Orgasms ‘at the touch of a button’

Now, man can sit back and relax. Isn’t technology wonderful? =)

Women around the world are being told they can now have an orgasm at the touch of a button.

The makers of “Slightest Touch” say their device can give women longer, better and more intense orgasms.

They claim their device can trigger an orgasm without touching a woman’s genital area.

According to the manufacturers, Slightest Touch works by stimulating the body’s sexual nerve pathway.

[Source: BBC]

Is Singapore technologically advance enough?

If you still think it’s yes, then you are dreaming. No matter which friend I talk to, the will say India and China (at least part of the country) is more technologically advance than Singapore. Not to mention Taiwan.

Singapore thrives on the past 50 years due to our hardworking predecessor but now, being hardworking is not enough. India and China can throw more bodies to solve problem.

During the last 15 years, Singapore is leading the race of being the most technologically advance country in Asia (excluding Jap). But now, with more countries closing up the gap, it is getting increasingly difficult for Singapore to continue with its technology supremacy.

When we have only people as our resource and yet our people is not quite up there to handle more advance technology, it kinda spell death for the country and quite lucky we got the Casino to bank on.

We are becoming a country of highly-paid bangalas - ridz heard from someone

In other words, we ain’t doing anything special compared to our neighbours. At least when compared to China and India. I think its a sad thing it all ended up this way. Our tails are already on fire, we should have by now realized that buck up.

Gloom ahead for SUN

With the US market going downhill, it is not really surprising that SUN actually make a loss. Most of their customer is based on US and hence explain this situation.

The acquisiton of MySQL is a rather interesting one but it really remains how SUN play their next move. With analyst predicting that SUN will only grow at 3% next quarter, it will kinda put off more investment funds from coming in.

Oh no, will it be a budget cut for SCA program too?

When in a recession, restructuring is often seen and the by-product is often job loss and perhaps a leaner company. This means SUN won’t be hiring so much from this quarter onwards.

In light of a surprising third-quarter loss, analysts sound cautionary notes and CEO Schwartz announces plans to lay off up to 2,500 employees

A day after posting its worst financial results in more than a year, Sun Microsystems (JAVA) announced May 2 that rock musician Neil Young would join its executives on stage in San Francisco to promote a new music project that uses Sun’s Java programming language. Young’s appearance at Sun’s annual JavaOne conference May 6 may grab headlines, but it surely won’t help the worsening business fortunes hammering Sun’s already battered shares.

Continue…

What can Google do to derail Microsoft plan?

If I’m Larry or Page, I would have a secret meeting with the Jerry Yang to have a transaction to employ all of Yahoo engineers. This will derail Microsoft plan by months or even years.

Without people who are familiar with the system, the Microsoft engineers will have to read through every single line of code and I promise you that this won’t be easy.

A search engine is even more complicated than the OS itself. If this happens, we will really see a big headache that Microsoft will be in.

When trying to link this to a relationship, it is like Yahoo saying even if you get my body, you won’t even get my soul. LOL

Yahoo responds to Microsoft ultimatum: more money please:

As expected, Yahoo has responded to Microsoft’s 3 week ultimatum this morning. The bottom line is pretty clear in a letter signed by Jerry Yang (CEO) and Roy Bostock (chairman). In the ‘Dear Steve’ response to Ballmer they state, ‘we will not allow you or anyone else to acquire the company for anything less than its full value.’ They go on to state that, ‘We consider your threat to commence an unsolicited offer and proxy contest to displace our independent Board members to be counterproductive and inconsistent with your stated objective of a friendly transaction.’ Make no mistake about it, this is corporate war and will likely end with Yahoo’s best engineers working for Google.

(Via Engadget.)

China Law Could Impede Microsoft Deal for Yahoo

This will definitely put a brake in Microsoft acquisition of Yahoo and to reconsider their bid. If China Yahoo needs to be separated from the main deal, Microsoft may not be bidding at such a high price. Seems like this is good news for Google.

