The browsers are lined with Chrome

September 3, 2008 | Comments

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Last night I downloaded Chrome to see what all the fuss was about.  For those who missed it, yesterday Google released a Beta version (aren’t they all Beta?) of a new open-source web browser which promises the capacity to run applications speedily, securely and simultaneously within the broswer.  Allowing each tab to run in isolation from each other.  If one tab should encounter a bug, then that tab is simply closed down leaving all other tabs running which is great and I also like the way your browsing history is displayed when a new tab is opened.  I haven’t managed to get my application shortcuts working yet, and can’t see how I can integrate Delicious within the tool bar which is annoying, but I am sure I will find it once I spend time having a proper play.  For those who want to know more, Google have put together a comic book explaining the features behind Chrome which you can view here.

PMOG fun

May 26, 2008 | Comments

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Last week I was directed to PMOG (passively multiplayer online game) by Charlie, an application that lets you play against others simply through browsing the web.  “With a game head-up display in Firefox, players can bomb each other, wage war over web sites, and lead other users on web missions. Ordinary web sites become caches for items and currency. PMOG fuses an MMO into our WWW.”  I have only recently started playing but have successfully blown up a couple of people and can see myself becoming addicted very easily.

Don’t click

February 27, 2008 | Comments

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I saw a few months ago but never actually noted it down until I wanted to show it to someone this evening. Imagine going to a website and never clicking. Trust me, it’s harder than you would think. German Artist Alex Frank designed and developed a website to test your surfing habits whereby the entire navigation of the site goes against your natural instinct and encourages you not to click, instead by moving your cursor you can unveil the layers within the site. Pretty impressive.

Nielsen buys into Neuromarketing

February 21, 2008 | Comments

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Nielsen Company has announced that it has invested in NeuroFocus a firm that uses brainwave, eye-tracking and skin conductance measurements to measure consumer reactions to ads and products. The companies are joining forces to bring new science-based products, services and metrics to clients in consumer packaged goods, television, film and emerging media. “At the same time, Nielsen will integrate NeuroFocus’ techniques into existing services to better understand the elements of successful consumer engagement”.

Second Life for the blind

December 10, 2007 | Comments

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Students at IBM in Ireland have designed an audio equivalent of the virtual world Second Life using 3D sound to create a sense of space. When the user enters the virtual world, the items are described as well as their positions. There is also sound attached so for example, if there’s a tree nearby the user will hear a rustling of leaves. Each avatar will have a sonar attached to give them an idea of the environment they’re in, and they will be able to communicate with other members through a technology that uses text to speech software that reads out any chat from fellow avatars in the virtual world that appears in a text box.

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