the JoshMeister - Slashdot User

Submission + - USPTO Rejects Eolas Plug-In Patent Claims

Submitted by

theodp

on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @11:39PM

theodp writes: "As Microsoft and Eolas work towards settling their long-running web plug-in patent lawsuit that resulted in a $521 million judgment against Microsoft and gave rise to the click-to-activate-and-use-this-control web, the USPTO has issued a non-final rejection of the patent's claims, citing the work of Pei-Yuan Wei as prior art."

Journal Journal: Facebook Phone Number Folly 2

Journal by RyoShin on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @10:12PM

I, along with most of the Slashdot community, know much about social networking sites. I, probably unlike much of Slashdot, am a member of a few. One of these sites, Facebook, came under fire about a year ago for their News Feed feature, which allowed users to see updates made by their friends in one convenient form. This resulted in a massive and seemingly unexpected backlash by the

Sun Moves Into Commodity Silicon 236

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @06:07PM from the whole-lotta-threads dept.

Samrobb writes "According to Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz, Sun has decided to release its UltraSPARC T2 processor under the GPL. Schwartz writes, 'We're announcing the fastest microprocessor we've ever shipped this week — delivering 89.6 Ghz of parallel computing power on a single chip — running standard Java applications and open source OS's. Simultaneously, we've said we're entering the commodity marketplace, and opening the chip up to our competition... To add fuel to the fire, the blueprints for our UltraSPARC T2... the core design files and test suites, will be available to the open source community, via its most popular license: the GPL.'" Sun is still working on getting these released; early materials are up on OpenSPARC.net.

Feed Engadget: iPhones automatically updated with "Send to Web Gallery" feature (engadget.com)

From feed by engfeed on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @05:52PM

Filed under: Cellphones

At some point during the Jobsters lenghty unveiling of multifarious technologies today, iPhones across the nation were silently rejiggered (presumably by magical Apple wood-sprites) to allow for use of the just announced "Send to Web Gallery" feature. Whether this was a timed event scheduled into the new 1.0.1 update or an over-the-air transmission from Apple remains to be seen, but it is definitely true that the "fully integrated" web gallery upload option which Mr. Jobs demonstrated at today's press conference is currently available for use on your iPhone. Right now. This second.

[Via TUAW, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Submission + - Desktop computer hacks cost $7bn to US customers (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by

Christopher_Blanc

on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @05:35PM

Christopher_Blanc writes: "The reality is that viruses, spyware, and other computer threats have cost to US households an estimated $7 billion over the last two years alone, and 25 percent of all households are likely to become a "cybervictim" this year. That's the word from Consumer Reports, which just announced the results of its most recent "State of the Net" survey. If Microsoft doesn't get its act together on security, it's going to have customers defecting — in droves. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070807-the- state-of-the-net-is-not-so-strong.html"

Feed Engadget: Apple tosses in gigabit Ethernet on refreshed AirPort Extreme (engadget.com)

From feed by engfeed on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @05:32PM

While the majority of you are likely scoping out Apple's more noticeable introductions, the firm did manage to provide a subtle, albeit entirely welcome upgrade to the 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station. Still priced at $179, the revamped device doesn't change much, as you can still look forward to the slimmed-down design, USB port, and security slot, but those utilizing a wired network will greatly appreciate the four gigabit Ethernet ports. Interestingly, there are still a number of locations in which Apple has yet to update the technical information of the new AirPort, but the tried and true checkout page holds the newly implemented details.

[Thanks, iData]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Submission + - Netflix Gets Hacked (tvsquad.com)

Submitted by

Dragontologist

on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @05:28PM

Dragontologist writes: "In an interestingly round-about way, a few hackers have posted publicly about how to get around the $17/month fee for Netflix streaming video. It's not particularly easy, you only get 17 hours of video a month, and you can't copy it onto your iPod (not without another hack, anyway), but it's free (assuming you don't mind the whole illegal thing). All I want to know is, who would think to exploit Windows Media Player?"

