Gaming And Technology

Sony shows you how BRAVIA WE 5 presence sensors work

2009-05-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Remember the Sony BRAVIA WE5 which had very clever presence sensors that could switch themselves off? Sony has probably realised that many don’t actually believe this (including a mate of mine!), so they’ve created this infographic so that it can be explained more clearly

RIM BlackBerry Storm 2

2009-05-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some spy shots of what looks like the BlackBerry Storm 2 which we were told earlier on would arrive the UK as well as other countries in Europe by late this year. From the pictures, it doesn’t look like any radical chances have been made from the current Storm. But sources do suggest that the Storm 2 codenamed “Oden” boasts WiFi and GPS, which is exactly what we want to hear!

Photos of Playstation 3 Slim

2009-05-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

Just hours into our post about a possible Playstation redesign known as the PS3 Slim, a user has now posted photos onto a Japanese message board of the slimmed down Playstation 3.You will notice that if these shots are real, Sony has decided to drop the “Playstation 3″ logo and instead replace it with PS3.

New tool downgrades your iPhone 3G’s baseband in a single tap

2009-05-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

Just an update anyone who has recently checked out our Roundup: Two Three ways to downgrade iPhone 3G baseband. We’ve updated the article because there is now an even better, simplier method does downgrades your iPhone 3G’s baseband back down from 02.30 to 02.28 allowing you to unlock your iPhone 3G using yellowsn0w for use with any network.As you can see in the screenshots above, this new tool called 3G Fuzzyband Downgrader automatically checks your bootloader version to make sure it is 5.08 and then downgrades your iPhone 3G’s baseband for you seaminglessly.

If you’re looking to downgrade your iPhone 3G’s baseband, or you haven’t been so successful with other methods, we definitely recommend checking out 3G Fuzzyband

Downgrader here: Roundup: Two Three ways to downgrade iPhone 3G baseband

PS3 redesign - “PS3 Slim” in the making?

2009-05-11T11:52:00.000-07:00

Rumors have revealed that according to some sources, Sony might be showing off a slimmer version of its PlayStation 3 console as soon as a few months, in June later this year. While Sony UK have thus far denied any of this to be true. A slim redesign of the console falls right in line with “Sir Howard Stringer’s recent comments about the system being too expensive a trimmed-up redesign is right on schedule with those smaller Cell and RSX chips.” Might we see a PS3 Slim as well as a Playstation branded Sony Ericsson phone soon?

Apple outs another brilliant ad: Megan just wants something without viruses!

2009-05-10T11:54:00.000-07:00

Apple responds to Microsoft’s ton of “choosing the right PC” ads with one new “Get a Mac” ad that strikes them all. In the ad below, new character Megan just wants a computer that’s virus and headache free, check it out, its absolutely brilliant stuff!

Android app Google Sky Map tells you which constellation lies above

2009-05-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

If you’re a user of the T-Mobile G1 or any other Android device, you now have access to Google’s latest Sky Map app which was unveiled just yesterday. The Google Sky Map Android app is basically a map of the stars in the sky, using GPS, it determines your location and serve up the map of stars you can view from your location.

You can hold up the phone to the sky and the map will show which stars are viewable in the direction in which the phone is held. While there are similar apps for the iPhone, we are not aware of any that allows the user to move the device along with the map instantly following.

Samsung launches 32GB memory card using 30nm class NAND

2009-05-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

Samsung has announced shipment of its latest 32 Gigabyte (GB) moviNAND, the highest density embedded memory card using 30-nm class process technology. It improves the performance of high-end phones and other mobile consumer electronics when processing and storing large amounts of multimedia content. Each 32GB moviNAND device incorporates eight Samsung 30nm-class 32Gb NAND chips, a multimedia card (MMC) controller and firmware. Samsung’s 30nm-class moviNAND is also available in 16GB, 8GB and 4GB densities.

Sony X-series OLED Walkman on sale in the UK now!

2009-05-07T11:59:00.000-07:00

We posted a hands on video about the latest Sony X-series OLED Walkman a few days ago. Although there is no official press release, Pocket-lint and other UK sites are claiming that Sony’s OLED Walkman will arrive UK high streets today. The Sony OLED Walkman will be priced at £209 for the 16GB model and £279 for the 32GB model.

Dell ST2010 20 inch HD widescreen monitor launched

2009-05-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

Dell has launched its latest 20-inch HD widescreen monitor: ST2010. It features HD playback capabilities with a 1600 x 900 resolution for a true 16:9 aspect ratio, and an HDMI input for rapid transfer of high quality video and audio. The HDMI input also allows you to connect the monitor to a HD games console or blu-ray player. Other features of the Dell ST2010 includes a fairly standard 5-millisecond response time and a 1000:1 contrast with a 160 degree viewing angle. The Dell ST2010 uses a highly efficient two lamps direct backlight system for as much as 25% energy savings compared to similar monitors using four lamps. It is estimated that the Dell ST2010 will cost around US $120 to $130.

Leaked: Revised second generation T-Mobile HTC G1 called Bigfoot

2009-05-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

According to a leaked roadmap of upcoming phones for later this year from Walmart, the below is called Morrison or aka Bigfoot. Many believe this isn’t going to be a new HTC Android phone instead, a revised version of the G1 or second gen G1 if you like. As you can see it sports a full slide-out HTC-style QWERTY keyboard, great for those who are keen on texts. BGR reports that the Bigfoot is likely to drop in October later this year for $148 with a 2-year agreement at Walmart. As for us in the UK, we’re not too sure whether it will actually make its way here.

Sony launches new bluetooth headphone range

2009-05-03T23:51:00.000-07:00

Sony have launched two new additions to their bluetooth headphone range this week. Both the DR-BT100CX (in-ear style) and DR-BT101 (overhead style) feature Sony’s noise cancelling technology which we were able to recently test out in their superbly comfortable MDR-XB700.

But unlike the MDR-XB700, bluetooth headphones as you can imagine are wire-free, much more convenient to use and to put away when not needed. Additionally, both the DR-BT100CX and DR-BT101 will offer up to 12 hours of wireless play time before another recharge via USB.

Sony’s new Bluetooth® headphone range lets you immerse yourself in perfectly clear audio without any cable clutter. Whether you are listening to music or making a phone call, Sony’s echo and noise cancelling technology will ensure exceptional sound quality. In addition, compatibility with the latest Bluetooth® 2.1 standard means not only can you say goodbye to troublesome wires, but reduce interference as well.

The new Bluetooth® headphone range from Sony is comprised of two models; DR-BT100CX and DR-BT101. Both feature simple, easy to use finger-tip controls which make it straightforward to adjust the volume, play and skip music tracks, and accept or reject incoming calls at the touch of a button.

The DR-BT100CX in-ear headphones are the perfect partner for your MP3 player or mobile. USB charging and cord free styling make them easy to use, whilst three sizes of silicon ear bud ensure superior sound quality can be enjoyed in comfort. With eight hours of playback time, these lightweight Bluetooth® headphones will keep you in connected, whatever you’re listening to.

For a headband headset without the inconvenience of cables, the DR-BT101 Sony headphones are the ideal choice. Enjoy rich, clear sound for hours on end through the headphone’s 30mm neodymium driver; twelve hours of playback means there is no risk of running out of power on long journeys. As both models support A2DP, AVRCP, HFP and HSP Bluetooth® profiles, Sony’s new Bluetooth® headphone range keeps you connected and cable free whether you’re travelling, exercising or just listening to your favourite tracks at home.

GI Joe Rise of Cobra movie trailer is out

2009-05-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

After the Transformers, here is yet another latest 80's toy line film believed to be soon out this summer - G.I. Joe! Maybe not for the younger generations these days, but I certainly remember growing up with G I Joe action figures lying around the house, practically everywhere! However, its films haven't always been welcoming, while fans love its war-themed action, technology equipped vehicles, robotic-like suits, there are others who think its absolutely pointless. I suppose things like these can always go either way! Here's the official G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra trailer in HD:

G.I. JOE trailer in HD

From the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the G.I. JOE uses the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos.
Here’s a quick quote of the movie’s synopsis via moviefone…

Director Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, Van Helsing) adapts the beloved Hasbro G.I. Joe toy line with this Paramount Pictures production that pits the Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity against the evil forces of the organization known as Cobra. Dennis Quaid and Channing Tatum star as General Hawk and Duke Hauser, respectively, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marlon Wayans leading the rest of the cast, including Sienna Miller, Ray Park, Rachel Nichols, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Saïd Taghmaoui, and Asian film star Lee Byung-hun.

Free Swine Flu Tracker app for iPhone geeks

2009-05-01T23:39:00.000-07:00

Although we published a way to track online the movement of the Swine flu pandemic using Google Maps a few days ago, it is by no means the only way to follow news of the new H1N1 virus and its spread. Tech savvy, or more specifically iPhone (and iPod Touch) users, will soon be able to download an app called the Swine Flu Tracker off the App Store. While, it is still currently in queue to be approved by Apple, there is no doubt that the developer IntuApps will be quickly credited by popularity for creating this app amongst all the Swine flu craze.

Using this Swine Flu Tracker app, you will be able to see the current threat level for the disease, other features include a map showing confirmed and suspected cases. The app also tells you the symptoms you would get if you were to have the flu and there’s also an alert page for breaking news regarding Swine Flu.

While it is true that regular winter flu has always had a much more higher mortality rate (at least compared to Swine flu so far), all the hype should not be underestimated due to the fact that H1N1 is something relatively new and that the last outbreak was over 40 years ago. Though the trouble it has caused outside of Mexico seems minimal at the moment, we reckon once this Swine Flu Tracker app is out, it should prove to be useful for those who are required to travel frequently. We do wonder however, what the next tech savvy tool to capitalise on this viral outbreak could be, who knows, we’ll keep you posted.

RESEARCH ON FLU VIRUS

2009-04-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

How can one bug combine genetic material from pigs, birds and humans to become so dangerous? Think of flu viruses as promiscuous, species-jumping, disguise-wearing contestants in a reality-TV show titled "Evolution Gone Wild." Virus-fighters are scrambling to keep pace, using analytical techniques that work more quickly than ever.

This show is no comedy, as illustrated by today's news about the first U.S. death in the swine-flu epidemic and the escalation of the World Health Organization's pandemic alert status. But knowing how the virus game is played could help you understand issues ranging from the difference between vaccines and antivirals to the reasons why you can't get the flu from a pork chop.

Viruses are outfitted to pry their way into your cells, hijack the protein-making machinery inside, then break their way out and proliferate. The key package is the set of RNA molecules lurking inside the virus' shell. Those single-helix RNA molecules contain the instructions for assembling a cell's proteins into more viruses.

Flu viruses are so hard to get a handle on because they can swap bits of RNA inside the cell, creating a fresh genetic patchwork that emerges as a new virus strain. The fact that the flu virus depends on RNA rather than DNA increases the likelihood of mutation, because the RNA doesn't even try to correct the errors that crop up during replication. It just lets the evolutionary chips fall where they may.

Your immune system can create antibodies that lock onto a virus and keep it from breaking into your cells. But the antibodies won't immediately come to the rescue if the virus has disguised itself through genetic recombination.

That's where vaccines enter the picture: They can sensitize your immune system to recognize the virus in a new disguise. The first step in making a vaccine is to see through that disguise. And fortunately, the quickening pace of genetic analysis is streamlining that part of the process, making it possible to track down a flu virus' identity in hours rather than days or weeks.

The rapid response paid off when it came to identifying the virus behind this month's flu outbreak. "The first specimens took roughly six hours from when the box was opened," David Daigle, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told me via e-mail today.

The CDC's lab had its sequencers primed and ready to go in advance - first to identify the virus as a swine-flu strain, then to get a complete genetic sequence. "Looking at that genetic sequencing data, you can draw conclusions about the origins of this virus," said John Treanor, a virus expert at the University of Rochester.

The virus was classified as an H1N1 type - the same general type that was seen during the 1976 swine-flu outbreak, but with some novel twists. CDC official Nancy Cox said the virus' RNA mixed together bits from North American avian flu and swine flu, at least one bit from human flu, and at least two bits from Asian and European swine flu.

How did all those bits get mixed together? Pigs are regarded as particularly good "mixing vessels" for RNA swaps, because they can contract flu viruses from humans and birds as well as other swine. All those bits of RNA can recombine within the pigs' cells, resulting in lots of possible disguises for the resulting viruses. One of those genetic disguises was so successful that the virus made another species-crossing jump from pigs to humans.

Now that the virus' genetic sequence has been decoded, it can be used as a fingerprint to track its spread. "For the first time in history, we can track the evolution of a pandemic in real time," WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said at a news conference today.

Just as a refresher, here are some other scientific flu facts:
Flu infections are a fact of life for pigs, but swine flu is rarely passed along directly to humans: It takes just the right genetic twist for the virus to make the jump between species. Swine-flu virus is not passed through food. "Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses," the CDC says in its swine-flu briefing. The concern about swine-to-human transmission has more to do with being in contact with live pigs.

Vaccines train your immune system to block the molecular machinery that viruses use to break their way into your cells (a.k.a. hemagglutinin, the "H" in H1N1). Those vaccines are not designed to stop an infection once it's started. In contrast, antiviral drugs target the machinery that viruses use to break out of your cells (a.k.a. neuraminidase, the "N" in H1N1). Those drugs stop the virus' life cycle in its tracks. The current manifestation of swine flu can be stopped by the antivirals Tamiflu and Relenza (but not by amantadine or rimantadine).

As a flu virus spreads, the chances of further mutation become greater, experts say. And that means there's a chance that a deadlier virus could emerge. That's why it's particularly important to limit the spread of this latest swine-flu virus. But viruses aren't all bad: In fact, evolutionary biologists have seen signs that viruses can give some species new genetic capabilities - and viruses have been used intentionally to help humans.

Finally, here's a list of resources that delve into the science of flu viruses - including some great visualizations showing how the viruses do their thing:
Antigenic shift and antigenic drift explained
Associated Press: Swine flu interactive
Washington Post: Flu's severity studied
Ars Technica: An influenza biology primer
Swine flu updates from ScienceInsider
Viral video from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Samsung LED TV

2009-04-29T10:09:00.001-07:00

For those who have shown interest in the newly unveiled Samsung LED TV we featured just a few days ago, here are two videos to get your appetite going even further! The short clip below was taken by someone I believe in Asia where the tellies are already available and boy are they thin!

Terminator Salvation Trailer HQ

2009-04-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

“As the player, you will face many different scenarios, you will be hunted, face superior enemies, endure assaults and work your way to a solution.”

Movies don't have a great history within the game industry. Whether playing a game based on a movie or watching a movie based on a game, the results are rarely as epic as the promotional trailer. Terminator is one of the rare exceptions. When T2: The Arcade Game arrived, few could keep their hands off this non-stop, hugely destructive shooter. Even with primitive graphics and gameplay technology, few titles can compare, at home or in the now-dead arcade.

Unlike T2, Terminator Salvation, the action game based on the upcoming movie, isn't an on-rails shooter. But it has every chance of continuing its predecessor's legacy. "We have focused on conveying emotions relevant to the gameplay," said Per Juhlén, Producer of Terminator Salvation. "There is always a delicate balance when conveying emotions in a game without interfering with the actual gameplay.

"We worked hard on conveying the feeling of fighting a superior power and the feeling of satisfaction when a goal is achieved against all odds. This is where we used the more cinematic components, just to ensure we did not create frustration or poorly staged game play scenarios."

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves trailer

2009-04-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

Pre-E3 2009 Preview

Arguably (considering that the developer and publisher has not shown off everything coming down the pike in the coming year), SCEA saved the best for last during the pre-E3 event held in mid-April at the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood. But not only is there speculation about what might be lurking (including more hands on with God of War III), but what the company showed was only the multiplayer and co-op portions of the upcoming Naughty Dog title, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

However, from a purely visceral standpoint, what was shown was clearly the crowning jewel of the day. Uncharted 2 marks the first time that the title has moved into the multiplayer arena, but though the modes of play were nothing truly new – there was the team deathmatch and a version of capture the flag entitled Plunder – what was remarkable was how the game played out. The graphics were not dumbed down for multiplayer. Rather, the multiplayer elements sported the same detailed environments and same smoothness that players will experience in the single-player portion of the game.

A representative for Naughty Dog gave a very brief presentation to the game, stating that the development team was pushing the technology of the PlayStation 3 with the game and that players would experience a new style of gameplay than what they were used to.Uncharted is very much an action-adventure built within the same style of treasure-oriented missions that set the Tomb Raider franchise apart from other titles, but rather than copying the Lara Croft game, Uncharted has taken its own course with a cast of recurring characters that give the game personality.

Nathan Drake is the central protagonist of the game. As the storyline goes:

“Down on his luck, Drake is lured back into the treacherous world of thieves and mercenary treasure-seekers he had sought to leave behind. When a mysterious artifact propels Drake on an expedition to find the legendary Himalayan valley of Shambhala, he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse against a fugitive war criminal who’s after more than just the fabled riches of the lost city.”

But that’s central to the single-player element … which was not available for play at the pre-E3 event. The multiplayer was fast-paced, a graphical treat and a whole lot of fun to play.

Mac OS X users - try out Avast Antivirus Mac Edition if you’re worried

2009-04-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

We received a few messages from Mac users last week worried about the conflicker worm. While we are not aware that Mac OS X are susceptible to its infection nor are we aware about many viruses that can infect Macs, we believe some of you like some suggestions on choosing a reliable antivirus software / app for Mac OS X.

Avast Antivirus Mac Edition has the same ICSA Certified scan engine as all Avast antivirus products, offering protection against the latest and legacy virus, malware, Trojan horse, and spyware risks. Virus definitions and scanning capabilities are updated often (sometime several times per day, depending on current threats), so you can rest assured that your Mac is protected at all times. All you need to do is install, configure once (if you want to change the default settings) and forget about malware being a problem.

Some key features of Avast Antivirus Mac Edition includes:

Full on-access scanning - which scans files as you access them, to make sure they are safe from infection
On-demand scanning - for scheduled or ad-hoc scans of your system volumes
Mail protection-integrated mail protection can stop infection at one of the most vulnerable access vectors
Virus Chest - a safe storage place for infected or suspected files, where they cannot harm your system
Fully automatic updating of the program and virus definitions and full scanner preference control
Under-the-hood technology features include: native execution of virus database on Intel platform Macs, with fast emulation on PowerPC of assembler-level parts; multi-threaded scanning daemon; industry leading unpacker support (for archives); able to upgrade the definitions database, even while doing background scanning; application itself multi-threaded; fail-safe updating architecture (if the daemon fails to do an update, the main application will do it instead); kernel extension architecture for capturing after-close events on modified files; optimized software architecture, including non-blocking system calls; and the program is designed for speed and non-degraded system performance.

Unfortunately, unlike the PC version of Avast which does have a freeware version for home users, its Mac OS X edition isn’t absolutely and consists of a 60-day trial. If you think you’d like to try it out, click here for more info over at Avast.

