Monday, June 09, 2008
iPHone 3G
Well ole' Jobsie announced the new 3G iPhone w/GPS integrated and great battery life and a beautiful price point. BUT: It is still only good with AT&T
Labels: apple, Technology
Monday, May 19, 2008
Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies
Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies: "Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies
By Alexis Madrigal Email 05.19.08 | 12:00 AM"
Illustration: Valdemar Duran
By Alexis Madrigal Email 05.19.08 | 12:00 AM"
Illustration: Valdemar Duran
Tired of the United States and the other 190-odd nations on Earth?
If a small team of Silicon Valley millionaires get their way, in a few years, you could have a new option for global citizenship: A permanent, quasi-sovereign nation floating in international waters.
With a $500,000 donation from PayPal founder Peter Thiel, a Google engineer and a former Sun Microsystems programmer have launched The Seasteading Institute, an organization dedicated to creating experimental ocean communities "with diverse social, political, and legal systems."
"Decades from now, those looking back at the start of the century will understand that Seasteading was an obvious step towards encouraging the development of more efficient, practical public-sector models around the world," Thiel said in a statement.
It might sound like the setting for the videogame Bioshock, but the institute isn't playing around: It plans to splash a prototype into the San Francisco Bay within the next two years, the first step toward establishing deep-water city-states, or what it calls "seasteads" -- homesteads on the high seas.
Labels: Environment, Just Because, News, Ocean, Technology
Sunday, May 18, 2008
More News of Interest: At least to me...
Cuba holds large gay rights rally Raul Castro's daughter presides at government-backed event
Montana teen is in a class by himself ... literally Jeff Greenwood is only student to graduate from his high school this year
Disney Attraction Puts Guests in Eye of Hurricane Charley
11 questions for Indiana Jones' whip trainer
Montana teen is in a class by himself ... literally Jeff Greenwood is only student to graduate from his high school this year
Disney Attraction Puts Guests in Eye of Hurricane Charley
11 questions for Indiana Jones' whip trainer
Labels: cuba, Just Because, News, Technology, WTF
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Z-Phone...
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Appeals court rejects Webcast royalty delay | Entertainment | Music | Reuters
Well, this bites the big one... and will be the death of many an Internet radio station. Although to be honest it really doesn't affect me it still is wrong because the Internet stations are paying different fees that regular radio stations. This is WRONG!!!!!
Appeals court rejects Webcast royalty delay | Entertainment | Music | Reuters: "WASHINGTON (Hollywood Reporter) - The federal appeals court here on Thursday rejected Webcasters' request to postpone implementation of a new royalty rate for music they air over the Web.
The decision hands a court victory to the music industry and performers who have been warring with Webcasters over the rate. By denying the Webcasters' stay, the court let stand the July 15 'true up' date when they are required to give copyright holders a new, higher royalty payment for digitally delivered music.
'This is a major victory for recording artists and record labels whose hard work and creativity provides the music around which the Internet radio business is built,' SoundExchange executive director John Simson said. 'Notwithstanding this victory, we continue to reach out to the webcasting community to reach business solutions.'"
Appeals court rejects Webcast royalty delay | Entertainment | Music | Reuters: "WASHINGTON (Hollywood Reporter) - The federal appeals court here on Thursday rejected Webcasters' request to postpone implementation of a new royalty rate for music they air over the Web.
The decision hands a court victory to the music industry and performers who have been warring with Webcasters over the rate. By denying the Webcasters' stay, the court let stand the July 15 'true up' date when they are required to give copyright holders a new, higher royalty payment for digitally delivered music.
'This is a major victory for recording artists and record labels whose hard work and creativity provides the music around which the Internet radio business is built,' SoundExchange executive director John Simson said. 'Notwithstanding this victory, we continue to reach out to the webcasting community to reach business solutions.'"
Labels: Music, National Politics, News, Technology
Friday, March 30, 2007
Google-Viacom spat goes old-media | News.blog | CNET News.com
Update on Google(YouTube) vs. Viacom
Google-Viacom spat goes old-media | News.blog | CNET News.com: "Google and Viacom are taking their fight over digital media rights to an unusual place--print media.
