Saturday 28 February 2009

Availability of Apples highend iMac starting to fade

The number of digital storefronts reflecting availability of Apple's high-end iMac configuration is dwindling this week in yet another sign that long-overdue updates to the all-in-one desktop line may be inching their way closer to market.

Source:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/27/availability_of_apples_high_end_imac_starting_to_fade.html

10 Things Windows 7 Must Do To Succeed

I recently attended a briefing where Microsoft explained some of the new features in Windows 7 to reviewers from different publications.

At the end of the meeting, the MS folks asked the half-dozen of us present what it will take for the new OS to be a success. "Injecting about three trillion dollars into the economy to end this recession,"

Read the full story here:
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/blogs/bizfeed/160407/10_things_windows_7_must_do_to_succeed.html

Apple ramps up MacBook campaign RIM folds on antiApple ad

Apple this week kicked its eco-friendly MacBook campaign into overdrive with new placements on network television and top-tier internet properties; meanwhile, Research in Motion considered taking a shot at Apple in a new television commercial but ultimately couldn't bring itself to pull the trigger.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/27/apple_ramps_up_macbook_campaign_rim_folds_on_anti_apple_ad.html

IPhone Worlds Stupidest Most Expensive iPhone Mod Yet Cos

$2.5 million.

Two. Point. Five. Million. Dollars.

Link source:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5161289/worlds-stupidest-most-expensive-iphone-mod-yet-costs-25-million-dollars

The 100 Best Comedy Twitters

A few of them havent been updated in months, some are updated several times an hour, but all are essential to anyone who wants to be kept abreast of his or her favorite comedians bowel movements

Link:
http://ccinsider.comedycentral.com/2009/02/27/the-100-best-comedy-twitters/

Friday 27 February 2009

Time to quit Addiction ebook directory

Would seem to be a pretty comprehensive list of the Addiction ebooks out there, ordered by rating.

Check it out here:
http://r.ecommended.com/directory/health-and-fitness/addiction/

Giz Explains Why Lenses Are the Real Key to Stunning Photos

When most of us talk digital cameras, we talk megapixels, ISO, image noise, shot-per-second speed and image processing.

We're tech geeks. But really, none of that stuff matters as much as your camera's lens.

Get the low-down here:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5160891/giz-explains-why-lenses-are-the-real-key-to-stunning-photos

Microsoft suit over FAT patents could open OSS Pandoras Box

Microsoft has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against TomTom alleging that the device maker's products, including some that are Linux-based, infringe on patents related to Microsoft's FAT32 filesystem.

This marks the first time that Microsoft has enforced its FAT patents against the Linux platform, a move that some free software advocates have

Read the full story here:
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/02/microsoft-sues-tomtom-over-fat-patents-in-linux-based-device.ars

Dells Net Income Plunges 48 Percent

Punished by plummeting sales of computers, Dell presented investors with its lowest fourth-quarter profit since 2002.

Check it out here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/technology/companies/27dell.html

10 Steps To The Perfect Portfolio Website

You may have a personal portfolio website for a number of reasons.

If youre a freelancer, then youd need one to showcase your work and allow people to contact you. If youre a student (or unemployed), then youd need one to show prospective employers how good you are and what you can do, so that they might hire you.

Link:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/02/26/10-steps-to-the-perfect-portfolio-website/

Digg Is Working On a Toolbar To Go After StumbleUpon

A super-secret Digg toolbar has been spotted in the wild.

We tracked down a beta tester who gave us the skinny on its features.

From:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/26/digg-is-working-on-a-toolbar-to-go-after-stumbleupon-tinyurl-and-all-the-rest/

Thursday 26 February 2009

Search Term Stats Show Sad State of the Economy

You don't have to search hard to find signs of the economic downturn.

Just look at the newspaper, or your favorite website. But a new report on Americans' search behavior by market research firm comScore emphasizes the FUD of Americans during this recession.

Get the low-down here:
http://hothardware.com/News/Search-Term-Stats-Show-Sad-State-of-the-Economy

Programming ebook directory

Nice looking directory of Programming ebooks and software, with a rating for each one

Check it out here:
http://r.ecommended.com/directory/computing-and-internet/programming/

AMD Demos Upcoming Sixcore Istanbul Server Processor

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) today announced it recently completed live public demonstrations of its upcoming six-core 45nm AMD Opteron¢ processor, codenamed

Read the full story here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/google/20090225005335/en

Jobs Coming Back to Apple in June

An Apple investor asked the question every at the company's annual shareholder meeting wanted answered.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Jobs-Return-Addressed-at-Apple-Meeting.html

Apples Safari 4 UI Changes Hint at Plans for Snow Leopard

The new public beta release of Safari 4 reveals the deepest look yet at the future of Apple's software, hinting at what's in store for the closely guarded user interface revamp coming in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, as well as appropriating ideas from other browsers and adding some original flourishes, some of which go boldly and decisively past[..]

The full story is here:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/25/apples_safari_4_ui_changes_hint_at_plans_for_snow_leopard.html

Linux Top 50 Linux Alternatives To Popular M Apps

Linux is quickly gaining popularity, but there are still many users afraid to convert as they are not familiar with the applications.

Today our Linux guru Blair Mathis is back to introduce fifty of the most popular applications on this OS.

