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volcanoes

Escape volcanoes and battle monsters: iPhone apps of the week

Obviously, the big Apple news this week was the announcement of the iPad 2 (watch our First Look video here). Just as most people expected, the new device offers front- and rear-facing cameras, a faster processor, and FaceTime capabilities, and even has a slightly different design than the original. The iPad 2 will be available on both the AT&T and Verizon networks March 11 and comes in both white and black, and there are several different models and price points to choose from.

Even though I mentioned in an earlier post that I probably wouldn't buy the new iPad 2, now that I've seen it, I can't help but try to think of ways to afford it. I'm thinking of selling my original iPad, or maybe I'll try to use my tax refund to foot the bill, but I bet I'm not the only one making these calculations. My question to you is: did any of you plan on not buying the new iPad, but, after the unveiling, couldn't help but change your mind? Let me know in the comments.

This week's apps are both games. The first challenges you to escape the fiery clutches of a volcano, and in the second you direct a band of heroes to battle fearsome foes.… Read more

Inside Microsoft's science fair

REDMOND, WA.--It would seem to be just another day here on Microsoft's campus. In one building the next version of Windows is being built in secret, and in another the next version of Office. But this day is a little different from the rest. In a closed-off auditorium, a gathering of Microsoft employees are showing off their latest science projects.

Most may never see the light of day, but some could go on to become real products, or at least features in products of the future. This is all a part of what Microsoft calls its "science … Read more

The 404 711: Where, well, that just happened (podcast)

Jeff is back from honeymooning in Hawaii, and it feels really good now that The 404 is complete again. Contrary to our bet with Sweet Lou, Jeff actually got along well with the sun! We'd love to report that Jeff is looking tanner than ever, but we all know that can never happen. Welcome back Bakular!

Check out the slideshow and follow along as Jeff takes us through Maui, explosive volcanoes, geckos, tons of great food, and a guy who looks a lot like Mark the (Former) Intern--at least from the neck down.

Thanks as well to Andy from the U.K. who left us a video voice mail with very nice things to say about the show, and head over to the Movember Web site to learn more about how you can help raise money and awareness for prostate cancer.

Episode 711 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Keep time with a volcanic-ash watch

If you're one of those unfortunates left stranded in a European city by the recent molten eruption in Iceland, watchmaker Romain Jerome's Eyjafjallajokull-DNA timepiece (let's call it E-DNA for short) is a timely reminder of those six days when the planet exhaled.

This is as limited as they come. There's just one piece, and it's guaranteed to be a conversation starter since the fiery watch face is forged to look like something out of the magma-spitting crater of Mount Doom.

For a primeval touch of realism, Romain Jerome--which also brought us the Roswell watch--even … Read more

Lonely Planet guides ash-clouded iPhone users

Are you stuck under an ash cloud in Europe, with nothing but your iPhone to keep you company? Lonely Planet wants to take you out for some fun times, by knocking down its city guides to the low, low price of free.

Apps for Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Copenhagen, Istanbul, London, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, and Vienna are all enjoying the price cut until Thursday, April 22.

Read more of "Lonely Planet offers free iPhone city guides for volcano victims" at Crave UK.

Undersea robot captures rare deep-sea eruption

Science buffs got an early Christmas present when rare video was released showing a spectacular undersea volcanic eruption deep in the Pacific Ocean.

The West Mata volcano sits nearly 4,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific in an area bordered by Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa. It was discovered in May by scientists with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation. Lucky researchers managed to catch high-definition video of the eruption with the help of a remotely-operated underwater robot named Jason.

Jason's cameras captured masses of lava bubbling up into the cold … Read more

Playing God on your iPhone

Pocket God is an open-ended, relatively crude (in more ways than one) simulation game in which you rule over a small tribe of extremely durable and cartoonishly primitive islanders. If you're new to the game, the otherwise intuitive interface can be a little overwhelming at first--because with each free update, Pocket God adds some new feature to the game world, all accessed through touch interaction with the island's inhabitants and the game's dense, icon-based drop-down menus. Actions range from extremely simple ("poking" an islander and watching him react, or shaking your device to create an &… Read more

Okeanos Explorer to delve the depths of the seas

Docked off San Francisco's Pier 27 and rocking calmly in the bay, the Okeanos Explorer awaits its return to sea.

The ship--once a U.S. Navy vessel now under control of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)--is in the midst of being outfitted exclusively for deep-ocean exploration and discovery. Its purpose will be to investigate unknown, misunderstood, and other below-the-surface phenomena. It is expected to be fully operational by next summer.

With up to 95 percent of the ocean unexplored, there are vast amounts of research for the ship to pursue. However, the Okeanos Explorer will have … Read more