Energy Savers, Computers for Seniors, and Homepage Art from Google

I'd been wondering about the latest logo design from Google.com. Yes, credit was given to artist Jeff Koons, but the display didn't exactly jump off the page and speak to French me. What were those brilliant shapes and colors signifying? Metallic castanets? Digital tulips? Balloon animals? What significance to a day in the life of an Internet addict?

Thankfully, I came across the answer rather quickly. With the introduction of iGoogle Artist Themes, the good folks from the Googleplex now provide a way to pimp out iGoogle homepages. The art is rich and varied, a nice touch for those who start their day with Google. Designs from famous artists like Anne Geddes, Alice Mak, Edward Monkton, and the band Coldplay are in large supply.

Having unraveled the mystery of the Google logo, I decided to look for other news that might be of interest to i-Lighter aficionados. No telling what might appeal to people, right?

The digital age can be confusing and frightening to octogenarians. For years, I have begged my Aunt Shirley to join me online. I want to share pictures, information, and cut down on long distance phone charges (she also steadfastly refuses to purchase a cell phone), but Aunt Shirley won't budge. Says the "Interwebs" are too complicated.

Now Microsoft UK recently unveiled plans to develop a senior friendly PC providing easier user interface and simplifying otherwise complicated tasks. Microsoft is also developing an ad-supported PC that arrives preloaded with a step-by-step user's guide. This technology can't arrive soon enough for me. I only hope Aunt Shirley is still around to take advantage of it because she'll have run out of her dinosaur excuses by then.

The price of energy keeps going up. Where I live, significant rate increases are going into effect beginning today. Makes me want to unplug every appliance in the house -- including my PC -- and go for a bicycle ride. Well, maybe not unplug the PC or the refrigerator, but everything else.

Now, for less than a hundred dollars, I don't have to act insane. The Cost Controller Power Strip monitors energy consumption while protecting from power surges for eight different plug-ins, encouraging greener behavior on the home front as kilowatt hours start to rise. Now I won't have to yell at the kids to unplug their standbys. I can just use the power strip to calculate the amount of money to tap from their allowances for wasted energy.

I wonder if they can create a similar device to encourage lowering the volume on their iPods.