Comment Re:See ya, Slashdot. (Score 5, Informative) 246
We didn't delete anyone's comments. http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=3455889&cid=42890287
Comment Re:your parent killed my parent. (Score 3) 223
We don't delete comments (there are plenty of negative ones here to read as proof). I'm assuming the post you are referring to is http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=3455889&cid=42879165. Although I'm not sure why you can't see it since it at a "2" right now. Are you only looking at comments rated 3+.
Submission + - Iranian space official: Photo shows wrong monkey (spaceindustrynews.com)
littlesparkvt writes: One of two official packages of photos of Iran’s famed simian space traveler depicted the wrong monkey, but a primate really did fly into space and return safely to Earth, a senior Iranian space official confirmed Saturday.
Submission + - Analyst believes Microsoft will sell off Xbox division, maybe even to Sony (geek.com) 1
An anonymous reader writes: Forbes analyst Adam Hartung has predicted that Microsoft will sell off its entertainment division, which includes Xbox, in the coming years. He even goes so far as to list Sony or Barnes & Noble as potential buyers.
Lets forget how crazy this sounds for a moment and focus on the reasons why Hartung believes such a sale will happen. It basically comes down to Windows 8, and how poorly it is selling. Combine that with falling sales of PCs, the Surface RT tablet not doing so great, the era of more than one PC in the home disappearing, and Microsoft has a big problem.
The problem not only stems from the PC market not growing, but because Microsoft relies so heavily on Windows and Office for revenue. With that in mind, Hartung believes Steve Ballmer will do anything and everything to save Windows, including ditching entertainment and therefore Xbox.
Lets forget how crazy this sounds for a moment and focus on the reasons why Hartung believes such a sale will happen. It basically comes down to Windows 8, and how poorly it is selling. Combine that with falling sales of PCs, the Surface RT tablet not doing so great, the era of more than one PC in the home disappearing, and Microsoft has a big problem.
The problem not only stems from the PC market not growing, but because Microsoft relies so heavily on Windows and Office for revenue. With that in mind, Hartung believes Steve Ballmer will do anything and everything to save Windows, including ditching entertainment and therefore Xbox.
Submission + - Canadian Researchers Debut PaperTab, The Paper-Thin Tablet (ibtimes.com)
redletterdave writes: "The PaperTab, which looks and feels just like a sheet of paper, may one today overtake today's tablet. Developed by researchers at the Human Media Lab at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada, the PaperTab features a flexible, high-resolution 10.7-inch plastic touchscreen display built by Plastic Logic, the company borne from Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory, and relies on a second-generation Intel Core i5 processor to turn what looks like a sheet of white paper into a living, interactive display. Unlike typical tablets akin to Apple's iPad, the idea of PaperTab is to use one app at a time, per Papertab. To make tasks easier, users would own 10 or more PaperTabs at once and lay them out to their liking; with multiple tablets to separate your applications, PaperTab relies on an interface that allows you to combine and merge elements from disparate applications with intuitive dragging, dropping, pointing, and folding."
Submission + - Texas State files 2 bills to ban RFID in schools (blogspot.com)
BeatTheChip writes: "The day Andrea Hernandez lost her federal case against expulsion for refusing a school mandated RFID badge, Rep. Lois Kolkhorst moved to file 2 bills the 1st day of Texas Legislative session. Kolkhorst, has sponsored several anti-RFID bills for schools over the years. This year they are HB 101 and HB 102."
Submission + - US spots $120M for lab to tackle rare earth shortages (networkworld.com)
coondoggie writes: "With China once again playing games with the rare earth materials it largely holds sway over, the US Department of Energy today said it would set up a research and development hub that will bring together all manner of experts to help address the situation."
Submission + - Hands On With Virtual Reality's Greatest Hope
adeelarshad82 writes: Oculus VR Rift is a one of the seventeen kickstarter projects to raise more than a million dollars in 2012 and a recently published hands on shows exactly why it was so successful. Using Oculus VR Rift with the upcoming Infinity Blade and a modified version of Unreal Tournament 3, the analyst found that the 3D effect and head tracking provided a great sense of immersion. At one point while playing Infinity Blade, the analyst describes walking around the guards and watching their swords shift as he stepped, seeming like they were inches from cutting him. While he felt that the demo was impressive, he found that the software limitations made the whole experience a bit realistic.Needless to say that Oculus Rift is a long way from hitting stores but Oculus VR is getting ready to ship developer kits.
