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Google

Submission + - Google advertising Chrome on TV

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: Google has announced plans to advertise Google Chrome on the television, using one of the Chrome Shorts produced by the Google Japan team a couple of months ago. The advert will start to show on "various television networks starting this weekend." Some pundits are wondering why Google has decided to start using television when in past it has relied heavily on word-of-mouth promotion. Obviously Chrome is important to the overall startegy, and someone at Google doesn't mind spending some money to push it along.
Portables

Submission + - Lenovo on the future of the netbook

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: Lenovo's Worldwide Competitive Analyst, Matt Kohut, recently spoke about his vision of the future of netbooks, which involves Windows 7, bigger screens, built-in 3G, touch integration, and lower prices. Linux fans will be disappointed to hear that Kohut thinks Windows 7 will dominate future generations of netbooks because it offers a better, more familiar solution, with the benefits of touch. We'll see...

Comment Take the money and don't look back (Score 1) 412

by thefickler (#27886037) Attached to: What To Do When a Megacorp Wants To Buy You?
It really depends on the amount of money being offered. I was once offered $500,000 for a business that was barely turning over that much. My business partner was reluctant, and the deal fell apart. With the benefit of hindsight, I should have jumped at the offer. Offers of money don't come easily. If the money is big enough to pay a big chunk of a home, jump at it, and then start planning your next venture.
The Internet

Submission + - Should online reading be called screenng?

Submitted by
thefickler
thefickler writes: "Do we need a new word to describe the act of reading digital content? One man passionately believes so. Danny Bloom, an American blogger based in Taiwan is waging a one-man battle to encourage the use of the word "screening". Bloom's argument is that reading online content is profoundly different to reading paper-based content, and therefore needs a new word to describe it. Personally, I think Bloom just wants to "be the guy who came up with the word screening", but hey don't we all want our 15 minutes of fame?"
Operating Systems

Submission + - Lenovo analyst: Linux on netbooks is doomed 1

Submitted by
thefickler
thefickler writes: "Lenovo's Worldwide Competitive Analyst, Scott Kohut, has predicted that Linux will only ever be a niche player as an operating system for netbooks. Kohut cited a number of factors that have led to the demise of Linux as a netbook operating system, but his main criticism is that Linux is still too hard to use compared to Windows. He suggests that some members of the Linux community even "like the fact that [Linux] is a little difficult and that it isn't accessible to the average user"."
Social Networks

Submission + - Kutcher & CNN dual for 1 million Twitter follo

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: While the rest of the world worries about the GFC, piracy off the Somali coast, and other assorted problems, Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher is locked in a furious battle with CNN to get to one million Twitter followers. At the time of writing, Kutcher had 945,389 followers, while CNN had 961,878. However, Kutcher is currently the favorite, as it's believed he's attracting followers at a quicker rate and should actually beat CNN quite comfortably. The only other potential candidate is Britney Spears on 928, 374. I know who I'm rooting for.
Earth

Submission + - Solar power to be cheapest energy by 2010 (blorge.com)

Submitted by
thefickler
thefickler writes: "The CEO and founder of California-based Akeena Solar, Barry Cinnamon, has gone out on a limb to predict that by 2010, photovoltaic(PV) solar power would be the cheapest way to generate energy, at least in California. Cinnamon said: "The solar PV market in California will explode once people discover that they can generate their own rooftop power for less than it costs from their utility." As you would expect, the prediction has attracted its fair share of sceptics. Best summarised by one commentor, who simply said: "That's bull.""
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft PowerPoint hit by security flaw

Submitted by
thefickler
thefickler writes: "Microsoft is warning users to take particular care when opening suspicious PowerPoint documents. A vulnerability in the 2000, 2002 and 2003 editions of PowerPoint for Windows plus Office 2004 for Macs could allow a hacker to gain remote control of a computer. Microsoft has confirmed it's aware of "limited and targeted attacks" that attempt to exploit the vulnerability. The firm is still deciding how to plug the security gap: it could issue a patch in the next scheduled Windows Update on April 14, or issue an out-of-cycle update (an emergency patch) beforehand."
Power

