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01 Aug 2010 11:27

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Tech: Want to snoop other people’s phone calls? It’s relatively cheap

  • $1,500 and absolutely zero conscience source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

31 Jul 2010 11:09

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Tech: Guy behind Human Genome Project: It’s “useless information”

  • We have, in truth, learned nothing from the genome other than probabilities. How does a 1 or 3 percent increased risk for something translate into the clinic? It is useless information.
  • Human Genome Project researcher Craig Venter • Regarding the end result (as of right now) of all the work he did with the Human Genome Project. “We couldn’t even be certain from my genome what my eye color was,” he also claims. “Isn’t that sad?” These are harsh words because of the fact that he spent so much of his life working on this project. But it doesn’t mean it’s a total wash – Venter is looking to use his history in genetic research to help create new forms of energy. Which, let’s face it, would be cool. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 Jul 2010 21:17

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Tech, U.S.: Finally, the NYC Subway will be getting wireless connectivity

  • $200 million the amount the wi-fi and mobile endeavor will cost
  • three years the delay the major undertaking has already faced source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 Jul 2010 21:00

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Tech: Space tourist payback: “Lord British” wins a major lawsuit

Richard “Lord British” Garriott, he of the legendary “Ultima” game franchise, was laid off just after returning to earth. Fortunately, a court agreed NCSoft screwed him. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 Jul 2010 20:33

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Tech: Microsoft Wind-woes: Steve Ballmer feeling heat over the iPad

  • They’ve sold certainly more than I’d like them to have sold.
  • Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer • In the process of eating crow about the success of the iPad. You know, that device that Sen. Scott Brown held up yesterday when ripping into the hapless Arlington Cemetery staff who were unable to prevent thousands of graves from getting mixed up. Anyway … Microsoft has a decade of experience in the tablet business and now is in the unenviable position of playing catch-up. If this plot sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the exact same plot as their mobile phone platform. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 Jul 2010 13:35

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Tech: Stay classy: Woman has weird relationship with Dell technician

  • I’m totally convinced. I watched him take the pictures out of my e-mail. I watched him.
  • Dell customer Tara Fitzgerald • Regarding the bizarre turn her life took thanks to trusting an India-based Dell technician way too much. Fitzgerald couldn’t find nude photographs of herself, so she called Dell tech support, only to have the technician steal the photos via a remote desktop session and put them on a Web site. As bad as that is, he also reportedly conned a computer out of her AND charged her Dell credit card for purchases for someone else. Now, say what you will about the woman. It’s a weird situation. But the fact of the matter is, she asked Dell for help in the situation and they didn’t give it to her. Stay classy, Dell. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 Jul 2010 02:38

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Biz, Tech: Netflix slowly but surely becoming a movie studio cash cow

  • 20
    million     the number of people who use Netflix, which has only been around about 12 years
  • 24
    million     the number of people who use Comcast, which has been around over 40 years
  • $9M the amount Netflix paid studios for streaming films in the second quarter of last year
  • $66M the amount Netflix spent on acquiring movies for its streaming service this past quarter
  • $116M the amount the company paid to movie studios for in the first six months of 2010 source
  • » A win-win relationship? While the relationship clearly favors the film studios at this point, the success of Netflix’s streaming model has proven fruitful, especially since it hasn’t come at a higher cost to the consumer. While Netflix has pushed more money into streaming distribution, they’ve had to put less into their DVD budgets, meaning that money is shifting from one platform to another. Oh, and it helps that they’ve nailed streaming movies better than anyone else. (Hat tip to Jeff Greco for finding this.)
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

29 Jul 2010 20:40

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Tech: I won’t back down, part 4: The new Kindle’s killer reviews

  • We have to hand it to Amazon. Despite looking like they might be a little outgunned by the iPad, they not only came out with a new version of the Kindle, but the device is thus far getting some killer reviews. Sure, it’s not color, but it looks a step or two above the first two Kindles. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Jul 2010 08:50

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Tech: Some dude grabbed everyone’s Facebook data, put it on The Pirate Bay

  • 100 million poor Facebook users’ details scraped source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2010 23:05

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Tech: Jeff Bezos: Screw competing with the iPad, Kindle does it right

  • For the vast majority of books, adding video and animation is not going to be helpful. It is distracting rather than enhancing. You are not going to improve Hemingway by adding video snippets.
  • Amazon founder Jeff Bezos • Explaining why the new version of the Kindle basically looks like a slicker, cheaper version of the last Kindle. That’s right, no color. No display prowess. Just a sleeker version of the wheel. Anyway, $139 for a wi-fi only version? Sounds like someone’s trying to court the very mass market the device wasn’t priced for in its first two iterations. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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