Author: Duncan Geere
Wikipedia eyes introduction of 'flagged revisions' worldwide
Wikipedia is considering banning unregistered users from making alterations to certain articles. It would be a radical policy change for the Encyclopedia whose slogan is “the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit”.
Last week, during President Obama’s inauguration lunch, US Senators Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd were both taken ill, quite seriously in the case of Kennedy. They have both since recovered, however shortly after the event, their Wikipedia entries read that they had died.
Although the changes were removed within five minutes of going up, the site’s founder, Jimmy Wales, went on record saying that a “flagged revisions” system would have prevented the problem. Such a system has been trialed on the German Wikipedia, and means that any unregistered edits have to be approved by a ‘trusted editor’ before they appear to the public.
Windows 7 gets schizophrenic, multiple personalities emerge
Oh dear. It’s the move that everyone was hoping Microsoft wasn’t going to make, but it looks like it’s going to make it. Seems that Windows 7 will come in a bunch of versions – much like Vista – titled Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate.
The news surfaced in a screenshot on a Chinese blog depicting Beta build 7025. Most people are running 7000 – which is the version currently (but not for much longer) available to the public.
Microsoft’s forthcoming OS has been getting rave reviews from all corners of the internet – even those traditionally very pro-Apple. I’m a big fan myself – I’ve got it installed on a laptop that struggled with Vista, and it runs like a dream. It remains to be seen exactly how cut-down the ‘Home’ versions will end up being, and if unlike Vista, the Ultimate edition is worth the extra cash.
(via Engadget, image courtesy of regular commenter Leon)
Related posts: Microsoft extends availability of Windows 7 beta | Windows 7 public beta available NOW
Turn your iPhone into a scanner
When’s the last time you used a scanner?
For me, the answer’s probably “years ago”. It’s something that’s completely exited my life, for some reason. Probably because I just don’t seem to ever get stuff on paper any more. Not stuff that needs to be on my PC, anyway.
Well, an Industrial Design student at the University of Cincinnati, Kyle A Koch, has come up with a big cardboard construct that can be used to scan stuff in using your iPhone. You’ll also need some decent light, and the picture quality won’t even approach ‘medium’, but hey – you never know when it could come in handy.
(via Likecool)
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LG has 'modular' VX9600 Versa in the works
Smartphone buyers have so many choices – do you want a touchscreen? A QWERTY keyboard? External media buttons? 5-megapixel camera? 3.5mm headphone jack? In many cases, the features you need dictate the phone you’re getting, before usability, software and design even come into it.
That’s why I’m quite excited by the VX9600 Versa, which promises to be ‘modular’, meaning you’ll be able to plug in whatever features you want when you need them. In the image above, you can see a plug-in QWERTY keyboard and gamepads and stereo speakers are rumoured too. Sounds promising, but there’s absolutely no ship date yet, so the chances of this appearing in the near future are slim.
Howard Forums (via MobileCrunch)
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Internet population hits one billion, or 15% of world population
Internet stat-tracker ComScore has just announced that it reckons that world internet usage topped 1 billion in December 2008, 14.9% of the estimated population of the world in July 08. Asia-Pacific, including China, sent the most users, followed by Europe, followed by North America. However, the USA comes second in the ranking by country, with the UK in fifth.
Interestingly the stats don’t include access from public computers, like Internet Cafes, or access from mobile phones. In reality, therefore, the figure’s likely to be considerably higher. 77% of the world uses Google to search, which is a massive figure, and Wikipedia is fifth in the most-viewed-websites list, with 27% of the world visiting it. Facebook sits in seventh.
Press Release (via TheNextWeb)
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FLASH GAME CHALLENGE: Armour Academy
Last week’s Flash Game Challenge victor was won by Neil, with a world-beating score of 16,045,290 on his 3rd try. Not bad at all. Give yourself a pat on the back, Neil.
This week, there’s a more cerebral game for you. It’s a bit like a budget version of amazing TV gameshow Catchphrase, where it presents you with a phrase depicted graphically, and you have to work out which one, of three, it’s supposed to be,
You’ll need your thinking cap on for this – get it wrong, and you lose a life. Lose three lives and you’re out. I scored 24 in 112 seconds on my second go. Beat that, and post your winning score in the comments below.
Armour Academy
Previous Challenges: The Crossing | Topspinner
MSI's Windbox officially announced, available soon
The MSI Windbox isn’t a playground name for part of your anatomy, it’s a nettop – one of those curious machines that is to the desktop what the netbook is to the notebook. The idea, and it’s a good one, is that it’s mounted to the back of your monitor using the VESA mount.
The specs aren’t whopping – an Atom CPU, capacity for 1GB of RAM, VGA-out, 3 USB ports, a card reader, Ethernet and Wi-Fi, and space for a 2.5″ hard drive. You’ll need to add your own RAM and storage to the proceedings, as well as an operating system of some sort. It’s rumoured to cost $250, which is £182 or so in real money.
Press Release (via CrunchGear)
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Insane Bandai 'Diorama' speaker
File this one under ‘crazy’ and ‘Japanese’. It’s a pair of speakers, 2x1W, with a mounted diorama of a Tokyo street scene slapped on top of it. It’s so wonderfully tacky that I’m actually rather fond of it.
Want one? No? Okay. Well, if you know anyone who does, then tell them that it’s limited edition – just 2000 are being made – so get moving sharpish. It’ll cost them ¥198,000 (£1,640). That’s what’s known in the trade as ‘too much’.
Bandai (via Akihabaranews)
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NOISE GATE: How to create an awesome office jukebox in five easy steps
If you work in an office, then how does the music work? Is it a tinny radio in the corner blaring out Radio 1? If so, I feel sorry for you, and I suggest you take control.
We moved offices over Christmas, and switched from a benevolent musical dictatorship run by Stuart from My Chemical Toilet to a much more democratic approach using communal playlists in Spotify. It’s very simple, and all you’ll need is some speakers, as well as someone volunteering to take charge. Click through to the post to find out how.
Last.fm releases Android client application
Personalised radio service Last.fm has launched an Android version of its software, meaning that T-Mobile G1 owners will be able to get streaming music recommendations on-the-go. Previously the application was only available to iPhone owners and on Last.fm’s website on a computer.
That’s all well and good, but where’s my Symbian client? I want to use Last.fm on my N95! Last.fm’s biggest threat right now, Spotify, is recruiting for an S60 engineer with the aim of building a phone client. With the 5800 just launched, and the N97 just around the corner, now would be a great time to develop an alternative to Nokia’s egregious “Comes with Music” service.
Last.fm Android App (via @fakesensations)
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