http://slashdot.org/firehose.pl News for nerds, stuff that matters en-us Copyright 1997-2009, Geeknet, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2009-12-18T03:53:12+00:00 Geeknet, Inc. help@slashdot.org Technology hourly 1 1970-01-01T00:00+00:00 http://a.fsdn.com/sd/topics/topicslashdot.gif http://slashdot.org/firehose.pl //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7893656&from=rss A mom blogger's son falls into a pool. Some 30 minutes after she calls paramedics, she sends a tweet. The 2-year-old subsequently dies. Controversy rages about her turning to Twitter. cnetfeed 2009-12-18T03:52:25+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7893650&from=rss We've noticed plenty of sports leagues really fighting against the internet, and assuming it's a "problem" or a "challenge" that needs to be stopped, rather than a great tool that needs to be embraced. A prime example of this is the way the Premier League has gone on the attack against online video, even as it refuses to offer many customers any other way to watch the matches. It looks like Formula 1 racing is taking a very different approach. Paul Rodriguez alerts us to an article about how Formula 1 is looking to really embrace the internet and avoid the mistakes that others have made in the past. At first, I was a bit nervous, because the article mentions that Formula 1 wants to "follow the example of the music industry..." in embracing the internet (it's news to me that the music industry has actually embraced the internet), but further down in the article, it does appear that they realize what's really happening: "It doesn't make sense to try to charge people for something that they will figure out how to get for free. F1 will be available on the internet and you need to be prepared for that. The challenge is not in deciding what you give away for free but in deciding what sort of value you're going to provide on top of that -- elements that people are actually willing to pay for." Bingo. It's exactly what we've been saying about so many industries, but too many of them focus on the core content and assume it must be sold. Instead, Formula 1 seems to realize that the core content is going to be free, so you need to focus on providing additional scarce value on top of that which is worth paying for. Permalink | Comments | Email This Story techdirtfeed 2009-12-18T03:52:11+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136276/FlightStatscom-using-SPARQCodes-QR-CODES?from=rss FlightStats.com the world's largest real-time flight tracking site has partnered with MSKYNET and fully integrated to start using SPARQCodes (2d barcodes). Every flight search result will have a unique sparqcode which allows mobile users to take a picture of the sparqcode and get instant flight status information. This is perfect for on-the-go users who are about to go and pick someone up. Companies like Google are starting to make a 2d barcode push here in the US and this is further proof that the adoption rate here in the US is quickly gaining momentum. jackedhacker 2009-12-18T03:47:34+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136274/Convert-DVD-to-BlackBerry-StormPearlCurveBold?from=rss Wondershare DVD to BlackBerry Converter is a very useful and easy to use DVD to BlackBerry Converter tool. It can Convert DVD to BlackBerry video for Blackberry Storm 9530 9500, 8800, 8830, 8820, Blackberry Pearl 8100 and more with excellent video and audio quality. Anonymous Coward 2009-12-18T03:42:37+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136270/Circumventing-the-Gmail-Activity-Log?from=rss Security researcher Gabriel Landau of Independent Security Evaluators has discovered a method of bypassing Gmail's Activity Log auditing mechanism. Anonymous Coward 2009-12-18T03:38:04+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136266/Whats-happiness?from=rss From the time we come to the world on, we started to search happiness.But should we really know what's the meaning of it? How long should we walk before we get to the bank ? Anonymous Coward 2009-12-18T03:34:47+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136264/Wegmans-ghostwriter-revealed?from=rss jamie 2009-12-18T03:34:26+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136262/hp-compaq-6715b-battery?from=rss "Description:Type: Li-ion, 6 cellsVoltage: 10.8VCapacity: 4400mAhUL certificated cells inside!"http://www.udtek.com/hpcompaq-business-notebook-6715b-battery-cells-4400mah-p-15314.html udtekbattery 2009-12-18T03:30:25+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136256/Laser-Squad-The-Ultimate-Gaming-Experience?from=rss At Laser Squad we endeavor to provide the best games, superior customer service and to promote the sport of Laser Skirmish to the fullest extent. By playing at a Laser Squad venue you will get value for money, have an experience that you will never forget, have lots of fun, and be under the professional supervision of our