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The Ruby on Rails community delivers Rails 2.3 release Candidate 1, asking developers to help test the latest release of the popular open-source web application development framework before it goes final. Many developers approve the features of the new release, including Templates, Engines and Rack support. - The Ruby on Rails community has delivered a Release Candidate version of thenext major release of the popular Web development framework Ruby on Rails, Rubyon Rails 2.3 RC 1. In a blog post from Feb. 1, DavidHeinemeier Hansson, the creator of the open-source Ruby on Rails technology,said: ...

The credit crunch computer is set to arrive tomorrow in India when officials unveil the 500 rupee (£7.25) laptop. In an attempt to bridge the 'digital divide' in the country between rich and poor, the government will show off the prototype, low-cost laptop as the centrepiece of an ambitious e-learning programme to link 18,000 colleges and 400 universities across the country.India has a reputation for creating ultra-cheap technologies, a trend sparked last year by the Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car at Rs100,000 (£1,450).The computer, known as Sakshat, which translates as 'before your eyes', will be launched as part of a new Rs46bn 'national mission for education'. This envisages a network of laptops from which students can access lectures, coursework and specialist help from anywhere in India, triggering a revolution in education. A number of publishers have reportedly agreed to upload portions of their textbooks on to the system.Prabhakar Rao, vice-chancellor of the university i

The Ruby on Rails community delivered Rails 2.3 release Candidate 1 (RC1) on Feb. 1, asking developers to help test the latest release of the popular open-source web development framework before it goes final. Meanwhile, developers share their views on the stand-out features of the new release, including Templates, Engines and Rack support. - The Ruby on Rails community has delivered a Release Candidate version of the next major release of the popular web development framework, Ruby on Rails 2.3 Release Candidate (RC1).In a blog post from February 1, David Heinemeier Hansson, the creator of the open-source Ruby on Rails technology, sai...

Some start-ups are offering virtual marketplaces that aim to pair -- over the Internet -- consumers experiencing particular technology problems with experts who specialize in those issues. Think of it as an eBay for tech support.

The deadline for conversion to digital television is scheduled for Feb. 17. But President Obama has asked for a delay out of concern that an estimated 6.5 million people still aren't ready for the transition. NPR's Andrea Seabrook and Omar Gallaga, who covers technology culture for the Austin-American Statesman, discuss where things stand.

In an unlikely union of technologies, PC retailer Eurocom has said it will ship laptops powered by Intel's Core i7 processor, which the chip maker has dubbed the "fastest processor on this planet."

nerdyH writes 'Asus is taking pre-orders for a netbook based on Intel's second-generation platform, the secret-shrouded N280/GN40 chipset. Early product specs confirm that the second wave of netbooks are likely to offer faster graphics and lower power use, along with room for much, much larger batteries. The N280 apparently integrates the northbridge and CPU, meaning that the GPU moves to 45nm process technology, the FSB gets replaced by an on-chip interconnect, and overall board real-estate drops to a third of what it was previously — hence the ability to stuff an 8,700mAh battery into a 3-lb. device. The right shift key is slightly bigger, too, though still no trackpoint pointer (guess I'll keep waiting).' of this story at Slashdot.

A man walks through a shopping precinct. Tiny cameras capture his every move. If he so much as turns his head to glimpse into a shop window, that action is recorded, next to a reference number that identifies him uniquely among the many shoppers around him. As he walks through the crowded mall, the advertising billboards subtly change to suit his profile, flashing aeroplanes and knitted sweaters to replace the beach towels and lipstick intended for the woman in front of him. He ducks out of the precinct, looks around him, then walks down a side street to the door of a VD clinic. But the cameras are still watching him. Silently, passively. But watching him all the same ...This is not a novel by Philip K Dick: it is happening right now. The only difference is that it's not happening in the physical world, it's happening online. Since last autumn, BT - under the 'Webwise' banner - has been trialling a technology called Phorm, which dials direct into your internet service provider's networ

Meeting the Obama Administration's goal of putting 1 million plug-in electric vehicles on the road by 2015 will only happen with a coordinated set of policies and technology advances, according to an electric vehicle association.

Midmarket companies looking to expand their video conferencing capabilities find an option with Polycom's QDX 6000 system. - Video conferencing technology has come a long way in the last half decade. Gone are the days of pixilated picture quality and scratched-record audio. However, in an economic climate where most midmarket companies are tightening their belts, is now the time to invest in this technology? Pleasanton, C...