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TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, MAY 20, 2002 New Transistors Faster than Silicon New Research Benefits Spintronics Congressional Committee Supports Spam Bill AND Security Tags Help Librarians Washington Post Consolidates Tech Coverage New Hotmail Account Information Causes Confusion and Concern NEW TRANSISTORS FASTER THAN SILICON Researchers at IBM have created carbon nanotubes that can carry more electrical current at a faster rate than silicon, the material current computer chips are based on. This development could usher in a new generation of computing. Current methods for making chips have led to such dense circuits that the process could, according to some, become economically unviable in 15 or 20 years. Theoretically, at least, transistors made from carbon nanotubes could replace chips on the market today with ones that require much less energy or that offer much greater performance for the same amount of energy. Because carbon nanotubes are very long and thin compared to traditional circuitry, electrons in nanotubes cannot be deflected sideways and can only be reversed with a great amount of energy. The technology is very much in its infancy though. Creating the nanotubes is slow and difficult, and research has shown an energy "barrier" at the ends of the tubes, further complicating their use as transistors. CNET, 19 May 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1001-917346.html NEW RESEARCH BENEFITS SPINTRONICS Researchers at the University of Buffalo have created new semiconducting alloys that could allow spintronic devices to function at room temperature. Spintronics uses the spin and the charge of electrons to process information, allowing for millions of simultaneous bits of data. The new material potentially makes possible devices that can read and process data using infinite combinations of spin states. The research also opens the door for a kind of computer chip capable of processing and storing data on the same material. NewsFactor Network, 20 May 2002 http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/17825.html CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE SUPPORTS SPAM BILL The Senate Commerce Committee has approved the "CAN SPAM" act, sponsored by Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Ted Stevens, (R-Alaska). The bill would require unsolicited e-mail to include a valid return e-mail address and the ability to opt-out of further e-mails. Violators would face jail time and fines up to $1.5 million. An exception is included in the bill for companies that have a "preexisting relationship" with consumers to whom they send e-mail. The exception was added at the urging of business groups worried that they could be in violation for correspondence with their customers. Newsbytes, 17 May 2002 http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/176656.html AND ***************************************************** SECURITY TAGS HELP LIBRARIANS Some libraries have started using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in their books to streamline check-in, check-out, and inventory tracking, as well as helping to minimize theft. RFID tags contain information about the book, like bar code tags that have become common in libraries. Unlike bar code tags, though, RFID tags can be read without being visually scanned. With RFID tags, librarians can check books in or out without ever opening them or looking for the bar code. Inventory can be taken simply by walking through the stacks and passing a wireless reader wand over the books. Rockefeller University Library uses the tags, which set off alarms and activate video cameras when the system detects a non-checked-out book passing out of a library exit. At 50 cents or more, however, RFID tags are significantly more expensive than bar code tags, which cost about 2 cents. Wired News, 20 May 2002 http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52493,00.html WASHINGTON POST CONSOLIDATES TECH COVERAGE The Washington Post has announced that it will consolidate the content of WashTech.com and Newsbytes.com under the Web site TechNews.com, resulting in the layoff of several employees of Newsbytes. The move is the latest in a series of steps reducing technology coverage among major news outlets, including Knight-Ridder and Dow Jones. A spokesman for Washington Post said the merger was a "natural evolution" of the different editorial structures currently in place. TechNews will cover national technology news and trends, including legislation, and will still offer a regional technology section specific to the Washington, D.C., area. Wall Street Journal, 17 May 2002 (sub. req'd) http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1021653697982741080,00.html NEW HOTMAIL ACCOUNT INFORMATION CAUSES CONFUSION AND CONCERN A new feature of the Hotmail e-mail program allows users to see all of their options for sharing of personal data. The feature was added, according to Microsoft representatives, to give users full access to their account settings. However, many Hotmail users have been surprised to learn that their accounts were set to opt them in to certain kinds of promotions and data sharing. Although Microsoft asserts that it has not changed anyone's settings and has not modified its privacy policy, some users insist otherwise. Analyst David Ferris said users whose options were set to share data had probably agreed to that and were confused by the terms of agreement for their accounts. He applauded Microsoft for giving users access to the information and the option to change it. PCWorld, 17 May 2002 http://www.idg.net/ic_863486_1794_9-10000.html ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For past issues of Edupage or information about translations of Edupage into other languages, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE PUBLICATIONS EDUCAUSE publishes periodicals, including "EDUCAUSE Quarterly" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. 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