Comment Re:Strange choice of enemy (Score 1) 182
If you believe their "poor little innovator" spiel, maybe. If you think Uber is a monopolist-in-waiting, it makes perfect sense.
Submission + - Windows Phone 8 having trouble attracting developers (networkworld.com)
colinneagle writes: Microsoft has promised that cross-platform development across the 8s – from Windows 8 on a desktop to Windows Phone 8 – will be a simple matter, but that's still not enough to get some developers moving on Windows Phone 8 support. The Windows Phone platform has made a remarkable recovery since its reset with version 7. Since then, WP7 has grown to 100,000 apps.
But that pales in comparison to the 675,000 in Google Play and 700,000 in the Apple App Store. Granted, there's a ton of redundancy – how many weather or newsfeed apps does one person need? – but it points to availability and developer support. A report from VentureBeat points out what should be obvious: that while developers like Windows 8, they aren't as excited about Windows Phone 8 software because they have already made huge investments in other platforms and don't want to support another platform.
A survey by IDC and Appcelerator found 78% of Android developers were "very interested" in programming for Android smartphones, a slight drop from the 83% in a prior survey. Interest in the iPhone and iPad remained undiminished, with 89% and 88% interest, respectively.
But that pales in comparison to the 675,000 in Google Play and 700,000 in the Apple App Store. Granted, there's a ton of redundancy – how many weather or newsfeed apps does one person need? – but it points to availability and developer support. A report from VentureBeat points out what should be obvious: that while developers like Windows 8, they aren't as excited about Windows Phone 8 software because they have already made huge investments in other platforms and don't want to support another platform.
A survey by IDC and Appcelerator found 78% of Android developers were "very interested" in programming for Android smartphones, a slight drop from the 83% in a prior survey. Interest in the iPhone and iPad remained undiminished, with 89% and 88% interest, respectively.
Submission + - 48-Core Intel Chip Could Redefine Smartphones, Tablets (computerworld.com)
CWmike writes: "Intel researchers are working on a 48-core processor for smartphones and tablets, but it could be five to 10 years before it hits the market. Having a 48-core chip in a small mobile device would open up a whole new world of possibilities. 'If we're going to have this technology in five to 10 years, we could finally do things that take way too much processing power today,' said analyst Patrick Moorhead. 'This could really open up our concept of what is a computer... The phone would be smart enough to not just be a computer but it could be my computer.' Enric Herrero, a research scientist at Intel Labs in Barcelona, explained that with the prototype chip someone could, for instance, be encrypting an email while also working on other power-intensive apps at the same time — without hiccups. Same for HD video. Intel's Tanausu Ramirez said it could also boost battery life. 'The chip also can take the energy and split it up and distribute it between different applications,' he said. Justin Rattner, Intel's CTO, told Computerworld that a 48-core chip for small mobile devices could hit the market 'much sooner' than the researchers' 10-year prediction."
Submission + - 2013 H-1B Visa Supply Nearly Exhausted (informationweek.com) 1
CowboyRobot writes: "Last year work visas did not run out until late November, but this year the pool of visas is almost entirely claimed and it's still only June.
One interpretation of this is that the tech industry is hiring much more actively than it was a year ago.
Some companies, such as Microsoft, have been lobbying to increase the number of available visas (currently limited to 65,000) while others argue that offering visas to foreign workers reduces job prospects for Americans."
One interpretation of this is that the tech industry is hiring much more actively than it was a year ago.
Some companies, such as Microsoft, have been lobbying to increase the number of available visas (currently limited to 65,000) while others argue that offering visas to foreign workers reduces job prospects for Americans."
Comment Image Gently (Score 5, Informative) 138
It's worth noting that the Society for Pediatric Radiology has had a campaign (http://www.pedrad.org/associations/5364/ig/) called Image Gently for a couple years now to raise awareness of this in the radiology community, and in general the trend us towards doing more with MRIs, especially with children.
Comment Re:It's all moot anyway.... (Score 1) 630
Except that much of that money is being spent in poor districts is spent on on bureaucrats, test preparers, disciplinary crap, consultants (oh, god above could I tell you about consultants in education!) and all the other cruft that's not actually educating anyone.
