EU fines Microsoft $733M for breaking browser pact

European Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, March 6, 2013. The European Union Commission has fined Microsoft euro 561 million (US dollars 733 million) for breaking the terms of an earlier agreement to offer users a choice of internet browser. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

European Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, March 6, 2013. The European Union Commission has fined Microsoft euro 561 million (US dollars 733 million) for breaking the terms of an earlier agreement to offer users a choice of internet browser. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

European Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, March 6, 2013. The European Union Commission has fined Microsoft euro 561 million (US dollars 733 million) for breaking the terms of an earlier agreement to offer users a choice of internet browser. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

A spokesman points to a journalist as European Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia answers questions during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, March 6, 2013. The European Union Commission has fined Microsoft euro 561 million (US dollars 733 million) for breaking the terms of an earlier agreement to offer users a choice of internet browser. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

European Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia pauses before answering a question during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, March 6, 2013. The European Union Commission has fined Microsoft euro 561 million (US dollars 733 million) for breaking the terms of an earlier agreement to offer users a choice of internet browser. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

European Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, March 6, 2013. The European Union Commission has fined Microsoft euro 561 million (US dollars 733 million) for breaking the terms of an earlier agreement to offer users a choice of internet browser. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

AMSTERDAM (AP) ? The European Union has fined Microsoft ?561 million ($733 million) for breaking a pledge to offer personal computer users a choice of Internet browsers when they install the company's flagship Windows operating system.

The penalty imposed by the EU's executive arm, the Commission, is a first for Brussels: no company has ever failed to keep its end of a bargain with EU authorities before.

In 2009, Microsoft Corp. struck a broad settlement with the Commission to resolve disputes over Microsoft's abuse of the dominance of Windows, which had spanned more than a decade.

The company agreed to pay ?860 million and promised to give Windows users the option of choosing another browser rather than having Microsoft's Internet Explorer automatically installed on their machines.

But Microsoft failed to stick to the deal for some 15 million installations of Windows 7 in Europe from May 2011 until July 2012. The company admitted the failure last year, adding that it was an oversight.

The Commission's top regulator, Joaquin Almunia, said at a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, Wednesday that the fine reflected the size of the violation and the length of time it went on. It was also intended to make an example of Microsoft and deter other companies from doing same thing.

"A failure to comply is a very serious infringement that must be sanctioned accordingly," he said.

Almunia has advocated negotiated settlements since he took office in 2010, saying competition issues are best resolved quickly. He says slapping big fines on companies years after the fact does little to help consumers.

But he said the whole point of a settlement is undermined when companies then don't abide by its terms.

"They must do what they committed to do, or face the consequences," he said.

Almunia conceded that the Commission had been "naive" in appointing Microsoft itself to oversee compliance with the agreement, and said the Commission won't allow that in the future.

For its part, Microsoft was apologetic.

"We take full responsibility for the technical error that caused this problem and have apologized for it," the company said in a statement. "We provided the Commission with a complete and candid assessment of the situation, and we have taken steps ... to help avoid this mistake ? or anything similar ? in the future."

The company is required to offer consumers a choice of browsers through 2014.

In all, Microsoft has now paid a grand total of ?2.2 billion in fines to the Commission since 1998, when regulators opened their first investigation against the company. Some of those fines were for failing to obey the commission's orders, but this is the first time a company has admitted to breaking a promise made to the EU regulator.

The competitive landscape has changed greatly in recent years, however. Tech companies are now often more concerned about Google Inc.'s dominance in Internet search technology, Facebook's dominance in social networking, and Apple's dominance in mobile phones and software than Microsoft's Windows operating system, though it is still dominant on personal desktop computers.

Rival browsers such as Mozilla's Firefox and Google's Chrome have become popular, and software applications on mobile devices usually bypass browsers entirely.

