Thursday, September 24, 2009
Report: Google Exec Named as Obama's Deputy CTO
The Obama administration had reportedly snapped up another Google executive.Andrew McLaughlin, head of public policy for Google, will leave the company to become Obama's deputy chief technology officer, reporting to CTO Aneesh Chopra.McLaughlin joined Google five years ago, and has also worked at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).Google CEO Eric Schmidt served on Obama's transition team, but insisted that he did not want the CTO role. Others were not as hesitant - Katie Stanton, a former Google project manager, is now the White House director of citizen participation, and former Google.org executive Sonal Shah is the head of the White House office of social innovation.
Kundra Not Concerned About Tech Execs Joining Obama Team
Vivek Kundra, national chief information officer, is not concerned that hiring top technology executives to serve in the Obama administration poses any ethical dilemmas.
The federal government has more than four million employees and 10,000 information technology systems, so the hiring of a handful of Google or Microsoft executives is barely a blip on the radar, Kundra said during Tuesday's Personal Democracy Forum.
"What I would say is that it's so exciting to actually be in an administration where I have access to some of the brightest minds when it comes to information technology," Kundra said in a response to a question. "Those people are coming to serve in the interest of their country and [are] driving towards making change that's fundamental and structural [and] extremely important in terms of where we're headed."
Those people include Andrew McLaughlin, a former Google policy executive who last month was selected as deputy chief technology officer. The appointment prompted protests from consumer groups who argued that hiring McLaughlin was a conflict of interest.
In April, meanwhile, Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Craig Mundie, Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer, were named to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), an advisory group intended to help the president and vice president develop tech-related policies.
Kundra was not concerned that any of these executives would greatly influence technology policy.
"As far as the universe of people who are involved in [government] technology, you can slice and dice it so many ways because you're talking about tens of thousands of people who are working in information technology," he said.
The contributions of someone like McLaughlin, while important, are a "small percentage" of the overall work on federal IT projects, Kundra said.
Macon Philips, the White House director of new media, agreed.
"What we are trying to do is bring in a lot of people who can facilitate a process, really think about how we can make the government more transparent, and involve the public in our decision making," Philips said.
These executives "get that in their gut, and they care every day about ways that we can be more open," Philips said.
The doubters, meanwhile, can keep the government in check, Kundra said, by keeping tabs of IT projects via the newly announced IT Dashboard Web site.
"You'll be able to see everything online ... when it comes to procurements, contracts, and investments across the board," he said.
The federal government has more than four million employees and 10,000 information technology systems, so the hiring of a handful of Google or Microsoft executives is barely a blip on the radar, Kundra said during Tuesday's Personal Democracy Forum.
"What I would say is that it's so exciting to actually be in an administration where I have access to some of the brightest minds when it comes to information technology," Kundra said in a response to a question. "Those people are coming to serve in the interest of their country and [are] driving towards making change that's fundamental and structural [and] extremely important in terms of where we're headed."
Those people include Andrew McLaughlin, a former Google policy executive who last month was selected as deputy chief technology officer. The appointment prompted protests from consumer groups who argued that hiring McLaughlin was a conflict of interest.
In April, meanwhile, Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Craig Mundie, Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer, were named to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), an advisory group intended to help the president and vice president develop tech-related policies.
Kundra was not concerned that any of these executives would greatly influence technology policy.
"As far as the universe of people who are involved in [government] technology, you can slice and dice it so many ways because you're talking about tens of thousands of people who are working in information technology," he said.
The contributions of someone like McLaughlin, while important, are a "small percentage" of the overall work on federal IT projects, Kundra said.
Macon Philips, the White House director of new media, agreed.
"What we are trying to do is bring in a lot of people who can facilitate a process, really think about how we can make the government more transparent, and involve the public in our decision making," Philips said.
These executives "get that in their gut, and they care every day about ways that we can be more open," Philips said.
The doubters, meanwhile, can keep the government in check, Kundra said, by keeping tabs of IT projects via the newly announced IT Dashboard Web site.
"You'll be able to see everything online ... when it comes to procurements, contracts, and investments across the board," he said.
Government Site Exposes U.S. IT Spending
The U.S. government spends over $70 billion a year on IT projects, but how much of that money is wasted thanks to inefficient processes, lackluster management, or antiquated ideas?
The Obama administration is looking to shine a light on its IT investments with a new Web site that will provide detailed information about how federal funds are allocated, where they are spent, and whether the projects are living up to their expectations.
"One of the biggest challenges we see today ... is how we make sure that the investments we're making in IT actually produce the dividends that were promised," Vivek Kundra, the nation's chief information agency, said during Tuesdays's Personal Democracy Forum in Manhattan.
Kundra was on hand to unveil the IT Dashboard, a Web site that will let users drill down on IT spending for 27 agencies across the board - from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to NASA and the Smithsonian Institution.
Last year, over $30 billion in IT projects were wasted, Kundra said, but the government provided little data beyond a single list of the projects that were in trouble.
"Thirty billion dollars of taxpayer money - that's unacceptable," he said. "What the Obama administration is committed to is laying a new foundation when it comes to transparency, accountability and responsibility - especially when you look at how we manage IT investments."
The site provides a "performance dashboard" for all agencies, with a pie chart that provides details on the percentage of projects that are normal, that need attention, or that have significant concerns. That data is then broken down by whether the troubles are finance-related, off schedule, or simply have not yet been evaluated.
The Department of Defense, for example, is spending $9.6 billion in fiscal year 2009 on 62 major IT projects. Of those 62 projects, 79 percent are rated as normal and 16 percent need attention. About 5 percent have significant concerns, including a $236 million Air Force combat support system, and a $126 million Defense agencies project intended to make the department more net-centric.
Want to share the data you've found on IT Dashboard? Each agency breakdown features a "share" button that includes a URL, embed code, and the ability to share via Facebook, Twitter, or delicious. The data can also be added to an RSS feed.
"It's not enough to just roll up information and make it available in an abstract fashion," Kundra said. "We need to be able to go down to the deepest level in terms of data and information performance."
Get the rest of this story on pcmag.com.
The Obama administration is looking to shine a light on its IT investments with a new Web site that will provide detailed information about how federal funds are allocated, where they are spent, and whether the projects are living up to their expectations.
"One of the biggest challenges we see today ... is how we make sure that the investments we're making in IT actually produce the dividends that were promised," Vivek Kundra, the nation's chief information agency, said during Tuesdays's Personal Democracy Forum in Manhattan.
Kundra was on hand to unveil the IT Dashboard, a Web site that will let users drill down on IT spending for 27 agencies across the board - from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to NASA and the Smithsonian Institution.
Last year, over $30 billion in IT projects were wasted, Kundra said, but the government provided little data beyond a single list of the projects that were in trouble.
"Thirty billion dollars of taxpayer money - that's unacceptable," he said. "What the Obama administration is committed to is laying a new foundation when it comes to transparency, accountability and responsibility - especially when you look at how we manage IT investments."
The site provides a "performance dashboard" for all agencies, with a pie chart that provides details on the percentage of projects that are normal, that need attention, or that have significant concerns. That data is then broken down by whether the troubles are finance-related, off schedule, or simply have not yet been evaluated.
The Department of Defense, for example, is spending $9.6 billion in fiscal year 2009 on 62 major IT projects. Of those 62 projects, 79 percent are rated as normal and 16 percent need attention. About 5 percent have significant concerns, including a $236 million Air Force combat support system, and a $126 million Defense agencies project intended to make the department more net-centric.
Want to share the data you've found on IT Dashboard? Each agency breakdown features a "share" button that includes a URL, embed code, and the ability to share via Facebook, Twitter, or delicious. The data can also be added to an RSS feed.
"It's not enough to just roll up information and make it available in an abstract fashion," Kundra said. "We need to be able to go down to the deepest level in terms of data and information performance."
Get the rest of this story on pcmag.com.
Navteq Revamps Mobile Traffic Web Site
Navteq, the digital mapping company, has unveiled a new version of its
WAP site for cell phones. The new site offers up-to-the-minute traffic
reports, including travel times, vehicle speeds, delay times, accident
reports, and what the company calls the Jam Factor, a numerical traffic
measurement scale that color-codes worsening or improving trends on a
particular road.
To hit the Web site, key in mobi.traffic.com from any cell phone Web
browser. You can use the site without registering, but Navteq prefers
that you set up a login on their desktop www.traffic.com Web site
first--that lets you save commonly used routes (such as your daily
commute or a typical weekend trip), which you can then call up with a
single button press on the WAP site.
WAP site for cell phones. The new site offers up-to-the-minute traffic
reports, including travel times, vehicle speeds, delay times, accident
reports, and what the company calls the Jam Factor, a numerical traffic
measurement scale that color-codes worsening or improving trends on a
particular road.
To hit the Web site, key in mobi.traffic.com from any cell phone Web
browser. You can use the site without registering, but Navteq prefers
that you set up a login on their desktop www.traffic.com Web site
first--that lets you save commonly used routes (such as your daily
commute or a typical weekend trip), which you can then call up with a
single button press on the WAP site.
Mozilla Wants a "Shiretoko Shock" for Firefox 3.5 Release
With today's release of Firefox 3.5, which went by the codename of "Shiretoko," the folks at Mozilla want its fans to bombard the social web with celebratory posts in a shock wave that circles the globe. Firefox partisans can head to Spread Firefox
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Republicans Try Their Hand at Social Media
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is readying its Web site for a relaunch that promises to incorporate the social media tools the party admits to ignoring during the 2008 election, but is today's Web 2.0 friendly to the GOP?
"Conservatives didn't use the tools" available to them during the election, Todd Herman, the RNC's new media director, told attendees at the Personal Democracy Forum. "But that's changing."
Herman, who previously served as general manager for media strategy and monetization for Microsoft's MSN network as well as streaming media evangelist at MSNBC.com, joined the RNC in March.
Herman expects to unveil a revamped GOP.com in about 45 days, he said. RNC Chairman Michael Steele has ordered him to "take the lid off" in redesigning the site, and Herman said he is eager to comply.
"To the consternation of the communications staff of the RNC, I am innately set on open," Herman said. "I am innately set to take your point of view and discuss it."
Herman suggested, however, that the "rules of engagement" regarding social media do not necessarily favor Republicans. Services like Google News are using techniques that are "anti-SEO" - search engine optimization - he said.
Herman pointed to Google News and its coverage of the American Medical Association's (AMA) opposition to Obama's plan for a government-sponsored insurance plan.
Google News, he said, provided links to an ABC news story about its healthcare town hall with Obama, and a Media Matters story about how the GOP had branded that town hall a failure, but nothing that used a phrase close to "AMA rejects Obama plan".
To find such a headline, one would have to go to a "not very well-trafficked blog," Herman said. That blog linked to a New York Times story on the issue that Herman acknowledged was "well done." He did not, however, like the fact that the Times used the phrase "doctor's group" in the headline instead of AMA.
Searching for the AMA story on Google.com, however, turned up the desired results, Herman said. Later, he also said that Google is his favorite search engine.
What does Google think about that?
Get the rest of this story on pcmag.com.
Side Note: In other Todd Herman news, on a day when CNN took some heat for referring to Twitter members as "sources", a note on Herman's Twitter feed caught my eye. He writes that his Tweets are his own beliefs and not that of the GOP or the RNC - standard disclaimer fare. But then he goes on to say that "reporters who quote tweets without calls to confirm are acting like gossip columnists." Thoughts?
"Conservatives didn't use the tools" available to them during the election, Todd Herman, the RNC's new media director, told attendees at the Personal Democracy Forum. "But that's changing."
Herman, who previously served as general manager for media strategy and monetization for Microsoft's MSN network as well as streaming media evangelist at MSNBC.com, joined the RNC in March.
Herman expects to unveil a revamped GOP.com in about 45 days, he said. RNC Chairman Michael Steele has ordered him to "take the lid off" in redesigning the site, and Herman said he is eager to comply.
"To the consternation of the communications staff of the RNC, I am innately set on open," Herman said. "I am innately set to take your point of view and discuss it."
Herman suggested, however, that the "rules of engagement" regarding social media do not necessarily favor Republicans. Services like Google News are using techniques that are "anti-SEO" - search engine optimization - he said.
Herman pointed to Google News and its coverage of the American Medical Association's (AMA) opposition to Obama's plan for a government-sponsored insurance plan.
Google News, he said, provided links to an ABC news story about its healthcare town hall with Obama, and a Media Matters story about how the GOP had branded that town hall a failure, but nothing that used a phrase close to "AMA rejects Obama plan".
To find such a headline, one would have to go to a "not very well-trafficked blog," Herman said. That blog linked to a New York Times story on the issue that Herman acknowledged was "well done." He did not, however, like the fact that the Times used the phrase "doctor's group" in the headline instead of AMA.
Searching for the AMA story on Google.com, however, turned up the desired results, Herman said. Later, he also said that Google is his favorite search engine.
What does Google think about that?
Get the rest of this story on pcmag.com.
Side Note: In other Todd Herman news, on a day when CNN took some heat for referring to Twitter members as "sources", a note on Herman's Twitter feed caught my eye. He writes that his Tweets are his own beliefs and not that of the GOP or the RNC - standard disclaimer fare. But then he goes on to say that "reporters who quote tweets without calls to confirm are acting like gossip columnists." Thoughts?
Unwanted Ctrl Alt Del at Startup
Q: When I log on to my computer there is a new message to log on to my computer. It says "Press ctrl-alt-delete to log on". Is this part of the new Microsoft updates for Vista or what? Is this something I have to be worried about? - Packer56.
A: For greater security, Vista and Windows 7 can optionally require users to press Ctrl Alt Del at logon. I haven't seen any reports of it turning on spontaneously, with or without a Windows Update. In any case here's how to control it.
The parallel feature in Windows XP was reached by clicking "Change the way users log on or off" in the User Accounts applet from Control Panel. In Vista and Windows 7 it's in a completely different location. Click the Start orb and launch NETPLWIZ (you can also click Start, click Run, and enter CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2). Click the Advanced tab, un-check the box "Require users to press Ctrl Alt Delete", and click OK. Done! - Neil J. Rubenking.
A: For greater security, Vista and Windows 7 can optionally require users to press Ctrl Alt Del at logon. I haven't seen any reports of it turning on spontaneously, with or without a Windows Update. In any case here's how to control it.
The parallel feature in Windows XP was reached by clicking "Change the way users log on or off" in the User Accounts applet from Control Panel. In Vista and Windows 7 it's in a completely different location. Click the Start orb and launch NETPLWIZ (you can also click Start, click Run, and enter CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2). Click the Advanced tab, un-check the box "Require users to press Ctrl Alt Delete", and click OK. Done! - Neil J. Rubenking.
Facebook: Free Speech Is Really Hard
In the wake of the controversy surrounding the Holocaust denial groups on Facebook, Randi Zuckerberg, the site's marketing director (and sister of founder Mark), said Tuesday that it's difficult to navigate the ins and outs of the First Amendment.
"Free speech is really hard," Zuckerberg said at the Personal Democracy Forum in Manhattan. "It's something that we believe in very passionately as a company but it's a really hard issue."
Facebook took some heat last month after it refused to pull down Holocaust denial groups. The site eventually removed two groups after members made violent statements, but Facebook said its terms of service allows members to speak their minds as long as they do not advocate violence against other people.
"Our terms of service claim that if you are saying something that is hateful [or] if you are spreading words of violence that it comes down immediately," Zuckerberg said.
"When you have a site with over 200 million people, [they] are going to say things that are controversial or you don't agree with or that personally may make you furious or upset," she continued. "But just because they say that doesn't mean that it's hate, it doesn't mean that we should be censoring it. So it's a very difficult line, and that's where we are right now."
"Free speech is really hard," Zuckerberg said at the Personal Democracy Forum in Manhattan. "It's something that we believe in very passionately as a company but it's a really hard issue."
