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AP - Yahoo Inc. is offering free e-mail accounts under two new designations in an effort to attract Web surfers unhappy with their current addresses.
AFP - For people looking for a dance partner that doesn't step on toes, toymakers Sega and Hasbro on Thursday unveiled a new two-wheeled dancing robot with stereo sound.
AP - Google Inc.'s YouTube is setting up a virtual screening room to bring the work of independent filmmakers to a global audience.
AP - China's anti-piracy bureau on Thursday denied reports it is investigating possible monopoly behavior of large software companies including Microsoft Corp.
![]() Canada.com | New Skype 4.0 beta makes video calls easier San Francisco Chronicle - Internet communications provider Skype introduced a new beta version of its service Wednesday that features improved video calling tools and a new interface. Skype Trots out Beta of Major Redesign New Skype Beta Makes Video VOIP a Snap |
![]() ITProPortal | Yahoo Adds Two New E-mail Domain Choices PC Magazine - by Michael Muchmore Starting Thursday, Yahoo will allow its customers to create e-mail accounts using the ymail and rocketmail domain names. Yahoo introduces two new e-mail address domains RocketMail shipping to an in-box near you |
![]() ChattahBox | Regulators Take Aim at Infant DNA-Testing Industry Wired News - By Alexis Madrigal 12 minutes ago Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's pro-biotech stance is at odds with the aggressive regulatory stance of his state's health department. Cease And Desist: California Tries to Unravel 23andMe's Genetic ... Genetic-testing startups asked to stop selling in California |
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
![]() BetaNews | Top 500 supercomputers: Welcome to the petaflop generation NetworkWorld.com - Welcome to the petaflop generation. That was the message today as the new most powerful supercomputer in the world IBM's $100000 million Roadrunner system installed at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory was officially named the ... How power-hungry are the Top500 supercomputers? IBM Roadrunner Judged World's Fastest Computer |
![]() OverTheLimit.info | Building a Better Browser: Firefox Keeps Innovating Washington Post - By Rob Pegoraro Mozilla Firefox, the little Web browser with the quirky name, has grown up fast. Four years ago, Firefox was an obscure project Microsoft felt free to ignore. Firefox 3.0 Doesn't Focus On Business IT Firefox 3 downloads clear 8 million mark |
![]() Techtree.com | Toshiba Launches a Skinny Laptop Techtree.com - Move along Macbook Air, there's another skinny notebook that aims to take the market by storm. Toshiba yesterday announced a new version of its Portege R500 ultraportable, the Portege R500-S5007V. Toshiba Crams Full-Bodied Features Into Skinny New Notebook Toshiba Offers Lightweight Notebook With 128-GB Solid-State Drive |
![]() E Canada Now | Posted by: Matt Vella on June 18 BusinessWeek - Electronic Arts has released the so-called Spore Creature Creator, which allows players to generate infinitely varied 3D critters and interact with them. Spore "Sporn" Sprung The Many Creatures of Spore: A Video Presentation |
![]() eFluxMedia | Why iPhone Wannabes Don't Cut It BusinessWeek - by Stephen H. Wildstrom Apple's influence on high-tech markets has long exceeded the company's relatively small market share, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the wireless phone market. Sprint prices iPhone rival Instinct at $130 Sprint's iPhone Rival Is Cheaper, But Is It Better? |
![]() Washington Post | Verizon speeds up FiOS fiber-optic Internet The Associated Press - NEW YORK (AP) - Verizon Communications Inc. is boosting the speed of its FiOS fiber-optic Internet service in 10 states. The FiOS service areas of California, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and ... Verizon plans more Fios for cities Verizon: NY FiOS Deal Approval Expected Soon |
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
![]() TopNews | Mars lander loses day of work after data glitch The Associated Press - LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Phoenix lander stopped digging soil near Mars' north pole Wednesday as engineers on Earth worked to fix a glitch that caused the loss of a day's worth of photos. UA scientists adjust work to Mars time Phoenix Mars Lander Analyzes, Finds Minerals In Soil |
: Forty-percent smaller and 100 percent slicker than its predecessor, the pocket-friendly Mino (pronounced like the SS Minnow) is the newer, trimmer, quicker-on-the-draw feel and decidedly more fun version of the Flip Ultra.
Despite the smaller body, USB 1.0 compatibility and more sensible battery it’s hard to say just why you’d really want to spend $30 more for the Mino instead of the soon-to-be-reduced Ultra. The Mino features a slightly improved video-compression engine, but you’re still getting the same frame rate (30 fps), same 1/4-inch VGA CMOS sensor, same bitrate, same 640 x 480, and same 2-GB hard drive without any of the higher-end, higher-res optics or features (3x zoom?) that a pocket-friendly $200 digicam will give you. —Steven Leckart
WIRED Buttons can be muted (great for weddings, lectures, pirating movies); easy to shoot, download and upload vids; internal battery equals no need to go hunting for AA batteries. Elegant Vader-black or Storm Trooper-white casing.
TIRED No optical zoom, no upgradeable memory, no Bluetooth, no decent stills. FFWD could be FSTR. Macheads must upgrade to OSX 10.5. Eager-beaver touch buttons are too sensitive and have a tricky sweet spot.
$180, Flip

Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.
: First, the good news. Getting the MBS-100 connected to my Bluetooth gadgets (cellphones and laptops mostly) is idiot-proof due in no small part to its excellent synchronization ability. The device defaults to "search mode" when first powered on and the pass code is "0000." Want to add another device? Just hold down the sync button on the bottom of the speaker, wash, rinse and repeat. It's that simple.
Now the bad news. Sadly, audio is another story. After busting out some raaawk by Rise Against, it was clear that the MBS-100 was doomed. I cranked up the volume but between the relentless kick drum and the mid-range of the frantic guitar work, the MBS-100 sputtered surprisingly distorted audio even at medium levels. R&B and classical music performed much better at comparable and higher levels, but even those sounded anemic when it came time to deliver low-frequency bass. —Terrence Russell
WIRED Easy to use and extremely portable. Carrying case included. Decent wireless range and relatively smooth streaming. Supports advanced audio distribution and audio and video remote control profiles.
TIRED A damning combination of being pricey/underpowered. Bass-hungry beat fiends need not apply. Only 50 hours of standby?!
$100, Sony Ericsson

: If you frequent LAN parties, or an ill-tempered downstairs neighbor disapproves of muzzle fire at 4 a.m., you might want to give the A40 Audio System a listen. Consisting of a headset and a dedicated mixer and amplifier (sold as a set or as individual components), it’s geared towards Xbox and PC gamers who want solid surround sound without violating municipal noise ordinances.
The headset is fairly impressive: comfortable, great sound and fairly attractive. Noise, however, does leak from the headset: The included foam inserts help cut some of the excess din, but bystanders could still hear the occasional clashing of swords or revving engine. The A40 really shines when it’s paired with the A40 MixAmp. Powered by four AAs (which last for about seven hours of continuous use), it can also run on USB power, or via an optional rechargeable battery pack. Just for gamers: Multiple units can be daisy-chained together via a connector tucked into the base of the unit, creating a sort of hardware-based Teamspeak (assuming you and your buddies get several MixAmps). —Nate Ralph
WIRED Comfort, for multiple head and hair sizes. Clear voice quality is a plus for talking smack. Connectivity options to complement most setups.
TIRED PC gamers won’t mind, but wireless La-Z-Boy warriors probably don’t want to be tethered to their audio system.
$270, Astro Gaming

Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.
: Imagine a radio-controlled car with a camera that’s mounted from the viewpoint of where the miniature plastic driver would sit. Then imagine donning video goggles and earphones so you see and hear where the car is as you drive, and when you turn your head, the driver does too. Now imagine that you get to use it for five minutes at a time because it keeps breaking.
An included visor contains two LCDs that make for big-screen driving fun. An accelerometer in the controller detects head movement and turns the driver's head in any direction, so you can look around while you drive. Dual mics transmit stereo sound all the while.. But for us the joy was intense -- and short-lived. Within five minutes of simple driving on a flat surface, the too-powerful motor loosened in its housing and disengaged from the crankshaft. After some puzzling and screwing around with a tiny Phillips-head, we got the thing running again, but many users will think the thing broken and due for a tearful return. —Roger Hibbert
WIRED Mind-blowingly awesome fun. You see and hear out of the frigging thing! Causes strong, bittersweet memories.
TIRED Soul-crushingly broken. Doesn't come with a manual. Controls are hard (for us monkeys) to figure out. Doesn't appear to have a U.S. retailer (yet).
$1,050, Go With the Shark

