morningxtra posts

• President Obama's NASA budget received some early criticism from within the scientific community because it eliminated funds from the Constellation moon landing program. The budget has attracted one influential backer, though, as 'Avatar' director James Cameron has publicly supported the plan because it allows for more privatization of rocket and shuttle development. [From: The Huffington Post]
• During a Congressional hearing related to the proposed Comcast acquisition of NBC Universal, NBC CEO Jeff Zucker demonstrated a complete misunderstanding of the Boxee media service. Hulu has blocked Boxee users from accessing its extensive content, even though when Boxee users "watch shows from Hulu, they are watching the ads and generate real revenues to NBC." D'oh. [From: Boxee]
• Hopefully Steve Jobs's recent staggering boost of confidence isn't just a tragic case hubris. Gathering for a clandestine meeting with New York Times executives about the future of the iPad, Jobs reportedly arrived at a ritzy restaurant wearing a top hat. He then apparently proceeded to order two items that weren't even on the menu from his menial plebian servers. [From: New York Magazine]
• One of iTunes' major drawbacks has been the inability to quickly preview iPhone apps from the Web. Apple is reportedly addressing that issue, though, with the creation of a "Web storefront" that will allow for quick Web-based app previews. [From: The Washington Post]
• The Office of Science and Technology Policy is releasing a free text service for expectant mothers. By texting to "511411," pregnant women can receive informational updates three times a week about flu prevention, immunization, local clinics, and other health issues. [From: The National Journal]
• With the introduction of the iPad and the shift toward e-readers with touch interfaces, Amazon's Kindle is beginning to lag behind the rest of the pack. But, Prime View International, the company that developed the Kindle display, says that it will be releasing upgraded displays this year that will provide color and touchscreen capabilities. [From: Engadget]

• Italy isn't the only nation attempting to regulate the online actions of its citizens, as Mexico is actually targeting Twitter members for proliferating clandestine messages. The government wants to crack down on Twitter because officials believe it has become an effective means for people, specifically drug dealers, to avoid police check points. [From: Global Post]
• Despite the landmark liability ruling in the United States, Italy is taking a different approach in terms of copyright infringement on the Web. The nation is reportedly initiating a plan that would hold sites like YouTube accountable and liable for the material uploaded by their users. [From: Ars Technica]
• After months of delays and negotiations, the SlingPlayer app is apparently releasing its anticipated 3G upgrade for the iPhone. The new version should be available in the App Store soon, and will enable VoIP and 3G streaming without actually crashing AT&T's network. [From: Engadget]
• The iPad may currently be receiving the overwhelming majority of the media's e-reader attention, but Amazon isn't going to just roll over for Apple. To upgrade its Kindle reader, Amazon has reportedly acquired Touchco, a startup company that, as its name indicates, focuses on touchscreen technology. [From: The New York Times]
• A federal judge in Australia has rendered a groundbreaking decision about responsibility, culpability, and illegal online downloading. Justice Dennis Cowdroy ruled this week that an ISP (specifically iiNet in this particular case) cannot be held liable for the downloading actions of its users, because "iiNet is not responsible if an iiNet user uses that system to bring about copyright infringement." [From: SMH]

