Please take note
The Exun Farewell will be held on 17th February at Nirulas(the Priya Branch)
I will post the time and other relevant information later
Thanks
G
Monthly Archives: January 2006
Disney looks set to buy Pixar
Media Giant Walt Disney which distributes pixar films and owns the rights to characters are discussing ways to cement the relations of 2 companies together.
In 1997 Jobs and Disney boss Eisner struck a deal.Pixar paid 50% of the total cost of developing and producing the movies in return for half the cash from all sources. While Pixar produced major hits like Incredibles, Finding nemo and Toy story that earned 3 billion worldwide, Disney’s Atlantis, Treasure planet were flops.But later the duo clashed in private and in public. Pixar announced that it would terminate its arrangement with Disney after delivering its fifth and final movie “Cars” in 2006. Now Eisner has been replaced by Bob Iger who plans to merge the 2 companies together
Nobody’s certain whether or not Disney will actually acquire Pixar. Buying Pixar would not be easy for Disney. Since Pixar has done impressively well in the market recently, buying Pixar would cost Disney roughly $7 billion. If the Disney shareholders do not agree with that expense, it could send Disney stocks lower, something that the board will avoid like the plague. Disney may also gamble that they can do fine on their own by developing a separate Disney 3D animation studio.
Acquiring Pixar would also mean Jobs would be the number one private shareholder of Disney stocks, placing him on the Disney board. This would be good news for Disney, as it would add a noted and influential technologist to the Disney decision making process.It would also help Steve Jobs. Owning just over 50% of Pixar stock, if the company sold for $7 billion, he’d get a nice little $3.5 billion. It would also give him a formal foot into the door of Hollywood. As he takes his other company, Apple, in the direction of supplying online media content, this connection with Hollywood can only help.
Enable Your Thinking Gland
Dont worry nothing to do with Biological terminology here. According to what I see today, it is more of a psychological phenomena in society – where, one keeps on growing his/her thinking skills and keeps on enhancing his/her own area of Expertise.
More you think, More you learn
More you learn, More you know,
More you know, More you command
More you command , More you earn
More you earn, Better you survive (live) …
So, Enable your Thinking Gland!!!
Exun in Black and White
WILL THE $100 LAPTOP TAKE OFF?
The MIT Media Lab has launched a new research initiative to develop a $100 laptop—a technology that could revolutionize how we educate the world’s children. To achieve this goal, a new, non-profit association, One Laptop per Child (OLPC), has been created. The initiative was first announced by Nicholas Negroponte, Lab chairman and co-founder, at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland in January 2005.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan will unveil the first working prototype of the $100 laptop tonight at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis, Tunisia. Annan will be joined by Nicholas Negroponte, chairman and co-founder of the Media Lab at MIT, in presenting the laptop to the gathering.
WHAT DOES THIS GADGET OFFER?
The proposed design of the machines calls for a 500MHz processor, 1GB of memory and an innovative dual-mode display that can be used in full-color mode, or in a black-and-white sunlight-readable mode. The display makes the laptop both an electronic book and a laptop.There is no Hard Disk,optical or floppy disk drive.
The machines, which will run a version of the Linux operating system, will also include other applications, some developed by MIT researchers, as well as country-specific software
For connectivity, the systems will be Wi-Fi(802.11b)- and cell phone-enabled, and will include four USB ports, along with built-in “mesh networking” a peer-to-peer concept that allows machines to share a single Internet connection.
Intel’s Chairman openly criticized this concept.At a press conference in Sri Lank,he insisted that there will not be a market for this device.Barnett argued that the computer’s features are more important than price.So,are we entirely to dismiss Barnett?Perhaps,perhaps not.History has shown that attempts to bring computers to the poor are likely to fail.There’s the simputer designed in india,of which we all have been hearing about for a long time-but of which nothing seems to materialise.AMD has not sold many of its cheap internet devices-the personal internet communicators-for the developing world.
But,history has also taught us that some bad ideas meet with wild success and some great ideas fall flat.
The $100 laptop could turn out to be a good idea that works.After all,it’s targeted at students.
Intel CEO Sings with Aerosmith
Why do these execs do this to themselves?
😀
WISH CAME TRUE . . .
Presenting new iMac and MacBook Pro with INTEL DUAL CORE!!!
Apple has unveiled new iMac and Upgrade to PowerBook.. i.e. MacBook Pro with Dual Core Intel Processor. The new iMac is upto 2 times faster and macbook pro delivers upto 4 times horsepower as powerbook G4.
MacBook Pro also comes with Front Row (with apple remote) and iSight Camera. It is currently available in two models i.e. 1.67 Ghz and 1.83Ghz. The size for both models is 15.4inch. Graphics Memory is increased to 256MB in 1.83Ghz model. Rest everything is same. The 1.83 Ghz model cost same as 17inch Powerbook.
And don’t worry about applications. Rosetta is built into Mac OS X..(Intel one). However Pro apps like Final Cut etc.. will need to be upgraded. Also iLife 06 and iWork 06 are out.
visit Apple Website for more.
AYK
Vista v/s OSX
I visited Vista’s website and found that OSX really now have a competition with Vista. With dual core processors for home computers becoming reality, MS has finally arrived somewhere. Have a look:
User Experience:
Aah, Now they have introduced some of the Aqua effects like feature. They have quick search feature, which is equivalent to Spotlight in OSX. They have also redesigned the Start Button, which does not mention start, but simply windows logo in a Aqua ball. The start menu is also redisigned.
One of the features that I like is Windows Aero. Windows Aero is the new GUI framework, which basically creates Aqua like interface which was until seen only in OSX.
