Geekly Update April 26

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

Google has created a new tool that displays government pressure to censor material as well as requests for disclosure of "user data." The figures show about 100 countries and covers the last half of last year, but doesn't show specifics from China, which considers such requests as state secrets.

Facebook is extending their Like Button to the entire web. When you click the Like button on a website, a link to that page is added to your Facebook profile. Privacy pundits are busy catching pieces of the sky...

Remember that gizmo on The Jetsons that could create tasty meals by rearranging atoms? We're getting closer to that in real life, with Hewlett-Packard's new Designjet 3D Printer. It turns 3D CAD drawings into real plastic prototypes in 8 different colors. HP begins shipping the device next month in Europe, and this little toy will set you back only 13,000 Euros (about USD $17,500). I wonder if it explodes when you ask it to build one of Escher's castles.

Windows XP users who have McAfee security software experienced a nasty false positive problem last week, when an update caused McAfee to falsely identify a critical Windows component as the w32/wecorl.a virus. Many of those users are experiencing endless reboot cycles, requiring a fairly geeky fix. To their credit, McAfee is offering assistance and even reimbursement for those needing a fix. Linux users who have joked that Windows *is* a virus, now have exactly 15 seconds to chuckle in their mothers' basements.

Samsung and Verizon have released the Reality, a cell phone with 3" touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, social networking support and slide out QWERTY keyboard. Look for a $79.99 release after $50.00 rebate and two year service charge.

comScore reports that smartphone gaming has jumped 60 percent to 21.4 million during the past year. The survey also states that there was a 35% decline in gaming among feature phone (non-smartphone) users.

The U.S. House and Senate have passed a bill this week that bans misleading or inaccurate caller ID information on any phone service, including VoIP. The ID spoofing bill will have to be implemented within 6 months. After that, it's back to good old fashioned lying about your identity.

Apple has announced that it has moved the shipping date of its iPad WiFi + 3G from late April to May 7. That date applies only to orders placed now, not those that have been preordered.

Touchscreens come to GPS with Garmin's updated Nuvi 3700 line. The devices are only 0.35" thick and users can double tap or pinch to zoom, rotate and switch between 2D and 3D. Each has a 4.3" widescreen, display ecoRoute, lane assist, and favorite destinations and have the option of customized photos. Prices start at $349.99. Or, you could get a Droid or Nexus phone, which ship with an awesome free GPS and mapping app...

In honor of Earth Day, Sprint released the Reclaim cell phone, made of 80% recyclable materials. The Samsung phone features a sliding QWERTY keyboard, GPS and one click access to eco-friendly applications. Not impressed, Mr. Sprint... I've been creating websites out of 100% recycled electrons for years.