Common Sense Junction Technology Blog Headlines

Common Sense Junction

Technology Blog Headlines

FCC releases some details of its broadband plan
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:36 pm MDT
Sick of slow Internet connections? The federal government hears you.
A webmaster without the high-speed Web
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:12 pm MDT
Like a photographer without a camera, or a mechanic who doesn't own a car, Kelli Fields is a webmaster without high-speed Internet access.
SXSW: LikeCube Powers Recommendations for Locations
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm MDT
LikeCube combines metadata, user activity and personalization to help its clients, such as Qype, the European Yelp, recommend locations on a per-user basis. It works around the idea that the wisdom of the crowds isn't smart enough to find the right place for everybody.
Twitter CEO: We Want You to Spend Less Time on Twitter
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm MDT
"We have no interest in just increasing the time you spend on the Twitter site -- if anything we'd like to decrease it," said Twitter CEO Evan Williams. "We want to make Twitter a tool for you that helps you get stuff done."
How To Make Organic LEDs [DIY]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm MDT

They're a bit complicated and somewhat experimental, but these instructions for homemade organic LEDs are nothing short of thorough. Sure you can just buy OLEDs, but that's just not even half as fun as struggling to make them yourself. More »
Dear diary: I did WHAT!
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm MDT
Microsoft Research is driving a new class of digital device: the SenseCam - a lifecorder. Record your daily life - including Tequila binges. Diary writing is about to be replaced with an explosion of personal pics, video and OMG, I did WHAT!!
Dishwasher How To Guide Conquers NYT 'Most-Emailed' List [Questions]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:40 pm MDT

When will this article about dishwasher soap stop being the most-emailed New York Times article? More »
NBP: inside the FCC's spectrum revolution (and its problems)
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:40 pm MDT

In the months preceding the release of the Federal Communications Commission's National Broadband Plan, the agency made clear that it wants to broker a huge transfer of licensed spectrum away from the television broadcasting sector and toward the wireless phone/broadband industry. FCC Chair Julius Genachowski has long called for 500MHz of bandwidth to be found in the TV bands and elsewhere, then moved to the wireless sector over the next decade.

In fact, the NBP calls for freeing up 300MHz starting just below the UHF zone (300MHz to 3GHz) to be made "newly available for mobile use within five years." On top of that, the Plan wants to open up 20MHz of licensed space in the little-known 2.3GHz Wireless Communications Service (WCS) band for mobile broadband use.

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Former Air Force General Talks Art of War In Outer Space [Blockquote]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:20 pm MDT

Outer space has long been considered humanity's final frontier. But for retired Air Force General Lester Lyles, it's just the final front. When it comes to observing the enemy, he explained recently, the farther out we are the better. More »
Hello! Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition Starting To Show Up In A Ton Of Gaming Rigs [Intel]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:06 pm MDT

Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition is six-cored, twelve-threaded, and starting to show up in a lot of gaming rigs by some popular builders: More »
Maingear, Digital Storm, CyberPower and Velocity Micro announce i7-980X six-core desktops
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:53 pm MDT
The deluge of systems offering i7-980X CPUs has begun, with several gaming PC vendors adding the new Intel six-core processor to their lineups. That includes Maingear, which is selling its Shift performance desktop (pictured) for $3,290 with the first Gulftown CPU. Key specs at that price are 6GB of DDR3 RAM, 750GB hard drive, ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics card, and complimentary factory overclocking. You also get USB 3.0 and SATA 6GBps support via the Asus motherboard. For even bigger spenders, Digital Storm is offering its BlackOPS gaming desktop with the i7-980X for a cool $5,642. Along with the new Extreme Edition processor, you get some features similar to the Shift�6GB RAM, 500GB hard drive�but the graphics firepower gets pumped...
Scientists Might Make A Pill That'll Give You Photographic Memory [Memory Forever]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:40 pm MDT

Researchers have discovered that increasing production of a protein called RGS-14 could significantly boost visual memory. They are currently investigating the exact effects on humans, but all I can think is: Photographic memory in pill form. More »
PSA/PPM Goes Vertical â�� Better Time to Value for ChangePoint Solutions
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:25 pm MDT
Compuware Changepoint has created a faster time to value solution for technology firms. PSA and PPM solutions are getting deeper vertical chops.
Diane Birch Lives In a Projector Screen—and Now In My Head Too [Music]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:20 pm MDT

Diane Birch is very very very cute. She's also a lovely singer. Her song Valentino is chirpy and sweet, and her music video—with its ghetto augmented reality—is quite ingenious. Watch it. You'll like it. Then, watch the how-to: More »
Three Tricks to Innovation Management
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:17 pm MDT
Many of the technologists that I speak with like the concept of social media, but stumble when it comes to cost justification. Innovation is a hard one to put a dollar sign on and social media certainly suffers from those ills. Crowdsourcing solutions have a better play in this area - if one can address a number of challenges. A recent conversation I had with BT Groups's Head of Innovation Services offers some clues on that score. Crowdsourcing platforms enable organizations to quantify the thinking of their customers, employees and partners to develop new products and processes for the organization. Dell's IdeaStorm has churned out thousands of ideas, but Dell's not the only player to adopt crowdsourcing. Cisco's recently adopted Spigit for its I-Prize...
Airstash wireless card reader lets you share and transfer files via WiFi
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:16 pm MDT
Imagine being able to transfer photos and videos between your smartphone, laptop, and desktop -- or, say, that iPad you pre-ordered -- without cables or dongles. That's what the Airstash, announced today by Wearable, Inc., promises to do.
"Marry Your Horse" Senate Candidate Lied So Much on Maddow [Lies]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:05 pm MDT

Last night, Rachel Maddow and J.D. "I guess you could marry your horse" Hayworth faced off. Hayworth's strategy was to basically deny everything Maddow said about him. But everything he said, basically, was a lie. BREAKING: Politicians are liars. More »
Social network's CEO documents flight nightmare live
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:52 pm MDT
David Martin, the CEO of visual update site Kontain, was on the 14-hour nightmare Virgin America flight from LA to NY. He documented the worst parts live using the airline's Wi-Fi.
Over-the-Air Android 2.1 Updates for Droid May Start This Thursday [Android]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:52 pm MDT

We just heard the details about the Android 2.1 update for the Droid and now we may have an arrival date. According to Android Central, over-the-air updates will start rolling out in stages this Thursday. [Android Central—Thanks, Phil!] More »
"Neuroframing" the global warming issue won't win converts
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:50 pm MDT
Basically, this was a brainstorming session on how to market “solutions” to global warming more effectively. The emphasis on packaging reminded me of the controversial proposal... that scientists need to become more adept at “framing” issues such as global warming to win the debate.
How to use Multi-touch in Android 2: Part 6, Implementing the Pinch Zoom Gesture
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:42 pm MDT
Over the course of this series we've been working on a simple image viewer that lets you move and zoom a picture on the screen with touch gestures. This part wraps up the example with the code that implements multi-touch pinch zooming. All source code can be downloaded from the "Hello, Android" book web site.
CardKing iPhone App Scans and Stores All Your Membership Cards [Apps]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:40 pm MDT

I constantly forget to carry all my membership, club, discount, and scan-this-when-you-buy-something-and-get-points-that-you-don't-really-know-what-to-do-with cards. But I do remember to carry my iPhone. Solution? Use the free CardKing app to scan my forgotten cards and pull up the barcodes when they're needed. More »
Next Generation iPod Might Have Sleeves [Ipants]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:39 pm MDT

Apple has hired "wearable computing" expert Richard DeVaul as a prototype scientist. Devaul invented something called "memory glasses" which display reminders onto glasses lenses. Here's a suggestion: A pair of Bermuda shorts that can save the magazine industry. [WSJ] More »
Jury rules against Microsoft in patent suit
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:32 pm MDT
Texas jury finds that Microsoft willfully infringed on patents related to virtual private network technology, awarding plaintiff VirnetX $105 million.
Big cable pushes 7 "consumer principles" for cable, IP video
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:30 pm MDT

As the Federal Communications Commission hands its National Broadband Plan over to Congress, the cable industry's top trade association has issued a manifesto that looks pretty good, at least on paper. It boils down to seven "consumer principles," says the National Telecommunications and Cable Association, to which cable operators will adhere, "and which we believe could serve as the foundation for Commission and inter-industry efforts."

The principles have a sort of FCC Internet Policy Statement or even FDR Four Freedoms speech feeling to them, but focus on mobility of content, portability of devices, and ease of Internet access. They include the Holy Grail: "1. Consumers should have the option to purchase video devices at retail that can access their multichannel provider's video services without a set-top box supplied by that provider." A right-to-broadband clause: "3. Consumers should have the option to access video content from the Internet through their multichannel provider’s video devices and retail video devices." And a freedom-of-platform commitment: "5. Consumers should have the option to easily and securely move video content between and among devices in their homes."

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It’s Official: News Media Are Missing The Twitter Boat
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:29 pm MDT
Hitwise research shows that less than 0.2 percent of Twitter users go to news and media sites after they visit the social network's web site, which says more about the failure of media outlets to take advantage of Twitter than it does about Twitter users.
MIT building self-assembling computer chips
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:28 pm MDT
Researchers at MIT are coaxing molecules to automatically arrange themselves into useful patterns on microchips, possibly allowing for much smaller chip features.
Vicious Attack Ad Targets Karl Rove's Book [Things We Actually Like]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:21 pm MDT

The authors of the business book Rework noticed Karl Rove was standing between them and the number one bestseller slot on Amazon.com. So they created this awesomely fun takedown of the Republican strategist's Courage and Consequence. It's positively Rovian. More »
Methane May Be Building Under Antarctic Ice
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:20 pm MDT
Microbes living under ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland could be churning out large quantities of the greenhouse gas methane, a new study suggests.
Eurocom jams i7-980X six-core desktop processor into 17-inch D900F Panther laptop
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:15 pm MDT
Desktop makers are all getting into the act with freshly updated systems that feature the new Intel i7-980X Extreme Edition six-core CPU, but so is a boutique laptop builder as well. Eurocom is one of a few vendors that squeezes desktop processors into hot and heavy notebooks whose heft and lap-scorching capabilities result in these desktop replacements mostly staying on the desktop. The company now offers the fastest desktop CPU ever as an option for its D900F Panther laptop workstation, which can frankly be configured as well as most desktops. Of course, that's not true in its base configuration�6GB of DDR3 RAM, 250GB hard drive, Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M graphics card, but no OS installed. Add the i7-980X to...
Windows Phone 7 and Internet Explorer 9: Here's What Happened [Mix2010]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:13 pm MDT

The most interesting parts of Microsoft's Mix conference have come to a close, leaving us with two steaming news lumps: One for Windows Phone 7, and one for Internet Explorer 9. Here's what's in them! More »
The Twitterati Hitch a Ride [Twitterati]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:03 pm MDT

Zach Klein and Megan McCarthy tried to hustle their way out of Austin; Brian Stelter and Ana Marie Cox wished bourbon on their audience; and Jeff Jarvis helped an old-media addict escape denial. South by Southwest changed the Twitterati. More »
Smart water sensors use wireless to detect dryness levels
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:02 pm MDT
So, you might have heard that it's a bit wet here in New Jersey. So, as I was pursuing the green blogs this evening, this item jumped out at me from EarthTechling: an article about new sensors that use wireless to detect when the soil is wet and keep from overwatering. The technology, which is called the S.Sense Wireless Soil-Moisture Sensor Upgrade, is from a company called Digital Sun. The gadgets work with your existing irrigation system, which means that you can retrofit what you have rather than digging up your lawn to be a little more sensible about water usage. It's not exactly cheap, though. The starter kit with 1 receiver, 1 sensor and 1 sensor install tool costs...
Researchers Convert Solar Energy To Sugars
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:00 pm MDT
Engineers from the University of Cincinnati devise a foam that captures energy and removes excess carbon dioxide from the air thanks to semi-tropical frogs.
This Is How Solar Roadways Actually Look [Energy]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:00 pm MDT

When I first read about Solar Roadways—super-tough solar panels with built-in LED signs designed to turn roads into power plants—I thought that they were never going to happen. Well, here's a prototype. [Solar Roadways via GadgetReview] More »
The Great $75 Million Pill Heist [Heists]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:46 pm MDT

You can tell a lot about a culture by which things it produces are worth stealing. On Sunday, thieves rappelled through a hole cut in the ceiling of a warehouse and made off with $75 million dollars in pills. More »
Virtual PC hole could lead to attacks, security firm says
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:37 pm MDT
Microsoft is downplaying the problem, but Core Security says the vulnerability could allow an attacker to bypass security defenses to compromise virtualized Windows systems.
SEC: Stocks boosted via hijacked accounts
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:26 pm MDT
Complaint accuses company of using stolen log-in credentials to buy stocks at inflated prices while selling stocks for a profit through legitimate accounts.
IBM 305 RAMAC: The Grandaddy of Modern Hard Drives [Memory Forever]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:20 pm MDT

The IBM 305 RAMAC, which debuted in 1956, was the first computer with a hard drive. It was 16 square feet, weighed over a ton, and had to be transported by plane. But it sure as Hell beat punch cards. More »
FCC releases plan to improve U.S. Web access
→ CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:18 pm MDT
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission released a national "broadband plan" Tuesday that aims to give 90 percent of Americans access to affordable, high-speed Internet by 2020.
Paperless in Seattle - digital news media success stories
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:18 pm MDT
Can newspapers survive without the 'paper?' The Seattle area has spawned many successful digital news media ventures...
A webmaster without the high-speed Web
→ CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:12 pm MDT
In rural Oklahoma, Kelli Fields struggles with a dial-up Internet connection so slow she does chores to pass the time while Web sites load. Today, the FCC unveils a plan to get 9 out of 10 Americans on broadband by 2020.
Day one content: Bioware explains why it's sometimes legit
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:01 pm MDT

Games are now supported long after they're released in retail stores, but some consumers cry foul when they buy a game, go online, and see there is already downloadable content to add to the experience. Why force gamers to go online to get the content? Why not just include the content on the disc?

