Google Phone Announcement Today

Is it a phone, is it a software? Rumor mills have been running over-time, whipping up plausible answers to this million dollar question.

And today is supposedly d-day when Google will lift the shroud of secrecy enveloping its Google Phone project.

Google last cleared the air when it said that the Google Phone is not going to be a phone to compete with the likes of Apple Computer's iPhone; rather a software to rival Microsoft.

The latest story is that the Google Phone will be made by a carrier (s) who will bring to market a mobile device with the Google operating system (OS) on it. The Google Phone will likely be available by mid next year. And US-based Verizon Wireless is tipped to be the chosen carrier for launching the device powered by Google's OS.

Turns out, unlike Apple or Microsoft, Google's approach is to make an open platform for the handset, which can take to third party applications running on it. Meaning, handset makers will be first given the Google software, and subsequently, developers will design applications for the Google Phone.

While some sort of official announcement is expected today, Google's Director of Mobile Platforms, and one of Google Phone's primary architects, Andy Rubin, is said to be busy overseeing dozens of software engineers working 'at the Google Phone' at the company's sprawling Silicon Valley campus.

All said, in an age where cell phones are increasingly turning into mobile PCs, Google's software (standard) might just give it the kind of edge (in the smart phones market) which say a Microsoft enjoys courtesy its Windows OS.

Nokia N81 and N81 8GB Shipping

Multimedia computers, Nokia N81 and Nokia N81 8GB are now available globally. The phones come with dedicated music and gaming keys, and more memory for more storing and playing.

Bringing a new user interface (UI) to the Nokia Nseries is the 3D Multimedia Menu introduced in these devices. The menu makes it easier to discover and enjoy digital content as well as the Internet, and share experiences with others. The N81 and the N81 8GB also offer millions of music tracks through the Nokia Music Store. With their integrated Nokia Music Players, creating play lists and managing music collections on the move is a breeze. Compatible, high quality headphones or speakers can be used along with the standard 3.5mm headphone connector for enhanced sound quality. Besides, the devices afford a preview of the N-Gage games service, which includes playable demos of EA Sports FIFA 07, Asphalt 3: Street Rules, and Space Impact Light. When N-Gage actually launches later this year, the full application will be available for download on these devices. The Nokia N81 is shipping for about 360 Euros/$512/Rs 20,300 before subsidies or taxes, while the Nokia N81 8GB is available for around 430 Euros/$612/Rs 24,300 before subsidies or taxes.

Hitachi announces first 4TB desktop drives .

Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, the hard drive arm of the Japanese conglomerate, announced on Monday that they have developed the world's smallest read-head technology for hard disk drives (HDD), in a move that would strengthen its position in the drive market.
Called current perpendicular-to-the-plane giant magnetoresistive (CPP-GMR) heads, Hitachi's new technology is expected to quadruple current storage capacity limits to four terabytes (TB) on a desktop hard drive and one terabyte on a notebook hard drive.
Currently, the top-of-the-line desktop drives come with 1TB storage capacity, which can hold text of approximately 1 million books, 333,000 digital images, 250 hours of high-definition movies, and 1,000 hours of standard-definition video or 250,000 MP3 songs.
Headquartered in San Jose, California-Hitachi GST said its researchers have successfully reduced a key component in hard drives to a nanoscale that would allow the company to continue to increase the density of drives.
Researchers have shrunken the existing recording heads by more than a factor of two to achieve new heads in the 30-nanometer to 50-nanometer range, which is about 2,000 times smaller than the width of an average human hair that ranges from 70 microns to 100 microns.
The two companies said they have co-developed high-output technology and noise-reduction technology for the CPP-GMR head. In order to increase the signal output from the head, they have used a high electron-spin-scattering magnetic film material in the CPP-GMR layer, and also developed a new technology for damage-free fine patterning and noise suppression.
Consequently, the signal-to-noise ratio, a significant factor in determining the performance of a head, was extremely perked up. Heads with track widths of 30 nm to 50 nm have the S/N ratios of 30 decibels (dB) and 40 dB, respectively.
“Hitachi continues to invest in deep research for the advancement of hard disk drives as we believe there is no other technology capable of providing the hard drive’s high-capacity, low-cost value for the foreseeable future,” said Hiroaki Odawara, Research Director, Storage Technology Research Center, Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd.
“This is an achievement for consumers as much as it is for Hitachi. It allows Hitachi to fuel the growth of the ‘Terabyte Era’ of storage, which we started, and gives consumers virtually limitless ability for storing their digital content.”
Fifty nanometer track heads will hit the market in 2009, while 30 nm tracks are expected to hit in 2011. Hitachi was due to present the advance in developing next-generation recording heads for hard disk drives at the Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Conference on Monday (Oct.15) in Tokyo.
In January, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies announced the launch of industry's first terabyte (TB) hard drive for desktops, intended to deliver superior performance, reliability and capacity as well.
Demonstrated at 2007 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the 1-Tbyte Deskstar 7K1000 drive uses perpendicular magnetic recording technology to enhance storage capacity and has SATA 2.0Gbps and PATA-133 interfaces plus "ramp load" design to make the drive more power-efficient, Hitachi has said earlier.
With ultra-high storage capacity, the 3.5in, 7200 RPM Parallel-ATA/Serial-ATA hard drive boosts consumers’ ability to store video, photos, music and other valued data to new heights, the company said.
Multi-Terabyte drives from the world’s leading hard-disk drive maker Hitachi come at the time when the people around the world have been connecting digitally. Consumers have entered an era where they can capture everything on digital still or video, and can save those content to listen or share in future. For this purpose, they need ultra large capacity drives and 4TB drives meet such requirements.

Microsoft Enters Local Search Market With 'Live Search 411'

Microsoft thinks it has the 411 when it comes to challenging rivals Google and Yahoo in the lucrative market for local Internet searches and related services.

Completing the latest round in an ongoing revamp of its online services, the software maker on Tuesday unveiled Live Search 411 -- a combined voice and Web offering that allows users to locate local businesses or other points of interest through the telephone, PC, or mobile Web browser.

Phone users can call a toll-free number from any type of phone to find and get automatically connected to businesses within a given area code.

