Learning from YouTube - a college credit course

Here's a CTV.ca story about a liberal arts college in the U.S., Pitzer College, that's offering a course entitled "Learning from YouTube". The professor teaching the course said that she is "underwhelmed" by the sites content but the course was created "to explore the role of the popular site". Not surprisingly most of the course work is done online but the 35 students enrolled in the course do meet in a classroom on occasion. I wonder if they offer distance education? Professor Alexandra Juhasz invites the public to participate by visiting www.youtube.com/MediaPraxisme

Halo fans rejoice!

If you are a Halo fan, and who isn't, you are probably doing thumb presses and finger stretches in preparation of some marathon gaming when Halo 3 releases in a few days time! Heck, even Buzz Out Loud's Molly Wood says this is the game that makes her want to by an Xbox 360. Well if you're dying for a Halo fix check out the virtual fly through. Move around in the 3D space, click hot spots and take awesome screen shots of your favorite scene. It will keep the edge off until the game releases!

Amazon trying to attract start-ups to its web services

Besides being an online retailer, Amazon.com is in the hosting business offering storage, virtual server, payment and other services on a pay-per-usage basis. Some customer are saying that using Amazon Web Services has allowed them to skip venture capital funding because they didn't have to invest in hardware infrastructure.

Amazon is now trying to get the word out by launching a Start-up Challenge that will see the best new Internet company idea receive funding in the form of $50,000 cash, an equal amount in Amazon Web Services credits, mentoring and a "seed investment offer,". Successful start-ups such has Justin.tv have gone the route of Amazon Web Services and the service is seen by many as a viable alternative to costly capital investments.

Time to put the thinking caps on!

File this under "yuck"!

When you have your sights set on putting astronauts on the moon or the red planet, you have to get creative and get stingy. NASA scientists, looking for ways to conserve and re-use are experimenting with "technology that would allow astronauts to convert both sweat and urine into drinkable water." Twenty employees of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will be sweating up a storm exercising, to generate water vapour through perspiration and respiration and donating urine as part of the test. The hope is that the hard work will allow NASA to conduct long space missions without need for resupply. All I can say about this one is, as cool as it sounds being an astronaut, this one would be the deal breaker for me! CBC story here.

Foods that make you more productive

Bootstrapper's Laura Milligan has compiled a list of the 100 best foods to make you more productive. I've only just viewed the list so I can't attest to it's effectiveness and with eggplant, raisins, and lima bean making the top three I'm not sure whether or not I'm game to try. Need a little boost? This might just be what the doctor ordered!

PC Mag reviews the iPod Touch

PC Magazine's Tim Gideon provides a round up of the iPod Touch's features and it's evident that he's a fan. Gideon says "This is probably the best portable media player ever made." If you are contemplating a purchase this is a decent in depth look at the features including photos of the interface / screens. It's one man's opinion, but it's obvious that the new device has some great features.

Google funding X-Prize - rover to the moon contest

Google has offered up a total of $30 million in prizes for private firms to land an unmanned rover on the moon. The contest, Google Lunar X Prize, being run through the X Prize Foundation gives interested parties until the end of 2012 to land their robotic rover on the moon. The fun doesn't end there however, there will be tasks to perform such as traveling specific distances and shooting video footage. The first company to achieve the goals will win $20 million, $5 million goes to second place, and bonuses of $5 million will be awarded for extra achievements. The BBC has the complete story.

MySpace partners with Hollywood duo to deliver Web TV show

MySpace has announced an exclusive deal with Hollywood producers Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, for the rights to a new Internet drama they are working on, called Quarterlife. Under the terms of the deal MySpace has a 24-hour window during which the webisode will only be available on MySpaceTV. It will then appear on Quarterlife.com. Viewers will be able to interact with the cast members through their MySpace pages. Zwick and Herskovitz are best known for their television shows Thirtysomething and My So-Called Life and MySpace officials are saying the show will offer “the highest-quality serialized content ever to appear on the Internet. We're talking about the same production values as 24 or Prison Break.” The Globe and Mail has more.

Gizmodo warns of Apple firmware update for iPhone

Maybe I'm reading more into this post than is intended... but it sounds like the folks at Gizmodo may have some inside info with regards to an iPhone firmware update and the probability that it will undo your unlock! It will be interesting to see what transpires. p.s. it's worth following the link just to see the Darth Vader pic.

Belkin supporting Breast Cancer Fight

Belkin announced on Monday that it will donate $2.50 from the sale of every “Hope” protective case for the iPod nano. A gaurenteed minimum donation of $225,000 is pledged to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Belkin's press release here.