Viacom started it off with an op-ed piece in the Washington Post last Saturday that accused the search engine and its YouTube division of profiting from the technology and innovation of others. "
Google-Viacom spat goes old-media | News.blog | CNET News.com: "Google and Viacom are taking their fight over digital media rights to an unusual place--print media.
Viacom started it off with an op-ed piece in the Washington Post last Saturday that accused the search engine and its YouTube division of profiting from the technology and innovation of others. "
Labels: News, Technology
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
UserFriendly Strip Comments
Well, as I was perusing my morning comics I came across this take on the Viacom vs. YouTube Battle... this is fun...
UserFriendly Strip Comments
UserFriendly Strip Comments
Labels: Technology
Monday, March 26, 2007
Texting at the wheel may face N.J. ban | Inquirer | 03/26/2007
Texting at the wheel may face N.J. ban | Inquirer | 03/26/2007: "TRENTON - New Jersey was one of the first states to outlaw cell-phone use while driving.
Next up: text messaging?
Three South Jersey lawmakers say texting while driving is even more dangerous than using a cell phone because it requires drivers to divert their hands and eyes. And they've introduced a bill to ban it.
Democratic Assemblyman Paul Moriarty admits to having texted while driving. And he says he sees others do it all the time.
'I see both of their hands on a BlackBerry, and I can only assume they're using their knees to hold the steering wheel,' said Moriarty, one of the bill's sponsors.
No other state has banned the practice yet, though at least two are considering it.
New Jersey is one of only four states to ban cell-phone use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures; Washington D.C. has a similar ban.
But New Jersey's law, unlike those of the other states', prohibits officers from pulling over offending drivers unless the drivers are violating another law."
Next up: text messaging?
Three South Jersey lawmakers say texting while driving is even more dangerous than using a cell phone because it requires drivers to divert their hands and eyes. And they've introduced a bill to ban it.
Democratic Assemblyman Paul Moriarty admits to having texted while driving. And he says he sees others do it all the time.
'I see both of their hands on a BlackBerry, and I can only assume they're using their knees to hold the steering wheel,' said Moriarty, one of the bill's sponsors.
No other state has banned the practice yet, though at least two are considering it.
New Jersey is one of only four states to ban cell-phone use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures; Washington D.C. has a similar ban.
But New Jersey's law, unlike those of the other states', prohibits officers from pulling over offending drivers unless the drivers are violating another law."
Labels: News, Technology
Friday, March 23, 2007
Music publishers accuse XM of copyright infringement | CNET News.com
Music publishers accuse XM of copyright infringement | CNET News.com: "An association of music publishers late on Thursday filed a lawsuit that accuses XM Satellite Radio of refusing to stop 'widespread infringement' of popular copyrighted songs.
In a complaint filed in New York federal court, the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) argues that the satellite radio operator's 'XM + MP3' music service skirts copyright laws by allowing radio listeners to make permanent copies of on-air tracks through devices like the Pioneer Inno player without permission and without properly compensating songwriters.
The service 'constitutes pervasive and willful copyright infringement to the overwhelming detriment of copyright holders, legitimate online music services and, ultimately, consumers,' lead attorney Debra Wong Yang said in a statement.
The legal action by the music publishers arrives about two months after a federal judge ruled a similar legal challenge lodged by record labels could proceed. In that dispute, XM argued that its listeners are legally allowed to record music off the radio for personal use under the Home Recording Act of 1992.
Federal courts have upheld users' rights to record music from over-the-air radio for some purposes. The music industry argues that the 'iPod-like' devices marketed by XM are closer to being music download services akin to Apple's iT"
In a complaint filed in New York federal court, the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) argues that the satellite radio operator's 'XM + MP3' music service skirts copyright laws by allowing radio listeners to make permanent copies of on-air tracks through devices like the Pioneer Inno player without permission and without properly compensating songwriters.
The service 'constitutes pervasive and willful copyright infringement to the overwhelming detriment of copyright holders, legitimate online music services and, ultimately, consumers,' lead attorney Debra Wong Yang said in a statement.
