A Mercedes Roadster Worth Half A Million Dollars
July 3, 2008
The Mercedes-Benz 2008 SLR McLaren Roadster sells for a cool $497,750. Positively cheap compared to that $1.4 million Lamborghini I previously blogged about.
Here’s what a half mil buys you:
- 617 hp @ 6,500 rpm (will someone tell me what that means?)
- Top speed of 206 mph (who-ah, that’s like breaking the law several times over!)
- Swing-wing door design (good for swingers out there)
- Fully retractable semi-automatic soft top (handy for lazy folks trying to look cool)
- Bi-xenon twin headlights (as if just being gay or straight isn’t enough)
- 7-speaker Bose sound system (making for more than 3 speakers per seat and a higher proportion of late-deafened Mercedes drivers)
- Flip-top start button (just don’t go crazy thinking it’s a missile launch thing)
- Carbon filter bucket leather seatings (oooh-la, what a feeling)
- 0-60 seconds in under 3.8 seconds (don’t you ever want to be first when the light turns green?)
- 6 airbags with 8-way protection (you can’t be too careful nowadays)
- Ultra-light, ultra-rigid carbon filter frame can absorb 4 times more energy than steel in the event of a crash (but still, ow, bye bye $500k)
- Intelligent design makes commanding control within easy reach (but I thought Intelligent Design was a cover story for teaching of biblical creationism in school)
- Dry-sump lubrication system allows for a low center of gravity (I’m sorry, maybe it’s me, but this sounds vaguely pornographic)
Honeybear, I want one. I don’t care how much it breaks our bank account, and I don’t care that there are no backseats for our young daughters (even though I know they’d LOVE this car).
I. Simply. Want. One.
The Uno — A Segway Competitor?
July 2, 2008
We all know and love (or not) the Segway, a cool gyroscope-equipped contraption that just about anybody (except the current President of the U.S.A.) can use.
And now there may be a competitor: The Uno.
A nineteen-year-old guy, Ben Gulak, has developed a device that looks like a cross between the Segway and a motorcycle. According to WTOP:
“The Uno” operates on a gyroscope like a Segway, has two side-by-side wheels and almost looks like a unicycle. The battery-powered motorcycle also responds to the slightest forward, backward and side to side movements.
Its top speed reaches about 15 miles an hour.
The developer’s website for the Uno is pretty sparse right now; if he wants to get this really going, he’d better finish up his own website. No info on pricing, tho.
It definitely looks a lot more cool than standing upright while using a Segway. I’d love to put on the coolest pair of sunglasses I have, whiz (well, at 15 miles per hour) through downtown Frederick on this contraption, and see heads turn in my direction. Yee-haw!
Facebook Privacy: Are Your Photos Private?
May 19, 2008
I loooove Facebook. And so do many of my friends! In our photo albums, we post photos of our kids, of ourselves (whether it be sunnying ourselves at the beach or something a bit more decent), of our friends, even of our pets doing stupid tricks or just looking cute (come to think of it, so do the photos of our kids).
What many people don’t realize is that each photo album has its own privacy setting. When you first create a photo album — whether it’s your first or 10th — its privacy level is automatically set to “Everyone.” That means everyone can see it. You can choose from several privacy levels: Everyone, My Network and Friends, Only people at your network, Friends of Friends, or Only Friends. You can even customize who can and can’t see these photos. See screenshot below of the page that appears when you create a photo album:
If you only want your Friends to see these photos, then be sure to select “Only Friends.” Otherwise, everyone and their hairdressers would be able to see YOUR photos even if you’ve got the rest of your profile restricted to Friends only.
You can go back and check the privacy setting of all of your albums all at once via Facebook’s Photos Privacy page. Here, you’ll see a list of all of your photo albums with the option of changing the privacy level of each of these albums. Too bad there’s no option to change all of the albums at once — so if you’ve got 20 albums, it’ll be tedious changing each one individually. Be sure to click on “Save Settings” at the bottom of the page once you’ve changed the privacy setting(s)! Here’s a screenshot of what this page looks like.
So, go forth and have fun on Facebook, and be careful with your privacy!
This is part of an on-going series of posts on Facebook privacy. See related posts on photo albums, profile page, and search options.
DeafDC Post: Loving is Dead, but Love Endures
May 6, 2008
Just posted some thoughts on DeafDC.com about Loving and love. Go check it out.
AT&T Announces Accessible Monthly Rates for the iPhone
April 30, 2008
AT&T has announced that it will provide a discounted rate of $40 per month for deaf users of the iPhone. This discount also includes unlimited text messages, unlimited data usage, “Visual Voicemail,” and a rather steep $.40 per minute pay-per-use voice plan. If you wanna get this discount, you’ll have to apply by downloading and filling out a PDF form.
