ALL ABOUT MULTIMEDIA

Left-handed multimedia keyboard

2007-09-05T08:16:00.001+07:00

Lefties, rejoice! There is now a multimedia keyboard that caters specifically to left-handed folks, where the numeric keypad and additional keys are situated on the left hand side of the board in order to allow the natural movement of your left hand during access. Some of the hot key functions located at the top of this keyboard includes Sleep, WWW, Search, Email, Favorites, Mute, and Volume adjustments. It retails for £29.99 (US$58.48) and would make a great gift your your southpaw friend who's been ranting about the lack of left-handed friendly products available in the market.
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Sunglasses Camera with Personal DVR

2007-09-05T08:08:00.001+07:00

Check out this pair of Sunglasses Camera with Personal Digital Video Recorder, enabling you to film whatever you're currently looking at. The design doesn't suit everyone though as it looks rather huge and blocky, so younger folks might avoid this in order to preserve their street cred. Features include an integrated color monitor, a speaker, 32MB of internal memory, and an SD/MMC memory card slot for a much larger storage capacity. You'll have to dig deep for this one though as it retails for £816.63 after taxes.
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Pen Color Document Scanner

2007-09-05T08:03:00.001+07:00

The Pen Color Document Scanner enables you to store approximately 200 pages in one go, helping students as well as working professionals alike who deal with tons and tons of paper-based information each day. It is capable of scanning a page every four seconds, and comes with software that manages your scanned documents easily while hooking them up to existing programs such as Outlook Express, Winfax, Notepad, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. A microSD memory card acts as the storage device of choice, and data is transferred via USB. The Pen Color Document Scanner retails for £299.63 after taxes.
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Klipsch unveils IMAGE in-ear earphones

2007-09-05T07:58:00.001+07:00

Klipsch, well known for high-end audio equipment, has just revealed what could possibly be the smallest and lightest in-ear earphones in the world known as the Klipsch IMAGE. I must say it is pretty pointless to have the most minuscule in-ear earphones if they're still going to dangle from your ears no thanks to the wired connection, although having that lightweight feeling could be beneficial especially for those who constantly travel across continents often. Made from aluminum and copper, the Klipsch IMAGE retails for a rather hefty $349 for each pair.
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Toshiba reveals Gigabeat T401

2007-08-31T15:27:00.001+07:00

Toshiba has just announced the Gigabeat T401 that could lay the path for the next Zune. This flash-based DAP comes with 4GB of internal memory and features a 2.4" LCD QVGA display, WiFi connectivity, and support for MP3, WMA, WAV, and WM DRM10 files. Sound quality is enhanced with the inclusion of Toshiba's very own H2C Technology. It measures 85.6mm x 54mm x 9.9mm and weighs 58 grams, with no word on pricing as at press time. After all is said and done, I still wonder why can't they throw in an AM/FM radio for added value. Will you pick this over the iPod?
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Panasonic D-Snap SV-SD950N

2007-08-31T15:07:00.001+07:00

Panasonic has a brand new digital audio player in town known as the D-Snap SV-SD950N. It comes in a rectangular form factor with an SD memory card slot for your storage needs. Each purchase ships with a measly 1GB SD memory card, so you would be well advised to pick up 2GB cards when the opportunity swings by. The best part would be Bluetooth connectivity that enables you to enjoy music without the hassle of wires cramping your style, making this an ideal candidate at the gym or long road trips. Battery life is pretty impressive, clocking up to 60 hours of continuous playback before requiring a recharge. The Panasonic D-Snap SV-SD950N will be released this September for approximately $219 in silver or black colors.
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Narae Inter Card R voice recorder

2007-08-31T15:04:00.003+07:00

Narae Inter has just unveiled what looks like a card-type USB flash drive, but in reality it does more than just store data files. The Card R is actually a voice recorder with all the spiffy controls on the underside. Packing 1GB of internal memory, the Card R is capable of holding up to 72 hours of recorded audio which you can then transfer over to a computer via a high speed USB 2.0 connection. It measures a mere 6.5mm thin, so you can plonk this into your wallet or breast pocket without looking suspicious. Looks like a great back-to-school item for purchase, but too bad it is currently available in Korea only.
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Burmester 061 CD player costs a bomb

2007-08-31T15:04:00.001+07:00

Are CD players truly different when placed side-by-side with each other? Well, audiophiles will definitely be able to tell the difference and chances are they'll fall for the Burmester 061 CD player from Germany. It comes with a Philips CD 2 Pro direct drive with a modified servo mechanism as well as advanced D/A converters that can up-sample standard CD audio to either 96 or 192 KHz for advanced processing further down the signal chain. A milled aluminum chassis with a top-loading 10mm thick tray is added for aesthetic purposes, while sporting RCA and Toslink input and output with unbalanced and XLR outputs completing the picture. How much for such extravagance? A cool $11,995.

