Vent Horizon

Bluffbot is Alive!

2007-09-26T22:53:00.000-04:00

No, not Johnny 5! Bluffbot!

BluffBot 2.0 - Strategies for Heads-Up No Limit Holdem

Bluffbot is a world champion poker "bot" designed by Teppo Salonen for the purpose of competing in AI poker tournaments. In 2007, the new BluffBot 2.0 went undefeated!

Now you can learn the winning strategies behind Bluffbot. When to Make a continuation bet on the flop, Draw against the odds, Make blocking bets on the river and more.

You can even download an earlier version of Bluffbot at the official Bluffbot site.

Hackers Attack Power Grid. Sorta.

2007-09-26T22:42:00.000-04:00

Hackers armed with computers attacked a power grid, causing an electrical turbine to spin out of control, shudder, lock up and explode in smoking ruin.

Or at least it would have, if this had been real.

The event was essentially produced by the Idaho National Laboratory for top policy makers in Washington.

"They've taken a theoretical attack and they've shown in a very demonstrable way the impact you can have using cyber means and cyber techniques against this type of infrastructure," said Amit Yoran, former U.S. cybersecurity chief for the Bush administration. Yoran is chief executive for NetWitness Corp., which sells sophisticated network monitoring software.

"It's so graphic," Yoran said. "Talking about bits and bytes doesn't have the same impact as seeing something catch fire."

My question would be; "how did a hacker cause such an event to occur?"

Call me cynical, but I have little faith in our government enough as it is and barely any trust in their motives or their objectives. Could this be a legitimate threat or more fear mongering to justify an ever-increasing budget windfall for any group involved in so-called "national security"?

The full story from Yahoo and AP

Apple Sucks It Up

2007-09-06T18:24:00.000-04:00

Your money, is usually what they're sucking up, but in this case, they're stepping up and sucking up their pride to offer early adopters some of that money they scammed off of them.

After their initial announcement that they were going to lower the price of their flawed iPhone's by $200, those Apple-blinded minions who slapped down $600 to be the first to have the dimly lit phones were pretty pissed off that they ponied up such a hefty fee, only to have Jobs lower the price a month later. Have to admit I'm finding it difficult to feel sympathy for people would would spend that kind of money for a phone, but I still feel pretty irked that the obvious "real" price of the item versus the cynical "market" price of it is so clearly uneven.

Announced today, Jobs is offering $100 to those who bought iPhones early on, to mitigate the damage he's done to his legions of faithful minions. Personally, with the kind of mindless and blind product loyalty Apple engenders, I don't even think it's necessary, but it's good to see Jobs doing 'almost' the right thing.

Full Story from Wired Online

- interestingly, the $100 he's offering to early adopters is not cash, but store credit. Crafty bastard.

Pfizer's Computers Are Zombies

2007-09-06T18:17:00.000-04:00

Pfizer's computers have apparently been infected by malware and are spewing out spam to millions of users everywhere. The irony is, out of shear coincidence, the ads being spammed are for their own products. I guess that's not quite that ironic considering they are the reason for a majority of spam in the first place.

The full story from Wired Online

Board Deals

2007-09-04T23:34:00.000-04:00

Board Deals sells Skate Shoes, Element skateboards and sweet ramps and rails. they also offer skateboard parts and full-on decks.

Checking out the site, it's pretty well set-up. I liked the simple but edge graphics and the easy navigation. All of the brands they carry are right smack in the middle of the page and there is a clear, convenient menu to the left. Basic but simple. The last thing I want when I'm trying to buy stuff is a confusing flash-animated maze.

I checked out a couple of brands and categories and they were as simple as they seem. The selection for the particular product line, Billabong, was a little light, but they did have a few products and I would think they'd have more soon.

Overall, I give Board Deals a 4 out of 5. The sheer number of brands available almost makes up for the lite offerings within each brand's page.

Animated GIFs Could Be Harboring Attacks

2007-06-22T23:06:00.000-04:00

According to PC World, animated GIFs could be hiding a malicious script that can infect your computer and leave it vulnerable to further attack.

Innocent-Looking GIFs Host Malware Attacks

Hackers have begun circulating a PHP exploit embedding it in a seemingly harmless GIF image, according to security researchers.