New musical synthesizer app for iPhone and iPod Touch

2009-04-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

For those who liked musical synthesizer apps such as the MiniSynth developed by Yonac, comes its "big brother" - MegaSynth, compatible with both iPhone and iPod Touch. MegaSynth is a fully-featured analog modeling synthesizer, it is packed with a number of features that its "younger brother" did not support. With its 3 true-analog-modeling VCOs, 5-note polyphony, dedicated LFOs, built-in sequencer, arpeggiator/chordmaker and recording feature. MegaSynth is packed with the necessary digital technology to deliver a complete mobile synthesizer package that compromises none of that classic, luscious analog synth tone. Yonac Software Releases MegaSynth, Premier Synthesizer for iPhone and iPod Touch From the creators of miniSynth comes its long-awaited “big brother.” MegaSynth brings together several innovative features to make it the definitive synthesizer for iPhone and iPod Touch. (New York, NY – April 18, 2008)

Yonac Software is pleased to announce the release of MegaSynth. Following the success of the company’s analog-modeling miniSynth, the developers have worked hard to create a synth that utilizes the capabilities of the iPhone to the utmost. It combines several features to offer one of the most creative and powerful synthesizers available for the iPhone and iPod Touch.MegaSynth utilizes several features to empower the musician including: • 5-voice polyphony • 3 oscillators with 7 waveforms each • Configurable triad arpeggiator and chordmaker with 23 musical scales • 24-note step sequencer • Accelerometer-controlled pitch, cutoff and resonance • 4 LFOs • Noise generator • Oscillator syncing • Recording; audio file import/export via Wi-Fi connection • Infinite user presets • 209 factory sounds • Reverb and modulation effects

“We’ve worked hard for many months to produce a synth that caters to sonic exploration,” says CEO and MegaSynth head designer James Yonac. “MegaSynth’s features will have synth lovers drooling, yet those new to synthesizers will find the intuitive interface easy to navigate. It is sure to inspire many new musical compositions.”

MegaSynth is now available at the Apple iTunes app store for $4.99. Yonac Software was founded in New York City in 2008. The company mainly focuses on the development of music and sound related software. In September 2008, they released the hugely successful miniSynth, the app store’s first synthesizer. Yonac’s other iPhone applications include TuneORama, an easy-to-use guitar tuner, and Thereminator, a touch screen theremin.

WoW running on iPhone via 3G

2009-04-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

World of Warcraft (WoW) on the iPhone? Yes, you read it correctly! This isn’t necessarily a new app for the iPhone though. What you see in the picture and the video below is actually WoW being streamed to the iPhone via the iPhone’s 3G connection. What we understand from this is that, the actual online game is running on the PC but with the help of Vollee, WoW can be successfully streamed and yes, played on the iPhone 3G. It looks like from the video, most features of the game can be played and the speed looks pretty smooth taking into consideration it is 3G.It’s done using Vollee, which is used to stream games over 3G, so the video is actually just a stream and the rendering is done on the PC. But it’s much smoother than we’d expect over 3G, and comes with enough features that true WoW addicts will be able to get their fix on the run, buying and selling elves or whatever happens in that game.

Mebius NJ70A netbook - the first with integrated optical sensor LCD Pad

2009-04-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Sharp has unveiled its latest and very impressive netbook: Mebius NJ70A. It is expected that Sharp will be announcing Mebius NJ70A in the coming press conference soon. Some of the features include 10.1″ display with an Atom N270 CPU, and Intel 945GSE Express Chipest, 160GB of HDD and web cam. Most importantly, it features an integrated 4″ optical sensor LCD with led backlight and 853 x 480 resolution, one of the first to be seen in a netbook! The Mebius NJ70A netbook will be in stores in Japan.While this Netbook is just plain standard, the optical sensor LCD is really impressive and lets you use either your finger or a stylus to write memos or emails with its handwriting recognition mechanism. Other functions also include playing the piano, zooming in and out on documents is just like you would do on the iPhone.

Mebius NJ70A netbook - the first with integrated optical sensor LCD Pad

2009-04-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sharp has unveiled its latest and very impressive netbook: Mebius NJ70A. It is expected that Sharp will be announcing Mebius NJ70A in the coming press conference soon. Some of the features include 10.1″ display with an Atom N270 CPU, and Intel 945GSE Express Chipest, 160GB of HDD and web cam. Most importantly, it features an integrated 4″ optical sensor LCD with led backlight and 853 x 480 resolution, one of the first to be seen in a netbook! The Mebius NJ70A netbook will be in stores in Japan within the next couple of month.While this Netbook is just plain standard, the optical sensor LCD is really impressive and lets you use either your finger or a stylus to write memos or emails with its handwriting recognition mechanism. Other functions also include playing the piano, zooming in and out on documents is just like you would do on the iPhone.

Latest Samsung LED TV Series 6 and 7 have arrived

2009-04-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

Long gone are the days when every household would queue up to upgrade to the latest trend of LCD / plasma television sets. Samsung have now upped their game by launching their latest LED (that’s right, Light Emitting Diode) widescreen tellies.
From its pebble stone like remote control to the television set itself. Not only are the two new Series 6 and 7 LED TVs thin (1.2″) but are also superior in just about every other way imaginable. Instead of multiple parts molded together, these LED TVs are one solid, piece of advanced technology, elegantly supported by a unique crystal neck.Particularly impressive is the spec that Samsung have been able to cram into these 12″ “Crystal TVs”, the Series 7 for example boasts built in woofer, gaming mode, a range of connectivities including internet tv, wireless LAN, 2x USB, DTV tuner, 4x HDMI and weighs round about 22.2 kg. The LED range is no exception to sporting luxurious features such as Mega Contrast Ratio, Wide Colour Enhancer Pro with LED Gamut and 100Hz Motion Plus technology, all of which assists in delivering the best and most vibrant detail and colours possible.The Series 7 mentioned before also provides an extra widget controller feature which allows you to connect to the web and explore common interests such as weather, news and stock. On board internet@TV allows you to surf the web just like the browser on your computer except you’re doing it on a 55″ screen! Making the most out of the internet, LED 7000 series’ Content Flash Library also allows you to download games and tools to be run on the telly, this certainly isn’t a functionality offered by your average TV!

Of course Samsung have also made these LED TVs so that its impressive quality doesn’t mean compromising our planet’s environment. Both the Series 6 and 7 LED tellies are recyclable and environmentally friendly with a frame that contains no non-environment friendly VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), while it is running you will save up to 40% of power consumption compared to the average telly. When its not, an ultra low power consuming standby mode (<0.1watts) is available so that no excess energy is wasted and therefore automatically helps you cut down on your carbon footprint.

Sony unveils new Blu-ray player and BRAVIA theatre systems

2009-04-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sony has unveiled their new Blu-ray player (BDP-S360) and three new BRAVIA theatre systems: new HT-SS360, HT-SF360 and HT-FS3 surround sound systems which provide high definition sound quality to create superlative home theatre experiences.

The Sony BDP-S360 is an upgrade to the previous BDP-S350 model and comes equipped with Sony’s Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology, which means it can convert standard definition signals, customers can use their existing DVD movie libraries, to 1080p providing a near high definition picture.

Sony’s new home theatre systems boast Sony’s S-AIR wireless technology, so you don’t have to worry about messy wiring.

Official press release:
Sony’s new Blu-ray player takes High Definition to new heights

Form meets function with the BDP-S360 and the perfectly matched new HT-SS360, HT-SF360 and HT-FS3 surround sound systems

Today Sony unveils its latest Blu-ray player for entertainment enthusiasts who are seeking an unforgettable home theatre experience. Incorporating the latest in cutting edge technology, the BDP-S360 delivers pristine 1080p picture quality, with full 7.1 surround sound via a compatible AV receiver. This can be achieved through newly incorporated DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD decoding capabilities, the first time these features have been made available on an entry level Blu-ray player from Sony.

Sony is also launching three new BRAVIA Theatre systems, the HT-FS3, HT-SS360 and HT-SF360, which provide exceptional high definition sound to fit seamlessly with the incredible high definition images produced by the BDP-S360 and create a superlative home theatre experience .

By offering the opportunity to immerse yourself in the exciting world of BD-Live™, the BDP-S360 takes interactive entertainment to another level. This feature continues to break new ground, breathing fresh life into your movie viewing by allowing you to download and stream bonus content such as additional scenes, trailers and movie-based games. The BDP-S360’s built-in USB port means that exclusive additional content can also be downloaded from special websites dedicated to movies boasting these features and saved onto an optional USB flash storage device.

“The BDP-S360 is a gateway to a whole new world where movies are a total immersive experience. We believe that the BDP-S360 is a must for every HDTV owner, as it combines sleek product design with high-class performance features,” says Julien Dalle, Senior Business Manager, Home Video Marketing of Sony Europe. “This new model shows we are 100% committed to the constant development of our Blu-ray range to ensure that we are incorporating the latest format advancements. Blu-ray is the ultimate HD format and the interactivity of Sony’s Blu-ray players is the main reason so many of us are choosing them as the basis for our home entertainment experience.”

And consumers don’t need to throw out their existing DVD movie libraries; instead, they can give them a new lease of life with the BDP-S360. Equipped with Sony’s Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology, the BDP-S360 can convert standard definition signals to 1080p, providing a near high definition picture via High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) so that you can enjoy seeing your favourite films in a whole new way.

With its quick start up mode, the BDP-S360 allows you to begin operating your Blu-ray player in just six seconds, a time unrivalled by other products available today. Its BRAVIA sync technology enables you to control the player, BRAVIA TV and home theatre system with just one remote control, meaning you can switch all three products with the touch of a single button. Also included is the added functionality of Bonus View, providing Picture-in-Picture capability with certain titles, meaning you can watch that insightful director’s commentary in realtime alongside the main movie in stunning HD.

Additionally, the BDP-S360 adds Sony’s Precision Drive™ technology, which helps to detect and correct wobbling discs from three directions, supporting stabilisation of the playback of bent or scratched Blu-ray Discs and DVDs. It also supports Deep Colour video output and AVCHD discs encoded with x.v.Color™ (xvYCC) technology.

The BDP-S360 also includes those features users have come to love in Sony’s Blu-ray range, with 24p true cinema for cinematic picture quality, allowing you to see movies exactly as the director intended them to sound and feel, and, last but not least, the extremely user-friendly experience that is the Xross Media BarTM. This final feature provides simple and intuitive navigation between menus that is head and shoulders above the competition.

Indulge in great entertainment with Sony’s home theatre systems

Designed specifically to perfectly complement the BDP-S360, the three new BRAVIA Theatre systems from Sony provide consumers with a choice of powerful performance and unobtrusive design. Pairing any one of these surround sound systems with the BDP-S360 will provide you with a seamlessly tailored, sleek and powerful home theatre experience.

The HT-SS360 and HT-SF360 models give consumers the choice of elegant floor-standing speakers (HT-SF360) or satellite speakers (HT-SS360) for a more understated look. Both come equipped with a hefty 1000W power output, support pristine High Definition sound when hooked up to a Blu-ray player and are BRAVIA sync enabled.

Nobody wants a living room cluttered with wires, so Sony’s home theatre systems provide the capability for Sony’s S-AIR™ wireless technology. This provides great surround sound experience without any clutter.[1] Both the HT-SS360 and HT-SF360 come with Sony’s intelligent DCAC (Digital Cinema Auto Calibration) technology, which makes setting up your speakers easy, by measuring a variety of key factors such as speaker distance, volume and frequency to provide the optimum surround sound for music and movies. When coupled with DCS (Digital Cinema Sound), which enhances the surround sound experience with its Cinema Studio Modes, it all adds up to high-quality surround sound that allows you to experience movies in the way they were originally intended.

The HT-FS3 home theatre system completes the package, providing a superb surround sound experience without littering your living room with wires and clutter. It offers FM/AM Radio functionality and 2.1 channels of S-Force PRO Front surround sound for a comprehensive cinematic atmosphere. Like the HT-SS360 and the HT-SF360, this home theatre system is fitted with a Digital Media port that enables you to play music stored on MP3 players, computers or mobile phones.

With perfectly matched Blu-ray players and home audio systems, Sony are helping consumers move towards a totally connected lifestyle with Blu-ray

Google O3D: a 3D graphics plug in for browsers

2009-04-22T10:46:00.000-07:00

Google released a new software called O3D yesterday. It is a broswer plug-in which will bring accelerated 3D graphics to browsers such as Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari , Linux and Google’s Chrome. Google O3D works on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Google hopes that the technology will be built directly into browsers eventually.

Google OCD allows developers’ Web-based JavaScript programs to tap directly into a computer’s graphics card chip, which means better games and other applications. Google has uploaded a video demo on its blog post with some information about Google O3D.

BeBook e-reader demoed

2009-04-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Many like to call these e-readers, or e-book readers or even e-paper display devices, like the Kindle, BeBook is a device with a display that looks exactly like as if you were reading from paper. Of course, compared to paper, this is much more friendlier to the environment in that you’re not wasting any paper.

The BeBook which retailed at £249.99 both online and at the show, can read almost any popular file formats that you can think of, pdf, mobi, prc, epub, lit, txt, fb2, doc, html, rtf, djvu, wol, ppt, mbp, chm, bmp, jpg, png, gif, tif, rar, zip, mp3 (for audio books) as well as RSS newsfeeds. With an incredibly long battery life, one charge will last 7000 pageturns, though it may be on the low side in terms of internal memory (512MB), the BeBook makes up for that by having aSD memory card slot.

Adobe Flash software into many of the chips that go inside TVs and set-top boxes

2009-04-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Adobe has secured a deal to put its Flash software into many of the chips that go inside TVs and set-top boxes. It will enable developers and content providers to create applications to deliver web-based content such as news, weather and share prices to TV screens.Flash will be included on most chips -those made by Broadcom, Intel, NXP and STMicroelectronics - but the deal does not cover TVs made by Sony and Samsung. The first applications using Flash are expected to hit TV sets early in 2010.Sony and Samsung already have a number of connected TVs on the market, but they are using Yahoo's rich media platform of widgets instead of Flash.
More than 420 million TVs, set-top boxes, and media players are expected to ship globally in the next three years and increasingly they are capable of being connected to the net.Adobe hopes it can get Flash inside many of those devices to create a new generation of connected entertainment services, including streaming video in high definition, and applications that can run in real time alongside video broadcasts, such as interactive news tickers, sport scores, quizzes and the weather. It could also mean TVs being used for many of the tasks now given over to a computer or laptop, such as using a search engine, online maps, and consuming all manner of digital content.Adobe has signed up video delivery service Netflix, Disney and the New York Times to make the first batch of applications.Change is coming to TV and we will see more and more content get used Flash director of technology strategy for Flash, Anup Murarka

The appeal for content makers and developers is the emergence of a single standard for rich media, which will let them create applications that run on many devices."Change is coming to TV and we will see more and more content get used and taken to TV," said Anup Murarka, director of technology strategy for Flash.Flash is installed on about 98% of PCs and almost 80% of all online video is delivered using Flash, according to Adobe.

It powers services such as YouTube, the BBC iPlayer and a new generation of video games inside the browser, such as Quake Live.Microsoft has been pushing its own rival platform Silverlight, but it has had limited traction with developers and hardware manufacturers.

The company says its second version of Silverlight has been installed on 300 million machines since it became available six months ago.

But analysts think Silverlight is unlikely to challenge Flash across PCs, mobiles and TV screens in the near future.

Flash is the engine behind YouTube and BBC iPlayer video

Microsoft does have the Xbox 360 in the hands of at least 28 million gamers and the machine could be used to drive take-up of Silverlight in the home.

It also has a few deals with the makers of set-top boxes to power the software that runs TV guides and on-demand services over the internet and this too could be a way to spread Silverlight usage.

Flash Platform Business Unit general manager and vice president David Wadhwani said he still hoped to see Flash on the Xbox 360, as it is already running on the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii.

"I don't think it is beyond the realm of reason that we will see Flash on the Xbox.

"It would add clear value to their platform. But the decision is still theirs to make."

Adobe is aiming to become the global standard for all rich media in the "three screen" world - PC, TV, and mobile.

Up to 40% of all mobile devices shipped in 2008 are expected to carry Flash Lite. However, the big omission remains Apple's iPhone.

"We continue to work with Apple to bring Flash to the iPhone," said Mr Wadhwani.

Creating a panoramic experience

2009-04-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

Imagine being able to zoom into any part of a panoramic photograph that catches your eye. Plus, even seeing people miles away when the picture was taken.This is already possible thanks to a gadget called GigaPan Epic which can create images 1,000 megapixels in size.

The robotic device can be mounted on a standard digital camera to capture hundreds, even thousands, of photographs which are then assembled into one panoramic image.

David Bergman's 1,474 megapixels image of President Obama's inauguration speech is fast becoming the poster child of this new slice of technological innovation.

The GigaPan device works by taking many zoomed-in snaps of the landscape, with each one at a slightly different angle.

These photographs are then stitched together by software on the user's computer - but beware that this process can take a very long time, even on a high-end PC.

Photographs of static objects are merged together seamlessly, but moving ones can create a ghostly effect.

There is a buzz around Gigapan not only because it is visually impressive, but it is finally entering the realm of affordable consumer tech.

What began as a research project for taking detailed shots of the Red Planet, is now within the reach of keen photographers.

Panasonic launches latest Z1 TV series

2009-04-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

We reported about the Panasonic one-inch thick plasma LCD Z1 last month, further details have now been officially published in the press release after the jump. However, as you will know, the Z1 wasn’t cheap at all, the official press release below still hasn’t addressed as to what the price tag on this badboy will be.

Birmingham, England (April 17, 2009)-Panasonic is pleased to announce that it is expanding its line of VIERA Series flat-panel TVs with the introduction of the new Z1 Series.

Technological advancements with NeoPDP
In 2008, Panasonic announced the development of next-generation plasma display panels (PDPs) called NeoPDP technology which used ground-breaking technologies that offered better picture quality, higher efficiency and thinner dimensions than its predecessors. After thoroughly reviewing its existing IC technology and panel structures, Panasonic developed new phosphors and cell design technology for improved discharge and new circuit and drive technology to significantly reduce power loss.

As a result, Panasonic has improved motion image performance, contrast and colour reproduction in its plasma displays to achieve a level of picture quality that is simply unprecedented. To improve motion images, the Z1 Series adopts Panasonic’s 600Hz Sub-field Drive Intelligent Frame Creation Pro, which helps achieve 1080 line motion picture resolution*1. Even fast-moving objects are clear and sharp. Users enjoy a truly stunning viewing experience, especially with ultra-dynamic action and sports scenes such as motor car racing events and car chases.

The Z1 Series also delivers a remarkable dynamic contrast of over 2,000,000:1 thanks to the increased brightness achieved by NeoPDP technology and refinements to Panasonic’s Real Black Drive System (a pre-discharge system). With these enhancements, the new models provide the kind of “infinite black” colour that pulls viewers right into the picture.

The Z1 Series will feature VIERA CAST*2, making it one of the first models in Europe to offer this service. With VIERA CAST, viewers can access certain Internet content by simply clicking a button while sitting in their living room. For example, users can view such familiar content as Eurosport, YouTube and Picasa directly on their VIERA TV. Viewers can access other information too, such as news, weather forecasts and stock market information. DLNA connection is also possible with these three series. Digital data*3 such as motion images and still images saved onto a PC can be played on VIERA through a home network. For example, DivX content on a PC in the den can be viewed on a VIERA in the living room.

Flagship model
The Z1 Series is the flagship model combining superb functionality with a slim, fully flat*4, one-inch design. Also featuring full-HD wireless transmission technology that makes flexible room layout possible, these models are perfect for users seeking the highest grade in both function and design.

The Z1 Series deliver outstanding 1080 lines moving picture resolution and a dynamic contrast of over 2,000,000:1. The THX Certified Display they incorporate has passed stringent tests, ensuring that they are ideal for viewing films. Z models also feature home networking with DLNA, which allows playback of motion images with VIERA CAST, and the VIERA Image Viewer. They can play DivX format motion images as well. The Z1 plasma series will be available as 46” (TX-P46Z1) and 54” (TX-P54Z1) models

World Of Warcraft patch 3.1

2009-04-17T05:42:00.000-07:00

The new World of Warcraft (WoW) patch 3.1 Secrets of Uldar goes live today. WoW patch 3.1 represents one of the most significant content patches to World of Warcraft yet. It introduces many new features including the ability to sect and swap beteewn dual talent specializations, a brand new quest hub in Icecrown called the Argent Tournament, and the new Ulduar 10 and 25-man raid instance etc. Also, the map system has been extended to all Wrath of the Lich King dungeons, so navigating instances without WoW addon will be much easier.
For the full patch notes, check out the Blizzard website. You can also find many WoW addons on curse.com.