Link source:
http://jjmacey.net/blog/?p=179

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Web Design digital product directory

Nice looking directory of web design ebooks and software, with a rating for each one

Link:
http://r.ecommended.com/directory/business-to-business/web-design/

Ubuntu 904 and the new login screen

Today, a new updated appeared online that brings out a new login screen to Ubuntu 9.04

Get the low-down here:
http://www.clububuntu.com/2009/02/ubuntu-904-and-new-login-screen.html

Googles New DoGood Strategy Cutback In Disguise

Larry Brilliant is stepping down from Google.org to become chief philanthropic evangelist at Google.com;Megan Smith, the company's VP of new business development, will add Google.org to her portfolio.

Check it out here:
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/anya-kamenetz/green-day/googles-new-do-good-strategy-hubris-genius-or-cutback-disguise

Happy Birthday Steve Jobs

Happy Birthday! I hope this year will be the year you bring back your mustachio'ed look.

The ladies demand it.

Link source:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5159623/happy-birthday-steve-jobs

When Good Web Pages Go Bad

Some Web sites haven't been updated, and many developers still don't design their pages to modern standards and best practices.

A recent report showed that the average page on the Web strays from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) page markup specifications 47 times

Check it out here:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9127875&intsrc=hm_ts_head

AMD Phenom II X4 Sets 3DMark06 World Record

Team Finland strikes again setting the 3DMark06 World Record under Liquid Nitrogen cooling.

Check it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwkzY8a8aFs&fmt=22

Tuesday 24 February 2009

Shady Cablevision Scam Basic Service Requires Cable Box

Cablevision told Chris that his boss' 95-year-old uncle couldn't receive basic service without a cable box, "no matter what." Chris, who installs home theaters, knew that his uncle's cable-ready tv didn't require a cable box.

Pointing this out to Cablevision's customer service representative, however, was apparently "disrespectful."

Check it:
http://consumerist.com/5158096/cablevision-its-impossible-to-hook-up-basic-service-without-a-converter-box

DTV Converters Have Hidden Cams YouTube Hoax Fools Gullible

In a 90-second video that's popping up on tin-foil-hat sites everywhere, 28-year-old software engineer Adam Chronister is seen cracking open his government-subsidized Magnavox converter, and revealing to the world the tiny video camera and microphone hidden inside.

Read the full story here:
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/02/dtv-converters.html

Love and Romance ebook directory

Would seem to be a pretty comprehensive list of the Love and Romance ebooks out there, ordered by rating.

Check it:
http://r.ecommended.com/directory/society-and-culture/love-and-romance/

5 CSS3 Techniques For Major Browsers using the Power of jQue

Many exciting new functions and features are being thought up for CSS3: text-shadow, box-sizing, opacity, multiple backgrounds, border-radius, border-image, etc¦ CSS3 leads to greater flexibility and makes it much easier to recreate previously complex effects.

Not all current browsers support CSS3, but it is however possible to create equivalent

Link source:
http://www.noupe.com/jquery/5-css3-techniques-for-major-browsers-using-the-power-of-jquery.html

EBay Auction Tool Web Site Infected With Malware

A Trojan horse lurking on servers belonging to Auctiva, a Web site offering eBay auction tools, infected people's PCs last...

From:
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/160010/ebay_auction_tool_web_site_infected_with_malware.html

The 25 Most Valuable Blogs

Multiplying traffic and CPMs, 24/7 Wall Street came up with a list of the twenty-five most valuable blogs.

This year, 24/7 pegged Gawker Media to the top, figuring Nick Denton's collection of sites are worth $170 million at an 8x operating income valuation.

Read the full story here:
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-25-most-valuable-blogs-2009-2

Monday 23 February 2009

Norwegian Minister Wants to Legalize FileSharing

The trial of The Pirate Bay has not gone by unnoticed in Swedens neighbor country, Norway.

The IFPI has ordered the largest ISP in the country to block the site, while on the other hand Norways Minister of Education is critical of the music industry, and wants to legalize (illegal) file-sharing

The full story is here:
http://torrentfreak.com/norwegian-minister-wants-to-legalize-file-sharing-090222/

Sports Pick ebook directory

Nice directory of Sports Pick ebooks and software, with a rating for each one

Get the low-down here:
http://r.ecommended.com/directory/sports-and-recreation/sports-picks/

7 Ways to Make Your Laptop Battery Last Longer

While battery life is a chief cause of mobile moans, it's possible to get significant improvements by simple good practice and a few software tweaks.

To help you get the most from your laptop battery, here are seven easy ways to make it last longer.

From:
http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/7-ways-to-make-your-laptop-battery-last-longer-513756

Microsoft wants refund from some laid off employees

Software giant sends a letter to some of the 1,400 employees it laid off last month letting them know they were overcompensated and that it would like the money back.

Read this blog post by Steven Musil on Microsoft.

Check it out here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10169119-75.html?part=rss

Cool computer networking architecture graphic from 1988

Cool computer networking architecture graphic from 1988

Get the low-down here:
http://flickr.com/photos/inky/3294474863/sizes/l/

Smart tips and tricks to get the best from KDE 4

It doesn't matter if you're a new convert, an experienced user, or a potential switcher, you'll find something in the following pages that will make you feel a micron of pride of what open source can achieve.

By uncovering KDE's hidden options you can make a real difference to the way you work.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/smart-tips-and-tricks-to-get-the-best-from-kde-4-527497

Sunday 22 February 2009

Interesting collection of Resume manuals

Seems like a pretty comprehensive list of the Resume ebooks out there, ordered by rating.

