Second Kid Life?

Seems everyone is getting into social sites and virtual worlds these days... latest among them is Disney.

With the release of DGamer, Disney is entering the mix of virtual worlds along with Nickelodeon, Mattel, and Lego (forthcoming).

The line from the Washington Post article that really jumped out at me was:

"Disney pitches DGamer as part virtual world, part social-networking site."

Social Networking for kids... isn't that called "school" and "the playground"? Do kids as young as 3 really need to network? And what are they going to commiserate about? "Mommy was late again with my morning bottle" or "Mr. Bunnyjumps lost one of his sewed on eyes"?

I secretly wonder if I'm already starting to get crotchity in my old age... but I swear things used to be a lot simpler when I was a kid... and while I had to get up to change the TV channel and only had a few channels to choose from... I think I'm glad I grew up then and not now...

100 Years of Light

In this ever increasing "disposable" world, it's nice to see that some things can last... and much longer than expected in the case of the "Centennial Bulb", a 4 watt lightbulb that's been burning for well over 100 years!

MySpace Suicide Case

I've been following the story of Megan Meier, the Missouri teen who killed herself after a particularly nasty hoax was played on her by a classmate and her mother via MySpace.

Originally when it looked the the law charge the folks involved with anything, the particulars of the case didn't fall under any stalking statute, the hacker community turned it's attention against the perpetrators in a display of cyber-vigilantism, publishing unlisted names and phone numbers.

But it seems that the federal government stepped in and is trying to use current "hacking" laws as the basis for their indictment. It's the first time these laws have been applied in this fashion.

While I'm interested in this case from the technological and legal points of view, a greater part of me wants to see the Meier family gets the justice they deserve.

original article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/09/AR2008010903367.html
latest update:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/15/AR2008051502443.html

Zune TV

Seems as though Microsoft's been doing more than just trying to take over Yahoo.

In another effort to try and dent the market dominance of Apple and the iPod, Zune will begin to playing video content on its portal devices. And one selling point for the Zune is that they will be offering the NBC content (The Office, Heroes, 30 Rock, etc) that Apple no longer has access to since that deal ended a while ago. Pricing will be about the same (though with all things Zune, the cost is in pre-paid "points").

I don't know if being able to see the latest episode of Heroes on a 3 inch screen is enough to get me to switch. I do like the idea that Microsoft is trying to grow the Zune. It may not be an iPod killer, but hopefully the competition will keep Apple on notice to keep improving the iPod or fall behind... and at that point don't we, the consumers, all win!

Dilbert 2.0

Looks like everyone's favorite cubical prisoner Dilbert is about to get a high tech makeover. Since 1989, fans have been able to relate to beleaguered office worker trying to navigate a corporate bureaucracy that seems to make no sense.

But now, fans are not only "in" on the joke, they get to be part of the joke. New web site features will allow folks to add the punch line to an incomplete strip, as well as view and vote on their favorites.

In this world of fan fiction, home made YouTube music videos and song and software mashups, the idea of community created content isn't so surprising, and the social aspect is straight out of the Web 2.0 handbook, but what I find refreshing is that an author, a personality type typically hyper-protective of their intellectual property is being so open and friendly with "his children". It's something I'd like to see other creators adopt...