For PC or browser-enabled mobile users, an interactive feature overlays relevant information onto maps generated by local Web searches, including weather data and real-time traffic conditions that the service uses to create the best driving route to a destination.

"Microsoft is building on several years of innovation in imagery and 3-D visualization" to deliver the new services, said Satya Nadella, corporate VP of the Search & Advertising Platform Group at Microsoft, in a statement.

Microsoft developed Live Search 411 in partnership with Tellme Networks, which Microsoft acquired earlier this year for an estimated $800 million to $1 billion with an eye to stepping up its presence in the voice-enabled devices market.

Last month, Microsoft rolled out several enhancements to its core Live Search portal, including updates designed to improve results for queries related to entertainment, shopping and health care.
The efforts are all part of Microsoft's plan to increase revenues from online services such as search advertising. But the company has a long way to go.
According to market watcher comScore, Google held 56.5% of the search market as of August, Yahoo held second place with 23.3%, while Microsoft was a distant third with just 11.3% of all search traffic generated by businesses, home users and educational institutions.

Nokia Announces Global Shipment of N95 8 GB Multimedia Computer

Nokia has announced the worldwide shipment of the Nokia N95 8GB multimedia computer. The Nokia N95 8 GB is the memory-packed big brother of the Nokia N95 multimedia computer.

"Our Nokia Nseries family has expanded with added pizzazz and performance with the Nokia N95 8 GB, a device as personal as it is powerful," said Jonas Geust, vice president, Multimedia, at Nokia. "We've reached a pinnacle with the Nokia N95 and now with the addition of one of the largest ever displays, built-in Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) and improved battery power, the Nokia N95 8 GB takes entertainment enjoyment to another level."

Boasting up to 8 GB of built-in memory, the Nokia N95 8 GB has all the key features of its predecessor, including a 5 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics, built-in A-GPS, WLAN, HSDPA and a two-way slide. The sleek black N95 8 GB also features a luminous 2.8" (240 x 320 pixel) QVGA display, so watching videos, browsing the Internet or viewing maps is a pleasure. With its expanded memory, the N95 8 GB offers up to 20 hours of video or up to 6000 songs.

Nokia said entertaining oneself has taken on a whole new meaning with this multimedia computer, optimized for enjoying videos, playing games, or even locating favorite destinations with A-GPS.

The device's DVD-like quality video capture and control allows film fanatics to create their own movies and share their creations and favorite movies with others by using the easy 'transfer to PC functions', allowing uploads to their social networking profiles and other online sites.

The Nokia N95 8 GB supports services like Nokia Music Store and N-Gage Games. Users can access millions of music tracks from the Nokia Music Store or get a sneak-peak at N-Gage gaming, live later this year. Users can test out games like FIFA 2007 and Asphalt 3: Street Rules. Once N-Gage goes live, they will be able to try games for free before deciding on buying.

With A-GPS, Nokia N95 8 GB users can whiz to their locations on Nokia Maps faster and enjoy maps for over 150 countries.

Explore the world, find specific routes or locate services such as restaurants and hotels, covering more than 15 million points of interest. Users also have the option of buying additional features, such as city guides and voice guided navigation.

The N95 8 GB multimedia computer has an estimated retail price of EUR 560 before taxes or subsidies.To celebrate the launch of the N95 8 GB, Nokia has teamed up with Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) to offer a Nokia N95 8 GB, which comes pre-loaded with the full-length Spider-Man 3 feature film in Europe and selected countries in Middle East and Africa region.

"The Nokia N95 8 GB opens up a wealth of exciting options for film fans as they can now watch world-class movies like Spider-Man 3 whenever they want, wherever they want. Pre-loading a film with such fantastic special effects truly shows off the device's advanced capabilities. With its ground-breaking features, users can now fully appreciate the meaning of entertainment on-the-go," said Ilkka Raiskinen, Senior Vice President, Multimedia Experiences, Nokia.

The movie comes in ten languages and subtitle combinations. The Nokia N95 8 GB also includes a unique Spider-Man 3 message and ring tone, wallpaper and screen saver, specially crafted for the new device. Spider-Man 3 games, ring tone and additional video clips will also be available via the Download! Catalog in selected countries/

Nokia said it selected Spider-Man 3 to show off the full capabilities of the device due to overwhelming demand from Nokia Nseries users. When asked which film Nokia Nseries users wanted to watch on their device, Spider-Man 3 was voted the 'most wanted movie'.

Now See TV on BSNL GSM Handsets

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has announced its 'TV in mobile handset' service in some parts of the country. Which means: GSM customers of BSNL will be able to watch as many as 12 television channels on their mobile handsets. These include: NDTV, Aaj Tak, Times Now, CNBC, ETV, TV9, Zoom, and Bindaas. By the year end, a total of 32 channels is expected to be brought under the 'TV in mobile handset' net.
Currently, the service is available on select Nokia handsets; to be extended later to Sony Ericssson and Motorola handsets. Apalya Technologies, whom BSNL has entered into a partnership with, will provide content (TV signals) made available on BSNL GSM handsets. To view TV content on their handsets, BSNL GSM customers will have to visit mimobi.tv via their phones. For the next 30 days, the service is free-of-charge, and is available (presently) in the Eastern and North Eastern regions of India.

Asus Announces P525 PDA Phone

Asus India has introduced its P525 quad-band PDA phone, which is designed to deliver a complete mobile business solution. The P525 comes with a built-in numeric keypad, and incorporates push email and Wi-Fi support, among other features.

The PDA phone leverages push email functions to deliver real-time synchronization with email, phone books, and calendar items.

With built-in Wi-Fi and GPRS support, the phone provides wireless online connection even when wireless hotspots are not available. Along with Skype-in and Skype-out functions and Bluetooth wireless technology, plus support for Office applications like Excel and PowerPoint, the P525 delivers what Asus claims is 'a truly mobile office'.

The phone's 2 mega pixels digital camera with auto-focus doubles as a business card recognition device, making organizing business cards a breeze.

The numeric pad makes for easy input, while users who prefer using a stylus can use the 2.8-inches touch-screen display. One hand menu navigation is facilitated via the five-way joystick. For saving sensitive information securely, the phone comes with a unique feature, 'MySecret'.

