7 Days in News (02-01-2013)

1. Rumors Running Wild About Ubuntu's Top-Secret New Product


Well, we're in the final countdown now as 2012 draws to a close, so you'd think all would be quiet here in the Linux blogosphere as bloggers hunker down to recover from what's been an exceptionally exhausting year. Linux Girl, for one, has been putting in extra hours on her favorite barstool down at the blogosphere's Broken Windows Lounge in an effort to recover a bit of the sanity that slipped away in 2012. Sadly, no such luck! There was fresh news to be covered, and with a hefty twist of mystery, to boot!

2. Where's My Autonomous Car?
The world cheered -- well, at least the nerds cheered -- when Google's autonomous cars drove 1,000 miles with no human intervention and another 140,000 miles with occasional human intervention in 2010. Since then, the cars are still tooling about in a series of tests as early fans watch them in action on YouTube and Vimeo. The tests are going so well that Nevada, Florida and California have already deemed them street-legal. Surely other states will soon follow.

3. China Tightens Its Grip on Internet Users
The Chinese government issued a set of new Internet rules on Friday. Internet users must now provide their real names to service providers, and ISPs are required to delete forbidden posts and report such activities to authorities. In other words, the so-called "Great Firewall of China" has been further fortified. "This is just another indication that they really want to control what information gets to their citizens," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "It means that all communication going in and out of China are going to be more closely monitored."

4. Apple May Soon Let You Talk to the Hand
Apple's supply chain has clearly sprung a leak since Steve Jobs' passing: Every few months, it seems, a rumor or report from unnamed sources at this or that supplier makes the rounds. The current rumor is that Apple is hard at work at its next innovation -- and it's not a television set or a smart remote control. Instead, it is a watch. The crux of the report is this: Intel has teamed up with Apple to build a Bluetooth-enabled iOS watch that sports a 1.5-inch screen from which users can make calls.

5. Leave Your Old Job Description Off Your Resumé; List Your Accomplishments Instead
There are a lot of important things you should put on your resumé, but just important are the things you leave off. Mashable lists four of the most important items you should skip, one of which is a bit surprising: the tasks you performed at your old jobs. More »

6. R18+ Ratings For Video Games Are Now Live In Australia
It’s my pleasure to inform you today that you have woken up in a better Australia than ever. Is it because it’s a new year and all the birds are singing in the trees? Maybe. Mostly it’s because the R18+ legislation for video games came into effect around the country today, meaning gamers are now going to be treated like grown-ups. More »

7. Counterpoint: Why Using Phones On Planes Is Still Stupid
A few weeks ago, we ran this post asking if we could actually use our phones on planes safely now. It seemed like common sense at the time, but let’s hear a counterpoint from a real-life pilot who explains why it’s still a stupid idea. More »

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