Traffic Studied Using Computer-Linked Cars. mprindle writes "Yahoo News has an AP article about a system that links individual cars to analyze traffic patterns, which allows the drivers to avoid traffic jams and accidents. This system is part of the 'smart highway' initiatives. The data from the car is sent to a central server and from that data traffic patterns in a 40 mile radius. According to the article this technology is less expensive than using poll mounted antennas or ground sensors." [Slashdot]

 

4:21:39 PM    

 

Will America's Favorite Technology Go Dark?. Ant wrote to mention that MSNBC is reporting on the upcoming proposed digital television switchover planned for the end of 2006. From the article: "That's the date Congress targeted, a decade ago, for the end of analog television broadcasting and a full cutover to a digital format. If enforced, that means that overnight, somewhere around 70 million television sets now connected to rabbit ears or roof-top antennas will suddenly and forever go blank, unless their owners purchase a special converter box. Back when the legislation was written, New Year's Eve 2006 probably looked as safely distant as the dark side of the moon. But now that date is right around the corner and Congress and the FCC are struggling mightily to figure out what to do." [Slashdot]

 

4:20:56 PM    

 

RFID hitches ride on German mass transit project. The use of electronic-ticketing systems in Germany's mass transit sector got a boost with the successful testing of a smart-card system that relies in part on RFID chips. [Computerworld News]

 

4:19:14 PM    

 

Detailed T-Mobile coverage maps. [Hack the Planet]

 

4:17:59 PM    

 

News briefs. RIM links up BlackBerry to IM [InfoWorld: Top News]

 

4:15:48 PM    

 

Adobe aims at Microsoft. Adobe Systems’ agreement last week to acquire Macromedia for approximately $3.4 billion will give the company a formidable collection of Web publishing and document management software -- and will place it squarely in the path of tools rival Microsoft. [InfoWorld: Top News]

 

4:15:02 PM    

 

Moore's Law original issue found. The original magazine in which Moore's Law was published is found under a UK engineer's floorboards. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

 

4:07:37 PM    

 

Florida Planning Son of Matrix. A controversial crime-fighting database isn't yet cold in its grave, but state law enforcement is already organizing a sequel that may be even more egregious. By Ryan Singel. [Wired News]

 

4:06:33 PM    

 

OpenRAW is a "group of photographers and other interested people advocating the open documentation of digital camera RAW files." [Scripting News]

 

3:59:30 PM    

 

Hackers plot more phishing, mobile viruses. Hackers are concentrating on mobile phone viruses, phishing scams and exploiting vulnerabilities, according to antivirus vendor McAfee Inc., which is set to release a quarterly report today on Internet threats. [Computerworld News]

 

3:58:15 PM    

 

Before environmental, there was landscape.  Where is landscape now?  And where is landscape architecture in all this?  Enjoy the read! Stewart Brand on 'Environmental Heresies'. FleaPlus writes "The MIT Technology Review has an article predicting where the mainstream of the environmental movement may likely reverse its collective stance in the next ten years. The four areas discussed are population growth, urbanization, genetically-engineered organisms, and nuclear power. The article is written by Stewart Brand, known for creating the Whole Earth Catalog, the WELL online community, and the Long Now Foundation. Brand also has some interesting comments regarding the sometimes-conflicting interaction between romantics and scientists in the environmental movement. There's an online debate between Brand and former DOE official Joseph Romm on TR Blogs." Frankly, unless humanity decides to undergo a massive collective personality change of not being consumption-focused, I don't see much other way around these particular issues. What we all need is an Arthur to keep us depressed and sleeping in darkened rooms to lower energy consumption. [Slashdot]

 

3:57:21 PM