http://news.softpedia.com Softpedia News - Global Softpedia News en-us 2001 - 2009 Softpedia. All rights reserved. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:25:17 GMT Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:25:17 GMT News http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 10 http://www.softpedia.com/base_img/softpedia_logo.gif http://news.softpedia.com/ http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mosquitoes-Employ-Active-Hearing-127586.shtml Scientists working with a new mathematical model may have finally figured out how it is that mosquitoes can hear the faint sounds of a female's flapping wings, but not become deaf when hearing louder noises. The University of Bristol research team has managed to unlock some of the remarkable features, but highlights the fact that more work is needed before more conclusions become available. Details of the scientific study appear in the latest issue of the Journal of the Royal Society: Interface, e! Science News reports.

The active elements involved in mosquitoes' hearing are called scolopidia, and represent multiple individual sensory units. Insects have evolved various types of hearings, if compared with our own. However, their ultimate goals are the same as ours, to turn small energies of a transmitting sound wave into an electrical impulse. Acoustic energy may need a boost in mosquitoes, the researchers note, so it could be that scolopidia appeared to fulfill this very purpose. The sensory unit allows for a lot more of the auditory information to be converted into electrical signals, which are then transmitted to the insects' “central processing unit.”

Toxorhynchites brevipalpis, a Tanzanian mosquito species, was used as a reference point for the new study. The scientists created a simple microscopic ... (read more)]]> Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:01:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mosquitoes-Employ-Active-Hearing-127586.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mosquitoes-Employ-Active-Hearing-127586.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Algorithm-Rids-Rowboats-of-Their-Wiggle-127567.shtml As any person who has ever been on a rowboat can tell you, the most fierce opponent a crew can have is itself. Well, not exactly itself, but rather the algorithms it uses when it pulls on the paddles. At the University of Cambridge, rowing is taken very seriously, as evidenced by the fact that Professor John Barrow, at the university's Center for Mathematical Sciences, was pushed quite hard towards working out a way of counteracting the wiggling and maintaining the boat more stable.

The pressure seems to have paid off, as Barrow not only found one, but also several new algorithms that, if used properly, could make it a lot easier for the people applying them to win a complicated challenge. Scientifically, the wiggle motion is known as the oscillating non-zero transverse moment. The main question that the scientist had to answer was how to arrange a number of eight individuals into a specific pattern inside the boat, so as to ensure that the entire coxless watercraft remained wiggle-free. This placement has a significant consequence on the dynamics of the craft, and can mean the difference between winning and losing.

Traditionally, rigs are set up in such a way that rowers alternately pull oars on each side of the boat. "The traditional rig appears symmetrical and simple in ways that might tempt you into think... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:51:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Algorithm-Rids-Rowboats-of-Their-Wiggle-127567.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Algorithm-Rids-Rowboats-of-Their-Wiggle-127567.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Jellyfish-Sting-Antidote-on-the-Way-127495.shtml Jellyfish are a very peculiar type of marine animals, mostly because not much is really known about their past and their evolution. Their construction leaves very few fossils behind, and only a limited number of specimens are available in natural history museums around the world. The thing that always fascinated people about them was the fact that the small creatures, in spite of their eerie, harmless appearance, were perfectly able to kill a fully grown human. Admittedly, not all species share this ability, as some are fairly harmless. But a new study may help experts looking for antidotes against some jellyfish's potent venom get to their “destination,” LiveScience reports.

The recent study focused on box jellyfish, named thus on account of their shapes. There are a number of species in this class that are capable of killing people within just minutes, thanks to a very powerful type of venom that they have stored in special sting capsules known as nematocysts. The creatures can usually be found in coastal waters around the world, in warm temperatures, which is precisely what human tourists are looking for. This fact may account for some of the accidents that take place between us and these creatures, at regular intervals.

“Knowing who is related to whom among the box jellyfish will be very help... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:01:03 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Jellyfish-Sting-Antidote-on-the-Way-127495.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Jellyfish-Sting-Antidote-on-the-Way-127495.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Dragon-Age-Origins-Friends-and-Their-Problems-127574.shtml A lot of people have focused on the overall story of Dragon Age: Origins and have pointed out how it managed to still adhere to the tropes of the computer role playing game and the BioWare way of creating it while making a world that feels vastly different from the one of Dungeons & Dragons. But one of the aspects of the game where developers seem to have poured a lot of love is the side quests that are connected to the companions you can have in your party.

All these people seem pretty one dimensional at first sight. Alistair is the goody two shoes who cannot take the lead in any situation and cannot counter the verbal assault coming from Morrigan, who is the evil witch that only stays with you to watch cruelty and destruction take over the world around her.

Zevran is the quintessential assassin, Leliana is the simple bard with ranged attacks, Oghren is a drunken dwarf, Shale a powerful human hating golem, Sten is a lackluster warrior who only cares about combat. But BioWare manages to introduce a specific quest for each of the companions that turn on their heads most of the above mentioned characterizations.

