End-of-Summer Grab Bag
Cool Web sites, nifty gaming tools, and a few DIY projects.
Steve Bass
My editor said, "Bass, it's a hodgepodge."
I countered with, "No, it's a collection of sites I've visited during the last few days."
"Oh, like an roundup?" he asked, speaking like a technology magazine editor.
I knew I was off the hook.
So this week I've got a hodgepo... uh, collection of useful sites I bet you've never heard of, plus some funky gaming gear and a few eccentric oddities.
Useful (and Unusual) Web Sites
Describe the Earth: WikiMapia lets you add a description to a specific spot on a Google map. For instance, Eaton Canyon Nature Center is not far from my house. Click on the box and you'll get more info about it.
You can add a link--but if you do, be sure to choose a really interesting location. My buddy Doran told me about WikiMapia, and he said, "I wonder how long before it gets polluted." So don't add the Glendale Galleria shopping mall, okay?
What's That Pill? I found some pills in a travel bag and couldn't figure out what they were. So I searched on "pill identification" and came up with a few neat surprises.
Pharmer.org is a nonprofit that has dozens of worthwhile links as well as techniques for examining a pill's imprints. Drugs.com and Wall's Medicine and Health Center are two free sites that did a terrific job on all of the prescription drugs I had around. Unfortunately, neither was able to figure out the name of the over-the-counter product I found in my bag.
DrugID.info did the job. I went through the site's steps describing the size, color, shape, and imprint of the pill. At the next-to-last step, DrugID.info confirmed the description based on my responses: "ORANGE, ROUND AND ORANGE FLAVRD TABLET." But this is the site I liked the least, because it's deceptive. The last step promised to tell me who made the pill and what it's used only after I paid a fee. My issue wasn't with the fee--I just wanted to know there was one in the first place. But the folks at DrugID.info goofed. The "orange flavrd" portion of the description was a giveaway: I figured out the pills were baby aspirin.
Searching for Wine: The other day a buddy of mine, Matt Kramer, sent me a link to his wine column (he writes for The Oregonian and Wine Spectator). He recommended a wine and I kvetched about how difficult it was to find a local retailer. He recommended Wine-Searcher, a very handy spot for finding a retailer for a specific wine in practically any country.
Terrific Deals: I discovered AntiRebate a couple of months ago and now I get its RSS feed every day. AntiRebate finds bargains--coupons, discounts, and deals--that don't require a rebate. For instance, not long ago AntiRebate told how to get a free $10 Office Max gift card for filling out a short, one-minute survey for DHL. The site has mostly high-tech offers, yet I've seen occasional glassware, cookware, and furniture deals.
Dig This: I'm still stuck in the parking lot. Try Parking Perfection and I'll bet you will be, too. (Hint: The left and right arrow keys turn the wheels, something that took me a few minutes to discover.) [Thanks, George!]
Nifty Gadgets for Gamers
Chill Out: If you're a full-fledged gamer, you probably face the embarrassment of sweaty hands. I'm guessing it happens when you're navigating across the screen while trying to shoot the beans out of an opponent.
Logitech has a solution for this awkward problem. The company's $40 ChillStream Controller has a built-in fan that pushes more than three cubic feet of air in the direction of your hands.
Feel the Action: Some of you may want a more interactive experience when you play games. Take a look at the iCush Immersive Audio Sync Seat from HoMedics. The $120 iCush seat plugs into most any gaming console, such as a PlayStation or Xbox, and vibrates in time with explosions, gunshots, car wrecks, and, well, you get the idea. Not gaming? How about music? Attach it to your MP3 player and the iCush controller lets you adjust the amount, speed, and location of vibration.
Dig This: In a sec you'll read about some unusual do-it-yourself sites. Before you do, grab your chair and watch this Big-Boys.com video of a loony-tune giving his parents something to worry about.
Bizarre DIY
BigDog: The title of the Boston Dynamics video is "BigDog Walking 4-Legged Tank/Mule" and it's weird. At first I was sure two guys were stashed inside the robot and all I could see were their legs. Nope, BigDog's a real robot, and it's innovative because the thing can't be kicked over.
Special-Use Cables: You might wonder if the people working in the IT department and MIS services have a sense of humor. One way to make that determination is by asking if any of these cables are available for you to try.
Spud Gun: I remember when I was a kid, I read about a potato gun in a Johnson Smith catalog. The company no longer sells potato guns or many of the weird things that appealed to me when I was ten, alas. So I resorted to the Web, and I ran across The Spudgun Technology Center, which describes a potato gun that you can build yourself. If you're not handy, just have one built. (BTW, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms said the potato gun is perfectly legal.) [Thanks, Harold M.]
Steve Bass writes PC World's monthly "Hassle-Free PC" column and is the author of PC Annoyances, 2nd Edition: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About Your Personal Computer, available from O'Reilly. He also writes PC World's daily Tips & Tweaks blog. Sign up to have Steve's newsletter e-mailed to you each week. Comments or questions? Send Steve e-mail.
"End-of-Summer Grab Bag" Comments