Link:
http://r.ecommended.com/directory/money-and-employment/resume/

Researcher demonstrates SSL attack

A security researcher has demonstrated a way to hijack Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) sessions to intercept login data. Moxie Marlinspike, who spoke at the Black Hat security conference on Wednesday, explained how to subvert an SSL session by performing a man-in-the-middle attack.

The anarchist researcher explained in...

Read the full story here:
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-271389.html

Exclusive Windows 7 RC set for April 10 2009

There has been so many dates flying around concerning the upcoming Release Candidate for Windows 7, and it's beginning to become a daily subject in the blogosphere.

Just when you thought that we were going to see a Windows 7 RC by the end of February, a source within Microsoft has informed Neowin that the RC will not be ready by the end of F...

From:
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/02/20/exclusive-windows-7-rc-set-for-april-10th-2009

Another day another data breach

If you bought something at a Best Buy store in West Palm Beach, Florida, late last year, or stayed at a Wyndham hotel in Florida last summer or use a U.S. government travel Web site you might want to check your credit card statements closely.

Link source:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10168845-83.html

How To Hackintosh a Dell Mini 9 Into Ultimate OS X Netbook

I am typing on this on a 9-inch, 3G-equipped, almost-pocketable computer, running the best consumer OS money can currently buy.

It costs around $400. Do you want one too? Here's how to get yours.

Read the full story here:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5156903/how-to-hackintosh-a-dell-mini-9-into-the-ultimate-os-x-netbook

New notification work lands in Jaunty

Remember the sweet mockup? Well now it's in the alpha version of Ubuntu 9.04, "Jaunty Jackalope", for real.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/265

Saturday 21 February 2009

Adography Offers A Way To Cash In On Your Amateur Photos

Adography is essentially a marketplace where people can put their amateur photos up for sale, while businesses can put out requests for photos by creating so-called want-ads.

You can find an example of a listing here, which includes the image specifications, asking price, and more. The service is free for people who upload their photos.......

Check it out here:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/20/adography-offers-a-way-to-cash-in-on-your-amateur-photos/

Interesting collection of Home Improvement ebooks

Nice directory of Home Improvement ebooks and software, with a rating for each one

Source:
http://r.ecommended.com/directory/home-and-family/home-improvement/

Why I hate Facebook

The social networking wunderkind may be cool.

But enough already! How's it ever going to make money...especially in a recession?

Check it out here:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/20/markets/thebuzz/?postversion=2009022012

Washington Times releases open source projects

The Washington Times has always focused on content.

After careful review, we determined that the best way to have the top tools to produce and publish that content is to release the source code of our in-house tools and encourage collaboration.

Check it out here:
http://opensource.washingtontimes.com/blog/post/coordt/2009/02/washington-times-releases-open-source-projects/

Whats that Snow Leopard doing on Microsofts Live Search

Sure it could be a silly coincidence or some friendly taunting.

But what if it were a harbinger of some sort of deal.

Check it out here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10168102-56.html

Windows 7 Beta Users to Get Updates That Arent Updates

Are you using the Windows 7 beta? Are you anxiously awaiting updates that may advance its capabilities? Are you hoping, perhaps, that Microsoft will make it easy on you by turning your beta copy into a release candidate via Windows Update? Well, starting next week, Windows 7 users will start getting updates, all right.

But don't get too excited.

Source:
http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/archives/2009/02/windows_7_beta_users_to_get_updates_that_aren_1.html

Friday 20 February 2009

Pirate Bay Crew Chums Up to Foes Over Lunch

The third day of The Pirate Bay trial began in a packed courtroom, and ended with both sides meeting each other at an Italian restaurant by chance.

Read the full story here:
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/02/pirate_wednesda.html

Magic ebook directory

Would seem to be a pretty comprehensive list of the Magic ebooks out there, ordered by rating.

Source:
http://r.ecommended.com/directory/fun-and-entertainment/magic/

2009 piracy watchlist names usual suspectsincluding Canada

A content-industry group issues its wish list for countries that need US encouragement to crack down on piracy"replete with the usual array of dubious statistics for domestic IP losses.

Get the low-down here:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/02/2009-piracy-watchlist-names-usual-suspectsincluding-canada.ars

The 32 Totally Essential and Free Apps for Every New PC

You have to admit, Windows is a pretty barebones operating system, feature-wise.

After a fresh install of XP or Vista (perhaps following a Clean Start), you're faced with a barren Start Menu and an empty desktop that's beaming with limitless potential.

Check it out here:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/maximum_pcs_32_totally_essential_apps

Robot helps stroke victims to grasp objects

A hand-holding robot can help partially-paralysed stroke patients regain their ability to grasp and pick up objects, according to a new study. The therapy uses a computer-driven robot, which has a metal 'hand' that wraps around and opens and closes the patient's fingers.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1149562/Robot-helps-stroke-victims-grasp-objects.html

Pirate Bay we dont know nothin about org charts contracts

Two of The Pirate Bay defendants took the stand today in Sweden, saying that they don't read contracts they sign, don't write speeches they read, and don't really have a "top-down" organization.

But prosecutors say that it's all a sophisticated money-making operation.

Get the low-down here:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/02/pirate-bay-we-dont-know-nothin-about-org-charts-contracts.ars

Thursday 19 February 2009

Stephen Fry Twitters For New Zealand Internet Freedom

British actor Stephen Fry has given a global highlight to a protest against a contentious New Zealand internet law due to come into effect next week.

