Source: Gizmodo | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:01 am

Eco-Safe Systems Listed As Accepted By Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Eco-Safe Systems USA, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: ESFS) is pleased to announce the formal listing by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of Eco-Safe's MD-1500 and R-1000 Ozone Sanitation Systems to their Reference Listing of Accepted Products on their website.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

HP Adds LSI Storage Virtualization to New Platform

Hewlett-Packard has added LSI's StoreAge Storage Virtualization Manager technology suite, which provides storage virtualization, advanced replication, thin provisioning, and data migration capabilities, to its new HP StorageWorks SAN Virtualization Services Platform, SVSP.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

IBM Opens Massachusetts Software Lab

IBM has opened a software laboratory in Littleton, Massachusetts that will focus on the development of IBM software for industries including biotech, finance, healthcare, retail, transportation, and energy.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

IBM to Launch New Appliance for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

IBM plans to aid small- and medium-sized businesses overcome the costs of current information technology maintenance with a new appliance, IBM Lotus Foundations Start, which will offer customers a better way to collaborate, as well as the option to run Microsoft Windows on a virtual machine with VMware technology.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

IBM to Develop New Enterprise Integration Platform for Mitas

IBM and Mitas, a European tire manufacturer, have signed an agreement under which IBM will create a new enterprise integration platform based on service-oriented-architecture for Mitas.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

MyFax Offers UK Businesses 30-Day Free Trial of Internet Fax Solution

Protus, the provider of MyFax, the fastest growing Internet fax service, believes businesses in Britain now have more reason than ever to consider putting their fax machines into overdue retirement.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

Points.Com Announces Partnership With Hitit Computer Services to Advance Global Points Exchange in the Middle East

TORONTO, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Points International Ltd.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

WorkflowOne Details Go-to-Market Strategy

Workflow Management, Inc., parent company of WorkflowOne(R), today detailed the go-to-market strategy that it believes will accelerate its growth in business process outsourcing services for print and promotional marketing.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

Computer-Free E-Mail on the Go Can Be Elegantly Easy With Peek

By Edward C. Baig Tech gadgets fall into two categories: "Because-we-can" gizmos loaded with a battalion of features, or dirt-simple ones that do just one or two things well. The Peek e-mail device I've been testing marches in the latter camp. It's refreshingly uncomplicated.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

Living the Season With the Los Angeles Times Online Holiday Guide

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles Times (http://latimes.com/) this week launched its online Holiday Guide http://.latimes.com/holiday, giving Angelenos a singular, all-inclusive destination for finding unique, cost-effective and cheerful ways to fully enjoy in the season.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

Learn About the Forensic Technologies

Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the Medical devices industry is available in its catalogue.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 Nov 2008 | 11:00 am

Eye-Fi Celebrates Birthday with 4GB SD Card

Faster, bigger and, erm, anniversary-er. A year ago, Eye-Fi launched its splendid Wi-Fi enabled SD cards which let you beam your photographs directly at the internet, or onto your home computer. To celebrate, the Eye-Fi folks are selling an Anniversary Edition card, which doubles the capacity to 4GB and offers faster read/write speeds beween camera and card.

The Anniversary Edition is priced the same as the Eye-Fi Explore: $129, but comes without the geotagging and the year-long free hotspot access offered by the Explore. You do get access to Eye-Fi's webshare service, though, which sends your photos into the cloud towards the photosharing site of your choice.

But while these extra features can be added to the Anniversary Edition just by buying them from Eye-Fi, if you get the all-included 3GB Explore, you're clearly not going to be able to just download more storage -- you're stuck at 2GB.

Available "while supplies last", although we can't imagine Eye-Fi won't be adding a 4GB card to the permanent collection soon enough.

Product page [Eye-Fi. Thanks, Gina!]

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 Nov 2008 | 10:56 am

Party people everywhere, I behoove you to to put your hands in the air

Hey funtime boys! Want to dance? Ok! Let’s have a good time with Brando’s new USB-powered LED projector. Plug it in, watch the lights move, feel the Drano moving through your veins to your heart, hear the final chuckles of glee as your Mafiya captors riffle through your jacket looking for valuables before they dump you into the Volga. Don’t ever cross the Mafiya.

$19.00 on, guess where?, Brando.

The first three Core i7 chips will be quad-core and have clock speeds of 2.66GHz, 2.93GHz, and 3.20GHz and integrated memory controller.

Codenamed Bloomfield and officially named Core i7, Intel's 45-nm desktop processors are targeted at largely at gaming PCs but Intel plans to have versions ready for business users in the next few weeks.

The 65-nm vs. 45-nm difference is important because on a macro-level it is one of the factors that affects pricing, say analysts.

"When Intel can manufacture in 45-nm earlier than AMD it can possibly have a cost advantage, which can be passed on to users," says Rau. "A 65-nm die is more expensive to cast than a 45-nm one." 

For Intel, that means more than just being a generation ahead of AMD: It means that Intel will be enjoying fatter margins while AMD is still struggling to catch up. In the end, that could translate into enough market share to cripple AMD for good.

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 Nov 2008 | 6:02 am

Treo beats BlackBerry and iPhone—in malfunctions

Section: Communications, Smartphones

Surveys like this are always very interesting as they show the real truths behind the reliability of products, not just the output of the company’s marketing department.  In this case, SquareTrade, a research group, have taken it open themselves to tackle smart phones and to see their reliability (or lack thereof, as the case may be) over the first year of purchase.  And what better to use than 15,000 handsets consisting of BlackBerrys, iPhones and Treos.

As my not-so-inconspicuous title suggests, the Treo performed poorly, in fact, surprisingly poorly!  After one year 5.6% of all iPhones malfunctioned, followed by a sizable jump to 12% for the BlackBerry and a massive 16% of Treos.  This is incredibly worrying if you have just a bought a Treo, but comforting if you have selected the iPhone!

So what went wrong?  In all three products the problems most encountered were related to the screen or keypad, which considering that the iPhone is nearly 50% screen is not surprising.  In fact, the problems were pretty widely distributed, so it is difficult to say exactly where the Treo, and to a lesser extent the BlackBerry, are going wrong.  The other top two problems in the Treos were software/features and call quality issues, the latter of which would be quite difficult to rectify.  The BlackBerry and iPhone had the top problems of software/call quality and software/hardware respectively.

So what can we take from this?  If you have been unfortunate enough to have purchased an Treo, treating it with as much caution as possible would be a good idea.  Although, there is no way to solve any possible software/hardware problems, a situation shared by BlackBerry and iPhone users.  However, it gets worse in the two year rates (although the iPhone rates are predictions).

In two years over 1 in 5 (21.6%) of Treos will malfunction, which not only is bad for the customer, but also for the company who are effectively losing 1 phone for every 5 sold in refunds/replacements.  The BlackBerry levels out to around 14.3% while the iPhone is consistently at the bottom of the pile with predictions estimating 11.3% of malfunctions in 2 years, although given the nature of touch screens it is likely that this will continue to rise as the months go by.

Obviously, if you are on a contract you are fine, and you should be able to get a replacement if you are still in warranty, but it is still a massive inconvenience and could still end up with you out of pocket.  Personally, I would go for an iPhone for reliability any day, but longer term figures only time will tell.

Source [CNET]
Data [SquareTrade]

Full Story » | Written by Christian Milsom for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:28 am

AMD announces fast, energy-saving chip (Reuters)

Reuters - Advanced Micro Devices has started selling the new generation of its Opteron quad core processors for servers, AMD announced on Wednesday, nearly one year after Intel launched its own 45 nanometer chip.

Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:27 am

This Christmas, OfficeMax’s ElfYourself.com Will Get a JibJab Twist

A year ago, one of the surprise holiday breakout hits on the Web was ElfYourself.com. It was a promotional viral video site created by OfficeMax that let people upload their pictures and create dancing elves that they could then send as e-cards to family and friends. ElfYourself turned out to be the fastest growing site last December, peaking at 39 million unique visitors in the U.S. (and attracting a total of 100 million unique visitors worldwide throughout the campaign).

When Greg Spiridellis, CEO of JibJab Media, saw ElfYourself, it resonated with him because JbJab is organized around a similar series of “Starring You” videos that allow people to upload their photos so that they can star in the videos, and send them as digital cards. The JibJab videos also often involve dancing characters.

Spiridellis decided to look up ElfYourself’s traffic numbers on Quantcast, and this is what he saw:

For that one month, it rivaled Facebook in traffic. But Spiridellis thought JibJab could bring the site up a notch. In February, he cold-called the chief marketing officer of OfficeMax and proposed a partnership: JibJab would create new dancing elves around its Starring You platform. There would be not one dance, but three: Disco Elves, Jazz Elves, and Country Elves. There would also be the opportunity to sell digital downloads of the videos and personalized images printed out on cards, mugs, and mousepads.

It could turn ElfYourself from an expensive marketing cost into something that might actually make money. OfficeMax agreed and this year JibJab will run the site, which is scheduled to relaunch later this week. That’s a teaser shot above that JibJab sent us featuring some of the TechCrunch crew (Michael, Mark, Heather, and me).

