text:
VW engine will be the first 4-cylinder in the industry to use cylinder deactivation tech

With more stringent fuel economy standards looming in the U.S. and elsewhere, auto manufacturers are looking to pull out all the stops to improve economy as much as possible. Carmakers are turning to technology like direct injection and automatic start/stop. Several automakers are also using cylinder deactivation on their larger engines.

Cylinder deactivation is something that some carmakers in the U.S. and abroad have used for years. Chrysler has used the technology in its Hemi engines, Honda uses it on some of its V6 models, and Audi will use cylinder deactivation in its new line of “S” performance models.

VW is set to make a first in the automotive market by offering cylinder deactivation on its 4-cylinder models.

The VW tech will turn off two engine cylinders under certain conditions. The engine is called the 1.4L TSI and VW promises that it will offer a fuel savings of 0.4-liters/100km and when combined with start/stop technology the vehicle would save 0.6-liters of fuel. For those more familiar with U.S. mpg ratings, that works out to an improvement of in the range of
3 to 4.5 mpg on average.

The engine would turn off two of the cylinders under low to medium loads, and VW says that the tech will meet the future European EU6 emissions standards. The cylinders will be deactivated when the engine is operating between 1,400 and 4,000 rpm and the engine torque is in the range of 25 to 75Nm.

VW claims that operating range applies to about 70 percent of the driving distance in the EU fuel economy driving cycle. VW also points out that as soon as the driver presses the pedal the cylinders will reactivate without the driver being able to tell it happened. The cylinders also would not turn off if the vehicle were being driven in a sporty manner apparently.

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RE: Good on paper..
By lagomorpha on 9/7/2011 6:06:43 PM , Rating: 2
More or less, it's a little more complicated in engines.

When you deactivate cylinders in an engine, the deactivated pistons continue to move up and down in their cylinders because there's no realistic way to segment the crankshaft. Because the pistons continue to move, air continues to be pumped in and out of the cylinder. Some of the cylinder deactivation schemes close all the vales to deactivated cylinders so that they expend less energy (like operating a spring; along half the travel you get most of the energy back).

So you aren't completely shutting down the cylinders, but where you do gain efficiency is because the remaining cylinders are run on higher load. Brake specific fuel consumption is lowest at highest load at lower rpm. This means a less powerful engine will generally use less fuel per work done than a larger engine at lower load... sometimes.

"Young lady, in this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics!" -- Homer Simpson

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Malware is increasing, and now targeting Mac and Android mobile users

The recently published edition of McAfee Threats Report: First Quarter 2012 indicates there is now a malware increase on the PC, Mac and mobile devices.

There was an increase in Q1 botnet growth, as McAfee reported almost 5 million injections during the worst spell.  On a bright side, global spam numbers dropped a slight amount, as just over 1 trillion spam messages were recorded at the end of Q1.

"In the first quarter of 2012, we have already detected eight million new malware samples, showing that malware authors are continuing their unrelenting development," McAfee noted regarding the number of malware problems.  "The same skills and techniques that were sharpened on the PC platform are increasingly being extended to other platforms, such as mobile and Mac."

The Q1 number generated by McAfee is a four-year high threat from malware, and could reach 100 million samples by the end of 2012.

PC malware definitely isn't new, but the advancing attack on mobile devices could have major implications for consumers.  Due to the popularity of Apple's iPhone and Google Android-powered devices, criminals will continue to show an interest in these products.

In addition to smartphones, Android has become increasingly popular on tablet devices -- and users aren't familiar with direct handling of malware on their mobile gadgets.  McAfee saw an increase from 600 Android malware samples in 2011, with that number increasing to nearly 7,000 threats in 2012.

The Google apps store isn't responsible for distributing these apps, while Android infections are shared by third-party vendors.

The SpyEye and Zeus SDKs are two of the leading choices among criminals trying to develop spyware, but there is new effort to find viable alternatives.  Criminals are now finding new SDKs on the black market, and development continues to develop even newer technologies.

Much of the mobile malware that is sent now causes a hijacked phone to text premium SMS services unbeknownst to the cell phone subscriber.  The phone hijacker will receive a commission from each sender, and this typically happens before phone subscribers even realize.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned users about malware problems, and a re-education process is in the works.  Malware will still evolve, but so will the software programs aimed at preventing malware from causing catastrophic issues.

Sources: MarketWatch, AFP

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Come on!
By Pirks on 5/24/2012 12:55:36 PM , Rating: -1
Where's my freakin iOS botnet??! I WANNA MY EFFIN IOS BOTNET! WTF is going on here? Where are you lazy malware writers? You have this puny arrogant Apple against you, and everyone on DT knows iOS or whatever Apple makes is choke-full of security holes! Right guys? Amirite huh? ;)

Sooo where the eff is this effin botnet? Why is it not here yet with such humongous number of iOS users? No botnets, no mass infections - this smells very fishy to me. Something is wrong here.

RE: Come on!
By Etsp on 5/24/2012 4:59:02 PM , Rating: 3
From what I can recall offhand, there HAVE BEEN iOS botnets. It's just that the affected phones were rooted and had sideloaded apps.

You're not likely to get an infection through the app store's vetting process.

An analogy would be that apps through the app store are like receiving visitors in a prison. (You being the prisoner) They get pat-downs, checked over, and thoroughly watched before they can get in. They can't bring most things with them for you to use. They can't do you any favors while there, because you cannot give them permission to do so. How you interact with them is completely restricted, and you do not get to choose who visits. The prison has to approve it. However, given all of that security, it's highly unlikely that you're going to be injured by the visitor.

On the other hand,applications on PCs like Windows and Macs are more akin to shopping at the grocery store. You pick the ingredients you want, and can try to use them however you want. There is occasionally tainted or expired food, some you wouldn't be able to detect, but usually there are obvious signs that what you're picking out isn't going to treat you well after dinner...

RE: Come on!
By Pirks on 5/24/2012 6:25:14 PM , Rating: 2
It's just that the affected phones were rooted and had sideloaded apps
I'm not interested in a tiny geeky minority, this is why I asked about mass infections. Something on the scale of Confiker.

"People Don't Respect Confidentiality in This Industry" -- Sony Computer Entertainment of America President and CEO Jack Tretton

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text:
"Driving, murdering, stealing, oh my!"

Rockstar Games' highly anticipated sequel to the smash hit Grand Theft Auto: IV is shaping up nicely, although we still don’t have a definite release date for the game. But in the mean time, Rockstar is whetting the appetites of eager fans with three fresh in-game screenshots of Grand Theft Auto: V:

Updated 8/22/2012 @ 9:38am
Rockstar Games has just released three more screenshots which showcase "leisure" activities in Grand Theft Auto: V to leave you wanting more:

Source: Rockstar Games

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RE: Oh boy!
By christojojo on 8/20/2012 2:10:02 PM , Rating: 2
Make it more like GTA3 and its two sequels and less like the GTAIV and I will buy it. Some things were w missing from the last game in lieu of DLC and o some left out all together that I missed.

RE: Oh boy!
By Flunk on 8/20/2012 2:50:53 PM , Rating: 2
Really? I liked GTAIV, seemed more grown-up and sophisticated. Niko had motivations for being a criminal that were "I'm a bad person". I will admit that I hung up on Roman every time he called, he does get the message if you keep doing that you know.

RE: Oh boy!
By FITCamaro on 8/20/2012 4:59:17 PM , Rating: 2
The biggest problem with GTAIV was the forced relationships you had to build.

RE: Oh boy!
By Omega215D on 8/23/2012 1:52:08 AM , Rating: 2
GTA SA was the first to deal with role playing elements. Eating, gym, getting fat, GFs.

I liked how GTA progressed from GTA III to SA to IV. I'll reserve judgement until I get my hands on V. Thankfully Square Enix's Sleeping Dogs and Valve's Counter-Strike GO will keep me occupied in the mean time.

RE: Oh boy!
By wempa on 8/20/2012 2:56:29 PM , Rating: 3
Make it more like San Andreas ! That game had a ridiculous amount of content in it. GTA IV was a more "polished" game, but they sacrificed game content for it. For example, I hate how they got rid of airplanes and only left helicopters. I thought San Andreas was the best GTA by far.

RE: Oh boy!
By SPOOFE on 8/20/2012 3:47:09 PM , Rating: 2
Most of San Andreas' "ridiculous amount of content" was a flat, empty, vast map devoid of anything interesting to do. Nix the "huge for hugeness' sake" aspect, or at least come up with something to do with all that virtual territory, and that'll fix that glaring flaw.

RE: Oh boy!
By MozeeToby on 8/20/2012 4:28:38 PM , Rating: 2
You need the "flat, empty, vast map devoid of anything interesting" to create a fully fleshed world. It adds depth that filling the same area with cityscape wouldn't have done simply because it creates variety.

RE: Oh boy!
By SPOOFE on 8/21/2012 3:28:26 PM , Rating: 2
No, you don't need "flat, empty, vast map devoid of anything interesting" to create a fully fleshed world. You need a "fully fleshed world" to create a fully fleshed world. And "flat, empty, vast map[s] devoid of anything interesting" is the ANTITHESIS of "fully fleshed world".