The most impressive for me has been the transformation and depth Leliana reveals as you talk to her and progress in her personal quest. The Andraste blessed bard reveals herself to be more o... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:01:03 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Dragon-Age-Origins-Friends-and-Their-Problems-127574.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Dragon-Age-Origins-Friends-and-Their-Problems-127574.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Qualcomm-Successfully-Demos-eCall-on-Wireless-Network-127484.shtml Leading developer of wireless technologies, services and products, Qualcomm Incorporated, and leading provider of telematics solutions Hughes Telematics, Inc. (HTI), successfully showcased recently the needed data transmission technology for the future pan-European, in-vehicle emergency call (eCall) standard. The two companies made the demonstration at the 12th eSafety Forum Plenary meeting, “eCall Summit,” in Brussels, Belgium, over a commercial wireless network.

According to the duo, the eCall use for emergency assistance deployments is aimed at saving lives, while the creation of eCall standards and requirements has been initiated by the eSaftety Forum. The eCall can be generated either manually or automatically through the activation of in-vehicle sensors, as son as an accident occurs. The eCall-enabled vehicle system will then create a 112-voice connection with the relevant Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Additionally, the PSAP operator will also receive a Minimum Set of Data, including location, time, vehicle description.

“Safety and security is the cornerstone of our telematics offering,” said Erik Goldman, president of Hughes Telematics, Inc. “Working with Qualcomm to support this initiative in Europe confirms our commitment to the global industry to enh... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:01:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Qualcomm-Successfully-Demos-eCall-on-Wireless-Network-127484.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Qualcomm-Successfully-Demos-eCall-on-Wireless-Network-127484.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/EndWeekGame-20-November-127568.shtml Florian Totu: Just yesterday, I finished the single-player campaign of Modern Warfare 2 and, even if I think that it was a very short game, I have to admit I liked it. The title was intense, frantic, captivating and the airport massacre was right up my alley, as I really enjoyed acting like a sociopath. A lot of people complained about this portion of the game, and others, even if they decided to play it just so that they'd better understand the plot, did so passively, opting to not actually shoot any of the civilians. That's not me at all, so I lit them all up like the Christmas tree in a burning orphanage. The chances of going thorough the campaign again are slim, but I might do some more Spec Ops missions in solo play.

With the release of the demo for King's Bounty: Armored Princess, I got back into the mood for the game. I never really played The Legend that I should have when I first got my hands on it. I skimmed through the title, but didn't go very far. I think I tried it when I was in one of my dark days of WoW fanaticism relapse. I have those from time to time, disappearing for anything up to two weeks into even 18 hours of gameplay a day. As for Dragon Age, I haven't forgotten my Arcane Warrior, but it's not at all as cool as I hoped he'd be, at least at the beginning. I think I'll just play through all the origins to see the s... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:31:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/EndWeekGame-20-November-127568.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/EndWeekGame-20-November-127568.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Florian Totu) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mammoth-Extinction-Triggered-Plant-Upheaval-127499.shtml Mammoths and mastodons were the largest land-based animals to have walked the surface of the Earth some 13,000 years ago. In spite of dominating the landscape, their ultimate faith has remained somewhat of a mystery to researchers, who still cannot find any reasons why these huge, adapted mammals might have disappeared in an instant of geological time. Maybe the answers lie in the traces that they left behind, some researchers say, and they mean it literally, LiveScience reports.

A new series of scientific studies focused exclusively on dung fungus, as researchers attempted to figure out what happened to the landscape shortly after the giant animals disappeared. The first conclusion to be drawn, they reveal, is the fact that the landscape changed considerably after the mammoths and mastodons went extinct. “As soon as herbivores drop off the landscape, we see different plant communities,” Jacquelyn Gill explains, quoted by LiveScience. She is the lead researcher for the new paper, and holds an appointment in the University of Wisconsin in Madison (UWM). Basically, Gill adds, the extinction of the beasts resulted in an ecosystem upheaval.

In addition to being perfectly capable of taking care of themselves, and looking astounding, mammoths and mastodons also played a very important role in the ec... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:31:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mammoth-Extinction-Triggered-Plant-Upheaval-127499.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mammoth-Extinction-Triggered-Plant-Upheaval-127499.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Movie-Theater-Popcorn-Offers-Are-Calorie-Bombs-Report-Warns-127555.shtml Many of us like to unwind on an evening out catching the latest movie running at a theater near us. As it’s common knowledge, nothing goes as good with a movie as some popcorn and soda (perhaps some candy too) do. What we might not know though is that these combos that movie theaters offer are actually calorie bombs that are very detrimental for our health, as a new report cited by WebMD reveals.

