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*HOT* Tech News And Downloads, I Would Read This Thread And Post Any Good Info
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AfterDawn Addict
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23. November 2006 @ 11:19 |
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Nero Burning Rom 7.5.9.0
Publisher's Description:
Nero is a flexible, reliable, and easy-to-use application designed to write both data and CD audio to CD-R and CD-RW discs. It supports ISO 9660 images as well as ISO mode 1 and XA mode 2, and allows for on-the-fly disc recording in addition to overburning (if supported by hardware). It also supports multisession and mixed-mode recording, HFS, ISO/HFS hybrid, UDF, PSX, OFAS (optimal file access speed), track-at-once (TAO) and disc-at-once (DAO) writing, digital audio extraction, and more. In addition, Nero can dynamically disable automatic-insert notification, offers support for multiple languages, and works with all major models of CD-R and CD-RW drives. This also contains a standalone Cover Editor for designing and printing CD covers.
Download Now
File Size: 150,950 KB
Add to Download Cart
Released: November 22, 2006
Publisher: Ahead Software
Homepage: Nero Burning Rom
Downloads: 722,210
License: Commercial Demo
OS Support: Windows (All)
Uninstaller?: Yes
GET IT HERE
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Nero_Burning_Rom/942634103/1
ownload the latest Nero 7 Ultra Edition ENHANCED Update ?
* Version Numbers - List of application versions currently available
* Release Notes - List of changes/updates in new version
* More Info ? Check out the new features included in ENHANCED
Please Note - System Requirements have changed, please review prior to downloading update
Click here to view System Requirements
Choose from the options below:
Option 1 (Recommended) - If you want to update your Nero 7 Ultra Edition installed on this PC please launch the Nero ProductSetup for the most convenient update.
Option 2 - If you don't have an internet connection at the PC you want to update your Nero 7 Ultra Edition please download the offline installer here.
* Select a language of choice or English as default language
* Temporary disk space required ? 328 MB
* Permanent hard disk space required ? 288 MB
Ask Toolbar Click here to close this window
Nero 7 Ultra Edition ENHANCED users now have the option of integrating Ask Toolbar with the trial version download. The Ask Toolbar is a value add-on for Nero users, and installation is not required for the operation of any Nero application. If you choose to install, please click
» Learn more.
Help files Click here to close this window
Please be advised that help files are not integrated in the software at this point. In order to use the help files, you have to download them separately.
Language: English
Current version: 7.5.9.0
OR AT NERO
http://ww2.nero.com/nero7/enu/nero7-up.php
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 23. November 2006 @ 11:22
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Advertisement
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AfterDawn Addict
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24. November 2006 @ 09:44 |
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FREE,Freeware Utility to ... 450+
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AfterDawn Addict
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24. November 2006 @ 10:05 |
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A LONG READ AND A GOOD READ..
For iTunes hacker, the freedom of the open code
In the late 1990s, Norwegian hacker Jon Lech Johansen became a cyberspace sensation when he broke into the encryption system designed to prevent copying of traditional DVDs and then posted it on the Web.
He was 15 years old at the time and quickly became known in hacker circles as "DVD Jon," a wunderkind of reverse engineering who tore down cumbersome technological barriers.
Which way Apple will fall
DVD Jon may or may not have his day in court. Apple hasn't revealed what it plans to do and isn't commenting on his latest exploits. But copyright lawyers in the U.S. say Apple would certainly have a strong case. Indeed, most experts believe that given the legal precedents, Johansen might be clutching at straws, using arguments already rejected in prior cases.
U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the Southern District of New York, in a 90-page opinion, upheld the constitutionality of the DMCA.
Johansen may be on shaky ground. The DMCA allows it only if the circumvention does not independently constitute copyright infringement. Part of Johansen's defense "would have to be that breaking FairPlay and making an iTunes file playable on another device, when FairPlay is intended to prohibit that, does not constitute copyright infringement," says one lawyer.
THE TOTAL ARTICLE CAN BE READ HERE
ITS A GOOD READ,3-PAGES
http://news.com.com/2100-7348_3-6136367....-0-20&subj=news
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AfterDawn Addict
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24. November 2006 @ 10:18 |
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Cell phone unlocking legal (for three years)
11/24/2006 10:43:53 AM, by Nate Anderson
The newest list of exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is out, and the Register of Copyrights is recommending six exemptions this time around. If you've been hankering for the legal authority to remove Sony's rootkit or to unlock your cell phone, then this will be big news. If you were hoping for the ability to make backup copies of your legally purchased DVDs, you're (still) out of luck.
Every three years, the Copyright Office develops a list of approved exemptions to the DMCA's anti-circumvention protections. This is the third time through the process, and the government has approved the largest number of exemptions to date?though they're still incredibly narrow.
Exemptions are allowed for 1) the educational library of a university's media studies department, in order to watch film clips in class; 2) using computer software that requires the original disks or hardware in order to run; 3) dongle-protected computer programs, if the the dongle no longer functions and a replacement cannot be found; 4) protected e-books, in order to use screen-reader software; 5) cell phone firmware that ties a phone to a specific wireless network; and 6) DRM software included on audio CDs, but only when such software creates security vulnerabilities on personal computers.
The provision likely to be of most interest to consumers is the one allowing cell phones to be unlocked and used on other networks. The Copyright Office allowed this exception because the software that prohibits users from accessing their phone's firmware has little to do with copyright and much to do with a business model. "The underlying activity sought to be performed by the owner of the handset is to allow the handset to do what it was manufactured to do?lawfully connect to any carrier," writes the government in explanation. "This is a noninfringing activity by the user... The purpose of the software lock appears to be limited to restricting the owner's use of the mobile handset to support a business model, rather than to protect access to a copyrighted work itself."
Although six exemptions is the most ever issued by the Copyright Office, some exemptions that were allowed in the past are no longer acceptable. The 2003 rule-making allowed an exemption for researchers attempting to uncover the blacklists used by Internet filtering software, but the 2006 rules make no mention of it. The government explains that people who want exemptions must argue for them every three years. "The record tells us nothing about today's market with respect to filtering software and the need to circumvent access controls placed on lists of Internet locations blocked by filtering software. Nor is there any evidence in the record that there has been any use of the exemption in the past three years, or that there would be likely to be any use of an exemption during the next three years. In 2003, this exemption found virtually all of its support from a single proponent, Mr. Seth Finkelstein."
But Finkelstein has abandoned censorware research, for reasons he made clear in his blog three years ago, and the Copyright Office notes that no one else stepped forward to defend the exemption this time around.