Sorry, pal, but that game was modeled on my back yard (southern CA with SF and LV at the extreme northern corners). I know what the Mojave desert is like. I'm all too familiar with Flintridge and the Central Valley. San Andreas was barren and sparse, with too much devoted to making it "big" and not enough devoted to making it "a game". The ten minutes one spends at the beginning of the game "pumping iron" doesn't count as "a game". That was "push a button until dude is Black Schwarzenneggar".

And the best parts of San Andreas? TOOK PLACE IN THE CITIES. Gang turf wars were a blast, but I kept wanting to pull that stuff against smack- and meth-dealing bikers out in the sticks.

RE: Oh boy!
By FITCamaro on 8/20/2012 5:01:50 PM , Rating: 2
You know how much fun me and friends had with that openness? Tons. Try to jump the grand canyon and then laugh for 5 minutes as your car sinks to the bottom of the river with a ridiculously appropriate for the situation song plays on the radio.

Go to the top of a sky scrapper, spawn vehicles with cheat codes, and then have fun running them off the top. Or see who could go the farthest and longest with the hover craft(quite far for quite long actually).

RE: Oh boy!
By SPOOFE on 8/21/2012 3:30:56 PM , Rating: 2
The fact that you managed to find "something to do" with that unnecessarily empty and huge map does NOT mean that it was a good idea to create an unnecessarily empty and huge map. You could have still jumped the Grand Canyon if the area down below you was still littered with quests, missions, jobs, or even just interesting doodads to look at. I'm not asking for much, just something more than behemoth polygons and a handful of shrub sprites.

RE: Oh boy!
By christojojo on 8/22/2012 12:24:41 PM , Rating: 2
Just because you didn't like the openness doesn't mean that it didn't add value to others. The Game was huge. I loved the races and the way you could go around exploring just "because' Flying using mods was awesome too, i.e. tie fighter.

The mini games were cool for me Those are the things I missed most in the GTAIV. I loved doing the police, ambulance taxi and other missions for ultimate bonuses wear an ugly taxi or the pop up guns and ammo.

RE: Oh boy!
By wempa on 8/22/2012 11:54:14 AM , Rating: 2
I got so addicted to GTA:SA. There was just so much variety. If you got bored of one thing, you could always find something a lot different to do: missions, challenges, races, driving/flying/boating/motorcycle schools, customizing your character. Going for 100% game completion required a sick amount of time and dedication. GTA 4 added some new content and it also polished things up a lot, which was really needed. However, it dropped a bit too much content and a lot of things that were very fun.

RE: Oh boy!
By wempa on 8/23/2012 10:56:57 AM , Rating: 3
According to the Wikipedia page, it will be based in Los Santos !!! Awesome. I'm getting really excited about this one now. There was such a great variety of areas in GTA SA.

RE: Oh boy!
By Sivar on 8/21/2012 2:35:22 PM , Rating: 3
Most of San Andreas' "ridiculous amount of content" was a flat, empty, vast map devoid of anything interesting to do.

Worked for Elder Scrolls games :)

RE: Oh boy!
By SPOOFE on 8/21/2012 3:33:19 PM , Rating: 3
Heh, pick any Elder Scrolls game and start walking in any nigh any direction and you'll find something to do in minutes. With San Andreas, people talk about the twenty minutes it takes to drive across the map WITH NOTHING ELSE HAPPENING.

It would have been okay if police chases out in the wilderness weren't such a Girl Scout affair, but even those fell apart (unless you deliberately slowed down to give the cops an advantage) the second you got out of a city.

RE: Oh boy!
By wempa on 8/22/2012 11:34:30 AM , Rating: 3
I'll agree with you that some of the travel time got boring with SA, but it still had way, WAY more total content. I thought I knew most of that game's content until I browsed through the strategy guide one day. Boy was I surprised. I hadn't even known so many of those missions/challenges existed. Plus, I loved going back to the various schools and getting all gold medals to unlock awesome stuff. The Hunter was a blast to cause chaos with. GTA 4 was much less of a sandbox type game than San Andreas. I also loved the 4 separate areas that were all very different.

RE: Oh boy!
By tayb on 8/20/2012 3:24:04 PM , Rating: 2
Really? I thought GTA IV was the best one so far. The game was huge, I really don't think you can complain about DLC. I didn't get the impression that they purposefully left things out of the game in order to sell it to you later in a DLC package.

RE: Oh boy!
By MozeeToby on 8/20/2012 3:33:22 PM , Rating: 2
GTA3 was about the engine: Look at all this crazy stuff you can do!
Vice City was about filling out the content: Boats! Motorcycles! Helicopters! Airplanes! More weapons! Better AI!
San Andreas was about scope: Holy mother of God, it takes 15 minutes to drive from one corner of the map to the other, and that's driving like a freaking maniac.

So, if they follow the same formula, GTAV will include all the modes of transportation that were missing from IV while keeping the nicely polished engine they already developed. But it probably won't have the massive, almost over the top scale that was what made San Andreas so wonderfully addictive.

RE: Oh boy!
By kleinma on 8/20/2012 3:41:23 PM , Rating: 2
GTA4 wasn't exactly a tiny map once it was all unlocked. Granted it wasn't SA, but it could take you a while to go from corner to corner.

I just hope for improved AI. The cops were way too stupid in GTA4. They usually would mow down more pedestrians than me while in a car chase.

RE: Oh boy!
By Hakuryu on 8/20/2012 3:47:21 PM , Rating: 3

Take out everything and anything having to do with 'girlfriends', and replace all the interesting things you could find in previous GTA games like a monster truck in the middle of nowhere that when entered started a challenge.

The only thing they need to leave in (upgraded though) is the multiplayer... the only thing GTA 4 nailed.

RE: Oh boy!
By christojojo on 8/20/2012 7:06:46 PM , Rating: 3
I agree I loved all the not need challenges that gave you rewards it the 3 series.

RE: Oh boy!
By Aloonatic on 8/20/2012 4:41:18 PM , Rating: 2
I think that GTA (just MHO) has begun to take itself a bit too seriously, but maybe people like that.

I used to like the earlier games more "fun" take on crime and violence, with the frenzies, bonuses for running over an entire line of Hara Krishnas and the radio stations. It was the small things that made the older games more interesting. They seemed to have more charm which has been lost as the games have got bigger and more ambitious.

The problem that GTA has is the same that all these types of game have and that's that there are really only a handfull of missions, which can become quite boring if the designers are not careful. That, and there are a lot of other games that have taken on the ideas pioneered in GTA and run with them, using more imagination than the more realistic, GTA world can allow, making it feel rather dull.

Since Vice City, I've played GTA games less and less. The idea has become stale for me, but then I also say the same thing about a lot of games that are on their 4th or 5th iteration.

Fingers crossed that they prove me wrong though, as I think that this will be more of the same, just better graphically with more detail. I also fear that DLC trend will continue and it'll continue to be abused and I'll really be being charged full price for half a game, but that's probably all that I'll play anyway, and I will probably buy it too :)

RE: Oh boy!
By ShaolinSoccer on 8/20/2012 8:53:41 PM , Rating: 1
Make it more like GTA3 and its two sequels and less like the GTAIV and I will buy it.

Are you kidding? Spongebob GTA 4 is hilarious!

"There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten it everywhere." -- Isaac Asimov
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text:
Ultrabooks on the decline

About a month ago, Intel cut the outlook for its Q3 earnings by $1.1 billion. The reduction in earnings indicated that perhaps Intel's ultrabooks weren't selling as well as the company wanted. Intel originally hailed the ultrabook as the next big thing to revive the struggling PC economy.
So far, ultrabooks haven't performed as well as expected in large part due to the high cost of the machines and increasing popularity of tablets. Research firm IHS iSuppli has cut its shipment expectations for ultrabooks globally during 2012. Previously, iSuppli expected 22 million ultrabooks to ship globally during 2012. The research firm has now cut that estimate to 10.3 million for the entire year.
The research firm cites two major reasons for poor sales in the ultrabook realm citing "nebulous marketing and unappealing price." ISuppli also points a finger at Intel as having to own up to standards that are too strict, confusing the marketplace between what's an ultrabook and what is an ultrathin notebook.

Sony VAIO T13
"So far, the PC industry has failed to create the kind of buzz and excitement among consumers that is required to propel ultrabooks into the mainstream," Craig Stice, IHS's senior principal analyst for computer platforms, wrote in the report.
The research firm also criticized pricing of ultrabooks that sit near $1000 for most units. The company believes that a price cut bringing ultrabooks and the $600-$700 price range could increase sales next year. When Intel first started counting the ultrabook, $600-$700 was the price range many expected the machines to come to market in.
ISuppli believes that Intel's new processor, code-named Haswell, expected to launch in the middle of 2013 will also help improve sales in the ultrabook market. Windows 8 is also expected to have an impact on sales in the segment.

Source: CNN

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RE: It's all about cost
By corduroygt on 10/2/2012 11:20:36 AM , Rating: 2
Most people aren't enthusiasts though, that's what I meant.
When someone's buying a laptop over 1K, they look for the Apple logo.

