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Palantir: The Next Billion-Dollar Company Raises $90 MillionWhen Alex Karp needed funding for a young start up named Palantir in 2005, dozens of investors said “No.” He was trying to sell them on the idea of a high-powered analysis platform that could scan multiple databases simultaneously— a tool that government officials and corporations could use to tackle complex problems. “It was very scary since doing enterprise software [from] 2005 to 2009 was a little bit like starting a circus in the middle of Palo Alto with engineers,” Karp says, “Enterprise is a dirty word and that’s the business we’re in, and government is also not very popular in the Valley, [we combined] both.” [See our interview with Karp above] Today, funding is not an issue. Palantir, a team of 250-plus engineers nestled in downtown Palo Alto, has raised $90 million in Series D financing at a $735 million valuation— the company exclusively told TechCrunch. The round was led by co-founder Peter Thiel’s The Founders Fund and included Youniversity Ventures, Glynn Capital, Miriam Rivera’s Ulu Ventures, Jeremy Stoppleman, Ben Ling, and a couple of high-profile NY funds. Although Palantir did not disclose whether it’s profitable, the company says revenues have at least doubled every year for the last three years. And yet this nearly billion dollar company— yes, that’s billion with a big fat “B”— remains a wallflower in Silicon Valley. Foursquare, a company founded in 2009, has at least 208 posts on TechCrunch. Palantir, founded in 2004, has one. Unlike the most buzzed about startups in tech, Palantir is not in the social game. It doesn’t dispense daily deals, nor does it accept mobile payments and it certainly does not Tweet. It is an obtuse, difficult-to-explain product that is mainly used in Washington— the government makes up 70% of its business and the rest is dominated by private financial institutions. That may sound painfully boring but Palantir’s user-friendly analysis program is becoming a major player in the war against terrorism and cyber espionage, stimulus spending accountability (Palantir is literally powering the administration’s efforts to identify fraud in stimulus projects), health care, and even natural disasters like the recent earthquake in Haiti. This year, the platform famously helped researchers at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto expose a cyber espionage ring called the Shadow Network, which was stealing classified materials from India’s Defense Ministry. Where there’s a crisis, it’s safe to say that Palantir is probably not far behind. Screenshot of a Palantir project:
What is Palantir? To understand Palantir, it helps to start at the origin. The company is named after the Palantir stones of Lord Of The Rings, which allowed the characters to connect with other stones and see nearby images. The fundamental point of Palantir is to take reams of data and help non-technical users see critical connections and ultimately, the answers to complex problems. The product is a child of PayPal, born from the start up’s methodology for combating fraud:
That would form the foundation for the Palantir platform, which merges human-based algorithms and a powerful engine that can scan several databases at once on an incredibly fine, granular level. It comes in two flavors: Government and Finance. The basic system, which is designed to look like software from a Hollywood spy thriller, accepts huge databases and allows users to slice the information in seemingly innumerable ways. Unlike PayPal’s model, Palantir is also designed to be highly sensitive to a variety of security needs. At Palantir’s headquarters, Shreyas Vijaykumar (Forward Deployed Engineer) and Shyam Sankar (Director of Business Development) walked us through one simulation. We looked at a hypothetical E.Coli outbreak in Detroit, Michigan. We knew the approximate date of the outbreak and the fact that victims purchased meat at two different grocery chain. Using Palantir we were able to identify all the store locations in the area, find the meat distributors, isolate the stores that shared the same distributors and ultimately narrow it down to two distributors where the contamination may have originated. Not exactly fighting terrorists, but a pretty neat 10-minute activity. If it sounds convoluted, you can check out some of their demonstration videos here. Heat map of Somali pirate attacks: Unlike the many contractors it competes against, Karp emphasizes that the company does not provide a service, it will always be product oriented. Although Palantir provides support and training for its clients, Karp says, from early on, he knew he wanted to build a company around a great product. That dogged loyalty to refining the flagship product permeates Palantir’s offices. For example, a software update is released every month— on the Palantir Government side, the engineers name the update by assigning an element from the periodic table and designing a shirt to commemorate the new update (yes, 250-plus t-shirts are printed each month). That spirit is further reinforced by the engineer-centric model— virtually every single employee is an engineer and roughly 27-years-old. Predictably, the office space is punctuated with extra-large bean bag chairs, a small community of dogs, board games, Halo (even conference rooms are named after parts of Halo), a working train set, paintings of Carebears, and even a bubble machine that spews bubbles when someone breaks the build. Of course, there is a downside to an engineer utopia working feverishly to perfect a platform. If everyone’s an engineer, who sells the product? The answer is no one. There is no publicist, no sales or marketing team and Karp adamantly believes that there will never be one. He says he is perfectly content to let word of mouth drive his business, in press and in sales. He knows he could multiply his revenues by building out a sales team, but he think it would ultimately detract from the mission: “If you are iterating on a product that you want to be important three years from now, it’s better to have engineers figuring out what the core issues are and then iterate against them. If you want to optimize on revenue [for the] next quarter…you want to be heavy on a sales force. We’re long on dealing with the most important problems…and short on what happens in the near term.” It’s hard to imagine a billion-dollar company without a sales team, but then again Palantir is pretty darn close.      
Source: TechCrunch | 25 Jun 2010 | 4:17 am How Soccer Changed the Economic World. Or Vice-VersaMany people have noticed a remarkable result at this year's World Cup. Consider: Last edition's champion, Italy, is out, while a host of South American countries are doing wonderfully. Similarly, England...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 4:14 am Google Chrome Now Comes With Flash Built In
Last March, Adobe and Google jointly announced that Flash Player would soon come built in to the latter’s Chrome browser, eliminating the need for users to download, install and update it separately. On Thursday evening, Google released Chrome 5.0.375.86 to the Stable channel on Linux, Mac, and Windows, with a fix for a number of security issues. More importantly, the integrated Flash Player has now been enabled by default. As Stephen Shankland over at CNET points out, built-in Flash was previously only available in the developer and beta releases of the speedy WebKit-based browser, and the release to the Stable channel means the integrated plug-in is now available in its mainstream version. The update comes a mere two days after Google re-enabled the integrated Flash Player plug-in by default in the Beta channel after disabling it for some time. Not only is Google giving Adobe’s Flash technology another vote of confidence (Flash Player 10.1 for Mobile, which was announced earlier this week, will be rolled out on Android 2.2 phones first), but the integration also means any updates to Flash Player will be delivered directly via Google Chrome’s updating system, ultimately minimizing security risks that tend to surface when one uses outdated software and components.      
Source: TechCrunch | 25 Jun 2010 | 4:12 am Hardware expert explains iPhone 4 antenna problem - Computerworld
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 25 Jun 2010 | 4:02 am Porn sites closer to .xxx Web address (AP)AP - Porn sites have stepped closer to a new ".xxx" Internet address after the global Internet oversight agency said it made mistakes in rejecting it three years ago.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 25 Jun 2010 | 3:59 am House turns its sights on Apple over new privacy policy - TG Daily
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 25 Jun 2010 | 3:58 am 77% of iPhone 4 sales were upgrades - Fortune
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 25 Jun 2010 | 3:19 am WiBE Shared Hotspot Pitched For Rural Broadband in UKjustice4all writes "A British company claims to have solved the problem of delivering a reliable broadband connection to people in rural communities. Deltenna has developed a small, self installable gadget called the WiBE (Wireless Broadband Enabler), which uses the 3G mobile network to create a 2Mbps web hotspot. The device sounds similar in concept to devices like Novatel's MiFi — but Deltenna claims it works even in places where a 3G mobile phone wouldn't register a signal. The WiBE has five times the range of a 3G dongle, and can deliver 30-times data throughput as well compared to a 3G USB modem dongle, Deltenna believes."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 25 Jun 2010 | 3:08 am Product Guru Eckart Walther Goes Free Agent As EIR At Accel Partners
I first met Eckart when he was at Yahoo as a group vice president of product management for search – that was back in the day when Yahoo was still the no. 2 search engine behind Google and had no plans to relinquish that title. Prior to Yahoo he was at Tellme (acquired by Microsoft). And way back in the day, at Netscape. Most recently he parked himself at LiveOps doing God-knows-what. He’s left LiveOps and has quietly taken a position at Accel Partners as an entrepreneur in residence. That means he’s being paid to sit around and think a lot, and occasionally join a meeting or two. I randomly saw this on his Facebook feed this evening and haven’t had a chance to talk to him about his plans. But he’s likely to either be starting a new company or looking for his next job at a startup. Keep an eye on whatever he does next, it’s likely to be something worth watching. Follow him on Twitter at @eckartwalther.      
Source: TechCrunch | 25 Jun 2010 | 3:02 am UPDATE 2-Market Chatter -- Corporate finance press digestBANGALORE, June 25 (Reuters) - The following corporate finance-related stories were reported by media on Friday:Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 2:49 am Charlie the Unicorn lip-dubbed by Sean Bonner and friendsA few years ago, after a web video conference, a bunch of Internet luminaries — Sean Bonner, Micki Kriimmel, Nick Douglas, etc — got together in a living room in LA to make this hilarious lip dub of Charlie the Unicorn. It's one of those videos that gets better with age — the more times you watch it, the funnier it is.
