Daily Bits

Internet

10 Major Newspapers that Might Fold Up or Go Online Soon

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Imagine this, Amazon Kindle Store pushing new issues of your daily newspapers right into your Kindle 2 reader. In the commuter train most of the passengers no longer holding the latest issue of their broadsheets but are reading the latest news either on their iPhone, Kindle 2 or even some on their netbooks. Such could be the near future of newspapers and newspaper reading. With the growing popularity of electronic and online copies of newspapers, it seems inevitable that printed newspapers are bound for extinction. Apparently the 24/7 Wall St. also believes so. It even predicted 10 major newspapers which are either bound to stop publishing on print or to go electronic. [Read more…] about 10 Major Newspapers that Might Fold Up or Go Online Soon

Ten Web Browsers that You May Have Never Heard of

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The browser wars is starting to heat up again due to some exciting developments in the industry. Last year, Google joined the browser wars with its Google Chrome. Firefox continues to grow and improve. And lately, Apple’s Safari browser for the Mac just released a new version. But wait, these are not just the web browsers available for us to use. There are tons of web browsers actually, each with their own set of features. Here are ten of these other browsers which you may have not heard of before.

Avant Browser  – A free web browser with user-friendly interface and multi-tab browsing. Among its key features are online profile storage, autofills, flash animation filters, built-in ad/Pop-up blocker, multi-window browsing, real full-screen mode, built-in search engine, full IE compatibility, and more.

iRider –  An elegant multi-page web browser that allows you to browse the web faster with multi-page browsing capability.  Specifically iRider lets you fly around a visual map of all the pages and site you’re working with, surf ahead while pages are downloading, select multiple links or favorites and click only once to open all of them, and other useful functionality.

Maxthon  – a powerful tabbed browser with rich set of features that provides improved web surfing experience. This web browser’s key features include tabbed browsing, mouse gestures, smart browsing acceleration, magic fill, URL aliasing, anti-freeze, super drag&drop, and more.

Flock –   A web browser built from Mozilla Firefox. Having most of Firefox’s useful features, Flock decide to specialize on the social aspect of web browsing. Hence, it’s the most appropriate web browser for bloggers and social networking addicts.

Konqueror – an Open Source web browser that complies with HTML 4.01, supports Java applets, JavaScript, CSS 1, CSS 2.1, and Netscape plugins such as Flash or RealVideo. It can also be used as a universal file viewer and manager.

Lunascape  – The world’s first triple engine browser that supports IE for the Trident Platform, Firefox for Gecko and Chrome for WebKit. Among its key features include crash protection functionality, mouse gestures, tab browsing, RSS News and blog info, full customization with skins and more.

Runecats Explorer Zeox   – A tabbed web browser with the following features; text size changer, mini-web, search drawer and more.

NeoPlanet  – A lightweight web browser that lets you control your Internet experience by customizing content channels, select your interests through the Preference Center, powerful e-mail, download manager and quick search features. NeoPlanet is also highly customizable with skins.

Ultrabrowser  – Offers a fully customized web browsing solution. It boasts of dual toolbar settings, multiple themes-skin support, integrated pop-up blocker, built-in Google search, multi-search functionality, password-protected web-based bookmark manager, and more.

Shiira – An alternative web browser for Mac users.  Based on a Japanese browser, Shiira’s main features include private browsing, built-in search engine, tabbed browsing, customizable drawer that contains bookmarks, RSS reader, and supports PDF viewing.

Google Apologizes to Business Apps Users for the Gmail Outage

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Gmail went down yesterday affecting  not only Gmail users on the web but also those paying Google apps users in businesses and goverment agencies. The time was exactly around 9:30 am GMT and lasted for almost 2.5 hours according to the Official Google Blog.  Fortunately, during the outage most of the U.S.-based users are probably still asleep by then. But for the rest of the Gmail users worldwide, this has certainly cause too much trouble and inconveniences. Luckily, I didn’t notice as I was still on the road when the outage happened.

Anyway, Google is still investigating what caused the Gmail outage.  Google’s Site Reliability Manager admitted that this was certainly a rare occurence. 

For users of the Gmail web interface who are not paying anything to use Gmail and who were inconvenienced by the outage,  they could only sigh in relief now that the service is now back to normal. But for the two hours of productivity that they’ve  lost, they can only blame Google but get nothing in return.

While Google Apps users who pays Google to have the Gmail feature, Google is giving you 15-day free access to Google Apps.  Not bad for a 2.5-hour service breakdown, right?

So, how were you affected by the Gmail outage? Were you so dependent on Gmail that you almost went on rage when you could not access it yesterday morning?

Microsoft Offers Free Training Resources to Elevate America

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Microsoft is launching a new initiative that aims to equip individuals the necessary skills needed to land them a good job. The initiative would include providing access to Microsoft’s online training programs including use of email, creating resume and even some training materials on using Microsoft’s applications and programs.

As part of this initiative, Microsoft has launched a new website called Elevate America.  This website contains relevant tools and materials that would help individuals gain the technical skills they need to land good jobs, or even start entrepreneurial endeavors. 

Microsoft is also partnering with state and local governments to make Microsoft’s resources available to their constituents. Florida, New York and Washington are the first three states which will make this resources to their citizens.

So if you’re in need of some good technology-related training materials and programs, Elevate America would be a good place to start. Microsoft is even generously providing free vouchers that would grant you access to various Microsoft certification programs.

Anti-Trust Law to Get a Boost if New Chief is Confirmed by the US Senate

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Bloomberg is running a very good piece on the long standing industry prediction that Google will be the next Microsoft. The article delves deeply into the pending confirmation of the Obama-nominated Anti-Trust chief Christine A. Barney. Ms. Barney was personally handpicked by Pres. Obama a couple of months ago.

But before Pres. Obama asked Ms. Barney to lead the controversial Anti-Trust agency, Varney was known to have a strong conviction that Google is out to replace Microsoft. Especially since the Internet trend is leaning towards “cloud computing.” And we all know that Google has already establish a good foundation for its “cloud computing service”, thanks to Google Docs, and its seamless integration of various online products such as Gmail, Google Maps, Google Friend Connect, among other services.

For Ms. Barney however, this is all well and good if only Google has not “acquired a monopoly” in the Internet online advertising.  Ms. Barney wants to tackle this issue once her confirmation becomes final. She also promised to strictly implement the anti-trust law.

So, it would seem that Google should expect harder times up ahead  which shall start once Ms. Barney gets the anti-trust chief position.

Is there are reason for Google to be afraid?  Looking into Google’s previous behavior when confronted with monopoly and anti-trust issues, I don’t think that anyone in Google’s camp are a bit worried about Ms. Barney’s appointment, I still think that Google can survive her probing once she become the official Ant-Trust chief.