Review � Star Trek resort coming to Jordan in 2014

Some of you might remember how we reported on a Chinese amusement park that is based (loosely) on World of Warcraft and Starcraft. I suppose it was time that someone made a decent Star Trek theme park, and this one will be in Aqaba, Jordan.

Not that the Star Trek experience at the Las Vegas Hilton wasn�t good, but it was just as expansive as this one. This is Rubicon Group Holding�s Red Sea Astrarium, and RGH and Paramount Recreation plan to turn it into a �multi-sensory 23rd-century experiences, culminating with a state-of-the art space-flight adventure that takes real-time immersive entertainment experiences to bold new heights�.

This resort is expected to be completed sometime within 2014, and it is about 184 acres at an astronomical cost of $1 billion.

I am not certain how in the world this will be an authentic Star Trek set-up. I can see in the mock-up nothing that looks like an icon from the TV show or movies. In fact, one of those areas looks like Naboo from Star Wars. I�m guessing the real business here is going to be from the hotels nearby.

I suppose that we�ll have to wait a few more years to boldly go where no one has gone before, and I�m guessing that it would be logical to say that it probably won�t meet its deadline. Scotty, you have three years!

http://dvice.com/archives/2011/05/jordan-is-getti.php

READ MORE - Review � Star Trek resort coming to Jordan in 2014

Review � lightRadio � There�s a lot of Jack in this Box

I’m probably dating myself, but I actually owned one of the first cell phones, admit it, some of you remember� It came attached to a darn suitcase, and seemed to weigh about 5 pounds.� I was pretty proud of it, and come to think of it, the reception was pretty good too! But look how far we’ve come�

As cell phones have become smaller and owning one is now almost compulsory, those unsightly antennas of steel topped by all the necessary transmitters and gizmos that we call cell towers have invaded practically every landscape known to man. So let us welcome Alcatel-Lucent’s lightRadio. Imagine if you will, much smaller antennas, some tiny enough to hold in your hand. A device like that could be placed anywhere, on lamp or utility poles on buildings, heck, anywhere with electrical and network connections. Seriously, a cell tower in a box!

If they can iron out a few details, it could upend the wireless industry and offer amazing service, fantastic voice and data transmissions with no dead spots, fewer dropped calls, and let’s face it, the end of those unsightly towers. Because the antennas will be so much smaller � and can be put in so many more locations, the result is increased signal strength for us all, and who would object to something the size of a Rubiks cube �erected� somewhere near their home?

Alcatel-Lucent also thinks that their new lightRadio can cut both the financial and energy costs of operating a network by 50% or more, because it diminishes upkeep and maintenance costs, energy consumption and because more information can be transmitted at the same time. Gee, I wonder if those claims came to fruition we would actually have our phone bills cut in half. Wait a minute, I’m holding my breath.

Look for these lightRadios to show up sometime soon� you know, if you can find them.


http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/features/light_radio/index.html

READ MORE - Review � lightRadio � There�s a lot of Jack in this Box

Jacko Steps are straight out of Billie Jean video

I was listening to the radio in the car yesterday, and Michael Jackson�s Billie Jean came on the air.

While my wife and I were questioning the lyrics, I couldn�t help but think of the video for the song. I swear, Michael Jackson�s videos took music videos to a whole new level back in the 1980s.

I�m not certain how old our average reader actually is, but find the Billie Jean music video online and watch it if you have never seen it before. Not to be too much of a spoiler, but it shows Jacko walking on sidewalk tiles that mysteriously glow every time he puts his foot on them. Now you can have these glowing steps in your own backyard with the appropriately named Jacko Steps.

It does not look like these rocks glow whenever one steps on them. However, the purpose of these steps isn�t to replicate a video that is sadly retro, but an alternative to those lights that illuminate paths.

This totally makes sense. Why purchase lights that illuminate a path when you can just make the path glow. I suppose that The Wiz version of Michael Jackson would be totally easing down this road. Okay, I�m totally out of Michael Jackson references and still cannot believe it has been two years since his untimely demise. I think that is about all I should say about it.

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2011/05/24/jacko-steps-turn-your-backyard-into-a-michael-jackson-music-video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Ohgizmo+%28OhGizmo!%29

READ MORE - Jacko Steps are straight out of Billie Jean video

Review � Bargain Deal at woot � Samsung Galaxy Android Tablet for $260

If you�re in the market for a cheap tablet there�s a great deal over on woot for refurbished Samsung Galaxy Tab (full spec: �1 Samsung Galaxy Tab 7? 16GB Android 2.2, Wi-Fi + 3G (Sprint), microSD, BT, GPS, 3.0 & 1.3MP Cams�). As with all woot specials it�s only available today or until stocks run out. Happy wooting :) .

READ MORE - Review � Bargain Deal at woot � Samsung Galaxy Android Tablet for $260

Review � University of Chicago to get a mechanized library

Just yesterday, I reported on the Yobot, a robot arm that will be stationed at a Yotel near Times Square New York, and its job is to take ones bag for safekeeping and file it with others.

This Joe and Rika Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago looks rather similar in operation, but it is essentially a robot librarian and not a bag check-in. It has about 35,000 metal bins in a five story chamber, which is enough for millions of books.

If a patron wants a particular book, he or she can request it, and one of the robot arms fetches it from the five story chamber located underneath the new section of the library. The books are not sorted by any sort of Dewey Decimal System or other numerical classification, but by size.

This is slightly more efficient than human-stocked libraries, as older books don�t have to be shifted around in order to make room for newer books. All that is required is adding a new shelf, and make certain that the book is entered into the new digital system. Of course, this does create a problems should there be some sort of power outage.

Not only is this subterranean method of organization pretty cool, but the new edition to the library is a very cool egg-shaped dome structure. It cost enough to build at $81 million.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20066220-1/robots-hoard-the-books-at-mechanized-library/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Crave

READ MORE - Review � University of Chicago to get a mechanized library