Facebook took some heat last month after it refused to pull down Holocaust denial groups. The site eventually removed two groups after members made violent statements, but Facebook said its terms of service allows members to speak their minds as long as they do not advocate violence against other people.
"Our terms of service claim that if you are saying something that is hateful [or] if you are spreading words of violence that it comes down immediately," Zuckerberg said.
"When you have a site with over 200 million people, [they] are going to say things that are controversial or you don't agree with or that personally may make you furious or upset," she continued. "But just because they say that doesn't mean that it's hate, it doesn't mean that we should be censoring it. So it's a very difficult line, and that's where we are right now."
Apple Releases iPhone OS 3.1 Beta for Developers
Apple this week released a beta version of the iPhone 3.1 software. At the moment the beta is intended only for app developers and isn't really recommended for the rest of us. A number of blogs have already begun digging around in the software already, of course, and have uncovered a handful of new features.
Among them are Bluetooth integration for voice control, non-destructive video editing, AT
Among them are Bluetooth integration for voice control, non-destructive video editing, AT
Twitter Adds Flickr Integration
Move over Twitpic--and the countless other third-party apps that beat Flickr to the Twitter game. The Yahoo-owned photo sharing site yesterday announced the release of Flickr2Twitter, an app that lets users publish photo links directly to the micro-blogging site, using the flic.kr domain.
Flickr also recently started its own Twitter feed, which at this point, is pretty much just a running ad for the new Flickr2Twitter feature, which has been beta testing for the past couple of weeks. They do, however, already have more than 3,000 followers, due likely in no small part to those kissing birds in the background.
Flickr also recently started its own Twitter feed, which at this point, is pretty much just a running ad for the new Flickr2Twitter feature, which has been beta testing for the past couple of weeks. They do, however, already have more than 3,000 followers, due likely in no small part to those kissing birds in the background.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Twitter Doesn't Want Developers Using "Tweet" in Apps
Is Twitter becoming Apple? The micro-blogging service has apparently begun confronting third-party developers for the use of the word "Tweet" in the names of their apps--a word for which Twitter filed a trademark, back in April of this year. The note reads, in part,
Twitter, Inc is uncomfortable with the use of the word Tweet (our trademark) and the similarity in your UI and our own. How can we go about having you change your UI to better differentiate your offering from our own?
As TechCrunch helpfully points out, there are a number of existing apps that already use the word in their name, like TweetDeck, TweetMeme, Tweetie, BackTweets, Tweetboard--just to name a few.
No word on whether the company has begun silencing song birds as well.
Twitter, Inc is uncomfortable with the use of the word Tweet (our trademark) and the similarity in your UI and our own. How can we go about having you change your UI to better differentiate your offering from our own?
As TechCrunch helpfully points out, there are a number of existing apps that already use the word in their name, like TweetDeck, TweetMeme, Tweetie, BackTweets, Tweetboard--just to name a few.
No word on whether the company has begun silencing song birds as well.
Twitter Updates Following and Follower Pages
Twitter today trickled out a few more improvements to its service today, updating the Following and Follower pages with additional information and features. Now users can get a better picture of those they're following and vice versa, without having to actually visit their profile page.
New features on the page include SMS, direct message, and unfollow. The page now also features user bios and their last tweet.
New features on the page include SMS, direct message, and unfollow. The page now also features user bios and their last tweet.
Which Security Suite?
Q: I recently purchased a new Dell machine and I was told by Dell that the McAfee security software was not a good choice even though it came with a 30 day free trial version from Dell on the machine. Is there any truth to this or are they just trying to sell me another security suite? They want me to buy Norton 360 at $79 a pop. - Gene DeMarco.
A: In my own testing Norton comes out significantly ahead of McAfee (though McAfee has promised me Great New Things in the version coming later this year). I use Norton Internet Security 2009 myself. With Norton 360 you're paying $10 more for a backup system and system tune-up.
The other top suite in my estimation is Zone Alarm Extreme Security ($69.95). You'll find reviews of these and others at http://go.pcmag.com/securitysuites.
It isn't like they're encouraging you to pay $79 versus no dollars at all. You'd still have to pay for the McAfee after 30 days. This is what I'd recommend: Don't buy anything through Dell, check out the security suite reviews, and select one that looks good to you. Then install the trial version (usually 30-day) of that suite. Assuming you like it, convert the trial to a paid subscription before the trial period runs out. - Neil J. Rubenking.
A: In my own testing Norton comes out significantly ahead of McAfee (though McAfee has promised me Great New Things in the version coming later this year). I use Norton Internet Security 2009 myself. With Norton 360 you're paying $10 more for a backup system and system tune-up.
The other top suite in my estimation is Zone Alarm Extreme Security ($69.95). You'll find reviews of these and others at http://go.pcmag.com/securitysuites.
It isn't like they're encouraging you to pay $79 versus no dollars at all. You'd still have to pay for the McAfee after 30 days. This is what I'd recommend: Don't buy anything through Dell, check out the security suite reviews, and select one that looks good to you. Then install the trial version (usually 30-day) of that suite. Assuming you like it, convert the trial to a paid subscription before the trial period runs out. - Neil J. Rubenking.
Messed-Up Registry Export
Q: Operating system is Windows XP. I wanted to get a view of some parts of the Registry. I used REGEDIT to export the entirety of HKEY_CURRENT_USER. I reviewed the output in Notepad. It looked fine - nice 80 character lines broken at a backslash character if necessary. I wrote a simple REXX program to process this file and it totally failed. Every line of text had an inserted space between each character. I checked with a hex editor - it was actually 00 byte after each character.
Why does REGEDIT insert these null characters? Why would Notepad display the file as if the nulls didn't exist? It appears Notepad can't be trusted to accurately display files. This is disquieting to say the least. Are there any other problems with Notepad? - Bruce Goetz.
A: Notepad is fine, and REGEDIT is fine. What you didn't realize is that the default REGEDIT export format in XP, Vista, and Windows 7 is Unicode text. Each character occupies two bytes. Since these are actually standard ANSI characters the high byte is always 0. Your REXX program is trying to read the file as if it were standard one-byte ANSI text; naturally that doesn't work.
The best solution is to export the data from REGEDIT as ANSI text. To do so, pull down the "Save as type" list and choose "Win9x/NT4 Registration Files (*.reg)". Now when you export the file it will be in simple ANSI text format and your REXX program will have no trouble reading it. I do this all the time when I want to use the built in FC (File Compare) command to check for differences in Registry settings; FC doesn't handle Unicode text either. - Neil J. Rubenking.
Why does REGEDIT insert these null characters? Why would Notepad display the file as if the nulls didn't exist? It appears Notepad can't be trusted to accurately display files. This is disquieting to say the least. Are there any other problems with Notepad? - Bruce Goetz.
A: Notepad is fine, and REGEDIT is fine. What you didn't realize is that the default REGEDIT export format in XP, Vista, and Windows 7 is Unicode text. Each character occupies two bytes. Since these are actually standard ANSI characters the high byte is always 0. Your REXX program is trying to read the file as if it were standard one-byte ANSI text; naturally that doesn't work.
The best solution is to export the data from REGEDIT as ANSI text. To do so, pull down the "Save as type" list and choose "Win9x/NT4 Registration Files (*.reg)". Now when you export the file it will be in simple ANSI text format and your REXX program will have no trouble reading it. I do this all the time when I want to use the built in FC (File Compare) command to check for differences in Registry settings; FC doesn't handle Unicode text either. - Neil J. Rubenking.
Warranty Elephant Never Forgets your Service Agreements
An important factor to consider when deciding to make a large purchase is the warranty and any promises of support and maintenance that come along with the product. Unfortunately, once that new LCD TV has been on the wall for three years or that computer under your desk for two, it's easy to forget who to call when you have a problem with it, even if it's still under warranty. Warranty Elephant, a Web service born from one person's experience with a product under warranty but no phone number to call when it broke, wants to make sure you never have to dig through piles of paperwork to find out who to call when your stuff breaks--especially if you paid extra to make sure you were covered if it did.
Google Unveils Gmail Drag, Drop Features
I am among the Gmail faithful, but its folder system, or lack thereof, has always been somewhat of a drawback. Google took steps to fix this problem Wednesday with the release of several new drag, drop, and hide features intended to make it easier to organize your Gmail inbox.
First up is a new location for labels. They are currently listed as a separate section underneath Chat, but will now be grouped together with the inbox, drafts, chats, and other labels. If you don't want to clutter your inbox, the upgrade also lets you hide those labels you don't use very often. Clicking the down arrow next to a label will allow you to show, hide, or delete it.
Need a bulk edit? Go to the labels tab under "settings" and re-arrange en masse.
"For those of you who created label names like _stuff or todo to force your most-used labels to the top of the list (come on, you know who you are, I did it too...), you don't have to come up with clever tricks like that anymore," Google wrote in a blog post.
Also new is the ability to drag and drop e-mails.
"This does the exact same thing as 'Move to' -- it labels and archives in one step," Google said. "You can drag labels onto messages too. It's the same thing as using the 'Label' button."
It's also possible to drag labels into the "more" menu to hide them and vice versa.
The label changes mean that Google will discontinue right-side labels in Gmail Labs - the first Labs product to be cut.
"Now that labels aren't in their own little box and take up much less space, moving them around the screen didn't seem as important," Google said.
Google will be rolling out the label updates throughout the day, so check back later if you don't see them immediately.
First up is a new location for labels. They are currently listed as a separate section underneath Chat, but will now be grouped together with the inbox, drafts, chats, and other labels. If you don't want to clutter your inbox, the upgrade also lets you hide those labels you don't use very often. Clicking the down arrow next to a label will allow you to show, hide, or delete it.
Need a bulk edit? Go to the labels tab under "settings" and re-arrange en masse.
"For those of you who created label names like _stuff or todo to force your most-used labels to the top of the list (come on, you know who you are, I did it too...), you don't have to come up with clever tricks like that anymore," Google wrote in a blog post.
Also new is the ability to drag and drop e-mails.
"This does the exact same thing as 'Move to' -- it labels and archives in one step," Google said. "You can drag labels onto messages too. It's the same thing as using the 'Label' button."
It's also possible to drag labels into the "more" menu to hide them and vice versa.
The label changes mean that Google will discontinue right-side labels in Gmail Labs - the first Labs product to be cut.
"Now that labels aren't in their own little box and take up much less space, moving them around the screen didn't seem as important," Google said.
Google will be rolling out the label updates throughout the day, so check back later if you don't see them immediately.
Block, Rojas Launch Gdgt Site
Ryan Block and Peter Rojas are the closest to rock stars the tech journalism world has. Between the two of them, they started both Gizmodo and Engadget and became the mainstream media's top example of hip tech-journalism moguls. Rojas then started a record label, RCRD LBL, and Block has been named to lists like Fortune's "Web Celebs" and Paper Magazine's "Beautiful People." Further enhancing their mystique, both are members of Web 2.0 power couples: Block's longtime girlfriend is geek heartthrob Veronica Belmont, while Rojas' wife Jill Fehrenbacher is a respected design blogger.All this goes to explain why the launch of their new site, gdgt.com, is important. Block and Rojas have been incubating gdgt.com since Block left Engadget in 2008, posting weekly podcasts and the occasional liveblog. But they launched the real site today, and it's really interesting. Rather than a news-driven blog or reviews-driven Web site, gdgt is entirely community driven--it's a collection of lists of gadgets people want, gadgets people have, and places for people to ask each other questions about their gadgets. Third-party reviews, news links to other sites, product finders and user-editable spec sheets fill out the mix. It's like Wikipedia for gadget fans.A community site is only as good as its community, and Ryan and Peter have managed to get many of the top tech journalists to take a peek in. (When I logged in this morning, I saw that Lance Ulanoff had just signed up.) Belmont does the site's introductory video. It's definitely worth a look, especially if you like to chat about gadgets.
Etiquette Avenue: iPhone App Helps You Mind Your Manners
The thousands of apps in the iTunes App Store can help you do a huge variety of tasks, and now you can add one more: learning etiquette. Designed for businesspeople who need a little help in social situations, Etiquette Avenue tells you far more than which fork to use.The app was created by the Protocol Center in Coral Gables, Florida, which holds seminars on business and dining etiquette. That experience has taught them what businesspeople most need to know.The variety of topics in the app are written in a friendly, helpful style, giving you the exact info you need before tackling a work dinner or other event. I like that sections are introduced with cartoons, and that the dinning section includes several photos explaining tableware placement to the readers. The real benefit of the app isn't that it tells you how to make small talk or dine with international guests, but that it gives you confidence that you're handling yourself correctly. That frees you to get more out of your business interactions. You can purchase the app for $2.99 from the iTunes Store.
RIAA Wins Copyright Case Against Usenet
The recording industry was handed a victory Tuesday when a federal court found the company overseeing the Usenet user group guilty of copyright infringement.
"There can be no dispute that defendants' services were being used overwhelmingly for copyright infringement," Judge Harold Baer, Jr. of the District Court for the Southern District of New York, wrote in his opinion.
Fourteen record labels, under the auspices of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), sued Usenet in late 2007 for distributing copyrighted music on its site.
The Usenet discussion forums date back to 1979, and allowed users to post and reply to messages on a host of topics. Sierra Corporate Design purchased the usenet.com URL in 1998, and the formal Usenet.com, Inc. was formed in 2004 under the direction of director and sole shareholder, Gerald Reynolds.
Users can purchase subscriptions to access Usenet content, which vary in price from $4.95 to $18.95 a month. Customers who pay $18.95 get unlimited downloads.
In mounting its defense, Usenet cited the Sony-Betamax case, which held that Sony was not responsible for copyright infringement perpetrated by consumers who bought its Betamax machines, as well as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). This act includes a safe harbor provision that does not hold the owners of Internet services responsible for the illegal acts of its users.
Usenet appears to have shot itself in the foot, however, by destroying evidence.
Get the rest of this story on pcmag.com.
"There can be no dispute that defendants' services were being used overwhelmingly for copyright infringement," Judge Harold Baer, Jr. of the District Court for the Southern District of New York, wrote in his opinion.
Fourteen record labels, under the auspices of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), sued Usenet in late 2007 for distributing copyrighted music on its site.
The Usenet discussion forums date back to 1979, and allowed users to post and reply to messages on a host of topics. Sierra Corporate Design purchased the usenet.com URL in 1998, and the formal Usenet.com, Inc. was formed in 2004 under the direction of director and sole shareholder, Gerald Reynolds.
Users can purchase subscriptions to access Usenet content, which vary in price from $4.95 to $18.95 a month. Customers who pay $18.95 get unlimited downloads.
In mounting its defense, Usenet cited the Sony-Betamax case, which held that Sony was not responsible for copyright infringement perpetrated by consumers who bought its Betamax machines, as well as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). This act includes a safe harbor provision that does not hold the owners of Internet services responsible for the illegal acts of its users.
Usenet appears to have shot itself in the foot, however, by destroying evidence.
Get the rest of this story on pcmag.com.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Microsoft Trying Really, Really Hard With New IE8 Ads
Microsoft, bless its heart, really wants a successful ad campaign. The company has been tearing through taglines and spokespeople at a breakneck pace, attempting in part to hit back at Apple's highly successful "Get a Mac" campaign, which more or less exists to take Redmond down a peg. As a result, we've seen "I'm a PC"; some lady named Lauren, who was actually an actress named Lauren; and Jerry Seinfeld chatting up former CEO Bill Gates about cake.
Now, for a new series of new ads promoting Internet Explorer 8, the company has toiled deep within the quirk mines, going so far as to recruit "Police Academy" vet and star of the talking-horse vehicle "Hot to Trot," Bobcat Goldthwait. The result is a series of tiny Dadaist movies like the one above, which features a woman repeatedly vomiting on her husband after discover what's in his search history. Lesson learned: Get IE 8, and your wife will puke on you less--unless, you know, that's what you're into.
