Social Networking with Hi5, Orkut, and Faces

Fatma just mentioned to me that Orkut is blocked by Etisalat for some reason! So, I asked around for alternatives and Shake just told me that Hi5 is very similar. You can also try Friendster. I have also found a social network with blogging and picture sharing facilities called Faces.com. So, try these ones out and let me know what you think of them. Happy social networking everyone!

Orkut Invites are here :)

David Just informed me that I should have some invites for whoever wanted to try Orkut but never got a invite. So email me or place a comment and I will gladly send you an invite :-)

Download Opera for Windows Mobile 2003

Now you can download the Opera browser for your i-mate SP3, Orange C500 or Moto MPx.. So cool!

Ahhh!

So cute... many more in the link below :)

Patch up your Windows... Again!

Three new, serious security flaws were found in Windows by two Chinese security firms. The one that concerns me the most has to do with an API used to load images: "LoadImage" API can be exploited with a specially crafted image file. So, no need to click an exe file to be infected, just download an infected image and you're toast!

I Have Orkut.... Yaaaay!

Thanks to David Hay, I have a new account at Orkut. I don't have any Invites yet, but when I do, I will let you guys know :)

Sony SPS Review by Samsoomah

Q: What games do you have? and how is the payability like? A: So far i have a wrestling game and its not as fun..im waiting for more games to be released..there are two other games of car racing that are out..but i dont really like racing games.. Q: Is the screen clear in daylight? A: it is as clear as water.. VERRRRYYYY Q: What battery does it use? (what size and is it rechargable or alkaline) A: It's a rechargable kinda battery.. this is whats written on it: 3.6 V 1800mAh Q: How long does the battery last? A: It lasts for around four hours.. Q: Is it a japaneese version? I heard that the american version is not released until March 2005. A: It's japanese.. Thanks again for Samsoomah for her great review and interview :)

Orkut Anyone?

I didn't even know that Orkut existed until today! I thought that Friendster was the only cool social network kind of thing ;) Anyway, I guess Orkut is google's version (or at least a google affiliate's version) of Friendster. It is by invite only like gmail :) So, good luck getting an invite... I still don't have one :( Let me know if you have an Orkut account and what you think of it in the comments. If you would like an invite, look elsewhere hehehe!

Gmail Swap

Do you want a Gmail account? and you don't know anybody that has an invite :( Well, now you can swap almost anything for the gmail invite :) Follow the link and happy gmail hunting hehehe

New Opera Browser - Beta though :(

Opera has released a new version of its browser and it now supports RSS and has better interface and a wider viewing area... Give it a try :)

Laptop Icepack from X-Files Actor!

X-files actor Dean Haglund invented an Icepack made especially for laptops. You know when you have your laptop in your lap, it tends to heat up and some people say that this can lead to infertility! So, for those people who are worried about this issue, they can use the icepack invention to cool off their laps and their laptops. By cooling your laptop, you can also enhance its performance... Why didn't anyone figure this one before!

SD Card on one side, USB flash drive on the other!

This is so cool! Espically if you have a mobile phone that supports SD cards. No need for the converter or card reader anymore with this device. To find out more, visit the link.

Nokia 7820 Review by SAMSOOMAHdotCOM

The new minimal Nokia 7820 is a mobile made specially for the ladies ;) That is why a review by a lady is in order hehehe. So, I asked Samsoomah to review it for marwan.com and she did :) So, here is her review and interview (with some editing): Marwan: I heard a lot about the phone and someone told me that you can't even save any numbers with it and that you can only dial the numbers save on the sim card. Is that true? Samsoomah: So far my phone is cool... I can save numbers and dial any number without saving .. Maybe those people got those phones that need an upgrade..Luckily mine is not a prob so far..it's not as practical though..That's why im using it as a second phone...

Clusty the Clustering Engine

Love google? Then try clusty... You will be pleasantly surprised :) It is slow sometimes though :( Let me know what you think of it in the comments... I personally love it!

New Philippe Starck watches

Philippe Starck's latest watches are now available in multiple colors :)

Technology for Cheaters & Unfaithful !

Soundster is a new technology that provides different background noises that can be played over cell phone conversations. A cheating spouse in a hotel room could select sounds of honking car horns and pretend to be stuck in traffic. "If you're a devious person, and you choose to do devious things, certainly Soundster would empower you to do that," said Harry Kargman, whose software company, Kargo, just launched Soundster.

1.6 Terabyte External USB/Firewire Drives

So far, I have seen two of them and they are from LaCie and IO Data. You can read more about them in ShinyPlastic.com. More on the IO Data drive is found here. While more on the Lacie drive can found by clicking the link below. It is only a matter of time untill we see terabyte flash drives!

