ptorrone writes "Adafruit, the NYC based open-source hardware company led by Ladyada released their open-source Raspberry Pi WebIDE alpha today. Its goal is to be 'The easiest way to develop code on your Raspberry Pi.' To get up and running head on over to learn.adafruit.com/webideand follow the installation and setup instructions. It uses Bitbucket, and any code changes you make will be synced to your Bitbucket account. Adafruit chose Bitbucket over GitHub because they offer free secure accounts, which is very important for a Web-based IDE."
An anonymous reader writes "Like any popular platform, Android has malware. Google's mobile operating system is relatively new, however, so the problem is still taking form. In fact, it turns out that the larger majority of threats on Android come from a single malware family: Android.FakeInstaller, also known as OpFake, which generates revenue by silently sending expensive text messages in the background. McAfee says that the malware family makes up more than 60 percent of Android samples the company processes."
Talcyon writes "I'm a 40-year-old developer, and it's become apparent that my .NET skillset is woefully out of date after five years of doing various bits of support. I tried the 'Management' thing last year, but that was a failure as I'm just not a people person, and a full-on development project this year has turned into a disaster area. I'm mainly a VB.NET person with skills from the .NET 2.0 era. Is that it? Do I give up a career in technology now? Or turn around and bury myself in a support role, sorting out issues with other people's/companies' software? I've been lurking around Slashdot for many years now, and this question occasionally comes up, but it pays to get the opinions of others. Do I retrain and get back up to speed, or am I too old?"
sfcrazy writes "Samsung has created a new Linux file system called F2FS. Jaegeuk Kim of Samsung writes on the Linux Kernel Mailing List: F2FS is a new file system carefully designed for the NAND flash memory-based storage devices. We chose a log structure file system approach, but we tried to adapt it to the new form of storage. Also we remedy some known issues of the very old log structured file system, such as snowball effect of wandering tree and high cleaning overhead."
An anonymous reader tips a piece by Jason Torchinsky at Jalopnik, who attended the California Science Center's press conference about moving Space Shuttle Endeavour through Los Angeles to its final resting place. While he was there, he noticed that security for the event was focused less on the shuttle than on keeping the city itself safe. So, after a helpful LAPD officer suggested it would be impossible for a supervillain to make off with OV-105, Torchinsky went ahead and made a plan to do just that. All he needs is a submarine, a score of Sikorsky CH-53E heavy-lift helicopters, a salvaged and disguised Buran spaceplane, and the assistance of Switzerland.
OverTheGeicoE writes "Boston's Logan International Airport is in the process of replacing its X-ray body scanners with millimeter-wave ones. According to the article, nine of the new scanners have been installed already, and ultimately 27 of these scanners will replace the 17 X-ray backscatter scanners that were installed in March of 2010. The new devices are 'being installed come with software that replaces "passenger-specific images" — or nearly naked views of travelers — with generic outlines that highlight only anomalies such as belts, jewelry, wallets — or guns or bombs.' Perhaps this will help TSA workers avoid being part of a cancer cluster. Some speculate that TSA will ultimately eliminate all of its X-ray body scanners."
Slashdot contributor Bennett Haselton writes with "a response to some of the objections raised to my last article, about a design for a distributed social networking protocol, which would allow for decentralized (and censorship-resistant) hosting of social networking accounts, while supporting all of the same features as sites like Facebook." Social networking is no longer new; whether you consider it to have started with online communities in the mid-90s or with the beginnings of sites many people still use today. As its popularity has surged, it has grown in limited ways; modern social networks have made communication between users easier, but they've also made users easier to market to advertisers as well. There's no question that the future of social networking holds more changes that can both help and harm users — perhaps something like what Bennett suggests could serve to mitigate that harm. Read on for the rest of his thoughts.
Hugh Pickens writes "An article by Ross Andersen makes note of Freeman Dyson's prediction in 1960 that every civilization in the Universe eventually runs out of energy on its home planet, a major hurdle in a civilization's evolution. Dyson argued that all those who leap over it do so in precisely the same way: they build a massive collector of starlight, a shell of solar panels to surround their home star. Last month astronomers began a two-year search for Dyson Spheres, a search that will span the Milky Way, along with millions of other galaxies. The search is funded by a sizable grant from the Templeton Foundation, a philanthropic organization that funds research on the 'big questions' that face humanity, questions relating to 'human purpose and ultimate reality.' Compared with SETI, a search for Dyson Spheres assumes that the larger the civilization, the more energy it uses and the more heat it re-radiates. If Dyson Spheres exist, they promise to give off a very particular kind of heat signature, a signature that we should be able to see through our infrared telescopes. 'A Dyson Sphere would appear very bright in the mid-infrared,' says project leader Jason Wright. 'Just like your body, which is invisible in the dark, but shines brightly in mid-infrared goggles.' A civilization that built a Dyson Sphere would have to go to great lengths to avoid detection, building massive radiators that give off heat so cool it would be undetectable, a solution that would involve building a sphere that was a hundred times larger than necessary. 'If a civilization wants to hide, it's certainly possible to hide,' says Wright, 'but it requires massive amounts of deliberate engineering across an entire civilization.'"