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Source: TechCrunch | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:05 am

Electronic Arts wants to help people get fit, too (AP)

AP - Following in the footsteps of Nintendo's popular "Wii Fit," the video game publisher known for the "Madden" football games is jumping into fitness software targeted mostly at women.
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:05 am

Study: Unlicensed stories reel in Internet readers (AP)

AP - Here's another reason for ailing newspaper and magazine publishers to wince: On average, the audience perusing unauthorized online copies of their articles is nearly 2.5 times larger than the readership on their own Web sites, according to a study being released Thursday.
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:02 am

Microsoft Officially Facebooks, Oops, Socializes Windows Live Internet Services [BoomTown]

Microsoft officially rolled out the next version of its Windows Live Services tonight, with a heavy emphasis on socializing its online offerings and giving users better tools to share all sorts of information from across the Web within them.

Microsoft (MSFT) said the changes–similar to those made by Yahoo (YHOO) and Time Warner (TWX) online unit AOL recently–would “begin rolling out to customers in the U.S. over the coming weeks and will be made available globally in 54 countries and in 48 languages by early 2009.”

You might call its the “Facebooking” of Windows Live, which the brand name for Microsoft’s communications and other related online services aimed at consumers, especially because the much-anticipated changes also includes a new profile and a “What’s New” feed.

So, if imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg should feel beloved by Microsoft, since both are direct borrows of two of the social networking site’s most prominent features.

(See many screenshots of the newly refreshed Window Live services below.)

But don’t call it a social network, said Brian Hall, who is the general manager of the Windows Live unit, in a lovely breakfast interview with BoomTown yesterday.

“No one wants to sign up for another social network,” said Hall. “But everyone does want to be able to share and bring together all they do on the Web and we want to make sure all our users can do that in the easiest way possible.”

(Sadly, the video I did with Hall–who is Seth Rogen lookalike and I mean that in a good way–got eaten up in my new Flip MinoHD software, which was entirely due to my boneheadedness.)

But, in it, Hall underscored that Microsoft is now fully committed to opening Windows Live Services up to whatever consumers want to do with their online lives and wherever they want to do it.

And, indeed, the “next generation” of Windows Live, will inject social elements into its Photo Gallery photo sharing, Hotmail email, Spaces groups and Messenger instant messaging offerings, as well as Microsoft’s calendar and mobile prodcuts.

The move will also more significantly integrate many third-party partners into the mix. Microsoft’s outside partners announced tonight include Flickr, LinkedIn, Pandora, Photobucket, Twitter, WordPress and Yelp. (See the full list below.)

Microsoft also announced alliances with Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and China Telecom to deliver Windows Live services.

Microsoft says there are more than 460 million Windows Live customers (its instant messaging offering accounts for a bulk of this number and will see the most socializing impact), but is bowing to the obvious and inevitable trend of consumers creating and sharing all over the Internet.

But, said Hall, Microsoft is also sticking to its mantra of “software plus services” here, noting that consumers want the existing tools they use now regularly to become more social, rather than having to abandon them.

Microsoft is also launching its Windows Live Essentials, which are free widgets that can be used across a range of devices and places, such as personal computers, mobile phones and on Web sites.

Finally, to let users store all that content and information, Microsoft said it is also increasing its Windows Live SkyDrive online storage offering from 5 GB to 25 GB.

Here are the screen shots of the new Windows Live services (click on them to make them larger):

Windows Live Home Page

Windows Live Profile Page

Windows Live Messenger Page

Windows Live Web Activities Page

Windows Live Groups Page

Partner Integration for Windows Live

Blog
Blogkoll.se
Live Journal
Overblog
SixApart
Twitter*
Wordpress*

Reviews
11870.com
Amazon
Digg
Flixster*
Goodreads
Kaboodle
StumbleUpon*
Yelp*

Photo
Bilddagboken.se
Flickr*
Photobucket
Rock You
SmugMug

Music/Video
Last.fm
iLike
Break
Pandora
Seesmic
Veoh

Social Networking
Biip.no
Dada.net
Daum*
Dopplr
Faves
Friendster
Hevre
Hyves
Jeeran
Libero Community
Lokalisten
Mail.ru
Metroflog
Nettby
OleOle
Playahead
Qik
SlideShare
Studenti.it
TripIt, Inc.*
Yandex
YuKu
zoo.gr

OEM and Services Partners
HP
Lenovo

Telecommunications and Broadband Service Providers

China Telecom
Qwest

FrameIt Partners
Amlogic
iGala
Navteq
PanDigital
PhotoVu
RMI
Smartparts
ViewSonic

*Denotes First Set of Available Feed Partners

Source: All Things Digital | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Manatee May Not Be Dead in N.C.

Wildlife authorities say reports that a manatee spotted swimming off the coast of Manteo, N.C., was found dead are "pretty much misinformation." Nicole Adimey, a biologist with the U.S.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Salt Prices Pinch States

Local governments that rely on salt to keep winter roads safe are being hit hard by rising prices, officials say. Stateline.com reported Wednesday that some cities and towns may be forced to make do with less. Salt prices are running up to three times higher than last year.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Mach V Screams, But Is Overclocking Worth the Price?

There perhaps comes a point at which bells and whistles just don't make a difference. Such might be the case with the Falcon Northwest Mach V gaming PC, with its 3.2-GHz processor and terrabyte of storage. Thing is, you can get faster gaming for half the price.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

15th Anniversary: A Look Back at How We Looked Back

Oh, 15th-anniversary page, how we'll miss you. For 12 issues, we've used this space for overtly self-referential sesquidecimalizing. As the year comes to an end, we thought we'd take a look back at the way we looked back. Herewith, our favorite items.

1 On the first anniversary page, we ran a collection of all our covers that featured guys with beards—14 furry-faced geniuses. Weirdly, 18 of them were George Lucas.

2 In September, we compared the number of issues that mention Bill Gates (150) to the number of issues that mention Steve Jobs (110). Apple's lawyers have demanded we pick up the pace.

3 July's edition listed things we pronounced dead prematurely (like, oh, Web browsers). Is this anniversary shtick really over?

4 In March, we charted the number of covers that used neon ink. We love graphs. In fact, on the left is a little graph of how much we love graphs.

5 Two issues ago we created an "evil meter" to help Google navigate today's murky moral waters. They sued us.* Jerks.

*Not really.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Gallery: The Best Fictional Doomsday Devices

:

America's love affair with the doomsday device is a turbulent one. First popularized in comic books and James Bond movies, then lampooned by Austin Powers, we love them because their ridiculousness makes us feel safe — like the exhilarating false danger of a roller coaster.

Now heightened audience cynicism has forced world-ending devices into the realm of camp, and except for a new breed of superhero movies, they've largely been replaced by natural disasters or apocalyptic sci-fi scenarios in Hollywood films.

The opening of Quantum of Solace on Friday is making us nostalgic for the junk science and catastrophic fear that make fictional doomsday devices fun. From earth-shattering fusion reactors to catastrophic earthquake machines to planet-destroying space stations, here's a list of some of our favorite extinction-bringing devices from film, television and videogames. Be sure to share your own favorites in the comments.

Left:

The Doomsday Machine — Dr. Strangelove (film)

The aptly named "Doomsday Machine" was one of the uncredited stars of Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove. Its purpose? Delivering a retaliatory nuclear strike on all mankind in the event of an attack on Soviet soil. All it took was a broken radio and one bomb-riding cowboy to set it off.

:

In 1979's Moonraker, James Bond went into space. Seriously. In his defense, the goal was to destroy the Moonraker space station. This apocalyptic orbital platform was designed to poison mankind by releasing orbs full of lethal toxins into Earth's atmosphere. Agent 007 destroyed the orbs (with lasers, no less), and the planet was spared.

:

It's hard to say what made Beneath the Planet of the Apes creepier: the "Divine Bomb," a misplaced nuclear warhead capable of destroying Earth, or the radioactive mutants who worshiped it. Either way, the Divine Bomb gets its moment in the sun when a dying Charlton Heston flips the switch, thereby destroying ... er ... everything.

:

Leave it to the military to need rescuing from its own doomsday device. In 2003's The Core, the "Deep Earth Seismic Trigger Initiative," or Destini, became the aforementioned device. Though designed as a weaponized earthquake machine, Destini threatens the planet by screwing up Earth's magnetic field. Ironically, nuke-wielding scientists provide the solution.

:

Elaborate doomsday devices often rely on sketchy science. Take Dr. Octavius' highly volatile fusion reactor from Spider-Man 2. Not only was this "artificial sun" self-sustaining, but capable of indefinite growth by consuming everything around it (i.e., the world). Strangely enough, its Achilles' heel was a dunk in a nearby river.

:

This iconic space station from the first Star Wars trilogy was no moon. In fact, it was a planet-shaped superweapon designed to destroy planets. After a whizz-bang demo on Alderaan, it was clear the Death Star spelled certain doom for any planet dweller. But then there was that exposed exhaust port …

:

By the time Futurama's sci-fi satire hit the scene, creator Matt Groening had the doomsday-device shtick down. Case in point: the Spheroboom. This highly explosive space/time-bending device isn't just the prized jewel of the show's mad scientist, professor Farnsworth. It also destroys anyone/anything not wearing a "Doom-proof Platinum Vest."

:

The titular ring-shaped world of the Halo videogame series is more than an architectural feat. When activated, the megastructure is capable of destroying all sentient life in the universe. In Halo 2, puzzled gamers discovered that stopping this harbinger of the apocalypse was as simple as turning it off.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Mach V Screams, But Is Overclocking Worth the Price?

There perhaps comes a point at which bells and whistles just don't make a difference. Such might be the case with the Falcon Northwest Mach V gaming PC, with its 3.2-GHz processor and terrabyte of storage. Thing is, you can get faster gaming for half the price.

