Tag: Open source
OpenOffice 3.0 released
What’s your favourite open-source Microsoft Office alternative? Yay! I love OpenOffice too! Let’s be friends, and throw a party, because version 3.0 has just been released. In the new version: native Mac OS X compatibility, support for version 1.2 of the OpenDocument format, and compatibility with Microsoft’s OOXML format.
The latter feature is particularly useful, given that Office 2007 saves .docx files by default – something that’s confused many a hapless user as they tried to send stuff to people using older versions of the office suite…
Google launching Chrome web browser beta for Windows
Thanks to some over-exuberant staff at Google, the cat’s out of the bag a bit earlier than planned on its new project: Chrome.
From tomorrow, Google will launch a beta version of its new web browser, which it no doubts hope will challenge the dominance of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, and take chunks out of Firefox’s increasing popularity.
A Windows version will be available in 100 countries (presumably the UK will be one of them), and should be “streamlined and simple”. Features include separating each tab into its own “sandbox” to minimise the risk of web applications crashing the whole browser and provide better protection from malicious code, and a powerful “V8” JavaScript engine to “power the next generation of web applications that aren’t even possible in today’s browsers”…
Facebook turns open-source in defence against MySpace
Facebook has confirmed that it is preparing to open up its platform to make life easier on third-party developers creating applications. Its announcement follows a flood of similar ones from other companies, including rival MySpace, which joined the Google-founded OpenSocial open source standards initiative.
Via gives away its OpenBook designs, watch out for even more Eee clones
Via has decided to be friendly to anyone wanting to build an Eee PC clone (or just a sub-notebook PC) by making CAD files available to anyone who wants to build or modify the OpenBook.
Processor specs aren’t amazing — the Via C7-M / VX800 digital media processors may well choke on Windows XP or Vista, although Via says that their next-generation processor – Isaiah – will run four times as fast…
Carl Freer confirms that Gizmondo really is coming back this year
You’d think that disaster that was Gizmondo would be enough to put consumers and investors off for life. Not so apparently: Gizmondo is set to return with a whole new version, fresh support for the existing model and a new focus on homebrew and open source content. It could be with us by the end of the year…
MWC 2008: Will the LiMo Foundation pip Google's Android to the open-source post?
The LiMo Foundation looks set to be a major thorn in Google’s Android side, with a couple of major announcements tipped to occur at MWC.
For those unfamiliar with the LiMo Foundation, it’s an alliance of manufacturers formed over a year ago, which has the same common aim as the Open Handset Alliance spearheaded by Google, of creating open mobile software platforms.
“[LiMo] is a very practical initiative, but also a deeply philosophical one, based upon the belief that openness in handsets delivers value to consumers,” Morgan Gillis, LiMo’s executive director, said recently about the alliance, which includes massive manufacturers such as Motorola…
CES 2008: OpenMoko to reveal Neo FreeRunner open source handset
OpenMoko’s Neo 1973 open source mobile was a roaring success last year, selling out within three days of going on sale in July. Now, the company is set to use CES to take the wrappers off its new model, which is called Neo FreeRunner.
Sony AIBO-like robot, the New4LR, is open-source and speccy
Yet another robot for you, this time in the shape of a wee lil puppy. Watch women all around you swoon at the sight of it. Coochie-coochie-coo! Coochie-coochie-coo!
As your robot-savvy eyes can tell, it’s slightly Sony Aibo-like in its appearance, but has a lot more to it than what meets the eye. The German University working on the robot has developed open-source software for the product, ‘New4LR’, powered by two AMD Geode 500Mhz processors…
Daily Tech Hotlinks for 03-July-2007: Prince, Wikipedia, AllOfMP3.com, John Edwards, Grand Theft Auto
– Prince outrages the music industry by giving away his new album for free with the Mail on Sunday.
– The Wikipedia user who prophesised the Chris Benoit murders claims he was simply vandalising the site, and had no idea it would turn true just hours later. Ever thought he maybe gave Benoit the idea in the first place?
– AllOfMp3.com is finally shut down by the Russian authorities, who have no doubt objected over all those pirate TaTu albums escaping the country…
BBC plans to limit their VoD service to Microsoft Windows
It has emerged that the BBC plans to make its forthcoming Video on Demand (VoD) service compatible only with Microsoft Windows. An (arrogant) report from the BBC Trust states that such services will be unavailable to a 'minority of consumers…