How to downgrade iPhone 3G baseband 02.30.03 to 02.28.00 - ModMyi downgrader tool released!

2009-04-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

Finally, at last! A baseband downgrade tool for iPhone 3G. Readers who are iPhone 3G users who unexpectedly and accidentally upgraded their iPhone 3G’s baseband during the iPhone firmware 2.2.1 update will be happy to know that ModMyi (not the iPhone Dev Team) have come up with a tool that claims to downgrade your iPhone’s baseband from 02.30.03 back to 02.28.00.

While back in February, the iPhone Dev Team did specifically release a Pwnage Tool for iPhone 3G users so

that they could update their iPhone 3Gs safely to firmware 2.2.1 while preserving baseband 02.28.00. It seemed this message didn’t get across to many in the right time and as a result a significant large number of iPhone 3G users who had their iPhones unlocked during the previous fimware version ended up just having a bricked “iPhone 3G Touch”.

Well the good news have finally come, after two months, ModMyi is now reporting that a tool called pHaseBanDowngrader has just been released that allows iPhone 3G users to downgrade baseband from 02.30.03 to 02.28.00.

Before you go ahead with the pHaseBanDowngrader baseband downgrade tool, everyone should know that from the release notes available for this new tool, its not the simpliest tool in the world to use and therefore use at your own risk (though this is so new that we don’t know yet what the risks could be)! We will keep everyone updated of any updates or new instructions regarding the pHaseBanDowngrader.

ModMyi says:

…this tool has been tested by multiple people and WILL NOT brick your device. if you have bootloader version 5.9 it will not work. you can try but it will not work (still no risk of brick)

Apparently most new iPhone 3G’s come with bootloader version 5.9. You can checkout this link for instructions to check your bootloader’s version. The below is a short quote from the tool’s read me file:

To run the pHaseBanDowngrader, connect via SSH to your iPhone and copy the downloaded folder (phasebandowngrader) into the folder “/Applications” on your iPhone.
Note: The folder MUST named phasebandowngrader with lowercase letters!

To run it, open MobileTerminal and type “login”. The user is “root” and password is “alpine” by default. Then type: “cd / Applications/phasebandowngrader/”, then, to run the downgrader, type “./phasebandowngrader

So if you’re interested in having a try at the new baseband downgrade tool for your bricked iPhone 3G, you can download pHaseBanDowngrader using the download links available over at ModMyi. I think its fair to say at this time the pHaseBanDowngrader isn’t definitely going to work but it seems to have great potential. We’ll keep everyone updated with any news!

Mircrosoft Exchange 2010 beta free download

2009-04-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MICROSOFT EXCHANGE 2010 BETA FREE DOWNLOAD

The latest release of Microsoft’s collaborative and messaging software: Exchange Server 2010 public beta version, raises the stakes against rival IBM’s Lotus Notes. Exchange 2010 has many new features, including new integrated email archiving and productivity features, as well as option for customers who want to mix and match on-premise and Web-hosted Exchange.The new email archive feature in Exchange 2010 will allow IT professionals to access emails across an organization using the Exchange software that they already use. This is aimed to protect and preserve valuable information. Productivity features include: mail tips, voice mail preview, ignore conversation and conversation view.While it is still in beta at the moment. The full version is expected to be available later in 2009. For more information and the free download link, check out the Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 page.

According to Microsoft:
Microsoft Exchange® Server 2010 Beta helps IT Professionals achieve new levels of reliability with greater flexibility, enhanced user experiences, and increased protection for business communications.

Exchange Server 2010 gives you the flexibility to tailor your deployment based on your company’s unique needs and a simplified way to keep e-mail continuously available for your users.

Anywhere access - Exchange Server 2010 helps your users get more done by giving them the freedom to securely access all their communications - e-mail, voice mail, instant messaging, and more - from virtually any platform, Web browser, or device.

Protection and compliance - Exchange Server 2010 delivers integrated information loss prevention, and compliance tools aimed at helping you simplify the process of protecting your company’s communications and meeting regulatory requirements.

Nintendo DSi

2009-04-14T05:48:00.000-07:00

Nintendo DSi Hands-On

Nintendo DSi Walk Through (OS)

When Nintendo first released the DS handheld system in November 2004, its two screens, touch-screen capabilities, and built-in microphone made it a curiosity. These features, used intelligently by developers, led to the DS triumphing over Sony’s more powerful, but more traditional, PSP. For all the innovation it packed, though, the clunky DS lacked an attractive aesthetic, an oversight that Nintendo sought to fix with the redesigned DS Lite. While it offered all the same features and abilities, the DS Lite was stylish and streamlined - more of an adult tech device than a kid’s toy. Three years later, the Lite has cemented the DS’s status as the most popular handheld gaming device of all time, with close to 100 million systems in gamer’s hands worldwide. Now Nintendo has released the DSi, the latest revision to the hardware. It’s got plenty of new features, but is it different enough to be worth the upgrade? Let’s take a look.

At first glance the DSi doesn’t seem much different from the Lite. Size-wise they’re roughly the same, though the DSi is a tad thinner. The most apparent physical difference is the way the system feels – instead of the Lite’s iPod-like glossy smooth plastic finish, the DSi has a matte finish with a slightly rougher texture, almost like frosted glass. The volume control has changed from a slider to a pair of volume up/volume down buttons, and the power slider on the side of the system has been replaced with a power button below the d-pad. Speaking of the power button, it can be tapped to soft-reset the system back to the main menu from any game or application, which is handy. Also nice is the ability to hot-swap game cards – that is, change games from the main menu without having to turn off the system first.

Each of the DSi’s screens is a quarter-inch bigger than those on the Lite (3.25 inches instead of 3), but the difference is hard to spot unless you’re doing a side-by-side comparison. I was more impressed with the improved DSi speakers, which despite being smaller physically are noticeably louder than the Lite’s – Elite Beat Agents fans rejoice.

Powering up the system brings you to the DSi’s completely redesigned front-end menu system. Icons line up horizontally and can be scrolled through quickly, each accessing a different function. Much like the “channel” setup on the Wii, the icons here can be rearranged to suit the user’s preference. The Settings menu has been taken directly from the Wii’s, with four pages of options, and while most of the Lite’s features are intact, the option to auto-boot your DS game is mysteriously absent.
Nintendo has also added wireless Web capabilities to the DSi’s bag of tricks. Opera’s DS Web Browser is a free download, and works pretty well for a mobile web browser. Image-heavy sites give it trouble, but mobile versions are available for many major sites (including Yahoo, MySpace, and Facebook) that work great. More relevant to gaming is Nintendo’s DSi Shop, where users are able to download DSiWare games directly to their system. Much like the Wii Shop, Nintendo will be updating the DSi Shop often with new games to buy. While the selection is pretty limited right now, if WiiWare is any indication, DSiWare will be great for both wildly original game ideas and games that are fun but too limited in scope to deserve a full retail release.

For all its improvements, though, the DSi is not without its drawbacks. To add all the new hardware and still retain the system’s portability, Nintendo had to nix the DS’s Game Boy Advance support, so don’t toss out your SP just yet. The lack of a GBA slot also means that certain DS accessories aren’t compatible – yes, that means that the DS Guitar Hero games don’t work on the system. All the added tech must mean a bigger drain on the battery, as a full charge will last around 12 hours, compared to the Lite’s 15-20 hour battery life. And speaking of batteries, Nintendo has yet again changed the charger plug-in style, so if you’ve got universal or DC chargers it’s time to upgrade. Finally, the DSi follows in the Wii’s footsteps, in that new games generally require an up-to-date firmware. While these firmware updates will add stability and functionality to the system, they also put the kibosh on using any unauthorized flash cards on the DSi, so homebrew enthusiasts beware.

So at the end of the day, the real question is: is the DSi worth it? I say yes. If you’re a new DS owner, obviously this is the best, most feature-heavy version of the system. If you’ve already got a DS, that’s a little trickier. Nintendo’s already said that DSi-enhanced and DSi-specific games are on the way, not to mention all the downloadable games that will only be available through the DSi Shop. The bottom line is the DSi takes everything that made the DS great, and adds a ton of features that are entertaining and useful. Nintendo’s always had a knack for delivering great handheld gaming devices, and the DSi is no exception.

THE GODFATHER II PC GAME RATING

2009-04-13T07:55:00.001-07:00

OVERALL RATING :7/10

Gameplay: 7.0
The control scheme is decent enough but the game bogs down in repetition and irritations when it seems you are defending the same turf over and over. Driving mechanics make that element a real pain, especially when you are trying to outrun enemies.

Graphics: 7.0
The game’s graphics won’t challenge a higher-end system. Some of the animation is a bit rough, but generally the characterizations are nailed down.

Sound: 7.5
The voice acting, at times, sounds a bit forced, but is generally solid. The musical score is very nicely done.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 7.3
The dev team did a nice job in creating an alternative parallel adventure within the world of the Godfather. There are enough of the characters from the movie to make it feel like you are an active part of the movie even though you are forging your own story in that world.

Overall: 7.0
The game could almost be called the Good, the Repetitious and the Ugly. Some elements are well done and some are not. Still, this is not a bad game, by any means. There are some immersive elements and you do, at times, feel like you are part of the world. The graphics could have been better, though, and some of the game mechanics could have been improved upon.

THE GODFATHER II PC GAME REVIEW

2009-04-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

It’s a tale of two cities … make that three cities … with recurring themes and characters, but at the heart of it all, you are the ‘Don’ out to carve an empire in the name of the Corleone family.

The Godfather II is the franchise sequel to the 2006 EA title, but rather than mirror the events of the initial movie, in Godfather II, you run an alternate course that will have you carving out your own territory, building up your own family and becoming the don that Michael Corleone needs to clear out his enemies. The role is not exactly from the films, but it is an attempt to allow players to feel more part of the story.

And that works, to a certain degree. Unfortunately the game bogs down in repetitious tasks, and sub-par driving mechanics, even while tracing the rise of a crime empire through New York, Miami and Havanna.

Havanna is the first setting and acts like a tutorial to get you used to the character interaction and the combat as well as setting up the overall story arc.

On the eve of New Year’s 1959, revolutionaries succeeded in overthrowing the Cuban government and taking control of the country. This comes just as the families have moved into the country with the idea of establishing their empires there thanks to the friendly government. As the game begins, Hyman Roth has declared the revolutionaries not much of a threat and that the families will get very rich by working with the government. Your boss (you can create a character named Dominic with a bit of customization possible) is part of the celebration, as are Michael and Fredo Corleone. But in the middle of the countdown to the new year, the government announces that the revolutionaries have won. This, of course, begins wide-spread panic as people decide they must flee the country. Your first job within this tutorial setting is to get the Corleones to the airport. When almost to the plane, a sniper kills your boss, Aldo. On the plane ride back to the states, Michael explains that there are few he can trust, but Dominic falls into that category. In fact, Dominic is the one Michael has chosen to take control of New York. With the disaster in Cuba, a lot of families will be vying for a piece of the Big Apple.

It is a large task, but the game helps you get organized. The initial quests are directed and introduce you to what will be your best friend in the game – the heads-up display known as the Don’s View. Through this interface you can direct all your operations, from upgrading skills, to assigning soldiers and lieutenants to trouble spots within your empire, and so on. It’s really quite convenient and makes the whole experience a bit easier.

Soon enough, players will find themselves in a sandbox setting, where they will have to contend with a mini-map system that is far from convenient and driving mechanics that are clunky and generally not very well thought-out.

While there is an overriding story arc, players have a lot of latitude in how you approach the tasks. You initially take over a front for a whore house, but after that, you can cut into a rival’s business in any way you see fit.

The game uses some arcade mechanics in a third-person shooter setting, with pick-ups available from fallen enemies. And you can always go into melee mode and beat an opponent to death. What you take will anger the ones you take it from and they will not sit idly back and allow you to run roughshod over their territory. Taking over a business that is a front for a family is not overly complex. You approach the person in charge, find their weak spot (through threats or physical violence), apply just enough pressure to get them to crumble and then take over. That means more income and more income means you can hire more soldiers, promote some to lieutenants and upgrade skills.

The stagnated gameplay starts to surface a bit as you move into the game. It becomes a repetitious affair to take over businesses and then defend the inevitable retribution. And getting the business can be a laborious affair. The mini-map is not overly helpful and if you can decipher the map and the location is close enough, running there (as opposed to driving) is preferable.

Graphically, The Godfather II is Ok; it is definitely not about to challenge high-end cards (two different machines were used to play this game, one with an nVidia 9800 GTX Black card and another with twin ATI 4870s) and while the character models are decent, there is general clunkiness with rotating to face new attackers and some of the movements seem a bit stilted.

There are characters that are instantly recognized from the movies and others that are not. That holds true for the voice action. Some of the movie actors have lent their voices to this game and others have not. The musical score is very rich and includes composer Nino Rota’s classic theme. The score varies, depending on the action – and there is a lot of action in this game – and keeps the pacing feeling right.

The game has some good moments, moments that feel very repetitious and moments that are a bit frustrating. Those expecting to follow events from the film will be disappointed; those looking for a gangster/empire-building game set against the backdrop of the Godfather films may find this a decent diversion.

iPod Touch 2G

2009-04-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

Just to give a heads up to those of you who are iPod Touch 2G (the second generation iPod Touch) users. The iPhone Dev Team have been working hard lately to release a new, latest version of their redsn0w tool for jailbreaking iPod Touch. Though you must still be warned that redsn0w is still in beta and problems and bugs still exist, so its not absolutely perfect but it does offer a chance for iPod Touch 2G users to come onboard and join the jailbreak crew.

The latest redsn0w supports all operating systems, Linux, Mac OS X and Windows, click here to find the links you need to download the tool via torrents.

BlackBerry Storm 2

2009-04-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

We only told you about the possibility of seeing a next generation BlackBerry Storm, the Storm 2 earlier in the week and now it seems that rumor has been confirmed to be true. RIM’s Alain Segond von Banchet, Channel Sales Manager in the Netherlands has confirmed the release of the Storm 2. It will be due later in the year, for Europe: late ‘09 or early 2010! What the sales manager wasn't being so honest about was whether the Storm 2 will be upgraded with WiFi, despite this, it seems very obvious that this hardware update will be inevitable if RIM wants to continue to compete with its rivals using the Storm 2. Hopefully we'll see more info of the successor of the first BlackBerry full touchscreen mobile soon.

Conficker begins stealthy update

2009-04-10T09:54:00.001-07:00

The Conficker worm has started to update infected machines with a mystery package of data.

Computer security firms watching the malicious program noticed that it sprang into life late on 8 April.

The activity on its update system delivered encrypted software to compromised machines. It is not yet clear what the payload contains.

The Conficker virus variants are thought to be present on millions of PCs around the world.

Spam connection

The updating activity has begun about a week later than expected. Analysis of the "C" variant of Conficker (aka Downadup) revealed that its updating mechanism was due to go live on 1 April.

The belated updates were spotted by researchers for Trend Micro following the arrival of a new file in one of the directories in so-called "honeypot" machines deliberately seeded with Conficker C.

Analysis showed that the file had arrived via the peer-to-peer file transfer system that infected machines use to communicate.

In a bid to avoid alerting people to its activity, the update is slowly being trickled across the population of machines harbouring the C variant. Exact figures for the number of Conficker-infected machines are hard to determine, but the minimum is widely believed to be three million.
COMBATING CONFICKER

Microsoft offers bounty for worm creator
Q&A: How do I protect myself?
Timeline: Conficker virus

"The Conficker/Downad P2P communications is now running in full swing," wrote Ivan Macalintal from Trend Research on the company's security blog.

Once it arrives on a machine, the package of data randomly checks one of five different websites - MySpace, MSN, eBay, CNN and AOL - to ensure its host still has net access and to confirm the current time and date.

Following this check the data package removes all traces of its installation.

The strong encryption on the payload has, so far, prevented detailed analysis of what it actually does. However, security experts speculate that it is a "rootkit" that will bury itself deep in Windows in order to steal saleable data such as bank website login details.

Security researchers are continuing to analyse the payload to get a better idea of what it is intended to do.

Symantec said it too had noticed the increased activity of Conficker and its analysis suggested a link with another well-known virus called Waledac. This malicious program steals sensitive data, turns PCs into spam relays and opens up a backdoor so the machine can be controlled remotely.

The security firm noticed that the update also included an instruction to the worm to remove itself on 3 May, 2009. However, the Waledac imposed backdoor on the machine will remain open, so its creators can still control compromised PCs.

Wii gadgets: Riiflex - dumbbell weight accessory

2009-04-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Those Wii fans who like abit of workout at home will be happy to know that Riiflex - the dumbbell weight accessory for Wii / Wii Fit is now available for pre-order online. Shipping to begin later in the Summer this year, two colours are available, each resembling different amounts of weight. Green weighs two pounds while blue weighs four pounds (per set). While these may not be the best range of weights for those who are advanced gym goers, for parents who feel that their kids aren't getting enough exercise simply because they sit and watch the TV too much, Riiflex might be a good way to kick start a fun exercise routine!
Riiflex™ weights introduce a new way to add resistance to your Wii™, and Wii Fit™ workouts. Add weight to both the Wii™ Remote and Wii™ Nunchuk and make your Wii™ Fitter.

Riiflex™ weights combine the durability you would expect from quality fitness gear, and innovative design you’ll appreciate each time you use these in your Wii™, and Wii Fit™ exercise routines. The ergonomic grip provides secure control throughout a broad range of motions.

NEW Acer Aspire Revo PC revealed - first NVIDIA Ion nettop

2009-04-08T08:44:00.001-07:00

Acer officially announces their first NVIDIA Ion platform nettop today: the Aspire Revo, together with an 11.6 inch Aspire One and a new range of Aspire all-in-ones.

The Aspire Revo features an Intel Atom 230 1.6GHz processor, up to 4GB DDR2 memory, up to 250GB of storage, 4 in 1 memory card reader, six USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, both VGA and HDMI outputs, Wi-Fi and Windows Vista Home Premium or Basic. Models with dual-core Intel Atom processors are expected to be released later in the year.
All of the powerful spec described above comes in a compact 7.1 x 7.1 x 1.2 inches box. The Aspire Revo has been equipped with NVIDIA ION graphics, providing one of the most impressive graphic resolution at an affordable price not available from other brands on the market. The system is 5-10 times faster than traditional PCs with integrated graphics. Plus, the Aspire Revo can handle a wide variety of computing needs including high definition video, gaming, sharing digital photos, surfing the web, and other tasks consumers expect from full-size systems.

Although no official information on pricing and availability yet, the Ion-based desktops are expected to be priced around $300, perfect for those who feel put off by the credit crunch.

The Press Release:
Acer AspireRevo: Nettop Meets Games Console
A Revolution in Your Multimedia Entertainment

2009-04-08 - New York With the enormous success the netbook brought, in very little time a new market segment was created that revolutionized the arena of the portable computer. The world of desktops has now also taken a step up with the introduction of the nettop. These are computers of reduced dimensions and at a lower cost than traditional PCs which are ideal for satisfying all basic requirements of surfing the Internet, downloading and watching rich content, playing videos and games , running typical office programs or communicating with VOIP using the optional webcam.

Today, Acer changes the industry landscape by introducing the Acer AspireRevo, the new nettop that offers advanced graphic capabilities for full enjoyment of multimedia contents in high definition. AspireRevo is a true entertainment center for the entire family, not only offering immediate access to music, video and images, but can also transmit and stream HD content and be used as a gaming console.

The AspireRevo is, in fact, the first small form factor PC to offer the NVIDIA® ION™ platform that combines the Intel® Atom™ 230 processor with the NVIDIA ION graphics processor. Apart from its low energy consumption and reduced dimensions, it has the graphic capability worthy of a true multimedia PC. The highly integrated NVIDIA® ION™ GPU delivers 10X faster graphics performance than other small desktop PCs, resulting in extraordinary multimedia entertainment and high-definition quality. Certified for Windows Vista Premium, NVIDIA® ION™ ensures access to complex video with full graphic support.

