Oct 18

Slashdot Firehose Competing with Digg?

Posted in: Features, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on August 02, 2007 by CyberNet.

Slashdot Firehose

Slashdot is summoning everyone for a new service that they have dubbed Firehose. The service has some strong similarities to social news site Digg, but at the same time they also have some unique features. Firehose is basically a hub where the user-submitted stories appear for others to vote on, and as more people vote on them they start to move up the color spectrum.

As you can see in the screenshot above, there is a color slider located at the top of Firehose. This is used to filter out the quality of stories as voted on by other users. If you see a story with a red ring next to it that means that it is highly ranked, but one that is violet or black means that it’s not even worth looking at.

You have to be a registered user to enable most of the features (including voting), but visitors are more than welcome to browse around the submissions.

So is Slashdot trying to take on Digg? Here’s what they had to say in their post about Firehose:

Well first of all, we’re happy to use good ideas when we see them. Countless websites have knocked off our cool ideas, just like we joyously took ideas from those that came before us. But ultimately the idea here is not to imitate any other social network news site. We feel that the editorial layer that exists on top of Slashdot is important. But we also think that having many eyeballs will help us more efficiently sort through the ever increasing volume of content on this here internet of ours. That’s why we’ll aim to strike a balance. Slashdot stories will continue to be posted by our editors. We will use the advice given to us by our readers. Sometimes we will agree, and other times we won’t. You are welcome to read more or less editor content depending on your tastes.

So how new is this idea? Actually Slashdot has been working on it since the end of last year, and when they first started out it used a thumbs up/down system that really reminded me of Digg. They’ve since revamped some things, and worked out a few kinks, but the general concept is still the same.

I don’t think that this is going to affect the quality of the articles that Slashdot posts since the editors will still be making the final judgment call, but I’m wondering how much it will actually help them?

Thanks for the tip Curtiss!

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments
Oct 18

2007 Vaporware Awards

Posted in: Gadgets, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on December 21, 2007 by CyberNet.

Last week we speculated on who would win the coveted Vaporware awards for 2007 like the Optimus Maxiumus keyboard, or Spore – the new game from the Sims creator. The official list is out, and now we know who has officially won an award for “the year’s top technology products promised, hyped and scheduled, but not delivered.”  Without further ado, here is Wired’s annual Vaporware Awards for 2007.

vaporware awards 2007

10.  Steorn Orbo –  a magnetic motor device that generates free, constant energy.The scheduled public demo that was supposed to happen in July of this year was canceled.

9.  Tesla Roadster – this car is supposed to be turning heads already! It was originally scheduled for a launch in October, but this electric car never did.

8.  802.11n – this new Wi-Fi standard that’s supposed to be much faster has been a work in progress since 2006 and was set to be finalized in January of 2007. It was a no-show, and now it’s not expected until 2009…

7.  Diablo III – set to be the follow-up to Diablo II which was launched in 2000, Diablo III hasn’t been mentioned by Blizzard (gaming company) for a while.

6.  Windows Mobile 6 for Samsung Blackjack – BlackJack owners have been waiting in anticipation for WM 6 to surface, but it hasn’t.

5.  Windows XP Service Pack 3 – while the Release Candidate is out, Windows XP users still haven’t gotten their update!

4.  Optimus Maximus – This is one speculation we got right… no Optimus Maxiumus keyboard once again!

3.  Chinese Democracy – The Guns N’ Roses album in the works since 1994!

2.  Spore – Yet another item we speculated would be on the list is Spore – the new game from the Sims Creator. The earliest we’re expected to see it is April of 2008.

1.  Duke Nukem Forever – This one could be on here for life but as Wired says, “long live the king!”

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments
Oct 17

Yahoo Acquires del.icio.us

Posted in: Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on December 12, 2005 by CyberNet.

Yahoo has acquired the web-based company del.icio.us which is well known for its bookmark management and sharing. The goal of del.icio.us:

  • Keep links to your favorite articles, blogs, music, restaurant reviews, and more on del.icio.us and access them from any computer on the web.
  • Share favorites with friends, family, and colleagues.
  • Discover new things. Everything on del.icio.us is someone’s favorite – they’ve already done the work of finding it. Explore and enjoy.

