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Censorship

Aussies Hit the Streets Over Gov't Internet Filters 224

Posted by CmdrTaco from the thinking-of-the-children dept.
mask.of.sanity writes "Outraged aussies will hold simultaneous protests across Australia in opposition to the government's plans for mandatory ISP internet content filtering. The plan will introduce nation-wide filtered internet using blacklists operated by a government agency, away from public scrutiny. Politicians and ISPs will join protesters in the streets to voice their opposition to the government's plan, which has ploughed ahead, despite intense criticism that the technology will crippled internet speeds and infringe on free speech. Opponents said the most accurate filter chosen by the government will incorrectly block up to 10,000 Web pages out of 1 million."
Input Devices

Logitech Makes 1 Billionth Mouse 456

Posted by CmdrTaco from the so-much-carpal-tunnel dept.
Smivs writes "Logitech has hailed as a major landmark the production of their one billionth computer mouse. The news comes at a time when analysts claim the days of the mouse are numbered. 'It's rare in human history that a billionth of anything has been shipped by one company,' said Logitech's general manager Rory Dooley. 'Look at any other industry and it has never happened. This is a significant milestone.' The computer mouse will achieve a milestone of its own next week when it turns 40. It was 9 December 1968 when Douglas C. Engelbart and his group of researchers at Stanford University put the first mouse through its paces."
Windows

Microsoft Releases Specs for Binary Formats 205

Posted by Zonk from the thanks-for-the-hand-up dept.
skolima writes "In response to requests for even easier access to the Binary Formats, Microsoft has agreed to remove any intermediate steps necessary to get the documentation. They're going to just post it, making it directly available as a download on the Microsoft web site. Microsoft will also make the Binary Formats subject to its Open Specification Promise by February 15, 2008. They're even planning to include an Open Source converter implementation."
Debian

Submission + - Ubuntu Dev Summit lays out plans for Hardy Heron (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by Opurt
Opurt writes: On the first day of the Ubuntu Developer Summit in Boston this week, a roundtable session focused on the vision for the upcoming Hardy Heron Ubuntu release. Unlike Gutsy Gibbon, which brought a handful of experimental features along with some new functionality, the focus with Heron will be on robustness as it will be supported on the desktop for 3 years. 'The Compiz window manager, which adds sophisticated visual effects to the Ubuntu user interface, will be a big target for usability improvements. Keyboard bindings and session management were noted as two areas where Compiz still needs some work.' PolicyKit and Tracker will also be significantly tweaked, while Heron is also likely to see a complete visual refresh.
Toys

Submission + - World's Smallest Radio: A Single Carbon Nanotube (nsf.gov)

Submitted by
Invisible Pink Unicorn
Invisible Pink Unicorn writes: "Researchers at the National Science Foundation have utilized a single carbon nanotube to perform all the functions of a standard radio, acting as an antenna, tunable filter, amplifier and demodulator. They were then able to tune in a radio signal generated in the room, and play it back through an attached speaker. The device is functional across a bandwidth widely used for commercial radio. From the NSF: 'The source content for the first laboratory test of the radio was "Layla," by Derek and the Dominos, followed soon after by "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys.'"
Music

Submission + - Music Industry Brain Damage - The 1

Submitted by mrneutron2003
mrneutron2003 writes: Just when you thought stupid ideas had become an endangered species, the RIAA presses forward and shows us how naive we were. The RIAA has officially backed a move by the recording industry to reintroduce the CD single. Populated with two songs and a "ringtone", this brilliantly clueless idea is to be marketed as a "ringle", complete with an even more clueless retail price of $6-7 per CD. Apart from the fact the industry hasn't agreed on how the ringtone is to be redeemed (Sony BMG, the initial proponent of the idea...is this any suprise....is the exception here), the pricing puts it way out of the league of legitimate digital music downloads. http://www.fastsilicon.com/off-the-wall/music-industry-brain-damage-the-ringle.html?Itemid=60
Privacy

Submission + - Microsoft's Consent-or-Die Patent

Submitted by
theodp
theodp writes: "Maybe you shouldn't get too attached to those new Windows Live services. On Tuesday, the USPTO granted Microsoft a patent for Privacy policy change notification, which describes how to threaten users will the loss of their account, access to web sites and services, and all of the content they provided should they refuse to consent to changes in privacy policy to allow personal information collected earlier with a promise of confidentiality to be shared in the future with third parties. Also described is a 'Never Notify Me' option so you won't have to worry your pretty little head over privacy policy changes."

Feed Engadget: Microsoft contracts Siemens VDO for in-car entertainment, not Herpes (engadget.com)

From feed by engfeed

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Transportation

Siemens VDO and Microsoft just announced a deal to co-develop in-car entertainment systems and navigation products. The companies will initially develop a multi-media platform to more easily integrate mobile phones and music players into automotive systems. The first products based on the Microsoft Auto Platform are expected in 2009. Now go ahead dear readers, leave us your obligatory BSOD, car crashing jokes in the comments below, mercy not required.

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Security

Storm Worm More Powerful Than Top Supercomputers 390

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the spamalot dept.
Stony Stevenson writes to mention that some security researchers are claiming that the Storm Worm has grown so massive that it could rival the world's top supercomputers in terms of raw power. "Sergeant said researchers at MessageLabs see about 2 million different computers in the botnet sending out spam on any given day, and he adds that he estimates the botnet generally is operating at about 10 percent of capacity. 'We've seen spikes where the owner is experimenting with something and those spikes are usually five to 10 times what we normally see,' he said, noting he suspects the botnet could be as large as 50 million computers. 'That means they can turn on the taps whenever they want to.'"

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