(Thanks, Joi!) Charlie the Unicorn lip-dubbed by Sean Bonner and friendsA few years ago, after a web video conference, a bunch of Internet luminaries — Sean Bonner, Micki Kriimmel, Nick Douglas, etc — got together in a living room in LA to make this hilarious...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 2:42 am UPDATE 1-MTS, Comstar boards approve merger, shares up* MTS offers to buy 9 pct of Comstar at 220 roubles/shareSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 2:23 am Living, breathing lung tissue created in the lab - TG Daily
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 25 Jun 2010 | 2:20 am Makeup Mirror Fashiontography - Model Anna Jagodzinska Gets 'Face Time' in W Magazine (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Five different cosmetic companies get 'Face Time' in W Magazine. The beauty editorial stars the stunning Anna Jagodzinska as photographed by Craig McDean. Makeup by Olay, Este Lauder,...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 2:10 am Sneaker Decals - Funkkit Stickers4Sneakers Skins Let You Customize Your Kicks on the Fly (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) These Funkkit Stickers4Sneakers skins revolutionize the way you can customize the sneakers you already own. The thin, flexible and ultra-durable decals allow you to change the patterns...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:50 am Announcing The Winner Of The CoolIT ECO ALC!By Chris Scott Barr It’s friday, which not only means that the weekend is here, but we’ve also got a liquid cooling system to give away! After consulting the Magic 8 Ball, Ouija Board and a...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:21 am Color-Popping Personal Transportation - Colorware Custom Paint Jobs Will Brighten up Your Segway (VIDEO)(TrendHunter.com) ColorWare custom paint jobs are now being offered for beloved Segways, making them able to compete with the fierce car paint jobs we see so often these days. ColorWare is offering these...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:20 am 1,400 Megapixel Pan-STARRS Telescope Comes OnlineElectricSteve writes "Astronomers in Hawaii have announced they've successfully managed to boot up the Pan-STARRS (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System) telescope. Working from dusk to dawn every night, Pan-STARRS is able to map one-sixth of the sky each month, allowing astronomers to track all moving objects, calculate their orbits, and identify any potential threats to Earth. There are four Pan-STARRS cameras in total, each capable of capturing around 1.4 billion pixels over a sensor measuring 40 centimeters square. The focal plane of each camera contains an almost complete 64x64 array of CCD devices, each containing approximately 600x600 pixels, for a total resolution of 1.4 gigapixels."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:18 am Viral Video: Friggin' "Twilight" [BoomTown]
“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” had its premiere last night in Los Angeles, with legions of screamy fans laying in wait for days to catch a glimpse of the stars of the film. The third movie in the series will be in theaters next Wednesday. But here’s a better–and much funnier–choice: A spoof of the sparkly vampire movie by the cast of “Jersey Shore.” It was done for ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” late-night talk show, which devoted a show Wednesday to latest installment of “Twilight.” BoomTown, for one, will take Snooki any day over glum, though adorkable, Kristen Stewart. Enjoy the video: Source: All Things Digital | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:11 am Twitter settles with FTC over hacking breach - Washington Post
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:06 am What Viacom's Loss to YouTube Means for Hollywood [Voices]By Matthew Belloni, Editor, The Hollywood Reporter, Esq. The Google geeks have beaten Hollywood chic. But how much will the court ruling against Viacom (VIA) in its $1 billion copyright battle over YouTube tip the balance of power from professional content creators to online distributors? In ruling on summary judgment that the Google (GOOG)-owned video-sharing site is protected from liability by a safe-harbor provision in copyright law, U.S. District Court Judge Louis Stanton has sent a clear message: When user-generated video sites implement reasonable takedown procedures, they are shielded from infringement lawsuits based on the copyrighted content that users upload. Read the rest of this post on the original site » Source: All Things Digital | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:01 am New Ideas to Turn E-Readers Into Me-Readers [Voices]By Lore Sjöberg, Contributor, Wired.com There was a time when your choice of book told people who you were, or at least who you wanted to be. Or, barring that, who you wanted people to think you wanted to be. Having an e-reader doesn’t say anything but “I read books and have power outlets in my home.” (Both admirable qualities, to be sure.) Luckily for venture capitalists, I have ideas. It’s time for the world of e-readers to diversify so people can make a statement with their choice of electronic word-delivery device. Read the rest of this post on the original site » Source: All Things Digital | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Should Facebook Charge for Privacy? [Voices]By Dan Tynan, Contributor, ITworld Not surprisingly, Facebook’s half-hearted attempts to kick its data-sharing addiction have not exactly wowed the privacy cognoscenti. Jeff Tinsley, CEO of MyLife.com, has another idea: If you really want Facebook to protect your privacy, you should pay them for the privilege. No, he’s serious. And he’s got a good point. The idea is simple: If you’re a paying customer, Facebook doesn’t need to monetize your data so heavily via ad deals. That means it has less incentive to butter your data all over the InterWebs and more incentive to keep its paying customers (ie, you) happy. Read the rest of this post on the original site » Source: All Things Digital | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Daily Crunch: Burgerdrift Edition
The top four iPhone 4 hardware issues so far
Source: CrunchGear | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Social Networking Affects Brains Like Falling in Love [Voices]By Adam Penenberg, Contributing Writer, Fast Company Neuroeconomist Paul Zak has discovered, for the first time, that social networking triggers the release of the generosity-trust chemical in our brains. And that should be a wake-up call for every company. Read the rest of this post on the original site » Source: All Things Digital | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Police Your Own Damn Copyrights [Voices]By Farhad Manjoo, Technology Columnist, Slate.com In March, I criticized YouTube’s founders for their apparent disregard for copyright law during the site’s first few years of operation. Internal e-mail messages that were released as part of a billion-dollar lawsuit that Viacom (VIA) filed against Google (GOOG), which owns YouTube, suggested that the founders “were aware of a lot of infringing content on the site but decided to ignore much of it in order to keep YouTube growing,” I wrote. If the case proceeded, I predicted, Google would settle with Viacom in order to avoid an expensive defeat for what I called “YouTube’s original sin.” Well, I guess I should upload a video apology to YouTube, because boy was I wrong. Read the rest of this post on the original site » Source: All Things Digital | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Medvedev's Silicon Valley Dreams Won't Happen Overnight [Voices]By Zoran Basich, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal If anyone thought that Russian President Dimitry Medvedev was engaging in an empty P.R. exercise when he hosted a delegation of U.S. venture capitalists last month in Moscow, this week’s trip to the Bay Area should make it clear he’s really serious about replicating Silicon Valley’s culture of innovation and entrepreneurism in Russia. Of course, it took decades for the sleepy towns and fruit orchards of the southern Bay Area to transform themselves into the tech mecca they have become. “These are just the first steps. I hope they are realistic about how long this will take,” said Brian Jacobs, managing director of Emergence Capital Partners, who was one of the 20 or so VCs who went to Moscow last month to build ties with the Russian government and business community and provide feedback on the country’s plans to move aggressively toward a technology-based economy. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Luxury Auto Timepieces - The Silver Arrow Concept Watch Models Itself After A Mercedes (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) French designer Fabien Cacheux has unveiled his latest in auto-inspired timepieces with the Silver Arrow concept watch. Inspired by the Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS, Cacheux created the sleek...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am BRIEF-Sevan says Sevan Driller is operationalOSLO, June 25 (Reuters) - Sevan Marine said:Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:59 am DSGi 2009/10 Preliminary ResultsLONDON, June 25, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- - Full Year Profits at top end of Expectations, up 61% - Strong Second Half Performance DSG international plc, one of Europe's largest specialist electrical retailers, today announces preliminary audited results for the 52 weeks ended 1 May 2010: Financial Highlights - Total Underlying Group sales(1) (2) up 4% to GBP8,531.6 million (2008/09 GBP8,180.2 million). - Total Group sales, including those from closed businesses, up 3% to GBP8,532.5 million (2008/09 GBP8,317.8 million). - Group like for like sales(3) up 2% in the full year and up 6% in the second half. - Underlying Group gross margins flat across the full year. - Underlying EBIT(4) up 60% at GBP133.2 million (2008/09 GBP83.0 million). - Significant profit improvements across the Group, including UK & Ireland up 21% and Nordics up 28%. - Underlying pre-tax profit(2) up 61% at GBP90.5 million (2008/09 GBP56.1 million). - Underlying diluted earnings per share(2) up 50% at 1.5 pence (2008/09(5) 1.0 pence).Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:58 am Bringrr Ensures That You Never Leave Your Phone At HomeBy Chris Scott Barr Cell phone have, for better or worse, become an important part of our daily lives. Which is why it really sucks when you get somewhere, only to realize your phone is sitting at home,...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:54 am BRIEF-BG drills dry well in North Sea -directorateOSLO, June 25 (Reuters) - The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said:Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:53 am iPhone 4 Seems to Connect Faster, with One Troubling Flaw (PC World)PC World - When the new iPhone was announced, Apple CEO Steve Jobs crowed about a new antenna design that would improve wireless reception by making the metal band forming the outside edges of the phone part of the antenna. Wireless antennas are typically built on the inside of phones.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:38 am Facebook-Inspired Advertising - Social Networking Heads Out of the Home to Billboards & Print Ads (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Facebook-inspired advertising has shaped the way in which billboards and print ads are created. Post-It notes, Gold's Gym, Wonderbra, Sky TG24, Tzomet Sfarim, and Colgate are just some...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:30 am UPDATE 1-FDA delays decision on AstraZeneca's motavizumab* FDA resets decision date for drug to Aug. 27 from June 24Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:29 am Continue Time Kinetic Sculpture ClockBy Andrew Liszewski So how do you convince people to keep buying wall clocks when nearly every single gadget they carry can show them the time? Well one way is to turn it into a mesmerizing kinetic sculpture...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:21 am World's First Solar-Propelled Blimp To Cross English ChannelAn anonymous reader writes "Can a blimp propelled entirely by solar power cross the English Channel? We're about to find out! Nephelios, the world's first solar blimp, was built by Projet Sol'r — a collaboration between students at engineering and technical schools in France. Now, almost a year after its debut (and a year after it was supposed to launch), the helium-filled airship is ready for action, with its inaugural flight set to take place next week. The blimp is covered in semi-flexible solar cells that can generate up to 2.4 kilowatts — enough to keep the blimp moving at 25 mph as it crosses la Manche."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:11 am Wall Street Beat: Chips Are Up, Why Are Stocks Down? (PC World)PC World - Signs abound that the global chip industry is looking at one of its best years ever, paced by a strong PC market and sales of a range of hot gadgets, including Apple's iPad. But despite positive news for the technology industry, stock shares in many tech companies are sliding due to concerns over faltering growth caused by debt problems in Europe and elsewhere.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:10 am Romania - Factors to Watch on June 25BUCHAREST, June 25 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Friday.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:09 am BRIEF-Statoil to supply natural gas to Poweo plantOSLO, June 25 (Reuters) - Norwegian oil and gas group Statoil said:Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:09 am RPT-DEALS-Withdrawn M&A at 5-year low as firms get cautious* $609 mln in M&A advisory fees lost, lowest since '01Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:04 am Jesse Thorne describes his audio interview gearI asked Jesse Thorne, producer of The Sound of Young America, to describe his audio setup. Read it here. Source: Boing Boing | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:04 am The Curfew: edugame about fighting the surveillance societySpeaking of kick-ass edugames my wife's behind, The Curfew is a forthcoming Channel 4/Littleloud game for kids 14+ that explores issues of surveillance, authoritarianism and liberation in a near-future Britain where a law-and-order party has taken over the country. Meant to be a tonic against sleepwalking into the surveillance state, it's subversive, thought-provoking and way fun. Due out end of July.
