Monday, December 06, 2010

Twitter Goes After Twittersearch.com

Twitter Goes After Twittersearch.com

Twitter late last week filed a UDRP complaint, notably its first ever since the company was founded, in an effort to obtain ownership over the (currently parked) domain name twittersearch.com – as you can see here.

Obviously, Twitter is right to do this, since the domain is likely to cause some confusion, although we should note Twitter hasn’t managed to secure a trademark for the term ‘twitter’ in the United States so far, despite multiple attempts.

Update: my bad, they haven’t had any success in getting a trademark on the word ‘tweet’, but they do own the ‘twitter’ trademark.

Twitter of course has a popular search product that bears the obvious name Twitter Search, so I’d do the exact same thing if I were them.

That said, they took their sweet time to make the move – twittersearch.com was first registered back in March 2007.

A quick WHOIS search reveals that the owner of the contested domain name has opted to hide his or her identity, and the domain name is currently inactive, leading to a placeholder page riddled with ads.

Next up, twitter-search.com?

Update 2: DomainNameWire on ‘Why Twitter Singled Out TwitterSearch.com’. Also, the owner is apparently Popvox, the same company that’s behind TwitterVision.com.

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AVG 2011 Update Crashes 64-bit Windows 7 PCs; Here's a Quick Fix [Fixes]

AVG 2011 Update Crashes 64-bit Windows 7 PCs; Here's a Quick Fix [Fixes]

If you use the popular AVG Free as your anti-malware app of choice, an update to the 2011 version of the application has bricked 64-bit Windows 7 machines. If you're running Windows 7 64-bit and use AVG, you might want to hold off on the update; if you've already updated and are experiencing this problem, AVG offers this quick fix. [Slashdot]

How to Get the Flash 10.2 Beta Working in Google Chrome [Flash]

How to Get the Flash 10.2 Beta Working in Google Chrome [Flash]

Adobe just released a beta of the newest Flash player, complete with lower CPU usage and full screen dual-monitor playback. Chrome, though still uses its built-in, stable version of Flash. Here's how to get the beta goodies in Chrome.

Even after installing the 10.2 beta, Chrome will default to its built-in version of Flash, even though it detects the 10.2 beta just fine. To use the beta instead of the stable version, open up Chrome and type about:plugins in the address bar. Hit the "Details" button in the upper-right hand corner, and under "Flash" you should see two different plugins—one in Chrome's folder, and one elsewhere (see above). Hit Disable under the one located in Chrome's folder, and close out of the plugins window. To see if it worked, you can try watching Adobe's Stage Video demo.

If it works, you're using the beta. If it tells you to install the beta, go back to about:plugins and make sure you've disabled the correct plugin. Once you get the beta working, you should notice Flash hogs less of your CPU, and can play videos in full screen on one monitor while you work on the other!

Note that using the Flash beta likely disables Chrome's new sandboxing abilities in the Dev channel, so you have to choose which is more important to you.

How-To: Disable Chrome's Built-In Flash to Use a Flash Beta Release [Download Squad]

Edmodo Is a Social Network for Teachers and Students [Education]

Edmodo Is a Social Network for Teachers and Students [Education]

Edmodo is a social network designed for teacher/student interaction with an emphasis on quick communication, polling, assignment sharing, and more.

Edmodo is a teaching tool modeled after social networks with a focus on communication and not merely distribution of information from the teacher and grade reporting—although you can certainly use those functions easily enough. As an educator you can share files, links, assignments, and grades as well as issue alerts and updates, dialogue with your students on a Facebook-like wall, survey your students, and manage map out your class syllabus on a public calendar. As a student you can contact your instructors directly, message other students, interact in the public discussion spaces, and even access Edmodo from your mobile phone via their mobile-optimized page to check assignments and more.

Edmodo is a free service. Visit the link below to sign up and test it out or read a detailed breakdown of the teacher and student features here.

Edmodo [via MakeUseOf]

Add Google Docs to the Windows "New" Document Context Menu [Google Docs]

Add Google Docs to the Windows "New" Document Context Menu [Google Docs]

Windows: If you're a heavy Google Docs user this hack will add Google document types as options right in your right-click context menu.

How-to and technology blog How-To Geek has a detailed writeup on adding Google Document types to your "New" right-click context menu. They've prepacked a registry mod (one for installing and uninstalling) and accompanying files like the Google Docs icons. Visit the link below and grab the installation package then follow along with their screenshot-heavy guide to install it.

How to Add Google Documents to the Windows Explorer "New" Menu [How-To Geek]

Why Did NASA Create a Material Ten Times Blacker than the Blackest Black Paint? [Astronomy]

Why Did NASA Create a Material Ten Times Blacker than the Blackest Black Paint? [Astronomy]

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center scientists have created a new material that is ten times blacker than the blackest black paint in the world. It's made of carbon nanotubes grown on titanium. Why does NASA need this material?

