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Windows

Submission + - Windows 8 sales match it's reviews (cnbc.com)

Submitted by
Mattygfunk1
Mattygfunk1 writes: "CNBC reports PC sales are down after the release of Windows 8. Emmanuel Fromont, president of the Americas division of Acer, the world’s No. 4 PC maker, said sales of the company’s Windows 8 PCs had been lower than expected. He said one factor was the system’s unfamiliar design, which appeared to be making consumers cautious.

“There was not a huge spark in the market,” Mr. Fromont said. “It’s a slow start, there’s no question.”"
Power

Submission + - Peel-and-stick solar cells created at Stanford University (gizmag.com) 1

Submitted by cylonlover
cylonlover writes: Traditionally, thin-film solar cells are made with rigid glass substrates, limiting their potential applications. Flexible versions do exist, although they require special production techniques and/or materials. Now, however, scientists from Stanford University have created thin, flexible solar cells that are made from standard materials – and they can applied to just about any surface, like a sticker. The cells have been successfully applied to a variety of both flat and curved surfaces – including glass, plastic and paper – without any loss of efficiency.

Not only does the new process allow for solar cells to applied to things like mobile devices, helmets, dashboards or windows, but the stickers are reportedly both lighter and less costly to make than equivalent-sized traditional photovoltaic panels. There’s also no waste involved, as the silicon/silicon dioxide wafers can be reused.
Transportation

Submission + - Steve Jobs' Yacht Impounded in Amsterdam (cnn.com)

Submitted by
SchrodingerZ
SchrodingerZ writes: "The Venus, Steve Jobs' custom-made mega yacht, (valued at 137.5 million dollars), has been impounded in Amsterdam. Philippe Starck, the boat's main designer, had The Venus impounded by debt collectors, after supposedly Starck and his company, Ubik, were paid only 6 million of the 9-million-euro commission. Roelant Klaassen, a lawyer for Ubik, released in a statement that 'These guys [Jobs and Starck] trusted each other, so there wasn't a very detailed contract.' 'The Venus is a floating ode to both Jobs and Starck's minimalist aesthetic. Made entirely out of aluminum, with 40-foot-long floor-to-ceiling windows lining the passenger compartment and seven 27-inch iMacs making up the command center.' The ship was unofficially unveiled in late October, a year after Jobs' death. It now sits dormant in the Port of Amsterdam, until the payment dispute is resolved."

Submission + - World's Oldest Wooden Water Wells Discovered

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Researchers have discovered four wooden water wells in the Greater Leipzig region, Germany, which are believed to be the oldest known timber constructions in the world. A team of experts led by Willy Tegel and Dr. Dietrich Hakelberg from the Institute of Forest Growth of the University of Freiburg, Germany, uncovered the wells built during the early Neolithic period between the years 5206 and 5098 B.C.
Media

Submission + - VLC For Windows 8 Reaches $65,000 Funding Goal On Kickstarter

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: A Metro version of VLC, the popular free and open-source media player, is coming to Windows 8. On Sunday, the VideoLAN organization reached its funding goal on Kickstarter for its Windows 8-specific app. There are also plans to port it afterwards to Windows Phone 8. The project has now been funded by over 2,500 backers, who have pledged more than the £40,000 ($65,000) goal.
Security

Submission + - How do YOU establish a secure computing environment? 3

Submitted by sneakyimp
sneakyimp writes: We've seen increasingly creative ways for bad guys to compromise your system like infected pen drives, computers preloaded with malware, mobile phone apps with malware, and a $300 app that can sniff out your encryption keys.
On top of these obvious risks, there are lingering questions about the integrity of common operating systems and cloud computing services. Do Windows, OSX, and linux have security holes? Does Windows supply a backdoor for the U.S. or other governments? Should you really trust your linux multiverse repository? Do Google and Apple data mine your private mobile phone data for private information? Does Ubuntu's sharing of my data with Amazon compromise my privacy? Can the U.S. Government seize your cloud data without a warrant? Can McAfee or Kaspersky really be trusted?
Naturally, the question arises of how to establish and maintain an ironclad workstation or laptop for the purpose of handling sensitive information or doing security research. DARPA has approached the problem by awarding a $21.4M contract to Invincea to create a secure version of Android. What should we do if we don't have $21.4M USD? Is it safe to buy a PC from any manufacturer? Is it even safe to buy individual computer components and assemble one's own machine? Or might the MOBO firmware be compromised?
What steps can one take to insure a truly secure computing environment? Is this even possible? Can anyone recommend a through checklist or suggest best practices?
Government

Submission + - NSA targeting domestic computer systems (cnet.com)

Submitted by
Presto Vivace
Presto Vivace writes: "The National Security Agency's Perfect Citizen program hunts for vulnerabilities in "large-scale" utilities, including power grid and gas pipeline controllers, new documents from EPIC show.