We spoke with Casey Hudson, the project director for Mass Effect 2, at GDC. He's a man who knows a little bit about post-release content, and he explained it in a way that makes sense. The simple answer? It takes time to get discs into the hands of gamers.

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Which Fish Are Cubicle-Friendly? [Ask Lifehacker]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:00 pm MDT

Dear Lifehacker,
Yesterday you shared an article about cube-friendly plants. Any tips on cube-friendly fish? I've heard everything from Bettas to Goldfish to no fish at all. What would you suggest? More »
Copy/Paste May Not Initially be Available for Windows Phone 7 Series
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:55 pm MDT
Microsoft drops another bombshell at MIX10
Windows Phone forgets how to copy and paste
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:55 pm MDT
Although previous versions of Windows Mobile have long supported a clipboard to move content around, the Windows Phone 7 Series devices due out this year won't have that ability.
Verizon Teases Us With Android 2.1 Update Details for the Droid [Android]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:53 pm MDT

We're still waiting to get Android 2.1 on our Droids, but at least Verizon has shared the details of what's coming: More »
Hey Microsoft, Don't F*ck Up Windows Phone 7 [Rant]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:51 pm MDT

Dear Microsoft, you did a good job at out-Appling Apple with the Windows Phone 7. At least on paper. But instead of trying to beat them completely, it seems that you want to screw it all with two stupid decisions. More »
SEC: Hacker Manipulated Stock Prices
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:50 pm MDT
United States regulators are moving to freeze the assets and trading accounts of a Russian accused of hacking into personal online portfolios and manipulating the price of dozens of stocks listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market and New York Stock Exchange...
KaleidoVid Is a Fun Video Kaleidoscope For the iPhone [IPhone Apps]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:40 pm MDT

Kaleidoscopes: Fun for five minutes when you were a kid until you discover the joy of the opposite gender. KaleidoVid, however, is fun for considerably longer, because it involves your phone! More »
Does Microsoft thinking copying the 2007 iPhone is a good idea?
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:33 pm MDT
We are hearing more details about Windows Phone 7 Series from the MIX10 event in Vegas, but some of what we are hearing leaves us wondering why Microsoft is taking smartphone back a couple of years this late in the game.
Windows Phone 7 Takes Its Cue From the iPhone
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:29 pm MDT
Microsoft is sharing details of its new Windows Phone 7 series devices at the MIX10 developer event. Five key attributes of the new platform are surprisingly similar to Apple's iPhone -- and some are the very things that critics decried Apple for. Might this help Android?
XpanD working on universal 3D glasses
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:26 pm MDT
The active-shutter glasses will work on any major manufacturer's TV when they arrive in June, according to the company.
Survey: Macs cost notably less to support than Windows PCs
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:18 pm MDT

Macs are often the black sheep in the many enterprise environments which have been dominated by Windows for nearly two decades, but the growing consumerization of IT is slowly changing that perception. Though Macs often have a higher up-front price than many business-class PCs, Macs are usually believed to have a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) due to lower support costs. A recent survey of IT professionals in large enterprise environments that have a mix of Macs and PCs overwhelmingly agree that Macs cost less than PCs to support.

The Enterprise Desktop Alliance, which seeks to make it easier to integrate Macs in Windows-centric IT deployments, surveyed IT admins from companies that made large deployments, including universities and government agencies. Responses included in EDA's analysis include those from environments with a mix of Macs and PCs that had a total of 50 servers or over 100 Macs.

A majority of respondents said that Macs cost less in terms of time spent troubleshooting, user training, help desk calls, and system configuration. Admins generally agreed that costs related to software licensing and supporting infrastructure were the same between the two platforms.

Two-thirds of those managing mixed environments plan to increase the number of Macs deployed in 2010. Twenty-nine percent cited lower TCO as a "key reason" for deploying Macs. Almost half cited lower TCO, ease of support, or a combination of the two as leading factors in Mac adoption. User preference and increased productivity were considered important factors as well.

"As a greater percentage of enterprise applications become OS-neutral, the cost to support a more diverse hardware and OS mix will decrease, making Macs a more viable choice for a greater number of users who continue to demand them," noted Michael Silver, vice president and research director at Gartner, in a recent report on PC trends. Macs tend to be popular among C-level execs, as well as with those in creative departments and developers (especially cross-platform developers).

Apple has historically done little to actively develop a traditional strategy to target enterprise deployment. Instead, the company tends to focus on consumers first, and lets individuals drive enterprise demand for its computers and mobile devices. It does, though, make continual small improvements that make it easier to integrate Macs, iPhones, and soon iPads into many corporate environments.

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Sarcasm is completely lost on Comcast (PIC)
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:10 pm MDT
*****
Water Front Property [Pic Of The Day]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:01 pm MDT

[The owners of this house in Little Falls, New Jersey, probably aren't all that chipper since they're still displaced from their home, which was flooded by the storm that hit the New York area this weekend. Image via Getty] More »
In Case Self-Assembling Machinery Didn't Scare You Before... [Chips]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:00 pm MDT

When chipmakers slim down their silicon, they need finer and finer tools to organize all that circuitry. With MIT's latest self-assembling chips, the detail work is handled by molecular strands that, freakishly, just know where to go. More »
Magic Mouse, Fixed Makes Your Magic Mouse More Ergonomic [Stuff We Like]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:00 pm MDT

If you're a big fan of Apple's Magic Mouse but not such a big fan of the hand and wrist pain that many people experience after extended use, you'll want to check out this cheap hack. More »
Researchers teach liquid to flow uphill to cool future CPUs
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:50 pm MDT
[VIDEO]. And who knows? Maybe your next PC will be cooled by streams of water flowing freely inside the case.
Nova Spivack’s Live Matrix: A Programming Guide for the Live Web
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:45 pm MDT
The web is now host to many live events -- streaming video, virtual worlds meetings, online sample sales -- but there's no grid to tell us where it all lives and what's on at any one time. That's what Live Matrix wants to do.
In Defense of No Multitasking: Microsoft Edition [Windows Phone 7]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:44 pm MDT

Windows Phone 7 won't have full multitasking for third party apps, which, given Windows Mobile's multitasking past, took people off guard. Here's how Microsoft's Scott Guthrie answers for this. Warning: The rationalizations might sound a little familiar. More »
Exploring status quo bias in the human brain
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:40 pm MDT
The more difficult the decision we face, the more likely we are not to act, according to new research by UCL scientists that examines the neural pathways involved in 'status quo bias' in the human brain.
Alex eReader set to ship two weeks after iPad
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:39 pm MDT
Spring Design's intriguing Android-powered Alex eReader is set to ship in the middle of April for $399.
General relativity passes a large scale test
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:37 pm MDT

General relativity, our current best understanding of gravity, has passed yet another test—this time on a much larger length scale. Ever since relativity's first confirmation in 1919, when Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington observed that the light from distant stars was shifted by the mass of the sun, direct tests have been confined to length scales smaller than our solar system. No test to date has stringently probed general relativity's applicability to the length scales of the universe itself.

A paper that is published in the current edition of Nature reports on research that incorporates gravitational lensing, galaxy clustering measurements, and growth rates of large scale structures to measure a single parameter that can be compared to the predictions of general relativity. To probe the effect of gravity at large length scales—on the order of two to 50 megaparsecs (MPc) at a redshift of 0.32—the authors describe a variable E_G that incorporates three physical parameters and can be used to differentiate between competing theories of gravity.

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William Shatner takes on Facebook
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:35 pm MDT
The "Star Trek" actor has created his own social network, MyOuterSpace.com, a "sci-fi social network for those with a passion for the arts."
FCC feels the need for Internet speed
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:29 pm MDT
The United States has big problems with broadband access, speed and cost, but the Federal Communications Commission's solutions may be too weak to have any lasting impact.
Keyboard dock, other iPad accessories will be MIA on April 3
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:20 pm MDT
The launch of the WiFi iPad is only a couple weeks away, but only two of the advertised accessories will be available on that day. The rest have been delayed until May, and one seems to be missing from the store altogether.
Democrats To Subvert Democracy By Only Voting Once to Pass Bill [Demon Pass]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:18 pm MDT

Democrats are going to use a slightly obscure but by-no-means unprecedented parliamentary procedure to pass health care reform through the House. The only reason to do this is because they are idiots. More »
NBC Actors Learn They're Being Forced to Guest On The Marriage Ref [Open Caption]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:15 pm MDT

[Julianne Moore and Jack McBrayer on the '30 Rock' set in New York today; image via Splash] More »
Which Sequel Will Be Worse: Sex and the City 2 or Wall Street 2? [Battle Royale]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:10 pm MDT

Once they hobble into theaters later this year, both the sequel to Sex and the City and Wall Street will be about outmoded characters living in a fantasy New York City of the past. But which one will suck harder? More »
Best Tax Preparation Tool: Turbo Tax [Hive Five Followup]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm MDT

It's getting close to the deadline for that tax-filing time of year. Last week we asked you to share your favorite tool for preparing your taxes and then we rounded them up for a vote. Now we're back with the results. More »
Microsoft: Blu-ray costs holding PS3 back
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:57 pm MDT
As a company that doesn't offer Blu-ray, it's easy for Microsoft to take the high-def format to task. But whether it's holding the PS3 back is up for debate.
Unsurprisingly, IE9 won't be supported on an obsolete OS
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:52 pm MDT

Internet Explorer General Manager Dean Hachamovitch all but confirmed today that the next version of Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer 9, will not be supported on Windows XP.

Hachamovitch stopped short of explicitly saying that XP would not be supported, but said that building a "modern browser" required a "modern operating system." IE9 will be heavily dependent on hardware acceleration, courtesy of its use of Direct2D and DirectWrite; neither API is available on Windows XP.

That IE9 would use these features has been known since last year's PDC, and so the lack of XP support should come as a surprise to few. Nonetheless, there are sure to be some who will gripe that the newest browser (not likely to hit until next year at the earliest) won't be available for a decade-old operating system.

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Owe Someone Money? Just Bump Your Phones
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:50 pm MDT
PayPal's new iPhone application promises to make it easier to exchange money without cash or checks.
Comment of the Day: Kirstie Alley Crushes Michael Moore [We Read You]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:46 pm MDT

Today we took a look at crazy Kirstie Alley and her crazy pills. You people had much to say — about Scientology, weight loss, and bullshit. But one commenter was reminded of a larger, and timelier, political debate. More »
Pfizer Employee Claims Company Fired Her After Infection From An Engineered Virus
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:38 pm MDT

Lawsuit calls into question whether cutting-edge research is moving too fast for safety regulations to keep up
A former Pfizer scientist is suing the pharmaceuticals giant after alleging she contracted an artificial, HIV-like, virus created by a colleague. In her lawsuit, Becky McClain claims Pfizer unlawfully dismissed her while she suffered bouts of paralysis brought on by the man-made virus. Pfizer denies these accusations, and says McClain simply didn't come to work, and only linked her problems to engineered-disease exposure after she was fired.

According to McClain, researchers in her lab genetically engineered an artificial lentivirus, a class of viruses that also includes HIV. McClain believes that she became infected by the virus due to faulty safety measures, resulting in complete body paralysis as often as 12 times every month.

For its part, Pfizer claims that its facilities maintain the required level of safety, a position that OSHA agrees with. Pfizer contends that they responded to McClain's initial complaints about the failure of lab safety devices, and that she refused to return to work even after Pfizer offered to transfer her to a different area. Additionally, Pfizer also claims that McClain's illness could not have resulted from the escaped virus, since it was not engineered from a human virus, or with the genetic code needed for reproduction and infection.

Most likely, we will never know if it is Pfizer's virus that caused McClain's health problems. The court case will focus mostly on safety procedures in the laboratory, not on what exactly from the lab caused the illness. Also, Pfizer refuses to release the genome of the suspected virus, preventing both identification of the disease, as well as the development of a possible cure.

[The Hartford Courant]
Meet the Generation That Will Save and/or Destroy the New York Times [Dynasties]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:36 pm MDT

The only way the New York Times can escape the clutches of a Mexican billionaire is by successfully instituting a paywall. Who has it chosen to manage this treacherous path? The publisher's nephew. He used to run a DJ school. More »
“Buzz off, man. Buzz off." [Scumbags]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:34 pm MDT

Hiram Monserrate: still a tremendous asshole. More »
New York Times Science Section Editors Don't Buy Your Egghead 'Science' [We're Doomed]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:32 pm MDT

"Two sources at the Science Times section of the New York Times have told me that a majority of the section's editorial staff doubts that human-induced global warming represents a serious threat to humanity." -Science writer John Horgan. More »
HBO Is Going to Be Awesome All Over Again [Its Not Tv]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:20 pm MDT

Two new shows from two old talents, Terrence Winter's Boardwalk Empire and David Simon's Treme, are debuting this year on HBO and we couldn't be more excited. Just look at these two new longer-form trailers. More »
Humans Could Regenerate Tissue Like Newts Do By Switching Off a Single Gene
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:15 pm MDT

Scientists have long been stymied by human regenerative healing -- that is, wholesale regrowth of, say, a severed limb -- an ability inherent in some species but lost on humans. But new research suggests the ability to regenerate isn't based on something newts and flatworms have that we don't; rather, it's something we do have that's keeping us from regenerating tissues. Researchers think a gene called p21 may control regenerative healing, and that by switching it off, humans could perform our own regeneration.

The new research suggests that the potential to heal without scarring -- or possibly even to regrow a limb, albeit in a limited manner -- may lie dormant in human cells, kept in check by the p21 gene. A group of lab mice engineered to lack p21 were able to regenerate surgically removed tissue to the point that no evidence of the surgery remained. Holes punched in their ears -- a standard procedure for tagging lab animals -- also healed perfectly, leaving behind no traces of scar tissue or previous damage.

Essentially, switching off the p21 gene allows adult cells to behave like pluripotent stem cells, reorienting themselves into whatever kind of tissue they need to be. But naturally there is a give-and-take; p21 is closely intertwined with another gene, p53, a cell-division regulator that, if allowed to run amok, can lead to many types of cancers. The p21 gene acts as a safety valve for p53, stopping cell division in the case of DNA damage. So switching off p21 can allow cells to engage in regenerative healing, but the risks of doing so include rampant cell division (read: cancer).