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Nov. 13, 1983: Teen Sets 'Asteroids' Record in 3-Day Marathon

1983: Fifteen-year-old Scott Safran of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, sets the world record score in the arcade game Asteroids — the longest-standing videogame high score in history.

Safran, who had been practicing nonstop at the game for the previous two years, agreed to play a marathon session of Atari's popular outer-space shooting game as part of a charity event in Pennsylvania. His mother drove him to the event and lent him a quarter, which he dropped into the machine Nov. 13.

Some three days later, having taken only brief bathroom and food breaks, Safran finished his game with 41,336,440 points, nudging out the previous world record held by famous old-school gamer and actor Leo Daniels.

What makes Safran's score so momentous, however, is that it has gone 25 years without being broken, giving it the longevity record for a videogame high score, according to the authoritative game-record keepers at Twin Galaxies.

Asteroids is a very difficult game. Players have to contend not only with the eponymous giant rocks that veer at their spaceships and with enemy laser fire, but also with the touchy control scheme. You have to rotate your ship and fire a single thruster to move anywhere, and momentum can carry you right into disaster if you don't have nimble fingers.

Setting a high score on any videogame requires exceptional skill, as illustrated in the recent documentary The King of Kong. But setting an Asteroids record also requires superhuman endurance, because it literally takes days to do.

Unlike Donkey Kong, which has seen serious challengers step up one after another, only one person has made a serious attempt at the Asteroids record in recent years. An Oregon man named Bill Carlton settled in for a marathon session in 2004, which ended in failure when his machine broke down after 27 hours of play. He had scored more than 15 million points, placing him 15th in the record books.

In 1998, as Atari was planning to release a new edition of Asteroids, Twin Galaxies' head referee Walter Day attempted to locate Scott Safran, with whom he had fallen out of touch. It took Day four years to discover that Safran had died in 1989, at the age of 21, due to injuries sustained when he fell from the roof of his Los Angeles apartment.

Source: Various

Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Sweeping Changes At Live.com: It’s A Social Network!

Microsoft’s Live.com portal will change significantly this evening. No longer will it be a simple search engine with a few other services bolted on. It’s now a social network, too, pulling in activity information and content from around the web. They’re also launching Windows Live Photos and Windows Live People, and other services. Check it out at Home.Live.com.

A lot of what they’ve done is exactly what Yahoo has been talking about for over a year now - leveraging social connections that already exist (Yahoo is using email, Microsoft is using Messenger) and doing a lot more with it.

Users are automatically connected with any friends they have on Windows Live Messenger, which is by far the most popular instant messaging service worldwide (Comscore: Microsoft Messenger has 268 million worldwide users, compared to 116 million for Yahoo and 6 million for Google Talk).

Users are asked to build out their profile, and can also bring in content they create on blogs (or any RSS feeds, Flickr, LinkedIn, Pandora, Photobucket, iLike, Twitter, Wordpress and Yelp. When you do something new on those sites, the information flows into Live.com for your friends to see (in a very similar way as FriendFeed, Plaxo and others do today). Eventually, says Microsoft, more than 50 partners will be supported. When users add photos, write reviews, and update their profiles directly on Live.com, that content will be put into the activity stream as well.

The hope, of course, is to get people to hang out a lot more at Live.com. At least those people who use Messenger, since they already have their contacts established. Like Yahoo, Microsoft is going with its strengths, which in their case is instant messaging.

Microsoft’s software plus services strategy has clearly infiltrated Live.com as well as their approach with Office. Live.com users can now access a variety of online services like mail, calendar, photos, online storage, etc., as well as downloaded services that include a mail client, instant messaging, Movie Maker, Photo Gallery, the Toolbar and other services. And now it’s also one big social network.

The result is an impressive personal productivity suite that makes me almost wish I wasn’t solely a Mac user.

Overview video and reviewers guide are below:

Windows Live Reviewers Guide - Get more Information Technology

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

Source: TechCrunch | 13 Nov 2008 | 4:58 am

Thai True Move in deal with Apple to sell 3G iPhone (Reuters)

Reuters - Thailand's third largest mobile phone firm, True Move, a subsidiary of True Corp, said on Thursday it had signed a deal with Apple Inc to sell the 3G iPhone in Thailand.
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 13 Nov 2008 | 4:40 am

UMID shows off their latest “dictionary-sized” Mobile Internet Device

Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Laptops

The latest Mobile Internet Device (MID) coming from UMID, at first glance looks like any other netbook on the market, except this one is much smaller and much more equipped than many.

As for features, the MID will have a 4.8-inch touchscreen display with a 1024 x 600 resolution, either a 1.1GHz or 1.3GHz Intel Atom processor, a max of 1GB RAM, up to 32GB of SSD storage, a 1.3-megapixel webcam and a microSD card slot. 

Sadly, it has just one USB 2.0 port.  Other features include the standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as well as WiMax, WiBro, HSDPA and both DMB-T and DVB-T digital TV tuners.  Still unstated was a release date, or any pricing information.

Despite the lack of dimensions, based on the hands-on images it would appear that this MID would make just about any netbook look like a full sized notebook.  As for now, these images (below) will be just about all we will see, no mention has been made of any release outside of Korea.

Via [AVING]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 13 Nov 2008 | 4:15 am

Tapulous Releases One of iPhone’s Best Twitter Clients; Online Tap Tap Revenge Goes Live

Prolific iPhone development studio Tapulous has launched a trio of new applications, including an impressive Twitter client that could well become the most-used app on my phone. They’re also releasing a new online multiplayer version of mega-hit Tap Tap Revenge that will likely see the game surge in popularity (again), and have announced that they have hit a total of 3 million users across all of their applications.

The company’s new Twitter client is called Tweetsville (grab it here for $3.99), and was developed by veteran engineer Ed Voas. CEO Bart Decrem says that Voas initially started building the app for himself after becoming dissatisfied with existing Twitter clients, and incorporated a number of key features that make Tweetsville an ideal app for Twitter power-users. The application includes an integrated listing of top trends, advanced search functions, and a streamlined interface that feels much speedier than its competitors. In short, it’s great, and I won’t be surprised if it displaces favorites like Twitterific and Tapulous’s own Twinkle as the premier Twitter client on the iPhone. Decrem says that Twinkle will now focus on connecting people who are close to each other while still functioning as a Twitter client, while Tweetsville will be for hardcore users.

This evening an update to Tap Tap Revenge (an addictive game similar to Guitar Hero) also went live, incorporating online multiplayer that allows players on multiple iPhones to compete over Wi-Fi or 3G. Tapulous’ servers are totally overwhelmed at the moment so I’ve been unable to get into a game, but it’s sure to be a success (though I doubt it will be as fun as in-person multiplayer games). Earlier this month Tapulous also released Nine Inch Nails Revenge, a version of the game that features licensed NIN music and new artwork. Decrem says that the company has been pleased with the results, selling “tens of thousands” of copies at $5 apiece.

Earlier this week the company also released a simple application called Photo Collage that displays pictures taken around the world to a community album (you can also view photos taken by friends and people in your proximity). While fairly basic in terms of features, it is slick and makes for a great diversion.

Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors

Source: TechCrunch | 13 Nov 2008 | 4:13 am

Transpera Raises $8.25 Million In Series B For Mobile Video Monetization Service

Transpera will later today announce it has secured a second round of funding to the tune of $8.25 million on top of an undisclosed amount in Series A financing it received in July 2007.

The capital injection comes from initial investors Flybridge Capital Partners (formerly IDG Ventures), Intel Capital and First Round Capital, who also brought in Labrador Ventures for this second round. The round also includes some debt financing from Silicon Valley Bank, a member company of SVB Financial Group.

Transpera has developed a platform that enables the distribution and monetization of Web videos on mobile phones. With the so-called Transpera Ad Platform (TAP), the company offers mobile video publishers and carriers a suite of promotional and distribution building tools to enhance the end user experience, and advertisers a way to market their wares by serving targeted ads in the form of interactive display banners, pre-roll videos, overlay ads, post-roll experiences and mini sites. There’s even a spin-off platform tailored specifically to the iPhone (screenshot of the model below), which makes sense given the fact that web browsing and entertainment is quite popular on the device.

The platform is in use by a number of noteworthy information and entertainment brands, including Associated Press, CBS News, Discovery Communications, Fox Reality Channel, MTV Networks, Break.com and Revision3 (sample video).

Transpera relies on a very experienced team (nice touch with the animated pics, guys) and an impressive advisory board that includes people like Tom Rogers (CEO TiVo), Todd Warner (Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Windows Mobile) and former President of ZD Interactive Media Division Jeff Ballowe. They also managed to snatch Brian Monnin, who will be joining as Chief Product Officer, away from his executive position at Brightcove.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

Source: TechCrunch | 13 Nov 2008 | 4:12 am

Onion parodies lame user-generated YouTube videos (updated)

YouTube Contest Challenges Users To Make A 'Good' Video, from the folks at The Onion, who are actually creating rather a lot of "Good" videos. (LOL, Sean Bonner)

UPDATE: Oh, for the lulz of god! I checked in with a BB pal at YouTube, and they're in on the joke, too, with all good humor. Note the special YouTube user interface modification, screengrabbed and highlighted below. Click for full size, without highlight.

Source: Boing Boing | 13 Nov 2008 | 4:04 am

Barack is Mac, and Pac?

Apparently, America's president-elect is a Mac user, a Pac Man fan, and likes sticking stickers on one's laptop. I really dig the pac-man eating the Apple logo. Is that a Speck clear MacBook cover? Commenters: let the Apple/Obama fanboy flamewars fly!

