Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, June 17, 2011

Microsoft decides to pass on WebGL over security concerns

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/microsoft-decides-to-pass-on-webgl-over-security-concerns/

Well, it looks like Microsoft is taking those warnings about WebGL pretty seriously. The company has decided not to support the web-based 3D standard because it wouldn't be able to pass security muster. Highest on the list of concerns is that WebGL opens up a direct line from the internet to a system's GPU. To make matters worse, holes and bugs may crop up that are platform or video card specific, turning attempts to plug holes in its defense into a game of whack-a-mole -- with many players of varying reliability. Lastly Microsoft, like security firm Context, has found current solutions for protecting against DoS attacks rather unsatisfying. Lack of support in Internet Explorer won't necessarily kill WebGL and, as it matures, Microsoft may change its tune -- but it's still a pretty big blow for all us of hoping the next edition of Crysis would be browser-based.

Microsoft decides to pass on WebGL over security concerns originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 01:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

WinRumors | source

Mi! crosoft< /a> | Email this | Comments

Motorola Droid 3 official in China under Milestone 3 moniker, packs 4-inch qHD display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/motorola-droid-3-official-in-china-under-milestone-3-moniker-pa/

The Droid 3 is upon us! Well, it is if you live in China and don't mind calling it the Milestone 3. A new XT883 model has just been made official by Motorola during China Telecom's CDMA Summit, touting the tagline "the third Milestone" and a new five-row slideout QWERTY keyboard. The salient specs include a 4-inch touchscreen with qHD (540 x 960) resolution, a dual-core processor capable of driving 1080p video recording, an 8 megapixel rear camera with LED flash, up to 32GB of built-in storage, and of course, Android 2.3 as the shipping OS. A pretty compelling package, we think you'll agree. It's coming to China this summer, though Moto could still be crafty enough to squeeze the US launch in before actual units start shipping to Yao Ming's homeland. Because, well, who's ever heard of a Milestone coming before a Droid?

Gallery: Motorola Milestone XT883 official pictures

Continue reading Motorola Droid 3 official in China under Milestone 3 moniker, packs 4-inch qHD display

Motorola Droid 3 official in China under Milestone 3 moniker, packs 4-inch qHD display originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Droid-Life | source

Motorola | Email this | Comments

SPORTS CHART OF THE DAY: Boston Is The New "Title Town"

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/sports-chart-of-the-day-boston-is-the-new-title-town-2011-6

The Boston Bruins win in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals adds to an already crowded trophy case for the city of Boston.

Boston now has a championship in each of the four major sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) just since 2004. And since the calendar turned to 2000, Beantown has seven championships total, matching Los Angeles for the most during that span. And with L.A., we have to include Anaheim to get to seven.

Between Boston and Los Angeles, those two cities have combined for 14 of the 46 titles (30.4%) in the last 12 years.

Here are are all the championships since 2000, broken down by city and sport...

Boston is title town

Please follow Sports Page on Twitter and Facebook.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Console vs. PC redux: how mobile gaming will reshape the industry (again)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/15/console-vs-pc-redux-how-mobile-gaming-will-reshape-the-industr/

They're a growing threat, these simple games with their simple designs, simple controls, and simple graphics. They don't offer the full, premium experience that the real gamers want. They aren't hardcore enough. They aren't serious enough. They're just too... casual.

In the '90s these were all complaints used to describe the strengthening console menace. Back then, a younger me squandered his meager income at the local Babbage's or Electronics Boutique, stores full of PC games in cardboard boxes -- console titles relegated to a few little shelves. It wouldn't take long for those consoles to take over those stores and, along the way, the entire industry. Between just 1998 and 2006 console software sales more than doubled, from $2.5 billion to $6.7 billion, while PC game sales dropped from $1.8 billion to $970 million. Even the FPS, once exclusive domain of the PC, is now a console enterprise, with Call of Duty: Black Ops launching on 4.9 million sales on the Xbox 360 and PS3. The PC version, meanwhile, sold less than 400,000 copies (the NPD lumped them in with sales of the Nintendo DS and Wii versions).

Who cares about ancient history? If you're a gamer you should, because it's happening again. This time, though, its console gamers lobbing the same lamentations at Angry Bird players, Words With Friends addicts, and ever-sneaky Fruit Ninjas. As smartphones and tablets get more powerful, the dedicated gaming machine looks more and more quaint. Where once software supported hardware in one big, happy family, it's all becoming rather more... disjointed. For a gamer like me, that's a little troubling. If app gaming does for consoles what those consoles did to the PC scene a decade ago, a lot of big game studios are going to be in trouble, and a lot of gamers are going to be pining for the good 'ol days.

Continue reading Console vs. PC redux: how mobile gaming will reshape the industry (again)

Console vs. PC redux: how mobile gaming will reshape the industry (again) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Olivetti's OliPad 110 tablet runs on Honeycomb, olive oil

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/15/olivettis-olipad-110-tablet-runs-on-honeycomb-olive-oil/

Just a few months after unleashing what it called Italy's first tablet, Olivetti is turning its attention to what might be Italy's first tablet upgrade -- the OliPad 110. Much like its predecessor, this 1.3-pound slate rocks an NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor and a 10-inch touchscreen, but runs on Honeycomb and boasts a higher-res, 1280 x 800 display. There's also a two-megapixel camera strapped to the front, a five-megapixel lens 'round back and 16GB of onboard memory. No word yet on pricing or availability, but you can check out more pics of this bella signorina at the source link, below.

Continue reading Olivetti's OliPad 110 tablet runs on Honeycomb, olive oil

Olivetti's OliPad 110 tablet runs on Honeycomb, olive oil originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

Notebook Italia | Email this | Comments