Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-418794.html
Friday, April 30, 2010
US to investigate iPad patent suit
The US International Trade Commission will investigate the patent claims made against Apple by Elan Microelectronics of Taiwan. by Matthew Broersma ZDNet UK
What is desktop transformation?
To ensure that the transition to a new or improved desktop infrastructure runs smoothly, IT departments need to consider user workspace management technology as essential, says Bob Janssen of RES Software. by Bob Janssen, RES Software, Special to ZDNet
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-419021.html
Microsoft Cancels Courier Tablet
Microsoft’s dual screen prototype Courier tablet project is dead, even before it could make it out of the company’s research labs.
Microsoft has reportedly canceled internal work on the tablet, says Gizmodo. Gizmodo had initially revealed the Courier as a project that Microsoft has been working on. The tablet was said to have two screen, fold like a book and include a touchscreen display and a stylus. But the Courier never made it outside the pages of the blog.
Microsoft did not ever publicly announce the device or show it at conferences.
PC makers have offered slates and convertible notebooks for nearly a decade, and they?ve never caught on. But now, a new generation of attractively designed and low-priced screens are looking to lure in consumers. Apple’s iPad is leading this category and Apple has sold more than 500,000 iPads. Meanwhile, other companies such as Dell and HP are working on introducing tablets.
Microsoft’s Courier was never seen as a viable competitor largely because the device never truly went beyond the vaporware stage. Microsoft did not specifically comment about Courier’s future but Frank Shaw, corporate vice president of communications at Microsoft says Courier will have a legacy.
“It?s in Microsoft?s DNA to continually develop and incubate new technologies to foster productivity and creativity,” he said in an e-mailed statement. “The Courier project is an example of this type of effort and its technologies will be evaluated for use in future Microsoft offerings.”
See Also:
- Microsoft Unveils Touchscreen Tablet
- How the Tablet Will Change the World
- iPad Could See 50 Tablet Rivals This Year
- Why 2010 Will Be the Year of the Tablet
- HP’s Windows 7 Slate Strikes at the iPad
Photo: Courier (nDevilTV/Flickr)
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/iNvavrhYCzg/
Samsung NX10 Limited Edition in Black and White
Samsung is set to launch a black and white version of its mirrorless APS camera, the NX10, on May 7th, according to the Samsung Imaging blog. I have one question: Who buys these fancy-colored cameras?
Pentax loves to put out multi-hued versions of its SLRs, and Panasonic’s G and GF-series cameras can be had in all manner of nasty shades, but who buys them? In a world where people were prepared to pay a $100 premium for a black MacBook just a few years back, it would seem that we are pretty conservative in our color choices for big-ticket gadgets. In fact, even seeing the odd silver Canon Rebel in the wild makes me softly gag.
The NX10 is, by most reports, a fine camera, with its SLR-sized sensor in a slim, mirrorless body and three-inch AMOLED display, but one thing it is not is handsome. Even in its black incarnation, the body is little more than curvy-utilitarian in design. Giving it a lick of paint doesn’t help, and the extra attention this will attract reminds me of that lottery-winners’ favorite, the bright-yellow Lamborghini.
Actually, the Samsung Imaging post gives us a clue as to who is snapping these things up. The Hoth-ready body, with 30mm pancake lens, will ship to Korea, the Netherlands, China, the US and Taiwan. Yes folks, the US is on that list. It’s time to come forward and admit it. Stand up and be counted in the comments, color-freaks. Why do you do it?
NX10 comes in Limited Edition with a white body [Samsung Imaging via Photography Bay]
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/3E0EQNKCzU8/
Demand for new developer skills rises with social media popularity
Dawinderpal Sahota, Computing, Thursday 29 April 2010 at 15:58:00
Skills include real-time Java, Flash development and knowledge of open-source
frameworks such as jQuery
The increase in popularity of social media has increased demand for web Web developers with real-time Java and Flash development skills are in Kirkland at JMK Recruitment said that the emphasis is now much more firmly on This is despite the fact that web developers are currently paid 30 per cent Wages peaked at about �60 per hour at the height of the dot-com era when However, experts with the requisite skills can still command good salaries, ?There are still very high rates offered for highly skilled Java developers,
developers with specific skills, according to the the
Association of Professional
Staffing Companies (APSCo).
particularly high demand, as are those with knowledge of open-source frameworks
such as jQuery.
interactivity rather than plain information.
less than they were 10 years ago, at between �40 and �45 a hour.
developers with experience of Java were in high demand. When the supply of such
programmers increased, wages were forced down.
according to Gerald Morgan, managing director of IT recruitment company
ReadyPeople.
with PhD level maths,? he said.
Full story at http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2262247/web-developer-pay-drops-third
Seller of iPhone prototype identified
Full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36860029/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/
Cosmic Log: See the spill from space
Full story at http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/04/29/2289663.aspx
Immigration Overhaul Plan Unveiled By Democrats
Senate Democrats rolled out their framework for a comprehensive overhaul to immigration Thursday. They say the top priority is to secure the border. They also called for issuing biometric Social Security cards and a path for more than 10 million immigrants to become legal. The plan is described as bipartisan, but no Republican co-sponsored the measure.