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Seoul Commtech EZON digital door lock

2007-08-31T06:55:00.001+07:00

Seoul Commtech has just unveiled its EZON (SHS-1110) digital door lock for the Korean market, featuring an aluminum alloy construction and black colored tempered glass complete with a touch sensor for enhanced security in your home. Looks like a crowbar would be no good in this case, but if somebody really wanted to break in, all they need to do is to spy on your PIN number from afar. I guess it would be best to use this coupled with a traditional padlock system. The EZON digital door lock is tipped to retail for approximately $180.

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R2-D2 Wireless Web Camera

2007-08-31T06:28:00.001+07:00

R2-D2, let's count the number of functions thou has. You can strike off 'Wireless Web Camera' from the list as well with this new offering from Hammacher. This little number is actually a 628 x 528 pixel web camera that transmits real-time video and audio to a computer wirelessly, boasting worldwide remote access capabilities that enables you to virtually control R2-D2's movements from anywhere in the world as long as there is an Internet connection. You use a lightsaver-shaped remote to control the droid, and he is even capable of 360 spins. A sensor in front prevents R2-D2 from dropping over a table edge while emitting an audible warning to protect your $349.95 investment from being the robotic Humpty Dupty. One thing that bugs me is the half dozen AA batteries required to fuel this thing.

Brian the Brain

2007-08-31T06:27:00.001+07:00

This unique device brings a new take to the word 'encyclopedia' as it incorporates the concise volumes from Britannica, a dictionary, and a world history timeline into a 13.75" x 11.75" x 10" 'body', so to speak. Featuring just a brain and two eyes enclosed in a transparent glass case, Brian the Brain responds to verbal prompts thanks to voice recognition technology. It is smart enough to ask questions such as a child's likes and dislikes, using such responses to crack a joke or initiate a conversation. Brian has also enough gray matter to store phone numbers by hooking it up to a phone jack. Other features include word, memory, and trivia games - this is certainly more unnerving than the talking head in Brain Age. A digital clock, calendar, MP3 player jack, integrated speaker, and retractable keyboard for text communication rounds off the list of features. Brian the Brain retails for $119.95 and is powered by a trio of AAA batteries.

Olevia unveils full HD LCoS TV

2007-08-30T05:24:00.001+07:00

Syntax-Brillian will be unveiling the 665H Olevia TV at this year's CEDIA. What makes this TV special from the rest of the LCD and plasma crowd is the use of Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) that functions very much like DLP TVs due to the utilization of rear projection. The difference lies in producing images using liquid crystals on a silicon chip, where the LCoS process is capable of higher resolution than DLP. This means you'll be able to enjoy full HD (1080p) on the Olevia 665H with no problems whatsoever. Other highlights include a 4ms response time, a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, an integrated tuner for ATSC and NTSC signals, HDMI, VGA, S-video, and composite inputs. Heck, even the TV's firmware can be upgraded. You will have to set aside $1,999 for the Olevia 665H if you want one.

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Olympus launches µ820 digital camera

2007-08-30T05:23:00.001+07:00

Olympus has just launched the µ820 digital camera in Korea, bringing 8 megapixels' worth of goodness to the consumer along with 5x zoom for more detailed shots from afar. The 'Perfect Show Preview' function stands out since it enables users to preview and enable different effects on a multi-frame window on their LCD display. This lets users see the changes before a picture is snapped. The inclusion of digital image stabilization ensures you always get crystal clear images, with help from an integrated gyro sensor that tracks camera movement and shutter speed. No idea on how much it costs though. Using a digital camera seems to get easier and easier by the day.
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Daewoo DPC-8099PD-I portable DVD player

2007-08-30T05:21:00.001+07:00

Daewoo has just unveiled the DPC-8099PD-I portable DVD/iPod player that comes with an LCD display that is an inch larger than the industry average of 7". Not only do you get to enjoy your current collection of DVDs, VCDs, and audio CDs, you can also dock an iPod as well. Additional features include a USB port and card reader that is more than willing to accomodate any USB thumb drives or SD/MMC memory cards. Supported formats include MP3, JPEG, and DivX. As at press time, there has been no word with regard to price and availability.
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BlackJack could get WM6 next month