Also, there's Dean Cain, who pops up at the end of each ad wearing a suit; he's like a cross between Rod Serling and William Shatner's second career as a self-satirist. They're weird, uncomfortable, and, at the very least, they've got a lot of people talking. Reactions at this point includes strong dislike and a general sense of disbelief that Microsoft would stick its stamp of approval on these spots. By that token, the campaign has done its job.
Still, it's hard to imagine these spots existing beyond their current state as a weird anomaly made even stranger by the fact that companies don't really tend to throw a ton of money behind browser advertisements. Of course, increased competition from Firefox and Google's own Chrome ad budget has put Microsoft in a less than ideal position.
What it boils down to is the same sort of wall Microsoft keeps running into with its Zune marketing team: How does a gigantic multinational corporation present itself as a hip alternative? The issue is even more pronounced since, unlike in the MP3 player space, Microsoft is about as far from being the underdog as one can possibly be in the browser space. The company's market share is eroding, but for the foreseeable future, IE still rules the roost, if only because most people can't be troubled to learn the nuances of a new browser.
So what's a huge conglomerate to do? Put a little funding into ads, and then float them on the Web to see if they work. If the things tank, it's a lot easier to disown them. If they're a success, you can call them a stroke of brilliant viral advertising. Either way Dean Cain gets his money. So it's a win-win, right?
Some of us will laugh at the commercials and some of us will laugh at Microsoft. Either way the company will pat itself on the back for a job well done.
Now, for a new series of new ads promoting Internet Explorer 8, the company has toiled deep within the quirk mines, going so far as to recruit "Police Academy" vet and star of the talking-horse vehicle "Hot to Trot," Bobcat Goldthwait. The result is a series of tiny Dadaist movies like the one above, which features a woman repeatedly vomiting on her husband after discover what's in his search history. Lesson learned: Get IE 8, and your wife will puke on you less--unless, you know, that's what you're into.
Also, there's Dean Cain, who pops up at the end of each ad wearing a suit; he's like a cross between Rod Serling and William Shatner's second career as a self-satirist. They're weird, uncomfortable, and, at the very least, they've got a lot of people talking. Reactions at this point includes strong dislike and a general sense of disbelief that Microsoft would stick its stamp of approval on these spots. By that token, the campaign has done its job.
Still, it's hard to imagine these spots existing beyond their current state as a weird anomaly made even stranger by the fact that companies don't really tend to throw a ton of money behind browser advertisements. Of course, increased competition from Firefox and Google's own Chrome ad budget has put Microsoft in a less than ideal position.
What it boils down to is the same sort of wall Microsoft keeps running into with its Zune marketing team: How does a gigantic multinational corporation present itself as a hip alternative? The issue is even more pronounced since, unlike in the MP3 player space, Microsoft is about as far from being the underdog as one can possibly be in the browser space. The company's market share is eroding, but for the foreseeable future, IE still rules the roost, if only because most people can't be troubled to learn the nuances of a new browser.
So what's a huge conglomerate to do? Put a little funding into ads, and then float them on the Web to see if they work. If the things tank, it's a lot easier to disown them. If they're a success, you can call them a stroke of brilliant viral advertising. Either way Dean Cain gets his money. So it's a win-win, right?
Some of us will laugh at the commercials and some of us will laugh at Microsoft. Either way the company will pat itself on the back for a job well done.
Facebook Opens Up Privacy Settings to 'Everyone'
Want to share portions of your Facebook account with everyone on the site? Yeah, me neither, but the social networking site is giving you that option nonetheless.
Facebook is now giving you the option to allow "everyone" on the site to view certain parts of your profile, even if you are not friends. It will allow people searching for you to see your personal information or status updates, for example, but not your photos or Wall posts.
"None of your existing privacy settings have changed. This is an additional setting for those of you who wish to share with a broader audience," Facebook said in a blog post.
To update, go to Facebook's privacy settings and click on the drop-down menu for sections like Profile, Status Updates, Links, Wall Posts, Basic Info, Personal Info, Education Info, Work Info, Photos of You and Videos of You.
The menu will give you the option to share this information with everyone, your networks and friends, friends of friends, only friends, or via a customized view. Save it and you're set.
"While some special rules remain in place about who can see your profile if you are a minor, people generally won't need to be friends with you or share a common network in order to view your content if you choose the new 'Everyone' setting," Facebook said.
Facebook is now giving you the option to allow "everyone" on the site to view certain parts of your profile, even if you are not friends. It will allow people searching for you to see your personal information or status updates, for example, but not your photos or Wall posts.
"None of your existing privacy settings have changed. This is an additional setting for those of you who wish to share with a broader audience," Facebook said in a blog post.
To update, go to Facebook's privacy settings and click on the drop-down menu for sections like Profile, Status Updates, Links, Wall Posts, Basic Info, Personal Info, Education Info, Work Info, Photos of You and Videos of You.
The menu will give you the option to share this information with everyone, your networks and friends, friends of friends, only friends, or via a customized view. Save it and you're set.
"While some special rules remain in place about who can see your profile if you are a minor, people generally won't need to be friends with you or share a common network in order to view your content if you choose the new 'Everyone' setting," Facebook said.
Facebook Ditches Regional Networks
Facebook said this week that it is dropping its regional networks because they have become too large to be of any use.
"When we added regional networks to the site back in 2005, they provided a useful way for people to find and connect with the people around them," Facebook's Paul McDonald wrote in a blog post. "We've grown substantially since then, and today these networks too often represent large geographical areas--sometimes entire countries--that no longer accurately reflect people's real-world connections."
Facebook has networks for cities, regions, and countries, and approximately 50 percent of members have joined a network, McDonald wrote. A person's location will still be listed on their profile under "current city" or "current region".
Overall, however, the site has started removing these networks, and when that process is finished, they will no longer appear in your privacy settings. At that point, you will have the option of allowing profile access to friends, friends of friends, or everyone on the site.
Facebook has already removed the regional setting in the news feed. "We found that few people were using the regional network filters, choosing filters for their schools, workplaces and friend lists instead to surface interesting and relevant information," McDonald wrote.
"When we added regional networks to the site back in 2005, they provided a useful way for people to find and connect with the people around them," Facebook's Paul McDonald wrote in a blog post. "We've grown substantially since then, and today these networks too often represent large geographical areas--sometimes entire countries--that no longer accurately reflect people's real-world connections."
Facebook has networks for cities, regions, and countries, and approximately 50 percent of members have joined a network, McDonald wrote. A person's location will still be listed on their profile under "current city" or "current region".
Overall, however, the site has started removing these networks, and when that process is finished, they will no longer appear in your privacy settings. At that point, you will have the option of allowing profile access to friends, friends of friends, or everyone on the site.
Facebook has already removed the regional setting in the news feed. "We found that few people were using the regional network filters, choosing filters for their schools, workplaces and friend lists instead to surface interesting and relevant information," McDonald wrote.
Facebook Beta Gives Users More Control Over Publisher
Facebook has long allowed you to block certain content - pictures, wall posts, status updates - from certain people on your friends lists, but what about the videos, newspaper articles, or notes you post via the publisher?
The social networking site is testing a feature that provides more control over the publisher by letting you pick and choose who can see posted items.
When you go to post an item, there will be a drop-down menu with a lock on it that allows you to select who will be able to view it: everyone, everyone and networks, friends of friends, only friends, or a custom list of pre-selected friends.
"You might be comfortable with anyone enjoying the video you took at a concert, but only want your family to see photos from your family vacation," Facebook wrote in a blog post. "So you can choose to share the video with 'Everyone' while selecting 'Custom' for the photo album and choosing your Friend List for your family."
The feature is currently in beta. Those who have their status updates and profile privacy settings on "everyone" will be included in the beta, but Facebook said it hopes to expand it to other soon.
The social networking site is testing a feature that provides more control over the publisher by letting you pick and choose who can see posted items.
When you go to post an item, there will be a drop-down menu with a lock on it that allows you to select who will be able to view it: everyone, everyone and networks, friends of friends, only friends, or a custom list of pre-selected friends.
"You might be comfortable with anyone enjoying the video you took at a concert, but only want your family to see photos from your family vacation," Facebook wrote in a blog post. "So you can choose to share the video with 'Everyone' while selecting 'Custom' for the photo album and choosing your Friend List for your family."
The feature is currently in beta. Those who have their status updates and profile privacy settings on "everyone" will be included in the beta, but Facebook said it hopes to expand it to other soon.
Facebook Rolling Out Simplified Privacy Settings
Facebook kicked off a security upgrade to its site Wednesday that is intended to streamline users' control over their privacy settings.
"When we add new features to Facebook, we usually include a corresponding privacy setting," Facebook chief privacy officer Chris Kelly wrote in a blog post. "While this has helped give some people more individualized controls over particular features, [it] has made controlling privacy on Facebook too complicated."
To simplify, Facebook launched a test with a limited group of U.S.-based users, who will try out a system that allows them to adjust their privacy settings all on one page.
Right now, when users access their privacy settings, they can click on profile, search, news feed and wall, or applications and adjust their settings separately. Once the upgrade is complete, all four categories will be listed and adjustable from one page.
Facebook will also incorporate several changes they've announced over the past several weeks: allowing users to select privacy preferences for the publisher; the end of regional networks; and allowing people to select "everyone" when designating who can see their profile.
When the formal switch happens, users will be presented with a "transition tool" that outlines their privacy settings, and gives the option to make a profile more open, limited, or the same.
"We've designed the transition tool to respect previous decisions to limit access to information," Kelly wrote. "If you have selected settings that restrict who has access to information, those choices are carried over to the new privacy settings."
At the outset, a test group of 40,000 users in the U.S. will have access to the simpler privacy settings and receive one of six transition tools. That test will later expand to 80,000 users globally. Finally, Facebook will compile feedback to select the most popular of the six transition tools, and start a slow rollout to all of its users of the new settings.
Facebook insisted that the changes do not affect the way it provides information to advertisers.
"Facebook does not share personal information with advertisers except under the direction and control of a user," Kelly wrote. "These new tools do not alter that policy or practice."
Facebook put up a slideshow that features screenshots of the expected changes.
"When we add new features to Facebook, we usually include a corresponding privacy setting," Facebook chief privacy officer Chris Kelly wrote in a blog post. "While this has helped give some people more individualized controls over particular features, [it] has made controlling privacy on Facebook too complicated."
To simplify, Facebook launched a test with a limited group of U.S.-based users, who will try out a system that allows them to adjust their privacy settings all on one page.
Right now, when users access their privacy settings, they can click on profile, search, news feed and wall, or applications and adjust their settings separately. Once the upgrade is complete, all four categories will be listed and adjustable from one page.
Facebook will also incorporate several changes they've announced over the past several weeks: allowing users to select privacy preferences for the publisher; the end of regional networks; and allowing people to select "everyone" when designating who can see their profile.
When the formal switch happens, users will be presented with a "transition tool" that outlines their privacy settings, and gives the option to make a profile more open, limited, or the same.
"We've designed the transition tool to respect previous decisions to limit access to information," Kelly wrote. "If you have selected settings that restrict who has access to information, those choices are carried over to the new privacy settings."
At the outset, a test group of 40,000 users in the U.S. will have access to the simpler privacy settings and receive one of six transition tools. That test will later expand to 80,000 users globally. Finally, Facebook will compile feedback to select the most popular of the six transition tools, and start a slow rollout to all of its users of the new settings.
Facebook insisted that the changes do not affect the way it provides information to advertisers.
"Facebook does not share personal information with advertisers except under the direction and control of a user," Kelly wrote. "These new tools do not alter that policy or practice."
Facebook put up a slideshow that features screenshots of the expected changes.
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Pirate Bay Will Pay You to Share Files?
The revampled Pirate Bay will pay users to share files, Global Gaming Factory chief executive Hans Pandeya told the BBC on Thursday."We are going to set up a system where the file-sharer actually makes money," he said. "More than half of all internet traffic is file sharing and P2P [peer-to-peer] traffic and buying Pirate Bay gives us one of the biggest sources of traffic.
"We can then use this massive network of file-sharers to help [internet service providers] reduce overload," the BBC quoted Pandeya as saying.Color me cynical, but I'm not sure that this is going to fly. Use The Pirate Bay to distribute copyrighted video? Are you nuts? First off, there is no way any large commercial entity is going to use a distribution mechanism branded as "The Pirate Bay". Second, I'd bet that the payments, if any, would amount to just a few dollars per user, perhaps per week. If, and this is a big if, those payments amounted to the amount that user was charged by his ISP for Internet access, than this might work. Otherwise, however, I have to imagine that the average pirate will simply thumb his nose at The Man. I'll be interested to see how this turns out.
"We can then use this massive network of file-sharers to help [internet service providers] reduce overload," the BBC quoted Pandeya as saying.Color me cynical, but I'm not sure that this is going to fly. Use The Pirate Bay to distribute copyrighted video? Are you nuts? First off, there is no way any large commercial entity is going to use a distribution mechanism branded as "The Pirate Bay". Second, I'd bet that the payments, if any, would amount to just a few dollars per user, perhaps per week. If, and this is a big if, those payments amounted to the amount that user was charged by his ISP for Internet access, than this might work. Otherwise, however, I have to imagine that the average pirate will simply thumb his nose at The Man. I'll be interested to see how this turns out.
YouTube Increases Upload Size, Loses Co-Founder
YouTube has increased the size of its standard uploads from 1GB to 2GB.
"The increase means you can upload longer videos at a higher resolution as well as large HD files directly from your camera," YouTube wrote in a blog post.
Users can also now share links directly to the HD version of their videos, and embed the HD version on their blogs or web sites. More details on the blog post.
In other YouTube news, The New York Times reports that YouTube co-founder Steve Chen has left the video site and is now working on an engineering project at Google, which owns YouTube.
"Steve shifted his focus to help with some Google engineering projects. He's still involved with YouTube and invested in its success," a spokesman told the Times.
"The increase means you can upload longer videos at a higher resolution as well as large HD files directly from your camera," YouTube wrote in a blog post.
Users can also now share links directly to the HD version of their videos, and embed the HD version on their blogs or web sites. More details on the blog post.
In other YouTube news, The New York Times reports that YouTube co-founder Steve Chen has left the video site and is now working on an engineering project at Google, which owns YouTube.
"Steve shifted his focus to help with some Google engineering projects. He's still involved with YouTube and invested in its success," a spokesman told the Times.
Obama Signs Internet Radio Royalty Bill
Internet radio stations got a second chance to hammer out a royalty agreement with copyright holders Tuesday when President Obama signed the Webcasters Settlement Act.
The bill gives both sides 30 days to come to an agreement over how much Web radio stations should pay to stream their music. A similar bill signed by President Bush last year set a deadline of Feb. 15, 2009 but a deal was not reached.
The debate dates back to March 2007 when the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) - a government body within the Library of Congress - handed down royalty rate fees that Internet radio claimed would put them out of business. The two sides battled back and forth for ages, finally agreeing to the Webcasters Settlement Act, which vacates the CRB's decision if the two sides agree on a deal.
Check back in 30 days to see if that becomes a reality.
The bill gives both sides 30 days to come to an agreement over how much Web radio stations should pay to stream their music. A similar bill signed by President Bush last year set a deadline of Feb. 15, 2009 but a deal was not reached.
The debate dates back to March 2007 when the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) - a government body within the Library of Congress - handed down royalty rate fees that Internet radio claimed would put them out of business. The two sides battled back and forth for ages, finally agreeing to the Webcasters Settlement Act, which vacates the CRB's decision if the two sides agree on a deal.
Check back in 30 days to see if that becomes a reality.
Apple Adds HD Movies to iTunes
Apple today announced the availability of HD video downloads through the iTunes video store. Users will be able to download a number of high-definition movies for $19.99 including titles like Quantum of Solace and Twilight. The company is also offering HD rentals for $4.99, available within 30 days of the film's release.
A number of videos are currently available for download, including Transporter 3 and Punisher: War Zone. Twilight will be available on March 21st, Quantum of Solace on March 24th, and Frank Miller's The Spirit on April 14th. A full list of the films is available on iTunes' HD movie page.
