Category: Computers, Science & Technology

We have a new venture here at Dr. Bill Bailey.NET! It is called “VirtZine” and it is “The On-Line Magazine of Virtualization and Cloud Computing!” Check out the link below:

VirtZine – The On-Line Magazine of Virtualization and Cloud Computing!

I know, I know, ONE more thing! I am already too busy! But hey! You gotta go with your interests, what motivates and excites you! Watch for what we will be doing, AND be sure to subscribe to the Newsletter! (Over on the right column of the VirZine web site…) We will keep you updated on plans there!

Yep, it is back. Google blamed a software upgrade on losing some of it’s “Cloud based” data stores. While only 2% of users were hit, it is still a cautionary tale! Things CAN go wrong in computing! I kinda feel for them, actually! But, service, and data, have been restored, so my guess is, that, with time, this too shall pass! Hang in there Google!

I’m not sure that I want to be concerned over, “Am I offending my PC?” Yeeesh! One reason I am a geek is that computers DON’T get all emotional over things. Now, they want to change that? Give me a break, guys! (OK, just kidding!)

Computers Are Starting To Get Emotional

“Researchers and startups have begun to focus on the final frontier for our silicon-based buddies — teaching computers to read and respond to human emotions.

They haven’t quite designed a real life Andrew from the Bicentennial Man, but they have lead computers to grasp the basics. At Cambridge University in England, they are trying to teach computers to measure stress, detect how it effects facial expressions and then to interact using a persona that mimics a proper emotional response. Basically, they are building an emotionally sensitive computer. Researchers at Cambridge are building Andrew’s precursor.

They aren’t the only ones. Kay Stanney, owner of Design Interactive says that people give off measurable indications of their mental/emotional state, from heart rate to eye tracking to electroencephalography (EEG), the measurement of brain waves. EEG is for real — there are controllers and apps on the market right now that let you control a computer game using an EEG-based headset.”

As you know, we “ran out” of “normal” (IPv4) addresses at the end of last month, so we need to start getting familiar with IPv6. So, in that spirit, here’s your “Factoid of the Day!”

With IPv4 there are a possible 4.3 billion addresses… and yes, the last ones were officially assigned last month. (Obviously, this means “public facing IPs,” not “NAT’ed ones.”)

With IPv6 there are 340 undecillion addresses, or 64 billion IPs for every square centimeter on earth!

Wow!

Some Google users have lost their address books, and other data, but it SHOULD be restored soon.

Gmail outage locks some users out of e-mail

“Google was still working to restore access to its Gmail e-mail service to a handful of customers on Monday, a day after an outage prevented a few users from accessing their e-mails. A message posted to the Google Apps status page at 10:40pm Eastern Sunday said engineers were ‘working to restore full access,’ and full access would be restored in the ‘near future.’

No update had been provided as to if the issue had been fully resolved, although the company noted the issue affected only .08% of the total Gmail user base.

Those struck by the outage noted that messages, chat histories, and contacts appeared to be missing. In some cases, the accounts appeared as if they had been wiped. The problem first appeared around 3:09pm Sunday afternoon according to Google.

Google’s Gmail is used by about 170 million users worldwide. Based on the numbers given about 136,000 users are thought to be affected, although that number has not been officially confirmed. It is unclear as to how many may still be experiencing issues, if any.”

…Would smell as sweet! It seems that Xoom Corp. doesn’t like Motorola using the name “Xoom” as a name for their WAY cool Android Tablet device! Will Motorola change the name, or fight it? Or, just “pay off” Xoom Corp? We’ll see! (By the way, what I have seen of the Xoom, I love! I can’t wait to get my hands on one to test it out!)

Xoom Corp. sues Motorola for obvious reasons

“We’re pretty confident you know what Xoom is by now. Stories we’ve run about the upcoming Android 3.0 tablet from Motorola Mobility have been some of the most popular items of the last three months.

Yesterday, just before all the advance reviews were published, law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius filed a trademark suit with the US District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of San Francisco-based money transfer company Xoom Corporation.

