Abhi's Technology Blogosphere

From Punch Card to Cloud Computing - SAP

2010-02-18T18:04:00.003+05:30

From SAP R/3 through mySAP ERP and SAP Business Suite 7, SAP has a long and varied history, accompanied by characters such as Hasso Plattner, Shai Agassi, and Léo Apotheker.

Back in the 1970s, while the world was in the throws of sexual revolution and the Red Army Faction had plunged West Germany into crisis, five former IBM employees joined forces in Mannheim in 1972 to found a company whose name translated as System Analysis and Program Development. What began as a small enterprise is now the world’s largest provider of business software, with around 47,800 employees and offices in more than 50 countries.

Punch cards were used in the 1970s (photo: SAP)

Mainframes and punch cards

Claus Wellenreuther, Hans-Werner Hector, Klaus Tschira, Dietmar Hopp, and Hasso Plattner wrote computer programs for payroll and accounting. In the era of mainframes and punch cards, the goal of the five entrepreneurs was to develop business software capable of processing information in real time. The data was entered on screen, instead of using the punch cards. The “R” in the product name – which stood for “real time” – was destined to play a major role in SAP names until 2003. In 1973, the software module for financial accounting hit the market. The business software began attracting the attention of an increasing number of companies, including the cigarette manufacturer Roth-Händle. The software ran on IBM computers and used the DOS operating system.

SAP founders: Klaus Tschira, Hasso Plattner, Dietmar Hopp, and Hans-Werner Hector (photo: SAP)

Two years later – in 1975 – the software was enabled for purchasing, inventory management, and invoice verification. What was to become SAP’s trademark was already possible back then: all the applications could be integrated. For instance, the data from materials management was transferred straight to financial accounting. This meant that invoice verification and posting could be completed in a single operation.

Hasso Plattner at the Stock Exchange (photo: SAP)

In 1976, the company changed its name to SAP GmbH, becoming a limited liability company. A year later, it moved headquarters from Weinheim to the small town of Walldorf, some 20 miles further south. This was also the year that SAP acquired its first customer abroad, in Austria. The following year, SAP became available in French, when the agricultural machinery manufacturer John Deere opted for SAP’s accounting software.

The company was expanding rapidly. In 1979, the cornerstone was laid for SAP’s own data center in Walldorf. Two years later, SAP presented its wares at a trade show for the first time – at Systems in Munich. Back then, around 200 companies were using SAP software, which had added production management to its capabilities. The company premises in Walldorf were bursting at the seams, so plans were drawn up for an additional building. In 1985, SAP generated sales of 64 million German marks (around U.S.$ 21 million) and had more than 100 employees.

The previous year, SAP (international) AG, was set up in Switzerland, to give SAP even better access to foreign markets. In 1986, more offices were opened in the German cities of Ratingen and Düsseldorf. Two years later, Hamburg and Munich followed. In 1986, SAP’s sales hit 100 million German marks for the first time. A new module for human resources was also launched, and SAP made its first appearance at CeBIT, the world’s biggest computer tradeshow.
Going public

In 1988, SAP went public, and the limited liability company became a stock corporation. More international subsidiaries sprang up in Denmark, Sweden, Italy, and the United States. Subsidiaries in the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Great Britain had already been established the year before. In 1989, SAP branches were founded in Canada, Singapore, and Australia. By the end of the 1980s, SAP had some 1,400 employees.

In 1990 – the year of German reunification – SAP opened its Berlin office in what was to become the country’s new capital. That same year, SAP acquired a 50% stake in the German software company Steeb and took over software vendor CAS.

SAP office in the 1980s (photo: SAP)

SAP R/3 – database, application, and client

Winter 1991 in the German city of Hanover. At the CeBIT trade fair, SAP presented a computer program for companies that was destined to set new standards for business software: SAP R/3. It was characterized by its special client/server architecture, comprising database server, application server, and presentation layer. The software was structured to match the organization generally found in companies. There were modules for financials (FI), controlling (CO), materials management (MM), sales and distribution (SD), production planning (PP), and human resources (HR). SAP R/3 mapped typical processes for the day-to-day activities of the business world. Users could access their data using a standardized interface. While the predecessor SAP R/2 was designed especially for mainframes, SAP R/3 could be distributed across different computers.

However, SAP R/3 was relatively expensive and time-consuming to implement, because the software had to be configured individually. That’s why mainly large enterprises opted for SAP R/3 – including Coca-Cola, Microsoft, General Motors, Deutsche Telekom, the German post office, and Daimler-Benz. Such big customers had a positive impact on the balance sheet: In 1997, SAP generated sales of more than 6 billion German marks (approximately U.S.$ 3.5 billion) and had more than 13,000 employees.

In 1993, SAP had already began cooperating with Microsoft, with the goal of enabling SAP R/3 for Windows NT. The two software giants cemented their relationship again in 2006 with the joint product Duet.

SAP’s business application software was called SAP R/3 from 1992 until 2003. Then came mySAP ERP. Today, there’s the SAP ERP 6.0 application, which is also part of SAP Business Suite 7. SAP ERP 6.0 is based on the SAP NetWeaver technology platform. The platform was unveiled in 2003 and is a flexible enough to also integrate non-SAP systems using open interfaces.

SAP Business Suite 7 has been officially available since May 2009. As well as containing enterprise resource planning functions, SAP ERP enables companies to work with customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), supplier relationship management (SRM), product lifecycle management (PLM), and special industry solutions. SAP Business Suite is designed for large enterprises that want to reduce their IT costs and optimize their business processes.

With the acquisition of the French company Business Objects in 2008, SAP concentrated its focus on enterprise performance management and business intelligence.

SAP discovers the Web and the midmarket

The Web conquered the world. And in 1996, it became possible to hook Internet applications up to SAP R/3 using open interfaces. With SAP Business ByDesign, launched in 2007, SAP presented a solution that is accessed exclusively through the user’s Web browser, with modules that can be rented according to each company’s needs. At its unveiling, Henning Kagermann, who was CEO at the time, spoke of “the most important announcement I have ever made in my career.”

In 2006, SAP further strengthened its position in the midmarket: The SAP Business One application and the SAP Business All-in-One solutions are preconfigured products that cover the most important business processes for small and midsize companies.
Sailing away – the founding fathers step down

When SAP was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1998, founding fathers Dietmar Hopp and Klaus Tschira stood down from the executive board and joined the supervisory board, with Hopp becoming chairman. Hasso Plattner and Henning Kagermann became co-CEOs.

In 1999, Plattner announced a new strategy, with a view to becoming even more customer-friendly. The new buzzwords were mySAP.com and EnjoySAP. By the new millennium, SAP had become the world’s leading provider of business software solutions. Five years later, annual sales had increased to €8.5 billion.

SAP acquired the Israeli company TopTier in 2001, and its founder Shai Agassi joined the SAP Executive Board the following year. Léo Apotheker also joined the board in 2002. In 2003, Hasso Plattner, the last of the SAP founders, stood down from board. As a passionate sailor, he received a very special leaving present – a sail signed by all the SAP employees.

When Shai Agassi left the board in 2007, Léo Apotheker became deputy CEO. Agassi’s departure triggered a number of restructuring measures and changes: The SAP Executive Council was founded, comprising corporate officers who report directly to the SAP Executive Board and who are responsible for SAP’s market and product strategy. In 2008, Léo Apotheker and Henning Kagermann were appointed co-CEOs. Erwin Gunst, Bill McDermott, and Jim Hagemann Snabe were new additions to the board.

In 2009 – the year of the global financial crisis, which also affected SAP in the form of revenue shortfalls and layoffs – Léo Apotheker took over the reins single-handedly. Nine months later, he stepped down with immediate effect after a mutual agreement was met with the SAP Supervisory Board not to extend his contract. John Schwarz, who joined the SAP Executive Board following the acquisition of Business Objects, also resigned in 2010. Erwin Gunst stepped down for health reasons and will not return. Gerhard Oswald is the new COO. Meanwhile, Hasso Plattner has reemerged from retirement. At the request of the SAP Supervisory Board, he will again play a significant role in determining the future direction of the company.

VIA SAP.INFO

Motorola Droid

2009-10-30T01:58:00.002+05:30

Motorola's Droid phone will sport new software from Google Inc that threatens navigation devices by Garmin and TomTom and could help win back market share lost to the iPhone.

One of the newest features of the Droid is Google Maps Navigation, which offers real-time, turn-by-turn walking or driving directions.

The news helped push TomTom shares down 21 per cent as the navigation device maker also warned of more price declines. Garmin shares fell 16 per cent.

The Droid will go on sale on November 6 and cost $199 for people, who commit to a two-year service contract - a venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc - Verizon Wireless said.

Verizon has exclusive US rights to the phone, the first to use Google's Android 2.0 software.

The leading US mobile provider said it will promote the device with its biggest marketing campaign ever - giving Motorola a good chance to improve its sales, analysts said.

Verizon Wireless' Chief Marketing Officer John Stratton said the Droid would hold its own against iPhone even as he conceded that Apple had revolutionised the mobile industry.

"We have to demystify the notion that (iPhone's) untouchable," Stratton said at the launch event in New York. "This product can stand up and compete."

Stratton said the Droid is the first in a range of Motorola Android phones from Verizon Wireless, as it looks to regain ground lost to AT&T Inc, the US iPhone provider.

The Droid is a massive bet for Motorola, which after losing market share to rivals for more than two years has reorganised its entire mobile business around developing Android phones.

"In terms of the rejuvenation of mobile devices, this is an important next step," Motorola Chief Executive Sanjay Jha said. "We are ready to produce very large volumes."

Motorola said the Droid is the thinnest phone to feature a slide-out Qwerty keypad. It sports a five-megapixel camera, a high-resolution screen, fast chips from ARM Holdings and Texas Instruments, and a day's battery life.

Android 2.0 works with Microsoft's Outlook, making it more attractive for business users. Google said it expects other phone makers to support the new Android version soon.

Ad Campaign

Verizon's marketing weight will "make a huge, huge difference" in helping Droid sales, analyst for market research firm Interpret, Michael Gartenberg said.

Verizon spent $2.4 billion on advertising in 2008, according to TNS Media. The company recently started showing Droid video ads highlighting its advantages over iPhone.

"We are everywhere with this," Stratton said, declining to disclose the exact marketing spend for Droid. "You won't be able to avoid it."

Stratton said the phone's relatively large size might appeal more to men than women.

Gartenberg expects pent-up demand because it is the first time Motorola customers would be able to use an Android device on the Verizon network.

"As long as it is not buggy, it will do quite well," Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart said. "I don't think this will single-handedly save Motorola but it is a crucial step", Greengart added.

Greengart said that while the navigation feature will not stop consumers from buying dedicated GPS devices, it could put pressure on companies like TomTom and Garmin to cut prices.

The navigation service will respond to voice commands and displays Google's online street photo archive. Users can choose "layers" to add to maps, including traffic conditions, or data about local stores or points of interest.

TomTom shares finished down 21 per cent at 8.11 euros, while Garmin shares closed down 16 per cent at $31.59. Motorola shares rose 0.8 per cent to $7.96, Verizon shares rose 2.6 per cent to $29.95, while Google shares fell 1.5 per cent to $540.30.

Google Wave

2009-10-01T17:38:00.003+05:30

About Google Wave

Google Wave is an online tool for real-time communication and collaboration. A wave can be both a conversation and a document where people can discuss and work together using richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.

Google Wave: Live collaborative editing

Google Wave: Natural Language Processing

What is a wave?

A wave is equal parts conversation and document. People can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.

A wave is shared. Any participant can reply anywhere in the message, edit the content and add participants at any point in the process. Then playback lets anyone rewind the wave to see who said what and when.

A wave is live. With live transmission as you type, participants on a wave can have faster conversations, see edits and interact with extensions in real-time.

VIA - Wave.Google.com

Augmented Google Earth animated with real time human and vehicular traffic

2009-09-30T22:00:00.004+05:30

Researchers from Georgia Tech have devised methods to take real-time, real-world information and layer it onto Google Earth, adding dynamic information to the previously sterile Googlescape.

They use live video feeds (sometimes from many angles) to find the position and motion of various objects, which they then combine with behavioral simulations to produce real-time animations for Google Earth or Microsoft Virtual Earth.

They use motion capture data to help their animated humans move realistically, and were able to extrapolate cars' motion throughout an entire stretch of road from just a few spotty camera angles.

From their video of an augmented virtual Earth, you can see if the pickup soccer game in the park is short a player, how traffic is on the highway, and how fast the wind is blowing the clouds across the sky.

Up next, they say they want to add weather, birds, and motion in rivers.

VIA - POPSCI.COM

Samsung's New 12MP camera phone

2009-09-30T21:47:00.003+05:30

Just yesterday we were talking about Samsung’s latest 12MP camera phone the SCH-W880 that’s been fitted with a 3X optical zoom lens. More news today says that it’s going to be around the South Korean market for awhile in a CDMA state.

The handset features -

* 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen display (capacitive)
* 3G capabilities
* Wi-Fi
* GPS
* Bluetooth, USB (micro)
* 4GB internal memory with microSD card support

The camera is of course the central feature of this handset. It also allows for HD video recording (720p at 30fps). The camera will come with variable aperture settings a Xenon as well as an LED flash. Aside form this being the first ever 12MP camera phone with optical zoom functionality the fact that it records video at the resolution it does is also a first. It seems like it's even designed to look and feel like a digicam with a dial selector for various modes placed on one side.

The European version of the same handset with maybe a few adjustments here and there to suit the crowd will be called the M8920. No word on availability yet.

Samsung Corby Hits India

2009-09-30T21:45:00.003+05:30

Samsung has just announced the launch of the Corby (S3653) in India. It’s set to be one of India’s cheapest touchscreen mobile handsets with a price tag of just Rs. 9,600. It comes with bold color options such as Jamaican Yellow, Cupid Pink, Minimal White, and Festival Orange so that users can choose their favorite color.

“As a Company that leads in innovation, Samsung Corby is another example of the Company’s commitment to developing new products and technologies
designed for specific audiences in keeping with their needs,” states B D Park, Director-Telecom , Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd.

The handset will feature –

* 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI and Haptics, one finger zoom, gesture control
* EDGE/GPRS connectivity
* Bluetooth with A2DP and USB
* Live feeds for Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter
* MicroSD card support
* 2 megapixel camera
* FM radio with RDS

“Samsung leads the market globally for full-screen touch phones and recognizes the importance of SNS in the modern mobile industry. Samsung has its target audiences at the heart of its business strategy and the design and functionality of Samsung Corby meets the needs of a highly connected and style-conscious youth audience." stated Park

VIA - Tech2

Coming soon to the small screen: TV in 3D

2009-09-30T21:42:00.000+05:30

Osaka, (Japan): You've seen movies in 3D. Now, how about your favourite TV series? Panasonic Corp unveiled on Monday a 50 inch (127 cm) high-definition 3D plasma TV and glasses that make images appear like you can touch them.

At a demonstration at Panasonic's head office in Osaka, F1 race cars roared right by viewers and gymnasts barrelled down a runway, hitting vaulting horse and flipping towards the audience.

"We've introduced concrete plans to deliver the first 3D into people's homes. It won't disappoint," said Yoshiiku Miyata, Panasonic managing executive officer in charge of audio visual products.

He declined to comment on an exact release date or price tag, stating that the company hopes the new TVs will hit shelves sometime in 2010.

The technology works by tricking the brain into seeing 3D as high-speed shutters in the glasses work in sync with the TV to deliver a double layered image at twice the speed of normal TV.

"When the TV is showing the left image, the shutter closes the right eye so people can see only the left image," explained Keisuke Suetsugi, manager in charge of high quality AV development.

"And the next moment, when the TV is showing the right image, the shutter glass is covering the left." The company hopes the smaller, more living room friendly 50 inch model will become a popular choice for home theatres than a 103 inch big brother that debuted last October.

The new model will go on display to the public at the CEATEC Japan tech show on October 6-10.

Panasonic announced in August it will team up with Twentieth Century Fox and Lightstorm Entertainment in the making of Oscar-winning director James Cameron's new 3D film Avatar, set to open in theatres worldwide this December.

Chief rival electronics maker Sony Corp announced earlier this month it also plans to launch 3D TVs by 2010.

Sony to launch new PS3 game title in theatres

2009-09-30T21:37:00.000+05:30

Video gaming will hit the big screen next month when Sony Corp unveils a new game title for its Playstation3 game console at movie theatres.

On October 5 and 6, four theatres in San Francisco and Thousand Oaks, California, Rosemont, Illinois and Bellevue, Washington, will give viewers a chance to play the upcoming action game Uncharted 2: Among Thieves title--on movie screens equipped with Sony digital-projection technology.

Those theatres will provide viewers with PS3s connected to Sony's 4K digital cinema technology, which is in about 500 theatres nationwide and which Sony says provides better image resolution than traditional projectors.

Mike Fidler, senior Vice President of Sony Electronics' Digital Cinema Solutions and Services Group, hopes events like this can eventually drive revenues for Sony, video game makers as well as theatre operators.

"This is the first time we're doing it in a theatre. We think it's a start of something for us, and hope we can build this into a standard element in the movie-going experience," he said. "Our goal in converting theatres to digital is to go beyond the traditional movie-going experience and focus on helping exhibitors find ways to fill seats."

"Gaming will be an important part of that equation." The first night will be a private invitation-only event, while the second event will be open to the public, to be publicized through radio and social networking sites.

Theatre chains have struggled to sustain revenue growth as home entertainment and the recession entices some moviegoers to stay home. And Sony, like other game console makers, is hoping for a hit title this holiday season to drive platform sales as the industry grapples with a protracted decline.

Both Sony and Microsoft Corp, the maker of the rival XBox 360, have recently slashed prices on their consoles. Sales of video game equipment and software in the United States fell 16 percent in August to $908.7 million, the industry's sixth consecutive monthly decline, research group NPD reported.

Uncharted 2 is due to be released on October 13.

Firefox: Google Chrome Frame poses a security risk to users

2009-09-30T19:18:00.002+05:30

Firefox backer Mozilla has joined Microsoft in criticising Google's Chrome Frame.

Chrome Frame is a plug-in that puts Google's browser engine under the hood of Microsoft's Internet Explorer, and Google argues it can modernise IE versions 6, 7, and 8 with faster page loading and JavaScript performance. It kicks in only on web pages that web developers have labelled with a specific tag.

