Driver’s Education: What used to be offline, is now online

Remember when you were a teenager and you had to embark on the wonderful journey of learning how to drive? How about Drivers Education and the hassle of learning all the rules and regulations? Well back when we were at the stage of our life we had to do things in the classroom and on the road. Those days are gone with the wave of improved technology on the Internet. Driver Education Online Training allows you and your kid to work on, and learn the art of driving online.

The major benefit of learning the basics of driving online is the flexibility. If you or your child has a hectic schedule, then you can schedule when you learn instead of being at the mercy of the instructor of the classroom. This is a great way to save resources such as time and money. The Drivers Education course in Texas, Oklahoma, California, Minnesota and Colorado courses are state approved.

The Driver Education Online website not only provides driver’s education, but it also supplies users with a Traffic School. The traffic school is approved in the majority of states.

I wish I had something like this back when I was learning how to drive. Every time I was in my class at school it was a complete waste of time. Who needs a professor when you can simply read and use an interactive course? Using drivers ed online is a great way to utilize the new technology that is provided to us in today’s world.

Codine(x) : Uniting all forms of communication

Codine(x) issued a press release today announcing the company’s service, now in its pre-registration phase, which will allow users to unite all forms of communication including voice communications, fax, text messaging, email, instant message and voicemail by means of a unique Codine(x) ID.

“We saw a need in the marketplace that suggested busy professionals and end users demanded a technology that allows them to be reachable instantly by means of a single unique code that connects all of their communications devices,” said Pablo Kleinman, president and CEO of Codine(x). “By linking all forms of communication, Codine(x) makes messaging easy and efficient. Our service will be particularly useful for professionals and people that require accessibility at any given time.”

Each user will have a unique Codine(x) ID, which can be compared to an email address or a phone number. The user will be able to control via a private control panel which method of communication he or she would like to be contacted by. For instance, if you are in a meeting and you cannot accept calls, you can choose to have all incoming Codine(x) communications converted to a printed fax or translated to a text message.

“We are confident that Codine(x) will revolutionize the communications industry by allowing users to constantly stay connected to the device of their choice,” explained Kleinman. “We expect our service to be particularly useful for medical professionals, emergency personnel, as well as for large corporations with international executives who need to remain in touch at all times.”

An added benefit to using a service like Codine(x) is privacy. The user will never have to give out their email address, phone number or any contact information other than their Codine(x) ID, since all communication will be handled through this service.

Codine(x) service is currently accepting ID reservations online at www.codinex.com for $9.95 per year. The billing year will not commence until the service is launched in fall 2006.

The Sony Vending Machine

Sony is introducing their own electronics and media vending machines in three malls this week. These machines will dispense electronics such as Sony PSPs, memory cards, headphones, etc, and media such as UMDs, DVDs and CDs. Currently the test locations are located in Atlanta; Boulder, Colo.; and Santa Rosa, Calif.

These robotic stores will come in two flavors; a 4-foot version, and an 8-foot version. Both will be equipped with a color touch screen, which will display product information, specifications, as well as movie trailers and music videos. Purchases will be made by swiping a credit or debit card. Cash will be not accepted at these machines.

Once a purchase is made, a robotic arm will locate and retrieve the item, and sensors will ensure that item is properly dispensed. The purchase information is updated over the internet, and sent to a fulfillment center for analysis and rapid product replenishment.

Sony hopes to have 10 of these robotic stores installed in malls, airports and grocery stores by the end of the year.

Source NYTimes

Mobile phones for the elderly and the blind

Trying to teach your parents how to use that new cell phone, can be frustrating for everyone. Lets face it.. Today, most cell phones are complicated, with an overload of features and settings, that you might even have a hard time getting used to.

Based out of Linz, Austria, Emporia mainly focuses on manufacturing mobile phones for the elderly. These specialized phones, feature an emergency button, simple operation with easy to navigate menus, big easy to press buttons, and a large display with big lettering. They are also hearing aid compatible, with extra loud speakerphone volume and ringer settings.

Emporia is also currently working on building mobile phones for blind people.

The screenless mobile phone for the blind people will feature text-to-speech technologies. The phone will read out loud incoming text messages, and the number or name of the caller, when there is an incoming call. The phone will also speak each number that is pressed while dialing out.

YouOS : An Ajax web based OS

Check out the demo of YouOS. Currently in an Alpha stage, YouOS is an operating system within your web browser window, written using lots of Ajax. There are all sorts of little apps and programs you can launch, such as Chat, Rss Readers & Flickr Apps, Rich Text Editors and Games like Chess and “YouPong”. This is definitely very neat. You can also signup for a full account.