Submission + - WEBROOT UNIFIES BEST OF BREED SOLUTIONS FOR SUPERI

Submitted by

Webroot Software

on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @05:26PM

Webroot Software writes: "Boulder, Colo., August 7, 2007 — Webroot Software, Inc., a leading provider of security software for the consumer, enterprise and SMB markets, today announced the release of Webroot® AntiSpyware Corporate Edition with AntiVirus. In addition to compatibility with the Windows Vista(TM) operating system, key new features include Active Directory integration for simplified network deployment, Behavioral Genotype protection from Sophos® which analyzes viral behavior to prevent it from executing, and the latest updates to Webroot's award-winning antispyware technology. Spyware has rapidly climbed the list of enterprise security threats and now ranks as one of the leading threats facing corporations today. According to Gartner, "By the end of 2007, 75 percent of enterprises will be infected with undetected, financially motivated, targeted malware that evaded their traditional perimeter and host defenses." (Source: Gartner, Inc., Gartner's Top Predictions for IT Organizations and Users, 2007 and Beyond, by Neil MacDonald et al, December 1, 2006.) "Spyware is growing and changing as the financial motivation has brought an entirely new level of sophistication. Additionally, virus outbreaks continue to cause significant financial damage while becoming harder to detect through established methods. Together they are causing increasing network downtime, decreased productivity, mounting legal and compliance fees and significant brand destruction due to data loss," said Peter Watkins, CEO, Webroot Software. "Today's enterprises need a simpler solution to combat these increasingly complex threats. We have improved our existing solutions by seamlessly integrating best of breed antispyware and antivirus at the desktop, extending their ability to marginalize unknown threats with HIPS and Behavioral Genotyping, and by streamlining deployment with Active Directory Integration." As a signal of its intention to broaden its security offerings, Webroot has re-branded its existing product line in this release. Webroot AntiSpyware Corporate Edition with AntiVirus and Webroot AntiSpyware Corporate Edition represent the newly branded versions of Webroot SME Security 3.1 and Spy Sweeper® Enterprise 3.0, respectively. Registered customers can upgrade their existing Webroot security solutions to the newly-released versions at no cost. "As the clearly acknowledged leader in antispyware, Webroot has just substantially improved its capabilities by combining with the new antivirus behavioral capability and HIPS in preventing attacks by undefined malware," added Watkins. "We feel that our lead over the competition just got a lot bigger by providing a superior solution. Many of the AV vendors today have lead IT managers into believing that they are protected while many of the industry analysts will tell you that it's not the truth." New and Enhanced Features Webroot AntiSpyware Corporate Edition with AntiVirus includes new and enhanced features in both its antispyware and antivirus protection: New Active Directory Integration. Provides customers with the ability to import groups and users into the Webroot management console for ease of client management and installation; New Sophos Behavioral Genotype Protection. This new feature from Sophos analyzes behavior before code executes, without creating a false positive problem and without deploying separate software. It also provides benefits of a Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) and allows the solution to guard against unknown malware threats; New Windows Vista Compatibility. The new version is now compatible with Windows Vista. In a competitive analysis, Webroot blocked 100 percent of malware compared to only 16 percent by Windows Vista's default malware blocking application; Enhanced Proactive Real-time Threat Protection. Through the use of powerful on-write, on-read, and on-execute Smart Shields, the solution proactively blocks spyware threats during read operations and before files can write or install on the end-user's workstation. These shields protect the most common threat entry points including changes to system memory, registry entries, host files, startup processes, browser-hijackings and many other security settings; and, Enhanced Spyware Detection, Trace and Real-time Threat Reports. Additional powerful reporting options provide network administrators the ability to track and report on instances of spyware through updated quarantine, trace detail, single spy and shield event reports. New reports also help justify product efficacy and value. Webroot Quality Webroot AntiSpyware Corporate Edition with AntiVirus is the latest in a line of acclaimed business solutions, and includes the following features companies have come to expect from Webroot: Award-Winning Protection. Independent testing by VeriTest determined Webroot to be at least 40 percent more effective in identifying and removing spyware such as Trojans and keyloggers compared to Symantec, McAfee, Trend and Sunbelt Software. Sophos' antivirus technology has been certified by Virus Bulletin, a leading independent antivirus research company, 38 times since 1998, placing it in the top tier of antivirus protection providers; Flexible, Centralized Management. Corporate Webroot customers manage both antispyware and antivirus functions from a single web-based management console, making even global administration easier; Minimal Impact on Desktop Performance. Because both the antispyware and antivirus scanning processes are optimized for speed and efficiency, scanning can be initiated in the background or scheduled for after-hours to minimize any impact to desktop performance. This scanning technology allows for desktops to be completely disinfected in a single operation; and, Scalability. Webroot AntiSpyware Corporate Edition with AntiVirus is designed to operate on any sized network and protects customers ranging from small- and medium-sized businesses to large enterprises. Because of this scalability, the solution can expand to meet all growing business needs. Pricing and Availability Webroot AntiSpyware Corporate Edition with AntiVirus is currently available for purchase, as well as the stand-alone version, Webroot AntiSpyware Corporate Edition, for those looking only for antispyware protection. Both versions will be available in French, German and Japanese. Potential customers can visit www.webroot.com for more information regarding upgrading their current Internet security solutions. Both versions are backed by free local support that includes 24/7/365 access to a robust knowledge base, toll-free telephone access to a knowledgeable staff, and free product and defense updates for the duration of a subscription. ABOUT WEBROOT Webroot Software, Inc. provides industry leading security software for consumers, enterprises and small and medium-sized businesses worldwide. The Boulder, Colorado based company is privately held and backed by some of the industry's leading venture capital firms, including Technology Crossover Ventures, Accel Partners and Mayfield. Webroot products consistently receive top review ratings by respected third-party media and have been adopted by millions globally. Available as either branded solutions or on an OEM basis, Webroot products can be found at www.webroot.com and on the shelves of leading retailers worldwide. To find out more visit www.webroot.com or call 1-800-772-9383. ©2007 Webroot Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Webroot, Spy Sweeper and Child Safe are registered trademarks or trademarks of Webroot Software, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. # # #"

