Europe Passes US in Broadband Penetration - Safari 3 Windows Performance Analysis - Haptic Internet - Optimization Week of September 20, 2007
Optimization Week Issue #86, September 6, 2007
In this issue we've got three new items for you. First up we report that the EU has passed the US in overall broadband penetration, according to a recent survey. A performance test by Web Performance Inc. shows that Apple's claims are essentially true, Safari 3 is the fastest web browser. Finally, scientists at Queen's University, Belfast have created a device that allows computer users to feel other users from remote locations.
- Europe Passes US in Broadband Penetration
- The EU has passed the US in broadband penetration, according to a recent broadband survey from ECTA. ECTA attributes the 16% growth in broadband lines over the last six months to increased competition from new telecom entrants employing local loop unbundling and cable.
- Safari 3 Windows Performance Analysis
- A performance analysis of the Safari 3 web browser shows that Apple's claims of speed improvements over IE and Firefox are not far off the mark. Under real-world conditions WPI tested Safari 3 on a number of live and saved sites. They found that for initial page load times, Safari is indeed faster than other browsers. For cached sites that are accessed on subsequent tries Safari is faster, but not by the significant amount they found for initial page load times. By Michael Czeiszperger of Web Performance Inc., September, 2007.
- Internet handshake extends the human touch
- Scientists have developed a means of shaking hands across continents by using the Internet to transmit such properties as grip, movement, even skin texture. The device from Queens University, Belfast researchers allows computer users to "feel" other users online from thousands of miles away. Gives new meaning to the phrase, reach out and touch someone. By Richard Gray, The Telegraph, Sep. 16, 2007.