• Last year, Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair expressed confidence in the progress of the fight against Al Qaeda and terrorism, but his feelings have changed since that announcement. Citing the growing threat of "malicious cyberactivity," Blair believes that a significant attack, focused on U.S. telecommunications and computer networks, could occur within the next six months. [From: The New York Times]
• Internet Explorer 8 debuted just a year ago, but the browser has already achieved two significant honors. It has not only become the most popular Windows browser in terms of market share, but it is also reportedly now the world's most used browser overall. [From: The Windows Blog]
• Three years after it released its impressive H3D-2 39-megapixel camera, Hasselblad is now releasing a new 40-megapixel model known as H4D-40. Hasselblad must have noticed the current recession, because it has significantly dropped the price from 2007's astronomical $37,000 tag to a somewhat more reasonable $19,995. [From: Engadget]
• Southwest Airlines has been toying with adding Wi-Fi to its fleet for over two years, and it seems that the official details of the plan are finally being revealed. The airline will begin by equipping 15 aircraft per month, and will steadily increase that rate until the entire fleet is outfitted, hopefully by 2012. [From: Engadget]
• Engadget experienced an explosion of activity during its coverage of the Apple iPad release, but that influx of readers included a staggering amount of juvenile, antagonistic trollers. (We wouldn't know anything about that.) Because of the rash of inappropriate and offensive activity, Engadget has eliminated the ability to comment on posts for now. [From: Venture Beat]

• Google's holiday gift of free airport Wi-Fi may have expired, but the kind and giving gesture has definitely produced some impressive returns. The program, which covered 47 airports and all Virgin Atlantic flights, raised over $250,000 for various charities, a total that Google then matched. [From: Business Insider]
• San Francisco's Municipal Railway has earned the ire of local residents because of service issues and tardy trains and buses. To voice the city's displeasure, one businessman has sparked a new movement: tweeting complaints straight to Mayor Gavin Newsom through the site MuniFail. The mayor, like a good politician, is attempting to pass the tweet, though, claiming that "it's the state, not San Francisco, that has abandoned public transportation." Oooh. Did you hear that, Arnold? [From: Wired]
• YouTube initiated a movie rental program in January which offered independent Sundance films for a $3.99 fee. The early revenue results have arrived, and the plan has so far netted the site a whopping total of $10,709.16. The seemingly small number could be a positive indicator, though, since the movies were all basically unknown titles like 'The Cove' and 'One Too Many Mornings.' [From: The New York Times]
• The massive 27-inch iMacs have received sterling reviews, but the models are apparently already making an early assembly line departure. Apple has reportedly stopped production because of issues with the LED displays. [From: Venture Beat]
• Several major metropolitan areas, like Los Angeles and Orlando, have begun using Google Apps for their employees' e-mail and collaborative needs. Google is reportedly now expanding its app services by creating a store specifically for business software and applications. [From: The New York Times]

• The Macmillan publishing house is one of the largest publishing companies in the world. Because of an e-book price dispute, though, Amazon actually removed Macmillan's vast collection of titles from its Web site. The online retailer has apparently relented, though, and will allow Macmillan to charge its own set prices for bestsellers and other content. [From: The Huffington Post and Engadget and All Things Digital]
• The most important rules for avoiding Net scams are to never click on foreign links and to be particularly wary of schemes that capitalize on current trends and fears. Predictably, phishers and scam artists are now attempting to lure interested iPad shoppers with dummy links and fake Web sites. [From: The BBC]
• Foursquare is a revolutionary social networking site that actually (gasp!) tries to inspire people to meet and communicate in person. The site is now partnering with television network Bravo to create an interactive scavenger hunt experience that incorporates Bravo programming like 'The Real Housewives' and 'Top Chef.' [From: The New York Times]
• Microsoft is currently developing a cell phone camera/bar-code-reader that can scan certain tags. The so-called "hyper links in the physical world" will be located in magazines, newspapers, billboards and other mediums so that consumers can instantly access related digital material. [From: CNET]
• Consumers have downloaded over 1 billion apps from Apple's App Store but the pro-capita numbers aren't quite as staggering. According to research firm Flurry, the average iPhone owner only regularly uses between five and 10 apps. [From: The New York Times]

