Sunday, October 31, 2010

Gizmodo University: Volts, Amps, and Ohms [How To]

In this week's Gizmodo University: Discover Electronics, we're diving headfirst into the principle theories of electronics. The second of four classes in this series, "Volts, Amps, and Ohms" is presented in conjunction with Sparkle Labs. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Tk22M41Re88/gizmodo-university-volts-amps-and-ohms

NOVELL NETWORK APPLIANCE NETGEAR NCR NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR

Google faces landmark fine in Britain for 'gross invasion of privacy'

Filed under: ,

Britain's Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, announced yesterday that a new investigation into the Google Street View privacy debacle will be opened. If found guilty of a breach of privacy, Google could face a fine of up to £500,000 ($790,000).

While £500,000 might seem like a pittance compared to the billions of dollars that Google has in the bank, it is the maximum fine that a privacy breach in Britain can warrant. It would be a publicity disaster, too, and it would open the flood gates for fines from other countries.

Google has already admitted that both emails and passwords were scooped out of the air by its Wi-Fi snooping. It is probably no coincidence that Britain is only now announcing a new investigation into the matter -- and it's hard to see how this new investigation can return anything other than a guilty verdict for Google.

Google faces landmark fine in Britain for 'gross invasion of privacy' originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/10/25/google-faces-landmark-fine-in-britain-for-gross-invasion-of-privacy/

COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS COMPAL ELECTRONICS COSMOTE MOBILE TELECOM DLINK DIGITAL CHINA HOLDINGS

Is Gulf Seafood Safe To Eat? Feds? New Test Says Yes, Not Convincingly

More than 9,000 square miles of U.S. federal Gulf waters are closed to commercial and recreational fishing today thanks to the BP oil spill. However, government offices today claimed that seafood from the Gulf is basically safe to consume, based on the results from their latest battery of tests. You gonna eat that? Companies responsible for the environmental disaster spilled about 5 million barrels of oil, accidentally. They poured about 2 million gallons of oil dispersants into the Gulf waters on purpose, though. The dispersants were supposed to break up the wildlife-choking slicks into droplets that could be more easily digested by oil-eating bacteria. Or at least, they'd make the water look more like water and less like tar...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/tzv1Q-8QpOs/

MOTOROLA MOODYS MISCROSOFT OFFICE MICROSOFT MICROSEMI

Pandoc is a Swiss Army knife text conversion utility

Pandoc is a Swiss Army knife text conversion utility

Filed under: Text, Freeware

pandoc

I love Markdown. If you write any sort of content for the Web, you really should try it; it's a simple notation system for making text bold or italic, creating headlines and bulleted lists, and more. To make text bold, for example, you just need to surround it with asterisks.

Converting Markdown into valid HTML is a fairly common task, and there's no dearth of tools that do this. But Pandoc caught my eye because it can do this and a whole lot more. Plus it's free, open source, and cross-platform.

Pandoc understands Markdown, HTML, and several other formats, and it can output:

  • plain text - i.e., strip all HTML and give you just the text
  • Markdown - so you can convert HTML back into Markdown for editing
  • And a whole list of other formats, including HTML, LaTeX, ConTeXt, PDF, RTF, DocBook XML, OpenDocument XML, ODT, GNU Texinfo, MediaWiki markup, groff man pages, EPUB ebooks, and S5 and Slidy HTML slide shows

It even supports PDF output using a helper utility. So yes, it can convert Markdown to HTML (and vice versa), but it can do so much more, too. It's definitely one for the toolbox!

Pandoc is a Swiss Army knife text conversion utility originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read�|�Permalink�|�Email this�|�Comments


Bar Refaeli
Malin Akerman
Mila Kunis

Firefox Friday: Mozilla refuses to ban Firesheep, a more-Awesome Bar, delayed Firefox 4, and more

Firefox Friday: Mozilla refuses to ban Firesheep, a more-Awesome Bar, delayed Firefox 4, and more

Filed under: Features, Mozilla, Browsers

Firefox FridayThis week has been a busy one for Mozilla, and not in a here-are-lots-of-awesome-toys-to-play-with way.

First of all, Firefox 4 was pushed back to 2011. We had originally hoped to see it launch before the end of 2010, but in all likelihood we probably won't see before March or April 2011. There are still a bunch of Beta releases to get through, and then the Release Candidates. On the flip side, FF4 is already very fast and a joy to use -- as long as you don't mind the occasional hiccup, it's well worth the upgrade from FF3.6!