What else did the government reject? Proposals against space-shifting, playing DVDs on Linux, bypassing region coding on DVDs, bypassing copy protection on legally purchased computer software, audiobooks distributed by libraries, all works protected by DRM that prevents backups, and all works protected by a broadcast flag. There's not a whole lot in the new exemptions for consumers to love, and many activists are already pinning their hopes on a Democratic Congress that might be more open to reforming the DMCA or refusing to legislate broadcast flags. On the other hand, plenty of Democrats side with Hollywood, and it's not at all clear what legislation might emerge from committees in the next year.http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061124-8280.html
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AfterDawn Addict
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24. November 2006 @ 16:14 |
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forgot to post this
DVDFab 3.0.4.0 is out
Dear all,
DVDFab products 3.0.4.0 is out (11/23/2006):
DVDFab Platinum/Gold 3.0.4.0:
http://www.dvdfab.com/download.htm
DVDFab Decrypter 3.0.4.0:
http://www.dvdidle.com/free.htm
What's New:
* New: Added support for a new Sony ARccOS protection as found on a special version of "Little Man" (R1).
Note: It's clear that there are two versions of "Little Man" (R1) with different protections: one is already supported, and we add support for the new one.
* New: Improved Sony ARccOS support.
* New: You can set exact write speed in "Settings" window now. If media doesn't support the write speed, a pop up window will ask you which speed to use.
* New: Added display for real-time burning speed.
* New: Added confirmation when output need single layer media, but user insert double layer media.
* New: Added check when output need double layer media, but user insert single layer media.
* New: Added AutoPlay handler. Optionally, you can start DVDFab Platinum/Gold/Decrypter when DVD inserted.
* New: Updated language files.
* Fix: Error 400 when copying DVD in certain cases.
* Fix: A crash problem when opening DVD in certain cases.
* Fix: Nero Burning ROM error "Invalid - parameter".
* Fix: Burning freeze problem when source and target drive is same, and Nero Burning ROM is used as burning engine.
* Fix: A/V sync problem in certain cases for "DVD to Mobile".
* Fix: Several minor problems.
Best Regards,
Fengtao
__________________
DVDFab - The ultimate DVD copying/converting/burning software!
DVD Region+CSS Free - Watch and copy any region code CSS-encrypted DVD on any DVD drive!
DVDIdle - Extend lifetime of your DVD drive!
http://www.dvdidle.com/
there might be a problem read here
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?...276#post1612672
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AfterDawn Addict
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24. November 2006 @ 16:22 |
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Friday, 24 November 2006
Trade Any File Type with the Zune
Topic: Things
Recieved Someone clever figured out a way to transfer any type of file onto the Microsoft Zune portable media player,
read here
http://www.zunescene.com/zune-mass-storage-mod/
after which the files can be wirelessly traded to other Zune users. The technique involves modifying your Windows registry to make the Zune show up as a mass storage device in Windows, renaming the files or zipped version of them as JPEGs, and copying them onto the Zune.
After disconnecting your Zune from your computer, you can trade MP3s, movies, or any other file to your friends using the device's Wi-Fi connection. When your friends get home, they modify their registries in the same way, copy the files onto their computers, rename the files to their original extensions, and Bob's their uncle. But the party may not last too long after Microsoft gets wind of the hack.
The reason the technique works is that the Zunes are under the impression that the files are very large JPEGs. Using a firmware update, Microsoft could curtail this type of sharing by limiting the file size of tradable JPEGS. I'd imagine it won't be too long before such a limit appears. Rumor has it that Microsoft will also be limiting the file size of tradable video files if/when video trading is officially activated, so it already probably has much of the code it would need to add a JPEG file size sharing limit.
If you follow the below tutorial and decide you want to keep your Zune's ability to trade such files, you may not want to agree to any Zune firmware updates from Microsoft, although since the technique involves some use of the Zune software, Microsoft could make the firmware update mandatory.
Unrestricted file sharing tutorial on Zune Scene, incorporating this registry editing technique and this method of copying data onto the Zune.
(image from Zune Scene, via Engadget)
link
http://blog.wired.com/music/2006/11/trade_any_file_.html
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 24. November 2006 @ 16:24
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AfterDawn Addict
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24. November 2006 @ 18:45 |
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Top Ten Things Wrong With Zune
Posted by Rupert Goodwins
Yeah, we know. Won't work with Microsoft's oh-so-ironically labelled Plays For Sure, won't work with Vista, won't work with the Mac, has really really naff DRM, has wasted its Wi-Fi and requires you to buy a non-convertible currency called Points before you can actually get music. It's a hideous car-crash of a product.
But those aren't the reasons Zune is doomed to become known as the New Coke of failure in the drinks holder of the Edsel of marketing misfires. Here are ten much better reasons to point and openly mock
10 It wants to be an iPod. Look at it. Fake scroll wheel. Fake iTunes. Fake buzz. Comes in black and white. Five years to come up with something new, and this?
9 . It so fails to be an iPod. It comes in brown. Brown! It's fatter, it's heavier, it looks like a lump of robot poo from a big, fat, heavy robot. Do you want robo-poo in your pocket? From a fat robot? Exactly.
8. ZuneScene are selling it in the States with the tagline "Dude, you're getting a Zune." Not only is this a recycled tagline, it's recycled from Dell - possibly the lowest-rent source of high-tech ideas outside Dixons.
7. Microsoft is selling it in the States with the tagline "Welcome to the Social". My uncle used to go down the Social. It was a frightening place full of coffin-dodgers trying to hide from the Grim Reaper behind a smokescreen of Benson and Hedges. It smelled of at least six things at once, none of them good. The only technology they had was a 78RPM record player and hearing aids with valves in. Is this how Microsoft wants us to think of Zune?
6. Zune 1.5? Two words. Orange. Pink.
5. The accessories are even uglier than the Zune itself. There are these things called Speck cases, which make the Zune look like the sole of a Doc Marten boot, like it's stuffed inside one of those gym shoes with the silly rubber dimples around the toes, or like it's been pushed into a big, big wad of chewing gum and pulled half out. These are bad things. These are embarrasing things. This is the world you'll enter if you buy a Zune, dude.
4 Zune Masters. Microsoft is trying to recruit college kids to go out there and evangelise about the Zune to their friends. Qualify, and you're called a Zune Master. The only good thing about this is that if they try it here, the poor saps will have the robo-poo beaten out of them faster than a first generation iPod drained its batteries. And did Apple ever need an iPod master? Quite.
3 They're not selling it here until 2008. Why should the Americans have all the fun watching Microsoft making a complete arse of itself for more than a year? It's bad enough them keeping the good telly.
