Comment Re:interesting (Score 3, Interesting) 136
Multitasking for one. If you are in Skype and want to run another program, you can forget about it with the current iPhones.
EA Shuts Down Pandemic Studios, Cuts 200 Jobs 161
lbalbalba writes "Electronic Arts is shutting down its Westwood-based game developer Pandemic Studios just two years after acquiring it, putting nearly 200 people out of work. 'The struggling video game publisher informed employees Tuesday morning that it was closing the studio as part of a recently announced plan to eliminate 1,500 jobs, or 16% of its global workforce. Pandemic has about 220 employees, but an EA spokesman said that a core team, estimated by two people close to the studio to be about 25, will be integrated into the publisher's other Los Angeles studio, in Playa Vista.' An ex-developer for Pandemic attributed the studio's struggles to poor decisions from the management."
Comment Keep it simple, stupid! (Score 1) 514
Google's page is simple and pure. There is one logo and a search bar.
Bing has decided to make their search page bloated with graphics that actually update.
Do you know how painful it is to remote desktop or vnc to someone's computer that has yahoo, bing, or some other search engine besides google set as their homepage? grr!
Bing has decided to make their search page bloated with graphics that actually update.
Do you know how painful it is to remote desktop or vnc to someone's computer that has yahoo, bing, or some other search engine besides google set as their homepage? grr!
Bing Gains 10% Marketshare 514
samzbest writes "According to ComScore's qSearch, Microsoft's retaliation against Google search, Bing, has gained significant market share, now facilitating close to 10% of US searches. That's a gain of two large points in five months."
Comment Re:What remote access technology? (Score 1) 251
Probably GoToMyComputer.
GoToMyComputer creates an outgoing connection to the GoToMyComputer server. When you want to log in, you log on to the central GoToMyComputer server and click connect. The server contacts the laptop and logs you in.
This bypasses the need to know the IP personally since the laptop creates the outgoing connection to the central server. This also bypasses 99% of all home firewalls since an outgoing connection session is established, enabling the session and allowing for data to pass in both directions.
GoToMyComputer creates an outgoing connection to the GoToMyComputer server. When you want to log in, you log on to the central GoToMyComputer server and click connect. The server contacts the laptop and logs you in.
This bypasses the need to know the IP personally since the laptop creates the outgoing connection to the central server. This also bypasses 99% of all home firewalls since an outgoing connection session is established, enabling the session and allowing for data to pass in both directions.
Writers Find Blogging To Be a Stressful Method of Reporting 199
Andrew Feinberg points out a New York Times story about the stress put upon prolific bloggers to maintain a constant flow of content in order to satisfy both consumers and advertisers in the information age. When breaking a story first can generate thousands more page views and clicks, many bloggers are finding themselves chained to their computers, worrying that they'll miss something important if they step away. Quoting:
" 'I haven't died yet,' said Michael Arrington, the founder and co-editor of TechCrunch, a popular technology blog. The site has brought in millions in advertising revenue, but there has been a hefty cost. Mr. Arrington says he has gained 30 pounds in the last three years, developed a severe sleeping disorder and turned his home into an office for him and four employees. 'At some point, I'll have a nervous breakdown and be admitted to the hospital, or something else will happen. This is not sustainable,' he said."
Microsoft's IIS is Twice as Likely to Host Malware? 163
eldavojohn writes "According to Google, Microsoft's server software is at least twice as likely to host viruses or malware. The reason why? 'Google reports that IIS is likely used to distribute malware more often than Apache because many IIS installs are on pirated Windows versions which aren't configured to automatically download patches. (Even pirated Windows versions can automatically receive security fixes, however.) Our analysis demonstrates how important it is to keep web servers patched to the latest patch level,' Google notes."
Submission + - Gamer sues gold farmers
navygeek writes: Tired of contending with gold farmers in Blizzard's online sensation, World of Warcraft, gamer Antonio Hernadez has filed a class-action lawsuit against gold farming outfit IGE.
The attorney representing Hernandez in the case, Richard Newsome, told The Escapist, "Guys like Tony [Hernandez, the plaintiff] have paid their $15 for some entertainment, and IGE is polluting that entertainment. It's kind of like, if someone pays for a ticket to go see a movie, and if someone else comes in behind them and kicks their seat, you can get them to stop doing that."
Details on the lawsuit may be found at Gamespot and The Escapist. The actual complaint can be found here, PDF warning.
Submission + - OCZ makes first FireWire flash drive
An anonymous reader writes: OCZ makes first FireWire flash drive
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/114838/ocz-makes-first -firewire-flash-drive.html
Submission + - Man sues Gateway because he can't read EULA
Scoopy writes: California resident Dennis Sheehan took Gateway to small claims court after he reportedly received a defective computer and little technical support from the PC manufacturer. Gateway responded with their own lawyer and a 2-inch thick stack of legal docs, and claimed that Sheehan violated the EULA, which requires that users give up their right to sue and settle these cases in private arbitration. Sheehan responded that he never read the EULA, which pops up when the user first starts the computer, because the graphics were scrambled — precisely the problem he had complained to tech support in the first place. A judge sided with Sheehan on May 24 and the case will proceed to small claims court.