: Polaroid’s newest product is a portable printer called the PoGo. Here's how it works -- you snap off a picture with your cam phone or Pict-Bridge-enabled shooter and then send the image to the PoGo via Bluetooth or USB. The PoGo then prints out a borderless image onto a 2-inch by 3-inch slice of thermal ZINK photo paper.
We synced it up with a Nokia N82 and N95 -- two phones renowned for their image-capturing ability. The pics we printed actually turned out fairly well. While colors are not totally accurate and the images were slightly cropped, we were still able to take a look at our shots and say, "Yes, that's definitely a picture of the llama that spit on me." The heat-sensitive paper is well, rather sensitive. After my colleague printed out a pic of a Ferrari, he instinctively started shaking it to make it develop. Although the image was fully baked, the tight grip of his thumb and forefinger on the thermal paper actually discolored it slightly. Word to the wise: If you scoop up a PoGo, keep your shots away from moderate heat. —Daniel Dumas
WIRED It'll take you longer to actually line up, compose, and shoot a decent photo than it will to transfer that same photo to the Pogo. Thermal ZINK photo paper is a hoot to use.
TIRED Colors are washed out. Wouldn't it be awesome, I mean really awesome, if you had to shake the heat-sensitive paper once or twice to make it develop?
$150, Polaroid

: Forty-percent smaller and 100 percent slicker than its predecessor, the pocket-friendly Mino (pronounced like the SS Minnow) is the newer, trimmer, quicker-on-the-draw feel and decidedly more fun version of the Flip Ultra.
Despite the smaller body, USB 1.0 compatibility and more sensible battery it’s hard to say just why you’d really want to spend $30 more for the Mino instead of the soon-to-be-reduced Ultra. The Mino features a slightly improved video-compression engine, but you’re still getting the same frame rate (30 fps), same 1/4-inch VGA CMOS sensor, same bitrate, same 640 x 480, and same 2-GB hard drive without any of the higher-end, higher-res optics or features (3x zoom?) that a pocket-friendly $200 digicam will give you. —Steven Leckart
WIRED Buttons can be muted (great for weddings, lectures, pirating movies); easy to shoot, download and upload vids; internal battery equals no need to go hunting for AA batteries. Elegant Vader-black or Storm Trooper-white casing.
TIRED No optical zoom, no upgradeable memory, no Bluetooth, no decent stills. FFWD could be FSTR. Macheads must upgrade to OSX 10.5. Eager-beaver touch buttons are too sensitive and have a tricky sweet spot.
$180, Flip

Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.
: First, the good news. Getting the MBS-100 connected to my Bluetooth gadgets (cellphones and laptops mostly) is idiot-proof due in no small part to its excellent synchronization ability. The device defaults to "search mode" when first powered on and the pass code is "0000." Want to add another device? Just hold down the sync button on the bottom of the speaker, wash, rinse and repeat. It's that simple.
Now the bad news. Sadly, audio is another story. After busting out some raaawk by Rise Against, it was clear that the MBS-100 was doomed. I cranked up the volume but between the relentless kick drum and the mid-range of the frantic guitar work, the MBS-100 sputtered surprisingly distorted audio even at medium levels. R&B and classical music performed much better at comparable and higher levels, but even those sounded anemic when it came time to deliver low-frequency bass. —Terrence Russell
WIRED Easy to use and extremely portable. Carrying case included. Decent wireless range and relatively smooth streaming. Supports advanced audio distribution and audio and video remote control profiles.
TIRED A damning combination of being pricey/underpowered. Bass-hungry beat fiends need not apply. Only 50 hours of standby?!
$100, Sony Ericsson

