Google To Launch A Wikipedia Of Its Own

Captain of the ship that is the World Wide Web, Google, has announced they are about to release their own version of the user-submitted online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

Google say that there are millions of people with useful knowledge worth sharing and there are billions more that could benefit from it but not everything is written because it is simply not easy enough to do it. I beg to differ, Wikipedia managed it easy enough, ok, its inconsistent, everything is not entirely accurate and half the content is most probably written by monkeys but it's simple to use at least. Bearing that in my mind, the point i think that Google are actually trying to make is that it is not easy enough for logical human-beings who actually have something sensible to write to get their article out there.

Googles "Knol" which stands for "a unit of knowledge" will be different from Wikipedia in a couple of ways. Knol is going to be much more author based so you will get recognition for what you've written with your name and picture and users will be able to rate content aswell as add comments, questions and edits. Google say they will not serve as an editor in any way, and will not bless any content. I just hope they have a consistent way of keeping out all the hogwash, otherwise it'll be no better than Wikipedia.

Google Knol is currently in testing and is invite-only but you can check out what a full page will look like here.

Creative Finally Give Us The 32GB Zen Flash Media Player

Creative gives us the world's first 32GB Flash Media Player

MP3 player Grand Masters, Creative, have given everybody a bit of a shock by announcing the arrival of an absolute Everest of a device with their whopping new 32GB Flash Media Player. Talk that a 32GB Creative Zen was coming our way was flowing freely amongst Tech-Heads in recent times but Creative were always very rigid on the whole idea and constantly dismissed that such a device was in the making. It seems those cheeky Creative chappies just love a good wind-up.

The supposed "never gonna happen" player has been released in Asia this week and believe it or not... the UK! although stock is limited over here and when i say limited, i really mean LIMITED. I'm not talking a thousand or a couple of hundred here, it is more like... 50! So, if you want one get yourself over to Creative Labs pronto.

The Creative Zen 32GB has double the memory of the new iPod Touch, 4 times more than the iPhone and it has a SD/SDHC card slot so you can add even more! Despite all this its size is still that of a credit card, only, a little chubbier. The 32GB model will support file types WMA, MP3, AAC, WMV9, MJPEG, MPEG4, DivX and XviD and will display video at a 320x240 resolution. It also has other little treats such as a built in microphone and a built in FM radio, supplied software for converting formats and it will play stuff bought from iTunes. With a price of £284.99 it does look a little steep so all you need to ask yourself is "Is this too high a price for the worlds first 32GB flash media player?"

Related:

Creative Labs

Nokia Re-launch N-Gage Gaming Platform This Week

Nokia will be re-launching their gaming platform N-Gage this week much to the delight of the devoted Nokia N Series community… they have had to wait a while! But, it looks as though Nokia have kept their promise and it will be here before Christmas, even if they did leave it until the very last minute.

It’s not all grins and giggles though. Nokia N95 and Nokia N82 owners will have to turn those “beams of joy” upside down into “pouts of pain” because the only compatible phone until next year is the Nokia N81, so if you just can't wait and have to get a go of N-Gage now! i suggest you invest in a Nokia N81. Although you N81 owners are laughing your heads off right now, you may be brung down a peg or two by the fact that it will be a BETA service and only a few games will be available to start with. N95 and N82 owners may be able to seek a little solace in that.

Games available from release include The Sims 2 Pets, FIFA 08 and Brothers In Arms with highly anticipated detective game Dirk Spanner and the Fallen Idol set for 2008.

Related:

N-Gage

Carphone Warehouse

Sony Release New DivX Playback For PS3

New PS3 Firmware Update

Sony have released their new firmware update v2.10 for the PS3 and along with DivX support there are a couple of other little treats that are sure to tickle your fancy.

The main feature included in the new update is undoubtedly the new DivX and VC-1 (WMV) file type compatibility. Now you can stream all your DivX stuff that is piling up on your PC through your PS3 without any fuss whatsoever. To add to the DivX news, the Blu-Ray Disc Profile has been upped a class to 1.1 which means picture-in-picture playback is now an option and that the PS3 keeps the tag of "Best Value Blu-Ray Player"

Aside from functional file types and new disc performances Sony have also blessed us with a new Voice Changer feature. The Voice Changer feature has been added to voice / video chat and will allow you to change the pitch and tone of your voice. So, if you want to voice your opinion like "Arnie" or giggle to your Star Wars loving chums like R2D2, you'll be there for hours experimenting with this new tool.

Related:

GAME

Sony Style UK

The Adidas Teamgeist II Football

Adidas have decided that they have what it takes to take on the burden of sorting out football controversy and try and put an end to this beef on goal-line decisions. Their contribution to the football fracas is a new ball! Yep, just a ball, well... it's not just any ball.

The Teamgeist II is a brand new, state of the art football fitted with sensors that will judge whether the ball has crossed the line or not. The sensors are inside the ball and they work in conjunction with other sensors that are located around the pitch, which means that the balls exact location can be tracked at all times, thus being able to determine whether the ball crosses the line or doesn't cross the line. But how does the ref get the message? Does this magic new ball have speech capabilities too? Does it scream "Hoi! Ref! I'm out!". No...don't be silly. The ball will send a message over to the refs watch informing whether it is out or not, pretty cool huh?

The Teamgeist II ball was secretly tried out at the recent Club World Cup in Japan where it impressed the Fifa jury and it looks as though it is set to be used at the next Fifa World Cup in South Africa in 2010. With all the officials involved in the game nowadays, the ref himself, 2 linesmen and a 4th official, i still can't believe the job isn't done good enough and we need to employ a robotic-like football as a 5th official. Maybe Adidas should invent a ball that can handle all decisions in the game and issue the right colour of card aswell, what you think?

Related:

Fifa

JD Sports