The new downloads are compatible with Apple TV and will play in standard definition on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
A number of videos are currently available for download, including Transporter 3 and Punisher: War Zone. Twilight will be available on March 21st, Quantum of Solace on March 24th, and Frank Miller's The Spirit on April 14th. A full list of the films is available on iTunes' HD movie page.
The new downloads are compatible with Apple TV and will play in standard definition on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
'Twilight' to Soon Descend on the iPhone
Fans of the Twilight vampire series take note: the publisher, Little, Brown Book Group, has announced that the saga will soon materialize on June 29th in e-book form as an iPhone app, according to MediaPost--giving fans another Apple-related option aside from downloading the movie in HD form from the iTunes Store.ScrollMotion, the company behind the app, is also looking to bring titles from best-selling authors Kelley Armstrong, Iain M. Banks, Patricia Cornwell, Dorothy Koomson and Alexander McCall Smith, the report said.According to recent data from Bookscan, some 16 percent of all books sold in the first quarter of 2009--about one in every seven books sold--was a Twilight novel.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Craigslist Chief Demands Apology from South Carolina AG
Craigslist chief executive Jim Buckmaster demanded an apology from South Carolina attorney general Henry McMaster Monday after McMaster announced plans to move forward with a lawsuit against the online classifieds Web site.
Craigslist announced last week that it would dump its "erotic services" section in favor of a monitored "adult services" section. The move came a week after McMaster threatened to sue Craigslist within 10 days if it did not remove "erotic services" from the South Carolina portion of its site.
"As of 5:00 p.m. this afternoon, the Craigslist South Carolina site continues to display advertisements for prostitution and graphic pornographic material," McMaster wrote in a Saturday statement posted to his Web site. "This content was not removed as we requested. We have no alternative but to move forward with criminal investigation and potential prosecution."
Craigslist stopped accepting new "erotic services" posts last Wednesday, but said current posts would remain on the site until they expired after 7 days.
"Have you fully considered the implications of your accusations against Craigslist?" Buckmaster wrote in a Monday blog post to McMaster. "What's a crime for Craigslist is clearly a crime for any company. Are you really prepared to condemn the executives of each of the mainstream companies linked above, and all the others that feature such ads, as criminals?"
Buckmaster pointed to the "adult entertainment" sections of the Greenville classifieds Web site, the Charleston Post and Courier, Microsoft's Live.com, and yellowpages.com--all of which, he said, currently contain more adult advertisements targeting South Carolina residents than Craigslist does.
The South Carolina adult services and erotic services section had a total of 40 posts as of Monday morning, Buckmaster said.
"Do you really intend to launch a criminal investigation against the phone company? What about potential new jobs connected to big data center build outs in SC by Internet companies? Are you *sure* you want prosecute all of their CEOs as criminals???" Buckmaster wrote.
Get the rest of this story at pcmag.com.
Craigslist announced last week that it would dump its "erotic services" section in favor of a monitored "adult services" section. The move came a week after McMaster threatened to sue Craigslist within 10 days if it did not remove "erotic services" from the South Carolina portion of its site.
"As of 5:00 p.m. this afternoon, the Craigslist South Carolina site continues to display advertisements for prostitution and graphic pornographic material," McMaster wrote in a Saturday statement posted to his Web site. "This content was not removed as we requested. We have no alternative but to move forward with criminal investigation and potential prosecution."
Craigslist stopped accepting new "erotic services" posts last Wednesday, but said current posts would remain on the site until they expired after 7 days.
"Have you fully considered the implications of your accusations against Craigslist?" Buckmaster wrote in a Monday blog post to McMaster. "What's a crime for Craigslist is clearly a crime for any company. Are you really prepared to condemn the executives of each of the mainstream companies linked above, and all the others that feature such ads, as criminals?"
Buckmaster pointed to the "adult entertainment" sections of the Greenville classifieds Web site, the Charleston Post and Courier, Microsoft's Live.com, and yellowpages.com--all of which, he said, currently contain more adult advertisements targeting South Carolina residents than Craigslist does.
The South Carolina adult services and erotic services section had a total of 40 posts as of Monday morning, Buckmaster said.
"Do you really intend to launch a criminal investigation against the phone company? What about potential new jobs connected to big data center build outs in SC by Internet companies? Are you *sure* you want prosecute all of their CEOs as criminals???" Buckmaster wrote.
Get the rest of this story at pcmag.com.
Barcode Scanning Added to Google Product Search for Android
Need a quick price check on that MP3 player or HDTV, but don't feel like typing in the product name into your mobile phone? Google on Thursday announced that it has integrated barcode scanning into Google Product Search for mobile.
"Sometimes, when I'm looking up a specific item in a store rather than a category of products (like "bluetooth headsets"), I'd rather just scan a barcode to see results for the exact product I'm searching for," Eiji Hirai, a software engineer with the Google Mobile team, wrote in a blog post.
The company launched Product Search for mobile for iPhones and Android devices several weeks ago; barcode scanning is thus far only available on Android phones.
To access, download the latest Barcode Scanner app from the Android Market, if you do not already have it. Next, type Google.com in your mobile browser and selecting "Shopping" from the "more" tab. Select Product Search and tap on the "Scan Barcode" button.
"After the app opens, center the red line over the barcode and hold the phone steady. When the barcode is read successfully, you'll see a Google Product Search results page back in the browser," Hirai wrote. There is also a scanner button on top of the Product Search results page.
"Today, barcode scanning works best for products like electronics, books, movies or video games, but we're working on adding more barcodes for other items," he said. "Of course, if your scan does not return a result, you can always type in the product name just as before."
The app is available in the U.K. and the U.S.
"Sometimes, when I'm looking up a specific item in a store rather than a category of products (like "bluetooth headsets"), I'd rather just scan a barcode to see results for the exact product I'm searching for," Eiji Hirai, a software engineer with the Google Mobile team, wrote in a blog post.
The company launched Product Search for mobile for iPhones and Android devices several weeks ago; barcode scanning is thus far only available on Android phones.
To access, download the latest Barcode Scanner app from the Android Market, if you do not already have it. Next, type Google.com in your mobile browser and selecting "Shopping" from the "more" tab. Select Product Search and tap on the "Scan Barcode" button.
"After the app opens, center the red line over the barcode and hold the phone steady. When the barcode is read successfully, you'll see a Google Product Search results page back in the browser," Hirai wrote. There is also a scanner button on top of the Product Search results page.
"Today, barcode scanning works best for products like electronics, books, movies or video games, but we're working on adding more barcodes for other items," he said. "Of course, if your scan does not return a result, you can always type in the product name just as before."
The app is available in the U.K. and the U.S.
Book Hyatt Hotels From Your Cell Phone
We're seeing a lot of shoppingtools on cell phones lately, but now you can throw hotel reservations into the mix. Hotel brands previously reached mobile users via travel sites, but are now beginning to offer their own cell phone portals.
Still Waiting: Duke Nukem Developer Folds
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There's a certain poetry in the fact that fans will likely have to continue on waiting perhaps until the end of time for Duke Nukem Forever. 3D Realms, the developer behind the infinitely anticipated next installment of the first-person shooter confirmed rumors that it had in fact closed its doors.
"It's not a marketing thing," the company's Webmaster told gaming blog Shack News. "It's true. I have nothing further to say at this time."
Duke Nukem Trilogy, a handheld version of the series being developed by Frontline Games, is apparently unaffected by the news. Duke Nukem Forever publisher, Take-Two, meanwhile, still retains the rights to the game.
There's a certain poetry in the fact that fans will likely have to continue on waiting perhaps until the end of time for Duke Nukem Forever. 3D Realms, the developer behind the infinitely anticipated next installment of the first-person shooter confirmed rumors that it had in fact closed its doors.
"It's not a marketing thing," the company's Webmaster told gaming blog Shack News. "It's true. I have nothing further to say at this time."
Duke Nukem Trilogy, a handheld version of the series being developed by Frontline Games, is apparently unaffected by the news. Duke Nukem Forever publisher, Take-Two, meanwhile, still retains the rights to the game.
Duke Nukem Might Live; Take-Two Wants Source Code
The development of the game "Duke Nukem Forever" has taken over a decade. Based on a lawsuit filed Friday by Take-Two Interactive, it might continue.
On Friday, publisher Take-Two Interactive Software sued 3DRealms (doing business as Apogee Software) after 3DRealms closed its doors a week earlier.
For fans of the game, however, there's still hope: 3DRealms has been ordered to appear before a New York State Supreme Court judge on June 11 to argue why the judge should not order 3DRelams to turn over the Duke Nukem Forever source code to Take-Two, as the company has apparently asked the judge to do. The proposed order was part of the Take-Two suit.That at least implies that Take-Two is interested in recouping its investment, which you can only do by releasing the game.
The sequel to Duke Nukem 3D, a DOOM contemporary, was originally due
on or around 1998. Since then, it has undergone multiple revisions and
alleged revisions in its 3D engine, all contributing to delay after
delay. In 2006, industry reports claimed that a large chunk of its
staff left the company, causing the development team to begin again.
The order also implies that the judge might order 3DRealms to be
"enjoined from disclosing, distributing, transferring or selling to any
party other than Take-Two any proprietary information related to DNF
(including the existing source and object code for DNF) and be required
to maintain and enforce all security measures necessary to preserve the
confidentiality of such proprietary information".
Unfortunately, a video of the several DNF art elements, including gameplay, some risque 3D imagery and salty language, was leaked to the Web soon after the 3DRealms team shut down.
On Friday, publisher Take-Two Interactive Software sued 3DRealms (doing business as Apogee Software) after 3DRealms closed its doors a week earlier.
For fans of the game, however, there's still hope: 3DRealms has been ordered to appear before a New York State Supreme Court judge on June 11 to argue why the judge should not order 3DRelams to turn over the Duke Nukem Forever source code to Take-Two, as the company has apparently asked the judge to do. The proposed order was part of the Take-Two suit.That at least implies that Take-Two is interested in recouping its investment, which you can only do by releasing the game.
The sequel to Duke Nukem 3D, a DOOM contemporary, was originally due
on or around 1998. Since then, it has undergone multiple revisions and
alleged revisions in its 3D engine, all contributing to delay after
delay. In 2006, industry reports claimed that a large chunk of its
staff left the company, causing the development team to begin again.
The order also implies that the judge might order 3DRealms to be
"enjoined from disclosing, distributing, transferring or selling to any
party other than Take-Two any proprietary information related to DNF
(including the existing source and object code for DNF) and be required
to maintain and enforce all security measures necessary to preserve the
confidentiality of such proprietary information".
Unfortunately, a video of the several DNF art elements, including gameplay, some risque 3D imagery and salty language, was leaked to the Web soon after the 3DRealms team shut down.
comScore: Google Dominates April Search Results
Google Sites remained the top search destination for Web surfers in April, with 9.5 billion searches throughout the month, according to data from comScore.
Google was the only major search to gain market share in April. The site was up 0.5 percent to land at 64.2 percent overall. Yahoo and Microsoft came in at 20.4 percent and 8.2 percent respectively, both down 0.1 percent. Ask.com remained flat at 3.8 percent of the market, followed by AOL, which was down 0.3 percent to 3.4 percent.
Overall core search queries were up 3 percent to 14.8 billion. Google was up 4 percent to 9.5 billion, followed by Yahoo (up 2 percent to 3 billion), Microsoft (up 1 percent to 1.2 billion), Ask (up 3 percent to 563 million), and AOL (down 6 percent to 496 million).
Factoring in things such as mapping, local directories, and other "expanded" searches, Google Sites had 13 billion searches, up 5 percent from March. Yahoo came in second with 3.2 billion, followed by Microsoft with 1.3 billion and AOL with 795 million.
Google was the only major search to gain market share in April. The site was up 0.5 percent to land at 64.2 percent overall. Yahoo and Microsoft came in at 20.4 percent and 8.2 percent respectively, both down 0.1 percent. Ask.com remained flat at 3.8 percent of the market, followed by AOL, which was down 0.3 percent to 3.4 percent.
Overall core search queries were up 3 percent to 14.8 billion. Google was up 4 percent to 9.5 billion, followed by Yahoo (up 2 percent to 3 billion), Microsoft (up 1 percent to 1.2 billion), Ask (up 3 percent to 563 million), and AOL (down 6 percent to 496 million).
Factoring in things such as mapping, local directories, and other "expanded" searches, Google Sites had 13 billion searches, up 5 percent from March. Yahoo came in second with 3.2 billion, followed by Microsoft with 1.3 billion and AOL with 795 million.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Facebook Goes Live with OpenID
Facebook on Monday finally went live with OpenID, the open user-authentication system also used by MySpace, Yahoo, Microsoft, Google, and IBM.
To start, new users will be able to register for Facebook with their Gmail accounts or link their Facebook accounts with any OpenID provider.
Facebook joined the board of OpenID in February, even though it has its own Facebook Connect cross-platform program.
"We believe openness and open standards foster a strong developer community with shared goals and interests," Facebook wrote in a blog post. "We've always believed that making the user experience as secure, lightweight, and intuitive as possible ... is one of our top priorities."
"In tests we've run, we've noticed that first-time users who register on the site with OpenID are more likely to become active Facebook users," the blog said. "They get up and running after registering even faster than before, find their friends easily, and quickly engage on the site."
Facebook promised more integration in the future.
Yahoo joined OpenID in January 2008, and Microsoft, IBM, Google, and VeriSign followed suit a month later. MySpace issued its support in July 2008.
To start, new users will be able to register for Facebook with their Gmail accounts or link their Facebook accounts with any OpenID provider.
Facebook joined the board of OpenID in February, even though it has its own Facebook Connect cross-platform program.
"We believe openness and open standards foster a strong developer community with shared goals and interests," Facebook wrote in a blog post. "We've always believed that making the user experience as secure, lightweight, and intuitive as possible ... is one of our top priorities."
"In tests we've run, we've noticed that first-time users who register on the site with OpenID are more likely to become active Facebook users," the blog said. "They get up and running after registering even faster than before, find their friends easily, and quickly engage on the site."
Facebook promised more integration in the future.
Yahoo joined OpenID in January 2008, and Microsoft, IBM, Google, and VeriSign followed suit a month later. MySpace issued its support in July 2008.
Hey, Mom, Can I Buy This at BillMyParents.com? Pleeeeze?
See that banner above? If you're a teenager, your eyes probably widened. If you're a security expert, your eyes probably narrowed. And if you're a parent, you probably need to brace for a deluge of email requests.Meet BillMyParents.com's Amazon Web site, where the entirety of Amazon.com's Web site is available in a one-click format. The kicker? A child doesn't need a credit card, just a parent's willingness to buy little John or Sally whatever his or her heart desires. There's even a charming little image of a teen holding out her palm for her mother's plastic.At the BMPshopping.com site above, each item has a "BillMyParents" button, which sends a request, either by text or email, to the parent to buy the item by entering credit-card information as they normally would. Fortunately, parents need to sign up for the service before the emails start rolling in.
Voyij Offers Last Minute Travel Bargains
If you're looking for a bargain on a last minute trip, or even if you're feeling up for a spur of the moment vacation, Voyij can help you book travel arrangements at an excellent price. Most of the bookings available at Voyij are last-minute under-booked flights and open hotel rooms, so expect to find the best deals if you're looking to get out of town today or take a sudden trip this weekend. The service has pricing for flights, hotels, and entire vacation packages, so Voyij has you covered.
Pandora Head: We'll Be Profitable Next Year
Thanks to solid apps for the BlackBerry and iPhone, Pandora has seen a bump in users of late. The Internet radio service has about 27 million registered users and is adding new ones at a rate of 50,000 to 60,000 a day. Things are going so well for Pandora in fact, that the company may actually, you know, make some money soon.