The legal action by the music publishers arrives about two months after a federal judge ruled a similar legal challenge lodged by record labels could proceed. In that dispute, XM argued that its listeners are legally allowed to record music off the radio for personal use under the Home Recording Act of 1992.
Federal courts have upheld users' rights to record music from over-the-air radio for some purposes. The music industry argues that the 'iPod-like' devices marketed by XM are closer to being music download services akin to Apple's iT"
Labels: Music, Technology
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Viacom sued over Colbert parody on YouTube | CNET News.com
More on Viacom vs. YouTube
Viacom sued over Colbert parody on YouTube CNET News.com: "Viacom is misusing U.S. copyright law by forcing YouTube to remove a parody video of The Colbert Report, according to a lawsuit filed against the media conglomerate Thursday.
The video in question is itself a parody of news coverage on Viacom's Comedy Central.
The suit, filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation in federal court in San Francisco, accuses Viacom of filing a baseless copyright complaint and takedown notice on YouTube, and infringing on the free-speech rights of the makers of the video--activist group MoveOn.org Civic Action and Brave New Films.
The tongue-in-cheek video, called 'Stop the Falsiness,' uses snippets from The Colbert Report for parody. That approach, the EFF said, is permissable under the 'fair use' provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, just as The Colbert Report uses excerpts from real news shows in its segments.
'If you watch this clip for 01 seconds it is clear that it's a parody and it is fair use,' said Corynne McSherry, staff attorney at the EFF, which is working on the case with Stanford University's Center for Internet and Society.
Under the DMCA, service providers like YouTube, which is owned by Google, are immune from copyright suits if they respond quickly to takedown notices filed by content owners. "
Viacom sued over Colbert parody on YouTube CNET News.com: "Viacom is misusing U.S. copyright law by forcing YouTube to remove a parody video of The Colbert Report, according to a lawsuit filed against the media conglomerate Thursday.
The video in question is itself a parody of news coverage on Viacom's Comedy Central.
The suit, filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation in federal court in San Francisco, accuses Viacom of filing a baseless copyright complaint and takedown notice on YouTube, and infringing on the free-speech rights of the makers of the video--activist group MoveOn.org Civic Action and Brave New Films.
The tongue-in-cheek video, called 'Stop the Falsiness,' uses snippets from The Colbert Report for parody. That approach, the EFF said, is permissable under the 'fair use' provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, just as The Colbert Report uses excerpts from real news shows in its segments.
'If you watch this clip for 01 seconds it is clear that it's a parody and it is fair use,' said Corynne McSherry, staff attorney at the EFF, which is working on the case with Stanford University's Center for Internet and Society.
Under the DMCA, service providers like YouTube, which is owned by Google, are immune from copyright suits if they respond quickly to takedown notices filed by content owners. "
Labels: News, Technology
Explaining a Vista ban | Newsmakers | CNET News.com
Explaining a Vista ban Newsmakers CNET News.com: "newsmaker The prestigious National Institute of Standards and Technology has put a ban on Windows Vista, but that's standard procedure, according to NIST's chief information officer.
NIST, which does research and sets standards for things like cryptography for government use, is among several federal agencies that have put a moratorium on the use of Vista. The agencies are taking some time to make sure that the new Microsoft operating system meets their needs.
It is not unusual that large organizations aren't rushing to install major software updates. These organizations tend to do a lot of testing before upgrading. The same happened when Microsoft released Windows XP, and again with Service Pack 2 for Windows XP. Microsoft widely released Vista in late January.
Simon Szykman, chief information officer at NIST, was slightly irked by some of the media reports on his agency's move, which painted the ban as a major slap in Microsoft's face. In fact, Szykman said, this is business as usual. Ultimately, NIST expects many of its PCs will run Vista. Still, Microsoft has predicted a swift adoption of Vista by businesses.
