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New Mobile App for Implant Surgery Scheduling and Inventory ManagementInVivoLink of Nashville, TN has released an app across the major mobile platforms (including the iPad) to make the routine of medical device reps more streamlined. Instead of making calls and manually...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:03 am Droid X has enterprise potential, at least when it has Froyo - Computerworld
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:02 am Apple's iPhone 4 makes world debut (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 4:01 am New Device Uses Mobile Phone To Test Vision In Developing CountriesA team of researchers at MIT's Media Lab has created a simple and inexpensive device that when used with a mobile phone can help diagnose vision problems. Gearlog reports. The test takes less than...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:50 am Some Iphone 4 touchscreens are defective - Inquirer
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:44 am Steve Jobs Emails: “We Will Keep Making The Best Computers” It's all the rage these days. You fire off an email to Apple's Steve Jobs, the CEO of one of the world's biggest and most secretive technology companies, and to your astonishment, the great man himself replies.
You then publish said email, sit back and watch as the tech press dissect each and every word.
It's quite the media spectacle, especially when you factor in that Steve can't (and doesn't) reply to every email he receives. But when he does, the replies are usually sparse and occasionally cryptic.
Steve's reply to my lengthy email was no different.
We will keep making the best computers on the planet. We love it. Sent from my iPhoneSo what did I ask him? 
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:37 am How Wi-Fi Drains Your Cell PhoneInteresting, from Technology Review, how Wi-Fi drains your cell phone. Some simple changes to the software running on Wi-Fi access points could significantly extend or even double cell phone battery...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:34 am Timely Technology Sees Tiny TransitionsNew technique can sense movement of single molecules over hoursScientists can detect the movements of single molecules by using fluorescent tags or by pulling them in delicate force measurements, but only for a few minutes.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:28 am New iPhone in short supply at Japan launch (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:25 am Quantum Simulations Uncoverhydrogen's Phase TransitionsHydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and is a major component of giant planets such as Jupiter and Saturn.But not much is known about what happens to this abundant element under high-pressure conditions when it transforms from one state to another.Using quantum simulations, scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of L'Aquia in Italy were able to uncover these phase transitions in the laboratory similar to how they would occur in the centers of giant planets.They discovered a first order phase transition, a discontinuity, in liquid hydrogen between a molecular state with low conductivity and a highly conductive atomic state.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:25 am The Language Of RNA Decoded: Study Reveals New Function For Pseudogenes And Noncoding RNAsDiscovery introduces a new group of genetic entities, dubbed 'competitive endogenous RNAs'The central dogma of molecular biology, as proposed in 1970 by Francis Crick and James Watson, holds that genetic information is transferred from DNA to functional proteins by way of messenger RNA (mRNA).Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:23 am TripAdvisor Gets Serious About Vacation Rentals, Buys UK’s Holiday Lettings
Travel website operator TripAdvisor, an Expedia company, this morning announced it has acquired Holiday Lettings, credited as being the UK's largest independent vacation rental website.
The seller is Rightmove, a UK-based property website operator, having sold its majority interest in the holding company of Holiday Lettings to TripAdvisor for an undisclosed sum. Rightmove acquired a 66.67% stake in Holiday Lettings in March 2007, and recently said it intended to report Holiday Lettings as a discontinued operation in its half yearly report, with the gross assets disposed of totalling £1 million.
The acquisition follows the launch of vacation rentals on TripAdvisor in 2009, and the purchase of a majority stake in United States-based FlipKey.com in 2008. 
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:23 am Knocked Of Balance By A Defect In The Cellular Process AutophagyA team of researchers, led by Carlos López-Otín, at Universidad de Oviedo, Spain, has identified in mice an essential role for the cellular process known as autophagy in inner ear development and balance sensing.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:12 am Drug Mitigates Toxic Effects Of Radiation In MiceDiscovery has potential for cancer patients and disaster victimsWhile radiation has therapeutic uses, too much radiation is damaging to cells. The most important acute side effect of radiation poisoning is damage to the bone marrow.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:10 am Researchers Study Value Of Chicken Litter In Cotton ProductionChicken litter is much more valuable as a fertilizer than previously thought, according to an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study showing its newfound advantages over conventional fertilizers.Litter is a mixture of chicken manure and sawdust or other bedding material.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:06 am Study Finds Google Is More Trusted Than Traditional MediaAccording to a study by market research company Zogby International, people trust Google, Apple, and Microsoft more than the traditional media. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter scored lowest on the trust scale, but still soundly beat the media. From the article: "The traditional media received little sympathy from the public, with only eight percent of all adults and six percent of young adults saying they trusted them."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 24 Jun 2010 | 3:06 am WSU Researchers Find Mothers Of Children With Autism Pay Price In WorkplaceMothers of children with autism see their careers disproportionally affected as they confront greater demands on their time, inflexible workplaces and increased medical costs, according to a new study by researchers at Washington State University Vancouver.The study, based on a survey of 326 families in Washington and Oregon, found that slightly more than half the women worked fewer hours to accommodate the needs of their child and three out of five had not taken a job because of their child's autism.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 24 Jun 2010 | 2:55 am Medvedev: New technologies would open access (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 2:20 am Microsoft's Bing turns up the heat in war with Google - Computerworld
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jun 2010 | 2:19 am Review: Kirkpatrick’s The Facebook Effect Is A Wonderfully Biased History Of Facebook
On a side note, as far as I know Kirkpatrick’s publisher Simon & Schuster is still planning on suing us for copyright infringement. I never heard back from them after their initial legal volley. I’m not holding that against Kirkpatrick, though – he’s a long time friend. So I’ve spent a lot of time with this book. And I’ve spent a lot of time covering Facebook over the last five years, since my first post in 2005 when the company told us that 85% of college students at covered schools were logging into the site at least once a week. About two years ago Kirkpatrick decided to write a book about Facebook. At the time the site was growing extremely quickly but it certainly wasn’t clear that it would become the 800 lb cultural gorilla that it is today. But he walked away from his position as one of the most senior tech writers at Fortune to pursue this book. And the end result is a fascinating read. Here’s my recommendation: If you are interested in startups, or how marketing and advertising are evolving, or just how Facebook is changing the world, buy this book. It’s very readable and gives great insights into how Facebook grew from a dorm room to a huge company. There’s no other book out there that gives such a complete history of the company and of Mark Zuckerberg.
The result is a book that not only celebrates Facebook’s truly amazing accomplishments, but it’s also a book that makes excuses for, or denies, Facebook’s stumbles along the way. And that’s fine. But it isn’t really the truth. And what we need, eventually, is a book that tells the absolute, brutal truth about Facebook. Facebook isn’t just a social network or a potentially huge business, says Kirkpatrick. It might also bring world peace. In the prologue he ponders: “Could [Facebook] become a factor in helping bring together a world filled with political and religious strife and in the midst of environmental and economic breakdown?” he adds later: “[Facebook] is altering the character of political activism, and in some countries it is starting to affect the process of democracy itself.” Oh boy. I mean, historically speaking all this may certainly end up being true, and more. But it just seems a little early to be talking about Facebook in these terms. In our conversation this evening Kirkpatrick also compared Zuckerberg to Bill Gates, noting how both have a strong desire to mold the world to their vision. That may also eventually be true, but we need to let a little time go by before we put Zuckerberg in the same category as Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. I’d forgive Kirkpatrick’s love affair with the company if he was a little more circumspect and careful with the historical facts. The two famous lawsuits that fell out of Facebook’s early days – ConnectU and houseSYSTEM – were characterized more as nuisance lawsuits than real questions about the integrity of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. We don’t need Kirkpatrick to shy away from the ugly details about the early days of Facebook. Sausage making is never pretty. But he gives such a one-sided view of the story that it leaves me wondering what details are being left out. And plenty of details are left out, apparently. Kirkpatrick says he never actually spoke with the Aaron Greenspan, or the Winkelvoss brothers, or any of the other people who sued Facebook and Zuckerberg. Instead Kirkpatrick relied on the legal documents filed in those cases for their side of the story. That’s just not a good way to get to the truth. “Zuckerberg clearly stole from the Winkelvoss brothers,” Kirkpatrick said this evening, “but the Winkelvoss brothers clearly stole from everybody else.” That’s a great conclusion, but Kirkpatrick should have interviewed all of those people, and told the story from their perspective as well as Facebook’s. I think most readers are intelligent enough to look at both sides of the story and draw the right conclusions. Perhaps even the same conclusions that Kirkpatrick came to without even interviewing the people involved. They say that history is written by the victors. In the end The Facebook Effect reads more like an authorized biography than anything else. It’s the story of Facebook as Facebook wants the story told. It is a wonderful, if flawed, story about the creation of a company that half a billion people interact with regularly. I highly recommend you read it, and then wait for the book that will tell the whole story. You can buy The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World at Amazon here. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 2:15 am Groupon Buys Chile’s ClanDescuento.com, Opens ClubeUrbano In Brazil
Looks like massively funded daily deal sensation Groupon has turned its attention to the budding ecommerce market in Latin America. The company has apparently acquired Chilean deal site ClanDescuento and opened a new site called ClubeUrbano in Brazil. We were alerted by Spanish-language press reports and blogs on the former news item, but were ironically made aware of its new Brazilian site through what will undoubtedly be one of its fiercest competitors in the country, freshly financed ClickOn. We’re also hearing not so positive things on ClanDescuento and Needish, the company that launched the Groupon clone in Chile and other Latin-American regions only a couple of months ago – but more on that later. Andrew Mason, founder and chief exec of Groupon, says that this is just the beginning:
(Press release translated using Google Translate) An international management team, formed from the recent acquisition of Berlin-based Citydeal by Groupon, will oversee all Groupon Latin America operations. More expansion in countries such as Argentina, Mexico and neighboring countries are also on the Groupon road map, according to the press release. Not everyone in Chile and beyond is applauding ClanDescuento’s quick exit. High-profile entrepreneur and blogger Mariano Amartino wrote a blog post about the acquisition of the Chilean daily deal service, unequivocally labeling the service ‘Spamdescuento’. Basically, Amartino – and other commentators who have contacted us and commented on the news stories – allege that ClanDescuento has built up its user base almost entirely through aggressive and not so kosher acquisition tactics (aka spamming). Obviously, it’s hard to confirm that this is in fact the case, but the general sentiment among pundits familiar with Needish and the market in general seems to be that Groupon fell into a trap by buying ClanDescuento from the Chilean company. Of course, since we don’t know how much the Chicago-headquartered startup paid (if at all, could be another type of deal), Groupon now has a starting point for further expansion in Latin America. It sounds like they are very much intent on using the name ClanDescuento for upcoming launches in other Latin-American cities and countries. (Hat tip to Laureana Varisco Bonaparte) Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 2:14 am Nintendo 3DS GPU RevealedAn anonymous reader writes "The GPU for the Nintendo 3DS has just been revealed, and it's not made by Nvidia, ATI, or even Imagination Technologies. Instead, Nintendo has signed up Japanese startup Digital Media Professionals (DMP) in a deal that sees the company's PICA200 chip churning out the 3-D visuals. For the first time in Nintendo's history, the 3DS will feature a GPU with programmable shaders, rather than a fixed-function pipeline, meaning the 3DS is more graphically versatile than the Wii. Among the PICA200's features are 2x anti-aliasing, per-pixel lighting, subdivision primitives, and soft shadows. As well as featuring DMP's own 'Maestro' extensions, the PICA200 also fully supports OpenGL ES 1.1. The architecture supports four programmable vertex units and up to four pixel pipelines."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 24 Jun 2010 | 2:01 am Pakistan court wants Google, Yahoo, YouTube blocked (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:46 am Russian President Medvedev joins TwitterRussian president, 44 becomes the latest world leader to join Twitter @KremlinRussia "Hello everyone, I'm at Twitter and sending my first message," Medvedev said in his inaugural tweet. Or more accurately:...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:43 am CORRECTED - UPDATE 1-Adcock, Merck team up to promote drugs in S.Africa(Corrects story to make clear it is U.S. company Merck & Co not German company Merck KGaA)Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:41 am New iPhone in short supply at Japan launch - The Associated Press
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:40 am Upcycled Airplane Storage - These Bordbar Airplane Trolleys are Transformed into Closet Space (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) These Bordbar airplane trolleys would be a pretty cool addition to house furniture, if you needed some extra space. Housing anything from shoes and purses to knives and forks, these...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:30 am IPhone 4 Reviews: The Pundits Weigh InTechnology reviewers and blogs all around the world are weighing in with their thoughts about the new iPhone 4. Click here for a collection of reviews and pointers from the technology world (including...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:23 am Viral Video: Kato Rocks in "The Green Hornet" [BoomTown]
This movie remake of the classic television series “The Green Hornet” is not coming out until after the New Year. But from this first trailer, it looks like a pretty unusual way to portray a superhero: As a somewhat of a goofy dope of a rich kid. And, in this version, he’d be in big trouble without his much, much smarter sidekick Kato, who seems to be stealing the show.. Here’s the very hip and funny trailer, which is already building buzz for the film: Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:19 am Meet The First Guy In Line To Buy An iPhone 4. His Name? Gray Powell.