Then there was Firesheep, a sidejacking add-on that gets its name from Firefox, which Mozilla has decided not to ban. Mozilla retains the ability to blacklist add-ons, but generally only blocks add-ons that cause browser crashes. There have been a few add-ons blocked for 'security issues', though, which raises the question: is Mozilla simply looking at the bigger picture -- a Web made all the more secure because of awareness-raising add-ons like Firesheep?

Finally, the Nobel Peace Prize website was hacked to exploit a 0-day Firefox vulnerability. The hole was summarily patched and new versions of Firefox 3.5 and 3.6 were released.

It wasn't all bad this week though! Mozilla Labs threw out a few of very fun toys to play with (an auto-complete Awesome Bar!), and I've found a few other goodies to show you, too.

Mozilla Labs brings you Awesome Bar word completion


This add-on, which is the first deliverable from Mozilla Labs' Prospector experiments, is all about enhancing the search experience inside Firefox. If you thought the Awesome Bar was good -- this will blow your mind! It's hard to explain exactly what 'word completion' does, but essentially it means you have to type less while searching -- just like Google's search suggestions!

Incidentally, this is yet another Chrome-like feature -- but hey, I don't think anyone's complaining.


Combine your address books and friends lists with Mozilla Labs' Contacts


Mozilla Labs has been quietly plugging away at the Contacts add-on for a while, and with release 0.4 it's definitely starting to become usable.

Contacts is part of Mozilla's continued efforts to make the browser a tool, rather than a portal. While Google's Chrome tries to get out of your way as quickly as possible, Mozilla wants Firefox to be part of the browsing experience. With Contacts you can import contacts and friends from a variety of services (Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, Yahoo, etc.) into your browser.

Having your contacts in your browser is great for two reasons: a) you always have an offline backup handy, and b) when registering for new Web services, you'll be able to give those sites access to your contacts directory. You won't have to give up your Facebook, Google, Flickr and Twitter credentials every time a site asks you to 'look for friends'!

[At the time of writing, this add-on doesn't seem to work -- I don't know if it's an issue with Contacts, or the latest builds of Firefox -- either way, I guess you just have to bookmark this one and hope Mozilla fixes it ASAP.]


Grab a faster, optimized version of Firefox 3.6 for Windows and Linux


The tenacious Mitch over at Firefox Facts dug up two gems this week: The Pale Moon Project and Swiftfox, which provide optimized versions of Firefox 3.6 for Windows and Linux respectively. Documentation for Swiftfox is lacking, but fortunately Pale Moon provides tons of details for why its build is faster than Mozilla's. The memory management runtime library has been custom-compiled for faster operation, and overall complexity has been reduced by removing unnecessary features (like accessibility and ActiveX). In general, it sounds like the Pale Moon build is angled towards speed, while Mozilla builds for compatibility.

The only real problem is that these are builds of Firefox 3.6. No matter how hard you tune it, 3.6 still languishes some way behind 4.0. Still, if you're not quite ready to transition over to the beta builds of Firefox 4, these two optimized builds should definitely give you a bit of a boost. Pale Moon also says it will build an optimized version of Firefox 4 when it's released -- and when that happens, Download Squad will be sure to review it.

Of course, neither of these optimized versions are overseen or ratified by Mozilla, so use them at your own risk!

Firefox Friday: Mozilla refuses to ban Firesheep, a more-Awesome Bar, delayed Firefox 4, and more originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink�|�Email this�|�Comments


Olivia Wilde
Megan Fox

The Prize Portrait From Our Halloween Illustration Contest [Promotion]

Yesterday we chose our Halloween Illustration Contest winner and locked Gizmodo's contributing artist Sam Spratt in a creepy basement with instructions to draw a freaky portrait. Here's the result. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/1lVsxfshvME/the-prize-portrait-from-our-halloween-illustration-contest

ELECTRONIC ARTS ECLIPSYS EASTMAN KODAK CO EARTHLINK DST SYSTEMS

Droid 2 Global to come in two colors

Droid 2 Global at Costco

Remember how the Droid 2 Global had a couple of SKU numbers on that leaked Verizon rebate sheet? Looks like that's because it's going to be available in a couple of colors, according to Costco's inventory system. There's the white version that we've already seen, plus traditional black. As for exactly when it's going to drop? We're still expecting sometime in the fourth quarter. [BGR]

Posted originally at Android Central

Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/IAqdtzqWvAE/droid-2-global-come-two-colors

SYNTAXBRILLIAN SYNOPSYS SYNNEX SYMANTEC SYKES ENTERPRISES INORATED

AOL launches homepage redesign

Filed under:

AOL -- our benevolent overlord -- has finally taken the wraps off its new homepage design. The new page, which was initially slated for launch on Monday, emphasizes AOL content from our sites like Engadget, Switched and DailyFinance, and also features heavy social integration. Apart from current trending topics, the page will also display activity from your AOL Lifestream if you've got an account set up.

