Let’s start with an interview that Howard Rheingold gave to J√©r√¥me Colombain, a journalist from the French public broadcasting service, and which was aired on November 5, 2005. Here are two links to a text version of J√©r√¥me’s column, “Foules intelligentes” (the French translation of “Smart mobs”) (text in French) and to an audio version (Real Audio format).
And now, here is my weekly selection of articles that were not mentioned here — except if I missed them.
“I want to…” or “I need to” or “How do I?”
According to the author, Phil Bradley, “these are all questions we all ask all the time. This is a small collection of resources that will help to answer those questions. It is not complete, nor will it ever be. I will be adding to this on a regular basis, so feel free to bookmark it and come back and visit.”
Source: Phil Bradley, last version dated November 6, 2005
Semi-private bookmarking in del.icio.us
Kudos to Alex Bosworth for figuring out a clever way to save bookmarks semi-privately in del.icio.us.
Alex’s insight was to create a del.icio.us account, private.bookmarks, along with a bookmarklet generator that produces an account-specific bookmarklet. That bookmarklet invokes a script, on his server, that runs as private.bookmarks. When I use it to bookmark this page, it adds the page to for:judell, which means I can see it at del.icio.us/for/judell but nobody else can. Except for the owner of the private.bookmarks account, which is one reason why I call this a semi-private scheme.
Source: Jon Udell’s blog for InfoWorld, November 1, 2005
Who needs major labels, marketing, or airplay? A social networking site is getting more hits than Google — and turning invisible bands into mini entertainment networks. How MySpace became the MTV for the Net generation.
[Note: it seems that the reporter was a little bit too enthusiast about the numbers he gave in this article; you also should read a review by Techdirt, Doing The Math On MySpace: Who Gets The Failing Grade?.]
Source: Jeff Howe, Wired Magazine, Issue 13.11, November 2005
First fuel-cell car: Taking the future for a drive
You would never guess that Jon Spallino drives what is probably the most expensive car in this city known for automotive excess. Or that he is the world’s most technologically advanced commuter.
[Note: Spallino rents for $500 a month a silver Honda FCX, a car worth about $1 million powered by hydrogen fuel cells.]
Source: Danny Hakim, The New York Times, via CNET News.com, November 2, 2005
Wireless: The new backseat driver?
Just in case you don’t have enough backseat drivers, your car could one day tell you when you’re about to screw up. On Thursday, General Motors demonstrated a vehicle-to-vehicle, or V2V, wireless communication system that alerts you when a collision is imminent. The automaker equipped regular Cadillac STS sedans with wireless and Global Positioning System antennae and computer chips that allow the cars to communicate with other vehicles with similar equipment.
Source: Stefanie Olsen, CNET News.com, November 4, 2005
Researchers look to create a synthesis of art and science
As an actor and a founder of the politically active Electronic Disturbance Theater, Ricardo R. Dominguez is an unlikely faculty member at the nanoscience, wireless and supercomputing laboratory that opened its doors here on the campus of the University of California, San Diego, on Oct. 28.
Source: John Markoff, The New York Times, via CNET News.com, November 5, 2005
Don’t blame the online mappers
For the record, the guys who create those often-vexing online maps would like you to know it’s not their fault.
Source: Elinor Mills, CNET News.com, November 4, 2005
‘Smart’ buildings to guide future first responders
The best response to a building emergency is a fast and informed one. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is working with the building industry as well as the public safety and information technology communities to achieve both objectives.
Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), via EurekAlert!, November 4, 2005
See you next week…