In a sign of the times, Microsoft itself turned to the watchdog in 2012, asking it to investigate Google for anticompetitive practices.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-03-06-EU-Microsoft/id-a4ccdaa6743f4e25814cdf5f5b2898be

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ScienceDaily: Child Development News

http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/child_development/ Read the latest research in child development including how newborns learn to think, how sleep patterns emerge, problems with toddlers and more.en-usWed, 06 Mar 2013 04:30:28 ESTWed, 06 Mar 2013 04:30:28 EST60http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gifhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/child_development/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130305091000.htm It is possible to tell who a person is thinking about by analyzing images of his or her brain. Our mental models of people produce unique patterns of brain activation, which can be detected using advanced imaging techniques according to a new study.Tue, 05 Mar 2013 09:10:10 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130305091000.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304161623.htm Women who receive strong social support from their families during pregnancy appear to be protected from sharp increases in a particular stress hormone, making them less likely to develop postpartum depression, according to a new study.Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304161623.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304151811.htm The mammalian placenta is more than just a filter through which nutrition and oxygen are passed from a mother to her unborn child. According to a new study, if a mother is exposed to stress during pregnancy, her placenta translates that experience to her fetus by altering levels of a protein that affects the developing brains of male and female offspring differently.Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:18:18 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304151811.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304151807.htm A new mother may constantly worry and check to see if her baby is breathing. Or she may obsess about germs. A new study found postpartum moms have a much higher rate of obsessive-compulsive symptoms than the general population. This is the first large-scale study of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in new moms. The symptoms could result from hormonal changes or be adaptive, but may indicate a psychological disorder if they interfere with a mother's functioning.Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:18:18 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304151807.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304104912.htm Study could reveals key predictors of speech gains. New findings reveal that 70 percent of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who have a history of severe language delay, achieved phrase or fluent speech by age eight.Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:49:49 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304104912.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304104758.htm The first large, population-based study to follow children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder into adulthood shows that ADHD often doesn?t go away and that children with ADHD are more likely to have other psychiatric disorders as adults. They also appear more likely to commit suicide and to be incarcerated as adults.Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:47:47 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304104758.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130301122512.htm The interplay between an infection during pregnancy and stress in puberty plays a key role in the development of schizophrenia, as behaviorists demonstrate in a mouse model. However, there is no need to panic.Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:25:25 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130301122512.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228194651.htm Children in Britain are more exposed to alcohol promotion than adults and need much stronger protection, warn experts.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:46:46 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228194651.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228124132.htm Much to the chagrin of parents who think their kids should spend less time playing video games and more time studying, time spent playing action video games can actually make dyslexic children read better, new research suggests. In fact, 12 hours of video game play did more for reading skills than is normally achieved with a year of spontaneous reading development or demanding traditional reading treatments.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:41:41 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228124132.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228113449.htm A new study from Israel says that children with learning disabilities develop less secure attachments with mothers and teachers, and that closer and more secure relationships with parents and adults may help them overcome these disabilities.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:34:34 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228113449.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228103443.htm A healthy diet during pregnancy is critical to the future health of your children. New research suggests that pregnant mothers who consume junk food cause developmental changes of the opioid signaling pathway in the brains of their unborn children. Consequently, these children are less sensitive to opioids released upon consumption of foods high in fat and sugar, and need to eat more to achieve a "feel good" response.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:34:34 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228103443.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183504.htm The presence of an animal can significantly increase positive social behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders, according to new research.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:35:35 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183504.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183320.htm One of literature's oldest mysteries is a step closer to being solved. A new study dates Homer's The Iliad to 762 BCE and adds a quantitative means of testing ideas about history by analyzing the evolution of language.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:33:33 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183320.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183316.htm Praising children, especially those with low self-esteem, for their personal qualities rather than their efforts may make them feel more ashamed when they fail, according to new research.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:33:33 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183316.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227151302.htm Children who failed to acquire a basic math skill in first grade scored far behind their peers by seventh grade on a test of the mathematical abilities needed to function in adult life, according to researchers.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:13:13 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227151302.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227151258.htm Research indicates that half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, well before adulthood. Three new studies investigate the cognitive, genetic and environmental factors that may contribute to mental health disorders in adolescence.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:12:12 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227151258.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227134338.htm Neuroscientists should help to develop compelling digital games that boost brain function and improve well-being, say two professors specializing in the field.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:43:43 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227134338.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227121910.htm New research examines how childhood socioeconomic disadvantages and maternal depression increase the risk of major depression and chronic pain when they become adults.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:19:19 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227121910.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227102940.htm Most parents would agree that raising a generous child is an admirable goal -- but how, exactly, is that accomplished? New results shed light on how generosity and related behaviors -- such as kindness, caring and empathy -- develop, or don't develop, in children from 2 years old through adolescence.