RE: It's all about cost
By kmmatney on 10/2/2012 4:22:47 PM , Rating: 2
A colleague of mine recently bought a new MacBook retina display, witha few upgrades for $3800! He is into photography, and has a $12000 camera, so I guess this was no big deal.

RE: It's all about cost
By Bad-Karma on 10/3/2012 1:40:00 AM , Rating: 2
When someone's buying a laptop over 1K, they look for the Apple logo.

I wouldn't make the assumption that every one has the same needs and requirements for a laptop as as yourself.

I purchase a Sager laptop a few weeks ago that I'm using for when I'm traveling. With what I need it to do it priced out at just over $5K. But it is beefy enough that I'm not limited by being away from my Xeon workstations at the home or office.

While Sager is usually considered a "gaming" laptop. My office has found that ability for RAID-0 configurations and multi-GPU for GPGPU work really well for distributed simulations and metric analysis when we are out in the field. We've even used them as adhoc SQL/Oracle DB servers when in a pinch.

That and it has no trouble playing a game or two when we're stuck out in some remote place with little or no night life.

RE: It's all about cost
By corduroygt on 10/3/2012 1:37:18 PM , Rating: 2
Someone = "majority of people" not niche power users.
I believe Apple has >%90 of computers above $1K market.

RE: It's all about cost
By Bad-Karma on 10/5/2012 4:22:34 AM , Rating: 2
Over the past 15-20 years I've spend quite a bit of time in meetings in aerospace/scientific/IT and several other fields. Whether someone is using their personal or business laptops, I've rarely seen any that aren't a $1K+ product. . And I can count on one hand the number of Macs accumulative at those meetings.

Business and research are not a "niche".

You should dial back your tendency toward definitive language as you do not speak for or represent "most people".

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text:
Right now, customers can only buy the Surface RT tablet at Microsoft Stores

Reports on Microsoft's Surface tablet have been a mixed bag lately, but All Things D is pretty clear about its position: the demand and sales just aren't there.

All Things D recently spoke with Boston-based brokerage firm Detwiler Fenton about Microsoft's Surface RT tablet. The verdict? Microsoft better get its tablet out in other stores or it's going to sink.

"Lack of distribution is killing the product," said Detwiler Fenton. "Mixed reviews and a [$499] starting price tag certainly don't help, but lack of retail exposure at Best Buy and others is severely depressing sales."

Right now, customers can only buy the Surface RT tablet at Microsoft Stores. The problem with this is that there's only 31 of them, with another 34 smaller Microsoft kiosks around the U.S.

Due to this lack of presence in major retailers, Detwiler Fenton estimates that Microsoft will only sell 500,000 to 600,000 Surface RTs in the December quarter. This is a strong hit to previous estimates of 1 million to 2 million.

Recently, a pair of reports from both CNET and The Seattle Times showed differing views on how Windows 8-based touchscreen tablets, convertibles and laptops are faring. CNET spoke with IDC and IHS iSuppli analysts, who said retailers were having trouble keeping them on shelves due to high demand. However, The Seattle Times begged to differ, echoing Detwiler Fenton's concerns: there just aren't very many Windows 8 tablets out yet, and those that are are impossible to find. However, other Windows 8 tablets are sold in major retailers like Best Buy; not just Microsoft Stores.

Microsoft's Surface Pro is expected to be released in January, which will feature the Windows 8 Pro operating system instead of Windows RT for ARM-based tablets.

Source: All Things D

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RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By augiem on 12/8/2012 4:10:34 PM , Rating: 2
*MS isn't Apple* and doesn't want to be Apple

They most certainly do want to be Apple, and VERY badly. Just about every decision they've made since Gates left has been to try to make the company and the products more and more like Apple. (LOL at the Microsoft Store KIRF. Can't you at least TRY to design something yourself??) Even years before Gates left, you could see the same trends in the evolution of Windows. Now far more than ever, MS just plays "me too" to Apple's game, though now they're trying to even push ahead of Apple on the course they laid out bu unifying their OSs into a tablet-centric, walled-garden console model with a software distribution monopoly. It's really sad. MS = Apple, Jr.

Ballmer and all these analysts are fools to think that with 30 years of multi-billion dollar profits every year, they need to completely reinvent the company to imitate Apple's short-lived, but glorious 5-year success story. Apple is in the entertainment and fashion business, which is an inherantly unstable and fickle market.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By TakinYourPoints on 12/8/2012 4:53:36 PM , Rating: 3
Microsoft has been playing "me too" to Apple for about thirty years, this is nothing new. The main difference here is that they're finally playing catch-up to new markets (portable integrated devices and high end laptops) that are far more profitable than the old desktop model that has sustained them for so long.

The execution with Windows 8 may be flawed but their thinking is sound, given the explosion in portable devices.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By inighthawki on 12/8/2012 6:56:01 PM , Rating: 3
30 years? Microsoft may have more or less stolen some ideas from them early on, but market share of PCs shows that for a huge chunk of the middle of that time, Apple has clearly been playing catchup with MS. Only recently with the iPhone and iPad have they really done anything that has caught on.

By TakinYourPoints on 12/8/2012 11:37:08 PM , Rating: 5
There is a difference between catching up on sales and catching up on execution. I only have about ten years experience with Macs compared to over twenty years with Microsoft operating systems, but in the time waiting for Vista there were many changes that happened in OS X (10.3 and 10.4 in particular) that Microsoft were clearly inspired by when it came to Vista and Windows 7.

You don't even need to look at the products (Windows, Zune, Surface), they were clearly paying attention based on internal email:

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By Argon18 on 12/10/2012 3:18:07 PM , Rating: 1
Apple playing catch-up to MS? Hardly. Microsoft is criticized for being late to market (i.e. playing "catch up") in nearly every market they enter. Tablets, Phones, heck even entering the browser market, Microsoft was mocked for being late to release Internet Explorer.

And when it comes to Operating Systems, Apple has leapfrogged Microsoft altogether. OSX is vastly superior to Windows because it's based on UNIX. The old OS9 and prior were crap - Apple had the wisdom to realize that. Rather than try to hack it together, they tossed the whole thing in the trash and started anew with OSX. It's light years ahead of the antiquated Windows OS model.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By wordsworm on 12/8/2012 11:52:25 PM , Rating: 2
I don't agree. Microsoft has been about giving power to the consumer. The consumer has always had the choice of buying software from anyone who wants to make it. Apple has a process. Microsoft made, and still makes, an OS that runs on any adequate machine. Apple does not.

I do not like Windows mobile. I am sure the next phone I have will have an Intel/W8 (desktop version) combination. I can run BlueStacks if I want to run Android apps, while having a real operating system at my disposal. I'd like to see one of those on the menu of a major telecom in Canada.

I haven't tried a W8 phone yet, so maybe it's better than W7? I do believe W8 is hands down their best desktop OS. It is simply the best OS I have ever had. It's fast, all the things that bugged me early on I've adapted to. I don't know if the naysayers to W8 have really given it a fair shake.

my 2c.

Just to add: I do see MS emulating Apple. They are going from the open garden that has served them well to the closed garden. I hope they will take a cue from Google and realize that it's the open garden concept which is the most popular now, not Apple's closed garden.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By MadMan007 on 12/9/2012 1:11:43 AM , Rating: 2
Windows 8 will never get a fair shot from the enthusiast community, but its slightly tweaked successor will be the 'best OS ever!' I think it's funny that enthusiasts are always happy to be bleeding edge in adopting new hardware, but then have a stroke and are unable to adapt when something changes with their Windows software.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By inighthawki on 12/9/2012 4:15:02 AM , Rating: 2
Probably because bleeding edge hardware is typically just faster. It would probably be a more accurate to compare a change in software to being like a change in hardware architecture. It's not just a faster version of the old one, it actually has differences.

A lot of people were (and some still are) hesitant to actually make use of their 64-bit processor by installing a 64-bit build of windows due to various reasons (Higher memory requirement, and there still exist a couple compatibility issues), despite it being an identical OS, just on a different architecture.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By JKflipflop98 on 12/9/2012 4:24:53 AM , Rating: 2
. . . but that's exactly his point. Those people that are still holding out on 64 bit O/S are doing so because they heard from their friend the imbecile that "64 bits have all kinds of issues running 32 bit software!" and now they have their mind made up.

They're the same idiots that never try anything for themselves, but are content to look at a screenshot and take someone else's word for it. "Bill says there's no start menu. Bill hates those big blocks." Bill the imbecile is failing to see those big blocks are the Start menu. You still get there the say way. It still works exactly like windows.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By inighthawki on 12/9/2012 2:41:50 PM , Rating: 2
I guess that's true, but maybe not the perfect anology to back up my point. Hardware enthusiasts don't always upgrade to bleeding edge technology.

It's common to do so with something like a CPU or GPU, because this years model is just the same thing with a 5% speed bump over last years model across the board. As soon as hardware changes, that's not always the case.

Look at the switch from HDD to SSD. SSDs at the time only provided a few benefits, but often had horrible random reads/writes, could be unstable, and would cost a fortune.