2 www.zune.net - the home page. Go on, take a look. Not only did Microsoft fail to get zune.com, but the dot net looks like it was put together by a fourteen year old in 1997 using a 'My first web site' primer from Computer Newbie magazine and Notepad.. And the main graphic looks like a young man straining at stool.
1 If it succeeds, we'll get to see Steve Ballmer jumping around on stage in a tight black poloneck jumper.
http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,1000...0331777b,00.htm
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AfterDawn Addict
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24. November 2006 @ 18:48 |
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Ban on MP3 transmitters is lifted in uk
An Apple iPod connected to a radio transmitting device
The devices allow iPods to be used in cars
Ofcom is legalising the use of FM transmitters that allow iPods and other MP3 players to play through car radios.
The use of devices, such as Griffin's "iTrip", was banned in the UK as their transmissions can interfere with broadcasts by legal radio stations.
However, the device and other similar accessories for MP3 players have been widely available online.
Now certain FM transmitters, which can be tuned to spare frequencies, will be legal from 8 December.
Ofcom will also remove the need for a licence to use Citizens' Band radio.
The regulator's move follows a public consultation exercise.
Stamp of approval
The devices fell foul of the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1949, which forbids the use of radio equipment without a licence or an exemption.
But strong consumer demand for the devices led Ofcom to rethink the legislation.
Liberal Democrat MPs were also prominent in asking for iTrips and similar devices to be legalised.
The new Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 mean that certain low-power transmitters will now be legal.
However, many devices currently on the market will remain illegal as they do not meet the legally required technical specifications and could interfere with radio broadcasts.
The new amendments will also reflect a European standard on the low-power transmitters.
All approved transmitters will carry a CE mark indicating approval for sale in the European Union.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6177820.stm
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AfterDawn Addict
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24. November 2006 @ 18:52 |
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HP unveils hd100, its first HD DVD-ROM drive
HD-DVD-ROM-drive.html" target="_blank">http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/HP-unveils-...-ROM-drive.html
Hewlett Packard has unveiled its first HD DVD drive, the hd100 according to PC Pro. This external drive connects via a USB 2.0 connection and is capable of reading HD DVD-ROM, DVD±R/RW, DVD±R DL, CD-R/RW and CD-ROM discs. The drive is expected to launch in the UK before the end of December, however no pricing and software bundling information is currently available, although according to HP's press about the drive, it comes bundled with Cyberlink PowerDVD HD DVD edition. The drive itself is a rebadged Lite-On. HP claims that over 100 HD DVD titles have already been released by Hollywood, which feature full HD resolution.
The drive features up to 2.4x HD DVD-ROM (CLV), up to 5x DVD (CAV) and up to 14x CD (CAV) read-back. The minimum PC processor requirement is a Pentium Extreme Edition 3.2GHz+, D 3.4GHz+, Core Duo 2GHz+, Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz+, AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ (or higher) or an AMD Athlon FX-60, FX-62 or TL-60. The graphics card needs to be PCI Express GeForce 7600 GT (or higher) or an ATI X1600 series (or higher) with at least 256MB RAM. The graphics card and monitor must both be HDCP compliant for HD playback. Further requirements and full specifications for the drive can be read here on HP's website.
link in pdf
http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press_...r/ds_hd_dvd.pdf
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 24. November 2006 @ 18:54
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AfterDawn Addict
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25. November 2006 @ 06:03 |
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UK Schools Bans WiFi Due To Health Concerns
Posted by Zonk on Friday November 24, @08:39PM
from the no-bad-teeth-jokes dept.
Wireless Networking Science
Mantrid42 writes "Schools in the UK are getting rid of their WiFi network, citing health concerns from parents and teachers. The wireless emanations, parents fear, may be the root cause of a host of problems from simple fatigue to the possibility of cancer. A few scientists think younger humans may be more vulnerable to the transmissions, because of thinner skulls. From the article: "Vivienne Baron, who is bringing up Sebastian, her ten-year-old grandson, said: 'I did not want Sebastian exposed to a wireless computer network at school. No real evidence has been produced to prove that this new technology is safe in the long term. Until it is, I think we should take a precautionary approach and use cabled systems.'"
read the total story here
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,591-2461748,00.html
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 25. November 2006 @ 06:03
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AfterDawn Addict
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25. November 2006 @ 06:07 |
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Science Student Develops Paper Capable of 450GB of Storage
Rainbow technology still in the works but holds promise
According to a report from the Arab News, a university technology student named Sainul Abideen has invented a method of storing massive amounts of digital data on a plain piece of paper that he claims could store many times the capacity of the best Blu-ray or HD-DVD discs. In fact, Abideen says that his Rainbow technology can enable him to store up to 450GB on a piece of paper. As far as a real life demonstration of a 450GB paper goes, the technology still needs development.
Abideen claims that that his Rainbow system is better than a binary storage because instead of using ones and zeros to represent data, Abideen uses geometric shapes such as squares and hexagons to represent data patterns. Color is also used in the system to represent other data elements. According to Abideen, all that's required to read the Rainbow prints is a scanner and specialized software.
The reporter at Arab News claims to have seen 450 pages of fully printed foolscap being stored on a 4-square inch piece of Rainbow paper. The reporter also claimed that he was shown a 45-second video clip that was stored using the Rainbow system on a plain piece of paper. Interestingly, 45-seconds of video isn't a lot, and if the Rainbow system can store up to 450GB, then we need to be watching full length high-definition videos from a piece of paper.
One of the major advantages of the Rainbow system is the fact that it should cost a lot less to produce than typical polycarbonate DVD and CD discs. Abideen claims that huge databanks can be constructed out of Rainbow-based storage mediums. Although the main attraction is cheap paper right now, other media can use the Rainbow system too.
As of right now, Abideen's system is still under research at the Muslim Educational Society Engineering College and although no major companies have expressed interest, Abideen is confident of the system's future. According to the report, Aibdeen is hard at work at developing a Rainbow scanner that would be small enough for integration into notebook computers. If developed, a Rainbow printer will likely be next up.
In other high-capacity storage news, DailyTech previously reported that Hitachi-Maxell is in the progress of producing holographic media for shipment this year. Holographic storage is one of the biggest forward-looking storage technologies and holds a great deal of promise -- as well as data.
link
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5052
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AfterDawn Addict
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25. November 2006 @ 07:37 |
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Revolver's Paul Birch on DRM
p2pnet.net News:- Revolver Records' Paul Birch is being widely quoted, today, as saying the major labels will abandon DRM (digital restrictions management).
"DRM as we know it is over," New Music Strategies has him saying. But, "before you get all excited, the operative phrase is, 'as we know it'," we observed.
Meanwhile, "You're quoted in New Music Strategies as saying DM is all over, bar the shouting," - p2pnet emailed Birch. "Is this accurate?"