“The Acer AspireRevo is a bold new direction for the PC industry,” says Acer. “It is a compact, stylish, fully capable PC that uses less energy and provides a brilliant visual experience for daily digital life, games and even high definition video.”

“The Acer AspireRevo with our new NVIDIA ION GPU is a shockingly small home PC,” said Drew Henry, general manager for MCP products at NVIDIA. “You will be stunned and amazed watching HD videos, editing photos, surfing the web and playing the latest online games.”

Characterized by refined design and reduced dimensions (only one liter!), Acer AspireRevo is decisively practical and versatile and is perfectly adapted to any environment. Futhermore, thanks to a special mounting system, it’s possible to attach the device on the back of any LCD or TV panel with a VESA attachment to offer the user an All-In-One capability and increase the working or playing area. Like this, the AspireRevo can find enough space for any room, from the kitchen to the bedroom or the lounge, without any problem. The VESA mount offers vertical adjustment ensuring that the power-on button, optional webcam and memory card reader are always perfectly accessible from the top of any LCD display used.

Acer AspireRevo is also available in a bundle that comes with a game controller with 3D motion sensors offering numerous functionalities. Besides being able to be used like a pointing-device (air mouse) or remote control for the media center, the controller transforms into 3 primary different gaming scenarios from an airplane/race-car steering device, or a tennis racket/baseball bat or a shooting device with built-in trigger. The device is very sophisticated and does not only keep track of points during the game, but captures and tracks very precise user motion.

Furnished with a rich endowment of portals, the AspireRevo can be connected with ease to a wide variety of devices. The 802.11b/g (and /Draft-N on selected models) wireless or Gigabyte Ethernet network connection guarantees an ultrafast network connection into the network of other home computers. while the HDMI™ portal allows a true-to-life reproduction of Full HD video.

Its in the Living Room connected to a large flat panel TV where the AspireRevo really comes alive. The ability to use a small, quiet, and fully capable PC in the heart of the Living Room where families may view their digital photos and videos, use free MSN Messenger with the webcam in video conference mode, play family friendly physically active games and also still be able to run standard PC applications, makes the AspireRevo an indispensable asset to the modern home.

A compact, sleek desktop designed to go anywhere in your home, the AspireRevo features the incredible graphics processing power of NVIDIA® ION™ coupled with the low power Intel Atom 230/330 processor. ION enables the AspireRevo to deliver a premium Windows experience at an unprecedented price. Watch 1080p HD movies, play DirectX 10 games at great frame rates, and enjoy all the 3D capabilities of Microsoft Windows Vista Premium. This space-saving, quiet design can be used as a fully functional home office PC or as a living room PC for casual gaming on your television.

Even the hardware characteristics do not disappoint expectations. Besides being equipped with the Intel® Atom™ 230 processor and NVIDIA® ION™ GPU, the AspireRevo comes with a choice of a Serial ATA Hard Drive or Solid State Drive and up to 4GB of DDR2memory that allows quick performance without problems for all the most widely-used range of applications. A Mini PCI Express slot offers the possibility of expanding memory capacity to make space for continuously growing multimedia files

Sony NWZ-W202 Walkman player unboxing and hands on

2009-04-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

Readers of our blog who are fans of T3 may already have seen this, earlier in the year T3 got an exclusive chance to take a look at the latest very sporty Walkman series MP3 player - Sony NWZ-W202. We received ours this morning for a review and the below are some of the pictures we took. Its a really sporty, fancy Walkman player, lightweight which is ideal for those who enjoy a good morning jog, we’ll have a full review later on in the week!

Palm Pre Sprint Navigation app demoed

2009-04-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Another bit of something from the CTIA, this time this video is from MyPre, one of the sister sites of SlashGear. The Sprint Navigation app featured on the Palm Pre below is similar to the carrier’s TeleNav-powered navigation often seen on devices like the Samsung Instinct

HOW WIFI WORKS

2009-04-05T08:01:00.000-07:00

If you've been in an airport, coffee shop, library or hotel recently, chances are you've been right in the middle of a wireless network. Many people also use wireless networking, also called WiFi or 802.11 networking, to connect their computers at home, and some cities are trying to use the technology to provide free or low-cost Internet access to residents. In the near future, wireless networking may become so widespread that you can access the Internet just about anywhere at any time, without using wires.

WiFi has a lot of advantages. Wireless networks are easy to set up and inexpensive. They're also unobtrusive -- unless you're on the lookout for a place to use your laptop, you may not even notice when you're in a hotspot. In this article, we'll look at the technology that allows information to travel over the air. We'll also review what it takes to create a wireless network in your home.

First, let's go over a few WiFi basics.
A wireless network uses radio waves, just like cell phones, televisions and radios do. In fact, communication across a wireless network is a lot like two-way radio communication. Here's what happens:
A computer's wireless adapter translates data into a radio signal and transmits it using an antenna.
A wireless router receives the signal and decodes it. The router sends the information to the Internet using a physical, wired Ethernet connection.
The process also works in reverse, with the router receiving information from the Internet, translating it into a radio signal and sending it to the computer's wireless adapter.

The radios used for WiFi communication are very similar to the radios used for walkie-talkies, cell phones and other devices. They can transmit and receive radio waves, and they can convert 1s and 0s into radio waves and convert the radio waves back into 1s and 0s. But WiFi radios have a few notable differences from other radios:
They transmit at frequencies of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. This frequency is considerably higher than the frequencies used for cell phones, walkie-talkies and televisions. The higher frequency allows the signal to carry more data.
They use 802.11 networking standards, which come in several flavors:
802.11a transmits at 5 GHz and can move up to 54 megabits of data per second. It also uses orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), a more efficient coding technique that splits that radio signal into several sub-signals before they reach a receiver. This greatly reduces interference.
802.11b is the slowest and least expensive standard. For a while, its cost made it popular, but now it's becoming less common as faster standards become less expensive. 802.11b transmits in the 2.4 GHz frequency band of the radio spectrum. It can handle up to 11 megabits of data per second, and it uses complementary code keying (CCK) modulation to improve speeds.
802.11g transmits at 2.4 GHz like 802.11b, but it's a lot faster -- it can handle up to 54 megabits of data per second. 802.11g is faster because it uses the same OFDM coding as 802.11a.
802.11n is the newest standard that is widely available. This standard significantly improves speed and range. For instance, although 802.11g theoretically moves 54 megabits of data per second, it only achieves real-world speeds of about 24 megabits of data per second because of network congestion. 802.11n, however, reportedly can achieve speeds as high as 140 megabits per second. The standard is currently in draft form -- the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) plans to formally ratify 802.11n by the end of 2009.
Other 802.11 standards focus on specific applications of wireless networks, like wide area networks (WANs) inside vehicles or technology that lets you move from one wireless network to another seamlessly.
WiFi radios can transmit on any of three frequency bands. Or, they can "frequency hop" rapidly between the different bands. Frequency hopping helps reduce interference and lets multiple devices use the same wireless connection simultaneously.
devices can use one router to connect to the Internet. This connection is convenient, virtually invisible and fairly reliable; however, if the router fails or if too many people try to use high-bandwidth applications at the same time, users can experience interference or lose their connections.

Next, we'll look at how to connect to the Internet from a WiFi hotspot.
WiFi Hotspots

If you want to take advantage of public WiFi hotspots or start a wireless network in your home, the first thing you'll need to do is make sure your computer has the right gear. Most new laptops and many new desktop computers come with built-in wireless transmitters. If your laptop doesn't, you can buy a wireless adapter that plugs into the PC card slot or USB port. Desktop computers can use USB adapters, or you can buy an adapter that plugs into the PCI slot inside the computer's case. Many of these adapters can use more than one 802.11 standard.
Once you've installed your wireless adapter and the drivers that allow it to operate, your computer should be able to automatically discover existing networks. This means that when you turn your computer on in a WiFi hotspot, the computer will inform you that the network exists and ask whether you want to connect to it. If you have an older computer, you may need to use a software program to detect and connect to a wireless network.

Being able to connect to the Internet in public hotspots is extremely convenient. Wireless home networks are convenient as well. They allow you to easily connect multiple computers and to move them from place to place without disconnecting and reconnecting wires. In the next section, we'll look at how to create a wireless network in your home.
Building a Wireless Network
Quiz Corner
How much you know about WiFi and what it does? Test your knowledge with our WiFi Quiz!

If you already have several computers networked in your home, you can create a wireless network with a wireless access point. If you have several computers that are not networked, or if you want to replace your Ethernet network, you'll need a wireless router. This is a single unit that contains:
A port to connect to your cable or DSL modem
A router
An Ethernet hub
A firewall
A wireless access point

A wireless router allows you to use wireless signals or Ethernet cables to connect your computers to one another, to a printer and to the Internet. Most routers provide coverage for about 100 feet (30.5 meters) in all directions, although walls and doors can block the signal. If your home is very large, you can buy inexpensive range extenders or repeaters to increase your router's range.
As with wireless adapters, many routers can use more than one 802.11 standard. 802.11b routers are slightly less expensive, but because the standard is older, they're slower than 802.11a, 802.11g and 802.11n routers. Most people select the 802.11g option for its speed and reliability.

Once you plug in your router, it should start working at its default settings. Most routers let you use a Web interface to change your settings. You can select:
The name of the network, known as its service set identifier (SSID) -- The default setting is usually the manufacturer's name.
The channel that the router uses -- Most routers use channel 6 by default. If you live in an apartment and your neighbors are also using channel 6, you may experience interference. Switching to a different channel should eliminate the problem.
Your router's security options -- Many routers use a standard, publicly available sign-on, so it's a good idea to set your own username and password.

Security is an important part of a home wireless network, as well as public WiFi hotspots. If you set your router to create an open hotspot, anyone who has a wireless card will be able to use your signal. Most people would rather keep strangers out of their network, though. Doing so requires you to take a few security precautions.

It's also important to make sure your security precautions are current. The Wired Equivalency Privacy (WEP) security measure was once the standard for WAN security. The idea behind WEP was to create a wireless security platform that would make any wireless network as secure as a traditional wired network. But hackers discovered vulnerabilities in the WEP approach, and today it's easy to find applications and programs that can compromise a WAN running WEP security.

To keep your network private, you can use one of the following methods:
WiFi Protected Access (WPA) is a step up from WEP and is now part of the 802.11i wireless network security protocol. It uses temporal key integrity protocol (TKIP) encryption. As with WEP, WPA security involves signing on with a password. Most public hotspots are either open or use WPA or 128-bit WEP technology, though some still use the vulnerable WEP approach.

Media Access Control (MAC) address filtering is a little different from WEP or WPA. It doesn't use a password to authenticate users -- it uses a computer's physical hardware. Each computer has its own unique MAC address. MAC address filtering allows only machines with specific MAC addresses to access the network. You must specify which addresses are allowed when you set up your router. This method is very secure, but if you buy a new computer or if visitors to your home want to use your network, you'll need to add the new machines' MAC addresses to the list of approved addresses. The system isn't foolproof. A clever hacker can spoof a MAC address -- that is, copy a known MAC address to fool the network that the computer he or she is using belongs on the network.

Wireless networks are easy and inexpensive to set up, and most routers' Web interfaces are virtually self-explanatory. For more information on setting up and using a wireless network,

DIY: Eddie Zarck teaches you how to make your own MacBook logo LCD mod

2009-04-04T10:12:00.001-07:00

Remember the really cool MacBook logo LCD mod done by Eddie (EdsJunk)? Eddie has now unveiled how he did it, in fact, he has now revealed a tutorial to doing it in the comfort of your own home, though you will need to have bought a small LCD monitor / screen and some solder to do this mod. This could be an excellent DIY project for this weekend for anyone who was interested in incising their MacBooks

LG Arena out by this weekend

2009-04-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

It was a great opportunity for us to be able to take part in the launch of the LG Arena KM900 blogger event last night in London. We know from some of your messages that there’s been quite alot of interest in the phone since it was first announced during the Mobile World Congress (MWC), we’re happy to tell you all that the Arena will officially be available by the end of this weekend.

We were told at the event by LG Sales and Marketing Director, John Barton that the Arena will be arriving the UK mobile networks, Orange and T-Mobile, not surprisingly Phones4u and the Carphone Warhouse will also be involved in retailing.

“Vodafone is likely to stock the handset,” added John during the presentation.

Most of you will have seen the Arena in silver metallic casing and this has been confirmed to be the Orange unit. However, we have learnt that the T-Mobile version will sport a titanium black exterior.

Tariff deals for the Arena currently available for pre-order (via the Carphone) are priced at £35 per month on a contract length of 18 months.

We’ll keep everyone updated with photos and reviews of the LG Arena as we take a closer look at the demo unit we received last night.

Motorola QA4 Evoke - touchscreen slider phone

2009-04-02T09:37:00.001-07:00

Motorola has announced the launch of a new mobile phone - QA4 Evoke. Similar to a number of phones including the iPhone, Palm Pre, BlackBerry Storm, etc, it has a full touchscreen but also with a sliding keypad. It seems that the mobile phone maker is taking into account want we all like to see - a physical keyboard.

The QA4 Evoke will feature the following specs:
CDMA 800/1900/1700/2100, Diversity 1900MHz and 2100 MHz EVDO Rev A
2.8” WQVGA 240×400 Touchscreen display
2 megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom
256 MB Internal storage, microSD expansion
GPS
Bluetooth
Widget-Based, customizable homescreen
MySpace, YouTube and Picasa integration
Full HTML browser
Centralized & conversational style SMS and email (POP3/IMAP4)
108mm x 50.5mm x 17.5mm dimensions

Building a Brain on a Silicon Chip

2009-04-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

An international team of scientists in Europe has created a silicon chip designed to function like a human brain. With 200,000 neurons linked up by 50 million synaptic connections, the chip is able to mimic the brain's ability to learn more closely than any other machine.Although the chip has a fraction of the number of neurons or connections found in a brain, its design allows it to be scaled up, says Karlheinz Meier, a physicist at Heidelberg University, in Germany, who has coordinated the Fast Analog Computing with Emergent Transient States project, or FACETS.

The hope is that recreating the structure of the brain in computer form may help to further our understanding of how to develop massively parallel, powerful new computers, says Meier.

This is not the first time someone has tried to recreate the workings of the brain. One effort called the Blue Brain project, run by Henry Markram at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, in Switzerland, has been using vast databases of biological data recorded by neurologists to create a hugely complex and realistic simulation of the brain on an IBM supercomputer.

FACETS has been tapping into the same databases. "But rather than simulating neurons," says Karlheinz, "we are building them." Using a standard eight-inch silicon wafer, the researchers recreate the neurons and synapses as circuits of transistors and capacitors, designed to produce the same sort of electrical activity as their biological counterparts.

A neuron circuit typically consists of about 100 components, while a synapse requires only about 20. However, because there are so much more of them, the synapses take up most of the space on the wafer, says Karlheinz.

The advantage of this hardwired approach, as opposed to a simulation, Karlheinz continues, is that it allows researchers to recreate the brain-like structure in a way that is truly parallel. Getting simulations to run in real time requires huge amounts of computing power. Plus, physical models are able to run much faster and are more scalable. In fact, the current prototype can operate about 100,000 times faster than a real human brain. "We can simulate a day in a second," says Karlheinz.
While it may sound implausible, neurons are actually very slow, at least compared to computers, says Thomas Serre, a computational neuroscience researcher at MIT. "The reason why computers seem much slower is that they are serial machines, while our brains run in parallel," he says.

FACETS is not the only group taking this approach. Researchers at Stanford University have also been creating neuronal circuits and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency recently started funding a similar project.

"Where FACETS is ahead of anybody else is that they use these complex synapses," says Markram. While the neurons are quite simple, he says, the synapses are designed to use a very powerful distributed algorithm--developed by Markram--called spike-timing dependent plasticity, that allows the device to learn and adapt to new situations.

Building such complex circuits has required close collaboration with neurobiologists, says Markram. In fact, the project, whose current budget is €10.5 million (US$14.1 million), relies upon the contributions of 15 scientific groups from seven different countries. Among the challenges they face is recreating the three-dimensional structure of the brain in a 2-D piece of silicon, he says.

Despite efforts to make the chips as biologically plausible as possible, Markram admits they are still crude compared to what can be achieved in simulation. "It's not a brain. It's a more of a computer processor that has some of the accelerated parallel computing that the brain has," he says.

Because of this, Markram doubts that the hardware approach will offer much insight into how the brain works. For example, unlike Blue Brain, researchers won't be able to perform "in silico" drug testing, simulating the effects of drugs on the brain. "It's more a platform for artificial intelligence than understanding biology," he says.

The FACETS group now plans to further scale up their chips, connecting a number of wafers to create a superchip with a total of a billion neurons and 1013 synapses.

A Plan to Catch the Conficker Worm

2009-03-31T06:22:00.000-07:00

On April 1, a computer worm called Conficker, which has already infected millions of machines worldwide, is expected to do something bad, though no one knows exactly what. Some experts fear that an army of infected machines could be ordered to launch a coordinated attack or send out a barrage of spam. But a tool released today could help lessen the impact by allowing big companies and institutions to quickly weed out infected machines by scanning entire networks for signs of infection.

Analysis of the Conficker worm has previously revealed that infected computers will "phone home" on April 1 to receive a new set of instructions. It is already possible to detect the worm by scanning machines individually, but this is a relatively time-consuming process. It's also possible to detect the bug by watching for outgoing communications sent across a network, but the latest version of Conficker is designed to stay silent until April 1.

Dan Kaminsky, director of penetration testing for the Seattle-based security company IOActive, helped create the new scanning tool and says that it can identify an infected machine by recognizing the way it presents itself to the wider network. This makes it quick and easy to scan for the worm remotely and does not require any special access to machines. "It's like driving through a neighborhood looking for houses with big signs on their doors," Kaminsky says.

The tool was created after Tillmann Werner and Felix Leder, members of an independent research organization called the Honeynet Project, asked Kaminsky to review their research on Conficker. The pair had figured out that the worm changes the way a machine appears on a network. Kaminsky seized on this, suggesting that the researchers create a tool that uses this information to find infected machines. The researchers built such a tool and worked through the weekend to get it ready for broad distribution to suppliers of other security software. "Whatever vulnerability scanner a company is using, it should have support for this by the end of the day," Kaminsky says.
Bruce Schneier, chief security technology officer at BT Counterpane, says the new tool's ability to seek out the virus remotely should be useful, since it will let people scan a huge number of machines very quickly. This is important, Schneier says, because the worm is such a nasty pest. "Conficker is an extremely well-written, extremely well-designed, extremely well-executed worm," says Schneier. "It really is an impressive piece of work, and there's someone really smart behind it." But Schneier adds that it's important for computer users and administrators to protect their machines against a variety of malware, not just a single threat.

"If you've been running a good environment, you shouldn't be worried about this," says Rich Mogull, founder of the security-consulting company Securosis, who helped connect the Honeynet researchers and Kaminsky with network-security vendors over the weekend. Mogull notes that Microsoft has already released several patches that block the vulnerability that Conficker uses to infect a machine. However, he says that companies worried about Conficker should start scanning for it right away, after checking to see if their network-security tools have been updated.

Kurt Rohloff, a scientist who studies Internet worms at the research and development company BBN Technologies, says that the tool could prove useful, though he doubts that there's time to find and neutralize every computer infected with the worm. Rohloff says that the new scanner could be used to take preventive action by identifying infected hosts and removing them from the network, though he admits that this approach is "drastic, because you're removing connectivity."

