Google Unveils The Google Pack

"Google yesterday announced the release of Google Pack, a 'free collection of essential software'. Along with Google's own programs, such as Google Toolbar and Google Earth, Google Pack contains Firefox

, Adobe Reader, a six month subscription to Norton Antivirus, and Trillian as well as other apps. Any respectable /. user should have most of this suite installed already (excluding a few things), but it will be nice to make it all widely available to the general public." Commentary on ZDNet.

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CEV revolution mounted

1/6/2006 12:43:00 PM

By: Chris Bergin

An innovative gimbal mount is being proposed for inclusion to the design of the CEV (Crew Exploration Vehicle), revolutionising the vehicle's RCS (Reaction Control System) and solar panel orientation capabilities. Images, information and the video showing the Canfield joint in action on a CEV in flight can be viewed on the links at the end of this article.

© Dr. Steve Canfield of Tennessee Tech

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DNA patterns

DNA is a versatile molecule with many potential technological applications because it can organize itself into all manner of useful patterns.

Researchers from Duke University and the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science have expanded on their DNA grids by giving them the ability to organize other molecules. The DNA grids are made from DNA tiles, or combinations of DNA strands that form rigid structures.

The grids can incorporate different types of molecules at specific points, including molecules that could be used to make electronic and optical components. The grids are more than 60 times smaller than a red blood cell and are part of an ongoing project to build computer chips using DNA to assemble components such as carbon nanotubes into logic circuits. The researchers made three types of patterned grids that spelled "D", "N" and "A".

TNR Research News

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AllPeers Is The FireFox “Killer App”

I've had a chance to talk to AllPeers founders Cedric Maloux and Matthew Gertner. This company is set to take the world by storm. In my opinon this single firefox extension will massively increase the attractiveness of that already popular browser, drawing more millions away from embattled Internet Explorer.

AllPeers is a simple, persistent buddy list in the browser. Initially, interaction with those buddies will be limited to discovering and sharing files - If you choose to, you can share any file on your network with one or more of your friends. They will be able to see what files you choose to share (even getting an RSS feed of new files you include), and with a single click download it to their own hard drive.

AllPeers will work even when the sharer is offline - AllPeers is a bittorent client, and will allow files to be pulled from multiple sources. When downloading, the file may be grabbed partially or fully from others you have shared it with (or who shared it with you). So a user just clicks on a file, and waits for it to eventually download. Screen shots can be viewed here.

With AllPeers, I can share photos and home movies with my parents, songs (and anything else) with friends, and also access the files that they choose to share.

In the future, AllPeers will also have folders to allow public sharing (probably with restrictions to control copyright violations). I also assume they will build chat and VOIP functionality into the application as well.

AllPeers will not be advertising funded. There are hints that the business model may eventually be centered on monetization of paid content, but that will be down the road. For now, they are focused on launching with the basic shared-folder approach. And that is fine with me - I'll be hooked from the second I can get my hands on it.

AllPeers has seven employees, is based in Prague and is a UK company. They are self and angel funded to date. If you'd like to sign up for the beta, enter your email here. An initial batch of beta testers should get their hands on it later this month.

by Michael Arrington
TechCrunch.com

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Hamachi’s VPN on the Fly

The Hamachi on-the-fly virtual private network product looks incredibly useful. The company is located in Vancouver, Canada.

They released their 1.0 beta in December. I have tested this software and it seems to be the real thing. The software is easy to configure, but firewalls must be configured correctly to allow a connection. This could be a compellingly-simple solution for small businesses and for linking up families, etc.

What it is
With Hamachi you can organize two or more computers with an Internet connection into their own virtual network for direct secure communication.

Hamachi is fast, secure and simple. It is also free.

What's in it for me
Think - LAN over the Internet.

Think - Zero-configuration VPN.

Think - Secure peer-to-peer.

Access computers remotely. Use Windows File Sharing. Play LAN games. Run private Web or FTP servers. Communicate directly. Stay connected. VNC over the Internet

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Google Video Store Announced

It's arguable that Google was in the content business before, but they've officially done it: alongside Google Pack (a package installer of many of their popular desktop apps like G Talk, Earth, Desktop, as well as software that Google really likes, like RealPlayer, Acrobat, etc.) they're going online with CBS to sell commercial-free episodes of CSI, NCIS, Survivor, and a whole host of other CBS library eps -- not to mention a whole menagerie of other video content like NBA matches (24 hours after they've aired), music videos from Sony BMG, indie films from Greencine.com, news footage, Charlie Rose interviews, and cartoon classics. Though we don't have pricing right at this moment for downloadable content from the Google Video Store (move over, Apple, Google-train comin' through), it looks like they might be using DivX video technology in their distribution, as they've also announced what sounds like a loose partnership for "bringing video into the connected home." One of the more interesting aspects of the Video Store, however, is the fact that they're also making their non-copy-protected content available for download DRM-free encoded for the iPod and PSP (though there's also no word on what it is we're going to have to deal with in terms of DRM on purchased Google Video content).

Posted Jan 6th 2006 7:41PM by Ryan Block
http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/06/google-video-store-announced/

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