ILikeRed - Slashdot User

NASA Tests Flying Airbag 118

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday December 09, 2009 @03:10PM from the drop-the-cloud-anchor dept.

coondoggie writes "NASA is looking to reduce the deadly impact of helicopter crashes on their pilots and passengers with what the agency calls a high-tech honeycomb airbag known as a deployable energy absorber. So in order to test out its technology NASA dropped a small helicopter from a height of 35 feet to see whether its deployable energy absorber, made up of an expandable honeycomb cushion, could handle the stress. The test crash hit the ground at about 54MPH at a 33 degree angle, what NASA called a relatively severe helicopter crash."

Linux Kernel 2.6.32 Released 195

Posted by CmdrTaco on Thursday December 03, 2009 @11:04AM from the download-compile-reboot-repeat dept.

diegocg writes "Linus Torvalds has officially released the version 2.6.32 of the Linux kernel. New features include virtualization memory de-duplication, a rewrite of the writeback code faster and more scalable, many important Btrfs improvements and speedups, ATI R600/R700 3D and KMS support and other graphic improvements, a CFQ low latency mode, tracing improvements including a 'perf timechart' tool that tries to be a better bootchart, soft limits in the memory controller, support for the S+Core architecture, support for Intel Moorestown and its new firmware interface, run-time power management support, and many other improvements and new drivers. See the full changelog for more details."

Comment Re:Audacious. (Score 3, Insightful) 435

by ILikeRed on Monday October 19, 2009 @04:45PM (#29799831) Attached to: Xbox 360 Update Will Lock Out Unauthorized Storage

Well stated, but I think when you also combine this news with the recent story that MSFT is looking to double the price of an XBOX Live subscription to $100/year or more, then it paints a picture that MSFT is getting desperate to squeeze a profit out of their gaming devision for fear of losing the whole thing if they don't soon. Makes me really wonder about their financial picture in general that they seem to not be able to invest in this area with a long term growth vision anymore, even when they are currently losing to the Wii.

Xbox 360 Update Will Lock Out Unauthorized Storage 435

Posted by timothy on Monday October 19, 2009 @04:20PM from the don't-embrace-this-time dept.

itwbennett writes "The other shoe has dropped on the upcoming preview program for the next Xbox 360 update and it's going to cost you. In a post on the Major Nelson blog, Xbox's Larry Hryb reveals that this next update will lock-out unauthorized storage devices. As blogger Peter Smith reminds us, 'the Xbox 360 comes in two (currently) SKUs, one with a hard drive, and one without. The drive-less Xbox 360 Arcade unit is cheap ($199) but to realistically use it, you'll need to buy a "Memory Unit" (basically a proprietary USB stick) or an Xbox hard drive.... A 512 MB Microsoft branded Memory Unit goes for $29.99 at BestBuy.com. A 2 GB third party Memory Unit from Datel goes for $39.99, and the Datel unit is expandable using microSD cards....If you bought the Datel and it's full of data, between now and the launch of the new update you're going to have to run out and buy 4 of the Microsoft units at $29.99 each, or more likely, pick up the $99.99 60GB Live Starter Pack for Xbox 360.'"

FBI Investigating Mystery Laptops Sent To US Governors 329

Posted by timothy on Friday August 28, 2009 @07:59AM from the send-a-few-to-me dept.

itwbennett writes "The FBI is trying to find out who is sending laptops to state governors across the US, including the governors of Wyoming and West Virginia. The West Virginia laptops were delivered to the governor's office on August 5, according to the Charleston Gazette, which first reported the story. Kyle Schafer, West Virginia's chief technology officer, says he doesn't know what's on the laptops, but he handed them over to the authorities. 'Our expectation is that this is not a gesture of good will,' he said. 'People don't just send you five laptops for no good reason.'"

World's Only Diesel-Electric Honda Insight 687

Posted by timothy on Tuesday August 18, 2009 @11:40AM from the something-like-that-I'd-drive-even-more dept.

