lethalp1mpslapper - Slashdot User

Submission + - Repurposing Consumer Hardware

Submitted by ChelleChelle on Tuesday May 01, 2007 @02:41PM

ChelleChelle writes: "I believe that what we are seeing is the beginning of a new trend: application-centric computing using inexpensive, small form-factor, low-power platforms, linked or not to the network, to address a new set of interesting needs. It's a good time be a hobbyist." So states Mache Creeger in the Queue column Geek@Home. Creeger, a technology hobbyist, discusses new uses for small form-factor, low-power machines, such as Microsoft Xboxes.

Submission + - Music Decoded from 600 Year Old Engravings

Submitted by RulerOf on Tuesday May 01, 2007 @01:50PM

RulerOf writes: Musicians recently unlocked a 600 year old mystery that had been encoded into the walls of the Rosslyn Chapel that was featured in "The Da Vinci Code." The song was carved into the walls of the chapel not using traditional notes, but in the form of geometric shapes known as cymatics, or Chladni patterns. After the entire song was decoded, it was set to traditional lyrics and recorded, and can be heard in a video featured here, at the musicians' website. The video also gives a visual representation of how the engravings match up to the cymatic patterns.

From the article:

"The music has been frozen in time by symbolism...They are of such exquisite detail and so beautiful that we thought there must be a message here." The two men matched each of the patterns on the carved cubes to a Chladni pitch, and were able finally to unlock the melody.

Lastly, a direct link to the video.

Lone Programmer Writes 352 Webcam Drivers For Linux 450

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday April 30, 2007 @05:23PM from the twelve-cases-of-ballz-later dept.

mrneutron2004 writes "A French physician and ardent Linux supporter is the one man you can all thank for adding support for 352 webcams in Linux. The Open Source OS world may still be a bit of a mess when competing with the ease of Windows, but efforts like this make you wonder. One man with drive, tenacity, and no funding does what no one else can do. And none of the major Linux distributions back this guy's efforts, even the big players dipping into the corporate world's coffers."

Submission + - Apple grants DRM-free distribution to all labels

Submitted by SexCaptain on Monday April 30, 2007 @03:24PM

SexCaptain writes: AppleInsider gives details of a letter circulated by Apple to all producers of content for the iTunes Store, announcing that from May onwards they can sell their music at higher quality and free of DRM. Hopefully this opens the doors for labels like Netwerk, and although its unclear exactly what Apple means by 'higher quality', and there is no mention of price changes, this is a big step in the right direction.

"Many of you have reached out to iTunes to find out how you can make your songs available higher quality and DRM-free," Apple wrote in the communication. "Starting next month, iTunes will begin offering higher-quality, DRM-free music and DRM-free music videos to all customers."

Submission + - The Ultimate Wii Case Mod Released

Submitted by Croakyvoice on Monday April 30, 2007 @11:35AM

Croakyvoice writes: XCM have released the first transparent replacement case mod for the Nintendo Wii that also features preinstalled LEDS. The case is called the II-Case and the LEDS are bright blue in colour and it also features covers for the airflow and dvd. By far the best case mod so far for the Nintendo Wii.

Submission + - Robot Chicken: Star Wars coming to Adult Swim

Submitted by wild_berry on Monday April 30, 2007 @07:46AM

wild_berry writes: Mark Hammill and George Lucas are working together again, and on Star Wars. Better than that, a Star Wars spoof. The London Times is reporting that the unusually-long 30-minute episode of Robot Chicken for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim grew from discussions about a Star Wars-themed Robot Chicken sketch on StarWars.com. Also, TheForce.net has more details of other cast members, including the unusual combination of Malcolm McDowell, Hulk Hogan and James Van Der Beek. There's no mention of the roles, so we can only hope for The Hulk voicing Greedo, perhaps slain by Malcolm McDowell's replicant Han Solo.