Source: Boing Boing | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:01 am TABLE-Nagaileben -9-mth group results9 months ended 9 months ended Year toSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 25 Jun 2010 | 12:00 am A visit to Maximum Fun headquarters
Earlier this week I went to Jesse Thorn's in-home Los Angeles studio, where he does his interviews for The Sound of Young America, the most consistently interesting interview program on the planet. I like the fact that Jesse keeps his costs down by producing the show in a spare bedroom. That means every dollar he gets in donations goes as far as possible. I've been doing a lot of interviews for my book over the past month at plush public radio stations, and I'm sure the rent, equipment costs, and staff salaries to keep them running are enormous. Jesse's costs are a tiny fraction of a public radio station's, yet the sound quality of his shows are just fine. Jesse, you are the future. UPDATE: I asked Jesse to describe his set-up, which he kindly did. Here's what he said about it: I use Shure SM7 microphones. These are famous for being the mics that Michael Jackson used to record his vocals for Thriller, but they're really a great all-purpose microphone. They're also tough and cheap - at least compared to other studio vocal microphones. They cost about three hundred bucks, and the next step up is several thousand. They work great for my purposes because their pickup pattern really emphasizes the guest and de-emphasizes the guy outside my window with the leaf blower. Very forgiving.
The Sound of Young America UPDATE 1-China Strategic says not pursuing MOU with Chinatrust* China Strategic: MOU with Chinatrust makes deal complexSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 11:49 pm Scenes From A Multiverse: funny webcomic from the creator of Goats Jon Rosenberg, creator of the stellar and awesomely weird webcomic Goats, sez, "Just thought I'd let you know about the launch of my new webcomic, Scenes From A Multiverse. Five days a week we'll be visiting new places across an ordinary multiverse and see how folks there live. Readers have a chance to influence the itinerary by voting for Repeat Destinations each Friday, reality-show style." Scenes From A Multiverse - A daily comic about life by Jon Rosenberg Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jun 2010 | 11:11 pm Young people, risky behavior and the net: the factsdanah boyd and Samantha Biegler have released a draft literature review on "Risky Behaviors and Online Safety," commissioned by Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet & Society. It looks at the latest papers on the risks presented to young people by using the Internet; if you've been reading the newspapers, the distance between the reality and what you've heard in the sensationalist accounts of pedos, cyberbullies, etc, will surprise:Concerns about online predators are pervasive, but the image that most people hold doesn't necessarily match with the data about sexual crimes against minors. For starters, the emphasis on what takes place online tends to obscure the fact that most cases of sex crimes against children do not involve the Internet at all. As we seek to help youth who are victims, we must continue our efforts to address victimization in the home and in the community; addressing Internet- initiated victimization alone will not help the vast majority of children who are victimized. When facing interventions to address Internet-initiated victimization, we must be attentive to research that highlights that some youth are more at-risk than others. Youth who have psychosocial issues, family and school problems, and those who are engaged in risky behaviors are far more likely to be victimized than the average youth using the Internet. Targeting those who are more at-risk will allow us to help more youth. Research also suggests that most youth who are victimized are not deceived about the abuser's age, do discuss sex online before meeting up offline, and are aware of the abuser's sexual intentions when they decide to meet them. These youth often believe that they are in love and have no mental model for understanding why statutory rape is a crime. In order to help these youth, we cannot focus solely on preventing adults from engaging with youth; we must also help youth recognize that these encounters are abusive before they occur.Risky Behaviors and Online Safety: A 2010 Literature Review Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jun 2010 | 11:08 pm Regwall cuts The Times's online readership in halfRupert Murdoch's Times newspaper has instituted a registration wall as a preliminary step toward a full-blown paywall. Readership of the online edition immediately dropped by 50%.UK paper requires free Web accounts; traffic plunges
Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jun 2010 | 11:03 pm Domino's Pizza deliverators demand your SSN when you pay with a credit cardSome Domino's pizzerias (I use the term loosely) are demanding that you give the driver your Social Security Number when you pay with a credit card: identity theft ahoy!Domino's Delivery Guy Demanded My Social Security Number (Image: Domino's Pizza, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from adjourned's photostream) Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jun 2010 | 10:59 pm Will video sites stop filtering content? (Reuters)Reuters - One question that needs to be asked a day after Google's landmark win over Viacom in the YouTube copyright-infringement case is whether Google could have gotten away with doing less about protected content on its video-sharing platform.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 10:53 pm EU secretly pushing to put kids in jail for sharing music: ACTA leakMore leaks from behind the scenes at the secretive Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement negotiations: the EU is pushing for criminal sanctions for non-commercial copyright infringement. That means putting kids in jail for trading music with one another."The ACTA agreement, by its opacity and undemocratic nature, allows criminal sanctions to be simply negotiated. The leaked document shows that the EU Member States are willing to impose prison sanctions for non-commercial usages of copyrighted works on the Internet as well as for 'inciting and aiding', a notion so broad that it could cover any Internet service or speech questioning copyright policies. EU citizens should interrogate their governments about their support to policies that obviously attack freedom of speech, privacy and innovation. Around the next round of negotiations and beyond, ACTA should be restlessly combatted and opposed worldwide." concludes Jérémie Zimmermann, spokesperson for citizen advocacy group La Quadrature du Net.Leak: EU pushes for criminalizing non-commercial usages in ACTA (Thanks, Adam!)
Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jun 2010 | 10:43 pm Planning a survival trip? The Samsung XCover offers 67 days of lifeSection: Communications, Cellphones
The more amazing feature of this new phone is its battery life. In stand-by mode you can expect it to last two months and 22 hours of talk time. Although I would personally never use this phone, those numbers are really refreshing to think about. 2 months, instead of 10 hours of battery life would be like a dream come true. This new phone is only available in Sweden for now although it should be visiting the rest of Europe soon. Via [Unwired View] Full Story » | Written by Hunter Clarke for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jun 2010 | 10:29 pm June 25, 1967: First CES Dazzles New YorkThe Consumer Electronics Show hasn't always been in Las Vegas. It just seems that way.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 10:00 pm Hey Apple: You’re not supposed to hold the iPhone 4 that way.
Non issue. Just avoid holding it in that way. - Steve Jobs, on the iPhone 4 reception issue. Read the rest at MobileCrunch >>
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 9:24 pm The Motorola Droid might receive Android 2.2 before Droid XSection: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones  Yesterday, the Motorola Droid X was officially unveiled by Verizon and Motorola at Verizon’s special press event. Ever since, all the talk has been about how great of a phone it is - with its 4.3 inch touch screen, 1GHz processor, pre-loaded apps, 8MP camera, etc. Unfortunately, Verizon said it will not receive Android 2.2 nor Adobe Flash 10.1 until the latter half of the summer. For Android enthusiasts, this comes as a great dismay because everyone in the Android community cannot wait until Android 2.2 is officially pushed out, especially to such a powerful phone. According to a leaked internal picture at Verizon, the Motorola Droid might actually receive the Android 2.2 OTA update before its successor. In fact, the Motorola Droid is slated for a late July update, while the Motorola Droid X is slated for a late August update. Since the Motorola Droid X is set to feature Motoblur, it will take a little bit longer to update the Droid X from Android 2.1 to Android 2.2. However, since the original Motorola Droid does not feature Motoblur, the update can happen sooner rather than later. Of course, we will just have to wait and see whether Verizon comes out with an official statement confirming the matter. Via [Phone Arena] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jun 2010 | 9:12 pm Hey Apple: You’re not supposed to hold the iPhone 4 that way.
