Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-367939.html
Monday, November 30, 2009
Large Hadron Collider sees first collisions
Firefox hopes to one-up IE with fast graphics
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-367962.html
Review: Apple?s 27-inch iMac and Magic Mouse Make an Excellent Pair
Apple’s new 27-inch iMac is a speed demon, especially the model shipping with the new Core i7 processor. Even better, the latest iMacs ship with the new Magic Mouse, Apple’s first single-button mouse that gets it right thanks to the powers of multitouch.
Wired.com’s Mike Calore is mesmerized with his Core i7-powered iMac. He gave it a rating of 8 out of 10:
Put one of Apple’s new 27-inch Core i7 iMacs on your desk, and you run the risk of alienating yourself from your friends, co-workers and loved ones.
Sure, the sheer speed of the thing is amazing ? the new Core i7 processor is outrageously fast ? but it’s the massive screen that will turn your brain into a gob of HD-saturated jelly. Seriously. The iMac’s screen is so freaking huge, so bright and so crisp, it will render you dumb with child-like glee. You’ll just want to sit there and watch movies all day and night.
And yours truly was a fan of the Magic Mouse. I think it’s the first Apple mouse that doesn’t suck. (I wasn’t a fan of the Mighty Mouse because of its gunk-collecting trackball.) I gave it a 7 out of 10, knocking off a few points because of the lack of Expos� functionality:
The Magic Mouse ditches the lozenge-shaped body and gunk-collecting trackball of its predecessor (the Mighty Mouse) in favor of a curvy wedge shape with a fully touch-sensitive housing. The new form factor fits more naturally in your hand than previous Apple mice ? enough so to erase the painful memories you have of that atrocious hockey-puck mouse from the ’90s.
….
As is often the case, these gains come with loss, too. The Mighty Mouse had a clickable scroll wheel and two squeeze sensors on the side that could each trigger the Expos� and Spaces tools for desktop management. The Magic Mouse doesn’t have any built-in gestures for Expos�, which seems like a wasted opportunity.
Want the full gist? See Mike’s full review of the iMac and my writeup of the Magic Mouse at the Wired Reviews site.
See Also:
Photo: Mike Calore/Wired.com
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/g5RTEQrGIhQ/
iPhone Owners More Likely to Pony Up for Digital Content
Apple has trained iPhone owners to enjoy paying for digital content more than the general online population, a survey suggests.
Media law firm Olswang on Wednesday published its 2009 Convergence Survey, which analyzed e-shopping trends among iPhone owners and general online consumers. Apple enthusiast blog 9to5Mac summarizes the findings regarding the iPhone demographic:
- 73 percent would pay to access online a film just released in cinemas;
- 67 percent would pay for access to a film that will not be on DVD for at least two months;
- 54 percent would pay to access a film which is already on DVD or pay-TV;
- 41 percent of iPhone users would already be willing to take out subscriptions to access their favorite TV shows;
- 42 percent would pay for an online book.
Those numbers are quite high when stacked against the figures from the general online population surveyed:
- 58 percent of people would pay to access online a film just released in cinemas;
- 52 percent would pay for access to a film that will not be on DVD for at least two months;
- 40 percent would pay to access a film which is already on DVD or pay-TV;
- 30 percent would already be willing to take out subscriptions to access their favorite TV shows;
- 30 percent would pay for an online book.
Olswang found these numbers about the iPhone demographic to be “striking,” but they are what you’d expect. The App Store made purchasing apps incredibly easy, and many of the high quality apps are dirt cheap.
Above all, my view is that the App Store, which serves over 100,000 apps, has conditioned us to demand more and more from a single device. In turn we’re evolving into a demographic that craves more from the digital as opposed to the physical.
These numbers are quite striking indeed. And it suggests the rumored Apple touchscreen tablet, which several independent reports have said will focus on e-reader functionality, does have potential to resuscitate the dying publishing industry ? because there would most likely be a large amount of overlap between the iPhone and “iTablet” demographics.
Meanwhile, a recent report from The New York Times cites sources who say a consortium of magazine publishers are jointly planning to build an “online newsstand” ? a “new iTunes for magazines.” It would involve publications repurposing their print content into multiple digital formats to be sold through a new company, sources told NY Times. If that’s the case, today’s survey suggests they’ll find a friendlier reception among iPhone users than among the general population.