After Google announced it, Microsoft criticised it as creating a potentially increased risk to browsing security.

Mike Shaver, vice president of engineering for Mozilla, published a different concern in a blog post Monday night.

"I certainly share that longing for a web in which the vast majority of web users enjoy the performance and capabilities we see in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Opera. Unfortunately, I don't think that Chrome Frame gets us closer to that web," Shaver said.

Google Chrome Frame

Firefox says Chrome Frame is not the answer (photo credit: Google)

Specifically, Shaver said Chrome Frame can disable IE features and confuse users' understanding of web security matters. And users of the IE 6 browser, he added, often won't be able to run Chrome Frame anyway because their computer is locked down to prohibit changes or lacks sufficient power in the first place.

"As a side effect, the user's understanding of the web's security model and the behaviour of their browser is seriously hindered by delegating the choice of software to the developers of individual sites they visit. It is a problem that we have seen repeatedly with other stack plug-ins like Flash, Silverlight and Java, and not one that I think we need to see replayed again under the banner of HTML5," he said.

Shaver's advice is to rely on the age-old technique: an upgrade suggestion on the website.

"It would be better for the web if developers who want to use the Chrome Frame snippet simply told users that their site worked better in Chrome and instructed them on how to install it," Shaver said. "The user would be educated about the benefits of an alternate browser, would understand better the choice they were making, and the kudos for Chrome's performance would accrue to Google rather than to Microsoft."

VIA - CNET

Microsoft to challenge Google with Office Suite

2009-07-14T13:28:00.002+05:30

The clash of the Titans continue, as Microsoft announced that it will soon be launching Microsoft Office 2010 which will feature broadcast and video editing in PowerPoint, new data visualization capabilities in Excel, and co-authoring in Word. Microsoft is testing a new version of its market-leading productivity suite for Windows PCs that will tie-up with new Web-based Office.

The applications offered by Microsoft will be similar to those offered by Google, a suite of lightweight online applications. Google's online spreadsheet and office related applications has been gaining popularity. To counter that Microsoft plans to take Office online, with a new series of free Office Web applications. "Office Web Applications, the online companion to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote applications, allow you to access documents from anywhere. You can even simultaneously share and work on documents with others online," says Microsoft Office 2010 Technical Preview Website. The ad-supported web-suite will be available to more than 400 million Windows Live consumers at no extra cost.

Google has been struggling to match the reputation of Microsoft office, as its own suite failed to perform up to their expectation. But Google is offering free version of this suite, thus attracting more than 15 million customers. Since then Microsoft has been under pressure to provide more free applications.

Microsoft is also set to announce the launch of its internet-based operating system, called Azure. This will see it give tough competition to Google in the business of selling computing resources over the internet and by allowing developers to buy capacity to run their applications based on the amount of storage, bandwidth or any other resources that they use.

Microsoft has also announced that it will reduce the number of office editions from eight to five. The Microsoft Office suite will be available in the first half of next year. So far, the company has made no announcement for an Office suite for Mac systems.

VIA siliconindia.com

Google Chrome OS

2009-07-09T00:21:00.002+05:30

It's been an exciting nine months since we launched the Google Chrome browser. Already, over 30 million people use it regularly. We designed Google Chrome for people who live on the web — searching for information, checking email, catching up on the news, shopping or just staying in touch with friends. However, the operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web. So today, we're announcing a new project that's a natural extension of Google Chrome — the Google Chrome Operating System. It's our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be.

Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we're already talking to partners about the project, and we'll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve.

Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.

Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and we are working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the web is the platform. All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform.

Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks. Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems. While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google.

We hear a lot from our users and their message is clear — computers need to get better. People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files. Even more importantly, they don't want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates. And any time our users have a better computing experience, Google benefits as well by having happier users who are more likely to spend time on the Internet.

We have a lot of work to do, and we're definitely going to need a lot of help from the open source community to accomplish this vision. We're excited for what's to come and we hope you are too. Stay tuned for more updates in the fall and have a great summer.

VIA - http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/

An overview of the new Nokia N97

2009-06-24T03:14:00.005+05:30

Nokia has launched its new N97 smart phone (Nokia calls it a mobile computer) with 3.5-inch tilting touch screen and QWERTY keyboard. Nokia N97 key features are:

* Tri-band HSDPA/quad-band GSM
* Sliding QWERTY keypad and touchscreen display
* 3.5-inch TFT (16:9 widescreen); 640 x 360 pixels
* 32GB onboard memory + microSD card slot
* Series60 5th Edition
* 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar optics
* MPEG-4 VGA video recording at 30fps
* Multiple music, video and image formats supported
* 802.11b/g; USB; Bluetooth with A2DP; GPS with A-GPS
* 3.5mm audio jack
* 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9mm
* 150gm weight

The Nokia N97 is powered by the Nokia BP-4L Battery with 6.6 hours talk-time and 430 hours standby.Along with all major features like 3G, GPRS, GPS, HSDPA, Java, Bluetooth, A2DP, USB and WiFi ,the Nokia N97 has a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics,32GB memory(up to 48GB) and the latest Series60 5th Edition OS.It has a slide-out QWERTY keypad and a large 3.5-inch touchscreen display.

The Nokia N97 is a high-end multimedia phone with 3.5-inch 640×360 pixel resolution display.The N97’s 32GB of internal memory with microSDHC support will hardly let any space shortage in it.The tilt-up display is a comfortable typing position than the flat sliding phones.The QWERTY keypad and the touchscreen will make sure that there is no restriction in writing text.The 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar optics is nothing new or big thing but anyway you are not buying just a camera phone.Overall the Nokia N97 is a sexy high-end multimedia phone.

Samsung launches solar-powered phone

2009-06-14T00:01:00.000+05:30

Leading white goods and mobile handset manufacturer Samsung on Wednesday launched a low-cost solar-powered mobile phone, and said it was planning to introduce about 20 more models by year-end.

The new handset, launched under its low-cost line of products - Guru - at a price of Rs.2,799, has a solar panel on the back, which can be used to charge the battery anywhere the sun is shining.

"We have developed this phone keeping in minds the needs of the consumers, especially for people in areas where the electric supply is unstable," said J S Shin, president and chief executive of Samsung, Southwest Asia.

The phone, christened the "Guru E1107", can provide around 5-10 minutes of talk-time with one-hour of solar charging when the handset is turned off and sunlight has adequate intensity.

"Solar charging can give you enough time to make few important calls when there is no electricity or you are not close to a plug point," said Sunil Dutt, country head of Samsung India.

The battery will attain full power with about 40 hours of solar charging.

"But that is really not the intention behind the launch of this phone. It is to enable customers to make a call when there is no electricity," said Dutt.

The handset, the 11th model in the Guru series, will be in shops by month-end.

The first few batches of Guru E1107 will be imported from South Korea.

Saumsung has already launched about 20 models this year and plans to take this number to about 40 across categories.

Asked whether the company would consider introducing solar charging features in high-end phones, Dutt said: "We would definitely consider doing so."

Samsung, which has invested about $44 million in developing its mobile manufacturing facility in Noida, also has ambitious plans for the huge Indian mobile market.

"Our market share is in the early double digits currently. We plan to increase it by about 5-6 percent this year," said a company official.

The company is also planning to introduce in India its solar-powered touchscreen mobile handset, Blue Earth - unveiled at a technology conference in Barcelona, Spain early this year.

Fujitsu develops world's fastest CPU for 1st time in 10 years

2009-05-14T16:45:00.001+05:30

TOKYO: Fujitsu Limited has developed the world's fastest central processing unit, often called the computer's brain, becoming the first Japanese
company in 10 years to claim the top spot.

The new CPU, called Venus, runs 2.5 times faster than its rival Intel Corp.'s product that has taken the lead in speed, according to the officials. In 1999, Fujitsu developed the fastest CPU at the time.

Fujitsu's new CPU may be installed in a next-generation supercomputer which is planned to begin operation at Riken, a science and technology institute in Japan, from next fiscal year, company officials said yesterday.

The product may be utilized in areas such as development of new drugs, which require massive data processing, they said.

BMW developing cars that 'sense' danger

2009-05-14T00:36:00.000+05:30

Munich: BMW is refining a car-to-car communication system that offers more pedestrian protection by "sensing" situations and persons that cannot normally be seen by motorists, according to the car maker.

In a typical situation a child could suddenly jump onto the road from between two parked vehicles. In such a case the moving vehicle would communicate with an electronic transponder carried by the child or cyclist for protection.

The project is part of the AMULETT research project aimed at preventing accidents with sensoring and tracking technology. On board car systems are networked with those of other vehicles or transponders carried by persons. These can be installed in school bags, mobile phones or in a walking stick.

Should the system determine an impending collision or danger situation, the driver is warned with a signal on the head-up display. If he or she does not respond the system automatically triggers a braking procedure.

According to German government accident statistics 48 per cent of child accident victims between the age of six and 14 ran onto the road without observing the traffic. Other research has shown that in 40 per cent of fatal pedestrian accidents, the driver could not react in time.

Nikon Launches New D5000 DSLR

2009-05-11T21:54:00.004+05:30

Camera enthusiasts and Nikon prosumers have a new DSLR to add to their wishlist now with the launch of the new D5000.

Right after Nikon India launched 8 new cameras just last week, Nikon USA unveiled the new 12.3 megapixel D5000 which also boasts HD video recording capabilities.

Here are the camera's specs:

Other features include:

* Vari-angle LCD screen
* Four Live View autofocus shooting modes
* One-button Live View activation with Subject Tracking autofocus
* 19 automatic Scene Modes including Sports, Portrait, Candlelight, Silhouette, Autumn Colors and more
* In-camera editing features including a Soft Filter effect, Perspective Control, and Color Outline
* 3D Color Matrix Metering II, with EXPEED image processing system
* 11-point auto focus system

Rumor has it that Nikon India will be launching the D5000 on local shores by late May 2009, but as of now, the D5000 will be available in the US by late April 2009. The estimated US price is $729.95 for the body and $849.95 for the body plus the AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens.

Source : Tech2

Facebook in Indian Languages

2009-05-11T21:54:00.001+05:30

With desi being the buzzword nowadays, Facebook, the second most popular networking site in India, will let members navigate in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Punjabi, Malayalam and Telugu.

But that's about it. Users can only browse through the site in these languages, not message or update their status. The site is not yet enabled for transliteration. Users can change language settings through the 'settings' tab or through the language option on their Facebook homepage.

Orkut still leads the social networking race India, and with this Facebook hopes to connect to the Indian audience on a more local level.

Wolfram Alpha and Google Face Off

2009-05-10T12:47:00.002+05:30

Last week, as physicist Stephen Wolfram was demonstrating his new Web-based "computation engine"--Wolfram Alpha--to the public, Google announced a data-centric service of its own. Alpha accesses databases that are maintained by Wolfram Research, or licensed from others, and deploys formulas and algorithms to compute answers for searchers.

Using some prelaunch log-in credentials provided by the Wolfram team, I decided to run my own Wolfram Alpha versus Google test. I used a handful of search terms that could produce data-centric answers and tried variations in a few cases to see what might happen.

This was an effort to get beyond the characterizations and produce some real data. I also wanted to explore the claims made during my visit to Wolfram Research last week: that Alpha can add unique value in computing answers based on your search queries.

Here's what I entered, and what I found.

SEARCH TERM: Microsoft Apple

WOLFRAM ALPHA: I got side-by-side tables and graphics on the stock prices and data on the two companies, plus a chart plotting the price of both stocks over time.

GOOGLE: The top hits were mostly news stories, from major and minor publications, containing both words.

VARIATION: When I changed the Google search term to just "Microsoft" or just "Apple," I got a chart with today's stock price up top; when I clicked that link, I received tons of information--comparable to what Alpha provides--but only on the single company.

SEARCH TERM: Sydney New York

WOLFRAM ALPHA: I got tables showing the distance between the two cities in miles, kilometers, meters, even nautical miles; a map of the world with the optimal flight path; and the fact that the trip spans 0.4 of the earth's circumference. I learned how long it would take to make the trip: 18.1 hours flying; 13 hours for a sound wave, 74 milliseconds for a light beam in fiber, and 53 milliseconds for a light beam traveling in a vacuum. I also got comparative populations, elevation in meters, and current local times.

GOOGLE: I got a mix of things: a form for finding flights between Sydney and New York; a Google Maps-plotted list of businesses in New York City that contain the word "Sydney"; and links to the municipal government of Sidney, a small town in upstate New York.

VARIATION: When I tried "Sydney New York distance" (adding the word "distance"), Wolfram gave me only the distance information mentioned above while Google gave me links to distance-finding websites. I opened the first one, was able to enter "New York" and "Sydney" in some forms, and wound up with much the same information provided by Wolfram (but without the light-beam and sound-wave details).

SEARCH TERM: 10 pounds kilograms

WOLFRAM ALPHA: The site informed me that it interpreted my search term as an effort to multiply "10 pounds" by "1 kilogram" and gave me this result: 4.536 kg2 (kilograms squared) or 22.05 lb2 (pounds squared).

VARIATIONS: Adding the word "in" changed everything. When I tweaked the search query to say "10 pounds in kilograms," the Wolfram site gave me the correct conversion: 10 pounds equals 4.536 kilograms. It also gave me the volumes (in various units) of 10 pounds of water. In a final, somewhat cheesy touch, it also told me that 10 pounds was 1.8 times the weight of Wolfram's book, A New Kind of Science. In Google's case, this revised search term produced the helpful calculated result up top: 10 pounds = 4.5359237 kilograms.

When I put in "10 lbs kgs," Alpha gave me the calculated result (the assumption was that I wanted multiplication), as it had with the full words. Google gave me metric conversion sites--the top one was a "Russian Brides Cyber Guide." (It offers both brides and metric conversions.)

When I tried "10 pds kgs," Alpha choked and didn't understand. Google helpfully asked if I meant "pounds" and gave me metric conversion sites, but not the calculated result.

SEARCH TERM: light bulb

WOLFRAM ALPHA: I was expecting some facts and figures on this ubiquitous technology but got a message saying that Wolfram Alpha "isn't sure what to do with your input."

GOOGLE: I got several links--starting with a Wikipedia entry--explaining what a light bulb is and providing some history.

VARIATIONS: When I tried "light bulb inventor," I got similar results: Alpha drew a blank, but Google gave useful links. When I tried "first light bulb," Alpha provided a table explaining that the light bulb was patented in 1878; under "people involved," it cited Thomas Edison.

SEARCH TERM: Aspirin Tylenol

WOLFRAM ALPHA: Alpha gave me molecular diagrams for aspirin and acetaminophen and lots of scientific information comparing their molecular weights, boiling points, vapor pressure, and so forth.

GOOGLE: Usefully (to nonchemists suffering from headaches), the top link was to a Wiki-answers page telling people whether they can take aspirin and Tylenol together. Other links gave information about toxicity, danger to kidneys, and the like.

SEARCH TERM: Stanford Harvard

WOLFRAM ALPHA: I got tables comparing data from the two schools: size of student bodies--broken down by full-time, part-time, undergraduate, and graduate--plus the number of undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees awarded, and similar data. Alpha listed Stanford's tuition as $25,000, which is incorrect, and no tuition for Harvard. As with all of Alpha's results, it gave me sources against which to check the information.

GOOGLE: Google gave me a collection of links (starting with a discussion board for students trying to make a college decision) and various news stories containing the two terms.

SEARCH TERM: Cancer New York

WOLFRAM ALPHA: I was expecting statistics on cancer rates in New York. Instead, the Wolfram site assumed I meant the constellation. It showed me where Cancer could be found in the night sky viewed from New York, told me when it would next rise and set, and included a map of the night sky.

GOOGLE: The first link was to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The second was to the New York State Department of Health's cancer page. The third was to the New York State Cancer Registry. Not bad.

VARIATIONS: Adding a second state (Cancer New York Nevada) confused Wolfram--it didn't know what I wanted. With Google, all the top results were Nevada-centric: a mix of news stories, lawyers' websites, and medical centers relating to cancer (the disease) in Nevada. No comparisons, no data, and not as helpful as it was when I just put "Cancer New York."

SEARCH TERM: Utah Florida population

WOLFRAM ALPHA: Alpha gave me tables containing the two states' populations from 2006, the population growth rate from 2000 to 2006 (including a chart that I could download), and the number of annual births and deaths in 2004.

GOOGLE: Even though Google just launched a new data-presentation service with access to public census and labor data, this search term did not bring me to the new data service. The first hit was to a U.S. census press release that itself contained links to population tables.

VARIATIONS: When I tried "Utah population," Google did give me a view of its new service: a simple chart of Utah's population from 1980 to the present.

When I changed the search term to "Utah Florida," Wolfram threw the almanac at me, giving side-by-side tables on population data plus high and low elevations of the two states, the dates that the states joined the union, the area of farmland, the household income and poverty rates, and so on. Google gave me random sites that contained the two words, starting with a mapped location of a business in Lake Mary, Florida, that contains the word "Utah."

Generally, I did not use search terms that clearly had no computable answer (and therefore would have stumped Wolfram). But I also didn't throw any softballs in areas close to the heart of its makers: physics, chemistry, engineering, and genomics. On hard-core scientific questions, it gives you tons of symbols and graphics and other information that would be useful to a researcher but obscure to most people. But on many common questions for which there is no obvious data element, you will not get much help. In any event, if its plans hold, you should be able to test it out yourself in two or three weeks.

GOOGLE: Google gave me links to various metric conversion sites.

Source : Technology Review

Has Stephen Wolfram Designed a Better Search Engine?

2009-05-10T12:41:00.001+05:30

Stephen Wolfram, the computer genius who authored the computational software Mathematica in 1998 and wrote A New Kind of Science in 2002, has built a new search engine. It’s called Wolfram Alpha and it could knock Google from its lofty perch.

As Chris Thompson writes in his Big Money blog, “when his [Wolfram’s] search engine launches in May, people can use his simple programs to interact with computers intuitively, using ordinary language to find what they’re looking for.” Are you ready for this?

As you know, Google has never been very good at getting a computer to answer a simple question, asked in natural language. For example, if you type in, “When did Abraham Lincoln deliver the Gettysburg Address,” the company’s algorithms use the keywords in your search, scan the universe of data, and analyze links to rank results, offering you more than 15,000 sites that are relevant to the words you typed, Thompson writes. But Wolfram claims that if you type the same prompt into his new search engine, one thing will appear: The answer, or in this case, “Nov. 19, 1863.”