If suddenly hardware had a bunch of changes that changed the way we used it, it would have the same impact. Imagine everyone switched from x86 to a new proprietary architecture. Maybe it's faster clock for clock and more efficient or something - objective better than x86 in every way, but it can't run the software you want, it might be harder to develop for, etc. Not even the biggest enthusiasts are going to buy it because it's "new and better" if it requires such a large change.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By Cheesew1z69 on 12/9/2012 3:52:27 PM , Rating: 2
A lot of people were (and some still are) hesitant to actually make use of their 64-bit processor by installing a 64-bit build of windows due to various reasons (Higher memory requirement, and there still exist a couple compatibility issues),
64 bit does not have a "higher memory requirement"...

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By inighthawki on 12/9/2012 4:43:38 PM , Rating: 2
64-bit windows uses more memory than 32-bit due to larger binaries and extra binaries loaded for things like WOW64. Also 99.99% of the time a 64-bit application will yield a larger binary size, often due to the larger pointer size and additional opcode support.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By Tony Swash on 12/9/2012 10:30:09 AM , Rating: 1
Windows 8 will never get a fair shot from the enthusiast community, but its slightly tweaked successor will be the 'best OS ever!'

Apparently the captain of the Titanic thought it's second voyage would be the best ever.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By Flunk on 12/9/2012 11:45:15 AM , Rating: 1
And apparently some people have extremely short memories.

RE: sigh, brokers and analysts
By TakinYourPoints on 12/9/2012 5:28:48 AM , Rating: 2
Neither desktop OS is closed, you can install software from anywhere. The inclusion of an app store doesn't automatically make it a walled garden.

Mobile operating systems are a different story, but it does aid the consumer in terms of security and quality control. The only things rejected these days are applications that have malware, expose user details to the developer without the user knowing it, or apps that bring down your device hard.

By TakinYourPoints on 12/9/2012 5:36:11 AM , Rating: 5
Another thing to note is that Google's "closed garden" isn't the most popular because of its developer ecosystem or user experience, it is because it is cheap for many people.

iOS mobile traffic, app usage, and developer revenue dwarfs that of Android despite there being many more Android devices out there. It is partly because Android runs on everything from dumbphones through featurephones through smartphones, and it is counted on all of them. iOS only runs on smartphones that are used online and run apps. Another reason is that iOS is simply more profitable for developers, there is less piracy (a benefit of the walled-garden), lower cost of support, and has more paying customers (again partly because iOS is all high end devices).

Microsoft mimicking Apple's approach in iOS makes sense for their mobile devices; it makes them accountable to give customers a good experience and it protects developer profits. Microsoft has actually been doing this sort of thing longer than Apple with the XBox game consoles, only difference being that Apple's mobile model gives a larger cut to developers than what is generally done on consoles.

"People Don't Respect Confidentiality in This Industry" -- Sony Computer Entertainment of America President and CEO Jack Tretton
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text:
EmDrive  (Source:
It's a a propellantless microwave thruster that defies Newton's laws of motion

Chinese scientists have taken on a heavily criticized space drive idea that could one day launch satellites, deep space probes and even flying cars.

The research team hails from Northwestern Polytechnic University in Xi'an, and was led by Yang Juan. What they developed was a propellantless microwave thruster called EmDrive, which is a controversial idea because it goes against Newton's laws of motion -- and many have claimed to create a "propellantless" thruster before and failed.

Newton's laws of motion are all based on the idea that firing propellant out of the back at a high speed will push a craft forward. While solar cells offer infinite power, thrust is limited by propellant. Many have tried to get around this, but several scams have made this particular field a joke in the scientific world.

While space drives tend to rely on Newton's laws of motion, the EmDrive is a closed, conical container that has a net thrust toward the wide end when filled with resonating microwaves. This goes against Newton, who said that no closed system could have a net thrust. However, EmDrive works because the microwaves have a group velocity (the speed of a collection of electromagnetic waves) that is greater in one direction than the other -- which is where Albert Einstein's theory of relativity comes in.

British engineer Robert Shaywer, who began looking at the concept of a propellantless thruster when he opened his own company called Satellite Propulsion Research in 2001, is the original creator of the EmDrive. He made demonstration thrusters to prove it could be done, and even made sure the test results were accurate (meaning, the results weren't affected by friction, ionization, air currents, electromagnetic effects or interference). The first, made in 2003, had a thrust of 16 mN. This was enough to show it could be done.

However, he received a ton of criticism for his idea and was ridiculed in his own country. But the Chinese team at Northwestern Polytechnic University believed in his research and took the project head on to author the latest study, "Net Thrust Measurement of Propellantless Microwave Thruster."

The Northwestern Polytechnic University team was able to create the EmDrive with 720 mN of thrust with a couple of kilowatts of power.

So what purpose does EmDrive have? It could halve launch costs of satellites because as much as half the launch weight of these objects are attributed to propellant.

Shawyer is even working on a superconducting thruster that could be ready as soon as 2016. It would boost the Q value of the cavity, which determines the amount of thrust produced. He said it could be boosted by a factor of several thousand, possibly equating to a tonne of thrust per kilowatt of power.

Source: Wired

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RE: China isn't 40 years behind us anymore.
By Totally on 2/9/2013 11:24:45 PM , Rating: 5
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you haven't seen the average American student. To put it simply, they're ####ing dumb and it worries me.

RE: China isn't 40 years behind us anymore.
By chµck on 2/9/2013 11:45:26 PM , Rating: 2
I am an average american student and I completely agree with you.

RE: China isn't 40 years behind us anymore.
By DiscoWade on 2/10/2013 9:22:42 AM , Rating: 3
When I was in college, there was one type of question that really annoyed the students. If a teacher asked a question that began with "What do you think ..." the students were confused. They were used to being lectured to, to being told what to know. Now someone comes along and tries to get them to reason, they did not like that.

Have you noticed that?

In my opinion, a teacher should give you knowledge and show you how to learn. We should be taught how to verify facts and how to reason.

By StevoLincolnite on 2/10/2013 11:11:07 PM , Rating: 2
In my opinion, a teacher should give you knowledge and show you how to learn. We should be taught how to verify facts and how to reason.

People should be taught how to learn for themselves.

Everyone has access to the largest repository of information ever built by man (The Internet), yet so many people simply don't know how to tap into it to get the information and learn for themselves.

For example, my disc player in my car started playing up, so bought a new one, I had no idea what wires went where so I looked it up online and... Presto! Problem solved.

I think these days people should be taught at a young age on how to research online, they will be better for it for the rest of their lives.

By Shadowself on 2/10/2013 7:17:53 PM , Rating: 2
Wow, I wasn't aware the average American student could even read the prior post. You must be well above average! (sarcasm off now)

By Any14Tee on 2/12/2013 8:36:52 AM , Rating: 2
My sister who lived in California would say God those yanks are d**b, but this is becoming a global epedemic,socialist here in the UK completely dumify the masses to gain the vote.

The Chav Nation is growing and making lives a misery to all. My special plea to Obama - Stop Now.

RE: China isn't 40 years behind us anymore.
By aegisofrime on 2/10/2013 2:21:34 AM , Rating: 4
As a Chinese born in South East Asia, I find it very funny when I see that many of the authors of major discoveries coming out of American universities these days have Chinese names.

I guess the current culture of celebrating stupidity and being "anti-geek" has something to do with it.

RE: China isn't 40 years behind us anymore.
By FITCamaro on 2/10/2013 9:06:52 AM , Rating: 4
Why work hard when you can just work a minimum wage job and still have a nice car, HDTV, Xbox, cable internet, and a cell phone?

Foreign students in America aren't as spoiled and recognize opportunity.

RE: China isn't 40 years behind us anymore.
By HostileEffect on 2/10/2013 4:08:29 PM , Rating: 2
After the years of pounding away at over achieving I told myself I would find a small piece of land and spend the rest of my days on the earth in peace. The modern materialistic society commands us to kill our selves in the name of a college education and a six figure job.

I've had the opportunity to work with people from other nations and in other countries, they work full time and work on other skills, like languages, construction, etc, when they aren't working. These people do not over spend themselves and they pay off their house, car, and the like in record time. Americans ask foreigners how "How are you so successful in America?", foreigners respond "American youth work part time jobs and waste their money partying on the weekend rather than saving their money and working hard while they are able."

At least, that is what I gathered out of my conversations with an American citizen originally from Pakistan, who worked hard and earns $300K/yr now. I'm fortunate to have parents who taught me similar financial habits.

I don't get paid much for the work I do, roughly minimum wage until I upgrade jobs, but I'm without dept and I'm perfectly happy with that.

By Nutzo on 2/11/2013 11:34:09 AM , Rating: 2
There's a couple key points in your post.

The modern materialistic society commands us to kill our selves in the name of a college education and a six figure job.

American youth work part time jobs and waste their money partying on the weekend rather than saving their money and working hard while they are able.

I also had parents that taught me the value of a dollar, hard work and saving. I paid my own way through college (working and going to school full time). Only earned an AA, but then worked my way up in the computer field. My current pay rate is in the same range as people with a masters degree. It's enough to afford a nice house in a great area, and for the wife to be able to stay home with the kids.

Other than a small mortgage on the house, I'm debt free. We know families with both parents working, making 2x as much, yet they always seem to have money problems. Of couse these people drive newer and more expensive cars than we do, and eat out at more expensive places.