See Also:
- In-App Sales and iTablet: The Killer Combo to Save Publishing …
- Video Demonstrates Wired’s Concept iTablet App
- Survey: 22 Percent of Teens Want iPhone
- Apple iPhone too Expensive? The Kids Don’t Think So
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/Wfwep8cknF4/
Information Commissioner calls for custodial sentences
Parliamentary reporter, Computing, Friday 27 November 2009 at 14:10:00
Data leak that had lethal consequences highlights need for stiffer penalties,
says Information Commissioner
The Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, has called for custodial
sentences for serious breaches of the data protection law following the death of
a pensioner caused by illegal disclosure of police information.
The data, which had been held on the Police National Computer, contained the
address of a 79-year-old man that was passed on by an officer to a member of the
public.
The pensioner had been involved in a dispute with a woman regarding a parking
space.
The member of the public acting on behalf of the woman involved subsequently
threw a brick through the pensioner's window resulting in his death through
shock.
Two men were convicted of manslaughter, but the police officer could only be
fined �1,200.
Another case involved a civilian employee of Essex Police who accessed
intelligence data illegally on 800 cases but could only be fined �750.
Graham said in the report that existing penalties "only have a limited
detrimental effect" and that making imprisonment a penalty would underline the
serious nature of the offence.
He said the development of new systems and more interconnection meant
disclosure risks were becoming greater and that it was essential to create
effective sanctions to maintain public trust.
Full story at http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2254097/information-commissioner-calls
?Text-a-tip? programs help police
Full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34185801/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/
Slide show: See wonders that are out of this world
Get fresh perspectives on the Crab Nebula, the Milky Way and other wonders in November's roundup of out-of-this-world imagery.
Full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34149283/displaymode/1247/beginSlide/1/beginChapter/1/beginTab/1/
Media Should Tread Carefully In Covering Suicide
Suicide clusters, three or more deaths around the same time in a specific location, are rare, but they do occur, largely among teens. Experts say media reaction can play a role in exacerbating or slowing "copycat" behavior by the way they cover the deaths.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Full story at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120755264&ft=1&f=1001
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Large Hadron Collider sees first collisions
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-367939.html
Firefox hopes to one-up IE with fast graphics
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-367962.html
Review: Apple?s 27-inch iMac and Magic Mouse Make an Excellent Pair
Apple’s new 27-inch iMac is a speed demon, especially the model shipping with the new Core i7 processor. Even better, the latest iMacs ship with the new Magic Mouse, Apple’s first single-button mouse that gets it right thanks to the powers of multitouch.
Wired.com’s Mike Calore is mesmerized with his Core i7-powered iMac. He gave it a rating of 8 out of 10:
Put one of Apple’s new 27-inch Core i7 iMacs on your desk, and you run the risk of alienating yourself from your friends, co-workers and loved ones.
Sure, the sheer speed of the thing is amazing ? the new Core i7 processor is outrageously fast ? but it’s the massive screen that will turn your brain into a gob of HD-saturated jelly. Seriously. The iMac’s screen is so freaking huge, so bright and so crisp, it will render you dumb with child-like glee. You’ll just want to sit there and watch movies all day and night.
And yours truly was a fan of the Magic Mouse. I think it’s the first Apple mouse that doesn’t suck. (I wasn’t a fan of the Mighty Mouse because of its gunk-collecting trackball.) I gave it a 7 out of 10, knocking off a few points because of the lack of Expos� functionality:
The Magic Mouse ditches the lozenge-shaped body and gunk-collecting trackball of its predecessor (the Mighty Mouse) in favor of a curvy wedge shape with a fully touch-sensitive housing. The new form factor fits more naturally in your hand than previous Apple mice ? enough so to erase the painful memories you have of that atrocious hockey-puck mouse from the ’90s.
….
As is often the case, these gains come with loss, too. The Mighty Mouse had a clickable scroll wheel and two squeeze sensors on the side that could each trigger the Expos� and Spaces tools for desktop management. The Magic Mouse doesn’t have any built-in gestures for Expos�, which seems like a wasted opportunity.
Want the full gist? See Mike’s full review of the iMac and my writeup of the Magic Mouse at the Wired Reviews site.
See Also:
Photo: Mike Calore/Wired.com
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/g5RTEQrGIhQ/
iPhone Owners More Likely to Pony Up for Digital Content
Apple has trained iPhone owners to enjoy paying for digital content more than the general online population, a survey suggests.