Here’s how Wolfram claims to have done it: All one needs to be able to do is to take questions people ask in natural language, and represent them in a precise form that fits into the computations one can do. … I’m happy to say that with a mixture of many clever algorithms and heuristics, lots of linguistic discovery and linguistic curation, and what probably amount to some serious theoretical breakthroughs, we’re actually managing to make it work.“

Well there you have it. And the ”http://www.wolframalpha.com/" target="_self">Wolfram Alpha website mirrors Google’s simplicity: all white space, with one search field for you to ask a simple question. It has Google’s format and supposedly will do the one thing not even Google can do: talk to you like a human being.

Will Wolfram Alpha sink Google’s ship? That’s a question of genius and marketing, notes Thompson. But we are in the middle of an economic crisis and we all know what that means…everything is changing!

Source : Bigthink

Firefox beta 3.5: Breathing down IE's neck

2009-04-29T17:31:00.000+05:30

Mozilla on Monday released beta 3.5 of Firefox, a revamp of the open-source web browser designed to include better performance, several new web-programming features and a private-browsing mode.

The earlier betas had been numbered 3.1, but Mozilla switched to the version 3.5 name after concluding the changes were more significant than it thought before. Mozilla has said earlier the fourth beta will be the last, with more polished release candidates expected before the final version of Firefox 3.5 is released.

The software emerges amid what has become a fiercely competitive browser market. Microsoft has released a significant new version, Internet Explorer 8, while Google has entered the market with Chrome, and Apple is trying to secure a Windows foothold for its Safari browser. Firefox holds second place in market share to IE.

Among the changes compared with the current Firefox 3.0.x versions are:

* The faster TraceMonkey engine for running websites' JavaScript programs
* Built-in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) technology for exchanging data between servers and browsers
* Support for tags to describe audio and video content the way images have been available for years
* Private-browsing mode for leaving no traces on your computer while surfing
* Support for technology to let permitted applications know the user's location
* Support for the web workers standard for letting a browser perform processing in the background without holding back a web application's user interface

With this beta, there are a number of known problems with Gmail and with AVG SafeSearch v8.0 on Windows, and, of course, many of those extensions that are so popular on Firefox could break.

Original article: Mozilla releases Firefox 3.5 beta from CNET News.com

Vista service-pack update ready for rollout

2009-04-29T17:25:00.000+05:30

Microsoft has wrapped up work on the second service-pack update to Windows Vista, the company announced late on Tuesday.

The update provides, among other things, support for Bluetooth 2.1, an updated Windows search technology and the ability to natively record data to Blu-ray discs.

In a blog posting, the company said the update should be publicly available later this quarter. Microsoft is also ending a blocker tool that prevented computers from downloading Vista Service Pack 1, so those customers who had been using the tool will now see Vista SP1 offered via Windows Update.

The update has been in broad testing since late last year. A near-final release candidate version was issued in February.

Microsoft said earlier in the day that it was releasing the second service-pack update to Office 2007. Windows Vista and Office 2007 had their mainstream launch on the same day in January 2007.

Microsoft to woo users onto Windows 7 with 'XP mode

2009-04-29T17:19:00.000+05:30

Microsoft is trying to make it easier to sway users of Windows XP onto the latest version of its operating system.

The company has been building a "Windows XP mode" that uses virtualisation to allow Windows 7 to easily run applications designed for Windows XP. According to sources familiar with the product, the application compatibility mode is built on the Virtual PC technology that Microsoft acquired in 2003, when it scooped up the assets of Connectix.

By adding the compatibility mode, Microsoft is aiming to address one of the key shortcomings of Windows Vista: its compatibility issues with software designed for Windows XP and earlier versions of the operating system.

The technology has not been part of the beta version of Windows 7 or previously disclosed by Microsoft but is expected to be released alongside the upcoming release candidate version. Microsoft said on Friday that it will release it to developers next week and publicly starting 5 May.

Details of the Windows XP mode, previously known as Virtual Windows XP, were first published on Friday by the Windows SuperSite blog.

Later on, Microsoft confirmed XP Mode in a blog posting.

Microsoft's Scott Woodgate said in the blog: "Windows XP Mode is specifically designed to help small businesses move to Windows 7. Windows XP Mode provides you with the flexibility to run many older productivity applications on a Windows 7-based PC."

According to the post, "all you need to do is to install suitable applications directly in Windows XP Mode which is a virtual Windows XP environment running under Windows Virtual PC. The applications will be published to the Windows 7 desktop and then you can run them directly from Windows 7".

Microsoft said it "will be soon releasing the beta of Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC for Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate".

United Nations looks to SAP for ERP system

2009-01-19T16:42:00.003+05:30

The United Nations may be on the verge of installing an ERP system from SAP AG, potentially resulting in one of the largest public-sector deployments to date for the German software vendor.

A UN spokesman said Friday that SAP had won the right to negotiate a deal with the organization, but that a contract had not yet been finalized.

According to a report by Reuters, a German newspaper, citing unnamed sources at the UN, published a story on Wednesday saying that the deal could be worth as much as $300 million to SAP.

SAP already has a large presence in the public sector. For example, some of its ERP customers within the U.S. government include the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, a DHS unit that combines the former Customs Service and Border Patrol.

Via ComputerWorld

O2 launches XDA Flint

2009-01-15T14:28:00.004+05:30

O2 has unveiled the O2 Xda Flint, describing it as an innovative handheld device specifically targeted at the education sector.

O2 says with the Flint, "ideal for students and teachers alike", users can load eBooks onto the device to make electronic notes, read or review documents, log onto or download digital learning applications, content and courses from the school/college or local authorities' virtual learning environments.

With 16GB of internal flash memory, the Xda Flint, that runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, offers a 5-inch VGA angled touchscreen with a detachable keyboard.

Other specs include GPS, Bluetooth V2.0, internet browsing, and quad-band network access via Wi-Fi and HSDPA. There's also a 3-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash light, a video calling camera, MP3 and video playback.

No pricing or availability for anyone outside the education market has yet been revealed.

VIA Pocket-lint

Samsung publishes NC20

2009-01-15T14:24:00.002+05:30

Eager to get your digits onto an NC20 keyboard? Sadly, we can't help you there, but we can point out something to whet your appetite until shipment day dawns. Samsung's UK branch has hosted up the NC20 user manual, and while it doesn't really offer too many nuggets that we weren't already aware of, it still proves that this here netbook will arrive with the oh-so-promising 1.3GHz VIA Nano U225 CPU. Additionally, you'll find a 12.1-inch WXGA display (1,280 x 800), VIA Chrome 9 HC3 graphics, a multicard reader, Ethernet / USB 2.0 ports, optional WiFi / Bluetooth and your choice of HDD or SSD. Check out the links below for more on the hardware details and a new load of press shots, and start saving you pennies now, 'cause early estimates put this one at around $500 or so

Adobe, Intel to Extend Flash to TVs

2009-01-15T14:02:00.001+05:30

Adobe and Intel will collaborate to develop the porting and optimizing of Adobe Flash technology for the Intel Media Processor CE 3100.

This move is expected to provide consumers with a more seamless Web-based and video viewing experiences through advanced Intel-based cable set-top boxes, Blu-ray Disc players, digital TVs and retail connected AV devices.

The high-definition capabilities of the Adobe Flash Platform, together with the Intel Media Processor CE 3100 - the first in a new family of purpose-built Intel System on Chips (SoCs) for CE devices - creates an entertainment hub capable of delivering rich Web content and Adobe Flash based applications to Internet-connected CE devices.

Intel and Adobe are working together to optimize both the Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Flash Lite for the CE3100.

Intel plans to ship the first CE3100 with support for an optimized implementation of Adobe Flash Lite before mid-2009.

"The Intel Media Processor CE 3100 is a highly integrated solution that provides a powerful, yet flexible technology foundation that will bring to life the high-definition capabilities of Adobe Flash," said William O. Leszinske Jr., general manager of Intel’s Digital Home Group. "Our effort with Adobe is poised to accelerate a rich, yet relevant Internet experience on the TV that will provide consumers with access to a growing number of Flash based applications that will ultimately be enjoyed across a number of screens seamlessly, from the laptop to a MID and now the TV."

Adobe and Intel are also working together to bring an optimized implementation of Adobe AIR technology to Intel’s digital home platform in the future.

Dell Unveils Studio XPS Laptops

2009-01-15T13:58:00.002+05:30

Dell has unveiled the Dell Studio XPS 16 and Dell Studio XPS 13 laptops – the first Studio laptops to bear the XPS high-performance designation.

Both the Dell Studio XPS 16 and Dell Studio XPS 13 feature genuine leather and anodized aluminum accents on top of a high-gloss Obsidian Black finish.

The Dell Studio XPS 16 and Dell Studio XPS 13 laptops are available today on www.dell.co.in starting at Rs. 60,800 and Rs. 68,800 (including delivery) respectively.

The Dell Studio XPS 16 delivers advanced performance and entertainment capabilities, including 16-inch edge-to-edge 16:9 HD WLED display and 7-watt Dolby 5.1 audio with subwoofer, Intel Centrino 2, and 512 MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3670 graphics. Significant system memory may be allocated to support graphics, depending on system memory size and other factors.

The optional Full HD 1080p display (RGB LED) is optimized for 16:9 content and features 100 percent color gamut for truer colors combined with 300 nit brightness. The 8 millisecond response time means smoother gaming and movie viewing, and the 130 degree viewing angle ensures that multiple people can view the display together without distortion.

The Dell Studio XPS 13 weighs just under 2.2 kg and has a WLED display. In the future, the Studio XPS 13 will offer the choice of extending battery life or boosting performance with the optional NVIDIA GeForce 9500M GE with Hybrid SLI technology. Similar to a hybrid car, users can choose to boost performance for playing games or watching high definition videos by enabling a discrete graphics processor and graphics memory, or can extend battery life by switching to the integrated graphics solution, better for E-mail, surfing the Internet, and listening to music.

Studio XPS laptops feature:
- High Definition upconversion so that standard DVDs view more like HD.
- 2.0 megapixel webcam with digital array microphones and facial recognition security capability.
- Backlit keyboard and capacitive touch multimedia controls.
- USB PowerShare to charge peripherals even when the system is off.
- Full range of ports and connection options, including HDMI, DisplayPort, IEEE 1394a and eSata

Mozilla Releases Firefox Fennec Alpha 2

2009-01-15T13:38:00.002+05:30

Fennec, Mozilla’s mobile browser has reached its second alpha stage today. Reports are stating that there only seem to be performance improvements with regards to navigation and viewing capabilities. Of course many users will expect the browser to support some form of Plug-in just like the desktop version. We’ll have to wait and see as the development continues.

As of now, only Nokia’s internet tablet the N810 is the testing ground for the Fennec browser with other OS’ to follow suit, like Windows Mobile and Symbian. Windows, OS X and Linux clients are available

This is an early developer release of the mobile version of Firefox, for testing purposes only, intended to:

* get wider community feedback on our approach to the user experience
* engage Mozilla community teams, including localizers, add-on developers, and testers
* get feedback from Web developers

The initial focus of development was on building a new user interface that reflects Firefox's design principles, and adds touch screen support and other features that are appropriate for mobile phones and other handheld devices. For alpha 2, we focused mainly on performance, improving the responsiveness of panning and zooming, both while pages are loading and when they have completed loading. There are still many improvements we intend to make, including enabling TraceMonkey by default.

To help out, visit the Mozilla mobile page to learn about our public weekly meetings, how to find our community on IRC, and more.

These Release Notes provide a "quick start" for the impatient, some highlights of what's included in this version, download and installation instructions, known issues, and frequently asked questions. Please read these notes and the bug filing instructions before reporting bugs to Bugzilla.
Quick start

This release is available for the OS2008 ("Maemo") software platforms that runs on the Nokia N810 Internet Tablets. If you're viewing this on an N810, install Fennec.

Don't have an N810? Don't worry, you can still experiment with Fennec, provide feedback, write add-ons, and get involved by installing a version of Fennec for your desktop PC:

* Windows
* Mac OS X
* Linux

The idea behind releasing the package for PCs is to give people who don't have a Nokia Internet Tablet the ability to localize, experiment and build add-ons. Note: The desktop version of Fennec is not a supported product.

YouTube to post full-length films

2008-11-13T21:35:00.000+05:30

YouTube, the largest video-sharing website, will show full-length television shows and films from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's archives in its latest step to boost advertising revenue by adding professional programming, the company said on Sunday.

The site, owned by Google Inc, plans to make the announcement about the new partnership on Monday.

MGM Studios will kick off the partnership by posting episodes of its decade-old American Gladiators program to YouTube on one channel. On another channel, MGM will post full-length action films like Bulletproof Monk and The Magnificent Seven and clips from popular movies like Legally Blonde.These will be free to watch, with ads running alongside the video.

YouTube in October forged a similar partnership with CBS Corp to run full-length archived shows, including Star Trek, Young and the Restless and Beverly Hills 90210.

Many TV networks already run short clips on YouTube, which also offers millions of home videos uploaded by users. But until now, YouTube videos were predominantly short clips of 10 minutes or less.

The company has been experimenting with full-length shows for some months with Time Warner Inc's HBO and CBS's Showtime cable networks. The new partnerships put YouTube in more direct competition with Hulu, the online video site owned by News Corp and General Electric's NBC Universal.

Hulu features up-to-date full-length shows from News Corp's Fox networks, NBC and CBS. It also has a YouTube channel which features short-clip versions of its shows.

Maruti Suzuki A-Star

2008-10-25T23:21:00.001+05:30

Maruti Suzuki A Star is a A-Segment car as per the European car standards. In the words of Shinzo Nakanishi, the managing director of Suzuki Motor Corporation the Maruti Suzuki India plans to commence production of A-Star by the end of October 2008. He also added that the car would be produced from the company's Manesar facility in Haryana.

Designed by Rajesh Kumar Gogu and Saurabh Singh of Maruti Suzuki India, the Maruti A Star car, which is a five-door hatchback; has been engineered keeping in mind the trends and standards of the European market.

It will have an all new Euro 5-compliant 1.0-litre aluminium petrol engine with CO2 emissions lower than those of European competitors. It has a bold design language with strong lines and large wheelarches. Clever packaging means a five-door model is on the cards, suggesting interior space will be good.

A-Star is heavily toned down as compared to the Concept A-Star which recently debuted in London & was also shown at Auto Expo, 2008 in New Delhi. No doubt that the newcomer will be criticised for its looks since it looks as if styling has been taken of the Kia Picanto/Morning, Hyundai i10 and Citroen C1.

An estimated figure of around one lakh units of Maruti A Star will cater to the European Markets under the Suzuki badge, the rest 50,000 units will be sold within India. The A-Star is regarded as one of the most desired projects of Maruti Suzuki India. The Suzuki team has pinned a lot of hope in it.

In fact, the concept of Maruti A Star is a first for Maruti Suzuki India's research and development team. Maruti Suzuki has entered into an agreement with Nissan to sell A-Star under the formers brand name in the US market. Nakanishi, however, ruled out an estimated price cut for Maruti 800 and rejected reports of Maruti's venture into the Rs.100,000 segments.

Suzuki seeks to further strengthen the environmentally conscious advantages of its products and aim for further reduction of their impact on the global environment. One way to achieve this is fuel cell technology.

The latest two fuel-cell models will be exhibited in Paris: The SX4-FCV equipped with a GM-made high-performance fuel cell stack, a Suzuki-developed 70MPa hydrogen tank and a light, compact capacitor, and the “crosscage” that features a simple, compact, and lightweight air-cooled fuel-cell power system from British specialist company Intelligent Energy, plus a high-performance lithium-ion secondary battery.

Via Maxabout

Maruti Suzuki Splash

2008-10-25T23:14:00.003+05:30

Hyundai has launched their i10 model in the Indian market. Now, it's the turn of market leaders Maruti Suzuki to respond with a brand new vehicle for the Indian market. Maruti may replace its aging Wagon R with splash or may launch it as new model.

It will be 4th new model for the Maruti Suzuki after the launch of Swift, Grand Vitara and SX4. Based on an all-new platform, the production version has some hints of the Swift and SX4, interspersed with a C-pillar design that harks back to the concept. Unlike traditional hatchbacks, the rear end has allowed for a thicker C-pillar and made provision for a smaller quarter glass that is not very different from the Swift.

The tailgate has an inward obtuse angle to it, something seen more often on French hatchbacks. On the inside, the Splash continues the raid on Suzuki's parts bin with the steering wheel, gear knob, door handles, indicator switches, etc first seen on the Swift/SX4. Though, that is where the raid ends.

The Splash uses two new petrol engines and a common-rail diesel. A 1000cc, 65 bhp 3-cylinder and a 1200cc, 86 bhp 4-cylinder engine will power Suzuki's gasoline aspirations while the 1248cc, 75 bhp multi-jet engine manufactured at Manesar in India will complete the engine lineup. All these engines will be mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Market sources suggest that the company could be working on plans to bring the Suzuki Splash model here in India.

The new flexible compact car combines the sportiness of Suzuki's successful model Swift with the technologies and immense know-how of the Japanese world market leader in the mini car segment. The Splash is not the successor of any specific former Suzuki model, but a brand-new concept to satisfy the needs of customers in terms of roominess, compactness, modern design, aerodynamics, quality, driveability, performance and environmental friendliness.

Via Maxabout

Internet searches may strengthen the aging brain

2008-10-17T21:19:00.003+05:30

A variety of studies have suggested that engaging in mental heavy lifting of any sort not only draws the brain into the task but actually can change the way the brain responds to the task. The greater mental engagement that results is thought to create a sort of mental reserve that can protect the brain in the face of insult and injury; it also appears to preserve mental function in the face of aging.
Related Stories

A new study of older individuals has now looked at brain activity as subjects undertake Internet searches and it concludes that, for regular Internet users, far more of the brain gets engaged when searching than when reading.

Like other studies that rely on fantastically expensive functional MRI equipment, this one had a small subject population: a dozen each of regular Internet users and Internet novices. The savvy users typically went online a minimum of once daily, while, on average, the novice group reported using the Internet either not at all or once a month. The average age of both groups was in the early to mid-60s.

