Diana, Princess of Wales, 1961-1997

Eight years after...

Microsoft Releases WinFS Beta 1

WinFS' not dead. WinFS is essentially an SQL database layer that sits on top of the NTFS file system. With it, files and data are abstracted and can be access not just more quickly but in many different ways. Some speculate that WinFS may first appear on the server edition of Windows Vista and when coupled with a WinFS enabled client, would allow seamless organization of files and data across a network.

EEn's 1000th Release

Windows 95 Turned 10

Wow, hard to believe, it's been 10, TEN, X years already? on Aug 24, 1995, Windows 95 released. 10 years' been a lot to everyone... Washingtonpost has an archive of the launch coverage. And, "Everyone is amazed at how far the industry has come. But in thinking about what will be possible within the next 25 years, we've really just begun..." billg said at Microsoft's 25th Anniversary, Sep 5, 2000. This is amazing.

Macro sample sent by Hello. 

EOS 5D portrait sample sent from Picasa2 to Hello to BloggerBot to my blog. 

It's Here: Google Talk

Talk and IM with your friends for free They say talk is cheap. Google thinks it should be free. Google Talk enables you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free–anytime, anywhere in the world. Google Talk offers you: * Choice: Get in touch how and when you want to–over email, IM or a call * Quality: Talk through your computer but hear your friends as if they were in the same room * Convenience: Your Gmail contacts are pre-loaded into Google Talk so inviting or talking to your friends is just a click away Google Talk is in beta and requires a Gmail username and password. | Download

Engadget 1985

Where we were going on Aug 22, 1985: WELCOME TO THE ENGADGET BBS August 22, 1985 | 12:35 Callers to date . . . . . . . . . . 2924 Callers today . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Callers yesterday . . . . . . . . . 49 Uptime. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 days, 20:05 The SYSOP is. . . . . . . . . . . . IN! [A] Articles [C] Chat [I] Mail [M] Message boards [N] News Welcome to the Engadget BBS! How’s it going? Sorry if you had a busy signal a bunch, the board’s been growing like crazy—we’re adding a third line next week, so check out the boards to get that number!

Rumor: Google to Release IM Client Wednesday

Either rumor or plausible speculation under journalistic embargo: NYT/JOHN MARKOFF - "Google executives say they plan to unveil on Wednesday a "communications tool" that is potentially a clear step beyond the company's search-related business focus. While executives would not disclose what the new software tool might be, Google has long been expected to introduce an instant messaging service to compete with services offered by America Online, Yahoo and MSN from Microsoft." Update: NeoWin - talk.google.com looks like a Jabber server.

Fall of MicroDrive? Samsung to half NAND price for 4GB flash iPod

Apple is planning a flash-based version of the iPod mini. Samsung, which already supplies the flash memory modules used in the iPod shuffle, has offered to cut the price of its 4GB flash memory module by roughly 50% in order to make it competitive with the 4GB Microdrives that Apple currently uses in the 4GB iPod mini. That’d severely undercut every other supplier’s pricing and make it possible for Apple to offer a smaller, lighter 4GB iPod mini without a mini hard drive. That also means an iPod mini with no moving parts that could be damaged during exercise. Tom's Hardware Guide | DigiTimes | Engadget

After all the rumors: Canon EOS 5D, full-frame 12.8 megapixel

Yes, the specifications floating around for the last two weeks were accurate, this camera slots in above the EOS 20D but below the EOS-1D series with its full-frame (35 mm negative size) 12.8 megapixel CMOS sensor. Other key specifications; 3.0 fps continuous shooting, Spot metering, Custom settings mode, Picture Style parameters, 2.5" wide viewing angle LCD monitor, marginally larger than the EOS 20D, USB 2.0 High-speed, compatible with WFT-E1 wireless transmitter. The EOS 5D is certainly unique and will no doubt be of great interest to a great variety of photographers. The EOS 5D will be priced at $3299 (US) / €3459 (EU). DPR Preview | Samples Canon also released a full range of other products today.

Google Desktop 2 Beta

Sidebar, Quick Find, and Outlook Toolbar. Compressed and encrypted(via EFS) index. | Download

Finally, it's on Wired

Photo: REUTERS/Alfred Cheng Jin Floozie or role model, attention monger or free spirit? For months, China has been debating what to make of its latest internet-born star, a young woman known nationwide as Furong Jiejie, aka Sister Furong. She is seen as a pioneer pushing the boundaries of traditional media controls but in the process has become a target of government censors in the tightly controlled country. Sister Furong started the craze by posting pictures of herself -- draped back-down over a stone ball, bent at the knees with her chest thrust out suggestively and in other poses -- on internet bulletin boards of two top Beijing universities to which she had tried but failed to gain entrance. The shots, and accompanying captions and passages she wrote proclaiming her own beauty and talent, became a campus sensation. But when her cult status began to sweep the whole country, Beijing stepped in... More

A little story about “Acrylic”

