Computer Science: 2008

Nov 2, 2008

Windows 7 to scale to 256 processors | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com

Microsoft is reporting Windows 7 to support 256 processor cores!

Jun 5, 2008

Virus takes your data hostage, and demands ransom

A virus recently identified here does some scary work to a user's data; after encrypting files, it places a pop-up message with contact information describing how to buy back access to the encrypted data.
It is advised in this case not to restart or power down the affected machine.

Jun 2, 2008

MMO incorporation into television show to air on Sci-Fi

Sounds like the Sci-Fi channel is planning to integrate a Massively Multi-Player Online game into the plot of a future television show.
Read more here:
http://snagwiremedia.com/consolepatrol/2008/06/scifi-channel-merging-tv-show.html

Direct-X 10 may prove to be an upgrade to Sci-Fi's special effect technology!
:)

May 8, 2008

Ordinance places homes selling pirated materials on par with drugs

This interesting ordinance in Los Angeles has made the sale of pirated movies/music an offence which could lead to the closure of a home, similar to a drug house. Original post & commentary here.

May 6, 2008

Scent generating SD "chip"

Dubbed the "smellophone", this device here makes use of an SD card which generates scents as a form of communication. The mention of a rose scented message to Mom for Mother's Day was thoughtful, and a nice contrast to the possibility of foul smelling spam messages :(

May 5, 2008

'Memristor' breakthrough may enable future computer use without boot up delay

A step beyond the newly offered flash-based hard drives would be RAM that retains information after shutdown. The article here describes how a breakthrough component called a 'memristor' could do away with the need to reload information into RAM every boot. What does this mean for memory leaks in computers of the future?

Apr 5, 2008

Music compressed 1,000 times smaller than MP3

"Researchers at the University of Rochester have digitally reproduced music in a file nearly 1,000 times smaller than a regular MP3 file."

This comes from a press release, which can be read here: http://www.rochester.edu/news/show.php?id=3136

The technology is described as something similar to MIDI format with improvements to increase accuracy of the reproduction. From the link provided you can hear two sample .wav sound files, one which had been encoded as .mp3, and the other which is recreated by use of this new experimental format.

Apr 1, 2008

Wii Remote Hacks

The Wii gaming console remote has brought us some inexpensive hardware packed with new technology enabling intuitive computer input. Johnny Lee has more than a cool name, he's done some very cool work writing computer programs to allow a regular personal computer to be controlled using a Wiimote, learn more here: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/

Feb 26, 2008

Brain Computer interface in stores by end of '08

The world's first commercial brain-computer interface is on its way to market for the holidays this year. Made by Motiv systems, the EPOCH headset is set to be priced around $300, more info here: http://www.gizmag.com/the-first-commercial-brain-computer-interface/8860/

Jan 30, 2008

CH2M Hill makes Fortune top 100

CH2M Hill makes Fortune magazine's top 100 list of employers. Further information here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/business/v-rss/story/9591473p-9503004c.html

Jan 22, 2008

Bionic Contact Lenses

New contact lenses being developed to give wearers bionic eyesight, more info here:http://gizmodo.com/346164/electronic-contact-lenses-give-future-you-crazy-eyesight-heads+up-display

Computer Science