We've had this in North Carolina for a while, but I believe this was the first year that we were able to vote for president early. Almost 18% of the vote was cast in the two weeks before election day.
I went to vote early, but it was still going to take three hours so I waited for election day (and an hour and a half wait).
One interesting side effect is that the infamous last minute "surprises" that the candidates like to spring are much less releavant. Well...at least now they'll have to pull them two weeks before the election...
I have a copy of XP beta 2. What they mean by "buit-in software" is just Windows Media Player. Anyone who has the latest version of Windows Media Player knows that it rips audio cd's using the wma format. This is the same thing that is built into XP. They've just further integrated Media Player. For instance, if you highlight a bunch of MP3's, a button in the new "Task Bar" appears that says "Play All". When you click on it, Windows Media Player launches (this can be changed however). This article doesn't really report anything new. So calm down, there's nothing to worry about.
I did a little digging and found this press release on Audiohighway's website. It says that they have been awarded the patent today. Also, here is the text of the patent which I got here.
"Portable information storage/playback apparatus having a data interface
Abstract
A digital replacement for an analog audio tape recorder can record audio programming digitally in a faster than real time format and can play back audio programming, where such programming has been digitized and stored in data files using a variety of compression/decompression algorithms. Audio programming is stored digitally on a non-volatile medium, such as a hard drive, or in a flash EPROM, or other solid state non-volatile memory. The device includes a hard drive, a modem for connection to a data base via an on-line service, a keyboard, a display, and an audio system. The device uniquely combines the remote data access capability resident in a personal computer with a set of tailored, streamlined control functions to simplify, automate, and render seamless the process of selecting audio program material; ordering the program material from a service; receiving acknowledgment of the order and receiving the program material via automatic download for storage in a hard drive; playback of the program material when and where the user desires, with fully streamlined control functions; and control of the user interface functionality on the keyboard through a setup mode of operation."
"I wonder if (a) the emulator would play genuine Japanese imports as well (imports != warez) or if it's US-only" Reportedly, there will be three versions of Bleem!. One for the US/Canada, one for Europe, and one for Japan. You can only play the games for each region on the version made for that region (i.e. no Japanese games on the US version).
"and (b) if the graphics would be bug-for-bug compatible or the ugly polygon distortion found in every Playstation racing game ever made would be fixed." Bleem! will support D3D hardware acceleration up to 1024x768 32-bit which will result in most games looking better than they do on the Playstation. They have pictures on their site from Gran Turismo which are amazing.
"I probably wouldn't pay for the emulator though. I'd much rather see a Free Software version. That way if it sucks I could chuck it or try to fix it -- either way all I would lose is time. (A lot more time for the latter...)" I don't know, but if you order now it's only $24.95 - very cheap for what you get. I would rather it be free of course, but when someone work that is that good, 25 bucks isn't that much to pay for it.
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We've had this in North Carolina for a while, but I believe this was the first year that we were able to vote for president early. Almost 18% of the vote was cast in the two weeks before election day.
I went to vote early, but it was still going to take three hours so I waited for election day (and an hour and a half wait).
One interesting side effect is that the infamous last minute "surprises" that the candidates like to spring are much less releavant. Well...at least now they'll have to pull them two weeks before the election...
I have a copy of XP beta 2. What they mean by "buit-in software" is just Windows Media Player. Anyone who has the latest version of Windows Media Player knows that it rips audio cd's using the wma format. This is the same thing that is built into XP. They've just further integrated Media Player. For instance, if you highlight a bunch of MP3's, a button in the new "Task Bar" appears that says "Play All". When you click on it, Windows Media Player launches (this can be changed however). This article doesn't really report anything new. So calm down, there's nothing to worry about.
What's a guy with that much computer knowledge doing with an iMac anyway? :)
"Portable information storage/playback apparatus having a data interface
Abstract
A digital replacement for an analog audio tape recorder can record audio programming digitally in a faster than real time format and can play back audio programming, where such programming has been digitized and stored in data files using a variety of compression/decompression algorithms. Audio programming is stored digitally on a non-volatile medium, such as a hard drive, or in a flash EPROM, or other solid state non-volatile memory. The device includes a hard drive, a modem for connection to a data base via an on-line service, a keyboard, a display, and an audio system. The device uniquely combines the remote data access capability resident in a personal computer with a set of tailored, streamlined control functions to simplify, automate, and render seamless the process of selecting audio program material; ordering the program material from a service; receiving acknowledgment of the order and receiving the program material via automatic download for storage in a hard drive; playback of the program material when and where the user desires, with fully streamlined control functions; and control of the user interface functionality on the keyboard through a setup mode of operation."
"I wonder if (a) the emulator would play genuine Japanese imports as well (imports != warez) or if it's US-only"
Reportedly, there will be three versions of Bleem!. One for the US/Canada, one for Europe, and one for Japan. You can only play the games for each region on the version made for that region (i.e. no Japanese games on the US version).
"and (b) if the graphics would be bug-for-bug compatible or the ugly polygon distortion found in every Playstation racing game ever made would be fixed."
Bleem! will support D3D hardware acceleration up to 1024x768 32-bit which will result in most games looking better than they do on the Playstation. They have pictures on their site from Gran Turismo which are amazing.
"I probably wouldn't pay for the emulator though. I'd much rather see a Free Software version. That way if it sucks I could chuck it or try to fix it -- either way all I would lose is time. (A lot more time for the latter...)"
I don't know, but if you order now it's only $24.95 - very cheap for what you get. I would rather it be free of course, but when someone work that is that good, 25 bucks isn't that much to pay for it.