RE: China isn't 40 years behind us anymore.
By omgwtf8888 on 2/10/2013 12:35:26 PM , Rating: 2
If you notice most of the "tech" China creates looks suspiciously like a U.S. product. People like to slander the American education system, however, we are attempting to educate our entire populace. The majority of our govt. funding is going toward the economically challenged portion of our society. We do have our cream of the crop students and investment in all of our citizens will yield benefits far into the future. Countries like China and India have half of their population living on a dollar-a-day. If you do not excel in school in these countries you are cast out. Statistically if you take 1+ billion people and only advance the best you will have what appears on the short term to better education. However such a system in not sustainable and will at some point result in political upheaval.

By Totally on 2/11/2013 5:24:49 PM , Rating: 2
I'm not attacking our education system. I'm calling out the large population of students who our government spend money to send them to institutions of learning which these students perceive as only a place to socialize and vegetate. Any learning done by these individuals is secondary or purely coincidental. Just because their sent to school doesn't mean they have to or want to learn anything and are happy getting by with the bare minimum. We may have our 'cream of the crop' students but number significantly fewer than those I've described.

RE: China isn't 40 years behind us anymore.
By JediJeb on 2/12/2013 3:55:39 PM , Rating: 2
If you do not excel in school in these countries you are cast out.

In the US we don't cast them out, we just spend tons of money continuing to teach them even though those students will never learn any more that what they already have. Is it more wise to throw money at something and never change the outcome?

I have a good friend who is from China, and from what he describes they do not simply "cast them out". Sure they are not sent along to the University to waste four more years being taught things they will never learn, but they are sent to trade schools where they are taught skills such as welding, construction, auto mechanics, and other useful skills that may not require a genius level intellect to learn. For those who can not make it even at this level those are sent to be simple manual laborers.

Heaven forbid we delegate anyone here to being a simple manual laborer! No, everyone deserves to be a CEO level employee even if they only ever sit on their backside and wait to be handed everything they could ever want. I have already seen this attitude with the younger people we have tried to hire lately. One of the first things out of most of their mouths is " I don't work overtime and definitely no weekends", yet they want to be paid as much as someone who will put more effort into doing a job.

As far as the attitude the Chinese students put towards their studies, I remember in college that everyone hated having a Chinese student in class, because it meant there would be on curve in the grading, because the Chinese students would spend all of their free time studying and restudying for every class. I may have never put quite that much devotion into my studies, but I can say that having them in my classes made me a better student because I tried not to be left behind by them.

China pretty much still has the policy that the US had about 100 years ago, and that is if you don't work you don't eat. Only in the past 100 years or so has the world had a no one left behind policy which allows success even for those who put forth no effort. This is not something that has come about because of increased compassion, no, it has come about because those in power found it was a good way to maintain their power. In western democratic societies you stay in power by keeping the populace complacent and happy, while in the more authoritarian eastern societies you stay in power more by force.

A friend of mine at work said it pretty well the other day when it comes to how our current society promotes advanced learning. He said he spent four years earning a degree in Political Science and now he works in a laboratory. His degree is pretty much worthless yet no adviser ever told him that might be the case. He said "I wasted four years and a lot of money getting a degree I can not use when I could have spent those four years actually earning money from a regular job and be four years ahead financially." So, does a college degree really pay for itself for everyone who gets one, or just for those few to enter a field where it is actually a necessity?

By omgwtf8888 on 2/14/2013 11:54:06 AM , Rating: 2
I agree that education should not be limited to academics and college. We are failing at introducing children to meaningful education in the trades and crafts. At least in my experience, in NJ, if you went to the vocational high school you were pretty much deemed a loser/junky. Shop courses have been virtually eliminated. Without introduction to these career choices many kids may never find a career that they could have been passionate about. In your comment you reference that failing students in Asian schools are left to manual labor, i refer to them as cast out. The manual labor/low education/skills jobs are rapidly drying up in the United States. Many of these jobs are filled by illegal aliens. Of course the standard blurb that we are fed is that the illegals are doing jobs Americans do not want. What the illegals are doing is jobs that Americans do not want at that low of a wage. The large supply of illegal (sub minimum wage) labor drives down the salary and benefits that would otherwise have to be paid for these jobs. Unfortunately it is going to get worse. As we move to autonomous vehicles, the last high paying low skill jobs: truck driver, taxi/limo driver are going away. So really with the exception of adding more trade/craft training we are not going to have any manual labor jobs. So the U.S is ahead of the curve in recognizing that the entire populace has to be educated or the subsequent have/have not divide will be so great that conflict is inevitable.

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text:
  (Source: Capcom)
"Jill, here's a lockpick. It might be handy if you, the master of unlocking, take it with you" -- Barry

It's been a turbulent couple of months for Apple, Inc. (AAPL).  While Apple fans still abound and sales remains strong, the iPhone 5 launch was marred with shocking bugs which included cameraconnectivity, and battery life issues.  And then there was the Maps debacle, which was so bad that Apple CEO Tim Cook personally apologized to fans, telling them to use Google Inc.'s (GOOG) superior (or functional) products.  There've been shareholder lawsuits over Apple's profit hording and a dramatic plunge in stock prices after margins slid in Q4 2012.

Now there is a security flaw in iOS 6.1 that allows users to simply punch in a series of virtual and hard button presses to unlock an iPhone, bypassing the security passcode.  The instructions are seen below in the YouTube video by VideosDeBarraquito:

A text version of the unlock is as follows:

First part:
-Go to emergency call, push down the power button and tap cancel.
-Dial 112 and tap green and inmediately (sic) red.
-Go to lock screen.

Ok...ready for second part:
-Go to passcode screen.
-Keep pushing down the power button ...1...2...3...seconds and before showing the slider "turn off"...tap the emergency call button and ...voilá!
-Then without releasing the power button press the home button and ready...

With Apple currently working on fixing a Microsoft Exchange bug that it also introduced with iOS 6.1, it's unknown if this exploit will be patched at the same time.

Sources: YouTube, Gizmodo UK

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By retrospooty on 2/15/2013 1:09:03 PM , Rating: 2
I'll bite...

I think that Apple will release a cheaper iPhone and a larger high end one and that sales will increase. I think that is obvious.

If they dont, and just re-release the same boring iPhone with a few minor improvements, that sales will basically stay where they are, maybe up or sown a small amount, but its a plateau... And eventually it will decline if they dont add something to the iPhone line.

Even you must agree that the iPhone looks pretty pale when comparing to the Experia Z, Droid DNA, or the many other 1080p models announced. Then we have the Galaxy S4 and Motorola X phone coming soon.

"We shipped it on Saturday. Then on Sunday, we rested." -- Steve Jobs on the iPad launch

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text:
These are just a couple of figures in ExxonMobil's insight through 2040

ExxonMobil said it plans to invest $185 billion in energy projects over the next five years, and has given its insight on what the future of energy looks like through 2040.

ExxonMobil has released its report, "The Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040," which takes a look at some energy challenges and predictions for the coming decades.

The report sees the global population increasing from 7 billion people today to about 9 billion in 2040. With this population bump, energy demand will grow 35 percent worldwide (65 percent in developing nations alone compared to 2010).

The report said automotive technology like hybrid cars are expected to keep global personal transportation energy demands steady for the most part. By 2025, it sees full hybrid prices coming down and these types of vehicles accounting for 40 percent of the global vehicle fleet by 2040. However, plug-in hybrids and electrics will likely only make up five percent of the market by 2040.

Vehicles will move away from gasoline as the No. 1 transportation choice thanks to tech like light-duty engine efficiency, and see an increase in diesel fuel instead. In fact, diesel will make up 70 percent of fuel demand growth through 2040.

CO2 emissions in OECD countries will be 20 percent lower in 2040 than 2010.

Also due to the population increase, electricity generation will be in great demand over the decades. In fact, ExxonMobil says it will account for more than half of the increase in global energy demand (electricity demand alone will grow 85 percent from 2010 to 2040). Electricity and natural gas will account for more than 60 percent of the world's residential/commercial energy demand by 2040 as cleaner fuels are used.

Oil will remain the No. 1 global fuel while natural gas steals coal's spot for second place. The report said coal will peak, and then decline as nuclear power and renewable energy grows. Oil and gas will supply about 60 percent of the global energy demand in 2040 (a 55 percent increase from 2010).

At 2040, North America will likely go from net importer to net exporter of oil. With growing demand and an evolving energy landscape, more global trade opportunities will arise.

A couple of other highlights include a 50 percent increase in energy demand for chemical production, and nuclear/natural gas generation in non OECD countries will increase by 150 percent.

Source: ExxonMobil

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By Dorkyman on 3/13/2013 4:33:06 PM , Rating: 2
Wow. You really should take one of those Econ classes you talk about.

So, people stop buying fuel, and then prices collapse. Got it. But you're oblivious to part two of that situation. When people start buying fuel again, everything reverts to how things were before.

And yeah, the oil companies are "using" the law of supply and demand. We all are. It's not good and it's not bad. It just is.

Finally, I am impressed that you are so brilliant in multiple areas that you can claim with certainty that (a) diesel fuel is no more expensive to produce than gasoline and (b) ditto for diesel versus gas engines. You could teach Detroit a thing or two.

