bsk_cw - Slashdot User

Submission + - The ABCs of camera phone technology (computerworld.com)

Submitted by bsk_cw on Friday May 11, 2012 @08:49AM

bsk_cw writes: Thanks to advances in camera technology, a good camera phone today takes pictures that are on a par with a previous generation of point-and-shoots. Computerworld's Serdar Yegulalp looks at the key technologies that have allowed camera phones to become good enough to be the default way many users take pictures — and what still sets apart a full-blown camera.

Submission + - Slashnot? Geeknet mulls sale of Slashdot, SourceForge and Freecode (thenextweb.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 11, 2012 @08:17AM

An anonymous reader writes: Geeknet this morning announced that its board has started evaluating “strategic alternatives” for its online media businesses, including popular ‘news for nerds’ site Slashdot, open-source software community site SourceForge and Freecode, an online index of Linux, Unix and cross-platform software.

In order to “maximize shareholder value”, Geeknet is considering selling all three properties, although it says it might also invest additional capital to expand its online media business.

Submission + - How To Divorce Yourself From Google (itworld.com)

Submitted by

itwbennett

on Friday March 16, 2012 @09:13AM

itwbennett writes: "In building the best search engine, maps, and Web-based email around, Google spent ten years making itself an integral part of our daily online lives — and spent the last few years exploiting that position with one intrusion into our privacy after another. But is there any hope of pulling Google's hooks out of our mouths? One brave man is here to tell us that it can be done. The first step is purging Google's traces from your browser, computer, and phone; next is the search for alternatives."

Submission + - Hands on: Firefox 11 Improves Sync, But Falls Flat (computerworld.com)

Submitted by Lucas123 on Wednesday March 14, 2012 @02:25PM

Lucas123 writes: Firefox 11 is only a minor, incremental upgrade compared to version 10. Still, existing Firefox users will want to upgrade, especially if they use Firefox on multiple devices and want to keep add-ons in sync among them. Apart from the add-on sync, there's really nothing in this new version of Firefox to get anyone to switch from a competing browser. If Mozilla wants to combat its slowly shrinking market share, it's going to have to come up with something significantly better than Firefox 11.

Submission + - FBI Tries to Force Google to Unlock User's Android Phone (threatpost.com)

Submitted by Trailrunner7 on Wednesday March 14, 2012 @01:52PM

Trailrunner7 writes: Those multi-gesture passcode locks on Android phones that give users (and their spouses) fits apparently present quite a challenge for the FBI as well. Frustrated by a swipe passcode on the seized phone of an alleged gang leader, FBI officials have requested a search warrant that would force Google to "provide law enforcement with any and all means of gaining access, including login and password information, password reset, and/or manufacturer default code ("PUK"), in order to obtain the complete contents of the memory of cellular telephone".

The request is part of a case involving an alleged gang leader and human trafficker named Dante Dears in California. Dears served several years in prison for his role in founding a gang in California called PhD, and upon his release he went back to his activities with the gang, according to the FBI's affidavit.

Submission + - Samsung Partners with / Sues Apple (koreatimes.co.kr)

Submitted by

retroworks

on Wednesday March 14, 2012 @01:49PM

retroworks writes: "Samsung announces that it does $11B worth of contracting, per year, with Apple. Apple notes that it is succeeding in several lawsuits brought by Samsung. Foxconn assembles for both. I don't know what the punchline is. http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/03/07/samsung_files_new_patent_infringement_suit_against_apple_in_south_korea.html"

Submission + - Watch How the Moon Was Formed (itworld.com)

Submitted by

itwbennett

on Wednesday March 14, 2012 @12:11PM

itwbennett writes: "A pair of NASA videos released today show the moon as you've never seen it before. In one video, you get an up-close tour of the moon's craters, thanks to video and images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. In the other, you can watch an animation of the moon's creation and evolution."

Submission + - A new way to get drugs across the blood brain barrier (patexia.com)

Submitted by

jeffeanne

on Wednesday March 14, 2012 @11:56AM

jeffeanne writes: "One of the trickiest parts of treating brain conditions is crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB), a blockade of cells that prevent both harmful toxins and helpful pharmaceuticals from getting to the brain."

Submission + - The Velocity Solo helps upgrade legacy PCs to SATA (computerworld.com)

Submitted by bsk_cw on Thursday December 08, 2011 @09:58AM

bsk_cw writes: In his review of Apricorn's Velocity Solo upgrade kit for SATA 3.0 SSDs and hard drives, Computerworld's Bill O'Brien says: "Being able to add a SATA 3.0 disk system to a tired old PC without replacing the motherboard — or the entire computer — is a wonderful idea. And being able to install an SSD without trying to figure out how to fit a 2.5-inch drive in a 3.5-inch bay is even better. (Duct tape is not an effective long-term solution.)"

