Microsoft and Casio enter cross licensing agreement, world wonders if Casio actually makes Linux-based devices

If you happen to be making devices that run on Linux — of which Android is a subset — odds are pretty good that you’ll be getting a phone call from Redmond at some point. And that’s just what happened to Casio, who’s joining existing licensees TomTom and Amazon in signing a cross license agreement with Microsoft for patents pertaining to the Tux-approved OS. Covering Linux on “certain Casio devices,” the joint statement was equally vague about how many greenbacks exchanged hands, simply stating: “[both] parties acknowledge that Microsoft is being compensated by Casio.” There ain’t much more to it, but folks looking to humor themselves can do so after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft and Casio enter cross licensing agreement, world wonders if Casio actually makes Linux-based devices

Microsoft and Casio enter cross licensing agreement, world wonders if Casio actually makes Linux-based devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 05:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IOGraph: Turn Mouse Movement into Artwork

This article was written on June 09, 2010 by CyberNet.

iograph.png

arrow Windows Windows; Mac Mac; Linux Linux arrow
I’m not a huge fan of Java-based apps, but IOGraph is actually kinda cool. There isn’t any real purpose to the app… it is really just for your own amusement.

Once you fire up IOGraph all you have to do is hit the play button to have it start recording your mouse movements. As your mouse strolls across the screen the path will be saved as lines, and anytime your mouse comes to a rest it will create a black circle. The longer you leave your mouse sit in the same spot, such as when you’re typing, the larger the black circle will be.

After you’re all done you can choose to overlay the pattern on to a screenshot of your desktop… which could be ery interesting if you remain within the same app during the entire duration of the recording. You can then save your output, with or without the background, as a PNG image.

IOGraph Homepage (Windows/Mac/Linux; Freeware)
[via ShellCity]

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Qnext: Free Cross-Network & Cross-Platform Messenger

This article was written on January 25, 2010 by CyberNet.

qnext.pngFor many of us instant messengers have become an important part of our daily lives, and in some cases IM’ing has begun to replace email communication. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for the best messenger application, and for awhile I gave that crown to Digsby… that is until they started to use what I consider to be shady practices to infest computers with adware.

A friend at work introduced me to a new messenger application called Qnext. I was instantly impressed that it was a cross-platform messenger (runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux), and works with all of the major networks including MSN, Yahoo!, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, and Google Talk. The thing is that Qnext goes way beyond just being a messenger. It does all of the voice chat, video conferencing, photo sharing, and file transfers that you want from an app like this, but it is also able to grant remote access to your PC for one of your friends or even stream music from another computer that’s running Qnext. Sound cool? It is.

Here’s a rundown of what Qnext is capable of:

  • Universal Messenger – Qnext is the world’s most advanced Universal Instant Messenger, allowing you to send and receive messages with buddies on all of the most popular networks.
  • Voice Chat – Just get a microphone or a headset and you’re ready to host Voice Conferences with up to eight Qnext Friends. Qnext is cross-platform. This means, you guessed it, finally Mac, Windows, and Linux users can all jump on a Video or Voice call together!
  • Video Conferencing – Just plug in a webcam and a headset, and you are ready to go! Since Qnext video and audio conferencing is completely integrated into your Qnext friends/ buddy list, initiating a video conference is straightforward and easy. All you do is select a user from your ‘friends’ list and start a live video conference with right clicking on a Qnext contact and selecting Conference > Video.
  • Photo Sharing – Qnext Photo Sharing is the easiest way to share an unlimited amount of photos with anyone, even if they don’t have Qnext. Just choose your photos, choose your Audience and you’re done; your friends will receive a link that lets them view or download (with permission) your photos from any web browser. They can browse through thumbnails, zoom into photos, and run custom slideshows too!
  • File Transfer – Qnext enables users to send or receive files from other Instant Messenger protocols including Yahoo, MSN, AOL, Google Talk, Jabber, iChat, and ICQ. When you Transfer Files between Qnext users you can take a file (s) or folder (s) of any size from your computer and drag it onto a contact name. This initiates a secure P2P file transfer. A file can be 1 MB, 1GB, or your entire C drive!
  • File Sharing – Qnext File Sharing is the easiest way to get those huge files where they need to go fast. Put an unlimited amount of files or folders of any size into a File Zone and select your Audience; your specified recipients will get a link in an Email or an Instant Message and be able to download any or all of your shared files at top speeds, from any web browser in the world!
  • Remote PC Access – Qnext MyPC is a Remote Access and Application Sharing service included in Qnext. Basically, it lets you give yourself or anyone you specify access to your computer or specific applications from any standard web browser.
  • Music Streaming – Qnext Music Streaming is the only way to listen to your entire music Library from anywhere in the world. Choose up to 700,000 songs and select your Audience; we will Streaming your tunes instantly to whoever you want. Whether you want to share with yourself or with your friends, this is the only way to stream your music to any web browser on the planet.