The exploit was discovered in at least one GIF on a major image-hosting website, according to a bulletin from the SANS Institute's Internet Storm Center (ISC) on Tuesday.

Full Story from Yahoo and PC World

Vonage Gets Stuffed

2007-04-07T01:47:00.000-04:00

A judge today effectively blocked Vonage from signing up new customers as punishment for using Verizon technology. In what Vonage's lawyer characterized as a slow death rather than a "bullet to the head", Vonage is no longer allowed to sign new customers, their only way to stem their waning customer base.

Judge imposes Vonage injunction

By MATTHEW BARAKAT, AP Business Writer

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A judge issued an injunction Friday that effectively bars Internet phone carrier Vonage from signing up new customers as punishment for infringing on patents held by Verizon. Vonage planned an immediate appeal.

Full Story from Yahoo News

Cursor Attacks?

2007-04-07T01:43:00.000-04:00

A hole in how Microsoft's Windows handles cursor files has prompted the company to release a patch to quickly fill that hole. Apparently even Firefox users aren't safe from this malicious attack.

Full Story here at ZDnet

Buy Domains

2007-04-06T01:32:00.000-04:00

Buydomains.com is a site that helps people in search of available domains find what they are looking for. They also offer a service for people looking to sell their domains as well.
On top of that, they also offer services to build your website, logo design and custom we design.
Once you've got your online business set up, you can find office supplies to keep the biz running too. Yup, BuyDomains.com has office supplies too.

Technorati Linkage

2007-04-01T19:56:00.000-04:00

Well, I've decided to join the blogosphere... officially. Technorati catalogues and tracks blogs throughout the web, bringing them closer as a community while making them easier to find and be found.

Technorati Profile

Regional Directory

2007-03-10T20:29:00.000-05:00

Grokodile is a regional directory, broken down to easy to find categories. You can both find websites and blogs located in and about the area you're interested in, as well as add your website to the directory. The site is kind of new, so it might be cool to get in on the ground floor of this blog directory.

The site is easy to get around, but it's kinda dull to look at. I guess that's kinda good, as the focus is really on the information, but as a graphic designer, it just hurts my artist eyes to not see something 'designed'.
Post sponsored by Grokodile

Microsoft's Antivirus Program Stinks On Ice

2007-03-03T14:33:00.000-05:00

According to an Austrian researcher, Microsoft's Live OneCare came in last in a test of 17 antivirus software programs, proving once again that Microsoft, though the leader in computer technology, can't seem to put out a product that lives up to its reputation.

Microsoft's OneCare Finishes Last in Antivirus Test

Jennifer LeClaire, newsfactor.com

Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare came in at the bottom of the heap of 17 antivirus software applications in a test against nearly half a million viruses, Trojans, worms, and other malware, according to Austrian antivirus researcher Andreas Cleminti.

Cleminti posts quarterly results of tests of top antivirus products on his AV Comparatives Web site (www.av-comparatives.org). G Data Security's AntiVirusKit blocked 99.5 percent of the malicious threats. AEC's TrustPort AV WS, Anvira's AntiVir PE Premium, MicroWorld's eScan AntiVirus, F-Secure's Anti-Virus, and Kaspersky Labs' AV also scored high marks.

Full Story

Verizon Launches Cell TV

2007-03-02T01:15:00.000-05:00

Well, it's happened. Prepare for the end of civilization. TV comes to cell phones. Not only do we have to deal with morons blabbing on their phones while they drive, most too stupid to get some sort of hands-free thing going (though it doesn't matter, the majority can't chew bubblegum and breathe simultaneously), but now they'll be watching TV while they drive.

I can see it now.

"I'm sorry officer, but I only stopped for a second to see if Tyra was really going to squeeze Katherine McPhee's breasts".

Verizon kicks off cell phone TV

By Sinead Carew

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless, the second-biggest U.S. cell phone provider, said it launched the country's first commercial mobile television service in 20 states with full-length programs and picture quality similar to regular TV.

The venture of Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group Plc said on Thursday it is charging $15 a month for the service, which was developed by Qualcomm Inc. unit MediaFlo and includes eight channels broadcasting full-length TV shows to phones 24 hours a day.

The full story from Yahoo and Reuters

Laptop Battery Recall

2007-03-02T01:11:00.000-05:00

Laptop battery maker, Lenovo, has issued a recall for 205,000 batteries worldwide. Apparently the batteries could overheat and cause a fire.

