Karaoke File Sharing site for Gleekaholics: Karaoke-World!

There are many, many filesharing sites out there, from the infamous Pirate Bay to the smaller but equally popular BTJunkie and Isohunt. They provide users with a great many options, but sometimes the sheer amount of files they have can be a little overwhelming. This is where Karaoke-World comes in, a dedicated filesharing site that ONLY features Karaoke torrents!

You may wonder whether there is a need for this service, and that is debatable, but considering the continued popularity of games like SingStar on gaming consoles, and public karaoke bars such as Lucky Voice and K-Box, I do think the demand is growing. Shows like Glee and X-Factor put the idea of Karaoke style singing right onto the front page of the newspapers, and if you enjoy this activity you’ll probably want to know more about the recently launched Karaoke-World. Read more…

Tags: bitorrent, Glee Karaoke, Karaoke, karaoke filesharing site, Karaoke-World

Chatroulette gets medical with Healcam

The premise behind ChatRoulette was fiendishly simple. Utilise the webcam that’s built into most people’s computers and add an element of sex to it. Rather than create a paid for service, Andrey Ternovskiy decided to create a live version of the popular hot or not game, where users log on to flirt with each other and ‘next’ anyone they don’t find attractive or interesting. Annoyingly, the site is pretty much useless for anyone who doesn’t want to watch masturbation, as a quick play around reveals that 90% (a completely made up statistic) of users seem to be men.

Nonetheless, there’s something about this level of instant interaction that’s appealing, and if used correctly could be really positive. Healcam is a brand new service (barely been launched a month) which aims to take the premise of instant video chat to a new level, by putting people with various illnesses in touch with each other. Sure, if you have Diabetes or Cancer you already have a ton of support groups and forums, but that doesn’t mean you get to chat face to face with someone whenever you feel like it. Counselling sessions need to be scheduled, appointments made- sometimes you just want a one on one with someone who understand your issues.

It’s completely free to use the site, you simply go to the Healcam website, select your sex, say whether you’d like to talk to a male, female or ‘anyone’ and then choose your condition. At present there are 5 to choose from: Back &Neck, Diabetes, Cancer, Pregnancy and Childbirth, and Heart Disease. There’s a button saying sub topic next to them, but only the Diabetes one expands into the options of Type 1 and Type 2 (guessing this will expand as their user base grows). Their blog does mention that they will have health channels that will include ‘Weight Loss & Dieting’ and ‘Depression’, but at present they’re not on the site yet.

The concept is fantastic, and I’m hoping that the people who use the site will respect that, and that we will find those willing to share information and advice about their conditions to those who need it.

The Healcam creators say, ‘We envision the site as a large meeting place, where people can exchange information, get or give moral support, and learn from others’. It’s a resource I can imagine using, so I’m hoping others will feel that way.

The next step is working out whether the site will be able to keep afloat from advertising. Considering the topics involved, monetizing it once it gets popular should be fairly simple, as I’m sure many charities and organizations would want to get behind this.

The main problem will be assessing the potential of abuse that could happen if people give others bad advice, as that could prove dangerous to people with medical conditions. As long as the site is used therapeutically and not as a replacement for a doctor I see no reason why this shouldn’t do very well.

At present there are very few users, but as this gains popularity I’m hoping a huge community will spring up.

Check out Healcam here.

Source: Medgadget

Tags: Andrey Ternovskiy, Chatroulette, Healcam, health help

The future of 3D is all about the glasses

As a journalist I get asked all too frequently what I think of this ‘3D rubbish’. The statement is then normally qualified with ‘well, I know it takes a lot in the box office,’ and then I’m looked at expectantly like I’m suddenly going to drop some amazing secret or share my wisdom on what the next big thing to replace the ‘3D phenomena’ is.

I got rather sick of trying to explain that 3D probably wasn’t going anywhere and that the main reason people get frustrated by 3D was the WAY they had to view it, as both anaglyph and active shutter glasses require -you got it, glasses. Then there are the EXTREMELY PRICEY TV’s that require no specs, but hey, you can only view them from a really small field of vision, so that’s not too helpful now.

Having given this topic a rather huge amount of thought, I’ve now come up with what I feel is a reasonable, if vaguely Matrixy conclusion.

It’s the glasses folks. It’s not about replacing them, it’s about creating some which become so essential to everyday life that they’re part of the shower and shave routine- wake, teeth, glasses, breakfast.