Incidentally, he also uses a Crackberry. And Biden is evidently a fellow Mac user, at least on the road. And as long as we're on the subject: I met Al Gore briefly last week, and he was packin' an iPhone. Although, I was so star-struck at the moment, I may have hallucinated that part along with the swarms of solar-powered United Nations black helicopters. DISCUSS.

POTUS uses a Mac (9to5mac.com, via friends list)

Update: Rob Beschizza at Boing Boing Gadgets tackled this burning! hot! politechnical news! earlier today.

Source: Boing Boing | 13 Nov 2008 | 3:49 am

However do you cope without a commercial portable shopping cart washer

"The #1 show stopper at Global shop and FMI."

Shopping Cart Washers [Medco]

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 13 Nov 2008 | 3:26 am

Scientists Discover Proteins Controlling Evolution

Khemisty writes "Evolutionary changes are supposed to take place gradually and randomly, under pressure from natural selection. But a team of Princeton scientists investigating a group of proteins that help cells burn energy stumbled across evidence that this is not how evolution works. In fact, their discovery could revolutionize the way we understand evolutionary processes. They have evidence that organisms actually have the ability to control their own evolution."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 13 Nov 2008 | 3:10 am

Best Buy lowers Eee PC 900A price yet again, now just $280

Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Laptops

This one is not a Black Friday deal, but instead just another nicely priced product coming from Best Buy.  We had recently seen them drop the MSI Wind down to $349, and now they have further slashed the pricing for the Eee PC 900A.  It was not that long ago when it was dropped to $299.99, but now another 20 bucks have been cut, bringing the price down to just $279.99.

Just to recap, the 900A specs include an 8.9-inch display, 1GB of RAM, a 4GB SSD, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, a 4-cell battery and will be running Linux. The Eee PC 900A is also available in either white, black or purple.

Product [Best Buy]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 13 Nov 2008 | 3:06 am

US Supreme Court Allows Sonar Use

gollum123 writes "The US Supreme Court has removed restrictions on the Navy's use of sonar in training exercises near California. The ruling is a defeat for environmental groups who say the sonar can kill whales and other mammals. In its 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court said the Navy needed to conduct realistic training exercises to respond to potential threats. The court did not deal with the merits of the claims put forward by the environmental groups. In reinstating the use of sonar, the top US court rejected a lower federal judge's injunction that had required the US Navy to take various precautions during submarine-hunting exercises. The Bush administration argued that there is little evidence of harm to marine life in more than 40 years of exercises off the California coast. It said that the judges should have deferred to the judgment of the Navy and Mr Bush. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said overall public interest was 'strongly in favor of the Navy.' 'The most serious possible injury would be harm to an unknown number of the marine mammals,' Chief Justice Roberts wrote. 'In contrast, forcing the Navy to deploy an inadequately trained anti-submarine force jeopardizes the safety of the fleet.'"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 13 Nov 2008 | 2:17 am

iPhone App Helps You Get Sloshed Responsibly

At long last, I have finally found a third-party iPhone app that I'll use every day. It's a free app called Last Call, and it calculates your blood alcohol content based on how much you drink, what kind of booze you're chugging and how much you weigh. And here's the best part: If you surpass the legal BAC limit (e.g., 0.08 percent in the United States), there's a button to find a taxi or look up a directory of nearby DUI lawyers if you get pulled over.

I love it. I finally have a tool to help me measure -- and test -- my drinking limits. With that said, I'm off to the pub.

Download Link [iTunes]

Image: Brian X. Chen/Wired.com

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 Nov 2008 | 2:08 am

Wi-Fi on Wheels Is Steady, but Has a Speed Bump [Personal Technology]

Wi-Fi wireless Internet connectivity has become nearly ubiquitous. Whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or even on some commercial airliners, you can get online with a Wi-Fi-equipped laptop, smart phone or portable game machine.

Now, Wi-Fi is making its way into your car. A small California company, Autonet Mobile, has teamed up with Chrysler and others to sell a service that floods any brand or model of car or truck with Wi-Fi Internet connectivity that can be used by multiple passengers and devices simultaneously. It’s a dealer-installed option on Chrysler vehicles, but Chrysler dealers, and some independent auto electronic shops, will install it on any brand of car for a fee.

The system works via a special wireless router, mounted in the trunk or rear cargo area, that draws Internet connectivity from cellphone towers and then converts it into an in-car Wi-Fi signal with a range of 100 feet. This router looks like a military device, because it is ruggedized to survive jolts and vibrations, and is shielded to avoid interference with the car’s electronics or with cellphone calls.

As long as they have built-in Wi-Fi, the laptops and smart phones used in the car don’t need any add-on hardware or software to use Autonet. To them, it looks like any other Wi-Fi signal. And no special car antenna is needed; the router uses its own large antennas.

I’ve been testing Autonet Mobile in a rented Saturn Vue SUV in Washington, D.C., and its suburbs, and found it worked well for most basic Internet tasks like email and Web surfing. The router turns on when the car does, and the Wi-Fi signal shows up about 30 seconds later. However, Autonet is relatively pokey. It’s too slow to be reliable for streaming video longer than brief YouTube clips, or for smooth video chatting.

Perhaps the biggest downside of in-car Wi-Fi is that it provides one more potential distraction for drivers. The company says the service is only for passengers, not drivers, but there’s no technical barrier to a driver using it.

Of course, drivers already can court danger this way by using cellphone wireless connectivity on a laptop, iPhone, BlackBerry or other connected device. And that raises another question: Since you can already connect to the Internet from a car with a smart phone or a cellular data card for a laptop, why would you want Autonet?

There are three reasons. First, cellular Internet access is typically tied to a single device at a time. But Autonet’s Wi-Fi service works just like Wi-Fi in your house: Multiple people with multiple devices can use it at the same time. In fact, the company envisions that the service’s primary use will be to allow children in the back seat to use laptops for social networking, online games or homework; and multiple adult passengers to conduct online business or research routes and destinations.

Second, the monthly fees can be lower, at least for laptops. A typical cellular data card for a single laptop costs $60 a month. But Autonet’s service starts at $29 a month for the entire car, regardless of how many devices are being used. A premium plan costs $59. The plans differ by how much data you are allowed to consume monthly. And Autonet requires no special laptop cards or software.

Lastly, the company claims that it has invented a technology that keeps the connection steadier while moving than the typical direct cellular connection. Although some videos froze on me, I never lost Autonet’s Internet connection, whether moving slowly through downtown D.C. or moving faster on suburban highways and streets.

In my tests, with a laptop and an iPhone, Autonet’s speeds ranged from around 100 kilobits per second to around 500 kbps — far slower than a typical cable Internet service in a home. My average speed was between 400 kbps and 450 kbps.

There are some other drawbacks. First, the router costs $499, though that will soon drop to $399 in a holiday price promotion. Second, you have to sign at least a one-year contract, even if you pay monthly. Third, your Internet usage is limited. The $29 plan gets you just 1 gigabyte of data a month, while the $59 plan gets you 5 gigabytes. That should be plenty for most typical users, but not for those with large appetites for data.

These service fees are all-inclusive. You don’t have to pay anything to any cellphone carrier. But there is also a $35 “activation fee,” whose justification is murky, and installation costs are estimated at $50 to $75.

For security, you can set Autonet up with a password, but it doesn’t yet use the most advanced version of Wi-Fi security. The company says that, while it can track and manage your Internet connection, it cannot determine the content of what you are doing online.

Finally, because the router is hard-mounted, you can’t remove it for use in, say, a hotel room or second car.

If you’re willing to invest in the router and can tolerate the slow speeds, Autonet might be what you want — as long as you can resist using it while driving.

Find all of Walt Mossberg’s columns and videos online, free, at the All Things Digital Web site, walt.allthingsd.com. Email him at mossberg@wsj.com.

Source: All Things Digital | 13 Nov 2008 | 2:04 am

Disabling Wi-Fi on a Laptop [Mossberg's Mailbox]

There’s no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers. Everybody has questions about them, and we aim to help.

Here are a few questions about computers I’ve received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability.

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I have a laptop that I use primarily to play music. Is there any way to disable its connection to a wireless network?

Sure, but exactly how you do that depends on the laptop’s hardware and operating system. Some Windows laptops have a hardware switch, or a keyboard function — often identified by some sort of transmitter icon — that turns the Wi-Fi wireless radio inside off. If yours does, just use these hardware controls to kill Wi-Fi.

Others require disabling Wi-Fi via software. In Windows XP, go to the Network Connections control panel, find the Wi-Fi connection, right-click on that icon, and select “Disable.” In Windows Vista, go to the Network and Sharing Center control panel, locate the wireless network, and click the “Disconnect” command in the information area under its name. On a Mac laptop, you can just click on the fan-like Wi-Fi symbol in the menu bar and select “Turn Airport Off” (”Airport” is Apple’s term for its Wi-Fi radio).

If your Windows laptop uses an application other than control panels to manage your Wi-Fi connections, you may have to disable them from within that program.

Thanks for your column on netbooks. Which of the netbooks came pre-installed with Microsoft Office? For those that didn’t, how can you install Microsoft Office onto the device?

I tested only four models, all running Windows XP. None came with a full, activated version of Office installed. Two — the Acer Aspire One and the MSI Wind U100 — came with trial versions of Office pre-installed. Another, the Asus Eee 1000H, came with an alternative office suite, StarOffice. Two, the Asus and the MSI, came with a stripped-down office suite, Microsoft Works.