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:29:29 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227102940.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227102022.htm A look at how the brain processes information finds distinct pattern in autistic children. Using EEGs to track the brain's electrical cross-talk, researchers found structural difference in brain connections. Compared with neurotypical children, those with autism have multiple redundant connections between neighboring brain areas at expense of long-distance links. The study, using "network analysis" like with airlines or electrical grids, may help in understanding some classic autistic behaviors.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:20:20 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227102022.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226194006.htm A study finds an increased risk of narcolepsy in children and adolescents who received the A/H1N1 2009 influenza vaccine (Pandemrix) during the pandemic in England.Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:40:40 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226194006.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226081155.htm During sleep, our brains store what we have learned during the day a process even more effective in children than in adults, new research shows.Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:11:11 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226081155.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225162231.htm Researchers have found significantly higher levels of toxic metals in children with autism, compared to typical children. They hypothesize that reducing early exposure to toxic metals may help lessen symptoms of autism, though they say this hypotheses needs further examination.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:22:22 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225162231.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225162229.htm Giving back through volunteering is good for your heart, even at a young age, according to researchers.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:22:22 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225162229.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225122039.htm A new case study shows children with Down syndrome can benefit from conventional stuttering treatment.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:20:20 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225122039.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225112510.htm Low-birth-weight babies with a particular brain abnormality are at greater risk for autism, according to a new study that could provide doctors a signpost for early detection of the still poorly understood disorder.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:25:25 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225112510.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130222083127.htm Parents know that one day they will have to talk to their children about drug use. The hardest part is to decide whether or not talking about ones own drug use will be useful in communicating an antidrug message. Recent research found that children whose parents did not disclose drug use, but delivered a strong antidrug message, were more likely to exhibit antidrug attitudes.Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:31:31 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130222083127.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221143946.htm Scientists have found compelling evidence that older adults can eliminate forgetfulness and perform as well as younger adults on memory tests. The cognitive boost comes from a surprising source -- a distraction learning strategy.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:39:39 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221143946.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221141608.htm The sounds uttered by birds offer in several respects the nearest analogy to language," Charles Darwin wrote in "The Descent of Man" (1871), while contemplating how humans learned to speak. Language, he speculated, might have had its origins in singing, which "might have given rise to words expressive of various complex emotions." Linguistics and biology now researchers propose a new theory on the deep roots of human speech.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221141608.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221104330.htm Early life stress like that experienced by ill newborns appears to take an early toll of the heart, affecting its ability to relax and refill with oxygen-rich blood, researchers report.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:43:43 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221104330.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220170736.htm Scientists have identified a molecular signaling pathway that plays an important role in the development of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:07:07 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220170736.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220163629.htm Bullied children grow into adults who are at increased risk of developing anxiety disorders, depression and suicidal thoughts, according to a new study.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:36:36 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220163629.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220123413.htm Children with brain lesions suffered before or around the time of birth are able to use gestures -- an important aspect of the language learning process -- to convey simple sentences.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:34:34 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220123413.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219201523.htm Adding movement to mental rehearsal can improve performance finds a new study. For high jumpers the study shows that dynamic imagery improves the number of successful attempts and the technical performance of jumps The technique of mental rehearsal is used to consolidate performance in many disciplines including music and sport. Motor imagery and physical practice use overlapping neural networks in the brain and the two together can improve performance as well as promoting recovery from injury.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:15:15 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219201523.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219172159.htm Researchers believe they have discovered a biological marker of dyslexia, a disorder affecting up to one out of 10 children that makes learning to read difficult. The researchers found a systematic relationship between reading ability and the consistency with which the brain encodes sounds. The good news: Response consistency can be improved with auditory training.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:21:21 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219172159.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219172153.htm Male rat pups have more of a specific brain protein associated with language development than females, according to a new study. The study also found sex differences in the brain protein in a small group of children. The findings may shed light on sex differences in communication in animals and language acquisition in people.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:21:21 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219172153.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219141016.htm Some infants raised in poverty exhibit physical traits that make them more vulnerable to poor care-giving, according to new research. The combination of physiological vulnerability and poor care-giving may lead these children to show increased problem behaviors later in childhood.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:10:10 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219141016.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219140100.htm Weekly music therapy sessions can have a positive effect on behavior in children with autism, reports a new article. In a study of 41 children, improvements were seen particularly in inattentive behaviors over a ten month period.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:01:01 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219140100.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219121351.htm Pregnant women who received the H1N1 influenza vaccine during the 2009 pandemic were less likely to have premature babies, and their babies weighed more on average.