However, in the p21-free lab mice there was no cancer surge as one might expect, but rather an increase in apoptosis, or cell suicide, which directs damaged cells to destroy themselves. So it would appear that by striking some kind of controlled balance between allowing regenerative cells to work, while letting apoptosis regulate out-of-control cell division, could lead to regenerative treatments for humans somewhere down the road.

[Guardian]
House of Lords gives thumbs up to 3 strikes, site takedown
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:14 pm MDT

The UK's House of Lords has passed a version of the Digital Economy Bill that eliminated one controversial anti-piracy measure but added a new one in its place. The bill, which includes a three-strikes provision that will suspend the service of repeat copyright infringers, will now be considered by the Commons. There are promises that a provision that would require ISPs to block access to sites used for infringement will be revised during the process, but the rush to complete work on the law ahead of the UK's coming elections has left a number of advocacy groups feeling that major changes to copyright enforcement are being rushed through Parliament without proper consideration.

The Digital Economy Bill was first introduced last November, at which point attention focused on a provision that some claimed would turn the UK's Secretary of state into a "Pirate Finder General." Although the government wouldn't specify anti-piracy measures in the bill proper, it reserved the power for the Secretary of State to take unnamed actions in the future, if those actions were likely to reduce infringement.

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Spider silk secrets could spin cheaper fibers
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:02 pm MDT
MIT researchers have untangled some of the mysteries of sturdy spider silk in hopes of emulating it in a cheap, synthetic form.
Tech finds its place at SXSWi (roundup)
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:00 pm MDT
As the Web generation descends on the South by Southwest Interactive show in Austin, AT&T's network actually works, Twitter announces its @Anywhere platform, Facebook focuses on games, and Digg unveils a revamp.
Kill Desktop Clutter by Banishing Transient Stuff [Clutter]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:00 pm MDT

If you haven't fought a battle with desktop clutter and mess, you're either without a desk, or in a pleasant minority. The rest of us can keep clutter from accumulating by banishing the transient junk from our workspaces. More »
Twenty highest-radiation cell phones
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:58 pm MDT
For the last 10 years, CNET has kept a running list of cell phones with the highest SAR (specific absorption rate) levels. Here's a look at the 20 cell phones (among current U.S. models) with the highest SAR ratings as stated by the FCC.
No big announcement at Spotify's SXSWi talk
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:52 pm MDT
CEO Daniel Ek has created one of the most talked-about products in the music industry, but despite rumors, he isn't ready to bring it to the U.S.
Fastest Binary Stars Ever Discovered Orbit Each Other at 310 Miles Per Second
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:33 pm MDT

Despite moving at 18 miles per second, it still takes the Earth a year to make it around the Sun. For HM Cancri, an orbit takes a little bit less time: around five minutes. At that speed, HM Cancri is the fastest binary star pair ever discovered, with each white dwarf circling the other at a speed of 310 miles per second.

Initially, scientists were shocked that a solar pair could spin so quickly, and assumed it was a single, larger star whirling about. However, more recent studies that utilized Earth's second most powerful telescope found that the system wobbled more than expected from a single star. The only other explanation was a tightly bound pair of small stars.

Not only is HM Cancri the fastest binary star system every discovered, but it is almost the fastest binary star system possible. If they orbited each other any more quickly, say, on the order of three minutes per orbit, the stars would pull so close that they would begin siphoning helium off one another. At that point, the system would experience a special kind of supernova. The resulting blast would then slow down the system. So it looks like, even in space, speed kills.

[National Geographic]
A Supersonic Jump, From 23 Miles in the Air
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:31 pm MDT
Jumping from a helium balloon in the stratosphere at least 120,000 feet above Earth. Within about half a minute, he figures, he would be going 690 miles per hour and become the first skydiver to break the speed of sound.
Are we close to real real-time Web?
→ CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:22 pm MDT
An Internet that gives people the information they want virtually as soon as it's created is getting closer, according to Internet professionals.
Makers: New Digg will be 'wicked fast'
→ CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:20 pm MDT
The popular news-sharing site Digg is getting an overhaul that will personalize results, dramatically expand content and, most importantly, make the site "wicked fast," according to its makers.
Nuclear plants need real security
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:20 pm MDT
Several weeks ago, President Obama announced that $8 billion in government-loan guarantees would be made available to Southern Co. to begin construction of two nuclear reactors in Georgia.
At SXSWi, Twitter may finally have met its match
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:16 pm MDT
No question Twitter is still huge here, but Foursquare and Gowalla have to be considered a major part of people's organizing principle.
Why the Feds Believe Extraterrestrial Rays Could be Messing With Toyota Vehicles
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:03 pm MDT
Could outer space be endangering Toyota's drivers?
Make Firefox Extensions Compatible with a Simple Hack [Firefox]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 2:00 pm MDT

Every time a new version of Firefox arrives, there are always a few well-regarded extensions that stop working, and while there is a Firefox hack to force compatibility, you could simply tweak one or two favorites to make the compatibility cut. More »
Online presence of hate, terrorist groups up 20%
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 1:55 pm MDT

Hate groups have always been a presence on the Internet, but their presence is growing quicker lately thanks to social networking sites. According to a report from the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), groups that promote violence, terrorism, homophobia, antisemitism, and other forms of intolerance grew by 20 percent in the last year alone.

The report is part of the Center's annual look at the spread of hate groups online, which noted that there are now more than 11,500 social networks, websites, forums, and blogs that focus on spreading intolerance, recruiting new members, and instructing people on how to hurt others. "The numbers are probably, at the end of the day, multiples of that," the SWC's associate dean Abraham Cooper said in a news conference Monday. "That should be taken as a low ball figure."

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Death and social media: what happens to your life online?
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 1:50 pm MDT
When someone dies, what becomes of their user accounts and profile? Ars examines the policies of some of the most popular social media services to see how and under what circumstances friends or family can access (or delete) a deceased user's account.
SXSW: The Future Application Ecosystem
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 1:48 pm MDT
In a world of web-based services that depend on aggregating other data sources, your product will only be as strong as your weakest API call. We are seeing the emergence of new ecosystems of data built around cloud providers and popular APIs such as Twitter's.
In 2020, Take a High-Speed Train from Beijing to London
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 1:44 pm MDT

Chinese rail passengers already zip between cities on trains traveling three times faster than the average train in the States, and a 217-mph line linking Wuhan and Guangzhou will soon be the fastest train on Earth. But not content with screaming-fast trains linking cities within its borders, China now plans to extend its high-speed network all the way to London with a rail line that will fly through 17 countries at speeds reaching 200 miles per hour.

The project calls for the construction of three lines, hopefully by 2020: the first will link London's King's Cross Station to Beijing and take approximately two days to traverse the entire stretch (it will then continue on down to Singapore). A second line will connect China with Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. The third line will link Germany and Russia, crossing Siberia to terminate, of course, in China.

How is China getting 17 nations on board with such an ambitious -- and expensive -- project? For starters, they're offering to pick up the tab. China will build the infrastructure in exchange for rights to natural resources in the nations that benefit from the high-speed links. So China gets timber, minerals, oil, gas, etc. as well as a fast, efficient means to pipe them to cities within its borders, and smaller, sometimes isolated nations (here's looking at you, Burma) get a high tech, high speed connection to the greater global economy.

Meanwhile, in the U.S. we can't get federal, state and local bureaucracies to agree on funding for a much slower link between Chicago and St. Louis, and San Francisco to L.A. in less than three hours feels like a distant dream. Sigh.

[Inhabitat]
Bloggers Turn to New Branded Viewer to Embed Documents
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 1:41 pm MDT
Web publishing startup DocStoc is launching a customized document viewer today, allowing anyone to create easily embeddable, branded document viewers.
Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10 Shed Beta Tag-See [vid]
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 1:30 pm MDT
Check out a video introducing Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10 Now.If you're a user of Opera Mini, chances are you've already switched from Opera Mini 4.2 to Opera Mini 5, .................................
Format Customizer Hides Unused Formats in Dialog Boxes [Downloads]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 1:30 pm MDT

Windows: If you'd prefer the Open and Save As dialog boxes to have fewer file-type options for easier selection of the ones you actually use, Format Customizer cuts out the dead weight. More »
Test Drive: Ducati's 2010 Multistrada is Four Superbikes in One
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 1:02 pm MDT

Cokeley pilots the Multistrada through mountains of volcanic rock -- see the video
Motorcycles are an expensive hobby for most. Now, adventurous bargain-seeking riders can own four different bikes for the price of one. The 2010 Multistrada 1200 is infused with Ducati's major superbike technologies -- traction control, electronic suspension, and ride-by-wire throttle -- as well as many extravagant amenities such as GPS and keyless ignition, all of which result in a luxurious machine capable of flawlessly handling all manner of topography.

The S model we tested on the island of Lanzarote, off the coast of Africa, came standard with Ducati Traction Control (DTC), ABS and the new Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) system, which works in unison with the throttle mapping at the push of a button to adjust the bike's persona on the fly among four settings: Touring, Urban, Enduro, and Sport. This particular location, sculpted from cooled lava by the surrounding sea, was a rider's playground and the Multistrada was at home on all of the terrain options provided by Mother Nature.

At the beginning of the test ride, the long straightaways connecting the north and south ends of the island were perfectly suited for stretching the legs of all 150 horses in Touring mode. Lanzarote's highways were barely wide enough to fit two cars side-by-side so, the power came in handy when passing buses full of German tourists. The DTC intervention was unnoticeable at level 5 (level 8 being the most intrusive) and the softening of the DES made for smooth cruising at top speeds on Pirelli's Scorpion Trail tires.

A flick of the switch into Urban mode reigned in the ponies to a more manageable 100HP, while the suspension loosened up even further to handle the cobblestone-laden twists, turns, and potholes of the smaller island villages. Though the DTC didn't register much on our test of the island's cityscape, the factory setting of 6 was ready to intervene should some side of the road rubble find its way under the rubber.

A little further off the Atlantic-beaten path, the Enduro mode comes in supremely handy when pulling off newly paved roads into pits of volcanic gravel and sand. A traction control setting of 2 allowed for more wheel spin and made light work of what is normally a frightening thought for most street riders. Enduro matches the 100 hp output of the Urban setting, while the DEC raises the bike's rear suspension for extra clearance.

The true test of the Ducati's pedigree came while traversing the 180-degree switchbacks which line Lanzarote's volcanic craters. Again, a touch of the finger toggles you to Sport mode, where 150HP and a super crisp throttle engage instantly while the suspension and traction control level 4 allowing the limits and edges of the road to be pushed. Unfortunately, fear of being torn to shreds by razor-sharp lava rocks kept my fantasies of becoming a motoGP contender in check for the day.

Should an expert rider want more from the machine than the factory settings allow, each of these standard modes can be dialed into for more complete customization. In fact, there are over 400 million combinations to be had according to Ducati factory engineers. And while one can experiment and save several different riding options, the factory settings can always be reestablished at the push of a button.

All told, this 423-pound descendant of purebred racing heritage is a formidable steed for those looking to explore every one of earth's four corners.

S model as tested: $19,995
Inside the Offices of Yahoo! Canada [Featured Workspace]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 1:00 pm MDT

If peeking into a single workspace is fun, touring an entire office is even better. Today we take a peek inside the offices of Yahoo!'s Canadian division. More »
Report: Facebook Beats Google For Web's Most-Visited Site
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 12:40 pm MDT
It's official -- playing Farmville and tagging friends in photos (and consequently untagging embarrassing photos of yourself from your friends' photos) has become more popular than actually trying to find things on the internet.
Nexus One is a Complete Flop Compared to iPhone/Droid
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 12:30 pm MDT
Flurry compares sales of Apple iPhone vs. Google Nexus One vs. Motorola Droid over their first 74 days, in which Apple sold 1 million units.
National Broadband Plan arrives, quoting Shakespeare
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 12:30 pm MDT

When the federal government spends more than a year developing a 300+ page report on national broadband policy, perhaps the last thing one expects to find in it is a quote from Shakespeare's Henry IV.

As two rebels plot their assault on the English king, the Welsh leader Owen Glendower brags that he can "call spirits from the vasty deep." The English Hotspur retorts, "Why, so can I, or so can any man; but will they come when you do call for them?"

Anyone can talk a good game about conjuring broadband policy from the vasty deep of the FCC—but can those people actually implement their visions? The National Broadband Plan, released today, drops this bit of Shakespeare on readers at the bottom of page 11 to make a simple point: this Plan is about the art of the possible.

Perhaps a better quote from Henry IV might be from the lips of the famous comic figure Falstaff: "The better part of valor is discretion."

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Massive Extender Batch Installs Mozilla Add-On Collections to Save Time [Downloads]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 12:30 pm MDT

Firefox only: The introduction of Mozilla's Collections was a boon for those that reinstall Firefox often, so they don't have to search out their favorite add-ons every time. Firefox extension Massive Extender makes it even easier by installing collections with one click. More »
Shooting the Space Shuttles
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 12:14 pm MDT

Ben Cooper combines photography with rocket science
Our sister publication Popular Photography has a great interview with Ben Cooper, whose photos of space shuttle launches are both beautiful and technically amazing.

When Popular Photography first caught up with Ben Cooper back in 2008, he was a 21-year-old college student, shooting with film cameras and sacrificing his lenses for the sake of the shot. Since then he has gone digital (for the most part) and racked up some impressive new work that somehow takes an epic event like shuttle launch and makes it even more impressive.

What is your process like on launch day?
Shooting a launch requires some preparation and some knowledge if you want to get the right shot, especially for night launches. The real challenge is the remote cameras; setting them up at the pad a day or two before sometimes, and leaving them there to get the shot. This is the big process, taking hours sometimes, and requiring a lot of planning.

Read the rest of the interview on PopPhoto.com.
Keyboard dock, other iPad accessories will be MIA on April 3
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:56 am MDT

National iPad Day is just over two weeks away, but when April 3 rolls around, iPad owners won't be able to get most of the accessories that were touted to go along with the device. As noted by Electronista, the iPad keyboard dock and USB power adapter have both been pushed back until May, after even the 3G model of the iPad is set to be released.