Here's his response.
It's accurate that I said it Jon, if it will come to pass is another matter. It's purely a prediction and not something I have overheard said at a board table.
I am neither advocating its demise or its continuance, by the way. Just reporting on where I see things heading.
The reference to partnership is the future, by the way; what I was discussing there was partnership with each other. I don't rule out a kind of partnership with the majors but that would depend upon the two sectors re-establishing trust.
The real challenge for Independents is abandoning the "don't crush us we are small and we hurt" sentiment, and picking up real differentiation strategies established through mechanisms such as corporate social responsibility.
Independents have difficulty in working together in real strategic partnerships. Corporations have practiced this since the days of the East India Trading Company.
It would be naive to think that:
1/ The majors wont be at the centre of the new model what ever that might be; or,
2/ Rights will in some way go unprotected.
I would expect to see some augmentation of existing structures but not the abandonment of the core values that bind the industry together.
By the way. if we look at the history of the Music Industry, there was corporate shuffling in the 80's and 90's when BMG took over RCA, when Warner merged with Time and then acquired AOL, when Sony took over CBS, when EMI de-merged from Thorn and when MCA was taken over by Matsusitu only then to be merged into PolyGram to form the new Universal company. Why should we be surprised then that these companies should now consolidate?
Corporations do it all the time. If HP and Compaq can do it why not Universal and BMG music publishing?
In fact, if they didn't consolidate the transition to the new model would fail. That would leave the Record Industry ripe to take-over by World sized corporation that dwarf the major labels.
Does the Industry seriously think that Apple, Microsoft or any Telco you care to mention would be better guardians of our fragile rights?
My money is on the majors acquisition of new media companies, placing them at the centre of a new world music entertainment industry.
The majors frankly have only the majors to worry about. They should neither be the way us Indie labels define ourselves, nor should they be our model for aspiration.
They are what they are.
The big question is what are we? What's our strategy? How will we move to the new model?
Stay tuned.
Also See:
abandon DRM - DRM bites the dust, November 25, 2006
(Saturday 25th November 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/10551?PHPSESSID=...30bfc6b91bc1736
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AfterDawn Addict
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25. November 2006 @ 07:41 |
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Wikipedia CD, 2007
p2pnet.net News:- A 'Wikipedia CD' has been made available for download on BitTorrent.com. The CD comprises more than 2,500 hand-picked educational articles aimed at helping schools enhance their curriculum, and children learn.
Wikipedia The CD has been compiled by volunteers for 'the world?s largest orphan charity', SOS Children. The articles, all of which are from the English language portal, are on common educational topics such as Geography, Science, Dinosaurs, Plants and Animals, to name a few.
Articles on all countries and their capital cities have also been included.
Apparently, each article has been 'checked for suitability' and 'cleaned by hand and script.'
The CD is currently at release 1.0. Previous versions contained 'disputed' articles relating to religion and politics, but they've subsequently been removed.
This CD is clearly aimed at schools and institutions with a slow, or non-existent connection to the Internet.
Unlike Encyclopodia, the popular open source project that puts all of Wikipedia on your iPod, the Wikipedia CD is aimed at a younger audience who might find it hard to discern the clearly inaccurate or false from the 'real' information.
It's a great effort, but at the same time one has to remember that the content on the CD is edited, and hasn't, therefore, been cross-checked by the innumerable people who frequent, contribute to and refine Wikipedia.
SOS Children didn't have permission to use the Wikipedia logo, so it's not present on the CD, but they've recently been granted permission and it'll appear on the next release in 2007.
Torrentfreak - The Netherlands
http://www.torrentfreak.com/
(Saturday 25th November 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/10552?PHPSESSID=...8e94fd72031e9b9
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AfterDawn Addict
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25. November 2006 @ 09:14 |
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Xbox 360 Live overloaded by Video on demand
Microsoft's new video on demand service for the Xbox 360 sparked such a strong interest that its servers were overwhelmed from the demand, leaving many users stuck attempting to start a download and many downloads being cut off, according to NewsFactor. To make matters worse, the service charges before the download completes, which means there are a lot of users who have been charged for something they never received.
Unlike music download services such as iTunes, Napster and so on, Microsoft's service offers complete movies and TV shows at standard definition, which can potentially be several hundred times larger than an individual song. Its High Definition versions are even much larger again. In an aim to overcome help overcome this issue, Microsoft has set up a hotline (1-800-4MYXBOX) for customers to call in about complaints or to get refunds for title purchases that failed to download.
While it appears that Microsoft has definitely succeeded in attracting attention to its Xbox 360 Live video service, unfortunately this first experience for its customers is bad news, as it will be enough to make some customers rethink about using this or any other online video on demand service. Satellite and Cable TV on the other hand is immune to large audiences, since even if everyone purchased a Pay Per View title at the same time, the source has to only broadcast the transmission once and every client just has to tune into this transmission. However, when it comes to online video on demand the source must send a separate copy to every client that purchased a title. This means that 1,000 online purchases for a given title at the same time means that the source needs to upload this title 1,000 times to cover all its clients, assuming everyone receives their copy successfully.
As Sony has yet to launch a TV show / Movie download service, this will surely give Sony advance warning on what it needs to watch out for in order to make a successful start.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/Xbox-360-Li...-on-demand.html
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AfterDawn Addict
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25. November 2006 @ 11:32 |
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A Wii Workout:
When Videogames Hurt
Nintendo's new system forces players to move their bodies, causing aches for some couch potatoes; a case of 'Wii elbow'
By JAMIN WARREN
November 25, 2006; Page P1
A videogame maker has finally succeeded in getting kids off the couch and moving around. But the new approach is turning out to be more exercise than some players bargained for.
These surprisingly vigorous workouts are being triggered by Nintendo's new Wii videogames. The Wii game console, which went on sale last weekend, competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's new PlayStation 3. One of the Wii's distinguishing features is a motion-sensitive technology that requires players to act out their character's movements, wielding the game's controller like a sword or swinging it like a tennis racket.
[Wii Workout]
The new console has been wildly successful, selling out at stores and winning high marks from critics and game buffs. But as players spend more time with the Wii, some are noticing that hours waving the game's controller around can add up to fairly intense exertion -- resulting in aches and pains common in more familiar forms of exercise. They're reporting aching backs, sore shoulders -- even something some have dubbed "Wii elbow."
"It's harder than playing basketball," says Kaitlin Franke, a 12-year-old from Louisville, Ky. She has been camped out in front of her family's TV, fine-tuning her bowling motion and practicing boxing footwork in two of the Wii's games. Almost immediately, she says, her right arm started to feel numb.
