OMG! Did Google Earth find Atlantis?

Google is officially denying widespread Internet rumors that its Google Earth software located the mythical sunken city of Atlantis off the coast of Africa. Either that, or Google is totally trying to hide something. Since I always appreciate a nice juicy conspiracy theory, I'm going to go with the latter.From what it sounds like, a British aeronautical engineer was playing around with the new Google Earth 5.0, which includes undersea data, and noticed something funny off the coast of Africa, about 600 miles west of the Canary Islands, that resembled a pattern of a street grid. According to the United Kingdom's Press Association, the pattern of streets equated to an area the size of Wales. (McCarthy, 2009)

The images you think Google took, are in fact computer generated topographic maps based on the sonar data received from ships and aircraft. If these were true images, then you would not see the bottom of the ocean, rather the surface and maybe 10m down.

McCarthy, Caroline (2009,2,18). OMG! Did Google Earth find Atlantis?. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from wired.com Web site: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10168269-36.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0

Oh, Hubble, Can This Really Be the End?

The spectacular collision between two satellites on Feb. 10 could make the shuttle mission to fix the Hubble Space Telescope too risky to attempt.Before the collision, space junk problems had already upped the Hubble mission's risk of a "catastrophic impact" beyond NASA's usual limits, Nature's Geoff Brumfiel reported today, and now the problem will be worse.Mark Matney, an orbital debris specialist at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas told the publication that even before the collision, the risk of an impact was 1 in 185, which was "uncomfortably close to unacceptable levels" and the satellite collision "is only going to add on to that." (Madrigal, 2009)

There was a project to put an automated satelite in orbit that would use a kevlar net to collect space junk, then basically tie wrap it shut, and a small rocket would drop it to a very rapidly failing orbit, so that the junk would burn up, but no one would fund the project.

Madrigal, Alexis (2009,2,18). Oh, Hubble, Can This Really Be the End?. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from wired.com Web site: http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/02/gonehubblegone.html

Nokia to Sell Phones With Skype Software

Internet calling company Skype has secured a deal with Nokia under which the world's biggest phone maker will preload Skype software into some of its new smartphones starting from the third quarter of this year.Skype, whose technology has allowed legions of consumers to make practically free long-distance calls over the Internet on fixed lines, has been moving into the mobile arena with deals with operators such as Hutchison Whampoa's 3. (BARCELONA (Reuters), 2009)

Will Skype Mobile finally allow Skypeout and Skypein over Wifi rather than a cellphone data plan?
That is where the user can really save money and so far Skype has deliberately crippled that feature.

BARCELONA (Reuters), BARCELONA (Reuters) (2009,2,19). Nokia to Sell Phones With Skype Software. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from wired.com Web site: http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2009/02/reuters_us_mobile_fair_skype_interview

Feds Propose Storing Internet User Data for 2 Years

Among other things, it demands: "A provider of an electronic communication service or remote computing service shall retain for a period of at least two years all records or other information pertaining to the identity of a user of a temporarily assigned network address the service assigns to that user." (Kravetz, 2009)

And I suppose they should hire proctors to sit in our homes with us, to check out what stories we read in the newspaper, and how we like to spend our time.This is a ridiculous invasion of privacy. I seriously hope the US does not pass it, and that it doesn't make its way to surrounding nations.

David , Kravetz (2009,2,20). Feds Propose Storing Internet User Data for 2 Years. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from wired.co Web site: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/02/feds-propose-st.html

With Landmark Trial Half Over, Pirate Bay Crew Celebrates Early Victories

STOCKHOLM -- As the landmark trial of The Pirate Bay wrapped up its first week Friday, the prosecutor fought to tie the last two defendants to the daily operation of the world's most notorious filesharing site.Four defendants in all are accused of contributory copyright infringement for allegedly deliberately facilitating the making available of copyrighted works to the public. Establishing intent is crucial for a crime to have been committed under Swedish law, and the prosecutor and civil plaintiffs have tried to show that the overriding purpose of The Pirate Bay is to encourage unlawful sharing of copyrighted material. (Wired Staff, 2009)

Saying a file sharing site is at fault for people sharing stuff they shouldn't is like saying a government is guilty of murder whenever someone is killed on their soil.It's not the fault of a service provider when someone finds a way to use their service illegally. Nor is it their responsibility to do other industries police work for them.

Wired Staff, Wired Staff (2009,2,20). With Landmark Trial Half Over, Pirate Bay Crew Celebrates Early Victories. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from wired.com Web site: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/02/pirate-bay-pros.html

Samsung's Blue Earth solar phone is ultra-green

I have a few friends (who shall remain nameless) who are often unreachable because they don't charge their phones when they should. These same friends should look into the new Samsung Blue Earth, which is to be unveiled in a couple days at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.The phone is green, despite its blue color, and it's not just the integrated solar panels that make it so. The Blue Earth is made of recycled plastic, features a pedometer, and even software that reaffirms just how much you're helping the planet by using it. If Al Gore had one of these mobile devices in hand, it would likely explode. (Hickey, 2009)

I wonder whether the solar panels are really functional solar panels or if they are just a marketing gimmick. I don?t see that little solar panel powering a color touch screen phone for any useable amount of time or charging a lithium polymer battery without baking the phone in the sun for 2 weeks.

Hickey, Matt (2009,2,13). Samsung's Blue Earth solar phone is ultra-green. Retrieved February 14, 2009, from wired.com Web site: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10164232-1.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0

Gmail's New 'Add Location' Feature Is Too Honest

Most of Google's web-based tools are all about empowering users, but the latest release from Gmail Labs is actually a step backward in that regard: Turn it on, and you give up your ability to easily lie about where you are.The various enhancements to Google's free e-mail service have been arriving at a furious rate -- we've seen Sync for mobiles, Multiple Inboxes and Tasks in recent weeks, and we love just about all of them. But we're dubious of this latest feature, which adds a text string announcing your physical location to your signature in Gmail. (Calore, 2009)

I'm wondering about something here. When the idea for this application was introduced, surely the "business oriented" people at Google had to put their heads together and evaluate whether or not this would be a truly desired application. Was it worth it to spend the energy on developing this? Would enough people truly want to use this application? Did they decide to create and release this application to see the response?So far the responses here seem to indicate that it's not desired, you can turn it off and problems of trust are going to arise if you do turn it off.I for one wouldn't want a device that could let ANYONE track my every move. It's no one's business 'where' I'm at.

Calore, Michael (2009,2,13). Gmail's New 'Add Location' Feature Is Too Honest. Retrieved February 14, 2009, from wired.com Web site: http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/02/gmails-new-add.html