The simplest way to install Office, or any other software that comes on disc, onto a netbook is to plug in an external DVD drive using a USB port.

I have two questions about the iPhone. My first question is whether or not it’s possible to tether the phone to a computer for use as a modem. My second question is whether it’s possible to rent or buy movies on the phone itself or if that needs to be done from a laptop or desktop?

It isn’t currently possible to use the iPhone as a tethered modem, but AT&T recently said that functionality might be coming. It also isn’t possible to buy or rent movies directly on the phone, only music. You have to transfer movies from a computer.

• You can find Mossberg’s Mailbox, and my other columns, online free of charge at the new All Things Digital Web site, http://walt.allthingsd.com.

Source: All Things Digital | 13 Nov 2008 | 2:04 am

DWR and USGS to Begin Delta Salmon Tracking Experiment

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are set to begin the largest-ever environmental experiment to track juvenile salmon in the Delta.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 Nov 2008 | 2:00 am

Nexen Presents at Bank of America Conference

Nexen Inc.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 Nov 2008 | 2:00 am

U.N. Sees 9.2B Earthlings By 2050

Earth will be home to 9.2 billion people by 2050, a report issued Wednesday by the United Nations projects. There are an estimated 6.7 billion people now. The U.N.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 13 Nov 2008 | 2:00 am

MySpace App for BlackBerry going live tonight

Attention fellow BlackBerry Users-

At 12:01 AM EDT on the 13th of November, MySpace is releasing their much anticipated mobile application for the BlackBerry platform. You can download it here from your desktop or navigate here from your BlackBerry browser.

For those of you who still use MySpace, RIM has set up a page where you can find the latest applications from RIM and third party vendors along with tutorials, contests, news and other RIM-related happenings.

That is all. And from all of us at MC have a pleasant evening.

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Source: MobileCrunch | 13 Nov 2008 | 1:44 am

ObamaCTO.org

Micah Sifry writes:

While much of the tech industry and blogosphere is pondering who President-elect Barack Obama might appoint as the nation's first Chief Technology Officer--Eric Schmidt? Jeff Bezos? Larry Lessig?--a bunch of heavy-hitting public interest groups in Washington and a couple of civic-minded techies out in Seattle have each launched promising interventions in the discussion.

The first one, out yesterday, is a new site called ObamaCTO.org. The site is basically a feedback forum centered on one question: What should be the CTO's top priorities?

ObamaCTO is built on Uservoice, which enables anyone to create an account, post their own idea, comment on any idea, and distribute up to 10 votes to help rank all the ideas posted. ObamaCTO.org just went live, so the number of participants is pretty small, but my guess is it will get a lot of participation soon. Some of the ideas being posted aren't really the responsibility of a potential CTO, however, and it's not clear how the site's managers will filter those out.

Obama's CTO: Never Mind Who; What Should S/he Do? (techpresident.com)

Source: Boing Boing | 13 Nov 2008 | 1:41 am

Chicken tractor design

(click images for full size)

My six Plymouth Barred Rock chickens are about 8 weeks old. They seem happy in their coop, but I feel sorry for them when I see them futilely scratching around in the wood shavings that are bereft of tasty grubs, beetles, worms, weeds, and seeds. I want to let them roam around freely in my yard, where they can aerate the soil, gobble the weeds and vermin, and fertilize the grass. But I think they’re still too young and small to let loose in the yard. For one thing, a couple of semi-wild, semi-friendly cats like to visit our cats and kids regularly, and I don’t think my young hens would stand a chance against them. Also, even though our property is completely fenced in, the chickens are still small enough to squeeze through openings.

After a little research, I came across two solutions that would allow the chickens to safely spend their days in the yard. One is electric net fencing -- a kind of mesh that has fine exposed wires woven into it. You can move it around anywhere in the yard, and the shock it delivers will keep the chickens in and the predators out. According to Harvey Ussery, the “21st Century Homesteading” columnist for Mother Earth News, electric net fencing “carries an unpleasant (but not harmful) surprise for unwelcome curiosity seekers.” I don’t like this idea, partly because I don’t want to be the cause of animals receiving shocks, but mainly because I’m certain I’d be the frequent recipient of “unpleasant surprises” from coming into contact with the fence while it was activated.

The second solution, a chicken tractor, was much more appealing. These are basically portable pens without a bottom that you can move around to different spots in your yard so your chickens can eat all the scary bugs crawling in the grass and dirt. This seems like a good solution. The top hit on Google is a gallery of 140 chicken tractor photographs, compiled by Katy of The City Chicken. It’s neat to see all of these hand-made tractors. No two are identical. Many are made from salvaged materials.

(The tractors remind me of the coconut scrapers I came across in Rarotonga. Everybody made them from scratch and so they were all different, reflecting the skills, patience, and temperament of the maker.)

After perusing the photos in the gallery and using Amazon’s Look Inside! feature to read a portion of Andy Lee and Pat Foreman’s book, Chicken Tractor: The Permaculture Guide to Happy Hens and Healthy Soil, I went to work designing my own. I liked the A-frame style the best, because it seems easier to make and more stable than a box-shaped tractor.

This was a good excuse to get acquainted with Google SketchUp, a free application that lets you create 3D models. I downloaded it and watched a few of the training videos, which were enough to get me to the point where I could design a humble tractor. My goal in designing the tractor was to come up with something that was very basic, used as few components as possible, used as few different dimensional-sizes of lumber as possible, and provided a comfortable and shady shelter for my hens. Here’s what I have so far.

(It will be made from lumber and plywood. The open areas will be covered with 1/2-inch wire screen.) You can download the Sketchup file here.

If you have any suggestions of how I can simplify or improve my design before I start building it, I would be grateful to hear them.

Source: Boing Boing | 13 Nov 2008 | 1:32 am

Barack Obama Uses a Mac

Here's an interesting factoid you probably didn't know about our tech-savvy president-elect: He's a Mac user, according to Telegraph, who compiled a list of 50 facts you might not know about Barack Obama.

He's not an iPhone user, though. "He says his worst habit is constantly checking his BlackBerry," Telegraph writes. That's kind of a relief, because in terms of security, the iPhone has as many holes as a worn-out pair of Vans slip-ons. 

Barack Obama: The 50 facts you might not know [Telegraph via BBG]

Photo: 24gotham/Flickr

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 Nov 2008 | 1:24 am

Remote Access Policies

Samalie writes "My company is considering implementing a formal remote access policy (and agreement for staff to sign) for users who access our network from home via VPN. Does anyone out there have any suggestions as to what this policy/agreement should contain? Anyone have their own corporate policy that I can borrow from? This is the first time I've come across anyone wanting a formal policy for this & online searches haven't been very helpful."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 13 Nov 2008 | 1:17 am

Review: A day with the Datto Z500

Datto's Z-series of NAS boxes offer a triple whammy of useful features. First, they use ZFS, a file system which maintains low-footprint snapshots of itself that can be browsed and restored. Secondly, it can be optionally configured as RAID 1 to bank against hardware failure. Finally, all models upload their contents to Datto's online storage system automatically, ensuring that local catastophe can't wipe your data.

Datto's online service offers enough storage to hold the entire system. Accessed through a web-based admin panel or via FTP, it can be set to warn you if it's low on space or if it's having trouble communicating with your local box.

As for the machine itself, it has two SATA hard drives with up to 1TB of storage, two gigabit ethernet ports, a 1.5 GHz VIA processor, 1GB of RAM, and 4 USB ports. Running OpenSolaris, it serves files over IP using samba or NFS. It's configured using a web browser.

Though made with commodity desktop hardware — the motherboard even has a VGA port — it's an attractive enough box, with a lockable cover over the drive's hot-swap bay. A problem, though, was the noise it produces: loud internal fans whirr away constantly.

Setup was easy, with only one minor hitch: there's no default share, so its instructions on how to connect are presented before there's actually anything to connect to. Remember to create a share, add a user, and, if desired, turn on guest access before wondering why there's nothing to be found at its IP address.

If there's any criticism to make of it, it's that its not much fun, lacking features seen in sexier NAS boxes such as bittorrent and iTunes serving. Instead, Datto offers snapshots, online backup and monthly fees: perfect for small businesses wanting maximum redundancy, but not so much for holding media libraries.

Pros

ZFS maintains low-footprint snapshots
Backs up online automatically, with easy access via FTP
Can set upload speed limits, schedule, pause, and force immediate backups
Can also backup to attached USB drive
Hot-swap drive slot

Cons

$35 for the monthly service fee, and that's just the 250GB model
Lacks consumer-friendly features
Big and loud

Datto Online Store

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 13 Nov 2008 | 12:44 am

The Frankenkindle: A How-To Project Swaps Screens To Create E-Ink Monster

A hacker named Blake Bevin recently pulled off a DIY hack that goes against the laws of nature, but just barely failed to cause the skies to darken and the seas to rise.

She resuscitated her old Amazon Kindle by transplanting an e-Ink screen from a Sony Reader. There's no word on whether the Frankenkindle got up and walked around with an aimless gait and a hunger for human flesh.

