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======================================================================
Slashdot Daily Newsletter
In this issue:
* What If Aliens Came To Save the Galaxy From Mankind?
* Pricing: Apple Defies Australian Government
* American Grant Writing: Race Matters
* 13-Year-Old Uses Fibonacci Sequence For Solar Power Breakthrough
* Windows 8 To Fight Piracy With the Cloud
* AT&T Kills $10 Texting Plan, Pushes $20 Plan
* Ridley Scott To Direct New <em>Blade Runner</em> Movie
* Linus Thinks Virtualization Is 'Evil'
* Firefox 7.0 Beta Released
* Chinese Researchers Propose Asteroid Deflection Mission
* The Dark Side of the Tech Patent Wars
* New Research Cracks AES Keys 3-5x Faster
* Wikipedia May Censor Images
* A TV That Knows and Shares What You're Watching
* PS3 Enjoys Retail-Wide Sales Spike After Price Cut
* Rare Earth Restrictions To Raise Hard Drive Cost
* "Woot" Becomes an Official Word
* HTC Unlocks Its Own Phones
* Linux Journal Goes — Surprise! — Digital
* HP's Shift On PCs Could Boost Acer, Dell and Lenovo
* A Chat With Zavilia, a Tool For Identifying Rioters
* Canadian Library to Loan Out People
* Ubisoft Scales Back <em>Driver</em> DRM
* RKK Energia Confirms Private Trip To the Moon
* Google Highlights Trouble In Detecting Malware
* Car Makers Explore EEG Headrests
* Study Shows Dogs Can Sniff Out Lung Cancer
* Sun May Disrupt Spacecraft and Satellites In Coming Decades
* Alaskan Village's Orange Goo Was Fungal Spores
* How Volunteers Rebuilt WW2 Computers
* Book Review: The Python Standard Library By Example
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| What If Aliens Came To Save the Galaxy From Mankind?
| from the captain-alien's-gonna-kill-humanity dept.
| posted by Unknown Lamer on Friday August 19, @06:18 (Sci-Fi)
| with 486 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0152226/What-If-Aliens-Came-To-Save-the-Galaxy-From-Mankind?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]astroengine writes with an amusing piece in Discovery. From the
article: "In a study carried out by NASA and Pennsylvania State
University scientists, several intelligent [1]extraterrestrial encounter
scenarios are examined. One of the scenarios is a sci-fi favorite: what
if we encounter an alien race hellbent on destroying us? However, there's
a twist. This isn't mindless thuggery on behalf of the aliens, and
they're not killing us to get at our natural resources; they have a
cause. They want to [2]exterminate us for the greater good of the Milky
Way."
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0152226/What-If-Aliens-Came-To-Save-the-Galaxy-From-Mankind?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.astroengine.com/
1. http://arxiv.org/abs/1104.4462
2. http://news.discovery.com/space/save-the-galaxy-destroy-humanity-110818.html
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Pricing: Apple Defies Australian Government
| from the higher-prices-down-under dept.
| posted by Unknown Lamer on Friday August 19, @02:01 (Australia)
| with 418 comments
| https://apple.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0126240/Pricing-Apple-Defies-Australian-Government?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
daria42 writes "This week it was revealed that Apple has still not
responded to Australia's Federal Parliament on the issue of [0]why the
prices of its products are significantly higher in Australia than they
are in the US, five months after the query was first raised by a member
of parliament from Australia's governing Labor party. Apple has refused
to issue a statement on the matter or even acknowledge the issue. What
will it take to get Apple to open up ��� a national enquiry?"
Discuss this story at:
https://apple.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0126240/Pricing-Apple-Defies-Australian-Government?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://delimiter.com.au/2011/08/18/labor-mp-wants-accc-enquiry-into-aussie-tech-tax/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| American Grant Writing: Race Matters
| from the taking-for-granted dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @12:50 (United States)
| with 392 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1543232/American-Grant-Writing-Race-Matters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHPNerd writes "You might expect that science, particularly American
science, would be color-blind. Though fewer people from some of the
country's ethnic minorities are scientists than the proportions of those
minorities in the population suggest should be the case, once someone has
got bench space in a laboratory, he might reasonably expect to be treated
on merit and nothing else. Unfortunately, a study just published in
Science suggests that is not true. The study looked at [0]the pattern of
research grants awarded by the NIH and [1]found that race matters a lot.
Moreover, Asian and Hispanic scientists do just as well as white ones.
Black scientists, however, fare badly."
