China postpones content-filter PC mandate

China postpones content-filter PC mandate
From July 1 every new computer sold in mainland China must -- by government mandate -- be accompanied by a controversial content-filtering application for personal computers called Green Dam-Youth Escort.

Legit at Last: BitTorrent Site The Pirate Bay is Acquired
The Pirate Bay, the world's most notorious BitTorrent tracking site, has faced the brunt of legal battles of late. Specifically, this includes the founders of The Pirate Bay, Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg and Peter Sunde, as well as Carl Lundstrom, who provided financing, all of who were found guilty of facilitating copyright infringement. Now, however, it looks to go legit, as Swedish tech company Global Gaming Factory X (GGF) said Tuesday that it has reached an agreement to it for about $7.7 million.
Government Launches Web Site to Track IT Spending
NEW YORK, June 30 -- Vivek Kundra, the federal chief information officer, on Tuesday announced a new Web site designed to track more than $70 billion in government information technology spending, showing all contracts held by major firms within every agency.

Game developers not rushing to iPhone 3GS

Game developers not rushing to iPhone 3GS
The iPhone 3GS is already wooing game developers with its faster, more powerful platform, but don't expect a ton of games fully taking advantage of it to flood the App Store -- yet.

China's Green Dam tries to tame Internet
From July 1 every new computer sold in mainland China must -- by government mandate -- be accompanied by a controversial content-filtering application for personal computers called Green Dam-Youth Escort.
FFSearcher: A Stealthy Evolution in Click Fraud
Every so often, a new piece of malicious software comes along that introduces a subtle yet evolutionary technological leap, a quickly-mimicked shift that allows cyber crooks to be far more stealthy in plying their trade. According to research released last week, this happened most recently in the...

iPhone 3GS Overheating Due to Battery Issues?

Steve Jobs back at work, Apple says
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is back at work after a six-month medical leave, splitting his time between the office and working from home, the company said Monday. But Jobs' return may do little to quell speculation about his health and future role at the hip tech company.
iPhone 3GS Overheating Due to Battery Issues?
When some Palm Pre owners complained of screen distortion, I warned iPhone users to expect some sort of problem with their new iPhone 3GS phones. After all, nothing is perfect. Right now the issue that's causing some consternation for iPhone 3GS owners is overheating, to the point that white iPhone 3GS phone have turned brown.
Expansion-Minded RCN Sparks Bidding War for N.Y. Telecom
RCN, the Herndon cable network operator that has been searching for ways to expand, has offered to purchase New York-based network services firm FiberNet Telecom for $96 million -- setting off a bidding war in the process.

Metro Crash May Exemplify Paradox of Human-Machine Interaction
Sometime soon, investigators will piece together why one train on Metro's Red Line hurtled into another last Monday, killing nine people and injuring dozens. Early indications suggest a computer system may have malfunctioned, and various accounts have raised questions about whether the driver of the...

Apple Runs Short on iPhone 3GS Phones
Despite the fact that Apple was somewhat disappointed with the lines (or lack thereof) for the new iPhone 3GS on launch day, it sold over 1 million of the new, faster iPhone version in the first weekend. Thus, the new and improved iPhone availability widget is a boon, disappointing as search results might be.

Justice Department wants more information about Oracle's takeover of Sun Microsystems

The Department of Justice wants more information about Oracle Corp.'s planned takeover of computer server maker Sun Microsystems Inc., extending the agency's review of the $7.4 billion deal.

Winners and losers emerge in climate bill

Winners and losers emerge in climate bill

Photo By In a Dec. 30, 2008 file photo two wind turbines stand near a traditional windmill on a farm near Mount Carmel, Iowa.

Help File: Archiving Old Home Movies To DVD, Vista “Memory Dumps” Defined
QI've got some old reels of Super 8 film. What are my options for transferring that to DVD?

Michael Jackson Downloads on File-Sharing Sites Surge

Jackson dies, almost takes Internet with him
How many people does it take to break the Internet? On June 25, we found out it's just one -- if that one is Michael Jackson.
Michael Jackson Downloads on File-Sharing Sites Surge
Michael Jackson's unexpected death has not just flooded the web with those seeking information about the tragic event, it's also energized the file-sharing community. Not only are new sites and Twitter being bombarded by users and news-seekers, but file-sharing aficianados are downloading Michael Jackson music at a fast clip.

Hulu model or 'TV Everywhere'?

Hulu model or 'TV Everywhere'?
Two cable powerhouses have announced an ambitious pilot program that aims to convince their customers that, actually, TV on the web should not be free.

Jackson dies, almost takes Internet with him

Jackson dies, almost takes Internet with him
How many people does it take to break the Internet? On June 25, we found out it's just one -- if that one is Michael Jackson.

Online community stunned by Jackson's death

Online community stunned by Jackson's death
From Facebook to Flickr, Twitter to YouTube, stunned and saddened fans came together across the vast online universe to share their memories of the iconic pop star.
Google Voice Invites Begin Trickling Out
Google Voice, which was relaunched in March from the "ashes" of GrandCentral, has remained closed to non-GrandCentral users since then. On Thursday, Google announced it was again beginning to give out invitations to the still-not-fully-public service.
Apple's New iPhone Has Learned New Tricks, but So Have Competitors
Two years ago, the original iPhone was the phone that changed everything. The new iPhone 3GS can't make the same difference, not when it shares the market with both predecessors and competing models that have learned some of the same tricks.

Microsoft sets Windows 7 pricing, upgrades

Microsoft sets Windows 7 pricing, upgrades
Microsoft has announced retail pricing for Windows 7 that was at or below comparable Windows Vista prices, while also offering a chance for people to preorder the software at a substantial discount. From Friday through July 11, consumers in the U.S. can buy an upgrade copy of Windows 7 Home premium for $49.
Microsoft Announces Windows 7 Pricing, Upgrade Program
Microsoft on Thursday finally dished on upgrade options for Windows 7, international availability on launch day (Oct. 22) and pricing. It's hard to say which one is more important to me, 1) or 3), but in this economy, I'd go with 3).

Did Steve Jobs' money buy him a quick liver?

Did Steve Jobs' money buy him a quick liver?
This week it was reported that Steven Jobs, the CEO and cofounder of Apple, underwent a liver transplant two months ago. One detail concerning Jobs's transplant seemed odd: The surgery took place at a hospital in Tennessee, some 2,000 miles from Jobs's home in northern California. Why Tennessee?