The numbers are in and they’re nothing short of chilling, says the health-oriented publication. By offering combo deals on popcorn and beverages, movie theaters are actually taking the number of calories and saturated fats we ingest in one single sitting sky-high, surpassing even a recommended daily dose. Again, if we also add some candy, we may suddenly find out why our belly is continuously expanding no matter how much we work out, the report suggests.

“The report updates the organization’s infamous 1994 movie theater popcorn exposé with new nutritional information on movie snacks offered by America’s three largest movie chains: Regal, AMC, and Cinemark. Researchers found movie theater popcorn offerings range from 400 to 1,200 calories, with one to three days’ worth of saturated fat and up to 1,500 milligrams of sodium. Make it a combo and add 300 to 1,110 ... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:31:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Movie-Theater-Popcorn-Offers-Are-Calorie-Bombs-Report-Warns-127555.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Movie-Theater-Popcorn-Offers-Are-Calorie-Bombs-Report-Warns-127555.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Elena Gorgan) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Motorola-Crush-Goes-to-US-Cellular-127529.shtml Motorola Crush is the latest touchscreen-enabled mobile phone unveiled by Motorola. The new handset is expected to become available for purchase via US Cellular and it is said to arrive on the market before the end of this year. The new device should come to US Cellular's users as a rather affordable touchscreen phone, though still being capable to deliver a stylish design, and a large display.

“Simplicity, reliable calling and cutting-edge touch technology, too. With the Motorola Crush, enjoy a high-end design, excellent call quality and multimedia features, all at an affordable price. Boasting a sleek touch screen and large display with one-touch access to your favorite features, the Motorola Crush has everything you need to stay in contact with the people you want to,” the handset vendor states.

The specifications list of the new handset includes CDMA 800/1900 EVDO Rel-O connectivity options, as well as a 2.8-inch touchscreen display that boasts a 240 x 400 pixel WQVGA resolution, a 2-megapixel photo snapper, SMS and MMS support, audio player with support for MP3 / WMA / MID /MIDI X_MIDI / AAC/ AAC+ / QCELP, a 3.5 mm headset jack, and Stereo Bluetooth capabilities.

In addition, the new mobile phone also comes with a 950mAh battery that can deliver up to 4.3 hours of talk time or up to 20.8... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:01:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Motorola-Crush-Goes-to-US-Cellular-127529.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Motorola-Crush-Goes-to-US-Cellular-127529.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/ITER-Fire-Up-Delayed-Again-127514.shtml Scientists assessing the difficulties related to the construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) facility in southern France have recently revealed that it may be unfeasible to fire up the reactor as soon as 2018, as current plans have it. The multi-billion-euro nuclear fusion test reactor was supposed to come online as fast as possible, so that experts could begin their research into the mysteries and issues surrounding this type of energy production at that point.

Representatives of the European Union met between November 18-19 in St Paul-lez-Durance, a town not far from the place where ITER is scheduled to be built. Delegates from the EU told the representatives of the other six countries involved in the project that the originally planned start date was no longer realistic, but declined to comment on the reason afterwards. European officials were, however, careful to point out that the reactor still enjoyed the full support of the Union, Nature News reports.

“Our guiding objective is to ensure a sustainable success for ITER at reasonable costs and with an acceptable level of risk,” Catherine Ray explained, quoted by Nature News. She is a spokesperson on science and research for the European Commission, based in Brussels. The stakes are terribly high in this endeavor. In addit... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:31:05 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/ITER-Fire-Up-Delayed-Again-127514.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/ITER-Fire-Up-Delayed-Again-127514.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Victoria-Beckham-s-Secret-for-Waiflike-Figure-Salads-and-Espressos-127550.shtml Ever since Victoria Beckham broke off from the Spice Girls and started to make a name for herself in showbiz, talk of her having a secret eating disorder or, at the very least, eating as little as possible to keep herself so thin has never ceased to make the rounds. The star constantly denied all reports and, despite promising she would never dwell on the topic again, she does it once more in the upcoming issue of Allure magazine, as Examiner can confirm.

At one point, Mrs. Beckham was even criticized for creating clothes that only she and other size 0 women could fit into, which, again, brought attention on her incredibly frail frame. Back then – and now too – she insisted her weight was the result of a balanced and strict (yet not unhealthy) diet, plenty of exercise and, last but not least, a very lucky spell with good genetics. The Allure interview comes to reinforce that.

“I’m not going to lie – I’m not one of those people that says, ‘Oh, I eat hamburgers’,” Victoria says when asked whether she keeps to low-fat, low-calorie foods or not. Instead of hamburgers, which are both unhealthy and detrimental to one’s waistline, this one star chooses the healthier salad. “I eat salad. And I start off every day with a double es... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:31:05 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Victoria-Beckham-s-Secret-for-Waiflike-Figure-Salads-and-Espressos-127550.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Victoria-Beckham-s-Secret-for-Waiflike-Figure-Salads-and-Espressos-127550.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Elena Gorgan) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Banned-Xbox-360-s-and-Modern-Warfare-2-Affect-Xbox-Live-127531.shtml Modern Warfare 2 might have set yet another record when it came out as it determined no less than 2 million Xbox Live users to get on the service at the same time, probably in order to enter multiplayer matches as soon as the game is released.