Sometimes coincidences are almost too good. Is this one? By now, you’ve heard the story about the unfortunate Apple engineer who lost his iPhone 4 prototype at a bar one evening. Gizmodo, the site which ended up purchasing the prototype, also outed the person who lost it: Gray Powell. This evening, local Bay Area affiliate ABC7 led off their coverage of tomorrow morning’s iPhone 4 launch with the Gizmodo story. They then went to one of the local Apple Stores to interview the first person in line. What they failed to realize though just how coincidental this man’s name was. Yes, Gray Powell. Let me repeat this to be very clear: the man first in line to buy an iPhone 4 in San Francisco is apparently named Gray Powell. Now, I didn’t see the segment, so it’s entirely possible that a mixup in the graphics led to what seems to be an extraordinary coincidence. But the person who tipped this to us did see the segment and thought the name sounded a bit familiar when ABC said it. So that leaves the possibility that this man in line gave a fake name, perhaps to pay homage to the Apple engineer. But would someone clearly looking for publicity by being the first in line at an Apple Store for such an event really give a fake name? That would be a true fanboy. Regardless, I’ll play along and assume that this man’s name really is Gray Powell. But then I’m also going to assume it’s not that Gray Powell. All I have to go on is the few pictures other publications posted of the Apple engineer after the incident (and at least one sort of makes the two look the same), but I’m going to go out on a limb and say I don’t think it could possibly be him. Instead, it appears that the man who lost the iPhone 4 shares the name of a man who will be one of the first to obtain the iPhone 4. Spooky. Or is it? Update: Wow, okay, you really can find anything on the Internet. Sadly, I’m going to have to break up the fun here. It turns out “Gray Powell” is actually a guy named Joe. My advanced facial recognition confirms this. Joe is a man who paid $400 (via airbnb) to secure his spot from another man to be first in line at the Stockton St. store in San Francisco. Well played, Joe. Well played. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:13 am Designer Bust Pendants - The Nous Sommes Karl Lagerfeld Pendant is Iconic (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) The Nous Sommes Karl Lagerfeld pendants are the next stage in fashion fandom. What better way to express your die-hard love for Lagerfeld than by sporting a bust around your neck of...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:10 am UPDATE 1-D1 says Bromborough sale doubtful, shares fallJune 24 (Reuters) - Biofuels company D1 Oils said on Thursday it was doubtful about the completion of the sale of its Bromborough site, after the third-party buyer cited issues regarding timing and structure...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:09 am Putin calls for new gas transit talks with MinskNOVOKUZNETSK, Russia, June 24 (Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called on Thursday on Belarus to hold new talks on gas transit after the head of Russia's Gazprom told him a gas dispute...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:01 am America's Broadband Dilemma [Voices]By Bobbie Johnson, Contributing Writer, Technology Review For millions of people around the world, broadband Internet access is big part of modern life. We download movies and music, play online games, share photos, and upload information to social-networking sites–all at ever-increasing speeds. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:01 am The Strange and Consequential Case of Bradley Manning, Adrian Lamo and WikiLeaks [Voices]By Glenn Greenwald, Blogger, Salon On June 6, Kevin Poulsen and Kim Zetter of Wired reported that a 22-year-old U.S. Army Private in Iraq, Bradley Manning, had been detained after he “boasted” in an Internet chat — with convicted computer hacker Adrian Lamo — of leaking to WikiLeaks the now famous Apache Helicopter attack video, a yet-to-be-published video of a civilian-killing air attack in Afghanistan, and “hundreds of thousands of classified State Department records.” Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am The Battle Lines Are Being Drawn Over Fair Use [Voices]By Joshua Benton, Director, Nieman Journalism Lab We mentioned yesterday that Google and Twitter had filed an amicus brief in the Barclays v. TheFlyOnTheWall.com case. That’s the case involving a website’s reporting on stock recommendations from Wall Street firms. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am UPDATE 1-Petrofac sees order backlog higher by year-end* Sees backlog higher than $8.1 bln by end December 2010Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Why Amazon Should Give Away Kindle Free [Voices]By Dennis Kneale, Media & Technology Editor, CNBC From the moment the splashy elegance of the iPad first adorned the de rigueur giant video wall behind the Orwellian figure of Steve Jobs a few months ago, you just knew the Kindle was dead. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Daily Crunch: Wine & Music Edition
Mmm, sexy designer LED desk lamps
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Eager Japanese Buy iPhone 4 [Voices]By Juro Osawa and Daisuke Wakabayashi, Reporters, The Wall Street Journal Apple Inc. (AAPL) started selling the iPhone 4, the latest version of its wildly popular smartphone, on Thursday morning to teeming crowds of eager Japanese consumers – including some who waited three days to be among the first in the world to purchase the new handset. The enthusiasm for the iPhone 4 in Japan, a country with notoriously finicky consumers and once considered nearly impossible to crack for foreign handset makers, underscores how Apple has rewritten the rules with the iPhone. The company’s iconic mobile phone has sold more than 50 million units worldwide since its 2007 debut and is now the company’s largest business. The iPhone 4 is completely redesigned from previous models with a better display, a glass front and back, and a stainless steel frame that doubles as an antenna. Since it became available for pre-orders on June 15, it has been in such high demand that AT&T Inc. (T), Apple’s exclusive U.S. wireless carrier, was forced to halt pre-orders. AT&T said pre-order volumes were ten times higher than for the iPhone 3GS last year. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am Why You Should Pay For Music [Voices]By John Sheldrick, Contributing Writer, Music Think Tank Let’s get one thing straight: I love free music. If a musician decides to give away an album, I’m the first to download it. I am against the RIAA lawsuits that sue people for sharing music. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 24 Jun 2010 | 1:00 am UPDATE 1-Crucell starts work on RSV vaccine* RSV one of three innovation programmes in J&J partnershipSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:55 am Apple Sues HTC Again Over Patentsrecoiledsnake writes "Apple is suing HTC again over patent infringement. Apple is adding two new patents to the 20 included in the earlier case while adding additional details to two patents included previously. Although Android is not mentioned in any of the court documents, many of the patent infringement complaints refer to the software rather than the hardware that HTC manufactures, leading to speculation that Google is the real target, especially considering that Android sales are surpassing the iPhone's. With HTC countersuing Apple, Microsoft siding with HTC over Android, and Apple trying to stop import of Nokia phones, it seems like Apple has set off a patent Armageddon in the mobile space."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:51 am Informative Laptop Decals - Hu2 Design's Macbook Decorations Give Good Advice (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) Hu2 Design just made a new decal for your MacBook that cleverly states, "There's no reason to keep a laptop plugged in after it's been charged." That is some words of wisdom right there;...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:50 am UPDATE 1-Safaricom plans to buy two local ICT firmsNAIROBI, June 24 (Reuters) - Kenya's Safaricom plans to acquire two local information and communications technology firms in a drive to boost its data business, the firm said.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:49 am Companies help nontechies create killer apps for iPhonesThe LA Times on how would-be entrepreneurs supply an idea for an app to companies that do the programming and the marketing. ... Since Apple and later Google Inc. began allowing developers to create...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:42 am South African Markets - Factors to watch on June 24JOHANNESBURG, June 24 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect South African markets on Thursday.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:36 am This Is Neither Batman Nor Christopher Nolan's Golf CartBy Andrew Liszewski We’ve brought you a few homebrew versions of the Tumbler Batmobile seen in the most recent Batman films, but for some reason this golf-cart version, which was spotted parked on...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:32 am Report: Users Find Yellow Discoloration on IPhone 4 Screens (PC World)PC World - Some users who purchased the latest version of Apple's iPhone report finding yellowish spots and bands marring the device's high-resolution display.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:30 am BP, Chevron target China deep water block-WSJJune 24 (Reuters) - Besieged energy giant BP Plc is set to partner with U.S. rival Chevron Corp to bid for a South China Sea exploration block, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a person familiar...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:24 am Doctor Who vs Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyAndrew Orton's "Doctor Who: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Daleks (The Peter Jones-y Edit)" mashes up the BBC Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy classic TV series with a Tom "the best Doctor Who" Baker encounter with the Daleks. Mike Richards adds, "An utterly magnificent addition to the only reference book anyone needs. Animated in the same style as the 1980s BBC TV adaptation with a spookily accurate VoiceOver in the style of the late Peter Jones." The Hitchhiker's Guide Reminds You Not to Panic if You Meet a Dalek (Thanks, Mike!)
 Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:21 am Romania - Factors to Watch on June 24BUCHAREST, June 24 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Thursday.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:20 am Chrome OS Adding Polish. Zip Files, Boot Up, And “Addictive” Games Being DebatedSince Chrome OS is an open source project (well okay, technically, Chromium OS is), it’s fun to take a look at the Google Code page for it from time to time to see what progress is being made. Most of it is tech-speak-heavy, but every now and again they throw in a nice little mock-up of some new features/functionalities/designs. Tonight, we got a tip about how Google is envisioning Chrome OS to look these days. As you can see from the first image below, the design has been simplified quite a bit. While it’s still basically just Chrome (the browser), a lot of the unnecessary clutter we saw early on has been removed. As you can also see from the image, you’ll be able to browse without being logged in to a Google account. Based on the images below, Chrome OS definitely seems to be progressing nicely. When we last looked in May, the mock-ups for the OS looked great, but there was still a lot of work to be done on the OS itself. From the looks of things today, that work is certainly getting done. Still, don’t expect to see Chrome OS on actual systems anytime before the Fall.
More substantial seems to be a new side tabs bar option. This replaces the tabs currently found at the top of Chromium OS (and Chrome). Also in this sidebar is time, battery, and WiFi indicators (normally at the top of Chromium OS, as well). And there appears to be a little smiley icon, perhaps indicating some sort of message? This icon is found all over Chromium OS these days.
Here’s the look of the options page:
Going back to logging in to a Google account, this is what the latest ideas for the log-in screen for Chrome OS look like.
Here’s the latest look of notification pop-ups in Chromium OS:
And here’s the Chromium OS content browser:
A few other notes of interest:
[thanks Alberto] Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:20 am For Iceland's whaling king, they're 'just another fish'Kristjan Loftsson, Iceland's millionaire whaling king, doesn't really see the difference: "whales are just another fish," he said at a crunch meeting of the International Whaling...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:15 am ASCAP raising money to fight Free Culture Fred says: Memehacker, and composer Mike Rugnetta just received a note from the collecting society ASCAP soliciting funds to fight Creative Commons, Public Knowledge, and the EFF. According to ASCAP, these organizations are mobilizing to undermine ASCAP members' copyrights because they want all music to be free. Which, if you know anything about the kind of nuanced reform work these organizations do, is a pretty gross exaggeration. The letter reads like a McCarty-era scaremongering pitch to solicit funds from composers and musicians bewildered by the current pace of music industry evolution. Read part 1 of the letter here, and part 2 here.ASCAP is trying to raise money to fight Free Culture. No lie. (Thanks, Fred!)
