Sunday, October 5, 2014

Google and Self-Driving Car Test



Meet Steve Mahan, one of the first users of Google’s self-driving car. Watch this video to follow Steve as he drives around town and runs errands—without touching the steering wheel. While the self-driving car is still in development, it aims to make driving safer, more efficient and more enjoyable.
Steve’s outing is more than just a carefully programmed test drive, it’s the realization of a science fiction dream and an opportunity for technology to impact the lives of millions of people. We hope these experiments unlock new possibilities for our users—even if it's something as simple as picking up tacos. At Google, we like to think big, and we welcome those who share our ambition and excitement for doing cool things that matter.

Tesla will take steps toward self-driving car

 Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY11:01 a.m. EDT October 5, 2014
Tesla Motors apparently refuses to be left behind when it comes to the self-driving car revolution.
d
Even though it's a leader in battery-electric technology, Tesla is going to announce this week that it will add a suite of high-tech features, including one that helps drivers keep their car in the lane,Automotive News reports, citing "a person familiar with the carmaker's plans."
If true, the announcement underscores how high-tech automakers like Tesla can't afford to innovate on a single level if they are falling behind on others.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said he favors a system like an autopilot on jetliners, which takes over functions of the plane during cruising mode, as opposed to spending time trying to develop a system that handles all driving functions all the time, closer to the one that Google is testing.
The question, however, will be whether Tesla has come far enough in adopting new technologies that could be precursors to a driverless car. Honda, for instance, just introduced a system that keeps the vehicle in its lane for the new CR-V, a mass-market crossover. Some luxury cars already have them.
Tesla sells only high-priced luxury cars, vehicles where drivers expect them to come loaded up with high-tech goodies.
Tesla has sent invites for an Oct. 9 event. The invitation shows a garage door with a giant "D" on it and a Tesla Model S peeking through.

Firefox Won to be the fastest internet browser of 2014






I always had the feeling that my favorite web browser will be giving some good news soon, and as Michael announced in PC magazine the good news is brought here

Which Browser is Best? Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Internet Explorer

·         BY MICHAEL MUCHMORE
·         SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
·         161 COMMENTS
After several years as top dog, Google Chrome has finally been unseated by a familiar favorite that's been quietly rebuilding its appeal over the last several versions.



In the biggest shakeup in the browser industry since Microsoft was forced to uncouple Internet Explorer from Windows, Google's Chrome burst on the scene in 2008, forcing new standards in browser speed, streamlined design, and rapidly iterating software, forcing all the other players to overhaul their own sluggish software as they played catch up to the nimble newcomer. Chrome spent several years as PCMag Editor's Choice, but it's been surpassed in speed and features, and it has sunk to a three-way tie for second place as former favorite Firefox has reasserted its lead. With a beautifully redesigned interface, excellent performance, thrifty memory use, helpful browsing tools, and leading customizability, the independent open-source browser has reclaimed PCMag.com's Editors' Choice for browsers.
While Firefox is our favorite browser of the moment, there are still other excellent choices that, depending on your priorities, will server your Web browsing needs admirably, including Internet Explorer, Opera, and Maxthon. All of the browsers now provide more-than-adequate support for the new HTML5 standard for website coding—even Internet Explorer has been acknowledged by Google as now being among the ranks of "modern" Web browsers. The search kingpin did this when it withdrew its Chrome Frame product, which inserted Chrome's page renderer inside IE.
Beyond standards support and page-rendering speed, factors to consider when choosing a browser include extension support, customizability, startup times, browsing helps like bookmark and tab managers, privacy, and security. For a deep dive into what each of today's main browser choices offer on all of those scores, read the in-depth, tested reviews linked below. For some background on how PCMag.com tests Web browsers, read How We Test Web Browsers.
FEATURED IN THIS ROUNDUP
Firefox 31
firefox
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Firefox recently benefitted from a major interface redesign, and has made huge strides in memory consumption and startup speed. It's also a leader in new standards support and evolution. But Firefox's customization possibilities are what have endeared the browser to millions of users over the years, and the latest version is more easily customizable than ever. Its Customize mode lets you configure the browser toolbars, Personas let you change its appearance, and as always, a raft of extension can do more to make the browser your own than any other browser. To top everything off, Firefox is the leader in security and privacy. Read the full review ››



Chrome 36

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Chrome's speed and minimalist design have deservedly attracted a devoted group of users to Google's browser. Leading HTML5 support and fast JavaScript performance mean it's ready for highly interactive, application-like websites, but it's behind some of the competition in graphics hardware acceleration. And though Google has implemented Do Not Track (set to off by default), Chrome is probably not the best choice for privacy mavens. Read the full review ››




ie9 
Internet Explorer 11 (IE11)
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Now available for Windows 7 as well as for Windows 8 (but not for Vista or XP), Microsoft's latest browser is faster, trimmer, far more compliant with HTML5—a major improvement over its predecessor. IE even now supports WebGL and SPDY, but not WebRTC. The browser brings some unique capabilities such as tab-pinning and leading hardware acceleration. Its excellent privacy tools include Do Not Track enabled by default and the more-powerful Tracking Protection feature.
Read the full review ››
Maxthon


Maxthon Cloud Browser 4.4 
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Maxthon is the app in this roundup known and used by the fewest people, but it offers among the most in tools, and surprisingly good performance and HTML5 support. If the idea of being able to skip through video ads, take a screen capture of a webpage, download video, or switch to a dark view for night viewing appeals to you, give Maxthon a download. Site compatibility is pretty much guaranteed, since Maxthon uses both Chrome and IE's webpage rendering engines. Rich cloud services let you push sites to other devices and store downloads up in the cloud, but Maxthon trails in graphics hardware acceleration. Read the full review ››
Opera 24
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We're still fans of this browser from Norway, but it now offers fewer differentiators, since it uses Google's underlying code. Like the other current browsers, Opera is fast, compliant with HTML5, and spare of interface. Long an innovator, its main distinction is its Speed Dial, which offers Windows 8-like live tiles of information on new-tab pages. Another is Off-road mode, which speeds up the Web on slow connections through caching and compression. Unfortunately Opera has dropped a few of its distinguishing plusses such as a built-in BitTorrent, Unite server functionality, and an email client. Even a bookmark manager awaits re-addition to the rebuilt browser. Read the full review ››


USCF Online Rated Tournaments on ICC!