That's a good viewpoint on Micorosoft's codename "Acrylic" over at PhotoShopNews. This software is not new, it's origin backdates the last century. Fratical Design Painter, later MetaCreations Painter, and finally Corel Painter was, and is the best natural-media painting tool for creative workers. On Sep. 20, 1996, Fractal Design shipped Expression at $449 retail, or $149 for Painter or Poser (yes, THAT Poser) customers. Expression inherited the best of Painter, while providing a vector-based engine. It was just too good for computers at that age with something like Pentium 166Mhz MMX, 64MB RAM and 2GB HDD. But still, it's the best and only natual-media vector drawing tool. On Dec. 14, 1999, MetaCreations turned focus to develop interactive online steaming media format and became MetaStream, later Viewpoint. It discontinued, or sold all its products, including KPT and Bryce. A legendary pack is gone, and the rest was history. I'm glad to see Microsoft to pick up one of the best of the MetaCreations heritage after so many years from Creature House Ltd(already redirected to Microsoft product page). From what Microsoft did to Visio, Expresion redux will definitely be a hit. It'll be my only reason to pay for a Wacom.

E=MC2: Einstein's Big Idea, 100 Years

To mark the one hundredth anniversary of Einstein's famous equation, E=mc2, NOVA has gone live this month with a Web site that features exclusive content and podcasts from ten of the worlds top physicists. This once-in-a-lifetime gathering of top scientists such as S. James Gates, Jr., Brian Greene, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Nobel Laureate Sheldon Glashow simplify what the equation means to our world today and the effect it has had on their careers. NOVA online also details how Einstein grappled with the implications of his revolutionary theory of relativity and came to a startling conclusion: that mass and energy are one, related by the formula E=mc2. Viewers will also find lesson plans through the award-winning NOVA Teacher's Guide and a special library resource kit.

Weather Add-in for MSN Search Toolbar

Keeps the local three-day weather forecast at your fingertips. Download

Razer Copperhead

Heck, I was about to buy a Diamondback.

• 2000 DPI Laser Engine Powered by Razer Precision?
• 1000 Hz Ultrapolling? (adjustable to 125Hz & 500Hz) with 1 ms response time as compared with 125Hz/8 ms response time used by other conventional gaming mice
• 32KB Onboard Memory Powered by Razer Synapse?
• 7 independently programmable buttons optimized with Razer’s Hyperesponse? technology for ultra tactile button feedback and maximum actions-per-minute (APM) gameplay
• Up to 3 customizable weight standards and optional dummy buttons*
• Zero-Acoustic Ultraslick? Teflon feet
• 16 bit data path, as compared to 8 bit and 12 bit data paths used by other conventional mice
• High speed motion detection, up to 45ips and 20g / Over 7080 frames per second
• Always-On? mode pioneered by Razer? - the laser engine sensor never powers down to provide instantaneous response at all times during gameplay
• Award winning Razer? drivers featuring On-the-Fly Sensitivity? DPI adjustment pioneered by Razer
• Size: 5.04" length x 2.5" width x 1.54" height
• GlowPipe? non-slip side rails
• Ergonomic ambidextrous design
• Ultra large non-slip rubber coated mouse buttons
• Gold plated USB connector for maximum conductivity
• 7 foot, lightweight, non-tangle cord

Razer | Blog | GameSpot

US Gives Virgin Galactic a GO

Space.com reports that the U.S. Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls has approved collaboration of technical details between Scaled Composites of Mojave, California and Virgin Galactic of the United Kingdom to build passenger-carrying suborbital spaceliners. The next suborbital ship will be a nine person vessel. Details about the new company were unveiled at the Experimental Aircraft Association's (EAA) AirVenture air show held July 25-31 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Spaceship Company will build a fleet of commercial suborbital spaceships and launch aircraft. Scaled Composites is to be under contract for research and development testing, as well as certification of a 9-person SpaceShipTwo (SS2) design, and a White Knight Two (WK2) mothership to be called Eve. Scaled Composites | Virgin Galactic | /.

Museum of Media History 2014

Google News Gets Feeds

Right now, Google News supports Atom 0.3 and RSS 2.0. To access Google News feeds, look for the RSS | Atom links on any Google News page. These links will generate a feed of current stories related to the page that you're looking at.

STS-114 Done

Today's official landing time was 8:11:22 a.m. EDT. 10:40 a.m. - "We have had a fantastic mission," Commander Eileen Collins said with a smile. At her side were her crewmates, Pilot James Kelly and Mission Specialists Soichi Noguchi, Stephen Robinson, Wendy Lawrence, Charles Camarda and Andy Thomas. "We are so glad to be able to come back and say it was successful. The crew was really anxious to walk around and see what the outside looked like. We brought Discovery back in great shape, as you can see behind us. This is a wonderful moment for all of us to experience."

Joop: Another Star in Heaven Tonight

"Joop was a 'farmers fox' who lived with us in Paterswolde from 2002-2005. A genuine goodhearted handsome topdog with a strong character and big love for his humans. Joop lost a battle against cancer in August 2005."

Breaking News: Four-Button Apple Mouse

At last, after decades. | Apple PR And Review and Dissection