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Music

Open Source Music Fingerprinter C&D'd->

Submitted by Nushio
Nushio writes "The code wasn't even released, and yet Roy van Rijn, a Music & Free Software enthusiast received a C&D from Landmark Digital Services, owners of Shazam, an Android application that allows you to find a song, by listening to a part of it. And if that wasn't enough, they want him to take down his blog post (Google Cache) explaining how he did it because it "may be viewed internationally. As a result, [it] may contribute to someone infringing our patents in any part of the world"."
Link to Original Source
Space

German Schoolboy actually Incorrect->

Submitted by FST
FST writes "According to The Register, the calculations made by a German Schoolboy (see Slashdot article here) are, in fact, incorrect. FTA: '... the kid's sums are in fact wrong, NASA's are right, and the ESA swear blind they never said any different. An ESA spokesman in Germany told the Reg this morning: "A small boy did do these calculations, but he made a mistake... NASA's figures are correct."'"
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Bug

Another MS Office bug

Submitted by FST
FST writes "Microsoft has acknowledged a security vulnerability in its Office application suite that can potentially reveal sensitive data residing on a user's computer. The bug reveals information that resides in a user's RAM and memory buffers — such as user IDs and passwords — when users save Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. To access the potentially sensitive information contained inside a document, a user simply has to open the file using a text-editing program such as BBEdit or Windows Notepad. Get more info here."
Cellphones

iPhones found to be toxic->

Submitted by FST
FST writes "A Greenpeace inspection of the iPhone found that iPhones contain significantly more (15x) phthalates than the maximum considered to be safe in the United States. FTA: "An analysis done on a disassembled iPhone by an independent lab in the U.K. found toxic brominated compounds and hazardous PVC (polyvinyl chloride) in multiple components of the handsets. Bromine, a chemical used in fire-retardant compounds, was present in more than half of the 18 samples taken, Greenpeace claimed, while toxic phthalates made up 1.5% of the PVC coating of ear bud cables."
It is not clear if the user is required to ingest the phthalates in order to cause damage to him/her self."
Link to Original Source
Patents

Mark Shuttleworth: No negotiations with Microsoft->

Submitted by FST
FST writes "Mark Shuttleworth tells us at his website that Canonical has "declined to discuss any agreement with Microsoft under the threat of unspecified patent infringements." FTA: "Allegations of "infringement of unspecified patents" carry no weight whatsoever. We don't think they have any legal merit, and they are no incentive for us to work with Microsoft on any of the wonderful things we could do together. A promise by Microsoft not to sue for infringement of unspecified patents has no value at all and is not worth paying for. It does not protect users from the real risk of a patent suit from a pure-IP-holder (Microsoft itself is regularly found to violate such patents and regularly settles such suits). People who pay protection money for that promise are likely living in a false sense of security.""
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Google

Gmail offers paper email delivery

Submitted by
juicejar
juicejar writes "Gmail has finally got with the program. You can now receive a paper mail of your email messages. Allow 2-4 business days for delivery! "I've always felt uneasy about the whole internet thing. With the help of Gmail Paper, now I'm taking matters back into my own hands, literally." Kevin S., CEO AdventaStar Inc. Everyone should go check it out now! http://mail.google.com/mail/help/paper/more.html"

I can live without Someone I love But not without Someone I need. -- "Safety"