Archive for September, 2007

Quickly gaining popularity and taking back the web, Firefox is lighting up the internet with personalize browsing that is safer, faster and more powerful. When Firefox first emerged not many expected much since there were already other browsers, like Netscape, Opera, and Eudora, that had been out for a long time already and were no where near being as popular as Internet Explorer. This has caused Microsoft to start paying attention and listening to the users - but still falling short in keeping users loyal. Microsoft is synonymous with closed-code with only Microsoft add-ons at Microsoft prices.

For those of you who are not familiar with Firefox, prepared to be awaken to the revolution taking place on the web and quickly become converted to a Mozilla Firefox user.

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A gift that at the same time was a curse, the Digg effect took us down back on September 11, 2007 - ironic date I know. However, we did survive and we are in the process of improving the blog and posting articles that were missed during the month of October. Thanks to Girls Of The Israeli Army post done back on August 5, 2007 we got well over 2000 Diggs before our MySQL database could take no more connections.

For those of you who do not know Digg, it is best to just head on over to the community to sign up and start clicking around. Start viewing the Digg review of our page that created a lot of traffic for us and then begin exploring Digg. It is somewhat of an easy concept to grasp but here is what the ol’ mighty internet resource has to say about it:

A community-based popularity website with an emphasis on technology and science articles, recently expanding to a broader range of categories such as politics and entertainment. It combines social bookmarking, blogging, and syndication with a form of non-hierarchical, democratic editorial control

According to Wikipedia. Basically that all means that the readers vote - “Digg” - webpages, blogs, photos etc. that they like. The more Diggs you get the higher your ranking in the community. Voters do not all carry the same vote. People who are reputable and have the most friends get more say and weight. This helps when an average Joe trys to cheat and vote his webpage up.

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Talks of a phone from Google dubbed the Gphone, have recently been causing a stir on the World Wide Web. There are articles mentioning deals between certain high profile companies with expected release dates and even articles from people claiming they have already seen prototypes. Whether or not we can believe everything we read, Google are on the up and up so a move into the wireless industry is not out of character.

There have been a few reports that Google are making a big push in the development of their own handset. High Tech Computers, a Taiwan-based smart phone maker are rumored to be designing the Linux device which is said to incorporate a Texas Instruments edge chipset. There have been a number of specifications listed in these reports and if all of this turns out to be true, Google may revolutionize the way we use our cell phones.

Reports suggest we can expect a handset that provides Wi-Fi, 3-G and GPS capability, a user friendly browser such as Linux or possibly one designed by Google, access to VoIP, Gtalk or even Skype, a 2 Megapixel Camera, Mp3, a predictive Qwerty Keyboard and of course, a large color screen.

The Gphone is apparently scheduled for release early 2008, with T-Mobile and Orange tipped to be providing services it may seem like everything is almost decided. If Google can come up with a handset that can incorporate all these features then they really will have a rival to the Apple iPhone.

The iPhone is a great device and certainly did take mobile technology to the next level; however some felt it did not quite live up to the hype. All this talk of the Gphone is setting the stage for something really spectacular but with no sign of any official concept designs, it is difficult to really predict what is on the companies mind.

Note: All images are Unofficial Concept Sketches; designs are artist impressions of what the Gphone may look like.

The release of Google Docs and Spreadsheets, the highly anticipated free office suite application available through the internet by download, threatens to topple Microsoft’s dominant position as the leader in desktop software offering services delivered over the Web supported by advertising and/or subscriptions. So much so that Microsoft set to the drawing board and immediately began developing a rival project.

Tip: Be sure to check out the link at the end of this article for a link to a listing of various free and open source software programs for download that is having the executives at Microsoft shaking in their boots and thinking about ways to counter this!

The aim is to offer a free version of Microsoft Works which will be pre installed in desktops and will display advertisements stored in cache, the advertisements that help support the application will be refreshed when the computer establishes an internet connection.

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Microsoft and Fox have join forces with the new deal to allow the first two seasons of the the popular animated T.V. series Family Guy to be downloaded to the XBox. Family Guy is the first television series or service to make its way to the XBox. This is a strong deal that will help Microsoft continue to move past it’s similiar Apple competitor iTunes. This will be a big season for Microsoft XBox with the launch of Halo 3 right around the corner, since the demographics are the same - males 18 - 34.

For our Microsoft Xbox 360 customers, you will be able to purchase each of the episodes from the first two seasons as well as the straight-to-DVD film “Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story” for 160 Microsoft points, or about $2, which is comparable with the pricing of TV episodes on iTunes and other VOD platforms.

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The digital age is here and has been for some time now. The computer interface we have come to know has become boring and in my opinion out-dated. It no longer gives a sense of high tech or advanced. It is a 2-D mundane layout that has me missing the days of old when my desk was in a chaotic and cryptic mess that only I understood. Well, programmers feel the same and they are taking this boring interface to the next level!

This is a great idea and a fun interface. Some problems with it however is you do not see the file names that distinguish file types from one another and you are not able to see a thumbnail preview of a picture or document like in new Windows environment. I am sure these bugs can be worked out and the program will be much better once it gets to the serious stage.

If you remember the Photosync Technology and Microsoft Surface environment, this interface is quickly adapting and evolving. I am ready for the change now - hopefully it becomes mainstream soon.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are always pushing the boundaries; continuing to develop Defensive Technology, and their latest invention is no exception.

At some point in the not too distant future, a moth implanted with a computer chip will take flight into enemy territories in hope to spy and transmit a video feed as well as other information back to base. The computer chip implanted whilst the creature is still a pupa, in the cocoon, enables the moth’s entire nervous system to be controlled remotely. The moth will thus be capable of landing in the camp without arousing suspicion, all the while transmitting information back to its masters via what its developers refer to as a “reliable tissue-machine interface.” More importantly however, this Cyborg Moth will help bring down terrorist and thwart future terrorism plots.

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