Comment Of course it is safe if you encrypt it yourself! (Score 1) 332
Am I missing something here? If you encrypt your data yourself before sending it to the cloud storage and use more than one provider - what seems to be a problem?
Comment Re:Right Move Too Late (Score 1) 253
Same here.
Comment Anybody knows how streaming content is licensed? (Score 1) 574
Is it:
1) NF pays content owner lump sum $X and gets right to stream content unlimited number of times within specific time period
2) NF pays content owner $Z lump sum and then $Y for every time content is streamed
3) Mix of the above?
Comment Gadgets cause dimished attention span (Score 1) 311
Another important point not mentioned by the author of the article is that gadgets and being "permanently connected" cause dimished attention span. IMO it gets to the point when individuals are unable to concentrate and get anything done because there is always something "important" that requires their attention RIGHT NOW, like Facebook notification, text message on the phone, Twitter updates, etc. And if there are no distractions people subconsciously start seeking for them.
Comment Re:for pete's sake (Score 1) 339
Take a look at http://www.pagepluscellular.com/ - they are prepaid Verizon reseller that I've been using for years. They allow BYOD; you can use most of the Verizon phones (except BB, IPhone and Verizon prepaid phones) - I use Droid Incredible. I am on their "Pay-Per-Minute" plans because it fits me the best - my usage is quite small. There is a forum about PagePlus here: http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php/364-Page-Plus-Cellular
Comment What does it mean if it is true? (Score 1) 815
Can someone seriously explain in a simple terms what this means if it is true? From what I understand - cheap(er) energy/electricity? Just how much cheaper that what is available now?
Comment My mattress IS FDIC insured! (Score 1) 345
This is how I roll!
The White House Listed On Real Estate Website 123
Forget visiting the White House, if you have $10 million you can own it. At least that is the price for the president's home on the real estate website Redfin. From the article: "Obviously this is an error. It looks like Redfin software pulled an example listing from the website Owners.com by mistake. That example listing was the White House. We have e-mailed Redfin for comment." I know it's historic but it still looks a bit on the high side according to the comparables in the area.
Comment Re:Axosoft Ontime (Score 1) 428
TO clarify a bit: this is more of a Wiki and bug tracking, project management features are less developed
Comment Axosoft Ontime (Score 1) 428
This is what I use: http://www.axosoft.com/ontime
Windows and web client are available. Can be hosted completely within your environment. Free trial and free permanent license for 1 user (Express version). Much more details and how-to videos on their website
NASA Tests Flying Airbag 118
coondoggie writes "NASA is looking to reduce the deadly impact of helicopter crashes on their pilots and passengers with what the agency calls a high-tech honeycomb airbag known as a deployable energy absorber. So in order to test out its technology NASA dropped a small helicopter from a height of 35 feet to see whether its deployable energy absorber, made up of an expandable honeycomb cushion, could handle the stress. The test crash hit the ground at about 54MPH at a 33 degree angle, what NASA called a relatively severe helicopter crash."
Pirates as a Marketplace 214
John Riccitiello, the CEO of Electronic Arts, made some revealing comments in an interview with Kotaku about how the company's attitudes are shifting with regard to software piracy. Quoting:
"Some of the people buying this DLC are not people who bought the game in a new shrink-wrapped box. That could be seen as a dark cloud, a mass of gamers who play a game without contributing a penny to EA. But around that cloud Riccitiello identified a silver lining: 'There's a sizable pirate market and a sizable second sale market and we want to try to generate revenue in that marketplace,' he said, pointing to DLC as a way to do it. The EA boss would prefer people bought their games, of course. 'I don't think anybody should pirate anything,' he said. 'I believe in the artistry of the people who build [the games industry.] I profoundly believe that. And when you steal from us, you steal from them. Having said that, there's a lot of people who do.' So encourage those pirates to pay for something, he figures. Riccitiello explained that EA's download services aren't perfect at distinguishing between used copies of games and pirated copies. As a result, he suggested, EA sells DLC to both communities of gamers. And that's how a pirate can turn into a paying customer."
The Struggle For Private Game Servers 125
A story at the BBC takes a look at the use of private game servers for games that tend not to allow them. While most gamers are happy to let companies like Blizzard and NCSoft administer the servers that host their MMORPGs, others want different rules, a cheaper way to play, or the technical challenge of setting up their own. A South African player called Hendrick put up his own WoW server because the game "wasn't available in the country at the time." A 21-year-old Swede created a server called Epilogue, which "had strict codes of conduct and rules, as well as a high degree of customized content (such as new currency, methods of earning experience, the ability to construct buildings and hire non-player characters, plus 'permanent' player death) unavailable in the retail version of the game." The game companies make an effort to quash these servers when they can, though it's frequently more trouble that it's worth. An NCSoft representative referenced the "growing menace" of IP theft, and a Blizzard spokesperson said,"We also have a responsibility to our players to ensure the integrity and reliability of their World of Warcraft gaming experience and that responsibility compels us to protect our rights."
Comment Re:Why not team up with Russia? (Score 1) 200
Well I posted and then possibly partially answered my own question: probably because Russia doesn't have money and China does? On the other hand wouldn't expertise be just as important or even more important?
Comment Why not team up with Russia? (Score 3, Insightful) 200
Not to diminish China's achievement, but Russia is definitely way ahead of them or anyone else. Plus AFAIK China's space technology is mostly licensed from Russia. Is politics getting in the way? Well then doesn't it make even more sense to team with Russia since they are now significantly "less communist" than China (even if mass media may not reflect that)?