2007-08-30T05:18:00.001+07:00

Users of the Samsung BlackJack have heard word that a new ROM would be released sometime in the summer, but now that summer is all but over, there is no sight of Windows Mobile 6 at all. There is still life in this rumor though, with whispers promoting the production release of Windows Mobile 6 for the BlackJack to hit streets on September 17th next month. While that might sound like a long way off, what's three weeks after waiting for a few months? Will you be making the upgrade by then should the update actually be released?
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Braun Pulsonic now in stores

2007-08-30T05:17:00.001+07:00

Braun has a brand new shaver up on store shelves in the form of the Braun Pulsonic electric razor. Apparently, the company isn't happy having the Pulsonic just sit there on shelves - instead, it will soon be the beneficiary of a huge advertising campaign that will involves unshaved men from all walks of life along with a guidebook on caring for your gorilla. Nah, I'm just kidding. This ad campaign will definitely be large though, even involving a blog. If you plan on helping save the environment, you'd be pleased to know that the Pulsonic shaver is the first of its kind that qualify for the government's ENERGY STAR program, consuming 64% less energy than standard shavers.

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Olympus FE Series cameras are fun

2007-08-24T18:42:00.001+07:00

Olympus has unveiled three new cameras in its FE line, bringing the words 'fun' and 'easy' into the world of photography. One of the most outstanding feature would be the "Smile Shot" that will take portraits only when the subjects in the photograph smile. The FE-280, FE-290, and FE-300 that retails for $200, $250, and $300 respectively are pretty much the same, sharing a 2.5" LCD display with 3x optical zoom. The main difference would be the megapixel count that stands at 8, 7, and 12 in ascending order. I wonder whether making funny faces during a photo shoot is categorized as a "smile" by the sensor.
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Samsung launches F81 LCD TVs

2007-08-23T11:09:00.001+07:00

Samsung has just lifted the curtain on its line of F81 LCD TVs that feature the highest contrast levels from the company to date. On the outside, the F81 series took its styling cues from the Bordeaux design that adorned Samsung's 2007 models, but the inside is what matters most with a dynamic contrast ratio of 25,000 to 1 - letting you view extremely dark scenes without experiencing any significant dulling of brighter sections. The 40" and 46" models support full HD resolution and can even hook up to the Internet via a System Link option. There is no word on pricing or availability on the F81 series, but you can bet your bottom dollar that they will be released in Korea first followed by the rest of the world (or whoever can afford it).
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Flo backpack gives the TMNT look

2007-08-23T11:07:00.000+07:00

Remember the TMNT craze that swept the globe early last decade? Well, the Flo backpack certainly brings back memories of our pizza-loving shelled friends, coming in a modular, ergonomic, and performance strength bag that is equally at home in the city or for the great outdoors. Made out of rigid thermofoam, you can choose from three designs - urban day pack, the weekender, or the 5-day trekker which snaps in quickly and securely into the Flo frame. The frame itself is made out of lightweight molded plastic and comes with large air channels that are capable of maintaining breathability and a flexible core for unrestricted mobility. Designed by Ivan Huber, this is but a concept at the moment. Hopefully there'll be specific compartments inside that can hold an iPod or a handheld console securely.

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Scrolling LCD watch

2007-08-22T16:55:00.001+07:00

What is the impression you get whenever you see a scrolling LCD display? Most of us would think of advertisements, but the Scrolling LCD watch takes a different approach by being a perfect match to virtually any clothes you put on. Not only does this watch tell the time, it also allows you to scroll your own word - too bad there is a 5 character limit to it. Other features include a stopwatch function, the ability to display international time zones, and support for up to 5 alarms. Each Scrolling LCD watch retails for $75.
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Loewe Connect media center concept

2007-08-22T16:54:00.001+07:00

Loewe has come up with a media center concept that includes a smart TV set in a modern, aesthetically pleasing package. The Loewe Connect comes in three different sizes, starting from 32" and maxing out at 42". Some of the more interesting features include an integrated network media player, built-in WiFi, and an HD tuner. Connectivity options include a USB port and an Ethernet port to get you hooked up to various devices. There is no word on pricing or availability, but if you're curious enough to find out what the Loewe Connect media center is all about, head on to IFA 2007 where it is on display.
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Wireless 9-Button Mouse