In Rochester, Minn., Jeremy Scherer and his wife spent three hours playing tennis and bowling, two of the games included with the Wii. Mr. Scherer says he managed to improve his scores -- at the cost of shoulders and back that were still aching the next day. "I was using muscles I hadn't used in a while," says Mr. Scherer, a computer programmer who describes himself as "not very active." Mr. Scherer is vowing nightly "Wii workouts" to get in better shape.
Another hazard: collisions. All those flailing arms can sometimes inadvertently smack into lamps, furniture and even competing players. IGN.com, a popular site that reviews videogames, said one player testing the Wii lost her grip and sent the controller flying into a wall. Blaine Stuart of Rochester, N.Y., mistakenly whacked his fiancée, Shelly Haefele, while playing tennis and also accidentally hit his dog while bowling.
Nintendo itself warns players about this risk just before some of the games begin. A message flashes up on the screen saying: "Make sure there are no people or objects around you that you might bump into while playing." Some Wii games also have pop-up reminders every 15 minutes advising gamers to take a break.
Perrin Kaplan, a spokeswoman from Nintendo, says the company hasn't received complaints from any gamers about soreness. "It was not meant to be a Jenny Craig supplement," she says. "If people are finding themselves sore, they may need to exercise more." She says that while it might be more fun to play the games more aerobically, it's possible to play without leaving the couch.
The Wii's introduction is part of a critical holiday season for the videogame industry. Two big new players -- the Wii and the PS3 -- are getting their launch this year. Starting last week, shoppers have been lining up, but in many cases, stores are already sold out of both consoles. The Wii and the PS3 are now fetching more than $1,000 on some Web sites like eBay.
The Wii, which retails for $250, comes with a remote control-size device that communicates wirelessly with a sensor sitting on the TV. It also comes with a secondary device -- which attaches via a cable to the first device -- that can mimic a variety of objects, from fishing rods to samurai swords. With their purchase, gamers also get Wii Sports, a package of five games, including golf, bowling, tennis, boxing and baseball. More than two dozen games are available for about $50 each. In one of those games, "Rayman Raving Rabbids," players aggressively shake the controller; in the action game "Red Steel," players wield it as a handgun. Nintendo has marketed the Wii to non-gamers who might find activities like bowling or golf easy to pick up and play.
Ryan Mercer, a customs broker in Indianapolis, lifts weights several times a week. But that hasn't helped much with the Wii. After playing the boxing game for an hour and a half, his arms, shoulders and torso were aching. "I was soaking wet with sweat, head to toe -- I had to go take a shower," he says. And the next morning? "I had trouble putting my shirt on," says the 21-year-old avid gamer.
Some past games have involved physical exertion. The popular "Dance Dance Revolution" by Konami has players moving their feet to music across a pad on the floor. And RedOctane's "Guitar Hero" requires players to attempt air-guitar types of moves. Beyond those two individual games, Nintendo in the 1980s sold something called the Power Pad, a plastic mat that recorded players' movements as they ran or jumped. But the Wii is a far more ambitious attempt to integrate body movement into all games.
In the past, pain from videogames has more typically been associated with the small repetitive movements of thumbing a controller's buttons. In the 1980s, some players addicted to the game "Super Mario Brothers" came down with what was later called "Nintendo thumb."
Doctors advice: Stretch out and be sure to take care of any injuries afterwards. "It's just like athletic play," says Lana Kang, an orthopedic hand surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Ms. Haefele, who along with her fiancé is also a gamer, has been heeding that advice. Last year, she suffered a tendonitis injury and started wearing an elbow brace. Now, she also wears it when she plays the Wii.
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB1...ff_main_tff_top
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AfterDawn Addict
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25. November 2006 @ 13:00 |
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Movies File Share Top Ten Downloaders ('leechers')
BitTorrent, World-wide
Current simultaneous leechers as of November 25, 2006
Ranking Movie Number of Downloads
>>> Borat! (unchanged) 49,903
02 >>> Saw 3 + 3 47,560
03 >>> Nacho Libre - 2 46,370
04 >>> Open Season + 5 44,886
05 >>> Cars + 6 42,054
06 >>> The Santa Clause 3 + 10 40,336
07 >>> The Grudge 2 + 8 40,126
08 >>> Mission Impossible 3 + 9 38,199
09 >>> The Break-Up - 4 35,875
10 >>> Casino Royale (new) 32,476
Movies File Share Top Ten Downloads
p2p, World-wide
Week ending November 25, 2006
Ranking Movie Number of Downloads
01 >>> Saw 3 (unchanged) 1,477,215
02 >>> Borat! (unchanged) 1,477,112
03 >>> Cars + 8 1,464,029
04 >>> The Break-Up - 3 1,416,844
05 >>> The Santa Clause 3 (new) 1,409,445
06 >>> Nacho Libre - 4 1,407,834
07 >>> Open Season (unchanged) 1,406,345
08 >>> Mission Impossible 3 (new) 1,372,677
09 >>> Over The Hedge + 10 1,369,825
10 >>> Babel (new) 1,354,118
Movies File Share Top Ten Downloads
p2p, USA
Week ending November 25, 2006
Ranking Movie Number of Downloads
01 >>> Saw 3 (unchanged) 890,235
02 >>> Borat! + 3 882,294
03 >>> The Break-Up - 2 871,819
04 >>> Cars + 7 863,734
05 >>> The Santa Clause 3 (new) 860,226
06 >>> Open Season - 5 857,388
07 >>> Nacho Libre - 4 846,689
08 >>> Over The Hedge (return) 838,716
09 >>> Mission Impossible 3 (new) 832,099
10 >>> Babel 800,336
(Saturday 25th November 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/10555?PHPSESSID=...572fc35a123582f
Movies File Share Top Ten
p2pnet.net Feature:- p2pnet's regular, and unique, Movies File Share Top Ten is compiled with statistics from Big Champagne. For an explanation of how BC arrives at the numbers, here's the company's Adam Toll.
?We monitor BT sites (a constantly evolving set) and observe, in addition to all the other available information, the number of users leeching(downloading) each title at any given time. Using the information collected and processed continually, we then calculate the average number of simultaneous leechers for each period. This is a little different from the P2P measure, as explained below.
?While the P2P measure published on p2pnet.net shows the average simultaneous users who are sharing the movie on P2P networks, the BT measure represents the relatively smaller number of people who are, on average, actively downloading the movie (in other words, in the process of downloading the movie) at any given time. This is a very different statistic. These two measures are a consequence of the differences in the ways that P2P and BT work.?
With all the dross being pumped out by research and marketing firms on what's supposedly happening with p2p, it's good to have at least one firm around which shows the picture as it really is as opposed to the way the many supposedly 'independent' reports commissioned by the entertainment and software cartels present it.