Source: Boing Boing | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:13 am Steve Wozniak spotted camping out overnight in San Jose for his iPhone 4
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is no stranger to waiting in line outside of the Valley Fair Apple store in San Jose; He found his way to the front of the line for the launch of the original iPhone, and then joined it again for the subsequent launches of the iPhone 3G S and the iPad. It should come as no surprise, then, that Woz is camped out at that very location right this second, awaiting the launch of the iPhone 4. Read the rest of this entry >>
Source: CrunchGear | 24 Jun 2010 | 12:06 am Steve Wozniak spotted camping out overnight in San Jose for his iPhone 4
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is no stranger to waiting in line outside of the Valley Fair Apple store in San Jose; He found his way to the front of the line for the launch of the original iPhone, and then joined it again for the subsequent launches of the iPhone 3G S and the iPad. It should come as no surprise, then, that Woz is camped out at that very location right this second, awaiting the launch of the iPhone 4. Could Woz get his iPhone 4 through other means? Undoubtedly. Heck, given Fedex’s recent unloading of many thousands of’em, he could very well already have one. Woz has said in the past, however, that he does it for the experience — and plus, tradition is tradition. Update: Footage of Woz cruisin’ around Valley Fair on his Segway just came our way via Parth Debar and Krapps. Thanks guys! [Image via Rainaxxmarie on Twitter]
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:59 pm Sequoia Capital Leads $14 Million Round For Sencha’s HTML5 Frameworks
Remember those robed “prophets” wandering about WWDC declaring that the “end of native” was coming? Turns out they were from a company called Sencha and were foreshadowing the launch of Sencha Touch, a slick, HTML-5 based mobile app framework. Today the company is announcing some more exciting news: it has closed a $14 million Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital, with participation from Radar Partners. Joining the Sencha board are Jim Goetz (Sequoia) and Stratton Sclavos (Radar). Since it was founded in 2007 under the name Ext JS, the company has developed open-source JavaScript products that have been implemented by the likes of Best Buy, Juniper Networks, and Time Warner Cable. The company says that it plans to use the new money to expand on its HTML5-based products like Sencha Touch, which is aimed toward developing sophisticated web applications compatible with mobile, touch enabled devices, like those that run Android and iOS (you can see a screenshot of some demo apps above). This is an exciting space — HTML5 clearly has a ton of potential, but web apps generally still have a long way to go before they can compete with native apps in terms of features, smoothness, and UI. It looks like Sencha is poised to deliver on this front, and Sequoia’s investment is a big vote of confidence. As part of today’s news, the company says that it is appointing three new executives to its team: Ted Driscoll becomes VP of Sales; Jeff Hartley VP of Professional Services of Training; and Michael Mullany as VP of Products and Marketing. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:53 pm iMovie for iPhone hits the App Store (Macworld.com)Macworld.com - While some iPhone 4 customers have started receiving their new phonesâincluding some Macworld editorsâAppleâs latest smartphone doesnât officially go on sale until Thursday morning. Thatâs not the case with one piece of software designed for that phone: iMovie for iPhone appeared on the App Store late Wednesday night.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:52 pm Man of Steel Lands on the iPhone - New York Times
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:44 pm Judge rebuffs Viacom in YouTube copyright case (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:31 pm Original Pac-Man sketches Dutch gaming magazine Control has a humbling look at the origins of Pac-Man: Toru Iwatani's initial sketches for the game that arguably launched the arcade era. Iwatani toont originele schetsen voor Pac-Man (via Kottke) Source: Boing Boing | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:11 pm Viacom v Internet: round one to Internet Google's won the first round of the enormous lawsuit Viacom brought against it. Viacom is suing Google for $1 billion for not having copyright lawyers inspect all the videos that get uploaded to YouTube before they're made live (they're also asking that Google eliminate private videos because these movies -- often of personal moments in YouTubers' lives -- can't be inspected by Viacom's copyright enforcers). The lawsuit has been a circus. Filings in the case reveal that Viacom paid dozens of marketing companies to clandestinely upload its videos to YouTube (sometimes "roughing them up" to make them look like pirate-chic leaks). Viacom uploaded so much of its content to YouTube that it actually lost track of which videos were "really" pirated, and which ones it had put there, and sent legal threats to Google over videos it had placed itself. Other filings reveal profanity-laced email exchanges between different Viacom execs debating who will get to run YouTube when Viacom destroys it with lawsuits, and execs who express their desire to sue YouTube because they can't afford to buy the company and can't replicate its success on their own. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton ruled that YouTube was protected from liability for copyright infringement by the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The DMCA has a "safe harbor" provision that exempts service providers from copyright liability if they expeditiously remove material on notice that it is infringing. Viacom's unique interpretation of this statute held that online service providers should review all material before it went live. If they're right, you can kiss every message-board, Twitter-feed, photo-hosting service, and blogging platform goodbye -- even if it was worth someone's time to pay a lawyer $500/hour to look at Twitter and approve tweets before they went live, there just aren't enough lawyers in the universe to scratch the surface of these surfaces. For example, YouTube alone gets over 29 hours' worth of video per minute. Viacom has vowed to appeal. In dismissing the lawsuit before a trial, Stanton noted that Viacom had spent several months accumulating about 100,000 videos violating its copyright and then sent a mass takedown notice on Feb. 2, 2007. By the next business day, Stanton said, YouTube had removed virtually all of them.Judge sides with Google in $1B Viacom lawsuit (Thanks, Mike P!) (Image: Viacom, a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike (2.0) image from mag3737's photostream -- used with permission)
Source: Boing Boing | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:03 pm Updated Bing for iPhone Strives to Be an All-in-One App (PC World)PC World - Microsoft updated its Bing iPhone app, adding social network integration, visual scanning, and restructured entertainment sections that may lure people away from Google. Version 1.2 of the Bing iPhone app is now available at the App Store and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad (no word yet on when or if Android will receive a similar update). Here's a rundown of Bing's new features.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:00 pm Google and YouTube defeat Viacom in copyright lawsuit (Reuters)Reuters - Google Inc won a landmark victory over media companies as a Manhattan federal judge threw out Viacom Inc's $1 billion lawsuit accusing the Internet company of allowing copyrighted videos on its YouTube service without permission.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:50 pm CEA Line Shows: Introducing Ooma’s Pure Voice free VOIP phone serviceSection: Communications, VoIP
Read [Oooma] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:50 pm Verizon and Motorola to battle iPhone with Droid X (Reuters)Reuters - Verizon Wireless plans to start selling Droid X next month, launching the latest phone from Motorola Inc based on Google Inc's Android software.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:32 pm Australia Gets Its First Female Prime MinisterAn anonymous reader writes "Julia Gillard has been elected unopposed to the Labor leadership, seizing power in a bloodless Parliament House coup after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd decided not to contest this morning's leadership ballot. Ms. Gillard will now be sworn in as Australia's first female prime minister. Emerging from this morning's meeting, she said she felt 'very honored' and said she would be making a statement shortly. Treasurer Wayne Swan now steps up as deputy prime minister. He was also elected unopposed."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:27 pm CEA Line Shows: Etymotic announces affordable high-accuracy earphonesSection: Audio, Headphones
The earphone company has announced it’s newest earphones, the MC series. The series holds the MC-3, which includes three-button control for iOS devices and a microphone, and the MC-5 which is just a standard set of earphones. Etymotic says that the MC series is more accurate to how music sounds when it is produced thanks to it’s ACCU-Chamber Acoustic Control technology, which is extremely complicated to explain. Having listened to the MC-5 at the show, they are surprisingly accurate, and manage to equal out the highs and lows in music with the mid-range of the equalizer. The complete lack of bass booster that most other headphones seem to use is refreshing if you care about music being accurate and balanced the way the musicians wanted it. The MC series runs at $99 for the MC-3, and $79 for the MC-5. At that price, they run up against Apple’s In-Ear Headphones, and Monster Jamz, both of which have heavier bass than the MC series. There are others in the same price category, as well, but not many that will have the same accuracy as the MC series. Of course, headphones without heavy bass aren’t for everyone, which could cause some problems for Etymotic. Read [Etymotic (PDF link)] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:22 pm Google Shares Insights On Accelerating Web Sitesmiller60 writes "The average web page takes 4.9 seconds to load and includes 320 KB of content, according to Google executive Urs Holzle. In his keynote at the O"Reilly Velocity conference on web performance, Holzle said that competition from Chrome has made Internet Explorer and Firefox faster. He also cited the potential for refinements to TCP, DNS, and SSL/TLS to make the web a much faster place, and cited compressing headers as a powerful performance booster. Holzle also noted that Google's ranking algorithm now includes a penalty for sites that load too slowly."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:10 pm Verizon Financial Network Offers Direct Access to Fixnetix Trading and Data ServicesNEW YORK, June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- In the financial services industry, where time is literally money, the ability to receive instantaneous financial market information is critical to maintaining competitive advantage.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:01 pm June 24, 1812: Coal-Powered Locomotive Hauls CoalThe first successful steam locomotive relies on a rack-and-pinion system, but it does the job.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:00 pm Secret of AA: After 75 Years, We Don't Know How It WorksDespite all that contemporary medicine knows about psychology, neurology and human behavior, it has yet to devise anything that works better than Alcoholics Anonymous to help drunks stay sober.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:00 pm CEA Line Shows: Bringrr Systems introduces cell phone reminderSection: Communications, Accessories
Read [Bringrr] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 9:40 pm Report: White iPhone 4 will not be available until second half of JulySection: Apple, Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones  Since not everyone likes the conventional black iPhone, it is important to have another alternative color available. The white iPhone 4 should have been available for tomorrow’s launch, but Best Buy confirmed that they will not be selling the white iPhone just yet. This announcement by Best Buy, especially since they did not provide any reasoning, caused a lot of uproar among customers who wanted the white iPhone. Today, Apple released a statement explaining that the white iPhone has “proven more challenging to manufacture than expected.” The white iPhone will be available in the second half of July, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Even though it is harder to produce a white iPhone, this will, in no way, affect the production of black iPhones. Check out the complete statement below.
