An anonymous reader writes “Looking for an inexpensive means to capture audio from a dynamically moving crowd, I sampled many MP3 players’ recording capabilities. Ultimately the best bang-for-the-buck was refurbished SanDisk Sansa Clip+ devices ($26/ea) loaded with (open source) RockBox firmware. The most massively multi-track event was a thorium conference in Chicago where many attendees wore a Clip+. Volunteers worked the room with cameras, and audio capture was decoupled from video capture. It looked like this. Despite having (higher quality) ZOOM H1n and wireless mics, I’ve continued to use the RockBox-ified Clip+ devices … even if the H1n is running, the Clip+ serves as backup. There’s no worry about interference or staying within wireless mic range. The devices have 4GB capacity, and RockBox allows WAV capture. They’ll run at least 5 hours before the battery is depleted (with lots of storage left over). I would suggest sticking with 44kHz (mono) capture, as 48kHz is unreliable. To get an idea of their sound quality, here is a 10-person dinner conversation (about thorium molten salt nuclear reactors) in a very busy restaurant. I don’t know how else I could have isolated everyone’s dialog for so little money. (And I would NOT recommend Clip+ with factory firmware… they only support 22kHz and levels are too high for clipping on people’s collars.)” This video incorporating much of that captured audio is worth watching for its content as well as the interesting repurposing.
jjp9999 writes “Anyone looking for the video clip showing the Chinese regime launching cyberattacks using script kiddie tactics was greeted with a message stating ‘Error Page — This page does not exist anymore,’ on the state-run TV website. The propaganda video, still available on YouTube, included a clip showing an unseen user launching a cyberattack against an Alabama-based website of the Falun Gong meditation practice. China’s Defense Minister told the Washington Post via e-mail that the video was ‘pure action of the producer,’ adding that the ‘Chinese military has never implemented any form of cyber attacks.’ The statement is the common line given by the regime after they’re tacked with launching a global cyberattack — including after GhostNet, Operation Aurora, Operation Night Dragon, and Operation Shady Rat were revealed.”
suraj.sun and several other readers sent word that Samsung is using a clip from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey as an example of prior art in its defense against Apple’s patent infringement claims. “In a clip from that film lasting about one minute, two astronauts are eating and at the same time using personal tablet computers. … As with the design claimed by the D’889 Patent, the tablet disclosed in the clip has an overall rectangular shape with a dominant display screen, narrow borders, a predominately flat front surface, a flat back surface (which is evident because the tablets are lying flat on the table’s surface), and a thin form factor.” Samsung also supplied a clip from 1970s British TV series The Tomorrow People.
An anonymous reader submitted a video clip that allegedly demonstrates a hacker working in a honeypot. If you fear for the future security of the internet, this video will set your mind at ease
As promised, here is the second part of my interview with Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. In the last clip we talked about how Hasting navigated the company through huge changes in technology, a revolution in online video, and two formidable competitors in Wal-Mart and Blockbuster.
In this clip, we talk about Hasting’s vision for the future, including what life will be like when TV-as-we-know-it is gone, Netflix’s plans for international expansion and life amid two new formidable online video entrants, Apple and Google.
For the whole video go here, or go here for a podcast of the entire talk.
siliconbits writes “Weighing less than a paper clip and smaller than a postage stamp, Sandisk’s iSSD comes in a tiny Ball Grid Array and boasts support for the SATA standard, which means that it can be soldered directly on motherboards.”
Someone managed to get a clip on-line of the lost Star Wars scene from Jedi where Luke is shown crafting his Lightsaber. The full clip will apparently be included on the Blu-ray box set expected to come out in 2011. Hit the link below to see what is circulating. It’s not much, but it looks real. Can’t wait to see what they include in the 2015 version.
