Gregarius » Wired News: Top Stories

Talks Break Down Between Hollywood Writers, Producers

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:45pm CDT by Associated Press

Screenwriters working without a contract will meet late Thursday and decide whether to go on strike. If they do, they'll be out as early as Friday.

Vroom, Vroom: Formula 1 Orders Teams to Go Green

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Chuck Squatriglia

Formula 1 motor racing is investing in green technology that will eventually appear in cars you can buy in the showroom.

The Other $15 Billion Question: How Will Apple Spend Its Cash?

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Bryan Gardiner

With $15.4 billion in cash reserves, Apple has a lot of options. How it will spend that money is an open question.

Superfast Laser Turns Virus Into Rubble

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Alexis Madrigal

A physicist and his son are tuning lasers to shatter dangerous viruses into harmless piles of protein.

Russia Pours Billions in Oil Profits Into Nanotech Race

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Alexander Zaitchik

A $5 billion outlay makes Russia a top funder in government-sponsored nanotech research virtually overnight.

Nov. 1, 1859: A Welcome Sight for Those in Peril Upon the Sea

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Tony Long

The lighthouse at Cape Lookout, North Carolina, casts its first beam out to sea.

How We Won the War on Thai Chili Sauce

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Bruce Schneier

Since Sept. 11, ordinary citizens have been told that their watchful eyes are the front line of national terrorism defense. The result? It's a bad time to be a blinking sign or a tasty condiment.

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Escape Old London's Most Feared Prison — Guided by GPS

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Aria Pearson

A prototype location-based game uses PDAs to guide visitors through an interactive tour of the Tower of London, where two of Henry VIII's wives were executed. Beats reading plaques.

Candidates Pander to Geeks in the Webbiest Campaign Ever

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Miyoko Ohtake

Wired checks out the six leading candidates' online efforts. While there's a lot to like, we see plenty to suggest that this geek thing is still pretty new.

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Wired Test 2007 — The Best: Obsolete Technologies, From the Sundial to the Laser Disc.

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Matthew Honan

Come with us now to the thrilling days of tech yesteryear. Wallow in memories of the ditto machine and armor plate. But wait, there's more!

Wired Science Tackles Water, Analog Sound and the X Prize, Nov. 7 on PBS

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 11:00pm CDT

Tune in for a look at the digital/analog divide, water solutions in the American Southwest and how the X Prize is changing the face of the space race.

$200 Ubuntu Linux PC Now Available at Wal-Mart

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 8:00pm CDT

Everex's TC2502 gPC is the first mass-market $200 desktop computer, featuring a custom distribution of Ubuntu Linux and headed for selected Wal-Mart stores.

Privacy Groups Ask for Online 'Do Not Track' List

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 7:30pm CDT by Ryan Singel

Just a day before a federal town hall on online tracking and advertising, privacy groups call for a federally run "Do Not Track" list. Advertisers deride it as invasive and unnecessary.

Mac Users Get a Credit Card Stealing Trojan for Halloween, Security Company Reports

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 7:00pm CDT by Threat Level

A program promoted to Mac formers reportedly routes Mac users to phishing lures and serves adult-oriented ads. The Trojan may be the first professional attempt to target OS X users.

Neurons or Pollock? Scientists Create Technicolor 'Brainbow'

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 1:32pm CDT by Alexis Madrigal

Neuroscientists use coral and jellyfish DNA to create colorful arrays of neuronal connections in mouse brains.

First Look: Delicious Library 2.0 Burns With Animated Cool

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 1:30pm CDT by Scott Gilbertson

Mac OS X Leopard is here, and it brings with it the new Core Animation engine developers can use to create immersive, animated application interfaces. To see what's in store for application design on the Mac, Wired News has an exclusive sneak peek at the next version of Delicious Library.

Wired Test: 720p, 1080i ... What Does It All Mean?

