Quitting

TresSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:00:32 -0800

Volunteers who edit Wikipedia each day are quickly teaching the online encyclopedia that freedom and fun are crucial to the democratization of information. Burdened by complicated restrictions and uninterested in the more mundane topics (the most popular entries have already been written), volunteer editors are leaving Wikipedia faster than new ones are joining.

Wikipedia is under constant pressure to police the accuracy of its information, and that typically means leaving the moderation to millions of engaged users. That approach is fine with me, since I usually use Wikipedia to find out what everyone else knows about something; whether or not the info is true is a secondary consideration. But if less people engage in the content creation and moderation the quality of the information could go down. And that's a problem when these pages embody, and perhaps create, conventional wisdom. It's safer when there are more people who edit the entries, and thus more people who hold the power of truth (or truthiness) in their hands.

Luckily right now there are more than three million people who write, edit, and check the information, guaranteeing some level of oversight. Let's hope Wikipedia figures out how to keep them coming back. Have you ever contributed to Wikipedia?

Coming Soon: Apples That Don't Rot?

YumSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:00:03 -0800

Can you imagine leaving a piece of fruit in the crisper and being able to take a bite out of it after four months? That's the idea behind a new variety of apple that's being tweaked by researchers at Queensland Primary Industries. The RS103-130, as it's called, can stay fresh for at least 14 days without refrigeration, and keep in a refrigerator for four months.

Scientists are touting many benefits behind the fruit's longevity, which comes from incorporating a gene from a black-spot resistant apple. For one, the RS103-130 requires less fungicides; it would also need less cold storage, cutting down on energy costs.

As far as the most important factor - taste - is concerned, developers say the fruit is very sweet, and has come out on top in preliminary taste tests. Does the RS103-130 apple sound convenient, creepy, or both?

More Seniors Are Taking the Plunge Into Tech

GeekSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:17:24 -0800

I may have a game-loving gramps, but he doesn't really venture into the Internet without a little assistance. I'll cut him a break since he's in his eighties, but a recent study shows that more and more seniors are taking the plunge into Facebook, blogs, and tech in general than ever before. Stats show that the senior population (age 65 and over) that uses the Internet has tripled since 2005.

Back in the day, it used to be nearly impossible for the older set to get a handle on tech, but it seems that as times progress and technology is a little easier to grasp, senior citizens aren't afraid to jump in and get their feet wet online. Even if your dad still needs help with his WiFi, you can give him props for at least having an email address. Do the seniors in your life use technology? Share your hilarious family stories with us in our Funny Tech Stories group, or brag about how quickly they got the hang of Twitter below!

Wal-Mart Builds Their Own Geek Squad

GeekSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:33:46 -0700

Need some tech support? Normally I like to troubleshoot my computer and technology woes myself (there's nothing like reading the instruction manual to learn how to operate something while in distress), but on rare occasions, I do have to call a company's tech support hotline to get some help with an issue. However, out of all of the gadgets I've purchased from Best Buy, I've never called upon the Geek Squad's services when I'm in need. Why? Well mostly it's the fee that it costs to utilize their 24-hour support. But that's not to say they aren't used - how many of those little Geek VW Beetles have you seen driving around your town? Exactly.

Someone else has been taking notice of the fleet, and is preparing to take on the blue and yellow big box. Find out about Wal-Mart's plans to compete when you read more.

Wal-Mart is enlisting the help of a third-party company called N.E.W. Customer Service to provide similar 24-hour tech support for their electronics customers. Instead of requiring a subscription fee to utilize tech support expertise like Best Buy, Wal-Mart will be offering up a prepaid card for purchase for any over the phone or in-home installation service. Buy one for yourself, or give one as a gift to your less-than-tech-savvy friends or family to use year round. The service should be ready to go nationwide by the upcoming holiday shopping season.

A WHO Report Says Cell Phone Use Leads to Brain Tumors

GeekSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:05:10 -0800

Cell phone use causing cancer - certainly not something we haven't heard before and not something that is going away anytime soon. First we learn that the electromagnetic radiation from cell phones doesn't cause cancer and when I asked you if you were worried about your cell phone increasing your risk of getting cancer, most of you said no.

The latest news? Well it doesn't get more legit than the World Health Organization, who have been working on a ten-year investigation called Interphone to see if there were any correlations between prolonged cell phone use and brain tumors. According to CNN the study will be published by the end of the year, and did reveal that those who had cell phones for 10 years or longer had the strongest risk of tumors.

And another recent study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology supports the link between cell phone use and tumors as well. The CNN article states:

Studies that looked at people who had used cell phones 10 years or longer tended to find the strongest risk of tumors. Researchers found that cell phone users had a 10 percent to 30 percent higher risk than people who barely, if ever, used this technology.

They also touch on Bluetooth devices, which aren't as harmful, but could cause tumors if worn on your ear all day. I don't know about you, but whenever I know I'm going to have a long cell phone conversation, I make sure to pop in my ear piece (not a Bluetooth) so that my phone isn't glued to my head for a couple of hours.