Go to del.icio.us

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments
Oct 17

Microsoft’s HealthVault Beats Google To the Punch

Posted in: Microsoft, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on October 04, 2007 by CyberNet.

healthvault logo The Dr. is in! Dr. Microsoft that is.  Today Microsoft launched a new service into beta called HealthVault. As the name suggests, it’s a site designed to help you manage your health with three main services that allow you to collect, store, and share your health information. – HealhVault Search, HealthVault Account, and the HealthVault Connection Center. The site is free to use, and Microsoft is hoping that the step they just took into the Health Industry will influence doctors and hospitals into keeping electronic medical records. They’re also hoping that the software development kit they’ve made available will get insurance companies, doctors, and hospital offices to create web applications that will benefit their patients.

Before we get in to what HealtVault is all about, from the sounds of it, Microsoft has beaten Google to the punch. Back in August, screenshots emerged of Google Health – Googles own health service that has yet to be released. Some of the features it is expected to have sound very similar to what Microsoft is offering here. Microsoft must be feeling pretty good right about now because now Google will be playing catch-up…

HealthVault Search

The HealthVault Search is not your typical web search. When you enter a search query (note: search results page doesn’t appear quite right in Opera), you’ll get options for refining your search, Article Results (e.g., Wikipedia), Web Results, a Sponsored Result, and books from Amazon regarding the topic you searched for.

healthvault search

HealthVault Account

This too is a free service where you can collect, store, and share health information with Web sites and doctors.  You must have a HealthVault Account to use this service which requires a Windows Live ID. You control who sees what, and what goes in.  Examples of what you’d store in your HealthVault Account include:

  • Perscription information and medication history
  • X-Rays, MRIs, CAT scan results, etc.

You’re free to upload health documents, or have your health records faxed directly into your HealthVault account.

HealthVault Connection Center

The HealthVault Connection Center will be great for those who monitor their blood pressure, or blood glucose levels.  Certain devices like blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, sport watches, and others can be connected to your computer via USB, infrared, or wirelessly.  Once you download the HealthVault Connection software, the data from your device will be uploaded and stored on your HealthVault record. If you plan on using the software, you must be running a genuine copy of Windows, otherwise it won’t work.

–

When it comes to Health, people want to make sure that their information is private and secure.  Microsoft makes it a point to clearly display their Health Privacy Commitment on the website because trust is definitely an issue here. Users have to feel that they can trust Microsoft with their health information if this is going to be successful.

As Long Zheng over at the I Started Something blog said, “If you can get your head around the fact this is provided by the same company who makes a computer operating system and game console” then HealthVault will probably be useful for you.

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments
Oct 16

BigTIFF File Format Allows for 1st One Trillion-Pixel Image

Posted in: Photos, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on May 09, 2007 by CyberNet.

If you’re familiar with the TIFF image format, you know of the 4GB file size limit.  While that’s a rather large file size to begin with and really gives many photographers and digital imaging specialists unlimited capabilities, for some it is limited.

To start we’ll define TIFF as an uncompressed image file format.  A medical imaging specialist company called Aperio wasn’t satisfied with the TIFF image format that limited them to a 4GB file size, so they created their own format called a BigTIFF.

This BigTIFF file format has resulted in the first ever Terapixel image (1 trillion-pixels).  To put this in perspective for you, this link will direct you to an image of the Sydney Skyline.  It’s 720 megapixels, and when you zoom in, the detail is amazing.  After you’ve tried this out and zoomed all the way in, just imagine the detail that a 1 trillion-pixel image would have. When you start zooming in, it may look blurry, but give it time to clear itself up.

Other images to check out:

Aperio is using it to digitalize images of bone marrow and cancer tissue, and the size is unbelievable.  According to CNET, the images actual file size as a compressed BigTIFF is 143 GB.  My hard drive is 180 GB which means that one photo would take up nearly my whole hard drive!

1trillionpixelimage

They also have to use a high-power oil immersion ScanScope slide-scanning system so that the trillion-pixel image is useful. The 1 trillion-pixel image above is composed of 225 slides.

While Terapixel cameras aren’t going to be making it to the retail shelf any time soon, it’s amazing to think about how far they’ve come with this technology, and the technology that imaging specialists have available to them.

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments
Oct 14

Free Vista SP1 Support by Microsoft

Posted in: Microsoft, Software, Today's Chili, Web Sites, Windows

This article was written on March 25, 2008 by CyberNet.

vista sp1 support Microsoft is obviously very anxious to get people to adopt Vista Service Pack 1 because for the next year they will be offering free technical support to help users get it up and running. This is not anything abnormal for those of you who have purchased retail copies of the operating system, but if Vista came with the computer you would be deferred to the manufacturer for any support.