trained staff. Justin1 2009-12-18T02:56:04+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136252/New-Math-App-Opens-Can-of-Whoopass-on-Uncertainty?from=rss A YouTube clip of me explaining how to mathematically calculate your chances of success with girl X across the bar. The clips supports the new iPhone app based on my book Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life. Here's a write-up of the app:Wouldn't it be great if there were clear-cut answers to all of life's questions: Do you have a snowball's chance in hell with her? How many drinks should you have at the company holiday party? Should you apologize? Whose family should you visit this holiday season? Now there are. Based on the bestselling book by Garth Sundem, Geek Logik for iPhone and iPod Touch harnesses the awesome powers of math and humor to open a massive can of whoopass on uncertainty. Simply set sliders to answer humorous questions (Days slept on couch in past month, Hours of sleep needed to remain civil with telemarketers) and Geek Logik runs the numbers and kicks out an answer.Now, standing across the bar from a potentially significant someone, you no longer need to wonder Am I good enough? Am I sexy enough? Am I but a nematode ripe for squishing under her fearsome stilettos? Just whip out your iPhone (discreetly, please) and ask the app. Booyah—problem solved! And with the stamp of ABSOLUTE MATHEMATICAL CERTAINTY. Or at least with much more certainty than the magic eight ball or outdated decision-making strategy known as "thinking about it".Perfect for the geek in your life (look to the left, look to the right—if neither's a geek...well, you get the point).Get the app based on the book that John Tierney at the NY Times called "wickedly ingenious" and that Will Shortz called "a hoot!" As seen on Good Morning America, CNN, the BBC and mentioned in Wired, Men's Health, Publisher's Weekly, Seed, and Sky & Telescope.Contact: garthsundem@yahoo.com garthsundem 2009-12-18T02:37:48+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136250/Repost-Techdirts-Content?from=rss Techdirt asserts that giving away free content will only benefit them, so all of their posts are "public domain":http://techdirt.com/articles/20091210/0530007290.shtmlIndeed. This is also why we've said time and time again that it's perfectly fine if you want to copy this blog and try to sell ads against it (or make money some other way). If someone actually figures out something that works well, then that's useful info to us, and would allow us to then incorporate those findings into our own offering. That's actually good for everyone...I am curious if Slashdot would consider reposting all of Techdirt's posts, also with real-time screen scraping of any new posts, in their entirety, without links back, and see if Techdirt's tune changes when a userbase of a few thousand has to compete with a user base of a few million. Anonymous Coward 2009-12-18T02:35:00+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892456&from=rss If you've seen an Internet ad for capacitor-type power factor correction devices, you might be led to believe that using one can save you money on your residential electricity bill. However, scientists have recently explained why the devices actually provide no savings by discussing the underlying physics. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:33:55+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892452&from=rss A recent sociological study finds that the way the kids will use their new phones depends on their gender. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:33:43+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892446&from=rss A near-complete skull of a primitive "dugong" has been discovered, illuminating a virtually unknown period in Madagascar fossil history. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:33:32+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892438&from=rss Researchers have found that certain cardiac pacemakers may inadequately stimulate a patient's heart while undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan due to the magnetic pulses mixing with the electronic pulses from the pacemaker. This inadequate stimulation is potentially dangerous for the patient undergoing the MRI scan, according to new research. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:33:21+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892432&from=rss Patients with a rare, deadly disease that mostly affects young women felt a dramatic reduction in breathlessness using an approved drug, according to a new study. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:33:10+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892420&from=rss Injecting the corticosteroid triamcinolone into the eye may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that can cause vision loss and blindness, according to a new study. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:32:59+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892414&from=rss Scientists have found that a plant steroid prompts two genes to battle each other -- one suppresses the other to ensure that leaves grow normally in rice and the experimental plant Arabidopsis thaliana, a relative of mustard. The results have important implications for understanding how to manipulate crop growth and yield. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:32:47+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892410&from=rss Suicidal adolescents who were prescribed an antidepressant medication during inpatient psychiatric hospital treatment were 85 percent less likely than others to be readmitted within a month after discharge, a new study found. The results provide additional evidence that antidepressants may play a key role in helping improve the mental health of suicidal youth. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:32:36+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892406&from=rss Many biologists warn that the planet's plants and animals are headed toward a mass extinction as a result of human-caused environmental damage, including global warming. Researchers have now analyzed the status of North American mammals, estimating that they may be one-fifth to one-half the way toward a mass extinction event like the "Big Five" the Earth has seen in the last 450 million years. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:32:24+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892396&from=rss Reader Eileen writes in to alert us that the NCAA -- known for its overly restrictive views at times -- is trying to bully the owner of the discussion website NCAAbbs.com into handing over its domain names. The NCAA is, not surprisingly, complaining that any domain name that includes NCAA automatically should belong to the NCAA. Of course, it's not so simple. While the NCAA does have a trademark on its name, that doesn't mean it gets automatic control over any site that uses NCAA in its domain name. The NCAAbbs site is clearly not associated with the NCAA and is pretty clearly just a fan discussion site. The owner of the site says that he's planning to fight the demand, and hopefully he can succeed. While the domain dispute process can be a bit arbitrary, the courts have often realized that a trademark holder does not get full control over every domain that mentions them. Hopefully, that will be the case here as well. Of course, the one area where it's pretty clear that you can keep such a domain name is in cases of "sucks sites." So perhaps if the NCAA wins this, the owner can simple relocate to NCAAreallysucks.com. More to the point, however, you have to wonder what the NCAA thinks it's doing here. You have a site that has been set up to promote the NCAA and all of the various sports teams within the NCAA. This is an incredibly useful promotional tool that the NCAA should be celebrating and helping rather than attacking. Why do so many organizations think it's smart to threaten, attack or sue their biggest fans? Permalink | Comments | Email This Story techdirtfeed 2009-12-18T02:32:07+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136248/Obama-Backs-New-Launcher-and-Bigger-NASA-Budget?from=rss President Barack Obama will ask Congress next year to fund a new heavy-lift launcher to take humans to the Moon, asteroids, and the moons of Mars, ScienceInsider has learned. The president chose the new direction for the U.S. human space flight program Wednesday at a White House meeting with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, according to officials familiar with the discussion. NASA would receive an additional $1 billion in 2011 both to get the new launcher on track and to bolster the agency’s fleet of robotic Earth-monitoring spacecraft. coop0030 2009-12-18T02:26:38+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136242/Videos---Best-Tech-Shows-from-YouTube-that-are-Ope?from=rss OSGUI has a New & Improved Video section that replicates YouTube's features and has many of the Best Technology, Open Source and Linux related YouTube Channel's Videos osgui 2009-12-18T02:15:46+00:00 //slashdot.org/submission/1136240/How-I-met-Mikhail-Tal--my-favorite-chess-champion?from=rss Meeting Mikhail Tal was one of the greatest experiences. How often does one get to meet the most courageous, artistic, and brilliant minds who beat all odds and rebelled against the old-fashioned school of technical chess? Anaid9 2009-12-18T02:14:22+00:00 //slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=7892052&from=rss It should be possible to use therapeutic vaccines to create both cheap and effective drugs for diseases like cancer and allergies. One problem in developing such vaccines has previously been the lack of adjuvants, substances that make vaccines more effective. However, there has now been a major breakthrough in this area. sdfeed 2009-12-18T02:13:49+00:00