2007-08-22T16:53:00.001+07:00

I don't know about you, but I'm doing just fine with two buttons on my mouse along with a scroll wheel. For those who want more, there is the wireless 9-button mouse from USB Fever that uses RF instead of Bluetooth connectivity, boasting up to 256 IDs per channel in order to avoid interference. It features 800dpi resolution and comes with a circular scroll wheel. As with most wireless mice these days, there is a sleep mode to help you save on power consumption. The Wireless 9-Button Mouse retails for $29.99 a pop. If you want to stick with a wired version, USB Fever is selling it for the same price. Strange that.

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Panasonic Real Pro Ultra massage chair

2007-08-22T07:50:00.001+07:00

Panasonic has just dropped the Real Pro Ultra massage chair that is guaranteed to get you drooling the moment you lay your eyes on it. It is meant to soothe the day's stress away, providing a full massage session all the way from your neck down to your legs. There is a variety of massaging styles to choose from, so it really depends on which style suits you best. Unfortunately, the $4,799 price tag makes it out of reach for most people. How has your experience been with a massage chair to date? I heard from certain sales persons that the motors inside these chairs ought to be given regular maintenance lest they start to make noise after months of regular use.
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PalmSecure successfully developed

2007-08-22T07:37:00.001+07:00

Fujitsu and Siemens have collaborated to bring the PalmSecure hand scanner into existence, making devices such as ATMs all the more secure during a transaction. PalmSecure technology actually maps the distinct vein pattern located just under the skin on the palm of a person's hand in order to confirm that person's identity, offering a fool-proof method of authentication unlike a fingerprint-based system that could be easily overcome these days. Will such technology ever make its way to airports sometime down the road? It surely would beat rooting out notorious folks although they have the advantage of a forged passport.
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Canon PowerShot G9 debuts

2007-08-20T20:10:00.001+07:00

Canon has a new PowerShot in town, and this time the G9 will oust the G7 digital camera. As with anything new, expect to see some positive changes such as the highly sought after raw shooting mode, a newer and brighter 3" display, and the new 12.1 megpaixel 1/1.7-inch sensor. Other features that tag along with the PowerShot G9 includes face detection, improved focus and handling, compatibility with Canon's ST-E2 wireless flash transmitter, and the 6x optically-stabilized zoom. Not only that, you can print directly to a printer without the need for a computer to stand in as the middleman since the PowerShot G9 also supports PictBridge compatibility. Are you planning to upgrade your digital camera anytime soon? If yes, will you be taking the Canon PowerShot G9 into consideration?

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UNI computer concept

2007-08-20T20:09:00.001+07:00

Now the UNI compartmentalized computer concept takes the lean route, where users will be able to purchase the essential media and computational functions in different modules, letting you buy only what you need without a transistor more (or less). Not only that, the ability to add on other computational functions make it easy for future expansion, ensuring you don't have to purchase a whole new computer once the current one turns obsolete. Some of the modules include Network HomePlug technology and wireless USB connectivity. Looks like you don'tl need to expand your computer's footprint each time you upgrade, since the main unit, Think, is already the largest. Anyone else thinks (no pun intended) that the entire concept reeks of Apple speak?

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Price cuts from SanDisk imminent

2007-08-19T10:33:00.001+07:00

SanDisk has just revealed that a couple of their Sansa players will receive a price cut without any reduction in quality. The Sansa Connect will cost you one less Benjamin, where the 4GB model retails for $150 at the new price point in addition to unlimited WiFi downloads from Yahoo! Music Unlimited for a mere $15. The Sansa Shaker on the other hand will have its 512MB model receive some company in the form of a 1GB model, where the 512MB and 1GB models retail for $35 and $50 respectively to suit all budgets. Will this make you run out and pick up either if you've been sitting on the fence all this while?
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Kurt Cobain back to life

2007-08-19T10:25:00.001+07:00

The late Kurt Cobain hated being in the limelight, so it is strange to see him being turned into an 18" Talking Action Figure . The product page doesn't give more detail on what pearls of wisdom does he spew, but this highly detailed model is based on Kurt's appearance in "Smells Like Teen Spirit" all those years ago, including his beloved guitar. I wonder where is all the royalty money going to? Will it end up at some toy manufacturing company's pockets, or will a dollop seep its way into Courtney Love's bank account? For those who hero worship this Seattle grungemaster, pick up his legacy for $44.99.

