Patrick Stewart is not a Gamer.

So, I was tempted to save this beauty for my personal blog, but let's face it; everyone you know should see this side of Mr. Stewart.

Below is a video from Vimeo with actor-extraordinaire Patrick Stewart talking briefly about his likes, dislikes and thoughts on today's technology. Enjoy!

(From Vimeo, Neatorama)

Poof! You're Now Using a Touchscreen!

Okay, so maybe not right this moment, but soon, everyone with a computer monitor can have a touchscreen!

Displax is a Portugese-based company that has created a wonderful, paper-thin polymer film which contains a grid of nanowires which has the capacity to interact with up to 16 fingers, sense air movement over the film, and "can be applied on any non-conductive flat or curved surface including glass, plastic and wood with a thickness under 15 mm. It works in daylight or at night, indoors or outdoors, and isn’t affected by light conditions."

Apparently, the film is applied to the backside of the screen which protects it from all our grimy hands. Looks like we're one step closer to having interactive computers like those from Minority Report. Pretty groovy!

(From Gizmodo)

uPlaya

uPlaya is an online service where independent music artists can upload their songs and be given an automated score of the hit potential of that song. Boom. You no longer need humans to run record lables. Or something.

I dislike how the "success stories" section has no success stories. Okay, I want song examples, people. 

Also, best question from the FAQ: "Isn’t music supposed to be art?"

Also, one metafilter commenter notes,

"This strikes me as a high tech version of the old songwriting competition / modeling agency scam, the kind of thing where almost everyone is assured they are primed for success, and they have some fees you can pay to enter contests for a chance to make it big. I feel like a rube just for giving them my email address.

This is snake oil. We have been uplayed®." 

(From Metafilter)

How Hot Dogs Are Made

How Hot Dogs Are Made is a video From the Science channel's show, "How It's Made." It shows you how hot dog are made. Totally gross, and it's true... you don't want to know.  Soooo glad I don't eat those. 

Also, that inspector job must be soooo tedious.

Also that's it. 

(From Buzzfeed)

Espresso Book Machine ("EBM")

The Expresso Book Machine is a really fast printer that makes books.  And by makes I mean prints and binds and everything. 

The video is kind of boring and commercial-ey but the idea is really cool.  I like that you can upload your own files and self-publish really quickly.

Not that I have a great American novel half-written or anything.  I just like the idea that if I did, I could print it. Also, I only talk about books that I want to publish when I'm drunk.  I wonder if I'm drunk.  I digress.

According to Justine,

"I read about this today in the "Chronicle for Higher Education"...something that gets passed around the Grad Studies Office...and it sounds so cool! I wish I had my own personal Espresso Book Machine!"

(From my friend Justine )