China Law Could Impede Microsoft Deal for Yahoo: “In August, a Chinese antimonopoly law takes effect that will extend the nation’s economic influence far beyond its borders.”

(Via NYT > Technology.)

Google starts letting users edit documents offline

Wow this is something great. Imagine you can edit your documents offline and synchronizes with the server copy when you get back your connection. It’s somehow similar to the concept of Google Gear. I got the feeling that this is the one of the way to combat MS Silverlight and Adobe air.

But the down point is that you still need to have your browser opened the whole time before you get back your connection. Updates from my friend that gear actually do storing of data into machine so as to access it offline and synchronizes back to server when online.

Shucks, should I ditch NetNewsReader for Google Reader?

Google starts letting users edit documents offline: “SAN FRANCISCO - GOOGLE said it is taking the next step to make its Web-based software useful in the real world of spotty Internet access by allowing users to edit word processing documents offline.”

(Via Straits Times Interactive - LATEST NEWS.)

Gone in 2 Minutes: Mac Gets Hacked First in Contest

Check out this article. Macbook was hacked in 2 minutes. 2 MINUTES. Now I worry for my lappie…. I want to be a hacker and earn $10k in 2 minutes and I can be a millionaire pretty soon.

Gone in 2 Minutes: Mac Gets Hacked First in Contest: “Gets”

(Via NYT > Technology.)

Bebo as Rescue Plan for AIM

Just one thing in mind, is there any messenging service that can replace MSN and Yahoo meseenger all together? With Microsoft almost closing the deal on Yahoo, there will be a Msn cum Yahoo messenging account soon and what’s in for AIM? This just doesn’t make sense for me. AOL should fight a battle on another ground instead.

Bits: Bebo as Rescue Plan for AIM: “AOL has announced it will spend $850 million in cash to buy Bebo. The main benefit of the deal is that it can shore up AOL’s large AIM instant message system.”

(Via NYT > Technology.)

Lack of competition sends Blu-ray player prices upward

Prediction for the next 2 quarters for Sony stock price. All the way up with most major players having to cater for blu-ray disc, Sony will get to pocket the license fee. Not to mention that Sony will also be getting a spike in their sales of blu-ray players. All in all, it’s good news for Sony and it’s employees. And also for peeps who is holding on to their share.

Lack of competition sends Blu-ray player prices upward: ”
Late last month, we actually posed the question of buying a Blu-ray player now (being that the format war is over and all), or waiting things out until prices sink and Profile 2.0 players flood the market. Aside from the PlayStation 3 — which is actually priced fairly reasonably if you were in the hunt for a new console anyway — it seems as though HD DVD’s exit has actually caused Blu-ray player prices to creep back upwards. Granted, this is about as far from surprising as it gets — after all, it’s nothing short of supply and demand working its magic. Still, it wasn’t too long ago that we saw Toshiba actively putting pressure on the Blu camp to reduce prices in order to stay competitive, and now that said pressure has vanished, stickers on the whole have headed north. Ah well, it’s not like the consumer didn’t ask for this, um, right?”

(Via Engadget.)

Argument on Google collecting IP (Part 2)

I particularly like this post on the analysis on why Google argument is flawed. What’s really scary is that Google has the ability to track down user all the way to individual household to provide the most relevant advertisement when other information is used.

Is there any other way to stop google from tracking our user preference? Especially when I heard from my friend that MacBook Hardware address is actually unique, which puts me at the risk as a even easier target to track down. Sigh…

Extracted by NYTimes

My post about whether Google’s records of the Internet Protocol address should be considered personal information under privacy law, brought two comments from Googlers: Matt Cutts, an engineer, and from Peter Fleischer, Google’s global privacy counsel.

Both go over the many technical and legal reasons that the I.P. addresses in Google’s records can’t, in isolation, be tracked back to an individual. Very true.

But the converse is also true: The I.P. addresses Google collects, when combined with other information, can sometimes identify an individual, or a household.

This raises all sorts of implications that need to be considered as we move into a world where so many more actions we take will be logged digitally in some way.

