News and other tidbits that Chad Cloman finds interesting enough to share
For Windows Vista and 7 users, you may be running your SATA hard drives at sub-optimal performance. For compatibility reasons, the default settings on your computer may cause the drives to be accessed in an outdated (and slower) method. The linked article explains how to enable AHCI in Windows with a registry change, and you may also need to enable it in your BIOS setup.
In yet another example of science fiction turned real, researchers at Newcastle University have developed bacteria, named BacillaFilla, that seek out cracks in concrete and knit them together with glue. Then the bacteria self destruct (right, I’ve heard that one before…).
Link: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/…
(via Slashdot)
Here’s the perfect gift for the geek who has everything: a toilet paper holder that also serves as an iPod dock. Yes, it’s the “iCarta Stereo Dock for iPod® / iPhone with Bath Tissue Holder”. It’s a pretty fancy gadget, with music controls, various connectors, and embedded speakers.
Thanks to Josh for this topic.
Microsoft appears to be abandoning its Silverlight technology in favor of HTML5. Silverlight was Redmond’s attempt to compete with Adobe Flash. All is not lost, however, as it still appears that Silverlight will remain a platform of choice for developing apps on Windows Phone 7 devices.
Link: http://arstechnica.com/…
Everyone’s heard the phrase, “once in a blue moon.” Turns out it has nothing to do with the color of the moon at all, but instead refers to either two full moons within one calendar month or four full moons within a single season. The linked article attempts to explain it all, but concludes that the no single, precise definition exists. On a side note, I suggest you check out the memorable short story, “Blued Moon,” by Connie Willis, where incredible coincidences occur in Chugwater, Wyoming after chemical plant emissions turn the moon blue.
Thanks to Ciro for this link.
Link: http://www.space.com/…
Breaking AT&T’s monopoly on the iPhone in the United States, Verizon is now taking pre-orders for the iPhone, with service to start on February 10th. Phone prices are as low as $200 when you commit to a two-year service contract, and they’re offering an unlimited data plan for $30/month. Ars Technica has an informative article with answers to common questions. (And no, you can’t use your current AT&T iPhone with the Verizon service.)
Link: http://news.vzw.com/…
Back in November, Microsoft filed a patent for touch screen technology that creates texture. From the linked article: “a display that uses technical tricks to convince users they are actually touching the ridges, bumps and textures of a displayed image.” Other companies are trying to do something similar, but the difference with Microsoft’s system is that the bumps are real, whereas their competitors only create an illusion of texture. This could be big, really big, if they manage to make it cost-effective.
Link: http://www.newscientist.com/…
(via Kim Komando)