The downside to a messenger like this? Well, it’s Java based which is something I’m typically not a huge fan of. Putting that aside the memory usage is rather high, and ranged from 90MB at startup to somewhere around 150MB after some normal usage. That’s a big number, but given the amount of memory available these days that may not be a concern for you. Netbook users, however, may need to be a bit more conscious with how much memory their applications are using.

Here are a bunch of screenshots from different areas of Qnext:

qnext explorer.png qnext shares.png qnext video conference.png qnext games.png qnext chess.png qnext mypc.png qnext settings.png qnext chat.png

There is also an iPhone version of Qnext in the works that is working to bring many of these features right to your phone… including the streaming music capability from what I’ve read. The desktop version is free though, and can’t really hurt to give it a try.

Qnext Homepage (Windows only; Freeware)

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Skype for Linux Now with Video Calling

This article was written on November 08, 2007 by CyberNet.

Back in October when we wrote about Skype introducing high quality video calling for Windows and Mac users, Richard pointed out in the comments that the Linux version didn’t even have basic video support yet. I’m sure he wasn’t the only one feeling like Skype was ignoring Linux users, and perhaps that’s why Skype got to work to on a new version.  Recently Skype launched Skype 2.0 beta for Linux with the major change in this version being the addition of support for video calls. Finally, Linux users have a feature that Windows users have had for quite some time now!

video calling

After reading through forum posts from those who have tried the video calling on Linux, it sounds like they’re pretty satisfied with comments like “I love it” or “woo hoo!”. People have had no problems using it, although some have said that the camera won’t turn on by itself when you open Skype, so you’ll have to manually turn it on. If that is the biggest inconvenience with this version, I’d say it’s not so bad. And of course this video calling feature is completely free which makes it even better. The addition brings the Linux version just a bit closer to what is currently offered for Windows and Mac users.

Before you go and give it a try, just make a note of some of the hardware and software requirements:

Hardware

  • 256 MB RAM
  • Video card driver with Xv support
  • 1 Ghz processor or faster

Software

  • QT 4.2.1+
  • D-Bus 1.0.0
  • libasound2 1.0.12

If you meet those requirements, head on over to Skype to download version 2.0.

Source: Download Squad

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Ask Engadget: best desktop OS for kids?

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Ryan, who can’t wait to get his kid fixated on the wonderful world of computers. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“My son (five years old) has commandeered my wife’s laptop for his game-playing pleasure lately, and it’s been driving her batty. He basically only plays the games she does (Plants vs. Zombies, Zuma, etc.). So far he’s able to find the games he wants (by their icons) and open them without issues using Windows 7, but now that I’m looking into getting him his own basic computer I’m beginning to wonder if there isn’t something more kid-friendly out there. I’ve had cursory experience with OS X and Linux (Ubuntu), and I’ll be doing all the installing and setup myself. Any thoughts from parents? Thanks!”