Non issue. Just avoid holding it in that way. - Steve Jobs, on the iPhone 4 reception issue.
[Image 1 via Dawn Jean Majors, Image 2 spotted by jmmo20]
Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 9:10 pm SanDisk WORM SD Card Can Store Data For 100 YearsCWmike writes "SanDisk has announced a 1GB Secure Digital card that can store data for 100 years, but can be written on only once. The WORM (write once, read many) card is 'tamper-proof' and data cannot be altered or deleted, SanDisk said in a statement. The card is designed for long-time preservation of crucial data like legal documents, medical files and forensic evidence, SanDisk said. SanDisk determined the media's 100-year data-retention lifespan based on internal tests conducted at normal room temperatures. The company said it is shipping the media in volume to the Japanese police force to archive images as an alternative to film. The company is working with a number of consumer electronics companies, including camera vendors, to support the media."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 24 Jun 2010 | 9:08 pm Playdom Continues Shopping Spree; Acquires Social Gaming Startup Hive7
Hive7, which is backed by True Ventures and was founded in 2005, develops social games for Facebook and MySpace. The startup is best known for its flagship game, Knighthood, which combines combat and diplomacy in a medieval setting. Other titles include Youtopia, Kick-Off, and Sindicate. Hive 7′s developers and team have already joined Playdom’s Mountain View offices. Playdom has been on quite a shopping spree over the past few months. The company, which recently brought on a new CTO, has steadily been expanding its presence on Facebook and in the social gaming space, most recently acquiring MMORPG developer Acclaim Games, Facebook game developer Offbeat Creations and developer Three Melons. Playdom also invested $5 million in Facebook game developer MetroGames. And Playdom bought popular branded game developer Merscom. Of course, the gaming company has been raising large amounts of money to fuel these acquisitions of gaming platforms and talent. This week, the company raised $33 million from Disney’s Steamboat Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners and New World Ventures. And in November, Playdom raised a massive $43 million at a $260 million valuation. According to our stats from November, Playdom has 28 million monthly game users. 60% of traffic is from MySpace v. 40% from Facebook. Playdom’s main competitor is gaming giant Zynga, which is a leading game developer on Facebook. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 8:39 pm Hulu's Subscription Service Could Come Next Week – For Some of You [MediaMemo]
If you’re in a select group, that is. One person familiar with the site, owned by a joint venture of broadcasters and Providence Equity Partners, says the initial test could be limited to 10,000 people. The Hulu Plus pitch, as I’ve previously reported: $9.95 a month for access to a deeper catalog of shows than the free service currently offers, plus the ability to watch it on devices other than a laptop or PC, including Apple’s iPad (AAPL). Other reports this month indicate that the service may also be available on Microsoft’s Xbox (MSFT) and Sony’s PS3 (SNE) game consoles. I’m also told that Hulu’s network owners — GE’s NBC (GE), Disney’s ABC (DIS) and News Corp.’s Fox (NWS) — are still hammering out rights deals for particular shows. So it’s possible that the launch could be pushed back, or that the service will have weird gaps in its catalog when it does launch. One example of a possible programming stumbling block: Viacom’s Comedy Central, for instance, has rights to older episodes of NBC’s 30 Rock. Hulu says it is already turning a profit from ad sales, and is on track to generate more than $200 million in revenue this year. And a successful subscription service would beef up those numbers. But it would also accomplish an equally important goal for CEO Jason Kilar — mollifying his network owners who worry that Hulu is cutting into their existing businesses, including licensing fees, DVD sales and conventional TV advertising. Hulu and its network partners would split the $10 per head fee, I’m told, though I don’t know the formula the JV will use to split up the dollars. No comment from Hulu. The Wall Street Journal is also reporting on Hulu’s plans. Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 8:28 pm Windows Phone 7 to launch in OctoberWhether it was intended for announcement today or not we’ll never know, but Microsoft’s VP of Marketing just mentioned during a presentation that Windows Phone 7 will be launching this October. No more details, unfortunately — it’s not clear whether it’ll be a full launch with all the handsets ready to go, or a soft launch where they formally announce prices and dates for everything. October still seems dangerously far away when you’ve got the iPhone 4 (problems notwithstanding) and Android 2.2 raring to go. But I’m keeping the fire. It looks like a great mobile OS, and even if it were launching next week that’d be too far out for me. [via Engadget]
Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 8:21 pm Motorola Droid X: The Best of the Droids - BusinessWeek
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jun 2010 | 8:09 pm Motorola introduces Car Mount and Multimedia Station for Droid XSection: Audio, Accessories, Car Audio, Video, Accessories, Communications, Accessories, Cellphones, Smartphones  While the Droid X news is still hot, Motorola figured they would announce their accessories for the Droid X ahead of launch in case customers want to know what will be out there for the Droid X. On the Motorola Shop site, there are two accessories that will be available presumably when the phone launches on July 15. The accessories include the Car Mount for Droid X and the Multimedia Station for Droid X; prices for both accessories are not yet known. The Car Mount automatically launches the dashboard app on the Droid X when connected, plays music through the car stereo, can access Internet Radio (such as Pandora), and Google Maps Navigation - all while keeping the phone charged. The Multimedia Station is a simple dock for your Droid X and allows you to display videos and photos on an HDTV assuming you have the necessary HDMI wire that isn’t included. In addition, it lets you play music and even display photos as a digital photo frame. The phone will charge while in the dock. None of these accessories are must have by any means, but they will certainly make your Droid X experience a little bit better. Check it out [Motorola Car Mount] and [Motorola Multimedia Station]  Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jun 2010 | 8:01 pm That’s one elegant bike basket
If you’re interested, you’ll have to contact Faris Elmasu, the creator, directly; they’re all hand-made and probably cost a bundle. [via DesignBoom and Swiss Miss]
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 8:00 pm Apple iOS 4 vs. Android Multitasking: Which Approach Is Better for Users? - PC World
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jun 2010 | 7:56 pm Baytech Web Design Achieves Search Engine Success for MTD MicroMoldingSAN JOSE, Calif., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Getting to the top of Google for a commonly searched keyword that applies directly to your company is a rare victory for web companies. Achieving these results in less than a year and effectively managing your SEO budget is almost unheard of.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jun 2010 | 7:48 pm Apple on iPhone 4 Reception Problems: You're Holding It Wrong [Digital Daily]
Responding to complaints about weakening signal strength when the iPhone 4 is held in a particular way, the company said such issues are common to all cell phones. Its suggested solution for those experiencing the problem: Hold it a different way–specifically, in a way in which your hand doesn’t simultaneously cover the two antennas built into the steel band that encircles the phone’s exterior. “Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas,” Apple spokesperson Nat Harrison explained. “This is a fact of life for every wireless phone.” And that is true. The Droid Incredible reportedly suffers from a similar issue. As do the Nexus One and the iPhone 3G (see videos below). So, yes, a fact of life–particularly given FCC requirements that mandate that the radiating portion of a cell phone’s antenna be kept as far as possible from the user’s head. So why haven’t we heard complaints like this about “every wireless phone”? Why hasn’t RIM issued instructions for a proper BlackBerry handhold? That’s not clear. Perhaps it’s the result of the iPhone launch spectacle and the media attention and scrutiny that accompanies it. But perhaps it is a design issue as well. After all, the iPhone 4’s integrated antenna is new and CEO Steve Jobs did tout it at WWDC as “really cool engineering.” And Apple’s advice to those encountering the problem is simply to hold the phone differently. Said Harrison, “Avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases.” Given that simple solution, why didn’t Apple simply adjust the position of the antennas in the first place? Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 7:33 pm Google disappears apps from phones – it’s like magic!
I’m not calling attention to this out of disapproval, though. It’s part of the terms of service and these weren’t books people had paid for, like in the Amazon situation. But it’s good to know that the capability is there, for good or ill, and someone does have their finger on the button. That’s likely to be the case with almost any service provider from now on, so get used to it. [via The Register]
Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 7:00 pm Google disappears apps from phones – it’s like magic!