ananyo writes "Japanese researchers have coaxed mouse stem cells into becoming viable eggs that produce healthy offspring. Last year, the same team successfully used mouse stem cells to make functional sperm (other groups have produced sperm cells in vitro). The researchers used a cocktail of growth factors to transform stem cells into egg precursors. When they added these egg precursor cells to embryonic ovary tissue that did not contain sex cells, the mixture spontaneously formed ovary-like structures, which they then grafted onto natural ovaries in female mice. After four weeks, the stem-cell-derived cells had matured into oocytes. The team removed the oocytes from the ovaries, fertilized them and transplanted the embryos into foster mothers. The offspring that were produced grew up to be fertile themselves."
another random user writes with news of a study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, which looked into the environmental impact of electric vehicles — not just how they do when driven, but how they are produced and by what means they are charged. The study pointed out that the production of EVs has twice as much of an environmental impact as the production of typical gas-powered cars, which must be taken into account when comparing the two. Also, they say it's important to consider the source of the electricity used to charge the vehicles. In places like Europe, where a good chunk of the electricity comes from renewable sources, EVs do indeed provide a benefit to the environment. However, "In regions where fossil fuels are the main sources of power, electric cars offer no benefits and may even cause more harm." The study says, "It is counterproductive to promote electric vehicles in regions where electricity is primarily produced from lignite, coal or even heavy oil combustion."
cylonlover writes "NASA launched a strategic partnership with location-based social networking site foursquare in 2010 with the first-ever check-in from the International Space Station (ISS) by astronaut Doug Wheelock. Now the space agency has gone one better with the first check-in on another planet thanks to its Curiosity Mars rover. Since fellow foursquare users will have a hard time checking in on the Red Planet themselves, they'll instead be able to earn a Curiosity-themed badge for visiting locations relating to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The badge will be available later this year and is designed to spark the scientific curiosity of foursquare users by encouraging them to visit science centers, laboratories and museums."
An anonymous reader writes "Hitachi, in collaboration with Nippon Signal and the University of Yamanashi, have successfully prototyped a boarding gate with built-in explosives detection equipment as part of efforts to increase safety in public facilities such as airports. The prototype boarding gate efficiently collects minute particles which have affixed themselves to IC cards or portable devices used as boarding passes, and can detect within 1-2 seconds the presence of explosive compounds using internalized equipment. With this method, it is possible to inspect 1,200 passengers per hour."
By Liat Clark, Wired UKHow does David Blaine prepare in the days before being encircled by 1 million volts of electricity, emitted by seven?Tesla coils, for 72 hours? Only by getting hit in the back of the head by said electric surge of course."So in the last rehearsal, the visor that they put into the ...
While 3-D modeling software is used to design everything from sports cars to mind-blowing models for video games, casual CAD-viewing tools tend to have the visual appeal of a tax form. They're often dated and confusing, keeping CAD from more mainstream adoption.A new tool, however, aims to fix that. Called Sketchfab, it is a browser-embedded gallery that lets viewers fully explore 3-D models.
The first launch of a new space era is scheduled to take place on Sunday night as SpaceX prepares to deliver its first cargo load to the International Space Station.
One morning, our health blogger Maryn McKenna woke up feeling thirsty, kind of chilled and sluggish, and with no appetite. As it turns out, she got something that 48 million people in the United States get every year: a foodborne illness. Here's how she became a part of story around the recent outbreak and recall of Trader Joe?s peanut butter.
Want baby mice? Grab a petri dish. After producing normal mouse pups last year using sperm derived from stem cells, a Kyoto University team of researchers has now accomplished the same feat using eggs created the same way. The study may eventually lead to new ways of helping infertile couples conceive.
Not too long ago it seemed as though fallen social networking giant Myspace may never make a comeback. News Corp sold the company for pennies on the dollar more than a year ago and little had been heard on the new owners' plans. Until -- seemingly out of the blue -- the site teased its rebirth, with a catchy video that actually made the new Myspace seem like a lot of fun. Actor/pop star/Myspace investor Justin Timberlake tweeted that video out last week and its infectious groove was chosen by Scott Vener. Wired talked to Myspace's new music curator about how he plans to bring the sexy back to the social networking site.
Getting to one of our nearest neighbours, Mars, would take six to eight months using conventional spaceship engines. Ideas like warp drives are still theoretical, and unlikely to be seen within our lifetimes. However, it might be possible to cut that trip to Mars down to as few as three months using a form of fusion fuel -- "dilithium crystals." Yep, just like Star Trek.