Kaminsky notes that the tool is intended for organizations with large networks. For individuals, he says, the best approach is to make sure that the latest security updates are installed and up-to-date antivirus software is running. Since Conficker blocks a computer from accessing certain security websites, users could test for the worm by trying to visit those sites, Kaminsky says. Werner and Leder plan to release a paper within the next day, describing the technical details of their discovery.

Apple netbook: MacBook Mini via Russians

2009-03-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Is this the real deal? We have absolutely no idea whether this is just another photoshop mock up calling it the MacBook Mini. Mind you, April Fools is coming up! These are spyshots of what is allegedly the Apple netbook which we have all been waiting for, they were leaked and printed in a Russian magazine. What’s more is that the specs revealed showed no signs of on board 3G wireless connectivity, that’s odd for a netbook these days. Inside the supposed MacBook mini, there’s a 10.4″ screen with a 1,280×768 screen that handle HD videos. There’s also an Atom processor, 2 GB of RAM, WiFi, running Geforce 9400M, bluetooth, a 64GB solid state drive for storage, a USB port and a Mini DisplayPort. We haven’t received any other news as of now, should this be filed into the “another concept idea archive”, what do you think?

Melissa virus turns 10

2009-03-29T04:34:00.001-07:00

A decade ago there was no Facebook, no iPhone, and no Conficker. There was dial-up and AOL and a nasty virus called Melissa that ended up being the fastest spreading virus at the time.

CNET News talked to Dmitry Graznov, a senior research architect at McAfee Avert Labs who was among the researchers who worked to fight the Melissa outbreak and track down the creator.

Q: How was Melissa discovered?
Graznov: Avert as a whole discovered it as did some of the competitors. It was submitted to us by customers as it started to spread around the world (on March 26, 1999).

What made Melissa different from previous viruses?
Graznov: It was the first mass-mailing virus, which used e-mail to spread on a large scale.

What harm did the virus do?
Graznov: In some cases the load on the e-mail servers in some organizations was so high that the servers were effectively shut down.

How many computers were affected and what did the virus do?
Graznov: Hundreds of thousands of computers were affected. That's a guess...Melissa infected other documents a user opened in Microsoft Word. It also connected to Outlook if it was running and selected 50 entries in the address book and e-mailed an infected document to those addresses...including mailing lists...As a result, the virus was sent not just to 50 people, but to thousands of people easily. We didn't have any firm numbers to go by, but we did have reports from customers saying their Exchange servers were overwhelmed.

How long did the outbreak last?
Graznov: Several days, but the infections continued to be registered for a long time after that. It was just a macro virus and we were well equipped to provide detection and removal for people's computers even then...The fact that it was so widespread in the world already meant it took a long time to remove the infections.

Security researcher Dmitry Graznov as he looked in 1999 when he was chasing down the creator of the Melissa virus for McAfee Avert Labs.
(Credit: Dmitry Graznov)

How did the virus writer get caught?
Graznov: I was running, actually still am, a project called Usenet Virus Patrol, which scans Usenet articles for viruses. The author of Melissa posted the virus to a newsgroup called "alt.sex." It was zipped up and sent as if it was a list of passwords to like 80-something different porno sites...It was just bait to entice people into downloading it and opening it. Once it was opened, it started e-mailing itself around. It was relatively easy to go back and find the exact Usenet posting that started all this. In the header of the posting it was possible to find out not only the e-mail address from which it was sent but also the IP address of the computer from which it was sent. That IP was linked to an AOL account and from that the FBI subpoenaed AOL and they provided the dial-in logs...and found out what computer was assigned that IP address and from what telephone number the call was made. The AOL account was a compromised one...The phone call that used that account came from New Jersey and the FBI linked the phone number to a particular address. That is how they found the guy's computer...The data we provided them was the clue that led straight to the criminal. (David L. Smith pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 months in prison and $5,000 in fines.)

What was the motivation behind Melissa?
Graznov: There was no material gain. Back then, people didn't do it for money. They did it for mischief, for fame...Today there is huge money in computer crime...Back then, we had 200 times fewer pieces of malware than we have today.

Any comments on Conficker and Melissa and how far we've come?
Graznov: Conficker is a completely different type of thing. It's not a macro virus. It's an executable and a botnet, and it downloads lots of stuff on your computer. It's basically a network for sale. It can be rented out. It can be used for password stealing. Back in 1999 there wasn't such a thing as a business model for malware...Today, big money is involved in computer malware. You cannot even compare them.

Brain Images Reveal the Secret to Higher IQ

2009-03-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

Pixilated brain: At the bottom, an MRI image shows a slice of the human brain. At the top is shown a magnified portion of this section, created using diffusion imaging. To create the image, scientists measured the direction of the water diffusion in brain tissue. The "flower petals" at each point show the directions of fastest diffusion. These are aligned along the neural pathways of the brain, because water diffuses directionally along the well-insulated neural wires that carry electrical signals. The different directions of diffusion are color-coded red, green, and blue. In this example, the bright red areas reveal the thick fiber tract, called the corpus callosum, which transfers information between the left and right sides of the brain.
Credit: David Shattuck, Arthur Toga, Paul Thompson/UCLA
New research suggests that the layer of insulation coating neural wiring in the brain plays a critical role in determining intelligence. In addition, the quality of this insulation appears to be largely genetically determined, providing further support for the idea that IQ is partly inherited.

The findings, which result from a detailed study of twins' brains, hint at how ever-improving brain-imaging technology could shed light on some of our most basic characteristics.

"The study answers some very fundamental questions about how the brain expresses intelligence," says Philip Shaw, a child psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health, in Bethesda, MD, who was not involved in the research.

The neural wires that transmit electrical messages from cell to cell in the brain are coated with a fatty layer called myelin. Much like the insulation on an electrical wire, myelin stops current from leaking out of the wire and boosts the speed with which messages travel through the brain--the higher quality the myelin, the faster the messages travel. These myelin-coated tracts make up the brain's white matter, while the bodies of neural cells are called grey matter.

White matter is invisible on most brain scans, but a recently developed variation of magnetic resonance imaging, called diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI), allows scientists to map the complex neural wiring in our brains by measuring the diffusion of water molecules through tissue. Thanks to the fatty myelin coating, water diffuses along the length of neural wires, while in other types of brain tissue it moves in all different directions. Researchers can calculate the direction of fastest diffusion at each point in the brain and then construct a picture of the brain's fiber tracts. A well-organized brain has well-functioning myelin, in which water can be seen clearly moving along specific paths. "Diffusion imaging gives a picture of how intact your brain connections are," says Paul Thompson, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who lead the study.

Thompson and his colleagues took DTI scans of 92 pairs of fraternal and identical twins. They found a strong correlation between the integrity of the white matter and performance on a standard IQ test. "Going forward, we are certainly going to think of white matter structure as an important contributor of intelligence," says Van Wedeen, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who was also not involved in the research. "It also changes how you think about what IQ is measuring," says Wedeen. The research was published last month in the Journal of Neuroscience.
IQ inheritance: By comparing the brain scans of twins, scientists discovered that the quality of the fatty tissue that insulates neural wires is largely inherited. The parietal lobe, which is involved in logic and mathematics, is 85 percent genetically determined, whereas the visual cortex is about 76 percent, and the temporal lobe, which is involved in learning and memory, is only 45 percent genetically determined.
Credit: David Shattuck, Arthur Toga, Paul Thompson/UCLA
If white matter is linked to both processing speed and IQ, this raises the question: is intelligence merely a function of how fast your brain works? Previous research has linked processing speed to IQ, but the tests used in the study are measures of general intelligence, including verbal skills, math, and logic. "Processing speed plays a big part in how intelligent you are, but it's not the only factor," says Shaw.

The new study is among the first to link a specific neural architecture to IQ in healthy individuals. "Most people have focused on grey matter," says Shaw. "This is good evidence we should be looking at white matter as well." Previous studies using DTI have linked white matter damage to Alzheimer's disease, chronic alcoholism, and traumatic brain injury.

The UCLA researchers took the study a step further by comparing the white matter architecture of identical twins, who share almost all their DNA, and fraternal twins, who share only half. Results showed that the quality of the white matter is highly genetically determined, although the influence of genetics varies by brain area. According to the findings, about 85 percent of the variation in white matter in the parietal lobe, which is involved in mathematics, logic, and visual-spatial skills, can be attributed to genetics. But only about 45 percent of the variation in the temporal lobe, which plays a central role in learning and memory, appears to be inherited.

Thompson and his collaborators also analyzed the twins' DNA, and they are now looking for specific genetic variations that are linked to the quality of the brain's white matter. The researchers have already found a candidate--the gene for a protein called BDNF, which promotes cell growth. "People with one variation have more intact fibers," says Thompson.

The search for the genetic and neuroanatomical basis of intelligence has been controversial, largely because opponents fear it will spawn a deterministic view of abilities and education. "People worry that if something is genetic, they have no power to influence it," says Thompson. "But that's not true at all." For example, both an average runner and a genetically gifted one can benefit from training.

But the debate may be moot since, as Wedeen points out, it is unlikely that an individual brain scan could predict a person's IQ. "The report described aggregate data over number of individuals," he says. "That's not the same as saying we can do a scan and determine a person's intelligence. That may be in the offing, but we don't know that yet."

New Xbox 360 development kit comes with chrome accented console

2009-03-27T07:48:00.001-07:00

Unveiled at GDC 09, the new Microsoft Xbox 360 development kit includes this sleek console with chrome accents and rightly speculated, a larger capacity hard drive though we don’t know yet exactly how much. Eyes only though, because we don’t we this will be available for purchase anytime soon, of course you might see one or two on eBay at some point, I’m sure!

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars rating

2009-03-26T10:08:00.001-07:00

OVERALL RATING:9.3/10

Gameplay: 9.5

The action is non-stop, and if you dissect the gunplay, it very much feels like an inspired, modern-day version of Contra or Metal Slug meets Smash TV. The mix is impeccably designed; conceptually, I would have had doubts. But the developers made it work and it plays beautifully.

Graphics: 9.0
The miniscule characters won't impress anyone. But the high-speed vehicles, ultra-detailed city and impressive camera work will blow your mind.

Sound: 8.9
The sound effects could have come from a 16-bit game but the musical presentation is amazing. The radio feature is back, and though none of the songs feature vocals (presumably due to file size limitations), the quality is very good. The story is presented without voice-overs (again due to limitations), but that doesn't hurt the game at all.

Difficulty: Medium
A fair challenge without any extreme parts in either direction.

Concept: 9.0
New additions, such as Rampage mode, drug dealing and improved car stealing are perfect for the DS.

Multiplayer: 9.0
Stash Dash, Defend the Base and Single/Season Race modes take the action online for extended fun. Gameplay is limited to just two players, but it rocks.

Overall: 9.3
An amazing and entrancing experience that lives up to the Grand Theft Auto name.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars review

2009-03-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

ust when it seems that the DS’ lifespan has reached its end and that no more innovation can be produced, in walks the other, lesser-hyped Grand Theft Auto sequel: Chinatown Wars. This handheld adaptation looks good on paper, but players have no idea what they’re in for. The camera change (top-down), cel-shaded graphics and bad experiences with other DS action games will inevitably create a degree of skepticism. But once you start playing – once you feel the thrill of driving, the intensity of combat, the joy of completing a mission and the simple pleasure of getting rich, it will be hard to form a thought other than that this game is unbelievably amazing.

Down to the Basics

First and foremost, Grand Theft Auto is a driving/action series. It succeeds because the vehicular controls are the best in the biz; without them, the franchise wouldn’t have gotten this far. Though you don’t have analog sensitivity helping you drive in Chinatown Wars, the D-pad works pretty well. Like any GTA, most of the cars offer unique handling properties. Sports cars are tight and fast, muscle cars are moderately fast but slippery, and trucks are slow but very powerful. There are many other handling variations within the car lineup, and though it’s not on par with the console versions (did you really expect it to be?), the variety is extremely impressive.

Drawing upon the power of the DS, the act of stealing a car is no longer as simple as breaking in and driving away. When a car is already in motion, the gameplay remains the same: tap the X button to wrestle with the driver and hope you’re able to steal the car before he drives away. But if parked, the vehicle won’t start on its own. Thus, you’ll have to hotwire the engine, drive a screwdriver through the keyhole, or use a number-matching device (a computer that tricks the engine) to start the car. In any case, the touch screen is used to perform these actions, allowing the player to feel like he’s a part of the car-stealing excitement. Things are particularly intense – and dangerous! – when a cop runs up just before the engine starts.

As anticipated, the police are once again a major part of the GTA experience. However, this time you are given the luxury of surviving by fighting back. In previous GTAs, your only recourse was to run. If you hurt a cop in the process, your wanted level would increase, reducing your chances of a successful escape. In Chinatown Wars, you’ll still be penalized for shooting cops. But this time you can reduce your wanted level by ramming police vehicles into objects. The resulting gameplay is deeper and more aggressive – the kind of experience you’d expect to see if Criterion (makers of the Burnout series) and Rockstar teamed up.

Chinatown Wars is potentially the DS’ longest game, thanks to a meaningful quest that is packed with unique missions. Become an assassin, deliver car bombs, plant explosives and take out rival gangs. Find a sniper rifle, put it together with the touch screen (an act that is too cool for words), and use it to finish an enemy. Control machinegun-equipped boats and jet skis, battle helicopters with a rocket launcher, and participate in bonus Rampage missions (found in specific areas of Liberty City) where bullets are unlimited.

Delightfully Distracting

In between fighting scum and running from the cops, Chinatown Wars introduces a new gameplay element that is scarily addictive: drug dealing. You won’t sell directly to users, thank goodness. But by searching the city for men in dark alleys (marked on the map as blue dots initially, then blue briefcases once discovered), you’ll be able to buy and sell coke, heroine, acid, downers, weed and ecstasy to dozens of other dealers.

With e-mail taking the place of the cell phone in GTAIV, you’ll receive messages not only regarding the main missions but also to announce who’s buying or selling drugs at a better price. In the real-world, the whole thing is disgusting, but in this fictional setting it’s quite amusing. Cops show up all the time, turning your latest deal into a speedy chase; if caught with drugs, they – along with all weapons – will be confiscated.

Since this is a game, you don’t have to worry about the real-world consequence of serving 10 years in prison. But you do get some of the real-world benefits: dealing drugs is the quickest and easiest way to earn money in a GTA game, allowing players to buy up every safehouse and every weapon they desire and still have money left over. Weapons, by the way, can now be delivered right to your doorstep thanks to a new Ammu-Nation service.
Obviously, Chinatown Wars isn’t for kids, so not every DS owner will (or should) have the joy of playing it. That said, every player of appropriate age must play this game. Chinatown Wars is the best handheld release on any platform since God of War: Chains of Olympus. In fact, that’s the only title that can compare. If you love the GTA franchise and want a GTA-sized experience on a handheld, Chinatown Wars will turn you into a zombie – an addicted, unproductive, can’t-stop-smiling zombie that never wants to put the game down.

Samsung showsoff latest 16.6mm-thick digital camera TL100

2009-03-25T04:30:00.000-07:00

The latest Samsung TL100 is 12.2-megapixel camera thats just 3.7 inches wide by 2.2 inches high by 0.6 inch deep. Like any decent pocket sized camera in its class, the TL100 has a largish LCD at 2.7 inches and a 3x optical zoom. It also has the shooting options currently in vogue: face, smile, and blink detection and full-resolution ISO settings up to 1600. The camera also boasts Samsung’s new Smart Auto feature, which automatically selects the appropriate scene mode for the environment users may be shooting in

Toshiba Regza SV LCD TV

2009-03-24T06:55:00.000-07:00

Due to be released later this year, Toshiba’s SV series super skinny tv’s are what they claim to be “the most advanced Toshiba LCD TV model ever to launch” in the UK. Why? Because technology wise, these tellies sport Active Vision M200HD picture processing and an RGB LED backlight. Available in 46 and 55 inches, each model also gets a digital tuner, Toshiba’s MetaBrain engine which gives you Dolby Volume that promises even sound, DLNA technology, a game mode and four HDMI InstaPort ports.Due to be released later this year, Toshiba’s SV series super skinny tv’s are what they claim to be “the most advanced Toshiba LCD TV model ever to launch” in the UK. Why? Because technology wise, these tellies sport Active Vision M200HD picture processing and an RGB LED backlight. Available in 46 and 55 inches, each model also gets a digital tuner, Toshiba’s MetaBrain engine which gives you Dolby Volume that promises even sound, DLNA technology, a game mode and four HDMI InstaPort ports.

The new SV series is also capable of playing mp3 and DivX videos via usb (with the DivX content upscaled too) and gets an SD card slot for viewing jpegs, what can’t this badboy do? Suggested to be released by August this year, these tellies will definitely be on the high end in terms of pricing, that might not be so good for this time of the year!

ASUS folding origami laptop to ship soon, pricing revealed!

2009-03-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

This year at the CES we were thrilled to see the teaser featuring ASUS’s latest fold / unfold laptop concept in development, however the fact that a laptop as thin as this and looked much like origami just seemed too unrealistic. Well now, we know that ASUS weren’t joking at all, in fact in an interview with TechRadar, ASUS CEO Jerry Shen confessed that this very machine would be shipping in the September to October time frame and that the end-user price would be “somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500″. I wonder what exactly will the specs be like? Considering this price range is actually quite reasonable and much cheaper than our good friend, the Dell Adamo!

Microsoft launches latest browser IE 8

2009-03-22T08:06:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has launched the latest version of its web browser, Internet Explorer 8 (IE8)
Microsoft says that IE8 is more secure, allows users to cut down on common tasks and will be an integral part of its forthcoming Windows 7 system.
Although IE is still the most popular browser, it faces stiff competition from Google, Firefox, Opera and others.
The release is Microsoft's first major browser update since 2006, when the company released Internet Explorer 7.
"Customers have made clear what they want in a Web browser - safety, speed and greater ease of use," said Microsoft boss, Steve Ballmer.
"With Internet Explorer 8, we are delivering a browser that gets people to the information they need, fast, and provides protection that no other browser can match."
Speaking to the BBC, Chris Green - the former editor of IT Pro - said that despite the "marketing puff" the new version of Internet Explorer was a significant improvement on previous editions.
"I've been using Internet Explorer 8 for more than six months and is vastly better than IE7, which was big on features but poor on performance.
dot.life
The relationship between IE and Windows is called anti-competitive by some and essential by others
Darren WatersTechnology editor
Read more of Darren's blog
"The safety features in IE8 are very good. It can spot dubious websites and alert you if you're about to fall foul of, let's say, a phishing website, because it has a constantly updating list of dodgy sites."
Simple searching
Microsoft has also introduced a feature that it is calling "accelerators" which, say the company, make it easier to perform web-related tasks directly from the page by simply right-clicking a word or phrase.
Computer Active's deputy editor, Tom Royal, told the BBC that it was refreshing to see Microsoft pioneer features in a web browser rather than playing catch-up.
"The accelerated menu is something no other browser has.
"The contextual popup menus are a real step forward - for example, highlighting and right-clicking on a postcode automatically brings up Google maps.
"This has real potential and will make surfing the web much easier. I'm sure others will follow up with something similar," he added.
Microsoft has also taken a leaf out of Mozilla's book when it comes to searching.
While Firefox allows users to switch between sites like Amazon and Wikipedia, IE takes this a step further, displaying a preview of suggested searches and results appearing in a drop-down list.

Searching topics can be done with a mouse click within an existing page
The new browser can also follow news headlines and track eBay auctions, weather forecasts and blog posts with a feature the company is calling Web Slice, which is, essentially, a news ticker on the favourites bar.
Microsoft's share in the web-browser market has been steadily declining and it remains to be seen whether IE8 can reverse that trend.
"A browser is still a very personal choice," said Mr Royal.
"Some people like theirs simple and fast, while others want stuff with loads of features. IE has always been all things to all people but the perception is that it's the browser that's just there rather than the one you would choose to use.
"For now, I would avoid using the new version not because it isn't any good, it's that there are usually lots of undiscovered bugs and security flaws on any piece of new software," he added.

iPhone 3.0 3G modem, internet tethering?