After her sister broke her Kindle's screen last year by stepping on it, Blake decided to swap in a screen of the first version of the Sony Reader. This is how she did it (see the pics after the jump):

• She dismantled the Reader using a Philips screwdriver, and then unplugged all the boards.
• Once she got through the guts to find the naked Sony screen, she removed it from the aluminum frame that was glued to it.
• Using a Dremel rotary tool (good for cutting and grinding on aluminum), she filed down the metal juttings attached to the screen, down to the size of the Kindle base.
• Then, she opened up the Kindle. After removing the battery, she used a tiny flat head to open the edges of the Bezos Box. After disconnecting the SD Card Reader slot, the keyboard and power switches, she removed the main board, leaving only the faceplate, screen, and metal frame.
• After removing the broken screen, she placed the Sony Reader one in and plugged in all the respective wires. She turned it on, and  . . . Wa-lah, the Kindle was alive! Alive!

Unfortunately, the screen transfer wasn't perfect. The page buttons on the right of the device did not work, and she found a lot of 'ghosting' of text happening with each page turn.

According to a commenter on the Frankenkindle's Instructables page, the ghosting happened because "there is a temperature compensation that is unique for every display," and each e-Ink controller has a waveform data matched to the display.

But just like Mary Shelley's creation, Blake has learned how to love her monster. She continues to use the Frankenkindle for the last two months and says that "The ghosting, though visible, isn't distracting enough to get in the way of reading and hasn't caused me any strain."

What about you, Gadget Lab readers? Have you experienced the ghosting problem with any of your own Kindles? Or would you kill a perfectly good $300 Sony Reader in order to try this hack on the $400 Kindle?

 

Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 13 Nov 2008 | 12:37 am

IBM Bringing Powerline Broadband Back?

KindMind writes "IBM, in partnership with International Broadband Electric Communications, appears to be bringing back powerline broadband back from the dead. This time, the idea is to build out in rural areas not currently serviced by broadband, and isn't for competing with other broadband solutions. From the article: 'Their strategy is to sign up electric cooperatives that provide power to sparsely populated areas across the eastern United States. Rather than compete toe-to-toe with large, entrenched cable or DSL providers, IBEC is looking for customers that have been largely left out of the shift to high-speed Internet.'"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 13 Nov 2008 | 12:04 am

TV's Killer App: Social Video Viewing?

As audiences move online to catch the latest shows, television networks cook up games, chat rooms and other interactive extras designed to reel in eyeballs.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 13 Nov 2008 | 12:03 am

What sort of computer does the president-elect prefer?

Three guesses, and I'll give you a clue: it's not a Commodore Amiga!

Turns out the president elect uses a Mac. But most certainly not an iPhone.

Update: Xeni tackles the question.

Source: Boing Boing Gadgets | 12 Nov 2008 | 11:51 pm

Big is Beautiful: 4 Plus-Size LCD Screens Tested and Rated

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know the current economic climate is more suited to eating pork and beans out of a can than dumping five grand on a big screen TV. But here's the thing: Prices for LCDs over 50 inches are dropping faster than the stock market. So take your severance package, grab one of these big-boned beauties, and enjoy the next six months of unemployment in the warm basking glow of 1080P.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Nov 2008 | 11:45 pm

Big is Beautiful: 4 Plus-Size LCD Screens Tested and Rated

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know the current economic climate is more suited to eating pork and beans out of a can than dumping five grand on a big screen TV. But here's the thing: Prices for LCDs over 50 inches are dropping faster than the stock market. So take your severance package, grab one of these big-boned beauties, and enjoy the next six months of unemployment in the warm basking glow of 1080P.

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 12 Nov 2008 | 11:45 pm

Place setting by a five-year-old girl

My five-year-old daughter asked to set the table a couple of night ago. Here's how she set her place.

Source: Boing Boing | 12 Nov 2008 | 11:06 pm

Boot Windows Vista In Four Seconds

arcticstoat writes "Asus' budget motherboard wing, ASRock, claims that it's found a way to load a clean boot of Windows from a full shut down in just four seconds, using its new Instant Boot technology. The technology takes advantage of the S3 and S4 features of ACPI, which normally enable the Sleep/Standby and Hibernation modes in Windows respectively. However, by calling them at different times in the boot-up and shutdown process, Instant Boot enables you to boot up to your Windows desktop in three to four seconds, even after a proper shut down. Two modes are available; Fast mode, which uses S3 and boots up in around four seconds, and Regular Mode, which uses S4 and apparently takes between 20 and 22 seconds to boot. The advantage of Instant Boot when compared with normal Sleep and Hibernation modes is that you get the advantage of a clean boot of Windows, without what ASRock calls 'accumulated garbage data,' and you also get the security of knowing that you won't lose any data if there's a power cut and you lose AC power. There's also a video of it in action at the link above."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 12 Nov 2008 | 11:03 pm

UPI NewsTrack TopNews

Obama gathering info on Iraq policy WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- President-elect Barack Obama's transition team says it's gathering information about U.S. troop presence in Iraq. Dan Pfeiffer, spokesman for Obama's transition office, told USA Today Obama will meet with advisers and U.S.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Nov 2008 | 11:00 pm

GM Asks Employees to Beg Congress for Money

The General crowdsources its groveling, asking hundreds of thousands of employees and all of its dealers to lobby Congress for another $25 billion to keep it from going under.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Nov 2008 | 10:51 pm

Do Top Hats Dream of Electric Trains?

"Monopoly: The Movie"? Ridley Scott may direct, "with an eye toward giving it a futuristic sheen along the lines of his iconic 'Blade Runner.'" Alex Balk wonders: "Do Top Hats Dream Of Electric Trains?"

PENNYBAGS: [Slowly, deliberately] I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Boots mortgaging property to tiny dogs. Apartments torched on Baltic Avenue just for the insurance money. I watched someone roll triple sixes and land on Free Parking where a Get Out Of Jail Free card had been tossed into the kitty. All those moments will be lost in time, like a bank error in your favor. Time to die. [As the rain continues to fall, he drops his head and silently expires.]

Source: Boing Boing | 12 Nov 2008 | 10:45 pm

Truck laden with fruit

A gardener's delight. One of a bunch of photos of people and vehicles loaded with stuff.

Truck laden with fruit

Source: Boing Boing | 12 Nov 2008 | 10:06 pm

Open source handheld game kit: Meggy Jr

I played with an early prototype of delightfully engrossing Meggy Jr at Maker Faire Austin in October. It's an open-source kit to build your own pixel-based video games. It's made by my friends at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories: Windell, Lenore, and Chris.

Meggy Jr RGB is a new kit that we designed as a platform to develop handheld pixel games. It's based around a fully addressable 8x8 RGB LED matrix display, and features six big fat buttons for comfy game play. The kit is driven by an ATmega168 microcontroller, and you can write your own games or otherwise control it through the Arduino development environment. Meggy Jr is fast, programmable, open source and hackable. And fun.

Kit prices range from $65 to $95. Meggy Jr RGB

Source: Boing Boing | 12 Nov 2008 | 10:01 pm

15th Anniversary: Best Headlines We Slipped Past the Bosses

These Are Definitely Not Scully's Breasts (November 2003)

Me So Nerdy (September 2006)

Cool Whip: A Delicious Blend of Sugar, Wax, and Condom Lube (May 2007)

Nobody Fucks With the DMV (February 1994)

Data Dicks (October 1995)

The Dumbass, the Daytrader, and the New Democracy (April 2000)

The Wired Scared Shitlist (January 1995)

Reminder to Steve Case: Confiscate the Long Knives (September 2000)

Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Nov 2008 | 10:00 pm

New reality show "Smile, You're Under Arrest"

Fox's new reality show pilot called Smile, You're Under Arrest features people with outstanding warrants getting tricked for the audience's amusement before being arrested.

Fox President of Alternative Entertainment Mike Darnell calls it "a reverse Punk’d. Instead of the worst day of your life and then a joke at the end, this is the reverse. This is the best day of your life, and then we arrest you.”

One of three set-ups just shot in Arizona features the cops luring a criminal to a movie set with the promise of making him an extra and paying him a couple hundred dollars. An elaborate film set is staged and filming begins on a faux movie. The set-up continues as the director then gets mad at the lead actor, fires him and replaces him with the law-breaking extra.

The scene escalates with the fake director introducing the mark to a supposed studio mogul and continuing to create this dream-comes-true sequence. Finally, all the participants are revealed as officers of the law, and the criminal is apprehended (before signing waivers to let the footage be used in the show).

New reality show "Smile, You're Under Arrest" (Via The Agitator)

UPDATE: Fox is working with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office on this show, which is no surprise. Here are some previous posts about Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office:

• Maricopa County Sheriff's Department burn down a house and kill puppy over traffic citations

• Sheriff Joe Arpaio arrests newspaper owners for complaining about grand jury investigation

• Real life transmission of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Madison Street Jail

• American Idol for prisoners

• Jail's official color is pink

Source: Boing Boing | 12 Nov 2008 | 9:47 pm

Review: 'Quantum of Solace': Bad Title, Good Bond

Daniel Craig's 007 brings the action in a big way, battling an eco-criminal and charming the ladies in this solid sequel to Casino Royale.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Nov 2008 | 9:35 pm

Webkinz Effect: Plush-Toy Fad Begets Imitators

What hath Webkinz wrought? When this plucky line of stuffed animals launched in 2005, it had a unique feature: Each creature (like the goldfish above) comes with a code that unlocks its virtual doppelgänger in the Webkinz.com online world. Two million-plus toy sales later, the value of the Webkinz brand is pegged at $2 billion, and industry stalwarts are releasing their own playthings with one fin in meatspace and another in the ether.

