Legendary Half-Life producer Valve has begun to lift a shroud of secrecy surrounding a novel multi-platform approach to computer gaming that now includes Apple computers. With the April release of Steam for Mac, Valve hopes to foster a robust and diverse community of shared servers and mixed clients, a rare sight in the online gaming world. While Steam is currently accessible to Mac users via Windows dual-boot and also runs well emulated with Crossover or Parallels, the native Steam app incorporates OpenGL and WebKit support so Mac gamers can enjoy an OSX-specific build rather than a sloppy port. The upcoming release is currently in beta testing on PCs and will support a simultaneous release of Portal 2 this holiday season, as well as a sampling of classics like Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress 2.
In accordance with the litigious precedent set by the patent suit recently brought against Apple by smart phone O.G. Nokia, the Cupertino intellectual property powerhouse has slapped rival manufacturer HTC with a crippling array of infringement claims. HTC has become the OEM hardware arm of Google's Android mobile platform, designing and producing a variety of devices designed specifically to dethrone the dominant iPhone. Apple's lawyers have requested a permanent injunction barring the sale of all infringing phones (mostly Android touch-based handsets), in addition to damages with interest.
These 20 claims (along with the 13 cited in Apple's countersuit against Nokia) paint the litigation in an over-zealous light, but closer inspection of the patents themselves reveals a questionable spectrum from nit-picky to vague. While the value of duly appointed patents such as that for a capacitive multi-touch display is quite clear, claims such as that for an "Object-Oriented Graphic System" seem esoteric, to say the least. Unfortunately the IP in the HTC case is strictly of the latter, where gesture-based unlock images are valid claims but touch screen technology is taboo? Policing such patents is not particularly effective in inspiring competition, yet it is definitely within the rights of the holder; perhaps these additional design constraints will force innovation on the part of the alleged infringers.
Two recent studies by the Pew Research Center place the Internet firmly in first place as the most common form of news media consumption. Although 92% of these users get their information from multiple sources, 21% rely on a single website! The new media is plays a key role in modern news consumption because of its portability, its capacity for personalization, and its participatory nature. Given the fact the people prefer to access their news on a mobile platform which is tailored to their interests and encourages discussion, it should come as no surprise that social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter are gaining traction as news outlets. The study estimates that half of Americans rely on others to link them to important news stories, and the other half are actively engaged in sharing news stories with their social networks. The modern media landscape is endlessly segmented and often editorially biased, yet its inherent interactivity has allowed its popularity to surpass the traditional media it depends on.
While 73% of Americans rely on cable news and 61% get news online, a mere 50% use the local paper and only 17% read national news publications. As demand for local newspapers decreases, their coverage contracts, with some papers running 32% less than in 1999 and 72% less than in 1991. Comparing the mode of consumption with the source is a sobering proposition, with 8 of 10 reports consisting entirely of repackaged information from traditional media such as national newspapers and 95% of all stories that contain new information are from print media sources. As newspapers decline in popularity and the online echo chamber takes over, individuals and corporate entities take on more responsibility to control their own message. CloudProfile is the perfect social media marketing platform and is designed to make short work of sharing news links relevant to your small business and its following, as well as information straight from the horse's mouth.
The unfolding controversy surrounding the unauthorized remote activation of student webcams is on track to establish legal precedent in a contentious net neutrality debate. The trouble started when Lower Merion student Blake Robbins was disciplined for "improper behavior in the home" and presented with a snapshot from the iSight camera mounted on his Apple laptop computer as evidence. The MacBook in question was required for class and came pre-loaded with Apple Remote Desktop and a network surveillance tool called LANrev. Although several students reported their webcam lights turning on at random, they were prohibited from tampering with the computers under threat of expulsion. The Robbins' contacted an attorney upon receipt of the disciplinary screen capture, and although the principal claims the remote access features are strictly anti-theft provision, they have clearly been abused. The FBI has begun investigating district officials for illegal wire-tapping and computer privacy offenses, and 2 years worth of evidence has revealed 42 separate incidents involving laptop webcams.
Although these specific accusations could be attributed to overzealous network administrators, remote access is a key tool in the repertoire of malicious software programs. While common bugs and bots might log your keystrokes to learn your passwords and account numbers, a skilled attacker could gain nearly unlimited access to your system. While the constitutionality of warrantless cell phone location tracking awaits a Supreme Court decision, make sure your personal data is protected from the prying eyes of online predators. Student Experts offers a Security and Prevention service, during which we will load antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-malware and firewall applications on your computer to make sure you are protected from the latest threats, as well as optional training to avoid high-risk activity. Keep Big Brother out with Student Experts and check out live surveillance footage of a random (consenting) webcam user with Chat Roulette.
Adobe has become ubiquitous in the world of image-processing, but the ascent of their software from humble beginnings to becoming a verb is impressive, indeed. The first iteration was created by two nerds in their garage, licensed to Adobe in 1988, and released as Photoshop 1.0 (for Mac) in 1990. Every semi-annual release since has added innovative features, expanding the functions into a vast toolkit for artistic creativity. Advances in digital photography combined with skilled retouching have begun to blur the line between reality and fiction; the software has become so powerful that publications such as National Geographic require photographers to submit files in a "raw" image format to preclude JPEG editing. Photoshop has aged gracefully and matured into an industry-leading product in CS4, but even the best is subject to the failings of the user. 20 years of butchery have given these mistakes internet meme status, so enjoy the carnage (linked below) in celebration of Ps!