Specifications of the P525 include: 416MHz Intel processor; quad band GSM 850/900/1800/1900, GPRS; 128MB Flash ROM and 64MB SDRAM; 2.8-inches TFT display (240 x 320 pixels, 65,000); 1300 mAh Li-ion battery; 3.5hrs of talk time; 150 to 200hrs of standby time; 2 mega pixels camera with auto-focus and flash light; WLAN 802.11b, Bluetooth version 2.0, USB 1.1; miniSD card slot; and stereo headset with 2.5mm audio jack. The P525 is available through India Digital Life Style Distributors for Rs 21,550.

Sony plan 160GB PS3?

Following the news last week that Sony are to offer a 60GB PS3 value pack at a price of £349 and a new 40GB entry level PS3 model at £299, QJ.net believe that a 160GB unit is being developed for the Japanese market. The news has apparently been leaked from Sony Computer Entertainment International's Japan offices, where a spec list has appeared online revealing new model: CECHG06. "The PS3 160gb will have a slightly upgraded Wi-Fi and Bluetooth receiver. Also the PS3 will be available in both Black and Silver, come with an unamed Blu-Ray movie, demos and trailers packed onto the HDD and a voucher for 2 PSN titles for the first number of customers," said an anonymous source. "At the moment the unit is only confirmed for release in Japan. A date has not been fully specified but is expected after November".

Rumoured specs

* Code: CECHG06 (SPECIFICATION)

*Sony PlayStation 3

* 160GB 2.5 SATA 5400rpm HDD

* CELL Broadband Engine (65nm process) @ 3.2ghz

* PPU x1, SPE x8* RSX GPU (65nm process) @ 550mhz

* Blu-ray Optical Disc Drive @ 2x

* Memory Card Reader- Memory Stick Duo, Compact Flash, Secure Digital

* 6x USB 2.0 ports* 2x HDMI 1.3 ports

* 3x Gigabit ethernet ports

* DUALSHOCK 3 controller

The announcement of two new PS3 packs so soon after the launch of Sony's console has annoyed some of the early PS3 adopters.But, in an interview with Games Industry.biz, UK managing director Ray Maguire shrugged off any user complaints. "As products evolve the offerings change because they have to adapt to the needs of the consumers but I don't think it's been particularly confusing in six months to go from stand alone, to a bundled proposition into a low price entry level model."

A&G Grapher 5.72

Plot and customize any 2D or 3D equation.

Function Graph! Graphing equations never been easier...
Graphing equations has never been any easier! This function grapher is as easy to use as typing down the desired equation (e.g. y=sinx+x2) and clicking on the Draw button to graph the equation. 3D graphing can be achieved by simply introducing a "z" variable in the equation. You can customize the axis by specifying the number of divisions, number of units in each division, color, thickness and more.
Advanced function graph software for graphing equations ...
Graph equations of any complexity! The advanced function calculator included in the graphing software can handle any equation. Most function graphers such as TI 83 graphing calculator put limitations on the format of the equations to be drawn. For example they can only plot equations that begin with y= or z=. A&G Grapher however can handle any combination of x y z variables. Therefore equations can be as simple as y=sin(x) or as complex as y+xy = sin(x).
Graph equation and use the available tools...
In addition to graphing equations, there are several tools included in this advanced function grapher for analyzing and modifying the plotted graphs. These tools can be used for rotation, matrix manipulation, computation of area under the curve, plotting slopes and tracing graphs. Graphs can be printed, or saved as BMB picture files or copied and pasted in your word

document. * Graph equations with unlimited complexity: o 2D example: y+xy = sinx o 3D graphing example: x+z=siny-cosz * Quick tools for zooming in and out and changing axis center * Customizable graph axis, resolution, color, rendering * Modifier tools such as Matrix transformation and rotation * Analyzer tools such as tracing, area under the curve calculation, slope calculation, x-y-z value table * Print and Preview tools * Ability to save equations as Rich Text Format (*.rtf) files * Ability to save graphs as Bitmap (*.bmb) files * Ability to copy graphs and paste them in other applications

In order to plot the graph of an equation follow these simple steps:

(1) Type the equation in the equation box As soon as you start

typing a new equation, a check mark will automatically appear in the corresponding selection box. If you want to prevent an equation from being graphed, then simply uncheck the selection box.

For multiplication, you ncan omit the multiplication sign (*). For example instead of 2*x you can simply type 2x. Other examples include 2(x), 2(x+y) and 2xy.

If you want to raise an expression to a power of some number or expression (e.g. x2), use the key. The equation editor will automatically shift the power part of the expression up. Press the Enter key to return to the base line.

When typing functions such as sin() or cos(), you only need to type the first letter and the editor will automatically fill-in the rest. The following table summarized the functions that are supported:

Functions = Short keys

sin=s

cos=c

tan=t

asin (arcsine) = as

acos (arccosine) = ac

atan (arctangent) = at

abs (absolute value) = ab

log = l

e (constant e) = e

(2) Click on Draw button You can also press the shot-keys Ctrl+Enter to draw the equations. Other short-keys include Ctrl+'+' to zoom-in or Ctrl+'-' to zoom-out or Ctrl+'X' to reset the axis center.

DOWNLOAD

Photobie 4.2

Photobie is a free image editing software with multiplayer support. Photobie includes many embedded filters and supports many Photoshop filter (.8bf) plug-ins. Photobie featured with advanced screen capture tools; It can create/edit high quality gif animation with/without transparency. Photobie is full feature packed, which enables you to create eye-catching images and animations. Image directory browser feature allows you to open as many image directories and browse them in a simple fast way, and it also provides batch resize/rotate tools. Photobie can generate high quality PDF file. Photobie integrates most useful features which are essential for you to finish daily photo editing work within one environment.

Edit photos, capture screenshots, and create animations.

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Kingston Launches DataTraveler 101

Kingston Technology has announced availability of its DataTraveler 101 (DT 101) USB flash drive. The DT 101, featuring a swivel cap, comes in 3 color designs, and makes it easier storing and transferring large files from one digital device to another, sans passwords or built-in software programs.