NIST, based in Gaithersburg, Md., employs about 2,900 people and has an additional group of about 1,800 visiting researchers who complement the staff. Szykman spoke with CNET News.com about his organization's plans for Vista. "
NIST, which does research and sets standards for things like cryptography for government use, is among several federal agencies that have put a moratorium on the use of Vista. The agencies are taking some time to make sure that the new Microsoft operating system meets their needs.
It is not unusual that large organizations aren't rushing to install major software updates. These organizations tend to do a lot of testing before upgrading. The same happened when Microsoft released Windows XP, and again with Service Pack 2 for Windows XP. Microsoft widely released Vista in late January.
Simon Szykman, chief information officer at NIST, was slightly irked by some of the media reports on his agency's move, which painted the ban as a major slap in Microsoft's face. In fact, Szykman said, this is business as usual. Ultimately, NIST expects many of its PCs will run Vista. Still, Microsoft has predicted a swift adoption of Vista by businesses.
NIST, based in Gaithersburg, Md., employs about 2,900 people and has an additional group of about 1,800 visiting researchers who complement the staff. Szykman spoke with CNET News.com about his organization's plans for Vista. "
Labels: Technology
Is Photobucket the next Internet darling? | CNET News.com
Is Photobucket the next Internet darling? | CNET News.com: "Executives at the photo-sharing site Photobucket are fond of saying their company has one of the most visited Web sites that nobody has ever heard of.
Photobucket's 17 million U.S. monthly visitors make it the 34th most-visited site on the Web, according to ComScore Networks. Among the top social-networking or content-sharing destinations, Photobucket's traffic only trails MySpace and YouTube and is slightly ahead of Facebook, according to ComScore figures. And the number of people storing images on Photobucket far exceeds that of higher-profile rival, Flickr.
Yet Photobucket, which developed technology that allows users to post photos on blogs, Web sites and MySpace pages, is the only site among that group, other than Facebook, that hasn't been acquired. Critics say there's a good reason for that: despite the site's large audience, they aren't convinced the 4-year-old Photobucket is either a trendsetter or a potential cash cow worth coughing up big dollars to purchase. Moreover, they worry that Photobucket depends too much on MySpace."
Photobucket's 17 million U.S. monthly visitors make it the 34th most-visited site on the Web, according to ComScore Networks. Among the top social-networking or content-sharing destinations, Photobucket's traffic only trails MySpace and YouTube and is slightly ahead of Facebook, according to ComScore figures. And the number of people storing images on Photobucket far exceeds that of higher-profile rival, Flickr.
Yet Photobucket, which developed technology that allows users to post photos on blogs, Web sites and MySpace pages, is the only site among that group, other than Facebook, that hasn't been acquired. Critics say there's a good reason for that: despite the site's large audience, they aren't convinced the 4-year-old Photobucket is either a trendsetter or a potential cash cow worth coughing up big dollars to purchase. Moreover, they worry that Photobucket depends too much on MySpace."
Labels: Technology
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Viacom's YouTube lawsuit could test limits of DMCA | The Register
More on Viacom vs. YouTube(Google)
Viacom's YouTube lawsuit could test limits of DMCA | The Register: "Analysis Viacom has launched a $1bn lawsuit against YouTube and its owners Google over copyright infringing videos hosted by the site. The case could test the limits of the 'safe harbor' protections for ISPs and influence other user-generated content sites.
The entertainment giant said that its clips have been viewed more than 1.5 billion times without its permission and has sued the search giant and its video sharing subsidiary in a New York court for 'massive international copyright infringement'.
If the case goes to trial it is likely to test the limits the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DCMA) of 1998. Google claims 'safe harbor' status for YouTube, which is a DMCA protection designed for search engines, web hosts and ISPs to shield them against liability for third party copyright infringements. Similar protections exist in European laws.
The safe harbor was designed to protect such companies from having to monitor the activity of every internet user, something which was recognised as impractical. These companies do not have to prevent illegal use of their services pro-actively, but when properly notified that they host infringing material they must 'expeditiously' remove or disable access to that material. There is presently no clear judicial authority on the speed of reaction that qualifies as expeditious under "
Viacom's YouTube lawsuit could test limits of DMCA | The Register: "Analysis Viacom has launched a $1bn lawsuit against YouTube and its owners Google over copyright infringing videos hosted by the site. The case could test the limits of the 'safe harbor' protections for ISPs and influence other user-generated content sites.