Once in the MRI tube, the subjects were given one of two tasks: read some text formatted along the lines of a typical book page or undertake a simplified Internet search. Both tasks could be managed by a simplified set of controls that both fit in the MRI apparatus and did not cause significant head movement. Runs lasted for four minutes for each task, and the topics of the reading passages and searches were identical, which should limit the impact of the details of the task on the mental processing involved.

For the Internet novices, searching didn't significantly change the areas of the brain that were engaged, which have previously been implicated in mediating language, reading, memory, and visual activity. Although there were differences within these regions, the most significant difference was that reading engaged more areas of the brain than searching did for Internet novices.

This was most certainly not the case for regular users of the Internet; far more areas of the brain were active when these users were engaged in searches than when they simply read static content. Volume measurements suggest that nearly twice as much of the brain was engaged when the experienced users searched than when naive users did. The additional areas engaged included those thought to be involved in decision making and complex reasoning. The implications are that those familiar with Internet searches have learned to become mentally engaged in the process in a way that goes well beyond reading.

The authors caution against reading too much into the results, given the small sample size. They also suggest that factors beyond the actual process of searching could influence the neural activity. "The decision to avoid technology may reflect a pattern of other lifestyle choices that could explain our findings," they note.

Still, taken at face value, the results appear to suggest that frequent access to information on the Internet can create a higher mental engagement with the content. Given the value of mental engagement in helping preserve brain function, especially as people age, the results suggest a potentially positive role for Internet use in aging populations.

These results will be published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

VIA arstechnica

Toshiba's First Fuel Cell Coming in a Few Months

2008-10-08T23:13:00.002+05:30

Toshiba is close to launching its first commercial direct-methanol fuel-cell device, which promises a faster way to recharge portable electronics products.

The company said Monday that the DMFC will be launched during its current financial year, which ends March 31, 2009. Toshiba won't say yet what the product will be, although it offered a possible clue last week at the Ceatec show in Japan, where it showed a cell phone based on a fuel cell.

DMFCs produce electricity from a reaction between methanol, water and air. The only byproducts are a small amount of water vapor and carbon dioxide, so DMFCs are often seen as a greener source of energy than traditional batteries. Another advantage is that they can be replenished with a new cartridge of methanol in seconds.

Toshiba and its competitors, including Sharp, NEC, Hitachi, Sanyo, Fujitsu and Canon, have all shown or disclosed prototype fuel-cell work in the past few years, but nothing has yet come to market.

In the product shown at Ceatec, the fuel cell had been integrated into the clamshell phone under the keypad and made the handset a little thicker, though not considerably. While the phone was a prototype, the build quality was close to what you might expect from a commercial product.

In addition to cell phones, companies have also talked about DMFC rechargers that can top up the battery of a portable device when it's not in range of a power socket. Such devices are seen as stepping stones on the way to products directly powered by fuel cells.

VIA PCWORLD

Google Launches 'Mail Goggles'

2008-10-08T22:19:00.001+05:30

Have you ever regretted of sending any mail at the fit of anger, frustration or drunken state that sometimes landed you in-box of ex-flames? Did you ever wish if and only if I could stop mailing it? Well, Google is at your service again with its all new launch 'Mail Goggles'.

"Mail Goggles" helps you prevent from sending stupid e-mails, especially at particular hours when they are most likely to be inebriated and at risk of making a complete idiot of yourself.

This is how it works

Mail Goggles throw five maths problems up on the screen when a user presses the "send" button. The problems have to be solved within a limited period of time. Being able to do so would cause the system to presume that the user's mental state is sound enough to send appropriate mails.

Even if a person is very good at solving mathematical problems, there is an option to ramp up the difficulty of the questions. However, the questions remain in the arithmetic realm, and do not drift into interesting algebra or calculus.

The default setting enables the system between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Internet users can change it in accordance with their preferences, reports CBS News.

Mail Goggles can be activated by going into Gmail's settings, and turning on Mail Goggles in the "Labs" tab. One can adjust how and when it works in the "General" tab. The idea, according to the Gmail engineer Jon Perlow, is to help those who are a little too tired and emotional to foresee the consequences of their actions.

Electric vehicles Spark at Paris Car Show

2008-10-07T17:58:00.003+05:30

Carmakers rolled out a slew of electric models at the Paris motor show on Friday. About a third of the new models presented at the show are “clean cars,” said Francois Roudier of the French carmakers’ group CCFA.

Besides big names like Germany’s Daimler, lesserknown entities such as France’s Heuliez have also shown allelectric models here.

Carmakers are in a rush to get their models onto the market before new European Union legislation kicks in 2012 under which automakers in Europe will have to cut carbon dioxide emissions in new cars to an average of 130 g per km travelled by 2012, from the current average of 145-150 g. Those that miss the target would face fines for each car breaching the new limits.

“These new norms are the driving force (behind the push for electric vehicles), as well as the rise in oil prices,” said JeanPhilippe Le Denmet, an analyst with research firm Global Insight.

Although the concept of electric car has been around for a century, until recent years, the seemingly unending supply of oil provided little incentive for these vehicles. It has also struggled to become a mainstream reality because of technical mat ters — electric batteries were liable to explode, electric cars ran out of power after relatively small distances, and recharging was painfully slow.

But things have changed.

“There have been major developments in recent years,” as most cars now use long-lasting lithium-ion batteries, said Herbert Kohler, Daimler’s chief environmental officer.

Heuliez says its three-seater subcompact Friendly, is set to go on sale by 2012. It will be able to travel up to 250 km after one charge-up.

The infrastructure needed to make electric cars viable — such as recharging stations — should be a relatively simple matter to set up, said Sylvain Vitet of the French electricity firm EDF’s vehicle section. Carmakers say they are aiming electric autos at people who will use them mostly for short urban trips to go for work or go shopping or for social outings.

“The electric car is not mature enough to be multifunctional,” said Cyril Francois of Heuliez. Long trips would require large batteries that would use up space and weigh down the vehicle, he noted.

Electric vehicles are thus likely to take a modest share of the market.

Norbert Reithofer, BMW’s new boss, reckons that even by 2020 only between 5 to 10 per cent of new models will be electric. Manufacturers are however confident that they can create a market. Venturi, from Monaco, has even revealed an all-electric sports car.

Heuliez says it aims to sell electric vehicles from 14,000 dollars but Daimler has yet to set a price for its model.

Seagate Unveils New External Storage Drives

2008-10-04T00:28:00.001+05:30

Seagate has unveiled its 2008 lineup of FreeAgent external hard drives - that includes desktop and mobile options, for both Mac and Windows operated computers.

The flagship pocket-sized offering, the FreeAgent Go, is the slimmest external drive available today. At a height of 12.5 mm, the new FreeAgent Go includes advanced shock and vibration protection and is the first external hard drive to offer a docking option that is sold separately and comes paired with a black leatherette carrying case.

The FreeAgent Go is available in a variety of colors, including silver, black, red, and blue. The drive also ships with a USB 2.0 travel cable.

The FreeAgent Desk drive and FreeAgent XTreme drive are the family's two 3.5-inch high-capacity desktop offerings, and provide up to 1.5 Terabytes of storage. The design of these drives provides the flexibility to sit horizontally or stand vertically to maximize the workspace. The FreeAgent Desk drive comes with a brushed aluminum finish, with a USB 2.0 interface. The FreeAgent XTreme drive is a black, brushed aluminum high-capacity storage solution incorporating a triple interface of eSATA, USB 2.0 and FireWire 400.

Seagate has also unveiled external storage solutions designed specifically for the Mac community. The FreeAgent Go for Mac and FreeAgent Desk for Mac are both formatted for use with Mac OS X out of the box and are Time Machine ready with FireWire800/400 or USB 2.0 connectivity.

The Seagate FreeAgent Go drive is available for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of Rs. 5500 for 250GB, Rs. 7000 for 320GB and Rs. 12000 for 500GB.

The FreeAgent Go drive for Mac is available for an MSRP of Rs. 9000 for 250GB and Rs 10000 for 320GB, while the FreeAgent Desk drive for Mac is available for an MSRP of Rs. 9000 for 500GB, Rs. 14500 for 1TB and Rs. 19000 for 1.5TB

The FreeAgent Desk drive is available at an MSRP of Rs. 7500 for 500GB, Rs. 8000 for 640GB, Rs. 13000 for 1TB and Rs. 17000 for 1.5TB.

The FreeAgent XTreme drive is available for an MSRPof Rs. 9500 for 500GB, Rs. 10000 for 640GB, Rs. 14500 for 1TB and Rs. 17000 for 1.5TB.

The FreeAgent Dock and Case will be available for an MSRP of Rs. 1600.

Microsoft Uses Search Prizes to Close Google Gap

2008-10-04T00:22:00.000+05:30

In a bid to close the ever-widening gap with Google on Internet searches, Microsoft has started offering consumers redeemable points for using its search service.

The programme was launched as new web traffic figures Thursday showed that Google had extended its lead to 63 percent of the US search market in August. Yahoo came in with a 19.6 percent share, followed by Microsoft with an 8.3 percent share.

Microsoft hopes that its new SearchPerks program will help counter the trend by giving consumers, who enroll in the program, tickets for any searches they do using Microsoft's Live Search service. The virtual tickets can be redeemed for prizes, such as airline miles, music downloads and games for Microsoft's XBox video game system.

The launch of SearchPerks followed the introduction in May of Live Search Cashback, a program that pays cash rebates to customers who find and buy products using the software giant's search service.

Microsoft said that tests showed that people were three times more likely to use Live Search when they were offered redeemable points than when they weren't.

"People like to engage with us a lot more when they use SearchPerks," says Frederick Savoye, a senior director on Microsoft's search team.

However the promotion will remain an experiment for now, limited to the first 250,000 users in the US that download a web application that records how many searches they do daily on Google, Yahoo or Microsoft.

To maintain privacy, the program only tracks the number of searches and not the type of searches people do. SearchPerk users get one "ticket" for every search done on Microsoft, and can receive up to 25 tickets a day.

The company has not yet determined how many points will be needed to claim prizes. The program is currently available only for Internet Explorer 6 or higher.

Nokia Unveils The 5800 XpressMusic

2008-10-04T00:13:00.002+05:30

The 5800 XpressMusic introduces the 'Media Bar', a drop down menu that provides direct access to music and entertainment, including favourite tracks, videos and photos. The Media Bar also offers a direct link to the web and to online sharing. The phone supports Flash content and offers all the music essentials, including a graphic equalizer, 8GB memory for up to 6000 tracks and support for all main digital music formats, a 3.5mm jack and built-in surround sound stereo speakers.

"With the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, we set out to connect people through the one thing we all feel a universal connection to - music," said Jo Harlow, Vice President, Nokia. "The way in which people enjoy music is different around the world. With that in mind, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic gives people the freedom to experience music they love in the way they prefer."

Ensuring a seamless music experience, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic also provides easy access to browse and purchase tracks from the Nokia Music Store, where applicable, while the newly updated Nokia Music PC software allows for easy drag-and-drop transfer of songs and management of any music collection.

The 'Contacts Bar' lets consumers highlight four favorite contacts on their home-screen and, through a single touch, track a digital history of recent text messages, emails, phone logs, photos and blog updates.

"As Nokia's first mass-market device with a touch screen, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic turns a 'user interface' into a 'human interface' by truly putting people first. For example, we've introduced the Nokia Contacts Bar, which is like a digital RSS feed on your life," said Harlow. "By adding the benefits of touch screen technology to S60, the world's leading smartphone interface, Nokia is taking the familiar and giving it a human touch. We have used touch technology where it really adds value such as the Contacts Bar, Media Bar and clever shortcuts from the homescreen to menu items such as calendar, profiles and clock."

The phone features a 3.2-inch widescreen display, a 16 by 9 aspect ratio and 30 frames-per-second playback and recording.

Equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, the phone allows images or videos to be shared via online communities, such as Share on Ovi, Flickr, or Facebook. Music playlist song titles can also be shared through Bluetooth, MMS or online sharing.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic supports 60 languages worldwide and offers a variety of input methods including a virtual alphanumeric keypad, a virtual computer-style QWERTY keyboard, a pen stylus - and for music enthusiasts, a plectrum.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will be available worldwide beginning in the fourth quarter of 2008 for an estimated retail price of 279 EUR before taxes and subsidies.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic featuring Comes With Music will be available early next year. Pricing is unavailable at the moment.

VIA TECH2

Google Project 10100 (pronounced "Project 10 to the 100th")

2008-09-28T16:03:00.006+05:30

Why this project?

Never in history have so many people had so much information, so many tools at their disposal, so many ways of making good ideas come to life. Yet at the same time, so many people, of all walks of life, could use so much help, in both little ways and big.

In the midst of this, new studies are reinforcing the simple wisdom that beyond a certain very basic level of material wealth, the only thing that increases individual happiness over time is helping other people.

In other words, helping helps everybody, helper and helped alike.

The question is: what would help? And help most?

At Google, we don't believe we have the answers, but we do believe the answers are out there. Maybe in a lab, or a company, or a university -- but maybe not.

Maybe the answer that helps somebody is in your head, in something you've observed, some notion that you've been fiddling with, some small connection you've noticed, some old thing you have seen with new eyes.

If you have an idea that you believe would help somebody, we want to hear about it. We're looking for ideas that help as many people as possible, in any way, and we're committing the funding to launch them. You can submit your ideas and help vote on ideas from others. Final idea selections will be made by an advisory board.

How it works

Project 10100 (pronounced "Project 10 to the 100th") is a call for ideas to change the world by helping as many people as possible. Here's how to join in.

1. Send us your idea by October 20th.
Simply fill out the submission form giving us the gist of your idea. You can supplement your proposal with a 30-second video.

2. Voting on ideas begins on January 27th.
We'll post a selection of one hundred ideas and ask you, the public, to choose twenty semi-finalists. Then an advisory board will select up to five final ideas. Send me a reminder to vote.

3. We'll help bring these ideas to life.
We're committing $10 million to implement these projects, and our goal is to help as many people as possible. So remember, money may provide a jumpstart, but the idea is the thing.

Good luck, and may those who help the most win.

VIA Google

Click Here to Submit your Ideas

Web is running out of addresses

2008-09-26T22:12:00.002+05:30

Switch Now To Next Generation Net Addresses, Says Father Of Internet

London: The world is about to run out of the internet addresses that allow computers to identify each other and communicate, the man who invented the system, Vint Cerf said.

Cerf, popularly called the ‘Father of the internet’ and one of the world’s leading computer scientists, said that businesses and consumers needed to act now to switch to the next generation of net addresses. Unless preparations were made now, he said, some computers might not be able to go online and the connectivity of the internet might be damaged. Cerf said that internet service providers in particular needed to prepare and that time was running out for a smooth transition. Every computer and online device is assigned a unique IP address, but the pool of unallocated numbers is about to dry up. “This is like the internet running out of telephone numbers and with no new numbers, you can’t have more subscribers”, he said.

When Cerf and others founded the internet system in 1977, he set in place “internet protocol version four” (IPv4) which provided 4.2 billion addresses. With the number of internet-enabled devices, particularly mobile phones, soaring, less than 14 per cent of those addresses remain vacant.

It is estimated that IPv4 addresses, each of which is a series of 32 binary digits, will run out in 2010 and possibly as early as next year.
A new system, called IPv6, has been ready for implementation for more than a decade. Under IPv6, each address has 128 bits and so provides 340 trillion, trillion, trillion different addresses — that is 340,000,000,000,000,0-00,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. It is assumed that this will meet humanity’s needs for decades to come. Two protocol systems will run in tandem and IPv4 addresses will still work as normal. But if the IPv6 is not widely adopted, then those using it may find themselves unable to connect across the whole internet. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned that shifting to the new addressing scheme was critical for the future of the internet economy and was likely to affect all businesses that require IP addresses".

Google G1 mobile phone versus Apple iPhone

2008-09-24T20:02:00.004+05:30

Price:

G1 = free on contract with T-Mobile, contracts likely to start from about £ 30 per month
iPhone = free on some contracts with O2, monthly tariffs start from £ 30 per month

Weight:
G1 = 158g
iPhone = 133g

Battery life:
G1 = 5 hours talk time, 130 hours standby
iPhone = 5 hours talk time, 300 hours standby

Screen size:
G1 = 3.2in
iPhone = 3.5in

Camera:
G1 = 3-megapixel
iPhone = 2-megapixel

Capacity:
G1 = 2GB, expandable to 8GB
iPhone = 8GB or 16GB

Key features:
G1 = touchscreen, Qwerty keyboard, internet access via 3G and Wi-Fi, additional downloadable content, one-click access to Google search services, built-in GPS and compass for easy navigation, push Google email, instant messaging.
iPhone = touchscreen, virtual keyboard, multi-touch gesture support, web access via 3G and Wi-Fi, additonal downloadable applications, GPS and Google Maps, push-email, full web browsing.

Extra applications:
G1 = extra software downloadable from Android Market. Includes games, such as Pac-Man, and useful software, such as Shop Savvy, which allows users to take photographs of a product barcode, send it to Google, and then retrieve price comparison results.
iPhone = extra programs and software downloadable from Apple App Store, including games such as Super Monkey Ball, and other applications, such as language dictionaries, travel guides, restaurant recommendations.

Entertainment:
G1 = one-touch music downloads from Amazon MP3 store, 2GB integrated storage, expandable to 8GB.
iPhone = one-touch music downloads from iTunes music store, choose from 8GB or 16GB storage.

Via Telegraph

Have a look of G1 http://www.t-mobileg1.com/

India to Reach for the Moon Next Month

2008-09-23T17:08:00.003+05:30

If everything goes as planned, any of the days starting October 19th to 28th would be remembered as a red-letter day for us Indians. Our very first, homespun lunar probe, Chandrayaan is all set to make its first voyage to our nearest celestial body -- the Moon on these tentative dates -- depending on the weather conditions then. If the weather plays spoil sport, the mission will need to be postponed to December. In any case, a successful mission will no doubt put India in the elite club of counties who have been able to send missions to moon.

Chandrayaan is still undergoing tests and is yet to clear the vibration and acoustic tests, which it would be subjected to later this week. These tests will simulate the conditions that the probe will need to bear at the tine of launch. These include high-temperatures, vibrations during take off and not to mention, the tremendous noise that is expected of a typical rocket launch.