Hellooo? Haven't we been through this already? Gotta wonder when the industry will begin to actually test these batteries more thoroughly before sending them out onto the market.

Lenovo recalls 205,000 laptop batteries

by STEVE HARTSOE, Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. - Lenovo Inc. recalled about 205,000 laptop computer batteries worldwide Thursday, warning that they could overheat and cause a fire.

The battery recall was the second for the company in the past six months and comes as Lenovo, the world's No. 3 computer maker, tries to gain ground on its better-known competitors.

The full story from Yahoo and the Associated Press

VoIP From Vonage

2007-03-02T00:09:00.000-05:00

VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol is a new way to speak to friends and family over the telephone. Basically, VoIP is internet phone service. Employing the internet for phone calls, much the same way people communicated via instant message, VoIP makes it possible to have phone service at a much reduced rate over traditional phone service providers.
Vonage is offering new customers the opportunity to save even more with 1 free month of phones service on top of the already amazing 50% or more savings. New customers can sign up for a low $24.99 a month unlimited calling, local and long distance.
This post sponsored by Vonage

Storm Worms Target Blogs

2007-02-27T23:24:00.000-05:00

The Storm Worm appeared in January and has spread around the globe, infecting blogs and bulletin boards. As with most worms, the Storm worm is delivered via email and the user must open an attachment to become infected.

The full story from C|NET

My God, Jim! It's a Tricorder!

2007-02-27T23:19:00.000-05:00

Apparently scientists have fulfilled yet another Star Trek prophecy and created a workable spectrometer in a handheld device. Now you can touch an object with the device and determine its chemical makeup.

Full Story from C|NET

Cisco Wifi

2007-02-22T00:13:00.000-05:00

Cisco offer the mobility of a wireless mobile network with the security and management of a wired network.

Cisco is prepped to be the number one provider of products for this growing segment of technology. They offer a number of products such as outdoor mesh access points, switchers and routers and service control for wireless networks.

Wireless wifi LANS are fast becoming the standard in business telephony and computing. Cisco offers not only the equipment for meeting the challenge of anytime connectivity, but also provides for the security to back up this emerging technology. The Cisco Unified Wireless Network is the industry's only unified wired and wireless solution to deliver cost-effective wireless networks for business critical mobility.

Blackberry = Kaching?

2007-02-22T00:09:00.000-05:00

This is one of those stories where you gotta wonder: which came first the workaholic or the tool?

According to a study, Blackberry users work longer and earn more. Duh.

Personally, I believe it's a case of the average Blackberry user already being a workaholic to begin with and already likely to be working longer hours and concordantly, making more moolah. Not exactly brain surgery.

BlackBerry Users Work Longer and Earn More

Feb 21, 2007 - By Richard Karpinski and Amy Larsen DeCarlo

Sometimes, it's just nice to confirm the obvious.

Owners of BlackBerry and other smartphone devices typically work longer hours and make more money (in part due to the fact that execs tend to get new technology first), but are also deeply ambivalent about whether their devices are a boon to or a drag on their ability to be productive yet have a life.

A recent study by Digital Life America, funded by Solutions Research Group, surveyed more than 2600 Americans by phone and online to get their thoughts on wireless devices.

Full Story from Network Computing.com

Cool New Widget

2007-02-22T00:03:00.000-05:00

It seems like new widgets, little applets you can add to your site or blog, come out everyday, but many are not very useful or so cumbersome they detract from your site. This is actually a very cool widget that I would use.
Box.net Widget allows you to share certain files with whoever surfs your site. A piece of music or a picture, for example. I would use it to display some of my artwork probably. Pretty cool.

Saweet! Docs Who Are Console Jockeys Make the Best Surgeons

2007-02-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

According to a recent study, surgeons who play video games are more adept at certain operations, particularly laproscopic surgeries, which are performed using cameras and television screens to see the work being performed.

CHICAGO, Illinois (Reuters) -- Playing video games appears to help surgeons with skills that truly count: how well they operate using a precise technique, a study said Monday.

There was a strong correlation between video game skills and a surgeon's capabilities performing laparoscopic surgery in the study published in the February issue of Archives of Surgery.

Laparoscopy and related surgeries involve manipulating instruments through a small incision or body opening where the surgeon's movements are guided by watching a television screen.