Pandora CEO Tim Westergren said that the company's revenue from ad sales may double to $40 million this year. According to Westgren, the cash flow may be enough to turn a profit for the first time since the service was launched back in 2000.
"It's a whole new world for us," Westergren described the company's move toward mobile in a recent interview. "It's changed the perception people have of what Internet radio is, from computer-radio to radio, because you can take the iPhone and just plug it into your car, or take it to the gym."
Pandora CEO Tim Westergren said that the company's revenue from ad sales may double to $40 million this year. According to Westgren, the cash flow may be enough to turn a profit for the first time since the service was launched back in 2000.
"It's a whole new world for us," Westergren described the company's move toward mobile in a recent interview. "It's changed the perception people have of what Internet radio is, from computer-radio to radio, because you can take the iPhone and just plug it into your car, or take it to the gym."
Flock Adds Twitter, Facebook Chat Support
The latest version of the social media browser Flock launched today, adding some new features to its ever-growing integration of Web 2.0 sites. Among other new features, Flock 2.5 adds support for Twitter and Facebook Chat.
The app's new Twitter integration incorporates Twitter search and lets users tweet directly in the browser's sidebar. The app also separates @replies and direct messages into separate fields. Facebook Chat is also now cooked directly into the browser, making it possible to instant message friends and drag multimedia directly into the chat.
Users can download the latest version of the app for free from Flock's site.
The app's new Twitter integration incorporates Twitter search and lets users tweet directly in the browser's sidebar. The app also separates @replies and direct messages into separate fields. Facebook Chat is also now cooked directly into the browser, making it possible to instant message friends and drag multimedia directly into the chat.
Users can download the latest version of the app for free from Flock's site.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Report: Facebook Declines $8 Billion Valuation
No one seems to have any idea what Facebook is worth these days, least of all the social network itself. A couple of years ago, Microsoft invested in the site, setting its value at a mind-boggling $15 billion. But the popular social network is assumed to be worth far less than that, these days. More recent estimates have put its value closer to $2 billion.
According to Techcrunch, a recent valuation from perspective investors split the difference between the two, suggesting the company is worth a still-impressive $8 billion. Facebook reportedly rejected the term seat due to a demand for a seat on the site's board of directors, rather than the halved valuation of the company.
Apparently everyone is looking to get in on the theoretically devalued Facebook these days. Google has also reportedly shown interest in picking up the site again.
According to Techcrunch, a recent valuation from perspective investors split the difference between the two, suggesting the company is worth a still-impressive $8 billion. Facebook reportedly rejected the term seat due to a demand for a seat on the site's board of directors, rather than the halved valuation of the company.
Apparently everyone is looking to get in on the theoretically devalued Facebook these days. Google has also reportedly shown interest in picking up the site again.
Google Street View UK Moves to Footpaths
Sorry privacy-minded UK citizens, Google Street View is expanding even further into your backyard. The company's photography-based map imaging service has defeated several lawsuits in England and is now looking to expand its coverage--to footpaths.
Google is getting ready to dispatch an army of camera-armed bicycles--or Google Trikes--this summer to help map the country's footpaths. And they're not exactly being secretive about it. Google describes their Trikes as, "a mechanical masterpiece comprising 3 bicycle wheels, a mounted Street View camera and a very athletic cyclist in customised Google apparel."
Google is also asking UK residents to vote on which locations should be photographed.
Google is getting ready to dispatch an army of camera-armed bicycles--or Google Trikes--this summer to help map the country's footpaths. And they're not exactly being secretive about it. Google describes their Trikes as, "a mechanical masterpiece comprising 3 bicycle wheels, a mounted Street View camera and a very athletic cyclist in customised Google apparel."
Google is also asking UK residents to vote on which locations should be photographed.
Revert to Internet Explorer 7
Q: I'm new to Vista and recently downloaded the beta version of Internet Explorer 8. Clearly IE8 is far from production, because I have had problem with its stability since then. I've gone onto the Microsoft Web site in the hope that I can download a copy of IE7 to revert back, but I can't find it--at least not in the free downloads section.
You may be thinking that I'm a sucker for pain, still trying to get IE7 when I can get that gem Firefox. The problem is that this IE8 that I'm stuck with is so unstable I can't even download Firefox! Please advise me as to what I can do to revert back to IE7. - Londa Mavundla.
A: Internet Explorer 8 was actually released not long after I received this query, so you probably downloaded the release candidate, not a beta. And at this point Microsoft is pushing out IE8 with Automatic Updates. It's working fine for most people, but clearly there are exceptions.
Fortunately, you don't have to download anything to revert to IE7: Just uninstall IE8. The catch is, IE7 doesn't show up in the list of programs. You have to click the "View installed updates" list to make it appear (XP users must check the "Show updates" box). Find "Windows Internet Explorer 8" in the list, uninstall it, and it will restore Internet Explorer 7. - Neil J. Rubenking.
You may be thinking that I'm a sucker for pain, still trying to get IE7 when I can get that gem Firefox. The problem is that this IE8 that I'm stuck with is so unstable I can't even download Firefox! Please advise me as to what I can do to revert back to IE7. - Londa Mavundla.
A: Internet Explorer 8 was actually released not long after I received this query, so you probably downloaded the release candidate, not a beta. And at this point Microsoft is pushing out IE8 with Automatic Updates. It's working fine for most people, but clearly there are exceptions.
Fortunately, you don't have to download anything to revert to IE7: Just uninstall IE8. The catch is, IE7 doesn't show up in the list of programs. You have to click the "View installed updates" list to make it appear (XP users must check the "Show updates" box). Find "Windows Internet Explorer 8" in the list, uninstall it, and it will restore Internet Explorer 7. - Neil J. Rubenking.
Google Employing Algorithm to Hold On to Employees
A free cafeteria, cereal bars, scooters--once Google snags you as an employee, it's intent on keeping you. Still, even with all the perks it employs, the search giant still has a tough time holding onto some of its more talented staff. Google is looking to manage the issue with an algorithm aimed at identifying which employees are likely to leave the company.
Google won't reveal the details, but information for the formula is used by peer reviews and surveys from across the company, according to The Wall Street Journal. Google's HR head Laszlo Block adds that the algorithm is aimed at "get[ting] inside people's heads even before they know they might leave."
Like Google isn't in enough places already.
Google won't reveal the details, but information for the formula is used by peer reviews and surveys from across the company, according to The Wall Street Journal. Google's HR head Laszlo Block adds that the algorithm is aimed at "get[ting] inside people's heads even before they know they might leave."
Like Google isn't in enough places already.
Android 1.5 Coming to T-Mobile G1 Next Week
Good news for T-Mobile G1 users: the long-awaited Android 1.5 update is coming to your phones starting at the end of next week. The update will roll out free and over the air, so you don't need to do anything to get it. It'll arrive in stages, though, so while some lucky folks will get the new software next week, others will have to wait as long as the end of May.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
T-Mobile Delays Android 1.5 Update Until June
The T-Mobile G1 may havepassed the one-million markin sales recently, but owners will have to wait a bit longer for a major OS update.T-Mobile USA announced that it has delayed the release of itsAndroid 1.5mobile OS until early next month, according to FierceMobileContent."We are working diligently to get Android 1.5 out as soon as possible, while aiming to ensure a consistent, positive experience for our customers," wrote T-Mobile Forum moderator Dominic in a post today. "We're finalizing the build this week to ensure optimal functionality and smooth delivery. Therefore, the rollout schedule has been reset by approximately a week, and we expect all G1 customers will have the update by early June. Your device will notify you when the update is available."
Microsoft Shifts My Phone to Open Beta
Microsoft on Tuesday moved its My Phone service to open beta.
My Phone is a free service that syncs Windows Mobile 6 smartphones with a password-protected Web site that can be accessed from any PC. It made its formal debut at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Anyone with a Windows Mobile 6.0 or 6.1 phone can download My Phone now at myphone.microsoft.com. The service will let you update contacts, manage your calendar and photos, add new tasks, search through text messages, download and edit documents, and upload music and videos - all from the PC.
Any changes made to your account from the PC will be automatically updated overnight, or you can click "sync" at any time for automatic updates.
Microsoft touted the product as a means to protect your information in case of loss or theft, as well as a convenient way to transfer information to a new phone.
If you lose your phone or buy a new handset, download the My Phone app to the new device, sign in, click "sync" and your data will be transferred to the new phone.
Get the rest of this story on pcmag.com
.
My Phone is a free service that syncs Windows Mobile 6 smartphones with a password-protected Web site that can be accessed from any PC. It made its formal debut at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Anyone with a Windows Mobile 6.0 or 6.1 phone can download My Phone now at myphone.microsoft.com. The service will let you update contacts, manage your calendar and photos, add new tasks, search through text messages, download and edit documents, and upload music and videos - all from the PC.
Any changes made to your account from the PC will be automatically updated overnight, or you can click "sync" at any time for automatic updates.
Microsoft touted the product as a means to protect your information in case of loss or theft, as well as a convenient way to transfer information to a new phone.
If you lose your phone or buy a new handset, download the My Phone app to the new device, sign in, click "sync" and your data will be transferred to the new phone.
Get the rest of this story on pcmag.com
.
Twitter on Your Nintendo DS
Don't be too shocked when your Twitter feed devolves entirely into a collection of Tetris high scores. Thanks to a new home-brewed app called DSTwitter, owners of the popular Wi-Fi-enabled Nintendo handheld can now tweet directly from their DSes. The app is currently available as a free download from NDS SceneBeta. It requires a DS card adapter like the R4DS for use.The biggest issue with the app stateside is the fact that it's available only in Spanish, at least for now. So heck, maybe you can learn a new language too.
Google Intros Voice Search for iPhone
Don't let it be said that Google has given up on the iPhone. They may be plugging away at their own mobile OS, Android, but the company has just bestowed Apple's popular smartphone with the gift of hearing. A free app, developed by the search giant is available for free through the iTunes app store. It converts spoken questions into Google searches.
The most practical application for the service--at least at the moment--is local search. Questions spoken into the phone will bring up local results in moments, as the phone determines its location.
As The New York Times points out, Google's chief competitors Yahoo! and Microsoft already offer similar voices services, but Yahoo's, for one, seems not be as accurate as Google's new app.
And, of course, local search, as ever, offers a unique targeted opportunity for advertisers.
The most practical application for the service--at least at the moment--is local search. Questions spoken into the phone will bring up local results in moments, as the phone determines its location.
As The New York Times points out, Google's chief competitors Yahoo! and Microsoft already offer similar voices services, but Yahoo's, for one, seems not be as accurate as Google's new app.
And, of course, local search, as ever, offers a unique targeted opportunity for advertisers.
Monday, August 17, 2009
How Big Is My Outlook Express Mailbox?
Q: I read the recent article by Michael Muchmore in Today's Tip newsletter: How Big Is My Outlook Mailbox?. Regarding the article, I could find no Mailbox Cleanup button when I click on Tools in Outlook Express. Can someone provide further directions? - Mike Spears.
A: Outlook is not Outlook Express. Most of the time tips about one don't apply to the other--and this is no exception.
Your Outlook Express messages are all stored in files with the extension .DBX, each file representing a message folder. Here's how you can see how much space they take. Select Tools | Options from the menu, click the Maintenance tab, and click the Store Folder button to see where those are stored. Copy the full pathname to the clipboard and close those Outlook Express dialogs. Click Start, click Run, and paste in the folder name. The size of the contents of this folder is the size of your "inbox". This works for Windows Mail too, though it doesn't use .DBX files.
Chances are good that your OE inbox is anywhere from big to ginormous. Why? OE does not actually delete any message that you send to the Deleted Items folder. Rather, it marks the space in the corresponding .DBX file as "deleted". To regain the space previously occupied by those messages, select File | Folder | Compact All Folders from the menu. Now check the size again; it's probably quite a bit smaller. You can't directly call on Windows Mail to compact all folders, but this tip explains how you can make it happen the next time Windows Mail shuts down. - Neil J. Rubenking.
A: Outlook is not Outlook Express. Most of the time tips about one don't apply to the other--and this is no exception.
Your Outlook Express messages are all stored in files with the extension .DBX, each file representing a message folder. Here's how you can see how much space they take. Select Tools | Options from the menu, click the Maintenance tab, and click the Store Folder button to see where those are stored. Copy the full pathname to the clipboard and close those Outlook Express dialogs. Click Start, click Run, and paste in the folder name. The size of the contents of this folder is the size of your "inbox". This works for Windows Mail too, though it doesn't use .DBX files.
Chances are good that your OE inbox is anywhere from big to ginormous. Why? OE does not actually delete any message that you send to the Deleted Items folder. Rather, it marks the space in the corresponding .DBX file as "deleted". To regain the space previously occupied by those messages, select File | Folder | Compact All Folders from the menu. Now check the size again; it's probably quite a bit smaller. You can't directly call on Windows Mail to compact all folders, but this tip explains how you can make it happen the next time Windows Mail shuts down. - Neil J. Rubenking.
NBC Mobile Delivers 2.4 Streams in Q1 2009
NBC was one of the earlier players on mobile, with video functionality and comprehensive coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics last year. (In fact, they're already gearing up on mobile for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver).Now the network has announced that NBC.com's mobile website served 2.4 million video streams in Q1 2009. That number exceeds the total number of streams the network delivered in all of 2008.In addition, NBC said that Q1 2009 was the mobile site's highest quarter yet with 24 million page views, a 64 per cent increase over Q4 2008. The network has too many mobile efforts--including text, video, schedules, and more--to list in one post, so check out the company site's mobile section for more information. (release)
Mobile TV Viewing Skyrockets (Finally): Report
It will never be a replacement for full-size television, but mobile TV may finally be seeing some positive results. According to new data from Nielsen's "Three Screen" report, online video viewing in the U.S. increased 13% year-over-year, while mobile jumped more than 50%, MediaPost reports.
Study: Nearly 60 Percent of U.S. Cell Phone Users Text
Almost 60 percent of all cell phone subscribers in the U.S. now text from their handsets, compared with 54 percent in 2008, according to a new study on mobile messaging. In addition, 30 percent of subscribers browse the Web, and 27 percent check e-mail from their cell phones. That's according to thesecond annual Vlingo Consumer Mobile Messaging Habits Report, which surveyed 4,816 U.S. consumers.More ominously--and more in tune with the main focus of the study--despite Driving While Texting (DWT) bans in seven states and the District of Columbia, as well as reports of accidents caused by DWT, 26 percent of cell phone subscribers continue to text behind the wheel.Interestingly, Arizona had the least ratio of offenders at 18 percent, while 42 percent of Tennessee drivers did the same thing.
Microsoft Fined Ordered to Pay $200 Mil in Office Patent Case
Microsoft yesterday was ordered to pay $200 million to i4i. The Toronto-based company sued the software giant over infringement issues involving custom XML tagging in Word 2003 and 2007.
Microsoft, naturally, was unhappy with the verdict handed down by the federal jury in Tyler Texas, stating, "We believe the evidence clearly demonstrated that we do not infringe and that the i4i patent is invalid. We believe this award of damages is legally and factually unsupported, so we will ask the court to overturn the verdict."
Microsoft, naturally, was unhappy with the verdict handed down by the federal jury in Tyler Texas, stating, "We believe the evidence clearly demonstrated that we do not infringe and that the i4i patent is invalid. We believe this award of damages is legally and factually unsupported, so we will ask the court to overturn the verdict."
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Eric Schmidt: Google Is Not Buying a Newspaper
Google as of late has been positioning itself as a friend of the newspaper industry, a stance seemingly taken largely in response to dying media industry's mountain pressures against the company's information aggregator, Google News. The company even went so far as considering the purchase of a newspaper company.
According to a recent interview with Google's CEO Eric Schmidt, however, that idea is officially dead in the water. Schmidt told the Financial Times that Google was "trying to avoid crossing the line" when it came to editor content. Rather the company was focused on helping newspapers to improve their approach to online advertising.
