Google Wave direct messages
Google Wave was built for groups, but it can be used like IM or email to talk directly to someone too. Google calls this a "ping", but it's really just a normal wave presented a little differently.

Google Wave was built for groups, but it can be used like IM or email to talk directly to someone too. Google calls this a "ping", but it's really just a normal wave presented a little differently.

Next month, Netflix Instant Watch officially comes to the Playstation 3 at no additional cost on either end. I say "officially" because like I mentioned before, I've been using PlayOn to stream Netflix to my PS3 for a while now.
I did find it odd that it requires them to send you a (free) Blu-ray disc. It apparently uses BD-Live features found in the latest Blu Ray players instead of being special integrated software like it is on the Xbox 360. So I assume that this ability is eventually coming to ALL Blu-Ray players in the future?
Anyways, props to Netflix for not making exclusive deals with any one console, and props to Sony for building such a great versatile machine.
You can go ahead and order your PS3 disc here.
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Google just bought RECAPTCHA... mostly to help scan their huge digital archive of books (and to train their robot army), but I think they need to find some other way rather than encourage use of a CAPTCHA. CAPTCHA sucks. It is a huge barrier between your users and what they want to do and 99%* of the time it is unnecessary. This should be the last resort for the most bot-targeted of websites, so your wedding site's guestbook does not need a CAPTCHA. Commenting on your blog does not need a CAPTCHA. Signing up for your new web app does not need a CAPTCHA. In 10 years I think we will look back on these methods and think to ourselves "How was that ever acceptable?".
There are some ways to check if someone is human without using any CAPTCHA:
If you do use a CAPTCHA, try something simple. Have them answer a simple question or select a photo of a cat. On my phpbb forum, I simply asked the user to type in a specific word and that stopped all bot registrations (and insures your users can read).
These alternatives are not unstoppable. A dedicated bot-builder could get around them, but they would have to target your site specifically and then maintain it as you make changes. Chances are no one wants to spam your Contact Us form that bad.
*81% of all statistics are made up on the spot

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Brightkite is a location-based social network that I've been using for a while now. I use it to keep a log of where I've been and to leave notes & photos that future visitors can see, sort of like when you rent a vacation house and you sign the guestbook. It's really easy to use thanks to the great mobile site & apps (especially the Android app) and I like that posts are at a specific business/address (if it exists in Google's directory) instead of at just lat/long coordinates. Plus it's fun to see a map of all the places I've been:
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I recently got an email from a family member, Kathy, asking for donations for her Three Day walk in October, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund (which oddly does not have a wikipedia entry). So I went to go donate at http://www.The3Day.org and noticed quite a few issues throughout the process and came up with some suggestions:

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Facebook is at phase 4. I check the website once a day or so, but it is just too slow and cumbersome to use more than that. And it doesn't help that many people feed Twitter into Facebook. The only thing worse than information overload is information overload twice.

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