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Hardware

Submission + - Researcher create computer that fits on pen tip (computerworld.com)

CWmike writes: Researchers at the University of Michigan announced Wednesday that they have created the first prototype for a millimeter-scale computing system that can hold up to a week's worth of data when implanted in something as small as a human eye. The computer, called the Phoenix chip, is just over one cubic millimeter in size and was designed to monitor eye pressure in glaucoma patients. 'This is the first true millimeter-scale complete computing system,' said Dennis Sylvester, a professor at the school and one of the researchers on the project. Within the computer is an ultra low-power microprocessor, a pressure sensor, memory, a thin-film battery, a solar cell and a wireless radio with an antenna that can transmit data to an external reader device held near the eye.
Microsoft

Submission + - Windows drops below 90% market share (networkworld.com)

jbrodkin writes: Windows' market share has dropped below 90%, with all versions of the operating system now being used on 89.7% of PCs and other devices including smartphones and tablets. Some observers have pointed out that Windows actually dropped below 90% long ago according to some stat tracking organizations. But the latest 90% barrier crossing, reported by Net Applications, is still a significant one as it demonstrates Microsoft's failure to counteract Apple and Android in the world of mobile devices. When excluding smartphones and tablets, and counting only PCs, several counting organizations still put Windows at more than 90% share.
Facebook

Submission + - Students uncover Facebook data leak vulnerability (sophos.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Two students, Rui Wang and Zhou Li, found a vulnerability which allowed malicious websites to access a Facebook user's private data without permission.

According to Rui and Zhou, who made a video of their exploit in action, it was possible for any website to impersonate other sites which had been authorised to access users' data such as name, gender and date of birth.

Most worryingly, they could also post messages to users' Facebook profiles, seemingly coming from authorised connected websites.

News

Submission + - Wikileaks Nominated for 2011 Nobel Peace Prize 3

mvar writes: Whistle-blower site WikiLeaks has been nominated for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize by a Norwegian politician who cited its role in freedom of speech, news agency NTB reported Wednesday. "WikiLeaks is one of this century's most important contributors to freedom of speech and transparency," parliamentarian Snorre Valen said in his nomination. Valen cited WikiLeaks role in disclosing the assests of Tunisia's former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his nearest family, contributing to the protests that forced them into exile.
GNOME

Submission + - Oracle drops Sun's commitment to accessibility :( (grain-of-salt.com)

An anonymous reader writes: What I feared became true: after buying Sun, Oracle had a look at its accessibility group and made big cuts in it by firing the most important contributors to the Linux accessibility tools. This is a very sad day for disabled people, as it means we do not really have full-time developers any more.
Microsoft

Submission + - Windows 7 stability fix breaks stability (arstechnica.com)

Greg writes: Last week, Microsoft posted a slew of non-security updates for Windows 7, one of which was titled as follows: "An update is available to improve the stability and the reliability of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2." Unfortunately, according to a thread on Microsoft TechNet, the update (KB977074) is actually breaking the stability and reliability of the operating system.

"I [j]ust installed this update and my system hangs/freeze[s] at the windows bootup screen," the thread starter wrote. Another user went a little more in-depth: "At shutdown the PC often hangs with a message that a program is still running. Forcing program end does not work. The PC hangs for minutes until I press the PC’s power button. During one startup, a message came up indicating I needed to validate Windows 7. Therefore the PC lost the validation information. The revalidate succeeded. Shutdown problems consistently occur after running media center. Also have problems with recorded TV programs. Intermittently can't burn a recorded TV program to disc. After this failure occurs, a subsequent shutdown produces a hang 100% of the time."

Submission + - Is Oracle Trashing Your FOSS Project? 5

WaywardGeek writes: Oracle has finally started gobbling up Sun. The first casualty of consequece? Oracle has decided to decimate Linux accessibility, laying off the entire Orca team, who provides the Linux screen reader. Around the world, thousands of blind individuals now have their computer access threatened. What Oracle cuts have affected you so far? Where can users go to have their concerns heard?
Businesses

Submission + - Tritium Leak Grows (washingtonpost.com)

mdsolar writes: The tritium leak into ground water at Vermont Yankee http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/01/11/2054237/Another-Crumbling-Reactor-Springs-a-Tritium-Leak has now tested at 775,000 picocuries per liter, 37 times higher than the Federal drinking water standard. At what level should the NRC shut down the troubled http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9DLEQ200.htm plant?
Idle

Submission + - Saving Dave (heraldsun.com.au)

An anonymous reader writes: Following worldwide attention after being caught seeing pictures of Miranda Kerr at work while a coleague was being interviewed on TV, a petition to save David Kiely's job has started. Stated motives: He seems like a nice bloke, the pics weren't hardcore, he has suffered enough, and, maybe more important, there's just too much political correctness in this world anyway. Showing class and sense of humor, miss Kerr said she will sign the petition.

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