The USB flash drive is fully compliant with high-speed USB 2.0 specifications, which makes transfer of files and documents faster and more convenient. Available in capacities of 1GB and 2GB, the DT 101 comes with a fully guaranteed 5-year warranty.

The prices are as follows:

DT101R/1GBIN (1GB, Dark Red) for Rs 549

DT101P/1GBIN (1GB, Purple) for Rs 549

DT101B/1GBIN (1GB, Navy Blue) for Rs 549

DT101R/2GBIN (2GB, Dark Red) for Rs 859

DT101P/2GBIN (2GB, Purple) for Rs 859

DT101B/2GBIN (2GB, Navy Blue) for Rs 859

Samsung Metal Series Mobile Phones Revealed in India

H. C. Ryu, Managing Director, Samsung Telecommunications India said, “India is a very critical market for Samsung and the launch of World’s slimmest slider Metal phone is a testimony to our commitment to meet the growing aspirations of consumers for sleek, aesthetically designed phones that accentuate their personality without compromising on premium multimedia capabilities.”
He further added, “The Metal Series range completely embodies everything that Indian consumers are seeking in a mobile in terms of unique metallic design and flawless performance, making it an instant attraction to business users, fashion conscious consumers and multimedia enthusiasts.”
Samsung claims that the SGH E840 is the world’s slimmest slide-up metallic phone in the world. The phone is equipped with full mirror LCD, hidden touch keypad and 2.22” wide TFT LCD screen. Besides the elegant look, the phone is incorporated with high end multimedia features such as 2 mega pixel camera, FM Radio, MP3 player, Mobile printing, document viewer and 70 MB internal memory with expandable microSD T flash external memory (upto 2GB).
The SGH D900i is as slim as 12.9mm and has stylish metal lining body. This phone also offers multimedia features like 3 mega pixel camera with dynamic user interfaces, vivid 262K color screen, Bluetooth stereo headset and FM Radio and new camera UI. Furthermore, the SGH D900i features enhanced battery life and speedy shutter.
Besides the metal body, the Samsung SGH D840 incorporates 2 Megapixel camera, MP3 player with integrated dual speaker, multi-format music player for listening music on your Bluetooth stereo headsets wirelessly along with 80 MB of internal memory and external microSD memory.
Samsung has not disclosed any information about the pricing and availability .

Think smart, surf safe, use Spyware Terminator

Spyware Terminator includes Real-Time Protection, HIPS, and antivirus. Effectively remove spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, home page hijackers, and malware threats even dangerous threats like Look2Me, BetterInternet, VX2, and CWS. Spyware Terminator is easy-to-use, requires minimal PC resources, and performs ultra fast scans. Protect your computer with powerful real-time protection shield, advanced system scanning and safe quarantine for found spyware. Scan your computer manually or schedule full system sweeps. Perform in-depth scans of your computer's hard drives, memory, process, registry and cookies to seek out and remove all known spyware threats. Includes optional Web Security Guard which displays website reviews and threat level to help identify potentially dangerous Web sites. Version 2 adds immunization feature, advanced cookie and favorites scan, imrpoves user interface, and adds scan history.

Spyware Terminator Features

* Fast Spyware Scan

You can use a fast, full or customized scan to detect spyware on your computer. When the scan is finished, you can view a report that includes detailed information about the state of your system.

* Effective Spyware Removal

Spyware Terminator effectively removes threats with the Spyware Terminator driver. It also removes blocked files when the operating system boots and allows users to move potentially harmful software to quarantine.

* Powerful Functions

Computer Restoration restores your computer state to a previous set time. The File Analysis utility allows you to send an unknown file to our Spyware Central for deep analysis. With the Locked File Removal tool you can remove files that are locked by an application and that can not be removed by using standard methods.

* Real-time Protection

Real-time Protection constantly guards your system and ensures that spyware programs can be intercepted and disabled before they are installed, helping to prevent potential security breaches before a spyware program can run.

* Multilanguage Support

We are striving to make Spyware Terminator accessible for non-English speaking users. Currently, we offer Spyware Terminator in English, Italian, Czech, Portuguese, Serbian, Spanish, French, German, Polish, Korean, Turkish, Swedish and Hungarian.

* Update

Spyware Terminator automatically checks for and downloads new updates, keeping the spyware database and program files current. We continuously analyze new threats and extend our anti-spyware database daily so that you can effectively protect your computer.

PANASONIC KX-WP1050 WI-FI SKYPE PHONE

KX-WP1050 combines voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and wireless LAN technologies, enabling voice calls to be made over the Internet via SKYPE and a Wi-Fi network connection. If your a travel warrior and want to call home (or even the office) cheaply and securely from ANYWHERE then this is for you.The KX-WPA102 travel router is included with world power adapters, the travel router plugs into an RJ45 jack and features 802.11b/g and Ethernet connectivity. Typically KX-WPA102 router can also be plugged into a hotel or office network giving the user a wireless Wi-Fi "Hot Spot" connection for their laptop and the ability to use the Wi-Fi phone simultaneously. Thin and elegant (just 0.62" thick) 1050 is also light (100g) and easy to hold. The 730mAh Lithium-ion battery can provide up to 72-hour standby time, 3-hour talk time, and can be charged with the included travel router, or from a USB connection on a PC. A 2.5mmnheadset socket completes the specification .