• AT&T has been under siege from consumers and competitors over its network coverage, particularly for spotty and inconsistent iPhone service in major metropolitan areas like New York City and San Francisco. The company has vowed to address the issue, and has pledged $2 billion to improve its coverage over the next year. [From: The Huffington Post]
• Compared to the impressive week-long battery life of the Kindle e-reader, the fleeting 10-hour capability of the new Apple iPad seems ridiculously miniscule. But, that's no cause for concern, because CEO Steve Jobs is offering a reminder that "you're not going to read for 10 hours." He has obviously never read 'The Shining.' [From: Engadget]
• Steve Jobs may have just trumpeted the video playing capabilities of his latest Apple darling, the iPad, but owners of the gadget will initially have limited live-streaming options. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said yesterday that the company is not developing a 'Watch Instantly' function for the iPad, and that such a service is "not a huge priority for us." [From: Ars Technica]
• When considering oppressive government regimes that censor and ban certain material from their citizens, Australia rarely comes to mind. The nation, though, has investigated Internet censorship practices and has also limited the in-store availability of violent video games. Consumers are now growing volatile as the government is also refusing to create an "adults-only" label for video games, effectively banning games that weren't all-ages. [From: Global Post]
• Last spring, the National Archives and Records Administration discovered that a hard drive, which stored personal information on government employees and their families, had been lost or stolen. The organization has revealed that the breach actually compromised confidential information for over 250,000 Clinton staff members, including at least one of former Vice President Al Gore's daughters. [From: Wired]

Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines....

• The Apple Tablet iSlate iPad finally made its official debut yesterday, but the company seems to be offering only a limited release of some of the gadget's services. The iBooks Store and the iBooks app will apparently first launch only in the States. [From: Engadget]
• Windows 7 recently became the "fastest selling operating system in history," but Microsoft isn't exactly growing complacent in its success. According to an ex-employee's blog, Windows 8 is already in the works, and could hit the manufacturing stage as early as next year. [From: Electronista]
• While the nation's congressional representatives were sitting down, standing up, and applauding (and sleeping) through the President's State of the Union address, hackers were surreptitiously targeting numerous Democrats. The lamely named Red Eye Crew apparently hacked into over two-dozen Congressional Web sites, defacing pages, removing content, and promulgating anti-Obama propaganda. [From: PC World]
• The burgeoning phenomenon of 3-D TV has received a significant amount of media exposure recently. Soccer fans in England will actually get a preview of the 3-D action this Sunday when Sky TV will broadcast the Manchester United and Arsenal match. With high speed collisions, balls flying around at 100 mph, streakers, and brawling hooligans, 3-D sounds like it was made for the "beautiful game." [From: Engadget]

• A new concern may have reared its slippery head for game developers. GeoHot, the hacker that cracked the iPhone, has now managed to hack a PlayStation 3. Bragging to the BBC, he remarked, "I can now do whatever I want with the system. It's like I've got an awesome new power - I'm just not sure how to wield it." Two words from us: backwards compatibility. [From: Joystiq and BBC.co.uk]
• We'll be honest. It's no secret that Switched doesn't favor Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose own MediaNet is in a legal battle with YouTube over copyright infringement. A newly proposed Italian law would make ISPs and content providers responsible for monitoring what's online -- a move that will certainly help MediaNet get the one-up in court. Suspicious? We think so. [From: Reuters]
  
• The real deal on news aggregation monolith Digg will soon be revealed, thanks to a book deal for site's founder Kevin Rose. The lovable entrepreneur-turned-TV-host will tell his story to HarperStudio, an offshoot of HarperCollins, which, like Digg, is an experiment in information and publishing. [From: The Business Insider]
• Once a dominant force in the tech industry, Microsoft is now struggling to keep up with the times (well, minus the Xbox). However, a recent Microsoft job listing asks for an engineer with a working knowledge of 2G and 3G technologies, leading Engadget to speculate that the next Zune may have a cellular component. [From: Engadget]
• Twitter is a already a great tool for sensing trends in the cyber-sphere, but, soon, after users set their location, they will be able to tap into local happenings, too. It's too bad that feature wasn't enabled around Switched when the Jets took a Colts pounding. We could have lamented in unison. [From: Mashable]

