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By Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Bugmenot.com is a service that helps you bypass registration for websites like the nytimes.com. A lot of individuals are not crazy about the idea of personally identifying themselves in order to simply read the news. I know what many of you are thinking, just sign up and make up the info. Yes, you could do that, as long as you use the same fake info all the time. This is where the service comes in handy. When you find that great article that requires registration you go over to bugmenot.com. Enter the URL and click SHOW LOGINS. The site returns a username and password, copy, head back to that great article and paste. Enjoy. If the username/password does not work head back to bugmenot and click DIDN’T WORK and it will generate a new username/password. I tried it on a couple of sites and it worked like a charm. The username/password accounts listed on bugmenot are added by users of the service. The site has been around for about two years but it has been getting some “buzz” lately thanks to this interesting piece from the NY Times

STOP BUGGING ME If newspaper marketers think they are receiving reliable user information via those annoying site registrations, they should run their Web addresses through bugmenot.com, which offers quick user names and passwords to people who click on a link only to be confronted by a mandatory registration page. Some examples of usernames: thisisannoying; iwantnews; thisisjustsilly; whydoyoudothis. DAN MITCHELL

Talk about biting the hand that feeds it! Source:Download Squad

By Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

There are two things I can not go without: coffee and the internet. So, it is only fitting to have these two great entities merge together to form the Beyond Smart Coffee Maker. Java on demand. It works like most coffee makers with a built in ‘Grind and Brew’ feature plus you can program and reschedule from any web browser. They also have a Beyond Smart Microwave and Bread Maker both come with a scan wand for up to 4000 pre-programmed barcodes. Scan the barcode and the machine does the rest. Now, you will never screw up that microwave dinner again. Source: WIRED Home magazine
Prices:
Coffee Maker $130
Microwave $238
Bread Maker $215

By Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Well, you knew this was going to happen sooner or later. The RIAA filed a new series of complaints against P2P distributors Kazaa, Grokster and LimeWire. 784 users are targeted for violation of copyright. The announcement comes two days after the US Supreme Court ruled P2P networks may be held liable for infringement if they encourage people to make unauthorized copies of copyrighted songs, films or other digital content. Source:AFP

By David Johnston
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

CPU speeds have gotten a lot more complicated than they used to be. In addition to just clock speed, there’s also cache size, and the speed of the FSB that are frequently varied–even within the same brand name of CPU. To help consumers (or so they say) with their confusion over these additional variables, both Intel and AMD have started to use model numbers on their processor instead of just the clock speed.

For example, there are two different kinds of Athlon XP 3000+. What’s the difference? Clock speed and FSB. That’s not nearly the worst example, however. Take the Athlon 64 3200+. There are not one, not two, not three, but *four* different variations of the same processor, not even counting the mobile variant. These differences include clock speed, cache, process (the size of the transistors), and even the socket that they fit into.

Intel meanwhile, has gone with a naming system that is even more obtuse than AMD’s (in my opinion) by using a BMW-like three number scheme to rate its CPU’s speed. So how fast is that Pentium 4 515 and how does it stack up against the 520…or the 520J? Well, the Tech Report has answered all of your questions with a spy-like “CPU Decoder Ring”. This little table which can be sorted on any of the criteria it covers will tell you all of the information you wish you knew about your processor’s clock speed, FSB, cache, socket, voltage, and more. Take a look here.

UPDATE: for AMD processors specifically, AMD has set up its own information page which you can find here.

Intel has added similar functionality to its own site both here and here.

By Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Yahoo is planning to feature e-mail caching, message preview and drag-and-drop filing. Beta testing of the new service will start in a couple of weeks for a select few and should be available to the rest of the public in a couple of months.

From CNet:
“Yahoo e-mail users will be able to decide on using the new version, sticking with the older version, or using both. The new service currently works with only Internet Explorer and Firefox, but support for other browsers is expected to follow.”

“Other features of the new service are the ability to quickly search e-mail headers, body text and attachments, view multiple e-mails at the same time in separate windows, and scroll through all message headers in a folder rather than one page at a time.”

“In addition, the new version adds address auto-complete, right-click menus and standard keyboard shortcuts.”