Read [PR Newswire]
Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 9:15 pm Recent Comments PageLike to stay abreast of the chatter at BB? Keep up with the 100 most recent comments. The page refreshes itself periodically, so you can just leave it up and passively absorb it until you realize it's 4:30 p.m. and you haven't got enough done.Source: Boing Boing | 23 Jun 2010 | 9:13 pm Offerpop Streamlines Campaigns For Brands On Facebook And Twitter
The application is designed to be easy-to-use, with no coding or training required. Offerpop offers marketers a number of different apps to engage with consumers. The New follower app makes it easy for businesses to automatically send a welcome message or a special offer Another app, Offers, allows marketers to create branded landing pages with flash Groupon-like sales to potential customers. And Offerpop allows users to run “for-followers-only” promotions (such as a “private sale”) on Twitter, or follower engagement campaigns where promotions are only valid if at least 50 people retweet the offer. There’s no doubt that these types of campaigns are becoming a necessary strategy for businesses to adopt on their crusade to use Facebook and Twitter. But Offerpop will face a number of worthy competitors that are already helping brands do this, including Wildfire. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 9:00 pm CEA Line Shows: Introducing CyberClean electronics cleaning compoundSection: Gadgets / Other, Miscellaneous
Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 8:40 pm Doctor Who's 'Crack in the Universe' is Real?The crack in the universe may appear frequently in Dr Who, but it looks like the Spitzer Space Telescope has found its own crack in the cosmos.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 8:32 pm CEA Line Shows: enTourage shows off the enTourage Edge DualbookSection: Computers, Mobile Computers, Gadgets / Other, ebooks
Read [EntourageEdge] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 8:30 pm Mmm, sexy designer LED desk lamps
[via NotCot]
Source: CrunchGear | 23 Jun 2010 | 8:30 pm BZZZZZZ: YouTube Gets A Vuvuzela Button (Seriously)
YouTube always has had a way with pranks. Some time in the last hour, the world’s largest video portal activated a new button on some videos that looks like a tiny soccer ball. Clicking it will activate an endless, incredibly annoying sound that sounds vaguely like a swarm of insects. Or, for anyone who has been watching the World Cup, like the dreaded Vuvuzela — an instrument commonly played in South Africa at football (soccer) games. South Africa is, of course, the host country for this year’s World Cup, and fans watching the games have been subjected to the vuvuzela’s mindless drone for hours on end. The noise is so annoying that television networks have taken measures to filter it out, and guides have popped up showing viewers how to block it from their TV sets and computers. But despite complaints, FIFA has decided not to ban the vuvuzela because of its traditional significance. Fun fact: one report says that the guy who brought the plastic vuvuzela to the market in South Africa is also in the business of selling ear plugs. Smart guy. I’m not seeing the button show up on all videos, but it is definitely appearing on some clips that aren’t soccer related. Here’s one that has it. Thanks to Ambuj Saxena for the tip. Information provided by CrunchBase      
Source: TechCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 8:12 pm CEA Line Shows: Immerz shows off the Kor-fxSection: Video, Accessories
Sitting down and trying the Kor-fx is actually a bit strange at first. It comes across as almost a ButtKicker for your chest at first. It sends vibrations through the device to the wearer’s chest, seemingly to the bass of the media. For example, watching a clip of Jurassic Park, I could feel the vibrations every time the dinosaur thumped outside, shaking the glass of water inside the room the characters were in. Shahriar Afshar, the creator of the Kor-fx corrected me, saying that the device, which connects to a small black box and then to the media source, actually responds to events rather than base. He explained that the device does have to be tuned for each person, and that tit was sending out vibrations for the rain against the windows in the Jurassic Park scene, I just didn’t feel them, or perhaps I just didn’t notice them over the stronger stomps of the dino. Afshar tried getting a a game of Halo working on his laptop to show how the system is used aside from in movies, but the laptop didn’t want to cooperate. I tried the device instead with Nova on the iPad, which didn’t seem nearly as strong as the movie, but could prove interesting if the device was set to a stronger level. The device seems interesting, though the main use seems like it could be for games since it should give feedback as to where enemies are attacking from. For movies it is an interesting curiosity, though not necessarily something that you’d want to use for every movie you watch. The device seemed rather uncomfortable at first, and may grow irritating, or it could just be something to grow accustomed to. Immerz is aiming for a release of the Kor-fx sometime later this year, though pre-orders are available now for $190. Read [Immerz] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 8:02 pm iPhone cassette tape case is retro-practical
Its era-accurate cassette casing is fun enough to begin with; the cassette shell for your phone fits inside, but then you flip it around and it’s a kickstand for watching video?! Mind blown. I’m thinking of buying an iPhone just so I can use this case! [via Nerd Approved and Technabob]
Source: CrunchGear | 23 Jun 2010 | 8:00 pm The amazing—animated—story of the writer who couldn't readOne morning, novelist Howard Engel went to get the paper and found that the English language suddenly looked like gibberish to him. Letters no longer had meaning—they were just incomprehensible marks on a page. And, yet, he could still write. There's a fascinating (and beautifully animated) video that explains what happened, and how Engel has managed to re-teach himself to read. I'd post it here, but the code provided keeps giving me an embeded audio interview, instead. It is very much worth following the link. Naturally, this is an Oliver Sacks joint, along with NPR and artist Lev Yilmaz. (Via Steve Silberman) Source: Boing Boing | 23 Jun 2010 | 7:53 pm Experts Say ACTA Threatens Public Interestlangelgjm writes "In the lead up to next week's Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations in Lucerne, a conference that drew over 90 academics and experts from six continents has released a statement issuing a harsh condemnation of both the substance and process of the agreement. Held last week at American University's Washington College of Law, the attendees say, 'We find that the terms of the publicly released draft of ACTA threaten numerous public interests, including every concern specifically disclaimed by negotiators.' The 'urgent communique' covers more than the usual ACTA topics of interest on Slashdot: in addition to the agreement's effect on the Internet, it also considers the effects on access to medicines, international trade, and developing countries. Meanwhile, Public Knowledge has an action alert where you can send a note to the White House expressing your opposition to ACTA."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 23 Jun 2010 | 7:50 pm So it begins: The iPhone 4 shatters like a mofo
Reader Jared dropped his fresh new iPhone 4. The result? A shattered back. I thought this glass was supposed to be as strong as the Hulk’s purple shorts?
Source: CrunchGear | 23 Jun 2010 | 7:34 pm Your disposable wine glass, monsieur
According to our old friend Matt over at Crave, the inventor of this disposable stemware actually took it on a show dedicated to finding cool new products, and it was rejected. The joke’s on them; they’re blowing up over in the UK. At £2.25 a glass (~$3.40) they’re not exactly cost effective, but neither is buying a Rainier for $4 at a bar downtown — why do I do that? And cost aside, the real advantage is in the simple fact that it’s sealed and good to go. The foil top is like a yogurt container’s, keeping your wine fresh and your legal status legit. No need for unsightly paper bags! Just wait till the fuzz goes by, pop the top, and enjoy a nice glass of… Le Froglet?! What kind of name for a wine is that?
Source: CrunchGear | 23 Jun 2010 | 7:30 pm CEA Line Shows: Mobeam introduces the numi keySection: Gadgets / Other, Household, Lifestyle
Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 7:30 pm CEA Line Shows: LG debuts line of Mobile Digital TV productsSection: Video, Portable Video, Communications, Mobile
Read [PCMag] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 7:20 pm Samsung has put out, among others, a phone called the :)
The Kins aimed at this crowd too, but I think they overshot the mark. The high-concept UI and robust web features were gilding the lily, if you ask me. The kids like their texting the way I like my whiskey: straight up and easily accessible. The :), though — I thought they might have saved the name for a more impressive phone. I mean, this thing’s cute, don’t get me wrong, but :) is a powerful name and they might have used it to more effect elsewhere. [via Pocket Lint]
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 7:05 pm YouTube CEO Chad Hurley: Here's My Viacom Victory Dance [MediaMemo]Viacom promises to appeal the summary judgment that Google (GOOG) has earned in the long-running YouTube/Viacom copyright case. So it’s possible that this thing will get bounced around a few more times before it gets resolved. Still, today’s news is a decisive, clear-cut victory for the giant video site. So you can understand why YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley wanted to perform a little victory dance this evening, via Twitter:
If you’ve spent any time at all on YouTube–or on the Internet, for that matter–you can probably guess where that link brought you: Equal time! Here’s a less ebullient response from Viacom (VIA), via chief lawyer Michael Fricklas:
Source: All Things Digital | 23 Jun 2010 | 7:05 pm CEA Line Shows: Skype announces SkypeKit, gives some numbers While the first day of the CEA Line Shows sawa slew of announcements from Monster Cable and Vizio, the big press conference on day two was from Skype. The presentation was largely about the company’s new SkypeKit program, but also had some interesting numbers to go along with it. To get the numbers out of the way, Skype announced that 12 percent of all international calling is done through their service. That seems surprising, though to me it’s because the number isn’t higher given that Skype-to-Skype calls are free, though calling to an international cell phone is also fairly cheap through Skype, so it shouldn’t be that surprising. Skype also announced that 34 percent of all Skype calls use video. Again, that number seems like it should be higher given most, if not all, laptops are now shipped with webcams. Although, that number is up from 10% in 2007, which is an impressive increase. The last set of data Skype through out there is that customers tend to be happier with calls and talk longer when the fidelity of the audio is higher. Easier to understand voices mean people are more willing to spend time on the call, seems common sense. The idea behind SkypeKit is to bring Skype to even more devices than it’s already on. With SkypeKit developers can put Skype onto a variety of devices. On display at it’s Line Shows booth Skype has Litl (among others) which will be brining Skype to it’s netbook by this fall. Skype is hoping to bring it’s service to as many users and devices as possible through SkypeKit, with devies being labeled as “plugged into Skype” when they have the service built in. It sounds promising and could lead to some interesting Skype integration into devices. Read [Skype Developer] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:59 pm Ustream CEO John Ham On The Future Of Live Video (And What Happens If YouTube Goes Live)
Our conversation was spurred by recent rumors that YouTube may be preparing to launch a live streaming service of some kind. There’s been talk of this for years — in fact, the feature was actually “confirmed” to be coming in 2008 by YouTube cofounder Steve Chen. That obviously didn’t happen, but in the last year or so YouTube has been ramping up the number of special partner live streams it’s involved in. These have included everything from concerts to the Indian Premiere League. And it seems like a broader launch could be the next step. When I asked Ham what he knew about YouTube’s plans, he declined to get into specifics about what he had heard, though he did say that “Ustream is the leader today and we’re confident we will continue to lead the innovation of live, interactive video experiences on the web. We believe that it’s important to offer live video in an open, unlimited platform that can harness the value of a collective community.” (emphasis mine) I pushed for further details, but he wouldn’t budge. Reading between the lines, he seems to be implying YouTube may eventually launch livestreaming for approved partners only, and that there may be restrictions as far as how much content can be streamed. Of course, YouTube hasn’t actually announced anything yet, so take this with a grain of salt. Ham claims that even if YouTube does start competing with Ustream, it would actually be good news for his company. He explains that if other companies are out on Madison Avenue evangelizing live streams, Ustream will benefit, especially since it already has a robust sales team in place. The same is true for the quality and amount of content that’s being produced for live streaming — if YouTube can help prove the market, Ustream will also see an influx of new content. Ham believes that Ustream is better positioned than its competition to feed off this increased awareness — he notes that Ustream has raised $90 million, including a massive $75 million round earlier this year, so it has a lot of flexibility. Competitor Livestream has raised around $13 million, and Justin.tv has raised $3-4 million. And he says that according to Quantcast, Ustream’s global reach is 2-3 times as large as these competitors. But Ham says that YouTube isn’t the only potential new competitor — he pointed out that Yahoo previously attempted to enter the space with its own live streaming service, though they killed it less than a year later. He thinks that as live video becomes more popular, other companies will likely jump on the bandwagon. So how will Ustream rise above the competition? Along with its ample funding, Ham points to the infrastructure that Ustream has built out over the last few years. He says that Ustream doesn’t rely exclusively on a Content Delivery Networks — it taps into them, but it’s also built out its own global footprint. It has also built-in tools that can downgrade a stream’s bitrate on the fly if a user has a slow or bandwidth-restricted Internet connection. And its infrastructure is optimized for live video, and not on-demand (he says that the technical challenges faced by each are quite different). My next question concerned where and why people would actually want to consume live video content — the fact that it’s live means that users could easily miss out on content they might be interested in, whereas with on-demand video like YouTube they can watch it at their convenience. Ham says that Ustream is taking the “three screen” approach, where users will watch content from their phones, TVs, and PCs. With alerts, users will be notified as soon as a stream that Ustream believes they’ll find interesting has gone live. And he says that live streaming has already started to get some traction with premium partners, pointing out Jimmy Fallon’s recent use of the service. Ustream is also opening up an office in Los Angeles as a way to demonstrate its commitment to these content providers, so we’ll probably start to see the number of premium channels increase. Time will tell if Ham’s predictions hold up. YouTube has become synonymous with video on the web, and even if it does launch with a more closed platform than Ustream (which isn’t a given), it would still pose a very formidable foe. That said, Ustream already has relationships with plenty of artists, celebrities, and content owners, so it has a big head start when it comes to live video. In any case, there’s clearly plenty of room for more than one big player to succeed in this space — YouTube isn’t going to kill Ustream any time soon.      
Source: TechCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:52 pm New Sandisk WORM cards write once, read for 100 years
In addition to the cards being only able to be written to once, they’re intended to last for 100 years. Now, I’ve taken some pretty good pictures (going to Yosemite this weekend in fact) but I don’t know for certain that I’d have any desire to keep any of my pictures that long. Sandisk suggests using them for evidence collection and so on — as long as they’re adequately protected, a write-once, tamper-proof card could be an important tool in court. The new cards aren’t yet available for purchase, but no doubt Sandisk will have them available at some point in the near future.
Source: CrunchGear | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:45 pm Apple iPhone 4 - 16GB - white (AT&T) - CNET
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:39 pm Why the Fossil 'Hobbit' of Flores Isn't so StrangeA clue to how the diminutive humanoid Homo floresiensis evolved can be found in its unique surroundings -- the fossils of Flores, and the island itself.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:31 pm Homemade Nuclear Reactor Built in NYCAmateur physicists who call themselves "fusioneers" are trying to solve the world's energy problem in their basements.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:19 pm New Flickr Is Bigger, Wider and UncutThe photo-sharing site Flickr has received a much-needed new coat of paint. Photos are bigger now, and photo pages have been simplified to reduce clutter.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:00 pm GameTech Investor Conference Call to Discuss Second Quarter Earnings Results Available on Digital PlaybackRENO, Nev., June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- GameTech International, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:00 pm Social Networking Applications Score Big in the Customer Service Domain, Says Frost & SullivanSYDNEY, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan hosted a day-long summit titled Customer Contact 2010 Australia today, at the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO) (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO) Developed contact center markets like Australia are seeing growth in spending on sophisticated analytical tools that can lead to better service and opportunities to up-sell.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:00 pm Will Humans Be Extinct Within 100 Years?Is the clock of doom ticking for mankind? Yes, says an eminent 95 year old scientist from Australia.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:59 pm NYC Governor Wants To Expand DNA Databasecrimeandpunishment writes "If Governor David Paterson has his way, New York would take DNA samples from even the lowest level of criminal, doubling the state's DNA database. He says it would help to both solve crimes and clear people who were wrongly convicted. New York would become the first state in the country to do this. Currently DNA isn't collected in most misdemeanors. The plan is getting lots of support among law enforcement, but the New York Civil Liberties Union says there are questions about privacy."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:53 pm Russian President Dmitry Medvedev meets Apple CEO Steve Jobs "В офисе Apple." This happened today. How'd I learn about it? Why, from the Kremlin's new official Twitter account. Medvedev also visited Twitter, Cisco, and other Silicon Valley companies. Medvedev works on a MacBook, and recently began using an iPad.