The entertainment giant said that its clips have been viewed more than 1.5 billion times without its permission and has sued the search giant and its video sharing subsidiary in a New York court for 'massive international copyright infringement'.
If the case goes to trial it is likely to test the limits the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DCMA) of 1998. Google claims 'safe harbor' status for YouTube, which is a DMCA protection designed for search engines, web hosts and ISPs to shield them against liability for third party copyright infringements. Similar protections exist in European laws.
The safe harbor was designed to protect such companies from having to monitor the activity of every internet user, something which was recognised as impractical. These companies do not have to prevent illegal use of their services pro-actively, but when properly notified that they host infringing material they must 'expeditiously' remove or disable access to that material. There is presently no clear judicial authority on the speed of reaction that qualifies as expeditious under "
Labels: News, Technology
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Viacom sues YouTube over copyrights
I don't know how this will turn out but it will be interesting to watch...
Viacom sues YouTube over copyrights: "Media conglomerate Viacom Inc. is suing YouTube for $1 billion, claiming that the video-sharing site had built a business by using the Internet to 'willfully infringe copyrights on a huge scale.'
Other media companies also have major concerns about YouTube, but Viacom's was the first lawsuit filed by a major media owner.
Several media companies have reached agreements to supply YouTube with clips, including CBS Corp., General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal and the British Broadcasting Corp., but many others remain reluctant to deal with the Web site because of copyright concerns.
YouTube had been a quirky, fast-growing startup until the deep-pocketed Internet search behemoth Google Inc. bought the company last November for $1.76 billion.
But YouTube's soaring popularity, especially among younger people who are increasingly tuning out traditional media, has broadcasters frightened of losing viewers and advertising dollars.
Last month, Viacom demanded that YouTube remove more than 100,000 unauthorized clips from its site, and since that time, the company has uncovered more than 50,000 additional unauthorized clips, Viacom spokesman Jeremy Zweig said.
A quick search of YouTube's site turned up numerous clips from Viacom programs including segments from Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' and Nickelodeon's 'SpongeBob SquarePants' cart"
Viacom sues YouTube over copyrights: "Media conglomerate Viacom Inc. is suing YouTube for $1 billion, claiming that the video-sharing site had built a business by using the Internet to 'willfully infringe copyrights on a huge scale.'
Other media companies also have major concerns about YouTube, but Viacom's was the first lawsuit filed by a major media owner.
Several media companies have reached agreements to supply YouTube with clips, including CBS Corp., General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal and the British Broadcasting Corp., but many others remain reluctant to deal with the Web site because of copyright concerns.
YouTube had been a quirky, fast-growing startup until the deep-pocketed Internet search behemoth Google Inc. bought the company last November for $1.76 billion.
But YouTube's soaring popularity, especially among younger people who are increasingly tuning out traditional media, has broadcasters frightened of losing viewers and advertising dollars.
Last month, Viacom demanded that YouTube remove more than 100,000 unauthorized clips from its site, and since that time, the company has uncovered more than 50,000 additional unauthorized clips, Viacom spokesman Jeremy Zweig said.
A quick search of YouTube's site turned up numerous clips from Viacom programs including segments from Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' and Nickelodeon's 'SpongeBob SquarePants' cart"
Labels: News, Technology
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Google's buses help its workers beat the rush | CNET News.com
Google's buses help its workers beat the rush | CNET News.com: "MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--The perks of working at Google are the envy of Silicon Valley. Unlimited amounts of free chef-prepared food at all times of day. A climbing wall, a volleyball court and two lap pools. On-site car washes, oil changes and haircuts, not to mention free doctor checkups.
But the biggest perk may come with the morning commute.
In Silicon Valley, a region known for some of the worst traffic in the nation, Google, the Internet search engine giant and online advertising behemoth, has turned itself into Google, the mass transit operator. Its aim is to make commuting painless for its pampered workers--and keep attracting new recruits in a notoriously competitive market for top engineering talent.