During the introduction of the iPad on January 27, the keyboard dock was the accessory that got some major attention from Apple-watchers. After all, it's the "cheapest" and simplest way to do text entry on the iPad without typing on the touchscreen itself. However, the delay doesn't mean WiFi iPad owners will be prevented from entering mass amounts of text until May—the regular (non-keyboard) dock is still set to ship on April 3, and iPad users can pair their devices with a bluetooth keyboard for text input if they so desire. (The dock connector to VGA adapter is also still on schedule for early April.)

The only other accessory that is currently MIA is the Camera Connection Kit. Announced at the iPad event, the kit is meant to allow users to read SD cards or connect to their cameras via USB through the 30-pin connector. The kit remains on Apple's spec page for the iPad but is nowhere to be found in the online store.

The inability to buy certain accessories to go along with their shiny new toy will undoubtedly disappoint some iPad buyers. Some have tried to analyze what these accessory delays could mean, but we're going to chalk it up to poor coordination among manufacturers.

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Hubble 3D Review: The Ultimate Hubblegasm
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:52 am MDT

We do a lot of Hubble gawking here. Arguably NASA's most enduring mission, the telescope has provided humans with the deepest possible look into the corners of the universe and papered many a desktop background. It's beamed back so much beauty that it's easy to take it for granted.

But Hubble 3D reminds us how miraculous a thing the Hubble telescope truly is. It is the apotheosis, the pinnacle of Hubblegasms. It's IMAX 3D in space.

We've already talked to the filmmakers and seen an advance cut, so by now you know the story: space shuttle Atlantis astronauts hauled up a giant 3D IMAX camera to document their daring and dangerous Hubble repair mission in the spring of 2009. They had only 8 minutes of film (every pound hauled into space is precious), but none was wasted. Just like every astronaut has trouble articulating the consciousness-rattling power of seeing Earth from space, difficult too is describing the footage these astronauts captured. It's beautiful and thrilling, and worth the price of admission alone.

In addition, the Hubble 3D team has taken archival footage and some traditional 2D shots and digitally converted them to three dimensions. This footage looks incredible, with a camera mounted on the shell of a solid rocket booster during launch providing an unbelievably guttural thrill. Before the film even gets to space, the shuttle launch sequence had me giggling with pleasure. (Actually, my first awed giggle was seeing the NASA logo, in animated 3D, right in front of my face during the opening credits. But that's just because I'm a nerd).

And as the coup de grace, Hubble's mountain of data is used to create spectacular 3D simulated fly-throughs of the universe. Similar to the 3D renderings of the Ultra Deep Field image we've seen previously, the two sequences take us first through the Orion Nebula and then from our Milky Way to the edge of space.

It's sequences like these that articulate just how difficult it is for our minds to even begin to comprehend the scale of the universe. It sounds like a cliche, but it's true: when faced with something like this film's final edge-of-space tour, the mind in some ways simply shuts down--trying to grasp the sheer inconsequentiality of our little grain of sand on the world's largest beach is such a shock that the brain simply can't continue; it can only sit slack-jawed.

It's good for humans to be presented with the sheer scale of these thoughts. We'd all be saner if we could see, as we do in the film's final sequence, our vast galaxy reduced to a speck in the background from billions of light years away, and that we are but even smaller specks inside.

This is Hubble's lasting contribution. And to this contribution, Hubble 3D pays a fittingly supersized tribute. Go see it.

[Hubble 3D]
Platform Preview gives Web developers first taste of IE9
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:50 am MDT
Microsoft has released the Windows Internet Explorer Platform Preview for Web developers to start playing around with Internet Explorer 9. Microsoft is promising to update it approximately every eight weeks with the latest IE9 builds.
The Great Green Truth: Don't Fly, Drive Small, Abandon Meat
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:50 am MDT
Small individual actions can add up to big global impacts, but no one likes to be preached to. Yet the National Resources Defense Council getting ready to tell people what to eat (less red meat and dairy), what kinds of cars to drive (smaller ones), whether to fly (not too much) or how many homes to own (one).
FCC Broadband Plan Promises High-Speed Internet For 100 Million More Americans By 2015
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:32 am MDT

Today the Federal Communications Commission unveiled its plan to expand broadband Internet access to 100 million more Americans within the next five years. The plan calls both for the expansion of wired networks in under-serviced areas, and for the dedication of more wireless spectrum for Internet use as opposed to television. Largely deficit-neutral, the plan has bipartisan support in the current Congress, in part because contentious issues of net neutrality and privacy were not tackled by the FCC's plan. As you remember, PopSci called for an improvement to the nation's broadband infrastructure last year

The FCC's plan involves the expansion of both home broadband capacity, but also pays special attention to ensuring that hospitals, libraries, and schools, where most Americans currently use broadband Internet services, get upgraded as well. Ultimately, the FCC hopes to provide 50 megabits per second of upload speed, and 100 megabits of download speed, to another third of the US population over the next decade. Additionally, the FCC wants 500 megahertz of wireless spectrum, currently operated by TV stations, rededicated to servicing mobile devices.

Estimates place the cost of the plan at between $15.5 and $25 billion, but FCC claims that the majority of that money will come from altering the Universal Service Fund, a program to subsidize rural phone service paid for by telecomm companies, from paying for telephones to paying for broadband. Additional funds will come from the auction of wireless spectrum for mobile device use. And if that doesn't cover the bill, the FCC has plans to ask Congress for a one-time, $9 billion boost.

The FCC, the telecommunications industry, and Congress all agree that the expansion of broadband is key to ensuring that America remains competitive in the world. The integration of TV and the Internet, the digitizing of medical records, and an increased use of cloud computing all threaten to tax America's currently limited broadband infrastructure. Despite having more broadband users than anywhere else in the world, the US only ranks 19th in percentage use, according to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, behind economic competitors like South Korea, Germany, and Great Britain.

Starting at the end of the month, Congress will begin holding hearings on the plan. However, with a lawsuit between the FCC and Comcast over the FCC's ability to regulate the Internet still undecided, the climate change bill poised to distract the Commerce Committee members tasked with FCC oversight, and an election in November that could reverse party control in Congress, it may be some time before the FCC can begin implementing the plan in full.

[The NY Times, Reuters, The BBC]
Etacts Adds Contact Info, Social Networking, and Handy Statistics to Your Gmail Sidebar [Downloads]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:30 am MDT

If you ever thought previously mentioned Xobni looked cool, but you prefer Gmail to Outlook, free Gmail plugin Etacts adds many of the same features. You get social information, conversation history, and advanced sending preferences right in your Gmail sidebars. More »
What's been lost in Toyota crisis?
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:26 am MDT
Watching the Toyota recall crisis unfold over the past few months has been like watching a wildfire on a windy day. Just when it would appear that the flames might be contained, another powerful gust sweeps through, stirring them up and blowing them still higher.
Twitter CEO unveils '@anywhere' feature
→ CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:20 am MDT
Twitter CEO Evan Williams announced a product Monday that will further integrate Twitter feeds into other Web sites.
Is Google Wave getting Buzzed?
→ CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:15 am MDT
If Google Wave eventually fails to live up to the promise and hype that accompanied its launch at Google I/O in May 2009, consider its demise an inside job.
The Challenge for Network Operators in Mobile Web 2.0
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:00 am MDT
Juniper Research this morning said mobile users' demand for web 2.0 applications and services will generate nearly $19 billion in 2014. Network operators face a substantial challenge in carving out a big piece of that pie.
Gadget and Gear Deals of the Day [Dealhacker]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:00 am MDT

We've got laptops, HDTVs, spycams, and peripherals galore, all on the cheap. As always, we left a little pile of loot at the bottom for the not-unless-it's-free crowd. More »
feature: Platform Preview gives Web developers first taste of IE9
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 11:00 am MDT

Microsoft today released the Windows Internet Explorer Platform Preview to the public. The release is meant to demonstrate the capabilities of Internet Explorer 9 to Web developers while at the same time providing feedback to the IE9 team. Microsoft says it is committed to updating the Platform Preview to keep a more effective rhythm for discussion, and it will be updated every eight weeks or so. Microsoft will share feedback with standards-setting bodies in addition to using it for internal development.

The Platform Preview is a minimal wrapper: it's not a full-fledged browser. It has no tabs. It has no address bar. It has no back button. So what is included? Everything that Web developers need to see: the rendering engine, of course, as well as the new JavaScript engine, hardware acceleration features, and the developer tools. The IE9 team told Ars that each update will use one of the latest internal engineering builds, at which point the feedback loop will start again.

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Internet Explorer 9 Looks Faster, More Developer-Friendly [News]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:50 am MDT

The Internet Explorer team is spilling some details and future promises about Internet Explorer 9 at the Mix conference, and a few of them are warming up some cold, hardened web and app developers. So far, Microsoft has announced native H.264 streaming support through HTML5, which adds another player to the split over video streaming. They're also promising native audio and vector graphics through HTML5, a new JavaScript engine, and acceleration for 2D page factors. We'll update with more as Microsoft announces throughout the day. [Gizmodo] More »
Metal Nano-Particles Suspend Human Cells In Magnetic Scaffolding For Easy Organ Manufacturing
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:44 am MDT

While scientists have become rather adept at transforming generic skin cells into specialized organ cells, crafting the organs themselves has proven far more difficult. Since the 3-D architecture of most organs is as important to their function as their cellular makeup, 2-D cell cultures are not very useful for building a replacement heart from scratch. To solve that problem, most organ makers create a scaffolding for the cells to grow on.

For a team of researchers at Rice University, even a biodegradable scaffolding wasn't good enough. By injecting cells with a metallic gel, the researchers have succeeded in suspending cultured cells in a three-dimensional magnetic field. With this magnetic scaffolding, organs can be grown in the right shape, and with no foreign material.

The researchers used bacteriophages, special viruses that inject themselves into cells, to insert a polymer iron oxide gel into brain cancer cells. Once the cells absorbed the magnetic gel, the Rice scientists levitated the cells in a weak magnetic field. And since cells naturally live in a 3-D space, not a 2-D culture, the brain cancer cells actually behaved more normally while suspended in the magnetic field then they did when in a cell culture.

The obvious next step involved programming detailed magnetic fields that float stem cells in the exact spots needed for them to grow into a full organ. To that end, the researchers have sold the technology to the company n3D Bioscences. Whether or not this process leaves your replacement organ magnetic, and how that will affect getting through airports, remains to be seen.

[Technology Review]
Evidence for life on Mars may be staring us in the face
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:40 am MDT
The sulphur compounds that litter the surface of Mars may contain the signature of life
3/16/2010 Daily Hardware Reviews
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:35 am MDT
DailyTech's roundup of hardware reviews from around the web for Wednesday
Video: How the iPhone Helped Make Game Startup Unity a Winner
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:31 am MDT
Unity Technologies now boasts an A-list client roster and a recent Series A round led by Sequoia. But it wasn't always wine and roses for the 8-year-old startup. Unity CEO David Helgason talks with Om about how his company survived its dark times.
Netflix Watch Instantly streams to Windows Phone 7 Series!
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:27 am MDT
We just got a quick at Netflix for Windows Phone 7 Series, one of the third-party apps Microsoft's showing off here at MIX10, and it looks... well, very Netflixy -- it's red to the bone. Unlike other mobile Netflix apps, this one's got Watch Instantly support and it looks great -- a real testament to the capabilities Microsoft's slinging.
Get Mac-Like Scrolling and Gestures on a Windows Laptop [Windows]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 am MDT

Once you've used the hand-helping, time-saving, two-finger scrolling and three-finger gestures on a MacBook, a standard Windows trackpad can feel kind of, well, dead. Here's how to get total finger control with a tiny app, or go further with a driver swap. More »
Bacteria on Your Hands Could Become New Forensic Fingerprint
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:58 am MDT

The cats over at CSI might just have another forensic tool to supplement their super-sleek glass and steel science lab: the bacteria on our hands. A group of researchers at University of Colorado Boulder have conducted a proof-of-concept study in which they were able to accurately identify people using samples of bacteria collected from their computer keyboards and mouses.

As it turns out, even the most obsessive-compulsive among us carry about 150 species of bacteria around on our hands, and those bacteria in turn carry a genome unique to that person. Those bacteria could potentially become a damning forensic tool at crime scenes, allowing investigators to gather DNA information unique to a perpetrator even without recovering any of that person's actual DNA.

But aspiring villains need not worry about being bacterially identified anytime soon. As is, the process is only 70-90 percent accurate, a margin of error too wide for even the most kangaroo courts. There are still a lot of questions to be answered as well: if more than one person has touched a piece of evidence, will the microbial profile be compromised? Is the microbiome stable enough to be used as an identifier (since, for instance, taking antibiotics can alter one's bacterial profile)? Can criminals intentionally alter their bacterial profiles to throw investigators off the trail?

But these very "flaws" also give the bacterial profile a kind of complexity that DNA alone simply cannot match. For instance, smudged fingerprints can't be accurately used for identification, but they can be mined for bacterial data (a swab of the skin provides 100 times more microbial DNA than human DNA). And the mircrobiome offers clues that DNA alone cannot, like where a person lives and works or what he or she eats. Even identical twins that share a DNA profile have significantly different bacterial profiles, giving investigators another way to differentiate suspects if not to ID them outright.

There's still a lot of work to be done clearly (like tightening up that 10-30 percent margin of error) but in the meantime the procedure could certainly serve as one more tool in the forensic toolbox even if the evidence isn't courtroom-admissible. Besides, once you have the right guy, it's only a matter of sitting him down and telling him the jig is up; after that, the confession is imminent. At least that's how it works on CSI.

[BBC, Technology Review]
Canonical's new COO gets religion on Linux desktop
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:42 am MDT

Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu Linux distribution, is undergoing significant changes in management. Founder Mark Shuttleworth has stepped down from his role as the CEO so that he can increase his involvement in the software design and development process. Jane Silber, who has long served as the company's chief operating officer, will be taking over as CEO. To fill the COO vacancy left by Silber's ascension, Canonical has recruited Matt Asay, the former vice president of business development at open source content management software company Alfresco.