Steve Jobs Liver Transplant Confirmed by Tennessee Transplant Center
The Wall Street Journal reported last weekend that Apple CEO Steve Jobs had a liver transplant, and that has now been confirmed by the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in a short press release.

Feds lend Tesla $465 million to build electric car

Feds lend Tesla $465 million to build electric car
The Obama Administration will lend Tesla Motors $465 million to build an electric sedan and the battery packs needed to propel it. It's one of three loans totaling almost $8 billion that the Department of Energy awarded Tuesday to spur the development of fuel-efficient vehicles.
Meltdown 101: Where are the renewable energy jobs?

Everywhere you turn there is talk of a shift to renewable energy, of building wind farms and solar plants, of making buildings more efficient, of developing biofuels.

Council will help auto workers get new jobs

Steve Jobs recovering after liver transplant
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is recovering after undergoing a liver transplant at Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in Memphis, Tennessee, the institute's program director said Tuesday.
Council will help auto workers get new jobs

A new government council will help auto industry workers transition to new manufacturing opportunities, including jobs in alternative energy, Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday.

Two NASA space probes reach moon's orbit

Two NASA space probes reach moon's orbit
Two NASA spacecrafts closed in on the moon Tuesday morning -- one to send streaming video to Earth as it swings past the moon, the other to map the lunar surface from orbit, the space agency said.

MacChat: 2009The age of the Twitpocalypse

Retweeting makes 'followers' look to 'leaders'
Retweeting, the act of passing along part or all of someone else's Twitter message, is key to how news spreads virally on the micro-blogging site. Retweeting has taken on a powerful role in political activism, most notably in Iran, while making users "feel like the center of a social universe."
Japan's dog blood donors

June 23Japan's growing dog population means increasing demand for blood donors to help canines needing transfusions.

Personal Tech: Gadget News and Reviews
The Washington Post's Rob Pegoraro discusses recent reviews and answers your personal tech questions.
MacChat: 2009The age of the Twitpocalypse

TEN years ago, when the Windows world was scrambling to head off the looming millennium bug, Mac users just sat back and snickered. Macs already used four-digit years, so there was no need to fear a system crash.

Apple even ran a TV commercial starring the sentient computer HAL from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, which said: “It was a bug, Dave. Only Macintosh was designed to function perfectly, saving billions of monetary units. You like your Macintosh better than me, don’t you Dave? Dave?”

Now Mac users have had their comeuppance with a modern day Y2K, but it hasn’t brought down airliners or triggered nuclear armageddon. It’s just been inconvenient for several million Twitter users.

The so-called “Twitpocalypse” has affected several Mac and iPhone/iPod Touch Twitter clients, which run on variants of Apple’s OS X platform.

These include the desktop version of Twitterrific, and both versions of Tweetie. TweetDeck, which runs on Adobe’s AIR platform, was also affected. Bug fixes were quickly issued for Twitterrific and desktop Tweetie, but the fixed version of Tweetie for iPhone/iPod Touch is still awaiting Apple App Store approval.

The Twitpocalypse was triggered by the number of tweets posted on the social networking service exceeding 2,147,483,647 – in maths, the limit of a signed integer.

There are now about three billion tweets, increasing at a rate of more than 150 a second.

Most Twitter apps affected by the Twitpocalypse displayed the regular timeline correctly, but had trouble displaying search results.

While the Twitpocalypse was a minor annoyance compared to the millennium bug, it showed that Mac users are not always immune to flawed code.

Ironically, while the Mac was not threatened by Y2K, the Mac OS is now based on Unix, which had some vulnerabilities to the millennium bug, and faces another threat in 2038.Jobs gets new liver

PLE CEO Steve Jobs is back at work after six months’ medical leave, during which he received a liver transplant, according to reports.

Jobs was spotted on the company’s campus in Cupertino, California, and Apple released a press release in which Jobs touted a million sales of the iPhone 3GS on its opening weekend in the US.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Jobs had received a liver transplant in Tennessee two months ago.

The man largely credited for Apple’s design sensibility had been on medical leave since the start of the year, following dramatic weight loss in 2008 that sparked speculation of a return of the pancreatic cancer he beat in 2004.

Jobs had a rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable, but can require an organ transplant.

It is believed Jobs had the transplant in Tennessee as it has a shorter waiting list than other US states. It is unknown if he is back in a full-time or part-time capacity.

Two NASA space probes near moon

Two NASA space probes near moon
Two NASA spacecrafts closed in on the moon Tuesday morning -- one to send streaming video to Earth as it swings past the moon, the other to map the lunar surface from orbit, the space agency said.
Two NASA space probes near moon

Two NASA spacecrafts closed in on the moon Tuesday morning -- one to send streaming video to Earth as it swings past the moon, the other to map the lunar surface from orbit, the space agency said.

BAE's U.S. Chief Quits to Take Over at SAIC
Walt Havenstein is stepping down after two years as chief executive of the Rockville-based U.S. arm of British defense contractor BAE Systems to take that position at fellow contractor Science Applications International Corp.

Does Apple still need Steve Jobs?

Does Apple still need Steve Jobs?
Apple is known for building excitement over its latest gadgets, but the company's next closely watched event has nothing to do with a product. Instead, anticipation is growing over the scheduled return of Steve Jobs, Apple's charismatic CEO -- even more so after a recent report that Jobs had a liver transplant two months ago.

Gawking at the Media World
NEW YORK -- Nick Denton is sitting amid the rows of screen-staring digital workers in the fourth-floor walkup that serves as Gawker headquarters, having neglected to build himself a private office.

D'oh! Sorry, Your GPS Unit Led You Astray

Tweet could be cyber crime in progess
Cyber criminals are setting snares that move at the speed of news.
D'oh! Sorry, Your GPS Unit Led You Astray
It's no secret that even GPS units are subject to GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out), leading users astray due to incorrect map data.. People have even been led to the edge of cliffs. Wouldn't it be appropriate to hear the expression "D'oh!" if such a failure occurred?
The Download: Digital TV Switch a Boon for One Local Station
The switch to digital TV has caused static and headaches for thousands of viewers in the Washington region. But for one local station, the transition has been something of a revival.
Is Nokia’s Ovi What You’ve Been Waiting For?

As a guest of Nokia, last week I spent some time getting up to speed on all things Ovi at the Nokia Connections conference in Singapore. Ovi is the combined brand under which Nokia’s add-on network services â€" music, photos, maps, applications, and email â€" all now live. The cynical perspective is that Ovi is Nokia’s response to the magic of the iPhone and its App Store. But companies like Nokia require more than just one year to make a course correction as big as they hope Ovi will be.

