Jul
03
2009
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Hawking Says Humans Have Entered a New Stage of Evolution |
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Saturday, 04 July 2009 |
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movesguy sends us to The Daily Galaxy for comments by Stephen Hawking about how humans are evolving in a different way than any species before us. Quoting: "'At first, evolution proceeded by natural selection, from random mutations. This Darwinian phase, lasted about three and a half billion years, and produced us, beings who developed language, to exchange information. I think it is legitimate to take a broader view, and include externally transmitted information, as well as DNA, in the evolution of the human race," Hawking said. In the last ten thousand years the human species has been in what Hawking calls, 'an external transmission phase,' where the internal record of information, handed down to succeeding generations in DNA, has not changed significantly. 'But the external record, in books, and other long lasting forms of storage,' Hawking says, 'has grown enormously. Some people would use the term evolution only for the internally transmitted genetic material, and would object to it being applied to information handed down externally. But I think that is too narrow a view. We are more than just our genes.'" 
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Jul
03
2009
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Amazon Wants Patent For Inserting Ads Into Books |
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Saturday, 04 July 2009 |
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theodp writes "Three Amazon inventors set out to correct what they felt was a real problem: that 'out-of-print or rare books ... typically do not include advertisements ... the content is fixed and, therefore, has not been adapted to modern marketing.' Their solution is spelled out in newly-disclosed Amazon patent applications for On-Demand Generating E-Book Content with Advertising and Incorporating Advertising in On-Demand Generated Content. From the patent apps, here's what the future of reading may look like: 'For instance, if a restaurant is described on page 12, [then the advertising page], either on page 11 or page 13, may include advertisements about restaurants, wine, food, etc., which are related to restaurants and dining.' So, what would a delightfully-tacky-yet-unrefined Hooters ad do for your Hemingway experience?" 
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Jul
03
2009
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Professor Gets 4 Years in Prison for Sharing Drone Plans With Students |
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
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Hugh Pickens writes "Retired University of Tennessee Professor Dr. John Reece Roth has been sentenced to four years in prison after he allowed a Chinese graduate student to see sensitive information on Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones. In 2004, the company Roth helped found, Atmospheric Glow Technologies, won a US Air Force contract to develop a plasma actuator that could help reduce drag on the wings of drones, such as the ones the military uses. Under the contract, for which Roth was reportedly paid $6,000, he was prohibited from sharing sensitive data with foreign nationals. Despite warnings from his university's Export Control Officer, in 2006, Roth took a laptop containing sensitive plans with him on a lecture tour in China and also allowed graduate students Xin Dai of China and Sirous Nourgostar of Iran to work on the project. 'The illegal export of restricted military data represents a serious threat to national security,' says David Kris of the US Department of Justice. 'We know that foreign governments are actively seeking this information for their own military development. Today's sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who knowingly discloses restricted military data in violation of our laws.' During his trial, Roth testified that he was unaware that hiring the graduate students was a violation of his contract. 'This whole thing has not helped me, it has not helped the university,' said Roth. 'And it has probably not helped this country, either.'" 
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Jul
03
2009
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Open Source Facing a Difficult Battle for Cloud Relevance |
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
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A recent eulogy for open source's relevance to cloud computing by Redmonk analyst Stephen O'Grady caught the attention of Matt Asay, who breaks down the difficulty of this David and Goliath problem. "In a world where horsepower matters more than the software feeding those 'horses,' in terms of the entry cost to compete, and where big vendors like Amazon and Google are already divvying up the market, the odds of a small-fry, open-source start-up challenging 'Goliath' are slim. It's not a new argument: Nick Carr has been suggesting for some time that only a few, big companies can afford relevance in this hardware-intensive business. Given this fact, O'Grady thinks the best we can hope for (and he thinks it's pretty important) is 'a loose coalition or confederation of [open-source] projects and vendors that will together comprise an increasingly viable top to bottom alternative to some of the cloud providers today.' He includes projects like Puppet (Reductive Labs) and Hadoop in this mix, but is careful to point out that he doesn't see a full-fledged, open-source alternative seriously challenging the closed platforms of Google, Amazon, Salesforce, and the other mega-clouds." 
