Tech & society

OLPC: Dual boot Linux, Windows XO laptop coming soon

ITworld staff — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:15:12 -0400

A low-cost XO laptop from OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) that carries both Windows and Linux will be out within the next month or so, according to an OLPC official.

OLPC to launch touchscreen XO-2 laptop in Q1 2010

ITworld staff — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:55:37 -0400

OLPC plans to launch the upcoming second generation of its low-cost XO laptop in the first quarter of 2010, according to an official from the group.

Amazon to sell OLPC XO laptops from November

ITworld staff — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:17:53 -0400

Amazon will start selling OLPC's low-cost XO laptop computer as part of the Give One, Get One program OLPC developed last year, according to an official from OLPC.

Cell phones help pastoralists fight livestock theft

ITworld staff — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:45:15 -0400

The cell phone has revolutionized the way Kenya's pastoral communities work and conduct business, according to Joseph ole Kishau, an elder in the Maasai community.

Olympic tech's winners and losers

ITworld staff — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:26:52 -0400

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has ended, the flame extinguished, and while the medal count is now final, a few awards have yet to be given out: those for the winners and losers when it came to technology at the games.

How Herbert Thompson stole his friend's identity

Markus Jakobsson — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:27:46 -0400

This is a great account of how easy it is to break into people's accounts.

China blocks Apple's iTunes, Amazon over Tibet songs

ITworld staff — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:03:15 -0400

Chinese authorities appear to have blocked access to Apple's U.S. iTunes Music Store, following the release of a Tibetan song collection.

What you always wanted to know about malware (but were afraid to ask)

Markus Jakobsson — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:07:08 -0400

Malware, like real-world epidemics, has the strange property that it does not only matter to your health how well protected you are, but also, how well average people “out there” are. The more machines that are infected, the higher is your risk of also becoming infected. But that is not all: You are at risk even if you are well protected!

Robots simulate torture in controversial exhibit

ITworld staff — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:18:53 -0400

An art installation in Coney Island that uses robots to simulate waterboarding, a torturous interrogation tactic that's been used on detainees at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay detention center, is creating a national stir as it raises public awareness about the controversial practice.

The so-called Waterboard Thrill Ride -- created by New York-based artist Steve Powers -- is not the typical carnival ride or attraction you would expect to find near the famous boardwalk of the iconic Brooklyn community.

Best-selling video games so far this year

ITworld staff — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:16:46 -0400

According to worldwide data compiled from the top three video game bean-counters, NPD (United States), Chart-Track (UK), and Enterbrain (Japan), these are the best-selling games so far this year.