Handset
Free Skype-to-Skype calls
SkypeIn calls and SkypeOut calls (charged)
Skype voice mail (charged)
Calls history
Interface: IEEE 802.11b/g
Display: 1.8" LCD 65K colours
Dimensions: 5.6" x 1.78" x 0.79"
Weight: 100 g (0.22 lbs.)
2.5mm Headset socket
KX-WPA102 Router
Interface: two 10Base-T/100Base-TX
Ethernet RJ-45 jacks (WAN/LAN);
IEEE 802.11b; IEEE 802.11b/g
Wireless data transfer security: SSID;
WEP (64/128 bit); WPAPSK (TKIP; AES);
WPA2-PSK (TKIP; AES); Broadcast SSID;
MAC address filter
Dimensions: 33x148x51 mm
Weight: 150 g (0.33 lbs.)
Multi adapters included
Worldwide power supply included

Microsoft Introduces a Trio of New Mice and a Pair of Webcams

Microsoft announces new mice and webcamsToday Microsoft has announced a pair of new LifeCam webcams and a trio of new mice aimed at notebook users. The new webcams include the LifeCam VX-7000, which is intended for desktop use with its universal attachment base.The design of the clamp allows the camera to sit closer to the display for a more integrated look. The VX-7000 has a 2.0 megapixel sensor that allows it to shoot high quality video and uses an all glass element lens.The camera can also shoot still images at 7.6-megapixels interpolated and uses a 71-degree wide-angle lens. The VX-7000 also automatically adjusts for low-light conditions and will retail for $99.95 in September. Microsoft also announced the LifeCam NX-3000, which is for mobile use with notebook computers. The NX-3000 has a max resolution of 640 x 480 and can shoot still images at 1.3-megapixels. The lens swivels to allow notebook users to adjust the camera for ideal shooting conditions. Microsoft also included video effects for video calls and included a carry case. The NX-3000 will be available in September as well for $59.95.
The trio of new mice Microsoft announced starts with the Mobile Memory Mouse 8000. Microsoft is billing the mouse as the industry’s first notebook mouse to include 1GB of flash-based storage. The flash memory is inside the USB wireless transceiver. The mouse uses a magnetic recharging cable that connects to the end of the USB adapter and to the mouse allowing for charging without the need for a dock.
The 8000 gives you the option of using the wireless adapter or with the flip of a switch, turning the mouse into a Bluetooth device for use sans USB adapter on notebooks equipped with internal Bluetooth. The mobile Memory Mouse 8000 will be available in October 2007 for $99.95.
Other new mice from Microsoft include the Wireless Notebook Mouse 7000 and Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000. Both these mice will retail for $49.99 each with the 5000 available in October and the 7000 available in September. The 7000 uses 2.4GHz wireless technology, connects via a USB adapter to your PC, and has built-in Vista shortcuts. The 5000 is a Bluetooth mouse requiring no transceiver for use with notebooks that have Bluetooth built-in. The last desktop mouse announced by Microsoft was the SideWinder Gaming Mouse.

Sony Develops Bio-Battery.

Sony Develops "Bio Battery" Generating Electricity from Sugar - Achieves world's highest power output for passive-type bio batteries -
Sony announced the development of a bio battery1 that generates electricity from carbohydrates (sugar) utilizing enzymes as its catalyst, through the application of power generation principles found in living organisms.

Test cells of this bio battery have achieved power output of 50 mW, currently the world's highest level2 for passive-type3 bio batteries. The output of these test cells is sufficient to power music play back on a memory-type Walkman.
4 prototype bio battery units (left) connected to Walkman for playback
In order to realize the world's highest power output, Sony developed a system of breaking down sugar to generate electricity that involves efficiently immobilizing enzymes and the mediator (electronic conduction materials) while retaining the activity of the enzymes at the anode. Sony also developed a new cathode structure which efficiently supplies oxygen to the electrode while ensuring that the appropriate water content is maintained. Optimizing the electrolyte for these two technologies has enabled these power output levels to be reached.

Sugar is a naturally occurring energy source produced by plants through photosynthesis. It is therefore regenerative, and can be found in most areas of the earth, underlining the potential for sugar-based bio batteries as an ecologically-friendly energy device of the future.

Sony will continue its development of immobilization systems, electrode composition and other technologies in order to further enhance power output and durability, with the aim of realizing practical applications for these bio batteries in the future.

The research results presented here have been accepted as an academic paper at the 234th American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition in Boston, MA USA, and were announced at 11 am local time on August 22, 2007.

The Bio battery mechanism.

The newly developed bio battery incorporates an anode consisting of sugar digesting-engymes and mediator ,and cathode comprising,oxyzen reducing engymes and mediator,either side of the cellophane separator.The anode extracts electrons and hydrogen ions from the sugar through enzymatic oxidation as follows.

Glucose-->Gluconoloctone+2H⁺+2e^-.

The hydrogen ion migrates to the cathode through the separator.once at the cathode the hydrogen and the electrons absorb oxyzen from the air tp produce water.

(1/2)O₂ + 2H⁺ + 2e^- -->H₂O.

Through this process of electrochemical reaction,the electrons pass through the outer circuite to generate electricity.

Sony bravia

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Sony VGN-TXN15P/B

The featherlight Sony VGN-TXN15P/B supports broadband and lasts a long time on one battery charge. Roving professionals who need to write short notes and answer e-mail in the field might enjoy this 2.9-pound unit with a built-in DVD drive and a gorgeous little LED-backlit screen. But mainstream users will find its snail-like performance and cramped keyboard a compromise.
The VGN-TXN15P/B is impressively feature-rich for a laptop that measures 10.7 by 7.7 by 1.2 inches (width by depth by height). It includes the standard connections--such as network and modem jacks, a monitor port, two USB ports, and a PC Card slot--plus welcome extras, such as a fingerprint reader and a FireWire port. Our test unit's instant-on AV button saved time and battery life by bypassing the Windows Vista Business operating system, allowing us to view thumbnails of photos on a Memory Stick or SD Card or to play a CD or DVD. For the latter activity, however, you'll need headphones, as the stereo speakers are shrill.
Icons are tiny on the 11.1-inch WXGA screen, but text and graphics are bright and easy to read and see, thanks to an antireflective coating. A combination keystroke lowers and raises screen brightness; unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to disable the annoying high-pitched beep that sounded each time I used it.
The VGN-TXN15P/B offers excellent battery life but slow speed. Our test unit's 7800-mAh battery lasted a little over 6.5 hours on one charge in our battery performance tests. Its 1.2-GHz Core Solo U1400 processor combined with 1GB of DDR2-400 SDRAM produced a relatively low WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 32. (That score, however, matched the mark of a Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 equipped with the same processor.) The VGN-TXN15P/B seemed zippy enough to handle e-mail, word processing, and surfing the Internet, but not much more.
A couple of design problems also prevent a wholehearted recommendation. The keyboard is very small, with Chiclets-size keys that are flat and slippery. My petite hands partially covered the touchpad, repositioning the cursor repeatedly as a result. The VGN-TXN15P/B might have the world's tiniest optical drive eject button, too: It's so small, I had to use my fingernail or the end of a pencil to press it.
While you might be able to overcome these annoyances with practice, the VGN-TXN15P/B should not be your first choice if you need to do heavy-duty word processing. For anyone looking for a no-wires, all-day-battery laptop, though, the freedom this $2300 unit (as of 6/6/07) offers is attractive.Technorati Profile

