Thursday, June 13, 2002
U.S. Gov't Still Penguin Shy
Declan McCullagh and Robert Zarate
"Linux is not on our list of approved operating systems," said a senior State Department information technology official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "That generally dictates whether it's used or not."
Darwin Meets the Digital Camera
David Pogue
I moped around the house, aching for something to serially eliminate. Then it hit me: I could stage a reality show of my own. With the photo-friendly sunshine of summer fast approaching, I'd been contemplating putting my old digital camera out to pasture on eBay. I could round up the latest models and then pick them off one by one. The last one standing would receive the ultimate prize: I'd buy it for myself.
An International E-Competition Relies on the High-Tech E-Piano
Anthony Tommasini
Though these pianos are Yamaha concert grands that can be played like any standard piano, they are equipped with the Disklavier computer system, the most advanced of several on the market that strive to replicate a pianist's performance. (A Disklavier Pro concert grand retails for $152,995, while a standard nine-foot Yamaha sells for $25,000 to $30,000.)
Discussion at Slashdot.
Juilliard Student Is Winner of Piano 'E-Competition'
G.P.S. in the Hand: Worth It in the Bush
Bonnie Tsui
The latest Global Positioning System hand-held devices propose to make finding your way home effortless. G.P.S. devices use timing signals from a network of 24 satellites to calculate the user's latitude, longitude and altitude and to provide information on how to get to where you want to be.
Fabrics Smart Enough to Change Colors and Keep You Dry
Ian Austen
While W. L. Gore & Associates and other makers of breathable waterproof coatings say they will continue trying to improve their products, some researchers believe that the ultimate answer may lie in unusual polymer yarns that can conduct electricity.
