By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

I actually tried to cancel my AOL account and it took three hours only to find out that I had a free account from my days at CNET. The woman on the phone said “now why would you want to cancel something that’s free?” She had a point and so I still have my account. (How much do you want to bet the goons at AOL will yank it now - oh the irony!) Here’s an interesting piece from the NY Times on how even the dead cannot cancel their accounts:

‘”THREE years ago my brother died (officially missing, presumed dead - no death certificate),” wrote an anonymous contributor last week at gripe2ed.com, a consumer complaint Web log. “At that time I was able to cancel his credit card, gas, insurance - everything except his AOL account.”

“It seems that America Online, not entirely irrationally, needed a screen name and other account information to properly cancel the subscription - something this consumer, under the circumstances, did not have handy. Collection notices for payments past due soon followed. The consumer was not amused. “Maybe other people have resorted to faking death in order to get out of their AOL accounts?”‘ Source: NY Times

By John Tintle
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Today, Tuesday August 30, 2005, Opera Software is celebrating it’s 10th birthday, by offering you an ad-free version of their browser. The ad-free version usually costs 39 US Dollars. So if you download the Opera browser at Cnet’s download.com, and send an email to registerme@opera.com to obtain a registration code. This offer is valid from 12 a.m. Tuesday, August 30 to 12 a.m. Wednesday, August 31 2005 (PDT).

John’s 2 cents worth:
Now you are probably saying to yourself, ” Self, I have FireFox, and IE why do I need Opera?” Well I guess I just like free stuff, or I have a browser fetish, but I plan on downloading this and getting the ad-free browser. Some features promoted by Opera are the ability to control your browser with your voice, support for Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), and tabbed browsing. Just to name a few. If that’s not enough for you, why not download it and try Opera. It’s not like its costing you anything today.

By William Chee
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Sharp Corporation has developed two new 3-megapixel CCD camera modules intended for use in camera-equipped mobile phones. The two camera modules feature a built-in autofocus function and the new LZ0P3758 features, in addition, an all-internal optical zoom lens that is switchable between normal and 2X zoom, an industry first. Both models will be available in quantity beginning in September 2005.

Cameras designed to be embedded in mobile phones are experiencing rapidly growing user demands for compact size, as well as greater functionality and higher image quality on a par with ordinary digital cameras.

The LZ0P3758 CCD camera module developed at this time offers sophisticated functionality, including a 3-megapixel CCD, 2X optical zoom and autofocus, and is also equipped with an all-internal zoom system in which the lens section does not protrude from the module body. Plus, Sharp’s proprietary high-density surface mount technology makes possible a compact module form factor with a volume of only 4.7 cc. The modules also feature a FIT* CCD image sensor and high-performance lens, providing high resolution and high image quality with minimal distortion.

More

By David Johnston
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

There has been a lot of fuss on the internet recently about a new partnership between Intel and Microsoft which may mean the end of fair use for consumers. I’ve written before about Microsoft’s new HDCP which will force everyone to upgrade their monitors to view some video content, but the plot has thickened. New Intel chipsets which will be part of the VIIV package will sport hardware DRM features as well as software DRM features in new Microsoft OS’s. Something called the Secure Premium Content Module, or SPCM, will be able to decode media supporting Microsoft’s new DRM features. If your media doesn’t support these new DRM standards, your PC will now “nicely” convert into compliant DRM-encrypted files. Now, of course, the music and movie industries will support Microsoft’s DRM features in new media. This is what they’ve been wanting all along anway.

This all means that “pay per view/listen” will really be able to take off. In fact, you most likely won’t be able to make copies of media you buy in the store. You will not be able to freely rip music from CD’s you own to back up or anything of the sort (legally at least) because this will qualify as breaking the DRM. So, while making fair-use copies is and has always been legal, you won’t be able to exercise that right because of other laws making it illegal to break DRM protection schemes. Note that this will also make it illegal to play DRM-protected content on anything other than a Microsoft OS since Microsoft is the only company with a license to legally decode the content. Say goodbye to listening to music or watching movies on anything other than a Windows platform (unless you don’t mind breaking the law).

