The Weekly Tech News
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1. 'We Have Broken Speed of Light'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/3303699/We-have-broken-speed-of-light.html
Using quantum tunnelling, German researchers are claiming to have propelled particles faster than the speed of light.
Using quantum tunnelling, German researchers are claiming to have propelled particles faster than the speed of light.
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A pair of German physicists claim to have broken the speed of light - an achievement that would undermine our entire understanding of space and time.
According to Einstein's special theory of relativity, it would require an infinite amount of energy to propel an object at more than 186,000 miles per second.
According to Einstein's special theory of relativity, it would require an infinite amount of energy to propel an object at more than 186,000 miles per second.
2. MI5 Comes Out Against Cutting Off Internet Pirates
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6885923.ece
This one is just for laughs... British intelligence agency MI5 has come out in opposition of a proposed three-strikes law in the UK because they fear it will induce broader adoption of encryption online.
This one is just for laughs... British intelligence agency MI5 has come out in opposition of a proposed three-strikes law in the UK because they fear it will induce broader adoption of encryption online.
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The police and intelligence services are calling on the Government to drop plans to disconnect persistent internet pirates because they fear that this would make it harder to track criminals online.
Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, has vowed to use the Government’s forthcoming Digital Economy Bill to introduce new measures to fight illegal file-sharing of music and films. He has also proposed that persistent pirates should have their internet connections suspended temporarily.
Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, has vowed to use the Government’s forthcoming Digital Economy Bill to introduce new measures to fight illegal file-sharing of music and films. He has also proposed that persistent pirates should have their internet connections suspended temporarily.
3. Xerox Develops Silver Ink for Wearable Or Throwaway Electronics (Thanks Hertz Man)
http://digital.venturebeat.com/2009/10/26/xerox-developers-a-silver-ink-that-can-be-used-to-wearable-or-throwaway-electronics/
Xerox have developed a conductive "ink" that could be used to "write" circuits onto flexible plastic boards. Etching FTL!!
Xerox have developed a conductive "ink" that could be used to "write" circuits onto flexible plastic boards. Etching FTL!!
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Xerox researchers have invented a kind of ink that can conduct electricity and be used to put electronic circuits on top of plastics, film, and textiles. That means in the coming years we’ll be able to wear or bend our electronics. You could even print out your electronic gadget on plastic sheets, as if you were printing a document.
Silicon chips have long been too expensive or heavy to use in devices that are extremely lightweight. The Xerox team solved this fundamental problem with lighter materials, and it plans to sell the new materials to other businesses that could make wearable electronics.
Silicon chips have long been too expensive or heavy to use in devices that are extremely lightweight. The Xerox team solved this fundamental problem with lighter materials, and it plans to sell the new materials to other businesses that could make wearable electronics.
4. With, Not Without U2, YouTube Saw 10 Million Streams Sunday Night
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/29/with-not-without-u2-youtube-saw-10-million-streams-sunday-night/
The recent U2 concert, the first by a major music group to streams online, saw 10 million streams on YouTube during the broadcast. The slightly less awesome part: the stream wasn't on YouTube; it was was hosted by Akamai.
The recent U2 concert, the first by a major music group to streams online, saw 10 million streams on YouTube during the broadcast. The slightly less awesome part: the stream wasn't on YouTube; it was was hosted by Akamai.
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Initial reports said that hundreds of thousands of people watched YouTube’s Live U2 concert on Sunday night. Then reports yesterday raised the estimate to 2.5 million. Double that, and then double it again. 10 million is the real number of live streams that YouTube did that night, according to Variety.
That’s massive, and it’s obviously the biggest live streaming event YouTube has ever done. But even more impressive is just how smoothly it went. I watched about half of the two and a half hour show, and if there were any interruptions, I didn’t see any. I didn’t even see any hiccups, it was that good. I had the show running full screen on my desktop computer, and it was pretty great picture quality for live streaming video.