: If you frequent LAN parties, or an ill-tempered downstairs neighbor disapproves of muzzle fire at 4 a.m., you might want to give the A40 Audio System a listen. Consisting of a headset and a dedicated mixer and amplifier (sold as a set or as individual components), it’s geared towards Xbox and PC gamers who want solid surround sound without violating municipal noise ordinances.
The headset is fairly impressive: comfortable, great sound and fairly attractive. Noise, however, does leak from the headset: The included foam inserts help cut some of the excess din, but bystanders could still hear the occasional clashing of swords or revving engine. The A40 really shines when it’s paired with the A40 MixAmp. Powered by four AAs (which last for about seven hours of continuous use), it can also run on USB power, or via an optional rechargeable battery pack. Just for gamers: Multiple units can be daisy-chained together via a connector tucked into the base of the unit, creating a sort of hardware-based Teamspeak (assuming you and your buddies get several MixAmps). —Nate Ralph
WIRED Comfort, for multiple head and hair sizes. Clear voice quality is a plus for talking smack. Connectivity options to complement most setups.
TIRED PC gamers won’t mind, but wireless La-Z-Boy warriors probably don’t want to be tethered to their audio system.
$270, Astro Gaming

Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.
: Imagine a radio-controlled car with a camera that’s mounted from the viewpoint of where the miniature plastic driver would sit. Then imagine donning video goggles and earphones so you see and hear where the car is as you drive, and when you turn your head, the driver does too. Now imagine that you get to use it for five minutes at a time because it keeps breaking.
An included visor contains two LCDs that make for big-screen driving fun. An accelerometer in the controller detects head movement and turns the driver's head in any direction, so you can look around while you drive. Dual mics transmit stereo sound all the while.. But for us the joy was intense -- and short-lived. Within five minutes of simple driving on a flat surface, the too-powerful motor loosened in its housing and disengaged from the crankshaft. After some puzzling and screwing around with a tiny Phillips-head, we got the thing running again, but many users will think the thing broken and due for a tearful return. —Roger Hibbert
WIRED Mind-blowingly awesome fun. You see and hear out of the frigging thing! Causes strong, bittersweet memories.
TIRED Soul-crushingly broken. Doesn't come with a manual. Controls are hard (for us monkeys) to figure out. Doesn't appear to have a U.S. retailer (yet).
$1,050, Go With the Shark

: Polaroid’s newest product is a portable printer called the PoGo. Here's how it works -- you snap off a picture with your cam phone or Pict-Bridge-enabled shooter and then send the image to the PoGo via Bluetooth or USB. The PoGo then prints out a borderless image onto a 2-inch by 3-inch slice of thermal ZINK photo paper.
We synced it up with a Nokia N82 and N95 -- two phones renowned for their image-capturing ability. The pics we printed actually turned out fairly well. While colors are not totally accurate and the images were slightly cropped, we were still able to take a look at our shots and say, "Yes, that's definitely a picture of the llama that spit on me." The heat-sensitive paper is well, rather sensitive. After my colleague printed out a pic of a Ferrari, he instinctively started shaking it to make it develop. Although the image was fully baked, the tight grip of his thumb and forefinger on the thermal paper actually discolored it slightly. Word to the wise: If you scoop up a PoGo, keep your shots away from moderate heat. —Daniel Dumas
WIRED It'll take you longer to actually line up, compose, and shoot a decent photo than it will to transfer that same photo to the Pogo. Thermal ZINK photo paper is a hoot to use.
TIRED Colors are washed out. Wouldn't it be awesome, I mean really awesome, if you had to shake the heat-sensitive paper once or twice to make it develop?
$150, Polaroid

