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Obama Appoints Cybersecurity Coordinator, Shuttle Launch Caught by Plane Passenger

by Warren Riddle on December 23, 2009 at 11:58 AM


Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines....
  • It only took seven months, but President Obama has finally appointed a cybersecurity chief. Because "protecting the Internet is critical to our national security," the President has selected former Bush administration cyber-consultant Howard Schmidt to officially serve as the White House Cybersecurity Coordinator. [From: Washington Post]
  • Space and science enthusiasts often take vacations and drive hundreds of miles just to experience a few minutes of intense, fiery blast-off action. Passengers on a commercial airline, though, recently received an incredible, and random, bird's-eye view of a shuttle launch. Thankfully, one kind cameraman had the wherewithal to film the event, and has posted it to YouTube so that others can enjoy his undoubtedly unique perspective. [From: Huffington Post]
  • The Star Trek Online massively multiplayer online (MMO) game is steadily gaining more and more credence as an authentic and highly desirable experience for hardcore Trekkies. The game recently introduced the new millennium's Spock, Zachary Quinto, as a voice-over contributor, and it's been announced that the MMO will also add classic Spock Leonard Nimoy to its cast of characters. [From: Joystiq]
  • At least one industry is benefiting heavily from penny-pinching, recession-inspired consumers. Netbooks, the low-cost, lightweight and compact laptops, have skyrocketed in popularity over the past year, experiencing a 72-percent increase in revenue and a 103-percent increase in the number shipped. [From: Engadget]
  • After spectator Massimo Tartaglia attacked Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at an event on December 13th, fan pages and sites praising the assailant began appearing across the Web. Government official Roberto Maroni initially responded with a proposal to ban "hate" sites, but has reversed course after speaking with officials at various sites and service providers, including Facebook (which has stated it will make a concerted effort to remove dubious members). [From: Reuters]
  • A while ago, Hulu announced the introduction of a devoted Norah Jones music channel, a move that many hoped would lead to more diverse and extensive musical offerings. The site is reportedly gratifying those wishes, as it has partnered with Warner Music Group to add a musical smorgasbord of videos, interviews, and concerts. [From: Mashable]
  • The year may not be quite over yet, but the Nielsen number-crunchers recently released some mobile phone stats for 2009. Although the iPhone topped the charts in terms of handset popularity, Apple came in at a mere third place in overall market share, largely because other companies offer more diverse mobile options. [From: Ars Technica]

Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, cybersecurity, hulu, iphone, leonard nimoy, LeonardNimoy, morningxtra, netbooks, nielsen, obama, star trek, StarTrek, top, warner, zachary quinto, ZacharyQuinto

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