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1543232/American-Grant-Writing-Race-Matters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.sciencemag.org/content/333/6045/1015.full
1. http://www.economist.com/node/21526320
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 13-Year-Old Uses Fibonacci Sequence For Solar Power Breakthrough
| from the one-one-two-three-five-eureka dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @08:43 (Power)
| with 368 comments
| https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1218219/13-Year-Old-Uses-Fibonacci-Sequence-For-Solar-Power-Breakthrough?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An anonymous reader tips news of 7th grader Aidan Dwyer, who used
[0]phyllotaxis ��� the way leaves are arranged on plant stems in nature ���
as inspiration to arrange an array of solar panels in a way that
[1]generates 20-50% more energy than a uniform, flat panel array. Aidan
wrote, "I designed and built my own test model, copying the Fibonacci
pattern of an oak tree. I studied my results with the compass tool and
figured out the branch angles. The pattern was about 137 degrees and the
Fibonacci sequence was 2/5. Then I built a model using this pattern from
PVC tubing. In place of leaves, I used PV solar panels hooked up in
series that produced up to 1/2 volt, so the peak output of the model was
5 volts. The entire design copied the pattern of an oak tree as closely
as possible. ... The Fibonacci tree design performed better than the
flat-panel model. The tree design made 20% more electricity and collected
2 1/2 more hours of sunlight during the day. But the most interesting
results were in December, when the Sun was at its lowest point in the
sky. The tree design made 50% more electricity, and the collection time
of sunlight was up to 50% longer!"His work earned him a Young Naturalist
Award from the American Museum of Natural History and a provisional
patent on the design.
Discuss this story at:
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1218219/13-Year-Old-Uses-Fibonacci-Sequence-For-Solar-Power-Breakthrough?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllotaxis
1. http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/2011/aidan.html
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Windows 8 To Fight Piracy With the Cloud
| from the arrr-me-hearties dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @13:31 (Microsoft)
| with 335 comments
| https://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/172222/Windows-8-To-Fight-Piracy-With-the-Cloud?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]MrSeb writes "With the latest Windows 8 build (8064) that has been
delivered to Intel, it's clear that the company is taking strides to
[1]make sure that its upcoming OS isn't quite so easy to pirate. For
starters, the generic volume license keys that were so easily exploited
during the early days of Windows 7 leaks will no longer be an option for
pirates. Product keys also won't be shipped in the prodkey.txt file
included in the build packages. Instead, installers will need to retrieve
a unique key from a Microsoft web page. There's also a good possibility
that the recently-surfaced [2]fast booting patent could come into play as
well. If Microsoft does indeed have designs on using a remote server to
push OS code to systems at boot time, that code would be a very clever
place to embed activation-related programming. Even if a crack was
discovered, it would be neatly undone during a subsequent start-up
sequence ��� similar to the way Microsoft's now-idle Windows Steady State
could turn back the clock on an entire Windows installation after
rebooting." Microsoft has also indirectly confirmed in a recent [3]blog
post that [4]Windows 8 will make use of an app store.
Discuss this story at:
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/172222/Windows-8-To-Fight-Piracy-With-the-Cloud?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://mrsebatmrsebdotcom/
1. http://www.extremetech.com/computing/93110-microsoft-heads-to-the-cloud-to-improve-windows-8-anti-piracy-defenses
2. http://www.conceivablytech.com/8886/business/beyond-windows-8-patent-hints-to-a-future-streaming-os
3. http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/08/17/introducing-the-team.aspx
4. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9219296/Microsoft_confirms_app_store_in_Windows_8
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| AT&T Kills $10 Texting Plan, Pushes $20 Plan
| from the giving-thumb-customers-the-finger dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @12:09 (AT&T)
| with 325 comments
| https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1452255/ATampT-Kills-10-Texting-Plan-Pushes-20-Plan?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]Hugh Pickens writes "AT&T is scrapping its 1,000-texts-for-ten-bucks
plan and [1]replacing it with a plan that offers unlimited texts for $20.
Users who don't want the unlimited plan can opt to pay 20 cents per text.
Current AT&T subscribers are grandfathered in, so you can stick with
whatever plan you selected when you signed your contract. 'The vast
majority of our messaging customers prefer unlimited plans and with text
messaging growth stronger than ever, that number continues to climb among
new customers,' says AT&T. The news has not been received warmly in the
tech blogosphere. 'AT&T calls this "streamlining." We call it what it is:
an outrageous, gigantic scam,' writes Sam Biddle in Gizmodo. 'AT&T's
[2]taken away new customers' option to spend less, whereas carriers like
Verizon still offer tiered texting plans for varying budgets.'"