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told the crowd today at BIO, the world's largest biotechnology conference, "If you have anything to do with biotech, California is one of the best places to set up shop."
But the actions and tough talk of his public health department have biotech companies in one of the most promising areas of the field -- genetic testing -- questioning whether they can do business in the state at all.
Last Monday, the state's laboratory field services group issued 13 cease-and-desist letters to genetic testing companies. Wired.com obtained a copy of the letters (pdf.) from two recipients. And a recent teleconference among regulatory officials confirms the seriousness of the department's intent.
"We [are] no longer tolerating direct-to-consumer genetic testing in California," Karen Nickles, Chief of Laboratory Field Services at the health department, told members of the Clinical Laboratories Advisory Committee on June 13.
Targeted companies include personal genomics startups 23andMe and Navigenics. These services are seen as the leading edge of a new type of health care in which consumers can use their genetic profile to tailor their medical and lifestyle choices. The established medical community, however, is wary of the technology arguing that the medical utility of some tests is unproven. Doctors also complain that direct-to-consumer services bypass them as the gatekeepers and analysts of medical information, which they worry could confuse consumers, not to mention cost them a billing event.
The health department's actions are a direct challenge to the viability of the infant DNA-testing industry, for which physician involvement is shaping up to be a major battleground. As far back as a September 2006 meeting, health department officials were voicing concerns over "nutrigenetic tests that analyze a limited number of genes to give personalized nutritional and lifestyle recommendations."
But genetic testing companies say they are "information services" that simply provide data about their customers' DNA. Genetic testing companies argue that they should be subject to a similar level of oversight as over-the-counter tests, like those available for determining paternity. Only New York requires a prescription for a paternity test.
The cease-and-desist letter, signed by Nickles, cites seven California statutes, beginning with the Business and Professions Code Section 1241, which requires that "all clinical laboratories in California ... possess a clinical laboratory license."
But the letter's strongest wording is reserved for a section of the law, Business and Professions Code Section 1288, which requires a doctor's note for all laboratory tests, unless, like pregnancy tests, they are specifically exempt from that law.
"Genetic tests are NOT exempt," the letter reads. "As such, the test must be ordered by a physician or surgeon."
Kristine Ashcraft, director of operations for another genetic testing company, Genelex, which was not sent a cease-and-desist letter, criticized New York's policy and the application of that framework to genetic testing in California.
"All they've done is created an extra billing event for the doctor," Ashcraft said.
As Navigenics CEO Mari Baker put it, "You hope [the health department officials] understand the difference between a genetic risk assessment and a diagnostic test."
Nevertheless, Baker says that her company has taken pains to involve a California-licensed physician in its process. Furthermore, she stated that her company outsources its laboratory work to Affymetrix, which does possess a licensed clinical laboratory in California. Affymetrix, we confirmed with a company source, was not served with a cease-and-desist letter.
In a June 13th health department conference call, officials stated that 25 "genetic businesses" were part of an extensive investigation.
In a summary of the regulatory action, Nickles said that 13 companies were to immediately cease testing and "desist from ever doing it again."
Nickles added that the state had talked with the state of New York, which sent similar letters, and looked forward to federal regulation.
While Nickles took issue with the testing business, she said that "public interest in personalized medicine" was driving the use of genetic information.
Though the health department has stated that the investigation of genetic testing companies came as a result of "multiple" consumer complaints -- no specific incidents were mentioned in the call.
DNATraits.com managing partner Bennett Greenspan, whose company received a letter from the health department, said that he didn't believe that consumer outcry sparked the investigation.
"If we could find out who put the bee in their bonnet, my guess it's the medical community," Greenspan said. "I think that the medical community doesn't want to lose control of who orders the test."
Reporter's note: No transcript or online version of the June 13 call is available, but interested parties can call 866-837-8032 and enter Access 123-9562 until July 8th to listen to a recording of the whole three-plus-hour call. (Be forewarned: There's no skipping ahead, and the genetic testing discussion follows a variety of procedural discussions before it gets to the relevant information.)
