Nielsen’s 2011 media usage report: conventional TV still rules, but online viewing is skyrocketing



2011′s come and gone, but Nielsen’s media report on the year remains. The latest figures from the year that was have been published, and conventional television is still riding a wave of popularity. We’re told that 290 million Statesiders are still …

CPU Wars and c-Jump: the nerdiest card and board games ever



Board games and card games are kind of dorky to begin with. And there are plenty of titles out there that hold a special place in the heart of the nerd (just ask one about Settlers of Catan). But, there is a line, a line which even the nerdiest amon…

Arduino-powered lighting system infuses your LED with some Ambilight-like pizazz (video)



Why spend your hard-earned money on one of Philips’ Ambilight displays when you can just make your own, using some Arduino-based wizardry and a little bit of elbow grease? Fortunately, Minty Boost creator ladyada is here to help. All you’ll need i…

New program makes it easier to turn your computer into a conversational chatterbox



We’ve already seen how awkward computers can be when they try to speak like humans, but researchers from North Carolina State and Georgia Tech have now developed a program that could make it easier to show them how it’s done. Their approach, outline…

AI competition pits Ms. Pac-Man against ghosts in the Manichean struggle of our time (video)



While the world breathlessly awaits the Pac-Man reality TV show, the University of Essex held a programming competition starring that other yellow chomper. The Ms. Pac-Man vs. Ghost Team contest pitted 13 competitors from nine different countries ag…