The death of Windows XP may have been greatly exaggerated.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said the company could re-evaluate its plans to phase out Windows XP by June 30, if customers demand that it stick around. So far, they have not.
“XP will hit an end-of-life. We have announced one. If customer feedback varies, we can always wake up smarter, but right now, we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments,” Ballmer said during a Thursday news conference in Belgium, according to Reuters.
Big-name computer makers are still scheduled to have to stop selling models with Windows XP installed by the end of June. Mainstream technical support will continue to be available for Windows XP through April 2009, and more limited support will continue through April 2014.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Windows XP’s impending demise: “If customer feedback varies, we can always wake up smarter.”
(Credit: Dan Farber/CNET News.com)Microsoft does plan to continue selling Windows XP for a limited class of PCs it calls “ultralow-cost PCs.” It’s a category that covers machines with slower processors, smaller screens and, in many cases, flash memory, rather than a traditional hard drive, for storage.
Ballmer said most consumers are choosing to buy the current version of Windows, Vista. Many acquire Vista by default, however, since most new PCs ship with the operating system. Businesses have been slower to catch on, as many have clung to Windows XP and older versions of Windows.
While Microsoft ponders yet another stay of execution for Windows XP, it’s readying a new version of Windows, being developed under the code name “Windows 7.”
Earlier this month, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates indicated that Windows 7 could come within the next year–in some form, possibly a developer-oriented version–far ahead of the development schedule previously indicated by the software maker.
Ballmer on Thursday also reiterated Microsoft’s intention of appealing directly to Yahoo shareholders, if the company rejects Microsoft’s offer of $43.6 billion for the company.
“We’ve sent them a letter that says, ‘it’s a good price; please let us know. If you don’t let us know, maybe your shareholders will think it’s a good price,’” Reuters reported.
Source:
By Rick Weiss
Protein retrieved from a 68 millon-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex bone closely resembles the main protein in chicken and ostrich bones and is only distantly related to lizards’, strengthening the popular idea that birds, and not reptiles, are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs.
The new work builds on a 2007 analysis showing remarkably close similarities between T. rex collagen and collagen from modern-day chickens, but that work did not include comparisons to other living species. Collagen is the primary protein in bones.
“We had made a very loose connection at first,” said John M. Asara of Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, who led both studies. “Now we’re able to make out robust evolutionary relationships and, with very high confidence, basically group the T. rex dinosaur with birds.”
More is at stake than T. rex’s prehistoric pedigree. Asara and his colleagues say their novel approach has the potential to redraw the evolutionary tree based on molecular data instead of the traditional comparisons of skeletal remains. Bones can be deceiving, because unrelated animals can have similar structures.
Key to the new finding — and the cause of some controversy — is the Asara team’s assertion that it retrieved a smidgen of intact collagen from the fossilized thigh bone of a T. rex. Biological materials generally degrade in the environment, and scientists who work with ancient DNA feel lucky when they find a sample that is 100,000 years old. Yet the T. rex protein specimen is more than 100 times older than that, leading some scientists to wonder whether it might be a more recent contaminant.
Mary H. Schweitzer, a molecular paleontologist at North Carolina State University in Raleigh who oversaw the protein’s extraction, said she was confident that what they were dealing with was dinosaur collagen, preserved because of favorable conditions in the Montana soil where the bone was buried.
“There is no evidence of contamination,” Schweitzer said, emphasizing the painstaking method developed by the team, which captures less than a millionth of a gram of protein for every five grams of bone.
But not everyone agrees.
Pavel Pevzner, director of the Center for Algorithmic and Systems Biology at the University of California at San Diego, said his own research, soon to be published, refutes Asara’s work. He said he cannot describe details until they are published, but he was blunt in his response to the new study, which appears in today’s issue of the journal Science.
The findings are “a joke,” Pevzner wrote in an e-mail. “Serious evolutionary biologists will laugh reading this piece.”
It was unclear whether Pevzner disputes the link between birds and dinosaurs or simply distrusts the methods the team used.
Proteins are strands of amino acids, and the order of those various amino acids determines a protein’s identity and function. In the new analysis, the team compared the order of 89 amino acids from the T. rex sample to the equivalent collagen sequence from a chicken, an ostrich, an alligator and a green anole lizard, a reptile commonly used in laboratory research.