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Darth Vader Bobblehead is limited

2007-07-24T19:26:00.001+07:00

Most people know that anything to do with Star Wars in limited quantity will probably end up as a valuable collector's item many years down the road, although Jabba the Hutt shouldn't be too highly sought after. Darth Vader, central in all six episodes of the movies, now comes in a Hologram Bobblehead. What makes this version of the Dark Lord of the Sith different from his other iterations would be his limited exclusivity - this version will see just 1,500 units worldwide. Shipping begins this August, but you can grab a piece of history today by pre-ordering yours for £14.95. Looks like George Lucas is milking his cash cow for all its worth, and it would be great to be a Lucas descendant as I suspect they need not work ever again just like the Hilton sisters.

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Sabeco Solar Powered Shaver

2007-07-24T19:23:00.001+07:00

The Sabeco Solar Powered Shaver is definitely a friend of the environment (bar its manufacturing process), relying on nothing but pure solar power (just like Kal-El) to nourish its internal batteries to provide a welcome shave to men who have started to develop a stubble. Now if Tom Hanks had this in Cast Away, at least he'll still look spiffy when he made a return to civilization instead of being that bearded, scraggly-looking monster. The Sabeco Solar Powered Shaver is nothing short of a boon to those who love the great outdoors. I wonder why nobody came up with a hand-crank version yet - perhaps a shaver requires way too much cranking to be power efficient?
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IWalk PowerFoot One prosthetic foot

2007-07-24T19:12:00.001+07:00

The culmination of work by MIT and Brown University researchers have resulted in the IWalk PowerFoot One prosthetic foot. This unique mechanical limb will be available on a commercial basis next summer, and it comes with an electric motor as well as a series of springs that work like tendons. The IWalk PowerFoot One is widely expected to benefit amputees, offering a more natural gait that helps build up one's self confidence. Since the IWalk PowerFoot One isn't just dead weight and puts a spring in every step, it will greatly help one's movement. It is interesting to see technology trying to bridge the gap between the human body and bionic parts to make an incomplete person whole.

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Flashlight PMP concept

2007-07-23T11:00:00.001+07:00

Now this is what I call a compact portable multimedia player. It looks more like a vertically standing flashlight than anything else, but what looks like a bulb is actually the projector's lens. The rotating sections of the barrel lets the user control the device, presumably using a navigational menu system of some sort. What makes this interesting is the ability to project your content (ranging from interface, pictures, and movies) onto a wall instead of a display. Heck, you even get a matching pair of wireless earbuds and a speaker dock. Too bad it remains a concept by Can-Hong Huang at this point in time - are there any hardware manufacturers who have the technology to mass produce these for us consumers?
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iPod Shuffle touched by Midas

2007-07-23T07:14:00.001+07:00

That's what it looks like anyway with this iPod Shuffle from Xexoo of Germany. Made from real 18 carat gold, this will definitely burn an extremely large hole in your pocket if you want one with its price tag of $19,343 (14,000 Euros). For those who aren't satisfied with just gold, there is a diamond upgrade in the works, so be prepared to cough up even more money then. This special iPod Shuffle even comes with its own round-the-clock service in case you run into any trouble with it, where a free replacement is waiting in the wings. Definitely ranks an item that most people want but cannot afford. Each purchase comes with a lovely looking wooden box that comes in a piano style.

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Curve Extreme Sport concept

2007-07-22T19:04:00.001+07:00

The Curve Extreme Sport is a skateboard concept that looks to have its design roots in the MotoGP environment, thanks to a pair of MotoGP-inspired tires that actually taper on both ends, enabling the rider to make sharp turns during a high speed down-hill race. This is made possible by the drafted angle of the tires which minimizes the contact point for minimal friction, translating to maximum speed and greater agility. Racing down-hill in a skateboard or something that looks like one isn't exactly my cup of tea, thank you very much. Better call your insurance agent and pay a higher premium if you're ever thinking of picking one of these up should it materialize.

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Wooden USB Memory Strap

2007-07-22T19:01:00.001+07:00

Brando has gone all natural on us this time, featuring a Wooden USB Memory Strap that comes with integrated flash memory which stores your data and information in what some might call it a fashionable neck strap. $32 will net you 2GB of storage space, and best of all is, you won't have to worry about losing your protective cover since it is held in place by the strap itself. I wouldn't recommend smoking near this though, as it looks to be more highly flammable than the average plastic USB flash drive.