The NSA's so-called Perfect Citizen program conducts "vulnerability exploration and research" against the computerized controllers that control "large-scale" utilities including power grids and natural gas pipelines, the documents show. The program is scheduled to continue through at least September 2014.

Perfect Citizen? Who thinks up these names?"
Technology

Submission + - Samsung reaches milestone for 14nm technology (pcmag.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Samsung announced a milestone on its development of 14nm manufacturing semiconductors, claiming that it offers major advantages to system-on-chip devices using in consumer electronic products (especially lower power). They recently taped out a Cortex-A7 processor with this technology, calling it a significant milestone for the fabless ecosystem.

Submission + - West Antarctica Warming Faster Than Thought (nytimes.com)

Submitted by
dgrobinson
dgrobinson writes: "NY Times reports that West Antarctica has warmed more over the last half century than was first thought.
A paper released Sunday by the journal Nature Geoscience found that the temperature at a research station in the middle of West Antarctica has warmed by 4.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1958. That is roughly twice as much as scientists previously thought and three times the overall rate of global warming, making central West Antarctica one of the fastest-warming regions on earth."
Your Rights Online

Submission + - New Pirate Bay Proxies (torrentfreak.com)

Submitted by
Techmeology
Techmeology writes: "Just days after the UK Pirate Party was forced to kill its proxy service Pirate Parties in Argentina and Luxembourg have created their own proxies. In a statement, the Pirate Party in Argentina said: “We wish the UK Pirate Party best of luck in their continued fight for free access to culture and knowledge. We have put up our own Pirate Bay proxy which is accessible from anywhere in the world, including the UK and other places where it has been censored.”"
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft Patents Virtual Handshakes, Hugs 2

Submitted by theodp
theodp writes: 'It can be tough to stay connected over long distances, writes GeekWire's Todd Bishop. 'Yes, there’s phone calls, texting, Facebook, Twitter, IM, video chatting and everything else. But what if you could give virtual hugs to each other using battery-powered, Internet-enabled pillows?' That — and more — is covered by Microsoft's newly-awarded patent on Force-Feedback Within Telepresence , the idea of using interactive, connected devices to bring physical interactions to long-distance communications. Readers of Ted Nelson's 1975 Computer Lib/Dream Machines can only imagine the interesting possibilities for Skype!

Submission + - Bee Venom has "Botox-like Effect", is worth 7 times as much as Gold (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by dryriver
dryriver writes: The BBC reports that cosmetic products using Bee Venom as an ingredient are a new "hot seller" in the cosmetics market. Bee venom is said to have an effect on female skin similar to Botox injections, tightening the skin and making wrinkles and other signs of aging appear less pronounced than before. Unlike Botox, however, bee venom does not need to be injected, and can be absorbed through the skin naturally as an ingredient of cosmetic skin creme. Now comes the kicker: A special electrified device that causes bees to sting a synthetic membrane and release their venom can harvest about 1 gram of bee venom from 20 bee hives. That 1 gram of bee venom is worth a whopping 350 Dollars in the market. This makes Bee Venom almost 7 times more valuable than Gold, which, in comparison, is worth only about 53 Dollars per 1 gram. Cosmetics experts are still debating whether Bee Venom has any tangible, or positive effect on human skin at all. But the market for Bee Venom based cosmetics has taken off big time. And that, by itself, has made Bee Venom one of the most expensive substances, per gram, on earth.
Software

Submission + - Typingpool: Human Audio Transcription Parallelism 1

Submitted by theodp
theodp writes: Silly rabbit, parallel processing is not just for Big Data! Building on techniques outlined by Andy Baio back in 2008, Wired writer and 20% Doctrine evangelist Ryan Tate has released Ruby-based software called Typingpool to make audio transcriptions easier and cheaper. 'Typingpool chops your audio into small bits and routes them to the labor marketplace Mechanical Turk,' Tate explains to his reporter pals, 'where workers transcribe the bits in parallel. This produces transcripts much faster than any lone transcriber for as little one-eighth what you pay a transcription service. Better still, workers keep 91 percent of the money you spend.' Remember to Use the Force for Good, Tate adds.