You all are familiar with quick switching applications with Alt+Tab button. The feature that I like most is Windows Flip 3D. Using Aero technology, Windows Flip and Windows Flip 3D, allows you to flip through open windows (by using Alt+Tab), providing a live thumbnail of each window, rather than just a generic icon and file name. Then you simply use wheel mouse to go thru the windows. I think this feature is more innovative than expose in OSX.
Security:
Yep, Vista will be more secure than XP. It will be more secure and less Vulnerable to attack. The security aspect of Vista will have best features from Windows Server 2003 and Service Pack 2 of Windows XP. As XP, it will have firewall which will monitor incoming and outgoing traffic as well. Vista has also introduced something called UAC (User Access Control).
This feature when enabled, reduces the Privileges to a normal user even if you are Admin. Like for example, if you are logged on as Admin and if you want to install an application, Vista will first ask you to provide your credentials. This will make sure that even if you logged on as Admin and left the computer unattended, nobody will harm your computer. OSX already has this feature.
Also, The most targeted software i.e. IE, will not be integrated into Vista, and will run like just another application. Earlier version of Windows had IE integrated deeply into OS, So when hacker used to attack IE, they were able to gain access to system. So in Vista, Even if someone finds an exploit, they will not be able to harm the system as IE will be viewed as just another application that is trying to gain access to system, So UAC will simply block it.
MS has also included Malicious Software Removal Tool kit in Vista which will make sure that even if somebody or something is able to penetrate the defense of the system and plant a Virus, worm or trojan, this tool will remove that. So no need for 3rd party Virus Scanners.
IE7
Tabs are here finally. IE not integrated into system, more security features, RSS Enabled etc… Nothing more to say.
PS: Microsoft as of 31st December 2005 has ended support for IE for Mac.
Sidebar and Gadgets
“If you can’t beat them; then Buy, copy, steal etc…” This is Unofficial and Undeclared Microsoft Policy. Windows Sidebar is MS answer to Dashboard in OSX. Have a look:
Performance
Ok, Finally I think, MS is working in right direction. OSX users have always been proud of their system performance, Including me. Windows Vista has including new features like Sleep, SuperFetch, External Memory Drive (EMD), and Hybrid Hard Drive.
You might be wondering, whats so new in Sleep. Well in Vista, Sleep modes work different for Desktops and Laptops. Sleep works in a different way on Windows Vista-based desktops than it does on Windows Vista-based laptops. When you turn off a Windows Vista-based desktop, all the documents, applications, and data that are currently in use are saved in two places. First, they are saved to the memory, or RAM, where they are quickly accessible (in Windows XP this was called Standby). Simultaneously, the information is saved to the computer’s hard disk (in Windows XP this was called Hibernate). In Sleep, Windows Vista simultaneously saves the current user information to both memory and the hard disk. So even if you pull the plug when your computer is sleeping, the data is not lost. On laptop you can enter the Sleep state by pressing the Power button or closing the laptop lid. Your data is saved to memory, letting you resume use faster. As battery power drains, Windows Vista quickly transitions the data to disk to help keep the data safe.
Superfetch:
All windows users are aware of the PC performance. This feature basically monitors User activities, and based on that is quickly preloads the specific software. For example if you mostly work with Photoshop, then Using superfetch feature, Vista will preload the Photoshop into RAM when your computer starts. This will boost the system performance.
EMD:
Any Computer’s performance can be boosted by adding RAM. So External Memory Drives feature in Vista allows you to make your USB drives as RAM. So when you feel that your computer is slowing down, simply hookup the USB Drive and it will start acting as RAM. So you can update the Memory without opening the box.
PS: Don’t worry, You can remove an EMD at any time without any loss of data or negative impact to the system; however, if you remove the EMD, your performance returns to the level you experienced without the device. A unique algorithm optimizes wear patterns, so that a USB device can run as an EMD for many years, even when heavily used. Finally, data on the EMD is encrypted to help prevent inappropriate access to data when the device is removed. Smart huh??
Windows Sideshow
Windows Vista SideShow technology enables laptop manufacturers to include a secondary or auxiliary display in future laptop designs. This display can be used to easily view the critical information you need, whether the laptop is on, off, or in sleep mode. The convenience provided by these auxiliary displays will save time and battery life by allowing you to quickly view meeting schedules, phone numbers, addresses, and recent e-mail messages without having to start up your laptop.
And lots more
There are still many features that I have not mentioned, which includes new Backup and restore system, New networking framework Indigo, New file system (WinFS) which is optimized for Quick Searching like in OSX, and many new side products like Office 12, WMPlayer 11, which will make Vista Experience even more great.
But, Do not expect all the features when Vista comes out. I think finally Windows has arrived at the OSX Level or perhaps even surpassed OSX in User experience, Security etc… Lets see what Apple comes out with, in their next major update.
AYK
Lets nominate our lnexun web blog !
Millions of blogs.
Thousands of nominees.
151 finalists.
Thirty winners
Bloggies are coming.This is the Oscar, if you say, of blogs.You can vote your favourite blog on the internet.There are various categories.I thought voting for lnexun would be really good.This is the sixth annual competition.Lnexun deserves this award.So are we ready ? Read through the website for more information and start posting your nominations.
EXplore UNiverse.com
million dollar baby
Want to make a million dollars….. by sitting in front of a screen …… and just selling pixels ? Well , that’s exactly what this guy ( alex ) here has done.
Yes , he has offered every free pixel of his million dollar homepage (for the price of $1 a pixel , which is apparently cheaper than normal rates causing people from all over the world to just buy even a tiny space on his page for putting up their adds at rates far less than what they normally must be paying .
I must say now why didn’t I think of that ….. selling pixels.
here the link , may take a while to load.
Own a piece of internet history