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Gadget of the day was Philips's sexy, Shuffle-sized MP3 players, but an earthier ingenuity is seen in the blacksmith who recycles anything. Cleverness abounds: the PGP code book, distributed to route around export restrictions, is on on eBay; one may buy fake branded pens designed to upset freeloading pen-borrowers; and Pittsburgh boffins have invented a program that accurately geotags images based on subtle similarities to stuff already in Flickr.
John regaled us with the history of Japanese vending machines, and debunks the urban myth that is doubtless on your mind. Rob wrote about unchecked malware on a government computer that resulted in bogus child porn charges, and Joel infiltrated Apple and listened to The Trons, a homebrew automata band.
Not done? Try God's own suppository, one of
14 3D printers, and
a Convenient Lie.
To bolster the idea that marijuana is more addictive today, the ONDCP notes that "16.1% of drug treatment admissions [in 2006] were for marijuana as the primary drug of abuse," compared to "6% in 1992." But referrals from the criminal justice system account for three-fifths of these treatment admissions, and marijuana arrests have increased by more than 150 percent since 1990.LinkBy arresting people for marijuana possession and forcing them into treatment, the government shows why it has to arrest people for marijuana possession. That's our self-justifying drug policy in a nutshell.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
"We found clear physical and psychological evidence of torture and abuse, often causing lasting suffering," said Dr. Allen Keller, a medical evaluator for the study.LinkThe report is prefaced by retired U.S. Major Gen. Antonio Taguba, who led the Army's investigation into the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal in 2003.
"There is no longer any doubt that the current administration committed war crimes," Taguba says. "The only question is whether those who ordered torture will be held to account."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
The benefit of this strategy could be that she avoids attacks from other females while confusing males about who’s going to be the dad, (University of St. Andrews professor Simon) Townsend and his colleagues propose in the June PLoS ONE.Link
“It’s very elegant and quite novel,” says primatologist Stuart Semple of Roehampton University in London. Previous work focused on male reaction, so documenting the effects of a female audience brings a new dimension to the research. Also the new paper finds no evidence for the standard belief that female calls incite male competition, he says... Townsend argues the females give confusing signals about paternity thus possibly enlisting the support of important males in case other females attack.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
UPDATE: National Post is running a story about the sixth foot. It's a right foot in a black Adidas shoe. The woman who found it, while picking rocks along the water, said two bones were sticking out of the shoe, and they looked like they'd been cut.
Previously on Boing Boing:
• 5th foot found washed up in B.C.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
“We see things as living beings,” (Winther) says. “That’s a must. Otherwise you can’t fall in love with an object.” Wall Winther is attracted mostly to constructions with plenty of parallel lines – buildings, fences, bridges, gates and, in one case, a guillotine. But other OS fetishists might be turned on by the intricate workings of a turbine or television set, the delicate curves of a shiny sports car, the rigid harshness of a railtrack, or the bell end of a trumpet.Link
Look hard enough and you’ll discover an internet populated by tales of love affairs with objects. Joachim A, for example, confesses to his affair with a Hammond organ that began when he was 12. He’s now in a steady relationship with a steam locomotive. Psychology student Bill Rifka tells of his sexual obsession with his iBook (he defines it as a homosexual relationship as he regards his laptop as male) and Doro B talks about falling for a metal processing machine she encountered at her work. Online at least, OS is a genuine sexual orientation, where relationships thrive, desires are aroused (and fulfilled) and deep emotions burn.

Scott Beale of Laughing Squid says: "Boston.com has posted an excellent graphic on “How to Nap” in their “Ideas” section." Link

Yesterday, the US Post Office issued this wonderful commemorative sheet of 16 Charles and Ray Eames stamps. I bought 10 sheets.
Honoring the husband-and-wife design team of Charles and Ray Eames, this commemorative sheet of 16 stamps was designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, DC, and represents the breadth of their extraordinary body of creative work, which includes architecture, furniture, film and exhibits.Link (via Finkbuilt)
Link to BBC News article, Link to RealSnailMail site, Link to SIGGRAPH 2008 "Slow Art" pageInstead of instantaneous communication, sent messages will travel at 0.03mph (0.05km/h) and could take days, weeks or even months to arrive....
"One thing technology promises us is speed, acceleration, more of everything in less time," said Paul Smith, a visual artist working on the project.
"Culturally, we seem obsessed with immediacy. Time is not to be taken but crammed to bursting point."
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