2009-03-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

This may be just complete nonsense or some kind of photoshopped pic, at least our experience tells us to think that way and speculate it to avoid disappointment. We’re not sure whether what you see below is some kind of hack, could it be that with the new iPhone OS 3.0 on the iPhone 3G, we’ll be able to use it as a 3G modem for our computer? We realise this is already possible, but it is not without its own limitations, if the below is true, then could it mean that this would be a feature of iPhone 3.0 (this doesn’t sound like something Apple would do at all!).

Star Wars Boba Fett Lego armor

2009-03-20T07:58:00.000-07:00

Another amazing creative Lego product - Star Wars boba fett armor, which you can actually wear! Not sure that it will fit everyone though. This armor also includes the jetpack we saw in the Star Wars movies, which one to be exact I need a Star Wars fan to remind me. This is definitely something to wear if you want to look cool and stand out at a fancy dress party!

A NEW COSMOS ON THE WEB

2009-03-19T08:53:00.001-07:00

This screenshot from the Web-based version of WorldWide Telescope shows Venus'surface, mapped by the Magellan probe and enhanced with other imagery.A year after making its debut as a downloadable software program, Microsoft Research's WorldWide Telescope is going public on the World Wide Web. It's the latest move aimed at widening the "market" for free online exploration of the cosmos.

There's lots of software that gives you the universe on your computer - ranging from the kind of programs you pay good money for (such as Starry Night, Redshift and TheSky), to free programs available over the Internet (Sky on Google Earth, Stellarium and Celestia, as well as the classic WorldWide Telescope, a.k.a. WWT), to Web-based planetariums (Google Sky and Heavens-Above).

Today Microsoft took the wraps off its own Web client, based on the standalone version of WWT, at the annual MIX conference in Las Vegas. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)

Many of the WorldWide Telescope's features have been carried over: You can see thousands of the night sky's coolest sights in multiple wavelengths, thanks to a rich database of imagery from space telescopes as well as ground-based observatories.

For example, you can bring up the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) in optical wavelengths, load in Spitzer's infrared view, and then use a slider button to morph one view into the other. The dark, dusty swirls in the optical view turn out to be exactly where the infrared emissions are the brightest.

You can also sit back and let someone show you around, thanks to tours that have been prepared by space fans ranging from professional astrophysicists to a 6-year-old kid. And you can load up panoramas created by probes on Mars, Apollo astronauts on the moon, or photographers visiting the Mauna Kea observatories in Hawaii (or the lobby of Microsoft Research's headquarters, for that matter).

The release is meant to make the WorldWide Telescope available to non-Windows computer users as well as Windows users who may be reluctant to install a big piece of software, said Jonathan Fay, one of WWT's co-creators at Microsoft Research. He said 2 million users have downloaded the standalone program, but for every Web site visitor who has done the download, there have been almost 100 visitors who have not.

You still need to have Microsoft's multimedia plug-in, known as Silverlight, but Fay said he hopes users won't find that to be a huge hurdle.

"If they've seen Web advertising, they've probably already installed Silverlight," he said. (The plug-in was used for NBC video streaming during last year's Olympics, and it's also playing a supporting role in this month's "March Madness" tournament.)

Also, there are some features that haven't been carried over - such as the ability to create those cool guided tours, or navigate the universe in 3-D. "If you can use the 3-D mode, that's what you want to install," Fay said.

Fay keeps a MacBook Air laptop sitting on the edge of his desk at Microsoft Research, connected to the Internet through a flaky wireless connection, just to get a sense of how the Web client works for real-world users. The graphics aren't as high-resolution as they are in the classic WWT, and the imagery is slower to load - mostly due to the connection speed - but at least it works.

Fay and the other main man behind the project, Curtis Wong, are focusing on making the high-quality version of WorldWide Telescope good enough for professional researchers to rely on. Astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics are already using WWT to help keep track of their image databases, and Fay hints that more announcements are on the way. (I'll provide updates at the end of this item if and when they are announced.)

Amateur astronomers are also taking to the WorldWide Telescope, in part thanks to efforts such as the Astrometry site on Flickr. Photographs of celestial sights can be coded up so that they drop right into the WWT Web view. Fay said the WorldWide Telescope plays well with the Virtual Astronomy Multimedia Project, an effort to standardize how astronomical photos are tagged.

In the past few weeks, it seems as if the competition between Microsoft and Google has been heating up in the celestial sphere: Google Earth has added the ability to create guided tours, a la Microsoft's WWT, and rolled out an eye-pleasing array of Martian imagery. (Google's "Live From Mars" image stream, drawing upon the latest pictures from Mars orbiters, came online shortly after last week's launch.)

Now Microsoft has raised the bar for Web-based space exploration, moving into a realm where Google Sky has had the lead.

Fay said the way WWT uses Silverlight could be adapted to other applications as well, including Web-based gaming environments and experiments in geographic-based crowdsourcing. "This is a game-changer in terms of what people are going to expect from the Web," he said.

And in fact, the folks from Microsoft and the folks from Google are learning from each other. Neither Google Sky nor WorldWide Telescope are being done for the money, since both programs are free. Rather, they're helping to blaze a technological trail for other pursuits - while at the same time providing something useful and fun for scientists as well as the general public.

"The more, the better - and the science is going to benefit in the end," Fay said.

Dell Adamo

2009-03-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

Just like it was suggested yesterday by Google, Dell’s latest ultra thin luxurious flagship - Adamo is now available and you can order it online worldwide wherever you are. As you may be aware, the Adamo is available in white (Pearl) and black (Onyx). In addition to that the specs differ by a tiny bit with Desire being the bigger brother of Admire. The below is a breakdown of the official specs and pricing for those in the UK and US.

The main specs for the Admire version (Pricing: £1,649 / $1,999) will be:
1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor with Centrino technology
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium 64 bit
2GB 800MHz DDR3 dual-channel memory
128GB solid state drive
1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor with Centrino technology
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium 64 bit
4GB 800MHz DDR dual-channel memory
128GB solid state drive
Mobile Broadband

While both the Admire and Desire will have the following shared features:
Super-thin 13.4-inch 16:9 (High Definition; 720p) WLED display
Full-size keyboard with back-lighting and scalloped, metallic key cap design
Integrated 1.3 megapixel camera and integrated digital microphone
IO: Display Port, USBx3 (1 eSATA combination), Audio Out and integrated RJ-45 port
Communications: Gigabit LOM, Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11n (3×3)
5+ hr battery life using Li-Polymer cells; 40 Whr
Compact power adapter
Dimensions: (w x d x h) 331 x 242 x 16.39 mm
Weight: 1.81 kg

Softwares that will come as standard for both will be the following:

Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9, Adobe® Flash Player, Dell Dock, McAfee SecurityCenter 30-day Trial, Dell Webcam Application, Dell Video Chat, Microsoft® Windows LiveTM , Dell Connect Point, Dell Quickset, Dell Touchpad

Faster Flexible Electronics

2009-03-17T08:59:00.001-07:00

A new way to build microwire transistors could double flexible electronics speeds.For years, engineers have been trying to make flexible electronics faster and less expensive to manufacture, but this has proved difficult. For instance, organic microwires, which can be used to make flexible electronics, are hard to align as circuits. Now researchers at Stanford University and Samsung have developed a technique that allows them to precisely position organic microwires on a substrate and build complex circuits with relative ease. The new technique involves putting microwires in a liquid solution and filtering them through paper to form the circuit's transistors.

Zhenan Bao, a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford, who led the work, says that engineers can maximize the number of microwires in a circuit using the new technique. "That allows us to significantly increase the output current from these devices," she says.

Bao explains that the organic microwire transistors made using the new technique operate two and a half times faster than previous ones. This means that a flexible display made in this way could refresh about twice as quickly as those made using existing methods.

Most electronic devices, such as cell phones and computers, use microchips that are made from silicon. Transistors made from organic microwires may not be as fast as silicon ones, but they are better suited to making flexible electronics. They can be created cheaply, without using high temperatures that would melt plastic, and can also coat large areas, potentially creating huge flexible displays.

"Our goal is to make electronic devices that are lighter in weight and can be coated over a large area," says Bao. "This includes displays that are put onto a plastic substrate and can be folded, low-cost sensors that are disposable, and electronic tags put on merchandise."

Organic microwires can already be added to a solution and printed onto a substrate. But they tend to clump together and lie at odd angles, making it difficult to connect the electrodes needed to form a transistor. "Previously, many groups have shown that they can make transistors out of nanowires and microwires," says Bao. But they have not been able to align all these wires affectively. "All these wires are sitting on top of each other randomly," Bao says. "It's difficult to pack a dense layer of wires into the same area."

The new approach begins with depositing patterned metal onto a substrate made of silicon dioxide. The metal will form the electronic terminals of the microwire transistors. Next is the most important step: aligning the microwires across these terminals. The researchers do this by making a mask with a design that corresponds to the alignment of transistors on top of the terminals, and placing it onto a piece of filter paper. The microwires, which are contained in a liquid solution, are then poured onto the mask, and vacuum suction pulls them to the open areas of the mask. When the mask is removed, the wires are aligned on the filter paper correspondingly. Next, the filter paper with the patterned wires is put in contact with the electrodes on the substrate, and the wires are transferred when the whole thing is dipped into water.

John Rogers, a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says that the Stanford and Samsung approach could be used to quickly make large-scale microwire circuits that are as good as those constructed using more complex methods.

Bao and her colleagues are currently testing the idea that their alignment technique could work with other materials, including inorganic microwires, which have electrical and structural properties that are different from organic microwires. In addition, she says, her team plans to increase the complexity of patterns on a paper mask in order to create even more complex circuitry.

Roundup of top solar gadgets for Apple iPhone

2009-03-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

We decided to sum up some of the best solar gadgets we knew of that either have been designed for or are compatible with the iPhone (2G and 3G) / iPod Touch. We know solar gadgets are very popular these days especially among those who are cautious about being eco-friendly, the environmnet and of course the often talked about CO2 emission. We managed to put into this list five solar gadgets, we did think there were more but some like the one from Brando has been discontinued over time and some that had heard of were actually replicas of the genuine thing so we excluded those out!

We are by all means not related to any of the companies talked about below.

Freeloader 8.0 by Solar Technology (£29.99)

Freeloader 8.0 is something we’ve mentioned in the past before and received mixed comments, it is basically a charging device with solar panels that charges a multitude of the latest mobile gadgets including the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The Freeloader 8.0 solar charger is especially useful for the iPod, which it can power for 18 additional hours or a PDA, which it can power for 22 hours. The solar charger comes in cool silver or hot pink plus USB and miniUSB adapters as well as nine other types including Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Nokia and LG phones.

The Freeloader 8.0 has two especially sensitive foldaway solar panels that can charge your devices even on cloudy days and it will even recharge its own batteries at the same time it charges peripheral devices. The Freeloader also has the option for users to buy an enlarged solar panel, called the Supercharger, which reduces recharge time by half.

More info on Freeloader here and here…

SOLiCharger by Solight ($39.95)
Unlike the Freeloader 8.0, SOLiCharger is a much more tinier, lightweight (40 grams) lithium-ion based battery pack that plugs into the bottom of your iPhone (we believe should work with iPod Touch as well). The SOLiCharger also works both as a battery storage pack and as a direct solar energy charging device. The best thing about the SOLiCharger is that it’s got no cords or adapters.

Main features:
Works with both original and 3G iPhone
Plug the SOLiCharger into your iPhone to provide up to a 50% charge to your iPhone battery
Built-in solar panel on the back side charges the SOliCharger (takes up to sixteen hours of sun to fully charge)
Weighs only 1.4 oz.
Charges quickly in one of four ways:
Directly from the SUN! Free solar power!
Directly from your computer via the Apple/USB cord
Directly from the 110v Apple® USB charging cord
Directly from any 12v Apple compatible car charger

Simply plug in the SOLiCharger to an iPhone charging cord and it will fully charge in just 1.5 hours. You can even plug it into your phone and charge both at the same time. Then if your phone runs low on power, simply plug the SOLiCharger into the phone and it will immediately begin charging the phone. You can use your phone while it’s charging.

If there’s no power source available, no problem! The SOLiCharger has a built-in solar panel on the back side that will provide up to a 50% iPhone battery charge when the SOLiCharger is fully charged (can take up to sixteen hours of sun due to the capacity of the battery - 800mAh - and the small size of the solar panel). You can even charge the SOLiCharger in the sun while it is attached to your phone.
iCharge Eco (Pricing: TBC)

Developed by a Japan based company, the iCharge Eco charger looks to be a promising solar charger. Like most Japanese made gadgets, it looks brilliant, colourful and solid. The unfortunate news is that we have not heard of whether this will be available anywhere else but Asia. Not only charging iPods and iPhones, the iCharge Eco design is what you could say a mini version of the Freeloader. (Look out for this space for updates on availability!)

The iCharge Eco also charges PSP/iPod/Nintendo DS, and mobile phones. It delivers an output of DC5.0-5.5V/600mA and comes with a 1,350mAh battery that takes around 3.5 hours to charge via an AC adapter, 5 hours via USB, and 15 hours via its built in solar panel.

TuffCharge Solar by Freeplay (£49.99)

Unveiled by Freeplay at this year’s MWC, TuffCharge Solar is a battery pack based iPhone case equipped with the ability to convert solar energy using solar panels. Your iPhone slides nicely into the TuffCharge Solar case which thus provides extra protection from damage (but at the cost of weighing 81g more), at the same time the TuffCharge case has a built in battery which gives your iPhone an additional 1400mAh battery, doubling your battery life.

As you can see, the casing looks slick, the solar panel on the back is hardly noticeable. A line of LEDs also on the back lets you know when there is enough daylight / sunlight triggering a charge status of your case’s battery. This does however take the solar panels approximately 11 hours to fully charge the TuffCharge battery given the most ideal conditions. An hour of sunlight is supposedly enough for 60 minutes of talk time or a couple of hours music playback, which isn’t bad especially if you’re outdoors and desperately needed the power. Your connections also feed-through the TuffCharge case which means you won’t need to take your iPhone out of the when you need to charge or sync your iPhone.
The TuffCharge Solar will be available from September this year in black or white for £49.99.

University students design ice cream serving robot

2009-03-15T03:42:00.001-07:00

A robot that can automatically serve ice cream with selected toppings and pass on a spoon? 26 students at Ohio Northern University under supervision of their professors have built an ice cream serving robot consisting of two Kuka industrial robots which man their stations inside a kiosk of custom-fabricated components. Check out the video after the break, what they have achieved in this project is brilliant!

Apple iPhone firmware OS 3.0 event announced - March 17

2009-03-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

Some exciting news today folks, Apple have just announced that a special event will be held on March 17 (in just five days!) at 10am PST (1pm EST). Its expected that Apple will be showing off the latest version of the iPhone OS firmware version 3.0 along with a brand new updated SDK (software development kit).

So far, the news has been that MMS will finally be coming to the iPhone, in addition tethering via bluetooth and USB have also been suggested! I’m sure there will be many more to be revealed on that day, its now just a matter of how much info gets leaked. We expect to see something exciting with this new version of OS, wonder what Apple has in store for everyone!?

One step closer to Minority Report - MIT creates sixth sense technology

2009-03-13T00:30:00.000-07:00

A genius team of researchers at MIT takes us one step closer to living in the world where Tom Cruise played in Minority Report and had computers equipped with technology even fancier than that of the Surface PC (not so fancy anymore I guess). Sixth sense! Is it possible? The video after the jump is not to be missed!

Apple unveils latest iPod Shuffle - world’s tiniest music player

2009-03-12T00:28:00.000-07:00

Apple has unveiled the next generation of iPod Shuffle which will feature a newly implemented technology for iPods called Voiceover which uses a speech engine to tell you the name of the singer or the title of the song in up to 14 different languages (English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish). At half the size of the previous generation iPod Shuffle, latest successor is just 7.8mm thick and looks even more stylish with no control buttons at all.

The controls on the new Shuffle have been moved from the body of device to the earphone cord, this may be innovative but how long do you tend to stick around with Apple’s earbuds as opposed to using your own favourite headphones? Apple claims that this iPod Shuffle is now the world’s tiniest music player, smaller than the size of an AA battery.

The new iPod Shuffle will come in two colors, silver and black. Apple will continue to sell the second-generation version with the 1GB capacity for $49. But will phase out the 2GB version which is currently selling for $69. The new Shuffle is out now for $79, though you can still get the second generation 1GB version for the time being for $49.
Here’s the official press release…

CUPERTINO, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple® today introduced the all-new iPod® shuffle, the world’s smallest music player at nearly half of the size of the previous model, and the first music player that talks to you. The revolutionary new VoiceOver feature enables iPod shuffle to speak your song titles, artists and playlist names. The third generation iPod shuffle is significantly smaller than a AA battery, holds up to 1,000 songs and is easier to use with all of the controls conveniently located on the earphone cord. With the press of a button, you can play, pause, adjust volume, switch playlists and hear the name of the song and artist. iPod shuffle features a gorgeous new aluminum design with a built-in stainless steel clip that makes it ultra-wearable.
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“Imagine your music player talking to you, telling you your song titles, artists and playlist names,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of iPod and iPhone™ Product Marketing. “The amazingly small new iPod shuffle takes a revolutionary approach to how you listen to your music by talking to you, also making it the first iPod shuffle with playlists.”

iPod shuffle is based on Apple’s incredibly popular shuffle feature, which randomly selects songs from your music library. And now, when you can’t remember the name of a song or an artist playing, with the press of a button iPod shuffle tells you the name of the song and artist. iPod shuffle can even tell you status information, such as battery life. With the ability to hold up to 1,000 songs and the VoiceOver feature, you can now easily switch between multiple playlists on your iPod shuffle. iPod shuffle can speak 14 languages including English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish.

The new iPod shuffle comes in silver or black and features a sleek and ultra-wearable design with a built-in stainless steel clip. iPod shuffle is the smallest music player in the world and is incredibly easy to clip to almost anything and take with you everywhere you go. iPod shuffle features up to 10 hours of battery life.*

Pricing & Availability

The third generation 4GB iPod shuffle is now shipping and comes in silver or black for a suggested price of $79 (US) through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod shuffle comes with the Apple Earphones with Remote and the iPod shuffle USB cable. iPod shuffle requires a Mac® with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS® X v10.4.11 or later and iTunes® 8.1 or later; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista, Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 3) or later and iTunes 8.1.

*Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. Seewww.apple.com/batteries for more information. Song capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; in 256-Kbps AAC format, song capacity is up to 500 songs; actual capacity varies by encoding method and bit rate.

Koenigsegg NLV Quant - supercars can be green too you know!

2009-03-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

A Koenigsegg supercar made of one gigantic piece of high-tech solar panel that runs purely on electrons? Yes exactly, this is no joke. The Quant is the offspring of the latest Koenigsegg-NLV (NLV Solar AG) partnership, its a four-passenger coupe with an electric motor driving each rear wheel. The combined output of this unique package is 512 horsepower, which is expected to bring the supercar from knot to 60 in about five seconds. La Vecchia explained at this year’s Geneva Motor Show that the so-called Flow Accumulator Energy Storage (FAES) invented by NLV is a combination of an electro-chemical battery and a redox cell. Each 15-20 minute charge will last you well over 300 miles, that’s ridiculous… yes I know. Remember, its fully electric, not hybrid.The price of this green monster? Nothing has been said just yet, but considering the technology put into this, you will need to be pretty darn rich to be this ‘green’. Here are a few mouth watering pictures below…!