Asay seems like a good choice for Canonical in some key ways. He accumulated knowledge of the enterprise Linux ecosystem during his time at Novell and he brings a wealth of real-world expertise in monetizing open source software from his experiences at Alfresco. Despite these strong points in his favor, there are also some reasons why he is a surprising choice for Canonical. In particular, Asay has always been an extremely vocal skeptic of Linux's viability on the desktop. During the month that he has been working for Canonical, his views on the matter seem to have evolved considerably.

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Study Brings Researchers, Governments One Step Closer to Mind Reading
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:34 am MDT
New research is quite exciting, but somewhat unsettling at the same time
MoveOut Automates File Renaming and Relocation [Downloads]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:30 am MDT

Windows: If you'd like a simple and portable tool for sorting files via renaming and relocating them, MoveOut is a lightweight solution. More »
4.4 Earthquake Shakes Los Angeles
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:28 am MDT
A light earthquake occurred at 4:04:00 AM (PDT) on Tuesday, March 16, 2010.The magnitude 4.4 event occurred 2 km (1 miles) ENE of Pico Rivera, CA.
CyberSearch Extension Gets Better "Search This Site" [Updates]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:00 am MDT

Firefox: Previously mentioned AwesomeBar tool CyberSearch has seen an update that fans of the Firefox add-on will likely welcome with loving arms: searching the site you're looking at through Google requires just one keystroke now. More »
Nexus One is a Sales Failure, Google Extends Unlocked Phone Sales to AT&T Network
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:52 am MDT
Flurry estimates that Google has sold just 135k Nexus One smartphones
Isometric, co-op Tomb Raider: better than you'd think
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:38 am MDT

Who doesn't love a good co-op game? We were able to get a look at Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light at GDC, and we're told the game will be over six hours with side-quests and collectibles... and it's built around two-play co-op. With both characters on the screen at the same time, you'll be able to play offline and online.

A downloadable game coming to the Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3 this Summer, you'll be able to play as Lara Croft or Totec, her spear-throwing companion in an uneasy alliance to stop a force they both had a hand in unleashing. You'll use guns to blast at large numbers of enemies, and you'll work together to solve puzzles to move forward. Each challenge in the game can be tackled multiple ways, and we were shown a few solutions to the puzzles demoed for us.

The game looks great, and while we weren't able to put our hands on it, it seemed like the controls were solid. The physics were also better than expected in a game like this; the environment reacts to your movement and in some cases can be destroyed by small explosive charges you carry and can place wherever you like.

In another interesting twist, playing single-player will cause Croft's abilities to be changed somewhat for a more fulfilling experience, while the co-op will be more balanced for two human players working together to survive.

For $15, you get somewhere between six and ten hours of gameplay... not a bad way to spend a weekend with a friend. Going into GDC I expected this game to be something of a joke, but after this short demo, our interest is certainly much higher.

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Lessons in Phone Marketing, or Why the Nexus One Is Sucking Wind
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:30 am MDT
When it comes to selling a lot of a new phones in a short amount of time, an educated customer base, a pre-holiday launch and a carrier with a huge subscriber base are essential. And launching a phone with a web sales channel is dumb.
Google appears to drop censorship in China
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:30 am MDT
Web sites dealing with subjects such as the Tiananmen Square protests could all be accessed through Google's Chinese search engine Tuesday in defiance of Beijing's censorship rules.
Twitter announces @anywhere platform for websites
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:28 am MDT
Twitter has announced its '@anywhere' platform for websites,which allows site visitors to Tweet and follow from sites including Digg, Amazon and eBay.
New Lithium-ion Anode Uses Nanocomposites for Better Battery Performance
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:16 am MDT
Anode delivers ten times more capacity than conventional designs
Why Microsoft Should Allow Third Parties to Sell WinPhone Apps
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:02 am MDT
Microsoft is taking a page from Apple's playbook and will require developers to sell Windows Phone apps exclusively through the company's upcoming flagship store. It's a move that will surely destroy some of the goodwill Microsoft has been working so hard to build up.
It's Time For One Data Plan to Rule All Our Gadgets
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:02 am MDT
If you buy a 3G iPad, you'll be able to purchase data, month by month, from AT&T. Neat! But you already pay for unlimited data access on your iPhone, also from AT&T. So why not have one plan, for everything?
CyanogenMod Available for Motorola Droid [Rooting]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:00 am MDT

Rocking a Motorola/Verizon Droid and want to get in on the same kind of unlocked, rooted, tethered, and generally awesome-d experience that G1, myTouch, and Nexus One users have seen? There's now a stable CyanogenMod build for the Droid that adds tethering, hardware and software improvements, a huge selection of ringtones and audio schemes, and much more. If you've installed and tried it out, tell us what's great, and what's tricky, in the comments. Photo by F. Montino. [Link via Phandroid] More »
Windows Phone 7 Series in the Enterprise: not all good news
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:43 am MDT

Microsoft has been quite explicit on the matter: Windows Phone 7 Series is being designed first and foremost for the consumer market. The result is the emphasis on a strong, consistent, effective user interface, possibly at the expense of functionality; Microsoft wants to have this thing out in time for the "holiday season" this year, so there's a limited window for further development, at least for the initial release.

That said, the phone does have features aimed at the enterprise market. Obviously, there's Exchange support, with ActiveSync, providing push mail, address book sync, and all those features that we know and love. In common with Outlook 2010, Windows Phone 7 Series also seems to support multiple Exchange servers concurrently. I say "seems" because it didn't quite work when we tried, but that seemed to be due to a bad password rather than any fundamental flaw—the phone was happy to accept the configuration and created two distinct Outlook Tiles on the Start page, so it looked like it was doing the right thing.

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Twitter’s @anywhere: Not a Bang But a Whimper
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:42 am MDT
After weeks of speculation about what Twitter was going to launch at SXSW, the company unveiled @anywhere. But even after founder Evan Williams' keynote, it's not clear what the new service is exactly, apart from the fact that it provides popup windows on participating sites.
Despite Somewhat Dated Lineup, Mac Sales Continue to Rise
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:25 am MDT
Apple continues to look attractive from an investor standpoint as the iPad release approaches
Ira,Ira&Anna @ The Farmers in …
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:15 am MDT
Ira,Ira&Anna @ The Farmers in Bishops Cleeve.Huge meringue on the table.Met up with friends in Chelt last night http://twitpic.com/18xljk
NorthScale, a Memcached-focused Startup, Launches
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:30 am MDT
NorthScale, a Mountain View, Calif-based software start-up co-founded by leaders of memcached open source projects, launched today. It has raised $5 million in venture funding from Accel Partners and North Bridge Venture Partners and hopes to cash in on the growing needs of web-based businesses.
Intel goes to Gulftown, launches 6-core Xeons
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:20 am MDT

Intel has launched its next-generation Xeon 5600 line, the 32nm "Westmere-EP." The new lineup brings more cores, more threads, Turbo Boost, and more instructions, all in the same socket format and thermal/power envelope as the older Xeon 5500 line.

At the top end of the 5600 family is the six-core, 3.33GHz X5680, and at the bottom end is the quad-core, 2.40GHz E5620. All of the parts in the 5600 range are hyperthreaded, have 12MB of cache, and support Intel Turbo Boost, the AES new instructions (AES-NI), and Trusted Execution Technology (TXT). Let's take each of these features in turn.