Schmidt also took the opportunity to assure everyone that, although he had been involved in the election of Barack Obama, he had no interest in running for office himself, "I can assure you I'm not going to run for politics. There is no second life after Google."
According to a recent interview with Google's CEO Eric Schmidt, however, that idea is officially dead in the water. Schmidt told the Financial Times that Google was "trying to avoid crossing the line" when it came to editor content. Rather the company was focused on helping newspapers to improve their approach to online advertising.
Schmidt also took the opportunity to assure everyone that, although he had been involved in the election of Barack Obama, he had no interest in running for office himself, "I can assure you I'm not going to run for politics. There is no second life after Google."
How Did You Celebrate Porn Day?
Did you know that yesterday was "porn day?" If you frequent site like 4chan and eBaum's World, you probably did. You might also know if you accidentally clicked on a YouTube link yesterday posted by readers of those sites, who uploaded adult videos en masse in an attempt to overwhelm search results.
YouTube did its part to remove the questionable content, assuring users that it should all be gone by now. Scott Rubin, a spokesperson for the company told Ars Technica:
It may take some time for video search results and thumbnail images to disappear from the site. Typically, this should not take more than a couple of days, but the videos themselves are no longer viewable.
YouTube was helped in its effort by the fact that many of the early posted used similar tags, such as that old 4chan favorite, "marblecake."
YouTube did its part to remove the questionable content, assuring users that it should all be gone by now. Scott Rubin, a spokesperson for the company told Ars Technica:
It may take some time for video search results and thumbnail images to disappear from the site. Typically, this should not take more than a couple of days, but the videos themselves are no longer viewable.
YouTube was helped in its effort by the fact that many of the early posted used similar tags, such as that old 4chan favorite, "marblecake."
Yahoo Brings Buzz to India
Yahoo today announced that it has brought Buzz--its popular Digg clone--to India. As the company did with its American counterpart, Yahoo is rolling out India's Buzz slowly--first to two dozen publishers, with more to follow in the coming weeks.
Like Digg, the site lets users vote stories up or down, based on their interest. The most Buzzed-up stories will be chosen for placement atop the Yahoo homepage, one of the most popular destinations on the Web. Users outside of India can also check out and vote on stories by visiting the Buzz in India page.
Like Digg, the site lets users vote stories up or down, based on their interest. The most Buzzed-up stories will be chosen for placement atop the Yahoo homepage, one of the most popular destinations on the Web. Users outside of India can also check out and vote on stories by visiting the Buzz in India page.
Ads on Twitter? Not Just Yet, Says Co-Founder
Twitter doesn't hate advertising, but don't expect to see banner ads for mortgage companies and Caribbean vacations alongside your feed anytime soon, co-founder Biz Stone wrote in a Wednesday blog post.
"The idea of taking money to run traditional banner ads on Twitter.com has always been low on our list of interesting ways to generate revenue," Stone wrote. "However, facilitating connections between businesses and individuals in meaningful and relevant ways is compelling. We're going to leave the door open for exploration in this area."
Speculation about ads on Twitter started in March when the micro-blogging site put a small box on the right-hand bar that some suggested might be a place holder for paid content.
At the Reuters Technology Summit this week, Stone said Twitter's focus would be on tools, not ads, a theme he reiterated in his blog post.
"To say we are philosophically opposed to any and all advertising is incorrect," he wrote. "We've just begun exploring in this area--early ideas include account authentication, management tools, and discovery mechanisms."
Stone suggested that there was room for innovation in advertisement, a theme he expects to address as a speaker at next month's 56th annual international advertising festival, Cannes Lions 2009.
"The idea of taking money to run traditional banner ads on Twitter.com has always been low on our list of interesting ways to generate revenue," Stone wrote. "However, facilitating connections between businesses and individuals in meaningful and relevant ways is compelling. We're going to leave the door open for exploration in this area."
Speculation about ads on Twitter started in March when the micro-blogging site put a small box on the right-hand bar that some suggested might be a place holder for paid content.
At the Reuters Technology Summit this week, Stone said Twitter's focus would be on tools, not ads, a theme he reiterated in his blog post.
"To say we are philosophically opposed to any and all advertising is incorrect," he wrote. "We've just begun exploring in this area--early ideas include account authentication, management tools, and discovery mechanisms."
Stone suggested that there was room for innovation in advertisement, a theme he expects to address as a speaker at next month's 56th annual international advertising festival, Cannes Lions 2009.
Google Adds Predictive Search Results to Google.com
Not quite sure what you need to search for on Google? Maybe you can't remember how to spell it. The online search giant has added a predictive search function to its main page that will provide suggestions as you type in a search query.
"We find that by providing suggestions upfront, we can help people search more efficiently and conveniently," Jennifer Liu, Google product manager, wrote in a blog post.
Google first started experimenting with predictive search in 2004 with Google Suggest. It has since expanded to Google Labs, Toolbar, Firefox search box, Maps and Web Search for select countries, the iPhone and BlackBerry, YouTube, and now Google.com, Liu wrote.
Typing in "pc mag" into Google, for example, will produce a drop-down menu featuring results for PC Magazine, the magazine's Editor's Choice, subscription options, and top 100 Web sites, as well as an estimate as to how many search returns each query will return.
PC Magazine? 35.5 million. My name? 17,900. I have some catching up to do.
"We find that by providing suggestions upfront, we can help people search more efficiently and conveniently," Jennifer Liu, Google product manager, wrote in a blog post.
Google first started experimenting with predictive search in 2004 with Google Suggest. It has since expanded to Google Labs, Toolbar, Firefox search box, Maps and Web Search for select countries, the iPhone and BlackBerry, YouTube, and now Google.com, Liu wrote.
Typing in "pc mag" into Google, for example, will produce a drop-down menu featuring results for PC Magazine, the magazine's Editor's Choice, subscription options, and top 100 Web sites, as well as an estimate as to how many search returns each query will return.
PC Magazine? 35.5 million. My name? 17,900. I have some catching up to do.
Google Revamps 'Suggest' Predictive Search Results Feature
Google has revamped its Suggest feature to provide more personalized results and easier access to desired Web sites.
The search engine giant has added about a half dozen updates to its predictive search results--suggestions that appear in a drop-down menu as you type in a search query.
First up is suggestions on the search page. Let's say you search for "roller coasters" but want to drill down a bit more after you see the results. If you enter a search on the results page, the first few suggestions will still relate to roller coasters.
If you want to get back to a Web site you've already visited, meanwhile, Google.com will now provide personalized suggestions based on your Web history. If you are signed in to Google and have Web history enabled, the first few suggestions will be based on past searches. What if those searches are a bit personal or embarrassing, though? Google has provided the option to click "remove" on the right so they do not show up in future searches.
What else is new?
Google will also provide links directly in the drop-down menu. Type in "PC Magazine" and the first suggestion will be a link to direct link to PCMag.com.
This is Google, though, so the company is also incorporating ads into search results. Type in a query for a specific product or company that also happens to be a Google advertiser; the menu will provide its usual suggestions, but the final link will also direct you to the product's official site
Google is also dumping the result counts that were previously displayed because the company got feedback that they were not useful. They will also bold the text of suggestions to help you scan the list more quickly.
The updates will be rolling out starting today.
The search engine giant has added about a half dozen updates to its predictive search results--suggestions that appear in a drop-down menu as you type in a search query.
First up is suggestions on the search page. Let's say you search for "roller coasters" but want to drill down a bit more after you see the results. If you enter a search on the results page, the first few suggestions will still relate to roller coasters.
If you want to get back to a Web site you've already visited, meanwhile, Google.com will now provide personalized suggestions based on your Web history. If you are signed in to Google and have Web history enabled, the first few suggestions will be based on past searches. What if those searches are a bit personal or embarrassing, though? Google has provided the option to click "remove" on the right so they do not show up in future searches.
What else is new?
Google will also provide links directly in the drop-down menu. Type in "PC Magazine" and the first suggestion will be a link to direct link to PCMag.com.
This is Google, though, so the company is also incorporating ads into search results. Type in a query for a specific product or company that also happens to be a Google advertiser; the menu will provide its usual suggestions, but the final link will also direct you to the product's official site
Google is also dumping the result counts that were previously displayed because the company got feedback that they were not useful. They will also bold the text of suggestions to help you scan the list more quickly.
The updates will be rolling out starting today.
VIdeo Preview: Spore Galactic Adventures
Yesterday, Electronic Art's Spore representatives came to the PCMag offices to give us a preview of an up-and-coming expansion pack for the game, Spore: Galactic Adventures. This new
Google Intros New Version of Chrome
Google today announced the release of the latest version of Chrome. The company upped the speed for this new iteration, which Google claims can load JavaScript pages 30 percent faster than the previous version, introduced back in September. The new Chrome also offers a few new features, including form autofill, full-screen mode, and removable thumbnails on the New Tab page.
For more information, check out the Official Google Blog.
For more information, check out the Official Google Blog.
Portwiture Puts Your Tweets into Pictures
Every day another application or Web app pops up adding features to Twitter or improving the way Twitter does things. At the same time just as many apps and services appear that don't necessarily enhance any of Twitter's basic features, but are fun to use regardless. Portwiture is an interesting Twitter and Flickr mash-up that takes the words you most commonly post to Twitter and uses those words in a Flickr image search. Ultimately combining the Flickr results into a mosaic of images that reflect your tweets.
Toki Tori: Going from WiiWare to iDevices
Two Tribes will soon be releasing Toki Tori, originally a WiiWare game, for the iPhone tomorrow. The game is a puzzle/platform that follows a yellow bird trying to rescue his unhatched friends. To succeed in his mission, he must find his way through 80 puzzling levels.
The developers say they're taken time with this port to make sure to take advantage of the iPod Touch and iPhone's touch and tilt functions. The game will be available for download from the iTunes store May 22nd. The price has yet to be confirmed.
The developers say they're taken time with this port to make sure to take advantage of the iPod Touch and iPhone's touch and tilt functions. The game will be available for download from the iTunes store May 22nd. The price has yet to be confirmed.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Juice: Discover New Content by Highlighting Text
If you're reading about a court case that references a previous ruling by another court, or perhaps a news article that references another topic you're not familiar with, you're familiar with the old technique of highlighting the text and right-clicking to search for that term. Juice, a free Firefox extension, takes that to the next level and gives you a custom sidebar where you can drag and drop that highlighted text to learn more about it. Instead of highlighting a word or phrase you're interested in and simply searching the Web for it, Juice will take the text and help you discover new content relevant to your search. For example, if you highlight and drag a book title, Juice will show you the book listing at Amazon. If you highlight and drag a court case, the extension will bring it up at Wikipedia so you can read about it.
Sore Winners: MPAA Appeals Pirate Bay Verdict
Despite a big win over BitTorrent searching site The Pirate Bay, which led to $4 million in fines and a year of prison for the four Swedish defendants, the Motion Picture Association of America is going back to the litigious well. The organization is appealing the recent verdict, claiming that the damages in the case were too small.
The Pirate Bay has already appealed the verdict from their end, claiming that Tomas Norstrom, the judge who presided over the case, has a conflict of interest as he's a board member of the Swedish Association for the Protection of Industrial Property
The Pirate Bay has already appealed the verdict from their end, claiming that Tomas Norstrom, the judge who presided over the case, has a conflict of interest as he's a board member of the Swedish Association for the Protection of Industrial Property
Bango Launches Mobile Credit Payment System
Bango has launched a new service called Bango Credit Card Payment that lets small businesses and other content providers bill customers directly from the mobile Web. Normally that's not earth-shattering, but in this case it's quite cheap at $10 per month. That puts it within the reach of individuals already selling stuff over eBay or Amazon on the desktop.
Intuit Launches Mobile Credit Card Processing App
Not to be outdone by the smaller Bango, which released a similar system three days ago, 800-pound-gorilla Intuit has launched GoPayment, a mobile app that lets businesses process credit cards from cell phones and is tied to a GoPayment merchant account.In addition, GoPayment supports 128-bit SSL encryption, along with an optional Bluetooth enabled card swiper and printer to expedite processing. Essentially, contractors, computer consultants, and anyone who goes out and meets customers on jobs can process credit cards with this system, without having to carry a wireless terminal or some other mobile POS (Point Of Sale) setup.Intuit has already teamed up with Sprint to help distribute the system. For more information, check out Intuit's dedicated GoPayment Web site.
Alcatel Jumps Into Mobile Ad Fray
It's always good to watch out for what you click on, but now that's true for mobile devices as well. Alcatel-Lucent is jumping into the mobile advertising well with a service that will let wireless carriers offer custom text alerts about nearby bank ATMs or ongoing store sales, according to the Wall Street Journal.1020 Placecast, a San Francisco-based developer of cellphone and online ads tied to a user's location, is managing the program for Alcatel, according to the report, and already works with Hyatt, FedEx and Avis Rent A Car System as clients.The idea is that a user opts in, and then whenever they're in close proximity to a store or other relevant outlet, the person's GPS-enabled cell phone will light up with an alert having something to do with that store--offering another sales opportunity that goes hand in hand with mobile coupons (such as those from Cellfire, pictured) and general text-based mailing lists.
As is true with many location-aware services, the technology is cool,
but exactly how much advertising do you want pushed to you at all
times? As the report said, it's possible that this market is running
well ahead of consumer demand. (Then again, I'm addicted to coffee; it
would be helpful to know where there is some nearby, particularly for
those sleepy "emergencies.")
As is true with many location-aware services, the technology is cool,
but exactly how much advertising do you want pushed to you at all
times? As the report said, it's possible that this market is running
well ahead of consumer demand. (Then again, I'm addicted to coffee; it
would be helpful to know where there is some nearby, particularly for
those sleepy "emergencies.")
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Google Rolls Out Slightly Redesigned Logos
Oh, Google, don't you ever rest? The search giant today revealed a new cross-property logo redesign (one I, for one, would likely not have noticed were it not for the complimentary blog post on the subject). The colorful Google logo itself remains the same, but the product names now appear in a lowercase blue font.The new logos have already appeared for Google Labs, Google Moderator, and Google Code. More will be rolling out for Google Maps, Google News, Google Docs, and other products in the near future. They'll also be appearing in other languages, such as Arabic and Hebrew.
Gmail Gets Inbox Preview
Google today launched a new addition to Gmail Labs--Inbox Preview. Targeted to users with slow connections, the feature displays the ten most recent messages in your Gmail account while the rest of the account loads. You can enable the feature in the Labs tab under Settings in your Gmail account.
For more information on the feature--and a sad little story from a Google engineer about how he never gets any mail--check out the Official Gmail Blog. And why not send poor Mr. Balsiger a letter while you're at it?
For more information on the feature--and a sad little story from a Google engineer about how he never gets any mail--check out the Official Gmail Blog. And why not send poor Mr. Balsiger a letter while you're at it?
Muslim Clerics Want Increased Facebook Rules in Indonesia
A group of 700 Muslim clerics in Indonesia gathered together yesterday to ponder the possibility of forbidding followers from engaging in illicit activities--such as flirting on Facebook, the most visited site in that country.
Indonesia, which boasts the world's largest Muslim population, claims about 831,000 Facebook users, which is a 645 percent increase over last year. That number will likely continue to increase exponentially, given that only 0.5 percent of the country's population is currently connected to the Internet thus far.
"People using Facebook can be driven to engage in distasteful, pornographic chatting," Amidan, an attendee of the conference told The Associated Press.
While the decisions of the conference wouldn't have any legal weight, Facebook still spoke out against the negative connotations. Said Facebook spokeswoman Debbie Frost:
People are typically using Facebook to connect with their friends, family or learn about local and world issues and events. We have seen many people and organizations use Facebook to advance a positive agenda.
Indonesia, which boasts the world's largest Muslim population, claims about 831,000 Facebook users, which is a 645 percent increase over last year. That number will likely continue to increase exponentially, given that only 0.5 percent of the country's population is currently connected to the Internet thus far.