MOTORAZR2

Motorola's much anticipated Motorazr2, even sleeker than it's predecessor, is set to make it's US debut. The Razr2 series sports a new level of sophistication, functions, and features packed into a sleek stainless steel frame.
The phone features a larger internal screen for full HTML Web browsing, and a 2-inch external screen with on-screen buttons that enable viewing of media, listening to music, and messaging, without having to flip the phone open. The buttons vibrate giving users touch feedback using 'haptic' key technology. According to Stu Reed, executive vice president for Motorola, "With smart features like blazing-fast 3G wireless broadband and modern style that is slimmer and stronger than the original, the Motorola Razr2 is the ultimate iconic feature phone." Additionally, the phone integrates Motorola CrystalTalk for better voice quality, a 2-megapixel camera, up to 2GB of on-board memory, real-time point-to-point video, and ultra-fast menu navigation. With built-in stereo Bluetooth, Razr2 allows users enjoy a wire-free music experience, paired with lightweight Rokr S9 Bluetooth stereo headphones.

The Razr2 series includes the Motorazr V9 (3G HSDPA), the V9m (3G EVDO CDMA), and the V8 (GSM). Razr2 will be available in the US from Alltel, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, US Cellular, and Verizon Wireless, within a fortnight. The Sprint version will come with a price tag of $250 (Rs 10,173) along with a two-year contract, while the AT&T version will cost $300 (Rs 12,208).

FoxyTunes 2.9.6

Do you listen to Music while surfing the Web? FoxyTunes lets you control almost any media player and find lyrics, covers, videos, bios and much more with a click right from your browser.

FoxyTunes is an Extension for Mozilla Firefox that supports the Mozilla Suite and Mozilla Thunderbird. It allows you to control your favorite media player without leaving the browser. The controls are positioned on the status bar or one of the toolbars, so no extra space is wasted. FoxyTunes has several nice features. You can control the playback, adjust the volume, and see what's playing. Many more features are in development, among them advanced music-related searches. Version 2.9.6 adds support for VLC Media Player as well as Signature for Thunderbird.

Basic features

* Tiny, unobtrusive and customizable

* Multiplatform - works on MS Windows, Linux and Mac OS X

* Supports more than 30 media players, will support more players in future versions

* Also supports Mozilla Thunderbird, SeaMonkey and Flock

* Position anywhere in the browser - on the status bar or on one of the toolbars

* Volume controls

* Seek Slider

* Configurable keyboard shortcuts

* Currently playing track information

* Customizable and collapsible

* Auto-hide

* Skinnable and localizable.

* Automatically launch your player when needed

* Pop up and hide the player window with a click

* Correctly shows track information encoded in any language, supports Unicode

* Alarm Clock and Sleep Timer

* No third-party controller applications and plugins - everything is done efficiently by the FoxyTunes extension Advanced features

* Built-in Signatunes - music signatures for email, blog and forums

* Automatically finds and displays album covers

* Music Web searches - lyrics, images, info, video and much more

* FoxyTunes Mini desktop widget with its own tabbed mini browser

* Shows recently played song history

* Stream podcasts directly from the Web to your media player

* Subscribe to podcasts (only with supporting players)

* Stream media files (mp3's, m3u's etc.) directly from the Web to your media player .

* Optional extra - TwittyTunes - post your currently playing songs to Twitter with a click .

If you love music but hate jumping from Firefox to music player and back whenever you want to adjust your tunes, FoxyTunes is the plug-in for you. FoxyTunes gives you control of your favorite music player from within Firefox, so there's no more switching windows to skip that Barry Manilow ditty you forgot to delete. The interface is easy to use and is highly customizable. When opened, it shows a navigation array with buttons for Play, Pause, Mute, Next Track, Last Track, Volume, and the useful Show Player, which unhides your music player. There's also a Hide Player button, as well as a music Search tool, keyboard shortcuts, skins, and a mini player that places the app controls on your desktop. Supported players include iTunes, Winamp, RealPlayer, XMPlay and Last.fm, as well as nearly two dozen others and a "custom player" option. The lyric and album art searches have been expanded with FoxyTunes' new music portal, which provides feeds from Google, YouTube, Amazon.com, Last.fm, Wikipedia, and several online radio stations to make music discovery easier. FoxyTunes' strengths are in the depth of available features plus the level of customization. Weaknesses? Only that you'll wish all Firefox add-ons were this good.

Lenovo Thinkpad

The Lenovo ThinkPad T60 series is the first ThinkPad to be released with the new Intel Core Duo processor. The ThinkPad T-series can be thought of as the flagship of the ThinkPad brand, it's squarely targeted towards business users and professionals. Durability, security, usability and performance are all important characteristics of the ThinkPad T-series. The T60 carries on these traditions with a jump in performance from the most recent T43 and some changes to configuration options available and the port and keyboard layout

An important thing to note regarding the ThinkPad T60 is the fact it comes in two flavors: a 14" screen variety and 15" screen variety. The 14" type offers lighter weight and longer battery life at the expense of a smaller screen. The 15" type T60 offers higher end performance configurations and also the option of a FlexView screen, but at the cost of a higher weight and less power life per battery cell. Under review here is a high end configuration of the T60 15" variety. Following are the specs.

