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Posts Tagged ‘Privilege’

HP MediaSmart EX470 and EX480 getting 3.0 software upgrade option this week

The wild world of rapid-fire phone software updates has spoiled us all, but HP’s bringing just a smidgen of that to the world of home servers. This week owners of the last-gen EX470 and EX480 series MediaSmart Servers will be able to nab a DVD that updates their servers to the new 3.0 software currently available on the EX490 and EX495 models, including better Mac support and automatic media transcoding. Unfortunately, this update isn’t free: you’ll have to pay $25 for the privilege. EX470 / 475 owners are also encouraged to bump their unit up to 1GB of RAM if they haven’t already. We aren’t thrilled at the fee, but there is something a bit more reassuring in this process than Motorola’s “hope and pray” OTA update model.

HP MediaSmart EX470 and EX480 getting 3.0 software upgrade option this week originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s psuedo sudo patent doesn’t really cover sudo

Righteous indignation erupted on the Internet last week following reports that Microsoft had patented sudo, a traditional command-line tool that is widely-used on Linux and some UNIX platforms for selective privilege escalation. Some enthusiastic patent reform advocates predictably held up the patent as an example of the problems that afflict the patent system.

The inherent broadness and ambiguity of software patents is arguably a debilitating problem for the software industry and a matter that calls for evaluation of potential reforms, but we’re not so sure that the Microsoft patent in question is as egregious as the critics claim. Granting a patent on the underlying concept of sudo to Microsoft over two decades after the tool was invented by open source developers would indeed be foolish, but that is not at all what happened. A look beyond the short summary of the patent filing and into the body of the patent’s actual claims reveals that Microsoft’s “invention” is really quite different from the sudo command-line tool. It might, however, cover some technologies that have more recently arrived on the Linux desktop.

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Wheego Whip gets pictured, driven around at mind-blowingly slow speeds

Given just how difficult it has been for even Chevrolet to get its all-electric gears going, we kind of wondered if we’d ever hear more about the Wheego Whip after it quietly faded earlier this year. Lo and behold, the low-speed city car has made an appearance at AltCar 2009, and after receiving about 100 orders, it seems the car is all but ready to begin pleasing those who shelled out just under 20 large for the privilege of a pink slip. Our good pals over at Autoblog Green were able to zip around in the car recently and serve up some impressions of the drive, and while it didn’t seem to live up to the “Cadillac of neighborhood electric vehicles” claim, it definitely got the job done… at 25 miles per hour. Hit the read link for a gallery of shots and a fresh take on what a whisper quiet, low-speed driving experience is like.

Filed under: Transportation

Wheego Whip gets pictured, driven around at mind-blowingly slow speeds originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaCie’s Sound2 PC speakers look good… real good

LaCie isn’t exactly the first name that comes to mind when you think “sound,” but it’s definitely near the top in the design department. Neil Poulton, the same fellow responsible for designing the outfit’s line of sleek, sexy hard drives, has placed his touch on the speakers you see above. The simplistic Sound2 setup boasts 30 total watts of peak power, and all it requires to function is a free USB port, an open AC outlet and an Earthling kind enough to connect it all. If you just know these would look sound great on your desk, get ready to fork out $99.99 for the privilege.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

LaCie’s Sound2 PC speakers look good… real good originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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C-Mac shuts down: You may now switch off your Macintosh safely

Filed under: TUAW Business

After nearly two years of blogging (see my first post), tweeting and talkcasting for TUAW and Download Squad, I’m moving on to other things. Writing for TUAW has been a true privilege and I will be forever grateful for the experience, the opportunities, and most importantly the people that have come my way as a result of this job.

I was going to try to be funny with this post, drawing allusions to Brenda leaving Beverly Hills or Catherine leaving WNYX, but in the end, schmaltz and sappiness won out.

I want to thank every member of the TUAW team (past and present) for being such awesome colleagues and always offering up fantastic insights, suggestions, humor and love. Your commitment and dedication is what makes TUAW TUAW. Thank you for letting me join your world. To Michael Rose and Dave Caolo — thank you for being such awesome lead bloggers for being so supportive. Victor Agreda — thank you for being such a fantastic producer and for fighting to hire me in the first place.

To the TUAW readers (and Talkcast listeners), thank you for reading and chatting with me over the years. As Steve Sande has often commented, the TUAW readers and commenters are some of the best around. You guys are sharp, witty and knowledgeable about so much more than just the Apple-sphere. When we get something wrong or miss something cool, you let us know and I sincerely thank you for that.

Two years ago (today — freaky), Scott Mcnulty posted a “we’re hiring” notice for TUAW. As a longtime reader (even before I went Mac full-time), I applied, thinking that it might be something cool I could do while finishing school. This opportunity has been so much more than that.

If you want to keep up with what I’m doing, you can check out my personal site, follow me on Twitter or listen to me talk movies. I might be leaving TUAW, but the rest of the Internet won’t get off that easily!

Thank you.

TUAWC-Mac shuts down: You may now switch off your Macintosh safely originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TomTom XL Live connected GPS passes the FCC

Looks like domestic drivers may soon have the privilege of shelling out extra money every month for TomTom’s “connected” services. According to recently unearthed FCC documents, the mid-range (and until now Euro-centric) XL Live has been manhandled and passed all its tests. This guy operates on the GSM850 and GSM1900 bands, which means it should be available on AT&T or T-Mobile’s 2G network — you know, when it does make it to market. And when it does make it to market, might we recommend you go with the Homer Simpson voice skin? That thing is hilarious.

[Via GPS Tracklog, Thanks Rich]

Filed under: GPS

TomTom XL Live connected GPS passes the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple reinstates matte display option on 15-inch MacBook Pro, charges $50 for it

We’d heard just under a month ago that Apple was mulling the possibility of adding matte display options to more than just its flagship 17-inch MacBook Pro, and lo and behold, it seems the anti-glare revolution has begun. Starting now (like, right now), those in the market for a new unibody 15-inch MacBook Pro can order one directly from Apple with an anti-glare widescreen display, packing 1,440 x 900 pixels and a LED backlight. Sadly, the privilege will run you an extra $50 over the traditional mirrored glossy panel, and it will replace that svelte borderless look present on glossy MBPs with a silver frame bezel (check here to see just what we mean). A brief look around Apple’s international sites also shows it available elsewhere in the world for similar amounts, though we’re still curious as to what machine will be next in line for the upgrade, er, “option.”

[Thanks, Pascal and Khattab]

Filed under: Displays, Laptops

Apple reinstates matte display option on 15-inch MacBook Pro, charges $50 for it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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