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Iran Claims to Have Hacked 29 U.S. "Spy" Sites
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:14 am MDT
Extreme Middle Eastern government also arrests local activists in crack-down on dissent
Google Expects Big Things From Future of Mobile Technology
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:00 am MDT
Google will increase its presence in the mobile sector as it believes that is where the money will be
India investigates shooting at space facility
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:33 am MDT
Indian investigators are probing a Tuesday pre-dawn firing on guards posted at a space research center, authorities said.
INQ Launches in India
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:30 am MDT
INQ today launched its social mobile phones in India. With MS Dhoni, captain of the Indian cricket team, as its spokesperson and Aircel as launch partner, the company hopes to sell INQ Mini 3G and the INQ Chat 3G in large volumes in India.
Icebergs carved by the forces of nature
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:20 am MDT
These breathtaking photographs capture the natural majesty of enormous icebergs sculpted into architectural forms by the wind and rain of Antarctica. Photographer Steven Kazlowski, 40, witnessed these sights as he toured the world's most southerly continent on a 62-foot engined sailing boat
There Is No Overpopulation Problem...Is There?
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:10 am MDT
Fred Pearce argues that the focus on the population "problem" is a matter of the rich "downplay[ing] the importance of our own environmental footprint because future generations of poor people might one day have the temerity to get as rich and destructive as us."
New Glasses Allow Blind Soldier to See [vid]
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:32 am MDT
A soldier blinded in battle has become the first member of the armed forces to test a special pair of glasses which allow him to 'see' using his tongue.
APOD: 2010 March 16 - Detailed View of a Solar Eclipse Coron
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:20 am MDT
A different astronomy and space sciencerelated image is featured each day, along with a brief explanation.
1 Gene Lost = 1 Limb Regained? Scientists Demonstrate It
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 12:30 am MDT
A quest that began over a decade ago with a chance observation has reached a milestone: the identification of a gene that may regulate regeneration in mammals. The absence of this single gene, called p21, confers a healing potential in mice long thought to have been lost through evolution and reserved ...
FCC Airs Plan to Cover 100M American Homes With 100 Mbps Broadband
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 15 Mar 2010 | 7:55 pm MDT
The FCC is swinging for the fences, but can it really deliver on its loft goals?
Will NASA ever return to the moon?
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 15 Mar 2010 | 6:59 pm MDT
Will U.S. astronauts ever return to the moon?
Twitter CEO Ev Williams: Further @Anywhere Details at Chirp Conference
→ GigaOM | 15 Mar 2010 | 6:34 pm MDT
At SXSW today, Twitter CEO and co-founder Evan Williams announced the availability of Twitter's @Anywhere platform but offered scant details. On Twitter he promised that all details will be announced at Twitter's official developer conference that will be held on April 14-15 in San Francisco.
Entrepreneurial Stereotypes on Display at SXSW
→ GigaOM | 15 Mar 2010 | 6:08 pm MDT
Picture a tech startup founder. Are they male, maybe around 27 years old, and a resident of Silicon Valley? Apparently that's what it takes to build a tech startup according to the explicit and implicit wisdom shared at the Seed Combinator's panel today at SXSW.
Hate speech infiltrates social-networking sites, report says
→ CNN.com - Technology | 15 Mar 2010 | 2:37 pm MDT
The unregulated nature of the Web has aided a proliferation of cyber-hate, according to a report the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Tolerance released Monday.
SXSW: Twitter to Launch @Anywhere, Fails to Live Up to SXSW Hype
→ GigaOM | 15 Mar 2010 | 2:18 pm MDT
After attendees waited an hour see the event, Twitter CEO Evan Williams' keynote at SXSW disappointed thanks to a lackluster product launch with @Anywhere, and a dull interview by Havas Media Lab director Umair Haque which had the audience tweeting complaints and finally leaving.
WordPress Plugin Releases for 03/15
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 15 Mar 2010 | 2:00 pm MDT
New Plugins Custom Image Sizes Causes WordPress to create custom sizes for your images when you call wp_get_attachment_image() and related functions Hello in all Languages Hello in all Languages displays a “hello” word translated to the official language of the country the visitor’s IP belongs to. Chibipaint for WordPress This plugin integrates the java applet “Chibipaint” with Wordpress. This allows the
Windows Phone 7 Series Gets Fully Exposed at MIX10, True Multitasking Appears to be Missing
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 15 Mar 2010 | 1:18 pm MDT
Microsoft opens up about Windows Phone 7 Series
3/15/2010 Daily Hardware Reviews
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 15 Mar 2010 | 12:36 pm MDT
DailyTech's roundup of hardware reviews from around the web for Monday
Pentagon trains workers to hack Defense computers
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 15 Mar 2010 | 12:14 pm MDT
The Pentagon is training people to hack into its own computer networks.
FAQ: Using your smartphone safely
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 15 Mar 2010 | 12:13 pm MDT
Smartphones aren't just smart, they're personal computers. Unlike a desktop or even a laptop PC, those devices and other mobile phones can easily slip out of a pocket or purse, be left in a taxi, or get snatched off a table.
Is chasing cybercrooks worth it?
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 15 Mar 2010 | 12:09 pm MDT
This week's arrests of three men in connection with one of the world's largest computer-virus networks may seem like great news -- perhaps even a sign authorities are starting to win the war against cyberthieves.
TPB Founder Compares Piracy to Sugar, Jokes About Courting Google Exec
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 15 Mar 2010 | 11:37 am MDT
Peter Sunde isn't letting international charges against him get him down
Airline boarding pass? It's your phone
→ CNN.com - Technology | 15 Mar 2010 | 10:18 am MDT
More air travelers may soon be scanning their smartphones instead of paper slips at airport gates.
FAA Orders Emergency Inspections of 600 Boeing 737 Aircraft
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 15 Mar 2010 | 9:20 am MDT
Boeing could face another redesign
Mounting Evidence Casts Doubt on Driver in Recent "Runaway Prius" Incident
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 15 Mar 2010 | 8:35 am MDT
Jim Sikes' wild story of unintentional acceleration has been brought into question
It’d appear that there r probl…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 15 Mar 2010 | 7:27 am MDT
It’d appear that there r problems w/mobile interface 2 Facebook, this has led to comment importing to my blog being broken.ETA 4 Fix?No idea
Antique Owning Hoodie Wearers!
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 15 Mar 2010 | 7:21 am MDT
Whilst waiting for Anna to wake from her lunch time nap, Irina, Dad and I were all watching an episode of Antiques Roadshow on the Yesterday channel. It seems to have moved on a little since I remember it (Sunday evenings when I was a child, with crumpets or savoury muffines for tea!). Gone were the [...]
First dot.com domain is 25 years old today
→ CNN.com - Technology | 15 Mar 2010 | 5:09 am MDT
These days, when everyone seems to have a Facebook friend, is LinkedIn or can Google themselves, it's hard to remember the old days, before the dot-com revolution.
The moving trees in Painswick …
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 14 Mar 2010 | 9:01 am MDT
The moving trees in Painswick – http://twitpic.com/18kbwj
Happy Mother’s Day Mums!
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 14 Mar 2010 | 3:35 am MDT
Mum (mine) – hope you have a great day, and once the day has progressed into a more socialable time, I’ll give you a call Irina (Anna’s Mum) – Happy Mother’s Day from Anna. Next year she’ll hopefully be able to say it herself directly, and a few more years after that, be able [...]
WordPress Theme Releases for 03/13
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 13 Mar 2010 | 11:53 am MST
Sky Light A combination blue dark and black color, with sky image as a background Magazine theme The theme has widgetized header, front page, sidebars, and single posts. For better SEO results, the theme uses custom fields to pull images to the front page. Simple Things Fixed width, 2 column theme with a minimalistic style and a touch of typography Chirp Chirp
iPhone browsing could be faster with Opera -- if Apple approves
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 13 Mar 2010 | 2:27 am MST
The company behind the Web browser Opera is weeks away from submitting it to Apple's iPhone store for approval, a spokesman said Friday.
Google's privacy challenge
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 12 Mar 2010 | 6:00 pm MST
When dealing with privacy, Google often finds itself walking a tightrope.
Bahrain's covered history
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 12 Mar 2010 | 4:52 pm MST
The skyline of Bahrain, formed by gleaming high-rises and upscale hotels, is all it takes to convey the ambitions of the small Gulf isle.
Went 4 walk earlier, fed the d…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 12 Mar 2010 | 12:45 pm MST
Went 4 walk earlier, fed the ducks with Anna, Ira and Dad. Nick has since arrived – good luck to him for tomorrow! http://twitpic.com/185dey
WordPress Personas For Firefox
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 12 Mar 2010 | 12:29 am MST
What WordPress is to Blogging, Firefox is to browsing, so what happens when we can get both of them to get together? WordPress personas for Firefox :-)
Arrived in Evesham (Dad’s) fin…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 11 Mar 2010 | 12:22 pm MST
Arrived in Evesham (Dad’s) fine. Hope to see Chelt people over the coming days. Two & a half weeks left in Britain. Back to Clydach Tuesday.
WordPress Plugin Releases for 03/11
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 11 Mar 2010 | 12:00 pm MST
New Plugins WP-ZoomImage With CopyProtect You can pop up an image or thumbnail by just clicking on it and it will disappear when you click it again Titled Comments Hikari Titled Comments enables each comment to have a title, so that commentators can give a subject meaning to their comments. Scroll to Top Plugin Integrate a jQuerry scroll to top control
Cisco unveils ultra-fast Internet technology
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 10 Mar 2010 | 5:15 pm MST
Cisco unveiled a new Internet technology Tuesday that it says will provide the ultra-fast data speeds necessary to stay ahead of users' rapidly growing online video demands.
Sex.com domain goes up for grabs
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 9 Mar 2010 | 2:59 pm MST
Sex.com, one of the most valuable Internet domain names, will go up for auction next week after the previous owner defaulted on its debts.
Just shot this clip (#qik) htt…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 9 Mar 2010 | 1:48 pm MST
Just shot this clip (#qik) http://qik.ly/BBFLG
Space shuttle Endeavour lands
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 9 Mar 2010 | 11:44 am MST
The space shuttle Endeavour landed Sunday night at Kennedy Space Center after a two-week mission to the international space station.
Manage Comments From Your Windows or Linux Desktop
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 8 Mar 2010 | 4:13 pm MST
WP Comments Notifier is a open source application written in QT/C++ for Linux and Windows, which will allow you to manage new comments and reply to them from your desktop. In addition to that, it will also allow you to edit, spam or delete the comments.
WordPress Theme Releases for 03/07
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 8 Mar 2010 | 1:30 pm MST
Turquoise The Turquoise Theme is a simple free WordPress Theme 980px wide with 3 Sidebars and an Option Page to populate the Footer. One Sidebar is on the right side optimized for Adsense 250px Ads. Two Sidebars are on top of the postings and below the Posting. Good for 468px Ads. Greener Side Smell the fresh cut grass
Happy International Women’s Da…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 8 Mar 2010 | 7:54 am MST
Happy International Women’s Day everyone
Just shot this clip (#qik) htt…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 8 Mar 2010 | 7:52 am MST
Just shot this clip (#qik) http://qik.ly/BAzvm
Just shot this clip (#qik) htt…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 7 Mar 2010 | 9:42 am MST
Just shot this clip (#qik) http://qik.ly/BAnv9
Qik – Anna by Chris Merriman h…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 7 Mar 2010 | 7:54 am MST
Qik – Anna by Chris Merriman http://qik.ly/BAmt6
Just shot this clip (#qik) htt…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 7 Mar 2010 | 7:51 am MST
Just shot this clip (#qik) http://qik.ly/BAmsn
Just shot this clip (#qik) htt…
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 7 Mar 2010 | 6:37 am MST
Just shot this clip (#qik) http://qik.ly/BAmFv
Trying2get2grips with Qik app….
→ ChrisMerriman.com | 6 Mar 2010 | 3:28 pm MST
Trying2get2grips with Qik app. Live streaming/sessions recorded, like Lucky’s blogtv setup, but 320×240 from my mobiles camera&3G connection
Notify Unconfirmed Subscribers Updated
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 6 Mar 2010 | 11:08 am MST
NUS has been updated to v1.3.0 to fix issues with unconfirmed subscribers not being fetched.
WordPress Plugin Releases for 03/05
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 5 Mar 2010 | 12:00 pm MST
New Plugins Wordpress External Cron Allows you to setup a cron to fetch any page on the server PuSHPress This plugin adds PubSubHubbub ( PuSH ) support to your WordPress powered site. The main difference between this plugin and others is that it includes the hub features of PuSH, built right in. This means the updates will be
WordPress Theme Releases for 03/03
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 3 Mar 2010 | 12:00 pm MST
Light Folio Light Folio is a clean clean and light theme with a combination black and white color. CleanTech CleanTech is a clean, two column and elegant theme with support for threaded comments designed to focus your content. Ultima This is a 2-column, soft-colored, rounded theme that totally aims at content and nothing else.
Bookmarklet to Quickly Access WordPress Admin Menu
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:11 pm MST
A bookmarklet to access the admin menu of WordPress from your browser's bookmark bar.
WordPress Plugin Releases for 03/01
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 1 Mar 2010 | 12:00 pm MST
New Plugins 123 Flash Chat 123 Flash Chat WordPress Plugin can be used to create your own chat room in WordPress. It allows you to insert chat room to your sidebar, with either a lite chat client or a link to standard chat client in popup mod. And you can define the width and height of 123
iReporters share cell- phone pics
→ CNN.com - Technology | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:11 am MST
WordPress Theme Releases for 02/27
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 27 Feb 2010 | 10:58 am MST
DarkMood The DarkMood Theme is a free dark greenish theme 980px wide with two Sidebars and an Option Page to populate the Footer. Expressivo Expressivo is a three-column theme with two righthand sidebars – going to a single sidebar on single posts and pages. With Cufon embedded fonts for post titles, threaded and paged comments – you can
BuddyPress anyone?
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 27 Feb 2010 | 7:54 am MST
By now you have surely read the news of the release of BudyPress 1.2 (which now will work with single WordPress.org blogs, previously limited to WordPress MU) and this dev blog announcement from Jane last evening about another plugin Andy wrote that lets you use your present theme with BuddyPress. I have always been of the
Passing Parameters as Variables vs Passing Parameters as An Array
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 25 Feb 2010 | 12:14 pm MST
Improvisation is the name of the game, and we tend to do a lot of it with plugins and themes. In that process we tend to modify functions by adding more variables to incorporate changes in them. However, unlike most of the other languages, PHP allows users to set default values for variables passed to
WordPress Plugin Releases for 02/25
→ Weblog Tools Collection | 25 Feb 2010 | 11:00 am MST
New Plugins Flickr Digest A simple to use WordPress plugin based on Flickr API which digests all your photos posted in last X days in a single post periodically. Feed Thumbnails This plugin simply adds your post thumbnails to your RSS feed as enclosures. Nothing else to it. Simple Twitter Connect Simple Twitter Connect makes it easy to integrate your site
New Claim - Technorati
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 10 Feb 2010 | 8:12 am MST
Musical Perceptions: Top Classical Blogs, brought to you by Invesp.com
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 10 Feb 2010 | 7:43 am MST
Top 150 General Travel Blogs according to Invesp – The ultimate Ranking ...
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 10 Feb 2010 | 7:41 am MST
Top 50 SEO Blogs from Invesp Blogrank | Search Engine Journal
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 10 Feb 2010 | 7:40 am MST
Invesp for the win :) | SEO Book.com
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 10 Feb 2010 | 7:39 am MST
Invesp Launches BlogRank
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 10 Feb 2010 | 7:37 am MST
Technorati
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 10 Feb 2010 | 5:18 am MST
Small Business Blogs - Technorati
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 9 Feb 2010 | 10:35 pm MST
samccoy-n2teaching.blogspot.com site details - Technorati
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 9 Feb 2010 | 1:57 pm MST
Join - Technorati
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 9 Feb 2010 | 9:29 am MST
Blog reader
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 9 Feb 2010 | 2:48 am MST
Elizabeth Tanner's Profile on Technorati - Subhadra Bellord
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 8 Feb 2010 | 9:17 pm MST
Elizabeth Tanner's Profile on Technorati - Subhadra Bellord
Technorati
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Supporting Women for ArabNet 2010 « Nadine Moawad
→ Delicious/tag/technorati | 8 Feb 2010 | 7:04 pm MST
RT @nmoawad Supporting Women for ArabNet 2010 http://bit.ly/crZHlq [from http://twitter.com/jilliancyork/statuses/8813461772]
Toys R Us Invites You To Save -$10 [Sale Fail]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 2:53 pm MST

We love when Toys R Us does this. Ah, yes. "While supplies last." Hurry, people. Hurry.

(Thanks, Keith!)
Sushi "Tuna" Might Be Endangered, Dangerous, Or Fake [Busted]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm MST

Biologists testing DNA code identification technology discovered that the tuna they ordered at sushi restaurants was actually hazardous or fake fish, or even an endangered species.

According to Wired, the biologists visited 31 restaurants in Denver and Manhattan to evaluate technology that analyzes the DNA code of fish, and upload the info to a fish database called FISH-BOL.

Instead of tuna, they got escloar, a fish that causes "bizarre episodes of diarrhea, accompanied by a waxy intestinal discharge." Other restaurants misrepresented what fish they were serving, and a few even served endangered southern bluefin.

Sushi DNA Tests Reveal Fraud [Wired]
For the nerd-inclined, you can read their scientific report here.
(Photo: LC1331)

RELATED:
Fishy Selling Practices At Kansas City Restaurants: 85% Of The Fish On The Menu Is Not The Fish On The Menu
You Red Snapper Sushi Is Likely Fake
CPSC Links Chinese Drywall To Home Corrosion [Smells Like A Rotten Egg]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 1:55 pm MST

The CPSC announced findings linking Chinese drywall to reports of home corrosion, and a possible link between the sulfuric gas emitting from them and health problems.

Chinese Drywall Linked to Corrosion in Homes [NYT]
Drywall Information Center [CPSC] (Photo: yugenro)
Animated Map Of Rising US Unemployment Since 2007 [Graphics]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 1:46 pm MST

It's like watching a slow-motion video of cirrhosis of the lung.

The Decline: Geography of a Recession, by Latoya Egwuekwe [American Observer via Boing Boing]
Watch Out For Changes To Your Flight Itinerary [Travel Plans]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 1:38 pm MST

Alexandros received an update from Orbitz about his trip and realized that United had changed the time of his flight. For various reasons he couldn't make the new time, so he was lucky to have caught it—not to mention he could have missed the flight entirely had he not seen the change.

Orbitz sent me an email to remind me of an upcoming trip. What they and United Airlines failed to mention was that the flight had been rescheduled. It now departed 40 minutes prior to the originally scheduled time. I immediately called Orbitz to find my rights with United as far as getting to the airport in time.

I live outside of DC and do not have a car. As such, I booked the flight so I could take public transportation, rather than take a $50+ taxi ride. The 9:00 flight would the the very latest I could leave and still make it to the airport. Thus, those 40 minutes made the world of difference.

Orbitz said they could contact the airline for me to see what could happen. After being on hold for a few minutes, Orbitz informed me they could rebook me on another flight. This is where United decided to continue to make everything worse. They tried to book me on a flight that would change my air travel time from 2.5 hours (direct) to 6.5 hours (1 connection). I then suggested they give me a flight that leaves from the other airport in DC that would drop the time down to 5.5 hours. I will be carrying food so time is of the essence. It was a different initial flight, but the connecting flight would be the same. United said this change was not available to me. I kept insisting for a further explanation. After they refused to give it to me a few times, they finally caved in.

While in the process of trying to book me on the flight, the Orbitz representative kept coming back on the line saying they were still in the process. After being on the phone for 53 minutes, I asked her to just call me back. Oribtz was wonderful in calling me back promptly. The only problem is she came back saying United wanted $33 to change the flight since it would be leaving in a different airport. The reasoning was based on the change in the ticket price. I refused and suggested they pay for my taxi instead. Orbitz is still having trouble negotiating with United to even pay for the taxi. I will send an update as it becomes available.

In this whole ordeal, Carmela from Orbitz has been very patient and courteous. She has also been wonderful at calling me back. I hope she can help me work everything out.

A little while later, Alexandros wrote back in with an update:

United decided not to charge me the fee and gave me the flight. It is very strange to me that they would have tried in the first place. I was very patient with Orbitz in the whole process and was even willing to more than double my travel time. It would have been much easier for me if United just paid for my taxi. I was trying to be flexible to ensure I reached my destination. United made the whole process difficult and stressful.