Submission + - Typing Advice for a Guinness World Record Attempt? 1

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: In fifth grade, I amazed my fellow classmates when I demonstrated what 132 words per minute looked like. Recently, an acquaintance of mine saw me typing out a word document for graduate school and was impressed by my typing abilities. He suggested that I seriously contemplate attempting a Guinness World Record with such abilities. At the moment, I can manage an average of about 155-160 words per minute, with bursts around 180-185 words per minute (in the typing world, five characters defines a word in the typing world, in case you were wondering). That aside, I have a few questions to pose to Slashdot readers (whom I am sure have been typing much longer than I have): What are some tips to fully maximize one's ability to type at the fastest possible rate? Do you have any specific keyboard recommendations that will improve my speed? Has anybody here ever competed in a typing event or thought about going for the world record? Is it worth learning Dvorak for the sole purpose of attempting such a record? How difficult would it be to improve my typing abilities from where they are now to where they need to be to acquire such a record?
Java

Submission + - Vulnerabilities in Java and Adobe to Become Main Targets (net-security.org)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Software vulnerabilities will be the main target of cyber-criminals next year. In 2012, Java, which is installed on hundreds of millions of devices, was repeatedly compromised and used to actively infect millions of users. Adobe, given the popularity of its applications (Acrobat Reader, Flash, etc.) and its multiple security flaws, was also one of the favorite tools for massively infecting users as well as for targeted attacks.
Your Rights Online

Submission + - Gory images, videos posted on website are art, jury decides (www.cbc.ca)

Submitted by Maow
Maow writes: The website was part of a personal project by [Remy] Couture designed to raise the bar of his make-up and special- effects work. Couture, who is self-taught, sought to bring a psychopathic killer character of his own making to life.

Couture described it as a sort of "fake diary of a serial killer," complete with his own universe inspired by horror movies and literature. But there was no victim in the case — all of the works were staged with willing actresses and a combination of fake blood, latex and silicone to create lifelike, horrific images.

The trial heard that Interpol received a complaint in 2006 from a user in Austria. The scenes were deemed so realistic that a pathologist in Europe couldn't rule out that a homicide had actually been committed. Montreal police began their investigation in early 2009.

Police officers who testified had doubts that Couture's work was real homicide, but still engaged in an elaborate sting operation with police posing as clients looking to do a gory photo shoot around Halloween.

"My objective was to create horror, plain and simple," Couture told the court.

It seems one cannot fault the police for the initial investigation, since we've now seen a Montreal snuff film posted on-line become the first indication of (an infamous murder).

Submission + - Has Lego Sold Out?

Submitted by
Hugh Pickens writes
Hugh Pickens writes writes: "Matt Richtel and Jesse McKinley write in the NY Times that for generations of American children, Legos were the ultimate do-it-yourself plaything. Little plastic bricks, with scant instructions, just add imagination. But today’s construction sets are often tied to billion-dollar franchises like “Star Wars” and “Lord of the Rings” and invite users to follow detailed directions, not construct their own creations from whole brick. It’s less open-ended, some parents and researchers say, and more like paint-by-numbers. “When I was a kid, you got a big box of bricks and that was it,” says Tracy Bagatelle-Black. “What stinks about Lego sets now is that they’re not imaginative at all.” Lego loyalists are quick to defend the company. Josh Wedin, the managing editor of the Brothers Brick, a Lego blog, called complaints that they are less creative “simply ridiculous,” adding that Legos always included some instructions, though he says he misses the alternative designs that used to be on the back of the box. But Clifford Nass, a sociology professor at Stanford University who studies how people relate to the physical world versus the virtual world, says some essential qualities were lost when Lego became more like other toys. “The genius of Lego was, you had to do the work.” Learning about frustration, Nass says, “is a hugely important thing.”"
Google

Submission + - UK court rules against Motorola's "sync messages" patent (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by Dupple
Dupple writes: On Friday, the High Court of London issued a ruling that said that one of Motorola’s patents covering technology to synchronize messages across several devices should be invalidated. Originally, the patent covered the synching of messages across multiple pagers, but recently Motorola has used the patent in lawsuits against Apple and Microsoft for using similar message-syncing services in iCloud and on the Xbox, respectively.

The presiding Judge Richard Arnold declared Motorola's patent invalid and said it should be revoked because the patent (which has a priority date from 1995, but was issued in 2002) contained technology that “was obvious to experts. in the field at the time.”
Businesses

Submission + - Foxconn Invests In $200 Million in GoPro, Founder Nicholas Woodman Billionaire (hothardware.com)

Submitted by
MojoKid
MojoKid writes: "Nick Woodman was inspired to create what would eventually become today’s GoPro wearable cameras after a surfing trip to Australia in 2002. He wanted to capture some close-up action shots and wasn’t able to with amateur camera gears. So he did what any enterprising entrepreneur would do and figured out his own solution to the problem. The initial wearable cameras Woodman created to capture action shots as they happened used 35mm film, but his company’s cameras have evolved into highly durable, HD vid-cams that are sought after by amateurs and extreme sports stars alike. It turns out Foxconn digs what GoPro has designed as well. The giant Taiwanese manufacturer just bought a significant stake in Woodman Labs, making Nick Woodman a billionaire in the processes. Taiwan-headquartered electronics manufacturer Foxconn (also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.), purchased an 8.88% stake in Woodman Labs for $200 million, valuing the San Mateo, Calif. company at $2.25 billion."

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