Keep in mind, Nokia still has the biggest install base of mobile phones in the world, so while its grip on the smart end of the market has slipped it still has plenty to work with.

At the event, first we heard a lot of talk about Nokia transitioning from a ‘product’ to ‘service’ company. It felt like the kind of talk you hear from a company eager to prove they really care about their customers, so it was easy to dismiss.

But then there was some meat to the discussion. First up, unlike the latest developments at other companies, Ovi isn’t just about smartphones. There are around 75 current models of Nokia phones that can now use Ovi related tools and services.

Nokia also talked a lot about how its new focus serves users in developing countries. According to Nokia, 80% of the world’s population now live within range of a cellular network, and the next billion network users will get online via mobile instead of PC. So for Nokia, Ovi is also part of a strategy where the handset is the only device a person will need to be connected and online.

Indeed Ovi does away with the need for any PC syncing to complete the experience, which is a great strength of Nokia’s new ecosystem. Your email, your music (through Nokia’s subscription music service), your maps, and your content sharing services, all easily accessed and managed directly through the handset.

Nokia is doing a lot here to encourage their lower end users to stick with them. With a lot of services available even to users of lower range handsets, there may be enough to delay some users from migrating elsewhere, or getting comfortable with things like the Ovi photo sharing and email tools so they stick with Nokia on future upgrades.

The biggest problem at launch is the price of applications. In the Ovi Store you can expect to pay a lot more for comparable apps in the iTunes App Store. Think along the lines of $4.00 on Ovi against $1.19 on iTunes. There is only so long users will wear significant price difference without any good reason for its existence.

Nokia points out the developers set the prices, but if it can’t encourage them to price lower and aim for volume sales, the Ovi Store could struggle to gain traction. There is already a good range of free content, though, so it isn’t all bad news on price.

Refreshingly, Nokia admits Ovi is very much an infant, and that they will aim to quickly respond to user feedback and criticism. After years in development, it’s good to know it understands the real work of proving its new service strategy begins now.

Seamus Byrne is the host of Midnight Update.

Teenager Spots Robbery Suspects on Google Street View

Teenager Spots Robbery Suspects on Google Street View
Google's Street View is quite the crime-fighting tool. It's already foiled a kidnapping, and now it's enabled Dutch police to arrest twin brothers on suspicion of robbery.
Help File: After the DTV Switch, Some Tinkering Still Required
QTwo weeks ago, you suggested that digital-TV reception would improve after analog broadcasts ended. But the DTV signals of channels 7 and 9 seem to have gone off the air.

3-D Rapid Prototyping Your Future Replacement Organ
Organ donation would be a lot less variable if they could be grown in the lab and a more effective way to build plastic scaffolds on which new tissues and even whole organs might be grown in the laboratory is being developed by an international collaboration between teams in Portugal and the UK.

iPhone 3G S Buyers Experiencing Scattered Activation Issues

New Mexico breaks ground on spaceport
The era when travelers will be able to catch a flight from New Mexico to outer space moved a step closer this week with the official start of construction of Spaceport America.
iPhone 3G S Buyers Experiencing Scattered Activation Issues

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Just as in the last two years, once again, activation issues are giving new iPhone users a painful experience.

RIAA vs. Jammie Thomas-Rasset Trial, Take Two: a Worse Result
For the defendant, Jammie Thomas-Rasset, she had to be thinking that perhaps a retrial was not such a good idea after all, after hearing the verdict. The trial, which began Monday, concluded Thursday with Thomas-Rasset found guilty of willful copyright infringement. She must now pay the recording industry $1.92 million.

With Kindle DX, Amazon Writes New E-Book Chapter

Buyers in eight countries line up for new iPhone
Apple fans in the United States and seven other countries lined up Friday morning to be among the first to get their hands on the new iPhone 3GS, billed as the fastest, most feature-laden iPhone yet.
iPhone 3G S Lines Form, Minus Hysteria

Another year, another new iPhone, and another long line to wait in? Yes, it's true, but things are not quite as hysterical, panicky, crazy, however you want to call it.

With Kindle DX, Amazon Writes New E-Book Chapter
Lots of novels have the potential for one good sequel, but not too many can sustain a story over a third book.

NASA Heads Back to the Moon for First Time in Decade

In Iran protest, online world is watching, acting
In Chicago in 1968, anti-war protesters at the Democratic National Convention chanted "The Whole World Is Watching."
NASA Heads Back to the Moon for First Time in Decade

NASA launched its first moon shot in a decade Thursday, sending up a pair of unmanned science probes that will help determine where astronauts could land and set up camp in years to come.

Iranians dodging government Web crackdown

Iranians dodging government Web crackdown
It's a high-tech, high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse.

As Apple Warns About Third-Party Media Players and iTunes, Palm Fires Back
Apple issued a warning on Tuesday, noting that third party media players were not supported by iTunes. What could they possibly be talking about? Perhaps the fact that the Palm Pre will be recognized by an iPod by iTunes?

New iPhone 3GS heats up smartphone wars

New iPhone 3GS heats up smartphone wars
When Apple starts selling what it bills as the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet on Friday, the device will only heat up the already sizzling smartphone landscape. When it comes to phones that act like mini-computers, consumers have more choices than ever.

How to Build the World's Most Powerful Warship

How to Build the World's Most Powerful Warship

The first pieces of the U.S. Navy's newest class of aircraft carriermeant to be the cornerstone of American military sea power over the next hundred yearslie in the open air of a shipyard in Virginia.

MacChat: iPod shufflenow you’re talking!

THE iPod shuffle is simultaneously the most boring and most fascinating model in Apple’s iPod lineup.

Boring, because it has a limited capacity, no screen and cannot run games or applications like other iPods. Fascinating, because Apple continues to “think different” with each new model. And the latest iteration is not only music to your ears, but spoken words as well.

The first-generation iPod shuffle was made of white plastic and resembled a stick of gum. It had an optional cord for hanging around the neck, and a single big button for play/pause, with surrounding buttons for skipping and volume control. The second-generation shuffle was a dramatic departure, smaller and square-shaped and wrapped in anodised aluminium. A built-in clip enhanced its portability.

Now with the third-generation shuffle, Apple has completely re-engineered the device again.

