ashNOLOGY

I'm SO excited about this. FINALLY, the google phone is here. You read right, G1 will be the HTC developed phone, who will be carried by T-Mobile. It will be running Android, google's Open Source mobile OS. I read about the Android and downloaded their kit, but didn't get a chance to actually use it yet. Find out more about what we geeks call The gPhone , which will be hitting stores next month or so. Awesome. Google is SO going to take over the world, we will literally by a GoggleEarth. Have a great day.

So a recent job I've applied for had asked if I knew SQL, I unfortunately don't. But they said it was a "preferred" skill. So I thought to my self, well why not learn SQL. I'm already familiar with MS Access, true its not the same, but at least that makes me familiar with the database terminology. So I started searching the net for tutorials on SQL, and I came across an awesome tutorial. Its simple to understand, has examples, downloadable data, and its free. After I finished reading the first section on how to create a database, and populate it, it then gives you a little assignment to try it for yourself. Very neat. If you would like to learn some SQL for an upcoming project, or just to add it as a skill on your resume, make sure to check out the Web Developer's Note: SQL Tutorial , its really quite good, and it provides you with links to free software to use, such as MySQL . Have a nice day. =)

Zune has +1Uped their game. A lot of people were talking down about the Zune, especially the so called "useless feature" of having an FM tuner. Well, now you will know how "useless" it is. With the new 3.0 Upgrade, you will be able to: -Tag music you hear on the FM tuner to download later (not so useless now is it). -Browse and buy music from the Zune Market Place, wirelessly. -And play games, legally =) + other features as well. To download and learn more about the upgrade, just go to the What's New section of the Zune site. Enjoy =)

So apparently there is new open source Photoshop Alternative out there. Its called Artweaver . Its more like a stripped down version of Photoshop, which sounds fine to me. So if you use GIMP this might be a step up, and if you need a free photo manipulating software to play around with, then this is for you. Try it out and feel free to comment back here and let me know what you think. Have a good weekend.

So we all know about the "Academic" version of software, such as Adobe CS3, its less expensive but still expensive. Now there is an even CHEAPER option. Adobe now provides something called the Student Licensing Option, in which you get the FULL version, for a much cheaper price, for example the CS3 Design Standard for $200, or the CS3 Master Collection for $500. That is a pretty good deal considering the original price of the actual software. It would make sense for Adobe to make a step like this, since its products such as the world known PhotoShop, end up being one of the most "Shared" software amongst students. Feel free to research this some more, I had just heard about it and did a quick google search and found this information for you. Information from the Adobe site about SLO could be found [ here ]. Creation Engine provides the software online [ here ]. have a great weekend everyone. -Ash

Peter Rojas(founder of ...) and Ryan Block (editor-at-large of ...) Engadget have joined forces once again. They have JUST launched (today 9/4 was the first broadcast) their podCast called gdgt , this will be a weekly installment of your gadget fix. Enjoy! I know I will =) Take care. -Ash

This is beautiful. Arcade Heroes has started a contest to ask Game Developers to create games for children who have difficulty playing the normal games that we play. Its mostly geared towards children with mobility disability, so modifying controllers is a HUGE part of this project, which they call "A Game for Helen". Other project relating to this one are Special Effect & Helen and Douglas House which is a charity providing end of life care to children with life-shortening conditions. This is a great thing, I love it when I see the game developing community trying to reach EVERYone, and to show the world that there is more to this awesome industry then just random violent products.

Gunnar Optiks have created Gaming Glasses , claiming that they will reduce eye strain & fit comfortable with headphones, allowing you to game more. How nice of them =) Super Mario RPG game has been released. Enjoy. The PS3 is 1Up-ing its game, by releasing a wireless headset , it will hit Japan on October 30th. Infinite Combo, glitch or feature? Apparently the character El Fuerte in Street Fighter IV has the frowned upon infinite combo (Oops), and so the game has been labeled as broken? .