Submission + - HP reviving the 99$ Touch Pad on 11th December (techcrunch.com)

Submitted by Frankie70 on Thursday December 08, 2011 @07:00AM

Frankie70 writes: Starting Sunday, December 11th at 6:00 p.m. Central time, 16GB and 32GB Touchpads will be available on HP's ebay store. A $79 accessory bundle will also be available, which includes a case, charging dock and wireless keyboard. The caveat with this deal is that these are refurbished TouchPads rather than the brand new models sold during the first firesale.

Submission + - DoJ investigates eBook price fixing (latimes.com)

Submitted by dave562 on Wednesday December 07, 2011 @07:54PM

dave562 writes: The U.S. Justice Department's antitrust arm said it was looking into potentially unfair pricing practices by electronic booksellers, joining European regulators and state attorneys general in a widening probe of large U.S. and international e-book publishers.

A Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed that the probe involved the possibility of "anticompetitive practices involving e-book sales."

Attorneys general in Connecticut and, reportedly, Texas, have also begun inquiries into the way electronic booksellers price their wares, and whether companies such as Apple and Amazon have set up pricing practices that are ultimately harmful to consumers.

Submission + - How To Get A Siri Experience For Android (computerworld.com)

Submitted by Lucas123 on Friday November 18, 2011 @10:06AM

Lucas123 writes: It is possible to get a Siri-like, voice-command experience with Android-powered smart phones. Unlike iPhone 4S users, though, Android users will need to gather together a couple of different apps if they want to issue a wide range of voice commands on their device. Computerworld's Sharon Machlis ran more than half a dozen apps through their paces, testing them for various functions to communicate (make calls, send messages), organize (keep track of appointments) and find information. There are a couple of things Android voice-activated apps do that Siri can't, and overall, she found she was able to get a good chunk of the functionality that Siri offers.

Submission + - Ask Slashdot: Whitebox Servers as good as Tier 1 V

Submitted by

Ytsejamer1

on Friday November 18, 2011 @09:26AM

Ytsejamer1 writes: "With so many server hardware vendors either consolidating over the last several years or leaving the market, I'm curious as to whether people here are relying on whitebox server vendors to fill that gap.

Sun's Sunfire x64 servers were great for our organization and were the most solid and reliable performing servers we had. Since they were bought by Oracle who is getting out of the x64 BTO server business, we tried HP. Support was good, the hardware specs were solid, but unfortunately they just weren't reliable enough. IBM servers simply make everything more difficult than it needs to be...from assembly, to layout, to add-on options, etc.

We are looking to find some good whitebox servers from vendors who can also offer onsite support if needed. Any ideas or experience?"

Submission + - Experiment affirms faster-than-light claim (nature.com)

Submitted by

gbrumfiel

on Friday November 18, 2011 @06:22AM

gbrumfiel writes: "Earlier this year, the OPERA experiment made the extraordinary claim that they had seen neutrinos travelling faster than the speed of light. The experiment, located at Gran Sasso in Italy, saw neutrinos arrive 90 nanoseconds early from their starting point at CERN in Switzerland. Others have doubted OPERA's claim, but in a new paper, the group reaffirms its commitment to the measurement. “It’s slightly better than the previous result,” OPERA’s physics coordinator Dario Autiero told Nature News . Most members of the collaboration didn't sign up to the original paper out of skepticism have now come on board. But scientists outside the group still aren't sure. "Independent checks are the way to go", says Rob Plunkett, co-spokesman a rival experiment called MINOS."

Submission + - 50 Ultrabooks to be launched at CES (pcpro.co.uk)

Submitted by

Barence

on Friday November 18, 2011 @05:51AM

Barence writes: "As many as 50 Intel Ultrabooks will be launched at next January's CES, according to the show's organisers. Until now, only a handful of manufacturers have announced Ultrabooks, with many rumoured to be waiting for the 22nm Ivy Bridge processor refresh before releasing their devices. Intel CEO Paul Otellini is due to give a keynote speech at the show where Ivy Bridge will likely be officially unveiled alongside a host of new laptops. "We expect to see 30 to 50 new Ultrabooks launched at CES," the CEA's research director Shawn DuBravac told journalists at CES Unveiled in London."

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