Submission + - Japanese Cops Collar Malware-Carrying Cat (net-security.org)
Orome1 writes: "When imagining law enforcement officers investigating and searching for cyber criminals or evidence about their activities, the last thing that you can probably envision is them searching for a stray cat. But that was exactly what detectives of Japan's National Police Agency recently did as the last step in a complex "treasure hunt" started on New Year’s Day by a person (persons?) who is allegedly the mastermind behind the so-called “Remote Control Virus”. The malware in question was instrumental in staging a continuous campaign of death and bomb threats sent to airline companies, kindergartens, schools, law offices, broadcasting networks and shrines."
Submission + - An oven that runs Android (engadget.com)
Google85 writes: Dacor is exhibiting an oven that runs Android at CES 2013: it pulls together a 1GHz processor, 512MB of DDR2 RAM and Android 4.0.3. It also cooks food. At the front of the Discovery Wall Oven, there's a 7-inch LCD touch panel
Submission + - Windows 8 proving less popular than Vista (kitguru.net) 5
NettiWelho writes: Data from Net Applications shows that Windows 8 is less popular than Windows Vista, the operating system that proved unpopular with the enthusiast audience.
Windows 8 usage uptake has slipped behind Vista’s in the same point in its release. Windows 8 online usage share is around 1.6% of all Windows PC’s which is less than the 2.2% share that Windows Vista commanded at the same two month mark after release.
Net Applications monitor operating system usage by recording OS version for around 40,000 sites it monitors for clients.
The slowdown for Windows 8 adoption is a bad sign for Microsoft who experienced great success with the release of Windows 7.
Data was measured up to the 22nd of December, so there is still time by the end of the month for Windows 8 to claim a higher percentage of the user base.
Windows 8 usage uptake has slipped behind Vista’s in the same point in its release. Windows 8 online usage share is around 1.6% of all Windows PC’s which is less than the 2.2% share that Windows Vista commanded at the same two month mark after release.
Net Applications monitor operating system usage by recording OS version for around 40,000 sites it monitors for clients.
The slowdown for Windows 8 adoption is a bad sign for Microsoft who experienced great success with the release of Windows 7.
Data was measured up to the 22nd of December, so there is still time by the end of the month for Windows 8 to claim a higher percentage of the user base.
Comment Re:Inappropriate post warning!!! (Score 1) 338
When you press the "Flag this comment as inappropriate" button that comment ends up on a big list that the editors go through each day. Usually it's filled with user comments that other users don't like, and sometimes theories that we're deleting comments. We try to respond to the conspiracy theories and ignore the complaints about not liking posts for one reason or another. That's what the moderation system is for. Every so often however someone uses the button for it's intended purpose, which is to quickly downmod the worst trolls and to identify spammer accounts so we can ban them. The button is to make sure the gnaa crowd stays at -1 and to keep the spammers out of discussions. Feel free to continue to be inappropriate.
Submission + - Peel-and-stick solar cells created at Stanford University (gizmag.com) 1
cylonlover writes: Traditionally, thin-film solar cells are made with rigid glass substrates, limiting their potential applications. Flexible versions do exist, although they require special production techniques and/or materials. Now, however, scientists from Stanford University have created thin, flexible solar cells that are made from standard materials – and they can applied to just about any surface, like a sticker. The cells have been successfully applied to a variety of both flat and curved surfaces – including glass, plastic and paper – without any loss of efficiency.
Not only does the new process allow for solar cells to applied to things like mobile devices, helmets, dashboards or windows, but the stickers are reportedly both lighter and less costly to make than equivalent-sized traditional photovoltaic panels. There’s also no waste involved, as the silicon/silicon dioxide wafers can be reused.
Not only does the new process allow for solar cells to applied to things like mobile devices, helmets, dashboards or windows, but the stickers are reportedly both lighter and less costly to make than equivalent-sized traditional photovoltaic panels. There’s also no waste involved, as the silicon/silicon dioxide wafers can be reused.
Submission + - Google is winning the battle, but will Apple win the war? (thetechblock.com) 1
thetechblock writes: "A few nights ago the internet was on fire with the release of Google Maps on iOS. When iOS 6 was released, Apple shed it’s once close relationship with Google and removed Google Maps and YouTube as pre-installed apps on it’s operating system."
Comment Re:Is this seriously the final video? (Score 1) 123
I guess It's hard to glean from the transcript, but if you watch the video I think it's fairly obvious that I was feigning surprise that the Social Media Director wouldn't want to dress as Xena after it was suggested to her. It was easy to get through actually, because the suggestion was ridiculous.