The 3G iPod shuffle is similar in shape to the first generation, aluminium like the second generation, and ultra-small at 45.2mm high by 17.5mm wide by 7.8mm deep. It comes in silver and black, and its svelte profile means the controls have been moved to the earbuds, leaving it featureless except for the Apple logo on the clip, which it retains for easy attachment to your attire. Its 4GB capacity will hold up to 1000 songs.

But the silver bullet that should put paid to all other iPod shuffle pretenders is VoiceOver, the text-to-speech technology that’s now built in. As Apple says, the iPod shuffle is “the first music player that talks to you”.

Mac users will already be familiar with VoiceOver, which in OS X enables a Mac to read back any text in any application in a number of voices. And the new iPhone 3G S utilises some VoiceOver features, as well as speech recognition.

In the iPod shuffle, VoiceOver is a perfect substitute for a screen, and probably better than a screen for exercisers or other listeners on the go. It can read through playlists and song titles, and tell you the name of the song playing.

VoiceOver also now makes listening to podcasts on an iPod shuffle a viable option, as you can navigate through your podcast library with ease.

Apple’s quest to make music players ever smaller is a double-edged sword: while the ultra-compactness is nice, you find yourself asking how small is too small? For some it will be harder to hold and easier to lose.

Also, having the controls on the earbuds could annoy users who like the option of substituting their own higher-powered headphones.

Still, for sheer compactness, design and cutting-edge technology, the iPod shuffle leaves other screenless music players in the shade.

iPod shuffle, 4GB, $129, http://www.apple.com/au/ipodshuffle

Bing Continues to Grab Market Share: comScore

A follow-up report from comScore shows Microsoft's Bing continuing to garner search market share, as a prior report also indicated.

iPhone OS 3.0 to Release Today ... Sometime
The next release of the iPhone OS, version 3.0, is set to release today, according to Apple. Unfortunately, for those looking for a clue as to the time when you can go into iTunes with your iPhone and get it, the answer is: not yet.

Iranian-Americans fed by online updates

Iranian-Americans fed by online updates
The Iranian-American community is half a world away from the turmoil in Iran, but they are tuning in, logging on and even stepping out in demonstrations to show solidarity with relatives and friends.

To Keep Iranian News Flowing, U.S. Government Asks Twitter to Reschedule Maintenance

Endeavour launch delayed for second time
NASA postponed the launch of the space shuttle Endeavour early Wednesday because of a liquid hydrogen leak.
To Keep Iranian News Flowing, U.S. Government Asks Twitter to Reschedule Maintenance
Once again, Twitter is proving invaluable in a crisis, in this case, the fallout and violence subsequent to the Iranian presidential election. It's proving so valuable, that Monday night, during what would be peak hours in Iran, the U.S. government asked the company to push back a scheduled maintenance period.

Opera Unite, a Web Server In Your Browser

Google struggling with China censorship
Three years after entering China, Google still finds itself in an uncomfortable working relationship with that country's government censors. For about eight days this month, Google.cn blocked all results that might come from searches for Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
Opera Unite, a Web Server In Your Browser
Opera, the company behind the Opera browser, has been gathering some publicity lately, talking about a concept called "Opera Unite." On Tuesday, they unveiled the project, which basically turns your computer into a web server. Share what you want, without using a third party (Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, FlipShare) to host it.

Weapon against epidemics: Cell phones

Weapon against epidemics: Cell phones
Cell phone technology is helping developing nations prepare for disease threats such as a new strain of swine flu, an outbreak of measles or the increased spread of HIV. Downloading software to mobile phones enables health officials to gather data from the site of the outbreak and send it electronically to headquarters for faster analysis.
Early Palaeozoic IcehouseClimate Earth And Global Warming 440 Million Years Ago
An ancient Ice Age, once regarded as a brief 'blip', in fact lasted for 30 million years according to geologists at the University of Leicester.
Security Fix Live
Security Fix blogger Brian Krebs answers your technology questions and offers ways to protect yourself from online security threats.

Israel Debuts 'Kosher' Search Engine 'Koogle'

Space shuttle launch now set for Wednesday
NASA has rescheduled the launch of space shuttle Endeavour for 5:40 a.m. ET Wednesday, pushing back the planned launch of a separate lunar mission.
Israel Debuts 'Kosher' Search Engine 'Koogle'

Religiously devout Jews barred by rabbis from surfing the Internet may now "Koogle" it on a new "kosher" search engine, the site manager said on Sunday.

RIAA vs. Jammie Thomas Retrial to Begin
The RIAA's case against Jammie Thomas, now Jammie Thomas-Rasset, is set to begin today. The case originally ended with Thomas-Rasset being found guilty in 2007 of 24counts of copyright infringement and ordered to pay $222,000 in damages, or $9,250 per song. However, the judge in the case ordered a mistrial, saying he had erred in part of his jury instructions.

'Hunch' Web site will make decisions for you

'Hunch' Web site will make decisions for you
Stumped on a tough decision? Hunch.com, which launches for the public today, is here to help. Hunch will consider your quandary by asking you a series of questions and then spitting out three decisions. In an interview, founder Caterina Fake says she created Hunch because it's too hard to find smart information online.

Living on Twitter Time
Is Twitter no longer an ultra-hip refuge for the perpetually plugged-in?

The most dangerous search terms on the Web

The most dangerous search terms on the Web
If you like to search for "music lyrics" or "free" things, you are engaging in risky online behavior. A new research report by U.S.-based antivirus software company McAfee has identified the Internet search words that place users at the highest risk for cyber attacks.
Number Portability Coming to Google Voice?
It was great when number portability came to cell phones. It was great when Google Voice (nee GrandCentral), promising one number to ring multiple phones emerged as a service. What if you could port your number to Google Voice, though?
Unmanned Robot and 25-Mile Tether Target Ocean Mysteries
Skimming past otherworldly tube worms and bizarre crustaceans as they traversed primordial sediments in inky darkness seven miles below the surface, an unmanned yellow robot two weeks ago became the world's deepest-diving unmanned submersible.

Life-Sized Gundam Completed in Tokyo
I wrote earlier about the life-sized Gundam that was being erected in Tokyo's Odaiba Shiokaze Park. The 59-foot-tall giant mecha is already done. However, the public unveiling isn't until July 11th.

$100,000 missing from Topeka health

Hackers are blamed for the theft of $100,000 from a Topeka health clinic. The development director for the Sisters of Charity Marian Clinic said Friday that staff is "very disheartened that someone has compromised our computer security." Ruth Maus told The Topeka Capital-Journal that the money taken "would go otherwise go to treat patients." Topeka ...

