Thursday, October 01, 2009

Facial recognition face-off: Three tools compared

Last week's Picasa software update from Google brought with it a neat trick--facial recognition. But it wasn't the first free consumer photo-editing software to find faces. In January, Apple unveiled the latest version of iLife, which included an updated version of iPhoto that could detect and recognize faces in your photos. And this time last year, Microsoft released an updated version of its Windows Live Photo Gallery desktop software that could find faces inside of photos, though it couldn't (and still can't) recognize who's in them.
Facial recognition face-off: Three tools compared

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Monday, September 28, 2009

What Happens To Your Luggage Once It’s Checked In?

Travelling by air without checked luggage is often a sensible goal, but sometimes you have no choice but to stow your bags in the hold. What happens to them once you’ve handed them over to a hassled check-in clerk?
What Happens To Your Luggage Once It’s Checked In?

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Lamest. Foodstuff Name. Ever.

They could have taken all sorts of inspiration for naming the “new” vegemite. They settled on a naming convention cornered by Apple. Lame. Seriously lame.
Lamest. Foodstuff Name. Ever.

Best Of The Best: Tools And Apps, Third Quarter 2009

From Lifehacker Australia. The third quarter of 2009 was filled with all sorts of useful communication tools, time saving applications and software to help you get things done. Here’s a look back at the winners in each of the categories.
Best Of The Best: Tools And Apps, Third Quarter 2009

Examine Hand Gestures and Smiles to Detect Lying

Some people are better liars than others. The next time you want to gauge whether someone's pulling your leg, try searching for clues based on their hand gestures and smile. It goes without saying that the following suggestions are not hard-and-fast rules, but more potential tip offs that someone may be fibbing.
Examine Hand Gestures and Smiles to Detect Lying

Banned Books Week

Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books.
Banned Books Week

Reclaiming the night sky: award-winning astrophotography

Iranian photographer Babak Tafreshi has won the 2009 Lennart Nilsson scientific photography prize. According to the award panel, his images "reclaim a night sky that most modern people have lost" – see some of them here.
Reclaiming the night sky: award-winning astrophotography

Tip of the week: How to best email your digital photos

Everyone at one time or another has received an email with a very large image file attached. It can be very annoying. I've even deleted some emails that were just way too big. Here's how to do away with the problem by reducing the size of your photos before you email them.
Tip of the week: How to best email your digital photos

How to Tell if You're Watching TV in HD

High Definition Television (HDTV) is a form of Digital Television capable of "near photo" quality images on an HDTV screen. Unsure if you're seeing an HDTV signal or not? Read on for help.How to Tell if You're Watching TV in HD

Knowing When to Walk Away: Financial Planning for an Unknown Ending

People somehow have a built upon a notion that they must amass a certain amount of money, no matter how long it takes, before they can retire. Yet, what if it took you 40 years of work to reach $1 million, and the very next year you died? Would all your work be for naught? It depends on how much you enjoyed your work, of course, but for the most part, this scenario is not ideal.
Knowing When to Walk Away: Financial Planning for an Unknown Ending

Friday, September 25, 2009

Cheap Passport Pictures

Below are four online passport photo companies, each offering varying levels of service (with corresponding costs).
Cheap Passport Pictures

The Best Online Tools for Families

It’s easy to feel absolultely overwhelmed when you look for a tool or useful website online. There are hundreds of choices, and sometimes, it feels like they’re all pretty similar. There’s a theory that in this age of information, our range of choices — from toothpaste flavors to online calendars — stress out our bodies and our minds to the point that we’re actually less able to make sound decisions.
The Best Online Tools for Families

USB Car Adapter Charges Any USB Device On-the-Go

The iLuv Micro USB Car adapter turns your car's cigarette outlet into a universal USB charger, so you don't have to buy specialized car chargers for all of your USB-chargeable gear.
USB Car Adapter Charges Any USB Device On-the-Go

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Australian Social Trends, Sep 2009

The September issue reveals that extra hours, multiple jobs and weekend work are all cutting into Australian family life, while one-quarter of our children are overweight or obese. People may also find it hard to balance employment and care, while Australia's links to China and India continue to grow through migration, trade and education.
Australian Social Trends, Sep 2009

Six Tips for Coping with the Fact that You've Forgotten Someone's Name

If you’re like me, you sometimes have trouble remembering people’s names, or even how you know them.
Six Tips for Coping with the Fact that You've Forgotten Someone's Name

5 Focus Killers … and How to Beat Them

It doesn’t matter how focused you are, working from your remote office likely entails more than a few distractions. For each of us those distractions will be different (I just had to break my morning’s work to move my goat to a new patch of grass; you may not have to cram this particular commitment into your schedule). And, truth be told, they’re not always unwelcome.
5 Focus Killers … and How to Beat Them

Dust storm chokes Sydney

Sydneysiders are being warned that a huge dust cloud will continue to affect the city through the day, after they woke to an eerie red dawn.
Dust storm chokes Sydney

Amazing video of girl barely missing an out-of-control car

A 6-year-old girl very narrowly misses getting squashed by an out of control car.
Amazing video of girl barely missing an out-of-control car

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

7 ways to fewer wrinkles

Some people are born lucky—but for the rest of us wrinkles are a natural part of aging.
7 ways to fewer wrinkles