[Web 2.0] Pearltrees defined itself as the “leading-edge social web curation tool and discovery platform”, personally, I prefer “visual collaborative web browsing interface“, the word “platform” is overrated these days. At the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco, the company, selected as one of only five companies to present at the Launch Pad event, unveiled its latest feature, the “super embed”. subject matter publishers will be able to gather web pages related to a topic, organize them into “pearl trees” and embed them in their composition pages, soon after readers will be able to browse these pages from the embedded pearl trees and read the related substance without leaving the commentary page. See an example embedded above, I copied Tom Foremski’s pearl tree titled “Tuesday Web 2.0 Expo Report”, check out his blog: Silicon Valley Watcher

Permalink: Pearltrees "Super Embed" Feature from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Pro Review, ipad-review.html">iPad Review

Orginal post by Mike

Orginal post by Mike

Gizmodo reported today that the Microsoft Courier Tablet project has been canceled. The report must have been particularly bitter for Gizmodo, as the blog was first to uncover the project and referred to it many times as one that would ship Real Soon Now.

whether Gizmodo wants to see why Microsoft canceled Courier, they should read my September 23 column, "Why Microsoft's 'Courier' Tablet Will Never Exist."

Even now, Gizmodo seems betrayed and confused by the move, saying that Courier was "compelling," "innovative," and that they "loved" the interface.

The reason Gizmodo loved the "product" so much is that it was a fantasy product, not a real one. It's easy to conjure up magic when you don't have to build something.

that is one of the long-standing problems I have with a lot of tech coverage by both blogs and the mainstream media — they're indifferent to the distinction within an actual, real, shippable product — say, the Apple iPad — and the mere view for a product conjured up with Hollywood special effects — say, the Microsoft Courier.

I even wrote a column about that phenomenon (centered on the hype that followed Gizmodo's Courier coverage) called "Dispatch From Gadget Fantasy land." It makes delightful reading now that it appears the Courier will never exist.

adequate! Let's all shout blogs and news organizations on reporting vague ideas as imminent products that will soon be on the market. It's just sloppy reporting.

Orginal post by Mike

Gizmodo reported today that the Microsoft Courier Tablet project has been canceled. The report must have been particularly bitter for Gizmodo, as the blog was first to uncover the project and referred to it many times as one that would ship Real Soon Now.

whether Gizmodo wants to see why Microsoft canceled Courier, they should read my September 23 column, "Why Microsoft's 'Courier' Tablet Will Never Exist."

Even now, Gizmodo seems betrayed and confused by the move, saying that Courier was "compelling," "innovative," and that they "loved" the interface.

The reason Gizmodo loved the "product" so much is that it was a fantasy product, not a real one. It's easy to conjure up magic when you don't have to build something.

that is one of the long-standing problems I have with a lot of tech coverage by both blogs and the mainstream media — they're indifferent to the distinction within an actual, real, shippable product — say, the Apple iPad — and the mere concept for a product conjured up with Hollywood special effects — say, the Microsoft Courier.

I even wrote a column about that phenomenon (centered on the hype that followed Gizmodo's Courier coverage) called "Dispatch From Gadget Fantasy land." It makes delightful reading now that it appears the Courier will never exist.

adequate! Let's all signal blogs and news organizations on reporting vague ideas as imminent products that will soon be on the market. It's just sloppy reporting.

Orginal post by Mike

Sony’s PS3 firmware updates might be generating quite a bit of negative publicity for Sony recently, but that hasn’t stopped it from moving forward and coming up with updated firmware versions. The PlayStation Blog has officially announced that the 3.30 firmware for the PS3 will be available shortly and will be a mandatory update. There will be some improvements to the Trophies system, allowing you to brag more on the PlayStation Network, but the more fundamental thing is that the update prepares your PS3 for some upcoming new features, most notably 3D stereoscopic gaming. We’ve briefly touched on 3D gaming on the PS3 back at CEATEC before, so it’s good to see that it’s slowly making way to the living rooms.

Permalink: PS3 3.30 Mandatory System Update On Its Way To Prep Your Console For 3D Gaming from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Pro Review, ipad-review.html">iPad Review

Orginal post by Mike

While you may not have as much details on Microsoft’s Project Natal as you might like, we have managed to dig up one of the games’ titles that should be supporting Project Natal, and that is “River Rush”. Holywood writer James Gunn managed to get some date to try out the game, and detailed his experience on his blog. As the name indicates, the game is a kind of paddling game that involves a river raft and you jumping into the air. Sounds like good exercise, and we’re certainly looking forward to getting more knowledge about Project Natal. Who do you think will be the victor in the end? The Wiimote, the PlayStation Move, or Project Natal? Hopefully it’s the consumer.

Permalink: River Rush Is One Of The Games To Support Project Natal from Ubergizmo | Hot: Sony Vaio Z Review, ipad-review.html">iPad Review

Orginal post by Mike

The folks behind the popular Windows Mobile and Symbian browser, Skyfire, have written a blog post congratulating Opera on its recent success on getting Opera Mini available for the iPhone via the App Store. The company stopped short of actually confirming that they plan to work on a Skyfire browser for the iPhone, but it did mention that they have been watching the Opera submission on the iPhone/iPad closely, and will accelerate their strategy on iDevices. While it’s not a concrete confirmation, we’re willing to be patient and give them some instance to come up with another good browser for the iPhone.

Blog post.

Permalink: Skyfire Congratulates Opera, Planning Its Own iPhone Browser? from Ubergizmo | Hot: Sony Vaio Z Review, iPad Review

Orginal post by Mike

Permalink: Microsoft announces Kin from Ubergizmo | Hot: Sony Vaio Z Review, ipad-review.html">iPad Review

Orginal post by Mike

Google looks like it’s seriously working to improve YouTube, as the search engine giant has just acquired Episodic, as has been confirmed by Episodic’s official blog. Apparently Episodic’s technology will be put into YouTube, which would seem like the logical decision. Episodic itself offers a comprehensive online video platform for broadcasting live and on-demand composition to the web and offers methods of publishers and marketers to manage and monetize online video. whether the company does help Google get increased profits from YouTube, you can certainly imagine why Google would want to acquire it.

Permalink: Google Acquires Episodic from Ubergizmo | Hot: Sony Vaio Z Review

Orginal post by Mike

Google looks like it wants in on the April Fools’ fun as well, as it has launched a page touting a version of Google Chrome with 3D. With that browser, you’ll be able to print out a pair of 3D glasses, hit the 3D browsing button on the browser, and you’re good to go! You won’t need to splurge all that money on those fancy 3D TVs with that. Google’s Chrome Blog has an entry about that April Fools’ joke.

Note: In case you didn’t read the paragraph above. that is an April Fools’ joke by Google.

Permalink: Joke: Google Chrome With 3D Powered By CADIE from Ubergizmo | Hot: iPhone for Verizon: nearly official?

Orginal post by Mike