Full Story from CNN Tech News

Slammer Worm Still an Issue

2007-02-21T23:56:00.000-05:00

It's been more than four years since the Slammer worm burrowed its way into user's computers, exploiting a hole in Microsoft's SQL Server. As of the today, it's still considered the number one threat to computer users.

February 21st, 2007
As the worm squirms: Slammer still runs amok
Posted by Ryan Naraine

More than four years after Slammer started exploiting holes in Microsoft’s SQL Server and Desktop Engine database products, the worm continues to squirm in machines that some believe will never be disinfected.

Over the past two days, SQL Slammer was listed as the number one threat on Arbor Network’s new ATLAS (Active Threat Level Analysis System), accounting for a whopping 25 percent of all malicious Internet activity detected by Arbor’s censors. The bulk of the Slammer attacks are coming from infected hosts in China.

Full Story from ZDnet

Nasa and Virgin Galactic Workingon Hypersonic Spacecraft

2007-02-21T23:53:00.000-05:00

Richard Branson's fledgling aerospace company, Virgin Galactic, is teaming up with Nasa to develop a hypersonic vehicle which will hopefully be the next step in air travel - low orbit aircraft.

By Stefanie Olsen
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Published: February 21, 2007, 4:56 PM PST

NASA said Wednesday it has inked a two-year agreement with space-tourism company Virgin Galactic to collaborate on future technologies for commercial spaceflight.

As part of the deal, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic will work with the scientists and facilities at the NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley to support its current plans for suborbital spaceflight. By 2008, Virgin Galactic, a U.S. subsidiary of Branson's Virgin Group, plans to take six passengers up to a low-Earth orbit in its SpaceShipTwo. How exactly NASA will assist in that effort is still up for discussion, according to a NASA representative.

Full Story from CNET

PayPerPost - Rockstartup Favorite Episode

2007-02-21T01:05:00.000-05:00

Payperpost's online reality show, Rockstartup has been going for a while now and they ask the question: Which is your favorite episode?

It was a contest between the Vegas Wedding and the SF/FSU Game, X-Factor. The SF/FSU episode was pretty cool, even though I'm not a fan of college football. I think I like it simply because it's got some fairly hot women in it LOL.

The Wedding one is good too. There's a good bit of footage of the bachelor/bachelorette party and some nice shots of Vegas. Getting the buss to stop in front of the Vegas sign was pretty cool. I like this one too for the simple reason that I wished I could have been the person getting married with the Posties. That would have been very cool, but the timing was just way off for us. I was just beginning my journey west to be with my fiance and there was no way we'd have been able to make arrangements for the Postie Wedding.

Ah well, we might end up in Vegas anyway. It's close and it would make a nice vacation too. Though the Canyon might be nicer.

I think that I'm going to have to go with the FSU/SF game episode. Can't go wrong with hot chicks.

Google Shuts Hole in Desktop Product

2007-02-21T00:59:00.000-05:00

Google has apparently closed what could have been a seriously devastating hole in their desktop search product. A hole that could have exposed millions of users to data thieves:

By BRIAN BERGSTEIN, AP Technology Writer
Tue Feb 20, 9:02 PM ET

BOSTON - A potentially devastating hole in Google Inc.'s prevalent desktop search product could have exposed personal files on users' computers to data thieves. Google fixed the defect within weeks of being informed about it and says it has no evidence the vulnerability was exploited.

The flaw was uncovered late last year by Watchfire Corp., a security-analysis provider. While the vulnerability exists in roughly 80 percent of Web applications, this problem appeared far more extreme "given the sensitive nature of what Google Desktop is doing," said Danny Allan, a researcher at Waltham, Mass.-based Watchfire.

Full Story from Yahoo News

Free Norton Downloads

2007-02-20T00:06:00.000-05:00

FreeAntivirusInfo.com is a site that not only offers reviews and descriptions of the features of Norton Antivirus, as the name implies, they also offer a Norton Antivirus free download from Google.
They also seem to be a portal for downloading many different software products for your computer such as Adaware, Realplay, Skype, Firefox and Adobe Reader. All of these are offered free from Google through FreeAntivirusInfo.com. All free and all available for download instantly. Take it from a guy who's had his share of adware and malware, you need some good protection from the scumbags hiding in the cracks of the interweb.

