Mac OS 10.6 "Snow Leopard" Details

Slashdot has up details on Mac OS 10.6, code named "Snow Leopard". Includes is iCal, Address Book and Mail Exchange support. The one thing that people are complaining about is that there is no NTFS support... something I hadn't thought about in my thoughts on using an Intel Mac for my Windows work. Supposedly there are third party drivers that you can buy though.

Comcast to watch your living room

Most of the time when I see a post on Slashdot about some privacy issue I chalk it up to paranoia. So, this morning when I was parusing the site and saw a post about how Comcast plans to monitor who's watching TV, I was about to have my same reaction - the über-geeks are flipping out again. But then I read the article in question, and I have to say - I agree with the über-geeks on this one. Basically, Comcast plans on putting cameras in their equipment that they install in your house (DVR, cable box, etc...), so that they can watch who's watching TV and better program towards the watcher. Sounds like a great idea... until you realize that this kind of technology has about 18,000,000 ways of being misused. To quote the Slashdot post:

While this sounds 'handy,' it also sounds a bit like the TV sets in 1984.

Your PIN Is Not So Secret

The University of Cambridge has discovered some scary vulnerabilities to the "chip and PIN" system that is used for debit cards. As best I can tell, this is the same (or at least very similar) system to what those of us in the U.S. use for our debit card purchases. An interview with one of the certifying agencies is a must see. I would say protect yourself, but it appears there is no way to. Slashdot discussion here. I hope that I am overreacting and that this is only a UK problem, but my guess is that it is not.

Patent To Interpret Brain Waves

My power came back on about 6 hours ago, but I haven't seen anything to post today. Instead, I'll dig up an older article from my archive.

Slashdot had up a summary and some links about a patent that Microsoft filed to use and interpret EEG to read your brain. The problem with reading EEGs is that blinking can mess up the results that they want. The plan is to use it to improve their user interface.

Interesting stuff, though I have no interest in having Microsoft read my brain.

The Ultimate Space Walk

I have not heard of a new Sci-Fi movie, Sunshine, but in it apparently one of the characters has to walk outside in space without a suit. Slate has up an interesting article about what would happen if you did this. Slashdot also has a discussion. I found it quite interesting and not what I would have expected.