Home » Archives for October 2009
News is breaking today that Anchor Intelligence, a click-fraud monitoring service, has uncovered a massive 1000+ people ring that managed to bring in at least $3 million. The have some pretty powerful visualizations showing how the ring worked, where you can quite plainly see the interconnected sites in the center.
“We have seen 200 fraud rings,” says Anchor VP Richard Sim, “and this one by far trumps them all. I think it is indicative of how sophisticated the click fraud is getting. We are seeing the sheer scale and size of these rings growing.”
Click fraud occurs when someone sets up a website, signs up with an ad network, and then clicks on the ads to generate ad revenues with false clicks. DormRing1 operated the same way, except it easily involved more than 1,000 people who set up more than 10,000 Websites to spread out the fraud. The image above depicts a portion of the ring, with each red dot representing a source of fraudulent clicks with similar digital signatures.
via The Evolution Of Click Fraud: Massive Chinese Operation DormRing1 Uncovered.
Science anchor, graph, visualization
A new version of the popular architectural rendering tool Artlantis is now available and boasts a slew of new features.
Artlantis is recognized as the fastest, most powerful solution for photo-realistic rendering and animation. Now, Artlantis 3 is strengthening its lead with an even more accurate radiosity engine, new management of geometry by layers, better management and enrichment of media, and simplified control of optimized lighting.
via Artlantis is the fastest stand-alone rendering application developed especially for architects and designers..
Graphics architecture, artlantis, renderer, software
NVidia has come out with some official comments regarding the earlier statements about them halting chipset development, and they essentially back up what we already knew.
We will continue to innovate integrated solutions for Intel’s FSB architecture. We firmly believe that this market has a long healthy life ahead. But because of Intel’s improper claims to customers and the market that we aren’t licensed to the new DMI bus and its unfair business tactics, it is effectively impossible for us to market chipsets for future CPUs. So, until we resolve this matter in court next year, we’ll postpone further chipset investments for Intel DMI CPUs.
The response serves a dual purpose: Showing that they are still dedicated to innovation and development of chipset technologies, and pinging Intel for “improper claims” regarding the bus architecture.
via Nvidia: We’re Staying in the Chipset Business – Tom’s Hardware.
Hardware intel, nvidia
Here’s the miscellaneous links for today:
Graphics pixels
NC State just received a $1.4 million grant from the NSF Cyber-Enabled Discovery & Innovation (CDI) program to promote greater collaboration in forensic science, a system they’re calling IC-CRIME (interdisciplinary, cyber-enabled crime reconstruction through innovative methodology and engagement).
The IC-CRIME platform will employ the latest in 3-D laser scanning technologies to virtually reconstruct and preserve crime scenes, and will be built on a game engine to enable virtual recreation of the scene. The laser scanner technology, developed by Research Triangle Park company 3rdTech, will allow investigators to accurately record room and object dimensions, as well as the placement of every piece of evidence in a crime scene. The scanners can capture millions of data points at a crime scene within a few minutes. Combined with high resolution digital photography, and other trace evidence data such as microscopic and chemical analysis of fibers, a comprehensive, permanent data record will be produced within the NC State IC-CRIME platform.
via NCSU News :: NC State News and Information » CSI in a Virtual World: New Grant Furthers NC State’s Work in Forensic Science.
Science forensic, nsf
Worried about Windows7 graphics problems akin to the disastrous NVidia Vista debacle? Well Guru3d has your back with a great 10-page writeup comparing the performance of Windows 7 vs Windows Vista across a good selection of games including Far Cry 2, Anno 1404, and Hawx.
So if you are a little afraid of picking up Windows 7 due to driver issues… don’t be. It’s stable and working really really nicely. Two big thumbs up to both ATI, NVIDIA and sure .. Microsoft. And as a testament to that, let me assure you, we’ll be switching all our test systems towards a Windows 7 based platform… real soon.
Windows 7 vs Vista VGA game performance.
Graphics, Hardware benchmark, microsoft, windows
Minivegas has taken some of their experience in computer programming and used it to create a virtual art gallery. By itself it doesn’t sound like much but if you visit the site and watch the videos you can see it’s pretty impressive. All of the art is generative & interactive, using audio for input so as you talk, whistle, sing, or play music the art grows and moves to match the sounds. In addition, you can navigate around the art museum using gesture controls captured by an integrated webcam.
Minivegas / Work / interactive / 124. via Motionographer
Graphics, Hardware, Science art, gallery, interactive, minivegas
If you’re a visualization scientist or researcher that uses ANSYS, then you might want to consider submitting a few images for inclusion in the Online Multiphysics Gallery competition.
Ten winners will be exhibited in the Online Multiphysics Gallery on ANSYS.com in 2010. This gallery will showcase a collection of the most striking images from around the world that illustrate real-world multiphysics applications using software from ANSYS.
There’s no price other than geek-cred, but you know you can’t put a price on fame.
via Online Multiphysics Gallery Competition. via insideHPC.
Science ansys, contest, visualization
UK’s TimesOnline has a nice infographic that shows the quantity of nuclear weapons held by various nations around the world.
Whatever they find, the world already has enough nuclear weapons to destroy every single nation on the planet. With approximately 23,000 warheads, there is enough deadly material for 2.3 million blasts the size of Hiroshima.
via Iran’s nuclear programme will not change the balance of power… yet | Michael Binyon – Times Online. via ChartPorn.
Science infographic
A new version of Cheetah3D is now out, boasting some new features in the material UI and multi-core support.
Version 5.0 adds a completely new node based material system which allows you to create stunning new materials just by drag and drop. Additionally, the render engine was optimized to efficiently handle up to 16 CPU cores.The modeling tools have been extended by a new bevel tool and a bend modifier, and basic export to the Collada file format has been added. Cheetah3D 5.0 now also supports pivot points. Last but not least, Cheetah3D offers many small UI enhancements which accelerate daily work and a new German localization.
You can buy it for a mere $149, or upgrade for $69. See the full list of new features after the break.
Cheetah3D
Read more…
Graphics cheetah3d, software
VizWorld.com 
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