Saturday 21 June 2008

Computer Tidbits

Wifi on the track
Wifi is being implemented all over York Station. So whilst you can wait, you surf! You probably want to go with National Express East Coast as they have introduced free wifi to ALL passengers not just first class passengers like other rail companies.

Pocket Laptops
They are small! They are light! They are already here! Check out five of the best mini laptops

1. Asus EEE PC 900
2. HP 2133 Mini-Note PC
3. MSI Wind
4. Acer Aspire One
5. Apple MacBook Air

QXL closed for good
Arguably the original online auction site, which captured the imagine during the tech boom in the late 90s and barely survived the dotcom bubble burst finally closed for good.

IT graduates on the wane
A slightly worrying trend in the UK is the reduction of students taking up computing No reasons are given. But it could partly due to the fact that companies can and will outsource a lot of their IT to places like India and China because it's cheaper. Also note the UK government have been cutting funding.

The government's decision not to mark IT as a subject important to the public interest means that as of this September, anyone with a degree-level qualification in another subject will find funding to study a computing degree or equivalent course dramatically curtailed. Science, technology, engineering and mathematical subjects (so called Stem subjects) are exempt from the funding changes, yet IT/computing is not - despite its vital role in keeping the UK competitive.

The BCS are trying desperately to encourage the government to reconsider!