The Yahoo service will start using a preview pane and local caching for faster e-mail opening. I’m sure the look will be very similar to Yahoo Desktop search (which has a strong resemblance to Outlook).The preview pane will contain a large ad that is replaced by the message when it is opened. Storage will remain 1 gigabyte for the free service. Source:CNet

Bottom Line: Faster service, Bigger Ads

By Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Google launches Google Earth(aka. Keyhole 3) today as a free download dropping the subscription fee (you can upgrade to a “plus” version for $20/year) . This description is taken from the Google Earth site:

• Fly from space to your neighborhood. Type in an address and zoom right in.
• Search for schools, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Get driving directions.
• Tilt and rotate the view to see 3D terrain and buildings.
• Save and share your searches and favorites. Even add your own annotations.

It also displays location indicators of ATM’s, gas stations, grocery stores, hospitals, golf courses, pharmacies and much more. I just tried it out and it looks pretty cool.

Minimum configuration:

• Operating system: Windows 2000, Windows XP
• CPU speed: Intel® Pentium® PIII 500 MHz
• System memory (RAM): 128MB
• 200MB hard-disk space
• 3D graphics card: 3D-capable video card with 16MB VRAM
• 1024×768, 32-bit true color screen
• Network speed: 128 kbps (”Broadband/Cable Internet”)

Source: Slashdot

For more information

By David Johnston
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Today, AMD filed an antitrust complaint against Intel for Intel’s monopolistic and anticompetitive practices. In AMD’s official complaint they cite many instances of Intel using its larger size and resources to push AMD out of the market. Examples include Dell (of course), IBM, Sony, Toshiba, HP, NEC, Fujitsu, EMachines, Gateway, and the list goes on (to include practically every large OEM that exists). The complaint is full of quotes from high-ups in many of those companies as well as interesting (and fairly damning) information detailing Intel’s practices. I will include a few here for your reading pleasure:

From the Sony section:
“By the end of 2002, AMD had achieved an overall Japanese unit market share of approximately 22%. To reverse the erosion of its business, in 2003 Intel paid Sony multimillion dollar sums, disguised as discounts and promotional support, in exchange for absolute microprocessor exclusivity. Sony abruptly canceled an AMD Mobile Athlon notebook model. Soon thereafter, it canceled plans to release AMD Athlon desktop and notebook computers. As a result, AMD’s share of Sony’s business dropped from 23% in 2002 to 8% in 2003, and then to 0%, where it remains today.”

From the Toshiba section:
“Toshiba was once a significant AMD customer, but also like Sony, Toshiba received a very substantial payment from Intel in 2001 not to use AMD processors. Toshiba thereupon dropped AMD. Its executives agreed that Intel’s financial inducements amounted to “cocaine,” but said they were hooked because reengaging with AMD would jeopardize Intel market development funds estimated to be worth $25-30 million per quarter. Toshiba made clear to AMD that the tens of millions of dollars of additional marketing support was provided on the explicit condition that Toshiba could not use AMD microprocessors.”

From the NEC section:
“AMD also enjoyed early success with NEC, capturing nearly 40% of its microprocessor purchases for notebooks and desktops in the first quarter of 2002. In May 2002, Intel agreed to pay NEC more than 300 million yen per quarter in exchange for caps on NEC’s purchases from AMD. The caps assured Intel at least 90% of NEC’s business in Japan, and they established an overall worldwide quota on NEC’s AMD dealings. The impact was immediate. While AMD had maintained an 84% share of NEC’s Japanese consumer desktop business in the third quarter of 2002, after the payments, AMD’s share quickly plummeted to virtually zero in the first quarter of 2003.”

From the Gateway section:
“From 2001 to 2004, Gateway was exclusively Intel. In 2001 former Gateway CEO, Ted Waitt, explained to an AMD executive that Intel offered him large sums not to deal with AMD, which he could not refuse: ‘I have to find a way back to profitability. If by dropping you, I become profitable, that is what I will do.’ ”

This is only a small sampling of what you’ll find in the 48-page complaint (linked to above). AMD’s CEO, Hector Ruiz, has also published an open letter on AMD’s website summarizing why they are doing this. A lot more information can be found on that webpage.

Note that this comes after Japan has already cited Intel for anticompetitive practices just a few months ago. All I can say is that it’s about time AMD did this.

Source #1: AMDZone
Source #2: AMD
Source #3: ArsTechnica