Once it goes through some manufacturing fine-tuning, the new material will be used to coat the guts of cameras and telescopes in space. Right now, these instruments use NASA's Z306 paint, a pitch black painting that reduces photon contamination by absorbing errant light. According to NASA, this light "has a funny way of ricocheting off instrument components and contaminating measurements."

But Z306 is not black enough: 40% of the data captured by space cameras is unusable because of light contamination. With the new blacker than black coating, this is what will happen:

The new material absorbs 99.5 of the light in the tiny gaps between the tubes, practically eliminating the problem. The material is close to final production, and NASA is looking into using it in ORCA, "the Ocean Radiometer for Carbon Assessment, a next-generation instrument that is designed to measure marine photosynthesis." [NASA]

Nexus S shows off its camera, video recording abilities

Nexus S shows off its camera, video recording abilities

At this point, there's essentially nothing that we don't already know about the Nexus S... except when it'll be officially revealed, of course. But up until now, we haven't had a good look at what exactly the impending smartphone's camera sensor could do. Thanks to an unsuspecting Picasa stream, we're now being treated to a handful of images captured by a Samsung GT-I9020 -- or in other terms, a Nexus S. Better still, someone uploaded a brief video clip of its HD motion capturing abilities, and that's embedded just past the break (horizontal and portrait versions, to boot). Have a peek yourself and see if you're impressed.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Continue reading Nexus S shows off its camera, video recording abilities

Nexus S shows off its camera, video recording abilities originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 12:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FTC says it's talking to Adobe about the problem with 'Flash cookies'

FTC says it's talking to Adobe about the problem with 'Flash cookies'

We've already heard that the Federal Trade Commission is pushing for a "do not track" button of sorts to stop cookies from watching your every move, but it looks like it isn't stopping at the usual, non-edible definiton of a "cookie." Speaking at a press conference on Friday, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz also dropped the rather interesting tidbit that it's been talking with Adobe about what it describes as "the Flash problem." As Paid Content reports, newly-appointed FTC Chief Technologist Ed Felten later clarified that the problem in question is actually so-called "Flash cookies," or what Adobe describes as "local shared objects." As Felten explained, those can also be used for tracking purposes, but they usually aren't affected by the privacy controls in web browsers -- Chrome is one notable exception. For it's part, Adobe says that Flash's local shared objects were never designed for tracking purposes, and that it has repeatedly condemned such practices -- the company also added that it would support "any industry initiative to foster clear, meaningful and persistent choice regarding online tracking."

[Image courtesy dopefly dot com]

FTC says it's talking to Adobe about the problem with 'Flash cookies' originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid Pro dropped to $50 on contract by Best Buy Mobile (update: $20 at Amazon)

Droid Pro dropped to $50 on contract by Best Buy Mobile (update: $20 at Amazon)

If free Android phones on every US carrier weren't enough to entice you into a Best Buy Mobile store this month, maybe a deeply discounted Droid Pro will be. Motorola's Android 2.2 handset, which launched at $179.99 with the usual two-year Verizon tie-in, is now available for purchase for exactly $130 less at Best Buy's mobile outlets -- both the online and brick-and-mortar varieties will let you walk away with one for $49.99 and a 24-month commitment. We don't know where all these crazy deals are coming from, but we ain't complaining.

[Thanks, Tony]

Update: Amazon.com is undercutting Best Buy with a $19.99 price for those opening new Verizon accounts when buying the Droid Pro.

Droid Pro dropped to $50 on contract by Best Buy Mobile (update: $20 at Amazon) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 14:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frontal Concepts' Infuse iPod nano watch strap wins imaginary design award, our hearts

Frontal Concepts' Infuse iPod nano watch strap wins imaginary design award, our hearts

By now, you've decided if you're going to use Apple's iPod nano 6G as a watch. We obviously have our own feelings on the matter, but those who can't be bothered with actual functionality should definitely be looking in the direction of Frontal Concepts. This Australian outfit has just released its first product, and it's far and away the most sensibly designed iPod nano watch strap to date. Rather than just looping a band through the device's rear clip, the Infuse strap actually has a simple, one-click locking mechanism to keep your digital timepiece in position. It's also positioned to allow the audio cord to run upwards along the arm, and it's built from polycarbonate plastics and silicone -- plenty tough to withstand the occasional gym visit. Americans can get their pre-order in today for $24.95 (black, white and brown hues are available), with the first shipments expected to head out in around a fortnight. Time's ticking, Santa.