This also coincides with an announcement that AT&T will be offering discounts on new models of the iPhones for the general public starting this summer. These new iPhones will run on the 3G network which is much faster than the “older” data networks — almost as fast as broadband speed, in fact. And the discounts will make these iPhones be as low as $199.
Hmmm. Tempting. I’ve already made my opinions known about the iPhone, but as the iPhone goes through these updates I can be swayed …
(Thanks to David for pointing me to Gizmodo, and to Vadim for being first to let me know about this!)
Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry’s!
April 29, 2008
Today is Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry’s! Now if there was ever a cause to celebrate at your local Ben and Jerry’s, this is it.
Ben and Jerry’s has its Free Cone Day on April 29th every year to celebrate its anniversary. Go find your nearest Ben and Jerry’s and indulge yourself.
See you there!
Use These Gift Cards or Else!
April 29, 2008
In these challenging economic times, companies that we’ve long shopped at are now going belly up. And if you’ve got a gift card for any of these companies, better use the card soon or the card’ll lose its value. Same goes for if you’ve got an item you need to return or exchange – just don’t ask for store credit!
- Hollywood Video
- Levitz
- Sharper Image
- Performance Team Freight
- Linens n Things
- Circuit City
- Wickes Furniture
CompUSA has already gone out of business. I wonder if Toys R Us, Office Max, Staples, and Office Depot will be added to this list anytime soon. Just my own observations. Which companies do YOU think might be added to this list?
VPAD Accessories, and the MVP
April 12, 2008
I asked Viable customer service for more info on VPAD accessories. Viable has a vendor, Clear View, selling “CVI Gear for the VPAD” which includes the VPAD-compatible WiFi USB adapter (Wireless G, 54Mbps data transfer) for $29.99, a small rechargeable two (2) hour battery for $89.99 that can be attached to the VPAD, and a sleek, flexible clamp mount for $79.99 that puts the VPAD at eye-level on a desk.
VPAD customers can order “CVI Gear for the VPAD” at 1-800-351-9578.
Here are the prices again:
- CVI Flexarm Mount – $79.99
- WiFi Adapter – $29.99
- Rechargeable Battery – $89.99
I know some people will complain that the VPAD is already pricey (whether at the low low price of $99 or at the full price of $699), and that these accessories will only make the price question worse. But I think this makes perfect sense. For too long, our equipment has been heavily subsidized — whether from the state or Federal government or from the companies themselves. The deaf community is reaching a point where we can be economically self-sufficient, and the pricing of the VPAD and its accessories reflects this. Plus, it speaks volumes for Viable’s business sense to be able to offer its services at a price — it would allow Viable to develop multiple business platforms instead of just relying on FCC for Video Relay Service funds.
Wonder if Viable will offer discounts on packages in the future (i.e., some money off if you buy a VPAD with a mount, wifi adapter, and battery) …
There has been numerous comments about the MVP (Mobile VideoPhone) being planned and tested by HOVRS. Apparently, the MVP will include WiFi and battery, rather than them being sold separately. I’m gonna try my best to get more info on this and pass this on to you folks.
VPAD Update: It’s $99 This Saturday ONLY, and …
April 10, 2008
A follow-up to my post earlier this morning about the VPADs going on sale for $99 this Saturday. Viable says this $99 discount (down from $699) is ONLY available for the Pomona, CA DeafNation Expo at this time. Pricing is subject to change for future Expos. And remember, this discount is limited to one per customer.
And … it’s first-come, first-serve. If (when?) they sell out, then that’s it. No further orders will be taken, and you’ll have to wait till the next Expo to buy these VPADs or when Viable’s on-line order form for VPADs is ready. Even so, no guarantees that it’d still be $99 per VPAD. No word yet on how many VPADs Viable plans to stock at this Saturday’s Expo.
So, better go to the Pomona DeafNation expo bright and early Saturday morning! It opens at 9am.
On a side note: we need to make up a sign for the VPAD. Maybe something like “verify” (backward V tapping on your palm), but with the V-hand reversed so that the “V” is hand-down and tapping your palm?
Starbucks Handing Out FREE Samples of New Coffee
April 8, 2008
Starbucks is handing out free tall cups of its newest coffee, Pike’s Place Roast. Better get yours soon (like in the next several minutes!) before this promotion ends! I believe it’s being handed out free for a short time (like a half hour) starting at noon in your time zone, but check with your local Starbucks.
I have mine in hand (well, I put it down to type this), and I can pronounce it as smoother and more tasty than the other roasted coffee Starbucks regularly serves. Good job, Starbucks!