The moral of this story: stay up-to-date on your flight information, and be prepared to spend some time fixing any problems the carrier might cause; with any luck, and a helpful CSR, your perseverance will pay off.

(Photo: Simon_sees)
Buzzword: Teeth Bleachorexia "Can a person ... []
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pm MST

Buzzword: Teeth Bleachorexia "Can a person overdo it by wearing teeth whitening strips or trays too often? The American Dental Association thinks so." [Consumer Reports Health]
Police Drop Theft Charges Against Pub Non-Tippers [Good News]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 12:51 pm MST

Police in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, are withdrawing charges against the two college students who refused to tip at a pub last month, says The Morning Call.

The Northampton County District Attorney, John Morganelli, first found out about the arrests in the news, and made a recommendation last week that the charges be dropped. "I had recommended that the case be withdrawn, but that ultimately was a decision of the Bethlehem Police Department," he told the paper.

The manager of the pub sounded a bit surprised at the news:

Lehigh Pub manager William Sheehan said Monday it was "news to him" that the charges were being withdrawn.

He read a comment he said was written by the pub's attorney.

"We do not agree with the facts as presented in the press last week," Sheehan said. "This is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Bethlehem Police Department, not Lehigh Pub, and we will defer to them as the legal process plays out."

One issue that was brought up last week, and is mentioned in this article again, is that the gratuity worked out to about 22% of the bill, and not the 18% that the pub claimed. Whether that's explained by error, greed, or some detail that hasn't yet been revealed, it's a good example of why you should always calculate the tip yourself and make sure it matches what's on the final bill.

"DA: Police to withdraw theft charges against non-tippers" [The Morning Call] (Thanks to Jason!)

RELATED
"College Students Arrested For Refusing To Pay Tip"
(Photo: [puamelia])
Are You Cutting Back On Tips This Season? [Saying Thanks]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 12:49 pm MST

The end of the year is usually when you tip service providers, but if you're on a reduced budget then you're probably going to want to scale back this year. Here are some suggestions from etiquette experts contacted by Reuters.
- If you've got the money, it's pretty rotten to scale back your tips simply because times are tough. Etiquette author Mary Mitchell says, "Don't use it as an excuse to save money then buy some Prada boots."
- Mitchell also says to focus first on those you don't regularly tip, like housekeepers, personal trainers, babysitters, tutors, and doormen.
- If you're not sure, try to find out whether the person can accept cash; some teachers can't, for example, and postal workers can accept gift cards of $20 or less. In cases where cash is a bad idea, try something hand made or a gift of some sort.
- Don't go into debt to tip; set aside your total tipping amount before hand, then divide it up as necessary.
- Try tipping earlier in the season, since your recipients may also be worrying about who to tip.
- Try to pool your resources with others. For example, if you and your neighbors pitch in, you can give your doorman or building super a nicer tip.
"Cutting holiday tips seen as chance to really say thank you" [Reuters]
(Photo: caseywest)
Don't Trust Best Buy Just Because The Open Box Item Is "Geek Squad Inspected" [Boxes Of Crap]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 12:35 pm MST

Reader Adam bought an open box Blu-Ray player from Best Buy and didn't notice for 10 months that it was the wrong model. When he mentioned it to Best Buy they told him it was too late and there was nothing they could do because Adam might be just making it up.

Adam says:

On February 3, 2009 for 264.79 I purchased an open box Sony Blu-Ray S550 and have been more than satisfied with the player for over 10 months now. This past weekend I was making some adjustments to the sound settings and went to resync the player my TV when I noticed that the front of the player says S350. I checked the original box from the purchase and it says S550, I then checked the manual for the item and it too said S550. I was unable to check the original receipt since I could not locate it, but am willing to bet that it said S550 as well.

I went to the store to speak with them about the issue and see if there was anything that could be done, I fully realize it has been 10 months but figured it was worth a shot. The manager of the home electronics department told me that there is nothing he can or will do about this since so much time has passed. I explained to him that I have no problem with returning the item and using the money towards towards the player I thought I was buying originally and paying the difference along with any discount he would be willing to give me.
He again stated that there is no way for him to look into the matter because of the amount of time.

I then asked him since he is unwilling to do anything about it, how something like this could have happened. He told me that although it is possible for the mistake to have occurred each open box sale is inspected by the Geek Squad and things like this do not occur very often and he is not going to be able to check what happened. I stated to him that this is somewhat of a common occurrence from the Geek Squad and that in the consumer world they do not have a very high confidence rating from people. He disagreed with me and said that the Geek Squad is in fact well regarded and has the highest marks in the industry for the work they perform.

Realizing this was not going to go anywhere I asked him once more if there is anything that he can do, he once again said no. I finally told him there is something he can do, he can believe his customer and use some rational thought that since it was this long after I obviously did not become aware of the situation till now and I also did not take the player out and bring it with me, I only wanted to talk with them about what might be possible and that this is why Best Buy is losing customers to other stores because whether it is 1 day, 1 month, or 1 year after the fact, Best Buy should try to work with their customers to be sure they are fully satisfied with any purchase.

His final words to me were "if we believed every person that came into the store with stories like this we would be out of business, because I have no way of looking into it and am not going to do anything about it."

With that I left the store vowing to never purchase anything other than a DVD from Best Buy or a low cost item.

Should I have checked the purchase at the time, absolutely, but I had never run in to an issue like this before and had purchased many items open box. I also refuse to believe that Best Buy could not scan the barcode on the box and see its history of original purchase and then return dates to check if it was done in a matter of days before I purchased it but he refused to investigate the issue at all.

I ended up paying more for a used Blu-Ray than it was selling for new at the time.

The lesson as always, check what you buy from them open box or anytime it says it was inspected by Geek Squad. Just to make myself feel better I sent off an EECB to Best Buy because if nothing else I wanted them to be aware that the store was having problems with its inspection of open box items.

In all fairness, there's probably a limit to what they can do for you, but the idea that nothing can be done is a little silly. Our readers have gotten $50 gift certificates because someone at Best Buy was rude to them — so we're certain that they could have offered you something in order to keep your business.

At this point, however, so many months down the road, your best bet might be to discuss this with your credit card company. We're not sure what they'll tell you, but it's worth a shot.

Adam is absolutely right of course, that the moral of this story is to always carefully check your packages when shopping at Best Buy. Here's a post that will help keep this from happening to you.

(Photo:epicharmus)
Senator Wants Investigation Of Frequent Flyer Programs [Airlines]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 12:23 pm MST

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) is calling for a probe of frequent flyer programs to determine whether they deliver the value that they promise. In particular, he wants the Department of Transportation to look into the issue of evaporating miles, a relatively new phenomenon brought introduced via expiration dates in recent years.

"As the holiday travel season approaches, we cannot let airlines and credit card companies continue to fly off with hard-earned frequent flier miles," Schumer said in an announcement scheduled for Sunday. "When a consumer accumulates valuable frequent flier miles, they should not have to constantly worry that they are going to expire with little or no notification from the airline."

[...]

Frequent flier model programs began 20 years ago, most with no expiration dates for the benefits. In the last decade, airlines have created three-year windows for consumers to use the miles, Schumer said.

The Air Transport Group, a industry trade group, defended its member companies by pointing out that "the system hasn't been targeted by regulators." Well, yeah. That's probably why Senator Schumer is raising the issue.

"It's time to probe frequent-flier accounts, senator says" [USA Today]
(Photo: Kossy@FINEDAYS)
No Rebooking For People With H1N1 , So, You Know, Good Luck Flying [H1N1]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 11:59 am MST

When I look at flight attendants I do not see mere mortals. I see heroic flying immune systems. When the zombificating superflu does eventually strike, those who survive will no doubt be ruled by former flight attendants and elementary school teachers. In the meantime, they'll somehow continue working in a "flying petri dish" as some airlines continue to refuse H1N1 as an excuse to rebook.

People are reluctant to pay a fee to keep others healthy. From CNN:

"When people come together, germs can come together too," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

"There are not that many studies about flu spreading on airplanes and trains, but anytime people are close together, there's a possibility of germs spreading."

So it may be unsettling to discover that 51 percent of respondents in a recent online poll by TripAdvisor.com would fly while sick with the flu rather than pay a flight rebooking fee. About 2,300 people took part in the survey.

Frequent fliers say the results are disturbing, but not surprising.

"I do think that's an unfortunate attitude, because the airplane is like a petri dish in the sky," said Rene Foss, a flight attendant for 25 years and the spokeswoman for the Association of Flight Attendants.

"[But] people really are resistant to paying any extra fees."

Of the airlines CNN looked into, only Delta let people rebook non-changeable fares with a doctor's note.

Flying with the flu? Some may be tempted [CNN]
(Photo:The Consumerist)
Cheap Package Design Tricks People Into Dropping Motorola Droid On Floor [Cutting Corners]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 11:48 am MST

The Motorola Droid is a sweet phone, but the box it comes in is a case study in bad package design. Where every other gadget these days comes in boxes with lids, or boxes designed to be opened in a specific manner, the Droid box can easily be opened so that the brand new phone falls to the floor.

C.R. writes,

I got my new Verizon Motorola Droid last week. But when I opened the box, the Droid fell to the floor. Apparently I had the box turned the wrong way. There is now a dent in my phone. It's not a major dent. The phone still works. But it's still not cool that because of a design flaw, I have to live with a damaged phone right from the get-go. I called Verizon to see if they would help, but they wouldn't do a thing. Since the phone is still in working condition, they would not replace it. I then inquired about that 30 day period where I could return the phone if I don't like it. She said that I could do that, but if the phone is physically damaged, I would be billed the full amount for the phone!!!

He also sent us a link to a Droid owners' forum, where he posted his story and found others who had experienced the same. Here are some sample comments from that thread.

This happened [to me] when the rep at the store opened it and I refused that one made him get me another.

*
This happened to me but the Verizon salesperson did it! It was Friday morning, her first droid sale ever and she opened the box upside down and the droid slammed into the side of the desk leaving little dents on each side of the screen.
*
This happened to me at the store when I bought it (actually before I bought it), and it hit the counter from about 2 inches high and proceeded towards the floor.
*
This happened to me too, but only 1-2" to my desk. Whoever put the box together is an idiot.
*
The customer rep did the same thing on mine!! luckily it just dropped on his keyboard

"WARNING for new Motorola Droid users!" [DroidForums.net]
Comments Off At 4pm [PSAs]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 11:10 am MST

Comments will be shut off at 4pm eastern today for maintenance.
Customer Finds Sears' Free Delivery Isn't So Free [Now You Sears, Now You Don'ts]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 9:30 am MST

Intrigued by a free delivery deal, Danielle ordered a dishwasher from Sears, but the retailer only reimbursed her $75 of the $81.19 fee.

She explains:

Just wondering if you've heard of this.

I bought a dishwasher from Sears. They agreed to reimburse the $75 delivery fee since the item was over a certain amount. They charged me $75 plus $6.19 tax. I received the $75 but not the tax. Where does this "tax" money go? Shouldn't I be reimbursed for the total amount?

Hope you can assist. I would like to escalate but I don't know how much time I can give this for $6.

Danielle should contact Sears customer service and straighten this out. Has anyone else been overcharged for a so-called free service?

(Photo: Meg Marco)
Customer Finds Dead Mouse In Toyota [Stuart Little, Noooooo]
→ Consumerist | 23 Nov 2009 | 9:12 am MST

Greg was replacing the speakers in his 2003 Camry and uncovered a stinky little tomb in the rear of the car. He thinks it must have happened at the plant, but I can't tell. Who wants to weigh in on whether the mouse tried to build a nest, or whether Toyota used mouse-enhanced stuffing on the assembly line? Oh, there are pics after the jump, but I made one of them less disturbing by adding a little sweater.

About a month ago I decided to upgrade my Toyota Camry 03 Speakers from stock to JBL speakers. To go about this was no easy task. After disconnecting and fitting the new tweeters (the speakers closest to the front windshield) and the door speakers. I go about taking out the back seats, rear sidings, and carpeting in order to reach the speakers in the rear. At first, I wonder about a strong mildew smell lingering back there as I go about this task.

As I reach for the harness on the right side I try to feel into some sort of insulation or stuffing in between the carpeting in the rear and plastic. Pulling out a chunk of stuffing to scour through feeling something like a harness, it made me question what I was holding. I see a dead mouse that I literally touched. I instantly dropped what I was holding and stood there in shock for a few minutes. You could say my heart raced and skipped as I grasp hold of what I just saw.

A dead mouse was the last thing I would expect to find in the rear of my car. The area the mouse was in could not be easily accessed and I believe there was no way it would have gotten in the years I have owned this car. The mouse was perfectly preserved, dried out, and hollow like one of those museum animals, yet it stunk. The area the mouse was in was more or less perfectly enclosed as no air circulation enters the area. Enclosed, I have images that are not for the faint of heart.

The odd thing is that the stuffing is only on the right side, there was none on the left side. I did remove all of the stuffing on the right side as it did not seem necessary to leave a putrid, foul pile of string and foam there. I still love my car despite this unfortunately find, the only explanation is from the Toyota factory in 2003 on the Toyota manufacturing line, a worker must have just grabbed a handful of insulation and stuck it in there not knowing there is a dead mouse among the stuffing. This has brought about the question whether in the future I should buy another Toyota Camry.

The fact that the stuffing is only on one side makes me wonder whether the mouse tried to build a nest, but the way the mouse is packed into the stuffing makes it look like they came pre-assembled. But then, why stuff only one side of the car?