Cisco Finds Two More Security Holes

2007-02-20T00:03:00.000-05:00

After finding and plugging some gaping holes late last week, Cisco announces that they have discovered two new flaws in their Pix 500 series security appliances.

Cisco finds two new flaws

By Richard Thurston
Special to CNET News.com

Cisco Systems has found two more vulnerabilities in its range of networking products.

The latest weaknesses are found in Cisco's Pix 500 series security appliances, its 5500 series of adaptive security appliances, and its firewall services module. Hackers could use the various vulnerabilities to crash a networking appliance and bypass security policies. A related vulnerability could be used to corrupt access control lists, allowing traffic that should be blocked to pass into the corporate network.

Full Story

Payperpost Cash

2007-02-16T02:39:00.000-05:00

How much have I made from Payperpost so far, you ask? So far, I have been paid $1526 and expect to get another $138.00. I would have more, but the move put me out of commission for over a month and the lack of computer for more. Our internet service was down for the count for almost 2 weeks as we switched providers, so there's another slow down. Normally I would make about $300 a month from posting Payperpost ads in my blogs. I have five blogs that I could be posting on, so I can make more if I hustle. There just aren't enough hours in the day LOL

Company Offers Google Ad Alternative

2007-02-05T21:25:00.000-05:00

Fast Ad Momentum offers an alternative to Google's Adsense program, knocking out the middleman in the process.

By Elinor Mills
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Fast Search & Transfer unveiled on Monday a platform that will allow media companies, online classifieds and others to serve private-label, contextually relevant ads on their Web sites without having to turn to Google.

Fast AdMomentum allows companies to make money by selling ads to advertisers without involving an ad agency or network.

"Our customers said, 'We have relationships with advertisers but we need to have a plan that will allow us to build search-driven monetization solutions and we want to be able to do it ourselves,'" said Perry Solomon, vice president and general manager of media solutions at Fast, based in Oslo, Norway. "Companies are trying to preserve their business from the threat of new media companies, like Google," Solomon added.

Full Story

Coupon Chief

2007-02-04T13:53:00.000-05:00

There's nothing more satisfying when shopping online than getting to the checkout and plugging in a magical code that saves you some cheese. Whether it's free shipping or 15% off your order, a coupon code is a wonderful thing.
CouponChief.com has tons and tons of coupon codes for many retailers, from Staples to Best Buy to Home Depot.

Dell Hell

2007-02-04T13:23:00.000-05:00

I have an old account with Dell Financial and it has been paid off for a while. As my computer is getting pretty old, and has RAM that is a pain to find (RDRAM), I figured I'd give myself a late Christmas present and get a new one. So I toddled over to Dell and checked out their outlet site and found a really nice system for a reasonable price.
So I headed to the cart and went through their long, involved checkout process only to get a runtime error everytime I tried to use my Dell Financial account. They'd let me use a regular credit card or a Paypal account, but anything to do with Dell Financial got a runtime error. No, they couldn't help me, since it was an outlet item and the outlet department is closed on the weekends, but they'd be glad to help me set up a new one (that cost twice as much).

4 hours and 6 customer service reps later I bought a Gateway.

Then Gateway called back and said they didn't have the computer THAT I PAID FOR in stock. They'd be happy to give me another - for $300 more. And the 22" monitor doesn't come with it, but they'd be glad to give me another - for another $45.

Cool Optics

2007-02-02T23:35:00.000-05:00

Optics Planet is touting their products as the perfect last minute gift. Somehow I don't think that would apply to Valentine's Day, LOL.
"Happy Valentine's Day Baby."
"Awww, you're so sweet!"
"Yeah, I am."
"It's...a set of night vision goggles..."
"Yeah! Aren't they cool?! I got myself a pair too!"

Yeah... not too romantic, though they could be an interesting addition to your love life, I suppose.

They do have a lot of nice stuff though. I wouldn't mind a good pair of binoculars, or even a good pair of sunglasses. Check out their long list of products, including the surefire flashlight.

This post sponsored by Optics Planet

Vista's Nine Most Annoying Features

2007-01-30T17:47:00.000-05:00

Microsoft's new operating system is here for the long haul, bugs and all. Many of these will be fixed in due time, of course, but there are some minor annoyances that will likely haunt us users for a long time to come.