"People using Facebook can be driven to engage in distasteful, pornographic chatting," Amidan, an attendee of the conference told The Associated Press.
While the decisions of the conference wouldn't have any legal weight, Facebook still spoke out against the negative connotations. Said Facebook spokeswoman Debbie Frost:
People are typically using Facebook to connect with their friends, family or learn about local and world issues and events. We have seen many people and organizations use Facebook to advance a positive agenda.
Overtype Problem in Word 2003
Q: I'm using Word 2003. How can I stop letters disappearing after I make corrections? When this happens, text just keeps disappearing as I type, meaning that I have to redo whole paragraphs. Is there a setting that needs changing? Any help with this problem would be appreciated. - Barbara Meltsner.
A: It sounds like you're accidentally putting Word in overtype mode. In Word 2003 you can see this in the status bar. There are four usually-grey mini-panes labeled REC, TRC, EXT and OVR. If OVR is black rather than grey you're in overtype mode. Tap the Insert key a few times and watch it change.
You're not the only one who's had this problem. It was enough of a big deal that Microsoft disabled Overtype mode by default in Word 2007. Those who actually want to use Overtype mode need to change a setting to make it available.
Maybe it's enough to know that you should watch for that OVR marker to appear. But if you want, you can take it a step further and disconnect the Insert key from that command:
Select Tools | Customize from the menu.Click the Keyboard button on the Options tabIn the Categories list select All commandsIn the Commands list select OvertypeIn the Current keys list click InsertClick the Remove buttonClose the Customize Keyboard dialogClose the Customize dialog
If the problem was due to accidentally hitting the Insert key, thereby toggling Overtype mode, this will solve it. You can still toggle that mode by double-clicking the OVR marker. - Neil J. Rubenking.
A: It sounds like you're accidentally putting Word in overtype mode. In Word 2003 you can see this in the status bar. There are four usually-grey mini-panes labeled REC, TRC, EXT and OVR. If OVR is black rather than grey you're in overtype mode. Tap the Insert key a few times and watch it change.
You're not the only one who's had this problem. It was enough of a big deal that Microsoft disabled Overtype mode by default in Word 2007. Those who actually want to use Overtype mode need to change a setting to make it available.
Maybe it's enough to know that you should watch for that OVR marker to appear. But if you want, you can take it a step further and disconnect the Insert key from that command:
Select Tools | Customize from the menu.Click the Keyboard button on the Options tabIn the Categories list select All commandsIn the Commands list select OvertypeIn the Current keys list click InsertClick the Remove buttonClose the Customize Keyboard dialogClose the Customize dialog
If the problem was due to accidentally hitting the Insert key, thereby toggling Overtype mode, this will solve it. You can still toggle that mode by double-clicking the OVR marker. - Neil J. Rubenking.
More Help Finding Command Prompt Help
Q: I tried to use the tip Help for Command Prompt Commands. I typed "HELP
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Maxto Makes Two Monitors More Manageable
When my dad bought a 22" monitor (he is 83 years old and runs it at 1024x768) he graciously gave me his old 19" screen. My video card was already good-to-go for dual monitors so I took the plunge. OK--I know I'm late to this party but 2560x1024 is a lot nicer than 1280x1024!
Being a full fledged geek the shortcoming of dual-ing monitors quickly became obvious. Maximize a window (common noun) and Windows (proper noun) spreads it across all 2,621,440 pixels. Resizing by hand didn't seem the way to go either. You never get it quite right.
Surely I wasn't the first to have this epiphany. I keyed in Google to 'knowledge up.' That's where I found Maxto.
MaxTo is a small Windows program that divides your monitors into regions. When you maximize a window, it will no longer fit the entire screen, but only the region it was maximized into. Your windows are neatly organized into the grid you have defined when they are maximized. MaxTo has been described as a tiling window manager.
Being a full fledged geek the shortcoming of dual-ing monitors quickly became obvious. Maximize a window (common noun) and Windows (proper noun) spreads it across all 2,621,440 pixels. Resizing by hand didn't seem the way to go either. You never get it quite right.
Surely I wasn't the first to have this epiphany. I keyed in Google to 'knowledge up.' That's where I found Maxto.
MaxTo is a small Windows program that divides your monitors into regions. When you maximize a window, it will no longer fit the entire screen, but only the region it was maximized into. Your windows are neatly organized into the grid you have defined when they are maximized. MaxTo has been described as a tiling window manager.
Format a USB Drive with FAT16
Q: How can I format a USB drive with FAT16 using Command Prompt? - Samrat Patil. A: In XP or Vista you can specify the file system with no trouble. Just follow the FORMAT command with the switch /FS:FAT (FS for File System). You can also specify NTFS or FAT32. I usually put /V: and the volume label on the command line too - otherwise the FORMAT command asks you for it later. So the command FORMAT G: /FS:FAT /V:OLD_DRIVE
would format the removable drive G: using the FAT16 file system and
give it the volume label OLD_DRIVE all at once. - Neil J. Rubenking.
would format the removable drive G: using the FAT16 file system and
give it the volume label OLD_DRIVE all at once. - Neil J. Rubenking.
SuperCook Helps You Make Dinner Without Going to the Store
Many services can help you find recipes to make based on the items you already have in your kitchen--but some of them have gone away over the years, and others don't have a broad depth of recipes. SuperCook is different. It has hundreds of recipes and allows you to build a virtual pantry of items and see in real time how the recipes you can make change based on what you have available. The recipes look delicious, and the service can even recommend a few things to pick up if you have most of the ingredients but still want to make a quick trip to the grocery store.
To use SuperCook, you begin by typing ingredients you want to cook with into the search box at the upper-left side of the page. As you enter ingredients, they'll be automatically added to Your Kitchen, a virtual pantry that's displayed right under the search box. As you type, SuperCook makes suggestions on what ingredient you may be trying to type. You can get started either by typing in some of the ingredients that you'd like to use, or you can rummage through your fridge or pantry to come up with a master list and see what SuperCook can do for you.As you build your list, search results appear on the right side of the page that make use of those ingredients. If you have ingredients in your list that you don't want to use or ingredients that you'll never cook with because of allergies, illness, or other dietary needs, you can add them to your Exclude list, and SuperCook will never show you recipes that use those ingredients. For example, if you're lactose intolerant, you can add milk, cheese, and butter to the exclude list and see only recipes that either don't use those ingredients or offer suitable substitutes. By default, all search results are displayed when you start entering ingredients. If you're looking specifically for an appetizer, dessert, or a main dish, you can click the tabs at the top of that page to see only those types of recipes.You don't have to sign up for an account to use SuperCook, but if you do you can create a persistent Your Kitchen pantry list that doesn't go away when you leave the site. That way, you can return to SuperCook and reuse the ingredients you still have, remove ingredients that you've eaten, and add items you've purchased fresh after a trip to the grocery store. You don't have to re-enter your pantry items each time you want to use the service, and the site will automatically find new recipes that match what you have available. SuperCook would already be just as good or better than a number of other "enter what you have and we'll tell you what to make" services like the now-defunct Snacksby, but the fact that you can create a persistent pantry and get updated recipes as you add and remove items over time puts the service over the top. If you use it regularly, finding out what's for dinner could be as easy as logging in to SuperCook to see what they suggest.
To use SuperCook, you begin by typing ingredients you want to cook with into the search box at the upper-left side of the page. As you enter ingredients, they'll be automatically added to Your Kitchen, a virtual pantry that's displayed right under the search box. As you type, SuperCook makes suggestions on what ingredient you may be trying to type. You can get started either by typing in some of the ingredients that you'd like to use, or you can rummage through your fridge or pantry to come up with a master list and see what SuperCook can do for you.As you build your list, search results appear on the right side of the page that make use of those ingredients. If you have ingredients in your list that you don't want to use or ingredients that you'll never cook with because of allergies, illness, or other dietary needs, you can add them to your Exclude list, and SuperCook will never show you recipes that use those ingredients. For example, if you're lactose intolerant, you can add milk, cheese, and butter to the exclude list and see only recipes that either don't use those ingredients or offer suitable substitutes. By default, all search results are displayed when you start entering ingredients. If you're looking specifically for an appetizer, dessert, or a main dish, you can click the tabs at the top of that page to see only those types of recipes.You don't have to sign up for an account to use SuperCook, but if you do you can create a persistent Your Kitchen pantry list that doesn't go away when you leave the site. That way, you can return to SuperCook and reuse the ingredients you still have, remove ingredients that you've eaten, and add items you've purchased fresh after a trip to the grocery store. You don't have to re-enter your pantry items each time you want to use the service, and the site will automatically find new recipes that match what you have available. SuperCook would already be just as good or better than a number of other "enter what you have and we'll tell you what to make" services like the now-defunct Snacksby, but the fact that you can create a persistent pantry and get updated recipes as you add and remove items over time puts the service over the top. If you use it regularly, finding out what's for dinner could be as easy as logging in to SuperCook to see what they suggest.
New Yorker Cover Art Drawn Entirely on iPhone
The New Yorker has a long history of support for arts. The cover of the magazine serves as a showcase for a diverse array of different artists, young and old. The latest issue, of course, is no different. Drawn by New York-based illustrator Jorge Columbo, the art--like many other New Yorker covers before it--is an homage to the city that never sleeps.
Where Columbo's work differs from its predecessors, however, is the medium in which he choose to paint the piece. The work, entitled "Finger Painting," was executed on the artist's iPhone using the handset's Brushes app. Given the number of iPhones one sees on the subway every morning, one couldn't ask for a more appropriate tool for painting the Big Apple.
Where Columbo's work differs from its predecessors, however, is the medium in which he choose to paint the piece. The work, entitled "Finger Painting," was executed on the artist's iPhone using the handset's Brushes app. Given the number of iPhones one sees on the subway every morning, one couldn't ask for a more appropriate tool for painting the Big Apple.
Nokia Launches Ovi App Store Internationally
Nokia today launched its Ovi mobile app store. Following in the footsteps of Web stores from Apple, Google, and BlackBerry, the Finnish phone company is offering a diverse number of downloadable apps, including games, maps, news, and utilities. At launch, the store is compatible with more than 50 different handsets.
At present, international users--including places like Australia, Spain, Russia, Singapore, Italy, and the U.K.--are reporting a general sluggishness and lack of available apps in the store. Users in the U.S., on the other hand, aren't reporting anything at all. We likely won't be getting a piece of Ovi until later in the year.
At present, international users--including places like Australia, Spain, Russia, Singapore, Italy, and the U.K.--are reporting a general sluggishness and lack of available apps in the store. Users in the U.S., on the other hand, aren't reporting anything at all. We likely won't be getting a piece of Ovi until later in the year.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Cartier Sues Apple Over iPhone Apps, Withdraws Suit
Apple spent its Memorial Day weekend fending off a lawsuit from Cartier. The jewelry maker sued Apple on Friday over two iPhone apps it claimed infringed on the company's trademark for its luxury Tank watches, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Apple, however, immediately removed the apps, prompting Cartier to drop its suit the same day.
"Our concerns have been addressed," a Cartier lawyer told the Journal.
Apple, however, immediately removed the apps, prompting Cartier to drop its suit the same day.
"Our concerns have been addressed," a Cartier lawyer told the Journal.
Biz Stone: There's No Official Twitter TV Show
Everyone from Wolf Blitzer to Oprah has fallen in love with Twitter over the past year, so perhaps those rumors of a TV show based on the micro-blogging service do make a little sense. After all, it's probably in the site's best interest to strike while the iron is hot--the media's love affair with Web sites is fleeting, more often then not.
The site's co-founder Biz Stone today went on the record to state that no single "official" show exists.
There is no official Twitter TV show--although if there were it would be fun to cast! In dealing with networks and production companies we sometimes have simple agreements. Regarding the Reveille and Brillstein project reported today, we have a lightweight, non-exclusive, agreement with the producers which helps them move forward more freely.
The service does, however, have working deals with a number of networks, including MTV, G4, CNN, and E!.
The site's co-founder Biz Stone today went on the record to state that no single "official" show exists.
There is no official Twitter TV show--although if there were it would be fun to cast! In dealing with networks and production companies we sometimes have simple agreements. Regarding the Reveille and Brillstein project reported today, we have a lightweight, non-exclusive, agreement with the producers which helps them move forward more freely.
The service does, however, have working deals with a number of networks, including MTV, G4, CNN, and E!.
Facebook Access Restored in Iran After Government Block
Facebook access has reportedly been restored in Iran; it had been blocked by government officials who did not want the opposition party using it for campaign purposes.
The site was blocked on May 23, because supporters of moderate Mir Hossein Mousavi was using Facebook to "better disseminate the candidate's positions," according to Agence France-Presse.
Mousavi is running against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is seeking a second term in office in next month's election. When asked about the block, Ahmadinejad said Monday that he was "unaware and would investigate."
The site was blocked on May 23, because supporters of moderate Mir Hossein Mousavi was using Facebook to "better disseminate the candidate's positions," according to Agence France-Presse.
Mousavi is running against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is seeking a second term in office in next month's election. When asked about the block, Ahmadinejad said Monday that he was "unaware and would investigate."
E.U. Goes After Music Labels
Those wacky European Union antitrust regulators are at it again. This time, however, much to the relief of Redmond, they've gone after someone besides Microsoft. The Commission is targeting the music industry this time, asking labels to open up licensing for the entire continent, rather than the separate country approach that's currently in place.
"There is a clear willingness expressed by major players in the online distribution of music in Europe to tackle the many barriers which prevent consumers from fully benefiting from the opportunities that the Internet provides," EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes told The Associated Press.
The lack of a cohesive strategy across Europe has caused online music sales to lag behind those in the U.S., argues the E.U.
"There is a clear willingness expressed by major players in the online distribution of music in Europe to tackle the many barriers which prevent consumers from fully benefiting from the opportunities that the Internet provides," EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes told The Associated Press.
The lack of a cohesive strategy across Europe has caused online music sales to lag behind those in the U.S., argues the E.U.
Bookswim.com: Book-Renting Service that Won't Break the Bank
Do you go through 2, 3, or more books on a monthly basis? A heavy reading habit can add up, but now there's BookSwim.
This site is similar to Netflix's monthly renting plan, where
subscribers can take out a certain number of books and return them whenever,
with no late fees.
"Light reader" customers can receive 3 books a month for
$19.98 per month. The "casual reader" can receive up to 5 books a month
for $24.97 (that's the price of 1 hardcover). The "avid reader" can
receive 7 books each month for $29.96. Finally, the "devout reader"
can receive 11 books a month for $39.94.
BookSwim also offers deals on textbooks and summer reading material for students.
This site is similar to Netflix's monthly renting plan, where
subscribers can take out a certain number of books and return them whenever,
with no late fees.
"Light reader" customers can receive 3 books a month for
$19.98 per month. The "casual reader" can receive up to 5 books a month
for $24.97 (that's the price of 1 hardcover). The "avid reader" can
receive 7 books each month for $29.96. Finally, the "devout reader"
can receive 11 books a month for $39.94.
BookSwim also offers deals on textbooks and summer reading material for students.
Microsoft: Windows 7 Beta Shutdown Starting July 1, not June 1
A weekend e-mail from Microsoft incorrectly stated the start date for bi-hourly Windows 7 beta shutdowns, the company said in a Tuesday blog post.
The e-mail warned users that the beta version of Windows 7 would expire on August 1 and suggested that users upgrade to "non-expired" copies, like Windows 7 RC or Windows Vista. Bi-hourly shutdowns of the beta version, however, will begin on July 1, not June 1.
"The Windows 7 Beta does expire on August 1, 2009; unfortunately the date for when bi-hourly shutdowns will begin for the Windows 7 Beta was incorrect," wrote Microsoft spokesman Brandon LeBlanc. "Bi-hourly shutdowns for the Windows 7 Beta will begin July 1, 2009."
"We apologize for the confusion and inconvenience this may have caused," he said.
