washington

Hands-free law drives big marketing opportunities

A good number of Californians think the state's new hands-free cell phone law will bode well for public safety, if a random sampling of consumers by CNET News.com is any indication. But gadget retailers have their own reason to cheer--they're reaping the cash benefits.

While they won't quote their sales figures directly, retailers such as RadioShack, Plantronics, and Headsets.com say they've seen a jump in sales of Bluetooth and other hands-free devices in the past month. The law goes into effect Tuesday, with a similar law taking hold in Washington state the same day. … Read more

Robo-fish may monitor future oil spills

Propelled by a servo-actuated two-link tails and flapping pectoral fins, a new breed of robofish programmed to swim in schools may soon be used to track oil spills or wildlife such as whales, according to researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle.

By mimicking a fish's natural propulsion mechanics these "autonomous fin-actuated underwater vehicles" are able to swim in any direction, make tight turns, and even go backwards, researchers say. The university is testing three of the vehicles in an indoor freshwater tank equipped with a four-camera tracking system to supplement data collected by onboard sensors.… Read more

When 'hyperlocalism' isn't hyper or local enough

It isn't exactly breaking new ground to say many newspapers are struggling. Nor is it breaking new ground to argue that newspapers have to cover the heck out of their local communities--so-called hyperlocalism--in order to win back readers and advertisers.

But what do you do when hyperlocalism doesn't work? The Wall Street Journal Wednesday has a (troubling, if you're in the newspaper business) look at The Washington Post's experiment in hyperlocalism, LoudounExtra.com. The site, despite a slick design and plenty of news about the goings on in Loudoun, an affluent Virginia county, has been a … Read more

Where we kill a deer every day to bring you this show

EPISODE 99

Eric Litman and Rana Sobhany stop by The 404 to wish Randall the best. We'll talk about HBO on iTunes, Google Street View face blurring, and how Speed Racer lied about how well it did at the box office!

Don't forget to leave your farewell messages for Randall! E-mail them to the404 [at] cnet [dot] com.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Buzz Out Loud 718: Always worry

We could tell you not to worry, but then you'd e-mail us and tell us why you should. So, new rule. Always worry. And the HTC Touch Diamond ain't all that, but we're not saying the 3G iPhone is going to be all that, either. Don't get your hopes up. This is turning into an Eeyore sort of day, isn't it? Here's some good news: Zune 2.5 offers TV downloads! So...yay! Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 718

Vodafone, Telecom Italia announce massive iPhone rollout http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/05/06/ vodafone-telecom-italia-announce-massive-iphone-rollout … Read more

Living with Internet trolls: Get used to it

Credit Jim Brady for speaking truthfully about a controversy even though he's never going to win in the court of cyber opinion.

In an interview with my colleague Greg Sandoval, Brady, who is the executive editor of the Washingtonpost.com, suggested that online anonymity can foster abusive, locker room language that violates Web site standards.

"People say things online they would never say when disagreeing with someone at the dinner table. I think heated debate is fine, but when there are (flame wars), many people won't take part for fear they will be attacked and bashed over … Read more

Washingtonpost.com wants identities of readers who post comments

LOS ANGELES--If Jim Brady had his way, there would be no guaranteed anonymity for those who post comments to Washingtonpost.com.

Brady, executive editor of The Washington Post's online division, said during a panel discussion at the Digital Hollywood conference here that he would like to see a technology that could identify people who violate site standards--and if need be--automatically kick them off for good.

Brady has a notable history with this issue and I'll get to that. First, his position must be made clear. In an interview following the panel discussion, Brady said he doesn't want … Read more

Where I can't stop laughing

EPISODE 68

Eric Litman from WashingtonVC joins us to talk crap on idiotic startup founders, we invent a new social network for plants and apparently elephants can paint portraits, no joke. Oh, and by the way, your April Fools' joke isn't that funny.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

EveryBlock tailors news for every block

EveryBlock is in the hyper-niche news business.

Don't be misled by the name. EveryBlock doesn't endeavor to tell users what's happening on every block--just their blocks. Users can key in their ZIP codes or street addresses and EveryBlock tells them what's happening in their immediate area. They can learn about local crimes, which businesses have filed for liquor licenses, or whether any nearby streets are closed for construction.

Someone pilfer your laptop? EveryBlock links to lost-and-found Craigslist postings in your area.

EveryBlock offers the kind of information that typically isn't covered in a metropolitan or … Read more