Fry used the international and increasingly powerful Twitter social network to attack the New Zealand law and support the Internet BlackOut protest.

Link:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4851675a28.html

How Many Linux Users Are There Really

Everyday FUD says that Linux market share is below 1%.

We know this is incorrect, and it ignores different market segments such as mainframe, cluster, desktop, intranet server, embedded, and so forth. So how many Linux users are there? Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols attempts to take a headcount, and comes up with some surprising results.

Check it out here:
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reports/6671/1/

Theres Nothing My iPhone Cant Do

Dammit!

Read the full story here:
http://www.brightlywound.com/c126.shtml

Pirate Bay floats safe harbor claim owns Big Content on PR

As The Pirate Bay trial wraps up its third day, the defendants claim that they should have a "safe harbor" from all the alleged infringement in the case, since it was all initiated by users.

The Bay, they claim, is just like Google or YouTube, and its admins are schooling the opposition in PR and tactics.

Read the full story here:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/02/pirate-bay-owns-big-content-on-pr-floats-safe-harbor-claim.ars

40 Adobe After Effects Best of Tutorials Resources

Whether you want to learn how to create vibrant motion graphics, breathtaking special effects or cinematic footage, today we got it all.

In this post, we want to showcase some of the best After Effects tutorials around to make your message stand out. You will find After Effects tricks and techniques for all users from beginners to experts.

Check it out here:
http://www.noupe.com/adobe/40-adobe-after-effects-best-of-tutorials-resources.html

Wednesday 18 February 2009

Use Your iPhone as a Wireless Laptop Modem

The next time you%u2019re stranded without an open WiFi network (but your 3G signal is going strong), you%u2019ll be glad you installed Addition%u2019s iPhoneModem 2 (free to try, full license is $9.99).

Get the low-down here:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/159627/howto_use_your_iphone_as_a_wireless_laptop_modem.html

Ubuntu partners with HP on Servers

For the first time, HP will soon be supporting Ubuntu Linux on one of its server lines.

Get the low-down here:
http://blogs.computerworld.com/ubuntu_partners_with_hp_on_servers

The Worlds Oldest Emoticons From 1881

Emoticons printed in 1881 in the U.S. magazine Puck.

Get the low-down here:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Emoticons_Puck_1881_with_Text.png

Apple Nixes Potentially Offensive South Park App

Apple has made it clear that South Park must respect its authority.

From:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10165736-37.html

OpenSUSE 111 Takes On Ubuntu Fedora

Novell's OpenSUSE, one of the Linux world's most prominent distributions, hit Version 11.1 late in 2008, sporting a renewed focus on community involvement.

Source:
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/openSUSE-111-Takes-On-Ubuntu-Fedora/?kc=EWKNLLIN02172009STR1

Tuesday 17 February 2009

MS and Red Hat team up on patentfree interoperability

For years Microsoft has insisted that open-source vendors acknowledge its patent portfolio has a precursor to interoperability discussions.

Today, Microsoft shed that charade and announced an interoperability alliance with Red Hat for virtualization.

Check it:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10164907-16.html

Casinos on alert for card counters using iPhones

Nevada gaming authorities are warning casinos to be on the lookout for blackjack card counters getting an assist from their iPhones.

While card counting itself is not banned in Nevada, the use of an assistive technology is a felony (!), and apps like Card Counter or A Blackjack Card Counter make it much easier for the math-impaired.

Check it:
http://www.tuaw.com/2009/02/16/theres-an-app-for-that-casinos-on-alert-for-card-counters-usin/

10 Beautiful Apple iPhone Concept Designs

While the world is waiting for the announcement of the next generation Apple iPhone, we decided to showcase our favorite iPhone concept designs.

Enjoy!

Source:
http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/02/15/10-beautiful-apple-iphone-concepts/

Despite Its Age The Internet is Still Filled with Problems

Vint Cerf, Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist for Google and widely recognized as one of the "Fathers of the Internet" last week said that the issues facing the Internet today are as complex as they were pre-Internet.

The full story is here:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/vint_cerf_despite_its_age_the.php

How Not To Make A Commercial Linux Distribution

If you are going to make a commercial Linux distribution please by all means do not make it look like or name after every proprietary OS clich out there and against everything which Linux and free software stands for.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.linuxhaxor.net/2009/02/16/how-not-to-make-a-commercial-linux-distribution/

Monday 16 February 2009

How Search Engines Are Getting Smarter

The world of search is changing, and changing fast.

The days of people typing a couple of words into a search box and hoping for the best are numbered.

Read the full story here:
http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/beyond-the-10-blue-links-how-search-engines-are-getting-smarter-507228

Hacker Obamas spyproof blackberry can be breached

While U.S.

President Barack Obama's blackberry has been claimed to be a spy-proof device, the world's most famous hacker Kevin Mitnick says that it can still be breached. He said that Obama's super-secure BlackBerry only makes cracking into it more challenging, but it can still be done.

Link:
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-93195.html

Do We Need a New Internet NYTimescom

Security and privacy have become so compromised that many experts believe it is time to start over.

From:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/weekinreview/15markoff.html

Not Among Friends The Dangers of Social Networks

For many people, social networking has become as much of a daily routine as brewing coffee and brushing teeth.