But it seems that the huge launch, probably coupled with the decision by Microsoft to actually ban a big number, by some estimates as high as 600,000, modded Xbox 360 users from Live, might have had the effect of limiting sales on the service, which has grown in 2009 to actually represent a significant revenue stream for the company.

One of the most interesting titles offered on Xbox Live is Trials HD, which has the player controlling a motor bike in a quest to get through some very tough courses. The entries on the Leaderboards for the game were set at about 15,000 in one week before Modern Warfare 2 was released and before the modded console ban was enforced but they dropped to just 9,000 in the week after that one.

Similar drop offs were also noticed in releases like South Park, Zombie Apocalypse and Tower Bloxx Deluxe. The data is taken from an analysis performed by Ryan Langley, an editor of GamerBytes, who is a regular watcher of XBLA.

It will be interesting to see whether players who have gone out and bought Modern Warfare 2 will ... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:01:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Banned-Xbox-360-s-and-Modern-Warfare-2-Affect-Xbox-Live-127531.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Banned-Xbox-360-s-and-Modern-Warfare-2-Affect-Xbox-Live-127531.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-8-Availability-Planned-for-2012-127600.shtml According to information available from Microsoft, the next iteration of the Windows client and server operating system is at a maximum of three years away. The Redmond-based company revealed that it expects to deliver the next major release of Windows approximately in 2012. Of course, “approximately” is the key, as it offers the software giant a little elbow room. Microsoft has so far failed to commit to a specific timetable for the delivery of codename Windows 8, but customers looking forward to it should know that it will drop within two to three years.

In the graphics included with this article, courtesy of MSFTKitchen, the Redmond-based company seems to be clearly eyeing 2012 for the release of Windows 8. For the time being, still under a month since Windows 7 hit store shelves, it is, of course, much too early for Microsoft to start the discussion of its successor. But expect it to provide an actual delivery deadline extremely late in the development process of Windows 8, considering the Windows 7 experience.

After all, Steven Sinofsky continues to be at the lead of the Windows project, only now with much more power, from the role of President, Windows and Windows Live Division. Most likely, Microsoft will attempt to continue building and delivering Windows client and server releases at the same... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:51:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-8-Availability-Planned-for-2012-127600.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-8-Availability-Planned-for-2012-127600.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Marius Oiaga) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Internet-Explorer-9-IE9-Behind-the-Curtain-127597.shtml With Internet Explorer 9 early in the making, Microsoft revealed at the Professional Developers Conference 2009 in Los Angeles that it had identified a total of three pillars for IE’s evolution: standards and interoperability, hardware acceleration, and JavaScript performance.

At the bottom of this article, you will be able to find three videos embedded, each dealing with one of IE9’s development focuses. The videos feature the General Manager of Internet Explorer but also additional members of the IE team, actively involved in building the next generation of Microsoft’s proprietary browser.

“At the PDC, in addition to demonstrating some of the progress on performance and interoperable standards, we showed how IE and Windows will make the power of PC hardware available to web developers in the browser. Specifically, we demonstrated hardware-accelerated rendering of all graphics and text in web pages, something that other browsers don’t do today. Web site developers will see performance gains and other benefits without having to re-write their sites,” revealed Dean Hachamovitch, General Manager, Internet Explorer.

Although the Redmond-based company did deliver a taste of IE9, it did not offer the actual bits for the browser. Now, it could have done so, since Intern... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:41:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Internet-Explorer-9-IE9-Behind-the-Curtain-127597.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Internet-Explorer-9-IE9-Behind-the-Curtain-127597.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Marius Oiaga) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ancient-Crocodiles-Roamed-Sahara-with-the-Dinosaurs-127490.shtml According to what evidence we have collected from the fossil record, dinosaurs ruled the land over what is now the Sahara desert more than 100 million years ago. But recent investigations have also revealed some of their companions, including an entire ensemble of crocodiles that seems to have accompanied the giant lizards where they went. A number of new croc species, each sporting its own distinguishable physical traits, have been found in the vast ocean of sand, LiveScience reports.

Fossilized remains from five different crocodile species have been unearthed in a recent effort, of which only two were previously studied. The other three are completely new to Science, and may provide scientists with more accurate insight into how the landscape looked at the time, species-wise. The recent digs were coordinated by experts at the University of Chicago, who were led by Paul Sereno. The expeditions that eventually saw the recovery of these fossils started taking place in 2000, the team reports.

