Daily News Brief: Did NVIDIA Drivers Give Vista a Bad Rap?

Buggy OS or Buggy Drivers?

There's a side-story brewing in the "Vista Capable" lawsuit against Microsoft, with NVIDIA playing a supporting role. Judge Martha Pechman ordered a 158-page bundle of internal Microsoft emails unsealed, and in them, Microsoft documentation appears to suggest validity to complaints of early NVIDIA driver issues with Vista. NVIDIA's G80 architecture endured a delayed driver rollout, and according to Microsoft's data, the drivers were the cause of over 479,000 crashes, or 29 percent of all crashes Microsoft logged. Arstechnica wonders if that could have played a role in public perception painting Vista as a buggy and unstable OS, but admits there's a lack of information to say conclusively.

Modern Day Armor

It won't protect you against verbal jabs (You fight like a dairy farmer! ), but a new t-shirt claims to be shank proof. The Nihon Uni company based out of Chuo Ward, Osaka, developed the knife propelling repelling garmet in response to a rise in violent crimes, particularly against children and third-shift convenience store clerks. The garment/armor (garmor?) consists of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber and purports to protect from slashing attacks, but not direct punctures. Available this June in Japan, pricing will range from $190-$590.

Sub $29 Processors?

Citing un-named sources, DigiTimes reports Intel will throw its entry-level desktop Atom 230 processor into a sub-$29 pricing tier in thousand unit trays. If true, Intel's ultra low cost strategy could stave off AMD's Sempron line from snagging a significant market share in the low-cost desktop PC arena. WARNING: Bad pun to follow - Looks like the chip wars may be hitting an all time low (get it?).

High Tech Graffiti

Spray paint graffiti hasn't fallen by the wayside, but as billboards get more high tech, so too have defacement methods. Clear Channel Communications recently fell victim to digital mischief when an 18-year-old hacker/graffiti artist named Skullphone hijacked ten of the company's most prominent billboards spread across Hollywood, Westwood, and Culver City. Skullphone's imagery appeared in between ad cycles, photos of which you can view here.

Everyone Look at the Cheater!

Xbox 360 owners caught tampering with game saves or achievements on Xbox Live may be in for a surprise the next time they log in. Rather than outright ban accounts, Microsoft took action against those identified as the most serious offenders by resetting their Gamerscore accounts to zero, locking them out from regaining previously achieved achievements and Gamerscores, and clearly labeling the offenders as cheaters (example here).

Future Tech

• We've all bumped into an end table or tripped over the cat on a late night trek to the bathroom, and electroluminescent flooring could make such unpleansantries a thing of the past. The sci-fiesque rug emits a soft glow in response to footsteps lighting the way to your destination, and stays powered with rechargeable batteries. Take a peek here.
• If you thought the MacBook Air was nifty, wait till you see what's in store for tomorrow's laptops. These concept notebooks range from designs sporting sliding organic LCDs, to solar power panels, and more. Take the pictorial tour here.