Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It’s free!
Latest Gear Live Videos
Perhaps Steve Wozniak will give up his Segway now. Nine months ago it could only go about 2 feet off the ground, but now the Martin Jetpack can soar up to about 8,000 ft. A typical trip will last about 30 minutes at a speed up to 60mph. This is no simple toy for the curious, Due out later in the year, purchasing one of the first 10 will cost you $100,000.00, training included.
Read More 
| Martin Jetpack
Gallery: Martin Jetpack Goes Public
Advertisement
Hubble Gets New Facelift in Part by Hubble Huggers
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Science, Transportation,
NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope is about to receive its final upgrade, one that they hope means another 5 years of use. Atlantis and a crew of seven astronauts took off today, but it almost didn’t happen. Hubble Huggers such as Fernando Ribeiro, who founded the site SaveTheHubble, were undoubtedly partially responsible. He collected about 5,500 signatures on a petition to reverse a decision by NASA to postpone a Hubble repair mission after the 2003 Columbia disaster. NASA credits the support as part of the reason it changed its mind.
Read More | Space
Gallery: Hubble Gets New Facelift in Part by Hubble Huggers
Free PIGFLU Updates by Text
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Hot Deals, Internet, Science,
Is there no end of the ways to remind us that the Swine Flu (H1N1) exists? Apparently not, as this one will give you free updates with SMS messages on your cell phone. Text “PIGFLU” to 41411 and you will receive news that included CDC/WHO updates, new outbreak alerts, travel warnings and health authority information. Messages are sent one to 3 times daily and you may have to pay for text charges, depending on your phone plan.
Read More | Cellphones.org
Gallery: Free PIGFLU Updates by Text
Not long after we told you 3 ways to help you track the N1H1, we came across SickCity, a disease tracker for hypochondriacs. Not only does it list the ten sickest cities, it covers most countries. A part of the DIY City program, it uses Twitter (and soon Facebook) to collect information and make graphs with the use of algorithms. They are still working on some historical data, but it is still worth a look. Add your city if it is not already listed.
Read More | SickCity
Gallery: SickCity Tracks Disease
Scared that you will be the next swine flu (now known as H1N1) victim? You can track new outbreaks to keep up with the latest hot spots. The WHO (World Health Organization) has daily updates on their site while the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) keeps an exact count of the virus by location, suggests things you can do to stay healthy and lists travel warnings. Finally, you can track the spread on Google’s H1N1 mashup.
Read More | Google Maps
Gallery: Three Ways to Track the H1N1 (Swine Flu)
Take that, early birds. We admit it. Some of us here at Live Gear are at our best in the p.m. We were pleased to learn that a new study shows that night owls have more stamina. Researchers at the Université de Liège in Belgium used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to monitor brains from both groups in a sleep clinic. They then gave them a task to do after 1 ½ hrs. of waking and 10 ½ hrs. after. While the attentive levels were the same, the night folks were found to be more focused. The study is detailed in the April 24 issue of the journal Science, if you can stay awake long enough to read through it.
Read More | Live Science
Gallery: Study shows Night Owls Have More Stamina
IBM has created a computer that they claim can compete against humans playing “Jeopardy!” Watson has an advanced QA (question answer) system that has been in development for 2 years. Because many of the clues on the show contain both irony and riddles, the computer has to analyze each query and solve open ended problems. Stay tuned. The powers that be behind the show have agreed to produce and air a Watson vs. human competition.
Read More | Market News
Gallery: IBM Computer to Challenge Jeopardy
Every year we like to nag
remind you to do your bit for Earth Day, and this year is no exception. Next Wednesday, April 22, plant a tree, volunteer to work for your city or send an Earth Day E-card. Check out the Facebook application Every Day is Earth Day to find how you can decease your carbon footprint. The goal is to offset 100,000 lbs. of CO2. Finally, you can get a free download of Grist’s Wake Up and Smell the Planet before Earth Day.
Read More | Live Earth
Gallery: Earth Day is Coming, Plant a Tree
Acoustics engineer John Stuart Reid and American dolphin researcher Jack Kassewitz are working on a Cymascope, a device that allows dolphin-speak to be converted into graphics on a screen. The eventual hope is that the pair can translate that into words. They are starting with basic verbs and nouns and will work their way up into a conversation. Since humans cannot hear many of the sounds, the visual graphics will aid in deciphering. While this goal may not be reached in the foreseeable future, one day they may just find that dolphins have been laughing at us all along for our puny minds.
Read More | News & Star
Gallery: Cymascope May Translate Dolphin Language
Remember how we told you to vote Colbert for the new ISS node? They may not select his name for the capsule, but NASA got so much hype that Expedition 14 and 15 astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams is going to announce the winner on the show. Colbert had this to say about the hoopla surrounding his nomination, “I certainly hope NASA does the right thing. Just kidding, I hope they name it after me.”
More than a million entries were received in total. Tune in to Comedy Central tonight at 11:30 p.m. EDT for the results.
Read More | Information Week