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Jul
03
2009
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Phoenix Lander Discovers Nighttime Snowfall on Mars |
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
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Many outlets are reporting on the recently released results of the various experiments and observations of NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander. Most notable is the discovery of nighttime snowfall on the planet, lending credibility to the idea of an active water cycle hypothesized based on earlier data collection. "The papers rely on evidence from a variety of the instruments on the lander, and the description of the data provides an impressive catalog of the various ways that Phoenix could prod and query the Martian pole. In the months before Martian winter shut the lander down, it managed to dig a dozen trenches, taking soil samples from each. These samples went into wet and dry chemistry labs, had their conductivity tested, and were even examined using an atomic force microscope. Meanwhile, cameras and a LIDAR system (a laser-based range detector) scanned the surroundings. The overall conclusion is that the northern pole has an active water cycle. This had been suggested by a variety of evidence from orbital sensors, as well early images returned from Phoenix. It's also not a huge shock, given the seasonal growth and retreat of the polar ice cap. Still, Phoenix provided some significant details on the cycling of water in the area where it landed." 
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Jul
03
2009
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Get Ready For Summer With Homemade Sunblock [Summer] |
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
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 Choosing the right sunblock is important, but let's say you're more of a DIY type, or maybe your skin is sensitive to many of the common ingredients. The solution is simple: make your own sunblock.
Instructables user scoochmaroo's detailed guide to making your own sunscreen demonstrates the process either completely from scratch or using a store-bought lotion as a base. She goes as far as to include a chart that gives you measurements for the ingredients based on the SPF you're aiming for. Follow the link for the "recipe," and make your high school science teacher proud by heeding the warnings about wearing gloves and a mask while blending the ingredients (zinc oxide should be on your nose, not in it). Have you ever tried a homemade sunblock? What do you use to protect yourself from the sun? Let's hear it in the comments.
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Jul
03
2009
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State of the Airline Industry Chart Compares Airline Service Fees [Saving Money] |
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
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 If you've ever had to change your flight, check additional luggage, or use in-flight Wi-Fi, you know that these services often come with a price. Consumer site BillShrink has created a handy fee comparison chart for eleven carriers.
Though you should always confirm directly with the airline since prices can and do change, the pictured chart is useful if you want to know how much more you'll have to spend on your next trip, and whether—depending on the fee involved—it might be better to book with another carrier. Check out the full link below for all the details. If you'd prefer to avoid paying fees entirely, browse our previous post on how to master one-bag traveling, then take a look at some other avoidable fees you may still be paying for.
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Jul
03
2009
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June 2009's Most Popular Posts [[this Is Good]] |
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
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 You may already be celebrating the Fourth, but before you leave June behind for good, here's a quick look back at last month's posts you liked best, including essential Windows and Mac downloads, our Windows vs. Leopard showdown, and more.
- Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Windows Downloads
We feature downloads of all kinds every day at Lifehacker. Today, however, we're bundling all the best free downloads for new computer owners, re-installers, would-be geeks, or anyone who wants to save time installing the best stuff out there. - Dress Up Your Ties with the "Merovingian Knot"
The realm of dress tie knots is dominated by a handful of traditional tie knots. Check out this rather unique tie knot and be the first on your block to sport it. - Top 10 Firefox 3.5 Features
Firefox 3.5 is a pretty substantial update to the popular open-source browser, and it's just around the corner. See what features, fixes, and clever new tools are worth getting excited about in the next big release. - Windows 7 Versus Mac OS X Leopard: The Feature-by-Feature Showdown
Now that we know Windows 7 will go on sale October 22nd and the feature-complete release candidate is available as a free download, it's time to put it through its paces. - Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Mac Downloads
We've featured countless apps or all sorts over the years, but if you just want a quick look at the best free downloads for your Mac, this post's for you. - Upcoming Tech That Will Rock Your World
Major announcements from Google, Microsoft, and Apple in the last few weeks have techies flipping out about the awesomeness coming to our browsers, pockets, and desktops in the very near future. - Five Best Netbooks
If you're thinking about picking up an ultra-portable laptop, this week's Hive Five is a great spot to start your comparison shopping. These are the netbooks are those most loved by Lifehacker readers. - Top 10 Wallpaper Tools & Tweaks
A good wallpaper provides a pleasant backdrop to productivity. A great wallpaper changes your whole computer experience. See some of the best image sources, software, and usability tweaks we've come across and rolled up for your downloading pleasure. - Best and Worst Fast Food: McDonald's Edition
No matter how well you plan, every day can't be an ultra-healthy, bring-your-own-lunch-to-work day. But just because you're eating at a fast food place doesn't mean all bets are off. - The Starlight Desktop
Reader rykennedyan's desktop combines a beautiful wallpaper with a full set of launchers and tools integrated into a taskbar at the bottom of the screen. - Debunking Traffic Ticket Myths
Virginia traffic attorney Andrew Flusche can't explain everything you need to do to get out of any traffic ticket, but he does want to shoot down some myths your lead-footed friends might try and convince you of.