Discuss this story at:
https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1452255/ATampT-Kills-10-Texting-Plan-Pushes-20-Plan?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://hughpickens.com/
1. http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2011/0818/AT-T-kills-cheaper-texting-plan-for-20-unlimited-package
2. http://gizmodo.com/5832245/atts-new-text-plan-overcharges-you-by-10000000
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Ridley Scott To Direct New <em>Blade Runner</em> Movie
| from the deckard-shot-first dept.
| posted by Unknown Lamer on Thursday August 18, @22:55 (Movies)
| with 284 comments
| https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/012241/Ridley-Scott-To-Direct-New-Blade-Runner-Movie?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In his first accepted submission, fwarren writes "Alcon Entertainment,
best known for the movie [0]The Blind Side, purchased the [1]rights to
Blade Runner earlier this year. The next order of business? Hire Ridley
Scott. Scott has [2]signed on to make a new Blade Runner movie. At this
point it is not known whether it will be a sequel or a prequel. With no
script or writer at this point, I think it is safe to say it will be a
roller coaster ride for the next few years."
Discuss this story at:
https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/012241/Ridley-Scott-To-Direct-New-Blade-Runner-Movie?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0878804/
1. http://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/11/03/03/1340233/Blade-Runner-Sequels-and-Prequels-Happening
2. http://www.deadline.com/2011/08/ridley-scott-ready-to-direct-new-version-of-seminal-sci-fi-film-blade-runner/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Linus Thinks Virtualization Is 'Evil'
| from the know-who-else-used-virtualization? dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @15:35 (Virtualization)
| with 220 comments
| https://linux.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1925243/Linus-Thinks-Virtualization-Is-Evil?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Front page first-timer [0]crdotson writes "Linus said in an interview
that [1]he thinks virtualization is 'evil' because he prefers to deal
with the real hardware. Hardware virtualization allows for better
barriers between systems by running multiple OSes on the same hardware,
but OS-level virtualization allows similar barriers without a hypervisor
between the kernel and the hardware. Should we expect more focus on
OS-level virtualization such as Linux-VServer, OpenVZ, and LXC?"
Discuss this story at:
https://linux.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1925243/Linus-Thinks-Virtualization-Is-Evil?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. mailto:chris@dotson97.org
1. http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/77850
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Firefox 7.0 Beta Released
| from the another-day-another-version dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @13:11 (Firefox)
| with 213 comments
| https://news.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1652201/Firefox-70-Beta-Released?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An anonymous reader sends word that [0]the first Firefox 7.0 beta has
been released. One of the big areas of focus for this version will be
performance enhancements. One optimization "Reduces memory use and
improves performance areas including responsiveness, startup and page
load time, even in complex websites and Web apps." Another addresses one
of Firefox users' long-standing gripes: "The JavaScript garbage collector
works more frequently to [1]free up memory and improve performance when
you have many tabs open or keep Firefox running for a long time."
Discuss this story at:
https://news.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1652201/Firefox-70-Beta-Released?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://blog.mozilla.com/futurereleases/2011/08/18/firefoxbeta7/
1. http://blog.mozilla.com/nnethercote/2011/08/09/firefox-7-is-lean-and-fast-2/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Chinese Researchers Propose Asteroid Deflection Mission
| from the bruce-willis-need-not-apply dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @10:46 (Space)
| with 187 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1437213/Chinese-Researchers-Propose-Asteroid-Deflection-Mission?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wisebabo writes "Researchers in China have proposed [0]sending a solar
sail-driven probe to hit the asteroid Apophis to make sure it has no
chance of going through a 'keyhole' near earth in 2029. If it goes
through the keyhole, then it will [1]hit the earth seven years later. The
reason [2]why they need to use a solar sail is because they want the very
small probe (~10kg) to hit the asteroid in the opposite direction, a
retrograde orbit which would otherwise require an insane amount of fuel
(after being put on an escape trajectory, it would need to first cancel
out the earth's orbital momentum and then basically speed up to a
likewise high velocity in the opposite direction). They are doing this to
hit the asteroid at a very high impact speed. While [3]Apophis may not
literally be capable of wiping us out (it 'only' weighs 46 million
kilograms), it might be able to wreck our civilization." Read on for the
rest of wisebabo's thoughts.