Submission + - Vanity Fair on TSA and Security Theater (vanityfair.com) 1
OverTheGeicoE writes: Perhaps its now officially cool to criticize TSA. Vanity Fair has a story questioning the true value of TSA security. The story features Bruce Schneier, inventor of the term 'security theater' and contender for the Most Interesting Man in the World, it would seem. With Schneier's, um, mentoring, the author allegedly doctors a boarding pass to breach security at Reagan National Airport to do an interview with Schneier. 'To walk through an airport with Bruce Schneier is to see how much change a trillion dollars can wreak. So much inconvenience for so little benefit at such a staggering cost.' Perhaps. The real question is this: now that he's been idolized in Vanity Fair, will Bruce still eat lunch with us in the cafeteria after math class?
Journal Journal: Thomas Nast
What do Uncle Sam, Santa Clause, and the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey all have in common?
http://365immigrants.blogspot.com/2011/12/thomas-nast.html
Submission + - Ideal High School Computer Lab
dmiller1984 writes: I am a high school computer teacher and I've been put in the unique situation of designing my ideal computer lab since our high school will be undergoing a major expansion over the summer. I thought the Slashdot community might have some great ideas to help me out. I've never liked the lecture hall labs that I've seen in some schools, but I would like some way to get natural light in the room without worrying about glare on the computer screens (skylights, perhaps?). What are some of your ideas for a great computer lab for education?
Comment Re:The real issue (Score 1) 144
Except the real issue was that feudal and industrial societies can't coexist in the same framework. Look at how poorly integrated into Europe Russia is, which was feudal and absolutist for far longer than the rest of Europe.
Destroying the feudal order of the old South was absolutely necessary to having a functional, modern country. Without the Civil War, or with a sectional conflict that was resolved through compromise and the South being allowed to retain slavery, the US ends up being a backwards, resource-exporting country, rather than a manufacturing center.
Submission + - Draft alternative to SOPA released (techworld.com.au)
angry tapir writes: "Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, and Representative Darrell Issa, a California Republican, have released a draft version of the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade (OPEN) Act and posted a copy at KeeptheWebOpen.com. The act is intended to be an alternative to the Stop Online Piracy Act."
Comment Re:Yea (Score 1) 2
Funny story, when I got my first laptop, my dad (who views computers as eldritch devices) told me to be careful about my "tadpoles."
I expect to find TFA in my inbox any month now.
Submission + - Legend: Tabletop Gaming for a Good Cause (ruleofcool.com)
danaris writes: "On Friday, Rule of Cool gaming released Legend, a d20-derived tabletop roleplaying game system designed to be easy to learn, easy to play, and just really fun. As the names suggest, they recognize that people in an RPG frequently want to be playing epic characters with cool abilities, so they provide that—while making sure that all such characters are reasonably well balanced against characters and monsters of the same level. For a nice overview of the system, there's a review up on RPG.net by one of the playtesters, and another review by a moderator from Reddit's RPG section. The game is initially being distributed as a pay-what-you-want benefit to the Child's Play charity, with all proceeds (not just all profits) going to the charity."
Submission + - Reading, Writing, Ruby? (itworld.com) 2
itwbennett writes: "A BBC article outlines a push to make software programming a basic course of study for British schoolchildren in hopes that Britain could become a major programming center for video games and special effects. Can earlier exposure to better technology courses reverse the declining enrollment in university computer science courses and make coding cool?"
Comment Re:The problem with rail is ... (Score 1) 357
Incorrect. Let's look at the example of Chicago. Because there's a giant freakin' lake as the eastern border, it has to spread north-south. So you will, in any train system, end up with something like the Red Line, which runs from the border with Evanston to the far south side. Populations may shift, but you're always going to need mass transit parallel to the lake.
You'll also always have an arterial road going along the lake, but as someone who's been stuck on a bus on LSD due to an accident, let me assure you that bus transit is significantly less robust than train transit.
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