Controversy is brewing over the Georgia Aquarium's plan to import 18 beluga whales captured off the coast of Russia. According to the aquarium, the whales are needed for research and education. According to animal welfare advocates, that doesn't justify the harm inflicted on intelligent, emotional creatures unsuited for captivity.
A human rights group has released a new CAPTCHA, one designed to separate humans from online bots by testing if they feel empathy.
Officially, aliens have never existed but flying saucers very nearly did. The National Archives has recently published never-before-seen schematics and details of a 1950s military venture, called Project 1794, which aimed to build a supersonic flying saucer.
A cool new music service you've never heard of has hit the web, offering deep insights into the structure and rhythm of popular songs.
So you think sailing is a boring sport to watch? You haven't seen a wing-sailed, carbon-hulled catamaran do a somersault.
Mozilla wants to occupy a square on your Windows 8 start screen. The company has released Firefox Metro Preview, a version of Firefox tailored to Microsoft's bold new Windows 8 interface. The Firefox Metro Preview is still a very experimental release, but it offers a glimpse of what Firefox will be like on Windows 8 tablets.
New OnStar app allows Chevy Volt owners to calculate the cost to charge the vehicle down to dollars and cents.
From the simplicity of a camouflaged uniform to the complexity of a real-life invisibility cloak, armies have long used smoke and mirrors to confuse the enemy and retain an element of surprise. Here's the latest trick.
This Sunday, Oct. 7, SpaceX is scheduled to launch their Dragon spacecraft carrying important supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. You can get an inside scoop on the launch right here, in this Google+ hangout between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and NASA administrator Charles Bolden, starting at 10 a.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Eastern.
There is a very simple question that Little Bird, a service that launches today in private beta, attempts to answer: What community are you interested in?
Depending on who you speak to, Steve Jobs was a prolific innovator, relentless collaborator, or shameless limelight stealer. Regardless, his name is on more than 350 patents. The patents always list Jobs as part of a team. But given his famous attention to even the tiniest details, I?m guessing his name wasn?t added for purely ceremonial reasons.
Tom Waits gets his close-up in character as a bunny-loving nut job named Zachariah in this new poster for upcoming black comedy Seven Psychopaths.The blood-red movie poster, premiered exclusively by Wired, was created by Austin, Texas-based artist Todd Slater, who previously crafted graphics for rockers like the White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Radiohead and The Killers. ...
50 years ago today was the debut of "Dr. No," and the cinematic birth of James Bond. A true-life intelligence analyst takes a close reading of the movie -- and finds that the flick has insights into the real nature of intelligence work that remain valid all these years later.
Today we celebrate the birthday of Neil deGrasse Tyson! Let's face it, there are a lot of smart people doing important things out there and Tyson is certainly one of them, but it takes a whole other kind of person to show passion for the education of the masses rather than sneer at the people intellectually below them. In a time and place where science remains continuously on trial, astrophysicist and Hayden Planetarium Director Dr. Tyson's dedication as a science communicator makes him a person worthy of celebrating.
Japanese auto-maker Nissan is fond of boasting that its new Altima is the most innovative iteration of its midsize offering yet. And that is definitely true. But this isn't some Batmobile, it's a dad-mobile.
Some leaders become so synonymous with the undertakings they lead that in their absence, those undertakings become husks, superficially resembling their former selves without any substance within. That didn't happen to Apple.
Astrophysicist Alex Parker recently enjoyed a bit of viral status for his version of Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night, which is comprised of photos taken with the Hubble telescope. But that's not his only, or even his most interesting space art. He also uses data collected from stars to construct pieces of music.
A gallery featuring some of the most outlandish, irrational, and downright insane proposals that people have had for things to do on the moon. We've got our list. Think you can come up with something better? Write it in our comments and we'll get Wired illustrator Simon Lutrin to conjure it up and publish it on Wired Science.
Shot in black-and-white 3-D, s ranch houses and suburban backyards, modeled on Burton's sun-bleached hometown of Burbank, California, conjure a chilly vision that looks like nothing else in movie theaters this year.
Q&A with Nate Silver. How do we avoid spinning a narrative out of noise?
Even after his death, Steve Jobs' life still compels us to talk about him. Here's why.
Beer is as old as civilization itself, but beer brewers are still finding new ways of improving the way the stuff is made. Case in point: , a fermentation temperature control system powered by the tiny RapsberryPi computer that taking the tech world by storm.
As the sun rises over the New Mexico desert Monday morning, Felix Baumgartner will step into a space capsule suspended beneath an immense helium balloon and slowly ascend to the edge of the stratosphere, where he will step into the void and fall 23 miles to Earth.To do this safely, or, rather, as safely as ...