Massive black hole spotted without galaxy

"In a strange reversal, astronomers have detected a massive black hole but can find no traces of the surrounding galaxy that should be feeding it.

At the center of most large galaxies, our own Milky Way included, are extremely dense black holes that have masses hundreds of millions times that of the Sun.

Called quasars, these massive black holes are the most radiant objects in the universe, outshining even the brightest galaxies. While the black holes themselves are undetectable, friction and heat from the swirling matter they ingest emit huge amounts of radiation that can be detected by radio telescopes."

Mobile working hits 'tipping point' in Europe

vnunet.be - Mobile working hits 'tipping point' in Europe: "Two thirds of firms planning to roll out mobility technology.


Mobile technology has reached a 'tipping point' in Europe with over two thirds of European firms considering or actively planning rollouts of wireless email or other enterprise mobility applications, research published today has claimed.

However, according to the latest survey of European IT decision makers from independent analyst firm Quocirca, one in three respondents are concerned that previous investments in mobile technology are not future proof.
A third of those polled are worried that they will not be able fully to mobilise their workforce using their current enterprise software and applications.

The report revealed that few businesses have a strategic approach to wireless email. Similar to the early adoption of mobile phones, Quocirca noted that many developments in wireless data have been user led, particularly for wireless email where adoption has been tactical and localised.

Only 18 per cent of businesses were found to have taken a co-ordinated strategic approach.
Quocirca predicted that open standards and clear policies will be crucial to drive the next wave of mobile investments. An overwhelming 97 per cent of IT decision makers surveyed were adamant that clear policies and standards need to be applied to all future mobile data investments."

Protect your data when catastrophe strikes

Protect your data when catastrophe strikes: "A FEW REPORTS - promoted by hard disk drive manufacturers, to some extent - are emerging from the Hurricane Katrina zone of how to best prepare for disaster. If it's not a hurricane, it'll be a computer virus, or a fire, or a terrorist attack, or something equally scary that will cause damage to your vital data and/or displace you from your home. A September 11 Washington Post article had some reasonable suggestions for backing up against the worst, but it needed some refinements for worst-case scenarios."

The family room goes digital

The family room goes digital - Digital Life - MSNBC.com: "For many Americans, the family room is where more living happens than the living room. Increasingly it's also the media room, the place where family and friends gather to watch movies and sports events on big screens or the kids hang out for video games. And perhaps most uniquely, it's also where the family watches its own media - family videos or photos that once sat on a shelf or in an album, but which can now be far more accessible for spontaneous viewing. "