Technobriefs

by Craig Reynolds

Comcast v. BitTorrent: this issue involves both high tech net neutrality (the lack of it) and low tech sleazy business practices like false advertising (ISPs that advertise one bandwidth number but actually deliver much, much less): Comcast: We’re Delaying, Not Blocking, BitTorrent Traffic, Comcast resets BitTorrent users; net neutrality lovers lash out, Comcast to face lawsuits over BitTorrent filtering and Sharing Is Never Easy.

Gmail IMAP: the blogosphere was abuzz with Gmail's introduction of IMAP protocol: Gmail's Latest Trick: IMAP, Therefore I Am, IMAP, YouMAP, WeMAP: Mail Protocol's Proponents Argue for Better Support, What Gmail IMAP Means for You (and Your iPhone), A Better Way to Set Up Gmail IMAP and like Sting sang, if you love somebody, set them free: Google Takes No Prisoners.

Futurists on robots and AI, experts speculate on the future: Robots Will Become Part of Daily Life, Interview: BT 'futurologist': AI entity will win Nobel by 2020 and Cracking GO.

Cosmic news: fighting fire from orbit: NASA's high-tech wildfire weapons. Satelloons last week now Solar Telescope Soars Into Sky On Jumbo-jet-sized Balloon. Suddenly a million time brighter: Mystery Comet Explodes Into Brightness.

Technobits: similar in spirit to reCaptcha, assistive vision service via human-based computation: In Human Grid, We are the Cogs --- Open Content Alliance says Google and Microsoft too restrictive: Libraries Shun Deals to Place Books on Web --- Password-cracking chip causes security concerns --- software for Rating Facial Expressions --- The Hard Science of Making Videogames and When work becomes a game --- Loving the Internet --- Humorous 'Bot' Recognizes Jokes --- more on synbio: Scientists have a new way to reshape nature, but none can predict the cost --- Sexual Orientation Is Genetic in Worms --- Supersize elements created in lab ("US researchers have created exotic new versions of atomic nuclei including one previously thought to not exist.") --- great video contest: can you explain String Theory in Two Minutes or Less? Check out String Ducky and The Problem With Math...