Jake Staub writes "Just replaced the gasoline engine in a Honda Insight with a Diesel engine. On a 3,000 mile cross-country shakedown journey the car averaged 92mpg over 1,800 miles. Around a very hilly town in Northwest Washington, the car is averaging 78mpg. These mileage averages are without the electric side of the vehicle fully functional. With a bit more tinkering on the electric side and through a slight gearing change through tire size, it is anticipated that the car will likely average 100mpg. The build for the car has been documented on the web site and is as close to open source as my time allows. The car was built by two guys in a garage in Southern Maryland. If we can do it I don't see any reason why major auto manufacturers can't do it since we used their parts."

Submission + - EA to offer week-long orbital space flights (spacefellowship.com)

Submitted by

xp65

on Tuesday August 18, 2009 @11:38AM

xp65 writes: "Excalibur Almaz Limited (EA), announced plans to open up a new era of private orbital space flight for commercial customers. This project joins Russian space technology expertise with an international private enterprise to create a commercial offering of orbital spaceflight services for global customers. EA plans to offer week-long orbital space flights beginning as early as 2013 — taking a big leap beyond the sub-orbital flight market targeted by most other private space companies. In addition to NPOM, other leading aerospace firms in the U.S., Europe and Japan will provide technical support for EA's space flight operations.

The original Almaz space system technology, comprising reusable reentry vehicle (RRV) and space station, was successfully tested in flight by NPOM. Working with NPOM and its international contractors, EA is now updating the spacecraft to conduct crew and cargo space missions for private individuals, corporations, academic institutions and national governments."

Submission + - Sony PlayStation 3 Slim Unveiled and Price Slashed

Submitted by on Tuesday August 18, 2009 @09:34AM

An anonymous reader writes: The rumors of a Playstation 3 being slashed from $399 to $299 is here and K-Mart let the cat out of the bag as it features an ad on its home page that reveals the price cuts as well as the announcement of a new Sony PS3 Slim edition, priced at only $299. You can go ahead and preorder the new PS3 Slim for $299 and it will be available on August 24th, 2009. Sony has a press event today, which I'm sure will announce the details of the new PS3 Slim as well as the price reduction. Perhaps there will be even more news to be had.

Submission + - i4i Says OpenOffice Does Not Infringe Like MS Word (gcn.com) 2

Submitted by

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property

on Tuesday August 18, 2009 @08:22AM

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes: "With all the armchair lawyers and pundits out there, it's interesting to see that i4i believes that OpenOffice does not infringe upon their patent. As you may remember, i4i's patent is the one that lead to a permanent injunction barring Microsoft from selling, using, encouraging the use of, testing, marketing or supporting any copies of Microsoft Word which can open files containing custom XML, subject to a bit of leniency for supporting infringing copies already sold and with respect to removing the feature in future versions. Lest anyone think that the ODF will win over OOXML because of this, keep in mind that Microsoft has its own broad XML document patent, which issued just two weeks ago (and filed in December 2004), and they're telling the Supreme Court to apply the Bilski ruling narrowly, so that it doesn't invalidate patents like theirs (and i4i's). After all, Microsoft can afford $280 million infringement fines in ways that most companies and individuals cannot. Then again, given that Microsoft's new patent has only two independent claims (claim #1 and claim #12), and both of those claims 'comprise' something using an 'XML file format for documents associated with an application having a rich set of features', maybe they wouldn't be that hard to work around if you just make sure any otherwise infringing format is only associated with an application that doesn't have a rich set of features."

Submission + - Pi calculated to record 2.5 trillion digits (examiner.com) 6

Submitted by

Joshua

on Tuesday August 18, 2009 @03:57AM

Joshua writes: "Researchers from Japan have calculated Pi to over 2.5 trillion decimals using the T2K Open Supercomputer (which is currently ranked 47th in the world according to a June, 2009 report from Top500.org). This new number more than doubles the previous record of about 1.2 trillion decimals set in 2002 by another Japanese research team. Unfortunately, there still seems to be no pattern."