Help File: Freeing Up Disk Space After a Vista Update, A Bogus Spam Defense

Gas leak postpones space shuttle launch
A gaseous hydrogen leak on the space shuttle Endeavour forced NASA to cancel Saturday's planned launch, the space agency said.
Reaction to Microsoft Windows 7 Proposal Mixed

Critics say pulling IE from Windows doesn't solve the antitrust problem. June 12, 2009 By Stuart J. Johnston : The day after Microsoft announced it will sell Windows 7 without Internet Explorer in the European Union , many interested parties are tossing in their reactions, and it's a mixed bag of opinions.

Help File: Freeing Up Disk Space After a Vista Update, A Bogus Spam Defense
Q Is it true that Microsoft's Service Pack 2 update for Windows Vista can free up disk space by deleting older patch files?

Scorsese, Web site put film classics online

Scorsese, Web site put film classics online
Social networking, Martin Scorsese and cinema classics on demand: this is the enticing mix on offer at new movie Web site The Auteurs.

Price cuts highlight tough choices for Apple

Price cuts highlight tough choices for Apple
Apple has traditionally held its ground as a premium computer manufacturer, but it might just be getting sucked into a recession-prompted price war.

Tetris turns 25: Is it the next Olympic sport?

Tetris turns 25: Is it the next Olympic sport?
It's amazing how a huge global phenomenon can begin.

Fast Forward: The Palm Pre -- a New Hope for Smartphones

With Endeavour trip, NASA to unite 'lucky 13'
Lucky 13: NASA, the U.S. space agency, is counting on it.
The IRS Considers Taxing Company-Issued Mobile Phones
I doubt this will do much to close the budget deficit, but who knows? The Internal Revenue Service is considering taxing the use of work-issued mobile phones, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Fast Forward: The Palm Pre -- a New Hope for Smartphones
The new Palm Pre comes from a company that's been developing handheld gadgets since 1992, but the Pre owes almost nothing to that heritage. It has all the promise -- and many of the limits and glitches -- of a bright, young startup's 1.0 release.

Building material could withstand wildfires

Building material could withstand wildfires
An eco-friendly building material might have saved some of the 80 homes destroyed in a recent wildfire in Southern California. But it can't be used there.

'Black box' could hold answer to crash mystery

'Black box' could hold answer to crash mystery
An airplane's "black box" is actually an orange cylinder -- 13 pounds of metal wrapped around a stack of memory chips. One such device -- lying more than two miles below the surface of the Atlantic -- is now the object of an international search and could explain why Air France Flight 447 mysteriously plunged into the sea last week.
The Pre's Kinda, Sorta ActiveSync Support Causes Some Device Returns
Oh, oh. It appears Palm released the Palm Pre not quite "fully baked." It appears that many users trying to provision the device to use their Exchange server at work are having difficulties, because the Palm Pre doesn't support all the security policies of Exchange.

Yes, Virginia, Your iPhone 3G Accessories Will Work on the 3GS

Do you suffer from Internet fatigue?
Do you ever get sick of your phone ringing? What about Facebook fatigue? Does Twitter sometimes give you stress headaches, making you occasionally wish you could just yank the plug on your online life?
Yes, Virginia, Your iPhone 3G Accessories Will Work on the 3GS
For me, a nagging little worry about the new iPhone (now known to be the iPhone 3GS) was: am I going to have to get a new case? Yes, it's a small worry, but after finally finding what I consider to be the perfect case, I didn't want to have to wait months for case developers to create a new one for a new form factor.

Climate change may displace up to 200 million
A new kind of refugee is on the rise. And by 2050, there could be as many as 200 million of them.
Here Comes the Facebook Landrush
The Facebook vanity URL landrush is coming. Rather than having to user some arcane number for your profile and pages associated with it, such as http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=123456789, you'll be albe to select your own username on first-come, first-served basis. When? Starting at 12:01AM EDT on Saturday.
Facebook introduces usernames like MySpace and Twitter

FACEBOOK users will be given the choice of creating a username to simplify links to their profile, similar to other networking sites like MySpace and Twitter.

Traditionally, Facebook users have been identified by a long numeric ID — meaning that links to profile pages look something like this:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=123456789

Last night the site announced it would introduce usernames, like pretty much every other networking service around. That means links will be easier to remember:

http://www.facebook.com/andrewramadge

The usernames will be assigned on a first in, first served basis.

Predictably and inexplicably, the news led to thousands of complaints. After about five hours, the announcement had more than 16,000 comments — many of them negative.

Here are a few gems:

y ? i dont wanna that !!!!!
Ok. Another reason not to use FB.
THIIS IIS STUPID!!!
Not sure I am giong to like this!

And, my favourite:

im going to get darth vader

Before you get too excited about creating some hilarious username like “motherlover5000”, you should read the rules. And in true Facebook style, there are quite a few.

First — only people who already have an account will be able to create a username. New sign-ups will have to wait a few weeks longer, to stop people from jumping on the bandwagon just to secure a sought-after username.

Second — once you’ve picked a username, you won’t be able to change it. Try not to make any typos.

Third — you won’t be able to pick a generic word like “flowers” or “pizza” as your username. Facebook also says it will prevent “certain” words from being used — which I can only assume means “naughty” words.

Fourth — usernames have to be unique. That means there can only be one “andrewramadge” — kind of like Highlander except without swords. Other people with the same name will have to put numbers after it or something.

Fifth — Facebook can remove or reclaim your chosen username at any time for any reason and probably without any explanation.

The username process opens at midnight this Saturday, Facebook time. In our time, that means 2pm Saturday (AEST). Adjust accordingly if you’re not on the east coast.

New sign-ups will have to wait until June 28 to pick one.

More reading:

“We’re planning to offer Facebook usernames to make it easier for people to find and connect with you. When your friends, family members or co-workers visit your profile, they will be able to enter your username as part of the URL in their browser.” — Blaise DiPersia on the Facebook Blog

“Today Facebook announced it would offer its members usernames to give them a permanent web address. Just like Twitter. Can someone say ‘obvious rip-off’?” — Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson at The Courier-Mail

CNET: Can Apple beat the too-expensive rap?

CNET: Can Apple beat the too-expensive rap?
SAN FRANCISCO --The big knock on Apple -- whether or not it's always been accurate -- is that its products are more expensive than most of its competitors.

