http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/24/2335216&from=rss
The Effects of the Cloud On Business, Education
Posted by Soulskill on Friday October 24, @10:01PM from the more-indoor-classes? dept.
g8orade points out two recent articles in The Economist about the rise of cloud computing. The first discusses how software-as-a-service has come to pervade online interactions. "Irving Wladawsky-Berger, a technology visionary at IBM, compares cloud computing to the Cambrian explosion some 500m years ago when the rate of evolution sped up, in part because the cell had been perfected and standardised, allowing evolution to build more complex organisms." The next article examines how the cloud will force a "trade-off between sovereignty and efficiency." Reader pjones contributes news that the Virtual Computer Lab will be supplementing more traditional computer labs at North Carolina State University, and adds, "NCSU's Virtual Computing Lab and IBM are offering the VCL code as a software 'appliance' for use in schools to link to the program. Downloads are available at ibiblio at UNC-Chapel Hill. The VCL also is partnering with Apache.org to make the software available and to allow further community participation in future development."
“Okay Centennial man, put down the beer and stop writing that subversive blog or we'll send in the robots!”
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/24/2245238&from=rss
Packs of Robots Will Hunt Down Uncooperative Humans
Posted by Soulskill on Friday October 24, @07:58PM from the you've-been-warned dept. Robotics Technology
Ostracus writes
"The latest request from the Pentagon jars the senses. At least, it did mine. They are looking for contractors to 'develop a software/hardware suite that would enable a multi-robot team, together with a human operator, to search for and detect a non-cooperative human subject. The main research task will involve determining the movements of the robot team through the environment to maximize the opportunity to find the subject ... Typical robots for this type of activity are expected to weigh less than 100 Kg and the team would have three to five robots.'"
To be fair, they plan to use the Multi-Robot Pursuit System for less nefarious-sounding purposes as well. They note that the robots would "have potential commercialization within search and rescue, fire fighting, reconnaissance, and automated biological, chemical and radiation sensing with mobile platforms."
I'm sure the Kindle is a fine tool (I know people who love it.) but THIS is what will make it “The next big thing!”
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/24/2127208&from=rss
Amazon Kindle Endorsed By Oprah
Posted by kdawson on Friday October 24, @06:08PM from the you-could-pay-to-read-slashdot dept.
Oprah Winfrey enthused about the Amazon Kindle on her show today — it's her "new favorite thing" — and had Jeff Bezos on to announce a $50-off offer good till Nov. 1. [to anyone who purchases a Kindle before November 1 and uses the code “OPRAHWINFREY.” Bob] A plug on Oprah is ordinarily a sign that a product has crossed over into the mainstream. But her show's audience has been slipping lately, and it's unclear how many cash-strapped citizens will be willing to part with $309 (after the special offer) for a new techno-gadget, for which they then have to shell out more money for DRM-encrusted content.
The greatest risk of Global Warming is that politicians will force companies to take actions based on bad science. (X is clearly a risk related to Global Warming, but X won't actually occur for several hundred years..)
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/019631.html
October 24, 2008
NY AG Cuomo and Former VP Gore Announce Major Ageement with Energy Company on Climate Change
News release: "Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, joined by Vice President Al Gore, today announced an agreement that requires a national energy company, Dynegy Inc. (“Dynegy”), to disclose timely and relevant information to investors about climate change risks... Under the agreement, Dynegy has agreed to provide disclosure of material risks associated with climate change in its “Form 10-K” filings, the annual summary report on a company’s performance required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to inform investors. These required disclosures include an analysis of material financial risks from climate change related to: present and probable future climate change regulation and legislation; climate-change related litigation; and physical impacts of climate change."
For true political junkies...
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/019626.html
October 24, 2008
Google Launches Five Year Quotes Index
Official Google Blog: "Today we are pleased to announce the launch of a 5-year quotes index. This expanded coverage lets you explore what Governor Palin said before she was a VP nominee, or Senator Obama before he was a presidential candidate. The InQuotes lab page is also much improved and now provides comparisons over time on issues like the economy or the war in Iraq."
Business Model Anyone want to start a business to replace the big record companies? (Well, it might work.)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10075032-93.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5
Third Eye Blind singer: A Web site can be your album
Posted by Greg Sandoval October 24, 2008 1:48 PM PDT
... On Monday, Jenkins gave the keynote address at the SanFran MusicTech Summit. He said he was in favor of releasing singles and suggested that this would help avoid "album filler," the term used to describe the placing of so-so tracks on albums in order to meet the required number of songs.
... This all seems so much more democratic to me. Fewer people will become billionaires this way, but more people will make a living making music.
For the “Swiss Army Knife” folder (and my website students)
http://www.killerstartups.com/Video-Music-Photo/drpic-com-free-web-picture-editor
DrPic.com - Free Web Picture Editor
There is no shortage of online pic editors, and Dr. Pic is the latest addition to this widening group. This one has the advantage of being free and very easy to employ and put into practice.
Broadly speaking, this editor enables you to upload a picture from your computer or camera and then apply a host of effects to it. These include guassian blurs and oil paints along with grayscales and related effects. Of course, the picture itself can be resized and cropped at will, and text can be added as you see fit.
Once you have finished editing your picture you can save it either to your computer or the Internet. When saving the picture you can also specify the file format, and have your pick from standard options such as JPG, GIF and PNG.
At the end of the day, it is always useful to have a site like this as part of your bookmark collection. Who knows, you might need it when least expected…
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