Zappos CEO: Create Tech Business Incubator in Downtown Las Vegas!

Downtown Las Vegas isn't exactly known for being a technology hub, or even really a new business hub. Its economy has been relatively stagnant for many years now (some would say since the 60's!). But the CEO of Zappos.com is pushing to develop a high-tech business incubator there. Tony Hsieh says he is in talks with several Silicon Valley tech firms to possibly move their operations to a business incubator. An incubator that Zappos would build on land they've recently leased near the old Las Vegas City Hall, Zappos's new headquarters building.

According to Hsieh:

"It’s all about creating an environment that appeals to the creative class and creating more serendipitous interactions among employees and the community.... It’s important that the bars are non-gaming. we’re not looking to draw more tourists, we’re looking to build up more of a community among locals."

The tech wiz believes that if Downtown Vegas can create a fun, lively, cool, and comfortable atmosphere for locals it can attract tech companies from the San Francisco area. That would seriously help the economies of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada as a whole, not to mention seriously liven up "Old Las Vegas"!

We don't know about the whole "non-gaming" thing -- this is Las Vegas after all and locals (like us) actually love our video poker bars. But the rest of the idea sounds great. There's really no reason why the Fremont area Downtown can't turn itself into a mini technology hub within the next few years!

Learn some mo': Zappos CEO floats idea of downtown high-tech business incubator

Cool Google Stuff: Real Time Search, Google Goggles

It looks like the world's greatest search engine company Google is up to their old tricks. They have launched two incredibly cool new services: Real Time Search and "Google Goggles". The first allows you to view extremely "fresh" information about the topic you're searching as it's being created in real-time. Examples include live Twitter tweets, news articles, blog posts, Yahoo Answers, and new web pages. This service will even be available on mobile smartphones, including Apple iPhones and Google Android phones.

The second new service/product, Google Goggles, is about as cool and useful as they come. It's basically a "visual search" product that allows you to take a photo of something and have Google instantly recognize it and then provide you with useful related information. Imagine being able to take a pic of a wine bottle or book at a store, before buying, and then viewing all the most-useful vintage info or reader reviews (e.g. from Amazon.com). It will even be able to recognize text and read product bar codes, making the usage possibilities almost endless!

Learn some mo': Google Introduces Real-Time Search, Google Goggles

Tags: real time search, Google Goggles

Wireless Electricity Is On the Way!

We already have wireless internet and Bluetooth. But what about wireless electricity? It looks like it's on the way, according to a new company called WiTricity. They say that their new wireless electric systems will be able to power lights, TVS, computers, and even electric cars... all without any power cords. Intel Corp is also working on similar technology.

It's all based on pretty old ideas mainly created by famous inventor Nikola Tesla, the creator of the alternating current (AC) power system that we use today. Tesla actually was able to demonstrate low-power wire-free electrical conduction all the back in the 1890s. Good to know it's only taken over a century to get back on track with this potentially extremely useful technology! Of course the scientists who are working on this, including some of the smartest people in the world at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, need to make sure it's safe and won't be "cooking" its users!

Learn some mo': Massachusetts company plans to market wireless electricity system

Tags: wireless electricity