Glitz, goofiness mark Webby Awards

Glitz, goofiness mark Webby Awards
It is the awards show where techies are greeted like rock stars.
Nuclear fusion power project to start in slimmed-down version
A multi-billion-dollar project to prove whether nuclear fusion, the power that fuels the Sun, can be a practicable energy source is to be scaled down in its early stages, sources said on Monday.

Can once-cool MySpace stage a comeback?

Can once-cool MySpace stage a comeback?
In the brief history of Web sites, there are few if any second chances. Remember Friendster? That's why it's difficult for some industry observers to see a comeback for MySpace, the large online social network that has seen its popularity flatline.

AT&T Dishes on Missing iPhone Tethering, MMS

New iPhone to hit stores June 19
A new, faster version of the popular iPhone will hit stores June 19, Apple said Monday. The iPhone 3GS is billed as a more powerful, feature-laden follow-up to the 3G, which the company says revolutionized the way people use mobile phones.
AT&T Dishes on Missing iPhone Tethering, MMS
As part of the WWDC keynote on Monday, a few iPhone OS 3.0 features were announced that made people go "huh?" Why? Because AT&T wasn't going to support them, at least at the start. In terms of new features, that would be MMS and tethering.
E3 2009: Best, worst, and most likely

E3 coverage is never complete until you get a list of the shows hits and misses. Here's ours.

Biggest game most likely to be banned in Australia: God of War III
A game already known for its visceral brutality aims to take it to another level with the new version for Playstation 3. Participating in the disturbingly graphic dismemberment of enemies with high-definition graphics? It will be very surprising to see this slip past our ‘adults don't play games' censorship regime when it comes out next year.

Ban-bait ... God of War III / Pic: IGN

Game most likely to disappoint: Dragon Age: Origins
Bioware has made some of the greatest computer RPGs of all-time, and Dragon Age had fans excited by the idea of bringing back the vibe of classics such as the Baldur's Gate series. But the E3 demo was just boring. Even a dragon scene did little to make things exciting. Bioware tried too hard to be clever in the demo, and did little to prove this will deliver on the promise of their pedigree.

New hardware most likely to cause WTF moment: Wii Vitality Sensor
A new Wii peripheral for monitoring your pulse? Ummm. OK. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said it will deliver new experiences that offer greater relaxation and even help you fall asleep. Is his Wii beside his bed? There is genuine potential for this device in Wii Fit applications â€" keep your heart rate above a specified level, for instance â€" but the way this was presented made it seem all too random.

Best game most likely to deliver nostalgic fun: Tatsunoko Vs Capcom
Tatsunoko? Capcom? In some ways this is a game that speaks to a select hardcore audience. But when more Wii owners hear Tatsunoko is the company behind classic Japanese animations like Battle of the Planets / G-Force, along with many other fun and crazy robot and hero cartoons, suddenly getting to play Ken the Eagle in a battle against Capcom's Street Fighter stars is a chance to dive back into the Saturday morning cartoon years of the ‘80s.

Best for Wii: Wii Fit Plus
The new game for your Wii Fit system disguises fitness work inside a selection of games that are actually fun to play. Exercise has rarely been so easy.

Best for Xbox 360: Splinter Cell: Conviction
The newest Splinter Cell sees protagonist Sam Fisher angrier than ever, bringing more action to the classic stealth series in the process. But the real wow factor is a new cinematic style where mission information and even cut scene videos are overlaid on the game world to incredible effect.

Best for Playstation 3: Uncharted 2
The first Uncharted showed what a difference a good script can make for making your lead character actually feel funny and charming. What we saw of Uncharted 2 continued the trend, and in true Hollywood style felt like they'd turned the action up to eleven. Exactly what you want from a fast-paced action title.

Best for PC: R.U.S.E.
A new spin on real-time strategy, RUSE brings a Poker element to the genre by letting you deceive your opponent with false units, hidden moves, and cracking their plans â€" it's not just how you use your units, but how you play the system to best advantage.

Best for Nintendo DS: Scribblenauts
From the creators of Drawn To Life, here is a new idea that is epic in concept while being a lot of fun to play. You need to help your little avatar achieve certain goals by typing in nouns to invoke objects he can use. Tens of thousands of words are in the game â€" if it isn't a trademark or profane, they claim it's in there. We saw tools like ladders, axes, lassos, and fishing rods, vehicles like cars, pogo sticks, and gundam-style mechs, creatures like lions, vampires, zombies, and Cthulhu, and even net memes like Keyboard Cat are in the game!

Best for PSP: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Hideo Kojima calls this a ‘true sequel' in the Solid Snake series of Metal Gear Solid games, and we're getting it on the PSP. Set in the 1970s, ten years after MGS3, it fills in a gap in the saga â€" what other reason do you need?

Buzziest game of the show: Scribblenauts
This was the game that people were talking about on the show floor. After you played Scribblenauts, you couldn't stop thinking about it. You wanted to go back with your new ideas for words to see if you could stump it, or see what that object might do. Very likely to clean up a lot of ‘Best in Show' awards.

Ten more to watch:
It was a great year, so there are many more excellent games in the works. Here's ten more to add to your wishlist for the year ahead.Mass Effect 2; Borderlands; Alan Wake; The Saboteur; New Super Mario Bros. Wii; Metroid: Other M; Assassin's Creed II; ModNation Racers; Heavy Rain; Singularity

Will a new iPhone be announced today?

Will a new iPhone be announced today?
As Apple kicks off a much-anticipated developers' conference Monday in San Francisco, much of the buzz is about the possibility of a new iPhone release.

Sweden's 'Pirate Party' takes EU seat

Sweden's 'Pirate Party' takes EU seat
A Swedish political party that wants to legalize file-sharing on the Internet scored a surprise victory Sunday when it took a seat in the European parliament. The Pirate Party won 7.1 percent of the Swedish vote to claim one of the country's 18 seats in the European parliament.

Screen Distortion Reported on Some Palm Pres
While many have marveled at the screen on the Palm Pre, some which knowledge have said that getting the screen "just right" is part of the reason for the limited stock on the device. Users in at least two Palm Pre forums have noted screen distortion or blotchiness on their new purchases.

Will Apple Not Just Announce, But Ship the New iPhone on Monday?
Apple is going to announce a new iPhone, now thought to be called the iPhone Video, on Monday at WWDC. That's no surprise. However, the latest rumor, or should I say opinion, is that not only will Apple announce the new iPhone (or perhaps more than one), it will release it for sale as well.
MacChat: Apple set to polish iPhone, OS X

IT’S the last great Apple show. With the tech giant pulling the pin on Macworld Expo, first in New York and then San Francisco, Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference has become the only annual gathering the company attends.