IT administrators dislike it and cyber crooks depend on it.

Check it out here:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/159560/social_network_hazards.html

A Computer Repair Utility Kit You Can Run From a Thumb Drive

Technibble, the Australian site for aspiring computer techies, recently released the second version of its popular Computer Repair Utility Kit, a collection of 57 hand picked tools to help you diagnose and repair your Windows machine.

Check it:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/a_computer_repair_utility_kit.php

Sunday 15 February 2009

Google 1234567890 Day Logo

Google - 1234567890 Day Logo

The full story is here:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2qi76kp.jpg

What Programming Language Should I Learn

There is no silver bullet when it comes to programming languages.

On the other hand, there are some languages which are better suited or more widely used. I came up with a list. Includes the major programming languages and why you'd want to learn them.

Link:
http://regulargeek.com/2009/02/11/what-programming-language-should-i-learn/

Dont be fooled by Googles phony beta label

What are we to make of Google's "beta" products and "experimental" features? Gmail has been in "beta" for five years! And Gmail has more than 35 so-called "experimental" features.

They're attracting users, beating competition and helping Google make billions of dollars. See Google's use of these terms for what it really is: a marketing gimmick.

The full story is here:
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9127985&intsrc=hm_list

Lego Star Wars Spaceship Carries More Than 100 Minifigs

A guy by the nickname of roholbro has spent a kajillion hours and bricks completing this huge reproduction of an Star Wars' Separatist Landing Craft, which can hold a whooping one hundred minifigs.

One. Hundred.

The full story is here:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5152968/lego-star-wars-spaceship-bigger-than-my-sofa-can-probably-invade-earth

The Downfall of Plasma

Tech historians may point to February 12, 2009 as the official fall of the plasma empire.

Thats the day that Pioneer"arguable the maker of the best plasmas ever"announced its complete exit from the TV business and that Vizio"the number-three plasma retailer in the US"gave up on the tech in favor of LCD.

From:
http://www.popsci.com/entertainment-amp-gaming/article/2009-02/plasma-going-way-romans

Saturday 14 February 2009

10 Ways Microsofts Retail Stores Will Differ From Apples

Here are some whimsical predictions for Microsoft's retail store it announced it would open soon.

Check it out here:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/159521/10_ways_microsofts_retail_stores_will_differ_from_apple_stores.html

Tiny GPS receiver will make everything location aware

Epson's Infineon XPOSYS chip, its next generation Assisted-GPS device set for mass production in late 2009.

The chip measures just 2.8 x 2.9-mm making it 25% smaller than other A-GPS chips on the market.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/12/epsons-tiny-gps-receiver-will-make-everything-location-aware/

Wine 1115 Released

* Gecko engine update. * Better region support in GdiPlus. * Support for cross-compilation in winegcc. * Beginnings of MS Text Framework support. * Many fixes to the regression tests on Windows. * Various bug fixes.

Link:
http://winehq.org/news/2009021301

Apple Stores being revamped with new layout table displays

Apple is making a number of changes to Apple Stores across the country, starting with the iPhone and iPod touch tables to focus on several categories of applications.

The company is also supposedly planning a whole new layout for Apple Stores that will focus more on "digital lifestyle."

Link:
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/02/apple-stores-being-revamped-with-new-layout-table-displays.ars

Friday 13 February 2009

Sources Windows 7 moving toward 2009 release

Program offering free or low-cost upgrades from Vista could kick off in July, sources say.

While it won't say so publicly, Microsoft is pushing to have PCs with the new OS for the holidays.

Check it out here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10162609-56.html

Paid Downloads are Coming to YouTube

Alex Chitu spotted a new 'purchases' section in his YouTube account today and YouTube just made it official: YouTube's partners can now offer their videos for paid downloads.

While Google has always given its partners the option to offer downloads of their videos under the Creative Commons

From:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/paid_downloads_are_coming_to_youtube.php

67 Computers Missing From Nuclear Weapons Lab

WASHINGTON " The Los Alamos nuclear weapons laboratory in New Mexico is missing 67 computers, including 13 that were lost or stolen in the past year.

Officials say no classified information has been lost. The watchdog group Project on Government Oversight on Wednesday released a memo dated Feb. 3 from the Energy Department's National Nuclear....

Link:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090212/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/los_alamos_computers;_ylt=AibXZ3__R6RQlKWcx_V2.Aqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJmdW8wMTcyBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwMjEyL2xvc19hbGFtb3NfY29tcHV0ZXJzBHBvcwMxNQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawM2N2N

Japans Pioneer to cut 10000 jobs globally

Japanese electronics company Pioneer Corp. said Thursday it will cut 10,000 jobs globally to cope with sinking sales of car audio equipment and flat-screen TVs.

It also said it will withdraw from its money-losing plasma display business.

Get the low-down here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090212/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_pioneer

Demo of toy blocks that think and talk to each other TED

These are cookie-sized, computerized tiles called Siftables that you can stack and shuffle in your hands.

But they can do math, play music, and react to each other. Is this the dawn of spatially-aware computing? MIT student David Merrill got a great reaction from the crowd in this short demo.

Check it out here:
http://www.ted.com/talks/david_merrill_demos_siftables_the_smart_blocks.html

Thursday 12 February 2009

Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter coming soon

Owners of the Mini DisplayPort-equipped line of Apple notebooks who want an easier way to output video to their TV or other HDMI devices will soon have an option.