You can also swap out the logo background image from one of the many other funky options -- or let AOL surprise you with a random one. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that the new look AOL loads up just fine in Chrome Canary, Internet Explorer 9 still shows the old design.

AOL launches homepage redesign originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/10/29/aol-launches-homepage-redesign/

ATandT AUTODESK AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING AVNET BHARTI AIRTEL

BitDefender safego protects you from Facebook dangers

BitDefender safego protects you from Facebook dangers

Filed under: Security

Facebook's immense popularity has made it a prime target for cybercriminals. Malicious (or 'poisoned') links, spam, and malvertising are all too common -- and it's far too easy for an unsuspecting Facebook user to be taken in. Hey, if one of your friends sends you a link to what seems like a hilarious picture, there's a decent chance you'll click through, right?

... And that's how the bad guys get you. Fortunately, however, there's a slick new Facebook app from BitDefender called safego that can help protect you (and your less-technical friends and family).

The idea is simple: install safego and let it scan your profile. Any links you've received will be scanned, including short URLs from services like bit.ly and tinyurl. Fire up the scanner and let it check all those new messages and wall posts you've received, and you'll know in an instant if there's anything that you should avoid clicking.

My mind boggles when I think about all of the infected computers I've cleaned that could have been spared that fate if their owners had used an app like safego to defend their Facebook profiles.
safego even checks your account for any privacy issues which might need to be addressed. Right now, unfortunately, attention items aren't linked -- so I can't find out what it is about my profile safego thinks I should check.

The app is in beta, however, so I'd fully expect that problem to be addressed by the time it sheds the tag. It's also worth noting that on some versions of Google Chrome the bottom boxes in safego's dashboard (last scanned items and infected items) never update. Again, this is likely a beta issue.

Growing pains aside, BitDefender safego is still a fantastic way for any Facebook user to protect him or herself. If you've ever been the victim of a malicious link on Facebook or had your profile attacked by some nasty malware, safego is an app you simple shouldn't be without.

BitDefender provides safego totally free, and with good reason. The Facebook app is a great idea, and it's got tremendous viral potential. That means a lot of free PR and more name recognition for BitDefender -- which in turn could lead to increased sales of the company's paid products.

It should also allow BitDefender greater insight into the Facebook threat landscape, and that's a good thing for all of us. The more security companies know about what the bad guys are up to on Facebook, the better equipped they'll be to protect us.

Install the BitDefender safego Facebook app

BitDefender safego protects you from Facebook dangers originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read�|�Permalink�|�Email this�|�Comments


Rihanna
Jordana Brewster
Jennifer Love Hewitt

UK Pizzeria, PizzaExpress installing iPod/iPhone docks

UK Pizzeria, PizzaExpress installing iPod/iPhone docks
PizzaExpress, a UK-based pizzeria, is adding iPod/iPhone docks into some of their seating areas as part of their “next-gen” restaurant upgrade. PizzaExpress has started the roll out in their restaurant in Richmond, London. They call their new dining concept “Living Lab”, inviting the british public to try out all the new features before a full roll [...]

UK Pizzeria, PizzaExpress installing iPod/iPhone docks is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

PizzaExpress, a UK-based pizzeria, is adding iPod/iPhone docks into some of their seating areas as part of their “next-gen” restaurant upgrade.

PizzaExpress has started the roll out in their restaurant in Richmond, London. They call their new dining concept “Living Lab”, inviting the british public to try out all the new features before a full roll out nationwide.

Included in the line of the new features, are new ‘parabolic booths’, which are domes hung from the ceiling that deflect background noises, so not only can you enjoy a peaceful conversation, but you can play your iPod/iPhone music undisturbed, while not disturbing anyone else.

If your local restaurants wanted to implement iPod docks? Would you use them?

[PocketLint]

by George Lim

UK Pizzeria, PizzaExpress installing iPod/iPhone docks is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog





Malin Akerman
Mila Kunis
Eliza Dushku
Adriana Lima

Follow US elections live with ABC app for iPad

ABC Election Night coverage with iPad app The ABC app for the iPad has come up with a nice little update for those of you who are into tracking elections as they are happening. It’s not always easy to keep track of who is winning in each race through television or radio but now with the ABC app for iPad it will [...]

Follow US elections live with ABC app for iPad is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/ktXJd120cuo/

HEARTLAND PAYMENT SYSTEMS GOOGLE GOOGLE FORMFACTOR FISERV