Media law firm Olswang on Wednesday published its 2009 Convergence Survey, which analyzed e-shopping trends among iPhone owners and general online consumers. Apple enthusiast blog 9to5Mac summarizes the findings regarding the iPhone demographic:
- 73 percent would pay to access online a film just released in cinemas;
- 67 percent would pay for access to a film that will not be on DVD for at least two months;
- 54 percent would pay to access a film which is already on DVD or pay-TV;
- 41 percent of iPhone users would already be willing to take out subscriptions to access their favorite TV shows;
- 42 percent would pay for an online book.
Those numbers are quite high when stacked against the figures from the general online population surveyed:
- 58 percent of people would pay to access online a film just released in cinemas;
- 52 percent would pay for access to a film that will not be on DVD for at least two months;
- 40 percent would pay to access a film which is already on DVD or pay-TV;
- 30 percent would already be willing to take out subscriptions to access their favorite TV shows;
- 30 percent would pay for an online book.
Olswang found these numbers about the iPhone demographic to be “striking,” but they are what you’d expect. The App Store made purchasing apps incredibly easy, and many of the high quality apps are dirt cheap.
Above all, my view is that the App Store, which serves over 100,000 apps, has conditioned us to demand more and more from a single device. In turn we’re evolving into a demographic that craves more from the digital as opposed to the physical.
These numbers are quite striking indeed. And it suggests the rumored Apple touchscreen tablet, which several independent reports have said will focus on e-reader functionality, does have potential to resuscitate the dying publishing industry ? because there would most likely be a large amount of overlap between the iPhone and “iTablet” demographics.
Meanwhile, a recent report from The New York Times cites sources who say a consortium of magazine publishers are jointly planning to build an “online newsstand” ? a “new iTunes for magazines.” It would involve publications repurposing their print content into multiple digital formats to be sold through a new company, sources told NY Times. If that’s the case, today’s survey suggests they’ll find a friendlier reception among iPhone users than among the general population.
See Also:
- In-App Sales and iTablet: The Killer Combo to Save Publishing …
- Video Demonstrates Wired’s Concept iTablet App
- Survey: 22 Percent of Teens Want iPhone
- Apple iPhone too Expensive? The Kids Don’t Think So
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/Wfwep8cknF4/
Information Commissioner calls for custodial sentences
Parliamentary reporter, Computing, Friday 27 November 2009 at 14:10:00
Data leak that had lethal consequences highlights need for stiffer penalties,
says Information Commissioner
The Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, has called for custodial
sentences for serious breaches of the data protection law following the death of
a pensioner caused by illegal disclosure of police information.
The data, which had been held on the Police National Computer, contained the
address of a 79-year-old man that was passed on by an officer to a member of the
public.
The pensioner had been involved in a dispute with a woman regarding a parking
space.
The member of the public acting on behalf of the woman involved subsequently
threw a brick through the pensioner's window resulting in his death through
shock.
Two men were convicted of manslaughter, but the police officer could only be
fined �1,200.
Another case involved a civilian employee of Essex Police who accessed
intelligence data illegally on 800 cases but could only be fined �750.
Graham said in the report that existing penalties "only have a limited
detrimental effect" and that making imprisonment a penalty would underline the
serious nature of the offence.
He said the development of new systems and more interconnection meant
disclosure risks were becoming greater and that it was essential to create
effective sanctions to maintain public trust.
Full story at http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2254097/information-commissioner-calls
?Text-a-tip? programs help police
Full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34185801/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/
Slide show: See wonders that are out of this world
Get fresh perspectives on the Crab Nebula, the Milky Way and other wonders in November's roundup of out-of-this-world imagery.
Full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34149283/displaymode/1247/beginSlide/1/beginChapter/1/beginTab/1/
Book Highlights Quirks of La. Cajun Swamp Town
Just beyond the Mississippi River and over by the Atchafalaya swamp is where you'll find Henderson, La. Longtime Southern newspaper columnist Rheta Grimsley Johnson's book, Poor Man's Provence: Finding Myself in Cajun Louisiana, chronicles her love affair with the town.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Full story at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113875032&ft=1&f=1001
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Large Hadron Collider sees first collisions
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-367939.html
Firefox hopes to one-up IE with fast graphics
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-367962.html
Review: Apple?s 27-inch iMac and Magic Mouse Make an Excellent Pair
Apple’s new 27-inch iMac is a speed demon, especially the model shipping with the new Core i7 processor. Even better, the latest iMacs ship with the new Magic Mouse, Apple’s first single-button mouse that gets it right thanks to the powers of multitouch.