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 1:00pm CDT by Chuck Cage

High definition boosts resolution to 720 lines or more and can update every line in each refresh pass: progressive scan. The latest TVs can display 1080p: progressive video at 1,080 lines of resolution. But can you really tell the difference?

Study: Vitamin D Is No Magic Bullet for Cancer

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 7:45am CDT by Associated Press

Vitamin D provides many benefits for the human body, but helping cure cancer doesn't appear to be one of them, a study from the National Cancer Institute concludes.

We Have Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 7:30am CDT by Associated Press

Scientists studying the things that make people nervous or scared are reporting breakthroughs they say will lead to more effective treatment of anxiety disorders.

FCC Pries Apartment Dwellers From Cable Companies' Grip

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 6:55am CDT

Companies like Comcast and Time Warner can no longer impose exclusive agreements on owners of apartment buildings, the FCC rules. This should mean lower cable prices for apartment dwellers.

Faith in Google Unabated; Stock Tops $700

Posted: October 31st, 2007, 6:50am CDT by Associated Press

The sky's the limit for the most powerful online company, apparently, as investors help boost its overall market value by 30 percent in just two months.

Kodak EasyShare V1253: DSLR Performance, Point-and-Shoot Price

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:30pm CDT by Gadget Lab blog

Review: The palm-sized Kodak EasyShare camera makes the reviewer giddy. It's close to a digital SLR in performance, but fits in your pocket.

Wonder Wine Gadgets That Would Win Over Geeks

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Lore Sjöberg

An extreme shortage of oenophile gizmos is undoubtedly the reason most nerds shun the fruit of the vine. Problem solved! Commentary by Lore Sjöberg.

Wired's How To Wiki: Tweak Mac OS X Leopard's UI

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by How To Wiki

Apple's Mac OS X Leopard introduces lots of tiny visual enhancements as well as some usability advancements beyond the Tiger defaults. But changes are not automatically improvements. If you're underwhelmed by your new OS's upgraded user interface, or you just want your good friend Tiger back, Wired's How To Wiki can help you tweak and customize Leopard. But it's incomplete. Please help us fill in the blanks and create a wiki that gets people what they want: a better Leopard.

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The Great Firewall: China's Misguided — and Futile — Attempt to Control What Happens Online

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Oliver August

Impressive evidence of the Chinese government's ability to monitor and control electronic communication shows one reporter how far the country is going in order to control and "purify" the internet. He applies what he learns, supplying tips on how to breach China's Great Firewall.

That Nearly Scared Me to Death! Let's Do It Again

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Brandon Keim

Fear is a handy evolutionary mechanism for staying out of danger. So why do we get off on it sometimes?

Rockets 'R' Us: Salvaging Out-of-This-World Space Junk Since 1962

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Vince Beiser

Would you buy a used spaceship from this guy? How about a few spare parts to pimp your rocket?

Oct. 31, 1917: Last Charge at Beersheba Turns a Page in Military History

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Tony Long

With World War I approaching its climax, the last thing the Turkish garrison at Beersheba expects is an attack by a horse-mounted enemy. But that's exactly how the Aussies hit them.

Gallery: Our Readers' Coolest Geek-o'-Lanterns

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Lewis Wallace

Wired News readers go to town on orange gourds, turning pumpkins and flames into sci-fi, fantasy and just plain nerdy works of art.

Free Music Now! Lala.com's Plan to Give Songs Away Could Upend the Industry

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Cliff Kuang

Lala.com, which launched in 2006 as a CD-swap service, spins into a new business model offering free, unlimited on-demand music streams from major labels. The company hopes to recoup its $160-million investment in licensing deals through music sales -- downloads, physical CDs and vinyl -- with more revenue streams on the way.

Best of Leopard Is Yet to Come: Innovative Third-Party Apps

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Leander Kahney

Once developers sink their teeth into Core Animation, a powerful developer's toolkit embedded in the new Mac OS, we'll likely enter an advanced era of user interface design. Commentary by Leander Kahney.