Note: 'Return' means back after a week's absence. If it's back after longer than that, it's designated 'new'.
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gerry1
Suspended permanently
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27. November 2006 @ 03:04 |
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It's monday after thanksgiving and I just wanted to wish everyone a good morning and a happy Monday. Back to work for moi after a week off...I don't even want to look at my appointment book for today; I'm just going to let it happen. It's always a bitch after a week off. Have a nice strong cup of coffee and prepare for the day!
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AfterDawn Addict
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27. November 2006 @ 08:36 |
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Army Game Proves U.S. Can't Lose
By Marty Graham| Also by this reporter
02:00 AM Nov, 27, 2006
A new video game commissioned by the U.S. Army as a recruiting tool portrays the nation's military in 2015 as an invulnerable high-tech machine.
CHECK OUT THE GAME HERE
http://www.zombie.com/f2c2.htm
Download Future Force Company Commander for free here.
http://www.army.mil/fcs/f2c2/index.html
The new PC title, Future Force Company Commander, or F2C2, is a nifty God-game that puts players in the driver's seat of 18 systems at the heart of the military's new net-centric warfare approach. The Army added the game to its recruiting tool kit last month as a high-tech follow-up to its successful America's Army shooter.
It's an impressive game, simulating weaponry the military is actually using or building, gamers say. But the gameplay is designed so it's hard to lose: The equipment holds up awfully well and the enemy doesn't learn from experience.
"They didn't ask for hole punchers," says Mark Long, co-CEO of Zombie, where the game was built under contract. "High tech has all kinds of low-tech vulnerabilities and they didn't want the vulnerabilities programmed in."
Defense contractor Science Applications International commissioned the game for $1.5 million. So far, more than 24,000 copies have been handed out on disk or downloaded from the websites of the Army and game builder Zombie.
Missions include planning and executing a night raid on a populated area, and protecting a border and an airstrip in a notional country having problems with its notional neighbor. The game provides terrain maps and data about the strength of the equipment.
Gamers on Battlefront.com give the title good reviews, but complain about the game being paid for with their taxes and offering an overly optimistic view of America's tactical superiority over fictitious enemies.
Susan Nash, an e-learning expert and associate dean at Excelsior College in Albany, New York, has played F2C2 and the Army's first recruiting game. She gives both high marks for fun and for the learning experience. But she agrees with Long that the new game presents an artificially rosy view of warfare.
"It's a great game and a really good training tool that creates conditions for learning, teaches strategic thinking and tactical thinking, and it's got really cool weapons," Nash says. "But ethical issues loom."
For example, there's no consideration that military power or technology could fail or be jammed, she says. And the enemy doesn't learn, in contrast to a certain real-life conflict where the hallmark of insurgents is their ability to rapidly gain knowledge and evolve.
"All their use of technology is so off-label, so future-forward," Nash says. "And you've got to figure the enemy is playing the game too."
Long wanted to see the enemy evolve, based on his own experience in the Army and defense contracting.
"The first time a UGV toddles in for reconnaissance, insurgents will stare at it until the air strike follows," he says. "The second time, they'll throw a blanket over it and run. The third time, they'll immobilize it and plant an IED because they'll have figured out someone has to recover that million-dollar piece of equipment."
More than anything else, Nash is bothered by the fantasy the potential recruits may have that they'll end up the commander riding a joystick rather than understanding what military life means.
"You don't see the day-to-day boredom, you don't see broken legs and equipment failure," she says. "You don't see that the military is mostly grunts and only the grunts on the ground die."
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,72156-0.html?tw=rss.index
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 27. November 2006 @ 08:38
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AfterDawn Addict
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27. November 2006 @ 08:44 |
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Beatles music to start entering UK public domain in 2012?
11/27/2006 10:40:55 AM, by Nate Anderson
The Gowers Review has been a big deal in Britain, where former Financial Times editor Andrew Gower is chairing a commission that will suggest ways to reform the UK's intellectual property laws. One key piece of the Review will focus on the copyright term for sound recordings. Artists and publishers want the term extended from its current 50 years to 95 years, but an inside source has now confirmed that the Review will not recommend the 45-year extension, according to the BBC.
Given the high-profile names that argued for the extension?musicians like Sir Cliff Richard and Bono?the news is a surprising victory for those in favor of more limited copyright terms. The official report from the Gowers Review is expected in the first week of December, and if the government acts on its conclusions, then songs from hit acts like The Beatles will come out of copyright in the next few years.
The BPI, Britain's recording industry trade group, has already made its feelings known. In a statement today, the group said that it "has not yet seen the Gowers report, but if the media leaks are correct it would appear that the Gowers Review has missed a great opportunity to support the UK's music industry?both the musicians who make a living out of music and the companies who invest in them."
The group also notes that any suggestions from the Gowers Review are simply that?suggestions. They are not binding on the government, and the BPI hopes that the copyright extension will still pass in Parliament. The group trumpets a recent survey (which it sponsored) that shows 62 percent of British consumers agree "that UK artists should be protected for the same number of years as their American counterparts."
"Harmonisation" doesn't sound so sweet
The wording of the BPI survey highlights the fact that the extension debate has been framed in terms of "harmonizing" the UK's rules with those of the US, which already grants a 95-year term. Harmonization is generally a one-way process, though, one that leads toward more restrictions and increased IP protection. Why isn't anyone in America worried about harmonising US law with the 50-year British copyright term?
The expected results of the Review will please left-leaning think tank IPPR, whose own report on the issue argues for making knowledge a common good first, and only secondarily a private right. They won't be as appealing to the British Library, which has recently argued for a host of copyright reforms, among them an extension of the copyright term to "life plus 70 years."
But to those UK users who want to start mashing up Beatles tunes, the news will sound sweet indeed.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061127-8291.html
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AfterDawn Addict
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27. November 2006 @ 08:54 |
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MOZ BACKUP
..........MozBackup is a simple utility for creating backups of Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, SeaMonkey, Mozilla Suite and Netscape profiles. It allows you to backup and restore bookmarks, mail, contacts, history, extensions, cache etc. It's easy way to do Firefox backup, Thunderbird backup .....(free).....GO THERE!
http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/
MOZILLA - Firefox ACCESSIBILITY EXTENSION
..........The Mozilla - Firefox Accessibility Extension makes it easier for people with disabilities to view and navigate web content. A toolbar provides easy access to navigation, styling, and keyboard enhancement functionality. Developers can use the extension to check their structural markup from the browser window to verify that it matches the page content. The Accessibility Extension helps authors to meet these kinds of accessibility practices that are so important for the browsing experience of all users and vital to those with special needs.....(free).....GO THERE!
http://cita.disability.uiuc.edu/software/mozilla/
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AfterDawn Addict
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27. November 2006 @ 14:32 |
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First Look: Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 and Nero 7 Ultra Edition Enhanced
Roxio wins the face-off for new buyers, but Nero rewards its customers with a free upgrade to the latest version.