“We were surprised to find so many species from the same time in the same place. Each of the crocs apparently had different diets, different behaviors. It appears they had divided up the ecosystem, each species taking advantage of it in its own way,” McGill University paleontologist and study resea... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:31:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ancient-Crocodiles-Roamed-Sahara-with-the-Dinosaurs-127490.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ancient-Crocodiles-Roamed-Sahara-with-the-Dinosaurs-127490.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Verizon-Expands-3G-Network-in-St-Lawrence-County-127543.shtml Wireless carrier Verizon announced recently new investments in the St. Lawrence County through the expansion of its 3G network in the area. According to the operator, it has deployed a new cell site in Stockholm, which should deliver better coverage and network capacity in Southville and Stockholm, and in portions of Route 11B between Potsdam and Hopkinton. In addition, a newly deployed site in Lisbon provides improved coverage and capacity in Flackville, including portions of Route 68 between Ogdensburg and Canton.

The mobile phone carrier also announced that the new network expansion was part of its larger plan to improve its nationwide network so as to meet the ever-growing demand for Verizon Wireless’ voice and data services. The total amount of investments the carrier plans to make in Upstate New York in 2009 rise to more than $100 million, Verizon also added.

“We’ve always believed even the most advanced device is only as good as the network it runs on. We continue to aggressively invest in our Upstate New York network to increase coverage and capacity for our customers, add new services, and maintain our 3G network leadership” said Gene Fassett, executive director of Network for Verizon Wireless’ Upstate New York Region.

The new enhancements should offer u... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:31:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Verizon-Expands-3G-Network-in-St-Lawrence-County-127543.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Verizon-Expands-3G-Network-in-St-Lawrence-County-127543.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Kate-Moss-Apologizes-for-Pro-Anorexia-Comment-127541.shtml Back in the ‘90s, Kate Moss was considered representative for the emerging “heroin chic” look. Today, she comes under serious fire with health organizations and concerned groups for saying that there is no taste as good as the feeling of being skinny. The comment, once out in the press, was immediately adopted by pro-anorexia websites that were quick to name Moss the hottest “thinspiration” of the moment.

The problem is, her rep says in a statement cited by the Boston Herald, that Moss neither intended nor actually did something specific for things to come out this way. Her words were completely taken out of context and then twisted around to sound like something entirely different than what she had said, the spokesperson explains. The model does not actually encourage or promote starving oneself to look good.

“This was part of a longer answer Kate gave during a wider-ranging interview, which has unfortunately been taken out of context and completely misrepresented. For the record, Kate does not support this as a lifestyle choice,” a statement from Storm, the model’s agency, reads. As such, Moss is devastated that she’s taking so much heat for something she did not even say, not to mention how hurt she feels that some her fans could actually believe she ... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:21:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Kate-Moss-Apologizes-for-Pro-Anorexia-Comment-127541.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Kate-Moss-Apologizes-for-Pro-Anorexia-Comment-127541.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Elena Gorgan) http://news.softpedia.com/news/HP-Mini-110-Netbook-Added-to-AT-T-s-Offering-127523.shtml Wireless carrier AT&T announced recently the addition of a new product in its 3G mobile broadband offering, namely the HP Mini 110 netbook. The new device is expected to start selling through the operator's channels as soon as Sunday, November 22 is here, and should offer users fast access to AT&T's 3G network, as well as to the largest Wi-Fi network in the U.S., not to mention the experience of running Microsoft’s Windows 7 platform.

“With a starting weight of 2.57 pounds, the HP Mini 110 offers a 10.1 inch LED anti-glare widescreen display, 1GB of memory, an Intel Atom processor, a 160GB hard drive, and an HP webcam with an integrated microphone. It comes with HP QuickSync to enable automatic synching of files saved on the Mini with a home or work PC when connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Plus, the HP Mini 110 is backed by superb HP service and support,” AT&T says.

The new device will be priced at $199 upon the purchase of a new two-year AT&T DataConnect plan that includes a 200MB plan option for only $35 per month, or a 5GB plan option for $60 per month. According to AT&T, those who will opt for this plan will enjoy not only access to its 3G network, but also free access to the AT&T Wi-Fi service, which includes over 20,000 hot spots nationwide.

Other features of the new ... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:01:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/HP-Mini-110-Netbook-Added-to-AT-T-s-Offering-127523.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/HP-Mini-110-Netbook-Added-to-AT-T-s-Offering-127523.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-7-RTM-Already-Has-9-000-Logo-d-Products-127594.shtml At just approximately a month after the general availability deadline of Windows 7, the operating system enjoys strong support from hardware and software companies worldwide. In fact, there are approximately 9,000 products that now feature the “Compatible with Windows 7” logo, Microsoft revealed at the Professional Developers Conference 2009 in Los Angeles earlier this week. In this regard, Windows 7 is definitely not a repeat of Windows Vista, as the readiness level of the ecosystem of hardware and software products reveals.

