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Comment Re:CNET overviews the removed features (Score 3, Interesting) 295

by Dare (#42161197) Attached to: Apple Declutters, Speeds Up iTunes With Major Upgrade

"5. Multiple windows"

Tried this on my test machine, and it appears to be true. What The Hell. This completely wrecks my workflow for creating playlists (which was to have library open in one window, playlist in another, and to drag files from the library into the right place on the playlist).

For fnord's sake. It seems that these days every update from Apple ends up just frustrating me. Not installing this one either, just like Safari 6 (no RSS, again WTF?)
Science

Submission + - Unusual discovery of new African monkey species (mongabay.com) 1

Submitted by rhettb
rhettb writes: In a remote and largely unexplored rainforest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), researchers have made an astounding discovery: a new monkey species. The new primate, which is name the lesula and described in a paper in the journal PLoS ONE, was first noticed by scientist and explorer, John Hart, in 2007. The discovery of a new primate species is rare nowadays. In fact, the lesula is only the second newly discovered monkey in Africa in the past 28 years.

Comment Still waiting for Social Networking Protocol (Score 2) 370

by Dare (#39924131) Attached to: Dealing With the Eventual Collapse of Social Networks

The minute social networks start behaving like email (that is, work with protocols that communicate but anyone can actually run a server, preferably one of many available flavors) I'll get into them. Not before. Diaspora seems to be going that way, but I haven't yet gotten around to setting up a pod of my own.

Submission + - BBC Builds Malware For Testing Purposes (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by siliconbits
siliconbits writes: BBC News has shown how straightforward it is to create a malicious application for a smartphone. Over a few weeks, the BBC put together a crude game for a smartphone that also spied on the owner of the handset. The application was built using standard parts from the software toolkits that developers use to create programs for handsets.
This makes malicious applications hard to spot, say experts, because useful programs will use the same functions. While the vast majority of malicious programs are designed to attack Windows PCs, there is evidence that some hi-tech criminals are starting to turn their attention to smartphones.
Idle

Submission + - Inmates escape as guard plays Plants vs. Zombies (gamepron.com) 1

Submitted by dotarray
dotarray writes: Everybody knows that there'(TM)s a certain risk one takes when playing addictive, engrossing games when you’re meant to be doing something else. The prevalence of awesome games on the iPhone hasn'(TM)t helped that risk -" as a Philippines police officer has learned.
Earth

Potato-Powered Batteries Debut 284

Posted by kdawson from the energizer-tuber dept.
MojoKid writes "Yissum Research Development Company Ltd., the technology transfer arm of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has just introduced what it's calling 'solid organic electric battery based upon treated potatoes.' In short, it's a potato-powered battery, and it's as real as you're hoping it is. The simple, sustainable, robust device can potentially provide an immediate inexpensive solution to electricity needs in parts of the world lacking electrical infrastructure. Researchers at the Hebrew University discovered that the enhanced salt bridge capability of treated potato tubers can generate electricity through means readily available in developing nations."
Censorship

Thailand Shuts Down 43,000 More Websites 166

Posted by timothy from the everybody-loves-the-king-or-else dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Bangkok Post reports that the Thai government has now shut down over 43,000 websites deemed defamatory to the royal institution. Thai ISPs are warned to cooperate 'voluntarily' or lose their license. This is in addition to 17,000+ that were recently blocked for 'national security,' including both Facebook and Twitter accounts."

Comment Re:Feh to your pitiful hardcore Definition (Score 1) 272

by Dare (#32456216) Attached to: Study Finds That "Extreme Gamers" Play 48 Hours a Week

The only time I stop playing my game is when not doing so would be to the permanent detriment to my gaming environment.

All in all this means I play my game about 18 hours a day. Thats right, 18 goddamn hours. I sleep for the other 6.

So did your character post this or did you do it while sleeping?
Encryption

How To Replace FileVault With EncFS 65

Posted by timothy from the for-secretive-tweakers dept.
agoston.horvath writes "I've written a HOWTO on replacing Mac OS X's built-in encryption (FileVault) with the well-known FUSE-based EncFS. It worked well for me, and most importantly: it is a lot handier than what Apple has put together. This is especially useful if you are using a backup solution like Time Machine. Includes Whys, Why Nots, and step-by-step instructions."
Cellphones

Submission + - Studies Find Harm From Cellular and Wi-fi Signals (gq.com)

Submitted by Artifice_Eternity
Artifice_Eternity writes: I've always tended to dismiss claims of toxicity from cell phone and wi-fi signals as reflecting ignorance about microwave radiation. However, this GQ article cites American and European studies going back decades that have found some level of biological harm caused by these signals. Why haven't they gained more attention? From the article: "Industry-funded studies seem to reflect the result of corporate strong-arming. Lai reviewed 350 studies and found that about half showed bioeffects from EM radiation emitted by cell phones. But when he took into consideration the funding sources for those 350 studies, the results changed dramatically. Only 25 percent of the studies paid for by the industry showed effects, compared with 75 percent of those studies that were independently funded."
Games

Whatever Happened To Second Life? 209

Posted by Soulskill from the i-blame-ralph dept.
Barence writes "It's desolate, dirty, and sex is outcast to a separate island. In this article, PC Pro's Barry Collins returns to Second Life to find out what went wrong, and why it's raking in more cash than ever before. It's a follow-up to a feature written three years ago, in which Collins spent a week living inside Second Life to see what the huge fuss at the time was all about. The difference three years can make is eye-opening."
Games

The Psychology of Achievement In Playing Games 80

Posted by Soulskill from the no-you-don't-get-points-for-reading-this dept.
A post on Pixel Poppers looks at the psychological underpinnings of the types of challenges offered by different game genres, and the effect those challenges have on determining which players find the games entertaining. Quoting: "To progress in an action game, the player has to improve, which is by no means guaranteed — but to progress in an RPG, the characters have to improve, which is inevitable. ... It turns out there are two different ways people respond to challenges. Some people see them as opportunities to perform — to demonstrate their talent or intellect. Others see them as opportunities to master — to improve their skill or knowledge. Say you take a person with a performance orientation ('Paul') and a person with a mastery orientation ('Matt'). Give them each an easy puzzle, and they will both do well. Paul will complete it quickly and smile proudly at how well he performed. Matt will complete it quickly and be satisfied that he has mastered the skill involved. Now give them each a difficult puzzle. Paul will jump in gamely, but it will soon become clear he cannot overcome it as impressively as he did the last one. The opportunity to show off has disappeared, and Paul will lose interest and give up. Matt, on the other hand, when stymied, will push harder. His early failure means there's still something to be learned here, and he will persevere until he does so and solves the puzzle."

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