The e-mail warned users that the beta version of Windows 7 would expire on August 1 and suggested that users upgrade to "non-expired" copies, like Windows 7 RC or Windows Vista. Bi-hourly shutdowns of the beta version, however, will begin on July 1, not June 1.
"The Windows 7 Beta does expire on August 1, 2009; unfortunately the date for when bi-hourly shutdowns will begin for the Windows 7 Beta was incorrect," wrote Microsoft spokesman Brandon LeBlanc. "Bi-hourly shutdowns for the Windows 7 Beta will begin July 1, 2009."
"We apologize for the confusion and inconvenience this may have caused," he said.
CircuitCity.com: Where You Can Check Out, But Never Return
On March 8, Circuit City went out of business. In April, systems builder Systemax purchased the company's e-commerce business, CircuitCity.com, which relaunched over the weekend.There's one problem, however: if you buy anything from the site, don't expect to easily return it, according to some rather draconian return policies unearthed by The Consumerist.The real issue, it appears, is that CircuitCity.com has posted a rather innocuous return policy on one page of its site, and the much more restrictive one excerpted to the top left.The company's legal page reads, in part:
Judge OKs Craigslist Restraining Order Against SC AG
Craigslist on Friday secured a restraining order against South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster.
"Until the court rules on the merits of Craigslist's claims, defendants and their attorneys and staffs shall refrain from initiating or pursuing any prosecution against Craigslist or its officers and employees in relation to content posted by third parties on Craigslist's Web site," according to the ruling.
Craigslist requested the restraining order in South Carolina District Court after McMaster threatened to sue the online classifieds site over its "erotic services" section.
"Mr. McMaster's repeated threats of criminal prosecution should we refuse to shut down Craigslist for South Carolina have left us little choice but to seek declaratory relief before the court," Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster said at the time.
Craigslist announced on May 13 that it would ditch "erotic services" and replace it with a monitored "adult services" section - a week after McMaster threatened to sue Craigslist within 10 days if the South Carolina portion of "erotic services" was not removed.
Despite the fact that all "erotic services" ads were scheduled to expire on May 20 - 7 days after they were posted - McMaster stuck by his pledge to sue within 10 days of May 6 and again threatened prosecution. At that point, Craigslist demanded an apology for what they considered to be McMaster's "unreasonable" demands, and filed for the restraining order.
McMaster's office has seemingly abandoned any plans to sue Craigslist. After the site filed for the restraining order, McMaster released a statement in which he suggested that Craigslist had removed the South Carolina "erotic services" section at his request. That statement was a bit misleading, however, since Craigslist had planned all along to remove the section throughout its site after 7 days
"Until the court rules on the merits of Craigslist's claims, defendants and their attorneys and staffs shall refrain from initiating or pursuing any prosecution against Craigslist or its officers and employees in relation to content posted by third parties on Craigslist's Web site," according to the ruling.
Craigslist requested the restraining order in South Carolina District Court after McMaster threatened to sue the online classifieds site over its "erotic services" section.
"Mr. McMaster's repeated threats of criminal prosecution should we refuse to shut down Craigslist for South Carolina have left us little choice but to seek declaratory relief before the court," Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster said at the time.
Craigslist announced on May 13 that it would ditch "erotic services" and replace it with a monitored "adult services" section - a week after McMaster threatened to sue Craigslist within 10 days if the South Carolina portion of "erotic services" was not removed.
Despite the fact that all "erotic services" ads were scheduled to expire on May 20 - 7 days after they were posted - McMaster stuck by his pledge to sue within 10 days of May 6 and again threatened prosecution. At that point, Craigslist demanded an apology for what they considered to be McMaster's "unreasonable" demands, and filed for the restraining order.
McMaster's office has seemingly abandoned any plans to sue Craigslist. After the site filed for the restraining order, McMaster released a statement in which he suggested that Craigslist had removed the South Carolina "erotic services" section at his request. That statement was a bit misleading, however, since Craigslist had planned all along to remove the section throughout its site after 7 days
TuneUp Cleans your Music Collection
Over years of ripping CDs, finding free tracks on the Internet, downloading music from multiple music services, and finding random MP3s on your computer, admit it: your music collection is a mess. The only way you can think of to straighten it out is to go through by hand and tag and rename every single song. There are apps that can help speed the process, but in the end you'll have to monitor their progress and fill in the gaps manually, right? Not so, thanks to TuneUp, an iTunes plug-in that can help you get your collection in order, download your missing album art, and tag your tunes so you can sort them easily.
Russian Firm Invests $200M in Facebook, Values Site at $10B
Facebook has secured a $200 million investment from Russian firm Digital Sky Technologies (DST), the social networking site announced Tuesday.
The deal puts Facebook's value at $10 billion - slightly less than the $15 billion valuation thrown around in October 2007 when Microsoft invested $240 million in Facebook.
London- and Moscow-based DST's $200 million investment will be in exchange for preferred stock, and represents a 1.96 percent stake in Facebook. In addition, Facebook will offer to purchase at least $100 million of Facebook common stock from existing common stockholders. Facebook will notify eligible participants this summer.
DST will not get a seat on the Facebook board.
"A number of firms approached us, but DST stood out because of the global perspective they bring - backed up by the impressive growth and financial achievements of their internet investments," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement.
"Our investment experience in other regions reveals the tremendous value social networking companies create as they redefine how people communicate and interact," said Yuri Milner, chief executive of DST. "By every important metric - user growth and engagement, technological innovation and financial performance - Facebook is on a similar trajectory, though on a much more global scale."
The deal puts Facebook's value at $10 billion - slightly less than the $15 billion valuation thrown around in October 2007 when Microsoft invested $240 million in Facebook.
London- and Moscow-based DST's $200 million investment will be in exchange for preferred stock, and represents a 1.96 percent stake in Facebook. In addition, Facebook will offer to purchase at least $100 million of Facebook common stock from existing common stockholders. Facebook will notify eligible participants this summer.
DST will not get a seat on the Facebook board.
"A number of firms approached us, but DST stood out because of the global perspective they bring - backed up by the impressive growth and financial achievements of their internet investments," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement.
"Our investment experience in other regions reveals the tremendous value social networking companies create as they redefine how people communicate and interact," said Yuri Milner, chief executive of DST. "By every important metric - user growth and engagement, technological innovation and financial performance - Facebook is on a similar trajectory, though on a much more global scale."
Are Small Publishers Doomed in the iPhone App Store?
Plenty of larger companies have launched successful programs for the iTunes App Store, but the real success stories have been apps from smaller, previously unknown developers--often the work of one or two individuals. With one billion apps downloaded and counting, however, everyone's looking to get into what is potentially a huge money-making opportunity.
Take Warner Brothers Digital Entertainment. The company has announced plans to release 25 new iPhone apps by year's end, including apps for the new Terminator, Harry Potter, and Sherlock Holmes films. That's a staggering number, to be sure, and one that may signal a flooding of the iPhone market by larger companies looking to grab a piece of the pie.
There's little chance, after all, that a giant like Warner Brothers will be subjected to the same manner of vetting that has blocked apps from smaller companies. A big business also has the resources to promote a new app that can easily send it straight to the top of the downloads chart.
MocoNews posits that the entry of companies like Warner may signal the end of the first era of entrepreneurial-driven App Store content. The shift may not be quite so concrete as that, but short of some small-business support on the part of Apple, it seems likely that the App Store may become a microcosm of the corporatized Web. And if that should happen, homogeneity will no doubt follow closely behind, signaling an end to the creative drive that has pushed the early app boom.
In which case the developers who made names for themselves early on with innovative new products will likely be snapped up by corporations looking for controlled quirkiness in their releases--Burger King, anyone? Others may seek refuge in the still-wild territory of the Android Market.
In any case, it would be a bummer to watch innovation roll over for brand recognition. But if history is any indication, such a shift seems inevitable.
Take Warner Brothers Digital Entertainment. The company has announced plans to release 25 new iPhone apps by year's end, including apps for the new Terminator, Harry Potter, and Sherlock Holmes films. That's a staggering number, to be sure, and one that may signal a flooding of the iPhone market by larger companies looking to grab a piece of the pie.
There's little chance, after all, that a giant like Warner Brothers will be subjected to the same manner of vetting that has blocked apps from smaller companies. A big business also has the resources to promote a new app that can easily send it straight to the top of the downloads chart.
MocoNews posits that the entry of companies like Warner may signal the end of the first era of entrepreneurial-driven App Store content. The shift may not be quite so concrete as that, but short of some small-business support on the part of Apple, it seems likely that the App Store may become a microcosm of the corporatized Web. And if that should happen, homogeneity will no doubt follow closely behind, signaling an end to the creative drive that has pushed the early app boom.
In which case the developers who made names for themselves early on with innovative new products will likely be snapped up by corporations looking for controlled quirkiness in their releases--Burger King, anyone? Others may seek refuge in the still-wild territory of the Android Market.
In any case, it would be a bummer to watch innovation roll over for brand recognition. But if history is any indication, such a shift seems inevitable.
Windows Mobile 6.5 Is Ready, Microsoft Says
Microsoft spokesman Josh Rhodes confirmed today that Windows Mobile 6.5 has been "RTMed," or released to manufacturers. This puts the latest version of Microsoft's mobile OS on track for a third-quarter release on new devices, as planned.
Windows Marketplace for Mobile to Allow App Sharing
The world of mobile app stores is getting crowded, what with Apple, Blackberry, Google, and Windows (among others) vying for the attention of mobile users. Microsoft stepped things up today, however, with the introduction of app sharing for Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
With the new feature, users will be able to use purchased apps on up to five Windows Mobile handsets--all at the same time. The company's senior product planner Daniel Bouie announced the intriguing new feature last week during the Tech Ed conference. The company, he added, will also give customers the ability to get refunded for unwanted apps within a 24-hour timeframe.
The Marketplace is expected to make its debut next fall--around the same time as Windows Mobile 6.5.
With the new feature, users will be able to use purchased apps on up to five Windows Mobile handsets--all at the same time. The company's senior product planner Daniel Bouie announced the intriguing new feature last week during the Tech Ed conference. The company, he added, will also give customers the ability to get refunded for unwanted apps within a 24-hour timeframe.
The Marketplace is expected to make its debut next fall--around the same time as Windows Mobile 6.5.
Microsoft: Sorry, Just Kidding About App Sharing
Despite an earlier report alluding to the contrary, Microsoft announced that anyone who buys mobile apps from the upcoming Windows Marketplace online mobile app store will not be allowed to share them with friends and family, according to Computerworld.
Will Microsoft's Kumo Be Renamed Bing?
Microsoft is set to unveil its Kumo Internet search engine at the "D: All Things Digital" conference this week. But a Monday Ad Age article suggests that Kumo will actually be dubbed "Bing" at its debut.
The publication also reported that Microsoft is set to spend $80 million to $100 million on advertising for Kumo--or Bing--in an effort to grab a slice of the online advertising market. Reportedly, the ads will not attack search rivals Google or Yahoo by name, but will instead suggest that current search engines are not adequate.
Ads will run via the Web, on TV, in print, and on the radio.
The publication also reported that Microsoft is set to spend $80 million to $100 million on advertising for Kumo--or Bing--in an effort to grab a slice of the online advertising market. Reportedly, the ads will not attack search rivals Google or Yahoo by name, but will instead suggest that current search engines are not adequate.
Ads will run via the Web, on TV, in print, and on the radio.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Microsoft's Bing Icon?
Assuming that Microsoft names its new search engine "Bing" -- and a lot of the speculation has been fueled by this AdAge article -- the icon may well look like this one, to the left.That's because, if you visit bing.com, you'll see a blank page, but with this icon appearing in your browser's address bar. It's a tiny little detail, and probably irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Still, it's another indication that AdAge was on the right track. Credit MG Siegler at TechCrunch for this one.
StrikeStar Brings Nationwide Realtime Lightning Detection Home
I'm posting this entry pretty late at night. If you're in Texas, Oklahoma or Arkansas you might be seeing it sooner rather than later because you're being kept awake by some moderately persistent thunder and lightning. I can tell you where lightning is striking in reasonably real time and without paying for the data because of one of the web's many affinity communities. In this case it's folks with home mounted lighting detectors, an always on connection and a little software magic.
The website is StikeStar and its map displays North America's lightning strikes over the last 60 minutes. It's here I saw those southern storms. Each individual strike is color coded so you know if they're cloud-to-ground or cloud-to-cloud and whether they were positively or negatively charged. Graphs alongside the map show whether the frequency of strikes is rising or falling. Tonight the storms seem to be subsiding.
On a busy day a full North American map get pretty cluttered so the site is further divided into six geographic sectors each featuring three maps to further drill down into the data. I'm a numbers geek. This is my porn!
The national map and all the sectors contain the combined strikes from dozens of individual lightning detectors. Of course these are clickable too! That's how I know I'd rather not be in Corsicana, TX right now.
The hardware behind the data starts with Boltek's StormTracker. It's a little black box that can be mounted nearly anywhere.
StormTracker works by detecting the radio signals produced by lightning. These are the same signals you can hear on an AM radio during a thunderstorm. StormTracker's direction-finding antenna provides direction information while storm distance is calculated from received signal strength. Special processing in software reduces the effects of strike-to-strike energy variations providing more accurate distance information.
The lightning data is then analyzed by NexStorm software.
[W]ith the capability to display animated lightning data loops on the Internet! Static screenshots are not particularly useful for determining where storms are headed. The StormVue Java companion applet, which can be easily embedded in your web page, not only provides for an one-hour animation loop but is also interactive, allowing your web site visitors to stop and restart the animation loop as well as zoom in on the map.
Finally it's all ingested into the StrikeStar system.
StrikeStar is client/server system, exclusively designed for the NexStorm software and Boltek hardware. StrikeStar allows multiple, standalone lightning detectors to form a real-time lightning locator network with much better positional accuracy.
StrikeStarUS is a public, large scale and community based lightning detection network that we have made available as a unique added-value program for users of our NexStorm software.
I will admit getting involved on the detection end sounds a little complex. On the other hand the data is freely available on line and about as pretty as data on the Internet gets.
The website is StikeStar and its map displays North America's lightning strikes over the last 60 minutes. It's here I saw those southern storms. Each individual strike is color coded so you know if they're cloud-to-ground or cloud-to-cloud and whether they were positively or negatively charged. Graphs alongside the map show whether the frequency of strikes is rising or falling. Tonight the storms seem to be subsiding.
On a busy day a full North American map get pretty cluttered so the site is further divided into six geographic sectors each featuring three maps to further drill down into the data. I'm a numbers geek. This is my porn!
The national map and all the sectors contain the combined strikes from dozens of individual lightning detectors. Of course these are clickable too! That's how I know I'd rather not be in Corsicana, TX right now.
The hardware behind the data starts with Boltek's StormTracker. It's a little black box that can be mounted nearly anywhere.
StormTracker works by detecting the radio signals produced by lightning. These are the same signals you can hear on an AM radio during a thunderstorm. StormTracker's direction-finding antenna provides direction information while storm distance is calculated from received signal strength. Special processing in software reduces the effects of strike-to-strike energy variations providing more accurate distance information.
The lightning data is then analyzed by NexStorm software.
[W]ith the capability to display animated lightning data loops on the Internet! Static screenshots are not particularly useful for determining where storms are headed. The StormVue Java companion applet, which can be easily embedded in your web page, not only provides for an one-hour animation loop but is also interactive, allowing your web site visitors to stop and restart the animation loop as well as zoom in on the map.
Finally it's all ingested into the StrikeStar system.
StrikeStar is client/server system, exclusively designed for the NexStorm software and Boltek hardware. StrikeStar allows multiple, standalone lightning detectors to form a real-time lightning locator network with much better positional accuracy.
StrikeStarUS is a public, large scale and community based lightning detection network that we have made available as a unique added-value program for users of our NexStorm software.
I will admit getting involved on the detection end sounds a little complex. On the other hand the data is freely available on line and about as pretty as data on the Internet gets.
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