“The ecosystem around Windows is really amazing. Think about the install base - there are more than one billion users who use Windows. Those users want great applications and there are 3 million programmers building applications around the world and 90 percent of those developers target Windows. You could also look at our telemetry from the beta cycle which shows more than 800,000 unique applications (which includes multiple versions, 32/64 bit & languages) running on Windows 7 during the beta timeframe,” explained vice president of the Developer & Platform Evangelism (DPE) Group, Mark Relph.

According to Relph, the actual number of apps designed to run on the latest iteration of the Windows client is in the hundreds of thousands, Microsoft not knowing the exa... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:01:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-7-RTM-Already-Has-9-000-Logo-d-Products-127594.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-7-RTM-Already-Has-9-000-Logo-d-Products-127594.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Marius Oiaga) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Elizabeth-Banks-Workout-Routine-127534.shtml Elizabeth Banks, although perhaps not a name that rings any bells with many, is the perfect example of gorgeous woman who is all the more lovable and popular because she doesn’t take her good looks too seriously. With her blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect features and a body to kill for, the actress knows she’s beautiful but also very open about the pains she goes through to look this good, as How Celebrities Lose Weight can confirm.

For starters, the 35-year-old star has often spoken about how she too, just like almost every other woman on the face of this planet, has moments when she’s not happy about her looks. It’s her chest, tummy or backside that she would like to change, though, she says, but rather her weight and height. Since she can’t do anything about the latter, she makes sure she keeps the former in check by staying very active yet, surprisingly enough, avoiding going to the gym if she can.

“I really believe you have to make time for it, but I also know how hard it can be to find time to get to the gym and keep up with it. The idea of getting in the car and driving to the gym and finding parking – it’s just not happening, because the whole thing could be a two-hour endeavor. I try to make it as easy for myself as possible,” Banks once said. With this in min... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:31:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Elizabeth-Banks-Workout-Routine-127534.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Elizabeth-Banks-Workout-Routine-127534.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Elena Gorgan) http://news.softpedia.com/news/What-the-New-Mortal-Kombat-Should-Have-Been-127561.shtml The Mortal Kombat series is trying to bring itself back to life, and the first thing it needed was a fresh, new look on the character design. Former Midway employee, artist Vincent Proce is the one that took up pen and paper and started a design project of the new characters of MK. Unfortunately, his ideas got shot down in a fiery ball of brimstone, and it's a shame too, because the new characters looked really nice. Proce was involved with the last fighting game that Midway put together, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, but it seems like Warner Bros wasn't very satisfied with the end result at all, so Proce ended up departing from the company.

The way Proce envisioned the new Mortal Kombat, the game should have incorporated a "mixing modern multi-player and dismemberment game design with the original fighting mechanic." That alone sounds good enough to keep him on the team, but what's next is even better. Compared with the MK vs. DC concept, these characters are a lot darker, with a more visceral touch to them. Less shiny colors, and even if the female cast sports the same general amount of skin exposure, the characters do seem to be a lot more combat-effective.

In his vision, the characters of this new MK game were closer to Todd McFarlane's superhero than the ones of the DC universe. Scorpion is "a wrait... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:31:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/What-the-New-Mortal-Kombat-Should-Have-Been-127561.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/What-the-New-Mortal-Kombat-Should-Have-Been-127561.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Florian Totu) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Wii-Music-Sequel-Is-in-the-Works-127524.shtml Wii Music, which was released last year, has not been one of the biggest hits for Nintendo. Titles like Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit are still selling well, while the music simulator for the Wii seems to have faded into obscurity and slid out of sales charts. But its creator might not yet be prepared to let go of the idea to simulate a variety of music instruments in a videogame that uses motion tracking.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the man who has created hits like Zelda and Wii Fit, has told the Official Nintendo Magazine that Wii Music “was a really unique game, and even today, we are receiving several different offers from people in the field of music education,” adding that “I think it still has great potential.”

Miyamoto repeated what he previously stated about Wii Fit Plus, saying any further iteration of Wii Music must be seen like a version 2.0 of a software rather than as a sequel, as the developer would add “some features to improve the overall experience,” creating an enhanced version that would rely on the same core mechanics.

Currently, the music simulation business is dominated by the Rock Band brand from Harmonix and MTV Games, and by the Guitar Hero franchise from Activision. The two are launching about one title a year and also put out a variety of downloadable conten... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:21:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Wii-Music-Sequel-Is-in-the-Works-127524.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Wii-Music-Sequel-Is-in-the-Works-127524.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Malaria-Develops-Resistance-to-Our-Best-Drugs-127582.shtml Malaria is one of the conditions that have been completely eradicated in civilized countries, mostly through governmental efforts and investments in vaccination campaigns. But the condition may be on the rise again, as globalization permits more and more people to travel around the world on a daily basis. A new study has revealed that Southeast Asia, one of the most popular destinations to date, is currently experiencing a surge in malaria cases. But people here are sick with a form of the disease that does not respond to conventional medication like other strains do.