What do you think? Would you consider changing your cell phone habits after learning about these findings?

Is Technology Playing a Part in Your Vote?

GeekSugar — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:30:57 -0700

In this election year, the candidates have to face the modern issues that technology brings. I don't just mean the use of technology in the campaign, like Palin's sudden Wikipedia debut or watching speeches on the Internet; I mean how the candidates themselves regard technology. In one corner, Barack Obama is perceived as the tech-savvy candidate, as an iPhone user, the promoter of an iPhone App, and a campaign website with a user-friendly interface. He's facing off with the less tech-savvy McCain, of whom much has been made of his admission that he doesn't know how to use a computer, which raises the question of, how much do you need to understand something to pass laws on it?

On the running mate side, you have Palin, whose use of email is prolific but faulty, and the news that Biden's political history includes support for the RIAA.

Admittedly, there are far bigger issues our candidates are facing, but I do take technology into consideration, for the obvious reason that tech is a huge part of my life.

So tell me, are any tech issues affecting your vote in any way?

Source

Holy Harry Potter Come to Life! Invisibility Cloak a Reality?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:00:20 -0700

Good news for all you sad Muggles wandering around all visible and everything - scientists say that they're a step closer to developing the technology that will give the power to make things and people (!) invisible. Researchers have demonstrated that they're now able to use artificially engineered materials that redirect light around three-dimensional objects, making them disappear into thin air, Harry Potter-style.

OK, it's not magic - the reason we can see objects is because they scatter the light that hits them, beaming some of it back to the eye. This cloaking technique uses materials, called metamaterials, to deflect light around an object, like a rock parting water flowing in a stream.

Though researchers are excited by the military implications of having the power of invisibility, the rest of us can feel free to come up with various (more important?) scenarios where we could apply this technology. Where would you want to be invisible?

Pepsi Apologizes For "Scoring" iPhone App Via Twitter

GeekSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:44:00 -0700

I don't necessarily consider myself a feminist, but I know a sexist product when I see one. Remember the Slide to Unlock tee or the stripper pole Wii game? Yeah, those were awesome.

So when I heard about Pepsi's Amp Up Before You Score App that hit iTunes this week, I had to chuckle. I knew it was only a matter of time before the backlash hit - and oh, the backlash did in fact, hit. The app, which is meant to help you "score" with women, categorizes women into different types, and provides pickup lines, tips, and insights to each type - from sporty girls to cougars - and even provides a note section where you can list your successful hookups with names (and whatever details you can remember) so you can brag to your friends later.

Not surprisingly, Pepsi Amp issued an apology on their Twitter account, but have yet to pull the app from iTunes. I'm glad that Pepsi sees the error of its ways, however, maybe it's just me, but doesn't the female public as a whole deserve an apology that consists of more than 140 characters?

New York City Goes High Tech

GeekSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 04:04:03 -0700

If you happen to live in NYC or plan to visit soon, keep your eyes peeled for some new city upgrades - techie upgrades that is. The New York City Police Department has reportedly purchased ten new segways to patrol popular tourist areas like Central Park and Coney Island. These two-wheeled human transporters are said to be great additions to the NYPD because of their visibility, mobility and speed, which is said to be 12.5mph.

The New York Daily News reports that 25 cops have been trained to use these new vehicles which cost about $5000 to $6000 and carry about 260 pounds each. Perfect for patrolling pathways and boardwalks, expect to see them in many city parks and beaches.

Another great technological advancement to the big apple is the addition of touch-screen monitors in city cabs. MSNBC has announced that "NYC's Taxi and Limousine Commission approved a plan to install these monitors in all 13,000 city cabs over the objections of some drivers who consider the technology too expensive and intrusive." Already in 200 cabs, these touch-screen monitors will be handy for customers to pay by credit card, check out news stories or restaurant views, and see their cabby route via an electronic map..definitely lots of fun time wasters while you sit in traffic!

Get Alerted When Anyone Tweets About Twilight, Vamps, Tech

GeekSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:06:42 -0700

The day is drawing nearer my friends: Halloween is tomorrow and New Moon hits theaters in just three weeks! It's almost too much vampire goodness to bear, but if you just can't get enough, then check out TweetAlarm.

It alerts you anytime anyone tweets about Twilight, vampires, or whatever it is you really care about, since you can customize the alert keywords. Wanting to stay on top of the up-to-the-minute Robert Pattinson news? Or maybe you're more into finding out every detail about the still unconfirmed Apple Tablet? Set an alert for "Apple Tablet," and you'll get an email alert at the end of the day, twice a day, or anytime there's a tweet about it.

Have an interesting website you want to share? To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group, read more.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
Click "New Post" under the website of the day tab at the top of the page.
Give your story a "Title."
Fill in the "Body" with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
Type "Technology and Gadgets" in the Categories box
Add keyword(s) in the tag field with relevant tags (for example mine for this story was "Website of the Day").
Choose whether you want the post to be private or public.
Click "Create Post" to submit content.

Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment