Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Sony bows to Apple format (AAC)
Sony Corp. on Tuesday announced a symbolic concession to Apple Computer Corp. on digital audio technology. The company will make its latest music management software compatible with the AAC data compression technology used by Apple
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Can We Build It Cheaper Than Dell?
We figured out last month that Dell was quite a bit cheaper at the low end. What happened when we did the same thing for a system we would actually want?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
CSS Library Launched
DHTML has been the main focus of Dynamic Drive. Now, with ever increasing CSS capabilities, CSS needs its own showcase. Enter CSS Library...
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Opera confirms: Their browser will be on the Wii
Opera has in a press release confirmed that their browser will come as an optional feature with Nintendo's new console Wii. Awesome.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Awesome! New official Spore trailer
Venus Express Has Reached Final Orbit
Less than one month after insertion into orbit, and after sixteen loops around the planet Venus, ESAâ??s Venus Express spacecraft has reached its final operational orbit.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Really easy field validation with Prototype
I wanted a robust javascript validation library that was simple to implement and didn't require me do any extra work other than creating the form.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Top 10 states with most hybrids
Top 10 states with most hybrids
Nintendo DS Opera Browser Screenshots
Microsoft Windows Vista's Security Features are "Self-Defeating"
In a scathing review of the security features built into preview versions of Microsoft's upcoming Windows Vista operating system, one analyst contends that the software giant's highly-touted security features are self-defeating and may cause some customers to put off adoption of the OS altogether.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
INDIA: PM A POSSIBILE SUCCESSOR TO KOFI ANNAN
New Delhi, 9 May (AKI/Asian Age) - India's prime minister Manmohan Singh has been sounded out unofficially for the post of United Nations secretary general, which will fall vacant at the end of the year when Kofi Annan completes his two terms in office. It could not be ascertained whether Singh has refused the offer categorically or left it hanging, to be picked up later in the year in case the current move within the Congress Party to increase the pressure against him gathers ground over the next few weeks.
The search for Annan's successor has begun in earnest, with the all-powerful UN Security Council having held a meeting at the insistance of US ambassador John Bolton to discuss the issue and, as the envoy said, "get a sense of where the Council is" on the matter.
Manmohan Singh's international image is extremely good, according to sources who pointed out that if he agrees his candidature would be accepted by all permanent members of the Security Council — namely the United States, Britain, France and Russia; with China being the only uncertainty. Western diplomats based in New Delhi have often told this correspondent that Singh is widely respected as an economist and for bringing to his job "the very popular self-effacing Indian style of functioning."
Singh could have a rival in British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is also a Washington favourite for the post. Mr Blair is currently facing strong opposition at home, and is dogged by rumours that he might have to step down to make way for a more acceptable candidate to lead his government and the Labour Party into the next elections. The BBC had in fact interviewed former US President Bill Clinton on the subject, and in response to a direct question on Mr Blair's candidature for the top UN post, he had said: "That would suit me, he would be a good one." Clinton said that he had discussed Blair's future with him, "and the lot of good you can do" after leaving 10, Downing Street.
What does not, however, stand in the British Prime Minister's favour is the unspoken rule that the UN secretary general should be drawn from countries outside the Permanent Five, and that the choice this time is settling on Asia, which is asserting its rightful claim to the post. The last UN secretary general from this continent was in 1961-71, when Burma's U Thant served for two terms. The 114-member non-aligned movement, the 54-member Asian group and the 53-member African Union have all publicly come out in support of a candidate from Asia. The three candidates who have formally thrown their hats into the ring are Thailand's deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai, Sri Lanka's Jayantha Dhanapal, who was also UN undersecretary-general for disarmament, and South Korean foreign minister Ban Ki-Moon.