Right now you can get free support via email and they will get back to you within one business day. Alternatively you can start a chat conversation to help troubleshoot any problems you’re having provided that you try contacting them between their hours of operation:

  • Monday – Friday: 5:00 A.M. – 12:00 A.M. PST
  • Saturday & Sunday: 6:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. PST

I’ve seen the wait time for reaching a chat representative fluctuate between 0 and 17 minutes which isn’t really that bad. There is also free phone support if you’re a member of MSDN, TechNet or a few of their other programs.

What I’m wondering now is how good the support actually is. Normally the people on the other end are less than helpful, and typically provide you with answers that are obviously scripted. If any of you decide to hit up the support to try and solve a Vista SP1 problem please let us know in the comments how it goes.

Microsoft Vista SP1 Technical Support [via Computer World]

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments
Oct 12

MyFive: Online Mapping Service Alternatives

Posted in: maps, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on October 24, 2007 by CyberNet.

Online mapping services have come a long way over the last several years, and now there are numerous good options available. MapQuest is probably one of the most well-known services out there, thanks largely in part to the fact that they entered the online mapping world before some of the other major services that we know and use today. Popular services like Google, Yahoo, Windows Live Local, MapQuest, and Ask.com are all great in their own way, but I thought today we’d take a look at five mapping service alternatives that offer something different.

  1. National Geographic Map Machine
    This service has the typical road map and satellite view, but it is unique because they offer a physical map view and allow you to create a themed map. There are tons of options to choose from if you’re wanting to create a theme map including weather, natural disasters, population density, trip planning, nature and conversation, and more. The map below shows where earthquakes have been in California.
    earthquake map
    Visit National Geographic’s Map Machine!

  2. Weather.com’s Map Room
    Weather.com isn’t your typical map service. They offer maps that would suit a business traveler, someone seeking a great golf course, or maybe a family on a drive to see fall foliage. Another helpful offering is the “Current Airport Delays” map which will tell you which airports are experiencing delays.  For example, at the moment, I can see that LaGuardia International Airport is experiencing about an 85 minute delay. There are all kinds of non-traditional maps here and I recommend checking it out.
    airport delays 

    Visit Weather.com’s Map Room

  3. Topozone
    Not everybody is really interested in topographic maps, but just in case you are, checkout Topozone.  They’ve had topographic maps available on the web since 1999, and they offer a great collection of both digital topo maps as well as aerial photographs. Additionally, they have GPS as well as land maps. The maps here are organized by state if you’re in the United States (and then further broken down by county), or Provinces if you’re in Canada.
    topographic map
    Visit topozone.com

  4. Fodor’s Destinations
    Fodor’s is known as one of the leading providers of travel resources like guide books. On their website they offer basic maps for some of the top World  travel destinations. For example, I clicked on Maui which pulled up a map of Maui Neighborhoods that I could explore.
    fodors neighborhood map
    Visit Fodor’s Destination Maps

  5. Wunderground.com – Personal Weather Stations Google Map
    Wunderground offers all kinds of weather information from locations all over the world.  When you visit the site, you’ll enter your location in a sidebar menu on the right.  In that same sidebar you’ll notice a map key which explains what the different symbols on the map stand for.  For example, the “stick” coming out from each temperature marking shows which direction the wind is blowing . By clicking on a temperature marking, you’ll be able to view more detailed information as well as view a forecast for the area.
    wunderground
    Visit Wunderground Personal Weather Stations

    6.  

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments
Oct 12

NBC to Offer Free TV Show Downloads

Posted in: Apple, itunes, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on September 20, 2007 by CyberNet.

nbc logo It was just a couple of weeks ago that NBC announced that it didn’t intend to renew their contract with iTunes once their current contract runs out in December. Some people thought the little argument between Apple and NBC would soon be over, and NBC shows would remain on iTunes come December. Unfortunately for iTunes users, there’s no kissing and making up here. NBC is moving on and starting in October, they’ll be offering free downloads of their shows via NBC Direct.

