April 20, 1926: Silent Film Takes Another Step Toward Oblivion
The Vitaphone process helps modernize the movies. This Day in Tech compiled by Tony Long.
Order or Disorder
Cult of the Amateur? Keen v. Weinberger, Amy Gahran, Poynter Online (July 18) Are amateurs writing on the Web choking out expertise and considered opinion? Andrew Keen author of The Cult of the Amateur thinks so, but David Weinberger thinks... (Read on Source)
Google Pack bundles Sun StarOffice
(InfoWorld) - Google Pack, Google's software download package, has added Sun's office suite, StarOffice 8, to its offerings. StarOffice, which Sun normally sells for $70, is free through Google Pack.
StarOffice is Sun's answer to Microsoft Office. In 2000, Sun released StarOffice's source code, which is the underpinning of OpenOffice.org, a Sun-sponsored open-source project.
StarOffice 8 lets users create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. It supports most Microsoft Office formats, except for the new formats in Office 2007. It can also export documents as PDFs.
The Google Pack version of StarOffice integrates a Google Search toolbar in all of the StarOffice applications.
Google said it recommends using a broadband connection for faster installation because the file size is as much as 210MB, depending on the language. It could take up to several hours to download with a dial-up connection. However, because Google Updater will manage the download, users can still surf the Web and otherwise use their computers, Google said.
"It will be interesting to see why Google didn't choose to include OpenOffice.org, the primary difference between StarOffice and OpenOffice.org being that StarOffice includes some proprietary components like clip-art graphics, fonts, templates, and tools for Microsoft Office migration," according to the Googlesystem blog, which covers news about Google.
Comments on the blog say that Google's decision to offer StarOffice instead of OpenOffice is related to the software distribution agreement the company signed with Sun in 2005.
Google could not be reached for comment.
Herbalife Wants Product Testing Data Excluded
NEW YORK - Herbalife International of America Inc. filed a motion in limine on July 2, asking the ephedra multidistrict court to exclude evidence brought by a plaintiff showing that the company's ephedra supplements contained hydrochloride or sulfate salts of ephedrine alkaloids (Margaret Parks v. Herbalife International of America, Inc., No. 1:04-CV-9358; In Re: Ephedra Products Liability Litigation 04 M.D. 1598, S.D. N.Y.; See June 2007, Page 6). Full story on lexis.com
FAQ: What does the digital-TV switch actually mean?
It's not too early to start thinking about how to ensure your television won't go dark when analog broadcasts shut down in 2009.
Photos: Converting from analog to digital TV
iWeb '08 glitches remedied
... Mac and iPod repairs at our Mayfair and Spitalfields shops. 100% Mac focussed broadband, web hosting and FTP solutions. No appointment necessary Pc's, Mac's, Laptops, Displays, Plotters, Scanners & more. ...
Censor's grip tightening on Internet in China (Reuters)
Reuters - Internet censors in China are becoming more systematic and sophisticated in how they monitor the Web and eradicate content deemed sensitive, according to a Chinese technician working for an Internet firm.
Wyeth Says Plaintiff Failed To Provide Expert Testimony
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Wyeth is moving for summary judgment in a PPA stroke case, arguing that the plaintiff failed to provide case-specific expert testimony supporting that its product caused her injury and that her claims are time-barred (Shirley Reese v. Wyeth No. 2:02-cv-2953-KOB, N.D. Ala.). Full story on lexis.com
Wi-Fi reaches out to Gadgets
By Sinead Carew NEW YORK (Reuters) - Suited executives, grungy teens and even some savvy grannies are already using Wi-Fi to wirelessly link their laptops to the Internet. It may not be long before the short-range high-speed technology is ju...
"Amazing" Dino Fossil Found With Skin, Tissue in China
 | The fossil of a dinosaur with a flesh wound has been discovered in northeastern China, offering the most complete view to date of dinosaur skin, a scientist says. |
Epsilon Award Nominations Open
We are proud to announce that nominations for the Epsilon can now be submitted", says David Boventer, Founder and Executive Director of the European Shareware Conference e.V. ,,
There are many good and hard-working programmers in the software market, using the marketing method of ShareWare that deserve extra support for what they do for all of us. So we believe that we should honor one of them each year within our annual European Shareware Conference. This honor will be
accompanied by actual material support to further the programmer`s standing on the market.
The prizes will include a statue of recognition, 300 Euro and Press coverage of their product by a professional Press service. The Epsilon Award will mean the solemn entry into our hall of fame, which means a life-long free entry to future conferences of the ESWC e.V. and other benefits by sponsors which are gradually going to be announced.
Ad Spend Forecast: As West Slows Down, Developing Markets to Propel Growth
ZenithOptimedia has downgraded its forecasts for ad spend growth in 2008 from 3.7% to 3.5% for North America and from 3.9% to 3.7% for Western Europe, citing credit-crunch worries by investors, consumers and advertisers in Western markets. (Read on Source)
At FCC broadband hearing, speeches but no consensus (CNET)
CNET - Collect scores of people in a room, ask them to talk about technology, and what do you get? A meandering experiment in the form of a public hearing that the Federal Communications Commission convened Monday in Pittsburgh.