Cool gaming laptops from CeBIT: Acer Aspire 8930 and Clevo M980NU

2009-03-10T10:10:00.001-07:00

Apart from netbooks which are gaining a substantial popularity over regular sized laptops in the recent years. Gaming laptops have also been popular, most likely because of their advantage in being able to move abouts whenever necessary. What we have below are two of the latest gaming laptops revealed by Acer and Clevo at the CeBIT this year.

As for the specs fo the Acer Aspire 8930, its a 18.4-inch that boasts Intel’s new Core 2 Quad Mobile Q9000 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500GB 7200 SATA hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GT graphics with 512MB of dedicated video memory. It will however cost $1800, which is quite alot for an Acer. Check out some pictures of the Acer Aspire 8930 below

Clevo’s M980NU is another rather large gaming PC also sporting a 18.4″ LCD. The LCD features full HD with a 1920 x 1080 pixel format. You will know when this beast is powered on because there are blue LEDs everywhere. Notebook Check took a preproduction model for a ride and checked the massive 18.4″ LCD. The LCD showed a decent brightness of 220 cd/m2 in the middle but they did mention that light fall-off toward the edges were a bit pronounced. Contrast ratio was a very good 595:1. This monsterous machine has dual Nvidia GTX 280M with mobile quad-core CPU support, so you gamers will know what that means - hybrid graphics modes! What’s strange is that nothing has been mentioned on how much memory it will come with, but we suspect nothing short of 4GB of RAM. In addition to this, the M980NU is also equipped with three HDD ports, touch sensors, HDMI, TV turner and fingerprint security. The M980NU to me is probably not just an incredible gaming PC but an entertainment heaven!

Motorola RUSH 2 pictures

2009-03-09T09:14:00.001-07:00

Check out some leaked pictures of the Motorola RUSH 2, one of the four phones Moto said late last year that they would be depending on to bring them back into the game (where they didn't literally say it). For now, the pictures only indicate that they will be arriving the US, as its got a Verizon badge on it but who knows where else it might turn up. To me I don't believe this will be an expensive phone, neither do I believe Motorola will be able to put a big price tag on it by the way it looks. No offence to any Motorola fans but the RUSH 2 as pictured doesn't look like the prettiest phone compared to lots others on the market at the moment, but maybe it sports some exciting technology?…

Mobile-review was able to dig up these pictures of the RUSH 2 sporting a Verizon badge. According to them, it’ll be known as the A455 when it hits VZW, though no one knows when that might happen.

Sony Cybershot DSC HX1 digital camera - ’sweep panorama’

2009-03-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

Sony launched this week their latest Cybershot flagship, the DSC HX1 digital camera. The most important feature of this camera is the ’sweep Panorama’ technology which allows you to capture a 180 degree panoramic photograph in just 3 seconds, stunning stuff! The camera will be available from April priced at approx. $500.

Remember you can always click into our gallery page (tab above) to see more pictures!

If you are interested in more details of this amazing camera, check the following press release!

Sony Cybershot HX1 Debuts High-Zoom ‘Exmor’ CMOS Sensor

Extraordinary Image Quality Plus High-Speed Shooting

LONDON–(Marketwire - March 2, 2009) -

– 9.1 effective megapixel ‘Exmor’ CMOS sensor for high-speed shooting and reduced image noise

– High speed continuous shooting up to 10 frames per second

– Premium quality G Lens with 20x optical zoom and 28mm wide angle

– Record 1080/30p HD movie clips

– ‘Sweep Panorama’ mode captures extra-wide landscapes

– 3.0″ tilt-angle Clear Photo LCD Plus screen

The Sony Cybershot HX1 teams stunning picture quality, lightning-fast shooting and powerful creative features in a stylish, supremely easy to use digital camera.

The new flagship of the Sony Cybershot range showcases a range of sophisticated image sensing, optical and processing technologies that offer unrivalled creative possibilities.

Offering cutting edge performance and a powerful 20x optical zoom range, the compact HX1 digital camera fits effortlessly into a weekend bag or small travel case. It’s an ideal companion for anyone who needs top-flight imaging performance and advanced shooting functions without the bulk of packing a digital SLR camera and all its accompanying lenses.

The HX1 digital camera, with an effective resolution of 9.1 megapixels, debuts a new Sony-developed ‘Exmor’ CMOS sensor. Originally developed for the Sony Alpha digital SLR programme, ‘Exmor’ technology delivers outstanding images with reduced noise, especially when shooting in high ISO settings.

In tandem with the powerful BIONZ image processor, the ‘Exmor’ CMOS sensor supports full-resolution shooting at an incredible 10 frames per second (max) using a mechanical shutter. Outpacing many pro-spec digital SLR cameras, this super-fast shooting rate is ideal for capturing high-speed action or spontaneous events like parties, where anything can happen in a moment.

The ‘Exmor’ CMOS sensor supports two new shooting modes that reduce image noise when you’re shooting in low light. If you’re capturing static subjects, new Handheld Twilight mode grabs a high-speed burst of six frames, combining them to create a single optimised image with dramatically reduced noise levels. If your subject is moving, Anti Motion Blur mode also superimposes six frames to produce one crisp, composite image with less subject blur.
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Also powered by the ‘Exmor’ CMOS sensor and BIONZ processor, the Sony Cybershot HX1 features a brand-new shooting mode that captures breathtaking landscapes, city scenes and more; ‘Sweep Panorama’. Just hold down the shutter button and swing the camera horizontally (or vertically). The Sony Cybershot HX1 seamlessly stitches together a high-speed burst of frames to create an extra-wide, high resolution image. Panoramas can be viewed as a scrolling preview on the three-inch LCD screen or new S-Frame digital photo frames or previewed on a PLAYSTATION 3.

Making its Sony Cybershot debut is a new G Lens that has been designed to complement the extraordinary imaging possibilities of the ‘Exmor’ CMOS sensor and BIONZ processor.

Developed originally for the Sony Alpha Digital SLR family, the G Lens in the HX1 digital camera teams aspherical lens elements and ED (extra-low dispersion) lens for uncompromising optical precision. You’ll experience superb resolution and minimal chromatic aberration at all settings, from 28mm wide-angle right up to 560mm super telephoto. This generous 20x optical zoom range accommodates a huge range of shooting possibilities, from landscapes and fun-filled family moments to action-packed sports events.

The Sony Cybershot HX1 is the first compact digital camera from Sony that’s capable of shooting 1080/30p HD movies. It captures crisp, detail-packed HD video clips plus stereo sound at a smooth 30 frames per second.

HD movies and still photos can be enjoyed with superb quality on your BRAVIA or any HD Ready television*. BRAVIA Sync displays the camera’s playback screen on the TV screen, allowing handy control of slideshow, zoom, image index and other functions with your BRAVIA TV’s remote.

The Sony Cybershot HX1 makes it brilliantly easy to get great results without the worry of adjusting camera settings correctly. Intelligent Scene Recognition has been enhanced with the addition of Smile Shutter. This lets you capture beautiful smiles automatically, even in tricky situations like twilight or backlighting.

The HX1 digital camera features a tilt-angle 3.0″ LCD screen that gives extra flexibility for framing your shots comfortably in any position. Clear Photo LCD Plus technology delivers superb picture quality and contrast, with a resolution of 230,000 dots that’s capable of resolving fine details.

A new jog dial simplifies ‘click and rotate’ selection and adjustment of camera settings. For extra convenience, there’s also a Digital SLR-style Custom button that can be assigned to Smile Shutter, White Balance adjust or metering mode select functions.

The Sony Cybershot HX1 digital camera is available from the beginning of May 2009.

*requires optional HDMI cable

Features HX1
Effective Pixels 9.1 megapixels
Sensor 1/2.4 type ‘Exmor’ CMOS Sensor
Lens ‘G Lens’
Zoom 20x Optical Zoom
Bionz Processor Yes
HD Movie 1080/30p HD
Wide Angle lens 28mm
ISO 3200
Display 3.0″ Clear Photo LCD Plus Tilting type
Battery Life 195 mins
SteadyShot Optical SteadyShot
Colours Black

Environmental Info

Sony is engaged in a constant review of its manufacturing, operational and business practices to ensure that its products are developed in an environmentally responsible way. This approach can broadly be divided into three areas:

Product

Halogenated materials can pose a risk to the environment if disposed of improperly. To minimize this risk, halogen-free flame retardants are used for certain printed circuit boards.

The Cybershot HX1 body is made from 100% recycled plastic.

Process

The extended user manual is provided electronically on CD-ROM to reduce paper use. Product packaging is made from 100% recycled paper to reduce the impact on the environment. VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) — free vegetable oil based ink is used to print the carton.

Thanks to Mark for the tip!

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 now available for download

2009-03-07T08:27:00.000-08:00

How many of you still care about Windows Vista updates? While the team here at GadgetLite have switched to using Mac OS X for some time, we know that around 20.2% of you readers/visitors are Vista users, so I guess there is some point in telling you about this new upcoming Windows update. Microsoft has announced to the public about the release of Windows Vista SP2 for anyone who wants to test the latest update before it arrives on the Windows Updater.

Its been announced that this service pack 2 update will apply to both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. The interesting point I find is that they say most of the components of this update has in fact been available as standalone updates. In other words, this is like download an entire package of updates for your Windows instead of downloading them one by one.

“You can download the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 RC from our Customer Preview Program site or install through Windows Update using our Windows Update Experience Kit,” he adds.

“If you have the SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Beta installed, you will need to uninstall that first before installing the RC.”

Take a look at the full details of the SP2 here

CeBIT 2009: MSI’s MacBook Air-like X340 ultra slim laptop looks stunning

2009-03-06T08:50:00.000-08:00

You will recall not very long ago MSI unveiled their latest plans to counter Apple’s MacBook Air with two new ultra slim laptops, the X340 and X360. And what we have here is the X340. At the time we knew very little, but now more specs have been revealed at the CeBIT. The X340 will be equipped with a 13-inch wide LED display in the golden 16:9 ratio, the X340 will support various multimedia functions with HDMI and built-in Blu-ray.

The MSI X340 will of course also play its role in helping the environment, the X340 is powered by ultra-low power consumption CPU, it will be available in gold, white and black (the glossy black looks brilliant, don’t you think so?).

Halo Wars Rating

2009-03-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

OVERALL RATING:9.0/10

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Developer: Ensemble Studios

Category: Action

Release Dates

N Amer - 03/03/2009
Gameplay: 9.0
A highly action-oriented RTS game, Halo Wars gets huge props for creating a control scheme that proves that RTS games can be done comfortably and intuitively on a console.

Graphics: 8.0
The game features some pretty cool effects and brightly colorful environments, and the unit models take on some impressive amounts of damage. Unfortunately, the choppy framerates are a problem when the action gets hairy.

Sound: 9.5
The soundtrack is on par with the rest of the Halo games, which is a big compliment. The voice work is also great and the sound effects are appropriately huge.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8.5
Halo Wars is a great entry to the series, and also introduces a lot of story elements that provide some great insight to the Halo universe.

Multiplayer: 9.0
The 6-player skirmishes that allow you to choose between Covenant and UNSC are a great touch and a lot of fun online.

Overall: 9.0
A solid RTS on the Xbox 360, Halo Wars may not break the mold, but it does provide an impressive entry to the series and one that finally makes the genre feel at home on a console.

Halo Wars Review

2009-03-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

If you’re a gamer, you’d have to have been living under a rock to have never heard of the Halo franchise. The flagship series behind Microsoft’s console efforts, Bungie’s Halo series has been among the most successful across two different console generations, first appearing on the original Xbox before finishing the fight on the Xbox 360. 2007’s Halo 3 marked the end of the initial Halo trilogy of games, as well as provided a bookend to the adventures of the Master Chief, leaving many gamers to wonder what the future had in store for the hallowed franchise.

Fortunately for Halo fans, Microsoft is not one to rest on their laurels, as 2009 is set to bear not one but two titles from the Halo universe, including a standalone expansion titled Halo 3: ODST launching this fall and a new prequel set before the events of the first Halo title, Halo Wars. However, in a departure from the previous titles in the Halo series, Halo Wars is a real-time strategy game instead of an action title, giving players the opportunity to command several units across the game map from a top-down perspective instead of a first-person one. While consoles and strategy games have seldom mixed in the past, developer Ensemble Studios (the highly-capable team behind the great Age of Empires games on the PC) has taken great strides to make sure that Halo Wars lives up to the Halo name, providing tons of action while staying pretty accessible for gamers of all skill levels.

Halo Wars takes place roughly twenty years before the events of the very first game in the series. Without giving anything away, the storyline and characters in Halo Wars are as deep as anything a fan of the series would hope for, revealing plenty of plot twists and elements from the series, as well as some pretty big revelations here and there.

As far as the actual mechanics of the gameplay, Halo Wars is a lot more action-oriented than most PC RTS titles. You won’t spend a lot of time building up your structures and units, as you’ll instead focus more on exploring the sections of the map and eliminating the threat of your enemies.

While Halo Wars does seem to focus more on the action element of things, there are still some pretty substantial unit creation functions. You’re able to create new structures and buildings capable of improving your current technology as well as build units as you play. The game also employs the use of Hero units that have special abilities and functions, setting them apart from other units on the map.

One of the elements that seem to be a hotbed for frustration when it comes to console RTS games are the controls. While several games in the genre have taken great strides to make the experience comfortable and accessible, none have come close to matching the mouse/keyboard configuration on the PC. Halo Wars also puts its own unique spin on controls, and while it still doesn’t quite hit the mark to matching the overall comfort of PC strategy games, it comes pretty darn close.

The controls in Halo Wars are quite solid and benefit from being built from the ground up for console gaming. The thumbsticks allow you to look around the map and zoom in on your units, while the A button is used to select units that are highlighted by your cursor. The X button is your main interaction button, allowing you to move units around the map and interact with other units or attack enemies with your primary attack function. Pressing Y when targeting an enemy unit allows you to perform a secondary attack function, like throw grenades or run enemies over if you’re in a Warthog. The secondary attack function is a nice addition that helps keep the game in its action roots while still making it deep and compelling for hardcore strategy fans.

Additionally, aside from the basic functions of the face buttons, the game also streamlines the controls to allow you to select the units you want a lot more easily. Using the bumper buttons, you can select all of your units or all of the units currently on-screen with a simple button push, or you can use the right trigger to switch between different unit types. Additionally, the D-Pad is used to utilize any Heroes that you may have, using their special abilities, as well as cycling through your Bases, Armies and any Alerts that may come up. Halo Wars uses every button on the controller, but fortunately never feels overwhelming or cluttered.

The game also features some cool online abilities, allowing players to participate in six-player skirmishes over Xbox LIVE. Online, you can play as either UNSC or Covenant forces, utilizing each of their respective technological advances and specialized units.

Graphically, Halo Wars is a pretty solid looking game. The unit models are nicely rendered and take on realistic damage as they see combat, and the environments are colorful and feature some great details that fans of Halo games will get a kick out of. The one main issue with the game’s aesthetic are the framerates, which can be very choppy when the action is in high gear.

The game’s soundtrack is very well done, with a great score that punctuates the on-screen action very well. The sound effects are crisp and the voice work is also spot on.

While PC gamers and hardcore RTS enthusiasts probably won’t be able to see what all of the fuss around Halo Wars is about since their platform has put out much more groundbreaking RTS titles in the past few years, console gamers and Halo fans who have yet to experience a truly great RTS game on a console will now have their chance.

Apple unveils latest updated iMacs, slightly cheaper prices too…

2009-03-04T09:27:00.000-08:00

It’s Tuesday, Apple’s favourite and prolly only day of the week in which they tend to launch new and latest upcoming products. Today they again temporaily closed down their online store in order to update a new line up of iMacs and also the much rumored Mac Mini. So let’s first take a look at the new updated iMacs. The latest 20-inch iMac features a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (Apple previously offered both a 2.4GHz and 2.66GHz configuration), 2GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory (with a new maximum of 8GB for all iMac models), a 320GB Serial ATA hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce 9400M integrated graphics with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory (previous 20-inch models had discrete ATI Radeon graphics).

The 24-inch model comes in 2.66GHz, 2.93GHz, and 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo configurations (compared to 2.8GHz and 3.06GHz in the previous generation), and with 4GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory (twice the amount included before), and a 640GB or 1TB Serial ATA hard drive. The 2.66GHz model has the same Nvidia GeForce 9400M integrated graphics as the 20-inch model, the 2.93GHz model uses the discrete GeForce GT 120 with 256MB of GDDR3 memory, and the 3.06GHz model uses the discrete GeForce GT 130 with 512MB of GDDR3 memory (you can also configure the top two models with the ATI Radeon HD 4850 discrete graphics processor, with 512MB of memory).
All iMac models come with a glossy display with a built-in iSight video camera, a mic, and speakers. The new iMac also includes Apple’s Mini DisplayPort connector, built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, a total of six USB 2.0 ports (including two on the Apple Keyboard), and one FireWire 800 port.

The new iMacs are available immediately and cost $1,199 for the 20-inch model and starting at $1,499 for the 24-inch model.

The new iMac exceeds Energy Star 4.0 requirements and is an early adopter in the industry for Energy Star 5.0 compliance. The iMac enclosure is made of recyclable aluminum and the interior is designed to be more material-efficient. The iMac uses PVC-free internal cables and components, and contains no brominated flame retardants.

Here’s a breakdown of the main specs again…

iMac 20-inch, $1,199
2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB memory
320GB hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics

iMac 24-inch, $1,499
2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB memory
640GB hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics

iMac 24-inch, $1,799
2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB memory
640GB hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 256MB memory

iMac 24-inch, $2,199
3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB memory
1TB hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 with 512MB memory

Green light for faster broadband

2009-03-03T07:57:00.000-08:00

BT has received the green light to begin its rollout of super-fast broadband.

Ofcom has delivered its long-awaited ruling which offers BT more flexibility in the way it delivers fibre networks.

BT made clear it only wanted to make the move if regulator Ofcom allowed a fair return on that investment.

The regulator said that its ruling was a "pivotal" one for the development of broadband which it said would "be crucial" to the economy.

Three phases

"Our message today is clear: there are no regulatory barriers in the way of investment in super-fast broadband," said Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards.

"We want to promote investment to support the widespread adoption of superfast broadband but we want to balance that with the need for competition," said Mr Richards.

He said that the plans outlined in this "first phase" would provide the current conditions for investment in fibre.

Phase Two would look at how to reach the areas not covered by this market-led approach, and phase three would consider the evolution to even faster technologies.
See what applications work at different speeds

Moves have already begun to upgrade the UK's existing broadband networks to fibre.

Virgin Media has committed to upgrading its cable network to 50Mbps (megabits per second) - which will cover around half the population of the UK - by the middle of this year.

BT has pledged to complete the installation of fibre-optic cables to some of its street-side cabinets, offering speeds of between 40 and 60Mbps, by 2012.

This will offer higher speeds to around 40% of the country.

However, the regulator has "a central role to play in enabling both investment and competition", it said.

That includes allowing BT to set its own prices on how to sell access to its network to secure a fair return on their investment.

It may lead to consumers paying a premium for super-fast broadband.

Ofcom also said it would also "minimise unnecessary inefficiencies" in the design and build of new networks, which will mean, for example, that BT will be able to reduce the amount of engineers needed to manage an upgrade to fibre.

To date it has had to send separate engineers from its wholesale and Openreach divisions to manage the electronics and ducting respectively in its exchanges. Now it will be allowed to use one.

Mr Richards said that the wholesale pricing would be considerably more flexible than current wholesale products and that its hands-off approach reflected that it was dealing with a new BT.

"This is not the BT of old milking a copper network put in years ago. This is a risky investment for it," he said.

BT chief executive Ian Livingston welcomed the move, saying it "set expectations for the whole UK industry as the market evolves into a fibre-based world".

"Today's announcement gives us the green light to push ahead with our £1.5bn superfast broadband investment plans to reach at least 40 percent of UK households by 2012," Mr Livingston said in a statement.