Submission + - Kittens could kill the spam (computerworld.com) 1

Submitted by jcatcw on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @05:20PM

jcatcw writes: Researchers at Microsoft are proposing the use of images of kittens when software gets good enough to decipher captchas, which is inevitable. "It's possible that kittens are the wave of the future," according to Kevin Larson, a researcher at Microsoft's advanced reading technologies group. Humans can identify the image in a picture while software cannot. A beta service, called Asirra (Animal Species Image Recognition for Restricting Access), of the photo recognition technology is available from Microsoft for free to Web site hosters.

Submission + - 802.11n tests show "unbelievable" results

Submitted by BobB on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @05:02PM

BobB writes: The IT staff at Morrisville State College, where the first large-scale Draft 802.11n wireless LAN is being designed, says the beta gear exceeds expectations. Among the results: a 50MB file uploaded from a laptop to a network drive took 3 minutes, 51 seconds with an 11g connection, but 26 seconds with an 11n connection — nearly nine times faster. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/080607-draft -80211n-morrisville-test-results.html?netht=080607 dailynews2

Submission + - Windows 98 Blue Screen of Death tattoo (com.com)

Submitted by

mytrip

on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @04:52PM

mytrip writes: "Back in the day, it was skulls, snakes and Iron Maiden's undead mascot, Eddie. In the post-heavy-metal Internet era, to express your anguish, malaise, or traumatic childhood, you have to get a tattoo of the Blue Screen of Death on your arm.

The artist, 23-year-old Sam Rulz of Auckland, New Zealand, has this to say: "Paul's tattoo is based on the Windows 98 error code, which is what you see when your pc is f**ed. ..."

Submission + - First Water on an Extrasolar Planet (tfot.info)

Submitted by

Iddo Genuth

on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @04:51PM

Iddo Genuth writes: "Scientists discovered what seems to be the first conclusive evidence for water on an extrasolar planet. The discovery was made by French scientists using data from NASA's Spitzer space telescope and was recently published in the scientific magazine Nature."

Feed Linux.com: Google offers free teaching materials for computer science instructors (linux.com)

From feed by lcfeed on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @04:32PM

Google Code for Educators, announced during Google's Faculty Summit last month, offers tutorials, sample course content, video lectures, and a Curriculum Search tool that focuses on Web-based materials from computer science departments worldwide.

Feed news.com: Is a time machine possible? (com.com)

From feed by cnetfeed on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @03:52PM

Blog: It's a big, big maybe, but a professor in Israel is working on time machine theories.

Feed Engadget: Apple calls multitouch Mac a "research project" (engadget.com)

From feed by engfeed on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @03:33PM

Filed under: Desktops, Displays

So we didn't get the multitouch iMac today that some might have been hoping for, but Steve Jobs did drop one tasty hint about the oft-rumored technology. During the Q&A portion of today's keynote, somebody referred the iPhone's multitouch sensing and asked, "what about for the Mac?" Steve, surprisingly, replied. "Makes sense for the iPhone, not sure it makes sense in the Mac. Classify that as a research project." So there you have it, straight from the horse's mouth: Apple is at least considering letting you get all touchy touchy with your Mac's screen, and you can't ask for much more than that, right?

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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