The conference, in San Francisco this week, has had a dramatic change of face in the past couple of years with the rise of the iPhone and iPod touch platform.

While WWDC has traditionally been a Mac affair, the number of iPhone and iPod touch developers now rivals that of Mac developers. What can we expect? Let’s rate the possibilities ...

Certainty: The two new operating systems, OS X Snow Leopard and OS X iPhone 3.0, will be detailed, and the latter may also be released. We’ve already seen previews of both, with Snow Leopard offering mainly under-the-hood changes but also some nice cosmetic touches, and OS X iPhone delivering background processes, MMS, cut and paste and other enhancements for developers, such as sales from within apps. Snow Leopard will probably be released later in the year, going head-to-head with Microsoft’s Windows 7.

Probability: As has become customary the past two WWDCs, a new iPhone could be released. Evidence has come to light that iPhone v3 will boast a storage capacity up to 32GB, and the new iPhone will probably also have an improved camera. There has been speculation of video recording and editing capabilities and a magnetometer. The iPhone v3 will also take full advantage of the new iPhone 3.0 software.

Possibility: Apple’s enigmatic CEO Steve Jobs, who normally would deliver the WWDC keynote, is due to return from six months’ medical leave at the end of the month. After dramatic weight loss last year triggered speculation of a return of the pancreatic cancer he beat in 2003, Jobs blamed a hormone imbalance before taking time off. His substitute for the WWDC keynote, senior vice-president of worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller, may update the conference on Jobs’s condition, and whether he is still on track for a late June return. An outside chance would be an appearance by Jobs himself.

While much of Apple’s success has been credited to Jobs’s vision, the company’s stock has rallied in recent months, an indication that investors still have confidence in a Jobs-less Apple.

At WWDC, with iPhone/iPod touch software development booming and 40,000-odd applications on its App Store, Apple will be hoping for some cross-pollination between its desktop and mobile platforms, of both developers and users.

Tetris Celebrates 25 Years of Falling Bricks
One-quarter of a century, 25 years. It's hard to believe that Tetris, a simple, casual game that most have seen has been around that long. It involves rotating falling geometric shapes made up of bricks to complete and cause rows to vanish. On June 6th, 2009, it reaches the ripe old age of 25.

Critics: Web images endanger national security

Critics: Web images endanger national security
Critics fears that online aerial imagery of nuclear power plants and other sensitive sites could help terrorists plan attacks. So they've launched efforts to try to get Internet map services to remove or blur photos.

Tackling business problems in virtual games

Tackling business problems in virtual games
Picture this: You work for a racing car company that needs to raise $18 million in sponsorship. Do you go with a reliable sponsor that can only offer part of that sum, or take the full $18 million from a company getting bad press for selling arms to a Middle Eastern country?

What news to expect from Apple next week

What news to expect from Apple next week
Hopes are running high for products that Apple will unveil at its developers conference next week. Rumors about new iPhones, upgraded MacBooks and a highly anticipated touchscreen tablet abound, and there's even gossip about a possible partnership with Verizon.
Steve Jobs Ready to Return to Apple: Report
Naysayers, time to eat your hat. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, is ready to return to the helm of the Cupertino, CA based technology company, as scheduled, by the end of June.
Who won the E3 keynote face-off?

ALL the opening salvos of E3 2009 have been fired from Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sonyso which console won the hearts of gathered crowds?

If we were judging by celebrity factor, Microsoft would win hands down. They poured on the celebrity sauce, offering Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia & Dhani Harrison, Tony Hawk, Steven Spielberg, and Felicia Day, plus superstar game developers talking up their latest work. Meanwhile Nintendo and Sony stuck with their corporate chiefs to deliver the news on why their consoles were going to rock our worlds.

After opening with a special intro featuring new details and videos from the upcoming The Beatles Rock Band game (not an Xbox exclusive), Microsoft started its discussion by declaring it would skip the traditional business facts and figures talk in favour of getting straight to the cool stuff. It was then one new title after another, featuring lots of first-look trailers and demos from eagerly anticipated games. Plus new entertainment services, as well as integration with services like Facebook and Twitter.

Pic: Reuters

Then the bombshell â€" Project Natal. Rumours had been circulating about a 3D camera interface, but it turned out to be much more than just a Playstation EyeToy on steroids. The project also includes face and voice recognition systems, as well as features for ‘scanning’ objects and images from the real world and placing them into the virtual game world. From basic gestures to control the Xbox interface to interactive painting and exercise games, Project Natal offers something that â€" if it really works â€" could bring real change to the living room.

By the end of the Microsoft press event, everybody was asking whether Nintendo and Sony could reach the same level of wow factor.

Nintendo was next and for the first time in the Wii generation they failed to leave people hyped about their new ideas. It’s hard to keep dropping jaws when you’re so far in front, and this was the keynote that felt the most like a game of buzzword bingo. Nintendo talked ‘innovation’, ‘depth’, and ‘new experiences’. But what they had to offer were new Mario and Metroid games as the main points of excitement. A new Vitality Sensor peripheral â€" essentially a pulse monitor â€" was touted as a new device to bring great new wellbeing to Wii owners. After the initial feeling it may have been a clever joke passed, it seemed like Nintendo was heading toward another Wii Music misstep.

Any other year Nintendo’s new Super Mario Bros Wii and Metroid: Other M announcements may have been enough to excite the crowd, but people hoped for more and with Microsoft’s Project Natal still ringing in the ears it simply wasn’t enough to win the day.

Sony needs Playstation to have a very big year, and by the end of its event the crowd seemed to agree Sony had brought its A-game and were looking good for the year ahead. There was a big focus on support for the PSP as well as updated hardware, the PSP Go. A mass of big games for both the PSP and PS3 showed there is a lot in store for fans, and then Sony showed that they too had an advanced motion control system in the works.

It’s a wand technology developed by the team behind EyeToy, and their tech demo on stage was undeniably the most finessed motion control system we had yet seen. The wand delivered one-to-one tracking of the wand, and when the user held two wands they could perform both fast and delicate movements with precision, even writing on screen with pen-like accuracy. Like Project Natal, this appeared to be a step ahead of the Wii remote.

The battle lines here are whether the new motion-control-loving crowds will prefer no controller at all or a precision device in hand.

Who would have thought we could arrive at a point where all three platforms would have advanced motion control systems on offer? Or that Nintendo would have had the least inspirational opening event of the show?

