13817558
submission
__aajbyc7391 writes:
Cloud Engines, maker of the Pogoplug, will soon add a new feature to users’ devices free of charge. Once the firmware update is rolled out later this summer, the low cost gadgets will be usable as low-power printer servers, accessible from anywhere via the Internet. Among other options, you'll be able to email files to the Pogoplug.com web service for printing on a designated Pogoplug-attached printer for which you have password-protected access. Initially 'all HP and Epson printers released in 2005 or later' will be supported. Incidentally, the Pogoplug is a tiny, low-power, relatively inexpensive ($129) device that runs a customized Linux-based operating system, and was previously positioned as a device used for remote access of content stored in attached USB media. The device can also be outfitted with a community-supported alternative OS, known as PlugBox Linux and based on Arch Linux.
13816132
submission
macguys writes:
I work for an organization that supplies automation to a large group of libraries. While we have a robust Q/A process for our sites, it's all done on desktop machines using Firefox, IE, Safari, Chrome, etc. As more and more of our end users are accessing our assets via mobile devices, it seems to me that we should have a formal process for doing Q/A on those devices. I'm working on a proposal that includes buying (and regularly refreshing) a "petting zoo" of mobile devices for developer testing and q/a of our web assets. While my management agrees that this is a good idea, there is concern that we will end up having lots of cell phone contracts for devices that are only used a few times a year.
I'd appreciate knowing how other organizations handle mobile device q/a. How do you decide which devices to test on, and how do you handle having to buy a 1 or 2 year service contract for each device purchased for testing?
13816070
submission
GMGruman writes:
Based on Google's Android OS, the forthcoming Cius will offer multiple networking capabilities, keyboard and mouse support, and the ability to do videoconferencing. Cisco says it will cost less than $1,000, or about the same as an iPad.
13814570
submission
nicodoggie writes:
A little over two years after Linux desktop users all over the world wailed in disappointment over the sub par KDE 4.0 release, a KDE3 fork, Trinity KDE is coming into being.
Apparently, there is a Live CD of Trinity KDE working on Ubuntu 10.04, but as of today, the Trinity KDE website is still recovering from hardware failure.
Will this project take off? Will KDE3 be back in the mainstream? Or have people moved on?
13812932
submission
An anonymous reader writes:
Paris recently announced plans to infuse its grid with renewable energy by installing eight hydroelectric turbines in the waters of the River Seine. An urban ecology study of the French waterways has already been conducted and has identified four potential sites along the river’s path, and the city is currently seeking proposals from companies to provide possible solutions and technologies. The city hopes to have the hydro turbines installed early next year.
13810998
submission
SixFactor writes:
At long last, a street-legal plane (or airworthy car), has been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. Because of its size, weight, and lack of usual auto safety features, it's got decent gas mileage on the road. Only requires 20 hours of flying time to get a license, and a third of a mile to get airborne. At just under $200k, it's a bit expensive, but there are definitely some early adopters.
12987186
submission
AnInkle writes:
Although laptop sales exceeded desktops over a year ago, a VP of Gigabyte, the number three motherboard manufacturer, asserted that laptops will be toppled by "smart" handheld devices before long. As smartphones and slate devices become the mobile computing device of choice, Henry Kao believes desktop demand will increase again to serve peoples' storage needs. Wishful thinking from a major desktop motherboard manufactuer?
12986594
submission
Trailrunner7 writes:
Threatpost has a guest editorial from security researcher Steve Manzuik on the Google-Windows story: "Google made the news with this article in the Financial Times stating that they are moving away from Microsoft Windows due to security concerns. My first reaction was to question why a company with as many smart brains as Google would make such a misguided decision. I cannot comment directly on the China hacking incident because I was involved in various meetings with unnamed companies and unnamed forensics experts on the so-called “China hacking incident” but I can comment on the stupidity of this clearly knee jerk reaction. Your operating system choice does not equal security. I cannot put that any more simply than that. If your company employs experts in Linux then it makes sense to standardize on Linux. If your company employs expertise in Windows — rolling out Linux, OSX, or any other operating system is asking for problems.
12887890
submission
angrymilkman writes:
Researchers of the University of Nevada in Reno have adapted two Wii Sports games, such that they can be played without visual feedback.
With the recent national attention to childhood obesity this technology could help increase the exercise opportunities for children with the highest obesity rates.
12886088
submission
dreadpirate15 writes:
A couple years ago, I stumbled upon the Linux on iPhone blog. I was really quite intrigued by it An open OS on Apple hardware? Perfect! Open software plus beautiful hardware. Awesome. So I followed it I kept the site in my RSS reader And nothing. No updates for the longest time. I was getting discouraged, thinking that my only way of getting Android was to buy a smartphone. Then, I got an update. Planetbeing had done it! He’d quietly reverse engineered the drivers for the iPhone 2G, and got Android actually working on it! I was thrilled, and anxiously followed his updates. When he got Android working on the iPhone 3G, I rejoiced, knowing the iPod Touch 1G would surely come soon. It took a while, but this morning I got it working. I wrote a tutorial detailing how anyone can get it working themself! Here is the link: iDroid on the iPod Touch 1G.
12885602
submission
An anonymous reader writes:
In 2007 Time magazine referred to the V-22 Osprey as A Flying Shame. But as military and aviation writer Richard Whittle relates in his new book The Dream Machine, the history of the V-22 Osprey—a multi-mission tiltrotor aircraft—is as complex as the engineering challenges that had to be overcome to build it. But has the Osprey, with all of its failures, tainted the tiltrotor concept? Or much like the Concorde, will tiltrotor technology remain too expensive to be commercially viable?
12877362
submission
crimeandpunishment writes:
Cell phone companies are about to bombard us with advertising for the next big thing: 4G access. The first 4G phone, Spring Nextel's EVO, comes out this week. But just how big is 4G? Is it fast enough to warrant the hype, or are consumers better off waiting a while? Associated Press technology writer Peter Svensson looks at the difference between 4G and 3G technology.
