Feed Media Frenzy: Big Media’s Crush on Social Networking (nytimes.com)
With a wink and a flirt, big media companies have developed a full-bore teenage crush on social networking businesses.
Feed Novelties: The Turntables That Transform Vinyl (nytimes.com)
Two new turntables connect directly to computers to transfer cherished vinyl to MP3 files and CDs.
Feed Prosecutor in Apple Case Joins Law Firm (nytimes.com)
Christopher J. Steskal, a lead prosecutor of a federal task force investigating the backdating of stock options at Apple and other companies, is leaving his post to join a law firm.
Submission + - Sound goes faster than light!
Roland Piquepaille writes: "According to Physics Web in 'Sound breaks the light barrier' (Free reg. required), a professor of physics in Tennessee has designed an experiment which proves that sound can move faster than light. This looks like impossible — and it is. In fact, the physicist has tweaked some scientific definitions. No sound can go faster than light. But a sound pulse, or more precisely, all the wavelengths associated to a sound, have a "group velocity" that far exceeds the real physical limits. Have I lost you? Read more for a summary of various sources trying to explain this superluminal phenomenon in plain English."
Submission + - Microsoft answers to Vista DRM critics claims
skepsis writes: Recently there were two stories in Slashdot claiming that Vista would downgrade the quality of audio and video for every application in a machine where protected content was running.
One of the stories painted a scary scenario where a "medical IT worker who's using a medical imaging PC while listening to audio/video played back by the computer" would have his medical images "deliberately degraded". Audio professionals were similarly scared by similar claims.
Well, Microsoft has just explained exactly how the content protection woks, and it turns out the medical IT staff and audio pros can relax, as all claims (even those by 'specialists') were rebuked.
It seems the Open Source crows also knows how to distribute FUD as well as MS...
One of the stories painted a scary scenario where a "medical IT worker who's using a medical imaging PC while listening to audio/video played back by the computer" would have his medical images "deliberately degraded". Audio professionals were similarly scared by similar claims.
Well, Microsoft has just explained exactly how the content protection woks, and it turns out the medical IT staff and audio pros can relax, as all claims (even those by 'specialists') were rebuked.
It seems the Open Source crows also knows how to distribute FUD as well as MS...
Submission + - What's Next, Winbuntu Linux?
Anonymous Coward writes: "The installation of ubuntu is a major barrier to its spread and use. This project aims to solve this problem by allowing installation from within Windows using an install.exe file, and eliminating the need to partition the hard drive or burn a CD to install. It will allow a faster and more user-friendly installation for Windows users, the ability to install without the risk of data loss through repartitioning, and the ability to install on ultra-portable laptops without CD drives."
Deleting Personal Data from Private Institutions? 103
An anonymous reader asks: "This site has many readers who are familiar with the liabilities of personal data being stored on servers owned by private institutions. Bank records, phone records, credit records, flight records, basically any type of digital transaction can be (and likely are) stored indefinitely for whatever reason. Are there processes by which one can request a removal of personal data, or by signing contracts with these companies, do they own the rights to the information? If you have attempted such an erasure, have you encountered resistance?"
OpenMoko Schedule Announced 165
levell writes "The schedule for the OpenMoko, an open source, Linux-based Neo1973 smart phone was posted to the community mailing list by Sean Moss-Pultz this morning. On Feb 11, free phones will be sent to key community developers and the community websites/wiki/bug tracker will be available. Then on March 11 (the official developer launch) we'll be able to buy an OpenMoko for $350. After allowing some time for innovative, slick software to be created there will be a mass market launch at which point Sean hopes that 'your mom and dad will want one too.'"
Submission + - Google Checkout sees poor customer satisfaction
Aryabhata writes: "As per an Arstechnica report on a survey by investment firm J.P. Morgan Securities,
Google Checkout has had a relatively quick and modest market penetration of six percent since its launch in June of 2006, but lags behind in customer satisfaction vs PayPal. On the customer satisfaction front, only 18.8 percent reported having a "good" or "very good" experience with Google Checkout, while 81.2 percent indicated a fair to poor experience customer experience compared to PayPal's 44.2 percent reporting good experiences. Some users have reported anecdotally that Google Checkout mistakenly canceled sales without warning or that the checkout process took too long."
Submission + - Future desks to charge gadgets wirelessly?
IronMan writes: Future desks may allow us to charge our phones, iPods, PDAs and other gadgets wirelessly. Office equipment maker Herman Miller is one of the first companies to license the eCoupled inductive coupling technology from Fulton Innovation. This technology allows wireless transfer of energy through a magnetic field, it works a bit like most electronic toothbrushes. Motorola is working together with eCoupled, but it's still not sure when the first consumer devices with this technology will appear on the market. And if they do, they will probably be quite expensive.
Submission + - Top 5 annoying things about Top 10 lists
Anonymous Coward writes: "http://www.kevstrong.com/news/Viral/Top-5-annoying -things-about-Top-10-lists/
They drive me nuts! They are everywhere. You've seen them on the internet, the papers and even heard them on the radio in music charts. They were introduced to help give the audience a simple breakdown or summary of the best of the best but now they are out of control. There are so many things I dislike about them, so I decided to do the (un)obvious thing and create a Top 5 list."
Submission + - Sun Goes After Red Hat, Discounts Solaris Support
kernelpanicked writes: "Sun Microsystems announced Tuesday that its latest upgrade to the Solaris 10 operating system includes discounted support pricing. The move is intended to undercut support plans offered by Linux vendor Red Hat. The Solaris upgrade features improved disaster recovery and support for the Xen virtual machine technology."
Submission + - Chinese Proff Cracks Fifth Data Encryption Algo
Hades1010 writes: "In five years, the U.S. government will cease to use SHA-1 (Secure Hash Algorithm) and convert to a new and more advanced computer data encryption, according to the article "Security Cracked!" from New Scientist The reason for this change is that 41-years old associate professor Wang Xiaoyun of Beijing's Tsinghua University and Shandong University of Technology has already cracked SHA-1. Here is the Chinese daily article "
Submission + - NYC 911 to accept cellphone pictures
SpaceAdmiral writes: "New York City is developing a plan to allow images to be sent to 911 emergency operators from cellphones. This will likely give emergency operators better information to pass along to responders. According to John A. Feinblatt, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's criminal justice coordinator, "The more information that the police have and the more quickly that they get it, the more likely that they are going to fight a crime.""
Submission + - Utah's Newest Attempt to Block Pornography
gc8005 writes: There's something
brewing in Utah. A new, non-profit organization called CP80 that wants to segregate Internet content
based on IP ports. To a lay person, it sounds plausible, as CP80 describes port
segregation like cable TV channels. But unlike the cable system, it's easily bypassed.
Even more disturbing are the founders and backers
of CP80, which include Ralph Yarro,
who was recently fired from his CEO position at Canopy Group (see SCO
fiasco), and several venture capital firms. Even Darl McBride has donated to the cause. Why are VCs backing a non-profit
anti-pornography organization? What's the real story behind CP80?