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Jul
03
2009
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Take Better Photos: Fourth of July Edition [Photography Tip] |
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
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 Fireworks displays across the U.S. are set to go off all weekend in celebration of the Fourth of July. Take better photos of both the fireworks and the friends and family you've gathered with.
Photo by mandj98. We've covered quite a variety of photography tips, tricks, and tools here at Lifehacker. We've even written our own tutorials to help you turn your snapshots into conversation starting photographs. In preparation for the Fourth of July celebrations taking place across the nation, we've rounded up some gems to help you take great pictures this holiday weekend. First, we can't neglect the fireworks. You might get together with Uncle Benny a couple times a year, but the fireworks displays are a once-a-year, seat-shaking, experience. Check out the guides below to make this Fourth of July the one where you snag the fireworks photos people want to frame. If you only have time to read one, definitely start at the top of the list with our guide to taking awesome fireworks photos. Photo by Julie Berlin. 
- Get Better Fireworks Photos This Fourth of July [Lifehacker]
- Shooting Fireworks with a Digital Camera [New York Institute of Photography]
- How to Photograph Fireworks [New York Institute of Photography]
- Photographing Fireworks in Your Backyard [New York Institute of Photography]
- How-To Photograph Fireworks [Wired]
 Photographing fireworks can be tricky business, and though the tutorials and tips above will have you well prepared for the event, you may want to focus instead on pictures of the family and friends you're celebrating with. Read over the following guides to improving your photographs and you'll have more than a few tricks up your sleeve, whether you're a shutterbug or a reluctant subject. Photo by spatulated.
Giving even a handful of the above links a quick read will hopefully provide you all sorts of new tricks to try out this holiday weekend, whether you're shooting fireworks, your energetic nieces and nephews, or taking some artful family portraits while everyone is gathered together. If you have your own resources to share, throw a link into the comments below and share the wealth.
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Jul
03
2009
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From the Tips Box: Vanity Phone Numbers, iGoogle, and Tortilla Chips [From The Tips Box] |
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
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Google Voice caters to your vanity, t-shirts are spared, birthdays remembered, and we keep those restaurant tortilla chips nice and crispy.  Oren, Mark, Jan-David, and Ben wrote in to tell us that the very cool Google Voice now allows you to change your phone number for a one-time fee of $10. Google provides a simple search for those of us who want our own name as part of the number, and they'll keep your old number active for three months so that you can announce the change properly.
 Mick wrote a handy tutorial on how to add that missing fourth column in iGoogle.
 Bart made a simple yet useful site that helps you remember birthdays by sending you RSS notifications. (Mine's on the 27th of June, mark it down for next year.)
 Colin's fiancee told him that his old shirts had to go! But acknowledging how much they mean to him, she wound up framing them and turning them into some neat wall decor. Remember this trick the next time your significant other tries to toss out your old concert t-shirts.
 Matt saves web developers headaches by pointing us towards Support Details, a site that makes life simpler "when you ask the client what browser they're using and they say 'Vista.'"
- Commenter neely615 says:
Maybe everyone knows this trick, but I inadvertently learned it while staying in a hotel room that had a refrigerator that froze everything I put into it. Turns out if you put that bag of chips you got for take-out from the Mexican restaurant in the freezer, they will still be crispy when you take them out the next day. About the Tips Box: Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox (tips at lifehacker.com), but for various reasons—maybe they're a bit too niche, maybe we couldn't find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn't fit it in—the tip didn't make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favorites for your buffet-style consumption.
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