This information is one of the most wanted gift for this coming xmas and it is now a reality.
WE HAVE RATED ONLINE TOURNAMENTS NOW!!!! YAY



USCF Online Rated Tournaments on ICC! 
The Internet Chess Club (ICC) and the United States Chess Federation (USCF) are proud to announce their alliance to provide USCF online rated  tournaments on the ICC chess server.
The tournaments will be held using a New and Official USCF Online Blitz Rating, which will be available to all current USCF members. 
Tournaments will be held as a 7 round Swiss, 3 2 time control.  The tournaments will be weekly!  The schedule will be posted soon! 
To join these online tournaments, you will need  to have a valid ICC membership and USCF membership.
If you don’t have an ICC membership, you can register an ICC membership here: http://www.chessclub.com/register
If you don’t have a USCF membership, you can register for a USCF membership here: http://www20.chessclub.com/uscf.php?link=join

Frequently asked Questions:

How do I join a tournament?
You do NOT need to pre-register. The tournaments open 20 minutes prior to 7PM Server Time (New York time); once it is open, you just join the USCF tournament.  If it is your first USCF/ICC tournament, you will be asked for you USCF ID/PIN: a windows will pop up asking you to fill in your USCF ID and your PIN.  If we can't find your USCF ID, you will be sent to the ISCF website to register/check about your ID and PIN.
Note: We store your USCF PIN and ID, so you won't be asked for it again next time you join a tournament. Once you have joined, you're ready to play. when the tournament starts, you will be prompted a small window asking you to match your opponent.  The channel reserved  for the USCF tournaments is 231. The channel will be added to your channel list automatically once you join the tournament.    

How do I look up my new USCF rating?
Go to http://www.uschess.org/datapage/player-search.php and enter your name; Find your name listed and click it, then click the far right tab "Tnmt Hst" (Tournament history)

Where can I see past tournaments played?
Go to http://www.uschess.org/datapage/player-search.php and enter your name; Find your name listed and click it, then click the far right tab "Tnmt Hst" (Tournament history)

Is this rating only used on ICC, or will it be used in other events?
This is an official USCF rating and can be used anywhere!

How often are the tournaments being held?
To begin with they will be held once a week but we expect to run more as the popularity demands.

Where do I get my pin if I cannot find  it?
The USCF pin is on the magazine cover you receive.  Members who do not receive magazines receive a letter with their membership card.  Their PIN is provided in that letter.  If you cannot find that letter, pleasecall the USCF office at 931-787-1234 and someone in the membership department will be happy to help!

How many bye points will I get if I latejoin?
You will receive a half point for each round that started before you entered the tournament.

Do we win prizes?
From time to time, there will be random prizes!

ill there be entry fee tournaments with prizes?
There are no entry fees at this time.

How soon are ratings posted?
Most days, ratings will be posted hourly until 11 PM (Note: This may be delayed as we launch the first of these events) Note: see the FAQ "How do I look up my new USCF rating?"

Saturday, October 4, 2014

The creator of classic video games like Wing Commander has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for Star Citizen

By October 2, 2014 4:36 PM
Plugged In Yahoo

Chris Roberts sure knows how to raise money.



The creator of classic video games like Wing Commander has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for Star Citizen, his upcoming space adventure game. Since kicking off a Kickstarter campaign nearly two years ago, Roberts and crew have raised more than $55 million.
That's not only the largest crowdfunded game of all time, according to Guinness, it's the largest amount raised for any sort of crowdfunded project. Not bad for a game that initially was seeking just $500,000.
"I sometimes get asked why continue to raise money," Roberts said in a blog post announcing the news. "Haven’t you already raised enough to make the game? The answer is that Star Citizen isn’t a normal game. It’s not being developed like a normal game and it’s not being funded like a normal game.
And it sure doesn't look like fans are slowing down with their donations. Star Citizen has raised $5 million in the past two months alone. In fact, more than 608,000 backers have put their money behind Star Citizen so far, an average of $90.39 each (which is a fair bit more than the $60 price tag of today's typical video game).
Many think Star Citizen got its start on Kickstarter, but that's not exactly true. Initially, Roberts planned to raise funds via the game's website, but the plug-in he used to collect money couldn't keep up with the volume of donations. Roberts turned to Kickstarter as a backup. Between the two, he raised $6.2 million. 
Since then, all fundraising has been done on the Star Citizen site.
"If we had raised the original amount and no more, we wouldn’t be able to ... continually upgrade the game with new features," said Roberts. "Our ability to iterate in Arena Commander, to try different flight or targeting schemes, or add new game modes that are test beds for future Persistent Universe gameplay is all due to our increased funding."
Star Citizen is certainly ambitious, and with no firm release date yet, expect it to rake in even more funds before all is said and done.
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