Raukodraug - Slashdot User

Submission + - Penny-sized flash module holds 16GB (linuxdevices.com) 1

Submitted by nerdyH on Monday December 17, 2007 @01:55PM

nerdyH writes: Intel describes its new 2GB to 16GB SSDs (solid state disks) as "smaller than a penny, and weighing less than a drop of water." The parts are "400 times smaller in volume than a 1.8-inch hard drive," Intel boasts, "and at 0.6 grams, 75 times lighter." Sampling now, with mass production set for Q1, the Z-P140 is described as an "optional" part of Intel's Menlow chipset, built in turn as part of Intel's vision for Linux-based Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs).

Submission + - Enceladus "sea" mystery deepens

Submitted by

Smivs

on Monday December 17, 2007 @01:40PM

Smivs writes: "The BBC reports that an ocean may not be the source of the jets emanating from Saturn's moon Enceladus . Research questions the moon's promise as a target in the search for life beyond Earth and has stirred controversy.
A chemical analysis of Enceladus, led by University of Colorado planetary scientist Nick Schneider, failed to detect sodium, an element scientists say should be in a body of water that has had billions of years of contact with rock. Spectral analysis with the Keck Telescope found no sodium in the plumes or in the vapour that's in orbit around the moon.
At stake is whether Saturn's moon could support alien life and is a worthy target for a US space agency (Nasa) exploratory mission to detect it. Such a mission to Enceladus is one of four currently under review for further development."

Wii Shortages Costing Nintendo 'A Billion' In Sales 290

Posted by Zonk on Monday December 17, 2007 @01:11PM from the less-than-a-hojillion-but-still-frustrating dept.

A New York Times article from this past Friday highlights the 'problem' that Nintendo is facing: more people want to give them money than they can handle. Analysts quoted in the story discussing Nintendo's unique Wii shortage problem indicate that the company could be selling twice the 1.8 million consoles a month it ships. All told, these same individuals believe the company could be leaving as much as $1 billion on the table this holiday season. "'We don't feel like we've made any mistakes,' said George Harrison, senior vice president for marketing at Nintendo of America. He said there was a shortage because the company must plan its production schedule five months ahead, and projecting future demand is difficult. He added that there had been a worldwide shortage of disk drives that had hurt Nintendo as well as makers of many other devices. 'It's a good problem to have,' Mr. Harrison said of the demand, but he acknowledged that there could be a downside. 'We do worry about not satisfying consumers and that they will drift to a competitor's system.'"

Comment Best Buy = Bad Business (Score 1) 990

by Raukodraug on Monday October 29, 2007 @06:01PM (#21162857) Attached to: Best Buy Customer Gets Box Full of Bathroom Tiles Instead of Hard Drive

I stopped shopping at Best Buy about a year ago. I had been shopping for a new shelf system stereo, and found the model at a Best Buy near my home. It was on clearance, but that particular store only had a shelf model that was cracked. The employee who helped me found that the store near my work still had 4 in stock, and called to have one pulled. After driving across town, I arrived at the second store and found that they wanted $55 more for the same stereo that that they had pulled. When I asked the assistant manager why it was more expensive at her store I was told that it was because "when you shop in West St. Louis County, you should expect to pay more". After the manager and district manager both blew off my complaints (they said that store managers set clearance pricing and that they are under no obligation to honor another stores price, even when they verbally agree to do so over the phone), I stopped shopping there. I was never a huge spender at the store, maybe $200-300 a year, but between the stereo, and a few more items purchased since we moved this summer, I figure they lost $1000 worth of sales this year.

Submission + - Vista trademark holder sues Microsoft (pcadvisor.co.uk)

Submitted by

Liam Cromar

on Wednesday June 06, 2007 @08:33AM

Liam Cromar writes: "Philippe Gildas, a French television presenter is suing Microsoft for "violation of intellectual property" — in particular the use of the "Vista" trademark. It appears that Gildas registered the trademark two years prior to Microsoft's application, planning to use the trademark for a new television channel, Télé Vista, which was to be launched later this year. Apparently, Gildas believes that Microsoft's 'hogging of the limelight' presents an 'obstacle to the launch'. Gildas has not, however, registered the "Vista" trademark in categories of activity 9 and 42, which cover software. With this in mind, his case might be hard to prove."

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