The opposite of identification is anonymity. When I.P. addresses of Internet actions are all recorded, anonymity is harder to preserve.

Logging I.P. addresses is similar to a security camera recording everyone entering your store. Without any more information, you don’t know the names or identities of any of the people on the recording. But that recording makes it much easier to gather that information and find out who is shopping. Some people you can identify because they go on to buy something providing their names. Other people you can’t identify, but the government with its database of drivers licenses photographs or other investigative techniques can.

Mr. Fleischer acknowledges that Google’s records, combined with those from an Internet service provider, can indeed link a particular computer to a particular pattern of searches. He says I.S.P.’s, by law, can’t give that information to Google. But he admits that government investigators or even private litigators can:

In order for someone to tie the IP to an account holder, there have to be at least two subpoenas issued: one to Google and a separate one to the ISP.

This is important because people have lots of reasons to keep information private. They may not want Google to use for advertising. But they may also want to keep secrets from people who may have the right to sue them.

Mr. Fleischer discusses at some length the technicalities of European law over what defines personal information. I.P. addresses, he argues don’t qualify. And more broadly, he suggests that some of the general principles that apply to personal information—standards of notice and choice, for example– aren’t always appropriate for I.P. addresses.

Perhaps we should start considering another category: partially personal information—bits of data that can be personal under certain circumstances. There are real questions about who should collect this information, under what circumstances, and what they should do with it.

The statements by Google and others that simply argue that I.P. addresses aren’t personal distract people from the thoughtful understanding of what they are and how they can be used.

Internal Microsoft memo may calm Yahoo is just another bluff

A post “No major layoff when Microsoft merge with Yahoo. Are you kidding?” just yesterday. The memo mentioned about Microsoft intention to take good care of Yahoo people if they takeover the company.

Here’s some of the comments
Ntt: But why do the share holders care if there will be any change in the company or not, esp once they sell it.

Neo: I think the merger will only benefit the shareholders not yahoo as a company (which includes their employee). I agree with NTT the shareholders won’t care whether is there any changes or restructuring of the company. As for employee, i am skeptical that they can still secure their jobs.

Here’s another article from BloggingStock, with an analysis of why Microsoft mentioned is just a bluff that support the comments by NTT and Neo. In short,

1. Microsoft is known to be independent and solve problems alone.
2. This deal will only benefit the shareholders and nothing more.

According to The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), ‘Kevin Johnson, president of Microsoft’s Platforms and Services Division, reiterated the Redmond, Wash., software maker’s reasons behind its unsolicited offer, writing that a combination would provide a compelling alternative in search and online advertising.’ The note goes further to indicate that Microsoft values both the Yahoo! brands and the technical skills of its engineers.

Yahoo! should not take the memo seriously. It would be hard to name a company that Microsoft has purchased that still maintains its own brands and independent operations. Bill Gates has said that the software company will put its full engineering skill behind an effort to build better search technology than Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) has. It may be an audacious and arrogant approach to catching the industry leader, but Microsoft has never looked for outside help to solve its most urgent problems.

All Yahoo! shareholders can look for in the generous Microsoft buy-out offer is a good payday. The world’s largest software company looks at Yahoo! as a step in advancing its own agenda and nothing more.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

(Via BloggingStocks.)

Microsoft email prepares workers for takeover of Yahoo

Well we already know that Yahoo is waiting for a higher bid, it is just not wise for it’s shareholders to make a big hoo haa to sell the company straight away. Ain’t it better to wait just a big longer so that you can get $9/share? This just defy logic. The only reason I can think of is the shareholders are fearing the recession may drive the share price down instead. Well maybe….

Will Microsoft tactic work? I believe it will but they will pay a heavy price in order to get it.

Extracted from CNA

SAN FRANCISCO - A Microsoft executive on Friday sent workers an upbeat email outlining a vision of how the software giant expects to take over Yahoo and merge the companies’ cultures and resources.

Yahoo spurned Microsoft’s 44.6-billion-dollar bid for the veteran Internet firm on February 11. Microsoft is reportedly planning a hostile takeover bid if Yahoo’s board of directors doesn’t change its mind.