• The cyber storm brewing between Google and China could inspire its own network television tale of international Internet espionage. The most recent revelation concerning the Google hack has shown that China employed a familiar technique to lead Google employees to malware-infested sites: social network stalking. By posing as friends, the Chinese agents actually attempted to lure Google workers with fake links. [From: CNET]
• The 2010 first quarter results are in for Apple, and the company experienced several significant increases since the first quarter of 2009. Computer sales escalated 33-percent, while iPod numbers surged by an incredible 100-percent. That's not the only good Apple news, either, as Steve Jobs has confirmed that a "major new product" will launch this week. Hmmm. Wonder what that could be? [From: Apple and Business Insider]
• NASA astronaut Timothy Creamer may have just sent the first official tweet from space, but NASA isn't exactly content with the current state of surfing in the stratosphere. The organization is consolidating three outdated modes of Web connection into one faster, unified system. [From: Dvice]
• Turkey censors certain Internet content (primarily for political reasons), like YouTube and various Google pages. Activists are currently planning a protest march, but the proposed walk on parliament won't just be limited to the locals. With the aid of Google Documents and Maps, the organizers are inviting protesters from around the world to virtually take part in the demonstration. [From: Read Write Web]
• The next time you sit endlessly on help desk hold, ready to lambaste the next support tech, don't blame the poor customer service rep; blame the economy. Corporate help desks have reportedly been hit particularly hard by the recession, as employees are apparently suffering through poor job stability, decreased wages, heavy workload, and antiquated technology. [From: Computer World]

• A survey of 45 U.S. businesses has determined that twice as many system data breaches occurred during 2009 than did during 2008. The cyber attacks, 36-percent of which came as a result of lost or stolen devices, resulted in average organizational damages of $6.75 million. [From: CNET]
• Xerox has become so ingrained as a U.S. brand that consumers typically refer to all copy machines by that original, universally known title. The company's revolutionary image-duplication device has officially turned 50 years old, but instead of growing old, fat, and lazy, the machines have slimmed down significantly. (The first-born behemoth weighed in at a monstrous 650 pounds.) [From: CNN]
• The Palm Pixi Plus and the Palm Pre Plus have officially made their debuts in the Verizon store. For a limited time, certain purchases (the Web site providing specific details) will qualify the buyer for a free Pixi Plus. [From: Engadget]
• According to a joint Facebook-Nielsen survey, an incredible 39-percent of the Facebook users in the United States, England, and Australia donated funds or goods to the Haitian earthquake relief effort. Maybe this will officially end the ridiculous myth that social networkers tend to be self-indulgent narcissists. [From: All Facebook]
• Even though cyber security experts seem to constantly dismantle massive international spam operations, e-mail is still completely dominated by spam. According to the European Network and Information Security Agency, over 95-percent of all e-mail traffic consists of spam messages. [From: Net Security]

• The recent Chinese Google hacks and various global Internet censorship campaigns have forced Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to adopt a hard-line stance on Web freedom. Clinton vowed that the "United States will protect our networks" and will fight for a "single Internet." [From: Ars Technica]
• The rumors that Hulu may start charging for content have been circulating for months. According to the latest round of conjecture, the site will implement a $5 monthly fee that would allow subscribers to watch older material. [From: Engadget and Mashable]
• The overall OS market share of Microsoft Windows has incrementally decreased over the past year, and has experienced another drop since December. That negative trend has occurred despite the early success of Windows 7, which has grown significantly faster than Vista and has even surpassed Mac OS in terms of usage. [From: Ars Technica]
• NBC will be providing unprecedented, comprehensive Winter Olympics programming this year, as the network will reportedly offer over 800 hours of HD TV coverage. It will also provide an impressive 400 hours of streaming live material and 1,000 hours of on-demand footage, both of which will be available through the network's Web site. [From: Engadget]
• According to Google engineer Matthew Papakipos, Google's eagerly awaited Chrome OS will incorporate a "lean and mean" media player. Google is apparently trying to make the wait unbearable, as the OS isn't expected to be commercially available for at least a year. [From: Engadget]