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 7:00 pm Will Swype ever be on the iPhone?Section: Communications, Cellphones, Email / IM, Smartphones
One of the Swype engineers has already developed a program for the iPhone “in his spare time.” Just imagine how good of a program he could make if he actually focused on it. It seems the technology is in place and it is definitely possible to develop a program that would run on the iOS, but would Apple allow it? Chief Executive Mike McSherry states:
Some iPhone users even carry an additional phone because typing on a touch screen phone is difficult after a while and they prefer Swype to the conventional method. It has already been proven that Swype is a faster and more accurate way to input text. It will be interesting to see whether Swype creates a fully functional app for the iPhone and whether Apple allows it. Read [Reuters] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jun 2010 | 6:59 pm Will iPhone 4's FaceTime actually change the video calling game? (Appolicious)Appolicious - Video calling isn’t exactly new technology, but now that Apple’s proprietary app FaceTime, which is built into iPhone 4, has been placed in the hands of the early-adopting masses, face-to-face chatting may become the wave of the future. Or it won’t. It’s really too early to tell, but the potential is there and I can definitely see FaceTime becoming integral in people’s lives—no more missed birthday parties, recitals or first steps, for instance.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 6:34 pm Steve Jobs Responds To The Antenna Issue: Hold It Different Or Use A Case
Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 6:31 pm Steve Jobs Responds To The Antenna Issue: Hold It Different Or Use A Case
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 6:30 pm Steve Jobs Responds To The Antenna Issue: Hold It Different Or Use A Case
C.K. Sample emailed Jobs earlier this afternoon about the issue. A few hours later, Jobs responded with the following:
The first part of his statement is likely true, but the thing is, Apple specifically manufactured this version of the iPhone to have an antenna that wraps around the entire body of the device. Most devices, obviously, don’t do this. Apple undoubtedly did this with good intentions — to both improve reception and make the device itself more compact. But is it possible they miscalculated the trade-off? Jobs’ solution to hold the phone differently is a bit unreasonable. His other solution to buy one of the new cases is, sadly, expensive (each one costs $29). If the problem is as widespread as some are making it seem, perhaps Apple should be giving these bumpers away. Sample also let me know that Jobs actually just sent the exact same email to him again. This may mean he’s sending this to all the people who emailed him about this issue today. Despite the busy launch day, Jobs is clearly going through his email. Earlier, he responded to someone about the new FaceTime feature replacing the Hold button on the phone. Update: Sure enough, the statement Jobs emailed out is the official statement Apple is now using. Also check out the one-liner Jobs sent to another user that Engadget obtained:
Best “that’s what she said” ever? Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 6:21 pm Summary Box: Oracle's net jumps 25 pct (AP)AP - THE PROFIT: Oracle Corp.'s net income jumped 25 percent in the most recent quarter. CEO Larry Ellison trumpeted momentum in the company's efforts to sell computer hardware and in its showdown with IBM Corp.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 6:20 pm Yahoo Search VP Larry Cornett Leaves
Cornett’s departure probably isn’t a coincidence. In his blog post, Cornett writes that he’s going to be launching a new startup (currently in stealth) and will also be starting a consulting firm. Cornett also took the opportunity to recap some of the things Yahoo’s Search team did in the last few years. From his blog:
     
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 6:03 pm Zune suddenly takes real money in addition to MS points
Confused? You should be. This memo from Microsoft should clear everything up for you.
So. You’ll be able to pay with a card if you buy Zune tracks via Bing, but not if you buy them via Zune. You’ll still need points to do that. So really, I was lying in that first paragraph, and in the headline. But they made me lie, with their lies. Take cards or don’t, Microsoft! What the hell? I always think of the Penny Arcade comic above whenever I see this stuff. These point systems just baffle me. I’d do it if there were cool ways for me to, say, earn points in games by doing tricks or something — but if every point is just equivalent to a dime or something? No thanks. [via Ars Technica]
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 6:00 pm TRX Enhances Features of Expense Reporting System TRUEXPENSE(TM)ATLANTA, June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TRX, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jun 2010 | 6:00 pm Can black electrical tape make your iPhone 4 work better?
Sure, you could buy a case with rubber bumpers on it that would block you from touching the metal portion of your iPhone, but then you miss out on the ghetto look of electrical tape. Of course, keep in mind you could get colors like red, yellow, green, orange, as well as the traditional black. Just remember when you see an iPhone with electrical tape on it, Ryan Rhea thought of it first.
Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:58 pm Twitter To Establish Information Security ProgramAn anonymous reader writes "Twitter has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it deceived consumers and put their privacy at risk by failing to safeguard their personal information, marking the 30th case the FTC has brought targeting faulty data security, and the agency's first such case against a social networking service. Under the terms of the settlement, Twitter will be barred for 20 years from misleading consumers about the extent to which it maintains and protects the security, privacy, and confidentiality of nonpublic consumer information, including the measures it takes to prevent authorized access to information and honor the privacy choices made by consumers."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:58 pm D-Day for the iPhone 4: a roundup (Christopher Null)Christopher Null - Well, that was it. The Big Day.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:53 pm Bing Tries To Take Over Web Search On Your iPhone By Making It App-Beautiful
Bing is on a roll. Yesterday, it released Bing Entertainment and a new iPhone app. And today it is following up with an update to its mobile web search at http://m.bing.com. Bing only recently became a search option on the iPhone, but it really wants to become your default mobile search engine. In fact, if you are not careful, Bing will take over as your default search engine the first time you use it on your iPhone. A message box pops up asking you, “Do you want to change your search engine to Bing?” (Yahoo, the other search options, is using the same notification). Once you do, the hope is there will be no going back. The new mobile web site looks gorgeous in the iPhone’s mobile web browser (as well as on Androids, Palms, Windows phones, Kins, and Zunes). It looks more like an app, with simplified menu buttons along the bottom (local, maps, directions, movies, weather, favorites) and smooth scrolling in maps. The homepage features Bing’s signature background photo, which looks great on an iPhone screen). And right under the search box, you have the option to “Locate me.” It was able to find my exact street address immediately, something which Google’s mobile web search was having trouble with for me (I had to manually enter my zipcode to get local results). Once you let Bing locate you, it remembers your location on subsequent searches.
The menu buttons take you to asearch experienced tuned to your location. The “Local” link takes you to a page that lets you drill down further to restaurants, theaters, hotels, arts, dining, nightlife, shopping, automotive, and more. It acts as a mobile-friendly local directory (and a vehicle for Bing’s local search ads). All of the results are based on proximity. For each listing, there is a phone icon which lets you call from the phone or driving directions which pulls up Bing Maps. You can also save any business listing to your favorites. Hit “Movies” to see a list of flicks playing nearby, click on a title to see individual showtimes, an overview, or even trailers. Instead of hitting the back button to find more movies, you can simply scroll through the movie poster thumbnails in the top third of the screen. Who needs an app? Google’s mobile search for movies pulls up similar information, but it is all laid out an endless-scroll format with too much white space. It just doesn’t look as good. And as we all know, on the iPhone, looks matter. When I try “Weather,” again Google has trouble locating me and it ends up giving me the wrong temperature. I’ve already switched to Bing on the iPhone. Who’s with me? SIde-by-Side Comparison
Bing Mobile Vs. Google Mobile
     
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:49 pm Rumor: HTC EVO 4G to receive software update by June 28, addresses three issuesSection: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones
At least the overall EVO 4G experience will be improved with this software update, even if it is not the official Android 2.2 update. Since the update was not confirmed by Sprint, we will have to wait until June 28 to see if it comes to fruition. Via [BGR] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:46 pm Gadget Lab Podcast: Droid X, iPhone 4, Android 2.2
We’re back with episode No. 2 of the new, improved, videographic Gadget Lab podcast. In this episode, Brian X. Chen and Dylan F. Tweney discuss the top gadget news of the week: The launch of the iPhone 4, the rollout of Verizon’s and Motorola’s Droid X, and the public release of Android 2.2, aka “FroYo,” which sports a fully functional version of Adobe’s Flash Player 10.1. (It didn’t make it into this podcast, but don’t miss Brian’s video introduction to the iPhone 4.) We also show off a handful of iPad and iPhone apps: the excellent photojournalism-centric Guardian Eyewitness, an impressive library of medical images called 3D4 Medical, and a photo shooting, editing and sharing app called Camera+. Oh, and then there’s iKamasutra XL. And we wrap things up with a plea to save the seahorses. (Seriously: Overfishing may be leading some of them to the brink of extinction.) You can also get the Gadget Lab video podcast via iTunes, or if you don’t want to be distracted by our mugs, check out the Gadget Lab audio podcast. 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:41 pm Gadget Lab Podcast: Droid X, iPhone 4, Android 2.2The weekly Gadget Lab podcast returns with a look at the Droid X, Android 2.2, and the iPhone 4 -- plus a handful of new apps for your iPhone or iPad.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:41 pm Gadget Lab Podcast: Droid X, iPhone 4, Android 2.2The weekly Gadget Lab podcast returns with a look at the Droid X, Android 2.2, and the iPhone 4 -- plus a handful of new apps for your iPhone or iPad.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:41 pm Alt Text: New Ideas to Turn E-Readers Into Me-ReadersAnybody with a wad of cash can buy a sleek new iPad, but only the unimaginative will want to be part of the ever-growing crowd of Apple automatons. The time is right for highly specialized e-readers designed to cater to individual whims and desires.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:40 pm Top 10 Trailers From E3's Hottest GamesFrom Twisted Metal to Star Wars: The Old Republic, these eye-grabbing videos offer an advance look at upcoming videogames.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:40 pm Oracle's net jumps 25 pct in first full Sun qtr (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:37 pm Nokia Trades Symbian For MeeGo In N-Series SmartphonesAn anonymous reader writes "Nokia announced that moving forward, MeeGo would be the default operating system in the N series of smartphones (original Reuters report). Symbian will still be used in low-end devices from Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson. The move to MeeGo is a demonstration of support for the open source mobile OS, but considering the handset user experience hasn't been rolled out and likely won't be rolled out in time for its vague June deadline outlined at MeeGo.com, could the decision be premature?"
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:33 pm Instapaper Pretties Up For iPhone 4 And Gets Page Swiping
Apple has just approved version 2.2.4 of Instapaper. The universal app (meaning it will work on both the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad) brings several key updates. First, the graphics have been updated to make them look better on the iPhone 4′s Retina Display. Second, swipe-to-page has been added to both the iOS 4 version of the app and the iPad version. This new functionality mimics the way you turn a page in Apple’s own iBooks app. Developer Marco Arment also promises better page turning performance with the latest version. Third, a few interface bugs have been fixed. And finally, OAuth support for Twitter has been added. Along with the new version, Arment has changed the name of the premium version of the app from “Instapaper Pro” to simply “Instapaper.” (The free version is “Instapaper Free”.) One important thing to note: this update does not yet fix the problem users are facing if they have a password assigned to their Instapaper account. There is a problem on the iPhone 4 that makes the password box render incorrectly and makes it unusable. Arment notes that 2.2.5 (which he has also submitted to Apple) will fix this, but it hasn’t been approved just yet. For now, you can work around it by removing your password (though, obviously, you should do so with caution). You can find Instapaper in the App Store here. The premium version is $4.99.
