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Google

Submission + - Altina GBT709 Bluetooth GPS receiver

Manish Arya writes: "Locate yourself using Bluetooth GPS receiver and mobile phone

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS."
The Courts

Australian Extradited For Breaking US Law At Home 777

An anonymous reader sends us a link to a report in The Age about an Australian resident, who had never set foot in the US and broke US intellectual-property laws in Australia, being extradited to the US to face trial. Hew Raymond Griffiths pleaded guilty in Virginia to overseeing all aspects of the operation of the group Drink Or Die, which cracked copy-protected software and media products and distributed them for free. He faces up to 10 years in a US jail and half a million dollars in fines.
Desktops (Apple)

Submission + - Can Apple Last Without Steve Jobs?

nobody writes: "This article is pretty on the point. It's scary to think how Apple and Steve Jobs are synonymous with each other. "What's so scary about Apple's continued success is the intermingling of Apple and Steve Jobs as interconnected brands that need each other to define the other's existence. It goes without saying that Jobs has done an exceptional job at leading Apple, and the company is out of control. It's the new Google of consumer electronics that has and will continue to take a lot of other companies by surprise; however, you have to wonder how long the success will last. To be more precise, you have to wonder how long will Apple keep up its success factor without Jobs."
Operating Systems

Submission + - Are End Users to Blame for OS Flaws?

tomsHH writes: "OSWeekly.com author Brandon Watts claims that end users are to be really blamed for many OS flaws. Is that true? "Believe it or not, as users, we also have a large role to play in the evolution of an operating system. We use what's been created, and this means that we're the best people to turn to for judging what works and what doesn't. Passionate communities that are supportive aid development, and when users join their efforts to make their voices heard, this benefits everyone. Have you ever thought that if you wanted something to be improved, then maybe you should just speak up and offer a solution instead of quietly or publicly venting without offering any input? Nothing changes by staying the same. Companies are listening, and as taboo as it may seem, most of them want to make their users happy, so if you shout loud enough, you're bound to be heard. If you need proof of this, then just look at how Linux has progressed in its development."
Operating Systems

Submission + - No Competition Between Open and Closed Source

techie writes: MadPenguin.org writes to highlight the lack of competition between open and closed source applications. The author writes, "Is there really the level of competition in the open source world that we see in the closed source world? This is something that has been stuck in my mind lately as I have been told so many times by closed source developers that by opening the code you are creating your own competition. Today, I'm here to explore this theory and hopefully prove why it's false.
Mozilla

Submission + - In-depth interview with Mozilla CEO Mitchell Baker

SlinkySausage writes: "APC Magazine in Australia has posted an 8,000 word interview with Mozilla CEO Mitchell Baker about where Firefox came from and where it's going. Baker talks about putting Firefox on mobile phones; how Firefox will take on Flash and Silverlight with open source animation and video rendering; where the $55million a year Firefox earns comes from; the struggle with patents in the software industry; how businesses are recontemplating moving to Firefox rather than dealing with the upgrade to IE7, and why Mozilla hasn't yet built an ad-blocker into Firefox. She also talks about how Firefox 3.0 will have a lot more capability around "branding" — will it be the corporate visual theming disaster that was IE4? And how Mozilla's small development office in New Zealand is developing the ability to run web abbs in Firefox without an internet connection. Mozilla Japan's cartoon character, "Foxkeh" makes an appearance too."
Google

Submission + - Google's Blogger output fails XHTML standards

saccade.com writes: "The headers generated by Google's Blogger web site assert it's output is complient with the "XHTML 1.0 Strict" document type definition. Well, John Walker tested it against that standard, and discovered even the simplest Blogger page fails with 73 errors. Walker comments:

...whatever standard you choose, you should be willing to be held to it, and in this case the blogging platform used by tens of millions of people falls flat on its face. Personally, I would be stone ashamed to ship something in this state. That Google, with what amounts to unlimited funds in our talent-constrained industry, plus the putatively smartest and certainly most smug technical staff, contents themselves with this is perhaps an indication that before expounding on issues of good and evil, one should first address the more mundane matter of competence.
"
Privacy

Submission + - American copyright arms get longer

Anonymous Coward writes: "In Australia, you are no longer safe from the long arms of American law as the Australian Government recently agreed to extradite an Australian citizen for breach of copyright. As mentioned in The Age, the punishment for copyright crimes in the USA is worse than rape in Australia. Which is the greater crime? And in the Czech Republilc, The Prague Post carries a story about how the police there are now carrying our raids and arrests (at the behest of American copyright giants), now that they can legally download music locally in their country."
United States

Submission + - EPA modifiying fuel efficiency standards in 2008

antifoidulus writes: Yahoo finance is running an article detailing how the EPA is changing fuel efficiency standards for 2008 models. This seems to be the first overhall of the miles per gallon(1 mpg=.42 kpl) since the 1980's. Previous tests assumed that drivers did not exceed 55 mph(88 kph), that drivers never used their air conditioner and heaters. The new tests push cars up to 80 mph(128 kph) and drive them in hot and cold weather conditions. Naturally the reported MPG number has dropped, for example the Prius' reported mileage dropped 20%, but the new number reflects what most drivers see. And as always, your mileage may vary. (Your kilometres per litre may vary)
Announcements

Submission + - Comcast to launch Open Source Email from Zimbra

khenriks writes: "Today Comcast and Zimbra have announced (with screenshots) that their next-gen email, voice, and instant messaging platform will be based on Zimbra. Comcast Triple Play has now moved to the web and will give consumers an easy way to manage their communications needs from one portal. Open Source, Linux and related software have been taking IT shops by storm and now it's time mainstream consumers benefited from this technology shift. Zimbra which launched on /. has also been covered here, here, here, here, here, here and here."
Space

Submission + - Space Commercial Refueling Station Changes Things

nlhouser writes: "The Shackleton Energy Company is to be the first explorer in the lead to the moon, exploring for water and fuels in order to process the much needed space fuel directly on the moon, then transferring them to a low Earth orbit refueling station (LEO). Stated by Stone to be a "first-come, first-serve basis," the venture will consist of the provision of fuel and compounds for life support — water, liquid oxygen, nitrogen, methane, liquid hydrogen, hydrogen, and gaseous oxygen."
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - Steve Jobs highest paid CEO - $646 Mil

Whiney Mac Fanboy writes: "Fans of Apple CEO Steve Jobs are quick to point out that he is only paid a $1 salary for his role at Apple. However, according to Forbes he's the highest paid executive in the US — to the tune of 646 Million dollars for 2006. From the article

Forbes said the highest-paid CEOs were not always those that delivered the most to shareholders.Forbes said by its analysis, Apple's Jobs was 36th. Topping the list was John Bucksbaum of General Growth Properties, a real-estate investment trust. Over the past six years, Bucksbaum was paid $US723,000 a year while delivering a 39 per cent annual return to shareholders.
I wonder how much of that $646 Million was from improperly backdated options?"
Microsoft

Submission + - Question on Vista's Testing

LiquidNitrogen writes: The author of the blog cacheyourcash has found three bugs in less than 4 months that would question the extent of testing or even design that has gone to built windows Vista. Some of the silliest bugs in Vista are "Showing file size in negative (minus)" or "not updating the status bar on hitting refresh". It seems small pieces like these which though are used every day were not tested thoroughly or dropped due to other reasons.

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