Submission + - Zombie Ants Controlled by Fungus (livescience.com) 1

Submitted by nicwi on Tuesday August 18, 2009 @03:06AM

nicwi writes: A fungus in Thailand infects ants and manipulates them to help spreading the fungus. An infected ant travels to a place where the fungus wants to be, and dies there. The fungus continues to grow inside the ant and eventually starts spreading new spores, to infect other ants.

Submission + - Is Technology Evil?

Submitted by

theodp

on Tuesday August 18, 2009 @02:08AM

theodp writes: "The question of whether Goldman Sachs is evil prompts Robert X. Cringely to explore the difference between investing, which actually grows the economy, and trading, which simply relies on finding and exploiting inefficiencies in the system. 'Trading is a parasite on investing,' says Cringely, adding that 'technology has enabled outfits like Goldman to be such efficient parasites that they threaten the survival of their hosts.' It's troubling that faster computers and bigger pipes now allow the relentless application of small advantages that eventually suck profit out of the market. But what really frightens Cringely is that Goldman and others not only seem to be driven by unbounded greed, they also appear to be clueless about the implications of their work. It's time, Cringely says, for those who truly understand the complexity of our society to effect some sorely-needed change."

Submission + - Advice On Creating an Open Source Textbook?

Submitted by Occamboy on Monday August 17, 2009 @11:43PM

Occamboy writes: I wrote a slightly successful (30,000+ copies sold) computer communications textbook a number of years back that was published via the traditional textbook publishing route. The royalties were nice, but, frankly, the bigger money came from the boost in my professional standing (I'm a practicing engineer, not a professor). I also felt bad when the publisher hiked the price dramatically every year because students were stuck once a professor adopted a text — $50 for a smallish paperback seemed very high (although I like to think what they learned was worth it!).

I'm thinking of writing another textbook, this time about the practice of software engineering in critical systems, using the experience I've gained in the decades I've spent developing, and managing the development of, software-driven medical devices. Poking around on the 'net, I've found several intriguing options for distributing open-source texts, such as Flatworld Knowledge, Lulu, Connexions, and probably others I haven't found yet. This concept of free or inexpensive texts intrigues me — I like the concept of easy adoption and lack of price-gouging.

Do any Slashdotters have experience with this new paradigm? Any suggestions or experiences to share from authors, students, and/or professors, who've written, read, or adopted open source or low-cost texts from any source?

Submission + - Background music costs set to increase 2000 times

Submitted by Zinoc on Monday August 17, 2009 @10:45PM

Zinoc writes: From the Article :

CAFE and restaurant patrons could soon be eating in silence, after a proposal by Australia's largest record labels to increase the cost of background music by up to 2000 times. The push to raise the cost of playing recorded music could also make gym membership more expensive unless fitness classes use artists excluded by Australian copyright laws, including Elvis Presley and Beethoven.

The bid by the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia, which represents more than 750 record companies, follows a decision by the Copyright Tribunal to approve an increase of 15 times the music costs for the nightclub industry, which was recently endorsed by the Federal Court of Australia.

US Colleges Say Hiring US Students a Bad Deal 490

Posted by CmdrTaco on Thursday August 13, 2009 @09:27AM from the talking-to-you-cliff dept.

theodp writes "Many US colleges and universities have notices posted on their websites informing US companies that they're tax chumps if they hire students who are US citizens. 'In fact, a company may save money by hiring international students because the majority of them are exempt from Social Security (FICA) and Medicare tax requirements,' advises the taxpayer-supported University of Pittsburgh (pdf) as it makes the case against hiring its own US students. You'll find identical pitches made by the University of Delaware, the University of Cincinnati, Kansas State University, the University of Southern California, the University of Wisconsin, Iowa State University, and other public colleges and universities. The same message is also echoed by private schools, such as John Hopkins University, Brown University, Rollins College and Loyola University Chicago."

Slashdot Top Deals