Virtual Interactive Pets
Hasbro has built a new virtual world to go with its Littlest Pet Shop line. Each furry has a code in its collar that lets you enter the site, where you can earn Kibbles to buy furniture or gardening supplies for your pet's online pad.

Pixie Hollow
Disney is introducing a line of Tinker Bell-branded, RFID-embedded "eJewelry." The centerpiece is a USB jewelry box that plugs into your PC. When girls wave their Friendship eBracelet or Pixie eCharms near the box, it will unlock items in the Pixie Hollow online world.

World of Cars
Next year, Disney will roll out a Web site based on the Pixar flick Cars. A series of die-cast Hot Wheels-style toys will come with a "race card" granting online access to special tracks and virtual upgrades.

Barbie Girls
Any gal who bought a Barbie MP3 player can plug it into a PC and log on to unlock VIP content on BarbieGirls.com (others can pay $6 a month). VIP avatars can be distinguished from commoners by their sparkly tiaras.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Nov 2008 | 9:30 pm

BlackBerry 8900 passes through the FCC, North American announcement imminent

This morning T-Mobile Germany announced the 8900 and now CellPhoneSignal has found the FCC filing for North America. The baby Bold is expected to hit both GSM networks here in the US.

CellPhone Signal

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Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Nov 2008 | 9:24 pm

Nokia “Wahoo” half-QWERTY clamshell details leaked

If anybody but theBoy Genius managed to scrounge this one up, I’m not sure if I’d believe it. From the details of the leak, it seems that Nokia is working on something they’re referring to internally as “Wahoo”, which looks to have been designed by taking a dash of BlackBerry Pearl Flip and throwing in a whole lot of Motorola RAZR.

Nothing too groundbreaking spec-wise, with its most notable feature being a 1/2 QWERTY keyboard similar to the SureType keyboards found on the BlackBerry Pearl devices. Beyond that, it’s got quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, dual-band HSDPA, assisted GPS, dual displays (2.0″ 240×320 internal, 1.36″ 128×160 external), and stereo Bluetooth.

Not even a whisper on a release date or price point yet, but all signs indicate that this one’s headed for AT&T.

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Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Nov 2008 | 9:09 pm

Your Shoe Is Jacked into My Eye

But what does it mean? (Via The Cut; photo credit: David Byun for Surface.)

Source: Boing Boing | 12 Nov 2008 | 8:33 pm

CO2 Emissions May Prevent Projected Ice Age

Earth may avert a far projected deep freeze thanks to greenhouse gases.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Nov 2008 | 7:22 pm

HTC MAX 4G: From Russia with WiMax

Still fawning over the HTC Touch HD? Well, meet its bigger, badder brother: the HTC MAX 4G.

Just announced today, HTC’s newest beast is the world’s first GSM/WiMax handset. If you’re thinking to yourself, “Aw man, a GSM/WiMax handset would be pretty much useless in the states”, you’re completely right - and HTC seems to agree. Like the Touch HD, we’ll be missing out on this one. Russia, with their significantly farther along WiMax network, will be the only ones getting it for the time being - no word yet when they’ll actually get it, however.

So what are we missing out on? Check out the specs after the jump.

Specs

• Processor: Qualcomm® ESM7206A™ 528 MHz
• Platform: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
• Memory: ROM: 256MB / RAM: 288MB / Flash: 8 GB
• Dimensions: 113.5mm X 63.1mm X 13.9mm
• Weight: 151 grams (with battery)
• Display: 3.8-inch LCD, w/ 480 x 800 WVGA resolution
• Network: Tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:900/1800/1900 MHz Yota Mobile WiMAX 2,5-2.7 GHz
• TouchFlo 3D UI
• GPS: Internal GPS
• Connections: VoIP, Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth® 2.0 with EDR, HTC ExtUSB™
• Cameras: “High-Resolution” main camera, VGA secondary camera
• Additional: Motion G-sensor (automatically rotating picture), Proximity sensor (saving energy while talking due to the switching the display off), FM-radio
• Audio: Ring tone formats:AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, QCP, MP3, WMA, WAV, 40 polyphonic and standard MIDI format 0 and 1 (SMF)/SP MIDI
• Battery: Li-Pol, 1500 mAh
• Talk time: GSM: up to 420 minutes, VoIP: up to 230 minutes
• Standby time: GSM: up to 350 hours, VoIP: up to 50 hours
• AC Adapter: Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240V AC, 50/60 Hz, DC output: 5V and 1A

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Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Nov 2008 | 6:32 pm

Sonar Ruling Worries Whale Advocates

The Supreme Court rules that the U.S. Navy can continue to use long-range sonar.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Nov 2008 | 6:22 pm

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 to hit U.S. shelves on Black Friday for.. wait, how much?!

At long last, Sony Ericsson has announced U.S availability of the Xperia X1. Because it’s definitely the best day to send people to the mall, they’ll be launching the handset on Black Friday (November 28th).

With a Black Friday launch date, at least it’ll come in at a bargain price, right? Try $800 bucks. As of right now, the X1 is only planned to be up for sale as an unlocked handset through Sony Style stores and authorized Sony retailers, with preorders beginning November 13th. Sorry, Sony Ericsson - the X1 is a gorgeous piece that I’ve been gushing about for months, but I think I’ll skip this one so I can, you know, afford food.

[Via Phonescoop]

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Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Nov 2008 | 5:50 pm

Rumor: Windows Mobile 6.5 screenshot shenanigans

With Windows Mobile 6.5 now pretty much a sure thing for 2009, the churn of the rumor mill is growing ever louder. Smartphone France has supposedly dug up some screenshots of the new operating system. As these shots will no doubt pop up week after week on forums around the intertubes until 6.5’s eventual release, we’ll go ahead and weigh in now: fake.

Signs of Shenanigans:

• Start menu Windows icon: Looks like it was ripped out of the first Google Image Search for “Windows logo” by someone using the polygon selection tool while wearing a blindfold. It’s all sorts of chunked-up, but not in a way that JPEG compression might cause.
• Clock, first image: Far, far off center and glowy blue? Pft.
• Icons, both images: Why do the WiFi signal strength and battery meter icons switch places from screen to screen? Why is the “Today” icon ripped directly from Mac OS X? Why is the clock icon on the right so awkwardly small and showing a completely different time?
• Text margins, both images: The margins of the soft key menu labels are all off - the gap on the left is significantly larger than the one on the right.

There are just too many mistakes that any first year graphic design student would catch. The whole thing just looks cheap and, well, fake.

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Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Nov 2008 | 5:20 pm

Weather Could Thwart Friday Shuttle Launch

An approaching cold front threatens the planned shuttle launch on Friday.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Nov 2008 | 4:04 pm

Got a web conference scheduled? Attend via your smartphone with PhoneTopp

It’s 8 am, and you’ve got a WebEx meeting at 8:30. Unfortunately, the kids need to be at school by 8:15, and it’s a 40 minute roundtrip to drop them off. Your options? Either you’re going to be hopping from coffee shop to coffee shop looking for parking lot WiFi, or the kids are playing hooky through first period today. PhoneTopp, a startup out of San Jose, California, has a new option, which they’re announcing at today’s Under the Radar conference: attending web conferences on your smartphone.

In a recent survey of over 15,000 web conference regulars, PhoneTopp found that over 62% of respondents wanted to be able to participate in a web conference through their smartphone. Unfortunately, current desktop conferencing solutions were a bit too bulky and processor intensive to be ported to run on the significantly less powerful hardware available in smartphone handsets, so Phonetopp took a different approach: cloud computing.

By passing web conference data through Amazon’s EC2 servers, PhoneTopp was able remove much of the rendering legwork from the handset and significantly lower bandwidth requirements. They’ve also modularized each element of the conference, freeing up screen real estate and further optimizing bandwidth - not paying attention to chat? Hide the chat pane, and that data won’t be sent until it’s required. With these optimizations in place, PhoneTopp’s able to send web conference data over 3G with a latency of right around 5 seconds.

Being that they built the solution from the ground up, they’re also able to add a few features unique to their offering. Amongst these is something they call “mobile rewind”. Miss a slide? PhoneTapp stores past slides, so you can peruse them at your liking without holding up the entire meeting.

Though they’re announcing the product today, PhoneTopp is going to spend another month or so polishing up their service before letting anyone poke and prod at it. After seeing a demo of the product, I can say that the whole thing seems dead simple: Answer a phone call, launch the application, and you’re in. Want to see for yourself? Head to PhoneTopp.com and sign up for their beta - private beta begins in December, and early adopters get 3 months of the $8 per month service for free. Public beta will begin sometime in the first quarter of next year.

PhoneTopp will support Microsoft Live Meeting and Webex conferences during the beta periods, with support for Adobe and Citrix conferencing on the way. Device-wise, they plan on supporting the iPhone, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry devices.

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Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Nov 2008 | 3:56 pm

Nokia officially announces the E63

Consider the E63 a more economical choice to the flagship E71 at 200 Euro. Seriously. Full list of specs after the jump, but I’ll save you trouble. The E63 features Wi-Fi, a 2-megapixel camera, and GPS. Again, it’s the baby brother to the E71 and comes in blue and red.