It has been estimated that to offer fibre to the whole country would cost £5bn. If the technology used is fibre to the home that cost rises to £29bn.

Wholesale focus

What will deliver next-generation broadband?
Read Rory's blog on Ofcom's report

The focus of Ofcom's announcement is on making for a flexible wholesale model rather than opting, as some had predicted, for an environment where other operators laid their own fibre alongside BT's.

There was, said Mr Richards, "a lack of appetite" among the companies it consulted with for a fibre version of local loop unbundling.

This is largely due to the economic climate, he said.

Local loop unbundling, in which operators are able to install their own equipment in BT's telephone exchanges, is largely credited with kickstarting the current broadband market and for making it as competitive as it is.

'Limited options'

The fibre landscape will be different, thinks Ian Fogg, an analyst with research firm Forrester.

"What we have seen is a game, unlike football, of three halves. Dial-up was the first half, broadband was the second and this is the third. Ironically, in terms of competition, it will have more in common with what was happening in 2000 than what we see now," he said.

He is concerned that the type of superfast broadband on offer from BT - fibre to the street cabinet rather than fibre to the home - is being overhyped.

"It has a theoretical maximum of around 50Mbps (megabits per second) but speed will vary based on how far people live from a street cabinet and how many ADSL lines are in a street as the two can interfere with each other," said Mr Fogg.

"Even in urban areas there will be areas where speeds are no better than ADSL speeds," he added.

BT has pledged to offer Fibre to the Home technology on new-build sites. So far one estate, at Ebbsfleet in Kent, has a handful of houses using the technology.

Andrew Ferguson, editor of ThinkBroadband.com, thinks Ofcom's report was necessary: "The options for Ofcom were limited since if it refused BT, then the only next generation like network approaching national coverage would be Virgin Media who currently offer no form of wholesale access."

Mr Richards did not rule out the possibility of regulating Virgin Media if it became the dominant super-fast broadband player.

World’s first amphibious Lamborghini

2009-03-02T09:33:00.001-08:00

At first we thought this was just another talented photoshop artist at work, but when we explored more we concluded that this swimming (floating) Italian bull was in fact the real thing. You got it, this classically mid-engined Lamborghini Countach designed by amphibious car expert Mike Ryan not only rules the land but also the sea!

Though this Lambo will undoubtedly be much more slower in terms of speed on water, you have to admire the amount of effort that’s been put into this amazing redesign, afterall this is probably the world’s first and only(?) amphibious supercar! If you click on the SeaRoaders link below, then click on History, you’ll be able to find out more…

Xbox 360 Resident Evil limited edition console

2009-03-01T08:37:00.001-08:00

Exclusive Red Xbox 360 Resident Evil Limited Edition Console available on Friday, March 13th when Resident Evil 5 ships! Since its exclusive is there anything new or special you might ask, well no. Its very red, apart from the top which isn’t and the color matched controller. Everything else is standard, with a black 120GB hard drive and the standard component, HDMI and ethernet cables.

Panasonic Toughbook 30

2009-02-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Priced at $3,649, some users may think that Panasonic have overdone their sarcasm on this one but as you can see the latest Toughbook 30 is one serious looking laptop. You see what I always think is that not many jobs really warrant someone to need to buy a Toughbook, I mean you wouldn’t have one of these if you just worked in an office all day even though its pretty cool. The main difference from the Toughbook 30 from previous Toughbooks is that this one sports Intel’s Centrino 2 with vPro, expanded memory capabilities, 40 percent longer battery life, larger capacity hard drives and optional SSDs. Full breakdown of specs and gallery after the break…

Panasonic Toughbook 30 Clamshell Laptop: Select Features and Specifications*

– Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo SL9300 1.6GHz

– Intel(R) Centrino(R) 2 with vPro(TM) technology

– 6MB L2 Cache

– 1066 MHz FSB

– 2-4GB DDR2 RAM (667 MHz)

– Intel(R) GS45 (GMA 4500MHD) video adapter

– 13.3″ display

– Circular polarization, anti-glare and anti-reflective screen
treatments
Checked out our new photo gallery page yet? We would love to hear some feedback from you!

– 9 to 1000 nit LCD brightness (touchscreen model)

– Concealed Mode

– Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5100

– 802.11 a/b/g/draft-n

– Optional Gobi 3G Global Mobile Internet (HSPA, EV-DO Rev. A)

– 160GB SATA (shock-mounted & quick-release) hard drive

– Optional 32GB SSD

– Up to 10 hour battery life (14 hours including optional 2nd battery)

For additional Toughbook 30 product specifications, go to: http://www.panasonic.com//toughbook/30

Panasonic Toughbook 19 Convertible Tablet PC: Select Features and Specifications*

– Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo SU9300 1.2GHz

– Intel(R) Centrino(R) 2 with vPro(TM) technology

– 3MB L2 Cache

– 800 MHz FSB

– 2-4GB DDR2 RAM (667 MHz)

– 10.4″ LED backlit display

– Circular polarization

– 4 to 1000 nit LCD brightness

– Concealed Mode

– Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 5100

– 802.11 a/b/g/draft-n

– Optional Gobi 3G Global Mobile Internet (HSPA, EV-DO Rev. A)

– 160GB SATA (shock-mounted & quick-release) hard drive

– Optional 32GB SSD

– Touchscreen display or optional dual touch display (Digitizer +
Touchscreen)

– Up to 10 hour battery life

For additional Toughbook 19 product specifications, go to: http://www.panasonic.com//toughbook/19

Brown sets targets for science

2009-02-27T08:29:00.001-08:00

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has set targets to increase the number of pupils in secondary school in England taking science subjects.

In the next five years, Mr Brown wants to double the number of pupils taking "triple science", which includes biology, chemistry and physics.

He also wants to have access to science as single subjects in 90% of schools.

Mr Brown, speaking at Oxford University, says he wants to "ring-fence" science during the recession.

The prime minister emphasised the economic importance of protecting the investment in science.

Teacher training

"Some say that now is not the time to invest, but the bottom line is that the downturn is no time to slow down our investment in science. We will not allow science to become a victim of the recession," said Mr Brown.
There were promises to help redundant workers re-train as teachers

There were also promises to offer "personalised support from education consultants" for graduates made redundant from science and technology companies who are considering re-training as maths or science teachers.

Mr Brown set out targets to increase the number of pupils taking the triple science option, at present taken by 8.5% of students. By 2014, he said he wanted to double this figure, representing an extra 100,000 pupils.

There was also a target to increase the number of pupils taking A-level maths, from 56,000 to 80,000 in the next five years.

The Conservatives' Schools Secretary, Michael Gove, rejected the promises.

"The government's latest promises are completely meaningless given Labour's appalling record on science.

"The reality is that thanks to their reforms the number of children taking only one science GCSE has doubled in the last year alone, and there are whole areas of the country where not a single child sits three sciences at GCSE."

Specialist teachers

Mike Harris of the Institute of Directors said there was an important economic need to provide specialist science and maths teachers in schools to help nurture the subject and to protect the supply of graduates in these fields.

"The uncomfortable reality is that despite reservoirs of good will, considerable industry engagement and positive government intervention, the number of graduates in the key Stem [science, technology, engineering and maths] disciplines has at best remained pretty flat in recent years. This must be turned around, and quickly."

There have been warnings about the difficulty in recruiting specialist science teachers.

Last summer, a report from the University of Buckingham found that almost one in four secondary schools in England no longer has any specialist physics teachers.

On the wider issues associated with the "knowledge economy", Mr Brown stressed that he would maintain the increased momentum in expenditure he outlined as Chancellor in the 2004, in his 10-year Science and Innovation Investment Framework.

This should see public spend in the science base of the UK rise to £6.3bn by 2010/2011.

LG GD900 Crystal with transparent keyboard

2009-02-26T08:02:00.000-08:00

The LG GD900 Crystal which LG debuted at the GSMA World Congress, will be the world’s first phone with a transparent design handset. Not everything on the slider handset is transparent but the rear slider is translucent and the keypad gives off a brilliant glittering glow. Specs on technical details on the LG GD900 was limited, but LG will make sure to bring out the specs for review later this year.Expect the LG GD900 clear handset phone to show up in stores sometime in the third quarter of 2009. When the phone gets opened, it will be sure to attract everyone’s attention, since a light will illuminate the transparent keyboard, watch the video below and see how it works.According to the manufacturer, the device will not be just a fashion accessory (I’m sure that’s what you are thinking right now ), but will also incorporate high-tech features and will come with a bluetooth headset which will be just as impressive!

Latest LG solar phone concept from MWC

2009-02-25T08:54:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures of LG’s latest concept phone from the MWC last week, it is equipped with solar panels allowing it to help the environment by reducing the need to use non-renewable resources. When you think of technology and gadgets that harvest solar energy I tend to think of large chunky panels but in fact the concept phone below is quite the opposite.It’s a slider phone and though its just a prototype, 10 minutes of charging under natural light could give 3 minutes of run time, that’s not bad at all considering that power has just come out of no where

Google users hit by mail blackout

2009-02-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

Google has apologised for the outage that hit business and consumer users of its popular e-mail service.

The GMail service went offline at 0930 GMT and, Google claims, was unavailable to all for "approximately two and a half hours".

But anecdotal evidence suggests it was out of action for many users for about four hours - one of the longest downtimes ever suffered by Google.

More than 113 million people use Google mail worldwide, according to comScore.

In a statement posted on its official Google blog it said: "We're really sorry about this, and we did do everything to restore access as soon as we could.".

It said its engineers were still investigating the "root cause" of the problem.

"We know how important GMail is to our users so we take this very seriously," it added.

It said that those getting back into their e-mail may have to fill in a captcha form that asks people to decipher and re-type some scrambled letters before getting access to messages.

According to comScore, Google has the world's third most popular web mail service behind Hotmail with 283 million users and Yahoo with 274 million e-mail users.

Professional suite

More than a million business around the world use Google's professional suite of applications, including e-mail. Google itself relies on the service and press spokespeople for the firm were unable to e-mail journalists with statements regarding the problem.

Professional users are covered by a service level agreement that promises to be 99.9% operational in any calendar month.

The "premier edition" of the Apps service costs $50 (£34) per user for a year.

According to Google, its e-mail service suffered an average of 10 to 15 minutes of downtime per month in 2008.

The last outage of note was in August 2008 when users were unable to use Google Mail for "a couple of hours".

After the incident Todd Jackson, product manager for Google Mail, said in a blog post: "We're conducting a full review of what went wrong and moving quickly to update our internal systems and procedures accordingly."

On its support page for Google Mail, the firm said "A number of users have had difficulty accessing GMail today.

"The majority are now able to access their e-mail accounts again and we're hoping to have service restored for the remainder very soon."

How to install and run Mac OS X on Dell Mini 9 netbook

2009-02-23T09:13:00.001-08:00

There isn’t yet a netbook from Apple at the moment and as you will be able to recall on the post in which we wrote about netbooks which were capable of running Mac OS X, only the Dell Mini 9 and MSI Wind achieved full scores. That’s why there is now a proper guide released from Gizmodo showing you how you could install and run Mac OS X on your Dell Mini 9 and hackintosh it into a proper Mac netbook (or mini MacBook?). So before you get started, you will need to make sure you have the following.

Dell Mini 9 With 16GB SSD or higher (8GB SSDs will techincally work, but it will take some fiddling not covered by this guide)
Retail copy of OS X 10.5.x (NOT an OEM copy that comes with a new Mac)
A USB flash drive 8GB or higher
An external USB DVD drive
The “Type11″ Bootloader: DellMiniBoot123v8.01.iso.zip (download link in this forum post)
Blank CD to burn bootloader image (I actually used version 8.0 of Type11 on my CD-if your boot process with 8.01 is different than what’s spelled out in this guide, you can download 8.0 here. Both should work.)
Windows PC for preparing the flash drive (if DVD drive works fine, this is optional)

As you can see this guide does require you to already have purchased a few things, it’s advisable to have the 16GB SSD version rather than the 8GB SSD Mini 9 which we featured recently in our review. You will also need to have a retail copy of Mac OS X and not the one you got given when you purchased a Mac.

Stealthier Mac Attacks

2009-02-22T08:13:00.001-08:00

A new technique lets hackers targeting Apple's OS X cover their tracks more effectively.Fans of Apple computers often boast about superior security. But as Macs have gained in popularity over the past few years, this has brought much more attention from hackers. At a presentation scheduled to take place today at the Black Hat DC computer-security conference in Washington, DC, one security expert will reveal a technique for attacking the Mac operating system--OS X--without leaving a trace.

Similar techniques have targeted both Windows and Linux machines for several years. They allow an attacker to cover her tracks, eliminating vital evidence that an investigator might normally use to prove that a machine has been compromised; they might also allow the investigator to put together details of the incident. Bringing the technique to the Mac, however, required a significantly more sophisticated approach.

The technique that will be outlined at Black Hat DC allows an attacker to remove virtually all trace of an attack against OS X, after compromising the system using another exploit.

Vincenzo Iozzo, a student at the Politecnico di Milano, in Italy, explains that the technique allows an attacker to break into a machine without leaving a trace in its permanent memory, which means that evidence of the attack will disappear as soon as the victim's computer is turned off. Such a technique could be used, for example, in combination with another software flaw to covertly replace a legitimate version of Apple's Safari Web browser with a malicious one that logs the user's keystrokes and sends them to the attacker.

Normally, when a user runs an application, the code runs in various parts of the computer's memory. In OS X, a file format called Mach-O is used to specify where in the computer's memory the application's processes should run. Iozzo studied the Mach-O file format in order to predict in advance where these processes could be found. The technique identifies an active process (such as that for Safari) and injects malicious code into the space in memory where it is running. When the system reads from the expected location, it executes the attacker's code instead of the legitimate program. Since the technique leaves no trace, Iozzo says that it can only be detected using software that watches for intrusions on a network.

Predicting where to inject the malicious code is made more difficult by a security feature in OS X that stores the variables needed to keep the attack untraceable in random locations within memory. However, Iozzo discovered a way to anticipate where the variables would be stored based on pieces of information that remain unchanged.
Dino Dai Zovi, an independent security researcher who specializes in Macs, says that Iozzo's work is "very interesting," particularly given the difficulties that he needed to overcome to make the stealthy technique work on OS X.

Dai Zovi says that, for now, there are few Mac attacks sophisticated enough to need protection of this kind. But he adds that the technique could prove an effective way to get past advanced antivirus software in the future.

Attackers haven't focused much on the Mac to date because its smaller audience means smaller potential gains. But Dai Zovi notes that this is starting to change, and he says that researching the system's vulnerabilities now should give defenders time to prepare for future malware.

Iozzo says that it may take time for Apple to respond to his technique because it exploits fundamental elements of the operating system's structure that can't be changed with a simple software patch. He says that it may require a larger upgrade, such as the introduction of the new version of OS X, called Snow Leopard, which is scheduled to ship in 2010.

In the meantime, Iozzo says that users can protect themselves by keeping their systems up to date with any security patches released for OS X. Since the technique relies on other flaws that an attacker might exploit, users should focus on reducing those other threats as much as possible, he says.

However, the technique could soon pose a threat to another kind of device. Iozzo says that he is currently working with another security researcher to extend his technique to the iPhone.

17-inch MacBook Pro unibody non-removable battery can be removed

2009-02-21T09:24:00.001-08:00

So after some geekiness this morning, let's get back on track and show you some interesting gadget dissection findings courtesy of iFixIt. The folks there recently got their geeky surgical hands on Apple latest MacBook Pro which features a new type of battery technology which as you would expect from the likes of the Apple iPhone - it's not removable (by ourselves that is).

So as you will have already guessed, this new MacBook Pro battery is actually removable. found out that the battery is actually removable. Though requiring bottom chassis access, the battery was not difficult to replace or remove. Apple secured the battery with three tri-wing battery inside the MacBook Pro’s case. But the main good news is that users can definitely replace the battery by themselves but it will most likely break Apple’s warranty.

Hackers target Xbox Live players

2009-02-20T10:09:00.000-08:00

Xbox Live is being targeted by malicious hackers selling services that kick players off the network.

The booting services are proving popular with players who want a way to get revenge on those who beat them in an Xbox Live game.

The attackers are employing data flooding tools that have been used against websites for many years.

Microsoft is "investigating" the use of the tools and said those caught using them would be banned from Xbox Live.

"There's been a definite increase in the amount of people talking about and distributing these things over the last three to four weeks," said Chris Boyd, director of malware research at Facetime Communications.

Attack tool

"The smart thing about these Xbox tools is that they do not attack the Xbox Live network itself," he said.

He said the tools work by exploiting the way that the Xbox Live network is set up. Game consoles connecting to the Xbox network send data via the net, and for that it needs an IP address.

Even better, said Mr Boyd, games played via Xbox Live are not hosted on private servers.
The tools mean anyone with a few dollars can boot rivals off Xbox Live

"Instead," he said, "a lot of games on Xbox Live are hosted by players."

If hackers can discover the IP address of whoever is hosting a game they can employ many of the attacks that have been used for years against websites, said Mr Boyd.

One of the most popular for the Xbox Live specialists is the Denial of Service attack which floods an IP address with vast amounts of data.

The flood of data is generated by a group of hijacked home computers, a botnet, that have fallen under the control of a malicious hacking group.

When turned against a website this flood of traffic can overwhelm it or make it unresponsive to legitimate visitors.

When turned against an Xbox owner, it can mean they cannot connect to the Live network and effectively throws them out of the game.

"They get your IP address, put it in the booter tool and they attempt to flood the port that uses Xbox traffic," said Mr Boyd. "Flooding that port prevents any traffic getting out."

Skill set

The hard part, he said, was discovering a particular gamer's IP address but many malicious hackers had honed the skills needed to find them.

Some interconnect their PC and Xbox and use packet sniffing software to hunt through the traffic flowing in and out of the console for IP addresses.
The hackers target the way Xbox consoles connect to the net

Others simply use con tricks to get the target to reveal their net address.

The technical knowledge needed to hunt down IP addresses was quite high, said Mr Boyd, but many of those who had the skills were selling their expertise to those keen to hit back at their rivals on the Xbox Live network.

For $20 (£13) some Xbox Live hackers will remotely access a customer's PC and set up the whole system so it can be run any time they need it.

Some offer low rates to add compromised machines to a botnet and increase the amount of data flooding a particular IP address.

Defending against the attack could be tricky, said Mr Boyd: "There's no real easy solution to this one."

Although IP addresses regularly change, people could find it takes hours or days for their ISP to move them on to a new one.

In response to the rise in attacks, Microsoft said: "We are investigating reports involving the use of malicious software tools that an attacker could use to try and disrupt an Xbox LIVE player's internet connection."

It added: "This problem is not related to the Xbox Live service, but to the player's internet connection. The attacker could also attempt [to] disrupt other internet activities, such as streaming video or web browsing, using the same tools.

In its statement Microsoft warned: "This malicious activity violates the Xbox Live Terms of Use, and will result in a ban from Xbox Live and other appropriate action.

It urged anyone falling victim to such an attack to contact their ISP to report it and get help fixing it.

In January 2009 Microsoft announced that Xbox Live had more than 17m members.

Nokia N86 8-megapixel camera phone

2009-02-19T08:43:00.000-08:00

This year’s Mobile World Congress hasn’t been a massive event for Nokia, but they have now unveiled the next and upcoming N-Series flagship. The new Nokia N86 is a slider phone featuring an 8 megapixal camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, autofocus, fast mechanical shutter that should reduce motion blur and a dual-LED flash. Importantly, photos can be geotagged due to the integrated GPS. It also has a 8GB internal memory with a TV-out and a microSD slot. It has a numeric keypad with t9ers, good news for txters. Other highlights of the Symbian S60 phone include a 2.6-inch, scratch-resistant OLED display, stereo Bluetooth support, Wi-Fi, e-mail support, an FM transmitter, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.Overall, it is a nice and easy to use phone.