This story continues at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1437213/Chinese-Researchers-Propose-Asteroid-Deflection-Mission?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1437213/Chinese-Researchers-Propose-Asteroid-Deflection-Mission?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/27088/?p1=blogs
1. http://science.slashdot.org/story/07/02/17/2340227/Asteroid-Highlighted-as-Impact-Threat
2. http://arxiv.org/abs/1108.3183
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophis_asteroid
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| The Dark Side of the Tech Patent Wars
| from the is-there-a-light-side dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @11:29 (Patents)
| with 185 comments
| https://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1443249/The-Dark-Side-of-the-Tech-Patent-Wars?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]GMGruman writes "Bill Snyder warns that the tech patent wars are going
nuclear, and [1]could vaporize tech jobs in the process. He likens the
situation to medicine, where so much money now goes to pay for insurance
and 'defensive medicine,' rather than for actual care. In the tech world,
he fears that the same will occur with patents, forcing companies to
spend ever more money on patents and lawyers ��� and less on innovation and
staff."
Discuss this story at:
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1443249/The-Dark-Side-of-the-Tech-Patent-Wars?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.infoworld.com/
1. http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/tech-jobs-vaporized-patent-war-goes-nuclear-170137
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| New Research Cracks AES Keys 3-5x Faster
| from the before-the-heat-death-of-the-universe dept.
| posted by Unknown Lamer on Thursday August 18, @20:53 (Encryption)
| with 174 comments
| https://it.slashdot.org/story/11/08/18/2338249/New-Research-Cracks-AES-Keys-3-5x-Faster?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Landing his first accepted submission, qpgmr writes "AES, generally
thought to be the gold standard for encryption, is showing weaknesses.
From Computerworld: 'Researchers from Microsoft and the [Belgian]
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven have [0]discovered a way to break the
widely used Advanced Encryption Standard, the encryption algorithm used
to secure most all online transactions and wireless communications.'" The
full [1]paper has lots of details. Note that it would still take a few
billion years with current computers to actually break anything, but
[2]there may be further vunerabilities yet to be discovered.
Discuss this story at:
https://it.slashdot.org/story/11/08/18/2338249/New-Research-Cracks-AES-Keys-3-5x-Faster?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9219297/AES_proved_vulnerable_by_Microsoft_researchers
1. http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/cryptanalysis/aesbc.pdf
2. http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2011/08/new_attack_on_a_1.html
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Wikipedia May Censor Images
| from the good-thing-there's-no-other-nudity-on-the-internet dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @09:23 (Wikipedia)
| with 160 comments
| https://news.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1236235/Wikipedia-May-Censor-Images?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KiloByte joins the ranks of accepted submitters, writing "To appease
'morality' watchdogs, Wikipedia is [0]contemplating the introduction of a
censorship feature, where images would be flagged for containing sexual
references, nudity, 'mass graves,' and so on. At least in the initial
implementation, it is supposed to be 'opt-in.' However, with such
precedents as the UK censoring [1]artistic nudity, Turkey censoring
references to the [2]Armenian genocide or China's stance on information
about the [3]Tiananmen massacre (note that any sensitive photos, like the
Tank Man, are already absent!), I find it quite hard to believe this
feature won't be mandatory for some groups of readers ��� whether it's
thanks to an oppressive government, an ISP or a school."
Discuss this story at:
https://news.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1236235/Wikipedia-May-Censor-Images?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image_filter_referendum
1. http://yro.slashdot.org/story/08/12/07/1253228/UK-ISPs-Are-Censoring-Wikipedia
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Genocide
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_massacre
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| A TV That Knows and Shares What You're Watching
| from the can't-hide-your-jersey-shore-addiction-from-skynet dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @14:12 (Television)
| with 157 comments
| https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1730240/A-TV-That-Knows-and-Shares-What-Youre-Watching?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]holy_calamity writes "A technology will be appearing soon in TVs that
[1]fingerprints what is onscreen and sends that information to an
internet server able to identify the content, whether it's live TV or
another source, like a DVD. Web pages and mobile apps using the same
connection as the TV can access that information using an API, allowing
online content to dynamically provide relevant information and ads to be
more targeted. Startup Flingo, which developed the technology, says one
of the top 5 TV brands in the US will launch a set with the Sync Apps
system in coming months."
Discuss this story at:
https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1730240/A-TV-That-Knows-and-Shares-What-Youre-Watching?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.technologyreview.com/
1. http://www.technologyreview.com/web/38383/?p1=A2
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| PS3 Enjoys Retail-Wide Sales Spike After Price Cut
| from the gamers-have-short-memories dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @01:03 (Businesses)
| with 155 comments
| https://games.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0457219/PS3-Enjoys-Retail-Wide-Sales-Spike-After-Price-Cut?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
donniebaseball23 writes "Sony, after nearly two years on standing firm on
PS3's price, dropped the console to $249, and it's been having an
immediate impact. GameStop has already noted [0]a 'significant' increase
in PS3 sales, while big box retailer Target confirmed [1]an 'immediate
lift' in sales and recommended PS3 as a 'great option' for its customers.