Sources: The Inquirer and Hardware Analysis
More

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

This is hilarious and something you can actually download and play. First, we covered the online version of Duck Hunt, then some DIYers who created a sniper rifle for Duck Hunt, and today, I found a game developer who combined Duck hunt and Doom. What more can I say?

==============
DUCK DOOM Deluxe
a HelpTheWretched Production™
by Noproblo Games
Made with GM 5.3 (uses exclusive graphics mode)

An overhaul upgrade to the original Duck Doom, featuring new difficulty levels, graphics effects, remixed music & enhanced sound, the BFG-9000, and more! Source: GameMaker Community

To download Duck Doom Deluxe (6.38Mb):
Mirror #1
Mirror#2

William Chee
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Moovie — an electrically powered car for urban use from André Costa of Portugal, the winner of the 3rd Peugeot Design Competition, 2004-2005 will be on display in this year’s
Frankfurt Motor Show. It will redefine the notion of what urban transport, or household appliances, will be like in 2020.

André Costa described the visual look on the vehicle as two big electric wheels with hollow rim, where the doors of the car are located. These two big doors allow the users to have enough space to enter and exit the vehicle comfortably.

According to André Costa, the bigger the wheel, the fewer turns it has to make to travel the same distance, hence less energy is required.

The front of the vehicle is supported by two spheres, these are purely for support, the car turns by a system that makes one electric wheel go faster then the other, this system allows the vehicle in some cases to make 360º turns which is great for parking and moving in small city streets.

The wheels are at an angle of 10 degrees closing on the top so as to enhance the stability of the Moovie.

Instead of the conventional way of opening the doors sideway, the 2 round doors slide up along the sides of the car to waste less space in small parking spaces, optimizing the exit.

The two big round doors slide along the side-front of the car to waste less space in small parking spaces, allowing a better exit at all times.

The review mirrors can be folded up to prevent them from scratching the doors during the side slide.

Full Story with Photo of Moovie: DigitalCamera@101reviews

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

Here’s an interesting but potentially controversial piece written by a parent who discovered that his son was into some serious hacking. He put together a list of telltale signs that other parents can use if they are concerned about their son (or daughter) hacking. My personal verdict: Some of his signs are not really that extreme - playing Quake? Asking for new hardware? Wanting to dump AOL for a better ISP? It sounds a bit naive and even a little nutty (Linux is a communist platform??), but for all the parents out there, I figure you can decide for yourself. My guess is most of the signs point to a smart teen who loves computers more than other activities. Maybe a RTN readers with kids can do a better top ten than this. or weigh in on what they look for.

Update: Our suspicions were correct, the posting was a hoax that originated on a a site called Adequacy.org (now defunct) that took pride in posting things that sparked controversy and outrage. I’ll leave the segment here, but maybe someone can come up with a real list of signs because teen hacking is something many parents aren’t aware of. D’oh. Thanks to Rob for pointing this out!

More

By David Johnston
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

I must admit that this scares me more than a little, but GM announced that it will be releasing a car that will be able to literally drive itself on the highway–even in heavy traffic. Apparently it will use cameras and lasers that will all be hooked into a computer that will make decide how to drive your car for you. I know that Mercedes-Benz and perhaps a few other car makers already have similar features that can slow down your cruise control when you get too close to another vehicle to prevent you from hitting them, but this goes beyond that, literally doing all of the driving for you. I don’t know about you, but I would personally stay far away from one of these things if I saw it driving itself down the highway. There’s just something about a car driving itself that I can’t bring myself to completely trust considering that at high speeds even a small mistake can have huge consequences. Hopefully by the time this is released in 2008 (if it’s on schedule) they’ll have considered all of the variables that highway driving might throw at it.

Source: AutoBlog