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:13:13 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219121351.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219121212.htm The most frequent turning point in father-daughter relationships is shared activity -- especially sports -- ahead of such pivotal events as when a daughter marries or leaves home, according to a new study.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:12:12 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219121212.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219121021.htm A new study has established a possible link between high-fat diets and such childhood brain-based conditions as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and memory-dependent learning disabilities.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:10:10 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219121021.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219120936.htm Researchers are helping children with auditory processing disorder receive better treatment. They have developed a program that uses evidence-based practices and incorporates speech-language pathologists into therapy.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:09:09 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219120936.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219102649.htm The iCub humanoid robot will now be able to understand what is being said to it and even anticipate the end of a sentence.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:26:26 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219102649.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219102118.htm Most parents carefully select what television programs and movies their children can watch. But a psychologist says educational shows could come with an added lesson that influences a child?s behavior. Children exposed to educational programs were more aggressive in their interactions than those who weren't exposed.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:21:21 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219102118.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219090649.htm Researchers have studied adults' accuracy in the recognition of the emotion causing babies to cry. Eye movement and the dynamic of the cry play a key role in recognition. It is not easy to know why a newborn cries, especially amongst first-time parents. Although the main reasons are hunger, pain, anger and fear, adults cannot easily recognize which emotion is the cause of the tears.Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:06:06 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219090649.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130218164126.htm A new study finds that the infant brain does not control its blood flow the same way as the adult brain, that the control of brain blood flow develops with age. These findings could change the way researchers study brain development in infants and children.Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:41:41 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130218164126.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130218092711.htm Children and adolescents who watch a lot of television are more likely to manifest antisocial and criminal behavior when they become adults, according to a new study.Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:27:27 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130218092711.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130217085346.htm Children who overreact to stressors may be at risk of becoming overweight or obese, according to researchers.Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:53:53 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130217085346.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214134024.htm There's a billboard up ahead, a roadside sign full of language and imagery. Next stop: the emotionally distracted zone.Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:40:40 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214134024.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214120618.htm Using functional magnetic resonance imaging for before-and-after analysis, a team of researchers discovered positive changes in brain activity in children with autism who received a particular type of behavioral therapy.Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:06:06 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214120618.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214111606.htm Babies as young as seven months can distinguish between, and begin to learn, two languages with vastly different grammatical structures, according to new research.Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214111606.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214111604.htm The neuroanatomy of human speech and bird song share structural features, behaviors and now gene expression patterns.Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214111604.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214103816.htm Our love of music and appreciation of musical harmony is learnt and not based on natural ability, a new study has found.Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:38:38 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214103816.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214075437.htm A few years ago it was found that certain proteins, called prions, when defective are dangerous, as they are involved in neurodegenerative syndromes such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Alzheimer's disease. But now research is showing their good side, too: when performing well, prions may be crucial in the development of the brain during childhood, as observed by a study carried out by a team of neuroscientists in Italy.Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:54:54 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214075437.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130213114511.htm Many new moms fear that eating the wrong foods while breast-feeding will make their baby fussy. However, no sound scientific evidence exists to support claims that certain foods or beverages lead to fussiness in infants, according to a registered dietitian.Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:45:45 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130213114511.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130213082332.htm The reason why some people are worse at learning than others has been revealed. Researchers have discovered that the main problem is not that learning processes are inefficient per se, but that the brain insufficiently processes the information to be learned.Wed, 13 Feb 2013 08:23:23 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130213082332.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130212210042.htm A child can directly influence the attitude and behavior of their parents towards the environment without them even knowing it. Researchers have, for the first time, provided quantitative support for the suggestion that environmental education can be transferred between generations and that it can actually affect behavior.Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:00:00 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130212210042.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130212172209.htm Women who took folic acid supplements in early pregnancy almost halved the risk of having a child with autism. Beginning to take folic acid supplements later in pregnancy did not reduce the risk.Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:22:22 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130212172209.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130212171953.htm Scientists have identified a genetic mutation that may underlie common behaviors seen in some people with autism, such as difficulty communicating and resistance to change.Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:19:19 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130212171953.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130212131955.htm Health care transition (HCT) services help young people with special health care needs such as asthma or diabetes move from pediatric to adult health care. However, youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have less access to these services, which are designed to prevent gaps in care and insurance coverage. A researcher recommends that the medical community develop HCT services for individuals with ASD as a way to ensure consistent and coordinated care and increase their independence and quality of life.Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:19:19 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130212131955.htm