Submission + - ATi Unveils the R600

Submitted by

MBrichacek

on Monday February 12, 2007 @07:29PM

MBrichacek writes: "VR-Zone has learned about some new details on 80nm R600 today and there will be 2 SKUs at launch; XTX and XT. There will be 2 versions of R600XTX; one is for OEM/SI and the other for retail. Both feature 1GB DDR4 memories on board but the OEM version is 12.4" long to be exact and the retail is 9.5" long. This picture shows a 12.4" OEM version. The power consumption of the card is huge at 270W for 12" version and 240W for 9.5" version. As for R600XT, it will have 512MB of GDDR3 memories onboard, 9.5" long and consumes 240W of power. Lastly, there is a cheaper R600XL SKU to be launched at a later date. Good luck fitting this thing into your case!"

Submission + - Flu pandemic could lead to Internet usage limits

Submitted by

PetManimal

on Monday February 12, 2007 @06:36PM

PetManimal writes: "If a pandemic were to occur, many companies and organizations would ask their staffs to work from home. The impact of millions of additional people using the Internet from home might require individuals and companies to voluntarily restrain themselves from surfing to high-bandwidth sites, such as YouTube. If people don't comply, the government may step in and limit 'Net usage. The scenario is not far-fetched: Last year at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, a group of telecom and government officials conducted a pandemic exercise based on a hypothetical breakout of bird flu in central Europe. The results weren't pretty:

"We assumed total absentees of 30% to 60% trying to work from home, which would have overwhelmed the Internet," said participant Bill Thoet, vice president of Booz Allen Hamilton. "We did not assume that the backbone would be gone, but that the edge of the network, where everyone was trying to access their office from home, would be overwhelmed. The absence of maintenance was also a factor. The person who brought up the problem was himself a CEO of an Internet service provider. "The conclusion [of imminent collapse] was not absolute, and the situation was not digitally simulated, but the idea of everyone working from home appears untenable," Thoet said.
"

Submission + - Julie Amero wrongly convicted? The spyware defense

Submitted by Anonymous Howard on Monday February 12, 2007 @06:28PM

Anonymous Howard writes: Substitute teacher Julie Amero faces up to 40 years in prison for exposing kids to porn using a classroom computer, but the facts strongly suggest that she was wrongfully convicted. Many issues remain, from the need for an independent computer forensics investigation and the presence of spyware and adware on the Windows 98 machine, to bad or incomplete legal work on both sides of this criminal case. It appears that spyware caused Julie Amero's conviction. She will be sentenced on March 2, 2007. This is a new development from the previously story on Slashdot.

Submission + - GPL version of kqemu

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 12, 2007 @06:20PM

An anonymous reader writes: I just noticed that kqemu has finally been released with a GPL license. This grants qemu full virtualization, even without a *really* new computer.

Submission + - Azureus signs deal with Starz cable channel

Submitted by on Monday February 12, 2007 @06:02PM

An anonymous reader writes: TV industry claims peer to peer technology is going legit, with Azureus signing a deal with Starz cable channel to distribute movies online. Media executives estimate that peer-to-peer technology could save distributors 25 percent to 35 percent on bandwith costs. Films from Starz' library will be available, but mostly its just direct-to-video titles in the horror, comedy, anime and sci-fi genres. http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=31489

Submission + - Convert Trash Into Energy With No Pollution

Submitted by happylucky on Monday February 12, 2007 @05:41PM

happylucky writes: Remember when Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) dumped some garbage into his engine for fuel in Back to the Future II? Startech Environmental Corporation has come up with a similar process that can take both hazardous and non-hazardous waste and convert it into energy, glass and hydrogen.

They use a plasma process that doesnt burn the garbage but breaks the molecules down into their individual elements (atoms). It is a safe process that involves a closed-loop system so no pollutants are released into the environment. All of it is converted into a safe material.

The company says that it will convert all hazardous waste, except nuclear waste, into an obsidian-like glass and hydrogen. The technology could potentially solve two problems at one time. It could help us solve our energy problem and our landfill problem.

Submission + - Is it a phone? Or a computer?

Submitted by

Dynamoo

on Monday February 12, 2007 @05:27PM

Dynamoo writes: "Mobile Gazette has taken a look at the Nokia E90 Communicator, a mobile handset so crammed with features that it's difficult to list them all, but it does include 3.5G data, GPS, and finally this version will work in the US.

At around $1000, the E90 will be more expensive than many laptops. Will people really be able to get value for money out of it? Or will they buy it just because it's very, very cool?"

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