Link source:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/11/mini_displayport_to_hdmi_adapter_coming_soon.html

Pirate Bay Trial Audio Will Be Streamed Online

Following calls from the crew of The Pirate Bay earlier this week, it has been confirmed that the audio of the upcoming trial will be streamed live on the Internet.

Swedish public broadcaster SVT will be in charge of the operation, set to begin next Monday.

Read the full story here:
http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-trial-audio-will-be-streamed-online-090211/

How Googles PowerMeter Will Affect the Smart Meter Industry

Google, with its billions in annual revenue and its constant noise about open standards and free access to information, is hard to ignore when it crashes into an unsuspecting industry.

As cell phone companies, publishers, advertisers and software makers have all seen over the years.

Link source:
http://www.salon.com/tech/giga_om/clean_tech/2009/02/11/how_googles_powermeter_will_affect_the_smart_meter_industry/index.html?source=rss

Linux Firefox Version 31 Beta 3 is in Tests Version 32

It may not be perfectly stable yet, but if you've been following along with the beta releases of Mozilla's Firefox 3.1 browser, you can now get and test the candidate for Beta 3, as described here.

Mozilla is calling for a Test Week for this latest version. Beta 3 was scheduled to be out on February 2nd, but bug fixes were required.

Link source:
http://ostatic.com/blog/firefox-version-3-1-beta-3-is-in-tests-what-about-version-3-2

New Tweetdeck Out Tomorrow Heres What It Will Include

We got our hands on the new version of popular Twitter desktop app Tweetdeck that will be delivered to all users tomorrow and we're pretty excited about what's been added. If you've never used Tweetdeck, it's the most powerful application available for sending and receiving Twitter messages.

It's about to become even more awesome.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/new_tweetdeck_out_tomorrow.php

Wednesday 11 February 2009

Firm reiterates claims of entrylevel iPhone this spring

Although Apple has downplayed the possibility of a stripped-down iPhone, the Royal Bank of Canada is reiterating claims this week that the company is gearing up to announce two new versions of its touch-screen handset, including an entry-level model that lacks both 3G connectivity and an unlimited data plan.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/10/firm_reiterates_claims_of_entry_level_iphone_this_spring.html

Ereader Battle Royale Kindle 2 vs all the rest

The Amazon Kindle 2 bursts onto the scene with impressive new features, but it's not alone.

There are already plenty of e-readers on the market " and even more coming " each with its own abilities, shape and pricing. So how does the new Kindle stack up (ouch!) against its peers?

Read the full story here:
http://dvice.com/archives/2009/02/product_compari.php

aXXo Issues AntiPiracy Warning

Some say he can encode a stack of DVDs in seconds using only his teeth, and that he can command an army of millions with just one NFO.

All that we know is hes called aXXo and he/she/they have some security advice for the worshippers.

Link:
http://torrentfreak.com/axxo-issues-anti-piracy-warning-090210/

Apple conducts survey about Apple TV asks users for input

Apple is conducting an online survey of Apple TV users in order to better understand that particular group segment users.

Check it out here:
http://www.edibleapple.com/apple-conducts-survey-about-apple-tv-asks-users-for-input/

Sirius XM to file for bankruptcy end is near for satellite

The harsh reality is that satellite radio will be dead and gone before you know it, never to return.

The reason is that putting things into orbit in order to download them from space will never be a cost-effective way to get MP3 files into a car.

The full story is here:
http://blogs.computerworld.com/satelite_radio_the_end_is_near_0

Tuesday 10 February 2009

Mac clone maker wins legal round against Apple

Psystar can argue Apple abused copyright laws, judge rules

Check it:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9127579

Ballmer We cannot let intel do chip design on Linux ever

Insight into Microsoft's fight against Intel's GNU/Linux on the desktop

Check it out here:
http://boycottnovell.com/2009/02/09/ms-vs-intel-linux-on-desktop/

The iPhone Becomes a Web Server

When those Apple advertisements tout "there's an app for just about anything," they aren't kidding.

The latest example? A new iPhone application which just debuted in Japan's App Store transforms the handheld into a full-blown web server. The application allows your iPhone to appear just like any other web server on the web.

Link:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_iphone_becomes_a_web_server.php

Oregon Trail coming to the iPhone

Get your immune system ready.

Dysentery will be on the rise soon.

Source:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/02/oregon-trail-ip.html

Apple updates iPhone with MicroCell files

A recent carrier update delivered to U.S. iPhone users through iTunes contains two small files for use with AT&T's future MicroCell signal-patching device.

The update to the iPhone's carrier settings arrives on the heels of AppleInsider's report on AT&T's 3G solution to patch iPhone dead zones just last week.

Link:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/09/apple_updates_iphone_with_microcell_files.html

Monday 9 February 2009

How Microsoft Fights GNULinux Apple Others

Internal Microsoft presentation reveals many of the company's dirty -- if not illegal -- tricks

Read the full story here:
http://boycottnovell.com/2009/02/08/microsoft-evilness-galore/

Someone is Leaking Our Torrents BURN HIM

The entertainment industry is furious about its treatment at the hands of pirates.

Last year, even the creator of iPhone cracking-app Crackulous got pretty annoyed when his work leaked. But its not just content creators that get angry at pirates - and this is where it starts to get a little confusing.