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/rss/mind_brain/child_development.xml

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AT&T HTC One X finally gets Jelly Bean

AT&T today finally announced that its HTC One X is getting Android 4.1 Jelly Bean starting today. 

We'll let that sink in for a minute. This one's been a long time coming.

In addition to the expected Google improvements, such as Google Now, Project Butter, better notifications and all those other improvements we've been enjoying on other phones for some time, you'll get:

• A new countdown timer for the front-facing camera. (We'll have to check, but there's a good chance this is the same as what's in Sense 5.)
• ISIS mobile payments. This is worthless unless you're in Austin, Texas, or Salt Lake City.
• AT&T Locker, so you can store your photos, videos and docs in the cloud. Which you can also do just fine without AT&T-specific software.
• AT&T DriveMode, which can be set up to send custom replies to incoming messages once your phone (presumably in a car) is going more than 25 mph. This is a good thing. Use it.
• AT&T Messages: A single inbox for texts, calls and voicemails, accessible from your phone, tablet or computer. Should interesting.

AT&T says the update should be available any time now, though we don't see it yet, and now we've got that blasted "You can't check for updates again for another 24 hours," which is as annoying as ever. 

Source: AT&T; More: HTC One X forums

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/EDjwQOVhOjc/story01.htm

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New York City calls pregnant teens 'fat' in bizarre mobile game

Trending

Aja Romano The Daily Dot

17 hours ago

NYC Human Rights Administration

An anti-teen-pregnancy ad from the NYC Human Rights Administration

New York City launched a new teen pregnancy prevention campaign this week ? and it includes a bizarre choose-your-own-adventure mobile game that scolds girls for getting pregnant by calling them "fat."