Specs of the ThinkPad T60 Being Reviewed:
Model #: 2623-D3U
Processor: Intel T2500 2.0GHz Core Duo
Motherboard Chipset: Intel Calistoga i945GM/PM
Hard Drive: 100GB 5400RPM SATA (Hitachi Travelstar HTS541010G9SA00)
Memory/RAM: 1GB (1,024MB) (configurable up to 4GB)
Screen: 15.0" 1400 x 1050 SXGA+ (LG Philips LP150E05 - A2)
Graphics: ATI X1400 128MB
Optical Drive: Multi-Burner DVD recordable
Battery: 9-cell (extended life, protrudes from back of notebook)
Wireless: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG (802.11 a/b/g), Bluetooth 2.0, InfraRed
User Input: Touchpad, Pointing Stick, UltraNav buttons, Fingerpring Scanner
Warranty: 3-years parts and labor, 1-year battery
Dimensions: 14.1" screen config: 12.2" x 10.0" x 1.0-1.2" (width x depth x thickness)15" screen config: 13" x 10.6" x 1.2-1.4" (width x depth x thickness)
Weight: 6.4lbs (14" T60 is about 5.2 lbs with a 6-cell battery and optical drive)
Ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports
dock/port replicator
Display-out
AC adapter port
RJ-11 (Modem)
RJ-45 (Ethernet LAN)
Audio line out for headphone/speakers
Microphone
Slots: 1 Type II PC card slot
1 ExpressCard 54 slot
Buttons: Power on/off
Volume up/down/mute (3 buttons)
Wireless on/off
ThinkVantage shortcut button (shortcut to system support, security and diagnostics suite)
Battery lock and release
Price: $2,799 (as of 2/13/2006 at Lenovo.com)

Slim Browser

Publisher's description of Slim Browser Slim Browser is a compact tabbed browser with full unicode support. It includes pop-up blocker, automatic Web-form filler and spell checker. It let you open several sites at once with the support of site groups. It provides one-click access to search engines via pre-defined quicksearch entries. You can easily define your own quicksearch entries. It provides one-click access to personal accounts via predefined autologin entries. It supports URL filter and in-page ad filter which blocks annoying advertisements and offensive content effectively. It is able to render RSS new feeds into readable Web pages. It support URL alias and built-in commands. It also supports ftp file uploading. The built-in ScriptPad is able to edit JScript / VBScript and HTML files with syntax highlighting. The program interface is fully skinnable and a large collection of skins are available for download. Version 4.10 Build 012 includes unspecified updates. SlimBrowser is a tabbed multiple-site browser. It incorporates a large collection of powerful features like built-in popup killer, skinned window frame, form filler, site group, quick-search, auto login, hidden sites, built-in commands and scripting, online translation, script error suppression, blacklist / whitelist filtering, URL Alias. It brings you convenient and comfortable browsing.

Download

All features

* Multiple site browser based on tab-page interface

* Seamless integration with AI RoboForm FormFiller/Password Manager

* Built-in Popup Killer based on intelligent identification and pre-defined filtering Site windows killed by mistake are FULLY RECOVERABLE

* Ability to turn on/off Flash Animation

* Built-in web form spell checker.

* Universal URL Filter: Block ad banners, flash animations, iframes or any components within any web pages by URL patterns.

* Built-in RSS News Rendering Engine.

Now you can read RSS news directly inside SlimBrowser without additional RSS Reader software.

* Convenient access to major search engines by Quick-Search Bar

* Seamless integration of most Internet Explorer toolbars

* ScriptPad: Built-in VBScript/Jscript/HTML/Text editor. View screenshot.

* Hidden Sites : hide and show a site at users' request

* Skinned window frame.

* Free-zooming of any web page.

* AutoLogin: automatically connect and log into specified website with just one click.

* Seamless integration with online translation engine and dictionaries

* Ability to suppress script error message dialog

* Site Group: Open and save a collection of sites as a group

* Flexible control of startup actions

* URL Alias: Type short alias instead long URL.

Lenovo Unveils the 3000 Y410 NB

Lenovo has reportedly unveiled it's 3000 Y410 NB with multimedia features and an Audio DJ capability that enables users play music when their laptops are turned-off. The notebook weighs around 2.54 kg, and features a 14.1-inch wide-screen, front facing Dolby Home Theater speakers, integrated microphone, integrated Webcam, integrated recordable drive and shuttle center, and the latest edition Audio DJ.
The notebook incorporates a 5-in-1 multi-card reader, three USB ports, IEEE1394 interface for high speed communication between two devices, and Easy Capture that is a multimedia software application for easy photo editing, etc. Powered by Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 processor 1.8Ghz, the notebook features 2GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, and discrete graphic nvidia GeForce Go 8400M GS. It comes pre-loaded with Microsoft Vista Home Basic and the Premium edition, and offers connectivity options including integrated 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN, 10/100 Ethernet, and Blue tooth. The Y410 has security features such as biometric face recognition technology and one touch recovery, and a battery life of up to 4 hours. The Y410 NBs are available at all Lenovo authorized storefronts with prices starting at Rs 50,000.

IBM release Lotus Notes Domino

After two years of development and testing, IBM has decided its collaboration software is ready to go. August 17th marks the date Lotus Notes 8 and Domino 8 officially hit the market. With an eye on the Internet and collaboration, this "more than email" application is seen by IBM as the next "killer app".
Serving as a fully integrated solution, Lotus Notes 8 is a client software designed to carry out traditional email functions and extensions to that functionality. It has several new built-in abilities, which promise to make normal email navigation much easier and faster. These include the ability to drag entire email threads from the inbox to other folders with one operation. Also included is a side panel which is based on the open-source Eclipse technology, called Lotus Expeditor. This panel comes with some new built-in abilities, but the big feature is that any Eclipse based plug-in can be integrated.Included in the default install are an integrated chat/IM as well as a Google map for whatever email contact is highlighted in the inbox or another folder, a custom application launcher and a "day at a glance" calendar function. It also has an enhanced search function which includes an integrated Google search within the app. It can search the desktop, local files or the Internet without using a browser. All menus and button bars are context relative and programmable. Lotus Notes also includes a fully embedded set of open document editors which reads all OpenOffice formats, WordPro and Microsoft Office formats.Domino 8 is a server-side collaboration software which,according to IBM, can "help people effectively share and manage information, make business decisions quickly, and streamline the way they work."Lotus Notes and Domino 8 are available on several platforms, including Linux, Windows, Solaris, AIX and IBM System i for servers. There's also a video on YouTube which allows users to see the system before buying it.Lotus Notes 8 has a suggested retail price of $101 per client. Domino Web Access clients are $73 per user. IBM Lotus Domino server software starts at a SRP of $14.75 per value unit.

