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Comment Re:I love it (Score 1) 158

I've only played through the intro, a bandit camp, and a cave full of bandits, but I definitely agree, so far magic is way more fun than Oblivion. Setting people on fire, or watching lightning arc across their skin is way more satisfying than almost anything in Oblivion. Additionally, more than once, when I've run across multiple enemies, I've shot some fire at them with my left hand, realized I should try to use my sword to level that too, but I kill them with fire before they even make it to me. That's how a mage should play! I also like the change to a constant stream of magic firing from my hands, since now I don't have to waste half of my magicka when my Big Powerful Spell misses.

Android

Android Source Code Gone For Good? 362

First time accepted submitter vyrus128 writes "Many people were upset at the revelation, reported here in May, that the Honeycomb version of Android would not be open sourced. But Google promised that the next version, Ice Cream Sandwich, would have full source available. Now that ICS is out, though, the source is nowhere in sight. In the thread, Android's Jean-Baptiste Queru offers the following, as to the question of whether source will ever be made available: 'At the moment I don't have anything to say on that subject.'"
Displays

Budget Triple-Screen Gaming 133

An anonymous reader writes "A system-builder, Dario D., built a triple screen gaming PC in early 2010 that can still run all of the top games. For under $1,000. See link, and he points out you can do even better with a 2011 build."
Transportation

'Death By GPS' Increasing In America's Wilderness 599

An anonymous reader writes "Every year, more and more Americans are dying in deserts and wildernesses because they rely on their GPS units (and, to some degree, their cellphones) to always be accurate. The Sacramento Bee quotes Death Valley wilderness coordinator Charlie Callagan: 'It's what I'm beginning to call death by GPS ... People are renting vehicles with GPS and they have no idea how it works and they are willing to trust the GPS to lead them into the middle of nowhere.'"

Comment Re:uh (Score 1) 207

A few weeks ago I had my (2 years inactive) WoW account get owned and banned, possibly through my email account, so that was a major sign to sort out and properly tier all my passwords. I found firefox's list of saved passwords to be particularly helpful as a checklist of sites to change, as well as a reminder of how stupid I had been using my "good" password on far too many low priority sites in the past. Also a strong reason against having one "good" password.

Thanks to your post, however, I am also reminded that I shouldn't assume this list is complete, as I had completely forgotten about Ebay and Paypal passwords, which I must not have used in the past couple years.

Comment Re:Do you have a combined "inbox"? (Score 1) 207

I use an app called "SMS Backup" which uploads all SMS messages I send and receive from my Android phone to my GMail inbox with a custom label (default is "SMS"). They show up properly as conversations between me and my contacts (To and From fields appropriately link to the correct contacts since the address book is shared between phone and GMail). I've found this extremely useful when I can't remember if I said something to someone via email, Google Talk (which already logs chats in GMail) or SMS, since a GMail search will find it. I suppose some may have privacy concerns with Google logging all their SMS, but I think this behavior would make an excellent addition to Android/GMail to keep GMail competitive with what Facebook is doing as well as to make GMail more attractive to "casual" Android users who only signed up for GMail as a requisite to getting an Android phone.

Businesses

MySpace Revamps Site To Recapture the Magic 137

Ponca City writes "MySpace has unveiled an overhauled website and logo as it attempts to recapture the magic that led it to top the social-networking sphere. According to the report 'MySpace is positioning itself for the so-called Gen Y crowd, or those roughly between 10 and 30 years old.' A beta version of the new website will start rolling out Wednesday and is slated to be accessible to users globally by the end of November. Plans are for the site to focus on entertainment with the home page constantly updating items about music, movies and television shows that are most discussed on the site at any one time."
Google

How Google Avoided Paying $60 Billion In Taxes 1193

bonch writes "Google only pays a 2.4% tax rate using money-funneling techniques known as the 'Double Irish' and the 'Dutch Sandwich,' even though the US corporate income tax is 35%. By using Irish loopholes, money is transferred legally between subsidiaries and ends up in island sanctuaries that have no income tax, giving Google the lowest tax rate amongst its technology peers. Facebook is planning to use the same strategy."
Star Wars Prequels

How To Make Authentic Lightsabers 128

IQpierce writes "My good friend Bradley W. Lewis has set up a site for his hobby: building replica lightsabers at home. These aren't your average cheap pieces of plastic, in fact they're more authentic than the Master Replica sabers: Brad tracks down the pieces of equipment actually used to build the original props — or, when they're unavailable, very close replicas, that he further customizes with a metal lathe in his garage — and puts them together with loving attention. My favorite part is the embellishments he does add, on the inside of the saber — his replica of Luke's saber from ANH can be opened to see authentic-looking internals such as a glowing crystal (as well as another surprise — an autograph from Luke himself, Mark Hamill). Each project is documented step-by-step with hundreds of photos — whether you're a hobbyist, or just a big Star Wars geek like me, you'll find it interesting."
Security

25% of Worms Spread Via USB 190

An anonymous reader writes "In 2010, 25 percent of new worms have been specifically designed to spread through USB storage devices connected to computers, according to PandaLabs. This distribution technique is highly effective. With survey responses from more than 10,470 companies across 20 countries, it was revealed that approximately 48 percent of SMBs (with up to 1,000 computers) admit to having been infected by some type of malware over the last year. As further proof, 27 percent confirmed that the source of the infection was a USB device connected to a computer."
Social Networks

Facebook Takes On FourSquare 220

An anonymous reader writes "Facebook Places is similar to FourSquare. You can go to places, 'check-in' so your friends know you're there, rate them, comment on them, and generally spew your opinions all over the internet as fast as your fingers can hit the keys. It's an obvious attempt by the company to muscle in on FourSquare's block, casting its influence ever further over us all." Now the question is, who at FourSquare turned down the offer, and how badly are they crapping their pants?

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