The NYC Human Rights Administration's new campaign, featured at bus stops and subway stations across town, pulls out all the stops in delivering "real talk" to New York teens: crying, surly looking babies admonish future parents that in all likelihood, their children will have deadbeat dads, they will be more likely to end up living in poverty, and they'll be paying thousands of dollars in extra expenses for the next two decades of their life.

"Gilmore Girls" this ain't.

The New York Daily News called it a "shame campaign," while the Village Voice noted that it was likely to "scare the living daylights" out of its intended audience ? which, perhaps, was the point.

But fewer people are talking about the bizarre shame aspect of the ad campaign's mobile side, as demonstrated by Miriam P?rez at Reproductive Health Reality Check. When P?rez followed instructions and texted ?NOTNOW? to 877877, she embarked on a strange "game" that allowed her to run through a scenario that shamed her female character, "Anaya."

As P?rez played the game, she stated that "it only got worse, with more scenarios about Anaya being ignored by her ?baby daddy? and shunned by her parents."

None of the texts included any actual information for teens trying not to get pregnant ? they just used an invented scenario to drive home the idea that teen pregnancy results in social isolation and losing your boyfriend.

Unless you can score "3rd" or higher, each scenario ends with Anaya and her boyfriend Louis breaking up, and Anaya ending up a single, unwed mom on her own. At one point during the game, you have the options of either screaming at your parents (because they're mad at you for getting pregnant), or going to your room to cry.

Daily Dot

Messages from the text-based game built to raise awareness about teen pregnancy.

The game also rewards you for choosing to stay home instead of dragging your "huge" self out to the prom with Louis, and allows you to "win" the game only when you've thrown up all over all your old friends, broken up with your boyfriend, and focused on getting a college degree by yourself.

At no point in the scenario is "Anaya" given the option of having an abortion, nor is she ever able to discuss her options with the elusive Louis, who avoids her, then dumps her when she doesn't go to prom with him.

"The messages sent by these ads and the ridiculous SMS game make it seem like the HRA is fine with the status quo of shame and isolation for teen parents," writes P?rez.

A pregnant teen gets called a ?fat loser?? ?Well, she shouldn?t have [gotten] pregnant!; the campaign seems to say. What kind of message does this send about bullying?

The March campaign is by no means the first such teen pregnancy prevention campaign directed at shaming teens. The brand-new Tumblr Shaming Teen Pregnancy collects ads and images from campaigns past and current showing the many ways that teens have been the brunt of fear-mongering and shaming disguised as "real talk" about the brutal realities of teen pregnancy. Some of the ads are transphobic, while others utilize flagrantshaming.

The NYC campaign also seems to equate "staying together" with "getting married," which is an odd correlation given the millions of U.S. residents who form long partnerships without ever tying the knot.

The choices the game gives Louis are all about whether to "stay" or "dump" his girlfriend, insisting that he "needs his own chill time" and encouraging him to go "shoot hoops" with his male friends. It's interesting that while Anaya's friends in this scenario are actively body-shaming her, Louis' friends are just hanging out while he's allowed to feel that Anaya is tying him down. If he can resist the temptations of parties and basketball, Louis gets to go to doctor appointments and pay child support while failing Math classes and struggling to find a job.

Wow. With incentives like that, I'd skive off and play basketball, too.

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Source: http://www.today.com/tech/new-york-city-calls-pregnant-teens-fat-bizarre-mobile-game-1C8732386

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Cooperating Mini-Brains Show How Intelligence Evolved

Working together can hasten brain evolution, according to a new computer simulation.

When programmed to navigate challenging cooperative tasks, the artificial neural networks set up by scientists to serve as mini-brains "learned" to work together, evolving the virtual equivalent of boosted brainpower over generations. The findings support a long-held theory that social interactions may have triggered brain evolution in human ancestors.