In other words, to put it simply, the disease is becoming increasingly resistant to everything we get to throw at it. The situation is bound to get even worse over the years, as natural selection would clearly benefit the malaria strains that are more adapted to surviving. The alarming conclusions were reported at the meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, on November 19. A series of urgent measures needs to be taken immediately, the science team says, both in regards to the evolution of the disease itself, and also as far as mosquitoes are concerned, which is the condition's primary mode of spreading.

Cases of the disease that were resistant to the usual vaccines – featuring the drug artemisinim – a... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:21:02 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Malaria-Develops-Resistance-to-Our-Best-Drugs-127582.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Malaria-Develops-Resistance-to-Our-Best-Drugs-127582.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/300-HSPA-Networks-Deployed-Globally-127501.shtml HSPA, one of the fastest mobile technologies available on the market today, which comes as an enhancement over UMTS, is said to have seen great adoption among mobile phone carriers around the world. At the moment, there are 300 networks based on the standard available around the world, while the total number of UMTS-HSPA mobile broadband connections is expected to reach 458 million before the end of the year, a forecast by Informa Telecoms & Media shows.

“In the short period of two years since HSDPA was first launched on a wide scale basis in the U.S., the number of commercial HSPA mobile broadband networks now stands at 300 in 128 countries worldwide,” stated Chris Pearson, president of 3G Americas, the wireless industry trade association that represents GSM technologies, like LTE, and which tracks 3G commercial networks based on Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS) and High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) all around the world.

The technology reportedly offers a great combination of efficiency and high-speed data, which thus enables mass market mobile broadband. The speeds registered by users at the moment rises above 1 Mbps, and networks around the world also show speeds of 4 Mbps on the downlink. HSPA also offers carriers the possibility to meet the data needs of their users, and it enjoys a w... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:11:01 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/300-HSPA-Networks-Deployed-Globally-127501.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/300-HSPA-Networks-Deployed-Globally-127501.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Nero-RescueAgent-Review-126886.shtml In case of accidental deletion, there are sufficient choices on the market that can give you a hand with recovering data. The rule of thumb is to refrain from storing any sort of data on the partition you are going to recover files from. If you manage to do this, there is even free software that can be used for the job. Piriform's Recuva is an excellent choice for this type of job.

However, in case of corrupted data on media discs or even hard disks, the range of possibilities to pull you out of the jam are quite limited. The latest Nero suite, just like the previous version, comes with Rescue Agent application, specially designed for this sort of trouble. It has been developed to recover data from scratched discs or files that cannot be read correctly due to storage media's ageing.

But RescueAgent is also useful for recovering deleted information off storage devices such as memory sticks, or hard disks. The rule of thumb expressed at the beginning of the article is essential for getting back the lost files.

Compared to the last edition, Nero RescueAgent's looks have undergone some changes, although the same ease of use and wizard-like interface have been preserved. The latest release features two types of scan, fast and deep, the former for FAT formatted storage devices, the latter for NTFS.

From the drop-d... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:41:03 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Nero-RescueAgent-Review-126886.shtml Global http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Nero-RescueAgent-Review-126886.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Ilascu) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Get-Ready-for-a-New-Acrobat-com-127601.shtml The future is looking bright for web apps with more and more players interested in the space and Google going all out with a dedicated operating system that will rely exclusively on web applications. Huge desktop software companies should start worrying or better yet start preparing for the paradigm shift like Adobe is doing with its suite of office apps over at Acrobat.com. Adobe says the site has been pretty successful so far but the company is preparing to launch a hugely revamped version of it any time now.

Adobe hasn't made the big official announcement yet but it has confirmed that the changes will begin to be implemented later today: “The team will be taking down Buzzword, Presentations and Tables at 6:00 PM Eastern time today (Friday, 11/20/09.) Share and CreatePDF will go offline at 8:00 PM Eastern time. ConnectNow will be up and running throughout the update window. All of the services will be up and running again by 11:00 PM Eastern time and open for business. The new look and changes in Acrobat.com are starting to get some good reviews. We invite you to come and check it out later today.”

The new version comes with a lot of new features but one of the biggest is the new file organizer, which enables users to manage all of their files in one place regardless of their type. This has been one of the ... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:07:00 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Get-Ready-for-a-New-Acrobat-com-127601.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Get-Ready-for-a-New-Acrobat-com-127601.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Lucian Parfeni) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Facebook-Worth-at-Least-9-5-Billion-127599.shtml Facebook is one of the biggest things in Silicon Valley at the moment and the social media giant is showing no signs of slowing down. It is being valued at several billion dollars, over 10, by previous transactions but since it's a private company, no one can really tell what it’s worth. However, despite the fact that Facebook isn't listed on any stock exchange, some shares end up on places like SecondMarket and SharesPost, which allow people who own Facebook common stock, mostly employees or former employees, to trade it. And prices for those shares have been going up over the past months to the point where Facebook's common stock is now worth around $9.5 billion.