Jon L. Jacobi
Thursday, October 12, 2006 05:00 AM PDT
The battle of heavyweight disc-authoring and -burning suites continues with Roxio's Easy Media Creator 9 and Nero's Nero 7 Ultra Edition Enhanced. I looked at shipping versions of each package, and found that each adds next-generation disc burning and builds on its existing arsenal of media handling features; but most of the changes are incremental, evolutionary, or tangential to the essential burning functions.
Click for enlarged view.
If you already use one of these programs, jumping to Nero's update makes perfect sense--the Enhanced upgrade is free to owners of Nero 7 (released last year); Roxio's suite costs $70 (after a $30 rebate, if you bought the previous version). If you're buying your first suite, you'll find that Roxio produces professional-looking content more easily than Nero does. Nero is packed with features--some of them unique--but its obtuse interface is tougher to learn. Both suites have broadened their scope in a quest to become all-in-one multimedia handlers, but in doing so, they've grown too large for their own good.
Click for enlarged view.
Suite-wide, Roxio's interface is easier on the eyes and simpler to use than is Nero. Unfortunately, having to learn and navigate a suite containing 34 separate Start menu entries negates much of the advantage. Nero is no lightweight itself, though-its interface has 23 Start menu entries, and though the suite has undergone some minor tweaks, it remains unintuitive in far too many spots.
Next-Generation Disc Support
For most users, Blu-ray and HD DVD are expensive technologies of the future. Yet support for these formats is the most notable addition to both suites. Both packages support disc mastering and packet writing for single-layer and dual-layer Blu-ray data discs, though Roxio has the edge because it also produces Blu-ray movie discs in the BD-AV format (Nero plans a future update to support BD-AV). Nero claims to support burning data to HD DVD-R, but such burners won't ship until next year in any case.
Roxio now matches Nero's support for high-definition video encoding and transcoding in MPEG-4 AVC (also known as h.264), a video codec common to both the Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD formats. In addition, Roxio also offers DivX 5 and DivX 5 HD.
Both suites have tweaked their video-editing components to help you jump-start creative projects. New menus, filters (including gamma correction and sharpen), and special video transition effects boost to Nero's NeroVision. Roxio's multiple video components--VideoWave, MyDVD, and MyDVD Express--have gained some convenient video-processing features, including auto-color correction and noise removal; and VideoWave has added a 32-track timeline.
Where Roxio really outshines Nero is in the video production realm, by making it easier for users to create packaged, professional-looking content and disc menus. The content production side is especially strong: Roxio's automated movie production module, CineMagic--which Nero has no equivalent for--now offers more snazzy movie intros.
The Nero suite's integration of MP3 Pro (formerly a $20 add-on) and AAC conversion bring it abreast of Roxio's suite in these areas. Oddly, Nero lacks Roxio's support for FLAC lossless compression, a musician's feature that would nicely complement the package's existing multichannel surround editing and its new support for editing up to 24-bit/192-KHz audio.
In comparison, Roxio's audio editing remains minor league, though it does work with Gracenote to identify music tracks and can even help you assemble playlists of complementary music. Roxio further distinguishes itself from Nero with its outstanding DVD Music Disc, which now offers customizable themes and an option for shuffle play--a nifty feature if you have 50 hours of music packed onto a single DVD.
More Than Just Burning
Improved mobile media support in both suites makes it easier for you transfer an episode of House from your DVR to your cell phone or portable media player. Both have also simplified their editing, transcoding, and output to mobile devices.
Nero now includes its Nero Showtime Mobile multimedia player for cell phones and portable Windows Mobile media players, along with its Skype-like Sipps VoIP program (no longer sold separately) for making free calls via the Internet. Another notable Nero addition is television recording. You can schedule recordings via the open-source XMLTV online electronic programming guide, and then stream the content across a home network with Nero Home (a graphical interface intended for use on TV). Roxio's equivalent Media Center-like interface lacks television recording.
Given these suites' quest to broaden their appeal beyond disc burning--and the explosion of media files on our desktops-it seems logical that Nero and Roxio should each offer media management utilities to help you keep track of the digital media you have on hand. Although neither of these packages goes as far as dedicated media organizers, such as Google's Picasa and ACDSee's eponymous image organizer, each could be handy-in its own way. You'll find Roxio's Media Manager reminiscent of Windows Explorer, with a file-and-folder interface that facilitates organizing, viewing, cataloguing, and searching for digital content. Nero's Scout simply monitors designated folders so you can easily find the data or media files you're looking for in another Nero module, such as Nero Home or Nero Showtime media player. And Nero's MediaHome module lets you stream the files across your network.
Roxio has a handy new archive feature for quickly backing up important data by type. Nero, meanwhile, now lets you boot from CD to create images. For disaster recovery you can't beat imaging, so Nero is still my choice in this area.
Which to Choose?
After using both suites (build 9.0.088 of Roxio's Easy Media Creator, and build 7.5.1.1 of Nero Ultra Edition Enhanced), I found that each still has its share of issues. On my 2.4-GHz Athlon 64 X2 4600+ test system, Roxio's VideoWave component was sluggish: It hogged memory and pegged CPU usage at 99 percent. Nero has its glitches, too: Nero Burning ROM hasn't fully erased rewritable CDs for the last few versions now, and menu language quirks abound.
For new users, Roxio's more intuitive modules and no-hassle, professional-looking output makes it the more appealing package for users who want professional-looking results with minimal effort. Fans of version 8 might want to hold off on upgrading, though: Only a few of the new features--such as Blu-ray and AVC support, automatic video enhancement, and mobile phone export--offer significant new core functionality. The rebate off the $100 retail price is $30, making Media Creator 8 another in a series of pricey upgrades, and you may not get much value for your dollar unless you need some of the new features today.
Nero remains less intuitive and requires more creative effort to generate projects, but the software is just as capable as Roxio's, and it offers some features (TV recording, multichannel audio editing) that Roxio does not. And current users can upgrade to Nero 7 Ultra Edition Enhanced for free--a typical arrangement with Nero software. New Nero 7 users must pay $100 in stores or $80 for a download.
http://pcworld.com/article/id,127289-page,1/article.html
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AfterDawn Addict
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28. November 2006 @ 04:34 |
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MPAA Goes After Home Entertainment Systems
Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Tuesday November 28, @04:22AM
from the jokes-that-some-people-just-wont-get dept.