• Man, free-market competition is awesome. Verizon has already made some smartphone noise with its announcement that it would offer Google Maps navigation as a free, default service on the Droid phone. Nokia is following that lead and will also be providing a free, global navigation system with all of its smartphones. [From: Engadget]
• It can be easy to dismiss the negative effects of music piracy because of the exorbitant wealth of those in the music industry. Illegal downloads don't just hurt financially successful and wildly popular artists, though. Members of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry are claiming that illegal file sharing in Spain has indirectly been responsible for a 65-percent drop in local music sales. [From: The BBC]
• Just last month, StatCounter announced that Mozilla's Firefox 3.5 had become the world's most-used browser. Mozilla isn't spending too much time exulting in that success though, as a Firefox 3.6 "sneak peek" preview is officially debuting today. [From: Download Squad]
• Concerned citizens have impressively contributed millions to the Haitian relief effort, but aid organizations still need help getting supplies to the island. One Laptop Per Child is currently seeking interested groups to help distribute specialized, rugged laptops to relief workers. [From: Media Bistro]
• A Massachusetts court ruled last summer that university student Joel Tenenbaum had to pay $675,000 in damages for illegally downloading 30 songs. Demonstrating that not much has really changed between administrations, the federal government has officially backed the original, ridiculous ruling. [From: Boing Boing]
• Verizon seems to grasp the absurdity of astronomical fines and penalties for illegal file-sharers. The company is reportedly implementing a plan to terminate the service of repeat offenders, and, according to spokeswoman Bobbi Henson, has already "cut some people off." That sounds significantly more effective that levying insanely high fines on broke college students. [From: CNET]

• The Google and Apple conflict is apparently inspiring an odd couple to form a seemingly unnatural pairing. According to Business Week, Apple may actually drop Google as its default iPhone search engine and replace it with Microsoft's Bing. [From: Engadget]
• Xbox 360 owners are about to receive a rocking new addition to their consoles. Harmonix will reportedly release a beta version of the new 'Rock Band Network' this afternoon. The service will allow people to "record, convert, and upload tracks," which can later be rated by vote and purchased (if they're worthy). [From: Engadget]
• Facebook is continuing along its steady path to twitterization, as the site is currently testing a new News Feed 'Share' feature. The tab will act as a "retweet" function of sorts, and repost tidbits to the member's own personal feed. [From: The Next Web]
• The online marketing firm Network Solutions has repeatedly been the target of hackers, most notably in a 2009 assault that compromised over 600,000 of its customers' credit cards. The company's servers were hacked again this week by an anti-semitic group that plastered "hundreds of customer Web sites" with militant, anti-Israeli propaganda. [From: Krebs on Security]
• YouTube is once again pioneering the online video movement. The site will reportedly introduce live sports streaming, but, so far, the programming sounds about like what one would expect from ESPN 11. The sports broadcasting will apparently begin with Indian Premier League cricket. [From: Engadget]
• England's Ivor Novello awards honor composers and their musical contributions. The committee is adding a new category this year and will actually bestow an award upon the creators of the "best original video game score." Perhaps next year they'll add the 'Super Mario Bros.' Theme Song Lifetime Achievement Award? [From: Times Online]
• Health-conscious consumers have a wealth of options when exploring pedometers, speedometers, and heart-rate monitors. University of Tokyo researchers have helped develop a new "human recorder" device, though, that may make those other options obsolete. The gadget affixes directly to the user's chest, and measures heart rate, body temperature, acceleration, and other statistics. [From: Engadget]
• Texting while driving poses a very real and lethal threat, and many states have been addressing the epidemic. Alabama has become the latest state to investigate legal options, as its House of Representatives has passed a ban on texting while driving. The bill, which passed with an overwhelming 95-3 vote of support, must still make it through the Senate. [From: The Associated Press]