Xoom Corp. says it has actively used the name for its website since 2003, and has an incontestable trademark on it.

‘Through this long online use accessible via computer and mobile devices, Xoom’s trade name and the XOOM products have become associated exclusively with Xoom. Until [the] Defendants’ adoption of the Xoom brand without authorization from Xoom, Xoom to its knowledge was the only entity using the name or mark for online product offerings,’ the company’s complaint said.

In the suit, it asks for permanent injunction and treble damages pending an immediate ‘temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction.’ The launch of Motorola’s Xoom was scheduled for today, and the case temporary injunction has not yet been granted, so it is unclear whether consumer availability of the product will be disrupted.”

What’s up with this? I suspect a conspiracy! But, dropping Spam levels? That would be a GOOD conspiracy!

Global spam e-mail levels suddenly fall

“The amount of junk e-mail being sent across the globe has seen a dramatic fall in recent months. The volume of spam has dropped steadily since August, but the Christmas period saw a precipitous decline. One security firm detected around 200 billion spam messages being sent each day in August, but just 50 billion in December. While the reasons for the decline are not fully understood, spam watchers warn the lull may not last. Around the Christmas holidays, three of the largest spam producers curtailed their activity, Paul Wood, a senior analyst at Symantec Hosted Services told BBC News. ‘But it’s hard to say why,’ he added.”

For Amazon Prime members… a pretty good reason to join Amazon Prime!

Amazon Prime’s unlimited video streaming now live

“After a brief tease last month, Amazon on Tuesday gave its Prime subscribers unlimited streaming on Amazon Instant Video. Those who pay into the sped-up shipping plan now have free access to the 5,000 movies and TV shows marked as eligible. The catalog is just a subset but includes a mix of recent and older titles.

The option works on both Macs and Windows PCs and doesn’t preclude using other choices. Those who want it can still pay to download a video, including rentals or full purchases, if they need to get it to another device.

Prime costs $79 per year and still provides free two-day shipping along with occasional added perks.

The new Instant Video bonus is a shot across the bow of Netflix. It has a much larger, roughly 20,000-title streaming catalog but costs $96 per year to use and is limited strictly to the core video service. It may also help draw users away from pay-per-title use both on Amazon and on competitors like iTunes, which is still the leading online video service in spite of Netflix’s presence.”

I like the looks of this one… BUT, it looks a mite expensive, but if you want to buy me one, I won’t complain!

Xoom Android tablet set for sale Thursday at Verizon

“Verizon Wireless will start selling Motorola’s Xoom tablet on Feb. 24 for $599.99 with a two-year service agreement, the carrier confirmed today.

Without a contract, the 10.1-in. Xoom, the first tablet to run the new “Honeycomb” version of Android, will cost $799.99… Verizon said that wireless 3G service for the Xoom starts at $20 a month for 1GB of data. Further details on 3G pricing were not immediately available. Upgrades to 4G LTE service will be possible in the second quarter at no extra charge, Verizon added in a statement. The Xoom also comes Wi-Fi-ready.”

Controlling a computer with YOUR mind, that is! That is what they are trying to set up at the University of Pittsburgh research center! Cool!

Controlling a Computer With Thoughts?

“ScienceDaily (Feb. 17, 2011) — Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have been awarded funding for two projects that will place brain-computer interfaces (BCI) in patients with spinal cord injuries to test if it is possible for them to control external devices, such as a computer cursor or a prosthetic limb, with their thoughts.

The projects build upon ongoing research conducted in epilepsy patients who had the interfaces temporarily placed on their brains and were able to move cursors and play computer games, as well as in monkeys that through interfaces guided a robotic arm to feed themselves marshmallows and turn a doorknob.

‘We are now ready to begin testing BCI technology in the patients who might benefit from it the most, namely those who have lost the ability to move their upper limbs due to a spinal cord injury,’ said Michael L. Boninger, M.D., director, UPMC Rehabilitation Institute, chair, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pitt School of Medicine, and a senior scientist on both projects. ‘It’s particularly exciting for us to be able to test two types of interfaces within the brain.'”