Offbeat posts

There are a few things that are still up in the air about whether or not Google+ will succeed, whether it can take down Facebook, or whether they can co-exist. One man who has some experience with building a social network has jumped on the bandwagon and been more than just a little active. Tom Anderson, one of the founders of MySpace and the face of the company (literally) during the glory years is out with a vengeance learning about and promoting Google+. He will soon be part of over 70,000 circles and is treating the network as more than just a passing fancy. His posts are often long, thought-out, and…

There has been a lot of press surrounding bitcoins lately. They are viewed as a fun way to invest and play a virtual market with high potential gains. There is risk involved as with any investment, but there’s a huge advantage of trading bitcoins that few realize. Taxes? What taxes? This graphic by the money-knowing folks over at Intuit breaks down the loophole and shows the advantages and disadvantages of the digital currency world. When you have money without borders, what could go wrong? Answer: a lot. Is it worth the risks? …

We’re not quite to the point where we can push a button and say, “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.” Then again, we may not be as far off as most would believe. The amazing technology behind the 3D printer is mind-blowing. From scanning and understanding every aspect of a tool, even moving parts, all the way to the actual “printing” process are things that are clearly out of a science fiction book and not reality, and yet there it is. Watch the video. Be amazed. Dream about the future. …

Many creations and mini-memes have been popping up for the last few weeks since Google went social with the Google+ network. Now, the folks over at Hanson Dodge Creative have made the unofficial song for the social network. Give them credit for being bold and creative. Give them kudos for putting together interesting and topical lyrics. Do not give them credit or kudos for their music making. It’s about as good as one would expect from a song about a social network. Still, it’s all in the name of fun, so don’t be a hater, either. At least it’s not Rebecca Black. H/T to Techvert. …

For most things, when we lose them, we lose them. Depending on the value, we either replace it or put in an effort to find it. There’s not much that goes into it. Cell phones are different. There’s a process that has to happen when you lose one. It can cause emotional distress and create challenges in day-to-day life. This graphic by our friends at MyLookout breaks down the process and shows us what happens when phones are lost. Click to enlarge. …

One thing is very different about those who get rich through technology rather than traditional businesses. They’re young. Really young. 11 tech billionaires on the Forbes 500 are 40 or younger. That was unheard of a decade ago, even taking inflation into account. It took time to get that rich. To do so before getting a gray hair points to a trend. This graphic by Focus takes a look at the trend. It’s the rise of the young rich and it shows no signs of slowing. Click to enlarge. …

There are dozens of reasons why upgrading the current systems used by banking institutions is a great idea. With many systems having been built in the last century, the technology exists today to make things cleaner, more streamlined, and better overall. The one aspect of 2011 technology that does not belong in banking is real-time processing. The reason – security. Word is spreading about plans by 5 of the top 20 major banking institutions to move to more advanced real-time systems that will allow them to generate more revenue. On the surface, it seems like a win-win situation. People want their…

Many children dream of flying. Whether they want to be pilots or Superman, there is something compelling about soaring through the air that fills kids’ imaginations and creates desires that need to be satiated. Most of us never experience it beyond commercial flights. Yves Rossy from Switzerland fulfilled his childhood dreams… and then some. First, he became a pilot. That’s admirable but nothing extraordinary. What sets him apart is being the only man in history to fly with a jet-propelled wing. His dream started as a 13-year-old child attending an airshow and watching military jets perform…

Technology has been integrated into paying tribute to lost loved ones for some time now at funerals and on memorial websites, but Israeli medical technology executive Yoav Medan has brought technology to the final place of rest for his mother by adding a QR Code to her gravestone. “I was most concerned about 20 or 40 years from now, how will she be remembered … [I wanted to put] what’s in our memory into a place that doesn’t forget,” he said. Scanning the QR Code with a mobile device takes visitors to a website where he plans to grow with stories and images of his mother’s life. It was engraved…

This spoof public service announcement brings together some of the most geeky-epic dreams male nerds around the world have ever had. First, it features “Slave Leia”, an icon in the cosplay universe representing everything hot about intergalactic princesses everywhere. Then, it features them in scifi events where women dress as other desirable characters such as Lara Croft and The Baroness. Finally, it features Kaley Cuoco, perhaps the epitome of “hot girl loves geeks” due to her role in The Big Bang Theory. It doesn’t get any better than this. …