Google acquires 3D desktop BumpTop
Google has acquired Bump Technologies, the maker of a 3D desktop called BumpTop.
Read MoreMay 3, 2010 | 0 |
Google has acquired Bump Technologies, the maker of a 3D desktop called BumpTop.
Read MoreMay 2, 2010 | 0 |
In an article this morning speaking about what Internet Explorer 9 will, and will not, support, DownloadSquad tells also of how Microsoft will gain tremendously by backing the H.264 codec. Instead of it being some Apple-Microsoft gentleman’s agreement to screw Adobe, it is instead a possible bow to inevitability by Apple, and a nod that Microsoft wishes to be in the driver’s seat on things; or at the very least, a backseat driver with long arms just in case. Also pondered is whether H.264 or HTML5 will dominate. In my way of thinking, the world will not unite suddenly, and both of these standards, as well as current ones. will all be part of the web. Because that is how it will be, I see Internet Explorer 9 becoming more of a niche browser, and losing all that Microsoft fought so unfairly to win back in the ‘90s. I realize how that sounds. But so many people only use IE today because they have to, or don’t know any better. That is changing over time, as more and more use something else through the simple emulation of others they see. With the EU browser screen, fewer PCs will have IE as a real working browser on the machine, and the effect will snowball, eventually making IE a browser of last resort. But let’s see exactly what DownloadSquad has said...
Read MoreApr 28, 2010 | 0 |
A long time ago in a magical land faraway, Facebook and other budding social networks were simple. You shared your interests and information with a small network of chosen friends and everyone was to live happily ever after. Facebook’s privacy policy was promising that “No personal information that you submit to Facebook will be available to any user of the Web Site who does not belong to at least one of the groups specified by you in your privacy settings.” But now we live in a world where everyone can know your business and get into your once enchanted life...
Read MoreApr 28, 2010 | 0 |
At the National Academy of Sciences , President Barack Obama announced the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). Now this might seem like a revolutionary plan but in all actuality, PCAST has been around in various forms since The Franklin Roosevelt era and has been revamped by almost every President since. Basically, President Obama scrapped the George W. Bush-era PCAST which was established in 2001 by Executive Order 13226 with his own Administration’s version. Their are notable changes between Bush’s PCAST and Obama’s. This new order stipulates two co-chairs instead of one, and drops the number of members from...
Read MoreApr 27, 2010 | 0 |
California police have taken six computers and other items from the house of Jason Chen, in Fremont California, SanMateo County. Chen is an editor of the Gizmodo blog.The search was conducted under a search warrant issued on the basis that Chen’s apartment “was used as a means of committing a felony”. Chen appeared on a video on the site showing off a lost Apple iPhone prototype which, it transpired, had been bought from a middleman for about $5,000. See our article Gizmodo Pays $5,000 for an iPhone posted a week ago, on April 20,2010. The search was carried out...
Read MoreApr 27, 2010 | 0 |
New York Senator Charles Schumer wants the Federal Trade Commission to deal more aggressively with the question of social-network privacy. Schumer issued a press release announcing that he wants regulators to look into of social-networking privacy disclosures and “ensure they are not misleading or fail to fully disclose the extent to which they share information…(and) provide guidelines for use of private information and prohibit access without user permission.” Schumer’s decision came less than a week after Facebook announced its so-called “Open Graph,” which would create more solidified links between social-networking sites. Facebook also introduced a personalization feature to let users of its service share personal profile information with companies who would ad a link button to facebook on their sites allowing facebook users preferences to be shared more globally. Noting that “hundreds of millions of people use social-networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter every day,” Schumer said that safeguards should exist that afford users control over their personal information and block against unwanted solicitations. He also said they should incorporate “easy-to-understand disclosures” about how information they submit gets shared on the services. Facebook was apparently caught off guard. “We were surprised by Senator Schumer’s comments and look forward to sitting down with him and his staff to clarify,” a spokesman said in an e-mail statement. Facebook maintained that none of the announced changes would reduce user control over their...
Read MoreApr 27, 2010 | 0 |
Research in Motion has announced two new BlackBerry devices today, the BlackBerry Bold 9650 and the BlackBerry Pearl 3G at the company’s Wireless Enterprise Symposium (WES). Both of these phones have significant upgrades. The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is the much improved successor of the troubled BlackBerry Tour. The BlackBerry Bold 9650 features a 480×360 non-touch display, 3.2-megapixel camera with flash, autofocus, and image stabilization, optical trackpad, BlackBerry OS 5.0 (probably upgradeable to OS 6.0), 802.11b/g, WiFi, GPS, QWERTY keyboard, 512MB flash memory upgradeable to 32GB via microSD card, 3,5mm headset jack, Bluetooth, and BlackBerry App World support. This phone will become available as of May 23rd for the usual price of $199.99, but only after slapping down the $100 MIR and the two-year agreement with Sprint. Verizon should also have this phone soon. he BlackBerry Pearl 3G is an update to the immensely popular BlackBerry Pearl series, which combines BlackBerry functionality with a more typical smart phoney-candy bar design. The new phone adds speed, more device memory (256MB), 3G support, GPS and an optical trackpad. The phone includes support for Wi-Fi 802.11.b/g/n networks and has a higher resolution 360×400 screen. The Pearl has always been marketed as a starter BlackBerry, or a BlackBerry for the non-business user. This is in part because the smaller size compresses the QWERTY keypad. The BlackBerry Pearl 3G will be available in two models with different key layouts. The BlackBerry Pearl 9100 has...
Read MoreApr 20, 2010 | 0 |
And apparently it was well worth the price as this ain’t just any old iPhone.
Read MoreApr 18, 2010 | 0 |
One month after long-time Ning CEO Gina Bianchini was replaced by COO Jason Rosenthal, the company is making some major changes: It has just announced that it is killing off its free product, forcing existing free networks to either make the change to premium accounts or migrate their networks elsewhere. Rosenthal has also just announced that the company has cut nearly 70 people — over 40% of its staff. Here’s the email Rosenthal just sent out to the company: Team, When I became CEO 30 days ago, I told you I would take a hard look at our business. This process has brought real clarity to what’s working, what’s not, and what we need to do now to make Ning a big success. My main conclusion is that we need to double down on our premium services business. Our Premium Ning Networks like Friends or Enemies, Linkin Park, Shred or Die, Pickens Plan, and tens of thousands of others both drive 75% of our monthly US traffic, and those Network Creators need and will pay for many more services and features from us. So, we are going to change our strategy to devote 100% of our resources to building the winning product to capture this big opportunity. We will phase out our free service. Existing free networks will have the opportunity to either convert to paying for premium services,...
Read MoreApr 17, 2010 | 0 |
The process of sending incorrect information across voice communications services in the United States was made illegal on Wednesday, as the House of Representatives passed the bill that was before it on the matter. The one exception to the practice (there is always one!) is that law enforcement agencies can still do it. The bill includes all forms of voice contact, including VoIP, which means no escape for those using Magic Jack, or any similar service. Sorry, kids. Though the bill is not quite law, because the President must sign it; there is no indication that he has any reason not to sign. Callers will be banned from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information on any voice communications services, including VoIP. It does not ban you from blocking your own information when making calls (as with *67), but you can’t use technology that would display a different phone number or name on someone else’s phone. The Federal Communications Commission will have to implement the law within six months of the president signing it. The bill already passed the Senate in February. There is an exception for law enforcement or intelligence agencies conducting investigations. Of course, just because something is illegal does not mean that it won’t continue to happen, and when it does, how will you know how to track it, or inform the authorities, so they...
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