• Under leader Hugo Chavez, Venezuela hasn't exactly developed a stellar reputation for promoting and protecting human rights. Despite that lack of concern for Venezuelans' civil liberties, Chavez is seeking to protect his nation's children from an apparent capitalist tool of the devil: the video game. Chavez (who has banned the sale of certain violent games) recently called Sony's PlayStation "poison" for children, and (proving that he is completely insane and out of touch) claimed that Nintendo promotes violence. Damn you, Mario!!! [From: Yahoo! News]
• Citing security concerns, Germany advised its citizens yesterday to forego all versions of Internet Explorer in lieu of other, supposedly safer, Web browsers. France is reportedly following Germany's lead and jumping on that anti-Microsoft bandwagon, as well. The French government has suggested that people avoid Internet Explorer versions 6, 7 and 8, and that they use other browser options instead. [From: Mashable]
• The standoff between Google and China continues to intensify. The confrontation, which has involved censorship concerns and hacking accusations, has finally forced Google to enact extreme measures against the nation. The company has indefinitely postponed its Chinese release of the Nexus One Google phone. [From: Business Insider]
• Acer founder Stan Shih is talking some serious smack about the U.S. PC industry. The now-retired Shih asserted that U.S. computer manufacturers will ultimately fail because of high costs and an inability to offer affordable options. Yeah, because Apple is obviously floundering with its relatively expensive items. [From: Engadget]
• Change Wave Data has released its survey on mobile phone usage, and the study has determined that Android OS devices now represent 4-percent of the smartphone marketplace. That number may not seem particularly impressive, but it's a huge 200-percent increase from the previous September survey. [From: Read Write Web]
• The Chinese hack assault against Google is developing into a thrilling, intricate, and suspenseful tale of international espionage. Reports are indicating that there might have actually been an inside geek at the Google China offices who may have played a role in the attack. [From: Mashable]
• Consumers have downloaded over 1 billion apps from the Apple App Store. That astronomical number represents a complete domination of the app marketplace, as Apple is reportedly responsible for 99.4-percent of all apps sold during 2009. The BlackBerry App World may need to consider rebranding itself as the BlackBerry App Stand. [From: Ars Technica]

• Apparently, the Android marketing department suffers from a collective case of the munchies whenever it hold its brainstorming sessions. Following Cupcakes, Donuts, and Eclairs, the next Android serving will reportedly be known as Froyo, short for 'frozen yogurt.' [From: Engadget]
• The U.S. military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) frequently makes headlines for its cerebral contests and incredibly awesome technical achievements. The organization is also trying to make sure future generations can continue to come up with similar ingenious ideas. Worried about a lack of budding young nerds, DARPA is currently investigating methods of luring kids into science in order to mold them into computer geeks. [From: Wired]
• The Apple iSlate rumors have dominated the recent e-reader discussions, but the loaded ASUS DR-570 should start generating its own media hoopla. The color e-reader will reportedly have Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities, and will load pages at an astonishing rate (about 23-times faster than the Kindle). [From: Engadget]
• MySpace may have become the neglected social networking blacksheep, but the site has been taking steps to ensure its relevance and success. After purchasing music service Imeem last month, MySpace has finally allowed members to upload their old Imeem playlists. [From: CNET]
• While most of the Apple conjecture is focused on the iSlate, some new revelations have surfaced about a possible 22-inch iMac. The expected model will supposedly be equipped with a Sintek Photronic touchscreen. [From: Engadget]
• The Internet in Italy is about to become incredibly boring and absurdly lame. Government officials have reportedly proposed a decree that would ban people from uploading videos without prior government authorization. Um, Mr. Berlusconi? Is it okay to upload a video to YouTube so we can repeatedly RickRoll the jerk who came up with this idea? [From: The Standard]