Maybe you can ask Toyota to explain why the rear section would be stuffed that way, which will then at least help you determine whether the mouse was a factory add-on or an uninvited guest at some later point. Here's some contact info for Toyota:

Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America
25 Broadway, New York, NY
(212) 785-2447‎

Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc
19001 S Western Ave Torrance, CA 90501-1196
(310) 468-4000

-- Finis --

FCC releases some details of its broadband plan → Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:36 pm MDT

A webmaster without the high-speed Web → Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:12 pm MDT

SXSW: LikeCube Powers Recommendations for Locations → GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm MDT

Twitter CEO: We Want You to Spend Less Time on Twitter → digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm MDT

How To Make Organic LEDs [DIY] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm MDT

Dear diary: I did WHAT! → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm MDT

Dishwasher How To Guide Conquers NYT 'Most-Emailed' List [Questions] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:40 pm MDT

NBP: inside the FCC's spectrum revolution (and its problems) → Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:40 pm MDT

Former Air Force General Talks Art of War In Outer Space [Blockquote] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:20 pm MDT

Hello! Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition Starting To Show Up In A Ton Of Gaming Rigs [Intel] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:06 pm MDT

Maingear, Digital Storm, CyberPower and Velocity Micro announce i7-980X six-core desktops → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:53 pm MDT

Scientists Might Make A Pill That'll Give You Photographic Memory [Memory Forever] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:40 pm MDT

PSA/PPM Goes Vertical â�� Better Time to Value for ChangePoint Solutions → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:25 pm MDT

Diane Birch Lives In a Projector Screen—and Now In My Head Too [Music] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:20 pm MDT

Three Tricks to Innovation Management → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:17 pm MDT

Airstash wireless card reader lets you share and transfer files via WiFi → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:16 pm MDT

"Marry Your Horse" Senate Candidate Lied So Much on Maddow [Lies] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:05 pm MDT

Social network's CEO documents flight nightmare live → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:52 pm MDT

Over-the-Air Android 2.1 Updates for Droid May Start This Thursday [Android] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:52 pm MDT

"Neuroframing" the global warming issue won't win converts → digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:50 pm MDT

How to use Multi-touch in Android 2: Part 6, Implementing the Pinch Zoom Gesture → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:42 pm MDT

CardKing iPhone App Scans and Stores All Your Membership Cards [Apps] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:40 pm MDT

Next Generation iPod Might Have Sleeves [Ipants] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:39 pm MDT

Jury rules against Microsoft in patent suit → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:32 pm MDT

Big cable pushes 7 "consumer principles" for cable, IP video → Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:30 pm MDT

It’s Official: News Media Are Missing The Twitter Boat → GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:29 pm MDT

MIT building self-assembling computer chips → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:28 pm MDT

Vicious Attack Ad Targets Karl Rove's Book [Things We Actually Like] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:21 pm MDT

Methane May Be Building Under Antarctic Ice → digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:20 pm MDT

Eurocom jams i7-980X six-core desktop processor into 17-inch D900F Panther laptop → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:15 pm MDT

Windows Phone 7 and Internet Explorer 9: Here's What Happened [Mix2010] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:13 pm MDT

The Twitterati Hitch a Ride [Twitterati] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:03 pm MDT

Smart water sensors use wireless to detect dryness levels → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:02 pm MDT

Researchers Convert Solar Energy To Sugars → digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:00 pm MDT

This Is How Solar Roadways Actually Look [Energy] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:00 pm MDT

The Great $75 Million Pill Heist [Heists] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:46 pm MDT

Virtual PC hole could lead to attacks, security firm says → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:37 pm MDT

SEC: Stocks boosted via hijacked accounts → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:26 pm MDT

IBM 305 RAMAC: The Grandaddy of Modern Hard Drives [Memory Forever] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:20 pm MDT

FCC releases plan to improve U.S. Web access → CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:18 pm MDT

Paperless in Seattle - digital news media success stories → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:18 pm MDT

A webmaster without the high-speed Web → CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:12 pm MDT

Day one content: Bioware explains why it's sometimes legit → Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:01 pm MDT

Which Fish Are Cubicle-Friendly? [Ask Lifehacker] → Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:00 pm MDT

Copy/Paste May Not Initially be Available for Windows Phone 7 Series → DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:55 pm MDT

Windows Phone forgets how to copy and paste → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:55 pm MDT

Verizon Teases Us With Android 2.1 Update Details for the Droid [Android] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:53 pm MDT

Hey Microsoft, Don't F*ck Up Windows Phone 7 [Rant] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:51 pm MDT

SEC: Hacker Manipulated Stock Prices → digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:50 pm MDT

KaleidoVid Is a Fun Video Kaleidoscope For the iPhone [IPhone Apps] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:40 pm MDT

Does Microsoft thinking copying the 2007 iPhone is a good idea? → ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:33 pm MDT

Windows Phone 7 Takes Its Cue From the iPhone → GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:29 pm MDT

XpanD working on universal 3D glasses → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:26 pm MDT

Survey: Macs cost notably less to support than Windows PCs → Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:18 pm MDT

Sarcasm is completely lost on Comcast (PIC) → digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:10 pm MDT

Water Front Property [Pic Of The Day] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:01 pm MDT

In Case Self-Assembling Machinery Didn't Scare You Before... [Chips] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:00 pm MDT

Magic Mouse, Fixed Makes Your Magic Mouse More Ergonomic [Stuff We Like] → Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:00 pm MDT

Researchers teach liquid to flow uphill to cool future CPUs → digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:50 pm MDT

Nova Spivack’s Live Matrix: A Programming Guide for the Live Web → GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:45 pm MDT

In Defense of No Multitasking: Microsoft Edition [Windows Phone 7] → Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:44 pm MDT

Exploring status quo bias in the human brain → digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:40 pm MDT

Alex eReader set to ship two weeks after iPad → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:39 pm MDT

General relativity passes a large scale test → Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:37 pm MDT

William Shatner takes on Facebook → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:35 pm MDT

FCC feels the need for Internet speed → Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:29 pm MDT

Keyboard dock, other iPad accessories will be MIA on April 3 → digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:20 pm MDT

Democrats To Subvert Democracy By Only Voting Once to Pass Bill [Demon Pass] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:18 pm MDT

NBC Actors Learn They're Being Forced to Guest On The Marriage Ref [Open Caption] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:15 pm MDT

Which Sequel Will Be Worse: Sex and the City 2 or Wall Street 2? [Battle Royale] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:10 pm MDT

Best Tax Preparation Tool: Turbo Tax [Hive Five Followup] → Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm MDT

Microsoft: Blu-ray costs holding PS3 back → CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:57 pm MDT

Unsurprisingly, IE9 won't be supported on an obsolete OS → Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:52 pm MDT

Owe Someone Money? Just Bump Your Phones → digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:50 pm MDT

Comment of the Day: Kirstie Alley Crushes Michael Moore [We Read You] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:46 pm MDT

Pfizer Employee Claims Company Fired Her After Infection From An Engineered Virus → Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:38 pm MDT

Meet the Generation That Will Save and/or Destroy the New York Times [Dynasties] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:36 pm MDT

“Buzz off, man. Buzz off." [Scumbags] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:34 pm MDT

New York Times Science Section Editors Don't Buy Your Egghead 'Science' [We're Doomed] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:32 pm MDT

HBO Is Going to Be Awesome All Over Again [Its Not Tv] → Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:20 pm MDT

FCC releases some details of its broadband plan
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:36 pm MDT

A webmaster without the high-speed Web
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:12 pm MDT

SXSW: LikeCube Powers Recommendations for Locations
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm MDT

Twitter CEO: We Want You to Spend Less Time on Twitter
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm MDT

How To Make Organic LEDs [DIY]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm MDT

Dear diary: I did WHAT!
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm MDT

Dishwasher How To Guide Conquers NYT 'Most-Emailed' List [Questions]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:40 pm MDT

NBP: inside the FCC's spectrum revolution (and its problems)
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:40 pm MDT

Former Air Force General Talks Art of War In Outer Space [Blockquote]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:20 pm MDT

Hello! Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition Starting To Show Up In A Ton Of Gaming Rigs [Intel]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 9:06 pm MDT

Maingear, Digital Storm, CyberPower and Velocity Micro announce i7-980X six-core desktops
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:53 pm MDT

Scientists Might Make A Pill That'll Give You Photographic Memory [Memory Forever]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:40 pm MDT

PSA/PPM Goes Vertical â�� Better Time to Value for ChangePoint Solutions
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:25 pm MDT

Diane Birch Lives In a Projector Screen—and Now In My Head Too [Music]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:20 pm MDT

Three Tricks to Innovation Management
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:17 pm MDT

Airstash wireless card reader lets you share and transfer files via WiFi
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:16 pm MDT

"Marry Your Horse" Senate Candidate Lied So Much on Maddow [Lies]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 8:05 pm MDT

Social network's CEO documents flight nightmare live
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:52 pm MDT

Over-the-Air Android 2.1 Updates for Droid May Start This Thursday [Android]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:52 pm MDT

"Neuroframing" the global warming issue won't win converts
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:50 pm MDT

How to use Multi-touch in Android 2: Part 6, Implementing the Pinch Zoom Gesture
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:42 pm MDT

CardKing iPhone App Scans and Stores All Your Membership Cards [Apps]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:40 pm MDT

Next Generation iPod Might Have Sleeves [Ipants]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:39 pm MDT

Jury rules against Microsoft in patent suit
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:32 pm MDT

Big cable pushes 7 "consumer principles" for cable, IP video
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:30 pm MDT

It’s Official: News Media Are Missing The Twitter Boat
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:29 pm MDT

MIT building self-assembling computer chips
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:28 pm MDT

Vicious Attack Ad Targets Karl Rove's Book [Things We Actually Like]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:21 pm MDT

Methane May Be Building Under Antarctic Ice
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:20 pm MDT

Eurocom jams i7-980X six-core desktop processor into 17-inch D900F Panther laptop
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:15 pm MDT

Windows Phone 7 and Internet Explorer 9: Here's What Happened [Mix2010]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:13 pm MDT

The Twitterati Hitch a Ride [Twitterati]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:03 pm MDT

Smart water sensors use wireless to detect dryness levels
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:02 pm MDT

Researchers Convert Solar Energy To Sugars
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:00 pm MDT

This Is How Solar Roadways Actually Look [Energy]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 7:00 pm MDT

The Great $75 Million Pill Heist [Heists]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:46 pm MDT

Virtual PC hole could lead to attacks, security firm says
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:37 pm MDT

SEC: Stocks boosted via hijacked accounts
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:26 pm MDT

IBM 305 RAMAC: The Grandaddy of Modern Hard Drives [Memory Forever]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:20 pm MDT

FCC releases plan to improve U.S. Web access
→ CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:18 pm MDT

Paperless in Seattle - digital news media success stories
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:18 pm MDT

A webmaster without the high-speed Web
→ CNN.com - Technology | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:12 pm MDT

Day one content: Bioware explains why it's sometimes legit
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:01 pm MDT

Which Fish Are Cubicle-Friendly? [Ask Lifehacker]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 6:00 pm MDT

Copy/Paste May Not Initially be Available for Windows Phone 7 Series
→ DailyTech Main News Feed | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:55 pm MDT

Windows Phone forgets how to copy and paste
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:55 pm MDT

Verizon Teases Us With Android 2.1 Update Details for the Droid [Android]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:53 pm MDT

Hey Microsoft, Don't F*ck Up Windows Phone 7 [Rant]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:51 pm MDT

SEC: Hacker Manipulated Stock Prices
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:50 pm MDT

KaleidoVid Is a Fun Video Kaleidoscope For the iPhone [IPhone Apps]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:40 pm MDT

Does Microsoft thinking copying the 2007 iPhone is a good idea?
→ ZDNet Blogs | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:33 pm MDT

Windows Phone 7 Takes Its Cue From the iPhone
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:29 pm MDT

XpanD working on universal 3D glasses
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:26 pm MDT

Survey: Macs cost notably less to support than Windows PCs
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:18 pm MDT

Sarcasm is completely lost on Comcast (PIC)
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:10 pm MDT

Water Front Property [Pic Of The Day]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:01 pm MDT

In Case Self-Assembling Machinery Didn't Scare You Before... [Chips]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:00 pm MDT

Magic Mouse, Fixed Makes Your Magic Mouse More Ergonomic [Stuff We Like]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 5:00 pm MDT

Researchers teach liquid to flow uphill to cool future CPUs
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:50 pm MDT

Nova Spivack’s Live Matrix: A Programming Guide for the Live Web
→ GigaOM | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:45 pm MDT

In Defense of No Multitasking: Microsoft Edition [Windows Phone 7]
→ Gizmodo | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:44 pm MDT

Exploring status quo bias in the human brain
→ digg.com: Stories / Science / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:40 pm MDT

Alex eReader set to ship two weeks after iPad
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:39 pm MDT

General relativity passes a large scale test
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:37 pm MDT

William Shatner takes on Facebook
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:35 pm MDT

FCC feels the need for Internet speed
→ Science and Technology: News & Videos about Science and Technology - CNN.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:29 pm MDT

Keyboard dock, other iPad accessories will be MIA on April 3
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:20 pm MDT

Democrats To Subvert Democracy By Only Voting Once to Pass Bill [Demon Pass]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:18 pm MDT

NBC Actors Learn They're Being Forced to Guest On The Marriage Ref [Open Caption]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:15 pm MDT

Which Sequel Will Be Worse: Sex and the City 2 or Wall Street 2? [Battle Royale]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:10 pm MDT

Best Tax Preparation Tool: Turbo Tax [Hive Five Followup]
→ Lifehacker | 16 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm MDT

Microsoft: Blu-ray costs holding PS3 back
→ CNET News.com | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:57 pm MDT

Unsurprisingly, IE9 won't be supported on an obsolete OS
→ Ars Technica | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:52 pm MDT

Owe Someone Money? Just Bump Your Phones
→ digg.com: Stories / Technology / Popular | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:50 pm MDT

Comment of the Day: Kirstie Alley Crushes Michael Moore [We Read You]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:46 pm MDT

Pfizer Employee Claims Company Fired Her After Infection From An Engineered Virus
→ Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:38 pm MDT

Meet the Generation That Will Save and/or Destroy the New York Times [Dynasties]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:36 pm MDT

“Buzz off, man. Buzz off." [Scumbags]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:34 pm MDT

New York Times Science Section Editors Don't Buy Your Egghead 'Science' [We're Doomed]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:32 pm MDT

HBO Is Going to Be Awesome All Over Again [Its Not Tv]
→ Gawker | 16 Mar 2010 | 3:20 pm MDT