And Google can get a couple of extra hours of work out of employees who would otherwise be behind the wheel of a car.
The company now ferries about 1,200 employees to and from Google daily--nearly one-fourth of its local work force--aboard 32 shuttle buses equipped with comfortable leather seats and wireless Internet access. Bicycles are allowed on exterior racks, and dogs on forward seats, or on their owners' laps if the buses run full."
But the biggest perk may come with the morning commute.
In Silicon Valley, a region known for some of the worst traffic in the nation, Google, the Internet search engine giant and online advertising behemoth, has turned itself into Google, the mass transit operator. Its aim is to make commuting painless for its pampered workers--and keep attracting new recruits in a notoriously competitive market for top engineering talent.
And Google can get a couple of extra hours of work out of employees who would otherwise be behind the wheel of a car.
The company now ferries about 1,200 employees to and from Google daily--nearly one-fourth of its local work force--aboard 32 shuttle buses equipped with comfortable leather seats and wireless Internet access. Bicycles are allowed on exterior racks, and dogs on forward seats, or on their owners' laps if the buses run full."
Labels: News, Technology
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Dell Allows Customers to Buy New Notebooks Without Windows
DailyTech - Dell Allows Customers to Buy New Notebooks Without Windows: "On the Direct2Dell company blog, Matt Domsch, Linux Software Architect for Dell, announced that Dell has added its Latitude line of notebooks PCs to its n-Series lineup of products. n-Series are Dell products that ship with no operating system pre-installed. The Latitude notebooks will join Dell's Dimension and OptiPlex desktop computers, both of which are already being sold under the n-Series.
According to Domsch, the decision to sell Latitude notebooks PCs without any operating system pre-installed is a direct result of Dell IdeaStorm. IdeaStorm, which was launched by Dell little more than a week ago, is an interactive website which allows users to post ideas they would like to see Dell work on. The ideas are then then voted on, and the most popular ones make it to the IdeaStorm front page. Apparently, three of the top four spots on the website all deal with Linux. The third topic, which is the one Dell is trying to address by adding its Latitude notebooks to the n-Series lineup, is about shipping notebook PCs with Linux pre-installed on them. According to Domsch, the move brings Dell 'a bit closer' to Linux laptops."
According to Domsch, the decision to sell Latitude notebooks PCs without any operating system pre-installed is a direct result of Dell IdeaStorm. IdeaStorm, which was launched by Dell little more than a week ago, is an interactive website which allows users to post ideas they would like to see Dell work on. The ideas are then then voted on, and the most popular ones make it to the IdeaStorm front page. Apparently, three of the top four spots on the website all deal with Linux. The third topic, which is the one Dell is trying to address by adding its Latitude notebooks to the n-Series lineup, is about shipping notebook PCs with Linux pre-installed on them. According to Domsch, the move brings Dell 'a bit closer' to Linux laptops."
Labels: Technology
Friday, February 23, 2007
Yuri's Night 2007 | Home
Yuri's Night 2007 | Home
47 Days left!
Yuri Gagarin was the first human to go into space on April 12th, 1961. The US Space Shuttle first launched on April 12th, 1981. Yuri's Night is like the St Patricks Day or Cinco de Mayo for space. It is one day when all the world can come together and celebrate the power and beauty of space and what it means for each of us. Join us!
"Circling the Earth in my orbital spaceship I marveled at the beauty of our planet. People of the world, let us safeguard and enhance this beauty — not destroy it!"
Yuri Gagarin, 1st person in space
Labels: Humor, Technology
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wired News: Google Apps: Should You Switch?
Wired News: Google Apps: Should You Switch?: "Google's new web-based office software suite, which the company announced Thursday, is a swift kick to the teeth delivered squarely in the direction of Microsoft. Or is it?
Google Apps Premier Edition is a collection of office tools for businesses -- word processor, spreadsheet, e-mail, calendar and web page creator -- all of which are accessible through a web browser. Pricing is set at $50 per user per year, less expensive than Microsoft Office but with much the same functionality. Microsoft has its own web-based suite of tools in Office Live, but the company's offering doesn't match Google's. And Google isn't going after Office Live, it's going after Office.