     
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:31 pm iPad home automation
Admittedly I'm a first class dork, and I have been writing about home automation for many years. From climate control, to music, to hard core energy savings (vampire devices not allowed), I use automation to make my life a little better. For example I'll be heading out on vacation in July and while I'm gone, lights will turn on randomly at night, outside motion detectors will make people think someone is home, plants will get watered, chicken coop doors will go up and down, cameras will keep an eye out for the pet sitter, water mains will be watched, and I'll be able to login remotely and check that all is well and the house hasn't burned down. The one hitch in my system for years is that since I've been building my own UI's for controlling the house, I've been limited because touch screen devices were either too expensive or limited by functionality and screen size. I've had a touch monitor, Nokia N800, and even an iPhone mounted to my walls. However as soon as I got my iPad home, I knew that I'd found the perfect touch device and started to rebuild my UI from scratch. First I found some metal framing material at Lowes and built a mount for the wall. Then I embedded a rare earth magnet in the wall and spackled it in place so you couldn't see it. I cut a strip of tin, flattened it, and mounted it to the back of the iPad behind some velvet. This way when you place the iPad in the mount, it clicks and sticks to the wall (no velcro for me). With that done I moved on to a new UI. Here's a description of what I have so far:
All Lights Off: Basically this will shut all lights off in the house. Everything Off: Everything non-critical (light/appliance) will turn off. Television: No vampire plasma TVs. This shuts the TV off at the outlet. Fireplace: Gas fireplace. Turning it on via automation puts it on a 45 minute timer. Saves energy. Coffee Grinder: 6:30 every morning, freshly ground coffee. Not going to be home? This turns it off. Grinder Times: You can run the grinder at any time, and select how long to run it. Coffee pot or espresso shot? Living Room Lights: All lights in the house are controlled. These control just the living room lights. Percentages: Set what level you want the lights at. Outside Lights: These are all the house lights and landscape lighting, which are on a timer as well. Patio Lights: turn on all the accent lighting, and even set the brightness. Kitchen Motion: The kitchen lights (like many lights in the house) operate on a motion detector. Sometimes you want to disable that. Vacation Settings: Leaving? Clicking this button sets everything in motion. When you return, everything is back to normal. Sonos Settings: While my Sonos already has a controller, this let's me quickly jump to my favorite music, pause, or mute. Coming soon, a Pandora page. Thermostat: My Ecobee smart thermostat is web enabled, so this jumps to that page. Plus, I can login from my iPhone to control my thermostat with their app. Timers: Need to set a reminder that the laundry will be done in 45 minutes? Baking something? This tells the kitchen iMac (VESA mounted) to announce the timer is set and when it is done. Using Growl and Applescript I also get notifications on my laptop, my wife's laptop, and a text message to my phone. Watch Movie: Turns on the TV, sets the audio to the right input, turns on the TV, and sets the TV input to the Mac Mini Media Center. I could even script this to open either Front Row, Hulu, or Netflix on demand. Bedtime: Turns on the the Hall Lights, Bedroom and Master Bath lights, and puts all other lights on a 10 minute timer. Entertain: Sets all the lighting to a certain ambiance and turns the Sonos on with a party playlist. More Controls: Eventually I'll have another page of controls for irrigation, music, and the security system. So far the iPad is an outstanding touch screen solution, and I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing all sorts of people using it as a kiosk. I'm in the process of writing an ebook about automation so I'm excited to see what other ideas I come up with during that project. Video: iPhone 4 Looks Gorgeous, But FaceTime Face Plants
The iPhone 4 has finally arrived here in Gadget Lab. Some of you may have seen this before. We’ve spent only a few hours with the iPhone 4, but our first impressions of the device are quite positive. The 960-by-640 screen is gorgeous, and the thinner profile feels nice in the pocket. FaceTime video conferencing was problematic — probably because of our weak Wi-Fi network here — but once it got working it was neat. We’ll have a full review of the iPhone 4 by Friday, but for now enjoy the video above re-introducing the famous device at the center of perhaps the greatest drama in gadget history. This episode of the Gadget Lab video podcast was produced by Annaliza Savage, with editing by Michael Lennon and audio engineering by Fernando Cardoso. If you want the audio version of this podcast, subscribe to the Gadget Lab audio podcast on iTunes. See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:15 pm Clean your monitor with a hamburger? Don’t forget the bacon!
If the hamburger version doesn’t do it for you, there’s always the cheeseburger. The cheeseburger version has a single patty, cheese, and pickles. Still cleans your monitor up nicely. The “Big Burger” version is $15, the “Cheese Burger” is $14, and the “Bacon Lettuce Burger” is $14 as well. All three version are available only from J-List, home of the weird stuff you can find on the internet.
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:15 pm Oracle earnings beat Street view, shares rise (Reuters)Reuters - Oracle Corp reported a quarterly profit that exceeded Street projections and a 14 percent climb in sales of new software, signaling the tech spending recovery is on track as businesses shell out on big-ticket items again.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:14 pm Video: iPhone 4 Looks Gorgeous, But FaceTime Face PlantsThe iPhone 4 is a good-looking devil of a phone, with a gorgeous screen and a much-improved cameras. But its videoconferencing feature, FaceTime, doesn't live up to the hype. See how it works (or doesn't) in this Wired.com video.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:12 pm Video: iPhone 4 Looks Gorgeous, But FaceTime Face PlantsThe iPhone 4 is a good-looking devil of a phone, with a gorgeous screen and a much-improved cameras. But its videoconferencing feature, FaceTime, doesn't live up to the hype. See how it works (or doesn't) in this Wired.com video.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:12 pm Tracking Down a Single-Bit RAM ErrorHanji writes "We have discussed here before the potential effects of and protections against cosmic ray radiation, but for the average computer user, it's an obscure threat that doesn't affect them in any real way. Well, here's a blog post that describes a strange segfault and, after extensive debugging, traces it down to a single bit flip, probably caused by a stray cosmic ray. Lots of helpful descriptions of Linux debugging techniques in this one, and a pretty clear demonstration that this can be a real problem. I know I'm never buying a desktop without ECC RAM ever again!" The author acknowledges that it might not have been a cosmic ray-based error, but the troubleshooting steps are interesting no matter what the cause.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:10 pm Deal of the Day: Seagate 2TB SATA Internal Hard Drive $80 via Slickdeals.netFROM GAMERTELL - If you though last week’s internal hard drive deals were good you’ll be happy to know that TigerDirect has a better one for a 2TB SATA 3.5 in. Internal Hard Disk Drive for $80. Click through to get the deal… Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:03 pm Jobs On FaceTime Replacing Hold Button: “Hold Doesn’t Do Anything More Than Mute”
Less than two hours later, he got a response. (Apparently, Jobs is on top of his emails even on days when he’s launching a massive new product.) In typical Jobs fashion, here’s his answer:
There you go. Of course, that begs the question: than why is there a hold option on any iPhone? That may be the subject of another email.
Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:02 pm ComScore: YouTube Remains Dominant Video Site - PC World
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jun 2010 | 5:00 pm ComScore: YouTube Remains Dominant Video Site (PC World)PC World - Google served up a record number of video clips in May to U.S. Internet users, mostly through YouTube, as for the first time each Google visitor watched an average of more than 100 clips during the month, according to comScore.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:50 pm Upgrade Glitches Hit Some AT&T iPhone Customers
For some iPhone users, months of waiting in anticipation for the iPhone 4 and hours of standing in line ended in a big disappointment. Glitches forced some users who had pre-ordered their phones to go home without a device in hand — even though they thought they were eligible for an upgrade. Glen LaFratte, a Dallas, Texas, iPhone user, is one of them. LaFratte bought two 3G S phones — for him and his wife — last June. He paid the full price of nearly $700 for each phone. To his surprise, when he reserved a pair of iPhone 4s a week ago, he found his wife’s phone was deemed not eligible for the upgrade pricing of $200 for a 16-GB version and $300 for the 32-GB model. LaFratte says he bought both the 3G S phones on the same day and even showed AT&T store representatives a receipt to prove that. But so far, he hasn’t heard back from AT&T with a fix. “How much blood do they want?” he wrote in an e-mail to Gadget Lab. “Apple needs to dump AT&T. I cannot understand why a huge computer manufacturer like Apple lets a cellular company control their pricing and cripple them.” Apple’s iPhone 4 debuted in retail stores Thursday morning to huge crowds. Meanwhile, a number of users are complaining about network reception problems with the device, especially when the left and the bottom of the phone is touched or squeezed. Apple had said that any current iPhone customers whose contracts were due to expire this year would be eligible for the lower upgrade price of $200 for the 16-GB iPhone 4 and $300 for the 32-GB version. The problems with the upgrade are not widespread, with just a handful of users reporting the issue to Gadget Lab so far. Among them is Josh Strom, who handles system support for Wired, who faced a similar baffling upgrade problem. After waiting in line for two hours, Strom found out his pre-ordered iPhone 4 won’t be available for the upgrade price of $200. His current iPhone 3G contract ends this month. “I am frustrated and really upset with AT&T,” says Strom. “They just couldn’t tell me why I cannot upgrade my iPhone.” Meanwhile, other AT&T users are discovering that the upgrade pricing may not be for everyone. At the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference this year, Steve Jobs made an offer that seemed too good to be true. “I am thrilled to announce that AT&T is going to make an incredibly generous upgrade offer. If your contract expires any time during 2010, you are immediately eligible for a new iPhone 4 at the same $199, $299 prices if you top up your contract for two years. You can get up to six months early eligibility for the iPhone 4,” Jobs told the attendees while introducing the phone. That declaration, though, left out the fine print. Some AT&T users found that unless your current phone is an iPhone, the upgrade offer does not apply, even if you have another smartphone from AT&T. Another user, Chris Heery, faced a system glitch that froze him out of the reservation system in the store. He’d canceled his pre-order in the hopes of picking up a phone from the store on the day of the launch. Heery says he might now have to wait until the end of this week so AT&T can sort the issue out and give him an iPhone 4. If you are eligible for an upgrade and have been denied one by AT&T, let us know what happened. Post your experience in the comments. Photo: Kevin Aungle yells triumphantly as he exits the Apple store with a 32-GB iPhone 4 in Emeryville on June 24. Aungle slept in his car the night before the new iPhone was launched and says he waited a total of 15 hours. (Stefan Armijo/Wired.com) 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:42 pm Upgrade Glitches Hit Some AT&T iPhone CustomersGlitches force some users who pre-ordered their phones to go home without a device in hand -- even though they thought they were eligible for an upgrade.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:42 pm Upgrade Glitches Hit Some AT&T iPhone CustomersGlitches force some users who pre-ordered their phones to go home without a device in hand -- even though they thought they were eligible for an upgrade.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:42 pm Can Black Tape Double the Speed of Your iPhone 4?