After a show airs on NBC, it’ll be available for a week to be downloaded.  When someone downloads the show, they will then have 7 days to watch the content. Each show will include ads that can’t be skipped, thus the reason these downloads are free. The list of shows that will be available at launch is pretty impressive too.  The list includes: The Office, 30 Rock, Bionic Woman, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

NBC said that they wanted to get rid of the middle-man (think Apple) which they’ve done.  They also said that they hope to eventually turn NBC Direct into a service that could compete with iTunes. As it stands, the movie downloads are only available for those using Windows. So trying to compete with iTunes is out of the question for now until they provide a client for those using Mac computers and portable devices.

This is just the beginning for NBC’s download service. According to Ars, "a closed P2P network is planned to eventually provide higher-resolution programming, with paid download-to-own, rental, and subscription business models on track for late 2008." It’ll be interesting to see how well this model will work for NBC. I’m skeptical that it will be as successful as they’re anticipating it to be, especially because they don’t have a client available for both Mac computers and other portable devices. Many of the people who download shows and movies from iTunes do it so that they can watch them on portable devices.

I’d say this is bad news for Apple, and hopefully other media companies won’t follow in the footsteps of NBC and eliminate the middle-man. It’s understandable that they want control over their content, but in the end, will they be able to lure in enough people to make it a success? Or will they turn back to iTunes?

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments | Tags:
Oct 11

Analytics for YouTube Videos Launches

Posted in: Today's Chili, videos, Web Sites, YouTube

This article was written on March 27, 2008 by CyberNet.

One of the most useful tools for us as owners of CyberNet News is Google Analytics because it gives us a great idea of where our visitors are coming from, what time of day they visit, and how long they stay for. This information helps us in numerous ways, and it’s hard to imagine not having it available to use. Just as we like to know details of our readers, YouTube contributors have wanted this same type of information as well. Finally YouTube has launched analytics for YouTube videos called YouTube Insight.

YouTube Insight is for those who contribute to YouTube whether it be advertisers or those who upload videos to the site. This new statistics program will provide video uploaders with all kinds of more detailed information so that they know where their viewers are coming from and how many times a movie has been viewed in particular countries. Advertisers are also getting this information which could potentially help draw new advertisers to the service and new advertisers mean more revenue for Google and YouTube.

An example of how this information could be useful is for a band. They could use the information that they gather to help plan stops on a tour. If they get a lot of views on their video from several geographic areas in particular, then they know where to go. YouTube insight will count the number of times a user starts a video, although they won’t know how many actually finish it. Geographic information comes from IP addresses.

To view the new YouTube Insight information, just click “About this Video” which you’ll find by clicking “My Videos.” An example of the information is found below.  Notice that there are two tabs of information, “views” and “popularity.”

youtube analytics

The popularity tab will provide information about how long it took a video to become popular, and just how popular it is compared to other videos during a specific time period. To some up the benefit of YouTube Insight, we’ll quote Tracy Chan, the product manager for YouTube. He says:

Insight gives the creators an inside look into the viewing trends of their videos on YouTube, and helps them to increase views and become more popular. Partners can evaluate metrics to better serve and understand their audiences, as well as increase ad revenue. And advertisers can study their metrics and successes to tailor their marketing — both on and off the site — and reach the right viewers. As a result, Insight turns YouTube into one of the world’s largest focus groups.

Source: AP

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments
Oct 11

Domains @live.com and @windowslive.com Coming June 20th

Posted in: Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on June 13, 2006 by CyberNet.

Domains @live.com and @windowslive.com Coming June 20th

On June 20th, two new domains will be available! @live.com and @windowslive.com will be the newest additions to the Windows Live concept. For those of you with the drawn out redundant e-mail addresses, (like jimjohn200304234@hotmail.com) this is your chance to get the short simple name you’ve always wanted. While it’s a hassle to notify all of your contacts, it may be worth it! When Gmail first began 2 years ago, I jumped at the chance to get the account name that I wanted. Chances like this don’t come around very often.

The Windows Live team is currently working on a migration process that would allow you to transfer your current information to a new account. Unfortunately for the time being this feature is not available which will probably be the biggest copmlaint among current hotmail and MSN users wanting to switch over to the news domains. It would have been nice to see this migration process already implemented so that the process of switching over to a new domain would be simple and effortless. Which according to Microsoft,

What is Windows Live?
Your online world gets better when everything works simply and effortlessly together. That’s the basic idea behind Windows Live.

News Source: Windows Live Mail Support

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments