Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Share and share alike with no strings attached...

There's an interesting item circulating about a device that turns iPods into miniature radio stations by transmitting FM radio waves from a portable music player to any other specially equipped player within 15 feet. Will this revolutionize the electronic media? Probably not but it does make it more convenient to share music with your friends instead of sharing ear buds. Leave it to a 16-year old to come up with this gadget. San Francisco teenager Kristyn Heath is the inventor of NoeStringsAttached which transmits over 5 frequencies not frequently used by traditional broadcasters...

The idea for using FM frequencies to transmit the shared music was to keep costs down. Other inventors already hold patents on similar systems, MIT Media Lab Europe for one and there are others that transmit music via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. FM radio doesn't offer the same audio quality as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth but Heath believes people won't mind...

A NoeStringsAttached kit, powered by a single AAA battery and set of headphones cost $59.99 and can only be purchased through eBay. An updated version of the gadget should be in stores by Christmas. My thanks to MIT Technology Review and Radio Daily News for pointing me in the direction of this story...

As great an idea as this is I think Kristyn should consider a 6th FM frequency called "What's the frequency, Kenneth?" but that's just me...

Two video links to share with you today, in the "Where are the Weather Girls?" and "Recorded on this date" timelines...

Timelines Memories...

"Happy Trails": 2002] Dudley Moore dies at his New Jersey home of pneumonia, a complication of progressive supra nuclear palsy at 66...2002] "Mr. Television", the legendary Milton Berle dies from colon cancer at 93...

Out-Trumping Trump: 1513] Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sights Florida (puts some money down on a condo on Collins Avenue and says "Trump that Trump")...

"In The Navy": 1794] President George Washington and Congress authorize creation of the U.S. Navy...

Screw it: 1860] The corkscrew is patented by M. L. Byrn who will test his product in pubs for the remainder of his life...

Long distance? Get me New York: 1884] The 1st long-distance call is made from Boston to New York in which 2 people argue the merits of each other's teams before a shouting match ensues and the word "suck" is heard often, followed by the slamming of the phone...

Five and alive and headed for heaven on the way to 7: 1971] The UCLA Bruins top Villanova 68-62 for the 5th national title in a row for the John Wooden-led Bruins who won't stop until they've won 7...

"My Sweet Lord": 1893] The Stanley Cup, a silver bowl costing its owner 10 guineas ($50 USD) is donated as an annual award for Canada's amateur hockey champions by Frederick Arthur Lord Stanley. The NHL takes possession of the cup in 1910 as the symbol of hockey supremacy...

The Ducks make a splash: 1932] The 1st NCAA championship game is won by Oregon 46-33 over Ohio State. The NCAA will dominate the NIT starting in the mid-50's...

Recorded on this date: 1967] "Groovin" - Young Rascals...1972] "Burning Love - Elvis Presley. In this video clip Elvis performs the song live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKQn1fUV0z0&mode=related&search= ...

Released on this date: 1981] "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" - AC/DC...1984] "Time After Time" - Cyndi Lauper...

#1 on this date: 1974] "Sunshine on My Shoulders" - John Denver...1984] "Footloose" - Kenny Loggins...

Where are the Weather Girls?: 1952] "Singin' in The Rain" starring Gene Kelly opens at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan and here's a clip of the classic song from the movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkEvy-9yVyQ ...

747 Tragedy: 1977] A KLM Boeing 747 attempting to take off, crashes into a Pan Am 747 on the Canary Island of Tenerife killing 582...

Have a Cigar: 1996] Cigar, the great American thoroughbred wins the 1st $4 million Dubai World Cup to collect racing's richest purse. It's the 14th straight win by the 6-year old bay...

The wrong guy?: 1997] Dexter King, son of Martin Luther King Jr. meets with James Earl Ray in prison and believes his father's alleged assassin had nothing to do with his shooting...

Father's little helper: 1998] The Food and Drug Administration approves the drug Viagra, made by Pfizer, to fight male impotence...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

Sad to report that the North Carolina basketball mascot didn't make it. 21-year old Jason Ray died yesterday morning after being struck by an SUV on Friday afternoon. Ray was here with the North Carolina Tarheels for their elite 8 game with Georgetown, which they lost. Jason was to graduate with a major in Business Administration and minor in religion in May. The NCAA is looking to do something in Ray's memory during the Final Four games this Saturday...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Fergie (32), Mariah Carey (37), Quentin Tarantino (44), Cale Yarborough (52), Maria Schneider (55) and Michael York (65)...

Timeline Countdown: 4 days until the Final Four, 5 days until Opening Day, 6 days until the NCAA championship game, 6 days until Passover and 12 days until Easter Sunday...
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