In Soviet Russia, Twitter Tweets You. Developers Bet On Apple Now, Google Later - InformationWeek
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:46 pm HP Buys Melodeo [Digital Daily]HP Buys Melodeo [Digital Daily] Confirming earlier reports, Hewlett-Packard said this afternoon that it had indeed acquired Melodeo, creator of the nuTsie mobile media streaming app. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but TechCrunch, which first reported it, valued it at $30 million to $35 million. What is HP’s plan for Melodeo? The company didn’t say, but it likely involves another of its recent acquisitions: Palm. Source: All Things Digital | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:31 pm Fishy Gene Hints at How Fins Evolved Into LimbsScientists have found two genes that help explain how fish fins evolved into the limbs of the first four-legged creatures.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:30 pm Telecommunications Sales Leader Joins Sunturn Austin OfficeAUSTIN, Texas, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunturn, one of the nation's largest private service providers for voice, video, and unified communications solutions, today announced that sales and network technology veteran Mark Schoonmaker has joined the Company as sales director. Schoonmaker will be located at Sunturn's Austin office, helping build its growing presence in Texas. "Mark is a great addition to the Sunturn team with his significant sales and network technology experience," said Kyle Wewe, general manager of Sunturn.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:18 pm Fans Head to TV Store to Watch World Cup in 3-D [Voices]By Lauren Goode, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal At some unusual World Cup viewing spots in New York City, revelers may not be able to get a beer, but they can see games in 3-D. A crowd watches the game in 2-D on a giant “video wall” at the Samsung Experience store. TVs with 3-D capability are available in alcoves. The screenings are a small part of the companies’ overall push in the 3-D TV market–the newest trend in televisions. Earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Samsung introduced a new line of ultra-thin 3-D LED TVs. Sony’s 3-D TVs went on sale June 10th in Japan. Panasonic’s (PC) 3-D TVs hit the market in March, and the company has said it aims to sell 1 million 3-D televisions in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, with half of the sales being targeted for the U.S. market. LG plans to launch its 3-D product package next month. Read the rest of this post on the original site Source: All Things Digital | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:08 pm Trojan Battery Selects New Distributors for ChinaSANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Trojan Battery Company, the world's leading manufacturer of deep cycle batteries, today announced new distribution agreements in China, a strategy that further expands Trojan's presence and strengthens its leadership across Asia.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:00 pm Counter-Strike: Source now available for Mac (!)
Just a heads-up to let you Mac users out there that Counter-Strike: Source, “the number one online action game in the world,” is now available on Steam for Mac. Or, if you already have it on your PC, you’ll find that it’s in your Mac library, too. To celebrate its Mac release, Valve has it on sale for $6.80 (or 66 percent off the regular price)—quite literally less than what Activision wants for one of those Modern Warfare 2 map packs. Yes, I will go out of my way to rag on Activision. I’m that guy.
Source: CrunchGear | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:00 pm NJIT Professor Heads Panel Studying Sudden Car AccelerationLouis J.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:56 pm David X. Cohen Talks About Futurama's New Seasonjoelkeller writes "I spoke to David X. Cohen, executive producer of Futurama, about the upcoming season, which premieres on June 24 on Comedy Central. He talks about the season finale (!) and how the show is always on the precipice of cancellation."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:49 pm Advanced AC Beats Heat and HumidityA new air conditioner in development has the potential to use between 50 to 90 percent less electricity than the most advanced units out there, and do it without harmful refrigerants. Swoon.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:36 pm DIY fusion in BrooklynQuinn Norton visits with Mark Suppes, Ruby-on-Rails developer by day and DIY polywell reactor researcher by night:No Sleep 'Til Fusion (Thanks, Quinn!) Source: Boing Boing | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:34 pm Reception issues, discolored displays being reported on iPhone 4sThere are a number of reports going around right now of various issues with the iPhone 4. First, there’s the mysterious reception issue (above) that seems to be related to holding the phone, something a user might reasonably be expected to do with some frequency. Anybody care to test this on their illicit early-gotten iPhone 4? Gizmodo also has a growing pile of snapshots showing yellowing of the displays. It’s impossible to tell just how many devices are impacted by this and the reception issue, but it’s not an auspicious start, that’s for sure.
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:33 pm WSJ on the clothes of Mad MenThe Wall Street Journal has an article about Janie Bryant, the "costume czarina" of Mad Men. She also designed the costumes for Deadwood. What a talent!
‘Mad Men’: Threads of the Story
HoodieBuddie is a hoodie with earbuds instead of strings
In the front right pocket, you’ve got your 3.5mm jack, which runs inside the hoodie up to the little earbud-things. Brilliant!
The good news: it’s machine-washable, so no need to worry about taking the tech out if you spill coffee on yourself. The bad news: people will think you are insane, because you have your hoodie strings plugged into your ears. The other good news: they’re only going to cost $44 — just slightly more than your average hoodie. They’ll be available starting July 1st at HoodieBuddie.com.
Source: CrunchGear | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:30 pm Most Exciting Part of Web Isn't 'World Wide'The world wide web connects everyone on the globe to the same content. But lately, the web's most promising developments indicate we're entering a new phase where place matters as much as reach.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:30 pm Microsoft Previews New, Hardware-Accelerated IE9Microsoft has released a new developers' preview of its upcoming Internet Explorer 9 browser. The release focuses on IE9’s new hardware-accelerated HTML5 animation and video-rendering abilities.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:28 pm Does Petraeus Mean a Return of Afghan Air War?When Gen. David Petraeus took command of the war in Iraq, airstrikes went up seven-fold. Will the same happen, now that's he's taking over the Afghanistan war?
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:05 pm Is the Android Market down for you? (update: it’s back)
As I began the process of tearing into our brand new Droid X review unit, I ran through the nearly endless mental laundry list of all my favorite Android apps. “I’m totally going to install all of these“, I thought. Only one problem: The Android Market wasn’t showing any apps. None. No Yammers, no Yelps, no Qiks, or Foursquares. Maybe it was just my demo unit, right? I grabbed a nearby Nexus One — same deal. HTC Evo? It.. worked. And then it didn’t. And then it did again. We can’t nail down any rhyme or reason for the outage with the information currently available to us — so with that, we ask: is the Android Market working for you? If so (or if not), where are you located? What handset are you running? Let us know in the comments below, and lets see if we can’t figure this out.
Update: looks like it’s pretty much back 100% – for me, anyway.
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:03 pm Now available: Game Seeds, the card game about game designA few months back, I mentioned Game Seeds, the card game created by Utrecht School of the Arts, Monobanda and Metagama to help game designers brainstorm both character design and entire games, by playfully combining their specific mechanics. The post quite happily got far more attention than I would've imagined, and (especially after I'd posted that Monobanda had sent me an early deck of the cards) I was a bit deluged with people wondering how they might also get their hands on the Seeds. So I'm happy to report, then, that as of today the decks are now available for worldwide purchase at €10 a deck. The team have also put together the ridiculously adorable video above to explain how the system works, and have created a new official Game Seeds site for more information on the project. Let us know if and when you create anything with it! Game Seeds [Monobanda]Source: Boing Boing | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:03 pm Dot-Org TLD Signed For DNSSECgraychase writes "A major milestone is reached as the first major top-level domain (.org) is now secured with DNSSEC. The expense to .org for implementing DNSSEC on its infrastructure and operations has not been a small one. While specific figures as to the cost of DNSSEC implementation haven't been released, Afilias, which is the technical operator of the .org registry, told InternetNews.com in 2009 that the DNSSEC implementation would be a multi-million-dollar effort. The cost isn't going to be passed on by .org to domain registrars. The move toward securing the .org registry with DNS security started in September 2008, following the Kaminsky DNS flaw disclosure."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:02 pm Atmel Completes Sale of Wafer Manufacturing Operation in Rousset, France to LFoundry GmbHSAN JOSE, Calif., June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Atmel® Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML), a leader in microcontroller and touch solutions, today announced that it has completed the previously announced sale of Atmel's wafer fabrication operation located in Rousset, France to LFoundry GmbH.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:01 pm CrunchGear contest: keep that old iPhone 3GS alive and useful
 Elgato: EyeTV iPhone App iPhone app lets you watch, record & enjoy live and recorded TV on your iPhone over a 3G or Wi-Fi connection
Available at: App Store
Available at: iskin.com
Available at: Nationwide retailers coming soon
Available at: Scosche.com and Bestbuy
Available at: TenOneDesign.com and Amazon.com
Available at: TenOneDesign.com
Available at: FYE, Amazon.com, Fry’s Electronics, Airport Wireless, and other select international retailers
Available at: Speakal.com Please note: those are the PR people’s bullet points for each product, and not necessarily our own opinions. That’s over $400 worth of accessories! To win this wonderful collection of swag, simply comment below with an explanation of why you’re sticking with your iPhone 3G or 3GS instead of upgrading to the iPhone 4 or switching to Android. We’ll pick a lucky winner on Friday morning! As usual, this contest is unfortunately only open to people with a U.S. mailing address. We’re unable to ship internationally. If you live across the pond, feel free to enter and provide us with a U.S. mailing address; but you’ll be responsible for getting the gear to you on your own dime (or Euro, as the case may be).
Source: CrunchGear | 23 Jun 2010 | 4:00 pm Europe's Largest Fiber Network Now Available at i/o Data Centers27,000 miles of fiber network with over 100 points of presence in 35 countries across Europe, the US and Asia. The addition of TeliaSonera International Carrier allows i/o to offer new and existing customers increased options including the opportunity to connect directly to Europe's largest and fastest growing IP backbone.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 3:51 pm RFID Independence Day: An Insider's Look at Best Practices for Building Profitable RFID SolutionsMOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- During a June 30th webcast, Lockheed Martin's (NYSE: LMT) Savi Technology will reveal how RFID providers and integrators can capitalize on a new program that opens access to Savi Technology's battle-tested, industry-leading suite of hardware and software solutions.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 3:46 pm Judge Rules Copyright Law Protects YouTube in Viacom LawsuitThe Digital Millennium Copyright Act allows Google's YouTube video-sharing service to operate legally, a federal judge rules in Viacom's $1 billion infringement suit.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 3:35 pm Hands On With the Motorola Droid X
The new Motorola Droid X phone, with its slim profile and striking display, doesn’t set a new standard in industrial design. But what it lacks in style, it makes up for with features, including an emphasis on high-definition video recording and playback. The $200 Droid X (after a $100 rebate and with a two-year Verizon contract) will run Google’s latest Android 2.2 Froyo operating system and will include Adobe Flash Player 10.1, following an update “late summer.” There’s one key difference between the Droid X and the original Droid: The Droid X doesn’t have a physical keyboard. Instead its 4.3-inch display makes it one of the biggest touchscreens available among smartphones today.