The Full Story frpm PC Mag.com

Microsoft Rolls Out Vista - Finally

2007-01-30T17:40:00.000-05:00

After long months of waiting and a few setbacks, Microsoft launched Windows Vista. The initial response seems to be more of a yawn than a fanfare, which is actually the usual response to Windows releases. The common complaint seems to be that the new Windows platform has more convenience features added rather than essentials. Many of the features are the same as offered to XP users and there aqre still some minor bugs in the system.

PC Mag.com Review

The Long and Winding Road

2007-01-30T17:34:00.000-05:00

Well, it's taken me a long time to get settled here in Phoenix. Yeah, I moved from Orlando, Florida to Phoenix, Arizona. That's a 2200 mile trip, in a big, uncomfortable moving truck, towing my car behind. Me, my daughter and a snake in the cab.
The trailer got a flat while we were in the panhandle. It took 2 hours for someone to come help us. Good thing we had the portable DVD player. Pirates of the Caribbean saved us from dying of sheer boredom and frustration.

But we're here now and I've got a new job and a new house and a new family. My fiance has 2 boys, so now we're a sort of Brady family out here in the desert. It's nice though. There are mountains we can see from our front yard and ranchland all around us.

Zune Answer to iPod?

2006-12-13T04:07:00.000-05:00

Here's hoping, but I'm not holding my breath. The iPod has such a hold on the marketplace that I can't see any other product chipping away at that dominance. Even experts are at a loss as to why the iPod is so huge with consumers.

That's because they're idiots. The iPod is hot because it's hot. Markets are driven by themselves. The iPod was not the first MP3 player, but it was the first to have any kind of style or chic. Before then the MP3 player was a total geek toy and had nothing to offer the hip generation. It's the same chic that had driven Myspace to the top of the marketplace. Coolness. Myspace became populated with cool people rather than techy geeks. Coolness breeds coolness. If something is "cool", everyone wants it, hoping that it will make them seem cool. This isn't rocket-science. Maybe that's why the rocket scientists don't get it.

iPods are cool because they are cool. They look cool. The one thing that Apple does really well is product design. Oh, and marketing. Seems that's all you need.

Zune will never make it if it looks like a glorified Walkman.

With Zune, The Empire Strikes Back Paul Korzeniowski, Investor's Business Daily

iTunes Sales Fall

2006-12-13T03:58:00.000-05:00

Well, to say they fell is like saying Michael Jackson's a little odd. They plummetted, and I for one, could not be happier. iTunes is one of the most evil and foul creations out there. It, and many other Apple products, is the antithesis of what the information revolution is all about. With it's possessive and proprietary nature driving its place in the market, it completely deserves any failures it garners.
The very idea that I can buy music, BUT only play it on approved devices and computers is so abhorrent to me, if I had known it before I had recieved my iPod as a gift, I would have told the gift-giver to take it back and get me something else.
Not only can I not play the music that I spent my own money on, unless that computer has been verified by the all mighty Apple, I can't play it at all on a computer that is not connected to the internet, because of course, that computer can't be verified. To add insult to ignomy, I can only verify 5 computers to play iTunes purchased music.

So yes, I wish failure upon iTunes. Gladly and happily.

Apple's iTunes music sales collapses in H1: survey Yahoo and Reuters

Toshiba creates Segway clone

2006-11-24T06:35:00.000-05:00

Toshiba has created a personal commuter vehicle similar to the Segway. The scooter will be powered by a fuel cell and the LED lights on the front are for communicating with other Toshiba transporters to prevent collisions and to auto-navigate. Current Segways are illegal to use in Japan on public property so the anti-collision and auto-navigation features are needed to help this thing get approved for public use.

New Robot Adapts to Injury

2006-11-24T06:32:00.000-05:00

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a robot which can adapt to injury. Most robots fail completely if something goes wrong, but this robot uses software to keep moving if, say, a limb is shortened or disabled. The robot maintains a computer model of itself which is adapted when its body or environment changes. Once an existing model no longer fits its ability to move the computer generates hundreds of new ones at random to test against the robot's last known physical movements. The computer calculates which new physical movements would be most effective and uses those.