Wired.com reader Ryan Rhea says he found a way to double the download speed of his new iPhone 4 with nothing more than black electrician’s tape. Rhea, clearly a graduate of the Home Depot School of Gadget Hacks, simply applied a thin strip of black tape on the lower left corner of the phone’s outer metal band, starting right below the volume buttons and extending down to the edge of the speaker on the bottom of the phone. That was enough to stop the reception problem reported by many iPhone 4 customers. For those with this problem, touching the lower left corner of their new phone causes signal strength to drop, often cutting off calls and sharply decreasing data download speeds. Wired.com has not been able to duplicate the problem, although more than 30 readers have reported experiencing it. That metal band forms the phone’s antenna, as Apple CEO Steve Jobs explained when announcing the iPhone 4 earlier this month. And while touching a radio or TV antenna can often improve reception, by making the conductive surface of your skin into an extension of the antenna, it seems to have the opposite effect on the iPhone 4. Several readers have reported that putting the iPhone 4 into a protective case, such as the $30 “bumper” case sold by Apple, solves the problem. The electrical tape achieves the same result at a much lower cost, by putting an electrical insulator between you and the phone’s antenna. In Rhea’s case, his 3G download speed as reported by Testmyiphone.com went from 0.41 Mbps without the tape to 0.82 Mbps with the tape (in both cases, with the phone gripped firmly in his left hand). The cost for a roll of electrical tape? About $4 for a 66-foot roll of 3/4″ tape, which should be enough to fix your iPhone — and about 790 others. As a bonus, electrical tape also works great for fixing nerdy glasses. See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:39 pm Organofunctional silane Z-6011 gives iPhone 4 bad rap - Register
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:32 pm Pepsi’s new extra-carbonated “Strong Shot” asks you to wait 15 seconds before opening
Why oh why don’t we get these awesome Japanese drink variants here in the U.S.? Video over at Gigazine. By the way, in Japanese it’s the SUTORONGUSHOTTO. [via Inventor Spot and The Awesomer]
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:30 pm Rumor: Samsung Wave to launch in Canada on July 8Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers  According to a leaked internal doc by Bell, the Samsung S8500 Wave will be launching in Canada on July 8. Some of the specs include a 3.3 inch WVGA AMOLED display, 5MP camera, 720p video caputre, 1GHz processor, Samsung’s native Bada OS, and TouchWiz 3.0. For some reason, the price, $299.95, remains the same for a 36 month contract, a 24 month contract, and a 12 month contract. Even contract free, it is still $299.95. As the contract time increases, usually the price decreases so I think the pricing is a little off. Employees at the physical retail stores will be receiving complete information about the Samsung Wave on June 28, so I’m sure the pricing will change by then. The phone seems to be pretty solid just looking at the specs, it should be met with success for Bell in Canada. Via [BGR] 
Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:30 pm Research in Motion Trades Off; FY Q1 EPS Beats, Revenue Misses [Voices]By Eric Savitz, Blogger and Columnist, Barron’s, Tech Trader Daily Research In Motion (RIMM) shares are trading lower after hours on a mixed report for its fiscal first quarter ended May 29. For the quarter, RIMM reported revenue of $4.24 billion, just below the low end of the guidance range of $4.25 billion and $4.45 billion, and below the Street consensus at $4.35 billion. Profits of $1.38 a share, on the other hand, were at the top of the guidance range of $1.31 to $1.348 a share, and above the Street at $1.34. The company shipped 11.2 million smart phones in the quarter, and added 4.9 million net new subscriber accounts, boosting the total to 46 million. The company came in at the low of the guidance ranges on both measures: the company had expected to sell 11.2 million to 11.8 million phones, and it had expected to add 4.9 million to 5.2 million net new customers. Gross margin in the quarter was 45.4 percent, down from 45.7 percent in the February quarter, but up from 43.6 percent a year ago. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:30 pm Rats Breathe Air From Lungs Grown In the Labcremeglace writes "'For the first time, an animal has drawn a breath with lungs cultivated in the lab.' Although preliminary, the results might eventually lead to replacement lungs for patients. Researchers at Yale University have successfully applied a technique called decellularization that involves using detergent to remove all of the cells from an organ, leaving a scaffold consisting of the fibrous material between cells."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:23 pm And now there are camera problems with the iPhone 4?
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:01 pm And now there are camera problems with the iPhone 4?
Rebooting and restoring are doing nothing, so I’m guessing this is an issue with the code shipping inside the iPhone 4, since we haven’t heard reports of any other handsets freezing up. If this happens to you, you can of course reset your phone by holding the home and power buttons down for a few seconds, but if it continues, feel free to return it for a new unit. I’ll update this post if a solution is found. Pretty borked rollout, Apple! Although to be fair, I played with one last night and it had none of the launch issues. So there’s one more data point, I guess. [Thanks, Brook]
Source: MobileCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:00 pm Activision is a scaredy-cat, won’t support Move or Kinect
Activision’s COO stated recently that while the company is interested in movement-based gameplay, they are reluctant to get too heavily into the Move and Kinect technology. The major concern? Price. Activision has expressed concerns about the price of the new peripherals, despite the fact that several of their licenses (like Tony Hawk and Rapala Fishing) are ideal for this type of controller. Will the Move and Kinect controllers take off and make Activision change their tune? Only time will tell. [via Joystiq]
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:00 pm Top 4 Buzzworthy Vuvuzela Apps, Tested + RatedIt's come to this: We're reviewing the best (worst?) vuvuzela apps on the iTunes.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:00 pm New Form of Gene Regulation Hints at Hidden Dimension of DNAA new study suggests that "pseudogenes" -- previously thought to be redundant -- might actually play a significant role in regulating gene expression, by generating a kind of RNA decoy.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:00 pm Top 4 Buzzworthy Vuvuzela Apps, Tested + RatedIt's come to this: We're reviewing the best (worst?) vuvuzela apps on the iTunes.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:00 pm iPhone 4 + Gyroscope + Gaming = All Kinds Of Awesome [Video]
The game itself is simple. You pick a gun (preferably a high-powered semi-automatic one) and head to the shooting range. But the game shines thanks to the gyroscope — which is required for you to play. Rather than dragging your finger around the screen to tell your gun where to aim, you simply tilt the iPhone itself. Sure, you could sort of do this previously with the compass built in to the iPhone 3GS — but trust me, this is much, much better. With you fingers freed up from aiming, they can do other things here — such a shoot. That’s how you fire your weapon, simply tap the screen. You can imagine that as more developers take advantage of this gyroscope, they’ll come up with plenty of innovative things you can do on the screen during games since your fingers are now freed up. Watch the video below to see just how accurate and sensitive the gyroscope is. Again, it’s pretty amazing. Last week, we highlighted a company, Subversus Interactive, that created a technology to emulate a gyroscope without actually having one (which again, no iPhones before the latest one do). That’s impressive as well, but using the actual gyroscope is much more accurate (and that developer has said he’s excited to try it out to make his system more accurate). I’m going to go ahead and assume ngmoco got an iPhone 4 early to build this thing. As soon as other developers have had this device for a while, there are going to be some amazing games as a result. Below my video, check out the one ngmoco made themselves — yes, they’re much better at the game than I am. You can find Eliminate: GunRange in the App Store here for $0.99. If you were lucky enough to get an iPhone 4 today, you should definitely check it out.
     
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:59 pm Undelete Files Option Extended - EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard Free EditionNEW YORK, June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- An Undelete files utility is the best possible method when you have deleted some files then found them needed.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:50 pm Nokia's E73 Is a Wholly Capable, Slightly Dated DeviceIt's been almost two years since we called the E71 an iPhone killer. The successor to that hype, the E73, doesn't get that title.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:40 pm You Don't Want ISPs to InnovateISPs are trying to persuade the FCC not to impose basic rules on them, saying it will crush innovation. But when it comes to the tubes to your house, you don't want their kind of "innovation."