The Droid X’s screen is gorgeous and incredibly responsive to touch. The display has a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels compared to 800 x 480 pixels on the HTC Evo. Placed side-by-side, the Evo’s display seemed brighter and more vivid. But the Droid X’s touchscreen is a treat. It’s extremely responsive without crossing over into the annoyingly sensitive territory. Unlike the Evo, which has its four Android buttons (Home, Menu, Back and Search) sleekly integrated into the frame, the Droid X has four physical buttons at the bottom of the phone and it is jarring. The matte black finish of the phone gives it a dull appearance compared to the glossy shine of the Evo. 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 23 Jun 2010 | 3:24 pm Hands On With the Motorola Droid XMotorola's latest Android touchscreen phone, the Droid X, is a solid device with a striking display.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 3:24 pm Hands On With the Motorola Droid XMotorola's latest Android touchscreen phone, the Droid X, is a solid device with a striking display.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 23 Jun 2010 | 3:24 pm YouTube Granted Safe Harbor From Viacomeldavojohn writes "It's an old case, but there was an interesting development today when a judge ruled that YouTube is protected from Viacom by the safe harbor provisions of the DMCA, since YouTube helps rights owners manage their rights online and works cooperatively with entities like Viacom. Google's calling it a victory, but I'm not sure if Viacom will take this without a fight."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 23 Jun 2010 | 3:21 pm Monument Capital Group LLC Signs Deal with Vortex Systems LLCWASHINGTON, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Monument Capital Group LLC (MCG) today announced the signing of an international distribution and equity acquisition agreement with Vortex Systems LLC.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 3:00 pm ITC Confirms MPS Patent Victory Against O2 MicroSAN JOSE, Calif., June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) (Nasdaq: MPWR), a leading fabless manufacturer of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, today announced the U.S.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 23 Jun 2010 | 3:00 pm Borders Bundles Kobo Electronic Reader With Gift Card - InformationWeek
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 23 Jun 2010 | 2:36 pm YouTube wins case against Viacom(Cross-posted from the YouTube Blog) This is an important victory not just for us, but also for the billions of people around the world who use the web to communicate and share experiences with each other. We’re excited about this decision and look forward to renewing our focus on supporting the incredible variety of ideas and expression that billions of people post and watch on YouTube every day around the world. UPDATE 2:12PM: This decision also applies to other parties to the lawsuit, including the Premier League. Posted by Kent Walker, Vice President and General Counsel    
 Source: The Official Google Blog | 23 Jun 2010 | 2:23 pm Where Does Evil Come From?What drives a person to commit unspeakable acts of evil and depravity? We turned to forensic psychologist Stephen Diamond, author of the Evil Deeds blog on Psychology Today for the answer: Typically it does involve some kind of trauma during ...Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 2:08 pm 'Futurama' Re-Enters Orbit With Death Spheres, Robosexual RightsBender, Fry, Leela and the rest of the Planet Express crew blast back onto the airwaves with more sci-fi laughs than ever before. Head writer David X. Cohen talks about the animated show's triumphant return and other pressing matters.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 1:45 pm Wirelessly sync your iTunes playlists to your Blackberry with Music WithMe
Key features
The desktop helper piece is Windows-only; but that shouldn’t be too bad, since all the Mac users will be sporting iPhones anyway! LOL! Here’s the full press release:
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 1:30 pm Quake Strikes Canada, Rattles Buildings in New York CityA magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Canada this afternoon. Reports indicate it was felt as far away as Detroit and New York City.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 1:30 pm Source Of Essential Nutrients For Open-Ocean Algae FoundAlgae obtain nitrate from deep waters 250 meters beneath the surfaceFor almost three decades, oceanographers have been puzzled by the ability of microscopic algae ("microalgae") to grow in open-ocean areas where there is very little nitrate, an essential nutrient for the algae.In this week's issue of the journal Nature, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) chemical oceanographer Ken Johnson, along with co-authors Stephen Riser at the University of Washington and David Karl at the University of Hawaii, show that open-ocean microalgae obtain nitrate from deep waters as much as 250 meters below the surface.The finding will help scientists predict how open-ocean ecosystems could respond to global warming.The sea around Hawaii may be clear and blue, but beneath the surface has been an enduring oceanographic mystery. Surface waters in this and other open-ocean areas contain almost no nitrate or other plant nutrients. Yet each year, microscopic algae flourish in these vast regions. In the process the algae consume about one-fifth of all the carbon dioxide taken up by plants worldwide.To solve the mystery, Johnson and colleagues used a robotic drifter called an Apex float, which automatically moves from the sea's surface down to 1,000 meters and back again, profiling the water column as it goes.Researchers at the University of Washington outfitted the drifter with an oxygen sensor and a custom version of Johnson's In-situ Ultraviolet Spectrometer (ISUS), which measures nitrate concentrations in seawater.The design and deployment of this custom drifter was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)."This elegant study very nicely answers a long-standing question," says Don Rice, director of NSF's chemical oceanography program, "not just for the Pacific Ocean, but for much of the rest of the world oceans as well: how does deep-water feed life at the surface? We now have some answers."In December 2007, researchers from the University of Hawaii placed the drifter in the ocean northeast of Oahu, where it collected ocean profiles once every five days for almost two years.From January through October of each year, the instruments on the drifter showed a gradual increase in oxygen concentrations in the upper 100 meters of the ocean.At the same time, the float detected a gradual decrease in concentrations of nitrate in deeper waters 100 to 250 meters below the surface.Johnson and co-authors found that the amount of oxygen produced near the surface through photosynthesis was directly proportional to the amount of nitrate consumed in deeper water.Based on the decline in nitrate concentrations at depth, the researchers estimated how much algal growth could have taken place during the year. Their estimates of algal growth were very similar to algal growth rates measured during the University of Hawaii's oceanographic cruises in that part of the Pacific Ocean.Because there is not enough sunlight for algae to grow below 100 meters, the researchers conclude that algae growing near the surface somehow obtain nitrate from deeper waters, and use this nitrate to grow and reproduce. Exactly how the algae obtain these deep nutrients is still unclear. One possible mechanism is ocean eddies.Satellite and drifter data suggest that slow, swirling eddies occasionally form hundreds of meters below the surface of the Pacific. ISUS data demonstrate that some of these eddies can carry nitrate upward to about 70 meters below the ocean surface.Yet these pulses of nitrate do not appear to reach the upper 50 meters of the water column, where most of the algae grow. The scientists speculate that dormant microalgae may inhabit the waters below 100 meters.Open-ocean eddies may occasionally carry these algae upward, to depths of perhaps 70 meters. At this point, the algae may consume any available nitrate and then migrate farther up into surface waters.Johnson suggests that testing this hypothesis will provide an interesting challenge for marine biologists.Scientists already know that some algae can swim, using tiny, whip-like flagellae. Other algae can actively change their buoyancy, just like the Apex float, and either sink down or float upward.Over the next year or two, the oceanographers will outfit several groups of drifters with nitrate and oxygen sensors.Some of these drifters will be deployed near Hawaii. Others will be deployed near Bermuda in the mid-Atlantic. Still other drifters will be placed in the far North Pacific and in the Southern Ocean, where nitrate supplies and algal growth are typically high.Such studies in the open ocean may seem remote from human activities on land. Yet the oxygen produced by open-ocean algae is essential for the survival of life on Earth.When these algae die and sink to the seafloor, they remove huge amounts of carbon dioxide from Earth's atmosphere.By moving massive amounts of carbon from the atmosphere into the ocean, the algae help control Earth's climate."The life you can't see without a microscope," says Johnson, "is doing all the work."The research was also funded by the Office of Naval Research, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.Reference: K.S. Johnson, S.C. Riser, D.M. Karl. Nitrate supply from deep to near-surface waters of the North Pacific subtropical gyre. Nature. Vol 465, Issue 7300. 24 June, 2010. ---Image 1: Monterey Bay's kelp forests and many other ocean ecosystems are sustained by microalgae. Credit: NOAAImage 2: Microscopic algae in surface waters depend on nitrate, only available in deep waters. Credit: Kim Fulton-Bennett, MBARISource: RedOrbit News - Science | 23 Jun 2010 | 1:24 pm Wireless Vs. Wireless3G and Wi-Fi are the two main mobile communications technologies today, but until recently they have been complementary services, the former offering users network access through cell phone masts forming a wide-area network (WAN), the latter based on hot-spot connections through a local-area network (LAN).Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 23 Jun 2010 | 1:16 pm Hands-On with the Motorola Droid X (With Video!)
I just had the opportunity to spend some quality time with Motorola’s latest addition to their Android lineup, the beastly Droid X superphone, and man-oh-man, is it glorious. It’s not exactly unique; it’s nearly identical to Sprint’s EVO 4G, both in appearance and specifications — but given how well the EVO 4G has been received by Android fans, I’d say that’s probably not a bad thing.
The Hardware:
When I say this thing’s similar to the EVO, I’m not kidding. Both have a 4.3″ display (though the Droid X’s has a sliiiightly higher resolution, at 848×480 rather than 800×480.), a 1 GHZ CPU, an 8 megapixel camera, and rock the fullface touchscreen candy bar form factor in a pretty jaw-dropping way. The X lacks the Evo’s 4G functionality, and the front-facing camera — but other than that, it’s pretty much spec-for-spec. With all that said, this thing is about as easy on the eyes as they come. As you’d expect from anything packing a 4.3″ display, this thing feels massive in your hand — not so big that it’s overwhelming, but definitely bigger than what I’m used to. It fits in my almost-but-not-quite hipster pants, taking up pretty much the entirety of the front pocket.
In our cursory glance, the overall build quality seems top notch. They’ve done away with the easily dented speaker grille of the original Droid, and dramatically improved their battery cover design. That may seem trivial, but those little touches tend to reflect how well a device is built through and through. Though it’s missing the front-facing camera, I otherwise favor this device’s face over that of the Evo. Why? Actual, physical, real-life buttons. Call me silly, but I can’t stand touch-sensitive buttons. The OS:
Alas, contrary to what we heard at the last minute, the Droid X won’t be getting Android 2.2 at launch. It’ll get it “this summer”, but it launches with 2.1 out of the gate. Unlike all Droids that came before it, the Droid X is running Motorola’s customized user interface, MOTO BLUR. If you’ve spent any time with other handsets running this UI (like most of T-Mobiles Moto/Android offerings) and are thus shaking your head in disappointment right now: don’t fret. Though we’ve only spent a few minutes with it, this latest version of BLUR seems to be dramatically toned back from everything we’ve seen so far (Thank God.) The social networking widgets are moved out of your face to a back page, and many have been turned off by default.
Motorola’s got a few nice customizations in place here, such as a fairly nice CoverFlow-esque sliding view in the video player’s list. It’s smooth as butter and slick as heck. Want a more standard list? You might be out of luck. I couldn’t find one, nor could the rep. Video recording/playback: Though you can only tell so much from a 5 minute demo of the device’s video functionality, I walked away impressed. The video output via HDMI looked stellar, and the demonstration videos shot with the device all looked surprisingly good. Of course, they all coincidentally took place at extremely brightly lit beaches and parks, rather than the quality-destroying bars and nightclubs they’ll actually be used at.
Motorola makes pretty clever use of the device’s 3 microphones (front, back, and a noise cancellation mic on top) with three video “Scenario” modes: Narrative, Outdoors, and Subject. Narrative turns down the volume from the back mic, focusing the audio recording on your voice as you shoot; Outdoors shoots from both mics, using the noise cancellation mic to nullify some of the wind; subject is the contrast to the narrative option, focusing the mic recording input on things behind the camera. Other notes:
Conclusion: So far, so good. I’ll wait until my full review to really decide where this sits on the Android totem pole, but I’m having a hard time finding any flaws with this device so far. If you’re open to switching carriers, you might still want the Sprint EVO for its 4G functionality and the front facing camera — but if you’re a Verizon devout, this looks to be the new one to beat.
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 1:07 pm YouTube, RumbleFish Partner for 'Friendly Music' - PC Magazine
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 23 Jun 2010 | 1:00 pm The Real Cost of iPhone 4 VS. Android Rivals
The chart at right (click to enlarge) does a nice job summing up the total costs of ownership for the iPhone 4 compared to three highlight Android phones: the Droid Incredible, HTC Evo 4G and Nexus One. Bottom line: If you opt for minimal data and voice plans, you can potentially spend the least on the iPhone 4 over two years. That should be comforting for owners of the 600,000 iPhone 4s that were already preordered, though of course it doesn’t factor in the amount you’ll be spending on apps. Considering there are 215,000 apps in the App Store compared to Android’s 70,000 apps, we’re guessing iPhone 4 owners will be spending a lot more than Android users over time with all that additional software available. Via BillShrink See Also:
Image courtesy of BillShrink 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 23 Jun 2010 | 12:55 pm Quick! Rent this guy’s tent and be first in line to get the iPhone 4
There was a chair available too, but it’s been snapped up. The tent is still available… but you’ll only be the first person to get a phone from that store. A bunch of people got theirs yesterday, which kind of spoils the fun for the overnighters.