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Full story at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126407156&ft=1&f=1001
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Prosecutors defend Gizmodo search; ID seller
San Mateo County prosecutors are defending the search of a Gizmodo.com editor's home and seizure of his computers that were part of a criminal investigation into an iPhone prototype lost by an Apple employee. by Declan McCullagh and Greg Sandoval CNET News
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-418169.html
Gizmodo considers suing police after iPhone raid
A lawyer for Gizmodo says the gadget blog could sue the sheriff's office in San Mateo County, Calif., for raiding an editor's home last Friday. by Greg Sandoval and Declan McCullagh CNET News
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-418408.html
HP Buys Palm for $1.2 Billion
After months of speculation, smartphone maker Palm has finally found a buyer. HP has said it will buy Palm for approximately� $1.2 billion.
The move will give HP a foothold in the fast-growing smartphone business, at a time when HP rival Dell has its own smartphone available on AT&T.
Palm?s chairman and CEO, Jon Rubinstein, a former Apple executive, will remain with the company, says HP.
Over the last two years, Palm has tried to reinvent itself by introducing a new smartphone operating system called webOS and new phones such as the Palm Pre and the Pixi. The phones have been well-received, with positive reviews, especially for the latest versions, the Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus.
But Palm has been stymied by lack of a big marketing budget, particularly when compared to its rivals such as Apple, Motorola and HTC. Palm has been steadily losing money and market share. And acquisition rumors have been rampant with companies such as HTC and Lenovo reportedly interested in Palm.
Now that HP has bagged Palm, it could mean a new direction for the latter. Access to HP’s distribution channel and coffers could help turn the tide for Palm.
That’s especially true for the enterprise channel — computers and smartphones for business users — where both Palm and HP have historically been strong. This might ensure Palm a healthy future as the corporate sidearm of choice, even if it fails to gain significant consumer traction.
“HP?s longstanding culture of innovation, scale and global operating resources make it the perfect partner to rapidly accelerate the growth of webOS,”� said Jon Rubinstein, chairman and chief executive officer of Palm in a statement.
HP and Palm are expected to close the transaction in the third quarter.
See Also:
- Palm Palm Pre Plus vs. Palm Pixi Plus
- Review: Palm Pre
- 6 Reasons Why the Palm Pre Is Special
- Palm Unveils Its Long-Awaited Smartphone, the Pre
Photo: (Patrick Moorehead/Flickr)
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/2UmR8ethYRc/
Gallery: Battle Bots Reign Triumphant at Robogames
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For robots, Robogames is the ultimate fighting competition. It’s where brain turns into brawn, electronics trump athletic prowess and the arena is heavy not with sweat, but with the smell of solder and burnt metal.
At this year’s games, held in the sleepy Silicon Valley town of San Mateo, California, some 500 robots from 17 countries competed, while at least 5,000 spectators witnessed the mechanized mayhem.
“It?s just like the Olympics, but for robots,” says David Calkins, founder and one of the organizers of Robogames.
At Robogames, robots compete for medals across categories such as combat, soccer, hockey, sumo and kung fu. Scores are tallied and medals awarded. But fun and games aside, Robogames also helps advance technology breakthroughs, says Calkins.
“There?s nothing that motivates a person more than to lose,” he says. “If you are an athlete you train harder but if you are an engineer you spend more time in the garage and rewrite the code. Without that level of competition, it is difficult to stay motivated.”
There?s more at stake than just medals: Reputations can be made within the metal-Plexiglas robot combat arena. And it’s not just for geek cred: Last year, winning teams from Indonesia and Mexico found themselves invited to meet with the presidents of their respective countries.
Want to see what it takes to make a competitive robot? Watch our video, below, or click here: What’s Inside a Winning Battle Bot.
Then, read on for some highlights from this year’s games.
Photo courtesy Willow Garage
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/VG6iRtb2L28/
London NHS Trust to roll out 800 mobile tablet computers
Nicola Brittain, Computing, Wednesday 28 April 2010 at 17:20:00
Devices have had a big positive impact on patient care
The South West London The original 200 tablets were rolled out to staff such as early-intervention Talking at the BCS HC2010 conference The trust, which covers five London boroughs and 750 inpatient beds, has also The rollout, which followed the implementation of a Rio electronic care Use of Rio subsequently increased by 20 per cent, as staff made use of their The tablets connect to the internet via 3G USB data modems. Staff were also The tablets used encryption software that was centrally managed, and Staff also had access to the internet, intranet and shared folders as if they When the trust conducted an evaluation of the rollout, 90 per cent of The imminent rollout of a further 800 tablets will see upgraded
& St George?s Mental Health Trust is to follow up a successful initial
rollout of 200 tablet PCs in 2008 with the deployment of 800 more devices by the
end of this summer.