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:40 pm Google Considers China's "Web Mapping License"eldavojohn writes "Back in May, China rolled out new laws requiring online mapping services to be 'certified' by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping. The laws appear to go into effect this month. Today an AFP article outlines Google's consideration of these rules and notes that it's unlikely Google will meet the qualifications to become certified as all of its servers holding the mapping data are outside of China. The AFP also reported that 'Foreign firms wanting to provide mapping and surveying services in China are required to set up joint ventures or partnerships with local firms.' Unless large changes are made, Google's services might get a lot more stunted as China regulates onward."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:40 pm Nokia's E73 Is a Wholly Capable, Slightly Dated DeviceIt's been almost two years since we called the E71 an iPhone killer. The successor to that hype, the E73, doesn't get that title.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:40 pm ARS, Industry Cooperation Yields Device To Detect Insects In Stored WheatA laboratory milling device for improving stored grain management has been developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and an industry cooperator.The system, called the "insect-o-graph," can detect internal insects in wheat that are not visible to the eye or that cannot be detected by usual grading methods.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:24 pm Upgrading to iPhone 4? Here’s 4 things you probably didn’t think aboutSection: Communications, Accessories, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile
Protect it.If 2 sides of glass don’t make you nervous, I don’t know what will. Word on the street is iPhone 5 will have screens derived from egg shells, so let’s be thankful this is just glass.. Apple can call this glass the toughest thing this side of a diamond, it will still scratch up. So what will you cover it with?
So, I tend to prefer protectors like those from ZAGG, the Invisible Shield. Using stuff originally designed to protect the leading edge of helicopter blades, these thin, clear sheets of plastic do a bang-up job of keeping scratches at bay. They don’t do anything for drop protection, but it does enough for me. If that’s not enough for you, maybe you need something like this Ballistic Case, shown above. This thing is lined with both inner and outer shock protection layers. Talk about bulky, but if your line of work or level of clumsyness says your phone takes frequent swan dives, then this is your case. Check it out here. Otterbox also makes a winner of a tough case in the Defender for iPhone 4. Back up protectionSo maybe a ZAGG skin isn’t going to save my phone from a fall, but what about a back up? Can I keep my phone svelte but still not have to shell out major cash for a replacement? Yes, you can via companies like Squaretrade. They will sell you insurance for $99 that covers against “drops, spills and normal use failures for 2 years. There is a $50 deductible. It’s worth some thought. PowerWe’ve covered cases but not power. What about battery cases that were so prevalent for the iPhone 3G/3GS. Will iPhone’s 4 battery power be enough? Or will the iPhone 4 fit into cases designed for 3G? The answer is not really. The angle of the connector seems to be all wrong. The new iPhone 4 seems to want to be angled butt-in to be able to slide onto the connector. Looks like you’ll need a new Mophie or Engergizer charging case. HoldersUncased, the iPhone 4 is shorter in length across than its predecessors. That means the car holder I have won’t fit the naked iPhone 4 - it slides right on through. Users with cases, probably won’t notice too big a difference. These are some of the thing I’ve run into that I really didn’t give that much thought to before now. What else are you finding that needs changing? Let us know in the comments. Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:22 pm Adobe Battles the Flash-Bashing - BusinessWeek
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:21 pm ISU Researcher Develops Green, Bio-Based Process For Producing Fuel AdditiveA new green, bio-based method for producing a much-used fuel additive and industrial chemical that is currently made from petroleum products has been developed by an Iowa State University researcher.Thomas Bobik, professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, invented a process for manufacturing isobutene (isobutylene) by identifying a new, natural enzyme that produces the fuel organically.Bobik, along with David Gogerty, a doctoral student working with him on the project, believe that once more research is completed, there could be huge benefits to the biofuels industry."I would emphasize that we are very early on in the process," said Bobik.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:13 pm Parenting Style Can Prevent Binge DrinkingParents may be surprised, even disappointed, to find out they don’t influence whether their teen tries alcohol.But now for some good news: Parenting style strongly and directly affects teens when it comes to heavy drinking – defined as having five or more drinks in a row – according to a new Brigham Young University study.The researchers surveyed nearly 5,000 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 about their drinking habits and their relationship with their parents.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:05 pm DST Systems, Inc. Announces Notification of Earnings Release DateKANSAS CITY, Mo., June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DST Systems, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:05 pm Broadcom Announces Conference Call to Review Second Quarter 2010 Financial ResultsIRVINE, Calif., June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, will conduct a conference call with analysts and investors following the release of its second quarter 2010 financial results on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 1:45 p.m.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:03 pm ConverterTechnology and Forrester Research to Host Webinar on Planning for a Successful Migration to Office 2010NASHUA, N.H., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Sheri McLeish, Analyst, Forrester; Chris Davies, Manager of WHO: Technical Services, ConverterTechnology This webinar is for organizations interested in, or in the WHAT: planning stages, of a migration to Office 2010. With the recent launches of Microsoft Office 2010 and Windows 7, countless desktops around the world are poised for a makeover.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:00 pm Jackson Hewitt Receives Notice Regarding NYSE Listing CriteriaPARSIPPANY, N.J., June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:00 pm New Study Aims To Promote Animal WelfareResearch conducted in Cyprus focuses on attitudes to animalsA new study at the University of Leicester aims to promote animal welfare in Cyprus and the UK.The postgraduate research study is being conducted by Alexia Zalaf in the School of Psychology.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 2:56 pm ICANN Likely Finally To ApproveshmG writes with this from the International Business Times: "The company that oversees Web addresses is expected to give the go-ahead on Friday for the creation of a .xxx suffix for websites with pornographic content, company officials indicated on Thursday. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees the Internet on behalf of the US government, has in the past resisted creating a .xxx generic domain name system akin to those for .com and .net." |
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One thing Silicon Valley doesn’t have enough of are solid product visionaries. The problem is the really good ones tend of start their own companies. Or whoever they work for locks them up so tight that no one can pry them loose. But there’s one guy I’ve kept my eye on for the last few years, 
But, according to Hitwise's numbers, simply adding the registration barrier has cut traffic to the site almost in half. Prior to the change, The Times was seeing somewhere in the neighborhood of four to five percent of the traffic going to the print news media category; after, it was hovering around two percent.
When I called the local Domino's about this, I was told that drivers are now required to get the information because, she said, people have been ordering pizzas with stolen credit cards. Why showing that my license and Visa matched wasn't sufficient, she couldn't say.
If you are in the market for a rugged phone, look no further than Samsung’s new XCover E2370. This bulky (19mm thick), waterproof, and pretty much bombproof phone will have you covered no matter what the situation.
Fresh off a 
Does the design of the iPhone 4’s antenna contribute to lower signal reception? No more so than any other antenna design, says Apple (AAPL). 
If you own an Android phone, chances are you have heard of the Swype - the popular text input software. If you haven’t, it is basically a program that allows you to swipe your finger across a virtual keyboard in order to input the desired text. If I wanted to type the word “Gadgetell” I would have to make sure I swiped across every letter in the word Gadgetell. The software takes into consideration that you would hit other letters unintentionally. While this sounds like a great technology, 90% of Swype is used on Android phones, meaning other smartphones can’t really appreciate it. Some of the big name manufacturers that employ Swype include Motorola, Samsung, and HTC. Just yesterday, it was announced that Swype would be pre-loaded onto the Droid X, but the main question on most people’s minds is whether Swype will ever be used on the iPhone. 
Is it possible to use electrical tape to make your new iPhone work better? Wired reader Ryan Rhea says it is. Turns out that one of the 
According to BGR’s insider at Sprint, the HTC EVO 4G will receive a software update to improve performance in three different areas on June 28. Unfortunately for HTC EVO 4G users, the software update will not include the coveted Android 2.2 update. Instead, it includes: 
The simple bookmarking tool, 
So you want the rest of the office to think you’re a bit odd, and you’re looking for a way to keep you monitor clean. Have I got the product for you. Take what is essentially a plush hamburger complete with lettuce, two patties, an extra bun, and some cheese, and you’ve got the oddest monitor cleaning device ever.
As you’ve undoubtedly heard, one of the big new features of the iPhone 4 is FaceTime, the video chatting functionality. If you’re on a call with another iPhone 4 user (and both of you are connected to WiFi), you’ll see a new FaceTime button in the bottom row of the call options. But as some people have noticed, this new button replaces the “Hold” button found on all other iPhones. So how do you put a call on hold now? One reader, 
Ah, the joys of first-batch Apple hardware. In addition to the 
Bad news for Activision fans that were hoping to use the Move or Kinect; the publisher is convinced that the high prices for the new peripherals are going to prevent people from adopting the new technology. So don’t expect to see Call of Duty or Guitar Hero using 
In terms of the hardware, one of the only completely new features on the iPhone 4 is the gyroscope. It’s so new, in fact, that third-party developers haven’t had a chance to play around with it yet because they didn’t have access to the iPhone 4 hardware until today (or at least 
So you’ve finally got a hold of the hottest phone: the iPhone 4. All the apps, multi-tasking, and shiny good looks are all yours - but you’re not done yet. Here are some tips on what you’ll need to get that might not have hit you at first. Rest assured, the gadget accessory market is at full steam to get you all the little things we didn’t think about. .
Over in Britain, a nation of binge-drinking alcoholics, there’s now yet another way to get a booze-fix. Marks and Spencer, the kindly uncle of national department stores, is selling a single-serve glass of wine.
