Images: Firefox' Possible Future User Interface 1 Aug 2011, 11:27 pm

Mozilla has already done a lot to clean up the user interface of its successful web browser, but it would seem they're not yet done. As someone who finds the current interface a little... Chaotic and distracting, I'm quite happy with the changes they're currently proposing. They basically pointed at Chrome and said "pretty much that".

Meet Comex, The iPhone Hacker Who Keeps Outsmarting Apple 1 Aug 2011, 8:41 pm

Interesting portrait of Comex over at Frobes. "Dino Dai Zovi, co-author of the Mac Hacker's Handbook, says JailbreakMe's sophistication is on par with that of Stuxnet, a worm thought to have been designed by the Israeli or U.S. government to infect Iran's nuclear facilities. He compares Allegra's skills to the state-sponsored intruders that plague corporations and governments, what the cybersecurity industry calls 'advanced-persistent threat' hackers: 'He's probably five years ahead of them', says Dai Zovi."

e16-1.0.9 Released 1 Aug 2011, 8:23 pm

Kim Woelders just announced the release of e16-1.0.9. As always with recent e16 releases, we're looking at a number of bug fixes and minor changes, which keeps Enlightenment DR16 chugging along just fine.

Apple Patent Suit Puts Samsung Tablet Sales in Australia on Hold 1 Aug 2011, 8:19 pm

"Apple won an agreement from Samsung that the South Korean company won't sell the newest version of its tablet computer in Australia until a patent lawsuit in the country is resolved. [...] [Apple] sought an Australian injunction and also wants to stop Samsung from selling the tablet in other countries, Burley said without specifying where. Samsung agreed to stop advertising the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia and not to sell the device until it wins court approval or the lawsuit is resolved, according to an accord reached by lawyers during a break in the hearing. Should Apple lose its patent infringement lawsuit, it agreed to pay Samsung damages, which weren't specified." Free market and competition at work, my friends!

Mesa 7.11 Released 1 Aug 2011, 8:14 pm

Phoronix notes that Mesa 7.11 has been released. The OpenGL 3.0 requirements are a whole lot closer to being met with the changes made since Mesa 7.10, but there is still work to be done. Mature Intel Sandy Bridge and preliminary support for Ivy bridge has been added. AMD Llano Fusion graphics and Radeon HD 6900 "Cayman" are now supported.

An iOS Developer Takes on Android 1 Aug 2011, 7:24 pm

"Recently, we released the Android version of Meridian, our platform for building location-based apps. We didn't use one of these 'Cross Platform!' tools like Titanium. We wrote it, from scratch, in Java, like you do in Android [...] So, we rolled up our sleeves, downloaded the Android SDK, and got to work."

*A Software Guy's Look at Electric Bicycles* 1 Aug 2011, 6:53 pm

I had the chance to attend the bike industry’s annual DealerCamp in my hometown of Park City, Utah last week. It’s an event where dealers and manufacturers can meet up, and everyone can try the latest bicycle technology on the roads and trails. While there, I took a particular interest in electric bicycles, which were represented by several vendors. Electric bicycle tech has made some major strides in the past few years, but still has a long way to go, in particular on the software side. Read more on this exclusive OSNews article...

10 Essential FOSS Tools For MySQL 1 Aug 2011, 4:30 pm

MySQL toolmaker Daniel Nichter provides a look at 10 must-have free and open source tools for MySQL. 'MySQL has attracted a vibrant community of developers who are putting out high-quality open source tools to help with the complexity, performance, and health of MySQL systems, most of which are available for free,' writes Nichter, who was named 2010 MySQL Community Member of the Year for his work on maatkit. From mydumper, to mk-query-digest, to stalk and collect, the list compiles tools to help back up MySQL data, increase performance, guard against data drift, and log pertinent troubleshooting data when problems arise, each of which is a valuable resource for anyone using MySQL, from a stand-alone instance to a multiple-node environment.

MPEG-LA: 12 Companies Hold VP8 Patents 31 Jul 2011, 11:27 pm

Ah yes, the MPEG-LA, the company that patent-trolled before it was cool (now every schmuck like Apple and Microsoft do it too). Remember how they once called for companies to step if they had any patents Google's VP8 might be infringing upon? After almost a decade of empty threats against Theora, the MPEG-LA finally started actually doing something. Now they claim (in an interview with streamingmedia.com) twelve companies have stepped up - but, in true MPEG-LA fashion, which patents VP8 supposedly infringes upon remains shrouded in mystery.

OSNews Asks: What's Today's Best Android Hardware? 31 Jul 2011, 9:10 pm

Nielsen's latest smartphone numbers show Apple's iPhone by far the most popular device among mobile computing hardware, but Android in a strong lead as the most popular OS. But while it's great to have choices in hardware, it can certainly be maddening to have to choose, especially if you don't have the fortitude to keep up with what's new on the market. So, dear readers, for the benefit of those who might be in the market for an Android handset, which one is best?

Google Buys IBM Patents 29 Jul 2011, 10:51 pm

"Google Inc. said Friday that it has purchased technology patents from International Business Machines Corp. as the Web-search giant stocks up on intellectual property to defend itself against lawsuits." This article lists some of them. Google on the defensive. You kind of have to when you find yourself on the receiving end of the Apple-Microsoft-Oracle cartel's lawsuit stick.

Mandriva To Start Distributing Flash Player 29 Jul 2011, 10:50 pm

Unlike Apple and Microsoft, and despite numerous demands from their users, Linux distributions have been traditionally unable to directly ship the popular Adobe Flash Player with their packages, due to the closed source nature of the software and the restrictive license chosen by Adobe. While it does seems shorter than a regular EULA made by Microsoft with all the legalese that goes with it, it does still restrict redistribution in most cases, and the FAQ seemed to be clear about that point.

Welcome to the US, Spotify. Have a Patent Lawsuit! 29 Jul 2011, 12:39 pm

For all the complaints that Spotify was taking too long to reach the US, they did in the end persevere. However, Spotify has just been rewarded with a patent infringement lawsuit for its troubles. Frankly, why should anyone else even bother?

Apple Now Has More Cash Than the U.S. Government 29 Jul 2011, 5:15 am

Apple is now more liquid than the United States government, the Financial Post reports. As the government struggles to resolve the debt ceiling debate, the operating balance in Washington is at US$73.768 billion and falling. Meanwhile, Apple has US$75.876 billion.

Asus' $200 MeeGo Laptop Close to Reality 29 Jul 2011, 12:09 am

"Keen observers may recall that Asus's debut of the Padfone back at Computex in May was accompanied by another, albeit less-trumpeted announcement. Specifically, the company promised a $199 netbook computer - the MeeGo-based Eee PC X101 - and this week that device took several steps closer to reality."