Submission + - MIT building batteries using viruses

Submitted by
thefickler
thefickler writes: "Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are now using viruses to build cathodes for Lithium Ion batteries. Three years ago these same researchers found they could build an anode using viruses. Creating both the anode and cathode using viruses will make batteries easy to build. This nanoscale battery technology will allow batteries to be lightweight and to "take the shape of their container" rather than creating containers for the batteries, which could open up new possibilities for car and electronics manufacturers."
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft opposes cloud computing interoperability 1

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: Microsoft is opposing an industry plan, the Open Cloud Manifesto, to promote cloud computing interoperability. Officially Microsoft says the plan is unnecessarily secretive and that cloud computing is in too an early stage of development, but there are allegations that Microsoft feels threatened by the plan because it could boost Linux-based systems. The goal of the group behind the manifesto, the Cloud Computing Interoperability Forum (CCIF), is to minimise the barriers between different technologies used in cloud computing. And this is where the problem seems to lie, with the group stating that "whenever possible the CCIF will emphasise the use of open, patent-free and/or vendor-neutral technical solutions." Some speculate that Microsoft is actually worried that this will allow open source systems, such as Linux, to flourish, at the expense of Microsoft technology.
The Internet

Submission + - Facebook back-steps on redesign

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: After a prolonged outcry from the user community, Facebook has decided to reverse some of the changes made in its latest and not so great redesign. For starters, the company is putting picture activity back into the friend stream, and it's also trying to make it easier to manage lists of friends. But the changes aren't enough for some. "Facebook, how about giving the users back all that information that you've been 'tidying up' from our friend streams," wrote one pundit.
Earth

Submission + - Lower air pollution equals longer life

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: A new study by the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has found a strong link between air quality and life expectancy. The researchers looked at air pollution, deaths and census data for 51 metropolitan areas between 1978 and 2001, and what they found was a direct correlation between improving air quality and extending life expectancy. People lived about 2.72 years longer over that time span and at least 15 percent of that increased life expectancy was from a decrease in air pollution.
Earth

Submission + - Shell ditches wind, solar and hydro

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: Shell has decided to end its investment in wind, solar and hydro projects because the company does not believe they are financially sound investments. Instead Shell is going to focus on carbon sequestration technologies and biofuels. Not surpisingly, and perhaps unfairly, bloggers have been quick to savage the company: "Between Shell's decisions to stop its clean energy investments and to increase its debt load to pay for dividends, the company is solidifying an image of corporate greed over corporate responsibility." Is Shell short sighted, or is it just a company trying to makes its way in an uncertain world?
Google

Submission + - Google Earth uncovers secret UK nuke base

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: Gone are the days when governments could easily hide top secret bases. These days its a weekend pastime to see who can find top secret facilities using Google Earth. Now it's the UK Government's turn to be outraged after a secret facility was revealed by a British tabloid. The facility is said to be located in Faslane on the River Clyde in Scotland. This nuclear base was previously blurred out by the request of the British Government. However, with the latest update provided via Google Earth, many of the blurred out locations were accidentally revealed.
The Media

Submission + - Hearst plans a "Kindle" for newspapers

Submitted by
thefickler
thefickler writes: "The end of capitalism (AKA the global credit crisis) couldn't have come at a worst time for newspapers, which were already suffering at the hands of the Internet. Now it seems that the Heast Corporation is planning to launch an ebook reader to try to save its dwindling newspaper readerships. Apparently the ebook reader will have a bigger screen than the Kindle, helping it to accomodate ads. It's not clear whether Hearts will go it alone, or try to gather wider industry support for its venture. As one pundit observed, "it seems a slender thread on which to hang the entire American newspaper industry.""

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