Not only that, but leading e-tailer [2]Amazon saw PS3 sales explode by
400% in the days after the price cut. All told, in the months ahead,
[3]analysts are expecting Sony to see as much as a 30% sales bump for PS3
this holiday season."
Discuss this story at:
https://games.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0457219/PS3-Enjoys-Retail-Wide-Sales-Spike-After-Price-Cut?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.industrygamers.com/news/ps3-and-3ds-both-see-significant-sales-bump-says-gamestop/
1. http://www.industrygamers.com/news/ps3-enjoys-immediate-lift-in-sales-at-target/
2. http://www.industrygamers.com/news/ps3-sales-on-amazon-jump-400-on-price-cut/
3. http://www.industrygamers.com/news/ps3-sales-expected-to-rise-as-much-as-30-on-price-cut/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rare Earth Restrictions To Raise Hard Drive Cost
| from the economics-have-consequences dept.
| posted by timothy on Friday August 19, @19:00 (China)
| with 137 comments
| https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2214212/Rare-Earth-Restrictions-To-Raise-Hard-Drive-Cost?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]MojoKid writes "Multiple manufacturers in the IT industry have been
keeping a wary eye on China's decision to cut back on rare earth exports
and the impact it may have on component prices. There have been reports
that suggest [1]we'll see that decision hit the hard drive industry this
year, with HDD prices trending upwards an estimated 5-10 percent
depending on capacity. Although rare earth magnets are only a small part
of a hard drive's total cost, China cut exports last year by 40 percent,
which drove pricing for these particular components up an estimated
20-30x. China currently controls 97 percent of the rare earth elements
market for popular metals like neodymium, cerium, yttrium and ytterbium."
Discuss this story at:
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2214212/Rare-Earth-Restrictions-To-Raise-Hard-Drive-Cost?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://hothardware.com/
1. http://hothardware.com/News/Chinese-Rare-Earth-Restrictions-To-Raise-Hard-Drive-Prices/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| "Woot" Becomes an Official Word
| from the prescriptivists-mourn-death-of-language dept.
| posted by Unknown Lamer on Thursday August 18, @20:22 (Idle)
| with 124 comments
| https://idle.slashdot.org/story/11/08/18/2248250/Woot-Becomes-an-Official-Word?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]tekgoblin writes with a quick bit about new words in the COED. From
the article: "Concise Oxford English Dictionary is the smaller but most
widely recognized derivative of the official Oxford English Dictionary,
which is celebrating this August its 100th anniversary. To celebrate, the
lexicon published its 12th edition today that adds more than 400 new
entries ��� [1]many of which reflect the technological vocabulary found in
today's society, like 'woot,' 'mankini,' and 'jeggings.'"
Discuss this story at:
https://idle.slashdot.org/story/11/08/18/2248250/Woot-Becomes-an-Official-Word?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.twitter.com/tekgoblin
1. http://www.tekgoblin.com/2011/08/18/woot-becomes-an-official-word/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| HTC Unlocks Its Own Phones
| from the perfectly-normal-and-healthy dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @16:16 (Android)
| with 120 comments
| https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/204223/HTC-Unlocks-Its-Own-Phones?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]itwbennett writes "Having just announced that [1]it would continue to
run Android on its best phones, HTC is now 'needling' Google by making
good on 'promises it made earlier in the year [2]to deliver bootloader
unlock tools for many of its most popular Android phones,' writes blogger
Kevin Fogarty. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, HTC CEO
Peter Chou said that HTC views unlocked OSes as a way to encourage both
ISVs and owners to get more involved developing apps and mods for the
phones. Google, which has been trying to lock Android down more, probably
doesn't see it that way."
Discuss this story at:
https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/204223/HTC-Unlocks-Its-Own-Phones?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.itworld.com/
1. http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20094731-266/htc-ceo-still-banking-on-google-report/
2. http://www.itworld.com/mobile-wireless/195481/htc-unlocks-its-own-phones-not-just-tick-google-probably
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Linux Journal Goes — Surprise! — Digital
| from the you-can-print-it-out-like-my-dad-would dept.
| posted by timothy on Friday August 19, @19:54 (The Media)
| with 116 comments
| https://news.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2242205/Linux-Journal-Goes-mdash-Surprise-mdash-Digital?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]Mr_Perl writes "Linux Journal sent out an email to subscribers today
announcing that they are [1]going 100% digital. Subscribers signed on for
a paper version of the journal, and now have been switched to an
electronic version, apparently at the exact same subscription rate. No
news yet on why they did it, and no sign of any offers to reimburse
unused subscriptions for subscribers who are disappointed."
