Geekly Update February 10

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

The Japanese company Eamex has developed a lithium-ion battery that they claim will last through 10,000 charges, or about 20 years. Yeah, but sheesh... don't these guys know ANYTHING about business? Planned obsolescence is the pathway to perpetual profit.

After a 16 years, Sega is finally releasing Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii this summer. Codenamed Project Needlenose, it already has a dedicated website.

The 3D competition is on with Acer's 23.6-inch GD235HZ Monitor. While the 1080p LCD display carries a price of $399.00, you will have to invest in software, graphics card and glasses to complete the 3D picture. Fake nose optional.

Mozilla has decided that because most of the time security on sites is unclear, they will be designing simple icons that summarize privacy policies. They have already commissioned a design company and hope to convince online sites to adopt the standard. I just hope they look at this first.

Verizon launched VZ Navigator 5.0 for a select number of smartphones this week. The enhanced application now has roadside assistance, "Say It" mode for searching and Facebook integration. At a cost of $9.99 monthly for unlimited usage or $2.99 per day, the company promises future support for other phone models. Or you could get a Droid, which has a nifty and free GPS/map feature.

Still running an ancient version of Firefox or Internet Explorer? Now might be a good time to upgrade, as Google will be phasing out support for older browsers. Some services will be cut off beginning March 1, if you don't upgrade.

While the iPad hasn't even hit shelves in the real world, Belkin has already designed the Vue, Max and Grip Sleeves to house them. All three, priced at $29.99 and $39.99, are made with neoprene, have soft linings and extra storage space for accessories. Look for them this spring.

With the iPhone app Assemble, you can send out location and messages to your buds without needing a social networking site or SMS, as long as all of you have it. The application uses Apple's push notification service and can be downloaded from the App Store at no charge.

Comcast is rebranding and will now be known as Xfinity TV, Internet, and Voice. Starting in 11 of their markets, it will soon become nationwide and will include the recently opened beta, Fancast Xfinity, that delivers online content. Step 1: Create new brand. Step 2: Sully brand. Step 3: Repeat as needed.

A recent study from the University of Leeds suggests that excessive Internet use can lead to depression, and "Those who show symptoms of Internet Addiction are likely to engage proportionately more than the normal population in sites that serve as a replacement for real-life socialising." And today's Master of the Obvious Award goes to...