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text:
Fee hike will generate an extra $150 million for Time Warner

Time Warner Cable announced yesterday that it had begun notifying customers of an increase on the rent paid each month for cable modems (subscribers to the company's base cable internet plan have been paying $3.95 per month to lease a modem since last November).

Time Warner Cable is now increasing the monthly rate for leasing the modem to $5.99 per month starting with the next billing cycle. A few dollars doesn't sound like huge hike, but the additional fee will reportedly generate an extra $150 million in revenue this year alone for the cable giant.

Apparently, only customers on the company's most popular plan will pay the extra fee for modem rental. Customers who are on more expensive and higher-end cable internet packages won't be affected by the change in rental rate.
Time Warner Cable says that the fee hike stems from costs associated with providing the modem.

Despite the fact that the lease amount has increased to $5.99, Time Warner Cable’s fee is still lower than competitors such as Comcast, which charge between seven dollars and eight dollars per month.
Of course, one way to avoid the fee altogether is to purchase your own modem from Time Warner Cable’s approved list. By going this route, the modem would “pay for itself” within a year or less.

Source: Reuters

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By dgingerich on 7/30/2013 2:10:00 PM , Rating: 3
When a person goes from being beaten every few hours to being beaten once per week, they usually feel that way. It still doesn't make being beaten once per week OK.

By BillyBatson on 7/30/2013 2:37:47 PM , Rating: 2
I really don't get beaten at all. My service is amazing, the picture quality is great, the software running on their hardware is more responsive and visually more appealing, we are paying Uverse LESS than we did TWC but have a much better channel package, where is the part where I am being beaten up? Verizon FIOS is the only service in the US (excluding google fiber) that is superior to my Uverse experience but it also comes with a higher price tag and not available in my area.
Nopes I am not being beaten at all. Until the law changes and we can pick and choose what individual channels we buy this is the closest to happy with my cable provider I can get.

By Jeffk464 on 7/31/2013 10:39:53 AM , Rating: 2
I get zero beatings, I have cable internet from cox for $30 a month. I pay $8 a month to netflix, put an antenna on the roof, and have a HTPC to function as a DVR. I'm happy as a can be.

By BillyBatson on 8/5/2013 1:01:37 PM , Rating: 2
Glad that works for you but doesn't work for my household. The bare minimum $30 a month for TV doesn't suit us we have everything but the sport and international packages we have everything else including all the premium channels like HBO. We have Netflix but hardly ever use it since there isn't much content in their streaming service and we have already watched literally everything worth watching and only keep the subscription trying out new shows they have been adding, and everything else I watch for free on Vodly formerly known as 1channel.
I used to have an htpc but I was the only one who knew how to use it, not everyone is as tech savvy.

"A lot of people pay zero for the cellphone ... That's what it's worth." -- Apple Chief Operating Officer Timothy Cook

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text:
Print 41 comment(s) - last by zam786.. on Nov 3 at 3:26 PM

eVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard. Image courtesy of AnandTech Forums
nForce 590 SLI reborn

An image of an upcoming NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI based motherboard has been leaked on the AnandTech forums. DailyTech previously reported NVIDIA was replacing its nForce 590 SLI Intel Edition with the nForce 680i SLI.

The motherboard is manufactured by eVGA and appears to be an enthusiast offering. It packs three PCI Express x16 slots, two PCI Express x1 and two PCI slots. While two of the PCI Express x16 slots are full-speed with sixteen lanes, it’s unknown what the lane configuration on the third slot will be. With three PCI Express x16 slots it appears NVIDIA may be taking on ATI’s triple-play physics processing architecture.

Other notable features of the nForce 680i SLI motherboard include 1394a, onboard high definition audio, dual Gigabit Ethernet and a heat pipe cooler for the MCP and SPP. It is unknown which high definition audio codec is used on the upcoming motherboard. Nevertheless, it will most likely be an ever-so-popular Realtek high definition audio codec.

Performance and overclocking information on the upcoming nForce 680i SLI motherboard is unknown at the moment, though the thread originator promises more details next week.  eVGA is expected to ship the 680i motherboards in bundles with the upcoming GeForce 8800 series video cards at launch.

Update 10/13/2006: This image was sent out by NVIDIA PR to various sites. The motherboard is manufactured by Foxconn as eVGA does not have production capabilities like ASUS, XFX and Gigabyte.

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RE: Another question?
By webdawg77 on 10/20/2006 12:59:38 PM , Rating: -1
And, consider the location on the board. USB ports are NEVER that high. Take a look at this Asrock ConroeXFire-eSATA Motherboard picture showing the eSATA ports.

Granted, it would be nice to have than just the one picture of the nVidia 680 MB.

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NVIDIA "G80" Retail Details Unveiled
October 5, 2006, 12:39 AM
Goodbye nForce 570 SLI and 590 SLI...
October 3, 2006, 9:54 PM

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text:
The new iPod touch with Derek Zoolander on screen  (Source: Apple)

New iPod classic in its usual two colors  (Source: Apple)

New video capable iPod nanos  (Source: Apple)

iPod shuffle in new colors  (Source: Apple)
Now with a new iPod touch

Apple today revamped its entire iPod lineup and introduced an old-yet-new model – the iPod touch. The new iPod touch is essentially an iPhone stripped of its GSM and phone capabilities.

The device features the same 3.5-inch screen as the iPhone with an 8mm thickness. Two memory capacities are available – 8GB and 16GB. Apple also employs the same multi-touch user interface as the iPhone in the new iPod touch, including Cover Flow.

The iPod touch retains the 802.11b/g Wi-Fi capabilities of the iPhone. Users can connect the iPod touch to home and public wireless networks. The iPod touch also features a couple of built in applications, as with the iPhone.

Safari and YouTube applications are preinstalled for wireless web browsing and video watching.  Apple also installs the calendar, contacts, clock, calculator and photo applications. Essentially, the iPod touch is what the iPhone is without a SIM card inserted.

iPod touch

The existing iPod models are completely new, with new iPod shuffle’s, nano and regular. Apple finally named the standard hard disk based iPod’s – the iPod classic. The new iPod classic features a completely metal design and thinner in size compared to the outgoing model.

Apple increased hard drive capacity with the new classic – 160GB is the new flagship, with 80GB being the base size.  Battery life for the new iPod classics improve, with up to 40 hours for audio and 7 hours for video.

iPod classic

Apple’s iPod nano is completely new as well, in the form of a new “fatty” nano. The new iPod nano features video playback capabilities on its 2-inch QVGA display. Apple offers the new iPod nano in 4GB and 8GB capacities and in five different colors – black, silver, green, blue and RED. New games are also preinstalled on the new iPod nano, including Vortex and Sudoku.

iPod nano

Both the new  iPod classic and nano feature a new user interface with Cover Flow.

Lastly, is the iPod shuffle refresh. The iPod shuffle maintains the same design as the outgoing model, but now with new colors and a RED model. New iPod shuffle colors include blue, teal and an aqua green.

iPod shuffle

Expect the new iPods to show up in retail this week.

In the mean time, Microsoft's 30GB Zune is now priced at $199. Microsoft announced the price cut late last night on the ZuneInsider blog. With the release of Apple's new iPods and the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, a $50 price cut may not be enough to attract buyers to the Zune.

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By Master Kenobi (blog) on 9/5/2007 3:09:09 PM , Rating: 2
Think I will keep my current nano... the fatty doesnt look taht great.

RE: Fack
By Michael Hoffman on 9/5/2007 4:09:25 PM , Rating: 2
It really does seem to come down to personal preference...

I actually was thinking about buying a nano right before I received an invite to the event, but now I am just going to wait a few days before purchasing the new nano.

RE: Fack
By Gul Westfale on 9/6/2007 12:23:40 AM , Rating: 2
well, or you could get the new PSP+ a couple memory sticks... bigger screen+games for around the same money.

RE: Fack
By rdeegvainl on 9/9/2007 8:54:56 AM , Rating: 2
and pay all the extra for more batteries? i think not

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St. Landry Parish faces a winter storm watch predicted to descend upon Acadiana Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service Lake Charles office reported a cold front was moving south from the Arctic while a precipitation front was also moving toward the Gulf Coast states from the west.

Some areas, particularly north of Interstate 10, might see accumulation of 1 to 2 inches of snow. ...

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What would a biography of somebody who did not bother accomplishing anything look like? Elspeth Cameron’s latest book, Aunt Winnie, documenting her own aunt’s uneventful life of easy privilege, is very probably it. Though conveyed against the vivid backdrop of the entrenchment of the Scottish and English industrialist and banking elites of Toronto and their social ways, the book follows the author’s aunt, Winifred Cameron, not doing much at all with the opportunities given, other than enjoy nature, shop and read about the royal family.