Kids and computers. Now that’s a recipe for awesomeness. Any new(ish) parents out there have any experience on their kids loving / hating a certain OS? Feel free to drop your advice in comments below — let’s keep it intelligent, okay?

Ask Engadget: best desktop OS for kids? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 23:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quantum Phantom program turns your smartphone into a wireless mouse (video)

The last time we saw Ben Wu, he was busy hammering away at Quantum Phantom — a prototype program that allows users to manipulate their desktops with a simple webcam. Now, the engineer has expanded the concept to smartphones, as well, with a system that effectively turns any camera-equipped handset into a wireless mouse. To achieve this, Wu hooked up his Android phone to his PC via WiFi and used the IP Webcam app to create a video stream server. The results, by Wu’s own admission, aren’t exactly elegant (due to an unwieldy configuration process and low-res camera), though he still managed to use his creation to sketch an onscreen smiley face. Watch it for yourself in the demo video, after the break.

[Thanks, Ben]

Continue reading Quantum Phantom program turns your smartphone into a wireless mouse (video)

Quantum Phantom program turns your smartphone into a wireless mouse (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This $25 Tiny Thumb PC Can Actually Run Quake III

Raspberry Pi. It’s really an amazing PC. Not only it’s really tiny, can run Quake III and play back Full HD video through HDMI, but it only costs $25 PC! Check out the video demonstrating Quake III at full speed. More »

Linux Turns 20 Today—And Shut Up, Yes, It Still Matters

We get it. Linux is just for nerds. Not mere nerds—we’re all nerds—Linux nerds. It’s a hobbyist OS for contrarians. It’s an antique. An oddity. Pointless. Right? Very, very wrong. Happy birthday, Linux—let’s celebrate you like we should More »

Simulated monkey typing project is the best, blurst of times

Like many great things, Jesse Anderson’s latest project was inspired by a classic Simpsons line. Of course, the cartoon didn’t come up with the idea of a lot of monkeys sitting around, banging out some of the great works of Western literature. The concept of infinite primates being able to generate Shakespeare predates even The SimpsonsTracey Ullman days, believe it or not. Anderson used Ubuntu, Hadoop and Amazon EC2, with his simulated monkey creating random data sets. Millions of virtual monkeys (not quite infinite, but still something) are participating in the project. Their outputs were mapped and are checked against all of Shakespeare’s work. Not surprisingly, they’ve still got a ways to go. Looks like the project, like The Simpsons, may have to go on forever.

Continue reading Simulated monkey typing project is the best, blurst of times

Simulated monkey typing project is the best, blurst of times originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 02:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Open Source ClamAV Acquired by Sourcefire

This article was written on August 17, 2007 by CyberNet.

ClamAVSourcefire announced today that they acquired the open source antivirus application called ClamAV. This news conveniently comes just one week after ClamAV was ranked one of the best antivirus applications for the Linux operating system. It even beat out almost all of the commercial solutions that were available.

Here’s what Sourcefire had to say about the acquisition:

With nearly 1 million unique IP addresses downloading ClamAV malware updates daily across more than 120 mirrors in 38 countries, ClamAV is one of the most broadly adopted open source security projects worldwide.

The ClamAV team will remain dedicated to the project as Sourcefire employees, continuing their management of the project on a day-to-day basis.

Sourcefire is best known for their open source Snort application that has been around since 1998. It’s used to perform packet logging and real-time traffic analysis on networks to detect and prevent of intrusions. It also supports the scanning of packets using *drumroll* ClamAV!

Don’t worry though, ClamAV will remain open source and will still be actively developed by the core team. Overall, this has got to be a good thing because the project will now have the engineering and financial backing of a much larger organization.

Note: ClamAV was created to work with Unix-based computers, but there is also a Windows version available.

ClamAV FAQ’s Regarding the Acquisition
Sourcefire FAQ’s Regarding the Acquisition (PDF)
Sourcefire Announcement and Press Release
Source: CyberNet Forum (Thanks Richard!)

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