Giant mechanical spider in Liverpool

This giant mechanical spider is incredible. Watch a video of it in action here on this BBC news page. Up to 12 people can be strapped on this machine to operate it. Wow! Let's get one here so that it can climb up the Empire State Building. Wouldn't that be something to see?

Is a netbook a type of UMPC?

Terminology can get confusing these days. According to Microsoft who coined the phrase UMPC, the UMPC should meet the following:

Hardware specifications

• Windows Vista Home Premium OS
• Approximately 7" diagonal display (or smaller)
• Minimum 800 x 480 resolution
• Approximately 2 pounds
• Integrated touch panel
• WiFi- and Bluetooth-enabled

So is a netbook a UMPC? Not according to Microsoft.

Dell Inspiron Mini 9 creating buzz

Now that this tiny little machine is officially available from Dell, the netbook buzz is growing again. What type of role will these tiny little netbooks play in the healthcare sector?

Medical students seem very interested in these devices. They are tiny, light, and cheap. As medical students adopt new technology, they often carry that into residency and then into clinical practice. Hence, these netbooks may soon be seen throughout hospitals. My prediction is that by then, these netbooks will evolve into convertible tablets. They will still be priced to be enticing to students.

Rise in MBA applications

It's no surprise. According to BusinessWeek, more and more people are going back to school. Applications to business schools are on the rise and many are attributing this to the changes in our economy. The personal and financial investment required is significant since most b schools have very high tuition fees.

Are you a lifelong learner? Have you been thinking about b school? Full-time or part-time?

HRSA Find a Health Center

So often, we run into patients who lack health insurance coverage and they are looking for free medical care. If you have a computer, help them find a federally-funded health center in their neighborhood. The HRSA has a site here:
http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/

It's easy to find health centers in many different cities and towns throughout the country. Give it a try and you may be surprised by what you find.

Google Chrome

When will the browser wars end? I've been using Firefox 3 as my main browser for the last several months. I've also tested Opera, Safari, and now I'm about to test Google Chrome.

Do we really need so many different browsers? IE8 will be released soon (you can beta test if you dare). So what's all the fuss about? I doubt that Google Chrome will outperform Firefox 3. I have so many useful add-ons that make Firefox 3 the optimal browser for tablets and UMPCs.