In a message to employees, Microsoft platform and services division president Kevin Johnson shared “a perspective of the process going forward”.

“We look forward to a constructive dialogue with Yahoo’s board, management, shareholders, and employees on the value of this combination and its strategic and financial merits,” Johnson wrote.

“Once Yahoo and Microsoft agree on a transaction, we can begin the integration planning process in parallel with the regulatory review.”

If Yahoo capitulates, the transaction would likely close in the second half of this year, according to Johnson.

The email is a tactic from the playbook of Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang, whose messages urging employees and stock holders to have faith in the company and its board have gone public after being filed with US regulators.

Johnson’s missive comes on the same day that pension funds for Detroit city workers filed a civil suit charging Yahoo with betraying its duty to stockholders by resisting Microsoft’s advances.

In an effort to avoid being gobbled up by Microsoft, the struggling Internet firm has reportedly explored alliances with Google, Time Warner-owned America On Line, and social networking website MySpace owned by News Corp.

Some Yahoo stock holders in California are suing the firm for not accepting an offer Microsoft made to buy Yahoo early last year, when the stock price was higher.

Microsoft is currently offering a combination cash and stock deal initially valued at 31 dollars per share but which fluctuates with the price of Microsoft shares.

Yahoo’s board is said to believe the company is worth at least 40 dollars per share, a price that would drive up Microsoft’s cost by more than 10 billion dollars.

Microsoft is adamant its offer is “full and fair” and argues that the merger would create a needed and “compelling” alternative in an online search and advertising market ruled by Google.

“I have personally met with top executives of the major media companies, and I know there is a desire for more competition in search and online advertising,” Johnson wrote.

Google has condemned Microsoft’s takeover bid as an attack on the freedom of the Internet.

While not promising that a merger would not result in the elimination of redundant jobs, Johnson said Microsoft wants to hold on to top talent and is so large it can absorb people in other parts of its operation.

In an effort to keep Yahoo employees from bailing out in the face of a Microsoft takeover, Johnson promised “significant rewards and compensation” will be given to workers at a combined company.

Johnson brushed aside speculation that Microsoft’s historically stuffy corporate culture would clash with Yahoo’s relaxed, playful California style.

“We would have an opportunity to bring together the best of both companies,” Johnson wrote.

“Some aspects of the two cultures will naturally merge quickly and some will remain unique in the near-term and merge more slowly over time.”

Yahoo would remain in Silicon Valley, where Microsoft has a campus, according to Johnson. Microsoft’s headquarters is in Redmond, Washington.

Until a deal is cut, Microsoft employees should treat Yahoo workers as rivals, not budding workmates, the email urged.

“It’s important that Microsoft employees not speculate with Yahoo employees about the proposal or about what a deal would mean for the combined company,” Johnson wrote.

“Prior to the close of the transaction, we must continue to compete with Yahoo as before.” - AFP/ir

IP ain’t personal? It really depends.

Everything can be right depending on the perspective he/she is putting across. However, I agree with the author that IP can be a bit personal even though it is shared. To speak frankly, it is a ploy by Google to extract more data out of individual to give people a better “personal” search.

However this runs at the risk of being tracked by Google or what you’re actually surfing. From the business or personal point of view, this ain’t a good thing and it can be scary at times.

Extracted at NYTimes - By Saul Hansell

Google has responded to European regulators who have suggested that Internet Protocol addresses of users be considered personally identifiable information.

Not surprisingly, it disagrees.

The issue matters because the standards for what companies do with data that can be traced back to an individual are subject to tighter rules than other information they use — as they should be. Google records the I.P. address associated with every search it handles.

In a post on the Google Public Policy Blog, Alma Whitten, a software engineer, points out that often the I.P. address assigned to any one computer is changed on a regular basis by the Internet provider that services that computer.

Google, she writes, strongly supports “the idea that data protection laws should apply to any data that could identify you. The reality is though that in most cases, an I.P. address without additional information cannot.”