One thing is certain. 2010 looks like it will be a very interesting year in the history of video games.

Séamus Byrne is the host of Midnight Update

Google Squared: Structured Results in a Grid Format

Google Squared is a new Google Labs experiment. No, it doesn't mean a Google search returned with results with relevance , but rather results returned in a grid-like format, with columns representing different types of relevant data for the query, and rows representing results of the query.

Obama team wants text messages on speech

Obama team wants text messages on speech
Before President Obama gave a widely anticipated speech in Cairo, Egypt, his administration was using online networking tools to further reach out to the Muslim world.

Why satellites didn't find missing plane

Why satellites didn't find missing plane
The disappearance of an Air France jet off Brazil's coast Monday has left some observers wondering how, in an age when GPS technology seems to track our every move, a plane's crash site could remain unknown. Why don't satellites locate the exact position of planes?

Obama team wants text messages on speech

Obama team wants text messages on speech
As President Obama prepared to give a widely anticipated speech in Cairo, Egypt, his administration was using online networking tools to further reach out to the Muslim world.
The App Store: Light Years Ahead?
Photos of the WWDC banners hanging at the Moscone Center in San Francisco have appeared via Flickr. The tagline for this year's event seems to be "One year later. Light-years ahead."

DoJ Targets Tech Firms in Recruiting Collusion Probe

To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if this were true. The Department of Justice has opened a probe into possible collusion between some of the nation's largest tech companies with regards to the recruiting and hiring of one another's employees.

Windows 7 Gets Dated: Oct. 22

Sony, Nintendo unveil game offerings at E3
With the big three gaming-system makers -- Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony -- all previewing new or upgraded motion-sensing controllers at E3 this week, a new arms race is under way in the video game industry. Joysticks and push-button controllers seem to be on their way out, replaced by simpler, more intuitive devices.
Windows 7 Gets Dated: Oct. 22
Earlier, Acer told us that Windows 7 would be available on its new all-in-one Z5600 PC starting on October 23, 2009. Later, Microsoft told us we'd get Windows 7 "by the holidays." On Tuesday, Microsoft officially announced the date: October 22nd.
Personal Tech: The DTV Transition
The Washington Post's Rob Pegoraro discusses recent reviews and answers your personal tech questions. This week he's joined by Post staff writer Kim Hart who will help take all your DTV questions.
Hall of shame for Twitter try-hards

ARE you sick of hearing about how awesome your pretentious friend or co-worker is on Twitter? Well then, you should stop following their updates.

But if you’re the snarky type, you could also dob them in to Tweeting Too Hard — a new site “where self-important tweets get the recognition they deserve”.

The site catalogues the haughtiest, most self-indulgent updates on Twitter (where, let’s face it, there are plenty to choose from) and lets users vote them up or down. Votes are called “Back Pats”.

You’ll recognise the posts instantly — there’s the update about having a great workout at the gym, the sly reference to an expensive car, a report on how flattering the mirror is today and, my favourite, the social media expert flexing their “authority”.

Here are just a few examples of brilliance from the first page:

@calibunidi I just winked at myself! HAHA I love myself

@mike29401 228 this morning. Rock-hard abs. Looking good. I’d f--- myself if I were flexible enough.

@brettschulte If you weren’t on Twitter in 2007 you are NOT an authority on social media. At all.

You can view the updates by date submitted, by number of votes or at random. My only gripe is that there isn’t a separate category for self-appointed Twitter police like @brettschulte.

Girls Vs. Boys at Math w/VIDEO

Are men naturally better at math than women or is that just an out-dated stereotype? When former Harvard president Larry Summers said publicly in 2005 that men are innately better at math, many women were outraged.So a couple of women scientists decided to research it.

What features do you want in an Apple tablet?

What features do you want in an Apple tablet?
Apple is rumored to be working on something bigger than an iPod Touch, but smaller than a MacBook, and perhaps scheduled to debut early next year. What features should it have? From customized software to an integrated camera, here's our wishlist.
4GB $99 iPhone Rumors Abound: Is It For Real This Time?
Aside from refurbished iPhones, the $99 price point for an iPhone has been a pipe dream, despite rumors of Wal-Mart carrying such a device. However, two different rumors have arisen that seem to point to the $99 iPhone becoming a reality.

Microsoft's Project Natal: You are the Controller

Will this be a busy hurricane season?
Monday's not only the first of the month or the start of the summer season meteorologically: It's the first day of hurricane season 2009.
Microsoft's Project Natal: You are the Controller
The Nintendo Wii's Wiimote has brought innovation to gaming, by allowing players to swing a tennis racket, a baseball bat, and perform other gaming motions while holding the Wiimote. But what if you didn't need to hold a controller at all? Enter Project Natal.
Microsoft Is Kicking Xbox Up a Notch
Microsoft's Xbox team took fresh aim at Nintendo yesterday, announcing a new 3D control scheme for its game console aimed at luring non-gamers in the same way the Wii has done.

Psion Drops Lawsuit Over "Netbook" Term

Video game industry in flux as E3 opens
People download 99-cent games for their iPhones, Web sites offer free online games and consumer spending is down. Is this the time to be promoting $200 video-gaming consoles and $60 games? But that's what's going on this week in Los Angeles, where the video game industry will show off its newest toys.
Psion Drops Lawsuit Over "Netbook" Term
Netbook is the term coined by Intel in early 2008 for small, cheap, low-powered subnotebooks. However, late last year, Psion began issuing cease-and-desist letters to users of the word "netbook," based on a trademark claim for the Netbook Pro, a device it no longer sells. Things escalated, all the way to a lawsuit by Psion against Intel, but it appears sanity has returned, as a settlement has been reached.

Report: Climate change crisis 'catastrophic'

Report: Climate change crisis 'catastrophic'
The first comprehensive report into the human cost of climate change warns the world is in the throes of a "silent crisis" that is killing 300,000 people each year.

Google to Enter E-Book Market: Report
According to a report in the New York Times, Google has its sights trained squarely on the e-book market. This move would pit Google against Amazon.com, which has a big head start in the e-book market with the versions it sells for its Kindle device (shown above).
Supreme Blogger
Tom Goldstein -- attorney, blogger, walking sound-bite machine -- was a guest at last week's White House rollout for Sonia Sotomayor, and moments later was holding forth on the lawn for NBC, MSNBC and Bloomberg before heading to CBS and CNN and calling back newspaper reporters from the car.