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Comment Fragmentation or bloat (Score 3, Interesting) 228

So whats the solution? Android has to either support everything in one standard or have multiple standards to encompass everyone's tech? Basically this would create a bloated (and more expensive) OS or more Android fragmentation (your device does geo-location this way with these results while mine does it another way with other results).

I guess it's a thin line between between closed and controlled vs open and free. As more and more of these headaches (lawsuits, fragmentation) crop up for Google/Android we find more and more reasons why Steve Jobs has a point in everything he says is a benefit in his iOS closed model.

Comment Re:It's the protocols, stupid! (Score 4, Insightful) 306

sudo mod him up

If we had a standardized protocol then everyone (Google, MS, Apple, MySpace, Facebook, random company, universities, you, me, etc etc) can integrate the service into existing products or create their own implementation.

Click here to activate Diaspora on your (Google Me, Apple Ping, MSN/Live/Bing/whatever its called today) account. You won't even have to leave Facebook because if there is a threat of users leaving they will just integrate it.

Comment Surprise suprise... (Score 5, Informative) 295

...NOT!

* Foundem -- the British price comparison site that is backed by ICOMP, an organization funded largely by Microsoft. They claim that Google’s algorithms demote their site because they are a direct competitor to our search engine. The reality is that we don’t discriminate against competitors. Indeed, companies like Amazon, Shopping.com and Expedia typically rank very high in our results because of the quality of the service they offer users. Various experts have taken a closer look at the quality of Foundem’s website, and New York Law School professor James Grimmelmann concluded, “I want Google to be able to rank them poorly.”

* SourceTool/TradeComet - SourceTool is a website run by parent company TradeComet, whose private antitrust lawsuit against Google was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this year. The media have noted that TradeComet is represented by longtime Microsoft antitrust attorneys, and independent search experts have called SourceTool a “click arbitrage” site with little original content.

* myTriggers - Another site represented by Microsoft’s antitrust attorneys, myTriggers alleges that they suffered a drop in traffic because Google reduced their ad quality ratings. But recent filings have revealed that the company’s own servers overheated, explaining their reduced traffic.

NASA

Submission + - NASA in search of small Moon robots (networkworld.com)

coondoggie writes: NASA today began looking for small robotic landers it can send and operate on the Moon. NASA said the idea behind its Innovative Lunar Demonstrations Data (ILDD) program is to "obtain data and gather knowledge that reduces risks for future human and robotic lander designs by employing these missions as unique demonstration testbeds." The ILDD announcement will result in multiple small contracts with a total value up to $30.1 million through 2012, NASA stated.
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft losing big to Apple in the campus OS war (virginia.edu)

destinyland writes: Apple has nearly surpassed Microsoft's share of operating systems among the computers of incoming freshmen at the University of Virginia, confirming earlier reports of an ongoing change. A yearly survey shows that among 3,156 freshman who own computers, Microsoft's share is just 56%, with Apple's share rising up to 43%, continuing a big five-year trend. Microsoft's share dropped 6% from the previous year, while Apple's rose 6% — though just five years ago, Microsoft's share was on 86% vs 13% for Apple. "It seems likely that the Mac-using students will outnumber their Windows cousins this school year," notes one technology blog, citing an new study showing that 70 percent of college freshman are choosing the Mac. Other interesting data from the Virginia study: In 1997, 26% of incoming freshmen said they didn't own a computer, a number which has now dropped to 0. And 99% of their computers are now laptops.
Mozilla

Submission + - Like Google, Mozilla To Silently Update Firefox 4 (computerworld.com)

CWmike writes: Taking a page from rival Google's playbook, Mozilla plans to introduce silent, behind-the-scenes security updating to Firefox 4. The feature, which has gotten little attention from Mozilla, is currently 'on track' for Firefox 4, slated to ship before the end of the year. Firefox 4's silent update will only be offered on Windows, Mozilla has said. Most updates will be downloaded and installed automatically without asking the user or requiring a confirmation. 'We'll only be using the major update dialog box for changes like [version] 4 to 4.5 or 5," said Alex Faaborg, a principal designer on Firefox, in the 'mozilla.dev.apps.firefox' forum. 'Unfortunately users will still see the updating progress bar on load, but this is an implementation issue as opposed to a [user interface] one; ideally the update could be applied in the background.' Unlike Google, Mozilla will let users change the default silent service to the more traditional mode, where the browser asks permission before downloading and installing any update.

Comment Re:Electric charge (Score 1) 102

"Because we can" isn't always sufficient justification.

It's like all the games that make the controller shake/vibrate just for the sake of it. I hate it. Driving game? Let's make the controller shake non-stop until the players hands go numb, he'll feel like he's actually in the car! I always turn that stuff off.

The only time I like it is when it provides useful feedback. Like if another car bumps into mine or if I'm scraping the wall.

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