According to a blog post about Second Life miliatry simulations on the InformationWeek website, the U.S. Air Force, National Guard and Navy are now using Second Life and similar virtual world systems for training and collaboration. The armed forces have found that travel costs can be reduced and time can be saved by providing realistic digital combat simulations. It’s not suprising that Second Life would be used this way, since it’s already home to hundreds of fantasy armies and navies that have been created by users.

The Air Force uses MyBase, a simulated military base, for education, recruiting and training. MyBase is open to the Second Life public and offers tours and virtual aircraft flights. There are plans for a second location that will provide more intensive training for Air Force personnel.

Minox has introduced a miniature digital version of its classic Rolleiflex 6×6 camera, originally named for the 6x6cm square format photographs that it produced. This replica looks just like the original, but measure in at a tiny 49 by 73 millimeters (smaller than a set of keys on a keyring). Like the original camera, the MiniDigi takes square format pictures. Where the MiniDigi differs is in its 3.1-megapixel digital resolution and 0.9 inch LCD monitor. It’s the perfect combination of nostalgia and modern day technology. Who says you can’t make the old look new again? The MiniDigi is available in the original black and silver color scheme or in this eye-catching red and silver combination.

The Oakland Bay Bridge in Northern California will be closed over the Labor Day weekend for seismic upgrades. The work entails moving a 288-foot piece of the bridge that weight 3300 tons to make room for its replacement. Before the replacement span can be built, a temporary bypass will be built to allow traffic to be diverted from the span that’s being replaced. This fascinating YouTube video shows a simulation of how the Bay Bridge bypass will be installed:

The New York Times reports that a privately held bank called USAA is planning on providing customers with an iPhone app which will allow checks to be deposited using photos of the front and back of the check. Customers will no longer have to visit an ATM or bank branch to make a deposit. Once the photos of the check have been submitted electronically, the deposit is completed and the check can be voided or destroyed. In order to avoid fraud, the bank will be limiting this service to a select group of customers.

USAA is a small bank with a single branch in San Antonio, Texas. It serves mostly military personnel who may be stationed anywhere in the world. The bank has allowed checks to be deposited by scanner for the past 3 years, so deposit by iPhone is the next logical step.  If the service is successful, it may change the way that deposits are made in many other banks.

AeroVironment, an engineering firm, is designing and developing a flying robot that resembles a hummingboard. The U.S. Defense Department Advanced Reasearch Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded AeroVironment a 2.1 million dollar contract for the robot, which has small wings that allow it to hover and fly up, down and sideways. The goal of the design is to allow the robot to conduct reconnaissance missions in urban environments.

See a demo of the company’s robotic aircraft on YouTube:

The plug-and-play Kiwi is a simple to use device which provides data to help you maximize your MPG while driving. Kiwi plugs into your vehicle’s diagnostic port (near the steering column) and obtains vehicle sensor information. Vehicle speed, RPM, engine load and oxygen sensor readings are analyzed to determine your vehicle’s maximum driving efficiency. The Kiwi’s graphics operate like a game, making it fun to drive in such a way that you get the highest possible score each day. A high score means a high MPG and greater fuel saving. On a daily basis, the Kiwi will show you how much money you’ve saved on gas compared to previous days. Users report an average improvement of 20% in MPG after only a few days of use. The Kiwi is available at the Think Geek website for $289.99.

According to Macworld, this week marked the first anniversary of Apple’s online App Store for iPhone and iPod touch apps. The App Store opened for business on July 10, 2008 with 552 applications. Today here are 58,000 apps available for download, indicative of the rapidly increasing pace of app development. In terms of downloads, the store surpassed the 1 billion mark in April. Other smartphone retailers are trying to follow Apple’s lead and have opened mobile application stores, including Google, Palm and Nokia, but they have a long way to go to catch up to Apple.

For NASCAR fans who also have a little bit of geek in them, here’s the NASCAR USB flash drive.  This officially licensed 1:88 scale replica of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s #88 car has a 4GB storage capacity.   Best of all, it’s preloaded with some videos, pictures and audio related to Earnhardt.  You can also get this flash drive in Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson models for $19.99 at Amazon.com.

Google Voice is a powerful new tool from Google which is being made available to a limited number of users as part of an extended beta program. Google Voice enables one phone number to be used for cell, home and work phones and provides online management for voice services. Unlike Skype, calls are not made through the computer but instead with your existing devices. No additional hardware or software has to be bought. Google seems to have hit upon a practical solution for people who want to manage multiple phone lines and services. Best of all, it’s free. You can request an invite to be a beta user on the Google Voice website at www.google.com/voice.

Readers who want to access electronic books currently are limited in their choice of electronic reading devices. There’s the Kindle from Amazon, which retails for around $360, and Sony’s Reader, which sells for $270 to $350. Now there’s a new option. The Cool-ER from Interead.com was introduced a few months ago for $249. It’s currently available on the Coolreaders website. The Cool-ER uses the E-Ink display and has the same screen size as the other readers, but is lighter and more compact. There are fewer features, such as no wireless Internet adapter and no Bluetooth connection or keyboard, but it’s still nice to have another option available when it comes to readers.