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Latest Gear Live Videos
Last Chance to Enter Google Code Jam 2006
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Google, Internet, PC / Laptop,
Can you beat 16,000 other competitors with your programming skills? Today is your last chance to enter the global Google Code Jam 2006 (registration closes 9:00 am tomorrow morning). The top 100 finalists get an all expense paid trip to the NYC engineering office and will compete in the October finals. Win that and you get $10,000 and “bragging rights”. So why are you still reading this?
Read More 
| Google Code Jam via GoogleBlog
Gallery: Last Chance to Enter Google Code Jam 2006
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Vonage Exceeds 2 Million Subscriber Mark
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Internet,
Internet-based phone company Vonage Holdings Corporation has announced that it now has more than 2 million subscribers, according to Reuters. Up 119% from last year, they ended their second quarter with more than 1.85 million subscribers. Because of growing competition from other phone and cable companies, Vonage stock shares are now worth around half their value.
Vonage’s premium package is priced at $24.99 a month, not including broadband charges. We believe in free enterprise and hope that Vonage is on the road to recovery.
Read More | Reuters
Gallery: Vonage Exceeds 2 Million Subscriber Mark
Google Book Search Allows You To Download Novels
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Google, Internet,
Is there no end to Googlemania? Google Book Search service allows free downloading and printing of classic novels, as well as many obscure books that are in public domain. You can download them to PDF for reading at your leisure, or print them for instantaneous gratification. Formerly, this service only allowed access to out-of copy books online.
Book Search is part of Google’s Books Library Project, which digitizes books from major libraries and is partnered with the University of Michigan, Harvard University, Stanford University, Oxford University, the University of California and the New York Public Library. Way to go Google! Even we will use this service and think that the keyword generated text ads we have to put up with are worth the price (or in this case, “non-price”).
Read More | Google Book Search
Gallery: Google Book Search Allows You To Download Novels
Google Image Labeler
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Google, Internet, PC / Laptop, Head To Head,
“Welcome to Google Image Labeler, a new feature of Google Image Search that allows you to label random images to help improve the quality of Google’s image search results.”
This is Google’s latest feeble attempt at making all of life googlable. It’s a rather silly game where you and an Internet bud are shown the same set of images at the same time and are asked to come up with as many labels as you can in 90”. When your label matches his/her label you move on to the next one until time runs out. If that isn’t foolish enough for you, you can collect brownie points for each session that you play and even visit the original sources of the images.
Read More | Google Image Labeler
Gallery: Google Image Labeler
Mozilla has finally launched its Firefox 2 Beta 2. According to ITT Business: “Firefox 2.0 will focus on four priority areas, according to Mozilla. These include search bar, icon polish, tab strip and buttons in textboxes. To date, Mozilla has already released a beta version of Firefox 2.0, which does not include Radiant Core’s theme changes.”
Another beta is scheduled in September before the launch of Firefox 2 final in October. That version will incorporate Radiant Core’s changes. Firefox 2 Beta 2 RC2 (Release Candidate 2) is now available in all languages on the Mozilla FTP Server.
Here’s the English (United States) download link:
http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/2.0b2/win32/en-US/
Could this mean the end of IE? Maybe not, but it looks like there is going to be some serious competition.
Read More | Suite 101 via Firefox 2 Beta 2 download
Gallery: Firefox 2 Beta 2 Released
Samsung Shows Off 4G Wireless Internet
Posted by Brian Viele Categories: Broadband, Smartphones, Internet, PC / Laptop, Wireless / WiFi,
Today in South Korea, Samsung Electronics demonstrated new 4G wireless technology to the press. Samsung showed 4G technology could carry speeds of 100Mbps over the air. That’s more bandwidth than most current broadband providers can even harness. The demo took place on a bus while traveling across the city. Samsung reps demonstrated high speed access through HDTV streaming as well as data access. According to Samsung, this type of performance should be attainable whether standing still or traveling at over 70mph on the highway.