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Guitar Heronoid from Rafael

2007-07-22T14:52:00.001+07:00

While others take to Guitar Hero like a duck to water, there are musically challenged people who find this game pretty hard to complete. The Guitar Heronoid by Rafael Mizrahi shows you how it is done, as the robot is divided into the "brain" and "body" sections, where the former takes charge of detecting and analyzing PS2 video signals while the latter generates play commands for the "body" to execute. The "body" will read the processed play commands and move its fingers accordingly. Now is this totally, like, cool or what? I would love to have one of these just to freak people out, never mind the high score.

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PS 3 Now Equiped By Voip

2007-05-12T20:05:00.001+07:00

Telephone no longer only poison is done through PC ( computer) and or telephone grasped. You now can do him through console game. Sony have equiped console game the best, PlayStation 3 ( PS 3), with application for communicating. Through the cooperation with provider VoIP, Jajah, of gamer the ready can communicate one another through services VoIP ( Voice over Internet Protocol) which activated via web. Gamer is unnecessary again men-download software, the section Colonize have connected the interface with PS 3. That way cited by studio-ponsel from PC, Magazine, Friday ( 11/5/2007). To be able to do call, gamer only enough explore to situs www.play.jajah.com then the gone telephone number input." Colonize present have offered cheap phone call and or free to sittingroom. Telephone through Colonizing now can be done at the same time free in front of television without require to animate computer," said Roman, Scharf, one of the founder member Colonized.

iPod bother cardiac pacemaker appliance

2007-05-12T20:03:00.001+07:00

Patient heart pain may be necessary avoid usage of digital music rotator iPod. a study indicate existence of alteration which caused usage of iPod. The apply at heart the sick using cardiac pacemaker auxiliaries, or known as pacemaker. a study show possibility of peripheral alteration iPod if applied close to cardiac pacemaker appliance. The electromagnetic alteration found in a experiment done by a age high school student of 17 year. Study is done to 100 patient, average of age of 77 year, what using cardiac pacemaker peripheral. Alteration happened at storey of 50 % if iPod drawn near with patient chest at distance of 2 inch during 5 10 is finite second. Study only done to iPod and not other digital music peripheral.
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Does anyone care about high definition?

2007-04-16T17:00:00.000+07:00

High-definition DVD players have finally hit the market, offering unprecedented picture quality. But movies and video clips are increasingly being watched on low-definition portable devices like video iPods, handheld media players or even mobile phones. So has high-definition DVD missed the boat?

Enthusiasm for the very best picture quality - in a cinema, at least - is certainly not what it was.

While annual cinema admissions in the UK grew steadily from 1984 until 2002, these figures have stagnated at around 167 million admissions per year over the last few years, according to the UK Film Council.

By contrast, the number of low picture quality videos watched on the internet has exploded over the last two years thanks to websites such as YouTube. Although precise figures are not available, on average an estimated 100 million videos are streamed off the site and more than 65,000 new videos are added every day.

Cinema tickets cost money while YouTube video clips are free so these figures can not be compared directly, but the success of YouTube shows that picture quality is not that important to a great many people.

And there is evidence that given a choice between picture quality and convenience, an increasing number of consumers are choosing the latter.

LoveFilm, one of Europe's largest DVD rental businesses, offers films which can be downloaded from its web site. Since DVD quality films are too large to deliver easily over the internet, they have to be compressed to a lower quality for Internet delivery. But Simon Morris, LoveFilm's marketing director, says that the number of movies downloaded by customers is growing steadily.
The success of digital music players like Apple's iPod - sales of which recently passed the 100 million mark - shows that many music lovers are far more interested in portability rather than getting the very best sound quality.

The same is starting to be true of video: portable devices capable of displaying moderate quality video on small screens are becoming increasingly commonplace.

Spend a few minutes on a bus or train or in an airport lounge and you're almost sure to see someone watching a film on personal digital assistant (PDA), portable media player, Video iPod, Sony PSP handheld games console, or even a mobile phone.

You may even see someone watching television on their laptop or PDA.

This is possible using a device called a Slingbox, which sends pictures and sound from a home television through the internet.
Stewart Collingwood, European vice president of Sling Media, maker of the Slingbox, says: "Obviously people want good picture quality, but what we have found is that people are willing to trade quality for portability.

"They'll trade it off for stuff they otherwise wouldn't be able to access."

