Geekly Update February 3

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the original Rubik's Cube. If you still haven't solved the puzzle after three decades of trying, I hereby give you permission to cheat.

The U.S. Transportation Department has finally banned bus drivers and commercial truckers from text messaging while they drive. But I think checking email, updating Facebook and Twittering are still okay...

Apple's long-awaited iPad was finally unveiled this week. It just a giant iPod Touch? Read my iPad review to find out.

Sony is planning to release TransferJet products that will feature wireless transfers of data and photos when two devices touch.

It's not exactly Scotty beaming you up, but Ortery's $17,000 Photosimile 5000 3D Photocopier gives 3D images of whatever is inside. A Canon DSLR takes 360-degree shots that are saved as GIF or Flash files. Hmmm, couldn't you do pretty much the same thing with a webcam and an old turntable?

If you have a few old cell phones that need recycling, send them to ReCellular who will donate 100% of the value to aid the American Red Cross in Haiti. In addition, they will refurbish them and send them to aid groups that are working in the area.

Apple discourages folks from messing with the innards of the iPhone. But Nokia is sponsoring a PUSH N900 MOD contest in which hackers and designers are encouraged to find new mods in the Push N900, with a chance to win prizes worth up to $10,000.

Between the Clydesdales and talking baby ads during this year's Super Bowl, Intel will be showing off its new 2010 Core family of processors in their newest Sponsors of Tomorrow ads. Utilizing geek humor, the company is also the main sponsor of the post-game show.

AT&T has finally settled an $18 million lawsuit concerning early termination fees. Although they "strongly deny any wrongdoing," they're still handing out money to people who got hit with flat-rate early termination fees, and had service with them or Cingular during the period January 1 1998 through November 4 2009.

There is some good news and bad news concerning spam. In a report published by the European Network and Information Security Agency it was stated that less than 5% of all email is delivered to inboxes. The rest is blocked as spam. Unfortunately, they also report that "no significant progress is reported in the fight against spam."

NEPTUNE Canada, the planet's largest seafloor observatory, started a live underwater webcast in December. Not only will this help the researchers out by cutting back on costly trips, it allows anyone with an Internet connection to go "under the sea" as well.