That figure may be a bit misleading but it gives a rough estimate of what most people think the social network is worth. The $9.5 billion number is based on the price of shares currently being traded on SecondMarket, which has reached $21. The price has shot up 42 percent in the past four months, according to Bloomberg. This is just for the common stock though, as a chunk of the company is tied up in preferred stock, which is usually owned by venture capital investors so by this metric, Facebook may be worth more than $10 billion at the moment.

The valuation does seem very high but it's not the highest the social network has got; in fact, a couple o... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:33:00 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Facebook-Worth-at-Least-9-5-Billion-127599.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Facebook-Worth-at-Least-9-5-Billion-127599.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Lucian Parfeni) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Reviews-Say-Adam-Lambert-s-Album-Is-an-Absolute-Winner-127598.shtml Adam Lambert, the one-time potential American Idol winner who, to the surprise of many, came only second in the finals, is gearing up for the release of his debut studio album, the aptly called “For Your Entertainment,” which drops on November 23. According to early reviews that are now coming in, those considering making a purchase on this day would better opt for said album.

“FYE” will show, according to music critics, just what it is that has made Adam such a hit with so many fans across the world. It’s not only those impressive notes that he can reach, they say, but rather this capacity that he has of forgetting himself almost completely, allowing himself to be swept away by the music he’s singing and which, at the same time, also takes listeners into another world.

And that world is “FYE,” the most accomplished pop album of recent times, critics say. It’s campy, well-crafted, glamorous to the point of excess and, above all, tongue-in-cheek. A winner if we ever saw one. “For Your Entertainment” is also a good match for Lambert’s diva persona, while also delivering in terms of showcasing his astonishing vocals. It is, in short, an album one must listen to even if one is not necessarily a Lambert fan – however, his fan... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:32:00 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Reviews-Say-Adam-Lambert-s-Album-Is-an-Absolute-Winner-127598.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Reviews-Say-Adam-Lambert-s-Album-Is-an-Absolute-Winner-127598.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Elena Gorgan) http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-Pearl-9100-in-Live-Images-127596.shtml Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion seems to be ramping up for the launch of yet another sequel on the market, in the form of BlackBerry Pearl 9100, which follows the already popular BlackBerry Pearl 81xx Series smartphones. The upcoming handset, which is still unofficial, has just emerged in a series of live images, and one should agree that it has the looks.

The new mobile phone is reportedly coming to the market with 3G capabilities, and sports the codename of Striker. According to the guys over at crackberry, it looks like a narrowed down BlackBerry Bold 9700, yet one might notice from the available images that it comes with a SureType design and not with the full QWERTY keyboard as the Bold 2.

The specifications currently available on the BlackBerry Pearl 9100 are rather minimal, yet it seems that users will be able to enjoy a newly-designed battery, which should be a very good thing. The guys over at salomondrin also have a series of images with the new device available, and they call this beaty Blackberry Stratus (9100).

The photo snapper that will be included with the upcoming BlackBerry Pearl 9100 is said to come with LED flash, and, as one might have expected already, the phone is also said to include an optical trackpad instead of a trackball. BlackBerry Pearl 9100 sports and over... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:59:00 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-Pearl-9100-in-Live-Images-127596.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-Pearl-9100-in-Live-Images-127596.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Dell-s-Studio-17-Laptop-Gets-Multi-Touch-Upgrade-127595.shtml The Studio 17 laptop is a certain product made by Dell that has made a name for itself through the fact that it packs true high-end performance and virtually all desirable features into its small frame. With the only missing element having been the multitouch capability, the company removed this inability through upgrading the configuration. Now, Dell's Studio 17 laptop can consider itself complete.

Interestingly enough, no rumors seemed to indicate Dell was even working on this modification. Nevertheless, here we are with the new Studio 17 laptop, complete with multitouch display and more than enough performance capabilities to offer a myriad of uses to this addition.

The system comes with either an Intel Pentium or Core 2 Duo central processing unit (2.1GHz Pentium dual-core T4300 with possibilities of supporting Core i7 processors), up to 8 Gigabytes of random access memory (RAM) and as much as an entire terabyte of storage space, with the storage drive spinning at 7,200 RPM (that's server-level storage capacity). The high-end graphics performance is provided by either an integrated GMA 4500MHD graphics controller or a discrete ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570/HD 4650 video card.

The 17.3-inch display capable of a resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels now has touchscreen capabilities, multitouch,... (read more)]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:53:00 GMT Softpedia News - Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Dell-s-Studio-17-Laptop-Gets-Multi-Touch-Upgrade-127595.shtml Global http://news.softpedia.com/news/Dell-s-Studio-17-Laptop-Gets-Multi-Touch-Upgrade-127595.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Sebastian Pop)