Farecast predicts airline ticket pricing

Farecast, currently in a closed beta, is a new service which uses historical pricing data from airlines to forecast when airline tickets will be the cheapest. Farecast beta currently only works for Boston and Seattle. However, when it’s launched later this year it will be available nationwide.

John Batelle spoke with Farecast founder Hugh Crean earlier last week, and has a great article on the upcoming service.

You can sign up for the private beta on the homepage, it’ll be out later in the year. The basic premise is neat - Farecast pays attention to the market price of all airline fares out of particular cities (it only does Boston and Seattle for now) at all times (it uses an industry data feed that, unfortunately, does not include Southwest). It then uses this data to help forecast when the right time might be for you to buy your ticket (and get the best price). In short, it’s a rip off detector for flights. Farecast leverages the power of data to put you back in charge, or at least more in charge.

Read John Batelle’s article here.

Source: BoingBoing

PerSecondPodcast Pricing Update

Over the weekend we wrote about PerSecondPodcast, a new project/service released this month, which sells audio time to be used for music, advertisements, blogs, stories, rants, or anything you want. The audio time purchased will then be played on the internet, college radio stations, and other media outlets. Read the full article here.

This morning, Joseph Citarrella, one of the people behind PerSecondPodcast emailed us to give up an update on their new and much lower pricing structure.

Here is the email with the updated pricing information.

Hello,

This is Joey from the PerSecondPodcast team. I read your blog on our site, and think it’s great! Thanks for your support.

I just wanted to fill you in on a correction. Our prices are currently BRONZE: $1/sec, SILVER:$2/sec, GOLD:$3/sec, PLATINUM: $4/sec, as opposed to the significantly higher prices we had earlier and which are posted on ibloggedthis.

Naturally, feel free to email us at any time and to encourage your guests to do the same. Thanks again!

Best,
Joey

SingleStat.us - Find out when your friends become single

Built by entrepreneur David Weekly over a short weekend, SingleStat.us will notify you by email when someone from MySpace that you are interested in becomes single.

SingleStat.us aims to be the best way you can keep up to date with what your friends and crushes are up to on the relationship scene.

There is a one time signup fee of $3.95, currently discounted down to $1.95 for the month of June. However, when you mention SingleStat.us in your MySpace profile the charge is waived.

PerSecondPodcast : Own a piece of audio history

Launched June 1st 2006, PerSecondPodcast is an online audio time capsule and innovative advertising solution. Remember the Million Dollar Home Page? Well, this is the audio version of it.

This service allows anyone to purchase audio time from PerSecondPodCast to be used for music, advertisements, blogs, stories, rants or messages to the future. You can basically create a PodCast about anything you like with the audio time you purchase.

PerSecondPodcast promises that they will be online at a minimum of five years, and in addition to serving the audio content on their website, there will be an rss feed for iTunes, as well as college radio airtime, and possibly XM/Sirius Satellite radio airtime.

There is a limited amount of time available for purchase. Once all the time has been sold, copies of all the audio will be place in several iPod time capsules to be burried.

Priced at per second, the current rates are as follows:

$4$1 per second for the BronzeCast - Total of 24 hours available.

$8$2 per second for the SilverCast - Total of 12 hour available.

$16$3 per second for the GoldCast - Total of 6 hours available.

$32$4 per second for the BronzeCast - Total of 3 hour available..

Happy Podcasting!

(Tip by James)

Update: Pricing information updated here

Comcast to begin testing HD TIVO service

Comcast is about to begin beta testing the HD TIVO service on their DVR boxes this month, according to the AVS Forum. The deal between comcast and Tivo was inked back in mid March of 2005.

The TIVO software will be downloaded directly onto existing Comcast HD DVR boxes, without the need to purchase or rent any extra hardware.

Under the terms of the agreement, Comcast and TiVo will work together to develop a version of the TiVo service that will be made available on Comcast’s current primary DVR platform. New software will be developed by TiVo and will be incorporated into Comcast’s existing network platforms. The new service will be marketed with the TiVo brand, and is expected to be available on Comcast’s DVR products in a majority of Comcast markets in mid-to-late 2006.

Although no official statements has been issued yet about the pricing and availability, we expect the pricing for the new service to be at about $5 per month, on top of the current DVR charges. The new Comcast/TIVO DVR service will include the popular TIVO user interface, and features such as the Season Pass and the WishList.

No word yet on which markets Comcast will test the new TIVO service on, or how to sign up. Comcast support was unable to provide us with any useful information when we called.