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 12:50 pm Motorola's Droid X Beefs Up Screen, Video, FlashWith a bigger 4.3-inch screen, an 8-megapixel camera and enhanced internals, the new Motorola Droid X -- launching next month on Verizon -- looks like a serious smartphone contender.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 23 Jun 2010 | 12:40 pm Apple crashed FedEx
Don’t worry, though. Your package won’t end up on a desert island with Tom Hanks. Shipments are going through just fine.
Anyone else seeing tracking failures?
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 12:32 pm Oil Gushes Unchecked in Gulf After Sub CrashAfter a containment system was damaged by a robotic sub, oil flowed at a rate of up to 60,000 barrels a day into the Gulf of Mexico.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 12:30 pm Apple: White iPhone 4 Won’t Be Available Until Second Half Of July Apple just released a statement saying that the white iPhone 4 will not be available until the second half of July due to manufacturing challenges. It's unclear from the statement what those challenges are.
Apple said that the shortage of the white iPhones will not affect supply of the more popular black models. But for those of you who were pining for a white device, you will have to wait until the second half of July. The iPhone 4 was available for pre-order in Black starting June 15. At that point, it was assumed you'd be able to purchase the white model of the phone in stores on June 24.
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 12:29 pm Motorola Upgrades the Droid With Droid X
Eight months after Motorola debuted its first Droid phone, the company has refreshed the device to include a bigger screen, a focus on high-definition video and Flash compatibility. Motorola’s new Droid X phone is the successor to its original Droid smartphone introduced last October. The $200 Droid X (after a $100 rebate and with a two-year contract) will run Google’s latest Android 2.2 Froyo operating system and will include Adobe Flash Player 10.1. DROID X customers will the 2.2 and Flash updates wirelessly over-the-air in the latter half of the summer. “It is pretty spectacular,” John Stratton, chief marketing officer of Verizon told attendees at the device’s launch. “When you have a screen and form factor like this — very thin and lightweight — it screams video.” The new Droid X will have a 4.3-inch touchscreen (854 x 480 pixels resolution) — about the same size as the HTC EVO 4G and much bigger physically than the 3.5-inch display on the iPhone 4, which is 960 x 640 pixels. The phone includes a Texas Instruments OMAP processor with 1-GHz processing ability, 512 MB of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory that’s expandable to 40 GB using a storage card. It also has a 8-megapixel camera, a step up from the 5-megapixel one in the earlier version. The camera can capture 720p video content and offers HD playback via HDMI. What’s missing is the dual camera that’s now a part of the iPhone and HTC Evo. The Droid X announcement comes a day before the public debut of the iPhone 4, although Apple’s phone is already in the hands of some lucky customers as well as a few carefully chosen reviewers. The Droid X will be the star in Motorola’s portfolio. So far Motorola has launched a number of Android phones, including the Cliq on T-Mobile, Backflip on AT&T and Devour on Verizon. But its first Droid phone remains a best-seller. Meanwhile, Apple is charging ahead with its latest iPhone, which is gathering generally positive reviews (though AT&T’s network has been criticized). Many Apple users have already started receiving their pre-ordered iPhone 4. Droid X is Motorola’s 11th Android smartphone. The phone will start shipping July 15 and will be available exclusively on Verizon’s network. See below for a larger image. Top photo: Droid X See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 23 Jun 2010 | 12:07 pm Celebrating AndroidToday, Verizon and Motorola announced the newest device powered by Android at an event in New York. We were thrilled to be there, and humbled by what our partners have been able to accomplish with Android. Every day 160,000 Android-powered devices are activated -- that’s nearly two devices every second, used for the first time by people from New York to New Zealand.Android started with one simple idea: Provide a powerful, open mobile platform to drive faster innovation for the benefit of consumers. This idea has come to life around the world. Today, there are 60 compatible Android devices, delivered via a global partnership network of 21 OEMs and 59 carriers in 49 countries. The volume and variety of Android devices continues to exceed even our most optimistic expectations. In some instances, Android devices are selling faster than they can be manufactured. To celebrate, we are open-sourcing the new 2.2 version of Android, which we call Froyo, to our partners who manufacture Android devices around the world. Customers will enjoy great new features and improved browser performance. And developers will benefit from new tools such as Android cloud-to-device messaging (which makes it easier for mobile applications to sync data). We want to thank our partners for joining us in our vision, for creating such compelling devices, and for continuing to push the limits of what is possible in a smartphone. Posted by Andy Rubin, VP, Engineering   
 Source: The Official Google Blog | 23 Jun 2010 | 12:07 pm HTC's Aria Android Phone Can Be Had for a SongSmaller and cheaper than its competition, the Aria still makes a few concessions for a low price.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 23 Jun 2010 | 12:00 pm King Tut Died of Blood Disorder: StudyThe new finding challenges past assertions that the famous pharaoh died of malaria.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:55 am Verizon and Motorola officially announce the Droid X
Media playback is obviously a major priority here: between the EVO 4G and the iPhone 4, the superphones out there need some serious chops to compete. The X sports HDMI out, and will play back non-DRM’ed media in HD on your TV. And not just local media. As Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, said: “The Droid X expands our commitment to mobile video.” It’s got Blockbuster, VCast video, NFL Mobile, and Skype. Woo-hoo, VCast, my favorite! Seriously, though. Your media capability is mainly in the apps — and with its generous storage space, it could be a nice little mobile theater. It has the ability to create a wireless hotspot with up to five slots — it won’t be as fast as the EVO 4G, but it’s still a nice ability to have. The $20 fee for 2GB seems a bit restrictive. 5 cents per megabyte overage. Why not just get an app and tether with that on your unlimited data plan? The Droid X will support Exchange, Gmail Enterprise, and of course push and all that. It’ll ship with Android 2.1, to the dismay of many, but will definitely receive 2.2 (Froyo) and Flash 10.1 later in the summer. It’s got Motoblur on top, which they say has dramatically changed. It’s shipping with Swype, though, which could be really nice on this big multitouch screen. Here are the specs all together in one place:
Pricing and availability: the Droid X will be available on July 15th for $199 after a $100 mail-in rebate. $30 for unlimited data and an extra $20 for hotspot functionality (2GB cap). Any Verizon customer with a contract ending in 2010 is eligible for the upgrade. The Droid X will be Verizon-only (i.e. CDMA) but it was hinted that there will be a similar phone for international purpose available later. We’ll have a hands-on post in just a few minutes.
Source: MobileCrunch | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:51 am Raging Storm Detected on Faraway WorldObservations show winds blowing more than 6,000 mph on an exoplanet 150 light-years away.Source: Discovery News - Top Stories | 23 Jun 2010 | 11:07 am Magnets to the masses: attracting customers to your business with YouTubeThis post is the latest in our Small Business series about entrepreneurship and the various Google tools you can use to establish and improve your business presence on the Internet. Here, you’ll learn how, with only a digital camera and a small budget, you can use YouTube to drive sales and engage your potential customers. -Ed.When you go to YouTube, you often see ads from big brand advertisers—a homepage ad or a display campaign running across the site. But many small business owners also use YouTube to reach their customers with videos about their products and services. While there are lots of different types of ads that small businesses can run on YouTube, sometimes the best way to show off your brand or product is to simply create a great video. Terrence Kelleman, founder of Dynomighty Design, has made YouTube videos the centerpiece of his company’s marketing strategy, so I’ve invited him to share his thoughts about how he grew his business using YouTube. In 2001, I was working my day job as a digital photographer for e-commerce at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) when I found several prototypes for a product that were being thrown out. The plastic elements had magnets inside them, and as I broke them open and put the magnets on my desk, they suddenly shot together to form a straight line. Playing with the magnets, I realized I could make jewelry that was held together by magnetic force alone. This chance discovery was the first step on the road to starting my own company, Dynomighty, which sells magnetic jewelry and other creative products.  Terrence (back left, in blue shirt) and the Dynomighty team Posted by Tom Pickett, Director of Online Sales and Operations, YouTube   
 Source: The Official Google Blog | 23 Jun 2010 | 10:30 am DC Comics Joins Marvel on iPad
Most of you will know Comixology as the “Comics” app for the iPhone and iPad, but any Flash-capable browser can be pointed at the Comixology site and used to read anything in your collection in a rather excellent online reader. Try this on a big monitor and you’ll forget about paper forever. Comixology doesn’t offer every comic you might want, nor even every new release, but the addition of DC at least means there is one place to go on, say, you iPad no matter what you are looking for. Now you can buy (and in some cases download free) series like Batman (including the superb Batman Year One), Frank Quitely’s All Star Superman, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, Green Lantern and others. Best of all, Comixology is free in the App Store and online. And if you don’t care to download DRM’ed content of any kind, check out out list of the best Comic Apps for the iPad which can be loaded with your own scans. DC Comics Launches Digital Publishing: Partners With Comixology [Comixology] See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 23 Jun 2010 | 9:25 am IPhone 4 Tear Down: Slower Than iPad, Faster Than 3GHardware and software tests of the iPhone 4 and iOS 4 have started to show up, and there are a few surprises. Those brand-new iPad owners looking jealously at the fancy new iPhone can relax, though: the iPad is still the fastest piece of Apple mobile hardware out there.