Chandrayaan will carry as many as 11 payloads -- five from India, three from the European Space Agency (ESA), one from the Bulgarian Space Agency (BSA) and two from NASA, making it a truly global initiative. The two-year mission will be invaluable as the Chandrayaan is programmed to orbit the Lunar surface and digitally map it. It will also send information on the traces of the composition of the lunar surface apart from looking for atomic minerals such as thorium and uranium. The probe is also equipped with high-resolution cameras which could help shed some light on the existence of water on the moon.

A modified (rather upgraded) PSLV launch vehicle will be used to transport the probe to the lunar orbit. Due to the modifications, the PSLV C-11 will have a lift-off weight of 316 tonnes, which is much higher than the "standard" 294-ton version. Additionally, the payload capacity too has been increased from 1600 kg to 1800 kg. The PSLV has been the most successful launch vehicle for ISRO till date. It also holds the record for sending as many as 10 satellites simultaneously during its last mission. This time round, it is all set to break its own record by carrying 11 different payloads.

Undoubtedly, the Indian space program has come a long way since its initial stages when the first rocket transporter happened to be a bicycle, which carried the 9 kilo rocket to the "launch pad"! That was back in 1963 when visionaries like Vikram Sarabhai and APJ Abdul Kalam laid the foundation of what has become one of the greatest success stories of India.

DESTINATION MOON

2008-09-23T16:57:00.004+05:30

Our first moon mission, Chandrayaan-I, is in its final stages. As the nation awaits the countdown to liftoff, TOI turns a rover to take a closer look at the various

When India’s space programme took off about 40 years ago, Vikram Sarabhai, the man behind the mission, declared it should focus only on social issues. “We do not have the fantasy of competing with economically advanced nations in exploring the moon, the planets or manned space flights,’’ he said.

Space scientists, too, nodded in approval and over the years, the space programme followed the trajectory chalked out by the renowned physicist. India developed four types of rockets—the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV), the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). The SLV and the ASLV launched experimental satellites, and Isro’s main workhorse, the PSLV, and the GSLV carried satellites with day-to-day applications. For instance, the PSLV launched remote sensing satellites that helped in urban development, coastal studies and crop assessment. The GSLV has ferried Insat (Indian National Satellite System) satellites for enhanced broadcasting, search and rescue operations, education and telemedicine.
At present, India has a towering presence in space with a constellation of 11 communication and eight operational remote-sensing satellites, whose performance earned the country global acclaim. But the scientists were itching to reach higher orbits. So they got into a huddle to discuss the risks of deviating from Sarabhai’s vision without losing focus of the
service-to-society objective. Leading from the front was Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, the former Isro chairman.

“We brainstormed and came to a conclusion that as most space-faring nations were focusing on space science, we, too, should do the same, particularly as we had the capability,’’ Kasturirangan told TOI.
The next big question was how. “We hit upon an idea—why not an unmanned flight to the moon? We thought about it and agreed. It was neither for the sake of competition or politics, as it was in the US, but purely for scientific reasons,’’ he said.
The experts wanted to feel the public pulse and a programme organized in Delhi on May 11, 1999, to mark the first anniversary of the Pokhran tests proved to be the perfect platform. At this forum, where he was the chief speaker, Kasturirangan spoke at length about the achievements of India’s space programme before dropping the bombshell: India was exploring the possibility of launching a rocket to the moon. The audience broke into a huge applause.
Kasturirangan consulted various scientific bodies—the Indian Academy of Sciences and the Astronautical Society of India—which gave the goahead. The move was endorsed by the Parliamentary standing committee of science and technology and the specially-constituted Lunar Task Force.
Finally, during his I-Day address in 2003, former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced from Red Fort India’s plan to go to the moon and named the mission ‘Chandrayaan’, meaning mooncraft in Sanskrit

Stonehenge was a healing centre

2008-09-23T16:53:00.002+05:30

Carbon-Dating Reveals That Iconic Structure Was Built In 2300 BC

London: For centuries, Stonehenge has fascinated, intrigued and perplexed visitors. But its original purpose has been unclear to people. Many theories surround the purpose of Stonehenge. One suggests the stones were arranged to create an early type of calender to mark the solstices, while another suggests it was a centre of worship.
Now, a team of archaeologists claims to have found evidence that the United Kingdom’s greatest national icon was actually a centre of healing in neolithic Britain, which was built in 2300 BC. Professors Timothy Darvill and Geoffrey Wainwright have based their conclusion after studying a trench excavated inside the stone circle some months back, using radiocarbon dating. The dig unearthed about 100 pieces of organic material from the original bluestone sockets.
A selection of 14 pieces were sent for modern carbon dating at Oxford University, and revealed they dated from “between 2400 BC and 2200 BC”.
“We told the world we were going to date Stonehenge. That was a risk, but I was always confident,” the ‘Daily Mail’ quoted Prof Darvill of Bournemouth University as telling the ‘BBC’. According to the archaeologists, Stonehenge was a centre of healing because they found an “abnormal number” of corpses showing signs of serious diseases nearby and analysis of teeth revealed around half of those who died weren’t native to the area.
“Stonehenge would attract not only people who were unwell, but people who’re capable of (healing) them. Therefore in a sense, Stonehenge becomes ‘A & E’ of southern England,” Prof Darvill said. PTI

Now, scientists plan elevator ride to space

2008-09-23T16:51:00.001+05:30

London: Scientists in Japan are working towards turning the seemingly fictional idea of the world’s first space elevator, into reality.
According to a report in the Times, for chemists, physicists, material scientists, astronauts and dreamers across the globe, the space elevator represents the most tantalising of concepts: cables stronger and lighter than any fibre yet woven, tethered to the ground and disappearing beyond the atmosphere to a satellite docking station in geosynchronous orbit above Earth. Up and down the 36,000km cables — or flat ribbons — will run the elevator carriages, themselves requiring huge breakthroughs in engineering to which the biggest Japanese companies and universities have turned their collective attention.The scientists behind the idea told the Times that in the carriages, could be any number of cargoes.
A space elevator could carry people, huge solar-powered generators or even casks of radioactive waste.The point is that breaking free of Earth’s gravity will no longer require so much energy — perhaps 100 times less than launching the space shuttle. “Just like traveling abroad, anyone will be able to ride the elevator into space,” said Shuichi Ono, chairman of the Japan Space Elevator Association. The vision has inspired scientists around the world and government organisations including Nasa.
Several competing space elevator projects are gathering pace as various groups vie to build practical carriages, tethers and the hundreds of other parts required to carry out the plan. There are prizes offered by space elevator-related scientific organisations for breakthroughs and competitions for the best and fastest design of carriage.
The idea of the space elevator does not mess with the laws of science; it just presents a series of very, very complex engineering problems.
Japan is confident its academic and industrial base can solve those issues, and has even put the astonishingly low price tag of a trillion yen (£5 billion) on building the elevator.
To extend the elevator to a stationary satellite from the Earth’s surface would require twice that length of cable to reach a counterweight, ensuring that the cable maintains its tension.
The cable must be exceptionally light, staggeringly strong and able to withstand all projectiles thrown at it inside and outside the atmosphere. The answer, according to the groups working on designs, will lie in carbon nanotubes — microscopic particles that can be formed into fibres and whose production is now a major focus. ANI

LHC helium leak will shut collider down for two months

2008-09-21T20:00:00.000+05:30

More glitches for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC): The same day operators announced that a 30-ton transformer that cools part of the particle smasher had broken within hours of the LHC's launch last week, a mishap yesterday resulted in "a large helium leak" into the collider's tunnel.

According to a press statement, "the most likely cause of the problem was a faulty electrical connection between two magnets, which probably melted at high current leading to mechanical failure."

No workers were at risk, according to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which runs the LHC.

The leak means that the LHC will be down for at least two months, because workers must now warm up the faulty sector of the tunnel in order to repair it. The liquid helium is used to cool the LHC's magnets -- which guide protons and accelerate them so they can be smashed together -- down to within 1.9 kelvins (3.4 degrees Fahrenheit) of absolute zero.

World's 14 Fastest Cars

2008-09-11T10:28:00.016+05:30

Note: This is NOT a ranking of the world's fastest cars, but only a listing of the world's speediest demons. Of course, the astounding speeds that they can achieve have also been given. So decide for yourself which do you think is the fastest of this lot.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4
0-60mph in 2.5 secs
253 mph

Head of Design Hartmut Warkuss and his team were faced with a Herculean task: they were to design a car that combined its classic heritage and state-of-the-art modernism in a unique and unmatched way.

A mid-engine sports car produced by Volkswagen Group' subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS, it is powered by a 1,001 hp (746 kW) W16 engine, and is able to achieve an average top speed of 407.47 km/h (253.19 mph).

The car is handcrafted in a factory Volkswagen built near the former Bugatti headquarters in Chateau St Jean in Molsheim (Alsace, France).

It is named after French racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the '24 hours of Le Mans' in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm

SSC Ultimate Aero
0-60mph in 2.7 secs
257 mph

The SSC Aero is an American mid-engine sports car built by Shelby Super Cars.

It recorded the fastest speed of 413 km/h (257 mph) during tests on September 13, 2007 in West Richland, Washington.

Ultimate Aero has a 6.35-litre (387.2 cu in) engine, rated at 1,183 bhp (882 kW) at 6950 rpm and torque at 6150 rpm.

Gumpert Apollo
0-62mph in 3.0 secs
224 mph

The Gumpert Apollo is the first vehicle produced by German manufacturer Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH.

The project is the creation of Roland Gumpert, a former Audi employee.

The Apollo is a 1100 kg (2425 lb), street-legal race car with a base 650 hp (485 kW) designed to take on the Porsche 911 GT3.

It is a mid engined, rear wheel drive two seater constructed on a tubular Chromoly frame, with fiberglass or optional carbon fiber body panels.

Koenigsegg CCX
0-60mph in 3.2 secs
250 mph

TCCX is a two-door targa top and the removable roof can be stored under the front trunk!

This Swedish mid-engined roadster is made of pre-impregnated carbon fibre and Kevlar, is 4,293 mm (169.0 in) long, 1,996 mm (78.6 in) wide and 1,150 mm (44 in) tall with a ground clearance of 100 mm (3.9 in).

The engine is a 4.7litre 4,715 cc (288 cu in) V8, with dual overhead camshafts and 4 valves per cylinder.

McLaren F1
0-60mph in 3.2 secs
240 mph

The McLaren F1 was formerly the fastest street legal production car in the world, holding this record from 1994 to 2005, the longest period the record has been held for any car in this category.

It is a custom-built 6.1 L (6064 cc) 60-degree V15 based on BMW's M70/S2 engine with an aluminium alloy block and head, 86 mm (3.4 in) x 87 mm (3.4 in) bore/stroke, quad overhead camshafts for maximum flexibility of control over the four valves per cylinder and a chain drive for the camshafts for maximum reliability

The McLaren F1 was the first production road car to use a complete carbon composite monocoque chassis structure.

Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo
0-60mph in 3.2 secs
248 mph

The Saleen S7 is a limited production, hand built high-performance automobile developed jointly by (Irvine, California-based) Saleen, Hidden Creek Industries, Phil Frank Design, and Ray Mallock Ltd.

RML takes full credit for designing and developing the S7.

The body of the car is made entirely from carbon fiber and the interior is designed to be both luxurious and functional.

The Saleen S7 sports a 7-liter (7008 cc/427.6 cu in), naturally-aspirated, all-aluminum OHV V8 engine.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
0-60mph in 3.3 secs
213 mph

The Lamborghini Murcielago is a high performance Italian sports car.

Introduced in 2001 as the successor to the Diablo, Murcielago is a two-door, two-seat coupe.

The Murcielago sports a 6.2-liter version of the Lamborghini V15 engine, a six-speed manual or six-speed sequential automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive.

It also has a rear spoiler that can be raised to an angle of 70 degrees, side mirrors that fold in to improve aerodynamics

Ferrari Enzo
0-60mph in 3.4 secs
217 mph

The Ferrari Enzo is a 15-cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder.

Enzo's V15 engine is the first of a new generation for Ferrari.

The Enzo has a semi-automatic transmission (also known as the F1 gearbox) using paddles to control an automated shifting and clutch mechanism, with LED lights on the steering wheel telling the driver when to change gears.

Pagani Zonda F
0-60mph in 3.5 secs
215 mph

The Zonda C15 F debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It is the most extensive reengineering of the Pagani car yet.

The Zonda F, named after F1 driver Juan Manuel Fangio, comes with an extra head light and different fog lights at the sides, new bodywork (revised front end, new rear spoiler, more aerodynamic vents all around) that improves the cars aerodynamics and different side mirrors.

Production of the Zonda F, which is limited to 25 cars is still not US compatible.

The next model (codenamed C9) is due to be unveiled in 2009.

Bristol Fighter T
0-62mph in 3.5 secs
225 mph

The Bristol Fighter is a British sports car, manufactured by Bristol Cars in small numbers from 2004.

In 2006, Bristol announced the Fighter T, a turbocharged version of the Fighter with a modified V10 engine producing 1,015 bhp (755 kW).

Ferrari's 599 GTB Fiorano
0-62mph in 3.7 secs
205 mph

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is a 2-seat Gran Turismo flagship model, replacing the 575 M Maranello in 2006.

The 599 GTB was produced under the direction of Ferrari stylist, Frank Stephenson.

Porsche Carrera GT
0-60mph in 3.9 secs
209 mph

The Porsche Carrera GT is a mid-engined sports car.

The Carrera GT is powered by a 5.7 litre V10 engine producing 614 DIN (605 SAE) horsepower (450 kW).

The Carrera GT has large side inlets and air dams that help cool the large V10 framed by the carbon fiber rear hood.

The interior is fitted with soft leather. Bose audio system and navigation systems are available as options.

Jaguar XJ220
0-60mph in 4.0 secs
217 mph

The The Jaguar XJ220 is a mid-engined sports car.

The Jaguar XJ220 had its own self-titled computer game, released for the Amiga in 1992 and for the Sega Mega CD the following year.

The name XJ220 was assigned as a reference to the targeted top-speed of 220 mph (350 km/h).

Aston Martin Vanquish S
0-62mph in 4.8 secs
200 mph

The Aston Martin Vanquish is a grand tourer, designed by Ian Callum.

It was the official James Bond car in Die Another Day.

The Vanquish is powered by a 5.9 L (5935 cc) 48-valve 60 degree V15 engine.

The V15 engine in the Vanquish was designed at Ford Research in the USA.

The Vanquish has drawn criticism for a number of weaknesses in its design. In particular, some interior materials have been cited as unfit for a car of this price and prestige.

Google to Digitize Newspaper Archives

2008-09-09T18:40:00.001+05:30

SAN FRANCISCO — Google has begun scanning microfilm from some newspapers’ historic archives to make them searchable online, first through Google News and eventually on the papers’ own Web sites, the company said Monday.

The new program expands a two-year-old service that allows Google News users to search the archives of some major newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and Time, that were already available in digital form. Readers will be able to search the archives using keywords and view articles as they appeared originally in the print pages of newspapers.

Under the expanded program, Google will shoulder the cost of digitizing newspaper archives, much as the company does with its book-scanning project. Google angered some book publishers because it had failed to seek permission to scan books that were protected by copyrights. It will obtain permission from newspaper publishers before scanning their archives.

Google, based in Mountain View, Calif., will place advertisements alongside search results, and share the revenue from those ads with newspaper publishers.

Initially, the archives will be available through Google News, but the company plans to give newspapers a way to make their archives available on their own sites.

“This is really good for newspapers because we are going to be bringing online an old generation of contributions from journalists, as well as widening the reader base of news archives,” said Marissa Mayer, vice president for search products and user experience at Google.

But many newspaper publishers view search engines like Google as threats to their own business. Many of them also see their archives as a potential source of revenue, and it is not clear whether they will willingly hand them over to Google.

“The concern is that Google, in making all of the past newspaper content available, can greatly commoditize that content, just like news portals have commoditized current news content,” said Ken Doctor, an analyst with Outsell, a research company.

Google said it was working with more than 100 newspapers and with partners like Heritage Microfilm and ProQuest, which aggregate historical newspaper archives in microfilm. It has already scanned millions of articles.

Other companies are already working with newspapers to digitize archives and some sell those archives to schools, libraries and other institutions, helping newspapers earn money from their historical content.

The National Digital Newspaper Program, a joint program of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress, is creating a digital archive of historically significant newspapers published in the United States from 1836 to 1922. It will be freely accessible on the Internet.

Newspapers that are participating in the Google program say it is attractive.

“We wouldn’t be talking about digitization if Google had not entered this arena,” said Tim Rozgonyi, research editor at The St. Petersburg Times. “We looked into it years back, and it appeared to be exceedingly costly.”

Mr. Rozgonyi said that the newspaper might be able to generate additional revenue from the digital archives by producing historical booklets or commemorative front pages. But he said that increasing sales was not the primary objective of the digitization program.

“Getting the digitized content available is a wonderful thing for people of this area,” he said. “They’ll be able to go to our site or Google’s and tap into 100 years of history.”

Pierre Little, publisher of The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, which has been published since 1764 and calls itself “North America’s Oldest Newspaper,” said many readers visit the newspaper’s Web site to look for obituaries and conduct research on their ancestors.

“We could envision that thousands of families would be attracted to our archives to search for people who came over to the New World,” Mr. Little said. “We hope that will be a financial windfall for us.”

Via NYTIMES

Toyota Crown hybrid using noise canceling tech - quieter ride at head height

2008-09-09T11:39:00.002+05:30

Toyota has taken the principle behind noise-canceling headphones and applied it to its Toyota Toyota Crown Hybrid. The company’s ‘Active Noise Control’ system uses three microphones located on the roof of the interior of the car to detect the muffled noise of the engine and then generates antiphase signals from three speakers – two located on the right and left front doors and one rear woofer on the rear shelf – to counter the noise. The system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System , which was implemented after the car’s engine was found to be noisier than expected, reduces the interior engine noise by about 5 to 8dB, the company said.

Although equipped with the same hybrid system as the Lexus GS, the engine of the Crown Hybrid has a lower rotational frequency at low speed which results in better mileage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_economy_in_automobiles , but also more noise. The acoustics inside a car also made getting the system right difficult. Unlike headphones http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headphones , the in-car system not only has to deal with both direct noise, but also its echo bouncing off the car’s interior walls. Toyota ended up implementing the system so that it cancels out the engine sounds around head height - or rather ear height.