Size
Form: Monoblock with full keyboard
Dimensions: 113 x 59 x 13 mm
Weight: 126 g
Volume: 87 cc
Full keyboard
High quality QVGA display

Display and 3D
Size: 2.36″
Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels (QVGA)
Up to 16 million colors
TFT active matrix (QVGA)
Two customisable home screen modes

Security features
Device lock
Remote lock
Data encryption for both phone memory an microSD content
mobile VPN

Keys and input method
Full keyboard
Dedicated one-touch keys: Home, calendar, contacts, and email
Speaker dependent and speaker independent voice dialling
Intelligent input with auto-completion, auto-correction and learning capability
Accelerated scrolling with NaviTMKey

Colours and covers
Available in-box colours: Ultramarine Blue and Ruby Red

Connectors

Micro-USB connector, full-speed
3.5 mm standard AV connector

Power
BP-4L 1500 mAh Li-Po standard battery
Talk time (maximum): GSM up to 11 hours; WCDMA up to 4h 40 min
Standby time (maximum): GSM up to 18 days; WCDMA up to 20 days;WLAN idle up to 170 hours
Music playback time (maximum): 18 h

Memory
microSD memory card slot, hot swappable, max. 8 GB
110 MB internal dynamic memory

Data network

CSD
HSCSD
GPRS class A, multislot class 32, maximum speed 100/60 kbps (DL/UL)
EDGE class A, multislot class 32, maximum speed 296/177.6 kbps (DL/UL)
WCDMA 900/2100 or 850/1900 or 850/2100, maximum speed 384/384 kbps (DL/UL)
WLAN IEEE 802.11b/g
- WLAN Security: WEP, 802.1X, WPA, WPA2
TCP/IP support
IETF SIP and 3GPP

Local connectivity and synchronisation

Bluetooth version 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate
- Bluetooth profiles: DUN, OPP, FTP, HFP, GOEP, HSP, BIP, RSAP, GAVDP, AVRCP, A2DP
MTP (Multimedia Transfer Protocol) support
Bluetooth (Bluetooth Serial Port Profile. BT SPP)
File
Network (Raw). Direct TCP/IP socket
connection to any specified port (a.k.a HP
JetDirect™).
Network (LPR). Line Printer Daemon
protocol (RFC1179).
Support for local and remote SyncML synchronisation, iSync, Intellisync, ActiveSync

Call features

Integrated hands-free speakerphone
Automatic answer with headset or car kit
Any key answer
Call waiting, call hold, call divert
Call timer
Logging of dialed, received and missed calls
Automatic redial and fallback
Speed dialing
Speaker dependent and speaker independent voice dialing (SDND, SIND)
Fixed dialing number support
Vibrating alert (internal)
Contacts with images
Conference calling
Push to talk
VoIP

Messaging

SMS
Multiple SMS deletion
Text-to-speech message reader
MMS
Distribution lists for messaging
Instant messaging with Presence-enhanced contacts
Cell broadcast

E-mail

Supported protocols: IMAP4, Mail for Exchange, POP3, SMTP
Support for e-mail attachments
IMAP IDLE support
Support for Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email
Integrated Nokia Mobile VPN
Easy Email set-up

Web browsing

Supported markup languages: HTML, XHTML, MP, WML,CSS
Supported protocols: HTTP, WAP2.0
TCP/IP support
Nokia browser
- JavaScript version 1.3 and 1.5
- Mini Map
Nokia Mobile Search

GPS and navigation

Nokia Maps application

Photography
2.0 megapixel camera (1600 x 1200 pixels)
Image formats: JPEG/EXIF
CMOS sensor
digital zoom
Focal length: 4.5 mm
Focus range: 10 cm to infinity
LED flash
Flash modes: Automatic, Off, Forced
Flash operating range: 1 m
White balance modes: automatic, daylight, incasdencent, fluorescent
Capture modes: still, sequence, self-timer, video
Colour tone modes: normal, sepia, black & white, negative
Viewfinder
Active toolbar
Share photos with Share on Ovi

Video

Main camera
320 x 240 (QVGA) at 15 fps
176 x 144 at 15 fps (QCIF)
digital video zoom
Video recording file formats: .mp4, .3gp; codecs: H.263, MPEG-4 VSP
Audio recording formats: AMR
Video white balance modes: automatic, sunny, incandescent, fluorescent
Scene modes: automatic, night
Colour tone modes: normal, sepia, black & white, negative
Clip length (maximum): 1 h
RealPlayer
Video playback file formats: .Flash Lite 3, mp4, .3gp; codecs: H.263, MPEG-4 VSP
Video streaming: .3gp, mp4, .rm
Customisable video ring tones

Music and audio playback

Music player
Media player
Music playback file formats: .mp3, .wma, .aac, AAC+, eAAC+
Audio streaming formats: .rm, .eAAC+
FM radio 87.5-108 MHz with RDS support
Visual Radio support. Read more: www.visualradio.com
3.5 mm Standard AV connector
Nokia Music Manager
Nokia Music Store support
Nokia Podcasting support
Customisable ring tones
Synchronise music with Windows Media Player
Navi™ wheel support
Voice Aid

Voice and audio recording

Voice commands
Speaker dependent and speaker independent voice dialling (SDND, SIND)
Voice recorder
Audio recording formats: AMR-WB, AMR-NB
Speech codecs: FR, EFR, HRO/1, AMR-HR, and AMR-FR
Text-to-speech

Personalisation: profiles, themes, ring tones

Customisable profiles
Customisable ring tones
Customisable video ring tones
Support for talking ring tones
Customisable themes
Customisable home screen content in Business and Personal modes

Product Page

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Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Nov 2008 | 3:56 pm

Pharos picks up two Velocity Mobile devices, announces Traveler 117 and 127

Well, well, well. Looks like Velocity Mobile finally found someone to pick up their Windows Mobile devices.

Today, Pharos introduced the Traveler 117 and Traveler 127 GPS smartphones. Each device hasn’t changed a whole lot since we first saw them at CTIA last year, but they’re now equipped with Pharos’s Smart Navigator software, which is specifically designed for Windows Mobile.

The Traveler 117 has a 2.8-inch touch-screen while the 127 has a smaller screen measuring 2.5-inches, but comes with a full QWERTY keyboard.

Both devices are 3.5G and will go on sale December 1 for $530 online at Amazon, Dell, Newegg and eXpansys.

Traveler 117 and Traveler 127 Specifications
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
Processor: Qualcomm MSM7201-90, 400MHz
Memory: 256MB Flash ROM, 128MB SDRAM
Phone: unlocked GSM quad band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, EDGE / GPRS
3.5G tri band 850/1900/2100 MHz, UMTS 384Kb/s, HSDPA 7.2Mb/s, HSUPA 2Mb/s
Talk time: up to 4 hours talk time and 200 hours standby time
GPS: NMEA0183/AGPS compatible
Wireless: Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth™ v2.0+EDR
Camera: 2.0 megapixel camera for picture or video; 0.3 megapixel front camera for video
conferences
Battery: 1410 mAh Li-Ion, rechargeable/replaceable
Weight: 4.8 ounces

Traveler 117
Size: 4.44” (L) x 2.28” (W) x 0.60” (T)
Display: 2.8″ Resistive TFT LCD, 480 x 640 VGA with 18-bit 262K color capability

Traveler 127
Size: 4.57” (L) x 2.44” (W) x 0.60” (T)
Display: 2.5″ TFT LCD with touch panel, 320 x 240 QVGA with 16-bit 65K colors

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Nov 2008 | 3:27 pm

Offshore Wind Power Alters Ocean Currents

Offshore wind farms alter ocean currents and stir up ocean nutrients, research shows.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Nov 2008 | 3:04 pm

Wild Birds Learn Foreign 'Languages'

Birds often respond to the warning calls of other species, but are they truly bilingual?
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Nov 2008 | 2:40 pm

Arctic Ice Melt Sparks Plankton Blooms

Microscopic floating plants are teeming in regions of recent Arctic ice melt.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Nov 2008 | 2:14 pm

730,000 recycled phones later, Flipswap raises $14 million in Series B funding

There comes a point in every cell phone’s life when it’s just time for retirement. Whether you’re all set for that 2-year upgrade or you’re just dying for the latest and great, sometimes you’re just ready to power down the old one for good. Rather than letting it sit in your sock drawer in its sad, purposeless state, why not make some cash and help the earth a bit? That’s the idea of Flipswap, a mobile phone trade-in and electronics recycling company which is announcing a $14 million round of Series B funding by NGEN Partners and RRE Ventures.

Similar to other cash-in services such as Gazelle and VenJuvo, Flipswap estimates an item’s worth based off of the item’s condition and the current market demand. Unlike most of these other services, however, Flipswap focuses almost entirely on cell phone handsets, allowing them to offer payouts on a wider array of makes and models. Of course, they can’t offer up cash for every old cell phone, so don’t expect to turn that cache of ancient Motorola Startacs into gold. Even if they can’t pay you for a device, they’ll recycle it for free (pre-paid envelope included) and plant a tree in your name.

So with 14 million bucks behind them, whats next for Flipswap? Amongst other things, they’re working on establishing partnerships with device manufacturers and retailers to make things a bit more worthwhile and convenient. At partnered retail locations, you can walk in, flipswap your device, and score a bit of in-store credit on the spot. Through manufacturer partnerships, they’re able to tack on some bonus cash be it that you trade your device toward select handsets. Take their new found relationship with RIM for example; if you flipswap your device for a BlackBerry, they’ll toss in up to $50 bucks more to sweeten the deal.

Since 2005, the company has already turned over more than 730,000 handsets. If you’ve got an old handset or two laying around and making a quick buck or planting a couple of trees sounds good to you, Flipswap is worth a look.

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Flipswap

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Source: MobileCrunch | 12 Nov 2008 | 2:00 pm

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