Comment It will be called the iPad Maxi (Score 1) 192
And it is expected to fully absorb the marketplace within a week or so. Hopefully, it will be a match for the heavy flow of demand right at the beginning.
Submission + - Why money doesn't motivate file-sharers (pcpro.co.uk)
nk497 writes: File-sharers aren't motivated by financial gain, but by altruism, according to an economist. Joe Cox, of the Portsmouth Business School, said those uploading content for others to share don't see what they're doing as illegal, meaning current tactics to deter piracy are doomed to fail. "The survey data suggested there was a deep-seated belief that this type of activity shouldn’t be illegal, that there was no criminal act involved.
That makes it very hard to deter with advertising," he said, adding that the UK's plans to cut off file-sharers under the Digital Economy Act wasn't worth the effort. "The amount of resources it would take to investigate people’s online activity to the extent that you get judicial proof of the download is economically inefficient. It’s not going to work." Instead, he thinks music, movies and other digital content should be seen as a public good, like street lights and national defence, where someone can benefit from it even if they don’t pay for it, and if any one person consumes the good it doesn’t affect anyone else’s ability to consume it too. That would mean creative industries would need to be funded by taxes or levies on digital players, he noted.
That makes it very hard to deter with advertising," he said, adding that the UK's plans to cut off file-sharers under the Digital Economy Act wasn't worth the effort. "The amount of resources it would take to investigate people’s online activity to the extent that you get judicial proof of the download is economically inefficient. It’s not going to work." Instead, he thinks music, movies and other digital content should be seen as a public good, like street lights and national defence, where someone can benefit from it even if they don’t pay for it, and if any one person consumes the good it doesn’t affect anyone else’s ability to consume it too. That would mean creative industries would need to be funded by taxes or levies on digital players, he noted.
Comment Needs the obligatory Firefly comment (Score 1) 278
From Serenity: "Can't stop the signal."
Comment I sense,,,, (Score 2, Funny) 385
... the next marketing campaign from Microsoft.
Comment I'm sure it's been mentioned, but... (Score 1) 291
"Database Design for Mere Mortals" by Michael Hernandez and "SQL Queries for Mere Mortals" by Hernandez and John Viescas. These are excellently written books that really do a great job of covering the essentials, but are suitable even for non-technical folks. They are extremely approachable, and if you're starting to look at theory, I would highly recommend you put these books near the top of your start list.
Chinese Companies Rent White Foreigners 145
The job market may look bad here, but if you're in China, and you happen to be white, all you need is a suit and tie. An increasing number of Chinese companies are willing to pay any price to have a few fair-skinned faux employees walking around. From the article: "'Face, we say in China, is more important than life itself,' said Zhang Haihua, author of Think Like Chinese. 'Because Western countries are so developed, people think they are more well off, so people think that if a company can hire foreigners, it must have a lot of money and have very important connections overseas. So when they really want to impress someone, they may roll out a foreigner.' Or rent one."
iPad Steering Wheel Mount 230
kevin7kal writes "The Apple iPad is the ideal automotive communications and entertainment device. It is sized perfectly to mount using the iPad Steering Wheel Mount without obscuring the driver's view. 'I don't think that I am exaggerating when I say that the iPad Steering Wheel Mount probably has saved my life...'"
Comment Re:Just finished my third viewing. (Score 1) 379
One of my personal favorite lines:
AMY: You're worse than my Aunt!
THE DOCTOR: I'm The Doctor -- I'm worse than everyone's Aunt.
and
THE DOCTOR: Who's the man! (awkward pause) I am never going to say that again....
All-in-all, the new episode calmed my fears. The show is in good hands.
Comment Just curious (Score 2, Funny) 270
Is any of this happening in Farmville????
Submission + - Zune HD vs. iPod Touch showdown (pcworld.com)
johnjaydk writes: Get ready for Zune HD versus iPod Touch in a battle set for this fall when Microsoft will take the wraps off of its first touchscreen portable media player (PMP), the Zune HD. Microsoft says this is the first PMP to combine a built-in HD Radio receiver, high-def video output, an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display and Wi-Fi. But will it be good enough to steal the glory from Apple's iPod Touch?
Comment Aren't they worried about the backlash? (Score 0, Troll) 422
from the dating services popular in the South?
Comment Re:ha ha (Score 1) 466
Causing shame to all of the really intelligent idiots out there....
Comment Loving it (Score 1) 206
I've been using GrandCentral for about a year and a half now. The level of control is just stunning.
One number that rings your cell phone, home phone and work phone at once; pick up the call from any of them. Transfer phones during the call.
Different greetings for friends, family, work, and other contacts.
Listen to the message as it's being left. Pick up the call during the message if you like.
Voice mails are available to download as mp3 files. Need to save an important message? You can easily. I've saved messages about projects with other files in my project directory. No more looking for that message. Nice!
Call anyone in your address book from your address book. This is free now, but will be a paid service. I knew going in this wouldn't be free forever - free outgoing calls to anywhere in the country?? I hope they don't overcharge for this - if it's reasonable, it's totally worth a fee.
This service is great and quite solid. If you're waiting for it, hold on... It's worth the wait!
Nobel Winner Says Internet Might Have Stopped Hitler 290
There can be little doubt that the internet has changed everyday life for the better, but Nobel literature prize winner Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio has upped the ante by saying an earlier introduction of information technology could even have prevented World War II. "Who knows, if the Internet had existed at the time, perhaps Hitler's criminal plot would not have succeeded — ridicule might have prevented it from ever seeing the light of day," he said. I have to agree with him. If England had been able to send a "Stop Hitler Now!" petition to 10 friendly countries, those countries could have each sent it to 10 more friendly countries before the invasion of Poland, and one of history's greatest tragedies might have been averted.
Slashdot Top Deals
"Most of us, when all is said and done, like what we like and make up reasons for it afterwards." -- Soren F. Petersen