Mike McGuire, a media researcher at analysts Gartner Group, believes that just as music lovers who may once have bought an expensive living room hi-fi system are now more likely now to walk around with a portable MP3 player, film buffs will now be less interested in high-definition home cinema systems than portable media players.

"I think that quality is still appreciated, but portability of content right now is crucial," he says.

This is an important point because while DVD movies are relatively easy to convert to digital files which can be played on portable players, high definition DVDs are more securely locked to prevent owners from doing this.

Attempting to subvert the copy protection of audio or video formats - even those legally bought - in order to play on other devices is against the law.

And there are thousands of TV programmes and movies ripped from DVDs available for illicit download via the net and most of them are in a format quality well below standard DVDs.
And from there those digital files can be converted into formats suitable for portable devices.

Using DivX, one of the best known compression technologies, it's possible to reduce a film copied from a DVD to about one tenth of its original size without a great loss in quality.

A PDA or mobile phone with a 4GB memory card would be hard pressed to store a single film from a DVD, but can easily store 10 titles compressed using DivX.

Ronja Hartmann, a DivX spokesperson, says more than 200 million people have downloaded its compression software to watch video on their PCs, and more than 70 million consumer devices such as portable video players have been shipped with DivX technology built in.

Mobile phones with DivX will also soon be available, she says.

Does this mean that high-definition DVD players are destined to fail?

Anna Berry, a manager at John Lewis, a UK department store chain, says sales of Blu-ray and HD-DVD players have so far been low.

But the company has sold 100,000 portable video players in the last year.

"It is an area which is very strong and getting stronger, " she says.

"We would expect sales of portable media devices, including iPod Videos, to be greater than those of pure high definition DVD players over the next two years."

There have also been warnings that the format war between HD-DVD and Blu-ray is putting some consumers off.

And while the physical formats stagnate, online delivery of high definition could be the future.

Xbox 360 owners in the US can download a growing catalogue of video in high-def, while Apple is expected to offer high-definition video via iTunes in the near future.

By Paul Rubens

source:bbc.com

Space 'nerd' readies for lift-off

2007-04-07T12:24:00.000+07:00

A 58-year-old software engineer is set to become the fifth ever space tourist when he blasts off on board a Russian Soyuz spacecraft this Saturday.

Billionaire Charles Simonyi, who led development of Microsoft's Word, will lift off from Kazakhstan at 1731 GMT.

The $20m ride will make him the 450th person to enter orbit and by his own admission "the first nerd in space".

With two professional cosmonauts, he is now making final preparations in a quarantine unit at Baikonur Cosmodrome.

"There are really two reasons for the isolation," Dr Simonyi told the BBC News website.

"The practical reason is so that you don't get sick. The other reason is perhaps psychological - it helps you focus on the task ahead."

Vital control

Dr Simonyi's task started six months ago when he began training for the flight at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, Russia and at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Since then he has been through a gruelling physical training programme, including strict medical tests, to prepare him for the exhilarating eight minute ride to escape the Earth's atmosphere and his time on board the International Space Station (ISS).
Dr Simonyi and the two Russian crew members - Fyodor Yurchikin and Oleg Kotov - will spend two days reaching the ISS.

Once there, he will spend ten days onboard, completing 200 orbits of the Earth and covering 5 million miles (8 million km) in the process.

The return journey, accompanied by the fourteenth ISS crew already onboard, will take just two hours and will return to Earth on 20 April.

Although Dr Simonyi is classed as a spaceflight participant, rather than a cosmonaut, he will still have a role to play in the flights.

"There are a few valves on my side of the space craft which are not flight critical but if they are not handled they will become flight critical," he said.

The valves, situated on the right hand side of the Soyuz module, control the air conditioning and oxygen supply.
"You may think that is very important but there is a large amount of oxygen in the cabin," he explained.

However, his primary job is to make sure that he is not a burden to the professional crew.

"My main role is to take care of myself and my space suit. I have to put on the gloves, close and open the visor, manipulate the valve to check the pressure integrity," he said.

Space traditions

Once on the space station, Dr Simonyi will carry out a series of experiments including measuring the amount of radiation that he is exposed to while onboard the ISS.

The aim is to help to generate an accurate map of the radiation environment onboard the space station.

He will also be updating his website, charlesinspace.com, and taking time to gaze down on the planet.
The Hungarian-born engineer is now in the last phase of preparations and training for the mission, including regular sessions on a tilting table and in a spinning Vestibular Chair to get used to the effects of weightlessness.