"It is the transition to a cooperative group that can lead to maximum selection for intelligence," said study researcher Luke McNally, a doctoral candidate at Trinity College Dublin. Greater intelligence, in turn, leads to more sophisticated cooperation, McNally told LiveScience. [10 Fun Brain Facts]

It also leads to more sophisticated means of cheating, he added.

Virtual neurons

McNally and his colleagues used artificial neural networks as virtual guinea pigs to test the social theory of brain evolution. These networks are the numerical equivalent of very simple brains. They're arranged in nodes, with each node representing a neuron.

"In the same way that neurons excite each other via signals [in the brain], these nodes pass numbers to each other, which then decides the activity of the next node," McNally said.

The neural networks are programmed to evolve, as well. They reproduce, and random mutations can introduce extra nodes into their networks. Just as in real-world evolution, if those nodes are beneficial to the network, it will be more likely to succeed and reproduce again, passing on the extra brain boost.

The researchers assigned two different games for these networks to play, each an analogy for different social interactions. One, called the Prisoner's Dilemma, puts its participants in a scenario where cooperation is best for both parties but they still may be motivated to freeload. In the scenario, two suspects have been arrested for a crime. The police offer both a deal: Snitch on your partner and we'll give both of you a medium-length sentence. If you don't snitch, we'll easily convict you for a lesser crime, and you'll have to spend at least a little time in jail. But if you don't snitch and the other prisoner does, you're taking the fall ? and you'll be in prison for a long time.

It's best for both parties to keep quiet, but each may be tempted to take the risk of snitching and hoping their partner is more noble.

In a second scenario, the snowdrift game, two partners have to work together to dig out of a snowdrift. The best choice from the point of view of one partner is to let the other do all the digging. But if both partners choose this route, neither is will get out of the snowdrift.?

Artificial neural networks don't understand prisons or snowdrifts, of course, but they can be made to mathematically "play" these games, with winners getting a numerical payoff for avoiding a prison sentence or digging out of the snow. McNally and his colleagues set up 10 experiments in which 50,000 generations of neural networks got to work out these games. Intelligence was measured by the number of nodes added in each network as the players evolved over time. [10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp]

Artificial brain boom

The simulations proved quite good at both the Prisoner's Dilemma and the snowdrift game, McNally said. They evolved strategies just like those seen when humans play these games with other humans.

But the game-playing strategies weren't constant over time. As random "mutations" in the program yielded networks with more nodes (an analogy for more intelligence), cooperation began to pick up. And as soon as cooperation began, the evolutionary pressure for big brains skyrocketed.

"When the society begins to evolve from a scenario of low cooperation, initially, toward a more cooperative scenario, that's when we got the maximum solution for intelligence," McNally said. In other words, networks with more nodes were more successful at the games and thus "lived on" to reproduce increasingly large virtual brains.

This feedback loop continued, McNally said, with larger brains begetting a "Machiavellian arms race" in which some neural network would figure out how to freeload, or cheat, in the two games, which in turn prompted other neural network to "learn" how to detect cheaters and outwit them. A clever neural network might work by starting out its interactions with another network cooperatively, only to turn on its partner and start cheating, for example.

The neural networks are nowhere as complex as the human brain, McNally said, but virtual experiments provide a way to watch basic evolution in action without waiting millions of years. He and his colleagues are now collecting data of various primate species to investigate the link between brain size (the proxy for intelligence used in this study) and actual intelligence.

"What this indicates is that in species ancestral to humans, it could have been the transition to more-cooperative societies that drove the evolution of our brains," McNally said. "It's confirming that this old idea does work and holds water."

You can follow LiveScience?senior writer Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience?and on Facebook.

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Ahead of the Bell: Alcoa kicks off earnings season

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Are These UFOs Spotted By NASA Astronauts Actually Alien Spaceships? [Video]

Did the Atlantis astronauts see UFOs in 2006? According to this NASA video and audio, yes, yes they did. Watch them spotting not one but three UFOs in front of them and telling Houston about it. More »

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