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Windows 7 RTM Leaked On BitTorrent

Don Nguyen — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:20:00 +0000

It should come as no surprise—but Windows 7 Build 7600.16385, which Microsoft deemed the RTM, has been unceremoniously leaked. A Chinese 64-bit version was first posted on torrent sites on July 16th with an English version released later that day. As always, grab at your own risk. [The New York Times]

Windows 7 Starter Edition Could Be Priced Into Oblivion

John Herrman — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:40:00 +0000

The stripped-down, reduced cost Windows 7 Starter Edition has already done its part to squander the public’s recent good will towards the next version of Windows, but an ultra-low price could turn things around. Early signs aren’t overly promising.

Starter Edition will serve two primary purposes for Microsoft: it’ll provide a low cost, serviceable OS for markets where regular Windows pricing is simply unrealistic; and it’ll give OEMs (and only OEMs) a more affordable version of the OS for netbooks, which Windows 7 has been thoroughly optimised for. Now, OEMs are telling Digitimes that Microsoft is asking $US45-$55 for Starter Edition—a good price for Windows at retail, but prohibitively high for manufacturers that are used to paying around $US15 for XP.

If Microsoft wants Windows 7 to become the de facto notebook OS, which it is well-positioned to become, this could be a serious miscalculation. The difference may sound relatively small, but given the choices of sticking with XP (or Linux) or hiking prices by $US35+, netbook manufacturers—a proudly stingy bunch—wouldn’t have a hard time choosing. [Ars]

Utah Researchers Throw Cold Water On Rosy OLED Efficiency Rates

Jack Loftus — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0000

The promise of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) is that it will eventually become a super-efficient, low-cost light source to replace our archaic dependency on incandescent bulbs and those oh-so-yesterday LCD TVs, among other things. Ultimately, OLEDs were expected to possibly supplant the already efficient LEDs, too. That is, until a couple of Utah researchers revealed there could be some “complications.” It seems we were half-right.

The issue lies with the theoretical efficiency ceiling assigned to OLEDs in a 2001 paper published in Nature. That paper suggested OLEDs would eventually be capable of converting 41 to 63% of electricity passed through them into light. The current ceiling for OLEDs is 25% efficiency, and that is where the most recent research out of Utah says it will probably stay.

In the end, all this talk of percentages and efficiency might be moot, especially considering OLEDs main purpose will be to replace LCD screens, not illuminate rooms or serve as the running lights on an Audi A5. OLEDs are also a superior light source for flexible materials, so there’s that, too. They just won’t be lighting up any kitchens or anything like that anytime soon.

To summarise, the future appears bright–for both LEDs and OLEDs. To each their own, we suppose. [NewsWise via CrunchGear]

Automated Japanese Mausoleum Delivers Loved Ones While You Wait

Jack Loftus — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:30:00 +0000

The aging Japanese population presents a troubling problem when it comes to burying loved ones. There’s simply not enough room, and the room that is available costs about US$20,000, according to Trends in Japan. So leave it to the Japanese to figure out a way to address the problem with a technological twist. Like a data tape-retrieving robot, Nichiryoku’s interactive family plot system retrieves cremated remains from an underground vault and displays them to you in a private prayer area, courtesy of an RFID key. And yes, there’s a series of promotional videos, complete with voices beyond the grave. Only in Japan, but unsurprising given the fact that QR codes adorn traditional grave stones already.

[Trends in Japan]

Tattoo? Symbiote? What the Hell is That Thing On Olympian Kerri Walsh’s Shoulder?

Jack Loftus — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:00:00 +0000

For the longest time I thought the black sinewy thing on Olympic beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh’s shoulder was either a confused Alien face sucker, a horny spider, a bad tattoo decision (a la Mike Tyson), or all of the above. Turns out I was way off, and it’s actually Kinesio athletic tape from a company in Albuquerque. And upon further inspection, the hype surrounding the US$15 tape appears justified, and goes way beyond helping athletes.

In addition to gracing the shoulder of one of America’s finest looking athletes, the Kinesio tape also boasts magical properties, like the ability to assist and support muscles without inhibiting a joint’s range of motion. Kinesio tape has actually been around for a while, and is available for a range of uses, but it took the modern-day Olympic games (and the right “spokeswoman”) to see orders shoot up from 250 a month to 1,600 in a weekend.

John Jarvis, director of Kinesio USA, says the tape has graced the bodies of Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, countless baseball and football players, and cycling superman Lance Armstrong.

Surprisingly, Forbes notes that athletes comprise only 10% of Kenesio USA’s customers. The largest market is pediatrics, where doctors have been helping children deal with neurological disorders for the past 25 years. With disorders like cerebral palsy, for example, the tape is used to help strengthen weak muscles. Kerri Walsh is great and all, but that’s the real reason I can get behind this product. [Forbes]

iPhone 2.1 Beta 4 Seeded, Apple Removes Push Notification ‘For Further Development’

Matt Buchanan — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:44:34 +0000

Apple has just seeded iPhone 2.1 beta 4 to developers–uninteresting, really, except for the fact that the push notification service has been pulled from the release “for further development.” Targeted to hit your iPhone in September, the push service allows apps to receive notifications in the background while they’re not running, a godsend for AIM and other messaging apps. Hopefully this doesn’t mean it’ll be delayed, but we’ve all learned what happens when iPhone software rolls out before it’s finished baking, so I’d rather wait. [Mac Rumors]

AT&T HTC Fuze (aka Touch Pro) Coming Soon?

Matt Buchanan — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

WM Experts says that the AT&T-branded HTC Touch Pro we caught last week is probably going to be known as the HTC Fuze, and that it’ll be out “sooner rather than later.” Make sense, given that the thing’s already floating around, even though the name doesn’t, since it sounds more like an XTREME energy drink than a phone. Crazy kids. [WM Experts]

Vivid Gallery of High Speed Photography

Mark Wilson — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 00:10:00 +0000

No, high speed photography is by no means a new idea; we just very much enjoyed this Flickr collection by user nebarnix. A large gallery of objects frozen in motion with a 500-nanosecond flash, a visual cacophony of exploding eggs and firecrackers captured mid-pop await those who hit the link. Oh, and there’s a great shot of a Pabst Blue Ribbon eating a hollow-point bullet:

Trendy or not, I always hated that beer. [Flickr via NOTCOT]

The Week in iPhone Apps: Photography, Geography, and Babies, Babies, Babies!

John Mahoney — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:20:00 +0000

There are literally thousands of apps in the iPhone App Store, with hundreds being added each week. It’s hard to keep track. In the same vein as our “iPhone Apps We Like” posts, take a look here at what stood out this week–notable for usefulness, novelty, birthing a child, whatever. Let’s spend some iTunes credit.

Vodafone Germany Halts T-Mobile iPhone Sales

Brian Lam — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:40:53 +0000

European wireless provider Vodafone on Monday obtained a Court order that requires rival T-Mobile Germany to sell Apple Inc.’s iPhone handset to Germans without a service plan. [AppleInsider]