Source:
During a post-keynote luncheon with a few reporters, Yahoo CTO Ari Balogh and Yahoo Open Strategy (Y!OS) chief architect Neal Sample shared more details about the inside-out rewiring of the Web giant.
Yahoo CTO Ari Balogh expects version 1.0 of Y!Open to be available this year.
(Credit: Dan Farber)Balogh said that co-founder and CEO Jerry Yang is taking a personal interest in the project, which began in earnest as part of Yang’s 100-day plan, which he created when he took the helm of the company from Terry Semel in September of last year. He noted that Y!OS was started before Microsoft came knocking on Yahoo’s door. Balogh joined Yahoo from VeriSign just prior to Microsoft’s February 1, 2008 takeover bid.
Y!OS is expected to have a material impact on Yahoo’s page growth and time spent on the site, as well as revenue. It was baked into the calculations projecting a doubling of its operating cash flow from $1.9 billion to $3.7 in the three-year span.
Version 1.0 of what is being called Y!Open will be released at some unspecified time later this year, and will include a development environment for several properties, a social “activator” and graph engine, an events engine, and a single profile for users, Balogh said.
The activator engine handles the combining of different relationship groupings, such as the Yahoo Mail e-mail address book, Yahoo Messenger contacts, Flickr friends, Yahoo 360, and Yahoo Mash, Sample said. Yahoo will be careful to protect user privacy and won’t apply the information without user consent, he added.
“We have to replumb Yahoo to use a single profile and create feeds, a way to consume feeds and Web services APIs and to layer those mechanisms into the platform,” Balogh said.
Yahoo is part of the OpenSocial Foundation, along with Google and MySpace, and will be using the specification as part of the Yahoo application framework (see the slide below). OpenSocial allows applications to work across the major social networks, except Facebook at this point, without modification.
Yahoo’s new architecture, called Yahoo Open Strategy proves that the Internet is made of tubes.
(Credit: Yahoo)Users will have single control panel for assigning where they want the applications to live. Developers will be incented to carry the unified Yahoo user experience with them across other services, although it’s not required by the OpenSocial specification, Sample said.
Initially, Yahoo will be vetting applications that touch Yahoo Mail. “We don’t want to risk exposing user data,” Sample said. “Once they prove themselves we can open up more. We are starting with a toe in the water.”
SearchMonkey is the first fruit of Yahoo’s new open initiative. It allows developers to alter the presentation of search results, is currently in limited beta and will be in general release within the next several weeks, Balogh said.
Compared to creating a social graph and scaling the back end for 500 million users and 10 billion latent relationships among the Yahoo clan, SearchMonkey is relatively simple feat of openness.
Yahoo has an ambitious and complex task ahead to deliver version 1.0 within this year amidst other distractions, such as Microsoft’s courtship of the company. Balogh talks a good game: “The goal is nothing short of creating the best developer environment for creating Internet applications across the Web.” Now Yahoo has to show that it can execute.
Source:
First announced way, way back in July of last year, the nifty, wireless balance board accessory for the Wii finally has a North American release date: May 19. Get ready to engage those abs.
The Wii Fit bundle (available in Japan since last December) will sell for $89.99, according to Crave—not exactly cheap, but at least it’ll come bundled with a battery of exercises—involving yoga, aerobics, strength training, and balance—that’ll get you off the couch and, with any luck, make you break a sweat.
IGN (via Yahoo! Games) has a thorough preview of Wii Fit, but I’ll tick off some of the main points: You get the wireless, plastic balance board (which, apparently, supports a whopping 660 pounds, although it stops measuring over 330 pounds) plus the battery of 40 mini-games and exercises.
Among them: strength-training exercises, including a push-up/yoga combo (which sounds devilishly difficult), single-leg extensions, arm/leg lifts, a variety of squats and lunges, and side planks (ouch). There’s also plenty of aerobic action, including steps, runs, and rhythm boxing. Then there’s the yoga, complete with your standard deep breathing, half moons, a potpourri of poses, you name it. This ain’t no button-mashing on the couch.
What makes Wii Fit more fun than your standard exercise DVD is the on-screen trainer (either male or female, as IGN notes) who critiques your form and doles out encouragement, as needed.
Of course, the coolest element of Wii Fit is the wireless balance board, which incorporates two plastic pads—one for each foot—that precisely measure you weight and balance.