The real battle for the top UN post is, however, being fought outside the public spotlight. UN undersecretary-general for communication and public information Shashi Tharoor, who is considered the right-hand man of Kofi Annan, has been lobbying hard, but despite two quick visits to India in recent weeks has been unable to get a commitment of support from the government. Other indications that India might like to play for the post of secretary general has come from the government's reluctance to name a candidate for the post of deputy secretary general, although at one stage the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who is also very close to the Indian Prime Minister, was doing the rounds. Also, now that India has been denied a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, sources said, makes it a major contender for the top UN post.
India has till now not even indicated an interest in fielding a candidate for the UN post which, sources said, could be an indication that the job is on offer to the prime minister Sources, however, were quick to point out that it was not at all clear as yet whether Dr Manmohan Singh was interested, although if he was the United States, Russia, Britain and France could be expected to support his candidature without any objections. China is, of course, keen on an Asian candidate, but might not be very keen to support an Indian because of the strengthening relations between New Delhi and Washington.
The search for Annan's successor has begun in earnest, with the all-powerful UN Security Council having held a meeting at the insistance of US ambassador John Bolton to discuss the issue and, as the envoy said, "get a sense of where the Council is" on the matter.
Manmohan Singh's international image is extremely good, according to sources who pointed out that if he agrees his candidature would be accepted by all permanent members of the Security Council — namely the United States, Britain, France and Russia; with China being the only uncertainty. Western diplomats based in New Delhi have often told this correspondent that Singh is widely respected as an economist and for bringing to his job "the very popular self-effacing Indian style of functioning."
Singh could have a rival in British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is also a Washington favourite for the post. Mr Blair is currently facing strong opposition at home, and is dogged by rumours that he might have to step down to make way for a more acceptable candidate to lead his government and the Labour Party into the next elections. The BBC had in fact interviewed former US President Bill Clinton on the subject, and in response to a direct question on Mr Blair's candidature for the top UN post, he had said: "That would suit me, he would be a good one." Clinton said that he had discussed Blair's future with him, "and the lot of good you can do" after leaving 10, Downing Street.
What does not, however, stand in the British Prime Minister's favour is the unspoken rule that the UN secretary general should be drawn from countries outside the Permanent Five, and that the choice this time is settling on Asia, which is asserting its rightful claim to the post. The last UN secretary general from this continent was in 1961-71, when Burma's U Thant served for two terms. The 114-member non-aligned movement, the 54-member Asian group and the 53-member African Union have all publicly come out in support of a candidate from Asia. The three candidates who have formally thrown their hats into the ring are Thailand's deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai, Sri Lanka's Jayantha Dhanapal, who was also UN undersecretary-general for disarmament, and South Korean foreign minister Ban Ki-Moon.
The real battle for the top UN post is, however, being fought outside the public spotlight. UN undersecretary-general for communication and public information Shashi Tharoor, who is considered the right-hand man of Kofi Annan, has been lobbying hard, but despite two quick visits to India in recent weeks has been unable to get a commitment of support from the government. Other indications that India might like to play for the post of secretary general has come from the government's reluctance to name a candidate for the post of deputy secretary general, although at one stage the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who is also very close to the Indian Prime Minister, was doing the rounds. Also, now that India has been denied a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, sources said, makes it a major contender for the top UN post.
India has till now not even indicated an interest in fielding a candidate for the UN post which, sources said, could be an indication that the job is on offer to the prime minister Sources, however, were quick to point out that it was not at all clear as yet whether Dr Manmohan Singh was interested, although if he was the United States, Russia, Britain and France could be expected to support his candidature without any objections. China is, of course, keen on an Asian candidate, but might not be very keen to support an Indian because of the strengthening relations between New Delhi and Washington.
Cancer Cured!! (in mice)
Three years ago, Wake Forest researchers discovered a mouse that could not get cancer no matter how hard they tried to give it the disease. Now, they said white blood cells from that mouse's descendants were injected into ordinary mice with cancer and their disease was completely wiped out. Nifty!
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Microsoft Live Messenger Launches
The beta of the successor to MSN Messenger launched just moments ago. It allow easy file transfers based on Foldershare technology and has expanded VOIP, video, and customization features.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
LIVE VOTE: WIll you pony up the cash for the PS3?
MSNBC has a poll up as to whether you're willing to pay $499 for the PS3. Wonder how different the results would be if they asked about the $599 model.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Patent Office Will Ask The Public To "Peer Review" Inventions
The US Patent and Trademark Office has launched "Peer to Patent," a community patent peer review project. The USPTO is overloaded with patent filings, so it does little or no investigation into patents before rubber-stamping them. IBM has agreed to have its patents vetted by the public as a guinea pig in the project.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Scientist discover Water "acts like a glue"
When water vapor condenses in a nano-sized space between two surfaces, the liquid behaves more like solid ice than liquid water, even at room temperature. This solidification causes water to exert such a strong friction force that it â??acts like a glue,â?? according to a new study.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
FreeBSD 6.1-RELEASE is out!
FreeBSD 6.1 has been released! It comes with many bug fixes and new drivers. Note: no official annoucement as of this writing. Happy Unixin' ;)
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
KDE to Become Better Supported on the Ubuntu Platform
"At LinuxTag on Saturday, a meeting of Kubuntu and KDE contributors was held in order to improve the collaboration of both projects. The aim was to to talk about the common future of both projects. Jonathan Riddell and Mark Shuttleworth from Canonical attended the meeting."
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Apple's Intel Mac mini sales strong; being purchased as "Media Centers"
Apple Computer's new line of Intel-based Macs remain strong sellers this month, with "solid" demand for not only the company's iMac and MacBook Pro offerings but also the Mac mini, according to a new research note from UBS Investment Research
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
I drive a $30K, 80mph, 166mpg SUV
Good post on how practical driving a Toyota RAV4 electric car is, and why we haven't heard of it. Also who is trying to supress this tech for money, at the cost of pollution and gas prices. Sorry, but here comes the Digg Effect, lawmakers-for-hire!
Also leaves a burnout at the emissions place when they forced him to take it in, lol.
read more | digg story
Also leaves a burnout at the emissions place when they forced him to take it in, lol.
read more | digg story
Zelda: Twilight Princess Wii Features Revealed
The seemingly never ending saga of the Wiimote and Zelda: Twilight Princess has finally come to a definitive close. We knew it was going to contain special Wii functionality, but now we know the hows of it.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
OLED Paper Displays Could be $10 Billion Industry by 2011
Research firm NanoMarkets forecasts the global market for OLED and Paper-like displays will reach $10.2 billion by 2011.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
The FBI vs. On-line Video Pirates in 'Operation Copycat'
'Operation Copycat' has it all--pre-dawn raids, honeypots, undercover agents and FBI hackers. It may sound like a Hollywood script, but it's your tax dollars at work.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Pro-Microsoft group accuses Massachusetts of 'open-source bias'
A trade association has blasted the Massachusetts Information and Technology Division for requesting a plug-in for Microsoft's Office Suite, saying the policy is "a biased, open source-only preference policy."
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Do 15 Things to Live Until Age 129
Live to 129. "Take heed: Your lifestyle choices are very significant. While there is no way to ultimately defy death, that isn't an excuse to start indulging in vices and neglecting your health. There are plenty of ways to keep the grim reaper at bay â?? and many of these "secrets" result in an improved quality of life."
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Gallery of Dinosaur Electronic Products
Did you ever use any of these?
I had gotten pretty good on the Unisys system between 1991-1993.
read more | digg story
I had gotten pretty good on the Unisys system between 1991-1993.
read more | digg story
The Six Minute Project
The six minute project is an interactive multimedia experiment, in which people take a picture of whatever they are doing, wherever they are, every six minutes for 24 waking hours. The result of each contributing gallery is 240 connecting snapshots that tell one story.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
IRTTech Blog