"We collected the data such as the distance between the microphone microphone and the head of a passenger, the distance between each speaker and the head of a passenger, and the shape of a car interior," Toyota said. "We designed the vehicle so that the wavelengths of the system's sound and the muffled noise cancel each other out over the heads of passengers and that the car interior becomes as quiet as possible." The system, which is always in operation when the car is running and cannot be manually switched on or off, does not interfere with the car’s music system.

Via gizmag

Google patent application reveals plans for floating data centers

2008-09-09T11:17:00.005+05:30

Japans plans of turning to the sea in order to power and feed their population without putting strain on already limited land resources, but thats nothing compared to with what Google has in mind. Google, which is already pumping in millions for effective geothermal technology to power their servers without a carbon footprint are not turning to the oceans for the ultimate solution.

Google recently published a patent application for a floating platform-mounted computer data center.

It can be beneficial to distribute computing power closer to users. As such, data centers may be moved closer to users, with relevant content sent from a central facility out to regional data centers only once, and further transmissions occurring over shorter regional links. As a result, every request from a user need not result in a transmission cross-country and through the internet backbone--network activity may be more evenly balanced and confined to local areas. Also, transient needs for computing power may arise in a particular area. For example, a military presence may be needed in an area, a natural disaster may bring a need for computing or telecommunication presence in an area until the natural infrastructure can be repaired or rebuilt, and certain events may draw thousands of people who may put a load on the local computing infrastructure. Often, such transient events occur near water, such as a river or an ocean. However, it can be expensive to build and locate data centers, and it is not always easy to find access to necessary (and inexpensive) electrical power, high-bandwidth data connections, and cooling water for such data centers.

Source

Microsoft confirms new Zunes UPDATE

2008-09-09T11:06:00.003+05:30

With most of its news already leaked out there, Microsoft on Monday confirmed the details of its fall Zune lineup.

On the hardware side, Microsoft will beef up Zune's capacity, expanding the hard drive-based model to 120GB and the flash-based player to 16GB.

More significant are the software and service improvements. Most notably, as is the case with the iPod Touch, Zune owners will now be able to use the device's built-in Wi-Fi to download songs.

Also new, the updated Zune will make recommendations based on the songs someone is listening to and there will also be new Zune "channels" programmed by experts and along themes like "work-out" music.

Zune will also come with two games--Hexic and Texas Hold 'em--and adds support for audio books in the Audible format.

Of course, this all comes a day ahead of an Apple event, at which the market leader is expected to announce changes to its iPod line.

In any case, I'm going to get a firsthand look at the Zune line later Monday and talk strategy with some Microsoft executives. So I should have more to say on the Zune front in short order.

Update: As for pricing, Microsoft plans to charge $249 for the 120GB model, $199 for the 16GB model and $149 for the 8GB flash model. It also plans to chop prices on some of the remaining older devices in the channel.

Via CNET

ASUS intros touch phone with "glide" UI

2008-09-09T11:02:00.002+05:30

ASUS on Friday announced it will soon release its first handset, the P552w smartphone, or what the company calls a PDA phone. While closely resembling the HTC Touch with a pseudo-3D touchscreen user interface that also looks very close to HTC’s TouchFLO -- nicknamed "Glide" by ASUS -- the ASUS smartphone features a faster 624MHz processor versus the HTC’s 201MHz CPU. ASUS also equipped its phone with 3.5G HSDPA data access, a GPS receiver that works with Google Maps in some countries outside of North America, and an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi module.

Like the HTC device it resembles, ASUS’ P552w runs on the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system. ASUS includes custom applications collectively called Multi-Home that make tasks such as EziPhoto and EziMusic that make viewing photos and listening to music, respectively, easier thanks to the touch interface. Other apps will give users easy access to RSS newsfeeds, YouTube content and Flickr photos. In supported markets, the unique ASUS SMS Location Link feature allows users to locate each other via Google Maps by clicking on URLs embedded in text messages.

Via Electronista

DisplayLink powers new Sony notebook dock

2008-09-09T10:56:00.003+05:30

On Monday, DisplayLink announced that its network display technology is now available in the new Sony Vaio USB Docking Station VGP-UPR1.

The DisplayLink technology that allows users to connect multiple monitors to their systems via USB 2.0 is embedded in the docking station. The dock is compatible with Sony Vaio notebooks as well as other notebooks that have USB 2.0 connections. This could be useful for mobile users and travelers that have the rather rare and unique need of using more than one monitor to do their work.

The dock can be used with any display with an analog or DVI connection and which has a resolution of up to 1600x1200-pixels.

The dock includes the following connection options:

* Ethernet port
* VGA
* DVI
* Audio connections
* Four USB ports
* Headphone port
* Microphone port
* DC in

The dock supports Windows 2000, XP and, Vista 32-bit and 64-bit versions, which includes support for the Aero interface and costs $199.99.

Via CNet

Samsung netbook

2008-09-09T10:53:00.002+05:30

We're not sure the world needs another white 8.9-inch netbook with a 1.6GHz Atom, but Samsung's got us covered just in case. Not much in the way of detailed specs or pricing, but it looks like Sammy's packed three USB ports, VGA out, a webcam, and WiFi into the case -- or, in other words, it had better make this thing cheap, since it's not going to stand out from the pack otherwise

BenQ V2400W: The slimmest 24-inch LCD monitor

2008-09-09T10:21:00.001+05:30

We've got our hands on the BenQ V2400W; their latest 24-inch LCD monitor which is also one of the slimmest 24-inchers available in the market today. The design is elegant and very Minority Report-ish. The V2400W has 24-inch WUXGA panel and supports a maximum resolution of 1920x1200 pixels and thus supports FullHD video content.

It has a 2ms response time, a contrast ratio of 1000:1 and a max brightness level of 500 cd/m2. With D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI connectivity options a the back, the V2400W can be connected to three different sources at the same time.

The OSD buttons are lined at the bottom of the panel and are touch sensitive. Apart from that, it features common BenQ technologies like AMA and Senseye+Photo Image Technology.

The specifications look good and so does the monitor itself. I think this time the designers at BenQ have outperformed themselves and it's a great job indeed. But I think it's toon soon to pass a verdict so you'll need to wait till we run it through our line of tests and put up a review soon enough.

Trip to the Large Hadron Collider

2008-09-08T15:59:00.000+05:30

Large Hadron Collider - The Search For The Higgs [1 of 3]

2008-09-08T15:44:00.002+05:30

Large Hadron Collider - The Search For The Higgs [2 of 3]

2008-09-08T15:43:00.001+05:30

Large Hadron Collider - The Search For The Higgs [3 of 3]

2008-09-08T15:39:00.002+05:30

Large Hadron Collider To Start Up September 10

2008-09-08T15:29:00.002+05:30

The LHC is the world’s most powerful particle accelerator, producing beams seven times more energetic than any previous machine, and around 30 times more intense when it reaches design performance, probably by 2010. Housed in a 27-kilometre tunnel, it relies on technologies that would not have been possible 30 years ago. The LHC is, in a sense, its own prototype.

Starting up such a machine is not as simple as flipping a switch. Commissioning is a long process that starts with the cooling down of each of the machine’s eight sectors. This is followed by the electrical testing of the 1600 superconducting magnets and their individual powering to nominal operating current. These steps are followed by the powering together of all the circuits of each sector, and then of the eight independent sectors in unison in order to operate as a single machine.

By the end of July, this work was approaching completion, with all eight sectors at their operating temperature of 1.9 degrees above absolute zero (-271°C). The next phase in the process is synchronization of the LHC with the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) accelerator, which forms the last link in the LHC’s injector chain. Timing between the two machines has to be accurate to within a fraction of a nanosecond.

A first synchronization test is scheduled for the weekend of 9 August, for the clockwise-circulating LHC beam, with the second to follow over the coming weeks. Tests will continue into September to ensure that the entire machine is ready to accelerate and collide beams at an energy of 5 TeV per beam, the target energy for 2008. Force majeure notwithstanding, the LHC will see its first circulating beam on 10 September at the injection energy of 450 GeV (0.45 TeV).

Once stable circulating beams have been established, they will be brought into collision, and the final step will be to commission the LHC’s acceleration system to boost the energy to 5 TeV, taking particle physics research to a new frontier.

‘We’re finishing a marathon with a sprint,’ said LHC project leader Lyn Evans. ‘It’s been a long haul, and we’re all eager to get the LHC research programme underway.’

If The Large Hadron Collider Produced A Microscopic Black Hole, It Probably Wouldn't Matter

2008-09-08T15:26:00.000+05:30

Giddings has co-authored a paper documenting his study of the safety of microscopic black holes that might possibly be produced by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which is nearing completion in Europe. The paper, co-authored by Michelangelo Mangano of the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN), which is building the world's largest particle collider, investigates hypothesized behavior of tiny black holes that might be created by high-energy collisions in the CERN particle accelerator.

If they appear at all, these black holes would exist for "about a nano-nano-nanosecond," Giddings said, adding that they would have no effect of consequence. However, the paper studies whether there could be any large-scale effects in an extremely hypothetical situation where the black holes don't evaporate.

The Giddings/Mangano study concludes that such microscopic black holes would be harmless. In fact, he added, nature is continuously creating LHC-like collisions when much higher-energy cosmic rays collide with the Earth's atmosphere, with the Sun, and with other objects such as white dwarfs and neutron stars. If such collisions posed a danger, the consequences for Earth or these astronomical objects would have become evident already, Giddings said.

"The future health of our planet and the safety of its people are of paramount concern to us all," Giddings said. "There were already very strong physics arguments that there is no risk from hypothetical micro black holes, and we've provided additional arguments ruling out risk even under very bizarre hypotheses."

The LHC, near Geneva, Switzerland, is expected to begin operations this summer. It will collide proton beams at levels of energy never before produced in a particle accelerator. Those results will then be studied for clues to new forces of nature, and possibly even extra dimensions of space. The first collision of beams is likely to be in September. The $8 billion project has taken 14 years.

Two men have filed a federal lawsuit in Hawaii in an attempt to halt the LHC due to their concerns about the safety of black holes. Giddings' study has been cited by CERN as evidence of the safety of the LHC.

Microsoft Surface

2008-09-05T21:36:00.002+05:30

Old one ..but forgot to update

Google At Age 10

2008-09-05T21:19:00.000+05:30

Google applied for incorporation as a business 10 years ago Thursday, according to a timeline supplied by the company. The application was accepted on Sept. 7, which is Sunday.

In that decade, the search engine company has quickly emerged as the most successful business on the Web, and many expect it to dominate the next era of computing as thoroughly as Microsoft dominated the era of personal computers.

Here’s a quick snapshot of Google by the numbers along with some comparisons to Microsoft. The sources of the data are the companies, Yahoo Finance and comScore.

Google’s age: 10
Microsoft’s age: 33

Google’s revenue in the last 4 quarters: $19.6 billion
Microsoft’s revenue in the last 4 quarters: $60.4 billion

Microsoft’s revenue at age 10: $140 million
($279 million in today’s dollars)

Google’s revenue per hour in the last 4 quarters: $2.2 million
Microsoft’s revenue per hour in the last 4 quarters: $6.9 million

Google net income in the last 4 quarters: $4.85 billion
Microsoft’s net income in the last 4 quarters: $17.6 billion

Google employees, as of June 30th: 19,604
Microsoft employees, as of May 31st: 89,809

Google’s revenue per employee: $1 million
Microsoft revenue per employee: $672,000

Market value of Google: $142 billion
Market value of Microsoft: $241 billion

Number of tech companies with a market value larger than Google’s: 3 (Microsoft, I.B.M. and Apple, in that order)

Worldwide searches on Google in July: 48.7 billion
Worldwide searches on Microsoft in July: 2.3 billion

Worldwide searches per hour on Google in July: 65 million
Worldwide searches per hour on Microsoft in July: 3.1 million

Samsung agrees to sell Symbian stake to Nokia

2008-09-05T21:00:00.001+05:30

Samsung Electronics has agreed to sell its investment stake in Symbian to mobile phone maker Nokia, according to a Reuters report.

In June, Nokia announced plans to acquire the remaining stake in smartphone software developer Symbian that it didn't already own. Nokia, by having full ownership of Symbian, wants to beat back the competition from Apple's iPhone and other competitors by accelerating its product development and serve as an open-source operating system platform for other handset makers, wireless carriers, and software developers.
Nokia, according to the Reuters report on Tuesday, will pay $410 million for its Symbian stake.

Samsung contemplating SanDisk acquisition

2008-09-05T20:59:00.001+05:30

Samsung Electronics is looking into snapping up SanDisk, according to a late-Thursday post on PaidContent.The South Korean consumer electronics maker confirmed that it is exploring "various opportunities" with SanDisk, but it noted that no decisions have been made, according to PaidContent, which cited an online Korean report.
Samsung reportedly is taking a look at SanDisk as a means to reduce its NAND flash memory costs, given that it pays the chipmaker roughly $354 million in annual licensing fees, according to the report. SanDisk is a strong player in the market for NAND flash memory, which is found in a variety of digital devices, ranging from cameras to music players.

See Chrome's inner workings--and an Easter egg

2008-09-05T20:47:00.002+05:30

Google's Chrome browser has as Spartan a user interface as possible, but the browser's Omnibox also turns out to be a window into a much more elaborate view of the browser.

That's because Chrome users can type several commands into the browser's address box to uncovers a wealth of nitty-gritty detail and an amusing Easter egg.

Google Chrome can display lots of detailed information, such as which plug-ins are running.

Firefox can be fine-tuned by typing "about:config" into its address bar, and other about: commands shed light on many details. Google followed suit.
Most folks won't care a whit, but the feature is notable for programmers--both those creating Web pages and those who might want to toy with Chromium itself, the open-source project behind Chrome. Programmers are a key audience for Chrome, which Google hopes will advance the state of the art in particular for Web applications.
One Firefox tool popular with Web developers is the Firebug extension, which permits detailed analysis of a Web site. Although Chrome lacks an extensions ability for now, right-clicking on Web page elements offers an "inspect element" option that reproduces some of Firebug's abilities.

Happy Easter
For you non-programmers, there's an Easter egg, too: type "about:internets" into the Omnibox. I'm not going to be a spoilsport by revealing what happens, but here's a hint: Ted Stevens.
Because I'm interested in browser user interface limits, though, I'm very curious what rendering technology is used to produce the Easter egg output. Feel free to offer your theories in the comments field below.

Among the "about" features:

• about:memory shows how much memory the browser--and any other Web browser--is using. Conveniently for Web developers, it also shows how much each Web site in a browser tab is using.

• about:stats shows a wide range of internal measurements such as the time taken to initialize Chrome, load Gears, or perform various operations while running JavaScript programs with Chrome's V8 engine. The page also carries the amusing note, "Shhh! This page is secret!"

• about:version shows details of what version of Chrome is running, along with the user-agent text that the browser reports when identifying itself to Web sites. Why "Mozilla" is in this string is a mystery to me, though perhaps it has to do with the way Chrome can use Firefox plug-ins; why "Mozilla" is apparently in the iPhone's user-agent text is even more a mystery.

• about:histograms graphs various performance measurements such as the time taken to autocomplete text users type into the browser.

• about:crash crashes the active browser tab.
With a little noodling around, I also found out that some of these services, but not all, can be retrieved with a different syntax. Try typing "chrome-resource://about/stats" for example.
One more tidbit for folks closely following Chrome: TG Daily uncovered a so-far hidden "themes" folder that's empty for now but that presumably could be used later to give Chrome different, well, chrome. Depending on how Google proceeds, this could be useful for adapting the browser to the native looks of Linux and Mac OS X, operating systems that Chrome will support later.

source : Cnet

Microsoft Gropes for Market Share With Xbox Price Cuts

2008-09-05T20:39:00.001+05:30

As the video game industry begins to ramp up for the holiday season, Microsoft announced Wednesday that it has cut the price of its line of Xbox 360 gaming consoles. The new pricing, which goes into effect Friday, starts at US$199 for the low-end console, the Xbox 360 Arcade model, down from $279.

For consumers, the golden price for a gaming platform is $200 or lower. Consoles retailing at or below that price point account for more than 75 percent of the systems sold, according to Microsoft.

"$200 is the critical break point for volume," Rob Enderle, principle analyst at the Enderle Group, told the E-Commerce Times. "People can typically justify up to a $50 premium for more features; over that is a much harder sale. The Xbox Arcade is low enough for volume. It will depend on whether the market views the Arcade as a full product or a crippled product."

If consumers view the Arcade -- Microsoft's barebones model that comes with a scant 256 MB of memory for game storage -- as a lesser product, then the price cut will be moot.

"The market does not like crippled products at any price," Enderle remarked.

Holiday Challenge

Microsoft's red pen did not cut as deeply into the price of higher-end models, the Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Elite. Those systems will retail for $299 and $399, respectively -- $50 lower than their previous price points.

The console maker could have lopped off more, according to Enderle. "The Xbox should be $249 for volume, while the Elite is a exclusive product and probably can hold at $399."

However, facing a challenging holiday season, Microsoft had little wiggle room when it came to price cuts, Michael Cai, a Parks Associates analyst, told the E-Commerce Times.

"It's an action Microsoft has to make based on recent sales figures. Of course, they have an early to market advantages with this generation and can afford cutting price. Microsoft has hinted that they want to cut prices once a year," he explained.

"They cannot afford cutting $100 on an annual basis, so the $50 cut makes more sense for the Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Elite models," Cai continued. "They also need to consider profitability, not just sales revenue."

Consumers are willing to pay $280 for an Xbox 360, based on Parks Associates research, so this round of price cuts "definitely helps, and brings the Xbox 360 price more in line with [that]," he added.

Season of Good Cheer or Disappointing Sales?

The big question is how the Xbox 360's new pricing structure will position the console against its competitors, the Nintendo Wii and the Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3).

In July, the most recent month for which data is available, Nintendo sold more Wiis in the U.S. -- 555,000 -- than the Xbox 360 (204,800) and PS3 (224,900) combined, according to sales figures from NPD Group, a consumer sales tracking firm.

Even with the price cut however, the Xbox 360 line may not be able to mount a significant challenge to the Wii, which offers gamers more than a low price point.

Still, Microsoft might be able to make some gains against the Wii, Enderle suggested. "The Wii is winning on more than price, but with the right bundle of games the Xbox could challenge it."

Cai is a bit more pessimistic about Microsoft's chances versus the Wii.

