Now Opera Software has entered the great Adobe Flash v. Apple debate, urging Adobe to embrace open web standards. Speaking with Tech Radar, Opera’s product analyst Phillip Grønvold very diplomatically said that “today’s internet content is dependent on Flash” and “if you remove Flash you do not have today’s internet,” and for that reason Opera needs to support Flash.

Then Grønvold stated that while Flash has its place for things like dynamic content, it “makes very little sense” for video container given the impact on processor and battery usage. He added that “you can cook an egg on [devices] once you start running Flash on them and there’s a reason for that.”

Remember floppy disks? I haven’t used one in years myself and unless you use one to boot up your system when trouble hits, chances are you haven’t either. They bring back memories.

Well, now it’s time to say goodbye. Sony is putting the 3.5-inch floppy disk to rest next year. After March of 2011, the company won’t be producing them. Shed a tear for an old friend. Ah, the good old days, when it took 12 disks to install a game.

Word is that the upcoming release of Apple’s iPhone 4G might cause a shortage of flash memory in the market. Apple is expected to ship about 40 million iPhones this year alone, which is just a bit more than 25 million from a year back. Does that mean there could be a shortage?

But that isn’t all to consider. Apple is expected to ship about 7-8 million iPads this year as well. See how it is starting to look likely? Apple is already said to be the largest consumer of flash memory in the world, since it uses built-in memory in the iPhone, iPad and iPods.

If you were around during the beginning of instant messaging, then you probably remember ICQ, which set the standard for instant messaging. AOL initially acquired Mirabilis, the Israeli-based company who came up with the program, back in 1996 for $407 million.

Now the company has decided to let it go for just $187.5 million to a Russian investment company, Digital Sky Technologies. I bet this brings back instant messaging memories for many of you.

Yes, for real. The Boy Scouts of America have recognized the modern children’s pastime of videogames, with the creation of a “Video Games” belt loop and pin. What do you have to do to earn them? Three steps.

1. You have to explain why it is important to have a rating system for video games. Check your video games to be sure they are right for your age.

2. With an adult, create a schedule for you to do things that includes your chores, homework, and video gaming. Do your best to follow this schedule.

3. Learn to play a new video game that is approved by your parent, guardian, or teacher.

McAfee has had some problems of late. A security update sent Windows XP computers everywhere crashing down in a way that has never happened before with anti-virus software. Now it’s time for the company to take some steps to make it up to their customers.

The company is handing out a free two-year subscription extension to all affected customers and they will soon start a program to reimburse some expenses that customers incurred in repairing their PCs. It will apparently be starting in the next few days.

Cellphones with Cyprus touchscreens, like the Nokia S60 and Palm Pre, will have an extra dimension very soon. Hovering. No, they won’t hover by your ear. This is like when you’re working on your desktop computer, and an icon changes when you move your cursor over it. Get it? Starting in the next few months, cellphones will be able to do just that, by detecting your finger near the screen, and letting you hover the cursor without touching the screen.

How’s that for awesome? The lack of finger-hover tracking is one of the lame reasons Apple used for not having Flash on its iPhone or iPad touchscreens, so what will they say now? They may just change their i-tune someday soon.

[Dvice]

Pepsi and Waste Management are teaming up for the Dream Machine, a computerized recycling bin that gives out points for returned bottles. The internet-connected kiosks will be installed in stadiums, parks, and gas stations and will award recyclers redeemable points for every bottle returned.

That’s pretty cool. It’s not clear what the recycling points will be redeemable for, but it will encourage recycling in a big way and that’s always a good thing.

Looks like a bad McAfee update for Windows XP has shut down thousands, maybe even millions of computers around the world. Uh oh. The news is all over Twitter and apparently California sent an email to state workers a warning them of the problem.

Engadget says that “DAT update 5958 deletes the svchost.exe file, which then triggers a false-positive in McAfee itself and sets off a chain of uncontrolled restarts and loss of networking functionality.”

The Internet is on fire today with Gizmodo’s hands on preview of what appears to be Apple’s next-gen iPhone. In case you missed the story, someone found an iPhone in a bar in Redwood City. The device appeared to be an iPhone 3GS, but when the cover was removed, it was clear that this was no ordinary iPhone. It appeared to be Apple’s next-gen iPhone. And it looks like that is exactly what it is.

The guy who found the iPhone sent pictures of it to Engadget. Later Gizmodo actually obtained the iPhone in question, which has given Gizmodo over 2.5 million page views on that story alone. Then came word that Gizmodo had paid 10 grand for the iPhone prototype. Did they? We don’t know. Were they and Engadget in a bidding war? We don’t know.

The American Transportation Security Administration has informed travelers via it’s blog, that when traveling to, from, and within the USA, portable computers smaller than “the standard sized laptop” don’t have to be removed from their bags.

So what is the standard sized laptop? Well, they don’t really say. However, Kindles, iPads, Sony Readers, Nooks, and “Net Books” are named as being exempt from the requirement to unbag your computer for the X-ray scanners. Of course, there’s the disclaimer that staff might want to take a second look at odd-looking devices, but for the most part you can leave that e-reader in your bag.

Blogger Bob with the TSA announced recently that electronic items smaller than the standard size laptop should not need to be removed from their bag or case when going through airport security. They didn’t say specifically what that standard size is, but did name a few items specifically that would fall below the size threshold have having to be removed, namely iPads, Kindles, Neos, Nooks, Sony Readers and Netbooks.

This certainly doesn’t mean that you don’t need to take things out of your bag if asked when going through security, but it is good news to hear since removing and donning all your gear again is sometimes tough enough.

TSA via Engadget

In between donuts and coffee and giving out tickets, police officers face some dangerous situations. The bad guys never sleep. And most of them are armed.

Enter the e-Glove. It can be worn discreetly and will help police detect hidden knives during a pat down. When it detects metal on a person’s uh person, the glove vibrates silently to warn the officer. It costs about $153 per glove right now and is bound to make police safer.

There is something very wrong with a world where cows are watching TVs larger than yours. So what gives? The deal is that some dairy cows owned by a Russian dairy farmer are living the life that most of us dream of. Eating, pooping and watching TV all day.

The farmer installed 40-inch LCD TVs in the barn, which constantly show a video of a nice peaceful nature scene. The question is, do TV-watching cows produce more milk? Do they dream of starring on those big screens?

Phoenix-based company, Objecs has come up with the Memorial RosettaStone Tablet which allows visitors to the cemetery to access text and images from graves simply by touching their cell phone to the headstone. The Memorial RosettaStone Tablet has a microchip inside, and uses near-field communication to stream personal information. Yes, talking to the dead.

That info could be photos and even a pre-recorded message from the dead. It isn’t super expensive either. Only $225. Might as well spend the money, you can’t take it with you, right?