Source: Wired: Gadgets | 23 Jun 2010 | 9:01 am Toothbrush Wobbles But it Won’t Fall Down
Who wants a filthy, dried-paste encrusted cup in their bathroom to re-up the germs on their toothbrush twice a day? What you need, you filthy little person, is the Dews Toothbrush, a fat, finger-friendly design with a round, weighted base that keeps it upright on the bathroom shelf. The bristly head is kept free of any contact other than that with your fetid cake-hole. Incredibly simple and, now we’ve seen it, incredibly obvious, the Dews has been judged clever enough to win a Red Dot award for designer Lee Eunhak of the Ryan Harc studio. Hopefully this added prestige will be enough to bring the wobbly toothbrush to market, whereupon it will instantly replace my mouth-coddling Colgate 360º. I only hope that house guests don’t see this sitting (standing?) next to the sink and decide they need to poke it with their filthy fingers, ruining the whole point. Toothbrush Upstanding Tall, With Pride [Yanko] DEWS red dot award [Red Dot] DEWS Tooth brush [Ryan Harc] 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 23 Jun 2010 | 8:26 am Carmen: Internet Radio On Your Car Radio via Radio
Wouldn’t it be great if you could listen to internet radio in your car? With Livio’s new Carmen, you can, provided you’re happy with a rather weird, convoluted, time-consuming and almost Rube Goldberg-esque experience. The best way to give you an idea of the whole complicated mess is to describe the process. First, plug the Carmen into your computer, fire up the companion software and then choose the from the internet radio stations available (“more than 42,000 stations”). The Carmen will then record these for you, DVR-style, in real-time. To make that clear, you won’t be downloading an hour-long show in seconds like you would with a podcast: you’ll be waiting an hour for it. Once the 2GB stick is loaded up, you take it to the car and plug it into the cigarette-lighter socket. Then you turn on the car’s radio. The Carmen works by sending the MP3s via FM (although you can opt for an aux cable). It even comes with a small remote control so you can search on the floor for that instead of squeezing the Carmen’s tiny buttons. To recap: You spend hours recording radio shows only to re-broadcast them to your car stereo. And for this you spend $60. Alternatively you could just use the radio in your car, or hook up the cellphone or MP3 player you already have to your car stereo. That would cost you nothing. For all my complaints, I admit I have a soft spot for the Carmen: the idea of recording songs and shows off the radio to listen to in the car takes me back to my childhood. Thank goodness somebody is applying today’s tech to 1970s problems. Available for pre-order now. Carmen Car Audio Player [Livio. Thanks, Joe!] 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 23 Jun 2010 | 7:01 am Remotely Sync Your BlackBerry with iTunes? There’s an App for That
The app, from a company named ParkVu, works with a piece of client software on your Windows PC to read your iTunes library database. Whenever you add or change something in iTunes, those changes are pushed to an app running in the background on your BlackBerry and added to its standard music-player. It sound a little gimmicky at first, although when on the same Wi-Fi network, auto-syncing would certainly be helpful. But it somewhat ironically solves one of the biggest problems of the iPad or iPhone: the lack of auto-updating podcasts. If you are away from your home machine and you want to update your podcasts on an Apple device, you have to search them out one at a time and download manually. With Music WithMe, you could just check your podcast playlist and have new episodes pushed to your BlackBerry. Sadly, Music WithMe won’t be coming to iOS anytime soon, although Android, Symbian and Maemo users (yes, both of you) will be getting versions. The trial price, when the app launches any day now, will be $15. The final price has yet to be announced. Music WithMe puts your iTunes library on your smartphone [Music WithMe. Thanks, Roseann!] 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 23 Jun 2010 | 6:17 am Apple's iPad Sales Accelerate: Three Million Sold in 80 Days - Wired News
Source: Sci/Tech - Google News | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:43 am Apple’s iPad Sales Accelerate: Three Million Sold in 80 Days
Far from slowing down, sales of Apple’s iPad are increasing, with three million units sold since the tablet’s launch 80 days ago. That’s the same amount of time it took Phileas Fogg to travel around the world. The first million was reached in 28 days, the second million was sold in “less than 60 days”. That means that the third million has been shifted ten days ahead of “schedule”. The cynical might argue that this is more of a drop in speed, and that by opening up the iPad to the worldwide market a couple weeks back Apple should have sold a lot more. The cynic would probably be right, but the problem for Apple is that people don’t want them: it’s that it can’t make enough of the things to satisfy demand. This comes just days behind the announcement that Apple managed to pre-sell an astonishing 600,000 iPhone 4s in a day, again amidst problems of supply shortage, and also computer system meltdowns. One thing is for sure: regular, non-geek people like Apple’s mobile machines, and they’re voting with their pocketbooks. Apple Sells Three Million iPads in 80 Days [Apple] See Also:
Photo: John Snyder / Wired.com 
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:38 am iPhone 4 Torn Down and Tested: Slower Than iPad, Faster Than 3G Teardown king iFixit posted this exploded view of the iPhone 4. Hardware and software tests of the iPhone 4 and iOS 4 have started to show up, and there are a few surprises. Those brand-new iPad owners looking jealously at the fancy new iPhone can relax, though: The iPad is still the fastest piece of Apple mobile hardware out there. MacRumors has run the numbers using benchmark Geekbench and Checkup apps for iOS, and although the tests were complicated by the fact that not all the test software runs on all the platforms, the iPad came out tops, closely followed by the iPhone 4, with the iPhone 3G coming in last. This is a little mysterious, as iFixit, the King of the Teardown, has already ripped open the iPhone4 to reveal that it does indeed use the same 1-GHz A4 processor as the iPad, and also has double the RAM (512 MB vs. 256 MB). We strongly suspect that the chip is being underclocked inside the iPhone to both keep things cooler in the tight confines of its case and to conserve battery life. The iFixit teardown reveals some other surprises. The battery is not soldered in place, making it easy to replace. Very easy, in fact, as the two screws on the bottom edge release the back glass-plate panel, giving instant access to the battery. Not so good is the new bonded display. It may be tougher, and make the pixels look closer to the surface, but the glass, LCD and digitizer are all one unit, meaning cracked screens will be a lot more expensive to replace. But what of older hardware? Well, if you have the older 3G, you might not want to upgrade the OS. Flickr user Adrian Nier has posted a side-by-side video of two iPhone 3Gs, one running the new iOS4 and the other still on iOS 3.1.3. In the video, he tests the startup time and the camera, loads a web page (the now-traditional NYT, of course), and accesses the settings. Surprisingly, the phone running 3.1.3 is significantly, obviously faster. See for yourself:
This is not so surprising. The iPhone 3G is capable of running iOS4, but doesn’t get many of its goodies, including multitasking. It is also a three-year-old hardware design, and if you bought one back then, you should be eligible for an upgrade to the new iPhone anyway. For the record, my latest-gen iPod Touch (32 GB) runs as fast as it did before. There seems to be no slowdown on an already very fast device. To delve even deeper into the innards of Apple’s latest, head over to Chipworks, which carries on where iFixit leaves off. If you want to see pictures of the new 5-MP camera’s sensor taken with an electron microscope, that’s the place to go. iPhone 4 Teardown [iFixit. Thanks, Kyle!] Apple iPhone 4 Smart Phone — Teardown to the Silicon [Chipworks] iPhone 4 is Faster than 3GS and Slower than iPad in Early Benchmarks [MacRumors] iOS 4 Performance on iPhone 3G Camera and Settings [Adrian Nier/Flickr] Image: iFixit See Also:
Source: Wired: Gadget Lab | 23 Jun 2010 | 5:14 am
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I’ve read David Kirkpatrick’s 
But if you’re looking for an objective and true history of Facebook, this isn’t it. Kirkpatrick really, really loves Facebook. So much so that I’m not sure he’s even close to capable of being objective about the company. He’s Bella staring at Edward, the vampire, with those puppy dog eyes full of deep, meaningful, painful adoration. Edward/Facebook is awesomeness in a bottle.
Ooma has introduced what they are calling a free VOIP service. It does require the purchase of the $250 Oomo Telo. You can use your own phone in it or purchase their $50 handset. The service itself is not technically free as you are still required to pay your areas taxes and fees, which they say average about $4 a month. The device is sleek and good looking and it does offer some handy features such as being able to pair your cell phone with it via Bluetooth so you can answer your calls on your home phone. The service includes enhanced 911, voicemail, caller ID and the ability to keep your home phone number-for a $40 fee. Calls within the U.S. are free, while International calls vary from 25 cents a minute (Pakistan) to 1.4 cents a minute (Canada). For $10 a month their Premier service offers a second line, three way calling, Google Voice compatibility, enhanced voicemail, call forwarding, and the aformentioned ability to pair your cell phone with the Ooma device. If you’re not happy with Vonage it might be worth looking into.
When it comes to headphones, finding a good pair for less than a hundred or so can be really difficult. Let alone if you have tendencies to lean toward the audiophile side of things, where even then the headphones don’t usually perform all that well. Etymotic is hoping to help out those who want really accurate headphones without going over that $100 price point.
Ever get somewhere and realize you forgot your cell phone? Most of us would be lost without it! Bringrr Systems says they’ve got the perfect way to avoid that sinking feeling. The Bringrr Reminder Device plugs into your car’s power or lighter outlet and scans for your Bluetooth enabled phone. If it’s not that it alerts you with an audible signal. It’s a simple device with nothing to carry around or install. The classic version will retail for $34.99 while a version that also charges your phone will be available for $44.99. It works with most Bluetooth enabled phones although the company cautions that it may not work with some phones if a handsfree unit is activated. 
As brands and businesses flock to Twitter and Facebook, they are looking for ways to engage with consumers. Businesses are using coupons, personalized messages and more on social networks as tools to connect with prospective and current customers. 
We all do it-eat while we’re on our computers, resulting in a grimy keyboard. The tiny spaces between the keys collect that debris along with all kinds of other drirt At best it’s just icky, at worst in can result in sticky keys and keyboard failures. Cleaning a keyboard however has always been a challenge. I’ve read cleaning advice that instructed the user to turn the keyboard over and tap it on the table. Not really a good idea for those of us with laptops. Some say to use a can of compressed air, but if not used properly it can cause serious damage. The makers of CyberClean believe they have a better way. At first glance it looks like a jar of the slime kids love to play with but this stuff is actually useful. To use just knead in your hands for a few seconds (unless you’re sweaty it won’t feel like slime) and then press it on your keyboard and lift. The special compound gets between the keys, clings to the keyboard and lifts up the dirt. Roll into a ball with the dirt inward and it can be used over and over. (A color change indicator on each package will let you know when it’s time to toss). It can also be used to clean the vents on your CPU, the heat and A/C vents in your car and more. I watched a demo and was impressed. Stay tuned for a full review coming soon. 
E-reader, meet tablet PC. The Entourage Edge is the world’s first dual book device that combines a full color Android powered tablet with an e-reader. It’s WiFi enabled and has 3GB of usable memory along with an SD card slot and USB port. It also comes with Bluetooth and Wacom capabilities. The screens rotate and a 360 degree hinge allow it to be used in a variety of positions and configurations and it has two built in microphones, a 3.5mm microphone jack and stereo speakers. Books are linked to the tablet so that looking up a word is as easy as tapping on it. Both the 10"1 WXGA tablet screen and the 9.7” e-ink screens are clear and crisp and both have very zippy response times and good battery life (6hrs for the tablet and 11 for the e-reader) At 3.2 pounds it’s a bit hefty but this device could be an outstanding tool for students and businesspeople. 
At the CEA Line Shows there are many booths that always busy with people checking out the products. One of the busiest booths seems to be Immerz’s. Walking by there always seemed to be someone sitting down at the table with the strange-looking Kor-fx on their shoulders.
When I first heard about this device I was intrigued. I’m guessing most of you have a keychain or wallet full of loyalty cards from your favorite businesses. I know I do! I’ve got Pathmark, Stop & Shop, Borders, Petsmart, CVS and more. The discounts and special offers they give us are great but having to fumble for them when you want to use them or having a keychain full of them can be a pain. The folks at Mobeam think they have the perfect solution in the numi key. This little device holds all your loyalty cards for you. When you want to use on just call it up on the color screen, hit the red button, and point it at the scanner. That’s all there is to it. It also holds gift cards and downloadable. It’s a great way to keep your cards organized and clear some space in your wallet, purse or pocket! 
LG has unveiled a line of Mobile Digital TV devices that are sure to be a hit this holiday season. Unlike traditional Mobile TV these devices allow TV broadcasts to be viewed even while moving. Both free over the air broadcasts and subscription based cable programming (such as MSNBC, Nickelodeon, Food Network, E!, and more) will be available. The devices range from a $250 portable TV and DVD player to a $99 USB receiver will be available. An iPhone adapter, mobile tablet, Mobile DTV enabled Dell Mini, in-vehicle viewing, a pocket TV and more are planned. Mobile DTV will also be available on selected cell phones. This could be the mobile TV everyone has been waiting for!
I’m going to set my cynical blogger cred down for a second here and say that I like these phones for some reason. They’re colorful, they’ve got nice big keyboards, a straightforward interface… they’re perfect for the adolescent/teen crowd that texts incessantly doesn’t really care about GPS, Bluetooth, or tethering. And buttons. Tons of buttons. If it’s good enough for a Japanese schoolgirl, it’s good enough for me. It’s not often I get to say that, so I jump at the chance today.
Looking around the web, it’s clear that live video streaming is on the rise. News sites are frequently embedding breaking content, artists are live-streaming their concerts as a promotion vehicle, and celebrities are increasingly broadcasting the mundane events of their daily lives (apparently lots of people like watching that sort of thing too). But there are still plenty of question marks — what exactly do people want to watch streamed live? How are they going to watch it? And how does YouTube play into all of this? Last week I sat down with 
Sandisk has created a new line of write once, read many SD cards, mainly intended for law enforcement. I suppose you could use one for taking pictures of grandma, but I don’t really see the point for personal use. Well, maybe for weddings and graduations and such, but part of the attraction of digital cameras is that you can erase pictures without worrying about it.
Suppes has built his first test magrid out of Teflon and copper, though he hasn't run it yet. He's started designing a 3D printable magrid with space for superconducting magnets, which potentially could take less energy to run and get the reaction closer to self-sustaining. He's using a high temperature superconducting magnetic tape, but even high temperature means liquid nitrogen cooled, instead of liquid helium. It has to sit next to plasma.
[Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner:] "Because Janie grew up in Tennessee, she is very attuned to formality and the way that things stay pretty much the same the further you get from Los Angeles or New York. People don’t always change with the times. Part of the story that we are trying to tell is about the loosening of all this stuff—the crudening of manners and style as the period changes. Janie and I talk about that all the time and try to signal it in little ways, like with a character taking off his hat in the elevator. It’s unusual for a costume designer to stay on this long, and that means so much since here continuity really matters."
Music WithMe will wirelessly sync the music on your computer with your BlackBerry, wherever you happen to be. Specifically, it will sync selected playlists in iTunes over a Wi-Fi or cellular network so your mobile music library is always up to date.