It's funny. Laugh.
philba writes to tell us that home theaters may become the new jurisdiction of our MPAA overlords. The MPAA is lobbying to make sure that home users authorize their entertainment systems before any in-home viewings. From the article: "The MPAA defines a home theater as any home with a television larger than 29" with stereo sound and at least two comfortable chairs, couch, or futon. Anyone with a home theater would need to pay a $50 registration fee with the MPAA or face fines up to $500,000 per movie shown."
Monday, November 27 12:00 AM ET
MPAA Lobbying for Home Theater Regulations
By Scott Small
Los Angeles , CA - The MPAA is lobbying congress to push through a new bill that would make unauthorized home theaters illegal. The group feels that all theaters should be sanctioned, whether they be commercial settings or at home.
MPAA head Dan Glickman says this needs to be regulated before things start getting too far out of control, "We didn't act early enough with the online sharing of our copyrighted content. This time we're not making the same mistake. We have a right to know what's showing in a theater."
The bill would require that any hardware manufactured in the future contain technology that tells the MPAA directly of what is being shown and specific details on the audience. The data would be gathered using various motion sensors and biometric technology.
The MPAA defines a home theater as any home with a television larger than 29" with stereo sound and at least two comfortable chairs, couch, or futon. Anyone with a home theater would need to pay a $50 registration fee with the MPAA or face fines up to $500,000 per movie shown.
"Just because you buy a DVD to watch at home doesn't give you the right to invite friends over to watch it too. That's a violation of copyright and denies us the revenue that would be generated from DVD sales to your friends," said Glickman. "Ideally we expect each viewer to have their own copy of the DVD, but we realize that isn't always feasible. The registration fee is a fair compromise.
The bill also stipulates that any existing home theaters be retrofitted with the technology or else the owner is responsible for directly informing the MPAA and receiving approval before each viewing.
link
http://www.bbspot.com/News/2006/11/home-theater-regulations.html
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 28. November 2006 @ 04:52
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AfterDawn Addict
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28. November 2006 @ 04:44 |
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Big Music UK copyright defeat?
p2pnet.net News:- Britain's Cliff Richard wants copyright to last almost a century. And the Big Four Organized Music cartel, in the shape of their IFPI and BPI, are right behind him.
But from the look of it, neither Richard nor Warner Music (US), EMI (Britain), Vivendi Universal (France and Sony BMG (Japan and Germany) aren't going to get their wishes.
An independent review is to recommend the terms are not extended, a well-placed government source has said, according to the BBC.
But the Big Four say it's not going to end there and if they can't impose their will on the UK, they'll still turn their IFPI (International Federation of Phonographic Industry) lose in Europe.
They claim it'll be "discrimination" against performing artists, but what they really mean is it'll mean less cash in their own coffers.
But Sir Cliff's interests aren't personal, surely? He'll he standing up for other rich pros such as himself? Not. His earliest tracks start to come out of copyright in 2008, says the BBC.
And The Beatles would also be in the same boat from 2012.
"The copyright review was conducted for Chancellor Gordon Brown by Andrew Gowers, a former editor of the Financial Times," says the BBC, adding, "His conclusions will be published next week, as part of the chancellor's annual pre-budget report."
Also See:
BBC - Musical copyright terms 'to stay', November 27, 2006
(Tuesday 28th November 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/10557?PHPSESSID=...0f600a895149c51
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AfterDawn Addict
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28. November 2006 @ 05:33 |
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Women talk three times as much as men, says study
t is something one half of the population has long suspected - and the other half always vocally denied. Women really do talk more than men.
In fact, women talk almost three times as much as men, with the average woman chalking up 20,000 words in a day - 13,000 more than the average man.
Read more...
Heels on wheels as Paris takes Lindsay and Britney out for a spin
Women spend eight years of their life shopping
Transformed in 40 weeks, woman with a new face
Women also speak more quickly, devote more brainpower to chit-chat - and actually get a buzz out of hearing their own voices, a new book suggests.
The book - written by a female psychiatrist - says that inherent differences between the male and female brain explain why women are naturally more talkative than men.
In The Female Mind, Dr Luan Brizendine says women devote more brain cells to talking than men.
And, if that wasn't enough, the simple act of talking triggers a flood of brain chemicals which give women a rush similar to that felt by heroin addicts when they get a high.
Dr Brizendine, a self-proclaimed feminist, says the differences can be traced back to the womb, where the sex hormone testosterone moulds the developing male brain.
The areas responsible for communication, emotion and memory are all pared back the unborn baby boy.
The result is that boys - and men - chat less than their female counterparts and struggle to express their emotions to the same extent.
"Women have an eight-lane superhighway for processing emotion, while men have a small country road," said Dr Brizendine, who runs a female "mood and hormone" clinic in San Francisco.
There are, however, advantages to being the strong, silent type. Dr Brizendine explains that testosterone also reduces the size of the section of the brain involved in hearing - allowing men to become "deaf" to the most logical of arguments put forward by their wives and girlfriends.
But what the male brain may lack in converstation and emotion, they more than make up with in their ability to think about sex.
Dr Brizendine says the brain's "sex processor" - the areas responsible for sexual thoughts - is twice as big as in men than in women, perhaps explaining why men are stereotyped as having sex on the mind.
Or, to put it another way, men have an international airport for dealing with thoughts about sex, "where women have an airfield nearby that lands small and private planes".
Studies have shown that while a man will think about sex every 52 seconds, the subject tends to cross women's minds just once a day, the University of California psychiatrist says.
Dr Brizendine, whose book is based on her own clinical work and analyses of more than 1,000 scientific studies, added: "There is no unisex brain.
"Girls arrive already wired as girls, and boys arrive already wired as boys. Their brains are different by the time they're born, and their brains are what drive their impulses, values and their very reality.
"I know it is not politically correct to say this but I've been torn for years between my politics and what science is telling us.
"I believe women actually perceive the world differently from men.
"If women attend to those differences they can make better decisions about how to manage their lives."
Other scientists, however, are sceptical about the effects of testosterone on the brain and say many of the differences between the male and female personality can be explained by social conditioning, with a child's upbringing greatly influencing their character.
Deborah Cameron, an Oxford University linguistics professor with a special interest in language and gender, said the amount we talk is influenced by who we are with and what we are doing.
She added: "If you aggregate a large number of studies you will find there is little difference between the amount men and women talk."
Already available in the US, The Female Brain will be available in the UK from April.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/fe...in_page_id=1879
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AfterDawn Addict
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28. November 2006 @ 05:49 |
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good morning,time for breakfast
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