Stall The Ball

Nokia’s wildly anticipated “Tube” phone has been leaked onto the internet. It has been dubbed the iPhone killer.

Measuring in roughly the same size as the N73 it features a full size screen, Nokia’s “Tactility Feedback” essentially two mall piezos under the screen that make the screen feel like it’s been clicked the same as a keyboard key.

It has Quad Band as well as Bluetooth, GPRS, EDGE, UTMS, HSDPA and WLAN.

The camera is supposedly better than the iPhone but not quite up to top of the range Nokia phone cameras.

The Nokia Tube will feature direct video uploading and support for Java, both things that the current iPhone does not offer.

The “Tube” is expected to be released in Q1 2009.

Running the Symbian OS expect a ready made list of applications to be available shortly after it’s release.

Shown in a slide at the Evans Data Developer Relations Conference in Redwood City, California., the “Tube” looks similar to the popular iPhone. The Nokia device showed graphical displays, such as a promotion for the movie Shrek the Third. Other capabilities will be featured, such as the ability to upload photos.

“It’s our first touch device,” said Tom Libretto, vice president of Forum Nokia.

However there does appear to be confusion as to whether the screen is a full touch screen like the iPhone. It certainly appears to support it and comes with a stylus as well but doesn’t support multi-touch.

We’ll have to wait and see.

Everybody has a list of applications they couldn't live without but mostly it's a personal preference. For example "Free Download Manager" for me is a fantastic bit of free software that does exactly what it says on the tin.

The problem with lists of "Best" apps is that they quickly become outdated. However TechSupportAlert have published a list of 46 Best Ever Utilities (don't ask me why its 46, 42 I would have understood) that they keep updated.

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm

OK so your best app in the world may be my malware but out of the list there are some goodies. By and large they are pretty good but the key point is that it's a live list constantly updated.

I could have posted a list here but what's the point? It would have gone out of date

If you want to help with the list they are looking for volunteers.

Call for Help: Try Your Hand at Reviewing

For the last two issues I've asked for volunteers to help with the new Wiki-style version of the "46 Best-ever Freeware" list.

For this project to succeed, each software category needs an editor to moderate user comments, so I'm looking for experienced individuals to fill these roles.

The response has been good, but more volunteers are needed because there are still quite a few software categories needing editors.

If you feel that you are knowledgeable about a particular software category such as "program editors" or "disk encryption" then why not share your knowledge by becoming the editor for that category in the "46 Best-ever Freeware list."

As a category editor you will be fully credited for your efforts, unless, of course, you wish to remain anonymous. It's a great way to get your 15 minutes of fame. It's also a way of becoming an internet "giver" rather than just a "taker". And you will be surprised at just how much you will learn from the suggestions of others; I certainly have.

As of now, nearly 30 subscribers have volunteered. but more are needed. If you are interested, check out the list of still-vacant categories here [1] and select the categories that you would like to edit.

Then email coordinator@techsupportalert.com with your selections plus a very short description of your background and experience. If you have any commercial affiliations related to any of the categories, please state them.

Feel free to select as many categories as you like or to suggest a new software category if you feel it is needed.

Thanks

Gizmo

http://skinflicks.blogspot.com/2008/03/aherns-solicitors-try-to-silence-online.html

This is really quite concerning for free speech in Ireland and on the internet as a whole.

Frank Ward and Co., the solicitors representing An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at the Mahon Tribunal, have sent a letter to popular discussion website Politics.ie, threatening legal action.

Their threat, which can be examined here, alleges defamation and libel in relation to a thread on Politics.ie about Grainne Carruth.

http://www.politics.ie/viewtopic.php?t=33182

The letter sent to me is included below, it was not sent as confidential, so I am sharing it on the record.

Under no circumstances can I be in a position to disclose the identity of any user on this website, and I will not be doing so.

Until further notice, the Tribunal section of the forum is out-of-bounds, and no Tribunal discussion is allowed. Furthermore there can be no discussion with respect to the Tribunals or anything concerning Bertie Ahern.

I am asking all users to obey this request.

The letter as posted on politics.ie

28th March 2008

VERY URGENT

Via Email info@politics.ie

news@politcs.ie

Mr. David Cochrane

Publisher

Politics.ie

Re: Your Website’s Discussion

“Grainne Carruth and Frank Ward”

Dear Sir,

This afternoon it was brought to our attention that your website is publishing under the above heading a number of comments from different contributors concerning this firm’s representation of Ms. Grainne Carruth at the Mahon Tribunal.

Such comments are entirely untrue and grossly defamatory of this firm and its Partners. We now call upon you to immediately remove such material from your website and we are writing in similar terms to hosting365 who appear to provide a technical support system to you.

We also now formally call upon you to identify, giving full name and address, of the following contributors who appear to go under these user names:-

1. saul of tarsus
2. droghedasouth
3. constable adams
4. JCSkinner
5. toxicavenger
6. the – analyst 2007

We find it extraordinary that such postings have remained on your website now for some twenty hours despite the fact that a number of contributors to the discussion clearly brought to your attention that defamatory matter had been published and specifically calling on your Moderators to delete the same. Clearly you are failing to supervise or monitor in any meaningful way the website for which you are responsible.

We await your response by return and you should note that this letter will be relied upon in any Court proceedings to be instituted against you and the other parties involved.

Yours faithfully,

__________________

Liam Guidera

Frank Ward & Company

There is a bit more to this than meets the eye though, do some googling of "David Cochrane politics.ie libertas", Libertas, "Libertas funding", Declan Ganly, "Dick Roche Forum on Europe liar Cochrane" "Michael McDowell David Cochrane pro bono" etc etc

With all that in mind, who was stupid enough to send such a mindless takedown notice to politics.ie?

Talk about adding oil to a fire.

Oh, by the way, Ms Carruth is represented not by Messrs Ward but by a certain Ms Celia's solicitors.