The suite and others like it are visions of a possible future when all software will be delivered over the internet. Does the arrival of Google Apps Premier Edition signal the death of desktop software dinosaurs like Microsoft Office?
While the idea is compelling, the answer is no. Not yet, at least. There are many reasons to get excited about Google's new plan, but there are just as many reasons to stick with the status quo."
Google Apps Premier Edition is a collection of office tools for businesses -- word processor, spreadsheet, e-mail, calendar and web page creator -- all of which are accessible through a web browser. Pricing is set at $50 per user per year, less expensive than Microsoft Office but with much the same functionality. Microsoft has its own web-based suite of tools in Office Live, but the company's offering doesn't match Google's. And Google isn't going after Office Live, it's going after Office.
The suite and others like it are visions of a possible future when all software will be delivered over the internet. Does the arrival of Google Apps Premier Edition signal the death of desktop software dinosaurs like Microsoft Office?
While the idea is compelling, the answer is no. Not yet, at least. There are many reasons to get excited about Google's new plan, but there are just as many reasons to stick with the status quo."
Labels: Technology
Did Apple Pay Cisco Millions to Use the iPhone Brand? - Tech News - Playfuls.com - Science & Technology
Did Apple Pay Cisco Millions to Use the iPhone Brand? - Tech News - Playfuls.com - Science & Technology: "Now you didn’t think Steve Jobs will lose the iPhone dispute, did you? The two companies play together nicely and announce the end of their spat over the iPhone brand.
In a joint press release both giants declared their commitment for future collaboration, and, most importantly, both companies are free to use the “iPhone” trademark on their products throughout the world.
The new agreement also dismisses any previous legal disputes regarding the iPhone trademark. Cisco and Apple will not only forget about those, but they will also explore opportunities for interoperability in the areas of security, and consumer and enterprise communications, according to the press release.
Cisco sued Apple on January 10, a day after Apple chief executive Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone. Cisco has held a trademark on the name since 2000 and launched a line of internet-phone products last year under the iPhone label.
Recently, Apple’s boss also announced the end of a long ongoing dispute over the company’s name with Apple Corps, according to which Apple Inc. will own all of the trademarks related to “Apple” and will license certain of those trademarks back to Apple Corps for their continued use."
Labels: Technology
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Compare cell phone carriers - CNET Reviews - CNET Reviews
Compare cell phone carriers - CNET Reviews - CNET Reviews: "Which is the best cell phone carrier? Is it T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, or perhaps Cingular Wireless? Though many readers ask CNET that very question, it's difficult to give a straight answer. A carrier's reception can vary greatly, even within the same city, and every customer will have a different experience. So to accurately, and honestly, tell you which of the 'big four' carriers offers the best network, we'd have to make calls in thousands of places across the country. Yet we can tell you everything you need to know about the four major carriers by detailing their phone lineups, technologies, and the different services that they offer. We also invite you to make our carrier reviews even more useful on a national level by providing your own ratings and feedback. So please, tell us what you think. Is your carrier doing a good job or not?"
Labels: Technology
If We Have FREE TV on the Web, Why Should We Pay Cable? - Tech News - Playfuls.com - Science & Technology
If We Have FREE TV on the Web, Why Should We Pay Cable? - Tech News - Playfuls.com - Science & Technology: "The agreement between giant Viacom and Internet start-up Joost brings to mind Bill Gates’ prophecy that in 5 years from now on we’ll be laughing at today’s way of watching TV.
I have been among the very few people to test two of the new P2P TV applications, Joost and Babelgum. A comparison between the two is not yet the purpose of this article (although I will write one in the future), but from what I’ve seen by now, they are both killer-apps. Killer as in cable-killers."
I have been among the very few people to test two of the new P2P TV applications, Joost and Babelgum. A comparison between the two is not yet the purpose of this article (although I will write one in the future), but from what I’ve seen by now, they are both killer-apps. Killer as in cable-killers."
Labels: Technology
