Stories by Loek Essers

Open Mobile Alliance proposes standard 2D barcode handling system for mobile phones

The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) has developed a standard for handling 2D barcodes that it hopes will direct mobile phone users to websites more easily. By standardizing the specification for encoding, decoding and resolution of 2D barcodes, OMA wants to stimulate the usage of the codes, it said.

Written by Loek Essers18 July 12 14:09

Global grid helps CERN find 'God particle'

A worldwide network of data centers played a key role in CERN's discovery of what may be the long-sought Higgs boson, or "God particle," thought to be part of the explanation for why matter has mass.

Written by Loek Essers16 July 12 10:10

Wikileaks donations via Visa and MasterCard may resume, Icelandic court rules

Icelandic payments processor Valitor must reopen a gateway handling Visa and MasterCard donations to Wikileaks, a judge ruled Thursday. However, the gateway will probably remain closed while Valitor appeals the case, an attorney for DataCell, the Icelandic company hosting WikiLeaks' donations website, said on Friday.

Written by Loek Essers13 July 12 13:01

Smart energy grids need protection from cyber attacks, ENISA says

Smart grids, upgraded versions of electricity networks with two-way digital communication, should make the European energy system more efficient. But their dependency on computer networks, applications and the Internet makes society more vulnerable to malicious cyber attacks with potentially devastating results, European Network and Information Security Agency said in a report published on Tuesday.

Written by Loek Essers10 July 12 10:44

Samsung tablets not 'cool' enough to infringe Apple design, says UK judge

Samsung tablets do not infringe on a registered Apple design because "they are not as cool" and the Galaxy Tablets "do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design," a U.K. judge said in a ruling on Monday.

Written by Loek Essers09 July 12 14:40

From tech to toilet paper, Berliner tries to live completely open source for one year

Open source computer, open source mobile phone, open source toothbrush, open source jeans, open source video codec, open source camera, open source beer and even open source toilet paper: these are just a few things you need if you decide to make every aspect of your life open source for a year. A 28-year-old filmmaker from New Zealand living in Berlin is going to try just that.

Written by Loek Essers06 July 12 15:24
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