SPIEGEL Surfs the Web Touching Technology
Touch screens for computers have been around for years, so much of the original novelty has worn off. They're handy for information terminals and ticket machines for public transportation, but that's all very mundane in the 21st century.
However, the future for touch screens is here now and SPIEGEL ONLINE has seen it. Jeff Han, a consultant for NYU's computer science department is working on "multi-touch interaction research" that you can check out here . According to the Web site, multi-touch applications "go far beyond the 'poking' actions you get with a typical touch screen, or the gross gesturing found in video-based interactive interfaces." Be sure to check out the video of someone manipulating smoke, lava blobs and 3D maps. At the risk of helping out Tom Cruise's career, the whole thing is very reminiscent of his movie Minority Report.
The Sound and the Fury
Ever heard of hip-hop rap maestro Devastatin' Dave? Neither have we. But if the cover of his own personal magnus opus "Turntable Slave" is anything to go by, then that is possibly a blessing. However, if you are a fan of the wierd, the unusual and the downright awful in popular music, then this list of the ten worst album covers of all time should be an inspiration. You might even have to rush to your nearest second-hand music store to track down the aural delights of "Let Me Touch Him" by the decidedly geriatric and clearly homoerotic Minstrels Quartet, or Latin heartthrob Tino's tantalizing "Por Premier Vez." Enjoy!
Bears Bearing Arms
Back in the 1980s if you needed a hug, the
Care Bears -- those sappy, saccharine sweet teddies that spread across the world like the plague -- were there to come to the rescue. Okay, so maybe they weren't as bad as My Little Pony and the Cabbage Patch Kids, but that's like comparing dengue fever with cholera. Fast-forward to 2006 and bears might still be cute in pop culture, but they're also badass, special ops agents out to save the world. Check out the surprising complex browser game
Warbears . Their message appears to be very George W. Bush: "We bring war to the enemies of the peace." The mission of the deadly cute furry ones is to storm a building and rescue hostages. So much for a caring bear hug.