Gallery: Frontal Concepts Infuse iPoad nano wristmount

Continue reading Frontal Concepts' Infuse iPod nano watch strap wins imaginary design award, our hearts

Frontal Concepts' Infuse iPod nano watch strap wins imaginary design award, our hearts originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Micron embeds error correction in flash memory chips, calls it ClearNAND

Micron embeds error correction in flash memory chips, calls it ClearNAND

Solid state storage is fantastic stuff, durable and lightning-quick, but it's got its fair share of quirks -- bits fail, pages fill up, and cells deteriorate over time. Typically, the onus is on a beefy controller to take care of your drive and make sure it lasts a good long while (which is why brand names like SandForce can make or break an SSD) but it looks like Micron is planning to usurp some of that responsibility with its new ClearNAND chips. Simply put, each ClearNAND memory module has a built-in 24-bit error correction engine, so your drive's host controller doesn't have to shoulder that load, and can focus on the good stuff -- like getting your data delivered at speeds that would obliterate traditional hard drives. Micron says the new chips are available right now in 25nm sizes. Want a more technical rundown? Hit up our more coverage link to hear what this might mean for the error-prone future of the medium. PR after the break.

Continue reading Micron embeds error correction in flash memory chips, calls it ClearNAND

Micron embeds error correction in flash memory chips, calls it ClearNAND originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 18:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M refreshes mobile graphics midrange, starts up 500M series

NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M refreshes mobile graphics midrange, starts up 500M series

Uh oh, just as we thought NVIDIA had moved beyond its penchant for rebadging hardware, here comes the vanguard of its 500M mobile GPU series -- which happens to be specced nearly identically to what's already on offer in the 400M family. The GT 540M chip maintains the same 96 CUDA cores and 128-bit memory interface as the GT 435M, but earns its new livery by cranking up graphics and processor clock speeds to 672MHz and 1344MHz, respectively, while also taking the onboard memory to a max speed of 900MHz. Power requirements have been kept unchanged, mind you, and NVIDIA itself admits it's exploiting the maturation of the production process to just throw out some speedier parts. China gets the GT 540M immediately, courtesy of Acer, while the rest of the world should be able to buy in at some point next month. Jump past the break for the full press release.

Continue reading NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M refreshes mobile graphics midrange, starts up 500M series

NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M refreshes mobile graphics midrange, starts up 500M series originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 22:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect turned into a quadrocopter radar (video)

Kinect turned into a quadrocopter radar (video)

Every night we go to bed thinking that we've finally seen the best Kinect hack done and every morning we wake up to see something even crazier concocted with Microsoft's motion controller. Today, it's been mounted atop a quadrocopter -- yes, man's future worst enemy -- and utilized essentially as a 3D radar, facilitating the bot's autonomous maneuvering around a predetermined track. The random introduction of obstacles is also handled in stride, leaving us equal parts impressed, apprehensive, and eager for more. See the video after the break.

[Thanks, Glen]

Continue reading Kinect turned into a quadrocopter radar (video)

Kinect turned into a quadrocopter radar (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 01:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looxcie outs iOS-compatible lifecasting camera, early adopters get the boot

Looxcie outs iOS-compatible lifecasting camera, early adopters get the boot

Thinking of grabbing Looxcie's remarkable Bluetooth-based Borg-cam as a $200 stocking stuffer this year? Hold on a twirl, and make sure you're paying for the one that actually plays nice with your mark's favorite smartphone. You see, the company had to make a hardware modification this week to the original Looxcie to make it compatible with iOS devices, and while that's complete now, you'll want to buy the new Looxcie LX1 if your giftee owns an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Otherwise, you'll be buying a device that's Android-exclusive for the very same price. Got an Android phone to begin with? We expect the seething anger of Looxcie early adopters will soon afford you some deep discounts on the now-inferior original. PR after the break.

Continue reading Looxcie outs iOS-compatible lifecasting camera, early adopters get the boot

Looxcie outs iOS-compatible lifecasting camera, early adopters get the boot originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 03:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twin camera concept floats in water, unites sea and sky

Twin camera concept floats in water, unites sea and sky

Taking an underwater self-portrait isn't the easiest thing in the world -- even if you're fond of robot DIY -- but this concept camera won a Red Dot award for capturing more than typically meets the eye. The UNDERABOVE floats like a buoy thanks to a pair of watertight ballast compartments, takes images with twin cameras above and below, then stitches the result into a turquoise vertical panorama viewable on the inbuilt LCD screen. If and when this device actually gets produced (and gains some serious image stabilization) the worlds of fish and man will never be the same.

Twin camera concept floats in water, unites sea and sky originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 06:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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