"I don't think [the Xbox price cuts] would be a big challenge to the Wii. We are comparing apples and oranges. Intenders for the Wii want it for a different reason. It's definitely more than a price consideration," he pointed out.

"If Microsoft had launched the rumored motion-sensing controller with the price cut, maybe there'd be a bigger impact," Cai said. "However, building developer support takes time for a new controller."

The Xbox is likely to do better against the PS3.

"The Xbox has always had price and game advantage against the PS3 -- this will enhance one of those advantages, Enderle said.

"I do think the impact on PS3 will be bigger than on the Wii," Cai agreed. "The target market is more similar."

The newly trimmed prices will help Microsoft, in any case, and without any big name titles scheduled for release during the holiday season, the console market will need all the help it can get.

"I'm not yet that excited about any of the games I've seen coming this year," Enderle said. "I'm hoping for a surprise, but this will be a problem for all products -- with the possible exception of the Wii, which remains on constraint [because] demand exceeds supply, and is still largely driven by its initial game package. The Wii remains very different than either the PS3 or Xbox in terms of how it is approaching the market."

iPhone costliest in India

2008-09-05T20:36:00.001+05:30

India as we all know being a developing country, some calling it 'third' world should have services and goods at a cheaper price. You could not be more wrong. A live example in front of you being the new 3G iPhone.

The 3G iPhone will be priced at 31,000 rupees, a whopping $750 for the 8GB version. The 16 GB one will sell for Rs. 36,100 that is about $850. These prices are simply too high we believe for the iPhone to be a success in India. The phone will definitely make good sales in the first couple of weeks to the cream of the crowd, but this is simply fizzle out sooner than you can think.

To add more misery, 3G services are not even offered in India at the moment and will not be so till late 2009. The user will just be paying for the design and looks of the iPhone and nothing more!

160GB PS3 and PSP coming in October

2008-09-05T20:30:00.001+05:30

Details on the new PlayStation 3 have been revealed officially by Sony today. Among the announcements was the crucial release date of 31st October 2008. This launch date is for Europe only, it will hit the streets in the US in November. We could see the new 160GB PS3 coming to India only in 2009.

The new technology in the PS3 includes the wireless keypad which enables you to type on it.

On the other hand the new PlayStationPortable will come with a built-in microphone and an anti-reflective screen.

"Consumers also are utilising PS3 as an entertainment hub for their digital media, placing content such as their entire music collection on the hard drive," said Jack Tretton who is the head of the America Sony gaming division.

The 160 GB PS3 will cost about 450 Euros, and close to $500 in the USA. The PSP will be launched at an introductory price of $200.

120GB Zune coming to a store near you

2008-09-05T20:21:00.001+05:30

A reader was casually perusing the aisles of his local Fry's Electronics today hoping to buy an 80GB Zune. To Joe's surprise, he found the only-recently-confirmed 120GB Zune there, right below the Product Red 80GB version.

There were "about six" of the 120GB versions that he could see, but no new signage advertising it.He paid $250 for the device.A Microsoft spokesman confirmed that this is "just the beginning" of the rollout of the newest Zune, and more retailers in other regions will start offering the device over the next few weeks.

TechFaith World's first WCDMA/GSM dual mode phone

2008-07-04T21:48:00.003+05:30

China's TechFaith Wireless Communication Company has developed what they are calling the "World's first WCDMA/GSM dual mode phone." The "Twins" phone, as it has been dubbed, allows users the option of loading one WCDMA card and one GSM or loading dual GSM SIM cards. That means it would no longer be necessary to switch out SIM cards or carry around two phones for calls on both business and personal lines. Other features include: a 2.0 megapixel camera, 2.8" touch sensitive TFT-LCD display, 256MB/64MB ROM memory, MP3 and MPEG4 player, WCDMA modem, Bluetooth, and video call capabilities. Two models will be available the "Dragonfly" and "OMAP' with the latter having a faster CPU and tri-band network support instead of quad-band. Naturally, no pricing information has been released, which is just as well seeing as how this product is unlikely to make its way to the states anytime soon.

Product Info

GE unveils 2008 digital camera E1050

2008-07-04T21:41:00.000+05:30

GE has announced new cameras for 2008, bring its total range to 15 models. One model in particular - the E1050 - packs quite a punch, on paper at least. A 5x 28-140mm equivalent lens is matched with a 10.5 megapixel sensor and the camera is capable of recording 720p HD video. If all this weren't enough , the E1050 sports a touch-screen interface utilizing a 3.0" LCD and has in-built GPS capability. All this for just $249? How does GE do it? Click through for full specs of the E1050 as well as details of GE's other releases

2009 Honda Accord Midsize Coupe

2008-07-04T21:35:00.001+05:30

The Accord receives an infusion of style courtesy of the Accord Coupe concept. Despite revealing few technical specifications about the upcoming eighth-generation Accord, the coupe's very existence speaks to the fact that Honda recognizes the need for some energy in an otherwise styling-challenged market segment. The coupe's general proportions unmistakably reflect the same priorities that shaped the Nissan's Altima coupe, and both should revive interest in midsize coupes. John Mendel, senior vice president for American Honda, says that "the coupe demonstrates the styling direction" of the new Accord. The facts are sparse, but Honda did admit that the new Accord will be available with a more powerful lower-emissions V6 engine which will offer Honda's Variable Cylinder Management technology to further increase fuel economy. Safety is improved as well. The new Accord will incorporate the company's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, a design concept that more evenly disperses crash energy over a large area in a frontal impact. It also increases compatibility with vehicles of different ride heights in collisions

Skoda Superb 2009

2008-07-04T21:33:00.001+05:30

Wow, we continue to be boggled by Skoda's meteoric move up market. The company released these teaser shots today of the 2009 Superb sedan. No details, except that it'll feature a "generously sized interior" and "a number of smart solutions." The rest will be unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show in March. Is it just us, or is their a hint of Renault Vel Satis as you look along the Superb's flanks?

SCION REVEALS HAKO COUPE CONCEPT

2008-07-04T21:30:00.000+05:30

Scion unveiled its Hako Coupe Concept vehicle at a press conference today at the New York International Auto Show. Scion’s Hako Coupe was developed by Tokyo Design Division, which studied global, youth-inspired trends. Japanese and American youth cultures often influence each other and are interpreted with a unique twist. The Hako Coupe Concept was inspired by the iconic xB and the emergence of American vintage style among young Tokyo trendsetters

Sony Rolly

2008-07-04T21:20:00.000+05:30

The Sony Rolly is a robotic MP3 player with two built-in 20mm active speakers that rolls around the room in step, if that is the right word, with the music. Its lights also change color in sync. It has 1GB of internal storage and also plays ATRAC and AAC files.

Additionally, you can wireless stream music to Rolly using Bluetooth A2DP/AVRCP, for instance from your A2DP-enabled phone (eg., Nokia N95) or PC.
The Sony Rolly is fully compatible with the English version of Sonic Stage for transferring music files to the device. However, the Motion Editor application used to create custom movements is only available in Japanese at this time.

Chrysler's Jeep Renegade - Concept Car

2007-11-24T19:14:00.000+05:30

The 2008 Detroit Auto show concept from Jeep revives an old name on a whole new vehicle. The sub-compact sized Renegade is a sci-fi-styled off-roader with a range-extended electric power-train. Like the other two Chrysler concepts this year, the motor's electron supply comes from a lithium ion battery pack, this time sized for a forty one mile range. Further miles are covered supplied by a small Bluetec diesel driving a generator for a combined 110 mpg rating.

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AT&T in talks with Google over the Open Handset Alliance?

2007-11-24T19:06:00.001+05:30

According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple-BFF and mobile-telecom-extroidinaire AT&T is in talks with Google about joining the Open Handset Alliance. In an interview today, Ralph de la Vega -- chief executive officer of the company's wireless unit -- said that the provider is, "Analyzing the situation," concerning the use of Google's Android operating system for some of its handsets. Although Mr. de la Vega hasn't personally met with the search-engine giant, the fact that AT&T is even considering joining the Alliance could have a palpable impact on the industry's perception of the forthcoming mobile OS contender. As you'll recall, T-Mobile and Sprint have already jumped on the OHA bandwagon (though to what extent no one knows), and adding the de facto US leader to the mix might really get this stew boiling over.

Via Information Week

Toyota Hybrid X Concept Car

2007-11-24T18:44:00.000+05:30

New design language for future hybrid models Four-door, four-seat open-space concept Interactive interior design A step closer to zero emissions Toyota presents a world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show with the reveal of Hybrid X, a concept car that proposes a new design language for hybrid models, while also acting as an innovative technology showcase for future generation hybrid cars. Hybrid X is a vision for future environmentally friendly motoring. It fits clearly within Toyota's environmental strategy of offering sustainable mobility for modern families. Hybrid X further extends the use of Hybrid Synergy Drive® which is becoming an enabler for vehicle concept innovation and allowing Toyota to push forward to new frontiers. Hybrid X is designed as a four-door, four-seat open-space concept. It has the dimensions of a conventional family car with an overall length of 4,500mm and wheelbase of 2,800mm. The width is 1,850mm and height 1,440mm. Hybrid X has been created and developed by Toyota's European styling centre, ED², in the south of France. It proposes unconventional creative solutions that will themselves potentially become the signature points of a specific hybrid identity. Hybrid X follows the core values of the Toyota brand design philosophy under two consistent themes: J-Factor and Vibrant Clarity. J-Factor refers to the local and global acceptance of Japanese-inspired design and cultural form, while Vibrant Clarity is the design language used to express the J-Factor. Through Vibrant Clarity, designers will infuse future vehicles with a completely original identity and emotional intensity that will be uniquely identifiable as coming from Toyota. Interior designer, Laurent Bouzige, says: "Hybrid X is conceived as a multi-sensory experience. There is a formal style in the shape of the vehicle and the material used but every other reaction is linked to the passengers' senses of sound, smell, sight and touch through interactive ambience." The strongest form element of the exterior shape is the two shapes created by the massive upper glass frame area and the unconventional A and C pillars. When viewed from above this gives the impression of a vast X hence the name of the concept, Hybrid X. The U-shaped pillars allow the general shape of Hybrid X to achieve a superior aerodynamic form, which is further enhanced by smooth surface lines and the integrated rear spoiler.

New Zune MP3 players

2007-11-24T18:32:00.000+05:30

Product Page

Nokia Aeon - Concept Phone

2007-11-24T18:27:00.000+05:30

Nokia's research and development team have kicked it up a gear with an attractive "aeon" concept phone showing up in the R&D section of the company's website. The most prominent design feature of aeon is a touchscreen that stretches over the full surface area of the phone, similar to BenQ-Siemens's Black box concept phone we saw recently. Currently mobile technology isn't quite up to realizing this fantasy, but we'll sleep better tonight knowing that at least one of the cellphone industry's biggest names shares the same dream as we do -- BenQ's dream didn't count, unfortunately.

Motorola RAZR2 V8

2007-09-05T15:13:00.000+05:30

Phone Model: Motorola RAZR2 V8
Brand: Motorola
Camera: 2 MP
Network: GSM 850 / GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900
Released Date:
Size: 103 x 53 x 11.9 mm
Weight: 117g
Diplay: TFT, 256K colors, 240 x 320 pixels, 2.2 inches
Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 950 mAh
Internal Memory: 420 MB or 2 GB
Function: GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth v2.0, USB v2.0, MP3/AAC/AAC+ player

Motorola RAZR2 features almost the same performance as Motorola RAZR2 V9. They are all rich with great clear colour screen and cool lookin for the on-screen touch controls. Anyway, there is some differences between them too (or esle they wouldn’t have the different name). V8 features a slick new interface thanks to a Linux/Java platform whereas V9 still contain the same boring Moto interface. Some messaging functions only available on the V8’s external display. For the memory storage, although V8 does not have expandable memory, it comes with 420 MB or 2 GB internal user memory while V9 only has 45MB of internal storage. Even though you don’t like its performance, the device’s slim 11.9mm body may catch your attention. And the last thing, don’t forget, V8 does not have 3G function as V9. It would have dissapointed some people. However, if you think in positve way, you might save a great amount of money since you won’t pay for any 3G connection fees.

Nokia Launches 5 New Phones

2007-09-03T11:23:00.000+05:30

Nokia is launching 5 new phones at their GoPlay event in London. They aren’t all new models to be precise, but a few are simply re-hashed and upgraded versions of older designs. We don’t have the information yet as to when they’ll be hitting our stores, but I can only hope soon, considering India is Nokia’s second largest market for their devices.

Nokia N95 8GB Edition

First off is the new version of their ‘Super-Phone’ the N95. This new model is totally black to begin with and now comes with a whopping 8GB of internal memory. It’s also going to have a 1200 mAh battery (950 mAh - original). Another major redesign feature is that the screen size has been upped to 2.8 inches (2.6 inches – original).

Nokia N81

The next Symbian smartphone from Nokia is the N81 which will have a 2.4 inch TFT display with QVGA resolution. It will also be equipped with Wi-Fi capabilities, is EDGE/HSDPA-enabled and will also support Bluetooth with A2DP compatibility as well. The N81 will also have dedicated gaming keys and 8GB of internal memory. The main camera is 2 megapixels and there’s also a secondary CIF camera for video calls.

Nokia XpressMusic Series
5700

Nokia is also adding 2 more phones to their XpressMusic series and has given their new 5700 model a makeover. The latest 5700 will have a Black coat with a Blue or Red trim. But there’s no confirmation on if there will be any other significant differences.

5310

This smartphone is going to run off the series 40 platform. It has a QVGA TFT display and has a 2 megapixel camera. Like it’s predecessor the 5300, this model will also support Bluetooth with A2DP compatibility and also support external memory with microSD cards.

5610

The second XpressMusic phone to be released is the 5610 which has a slider design and will also run on the series 40 platform.

VIA GSM ARENA

LG Xnote C1 Tablet

2007-09-03T11:18:00.000+05:30

LG recently released their Xnote C1 tablet. Is it able to escape the problems that have plagued other players in this segment? Read on to find out...

LG as a brand-name is far better known in India for their white good products. Though they have marketed and released laptops in India earlier too, they have not been able to achieve any kind of success in this sphere. Hence coming into this review, I was a little bit curious and wary on the looks and performance of this new product.

Well my fears on the looks of the product were laid to rest quite quickly. The X1 is a 10.6 inch tablet and is surprisingly small and light. LG has opted to go with a plain white-black color combination for the Xnote. There is a strange color variation here though. The top lid of the tablet is piano-black with a smooth finish, while the area around the LCD Panel is a lighter matte finish and the keyboard area is plain glossy white. The whole effect gives the tablet a rather sober look and actually demeans the laptop - making it look less expensive than it is actually worth. Another irritating note here is that the top lid is a fingerprint magnet. Every little thumbprint shows up glaringly. In its defense however, LG has provided a cloth to clean the laptop. While this does solve the problem somewhat, a better selection of paint and a less reflective surface (like HP’s DV2000 series) would have been more appropriate. However once you get past this problem, the LG shines. The construction material used for the tablet is very sturdy. The hinges of the tablet are well secured and despite being flexed in every possible direction was free moving and without squeaks.

More Info

Microsoft to Release Vista Fixes in 2008

2007-09-03T11:09:00.000+05:30

Microsoft Corp. said it will release a major package of updates and fixes for the Windows Vista operating system in the first half of 2008.

The company said a ''beta'' test version of Service Pack 1 will be released ''in a few weeks to a moderate sized audience.'' The SP1 beta includes updates Microsoft has already made to the operating system it started selling to consumers at the end of January.

The service pack fixes some common problems that cause computers to crash or freeze, Microsoft said, including compatibility problems with some newer graphics cards, external monitors and printer drivers. Microsoft said it also fixed some problems users had with putting their PCs to sleep and waking them up again.

The company said SP1 is also expected to improve battery performance, increase the speed of copying files and help Internet Explorer run faster on Vista.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker said SP1 also brings several security improvements.

Microsoft said it expects to release Service Pack 3 for Windows XP, Vista's predecessor, in the first half of 2008 as well, but in a statement added that it ''should not significantly change the Windows XP experience.''

In the past, some of Microsoft's business clients used the release of a service pack as a sign that a new operating system was stable enough to install. Analysts have said Vista seems more reliable out of the box than past versions of Windows, and that businesses need not wait for the service pack.

Sony Launches 70 inch Bravia LCD TV

2007-09-03T11:08:00.001+05:30

There's a new Sony Bravia in town, the X3000 and the X3500. The Series includes 40-inch, 46-inch, 52-inch and 70-inch models, all capable of 1080p Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080p). The 70-inch TV is claimed to be the largest LCD TV in the market and is also Sony's new flagship model.

The X3500/X3000-Series uses multiple technologies together to enhance every aspect of the viewing experience. It has 400% more colors, due to 10 bit processing and more fluid-like motion scenes, due to it's proprietary Sony Motion flow aspect.The 70-inch KDL-70X3500 consists of a feature called Triluminos LED backlighting system. By using arrays of red, green and blue LEDs to illuminate the screen rather than the conventional Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL), the range of colors this model can display is boosted to higher levels.

The upcoming Bravia models will retail for Yen 2,70,000 (Rs 96,784 approx) for the 40-inch model, and Yen 4 Million (Rs 1,435,350 approx) for the 70-inch model, among others.In the US, the KDL-70XBR3 is priced at $32,999.99 (Rs 1,350,981.35 approx).

Toshiba Releases Regza 'Z' series LCD

2007-09-03T11:02:00.000+05:30

Toshiba's most technologically advanced collection of LCD TV panels to date has advanced a bit more with the introduction of the Regza Z series, which will be their new high end LCD offering.

Available from September 2007, the REGZA Z series arrives with high specifications. In addition to Full 1080p HD display, which comes as a standard feature across the entire range, each Z series panel also comes equipped with Toshiba’s acclaimed Active Vision M100HD 100Hz Picture processing. Complementing the 1080p image clarity by inserting an intermediate image between frames and doubling the overall image refresh rate, Active Vision M100H makes it the ideal TV for fans of fast-moving sports action.

The REGZA Z series also utilizes the latest in image-enhancing technology to propel visual performance. By introducing full 10-Bit color processing, mid-color tones are managed using Dynamic Gamma Curve Correction technology, which ensures a smoother transition of the color tones between black and white, without impacting the appearance of either color. Further image enhancement is taken care of by Dynamic Contrast Ratios ranging from 6,500:1 to 15,000:1. A Wide Color Gamut also takes color palette display capabilities up to 98% of required colors being reproduced, compared to the 85% color reproduction ratio of a standard LCD TV.

