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Chrome

Submission + - Chrome sandboxing makes it the most secure browser (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by wasimkadak
wasimkadak writes: A new study by security vendor Accuvant Labs concludes that Google Chrome is more secure than rivals Firefox and Internet Explorer, largely because of Chrome's sandboxing and plug-in security.

The research was funded by Google, which might make any reasonable person suspicious of its conclusions. Accuvant insists that Google gave it "a clear directive to provide readers with an objective understanding of relative browser security" and that the conclusions in the paper "are those of Accuvant Labs, based on our independent data collection." Accuvant also made the supporting data available as a separate download so that it can be scrutinized by other researchers.
Blackberry

Submission + - RIM's troubles continue: BlackBerry Playbook costi (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by wasimkadak
wasimkadak writes: RIM can’t catch a break. Not only is the company coping with dismal PlayBook tablet sales, it’s also taking a near half-billion-dollar hit for sitting inventory that must now be sold at rock-bottom prices.

RIM announced on Friday that the company wouldn’t be meeting its financial targets for the year, primarily due to the unsuccessful performance of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. It pushed 150,000 units this quarter, compared with 250,000 last quarter, and 500,000 in the first quarter of the year.
Piracy

Submission + - Swiss Govt: Downloading Movies and Music Will Stay (torrentfreak.com)

Submitted by wasimkadak
wasimkadak writes: One in three people in Switzerland download unauthorized music, movies and games from the Internet and since last year the government has been wondering what to do about it. This week their response was published and it was crystal clear. Not only will downloading for personal use stay completely legal, but the copyright holders won’t suffer because of it, since people eventually spend the money saved on entertainment products.
Media

Submission + - Social Media Juices Black Friday (forbes.com)

Submitted by wasimkadak
wasimkadak writes: Consumers and retailers alike zero in on Black Friday with laser intensity; one for the deals, the other for the profits. Each year retailers try to outdo each other by opening their stores at insanely early hours. There is even an “official” Black Friday website dedicated to the deals, ads and other promotions big retailers are doing to get you to come in and buy.

All the hoopla around Black Friday and the maddening throng of Wal-Mart shoppers flies in the face of what social media is suppose to do, namely engage buyers more effectively. Does opening a story two hours earlier each year really engage more buyers? This year Wal-Mart is opening at 10pm Thanksgiving Day, just in case buyers can’t wait to buy what will be on the shelves at 8am Friday morning.
Idle

Submission + - The $200,000-a-Year Mine Worker (wsj.com)

Submitted by wasimkadak
wasimkadak writes: One of the fastest-growing costs in the global mining industry are workers like James Dinnison: the 25-year-old high-school dropout from Western Australia makes $200,000 a year running drills in underground mines to extract gold and other minerals.
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft Killing Silverlight (zdnet.com) 1

Submitted by SharkLaser
SharkLaser writes: Silverlight 5 might be last version released by Microsoft. Several industry insiders and partners for the last few weeks have heard from their own Microsoft sources that there won't be new versions released after Silverlight 5. Status on service packs and support for Silverlight is unclear, as Microsoft haven't yet released lifecycle support end date even for the previous Silverlight 4. By their support page they will give full year head-up before ending support. With Adobe ending development of Flash for mobile browsers and Microsoft ending development of Silverlight, HTML5 video looks a lot more promising. But will content providers be able to give out their material without DRM and how does HTML5 perform with non-video side of Flash and Silverlight?
AMD

Submission + - Patent Troll Goes After Core PCI-Express Technolog (anandtech.com)

Submitted by wasimkadak
wasimkadak writes: The first patent (7454552) covers a “switch with transparent and non-transparent ports” while the second (7421532) refers to “switching with transparent and non-transparent ports”. Neither description really says much, but the text below suggests what they’re covering: communication via a switch between PCI Express devices. What’s really crazy is that this sounds like Internet Machines literally managed to patent a portion of PCI Express spec.
The Internet

Submission + - Comcast's $9.99 Internet for low-income families g (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by wasimkadak
wasimkadak writes: Comcast rolled out its Internet Essentials program nationwide today, offering low-income families in its service territory $10/month Internet connections and access to $150 computers.

Any family with at least one child who qualifies for the free lunch program at public schools can subscribe to a low-speed (1.5Mbps) Comcast Internet connection for $9.95 a month. Comcast guarantees that it won't raise the price and offers the plan without equipment rental or activation fees. Subscribers also cannot have "an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment," and they can't have had Comcast Internet in the last 90 days.
Apple

Submission + - Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple (yahoo.com)

Submitted by wasimkadak
wasimkadak writes: CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Apple’s Board of Directors today announced that Steve Jobs has resigned as Chief Executive Officer, and the Board has named Tim Cook, previously Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, as the company’s new CEO. Jobs has been elected Chairman of the Board and Cook will join the Board, effective immediately.

Submission + - With Google, There Will Be Bad Blood (techcrunch.com)

Submitted by wasimkadak
wasimkadak writes: “I have a competition in me. I want no one else to succeed.”

I’m reminded of Daniel Plainview’s admission in There Will Be Blood when thinking about Google.

While the company is still largely beloved by the public, sentiment seems to have turned against them amongst their peers, and even amongst many of the startups around Silicon Valley. While these tensions have been building for months — and even years, in some cases — we’re seeing this on display more clearly than ever now thanks to the patent issue(s).

But why? Why is Google now a villain to many in the industry? I don’t believe it’s because they’re evil, I believe it simply relates to the Plainview quote. Increasingly, Google is trying to do everything. And they have the arrogance to think that they can. And it’s pissing people off.

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