From the demos I’ve seen, the board does an uncanny job of detecting your overall stance and posture; indeed, based on your weight and balance, it’ll compute your body mass index (BMI) and tell you if you’re overweight, underweight, or just right. The Wii Fit software will also track your BMI daily and tell you your progress over time.
Early reviews have been generally positive; for example, Chris Kohler at Wired News tried Wii Fit for about a month and came away pretty happy, calling it a “convenient and helpful way for me to get back in shape.” Keep in mind, however, that Kohler didn’t so much lose weight as build muscle (not such a bad thing, considering that you’re playing a video game).
I haven’t had a chance to try Wii Fit myself, but the demo during last year’s E3 gaming conference looked pretty impressive; I especially liked the soccer ball head-butting game, which lets you (natch) head-butt a torrent of virtual soccer balls, all from the comfort of the balance board—nice. (Hmmmm…how about a surfing game? Or skateboarding?)
So, who out there’s looking forward to Wii Fit? Anyone else tried it? What about the price tag?
Source:tech.yahoo
| General |
2G Network |
GSM 900 / 1800 |
| |
GSM 850 / 1900 |
| Announced |
2008, April |
| Status |
Coming soon. Exp. release 2008, 2Q |
| Size |
Dimensions |
106 x 46 x 11.1 mm, 54 cc |
| Weight |
74 g |
| Display |
Type |
TFT, 65K colors |
| Size |
240 x 320 pixels, 2 inches |
| |
- Downloadable wallpapers, screensavers |
| Ringtones |
Type |
Polyphonic, MP3 |
| Customization |
Download |
| Vibration |
Yes |
| Memory |
Phonebook |
Yes, Photocall |
| Call records |
20 dialed, 20 received, 20 missed calls |
| Card slot |
No |
| Data |
GPRS |
Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 – 48 kbps |
| HSCSD |
No |
| EDGE |
No |
| 3G |
No |
| WLAN |
No |
| Bluetooth |
Yes |
| Infrared port |
No |
| USB |
No |
| Features |
Messaging |
SMS, MMS, Email |
| Browser |
WAP 2.0/xHTML |
| Games |
Yes |
| Colors |
Cyber Green, Neon Blue, Perfect Purple |
| Camera |
1.3 MP, 1280 x 1024 pixels |
| |
- Java MIDP 2.0
- FM radio
- MP3 player
- Nokia Xpress Audio Messaging
- Advanced calculator
- Calendar
- Built-in handsfree |
| Battery |
|
Standard battery, Li-Ion 700 mAh (BL-4B) |
| Stand-by |
Up to 336 h |
| Talk time |
Up to 4 h 45 min |
| General |
2G Network |
GSM 900 / 1800 |
| |
GSM 850 / 1900 |
| Announced |
2008, April |
| Status |
Coming soon. Exp. release 2008, 2Q |
| Size |
Dimensions |
108 x 46 x 15 mm, 66 cc |
| Weight |
73.7 g |
| Display |
Type |
TFT, 65K colors |
| Size |
128 x 160 pixels |
| |
- Themes and wallpapers |
| Ringtones |
Type |
Polyphonic (24 channels), MP3 |
| Customization |
|
| Vibration |
Yes |
| Memory |
Phonebook |
Yes, up to 1000 entries |
| Call records |
20 dialed, 20 received, 20 missed calls |
| Card slot |
No |
| Data |
GPRS |
Yes |
| HSCSD |
No |
| EDGE |
Yes |
| 3G |
No |
| WLAN |
No |
| Bluetooth |
No |
| Infrared port |
No |
| USB |
No |
| Features |
Messaging |
SMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging |
| Browser |
No |
| Games |
Yes |
| Colors |
Black, Slate Gray, Wine Red, Deep Plum |
| Camera |
VGA, 640×480 pixels, video |
| |
- Nokia Xpress Audio Messaging
- Calendar
- Calculator
- Voice memo
- Built-in handsfree
- English-Chinese dictionary |
| Battery |
|
Standard battery, Li-Ion 700 mAh (BL-5CA) |
| Stand-by |
Up to 424 h |
| Talk time |
Up to 7 h 40 min |
The California Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has developed an automated background check process
that requires digitized fingerprints, called LIVESCAN. LIVESCAN is an inkless fingerprinting process.The
fingerprints are electronically transmitted to the central computers at the DOJ and/or FBI in a matter of
seconds,instead of the days required to send hard copy fingerprint cards through the mail.