Summary Judgment Granted For Lack Of Evidentiary Support
BATON ROUGE, La. - A federal judge on Nov. 16 granted summary judgment for Bayer Corp. in a PPA case, stating that he reviewed the record and found that Bayer's argument that the plaintiff failed to provide case-specific expert testimony or expert reports supporting her claims had merit and that the motion was unopposed (Mildred Mitchell v. Bayer Corp., No. 07-CV-212, M.D. La.; See September 2007, Page 17). Full story on lexis.com
Nokia to invest $150 mln in venture arm growth (Reuters)
Reuters - Nokia will invest a further $150 million into its venture investment arm, hoping to find emerging Internet services from China and India, the world's largest cellphone maker said on Thursday.
How poor crypto housekeeping left OpenID open to abuse
Internet bouncer snooze leads to 'small earthquake' Slipshod cryptographic housekeeping left some OpenID services far less secure than they ought to be.?
U.S. warship in Russian-patrolled Georgian port
POTI, Georgia (Reuters) - The flagship of the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet dropped anchor off Georgia's Black Sea port of Poti on Friday, where Russian troops have been patrolling since last month's war with Georgia. (Read on Source)
Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook
000 ABNT20 KNHC 021137 TWOAT TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 800 AM EDT THU OCT 02 2008 FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO... TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS. $$ FORECASTER BLAKE (Read on Source)
Mirror's Edge Soundtrack Features 'Still Alive,' Releasing in November
A downloadable Mirror's Edge soundtrack will be released on November 11 alongside the impending parkour-inspired first-person action game, publisher EA has announced.
The soundtrack features Lisa Miskovsky's performance of "Still Alive," which was written by Rami Yacoub and Arnthor Birgisson and shares no resemblance to Jonathan Coulton's beloved Portal end song of the same name. The track list follows:
Mirror's Edge Remix Album
- Lisa Miskovsky - Still Alive (Mirror's Edge Theme Song)
- Benny Benassi - Still Alive (Remix)
- Junkie XL - Still Alive (Remix)
- Paul van Dyk - Still Alive (Remix)
- Teddybears - Still Alive (Remix)
- Armand Van Helden - Still Alive (Remix)
No price point was announced for the album. Those that pre-order the game from Best Buy will receive a single CD featuring Miskovsky's "Still Alive" and the Benassi remix.
Developed by DICE...
Error puts data on 30 million German phone users on Internet (AFP)
AFP - Confidential data on 30 million German phone users could be consulted on the Internet as a result of an error until the phone company locked access, a spokesman for Deutsche Telekom said Saturday.
Cameras Capture 'Fireball' In The Sky: Meteor May Have Crashed In Ontario
For the second time this year, the University of Western Ontario Meteor Group has captured incredibly rare video footage of a meteor falling to Earth. Astronomers suspect the fireball dropped meteorites in a region north of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, that may total as much as a few hundred grams in mass. The Physics and Astronomy Department at Western has a network of all-sky cameras in southern Ontario that scan the sky monitoring for meteors.
Financial crisis heralds era of "new seriousness"
LONDON (Reuters) - Power tools roar as an army of workmen rushes to ensure Europe's largest city-center shopping mall opens on time, but marketing executives say the crisis in global financial markets has accelerated a trend among consumers to reject conspicuous consumption. (Read on Source)
Earnings alert: Time Warner performance is flat
Plus: Pioneer predicts greater loss...Motorola losses return...Comcast shows resilience...Sony's quarterly profit falls.
Weekend Box Office Final ? November 7-9, 2008
All totals are U.S. box office only. SF and genre-related films in bold. Title (Dist)….Reported Weekend Box Office….# of Engagements….Cumulative Since Premiere 1. Madagascar Escape 2 Africa (Paramount)….$63,106,589….4,056….$63,106,589 2. Role Models (Universal)….$19,167,085….2,792….$19,167,085 ... (Read on Source)
Extrasolar Planets Get Spot in Hubble Photo Album
Earth seems to have its first fuzzy photos of alien planets outside our solar system, images captured by two teams of astronomers. The pictures show four likely planets that appear as specks of white, nearly indecipherable except to the most eagle-eyed experts. All are trillions of miles away -- three of them orbiting the same star, and the fourth circling a different star.
Readers Overwhelm Europe's New Digital Library (PC Magazine)
PC Magazine - Europe's heritage went digital Thursday when the European Union launched an online library putting famous works such as Dante's "Divine Comedy" and Beethoven's 9th Symphony just a mouse click away.
The WOW Factor Posted By : Rokai Kolam
According to a survey by a popular condom brand, people have sex at an average of 127 times a year. If thats a lot to you, try imaging how often people think about sex and how many times a year people indulge in self-gratification. More: continued here
Nintendo Revelead Wii and DS Coming Attractions for Q1 2009
Happen to have a Wii or/and DS and you’re anxious to see what Nintendo will have in stores for you in Q1 2009? Well Nintendo has announced 39 upcoming Wii games and 64 DS games. Looking for Christmas Wii/DS presents? Take a look below! There surely must be a title for you! Wii Activision Monsters vs. Aliens - [...]
name: MAGPIE