That’s massive, and it’s obviously the biggest live streaming event YouTube has ever done. But even more impressive is just how smoothly it went. I watched about half of the two and a half hour show, and if there were any interruptions, I didn’t see any. I didn’t even see any hiccups, it was that good. I had the show running full screen on my desktop computer, and it was pretty great picture quality for live streaming video.
5. Gang Rips Out 1km of Phone Cable
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/8333774.stm
More laughs. An alleged gang of "thieves" "stole" a kilometer of phone cabling right out of the ground in the UK this week, cutting off 800 homes and businesses. The government then managed to spend ÂŁ45,000 fixing it.
More laughs. An alleged gang of "thieves" "stole" a kilometer of phone cabling right out of the ground in the UK this week, cutting off 800 homes and businesses. The government then managed to spend ÂŁ45,000 fixing it.
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Sussex Police said the 6in to 8in cable was cut and removed from the area near Drusilla's roundabout in Alfriston in the early hours of Wednesday.
BT said telephone services to up 800 homes and businesses in Berwick were restored on Thursday evening.
The estimated cost of repairing and replacing the cable was ÂŁ45,000.
BT said telephone services to up 800 homes and businesses in Berwick were restored on Thursday evening.
The estimated cost of repairing and replacing the cable was ÂŁ45,000.
6. Say Hello to .كوم As Domain Names Go Truly Global
http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/10/domain-extensions-go-global-goodbye-com-welcome.ars
ICANN has approved the "Internationalized Domain Name Fast Track Process" which will see TLDs available in Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi, and more next year.
ICANN has approved the "Internationalized Domain Name Fast Track Process" which will see TLDs available in Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi, and more next year.
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Before now, typing http://clinteckergoatbonedbyhisnewbicycle.كوم into a Web browser and actually arriving at a working domain was impossible. But thanks to a vote by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Friday morning, it could become a reality sometime in 2010. The organization approved the "Internationalized Domain Name Fast Track Process," allowing a plethora of non-Latin characters to be used in domain name extensions and opening more doors to Internet users who don't speak Western languages.
The Fast Track Process, which begins in November, will enable countries to apply for new domain name extensions (such as .com or .net) in their own national language. This means that full domains will soon be available in Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi, and more. Previously, ICANN allowed the registration of domain names with non-Latin characters—so, for example, http://clintecker他的新自行车骨骼山羊.com—but the extension had to remain in Latin characters. Now, instead of being limited to the Latin alphabet, domain extensions will utilize some 100,000 new characters.
The Fast Track Process, which begins in November, will enable countries to apply for new domain name extensions (such as .com or .net) in their own national language. This means that full domains will soon be available in Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi, and more. Previously, ICANN allowed the registration of domain names with non-Latin characters—so, for example, http://clintecker他的新自行车骨骼山羊.com—but the extension had to remain in Latin characters. Now, instead of being limited to the Latin alphabet, domain extensions will utilize some 100,000 new characters.
7. Android 2.0 Phones Get New Google Nav App
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/68496.html
Google have now added turn-by-turn navigation to their existing map application on Android. You can read more about the implications in a thread by Lash Man here.
Google have now added turn-by-turn navigation to their existing map application on Android. You can read more about the implications in a thread by Lash Man here.
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Google on Wednesday announced the beta release of a GPS navigation application for Android 2.0 devices.
The application is part of Google Maps for mobile. Android version 2.0 will appear on the upcoming Droid handset from Motorola and Verizon, and other manufacturers also plan to release handsets carrying the updated, Google-backed mobile OS.
The application is part of Google Maps for mobile. Android version 2.0 will appear on the upcoming Droid handset from Motorola and Verizon, and other manufacturers also plan to release handsets carrying the updated, Google-backed mobile OS.
8. School Answering Machine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7eJE6B49M4
Not the longest or most topical vid ever, but hopefully good for a laugh
Not the longest or most topical vid ever, but hopefully good for a laugh
Ehtyar.
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