November 29, 2001
DOJ Monitors Cable Modems
Under the USA Patriot Act, the Department of Justice is now monitoring cable modem users. Prior to the passage of this act, a judge's permission was required to do so. The complete article is here: http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,48711,00.html Posted by Jim Lai at 03:28 PM

November 25, 2001
Human Embryos Cloned
On October 13, Advanced Cell Technologies achieved the first cloned human embryos, using the technique of nuclear transplantation. Their goal is therapeutic cloning, obtaining stem cells for use in research for disease treatments. We're still along way off from a Brave New World as the blastocysts didn't divide more than a few times. They also attempted parthenogenesis.

The full article is here: http://www.scientificamerican.com/explorations/2001/112401ezzell/ Posted by Jim Lai at 05:45 PM

November 21, 2001
Sega Cuts Dreamcast Price to $50
Sega has cut the price of the Dreamcast, for what seems to be the last time, to $49.95US. They expect to run out of consoles by mid-December. Sega left the console business in early 2001 to focus on software Posted by Donald Melanson at 11:17 PM

November 14, 2001
Opera 6 Beta Released
From the press release: "In connection with COMDEX, Opera Software ASA today unveiled Opera 6.0 for Windows Beta 1, introducing a browser with an array of new and improved features, including a completely new default user interface, skins, buttons and panels. With the release of Opera 6.0 for Windows, Opera reaches out to users accustomed to competing browsers' single document interface and targets users in regions that previously could not use Opera." http://www.opera.com/download/ Posted by Donald Melanson at 02:42 PM

November 10, 2001
European Council Moves Toward Ban on Internet Hate Speech
[link] Perhaps partly a reaction to the U.S. courts decision upholding Yahoo's right to allow material found objectionable (and illegal in France), the European Council may ratify a protocol banning hate speech in its cybercrime convention. The U.S. is "unlikely" to cooperate. Posted by Jane Pinckard at 11:46 AM

November 09, 2001
Fashion Fetish Goes High-Tech
[link] The new flagship Prada store in Manhattan aims to live up to its reputation for cutting-edge fashion, offering a host of high-tech tricks to keep you and your shopping escort entertained. Cool, but when can I have my self-regulating heated micro-filament coat with built-in mp3 player and cellphone? Posted by Jane Pinckard at 06:18 PM

November 06, 2001
EMI Tries Out Peer-To-Peer
EMI, breaking with recording industry peer pressure, is experimenting with using peer-to-peer services to promote albums. P2P services can have a place in the recording industry business model. Wired.com has the full piece here: http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,48147,00.html Posted by Jim Lai at 12:02 PM

November 02, 2001
Pixar Makes Shorts Films Available on Website
Pixar has made all of it's short films available in QuickTime format on its website. The site's slowed to a crawl today though. Posted by Donald Melanson at 01:50 PM

November 01, 2001
HP Launches Digital Entertainment Center
iPod not live up to your expectations? Maybe Hewlett-Packard's Digital Entertainment Center will be more to your liking. For a thousand bucks you get a device that can store up to 750 CDs (40GB), and burn CDs or connect directly to a portable MP3 player. Posted by Donald Melanson at 10:16 PM

Civilization III Hits Store Shelves
Sid Meier's Civilization III hits store shelves this week. Mindjack will try to get a copy as soon as possible and then pull ourselves away from it long enough to provide you a review. Posted by Donald Melanson at 03:44 PM