Discuss this story at:
https://news.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2242205/Linux-Journal-Goes-mdash-Surprise-mdash-Digital?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.darkpoetry.com/
1. http://www.linuxjournal.com/digital-faq
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| HP's Shift On PCs Could Boost Acer, Dell and Lenovo
| from the nobody-knows-you-when-you're-down-and-out dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @18:18 (HP)
| with 114 comments
| https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2124254/HPs-Shift-On-PCs-Could-Boost-Acer-Dell-and-Lenovo?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]CWmike writes "With HP [1]spinning off its PC business, [2]rivals will
be looking for a way to get a bigger piece of the hardware pie. HP's PC
unit news, among other industry-rattling announcements, including pulling
out of the tablet market and shuttering webOS, rocked the hardware
industry since HP is by far the dominant maker in the world. So while HP
decides what to do, [3]rivals should be plotting their next move, say
industry analysts. Who could benefit the most from any change-up in PC
sales? The obvious suspects: Dell, which passed Acer in the second
quarter of this year; and Acer is looking to make up some lost ground and
could see HP's shake up as an opportunity. And don't forget Lenovo, which
holds the third-largest market share. Despite [4]the general downshift
for PCs, Lenovo is riding some great momentum right now, reports Gartner.
In the second quarter of 2011, the company saw 22.5% growth in its PC
shipments." A related article [5]ponders the fate of webOS, looking at a
number of potential buyers as well as the unlikely possibility that HP
will open source it.
Discuss this story at:
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2124254/HPs-Shift-On-PCs-Could-Boost-Acer-Dell-and-Lenovo?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://twitter.com/mikeatcw
1. http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/08/18/1948232/HP-Spinning-Off-WebOS-and-Exiting-Hardware-Business
2. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9219323/HP_shift_on_PCs_could_boost_rivals
3. http://www.infoworld.com/d/computer-hardware/hp-bails-and-dell-fades-who-will-make-pcs-170336
4. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9218412/PC_market_downshifting_says_Gartner_
5. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2391422,00.asp
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| A Chat With Zavilia, a Tool For Identifying Rioters
| from the crowd-state-opression dept.
| posted by Unknown Lamer on Friday August 19, @04:58 (Security)
| with 96 comments
| https://it.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0248220/A-Chat-With-Zavilia-a-Tool-For-Identifying-Rioters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HansonMB writes with an interview in Motherboard.tv. From the article:
"Social media isn't just great for [0]starting 'social unrest,' it's
proving to be quite helpful for quashing it too. Not long after the
bricks began to fly in London's latest kerfuffle, locals angry over
raging mobs scrambled to assist the police in their attempt to identify
street-fighters and free-for-all hooligans ... Now with more than 1,000
people charged over the chaos, a few citizen groups continue to
[1]provide web-based rioter identification platforms, in hopes of being
good subjects, maintaining the country's pursuit of order, and keeping
their neighborhoods safe."
Discuss this story at:
https://it.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0248220/A-Chat-With-Zavilia-a-Tool-For-Identifying-Rioters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. https://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/08/09/1413233/Technology-Blamed-For-Helping-UK-Rioters
1. http://motherboard.tv/2011/8/18/we-are-not-vigilantes-a-chat-with-the-founder-of-zavilia-a-crowdsource-tool-for-id-ing-rioters-through-photos
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Canadian Library to Loan Out People
| from the line-up-by-isbn dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Friday August 19, @11:20 (Canada)
| with 96 comments
| https://news.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1437249/Canadian-Library-to-Loan-Out-People?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wouldn't it be easier to learn Chinese from a native speaker than from a
book, or explore a religion from an actual practitioner rather than words
on a page? A library in Surrey, B.C. thinks so and has introduced a
"human library" program. Visitors will be able to [0]"check-out" real
people to learn about their experiences and specific knowledge. From the
article: "...The goal is to break down stereotypes and start discussions,
said deputy chief librarian Melanie Houlden. 'What we're aiming to do is
bring the library to life for people. There are huge repositories of
experience and knowledge in their own brains,' she said." As long as you
stay out of the horror section, this sounds like a great idea.