Wired.com’s Mike Calore is mesmerized with his Core i7-powered iMac. He gave it a rating of 8 out of 10:
Put one of Apple’s new 27-inch Core i7 iMacs on your desk, and you run the risk of alienating yourself from your friends, co-workers and loved ones.
Sure, the sheer speed of the thing is amazing ? the new Core i7 processor is outrageously fast ? but it’s the massive screen that will turn your brain into a gob of HD-saturated jelly. Seriously. The iMac’s screen is so freaking huge, so bright and so crisp, it will render you dumb with child-like glee. You’ll just want to sit there and watch movies all day and night.
And yours truly was a fan of the Magic Mouse. I think it’s the first Apple mouse that doesn’t suck. (I wasn’t a fan of the Mighty Mouse because of its gunk-collecting trackball.) I gave it a 7 out of 10, knocking off a few points because of the lack of Expos� functionality:
The Magic Mouse ditches the lozenge-shaped body and gunk-collecting trackball of its predecessor (the Mighty Mouse) in favor of a curvy wedge shape with a fully touch-sensitive housing. The new form factor fits more naturally in your hand than previous Apple mice ? enough so to erase the painful memories you have of that atrocious hockey-puck mouse from the ’90s.
….
As is often the case, these gains come with loss, too. The Mighty Mouse had a clickable scroll wheel and two squeeze sensors on the side that could each trigger the Expos� and Spaces tools for desktop management. The Magic Mouse doesn’t have any built-in gestures for Expos�, which seems like a wasted opportunity.
Want the full gist? See Mike’s full review of the iMac and my writeup of the Magic Mouse at the Wired Reviews site.
See Also:
Photo: Mike Calore/Wired.com
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/g5RTEQrGIhQ/
iPhone Owners More Likely to Pony Up for Digital Content
Apple has trained iPhone owners to enjoy paying for digital content more than the general online population, a survey suggests.
Media law firm Olswang on Wednesday published its 2009 Convergence Survey, which analyzed e-shopping trends among iPhone owners and general online consumers. Apple enthusiast blog 9to5Mac summarizes the findings regarding the iPhone demographic:
- 73 percent would pay to access online a film just released in cinemas;
- 67 percent would pay for access to a film that will not be on DVD for at least two months;
- 54 percent would pay to access a film which is already on DVD or pay-TV;
- 41 percent of iPhone users would already be willing to take out subscriptions to access their favorite TV shows;
- 42 percent would pay for an online book.
Those numbers are quite high when stacked against the figures from the general online population surveyed:
- 58 percent of people would pay to access online a film just released in cinemas;
- 52 percent would pay for access to a film that will not be on DVD for at least two months;
- 40 percent would pay to access a film which is already on DVD or pay-TV;
- 30 percent would already be willing to take out subscriptions to access their favorite TV shows;
- 30 percent would pay for an online book.
Olswang found these numbers about the iPhone demographic to be “striking,” but they are what you’d expect. The App Store made purchasing apps incredibly easy, and many of the high quality apps are dirt cheap.
Above all, my view is that the App Store, which serves over 100,000 apps, has conditioned us to demand more and more from a single device. In turn we’re evolving into a demographic that craves more from the digital as opposed to the physical.
These numbers are quite striking indeed. And it suggests the rumored Apple touchscreen tablet, which several independent reports have said will focus on e-reader functionality, does have potential to resuscitate the dying publishing industry ? because there would most likely be a large amount of overlap between the iPhone and “iTablet” demographics.
Meanwhile, a recent report from The New York Times cites sources who say a consortium of magazine publishers are jointly planning to build an “online newsstand” ? a “new iTunes for magazines.” It would involve publications repurposing their print content into multiple digital formats to be sold through a new company, sources told NY Times. If that’s the case, today’s survey suggests they’ll find a friendlier reception among iPhone users than among the general population.
See Also:
- In-App Sales and iTablet: The Killer Combo to Save Publishing …
- Video Demonstrates Wired’s Concept iTablet App
- Survey: 22 Percent of Teens Want iPhone
- Apple iPhone too Expensive? The Kids Don’t Think So
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/Wfwep8cknF4/