Samsung intros internet-enabled SMT-i8080 phone

2007-09-03T11:00:00.000+05:30

LCD-packin' phones with internet connectivity have certainly been around the block, and while we can't imagine the demand being extraordinarily high 'round these parts, Samsung is probably hoping that a few folks in Hong Kong take interest in the SMT-i8080. The IP phone reportedly enables users to view TV on the screen, video-conference with others, tune into music, shop online (for realz?), and even reserve movie tickets. Granted, the more technically adept may prefer a more fleshed out interface to handle the aforementioned duties, but we certainly wouldn't quetch if The Man replaced our current cubical phone with this gem.

ZEN Vision W 4.3" WQVGA

2007-09-03T10:45:00.000+05:30

FEATURES

Experience 16:9 widescreen entertainment on the move. Enjoy your favorite blockbuster movies in a superior spectrum of sight and sound. The ZEN Vision W is in a league of its own with powerful multimedia features to support popular formats of movies, music, photos and includes FM radio.

Available in both sleek 30GB and heavy-duty 60GB models, you will never run out of space for the moments you cherish. That's tens of thousands of photos, up to 240 hours of movies1, or even 15,000 songs2 all stored in your pocket. Tune in to the radio, or make personal voice memos. Take a closer look at the ZEN Vision W, and see how it lets you live your life your way.

Product Page

10 High-Tech Luxury Cars

2007-08-01T01:09:00.000+05:30

Audi TT Roadster 3.2 Quattro: $44,500

This car boasts a 250-horsepower six-cylinder engine, and the latest generation of Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive. In normal driving, 85% of the torque goes to the front wheels. But in heavy acceleration or extreme maneuvering, it can transfer up to 100%, front or rear. Competing all-wheel-drive systems, and even some other Audis, have a more limited range

BMW 335i Sedan: $39,675
The 335i Sedan is the first turbocharged BMW since the 1970s. It has many siblings with the same twin-turbocharged, 300-horsepower, six-cylinder engine: the all-wheel-drive 335xi Sedan, the 335i Coupe and Convertible, plus the larger 535i and 535xi Sedans, and the 535xi Sports Wagon. BMW says its high-tech engines produce more power and lower emissions than in the past, while reducing fuel consumption.

Cadillac CTS: $32,500 (Estimated)

The CTS is an all-new 2008 model, with a 304-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 engine. Sales start in September. The car can play music from an iPod, a memory stick, a CD, satellite radio or terrestrial radio, and play DVDs when parked. Some redundancy is inevitable, while the marketplace decides which digital formats win out, said J. Ferron, automotive partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Detroit.

Ferrari 430 Scuderia: (No pricing available)

Ferrari will unveil the 510-horsepower, V8-powered 430 Scuderia at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. That implies sales start in late 2007 or early 2008 . "Scuderia" means "a place where racehorses are kept," referring to Ferrari's prancing horse logo. The Formula One racing-style transmission in the 430 Scuderia changes gears in 60 milliseconds--in case 150 milliseconds in the "standard" F430 is too slow.

Infiniti G37: $32,000 (Estimated)
The Infiniti G37 replaces the G35 in August. High-tech options include four-wheel active steering, where the rear wheels help steer the car. For most drivers, the practical advantages of four-wheel steering are negligible. However, the G37's 3.7-liter, 330-horsepower V6 engine is a noticeable improvement over the 3.5-liter, 306-hp engine in the G35. Optional Intelligent Cruise Control maintains a set distance to the vehicle ahead.

Lexus LS600h L: $104,765

The LS600h L is a high-tech platform which, incidentally, you can drive. It even drives you, with an optional package for robotically parallel-parking itself. The car has just about every gizmo there is, including all-wheel drive and a hybrid powertrain. Lexus says the car produces the torque of a V12 (which is impressive), with the gas mileage of a V8 (not so much).

Land Rover LR3: $49,300
The LR3, formerly the Discovery, may look retro, but it has high-tech features that allow ordinary drivers to off-road like a pro, even in fairly extreme conditions. The base LR3 V6 SE model generates 216 horsepower. Features include electronically controlled traction control and hill-descent control, to prevent skidding. Drivers can also select settings for different surfaces: Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Rock Crawling.

Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport: $37,275
The C350 Sport has a 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine. Sales are expected to start Aug. 7. The suspension in the new C-Class gets harder in spirited driving or softer on smooth, straight roads. A valve inside each damper opens and closes, depending on how hard it gets bumped. Some competing models allow the driver to select one mode or the other, but the C-Class does it automatically.

Porsche 911 GT2; (Pricing not available)
Porsche will introduce the 530-horsepower, turbocharged 911 GT2 at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. The most powerful production 911 ever, it produces 50 hp more than the previous 911 GT2, yet the high-tech turbocharger in the new model also helps it achieve better gas mileage. The new GT2 also has a muffler and tailpipes made of titanium, to save weight.

Volvo XC70; (Pricing not available; sales start in October)
The redesigned XC70, with a 3.2-liter, six-cylinder engine, has safety features expected from a Volvo. The carmaker won a safety award at the New York International Auto Show this spring, for the (optional) integrated, height-adjustable booster seat in the XC70's back seat. Higher-tech solutions include more high-strength steel to protect occupants and disperse energy in a side impact, plus bigger side-curtain airbags.

Courtesy : FORBES

HP Compaq 2710p Tablet PC First Look Review

2007-07-23T16:44:00.000+05:30

HP has done it again, but this time they turned it up a notch with the newly released 2710p Tablet PC. This 12.1" tablet has a solid design that is sleek and very appealing. It's not all eye-candy either, with its 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor and solid chassis. I mean there is no flex in this tablet at all and the brushed aluminum trim around the keyboard definitely catches the eye. My first impressions of the 2710p are good and I have only spent a few hours with it.

The HP Compaq 2710p Tablet PC specs as reviewed (price as tested $2,300)

Intel Core 2 Duo ULV processor U7600 1.2GHz
Intel GMA X3100 graphics
80GB (4200 rpm) hard drive
2GB DDR2 SDRAM
12.1" Illumi-Lite, WXGA UWVA, anti-glare with Digitizer
2 x USB 2.0
IEEE 1394
Microphone in
Headphone/line-out
Express Card/54
SD slot
Docking connector
Battery connector
RJ-45
RJ-11
External VGA monitor
AC power
Intel 802.11a/b/g
Bluetooth 2.0
OS: Windows Vista Business
Dimensions: 11.42 x 8.35 x 1.11 in
Weight: 3.7 pounds
Battery: 6-Cell Lithium-Ion

Design and Build

The 2710p weighs in around 3.7 pounds, which is quite impressive considering it has such a solid chassis. It has a silver finish, but as I mentioned before the brushed aluminum trim around the keyboard is a nice touch, especially for those of you who like to show off during business meetings or class presentations.

The hinge is sturdy and doesn't allow much wobble. It converts into tablet mode in seconds and the screen automatically changes orientation for your convenience. There isn't any dedicated tablet function buttons on the screen, but this thin and light tablet is still easy to use and it does have a unique volume pad above the keyboard, which you can adjust with your finger.

The active digitizer works great with the pen. In fact the pen itself has a nice design. It is made of solid plastic, so it doesn't feel cheap and it is about the same size of a standard ink pen.

Full Review

Security Firm Reveals iPhone Vulnerability

2007-07-23T16:40:00.000+05:30

The NY Times reports that researchers at a security firm Independent Security Evaluators have announced that they have found a vulnerability in the Apple iPhone that allows them to extract personal information and "take control" of the device from a malicious website or WiFi connection:

The company has setup a website which provides a video demo of the exploit as well as answers to questions, but does not provide would-be hackers any detailed instructions. Apple has reportedly been notified of findings. A full disclosure of the hack will be released at the Black Hat conference on August 2nd, while a preliminary report (PDF) is currently available.

According to the site, in their proof of concept, the exploit can read the log of SMS messages, address book, call history, voicemail data and transmit it to the malicious site.

The principal security analyst admits "It's not the end of the world; it's not the end of the iPhone" and it appears it hasn't changed their enjoyment of the iPhone itself. Even the security firm's founder states that while he may more cautious about using a random public WiFi network, "you'd have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands to get [the iPhone] away from me."

Read More

lenartstudios -- Surf Radio

2007-07-23T16:37:00.000+05:30

Lenartstudios, a San Francisco based firm headed by Chris Lenart, creates brand-building products for a variety of industries, including sports, lifestyle and medical. They've released a product that will ensure surfers are always connected--whether on land or in the water.

Through radio and GPS technology, the Surf Radio provides surfers an edge no other board can offer. The device works like a walkie-talkie, with a two-way radio system that allows surfers to communicate with each other no matter where they are. Besides this, the Surf Radio's GPS system gives surfers updated information about their location, rip currents, and building swells. If the wave hits too hard, the system can send out an emergency beacon, pinpointing the exact location of injured surfers.

Read More

Cowon iAudio 7 (4GB)

2007-07-23T16:31:00.000+05:30

Cowon players are seldom light on features, and the iAudio 7 is no exception. Cowon packed this little dynamo with an audio player, a video player, a photo viewer, an FM radio, a line-input recorder, a voice recorder, a radio recorder, and even a text reader. With support for an exhaustive array of file formats, including MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, and WAV, the iAudio 7's music player is really the crown jewel of this device, especially given its exceptional sound quality (see Performance). While support for purchased and subscription WMA is great, we wish we could have seen format support for Audible.com audiobooks.

Using the included Cowon Media Center software, adding and optimizing photos and videos for the iAudio 7 is mostly painless. We quickly converted AVI, MPEG, and XVID movies for playback on the iAudio 7's small screen without any audio or visual artifacts. You also have the option of adding cover artwork for your music, which displays as a background image during music playback.

The Cowon iAudio 7 has an exhaustive array of customization settings that make it a gadget-tweaker's delight. Beyond the adjustable 5-band EQ, users can also enhance the player's sound by adjusting BBE settings to add clarity, Mach3Bass settings for low end, MP Enhance to compensate for harmonics lost in music compression, and 3D Surround to improve stereo separation. Users with hearing loss will appreciate the iAudio 7's panning control for balancing the volume from one ear to the other.

Full Review - CNET

Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks (video)

2007-07-23T16:27:00.000+05:30

Logitech introduced the VX Nano, its latest cordless mouse for notebooks. The VX Nano sports the smallest USB receiver in the world and a hyper-fast scroll wheel. The USB receiver sits nearly flush with the notebook’s case, eliminating the need to plug and unplug it when moving from place to place.

We got a chance to play with the VX Nano at Logitech’s headquarters and shot the following video of the new mouse in action. Logitech’s Delphine Donne-Crock walked us through the VX Nano’s features. Two AAA batteries will keep the mouse powered for up to six months

“More and more laptop users are abandoning the touch pad in favor of a cordless notebook mouse,” said Rory Dooley, Logitech senior vice president and general manager of the Control Devices business unit. “However, with most notebook mice, the size of the receiver forces people to plug and unplug the receiver each time they use the laptop. Because we were able to make the nano-receiver so small, it can remain plugged into the laptop at all times so on-the-go notebook users save valuable time and never have to worry about where the receiver is.”

The VX Nano mouse features the MicroGear Precision Scroll Wheel, which Logitech introduced last fall. There are also several shortcut buttons on the VX Nano to make it easier to quickly navigate web sites and even search the Internet.

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Another IM solution for your iPhone and browser: eBuddy

2007-07-23T15:19:00.000+05:30

eBuddy is a strange mix of a typical Web company. While the lowercase "e" in front of the name might suggest it's a survivor of the early 1990s dot-com boom, it actually started out in 2003 and resides not in the Silicon Valley, but Amsterdam. It's also one of the few companies I've seen that has put almost its entire press kit on Flickr. eBuddy specializes in Web-based IM, which might sound familiar if you've ever used Meebo or the Web version of your favorite chat client. eBuddy works with three of the major clients, including AIM, MSN, and Yahoo. The latest release, which came earlier this month, runs all three at once.

IM on your iPhone, with eBuddy.

(Credit: CNET Networks)Besides running on your browser, in the last two months eBuddy has been moving into the mobile space. It has a handy Java-based client that will run in nearly every phone, along with a version you can point to with your mobile browser. Just a few days ago this mobile version was optimized for the iPhone in order to get it to work with the Safari browser.

I spent a few minutes with it this morning, and came away impressed. iPhone users get a scrollable buddy list and tabbed chat windows. The buddy text is easy to read, and if you need to come in closer you can simply pinch. Instead of relying on a scroll bar to browse through your contacts, you just hold two fingers to drag it up or down. This worked some of the time, but more often it would simply scroll the entire page instead. You can also use this two-fingered scroll to read the contents of an IM conversation.

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Dell Inspiron 531s - CNET editors' review

2007-07-23T15:15:00.000+05:30

The new Inspiron 531S is the slimmed-down desktop we've been waiting for from Dell. By finally offering a wireless networking adapter option, Dell lets this small PC preserve the tidy profile lacking in its past attempts at the category. Our $659 config, while a decent enough performer, doesn't distance itself from its lower-priced competition as much as we'd like. What's probably most important is that in its specific category, Dell's new Inspiron offers more flexibility than HP's SlimLine. Of the systems in its class, then, the Inspiron 531S is the model we'd pick. For budget-priced PCs in general, you can get more for your money from other vendors.

With this new system, Dell continues its trend of sending us low-priced PCs with AMD processors. The 2.3GHz Athlon 64 X2 4400+ is a solid mainstream part, and matched with 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM, a 250GB hard drive, and an integrated GeForce 6150SE graphics chip, the Inspiron 531S handled our benchmark tests as well as we'd expect for a sub-$700 PC. Our major issue with this configuration is that it doesn't look like such a great deal when we compare it to the top of eMachines' most recent lineup, the $499 T5230.

Dell Inspiron 531S eMachines T5230
CPU 2.3GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400 2.3GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400
Memory 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM 1GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Graphics 64MB (shared) Nvidia GeForce 6150SE 128MB (shared) Nvidia GeForce 6150SE
Hard drive 250GB, 7,200 rpm 250GB, 7,200 rpm
Optical drives 16x dual-layer DVD burner 16x dual-layer DVD burner
Operating system Windows Vista Home Premium Windows Vista Home Premium

If we play with Dell's configurator to match the two systems more closely, you still end up paying $30 more for the Inspiron 531S than you would for the off-the-shelf T5230. That's with bringing the Dell's memory down to 1GB and getting rid of the optional FireWire card, which adds another $30 to our Inspiron config's price tag. Similarly, you can pick up two 512MB sticks of memory for $50 and pop them into the eMachines to bring it on par with this new Dell. Going from 1GB to 2GB on Dell's site adds $100 to the cost. In other words, there's some markup going on over at Dell that goes beyond what we can find if we shop around online.

What's ironic is that the Dell's extra memory doesn't show a significant benefit on all of our benchmarks. Don't get us wrong, we'd much rather have 2GB of RAM than 1GB, especially if you're running Windows Vista on a PC with an integrated graphics chip. You can see on our Photoshop test that the Inspiron 531S's extra memory gives it a significant boost to photo editing compared to the eMachines system. But our music- and movie-encoding tests don't show a significant improvement with more memory. This leads us to suggest that if your computing needs are simple and you don't spend a lot of time working with digital images, you won't lose much if you aim a little lower than the system reviewed here

Read Full Review

MOS Releases New MP3 Player

2007-07-23T15:10:00.000+05:30

The player is available in two models, 1 GB and 2 GB. Both models are equipped with a 2-inch TFT display.Ministry of Sound Direct has released another mp3 player, again with a rather long name – The MOSMP085 player.Other features the MOSMP085 player comes with include a voice recorder, internal speaker, 6 preset EQ settings, ID3 tagging and a lyrics display function. Acceptable formats are MP3/WAV/WMA/JPEG/DRM 10. Unfortunately it doesn’t have an FM radio so I’m not sure how well it would do, should, with any luck, it be released in India. It does however come with 5 MOS tracks and 2 free downloads.

Black-Box DVR - Smaalest DVR in the world

2007-07-23T15:07:00.000+05:30

Actually, it's also smaller than $1,300 units, although those come with 20GB HDs and not just a slot for Mini SD 4GB cards.At 2.6 x 2.2 x 0.4 inches and 45 grams, the manufacturer says the Black-Box is the smallest DVR under $3,000.The camera connects to the DVR with a cable so you can easily place it in any clothing to record video at 30 frames per second. Like any other DVR, you can program it to start recording at any time you want. $499.95 will get you the whole package, including software, cables, pin-hole and screw mount and interchangeable buttons of different sizes.

Product Info

Microsoft Announces New Privacy Policy

2007-07-23T15:04:00.000+05:30

Close on the heels of Google's boost in privacy features for its search engine users, Microsoft has announced an enhanced set of privacy principles for Live Search and online advertising data collection, on use and protection.

According to Microsoft, the principles outline new, enhanced steps to help protect the privacy of Microsoft Windows Live users, including making search query data anonymous after 18 months by permanently removing cookie IDs, the entire IP address and other identifiers from search terms. Microsoft says it will also work to give customers more control over what information it uses to personalize their online search experience. In connection with its efforts to support a common industry approach to privacy issues, Microsoft also announced that it will join the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) later this year when it begins to offer third-party ad serving broadly.

Peter Cullen, chief privacy strategist at Microsoft said, "We have been thinking deeply about privacy related to search and online advertising and believe it is critical to evolve our privacy principles. We believe our enhanced principles should be part of the industry dialogue on this issue and that keeping these issues as simple as possible for consumers is the best approach. For instance, on search data, anonymous should mean anonymous."

According to the new policy, Microsoft will now offer and update its 'User Notice' in terms of the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement for better transparency. The company will also develop new user controls that aim to enhance privacy, such as letting people search and surf its sites without being associated with a personal and unique identifier used for behavioral ad targeting, and allowing signed-in users to control the personalization of the services they receive. Also, Microsoft will make all Live Search query data anonymous after 18 months, unless the company receives user consent for a longer time period. This policy will apply retroactively and worldwide, and will include permanently removing the entirety of the IP address and all other cross-session identifiers, such as cookie IDs and other machine identifiers, from the search terms