The speeds demonstrated by Samsung best the WiMAX standard that is currently being used to supply wireless network access city-wide to customers at speeds of up to only 20Mbps. Samsung also did some demonstration showing that the 4G technology could potentially even hit speeds of up to 1Gbps! 1Gbps wireless…the best I can get is Comcast’s ultimate connection at a rockin 6Mbps. Go figure.
Read More | EE Times
Gallery: Samsung Shows Off 4G Wireless Internet
No More Fee to Click ‘N Run
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Hot Deals, Internet, PC / Laptop, Software,
Linspire Inc., developer of the commercial desktop Linux operating system and Freespire (their free community ops system), announced that as of today its CNR (Click ‘N Run) service will be free. Yes, we said free.
Until now the service has only been available through annual subscriptions, with prices ranging from $20 - $50. With the new free service, Linspire and Freespire users can install, update, and manage thousands of open-source software programs, which is equal to the basic $20 plan.
“For nearly five years, thousands of CNR users have paid annual subscription fees for the CNR Service,” said Kevin Carmony, CEO of Linspire. “We’re thrilled to now be in a position to offer this excellent service to desktop Linux users absolutely free.”
If you are an existing user, you must register to create your new free account. If you have purchased the basic CNR service within the past 60 days, you will automatically be upgraded to CNR Gold (which allows you to purchase commercial software at reduced rates).
Linspire also announced plans for a new, open-sourced version of its CNR client as part of Freespire 1.1 to be released later this year, also at no charge. This might be just the excuse you need to jump on the ol’ Linux bandwagon.
Read More | Linspire Press Release via CNR Service
Gallery: No More Fee to Click ‘N Run
UMG Jumps to the Beat of SpiralFrog
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Internet, Music,
New company SpiralFrog has just signed an agreement with UMG (Universal Music Group) to include them in their catalogue. SpiralFrog’s service is a no-cost alternative on the net that allows users to legally download music. Included in this service are quick-loading legal digital files with no worry of spyware or viruses.
Robin Kent, SpiralFrog’s CEO claims, “SpiralFrog will offer those (young) consumers a better experience and environment than they can get from any pirate site.”
How can they do this? SpiralFrog is ad-supported and you have to log in to their service at least once a month, or your music files cease and desist. Scheduled for a December beta launch, the company is currently talking to other major record labels for inclusion. Their target audience is the 16-34 crowd, but that’s good news for all of us former Napsterites. We really dig the logo, too.
Read More | SpiralFrog Press Release
Gallery: UMG Jumps to the Beat of SpiralFrog
Safe and Well Launches for Hurricane Victims and Their Families
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Internet, Microsoft,
Since hurricane season has just begun, we think it’s time for kudos to companies such as Microsoft for aiding survivors and their families. Last year, Microsoft teamed up with the Red Cross and the San Diego Computer Center to create Katrinasafe.org. This site helped survivors find their separated family and friends by posting their locations. To date, more than 340,000 have utilized the site.
One year later a new site, Safe and Well, has been created for faster communication. Through this website you can search for missing family members, or if you are a survivor, post your physical condition and location. Phone registration is also available. Safe and Well is accessible via https://disastersafe.redcross.org.
Checking out the site, I noticed that 11 people have registered today. Our thanks again, Microsoft, for proving that life is not all fun and games.
Read More | Microsoft Press Release via American Red Cross Safe and Well
Gallery: Safe and Well Launches for Hurricane Victims and Their Families
Internet Explorer 7 Release Candidate Available
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, Microsoft, Software,
For anyone not currently running a build of Windows Vista, the new Internet Explorer 7 RC1 has been released for your personal enjoyment. This version automatically uninstalls any previous versions of Internet Explorer, so you don’t have to, including older IE7 betas. Even better, it will detect add-ons that might be incompatible or have stability issues, allowing you to get an update if available. With the Release Candidate being made available, we can expect no more major changes to IE7 until after it ships. Vista users can expect an update to Internet Explorer 7+ when the Vista RC drops. Internet Explorer 7 RC1 is compatible with Windows XP SP2, Windows XP x64, and Windows Server 2003 SP1.
Read More | Internet Explorer via IEBlog