“For me, it is the process of discovering how a person became whatever they became that is fascinating. True, in Winnie’s case, it’s more what she didn’t become,” Cameron explains. “I suppose I set myself a very difficult challenge: to write about someone who accomplished almost nothing in her life, by the usual standards. But the lives of such people truly interest me.” Winnie was the only child of a highly prosperous family for 11 years before her brother Donald — the author’s father — was born. The mother was passive, possibly depressed, the father always away, so Winnie reigned in the household unchallenged. (Donald and Winnie continued to not get along until the day that she died.) She was registered at the private all-girls Bishop Strachan School, but her attendance was sporadic and she eventually dropped out. Since she didn’t have any economic urgency to marry, she never did.

Cameron isn’t at all sentimental about her favourite aunt. “Winnie was lazy, self-indulgent and allowed to get away with avoiding school. I believe she was not very intelligent and certainly did not have an inquiring mind.” I ask her if it may be that a high degree of easy inherited privilege makes somebody less alert to the world, less questioning about what matters in life, and therefore thwarts their potentials. “I would agree. Whatever potential for anything Winnie had just lay dormant. It neither rose to her consciousness, nor was it drawn out of her by her parents. I suppose Winnie had a bad case of affluenza.” Although Winnie came into contact with many women of her own generation and older who, indeed, did have interests and talents (Winnie’s own great-aunt, who had a career in singing, or her friend later in life, Judge Emily Murphy), their life choices obviously did not register as possibilities — or attractions.

But there was more to Winnie than her socialite ways. “She had given me a map for relaxing and for showing physical affection,” Cameron writes near the end of the book. Winnie comes across as the affectionate aunt to her favourite niece and as somebody who was quick to supplement whatever she perceived was lacking in the parenting her niece was receiving. “Winnie’s emotions were more ‘sound’ and natural than those of many people,” Cameron says. “Her capacity for joy, grief, excitement, disappointment were completely appropriate. My parents were uncomfortable with emotion and with physical affection, even to each other. I think Dr Spock comes into this, too. He believed you shouldn’t hold babies too much as they might become spoiled. So, hugs and kisses were on short order at home. Nonexistent, really. I know that Winnie’s affection to me made it possible for me to be a very affectionate parent.”

To hope that Winnie would have understood Cameron’s love of women might be going too far, however. The literary biographer and author of several books on Canadian cultural figures famously came out with the 1997 memoir No Previous Experience, which documents her falling in love with another woman and the dissolution of her third marriage. What would Winnie have said of all that, had she been around to witness it? “She wouldn’t have had a clue what I was talking about. Like Queen Victoria, she believed that lesbians couldn’t exist . . . [Later in life] Winnie lived downstairs from a homosexual without ever putting two and two together: the stream of young men and boys visiting, and the sound effects.”

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See the poufed poodles, shiny Shih Tzus and more debonair dogs at the Westminster show

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Jewel, an American Foxhound and winner of the hound group, leaves the competition area during the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, at Madison Square Garden in New York.

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News Crime

Ted Nugent’s wife arrested after gun found in carry-on bag at D/FW Airport

The wife of rock musician Ted Nugent was arrested Thursday afternoon at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport after a gun was found in her carry-on luggage.

Airport spokesman David Magana confirmed that the D/FW Airport Department of Public Safety had taken Shemane Ann Nugent, 51, into custody.

He declined to comment further, saying, “The rest of it is working its way through our system of legal approval.”

A police report is expected to be released Friday.

Nugent’s attorney, David Finn, said taking the gun to the airport was an “honest mistake.” Nugent “completely forgot or never knew the weapon was in her bag.”

She has a license to carry a concealed handgun, Finn said.

“She is very embarrassed. She’s never been in this situation before,” Finn said. “She has expressed remorse for any inconvenience for any public safety officials.”

He said Nugent has no criminal record, and he does not expect that a grand jury will indict his client.

Shemane Ann Nugent has been married to Ted Nugent since 1989. A staunch supporter of gun rights, he made headlines earlier this year when he criticized President Barack Obama for his views on gun control.

Guns are allowed in checked luggage but not in carry-on luggage. Through July, security workers have found 57 guns in carry-on bags at D/FW Airport this year.

The airport ranks second behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for guns found in carry-on luggage, according to a Transportation Security Administration spokesman. George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston ranks third, and Dallas Love Field comes in at No. 12. More than 1,000 guns have been found this year in airports nationwide.

Staff writer Jennifer Emily contributed to this report.

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Sports DaySports Day Colleges

Best in Texas poll: Aggies stay ahead of Longhorns, but for how long?

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Our 10 college writers and bloggers submitted ballots ranking all 12 FBS teams in the state for our Best in Texas poll. Here are the results for Week 14.

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Sports DaySports Day Cowboys

Kyle Orton: Cowboys give me a 'chance to be in the playoffs'

MEET THE NEW COWBOYS FREE AGENTS: Jerry Jones and the Cowboys made a splash in the early stages of the free agency period. The eight signings (seven of which are new players) was the largest haul in more than half a decade. Want to learn more about the newest Cowboys? Get to know them and some fun facts about them in the following slides.

Kyle Orton says he had opportunities to compete for the starting quarterback job with a few NFL teams but chose the Cowboys because they were the best fit.

Orton, who has started 69 games during his seven-year career, said he’s at a point where he prefers to play behind Tony Romo while getting “a chance to be in the playoffs.”

“It just fit for what I was looking for,” Orton said Tuesday while appearing on New School with Shan & RJ on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “I had an idea of what I wanted to do kind of going into free agency and you don’t get too many chances to hook up with an organization like the Cowboys. From everybody that I had talked to throughout the whole process they just had rave reviews of the organization.

“Talking to a guy like Jon Kitna, he just had great things to say about working with Tony, and I’m just excited for it.”

Orton added: “I’ve been in a couple situations where I compete with this guy, compete with that guy and long term it never works out for anybody. I just wanted to be in a situation where I knew my role and could work to fulfill that role in the best way. I just felt with the Cowboys that was the best chance for me.”

The Cowboys put in a claim for Orton after the Denver Broncos cut him during the 2011 season but the Kansas City Chiefs were awarded his services because they were higher on the waiver wire list.

Orton, 29, played four seasons in Chicago before joining Denver for the previous three campaigns. He played four games with the Chiefs, starting three, after the Broncos cut him, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions.

The 6-4, 225-pounder spoke highly of Jason Garrett’s offensive system, adding that he believed he was going to be drafted by the Miami Dolphins when Garrett was the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2005. Orton eventually was selected by the Bears in the fourth round, pick No. 106 overall, three selections before the Cowboys chose running back Marion Barber.

“I’ve kind of followed his system throughout,” Orton said. “I think Jason has a great system, one that you get the ball out on time and you should have guys running open with the talent we have and the guys in the backfield.”

Orton admitted that he doesn’t know Romo, other than one conversation, but said he has “only heard good things” about the player he will be backing up.

Brandon Carr is one Cowboy that Orton is familiar with. The two briefly played together last season in Kansas City.

“He’s a really good player," Orton said. "Before I went to Kansas City I had to play against him twice a year and that was certainly no fun.”

The Cowboys agreed to a three-year contract with Orton last week.

Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota

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Sports DaySports Day Cowboys

Photos: Dez fumbles; Griffin's sweet moves as President Bush watches Cowboys' loss

Photo: Tom Fox/Staff Photographer

Washington Redskins wide receiver Aldrick Robinson (11) pulls down a second quarter touchdown pass against theDallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Thursday, November 22, 2012.

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Sports DaySports Day Cowboys

Photos: Cowboys-Redskins brawl; DeMarco Murray swaps jerseys

Photo: Michael Ainsworth/Staff Photographer

Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Bruce Carter (54) and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Kyle Wilber (51) celebrate as Dallas got the ball on turnovers against the Washington Redskins during the fourth quarter of their NFL game at FedEx Field, on December 22, 2013. Dallas won the game 24-23. (Michael Ainsworth/The Dallas Morning News)

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Sports DaySports Day Stars

Photos: See a sneak peek at the Dallas Stars Ice Girls 2013 calendar

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Chelsea, a Plano native, is in her first year with the Dallas Stars Ice Girls and has performed with the Dallas Cowboys Rhythm and Blues Dancers and the Allen Americans Ice Angels.

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If you'd like us to mail you our catalog, click here. We'd like to invite you to browse our store, or if you are a retailer, become one of our wholesale clients. We also do custom work -- invitations, stationery, announcements, etc.

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Be Curious, Not Invasive . . .Physical Contact & Personal Boundaries

In theory, it is a good idea to refrain from initiating physical contact when you are at work if that contact is not related to job function. Job related contact includes (but is not limited to) things like spotting a co-worker on a ladder, assisting others as they enter a bus, any contact related to medical service provision, and a wide range of actions related to simulations and role-play activities in classrooms and during training programs. In practice, as we all know, physical expressions of friendship and affection among co-workers happen all the time at work. How to know what is okay and what is not? One important thing to remember is that we should always seek explicit consent before we touch others’ bodies.

When we assume that because we have a friendly relationship with a co-worker we can touch that person, we risk setting precedent for others whose similar gestures may not be welcome. We may also be assuming that because someone has never said they do not want to be touched they are comfortable with physical contact. However, for many different reasons, we are not always able or willing to let others know that they have crossed a boundary. Again, it is important that we seek explicit consent from others before we touch them – even a congratulatory pat on the back can be unwelcome or create discomfort for some of us.