Discuss this story at:
https://news.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1437249/Canadian-Library-to-Loan-Out-People?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.canada.com/life/story.html?id=5266639
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Ubisoft Scales Back <em>Driver</em> DRM
| from the step-in-the-less-wrong-direction dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @17:15 (DRM)
| with 93 comments
| https://games.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2113217/Ubisoft-Scales-Back-Driver-DRM?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We [0]recently discussed Ubisoft's plans to bring back their
controversial always-connected DRM for their upcoming racing game Driver:
San Francisco. Gamers raised their voices in protest, and it seems
Ubisoft listened, [1]scaling back (but not removing) the DRM. Instead of
requiring a continuous connection, the game will now require a connection
only when the game launches. Unfortunately for Ubisoft, complaints are
now arising that [2]the company misled players with regard to the DRM
implemented in the PC port of From Dust.
Discuss this story at:
https://games.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2113217/Ubisoft-Scales-Back-Driver-DRM?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://games.slashdot.org/story/11/07/28/0445229/Ubisoft-Brings-Back-Always-Connected-DRM-For-Driver-San-Francisco
1. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/17/ubisoft-listens-barely-changes-driver-drm/
2. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/18/from-dust-does-need-online-badly-ported/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| RKK Energia Confirms Private Trip To the Moon
| from the where-can-i-sign-up dept.
| posted by Unknown Lamer on Friday August 19, @08:01 (Moon)
| with 85 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0331210/RKK-Energia-Confirms-Private-Trip-To-the-Moon?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]Teancum writes "[1]RKK Energia, the prime contractor for the Russian
space program and the company who builds the Russian Soyuz spacecraft,
recently [2]confirmed negotiations are underway with space tourism
company [3]Space Adventures for a privately financed crewed flight around
the Moon. While the offer and [4]purchase of at least one seat has been
discussed earlier, this is the first time Energia has confirmed the
negotiations and has gone into at least some details in terms of what
they are expecting to have happen with this flight and the approximate
timeframe for when this flight would take place: [5]sometime in 2016 or
2017."
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/0331210/RKK-Energia-Confirms-Private-Trip-To-the-Moon?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. mailto:robert_horning@noSPam.netzero.net
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.P._Korolev_Rocket_and_Space_Corporation_Energia
2. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/guide/guidenews/detail/110833/
3. http://www.spaceadventures.com/
4. http://www.parabolicarc.com/2011/05/05/space-adventures-lunar-flyby-include-hab-module/
5. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/guide/guidenews/detail/110991/
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Google Highlights Trouble In Detecting Malware
| from the gotta-check-under-all-the-bits dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @10:04 (Google)
| with 82 comments
| https://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1328237/Google-Highlights-Trouble-In-Detecting-Malware?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]JohnBert writes "Google [1]issued a new study (PDF) on Wednesday
detailing how it is [2]becoming more difficult to identify malicious
websites and attacks, with antivirus software proving to be an
ineffective defense against new ones. The company's engineers [3]analyzed
four years worth of data comprising 8 million websites and 160 million
web pages from its Safe Browsing service, which is an API that feeds data
into Google's Chrome browser and Firefox and warns users when they hit a
website loaded with malware. Google said it displays 3 million warnings
of unsafe websites to 400 million users a day."
Discuss this story at:
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1328237/Google-Highlights-Trouble-In-Detecting-Malware?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. mailto:jbertoli@batblue.com
1. http://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/untrusted_dlcp/research.google.com/en/us/archive/papers/rajab-2011a.pdf
2. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9219290/Google_highlights_trouble_in_detecting_web_based_malware?taxonomyId=17
3. http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2011/08/four-years-of-web-malware.html
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Car Makers Explore EEG Headrests
| from the combine-with-electroshock-and-we've-got-a-winner dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @16:58 (Transportation)
| with 59 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2029228/Car-Makers-Explore-EEG-Headrests?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
mrtr writes "A number of car makers are looking at whether [0]EEG devices
built into headrests could prevent accidents by sensing when a driver is
in danger of drifting off. The technology comes from Neurosky, which
already makes commercial EEG units for use in gaming and market research.
Other approaches, such as using cameras to spot drooping eyelids, have
proven too unreliable so far. From the story: 'Fatigue causes more than
100,000 crashes and 40,000 injuries, and around 1,550 deaths, per year in
the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration. Some studies suggest drowsiness is involved in 20 to 25
percent of all crashes on monotonous stretches of road.'"