Link source:
http://torrentfreak.com/someone-is-leaking-our-torrents-burn-him-090208/

IBM to workers offshore yourself

Some of the workers being let go by IBM have a chance to remain with the company " if they're willing to move to Brazil, India, China or a dozen other low-wage countries.

But the expatriate employees would likely be paid local wages as they begin their new lives overseas.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9127550

How Hackers Make Innovation Inevitable

Pablos Holman is a futurist, IT security expert, and notorious hacker with a unique view into both breaking and building new technologies.

Link source:
http://fora.tv/2007/09/27/Implementing_Science_Fiction#Motivations_Behind_Computer_Hacking

Torrent Site Franchise Eliminated by BREIN

The Dutch anti-piracy outfit BREIN has managed to take another 19 torrent sites down, all of them operated by the same person.

Last December, the 45 year old man behind the so-called torrent site franchise was already forced to close 75 of his other sites.

Check it out here:
http://torrentfreak.com/torrent-site-franchise-eliminated-by-brein-090207/

Sunday 8 February 2009

Here comes the ebook revolution

I believe that cell phones will quickly outpace the dedicated e-book readers, including the Kindle, as the platform of choice for e-book readers.

Leading the pack? The iPhone, ironically.

From:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9127538

Ten Gmail Labs Features You Should Enable

Gmail has been slowly but surely rolling out cool new features ever since they started Gmail Labs.

If you haven't taken advantage of the fruits of Labs, here's a look at 10 Labs features you should enable.

Source:
http://lifehacker.com/5145605/ten-gmail-labs-features-you-should-enable

Amazing BlackBerry Ice Sculpture [PIC]

Who says Canada sucks for gadgets? Ottawa's Winterlude festival includes this huge icy BlackBerry, showing hometown hero RIM's contribution to the gadget world.

Check it out here:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5148755/nationalistic-canadians-sculpt-giant-blackberry-out-of-ice

Demographic breakdown of Social Media Sites by sex and age

An interesting look at the users of Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, and MySpace broken down by sex and age.

Check it:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHijdbwEoCTobAe663__gEam0ZhTPkq9akfBjMbvBJNdyqEOcvPel-bdpBy3fgqGgtY4fyjJNqUgpNw44UtUEc_3ISP9mLw5qrkn9y14QSntWdqYft6L9bcgS7USnc0V5yb_3LbmOVRWJ/s1600-h/matrix-social_media_examples.jpg

Use Tech to Reboot Your Relationship That Was Ruined by Tech

With everything related to romance taking on a techie spin -- dating, mating, cheating, deleting -- it makes sense to try to find the wired (and occasionally weird) angle to the ethereal.

Here are a few ways to add a little high-tech sweetener to reboot your romantic life. You can even do some without breaking the bank.

From:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/02/valentines-day.html

Saturday 7 February 2009

Cap mania spreads to Charter 100GBmonth for 15Mbps tier

Add another ISP to the growing list of US telcos that are capping monthly usage. Those on the lower service tiers face caps once they exceed 100GB of aggregate downloads.

The full story is here:
http://arstechnica.com/telecom/news/2009/02/charter-modifies-acceptable-use-policy-to-add-caps.ars

Tech Giants Propose White Space Plan for Old TV Spectrum

A collection of companies including Microsoft, Google and Motorola are teaming up for a new white space wireless network plan. The White Spaces Database Group, as it will be known, plans on formulating a plan to create, govern and maintain a wireless broadband network on the abandoned analogue television spectrum.

From:
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/95684,technology-giants-propose-white-space-plan.aspx

The Move To Linux Stymied By Hardware

With news today of Windows 7 being made available in no less than six different versions, it is getting harder and harder to not move lock, stock, and PGP key to Linux on a full time basis.

Except¦ For decades, I have listened to my father gripe about the computer industry and their inability to standardize on hardware.

The full story is here:
http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/move-linux-stymied-hardware

Briefly Apple growth 9year old iPhone dev WebKit update

Apple's prospects for present and future growth land it on a Top 25 list, an iPhone app for kids authored by a 9-year old is gaining popularity on the App Store, and new animations could eventually make their way into Safari in this roundup of recent news.

Read the full story here:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/06/briefly_apple_growth_9_year_old_iphone_dev_webkit_update.html

Protect your Privacy How to Send Encrypted Emails in Linux

While no one may have a real reason to spy on you, relying solely on security through obscurity has always been a poor policy to live by.

Because of this, encryption is the only real option you can trust. We teach you how to put your emails in a lockbox before sending them off to their destinations.

Check it:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/protect_your_privary_how_send_encrypted_emails_with_linux

Friday 6 February 2009

TED on porn malaria and robots

Porn as education, robots at war, and retired Microsoft boss Bill Gates' mosquito release were just some of the highlights at the TED conference.

From:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=35431

Rumor Apple planning TV with iTunes and DVR integration

In a recent note issued to clients, Apple analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray predicts that Apple will eventually come out with an Apple-branded television set with DVR functionality, and the ability to stream content directly from iTunes.

Could he be onto something?

Link:
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/38266

LeapFrog launches BlackBerry for children

The colourful device from LeapFrog has a large LCD screen and full Qwerty keyboard, just like a BlackBerry, as well as a built-in calendar to help children learn the months of the year.