A lawyer is quoted as saying that Sheehan, a high school dropout who is arguing his own case, is in for a world of hurt: 'This poor guy now faces daunting reality of having to litigate this on appeal against Gateway...By winning, he's lost.'
A lawyer is quoted as saying that Sheehan, a high school dropout who is arguing his own case, is in for a world of hurt: 'This poor guy now faces daunting reality of having to litigate this on appeal against Gateway...By winning, he's lost.'
Submission + - Top 20 Hard Disk Drive Myths Debunked
crazyeyes writes: "Hilarious and informative. How many articles are like that? I did think about putting it under It's Funny, Laugh.... until I saw two myths I thought was true. Yeah, I'm laughing at myself now.
Take a look and see how many of these top 20 HDD myths you actually believed to be gospel?"This guide was written in response to the numerous fallacies about the hard disk that are still being propagated in many forum discussions. Although many articles have covered these topics, it is apparent that hard disk urban legends are still more popular than the simple truth. So, let's get down to basics and examine some of these common fallacies or myths and debunk them!
Submission + - Patent reform on the horizon?
Reivec writes: U.S. patent law, already shaken up by a Supreme Court ruling this spring, is facing its biggest overhaul in 50 years, amid a legislative battle that pits drug companies against some major players in the financial and high-tech sectors.
The battle's next round is in the Senate, where a committee is set today to consider legislation backed by Democratic and Republican leaders that would make patents harder to get and easier to challenge. It would also reduce penalties for violating them.
The battle's next round is in the Senate, where a committee is set today to consider legislation backed by Democratic and Republican leaders that would make patents harder to get and easier to challenge. It would also reduce penalties for violating them.
SimCity 5 Passed Off From Maxis 170
CVG is reporting that Maxis, makers of the venerable Sim City series, has passed development of Sim City 5 to another company. The new developer, Tilted Mill Entertainment, will be finishing the game. In a departure from the series, it is not going to be a realistic urban simulator. President & Director of Development Chris Beatrice responds to criticism of that choice: "...I do not want to mislead anyone: This SC is not a realistic urban simulation, which I understand, to many, represents the heart of what SC is. No one is blind to that. And if you're just completely turned off, even angered by the mere notion of any game called 'SimCity' that is not a detailed, realistic urban simulator, I absolutely understand that viewpoint, and absolutely respect it. I do want to say, though (with no insult intended to die hard SC fans) that we are absolutely thrilled to be a part of this venerable series, are extremely proud of what we have put together, and make no apologies about what we have managed to create. And while our past experiences (including contributions from many of you) certainly inform all our ongoing efforts, this SC is its own unique creation."
Submission + - WoW gamer files lawsuit against IGE
racton writes: The Escapist posted an interview with an attorney who has filed a consumer class action suit against IGE, the large in-game item trading company. The complaint states that selling virtual money is "polluting the entertainment" for players who pay for the World of Warcraft service.
From the article:
TE: So what is the actual lawsuit — in layman's terms? RN: The actual lawsuit is Hernandez v. IGE. We filed it in Miami, where IGE has offices. In layman's terms, the core of the complaint is a consumer class action for unfair trade practices. Guys like Tony [Hernandez, the plaintiff] have paid their $15 for some entertainment, and IGE is polluting that entertainment. It's kind of like, if someone pays for a ticket to go see a movie, and if someone else comes in behind them and kicks their seat, you can get them to stop doing that. We're just trying to get IGE to stop kicking the seats. This is not unlike other consumer complaints where someone has paid for a service, and someone else is interfering with it. It's really very simple.
Feed Dell Set To Jump On The IT Services Bandwagon (techdirt.com)
As Dell has begun to clarify its long awaited turnaround strategy, the market has rewarded the company by pushing its stock higher over the last few months. Meanwhile, a number of analysts believe the company is on the right path, although this is by no means a universal sentiment. In addition to its retail strategy, CEO Michael Dell is also indicating that the company will beef up its IT services business. At the moment, the company has a small, but rapidly growing service unit, and it's not surprising that the company would like to expand would like to expand in that area. All across the industry, companies have turned to services to offset slow growth and commoditization in their traditional lines. IBM is the most shining example of a company that's successfully undergone such a transformation. But while Dell's intentions are logical, it's not going to be easy. Michael Dell says the company wants to make acquisitions in this area, but any such deals are going to be pretty expensive, since everyone has the same idea these days. Furthermore, Dell will have to overcome its reputation for being weak on support in order for this business to really thrive.