Boundaries Vary

People’s personal space boundaries vary a great deal.  Even when we do not make contact, if we get very close to someone, especially in the context of differences of opinion, that person may feel intimidated. The relationship between intention and impact can be very helpful to consider in such circumstances. Our intention may be to signal connection, interest, or enthusiasm. The other person may feel uncomfortable, invaded, or trapped.

It is certainly also true that some cultures and some individuals value physical closeness and touching. The cheek kissing traditions of some Europeans, the camaraderie expressed by hugging and other contact among sport team members, hugging as a form of greeting, and the familiarity and affection shared by platonic hand-holding are all examples of more relaxed personal boundaries around physical space and contact. Some international folks on campus have told us that the American tendency to keep one's distance has left them feeling lonely and confused about how to connect with others appropriately. Given the fact that there is such a wide range of expectations and comfort zones, it is crucial that we communicate effectively about our own needs and ask about those of others.

Some Examples

Some of the most common examples of inappropriate or unwelcome touching that our office hears about on campus are: Black or bi-racial people’s hair being touched; international people’s clothing being felt or handled without their consent; people with physical disabilities being assisted without their requesting help; and pregnant women’s bellies being touched. Sometimes it’s the failure to ask for an “okay” to touch us that feels inappropriate. Other times, we are uncomfortable even being asked for permission to be touched – we may feel singled out, exoticized, on display, or disrespected by the impulse itself.

It may be helpful to understand the examples above in terms of the group histories that can rest behind individual experiences.

  • Pregnant women may be sensitive to being touched because they experience such gestures in the context of women having been controlled legally and socially and treated as property. Because men do not experience a parallel phenomenon, for some women the (mostly well-intentioned) touching of pregnant bellies is a reminder of past and/or current sexism. Besides, some of us do not like being touched anywhere at any time outside of our personal relationships – pregnancy does not render a woman's body publicly accessible.
  • People with physical disabilities can be frustrated by assumptions about their abilities because others so often assume them to be incapable of everything simply because they are unable to do one thing. (Additionally, jumping in to help without asking if it’s needed can throw people with certain disabilities off balance.)
  • Immigrants and others from outside the U.S. may be uncomfortable with physical attention to non-Western clothing or accessories because of fears related to the ways that “foreigners” have been targeted for violence or discrimination on the basis of their appearance. Also the history of “spectacle ethnography” – observing people regarded as racially and/or culturally inferior in order to affirm the superiority of one’s own race, culture, or both – can make some immigrants or others from outside the U.S. wary of undue attention.
  • And, perhaps most common of all, African-Americans may feel angered or overwhelmed by having their hair touched (something non-black people tend to do out of naïve curiosity about this very visible difference) because they recall the ways that Africans in America were examined and handled during the period of enslavement (not to mention many other historical and ongoing forms of oppressive physical violation or invasion).

While no one can learn enough about all groups of people to know every history around the ways physical aspects of self and group have been used to exclude or degrade, we can make efforts to recognize that physical contact of various kinds do have meaning and history beyond our intentions. The examples here are meant to suggest that we all bring with us a rich and varied range of experiences and perspectives that create the context within which others’ physical gestures will have meaning for us.

Last Updated: 10/22/08


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MS Access

Posted Jul 27, 2004

The Future of Access

By Danny Lesandrini

On July 15th, the Denver Area Access User Group (see DAAUG at ) celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special guest speaker from Redmond, Jon Sigler, the Microsoft Access Group Program Manager.  Jon has worked in the database market for 16 years, originally with the Fox Pro group at Microsoft, and for the last seven years as the Group Program Manager for Access.  He was kind enough to come out to see us on our special day, bringing news of great things to come for Microsoft Access.

Landing Pad for Data

Jon began his presentation with a brief history of Microsoft Access.  While the old timers in the group found this walk down memory lane both sentimental and enjoyable, for the sake of this article, I will boil it down to highlights and the main point, sparing you the grueling details.

The first version of Microsoft Access (v 1.0) was released in October 1992.  Version 2.0, which became available in April of 1994, was considered their "best release to date."  It was a robust and well-rounded product that is still in use today.  Access 97 was the next great release and is widely used in businesses across the globe.  The current version is Access 2003, which in my humble opinion, is the best version to date. The next release will be Access 12, which is all about reinventing Office and later we will reveal a little of what we might expect to see in the next version.

In the course of his presentation, Jon used the expression "landing pad for data" several times.  During a break, I asked him if that was a new marketing slogan for Access.  He chuckled and went on to explain how those words have been a catch phrase for the Access development team throughout the years, a touchstone of sorts.  Each new feature had to contribute, or at least not detract, from the goal of making Microsoft Access a "landing pad for data."

What does this mean, "landing pad?"  I do not know exactly how the Access development team understands the expression; it has a great deal of meaning to me.  Access is the greatest place to "dump your data."  Sure, you can build enterprise level applications with Access, but you can also use it as a container for raw data.  Everything from complex information, as in data warehouse, to simple text & number dumps for temporary analysis, a data scratch pad if you will.

For example, I recently disagreed with another developer over the usefulness of the Create New Table By Entering Data option.  His reasoning is that, since you need to set data types, defaults, field names and the like, you might as well just create tables from design view.  My reasoning is that more than half the time all I really want to do is paste a clipboard full of numbers from Excel or SQL Server into a container where I can slice and dice them.  Most often, all I need is a "landing pad" for my data!

Jon was right; this is at the heart of Access and will drive its future development.  Someone asked him if the next version might include triggers on tables.  He thought for a few seconds, then explained that it is not their goal to reinvent SQL Server and whatever they decide to include, it will not be allowed to interfere with the ability of Access to serve as the "landing pad for data."  While this thinking may disappoint some, it assures me that Microsoft Access will continue to dominate its niche as the best desktop database system on the market!

Access Conversion Toolkit

Soon Microsoft will release the Access Conversion Toolkit, which is designed to help businesses analyze the impact of upgrading to a newer version of Access, preferably Access 2003.  Imagine if your organization had hundreds or thousands of desktops.  The cost of upgrading would include not only the price of new Office software, but also the expense of converting all those Access databases that have become critical to daily operations.  This task might seem daunting, but it isn't and the Access Conversion Toolkit was designed to show you just how simple a conversion might be.  You can read more about the toolkit at the Microsoft Office site:

Not only will this tool be freely available from the Office Resource Kit page, it will be delivered as an MDB file with access to all its source code.  (See  for the Office 2003 Resource Kit page.)  It's actually quite a simple tool that performs the following functions:

  • Scans your computer and/or network for existing Access databases of any version.
  • Performs analysis on each one to determine potential conversion issues.
  • Reports on database conversion issues and file metadata.

The Executive Summary report (shown below) illustrates the analysis results.  Each database is given a Rating that indicates if user intervention is Required, Likely or Unlikely.  The total number of databases on your machine or network is displayed, as well as their last used date and whether or not the instance is actually a database backup.  With this information in hand, one company considering the upgrade to Office 2003 discovered that half of the 80,000 Access databases on their network could be archived or deleted.  Only 1% of the remaining databases required user intervention to convert and the savings in recovered disk space paid for the upgrade.  The message is clear:  upgrading from Access 97 is easier and less expensive than you think!

The Future of Microsoft Access

While Jon was not able to reveal specific details of Access 12, he did give us a good idea of how the team goes about deciding what to include in future versions and he hinted at a few cool new features on the wish list.  If even a fraction of the ideas being kicked around makes it into the next release, it will be a worthwhile upgrade.

In order to figure out what users really want from the application, their team leverages customer visits, focus groups, newsgroup comments and feedback from user groups like DAAUG.  In fact, during his presentation Jon was offered a number of suggestions from power users in our group for things they would like to see in Access 12.  In fact, an interesting statistic reveals that half of all Access users are involved in building applications (as opposed to simply running delivered apps).  In addition, it is estimated in the United States alone there are over four million Access Developers.

User interviews reveal that the things people love about Access are its Wizards, integration with Office, the ease with which VBA can be employed to create rich applications and especially the JET database engine.  In recent years, it has been rumored in the Access newsgroups that Microsoft was prepared to retire JET but Jon put those rumors to rest. In fact, the JET engine makes Access a perfect landing pad for data and that is not something anyone wants to change.

However, there will be changes in the next version of Access.  From what was said, I get the idea that the entire Microsoft development machine moves with one fluid motion and the look and feel of Access will follow the general direction for all Microsoft applications.  (Read Longhorn here).  Some potential enhancements that have been suggested include:

  • Quick way to view object dependencies
  • Extended support for datasheets to allow better filtering
  • Excel style spreadsheet behavior for datasheets
  • Ability to search reports for specific string
  • Copy text from a report in preview mode
  • Easier way to add, space, size and align controls
  • 21st century output controls

I realize this all seems a little vague, but that is probably because no one can say for sure at this point, what features will actually ship with Access 12.  Jon was kind enough to share the results of their research and assures us that the Access team is working hard to make the next version the best ever.  One thing is for sure; they will not give in to the temptation to morph Access into a web tool or something else that might detract from their goal to make the world's best desktop database ever.

» See All Articles by Columnist Danny J. Lesandrini

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