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Google

Google Testing Completely Revamped Look->

Submitted by SharkLaser
SharkLaser writes "Google's search engine has always looked pretty much the same since it was introduced in 1998. However, Google is now testing a revamped look that is the largest change the search engine has ever done to its website. The new look strips the black bar running horizontally at top and places it as an openable menu on the left side. The move is said to promote Google's other services without making the search engine too cluttered. The new side menu is also more similar to Chrome OS and allows Chromebook and Google's website to have the same look and feel. Another consequence of the move is that it now takes users two clicks to enter other services such as Images and News, which is said to improve the amount of ad clicks and visitors advertisers get. Considering that European Commission is examining claims of Google downgrading rival websites and U.S. senators are calling FTC to inspect Google for unfair practices, the move comes at a surprising time."
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Value of IT certifications without a college degre 1

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes "Slashdot,

All things considered, my career in the IT field is going well. I work in high-tier support, mostly working on Oracle SQL scripting to solve ongoing issues with a proprietary web application. I make good money, and have a solid resume for my age (26). I did 2 years of computer science before leaving for financial reasons.

I have trouble justifying going back to school for a few reasons. One is price, obviously. Second, I have not been entirely convinced that the experience would help all that much — I work hand-in-hand with many people with higher degrees, and dont see the competitive advantage being worth the cost, both in tuition and lost salary. Finally, my experience has taught me that most employers look more favorably on 4 years of experience than a 4 year degree.

That said, I would like to continue my education in some capacity, and have been eyeing the Oracle Certified Associate/Professional/Master track of certifications. Much of what I have read about these certs(and certs in general) seems to indicate that they are a waste of time. That said, most of these opinions come from those who have a college education. My situation is different.

What do you think, SD? Are certifications worth it for those of us without a BS?"
Science

Researchers Teach Subliminally; Matrix Learning no->

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes "For the first time ever, scientists from Boston University and ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto, Japan have managed to use functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or fMRI to decode the process of learning.

As the research stands to date, it isn’t capable of much. Rather than working with skills like juggling, the researchers relied on images so they could tie into the vision part of the brain, the part that they have managed to partially decode.
Nevertheless, they demonstrated that information could be taught using neurofeedback techniques. And it was effective even when people didn’t know they were learning."
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Security

Experts 'Convinced' Duqu Work of Stuxnet Authors->

Submitted by Trailrunner7
Trailrunner7 writes "Researchers are fairly confident now that whomever wrote the Duqu malware also was involved in some way in developing the Stuxnet worm. They're also confident that they have not yet identified all of the individual components of Duqu, meaning that there are potentially some other capabilities that haven't been documented yet.

There was a lot of speculation when Duqu first emerged about whether the attack was the work of the same group--still unknown--that had created Stuxnet and unleashed it on Iran's nuclear facilities last year. Some of that was centered on supposed similarities in the code between the two pieces of malware, but that was before many of the individual components of Duqu had been identified and analyzed. Now that the analysis and research into the Duqu malware have advanced a bit, researchers say they've found more evidence that points to the malware being the work of the Stuxnet authors or their close associates.

"I'm convinced it's the same group," Costin Raiu, director of global research and analysis at Kaspersky Lab, who has done much of the analysis of Duqu, said."
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Science

High-speed movies reveal the secret behind frog's ->

Submitted by sciencehabit
sciencehabit writes "On paper, a frog's leap is impossible. Research has shown that the amphibian's hop, which can launch one as far as it five times its body length, requires more power than its muscles can generate. Now a study of the northern leopard frog reveals how the frogs make their prodigious jumps despite relatively small muscles: They turn themselves into catapults."
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Apple

AT&T preps for early to mid-September iPhone 5->

Submitted by zacharye
zacharye writes "BGR has exclusively learned that AT&T has begun communicating launch plans internally for Apple’s next-generation iPhone 5 handset. We have been told that AT&T has begun informing employees across the company, and those who work in retail locations, to finish any sort of employee training as soon as possible. AT&T is asking managers to finish training in order to have employees available for the influx of foot traffic expected in September, a proven source has shared with us."
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Science

Scientists: Time Travel Impossible->

Submitted by smitty777
smitty777 writes "Dr. Du Shengwang of the University of Hong Kong has performed a study he claims proves that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, thus making time travel impossible. FTA, the team has "proved that a single photon, or unit of light, "obeys the traffic law of the universe."Einstein claimed that the speed of light was the traffic law of the universe or in simple language, nothing can travel faster than light," the university said on its website.""
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IOS

Apple Releases iOS 4.3.4, Prevents Hacking & J->

Submitted by
Mightee
Mightee writes "Apple has released a software update iOS version 4.3.4 for iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad 2, 1, and Pod touch.

The main objective of this version is to prevent the hacking in Apple iOS devices which occurs through malicious pdf file. Another objective is to prevent the jailbreaking which occurs as a consequence of the previous effect.

In previous versions, the iOS device is easily vulnerable to attacks. It happens because of mishandling of fonts embedded in pdf file by iOS devices. It is quite common to download a pdf file through e-mail or web pages. Sometimes the downloaded file may be malicious and there is possibility that the file could inject malware into the iOS device — that gives a chance for the hackers to access the hardware of the iOS device"
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"'Tis true, 'tis pity, and pity 'tis 'tis true." -- Poloniouius, in Willie the Shake's _Hamlet, Prince of Darkness_