ADVANCED LIVE SCAN has mobile fingerprint services.If you are an employer or a school that has a
need for your applicants or students to be fingerprinted for their job or License, contact ADVANCED LIVE
SCAN by phone or e-mail to schedule a visit from our MOBILE LIVE SCAN SERVICE. Why wait for weeks,
when we can come to you.
Source:
New research has revealed that mobile phones are more injurious to people’s health than smoking. Why is that? It seems that mobile phone usage and brain cancer are linked to each other.
According to one of the world’s top neurosurgeons, British Vini Khurana, using mobile phones for 10 years could double the risk of brain cancer. “This danger has far broader public-health ramifications than asbestos and smoking,” he told the Independent of London.
Dr. Khurana based his assessment on the fact that three billion people now use the phones worldwide, which is three times higher than people who smoke. Smoking kills some five million globally each year.
Dr. Khurana reviewed more than 100 previous studies on the effects of mobile handsets and concluded people should avoid using cell phones whenever possible and called on governments and industry to take “immediate steps” to reduce radiation exposure through the devices.
“In the years 2008-2012, we will have reached the appropriate length of follow-up time to begin to definitively observe the impact of this global technology on brain tumor incidence rates,” he said.
The French government has already warned against mobile phone use, particularly by children. Also, Germany and the European Environment Agency have urged its people to minimize their exposure to mobile handsets.
The Mobile Operators Association, last week, rejected Dr. Khurana’s study as “a selective discussion of scientific literature by one individual.” It “does not present a balanced analysis” of the published science, and “reaches opposite conclusions to the World Health Organization and more than 30 other independent expert scientific reviews.”
Dr. Khurana posted his analysis on a neurosurgery Web site and a paper about his research is currently under peer review for publication in a leading scientific journal.
Source:
HONG KONG – China will shut down or punish dozens of video-sharing Web sites for carrying content deemed pornographic, violent or a threat to national security under rules that tighten Internet controls, a regulator said Friday.
The announcement came as Chinese Web surfers were blocked from seeing foreign sites with video about protests in Tibet. The new order did not mention the anti-government demonstrations or China’s resulting crackdown.
One of China’s most popular video-sharing sites, Tudou.com, was among those penalized, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said. It gave no details of Tudou’s violation or penalty. Other major competitors such as Youku.com and 56.com were not cited.
Rules that took effect Jan. 31 ban Chinese sites from distributing online video that involves national secrets, hurts the reputation of China, disrupts social stability or promotes pornography. Web sites are required to delete and report such content.
Communist authorities have also tightened controls on Chinese media ahead of this summer’s Beijing Olympics in hopes of stopping content that might tarnish a national prestige event.
In the recent sweep, regulators ordered 25 Web sites to shut down and will punish 32 others following a two-month investigation, the administration said on its Web site. It gave no details of penalties and phone calls to the office were not answered.
The companies knew the penalties were coming, and they do not appear to be connected to efforts to block footage of the protests in Tibet, said Duncan Clark, managing director of BDA China Ltd., a Beijing consulting firm.
A Tudou.com vice president, Dan Brody, said the site received a warning. He declined further comment.
The industry has grown quickly as a source of news in a country where the government owns all newspapers and broadcasters and enforces the ruling Communist Party’s censorship guidelines. Some sites say they get 100 million visitors a day, an audience that rivals that of the biggest state television channels.
Chinese regulators see the profit potential for video-sharing and have tried to strike a balance between enforcing censorship and letting fast-growing sites compete for visitors.
“It’s niche no longer, so the party takes the view that it’s mass media, so it has to be subject to the same controls,” Clark said.
The government announced in December that all video-sharing sites had to be state-owned. But it backed off following warnings that would stifle the industry and said any properly licensed company already operating could continue.
Chinese Web surfers have recently been blocked from seeing YouTube after video about the Tibet protests appeared on the popular U.S. site. Foreign Web sites run by news organizations and human rights groups are regularly blocked when they carry sensitive information.
The potential for video-sharing sites to embarrass the government was highlighted in December when a sportscaster grabbed the microphone and accused her husband of adultery at a state TV event to announce Olympics coverage plans.
A video of the Dec. 28 event appeared on dozens of Web sites in China and abroad. Tudou said it was one of the site’s most-watched items.
Source:news.yahoo
Next Entries »