Gmail’s interface was revolutionary when it was first released, but the design was a bit too plain for a lot of users. After a short while, users started to develop Greasemonkey scripts and Firefox plugins that could bring some more excitement to the standard Gmail theme. Today, however, Google itself announced that will be rolling out over 30 different themes for Gmail in the next couple of days.

A few lucky Gmail users are already seeing a ‘Themes’ tab appear in their settings menu, though as is typical for Google, it might take a day or two before this new feature has been rolled out to all users.

Windows HPC hits top 10 among supercomputers - Network World
Microsoft on Tuesday hit another high-performance computing milestone by placing its server for the first time in the top 10 on the list of the Top 500 super computers as judged by Top500.org.

Just a year ago, the best Microsoft could do was 116th place based on rankings from Top500.org, which has been benchmarking supercomputers since 1993 with its bi-annual tests it calls “runs.”

Windows HPC Server 2008, a 64-bit system that shipped Nov. 1, came in at No. 10, achieving 180.6 teraflops with 77.5% efficiency at the Shanghai Supercomputer Center and Dawning Information Industry Co.

Despite the high ranking, Microsoft’s biggest high-performance computing challenge is likely in front of the vendor – creating easy-to-use developer tools for writing applications for the platform.

Apple’s new MacBook lines include a form of digital copy protection that will prevent protected media, such as DRM-infused iTunes movies, from playing back on devices that aren’t compliant with the new priority protection measures.

The Intel-developed technology is called High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) and aims to prevent copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across a variety of display connectors, even if such copying is not in violation of fair use laws.

Among the connectors supported by the technology are the Mini DisplayPort found on Apple’s latest MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air, in addition to others such as Digital Visual Interface (DVI), High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Gigabit Video Interface (GVIF), and Unified Display Interface (UDI).

I guess that now many people who considered switching to Apple will stick with non DRM OS (I know I will).

After 27 years as a print publication, PC Magazine is ditching its print edition and going online-only in February.

The move, announced Wednesday, highlights the pressure on newspapers and magazines to protect their profit margins as more advertising dollars flow to the Web.

Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and Guns N’ Roses released their biggest hits on vinyl records and compact discs, but on Thursday, their new albums will debut online on MySpace.

Users of MySpace, the world’s largest social network on the Internet, will be able to listen for free to “Electric Arguments,” the new album by McCartney’s side-project group The Fireman, and “Chinese Democracy,” the long-delayed album by hard rock band Guns N’ Roses, before the songs are in stores and at online shops like Amazon.com.

Members of News Corp-owned MySpace will be able to play the songs on the bands’ MySpace pages, but they will not be able to download them onto their computers.

Geffen Records plans to exclusively release “Chinese Democracy” on November 23 in the United States at consumer electronics chain Best Buy Co Inc. Most of its tracks have already shown up in various forms, including pirated versions on the Internet.