Windows Home Server friendly for digital homes

If you have an old PC lying around at home or are in the process of getting a new one and wondering what to do with the old, you might want to hang on to that old PC a while longer.
If the PC has a 1 GHz or faster processor and 512 MB or more of RAM, add some hard drives and you'll be able to use it for Microsoft's latest groundbreaking product: Windows Home Server.
Microsoft's Bill Gates announced the product in his Jan. 7 keynote address at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show. As the name implies, Windows Home Server is basically a server operating system targeting families with two or more computers in the household.
It has lots of features that makes it very appealing for home users and multimedia aficionados: automatic backups of all connected PCs, sharing documents on the network and on the Internet, and expandable storage space for all those backups and shared files.
"As computers and digital media become more and more central to family life, we need better ways to organize, share and protect digital content and information at home," said Gates.
"Windows Home Server makes it easy for families to save, protect and access digital memories and experiences so they can focus on using technology to organize their day-to-day lives, explore their interests and share their memories with the people they care about."
What makes Windows Home Server different from the media-sharing capabilities built into Windows Media Center, Vista and Windows XP with Windows Media Player 11? Simple -- it offers all they do, and more.
Not only will you able to share files between PCs, they can be put on one machine and automatically backed up, daily and without user interference. Files and data stored in each connected PC will also be backed up daily, so if you ever need to restore files, programs or even the entire system, you simply restore them from the Windows Home Server.
Although the Home Server is based on Windows Server 2003, Microsoft promises the former to be easy to use -- "even for moms" -- while it is powerful enough for even the most jaded power users and enthusiasts. The hardest part about using Windows Home Server is possibly its installation and configuration -- which is, in fact, very easy.
Simply plug into a power source and access the Windows Home Server machine from any PC on the network. True to Microsoft style, easy-to-use Wizards will help you configure the server to your needs. For automatic daily backups, just install the Windows Home Server Connector software on each PC.
In addition to storing daily backups, Windows Home Server also monitors the health of your PCs, scanning for viruses, trojans, malware and spyware, particularly for PCs with Windows Vista.
It works by monitoring the Windows Security Center on each Vista-equipped PC and lets you know if it is secure or not.
Windows XP clients can simply restore a healthy "image" of the PC in question. Remote management features are not available initially, but Microsoft plans to include them in future updates.
Storage management is simplified, so that users do not see one, two or several hard drives. Instead, there's only one storage pool to handle all data, files and backups. The software automatically installs and mounts new hard drives, and replicates data across drives to prevent data loss in the case of a drive failure.
What about compatibility with other operating systems? Shared folders on Windows Home Server can be accessed by other operating systems like Linux and MacOS X, just like a standard Windows shared folder. You can then use the backup features integrated in each operating system, like Time Machine on MacOS X, to save backups to that folder.
For some people, the most intriguing aspect of Windows Home Server is its ability to access Internet files stored on the server. Microsoft provides a free Internet address via Windows Live for each Windows Home Server user, so not only will you be able to access and upload files and documents to your own server, but you can also choose to share them with friends and other Internet users if you want.
And that's not all. At the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, Gates demonstrated the Home Server and announced new hardware partners for the upcoming product, which include Gateway Inc., LaCie and Medion International.
More importantly, Microsoft also announced several software vendors that are supporting Windows Home Server. One of these is Embedded Automation Inc, whose mControl software will integrate with Windows Home Server to help consumers manage home lighting systems, security cameras, climate control, and audio and visual components.
Microsoft has shipped the final version of Windows Home Server to its manufacturing and hardware partners on July 16, so the software should be available late this year as hardware bundles for machines like HP MediaSmart Server or those based on AMD's Live! Home Media Server reference design and stand-alone software.
But if you don't want to wait, you could try downloading the Release Candidate version from Microsoft (//connect.microsoft.com/WindowsHomeServer) for a 210-day trial period.

lenovo Y500

Lenovo has unveiled feature-rich notebooks that cater to home consumers and the SOHO segment in India. The company said the new Lenovo 3000 series Y300 and Y500 notebooks incorporate the company's pioneering biometric face recognition technology that enhances data security and allows these notebooks to be used by multiple users seamlessly.

The incorporated face recognition feature is supported by Veriface software, and takes a digital snapshot of the user, extracts key features of the user's face, and creates a digital map that becomes the system's "password". The technology recognizes multiple users, and logs onto the Windows operating system and other applications without requiring users to remember a single password. In the event of an unauthorized attempt, the notebook photographs the user, and stores the image in a log for verification.

The highly portable Y300 notebooks, which are targeted at tech-savvy and security-conscious consumers, feature a 13.1-inch wide-screen, 1.3-mega pixels camera, and an integrated slot-in optical disc drive; and weigh in at 1.78 kg without battery and 2.03 kg with battery.

Whereas, the Y500 notebooks, which are targeted at security-conscious consumers and multimedia enthusiasts, feature an integrated Dolby Home Theater system, a subwoofer, an integrated slot-in optical disc drive, 15.4-inch wide screen, 1.3-megapixel camera, and an integrated TV Tuner card with Remote Control.

In addition to face recognition and the Dolby Sound System, the Y500 notebooks also have unique features like the Shuttle Centre for easy navigation between features, an integrated Touch Pad, and a slot-in ODD (tray-less entry for CDs/ DVDs).

Speaking on the occasion, Ajay Mittal, Vice President of Brand and Marketing, Lenovo India, said, "PCs today are so much more than a productivity tool. They are integral to our lifestyles, so they need to be easy-to-use and feature rich. Our face recognition technology is the least intrusive biometric technology in the market. With data security becoming a vital concern among PC users today, we are confident that this line of notebooks will deliver a secure and reliable computing experience."

Meanwhile, the Y300 and Y500 series will be available in India this month onwards. The Y300 is priced at Rs 61,990 and the Y500 is priced between Rs 31,990 and Rs 69,990. Besides, Lenovo is launching a promotional offer called 'Face to Face' wherein lucky buyers of the 3000 product line would get an invite for dinner with Lenovo Brand Ambassador, Saif Ali Khan.

The Y300 and Y500 notebooks will available through Lenovo authorized storefronts and business partners.