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2029228/Car-Makers-Explore-EEG-Headrests?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/38366/?p1=A3
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Study Shows Dogs Can Sniff Out Lung Cancer
| from the still-confused-by-pretending-to-throw-tennis-balls dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @17:36 (Medicine)
| with 57 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2053222/Study-Shows-Dogs-Can-Sniff-Out-Lung-Cancer?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
cylonlover writes "Last year, researchers developed a [0]cancer-detecting
electronic nose inspired by dogs' ability to sniff out different types of
ovarian cancer. Now a new study has found that sniffer dogs' abilities
extend to [1]reliably detecting lung cancer. The researchers say the
results of the study ([2]abstract) confirm that there is a stable marker
for lung cancer, which offers the possibility that a 'breath test' for
the early detection of lung cancer could be developed."
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2053222/Study-Shows-Dogs-Can-Sniff-Out-Lung-Cancer?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.gizmag.com/cancer-detecting-electronic-nose/17340/
1. http://www.gizmag.com/lung-cancer-sniffer-dogs/19569/
2. http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2011/08/05/09031936.00051711.abstract?sid=b4c367ac-6264-4d94-8b46-2b1505bb3fcf
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Sun May Disrupt Spacecraft and Satellites In Coming Decades
| from the great-balls-of-fire dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @15:55 (Space)
| with 54 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1943230/Sun-May-Disrupt-Spacecraft-and-Satellites-In-Coming-Decades?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
dtjohnson writes "A newly published study ([0]abstract) predicts that
solar storms are going to become [1]increasingly disruptive to satellites
and communications in the coming decades as the sun cycles towards a
minimum of activity. 'The work, published in Geophysical Research Letters,
predicts that once the Sun shifts toward an era of lower solar activity,
more hazardous radiation will reach Earth. The team says the Sun is
currently at a grand solar maximum. This phase began in the 1920s ��� and
has lasted throughout the space age....The evidence seems to indicate
that although there are fewer solar storms once the Sun leaves its grand
maximum, they are more powerful, faster and therefore carry more
particles.'"
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1943230/Sun-May-Disrupt-Spacecraft-and-Satellites-In-Coming-Decades?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2011/2011GL048489.shtml
1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14580995
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Alaskan Village's Orange Goo Was Fungal Spores
| from the this-is-how-the-zombie-apocalypse-starts dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @16:35 (Science)
| with 37 comments
| https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2022238/Alaskan-Villages-Orange-Goo-Was-Fungal-Spores?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
olsmeister writes "In a follow-up to a report that was [0]mentioned on
Slashdot a week ago, the NOAA has determined that the orange 'goo' that
washed up on the beaches at the remote Alaska village of Kivalina was not
eggs of crustaceans, but rather [1]spores from a fungus that creates rust
on plants. It is not known whether the fungus is harmful to humans or
not."
Discuss this story at:
https://science.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/2022238/Alaskan-Villages-Orange-Goo-Was-Fungal-Spores?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://idle.slashdot.org/story/11/08/10/1447214/Orange-Goo-Invades-Alaskan-Village
1. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44200285/ns/us_news-environment/#.Tk5VcF14f6g
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| How Volunteers Rebuilt WW2 Computers
| from the quite-the-enigma dept.
| posted by Soulskill on Friday August 19, @14:35 (Hardware)
| with 35 comments
| https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1817234/How-Volunteers-Rebuilt-WW2-Computers?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]nk497 writes "A single photograph, scraps of circuit diagrams drawn
from memory and a pile of disused components ��� it isn't much to go on,
but from such meager beginnings, [1]engineers rebuilt one of the
precursors to the modern computer. The Tunny decryption machine ��� on
display at The Museum of National Computing at Bletchley Park,
Buckinghamshire in the UK ��� was a feat of engineering both during World
War II when it was created, and over the past five years when it was
rebuilt by retired BT engineers."
Discuss this story at:
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1817234/How-Volunteers-Rebuilt-WW2-Computers?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. http://www.pcpro.co.uk/
1. http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/369397/how-volunteers-rebuilt-world-war-ii-computers
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Book Review: The Python Standard Library By Example
| from the read-all-about-it dept.
| posted by samzenpus on Friday August 19, @14:54 (Python)
| with 26 comments
| https://developers.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1215257/Book-Review-The-Python-Standard-Library-By-Example?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[0]thatpythonguy writes "Addison-Wesley publishers has released The
Python Standard Library By Example, another Python book that
strategically fits in between programming cookbooks and library reference
manuals. It brings the Python standard library that much closer to Python
programmers and helps make them more proficient in their trade." Read
below for Ahmed's first Slashdot review.
This story continues at:
https://developers.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1215257/Book-Review-The-Python-Standard-Library-By-Example?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
Discuss this story at:
https://developers.slashdot.org/story/11/08/19/1215257/Book-Review-The-Python-Standard-Library-By-Example?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email#commentlisting
Links:
0. mailto:thatpythonguy@gmail.com
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