Source:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/technologynews/4513936/LeapFrog-launches-BlackBerry-for-children.html

VOD to overtake Bluray by 2017

A new study suggests it may take a further eight years for Video on Demand services to become the dominant media provider.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.techradar.com/news/video/blu-ray/vod-to-overtake-blu-ray-by-2017-524723

Data breach incidents are increasing study shows

Armed with data from several years of surveys, I think it is safe to assume that things are getting worse, not better.

Sensitive data continues to flow throughout the enterprise, ending up in e-mails and IMs, laptops, and thumb drives, and into the hands of malicious or careless employees--an uphill battle indeed.

Link:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10157069-83.html

Thursday 5 February 2009

The RapidFire Way To Clearer iPhone Pictures 4 Megapixel

This iPhone app takes six pictures in rapid succession, automatically picks the sharpest of the six, then -- using that sharpest shot as a baseline -- merges the frames together to generate a super-resolved 4 megapixel image.

The full story is here:
http://www.ismashphone.com/2009/02/clearcam-is-the-rapidfire-way-to-clearer-iphone-pictures.html

100TB of imagery added to Virtual Earth during Jan 2009

Throughout January 2009, Microsoft added about 100TB worth of imagery to Virtual Earth.

Details on which countries were affected are inside.

The full story is here:
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/02/100tb-of-imagery-added-to-virtual-earth-during-january-2008.ars

The days of Facebooks explosive growth are over

It came from nowhere and spread like a virus.

Suddenly everybody we knew was on it - telling us what they'd been up to, uploading photos, sending flirtatious messages and logging on as if the site were crack and they were addicts.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/web/has-facebook-jumped-the-shark--518163

Why I Dont Use TweetDeck PIC

Why I Don't Use TweetDeck (PIC)

Link:
http://sulleh.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/capture-thumb.png

The Pirate Bay Maps Out its Tracker Connections

The Pirate Bay has just released a Google powered map of the tracker connections per country.

The map is only the start of a much larger project that will cover more detailed statistics on the trackers users. However, it already reveals some interesting data.

Link:
http://torrentfreak.com/the-pirate-bay-maps-out-its-tracker-connections-090204/

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Google Executives Face Jail Time for Italian Video

Four executives of Google begin trial Tuesday in Milan on criminal charges of defamation and privacy violation in regard to a video posted on Googles Italian site.

The case involves a three-minute cellphone video, posted in 2006 to Google Video, in which four youths in Turin tease a boy with Down syndrome.

Check it:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/google-executives-face-jail-time-for-italian-video/

NVIDIAs Ion For Netbooks HTPCs Full Performance Coverage

Ion is a combination of NVIDIA's GeForce 9400M integrated chipset for the Intel platform and includes support for both Intel Core 2 and low power Atom processor technology.

Today, NVIDIA has unveiled detailed performance results for the Ion platform and it offers a much needed multimedia performance boost over existing Intel Atom based designs.

Source:
http://hothardware.com/Articles/NVIDIA-Ion-Reference-PC-Platform-Performance-Deep-Dive-

Mastering WordPress Shortcodes

Introduced in WordPress 2.5, shortcodes are powerful but still yet quite unknown WordPress functions.

Imagine you could just type adsense to display an AdSense ad or post_count to instantly find out the number of posts on your blog.

From:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/02/02/mastering-wordpress-shortcodes/

Apple sued four times in two weeks over iPhone 3G speeds

Related AppleInsider articles: * Apple, AT&T slapped with yet another iPhone 3G... * Apple sued over 'broken promises' regarding... * Apple argues only a fool would believe its... * Apple sued over hairline cracks in iPhone 3G... * Apple, AT&T sued for over-saturating 3G...

Apple and AT&T are facing two more cookie-cutter lawsuits over what custome

Get the low-down here:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/03/apple_sued_four_times_in_two_weeks_over_iphone_3g_speeds.html

Disk Encryption Standards Could Muddy Data Recovery

So all disks in the future will be fully encrypted - great.

So what happens if you lose your password or damage your drive?

Check it:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=storage&articleId=9127178&taxonomyId=19&intsrc=kc_top

Tuesday 3 February 2009

Windows 7 less annoying but also less secure

With Windows Vista, the operating system popped up a warning any time a major change was being made to the system, whether by the OS or by a third-party application.

With Windows 7, users can choose how often to be notified, with the current default set to notify only when a third-party application is making a change.

From:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10153817-56.html?tag=rtcol;pop

Google Ocean will let users explore shipwrecks and reefs

Google users will soon be able to explore the oceans from the comfort of their living room, thanks to an upgrade to their popular Google Earth software.

Get the low-down here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1133882/Google-Ocean-let-users-explore-shipwrecks-reefs-deep-blue-sea.html

Linus Torvalds on Distrowatch

Linus: I think multiple distributions aren't just a good thing, I think it's something absolutely required! We have hundreds of distros, and a lot of them are really for niche markets.

And you need that - simply because different markets simply have different requirements, and no single distro will take care of them all.

Check it out here:
http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20090202#feature

IE slips further as Firefox Safari Chrome gain

Internet Explorer now has 67.55 percent of global browser market share, a drop of over seven percentage points in a year, according to figures from Web metrics company Net Applications, released Monday.

Mozilla's Firefox browser, meanwhile, has gained market share in the same time frame, climbing over three percentage points to 21.53 percent.

Source:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10154447-93.html

Intel use our CPU not their GPU for game coding

The chipmaker will attempt to promote its processors for sophisticated game effects at the upcoming Game Developer's Conference in March.

Get the low-down here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10153373-64.html