'Criminal' Botnet Stumps for Ron Paul, Researchers Allege

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Sarah Lai Stirland

A massive Sunday spam attack supporting Republican candidate Ron Paul is traced to computers in South Korea, Japan, Nigeria, Brazil and elsewhere.

Who's Got the Geekiest Halloween Get-Up?

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Underwire

Vote on the latest in Halloween nerdwear and submit photos of your own costume.

Watch Wired Science Episode 105: Blood Simple

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 9:00pm CDT

From its unique core molecule, hemoglobin, to the attached proteins that designate types A, B, AB and O, blood has resisted our best efforts to master and commodify it. Yet, recent tests of a milky white fluid whose active ingredient is Perflourocarbons may change that. We'll take a look at the components of PFC and peek inside the latest attempt to create blood.

Watch Wired Science Episode 105: Ziya Goes to NextFest

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 5:00pm CDT

Each year, Wired magazine gathers science and technological inventors and innovators on one humungous floor to bring some of their best ideas about the future to public. The place is NextFest, held this year in Los Angeles, California where Ziya Tong takes the floor to discover what's exciting and new.

Trick or Treat With the Creepiest, Craziest Halloween Candies

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 4:30pm CDT by Underwire blog

Sick or sweet? Body parts, insects and other ghoulish confections make for a very scary holiday.

Wired Test 2007: Videocams: Canon HV20

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 4:00pm CDT by Helmut Kobler

The HV20 makes even the cheesiest cat video look like it belongs on Discovery's HD Theater. Read Wired's take on this 1080i HD video powerhouse.

Wired Test 2007: The Canon HV20 -- Mos Def in More Ways Than Just Its Hi-Def Picture

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 4:00pm CDT by Helmut Kobler

The HV20 makes even the cheesiest cat video look like it belongs on Discovery's HD Theater. Read Wired's take on this 1080i HD video powerhouse.

Resistant Bacteria: Go Kill Yourselves

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 3:30pm CDT by Alexis Madrigal

A new study suggests that a solution to drug-resistant bacteria like staph could be forcing the bugs to kill themselves.

Six Teams Axed from Robo-Car Rally

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 2:00pm CDT by Noah Shachtman

Six teams are kicked out of the Pentagon's autonomous car rally, after a series of crashes, wrong turns and assorted robotic mishaps.

Dixie Chicks: Exhibit A in Latest RIAA Litigation

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 1:31pm CDT by Threat Level

Left-wing darlings, the Dixie Chicks now headlining for RIAA copyright lawsuits.

Six Teams Axed from Robo-Car Rally

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 1:30pm CDT by Noah Shachtman

Six teams are kicked out of the Pentagon's autonomous car rally, after a series of crashes, wrong turns and assorted robotic mishaps.

Gear Gallery: Smartphone That Goes Both Ways, Tiny Tablet PC and More

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 1:00pm CDT by Gadget Lab

Browse this week's Wired News gadget reviews for a dual-sliding smartphone, a tablet PC that could fit a hobbit and more of the latest tech.

NBC Exec: "Apple Has Destroyed the Music Business"

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 10:30am CDT by Epicenter Blog

In a recent public appearance, NBC Universal president Jeff Zucker laid the blame for the music industry's recent difficulties squarely at the doorstep of Apple.

IBM Develops Environmentally Friendly Way to Reuse Silicon

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 6:50am CDT by Associated Press

The chipmaker says its new method allows extraneous silicon to be utilized rather than discarded.

Privacy Concerns Could Deep-Six Whois Look-Up Site

Posted: October 30th, 2007, 6:35am CDT by Associated Press

Prized by journalists, researchers and law enforcement officials as a reliable resource for tracking down website owners, it is criticized by privacy advocates for the same reason. A proposal in front of ICANN would essentially scuttle the ship.