clinicians who spend on average 75 per cent of their working day out of the
office.
yesterday, project manager Jawad Chaudhry said: ?The aim with the tablet rollout
was to improve clinical care, and we certainly did this. The number of patients
seen by staff with tablets increased by 20-30 per cent per week because the
staff didn?t need to travel back to the office between appointments.?
been able to reduce its office space for mental health clinicians by 30 per cent
since rolling out the initial 200 tablets.
records system in 2006/07, enables clinicians to access patient records at the
?point of care?.
remote access.
given access to the trust?s virtual private network, as well as authentication
tokens, a further security measure. The trust worked with Vodafone to set up the
system.
compression software to improve connection speeds.
were working from a desktop PC in the office.
clinicians who were given the tablets said they found it useful, 80 per cent
said it reduced the need to go back to the office, with a majority also saying
it resulted in a better work/life balance.
lighter-weight devices deployed. The trust will also implement a series of
change management programmes as well as hot desking in its offices.
Full story at http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2262200/london-nhs-trust-roll-tablet
Search for alien life may take giant leap forward
Full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36839363/ns/technology_and_science-space/
Cosmic Log: How dino feathers changed
Full story at http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/04/28/2288537.aspx
Embattled SCLC Struggles To Remain Relevant
Civil rights leaders Dorothy Height and Benjamin Hooks died this month. The organizations they led were in the forefront of the fight for equal rights. Those organizations are struggling to stay relevant. And nowhere is that struggle more evident than in the organization founded by Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
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Full story at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126381259&ft=1&f=1001
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Verizon adds more Net content to Fios
The battle for the 21st century TV viewer is heating up as Verizon Communications adds more Internet content to its Fios TV service. by Marguerite Reardon CNET News
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-417759.html
Solutions need to fit a business problem, not business problems from 'solutions'
Relying on outdated mathematical models to solve business problems when new computers have the capacity to do so much more is a losing proposition, says Terra Technology's Robert Byrne. by Robert F. Byrne, Terra Technology, Special to ZDNet
Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-417848.html
Video: Gadgety Shoes Give Your Gait More Gusto
We love shoes. We wear them every day. But not these shoes: Sometimes, footgear that comes into the Wired offices is just too strange for everyday use.
In this video we visit three new shoes whose function beats the holy hell out of form.
From fishing shoes with replaceable soles to sandals with frickin’ flashlights on them to shoes that barely have a sole at all, we make a lighthearted visit to the weird world of highly alternative foot covering.
Here’s a little more information on each of these shoes.
The first wading boot with interchangeable soles, the Korkers Guide is designed to adapt to almost any fishing situation. Wading on slimy riverbed? The felt soles will keep you from slipping. Long hike between honey pots? The lugged soles get a grip on dry land just like a hiking boot. And with Boa?s stainless steel lacing system replacing the standard cat?s cradle of nylon string, these boots are the easiest we?ve ever put on. The only drawback ? and it?s a pretty big one ? is that the soles are seriously tricky to swap out. You need a special lever-type key to set the new bottoms into the boot ? a key which we lost before we even hit the water. Good thing we had a flat-head screwdriver in the trunk: It did the job OK. $180, korkers.com
The Teva Illum takes almost the opposite approach to outdoor fun: stripped-down and minimal. A standard flip-flop in design, the Illum adds a small LED light, mounted on top of the strap, to help illuminate your path in the darkness. Teva touts this as an aid to surfers on dawn patrol, but we think it would work pretty well for dog owners on poop patrol, too. $60, teva.com
The Terra Plana EVO is the latest installment in the company’s line of nearly-barefoot shoes. Like the company’s Vivo Barefoot, the EVO has a flexible, minimal sole designed to protect your feet while encouraging a more natural, barefoot-like gait. The EVO is a comfortable, if slightly odd-looking shoe, and it does work well for barefoot-like running, in our tests — it’s much like a running flat. It’s also much less unusual-looking than the Vibram FiveFingers, a glove-like foot covering with individual pockets for each toe. If you want a flexible sole but don’t want to call attention to yourself, the EVO is a good bet. $160, www.terraplana.com/the-evo
Note: We’ve examined the science of barefoot running before, and found mixed evidence for the claim that running barefoot — or nearly so — is actually better for your body than wearing the kind of running shoes that have big, cushioned, wedge-like heels. That’s because, with a shoe like this, you’ve got to land more on the front or middle of your foot, instead of pounding your heel down. But be careful: Most people’s feet and legs aren’t accustomed to running this way, so build up very, very slowly or you’ll run the risk of injuring yourself, as Wired.com senior editor Dylan Tweney did. Start slow, with quarter-mile runs at most, and build up very, very gradually.
Written by Joe Brown and Dylan Tweney; video produced by Annaliza Savage, with camera work and editing by Michael Lennon and Fernando Cardoso. Guest appearance by former Wired.com science editor Kristen Philipkoski.
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/gpc-lAPxGYc/
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