Weekend goodies #005

The weather here is sunshine today :-)

[1]

Rationale: as you probably know I love mindmapping and anytime I found some time I'm looking for new applications about mindmapping and visual diagrams.
Rationale is an argument-maps software [by an Australian company] for producing diagrams of reasoning, helping people to:
* improve reasoning abilities
* develop stronger arguments
* communicate complex cases
* produce better documents
* make better decisions

Argument maps are box-and-line diagrams that lay out visually reasoning and evidence for and against a statement or claim.

I tested this application and I have to admit that is fast, very well designed and gives what it promise: an easy and powerful way to create maps which clarify and organize thinking by showing the logical relationships between thoughts that are expressed simply and precisely.
A great application that use also the new Ofice2007 style bars.

[2]

UniveRSS is a 3D RSS feed reader for Windows Vista.
It provides a stunning way of visualizing RSS feeds and their content. It introduces a full-screen 3D universe where galaxies represent the folders of your RSS feed directory, and the stars are represented by the spinning cubes that hold the feed information. Size and position of the feed cubes indicate how many unread items they contain.

Nice screensaver with a clever name ;-)

[3]

I'm sure that you know PortableApps Suite. Recently I discovered after a quick research the WinPenPack.
WinPenPack is a collection of free and open source portable programs. [click on "English" button ;-) ]
You can choose between some standardized configurations, all small enough to fit on your USB Pen Drive.
Standard configurations include: WinPenPack FLASH 128, WinPenPack FLASH 256 and WinPenPack FLASH 512, containing the best open source and freeware software found on the Internet, made portable and divided by categories: Graphics, Internet, Multimedia, Security, System, Education, Web tools, Business and Utilities.
Beyond these 'Standard pre-made' configurations, you can also choose some personalized suites such as WinPenPack FLASH SCHOOL, containing educational software only, and WinPenPack FLASH EXPERT, very useful for system administrators and advanced users.

You can also create your own personal WPP collection. This can be done by referring to some simple guidelines, shown at: WinPenPack PERSONAL.
Great work!

[4]

Create a gadget for Vista, you can!
The forthcoming Windows version [Vista] has a sidebar that can host gadgets presenting any kind of information you like to have on you desktop.
Bellow you can find some useful links which helps you to create easily YOUR gadget:
* Desktopgizmos
* Gadget Development Overview
* It's time to build...

It's easy, isn't it?

Have a Nice Week!

Season shopping therapy!

I feel it, you feel it!
It's time for shopping! Bellow are following some of my favorite gifts for this period
Just hold your mouse and click where a "check out" is.
;-)


Moleskine is the legendary notebook, used by artists and thinkers for the past two centuries, from Van Gogh to Picasso, from Ernest Hemingway to Bruce Chatwin.
A family of notebooks for different functions, Moleskines have become a symbol of contemporary nomadism. Professionals and creative types alike enjoy the high standard of quality and durability of the Moleskine Notebooks.
Do you own a Moleskine?

The eStarling frame is a standalone Wi-Fi LCD photo frame that connects to a wireless network and automatically displays photos e-mailed to it in a slideshow format.
Additionally you can specify an RSS photo feed from Flickr based on your own tagged keywords. You can even shoot photos on your mobile phone then e-mail them directly to your eStarling frame for display.

Protection Necklace.
This unique handcrafted jewelry has been cleansed using ancient techniques and energized to amplify the power and healing properties of the stones.
Wear this Energy Muse piece when you desire extra protection from negative energy.
For optimum protection results, wear your jewelry for 10 days straight.
(It's okay to take it off at night).

The new Pimp "Jive Turkey" watch utilizes several refractive mirrors and a coated convex camera style lens to create the illusion of LED's reaching off into the distance.
The effect is pretty amazing and combined with the trademark Pimp animated display, it's a real psychedelic effect.
(No drugs required :-D )

Exotic Stone Dinosaur Bone Ring!
From the Exotic Stone Collection of great jewelers designer David Yurman.
Ring in sterling silver with polished, fossilized red dinosaur bone.
Cable insets and engraved logo on side.
Exotic ring in an exotic price :-)

The DIY clock from Karlsson allows you to create the clock you’ve always wanted. The stylish battery operated metal centre and hands can be hung on the wall, the adhesive backed numbers can then be arranged in any fashion you like, the wall then becomes the clock face.
The kit is supplied with a template so if you don't want to defy convention, you can arrange the numbers in a perfect circle around the hands.

The Blue Man Group Percussion Tubes have eight motion sensitive tubes, that respond individually when a hand or the Blue Man Percussion Sticks are waved over the top, with percussion sounds. The tempo and volume can also be controlled via these motion sensors. The unit has five percussion instruments to choose from; Blue man Tubes, Blue Man Drums, Blue Steel Drums, Xylophone and Marimba.
These can be alternated between at any point during a song.
MP3 Mode enables the user to jam along with his/her favourite band/artist by simply connecting an iPod or any MP3 player with the docking station at the base of the tubes. But if that doesn't excite you, the Percussion Tubes also has ten pre-programmed songs including two original Blue Man Group tracks, that you can play along to. The user can be recording everything played on the Tubes throughout their jamming session through the recording mode, and then play it back over and over!

Here it is, the latest heir to the Robosapien line invented by NASA scientist, Mark Tilden. RS Media is a vast improvement in programmability, dynamic modification, and flexibility over even the recently released Robosapien V2!
RS Media is equipped with a head mounted camera, a color LCD screen in his chest, a full speaker system embedded into his armor (Speakers in his hands and a woofer in his back), internal memory, and external memory card. RS Media is capable of playing MP3's and MPEG 4's, taking and displaying photo's and videos, recording and playing audio clips and comes with 3 challenging java games.

Happy shopping to everyone!