Slim Playstation 2 Review By GadgetMadness.com

I am not sure if the new PS2 is out in UAE but it is out here in Australia. It sells for A$238. Let me know in the comments if it is out in UAE or if you have any questions about it.

8GB Flash Drive - This is Not a Typo!

PRETEC i-Disk II 8GB. "The Highest Capacity USB Flash Drive in the World" was announced by Pretec. Need I say more... Read the press release for more details.

My Name in the New York Times!

If you've read the blog entry on October 20, 2004 you would know what this is about! The ad was finally out on December 16th (I think!). Back copies of the New York Times may be purchased directly from the paper by calling 1-800-543-5380. If you would like a poster you can buy it from Mozilla Store. You can also download a PDF copy from here. Note that all names are in alphabetical order by last name. BTW: My name is on the right corner of the fifth row :)

$26,500 Payed for a "Virtual Island!"

A player by the name of "Deathifier," bought an island within the game "Entropia", a multi-player online game. The gamer considers the buy as a good investment and he is already taxing other gamers to hunt or mine for gold on his property. He has also started to sell plots to people who wish to build virtual homes on the island :) Now that is what I call "Virtual Investment" with real, non-virtual money!

[video] Ballmer on Security and Linux: | CNET News.com

Microsoft's CEO at Gartner Symposium/ITxpo in Florida, answers questions on security and Linux. Interesting.

mobiado - Luxury Mobile Phones

These luxurious mobiles are made of aircraft aluminum that makes them strong yet light, and the are polished with silicone carbide, and then anodized to produce a ceramic surface. It is loaded with tri-band, video recorder and player, digital VGA camera, active TFT color display, and Bluetooth . All this at $1,200 U.S. The mobile is available in 6 different colors.

Multi-Screen Displays

You can buy "Swordfish" style multi-screen displays from Digital Tigers. Their range includes from 2-6 Monitors with different arrangements. Pretty cool and impressive if you have the money ;)

The UAE F-16 Block 60 among the top 100 Tech Innovations in 2004!

According to Popular Science Magazine (December 2004 Issue), The UAE F-16 Block 60 is among the top 100 Tech Innovations in 2004! A high-tech makeover has turned Lockheed Martin’s 30-year-old F-16 into one of the most modern fighters flying. The jet’s AN/APG-80 radar uses more than 1,000 finger-size transmitters so that the pilot can track ground and air targets simultaneously. The upgrade also includes an automated radar jammer, head-up cockpit displays, and a tweaked GE engine that delivers 25 percent more power than the original F-16’s engine.

France opens the World Tallest Road Bridge!

Piercing the sky above the verdant hills of southern France, a stunningly modern roadway bridge hailed as the tallest in the world was officially inaugurated Tuesday (December 14th 2004). Millau bridge will enable motorists to take a drive through the sky -- 270 meters (891 feet) above the Tarn valley for a 2.5 kilometer (1.6 mile) stretch through France's Massif Central mountains. Designed by British architect Norman Foster, the steel-and-concrete bridge with its streamlined diagonal suspension cables rests on seven pillars -- the tallest measuring 340 meters (1,122 feet), making it 16 meters (53 feet) taller than the Eiffel Tower.

'Blog' is the word of the year!

the word "Blog" was picked by Merriam-Webster US dictionary as the most looked-up term on its site during 2004.

Ultimate Ears (Earbuds)

The ultimate earbuds! The most comfortable (most expensive too) ear buds you will ever buy. It is actually one of a kind. You get them for $550. First an audiologist creates impressions of each of your ears, a painless ten-minute process completed by filling them with a cool green silicone. A week later you get the custom-fitted earbuds, engraved with your initials on each bud, blue on the left and red on the right! Read the full Forbes magazine review here.

Fingerprint-Scan Mobile Phone

The first biometric based commercial mobile phone by Pantech is now available in Dubai. You can read a full review for it from a Russian site here.

TechNet Magazine Online

TechNet Magazine from Microsoft is now online with all content from the printed version. The magazine is for windows server administrators. The current issue focuses on security and integration with other security devices and appliances.

The Worst Products of the Year - According to PC Magazine

Ten techno products to avoid this year include worst digital cameras, mobile phones, PCs, Laptops, and Printers.

Green Tea - Good for Cancer Patients

I have shown you before how green tea can slow down Alzheimer's Disease, now they say that it slows down cancer too. Especially ovarian cancer... Check it out!

Hieroglyphic Name Translator

A web based tool that translates your name from English to Hieroglyphic.

Google Scholar - Finally, a search for Academic Research

Search Google for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research. To learn how to better use it click here.