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Domain: joshreads.com

Stories and comments across the archive that link to joshreads.com.

Stories · 108

  1. Feds Help You Find Your Fastest Internet Service

    Tech · Government · · posted by timothy · from the ok-not-good-for-nothin' dept. · 163 comments
    jfruhlinger writes "Slashdot previously covered the National Broadband Map, designed by the US Federal government to illustrate where the 'digital divide' between those with access to high-speed Internet and those who go without. But, as blogger Ryan Faas points out, you can use it for a much more individualistic purpose: to find your fastest local wired or wireless ISP. Just plug in your name and address and you'll soon see what your options are."

  2. Can Android Without Dalvik Avoid Oracle's Wrath?

    Developers · Android · · posted by Soulskill · from the just-kidding-nobody-can-avoid-oracle's-wrath dept. · 264 comments
    jfruhlinger writes "Despite the fact that Oracle is suing Google over claims that Android violates Java IP, Android is roaring ahead in the marketplace. Still, some groups are wondering if they can implement Android without incurring Oracle's current or future wrath by avoiding the Dalvik VM. A project called IcedRobot aims to create a GNU-compatible version of Android, and rumors abound that RIM is planning on putting an OpenJDK-version of Android on its upcoming PlayBook tablets."

  3. Egyptian 'Net Killed By Intimidation, Not a Switch

    Yro · Censorship · · posted by Soulskill · from the break-that-router-or-i'll-break-you dept. · 126 comments
    jfruhlinger writes "In the wake of the Egyptian revolution of the past weeks, much tech buzz has focused on the 'kill switch' that Mubarak's government used to try to stop Internet-based networking. The New York Times gives the details. As blogger Kevin Fogarty points out, the process involved less high-tech derring do and more intimidation of tech workers by regime thugs."

  4. Get Ready For the Nerdlympics

    It · Humor · · posted by timothy · from the live-from-mom's-basement dept. · 174 comments
    jfruhlinger writes "In the upcoming Olympics, competitors will take part in the 'modern' pentathlon, designed in 1912 to simulate the skills a cavalry officer would need when trapped behind enemy lines. ITworld.com has developed a new set of competitions — untangling cables! code obfuscation! — that are a bit more relevant to the modern geek." Don't be too smug, though: Naturalist points out a story indicating that "Exercisers learn faster, remember more, think clearer and bounce back more easily from brain injuries such as a stroke."

  5. Someday You'll Hate Apple (And Google Too)

    Apple · Business · · posted by Zonk · from the if-that-day-hasn't-arrived-already dept. · 734 comments
    jfruhlinger writes "Think today's world, where Apple is the innovative underdog, Google is the company that does no evil, and Microsoft sits atop its throne as ruler of an evil empire. Will this state of affairs last forever? You must not remember the days when everybody loved that scrappy upstart Bill Gates. Don Reisinger muses on the fickleness of consumer loves and hates. 'It's that same [level of] success and its own questionable privacy practices that will lead to Google's PR downfall and propel it into a position of disdain going forward. Trust me, the future of Apple and Google may look bright from an economic standpoint, but these companies will be hated one day too. Sad, but true.'"

  6. iPhone Keyboard Leads to Typso

    · posted by ryuzaki0 · from the see-get-it-i-was-being-funny dept. · 394 comments
    jfruhlinger writes "One of the selling points of the iPhone was its revolutionary touch-screen full keyboard. But a study has shown that text messages sent from iPhones contain significantly more typso than messages from phones with other kinds of keyboards — and aren't entered any faster."

  7. MS, Mozilla Clashing Over JavaScript Update

    Developers · Mozilla · · posted by Zonk · from the minor-frustration-of-the-titans dept. · 521 comments
    jfruhlinger writes "JavaScript has become a crucial part of Websites built on AJAX underpinnings, which makes the upcoming revision to the ECMAScript standard crucial for the future of the Web. But in today's browser environment, no one vendor can impose an update path — which may set things up for a nasty conflict. A fight is being fought on blogs between Mozilla Chief Technology Officer (and creator of JavaScript) Brendan Eich, who wants to the new ECMAScript standard to be a radical upgrade, and Chris Wilson, architect of MS's IE team, who would rather keep JavaScript as is and put new functionality into a brand-new language."

  8. Study Finds Regulation Good For Telecom Customers

    Communications · · posted by ryuzaki0 · from the libertarians-turn-away dept. · 293 comments
    jfruhlinger writes "Customers are always better off when government bureaucrats get out of the way and let the market work, right? Well, maybe not in all cases. As described at ITworld.com, a recent study compared the regulatory regimes and telecom environments in various European countries. The study concluded that in countries where regulators had more power to levy fines and punish monopolistic behavior, customers paid less and got more services." From the article: "The report, conducted by Jones Day and Strategy and Policy Consultants Network Ltd., showed that investment in telecommunications, which leads to better services for end users, is lower in countries where there is little competition."