Read more…

Tags: 3D, 3D glasses, 3DTV, designer 3D glasses, future of 3D, Gucci 3D glasses, RealID, Vuzix glasses

The Fallacy of Football Widows

Every summer it happens. With minimum warning and fanfare, TV suddenly becomes a ‘blokes only zone’, matches are played with pomp and honour, and silence must reign in case one was to miss an all important stumble or kick. Of course, this tends to only apply to the non football fan, as it is fine for the fan themselves to groan, grasp and burp their way through unseasonabley long games. There are banners in every pub, glowing footballs in the supermarkets and dubious songs on the radio.

People speak in hushed tones about ‘football widows’ those poor aimless creatures who are left on the shelf and have to retire from any partner based activity till the season is over. A widow refers to anyone partnered with fan, so it can equally go the other way (and yes, I agree that’s a sexist term, but that’s not the point I’m making now).

These poor pathetic football widows must spend the football time crawling through ASOS online and trying to find outfits that will entice their no good halves away from the screen, for just a short while.

Really? Like, really? I understand that if you’re ACTUALLY A PLAYER then yes, your partner will get short shrift in the season, but as for all the fans, uh uh. If you’re into the game enough to forgo any sort of fun with your partner, then what the hell are you doing with them? You shouldn’t absolve yourself of all priorities when you get in a relationship, but putting TV over them, c’mon? Read more…

Tags: Football Widows, World Cup Football

Five of the strangest new fitness trends

Summer is looming ominously/excitingly near, and many people are wondering how their pasty flabby skin will cope with all the extra scrutiny. Exercise is key in making sure you feel confident stripping off, and I’ve rounded up a selection of weird and wonderful ways to get fit and have fun. I really enjoy novelty in my exercise regime (why else would I have a pole in my living room?) so I’m excited to share with you a  variety of *very* different ways to get into shape this year.

Shock Tactics

Gymbox, one of my all time favorite gyms has just released news of their latest class. Remember, these are the people who have previously brought the fitness world the WAG workout (you wear sunglasses and bend it like Beckham’s behind you) the Rave workout (performed to hard dance on mini trampolines whilst waving glow sticks) and Cheerleading, so you know a new class from them is going to be something special. This one has a couple of shocks up its sleeve.. literally. It’s a new take on circuit training as it utilises electrified balls, which you carry with you as you perform a circuit class. Read more…

Tags: 2010 fitness trends, fitness trends, Gymbox, Jugglefit, Juggling, Krankcycling, Shock Tactics Gymbox, TOGU, Tricking

Ebook lending libraries : The future of fiction

Forget thumbing through novels filled with indescribable stains, the library of the future will provide you with germ free digital copies that can be easily read on your e-reader. The library of the future does away with fines and books that smell of toilets and trauma, instead you’ll have pristine digital versions that time out after 30 days. Whether you’re reading these novels on your iPad or your Nook, it doesn’t matter, as the future of eBooks is all about the software and less about the hardware. Sure, you need a screen of suitable size to peruse your novel on, but once you’ve made your initial purchase you’re sorted.

Once books are fully digitized and able to be rented online from public libraries we’ll know the era of the eBook has truly landed. We’re pretty close already, as so far there are three libraries in the UK that run a virtual lending scheme- Luton, Essex and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead with more scheduled to follow suit.

These schemes are by no means perfect as they have a limited selection of books on offer and the search functions could be majorly improved, but compared to sites which only offer free eBooks (those that are out of copyright) these sites are hugely progressive, as are the counties that have funded them.

Lending libraries mainly work by using a system called Overdrive, which has already been very popular in the USA. Perhaps it’s no surprise that eBook libraries are well established there as they have had eReaders for a significantly longer timer than us, with the major player in their market being the Kindle. The Overdrive system allows you to virtually check out books which you can then read on various devices till they ‘time out’, and then you can renew them. The limited selection of authors may have something to do with royalties, but a quick browse was reasonably impressive, with the latest releases from James Patterson, Meg Cabot, and um, Fern Britton on offer. Read more…

Tags: ebook, ebook library, eReader, essex library, library, overdrive, virtual library

Buy a phone, get a free exercise bike

Mobile manufacturers are getting more creative with the way they lure customers in. Previously deals would include cashback options (and pesky statement sending in on particular dates) or other incentives such as free iPods, TV’s and laptops. True, if you’re getting these freebies, you do tend to pay a premium, by being tied into a longer contract or having a slightly sub-standard handset, but many opt for instant gratification, as a shiny new iPod can assuage many guilty feelings about owning an Android G1.

Well, I’ve just discovered that there are even kookier offers available for new mobile purchases, as now not only can you opt for the lovely Wii’s, XBOX’s and LCD TV’s, you can also choose to get free EXERCISE  EQUIPMENT with your handset. Yes, forget about pocket sized tech, how about a nice cardio machine to complement your shiny new handset? Read more…

Tags: cardo machine, ipod, mobile contract, Mobile phone