Wii gamer breaks his TV

2006-11-24T06:29:00.000-05:00

Here's the first of many incidents I'm sure we're bound to hear about with the Nintendo Wii. This guy lost control of the Wii stick and flung it at his TV while playing bowling on Wii Sports. "But there's a wrist strap" you say. Well apparently it's uselss because the strap snapped and the guy ended up cracking his 60" TV after spearing it with the flying remote.

I'm sure we're going to hear plenty more of these types of reports. "I'm serious officer! She stepped right in frontt of me when I was swinging my samurai sword!"

Paypal's Founder Finds Slide Funding

2006-11-15T02:07:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what to make of this really. I suppose press releases serve their purpose though. A serious contender for Photobucket or Snapfish or Flickr I suppose.

PayPal founder's photo slideshow site gets funding

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Slide Inc., a start-up that allows Web users to publish online slideshows of photos and other digital media, said on Tuesday it had received additional funding from two top Silicon Valley venture firms.

By Eric Auchard, Yahoo News

Is Apple About to Release iPhone?

2006-11-15T01:58:00.000-05:00

Though I despise Apple and their philosophy of cult (or is that cult of philosophy?) and their insistence on design over substance, I cannot deny that their products do look and feel light years ahead of anything else on the market, and that stylishness is a major part of their success.
iTunes' hold on the iPod's music files, their insistence on proprietary security over their music and video files and their cultish followers are infuriating in a world of increased openness and freedom. The idea that I can buy a song, but only use it on 5 computers, period should be causing a worldwide revolt, but their progress forward as the single MP3 player acceptible in this brave new presence marches forward.

Now it seems that Apple is on the verge of breaking through the MP3 market and into the mobile phone market.

Apple's iPhone is Calling

One of the reasons the iPod has stayed on top is because it's a moving target. Competitors can't catch up because Apple changes the game every six to nine months.

Take the Zune. It's an iPod knockoff that's several years too late. Except for wireless Wi-Fi song sharing, it brings little new to the table...

By Leander Kahney, Nov, 14, 2006, Wired

Finally Some Headway in Hybrid Vehicles

2006-11-15T01:55:00.000-05:00

It's about time that we are making some headway into hybrid vehicles. Though I think the fact that they are all still hybrid and not fully electric makes me doubt the full sincerity of the auto maker's new greenness.

Flex Fuel Hybrids Gain Speed

The folks who buy hybrid vehicles (who tend to be older and more affluent) are willing to pay a little extra to use less gasoline and to be kind to the environment, which makes them the exact demographic to also put alternative fuel in their tanks.

Wired, Tuesday, 14 November 2006

Bots Are Coming!

2006-11-15T01:48:00.000-05:00

Having been the victim of a number of trojan, malware and adware infiltrations, this item interests me deeply. So deeply that I have to fight the urge to scream bloody murder at the tops of my lungs. That's how frustrating these things are to me.

The idea that there are people out there who do this for fun is one thing. The concept of doing it for profit is beyond my comprehension. How is it that companies that use malware and adware are still in business and not in court? The owners of these businesses should be in prison.

The latest threat to the Net: autonomous software programs that combine forces to perpetrate mayhem, fraud, and espionage on a global scale. How one company fought the new Internet mafia – and lost.

By Scott Berinato, Wired

Intel Brings Quad-core Chips to Market

2006-11-15T01:45:00.000-05:00

It seems that the promise of exponential reduction in size and increase in speed is fianlly being realized. I remember when a dual core chip was the next big thing.

Intel is entering the quad-core era.

The Santa Clara, Calif., company on Nov. 14 is rolling out its first chips with four processing cores for servers, workstations and desktop PCs, and OEMs large and small are supporting the move with systems powered by the chips.

By Jeffrey Burt, November 14, 2006, Eweek

Consarnit Contrary Users!

2006-11-06T01:02:00.000-05:00

Right on the heels of the previous post about Firefox 2.0 being a hit, there's another side of the story (of course) from those who think it's not the next best thing to sliced bread.

Is Firefox 2.0 a dud?

Is Firefox 2.0 a dud? Are users better avoiding it and waiting until a future build? Are too many of the new features buggy and incomplete and is the browser overall more unstable that previous versions? What about Firefox on Vista?

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
ZDNet

PS3 is a Hit!