True enough. But it’s also true that if someone has your I.P. address, it makes it much easier to gather the additional information needed to identify you.

Think of an I.P. address as one of two keys needed to unlock a door. Just because the second key is needed too, doesn’t mean the first key shouldn’t also be protected.

In the case of dynamic I.P. addresses — those that are periodically changed — the other key is held by the Internet providers themselves. And they are routinely forced to provide information about which customer was assigned what I.P. address at a given time in response to legal proceedings.

Technically, fixed I.P. addresses — those that are permanently assigned to a given computer — are also not personal information, because a Web site doesn’t know who is using that computer. But once the site, or a partner, convinces a user at that site to reveal his or her identity — to register for a service, make a purchase, or even enter a sweepstakes — that information can be associated with everything else the users of that computer do.

Yes, there may be more than one person who uses a computer, just as there is often more than one person who uses a home telephone. Few people would say that this means phone numbers aren’t personal

Google is right to say that an I.P. address isn’t exactly the same thing as your Social Security number. But its blog post also skips over all the ways that having your I.P address can help someone unlock information about what you do online. And doing so doesn’t help the debate over what the right protections for personal information should be.

No major layoff when Microsoft merge with Yahoo. Are you kidding?

This is a nice political ploy by Microsoft to gain the support of Yahoo shareholders and employees to oust Jerry Yang out of the Board. Since nothing is going to change much, why not sell the company over to Microsoft and get a better support instead. It’s merger will be even bigger than the merger of Google and Youtube and I can’t wait to see the day it happens.

In a business world, I just don’t believe there are people who will do what they do. Remember Steve Jobs and Motorola, Google and Incredimail? It is only time they will throw a hammer over at Yahoo for major changes.

SEATTLE - A TOP Microsoft Corp executive on Friday assured Microsoft and Yahoo employees that there would not be a massive round of job cuts if it succeeded in its proposal to buy the Web pioneer.

Kevin Johnson, president of Microsoft’s platforms and services division, said in an e-mail to employees in his unit that the company would dedicate ’significant rewards and compensation’ to retain Yahoo and Microsoft employees.

‘While some overlap is expected in any combination of this size, we should remember that Microsoft … has hired over 20,000 people since 2005, and we would look to place talented employees throughout the company as a whole,’ he wrote in the e-mail, which was posted on Microsoft’s website.

The e-mail sought to ease some of the concerns expressed by Microsoft and Yahoo employees about a potential merger.

The companies are at a stand-off in Microsoft’s unsolicited bid to acquire Yahoo. Microsoft has offered to buy Yahoo for US$31 (S$43.93) a share in cash and stock, which Yahoo’s board rejected, saying it undervalued the company.

Mr Johnson, whose division would ultimately absorb most of Yahoo, said the company would be ‘pragmatic’ in how to address Yahoo’s computer systems since they are not Windows-based.

In some acquisitions, Microsoft has prioritised continuity, according to Mr Johnson, and the company has worked to make sure the acquired company’s existing systems worked with Microsoft’s own technology infrastructure. — REUTERS

Featured in PHP boot camp. Giving talk on CakePHP in NTU.

Thanks Miccheng for adding my pictures to the poster which I think will be seen by all the girls in NTU. All girls please remind all your [single] girlfriends to check their email.

Still contemplating whether to go for it. Have FYP to rush for which I agree my professor to finish in two weeks time. Stupid me~

I will also be giving a talk for Student Union tomorrow as Sun Campus Ambassador. The lesson will be base on cakephp.

I choose cakePHP because it allows students to leverage by coding less and getting more out of it. The concept will be similar to Zend framework and Ruby On Rails (highly recommended). So I think it will provide a foundation for people who want to learn more about PHP and/or venture into either of the above options.

Netbeans come with a package to allow user to code JRuby - java version for Ruby. My partner Nik will be giving a talk on Netbeans 6 itself.

Come down and join in the crowd to learn more about cakePHP. There will also be lots of goodies to be given out. It will be held tomorrow at LT1A from 6 to 9pm.