Wired's How To Wiki: Shred Like a God in Guitar Hero 3

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by How To Wiki

Mastered every chord? Check. Perfected your hold, memorized every pattern and conquered every level? Check, check and check. In August 2007, Wired guided you to maximum star power in our How To Rock at Guitar Hero -- now it's your turn. Follow this link to the How To Wiki and tell us how you rock at RedOctane's latest, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

The Best Conspiracy Theories (Lizard-People Are Running the World!)

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Lucas Graves

Wired dishes the top ten conspiracy theories. Is Paul McCartney really alive?

Smarty Plants: Inside the World's Only Plant-Intelligence Lab

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Nicole Martinelli

The International Laboratory of Plant Neurobiology is the world's only laboratory dedicated to plant intelligence. No, it's not a joke: The lab does serious work into plant sensing and communication.

Scientists Use 'X-Ray Glasses' to Dissect Fossils

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Alexis Madrigal

Researchers use X-ray scanners to create 3-D models of prehistoric creatures preserved inside rocks.

Oct. 30, 1938: The Martians Have Landed in New Jersey!

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Tony Long

Orson Welles doesn't intend to perpetrate a hoax, or to panic his listeners. But to a 1938 radio audience unused to the intrusion of hysterical reporters, the dramatization seems real enough.

James Murdoch on Satellite TV, His Google Deal, and What Mogul Means

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Spencer Reiss

James Murdoch, second son of you-know-who and executive director of British Sky Broadcasting, has added screaming-fast DSL broadband to the flagship satellite TV service, creating an engine that channels both content and interactivity. Wired talks with Murdoch at his headquarters west of London to learn about a bitfest Americans can only dream of.

Scientists Virtually Dissect Prehistoric Spider Frozen in Amber

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Alexis Madrigal

Researchers use X-ray scanners to create 3-D models of prehistoric creatures preserved inside rocks.

Stupid Laser Tricks: Make Your Own Piece of Jesus-Miracle Toast

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 11:00pm CDT by Chris Hardwick

Wired magazine offers a few of its favorite do-it-yourself laser hacks.

See++? AT&T Invents Programming Language for Surveillance

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 5:00pm CDT by Threat Level

A newly unearthed paper shows how AT&T researchers working to combat fraud developed an extension of the C programming language called Hancock. It can comb through masses of telephone and internet data and plot relationships, opening the door to a new type of warrantless data-mining.

Vote: Does the iPhone Have a Killer App?

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 4:30pm CDT by Compiler blog

Recent developments make it easier than ever to install third-party applications on an iPhone or iPod Touch. But why bother? Is there a killer app that makes the risk worthwhile? Cast your vote in our online poll.

'Halo 3,' Other Games Get Spooky (or Silly) for Halloween

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 3:00pm CDT by Underwire

It's a virtual bag of tricks and treats as online games and virtual worlds serve up seasonal fun.

First Look: Hulu Combines Ease of Use, Content, Advertising

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 3:00pm CDT by Terrence Russell

NBC Universal and News Corp.'s joint internet video venture, Hulu, launches to a limited number of test users today. We test-drove the service and found a slick interface, a good selection of premium content, and omnipresent yet relatively low-key advertising.

Apple Says Your Money's No Good Here -- But We'll Take a Gift Card, Maybe

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 2:30pm CDT by Epicenter Blog

As we reported Friday, Apple is trying to head off black market iPhone resellers by refusing to accept cash or check payments for iPhone sales. Stores will accept Apple gift cards as partial payment, we found, although policies seem to vary from store to store.

Hulu Launches, But It Doesn't Look Like a YouTube Killer

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 1:30pm CDT

Hulu.com, the online video venture from NBC Universal and News Corp., has launched a private beta program. Early reports suggest it's far from being a YouTube killer.

John Carmack's Armadillo Lunar Lander Crashes, Burns

Posted: October 29th, 2007, 1:00pm CDT by Wired Science

Game designer John Carmack's fourth and final shot at winning the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge ends in flames. After a loud explosion, his Armadillo lander is surrounded by a pool of fire, which spreads approximately 30 feet away from the rocket.