2006-11-06T00:59:00.000-05:00

Well, the PS3 is finally out. At least in a limited fashion. Lucky gamers who attended the 2007 Sony Expo in Honolulu got to see it and try it out and they've given it rave reviews.

I'll have to hold off on my enthusiasm until I see it myself, but I think it should be great. Once the novelty of the Wii wears off and people get tired of the workout, the PS3 should claim a large following.

Gamers Rave About PS3

HONOLULU -- Crammed in the corner of a hotel's banquet hall, they stood and stared silently, mesmerized by what they were seeing. They were watching a soldier gunning down a giant monster on one TV and Miami Heat's Dwayne Wade taking over an NBA game on the other screen. What they were really experiencing was the new Sony PlayStation 3.

Associated Press

Trouble in Voteland

2006-11-06T00:53:00.000-05:00

Well, it's not like we didn't all see this coming. And it's not like there weren't tons of people screaming that this was going to happen, but, like always, the feds are pushing it through regardless of the storm on the horizon.
Seriously, this is going to make 2004 look like a mild shower compared to the typhoon of horror I'm sure is coming.

Ohio Election Portends Trouble

Six years ago the world watched dumbfounded as the Florida 2000 fiasco exposed the messy underbelly of U.S. election administration. Since then states have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on new electronic voting equipment to ensure that the nation would never experience such mishaps again.

Kim Zetter
Wired News

Study Lists Symantec as the Best at Removing Rootkits

2006-11-06T00:46:00.000-05:00

Symantec's Norton Anti-virus has been rated the best at finding and removing stealth rootkits, one of the most persistent threats to computer security. The downside is that none of the software tested removed all 20 of the rootkits included in the test.

Study: Symantec Best at Removing Rootkits; Microsoft Worst

Among existing desktop security software, Symantec's Norton AntiVirus 2007 suite is the best at detecting and removing stealth rootkits, according to a study done by Thompson Cyber Security Labs...

Ryan Naraine
Eweek

Firefox 2.0

2006-11-06T00:42:00.000-05:00

After a year, Firefox releases their newest version of the popular browser of the same name.

"Firefox 2.0 Balances Innovation with Ease of Use"

"When Firefox 1.0 was introduced two years ago, the goal of the Mozilla Foundation was clear: take all of the innovations and strong features from the Mozilla browser suite and streamline them into a stand-alone Web browser that could compete directly with Internet Explorer and chip away at Microsoft's overwhelming browser market share. Looking back, Firefox 1.0 was an unqualified success. "

Jim Rapoza Eweek.com

2006-10-26T23:59:00.000-04:00

Google Launches Custom Search Service

Google this week launched a new service that allows users to create customized search engines for their own blogs or Web sites. The new tool allows users to use the Google search platform to create a search engine focused on specific types of content. Google will monetize the new service via its AdSense advertising program.

Google Launches Custom Search Engine, TechNewsWorld

2006-10-26T23:56:00.000-04:00

Trojan Installs Anti-Virus, Removes Other Malware

As part of a stock-buying pump-and-dump scheme, SpamThru Trojan uses P2P technology to send commands to hijacked computers and an anti-virus scanner that introduces a never-before-seen level of complexity and sophistication.

Spam Trojan Installs Own Anti-Virus Scanner , eWeek

2006-10-26T23:51:00.000-04:00

Five Biggest Data Center Concerns

What are the biggest concerns IT professionals have for data? The Gartner Group gives their take on the issue.

Biggest Data Concerns, eWeek

2006-10-23T20:13:00.000-04:00

Microsoft Releases IE 7. Finally.

It's been more than five years since Microsoft has released an upgrade for their ubiquitous internet browser, Internet Explorer. That release was neither cheered nor welcomed by the masses clamoring for a bigger, better Internet Explorer. The system was full of security holes and the new features were little more than rehashes of the old features. The only reason to upgrade was that it was free.

Now, on Oct 18th, Microsoft has finally fulfilled part of that half-broken promise and released a real IE upgrade.

IE 7: Finally, Something to Write Home About - eWeek.com, October 19, 2006

Welcome to eVent Horizon

2006-10-23T20:07:00.000-04:00

Greetings, and welcome to the inaugural posting of eVent Horizon, your source for electronic and digital news and views.

In the coming installments, you can expect to hear tech news, gaming updates, product reviews and just about anything the geek in you might be interested in. Enjoy!