Comment Re: But it's rooted... (Score 1) 255
Samsung Knox is a step in that direction.
Comment The textbook industry... (Score 3, Informative) 252
I've been looking into going back to school and have gotten a more in-depth look at the academic textbook market and I can conclude it is all a big racket. The price of textbooks is already outrageous as it is -- I don't doubt that they would love to DRM all of them and have students give them back afterwards. Even after looking into the used textbook market, I couldn't find a way to save very much and the price they'll give you for a used but still in very good condition book is almost insulting.
You would think we would want to make education more accessible and affordable for everyone, but between textbooks, student loans and other like scams it is a sad state of affairs.
Comment Mental illness: a growing concern. (Score 1) 86
I don't think I have ever witnessed so many examples of mental illness being presented by commenters in this article in one place. This is a truly extraordinary thread when it comes to showing how many truly mentally ill people post to Slashdot.
Comment Re:Missing Innovation (Score 1) 178
You are correct. My TiVo Series 4 is provided by my cable company and it searches across all sources of video whether it be broadcast, Netflix, Amazon, my cable company's own on-demand service, etc. I search for, say, a movie and it tells me it is available on Netflix but not Amazon, and lists prices (if applicable) and you choose the source you would prefer to watch from.
As far as the preferential searching goes, I have never seen that, but it's nice being presented with a list of sources where that specific movie is available from and the relative pricing (e.g. rent on Amazon or from cable-co on-demand, or 'free' on Netflix with subscription)
As far as the preferential searching goes, I have never seen that, but it's nice being presented with a list of sources where that specific movie is available from and the relative pricing (e.g. rent on Amazon or from cable-co on-demand, or 'free' on Netflix with subscription)
Comment Re:This story is still boring. (Score 0) 157
I wish I had modpoints for you two.
Comment Slashshot? (Score 2) 211
First came SlashBI, now comes Slashshot!
Comment Re:These games dont look any good (Score 1) 45
Yeah, you're right. I HATE having fun.
Comment Mmm... (Score 0) 450
With 10,000 BTC stolen I'd be heading on over to Silk Road very quickly!
Submission + - Is RIM's Centralized Network Model Broken? (securityweek.com)
wiredmikey writes: Is RIM’s centralized network model broken? Andrew Jaquith thinks so, and provides an interesting analysis on why RIM should move to a decentralized model.
After two long outages this month, many believe that the end is drawing near for Research in Motion, maker of the BlackBerry.
But Is Research In Motion in trouble? Financially, RIM continues to be a healthy company, throwing off billions in profit each year. But if doesn't “think different” about its network strategy, its customers may think different about their choice of handset vendor, Jaquith argues.
Jaquith says that RIM should dismantle its proprietary centralized delivery network, something that has been a key strength for the company.
The BlackBerry was introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager on steroids. Back then, TCP/IP over GSM (and other networks) was just a pipe dream. RIM implemented a system by which all traffic is collected from the mobile networks of the sender, funneled through RIM servers and then routed back onto the recipient’s mobile networks and pushed to the handset.
By moving to a decentralized model for its BlackBerry network, (1) the Internet provides the routing and (2) centralized communications monitoring is much more difficult.
That is what Microsoft and Apple, in essence, do today because the devices connect directly to company servers [via commodity carrier networks] rather than through a single service provider.
Data plans that provide TCP/IP over wireless carrier networks are now ubiquitous, nullifying a key RIM advantage. Does BlackBerry need to rethink its network model to effectively compete moving forward?
After two long outages this month, many believe that the end is drawing near for Research in Motion, maker of the BlackBerry.
But Is Research In Motion in trouble? Financially, RIM continues to be a healthy company, throwing off billions in profit each year. But if doesn't “think different” about its network strategy, its customers may think different about their choice of handset vendor, Jaquith argues.
Jaquith says that RIM should dismantle its proprietary centralized delivery network, something that has been a key strength for the company.
The BlackBerry was introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager on steroids. Back then, TCP/IP over GSM (and other networks) was just a pipe dream. RIM implemented a system by which all traffic is collected from the mobile networks of the sender, funneled through RIM servers and then routed back onto the recipient’s mobile networks and pushed to the handset.
By moving to a decentralized model for its BlackBerry network, (1) the Internet provides the routing and (2) centralized communications monitoring is much more difficult.
That is what Microsoft and Apple, in essence, do today because the devices connect directly to company servers [via commodity carrier networks] rather than through a single service provider.
Data plans that provide TCP/IP over wireless carrier networks are now ubiquitous, nullifying a key RIM advantage. Does BlackBerry need to rethink its network model to effectively compete moving forward?
Comment Re:Nothing New Here (Score 1) 133
and I doubt the newer models are any better.
/facepalm
Comment And this... (Score 1) 271
And this is why I no longer own a Playstation 3.
Comment Re:So... (Score 1) 378
That's what I did. I sent them an e-mail to have mine cancelled now and have the funds in my wallet refunded.
Comment Re:WHAT!?!?!?! (Score 1) 637
Alone in the Dark for Xbox 360 does this. It has DVD-esque chapters and you can review what happened in the previous chapter before starting the next.
Comment Facebook updates != News (Score 1) 267
Seriously, there are 2-3 wireless networks around my apartment that are named something similar to this, probably by some people who still think this is surprising to others and/or funny.
Comment Re:What alternative? (Score 1) 425
I stopped using PayPal years ago. I had someone claim that they never received a laptop I sold to them via eBay, even though all parties had my UPS tracking information that shows exactly when it was delivered and the guys actual signature showing he signed for it!
Since then, I've sworn off PayPal and will relegate myself to missing out on little things. I've gotten by just fine without it. The sad thing is that most people will not care until something like what happened to me eventually happens to them.
Since then, I've sworn off PayPal and will relegate myself to missing out on little things. I've gotten by just fine without it. The sad thing is that most people will not care until something like what happened to me eventually happens to them.