In addition, his feet are gradually elevated, higher each night, while he sleeps in bed.

"It gives you a feeling of fullness in the head, which is typical of weightlessness," said Dr Simonyi.

He will also take part in a series of ceremonies and rituals, including a viewing of Russian film White Sun of the Desert, a tradition for cosmonauts spanning many years.

Friends and family will also attend a party, although they will be separated by glass from Dr Simonyi to prevent the spread of infections.

"By the time I get to the spacecraft, I think it will be a wonderful relief from all of the excitement and I can just concentrate on the flight which we have simulated many times," he said.

"That is probably the easiest part."

Lunar dream

Dr Simonyi's once in a lifetime trip has been arranged by US-based Space Adventures.

The company has previously sent four private explorers to space.
In 2001, American Dennis Tito became the first space tourist. He was followed by South African Mark Shuttleworth the year after, and American Greg Olsen in 2005.

Iranian-born US businesswoman Anousheh Ansari became the first ever female space tourist in September 2006.

She was a last minute replacement for Japanese businessman Daisuke Enomoto who failed his medical tests.

"Every time someone flies it keeps proving that there is a market for this," said Eric Anderson, co-founder of Space Adventures.

As well as trips to the ISS, Mr Anderson's company plans to develop suborbital vehicles for pleasure flights and be the first to complete a tourist trip to the far side of the moon.

"That's the $100 million dollar grand daddy of them all, where we use the Soyuz capsule to do a circumlunar pass," said Mr Anderson.

It has not been announced whether anyone has signed up for the ambitious trip.
source:bbc.com

Broadband kills off consumer ISDN

2007-04-06T14:34:00.000+07:00

BT is to withdraw Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) services from consumer use later this year.

ISDN proved very popular with people working from home who needed access to data connections faster than available dial-up modem speeds.

"We are withdrawing consumer ISDN," said a BT spokesman, "the demand for it has dived with the availability of cheap, fast broadband."

But some broadcasters feel the service is still essential to their jobs.

Back when home net users relied on dial-up modems and fast data pipes were so expensive that only businesses had them, ISDN emerged as a hugely attractive alternative.

Speed demon

The all-digital end-to-end connection could run at 64 kilobits per second (kbps), both upstream and downstream, and was charged by how long you used it for - just like a fixed phone.

Many home users signed up for BT's domestic ISDN service, which was known as Home Highway, to get at those heady browsing speeds. Also many businesses used it as a back-up for their fixed fast data lines.

But as fast data pipes, broadband to you and me, became more popular ISDN has lost its lustre for those home users.

According to figures from watchdog Ofcom the average speed enjoyed by the 50% of UK adults with broadband is 3.8Mbps - far faster than Home Highway ISDN can manage.

Technology change

But there is one group for whom ISDN has not lost its attractions - broadcasters.
For them it has proved to be a boon when filing reports away from base. Unfortunately the technology is being discontinued all over the world leaving many broadcasters with a problem of what to replace it with.

"There's nothing that can replace it," said Gavin Davis, head of Glen Sound which makes ISDN equipment for the broadcast industry.

One of ISDN's advantages, he said, was that it gave the same speed connection upstream and down. But because of the technology used to get broadband into homes this has disappeared. As its name implies Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) used for domestic broadband lets people download much faster than they can upload

Added to this are some basic problems with the way that IP-based networks, ie the internet, handle data traffic jams.

"For outside broadcast-type work IP just does not work," said Mr Davis.

The problem, he said, was that data sent across the net is all mixed together. There are no guarantees that packets of data will arrive at all or that they will take the same amount of time to arrive at their destination.

"ISDN is extremely useful to us because, unlike IP, it doesn't use contention - the bit rate on the tin is the bit rate you get," said Rupert Brun, head of technology and projects in BBC radio production.

"Compare this with IP where the connection gets slower as the network gets busier," he said.
To cope with busy times some IP-based broadcast equipment inserts delay, or latency, in a bid to help the data stream get through.

But, said Mr Brun, this causes more problems.

"Latency becomes a real issue for live broadcasts where we need to send output back to a journalist of presenter," said Mr Brun, "if the feed back to their headphones is delayed too much it can be very difficult for them to speak."

It can also stymie scheduling plans in which live broadcasts are supposed to dovetail with planned programming.

Mr Brun said the BBC was trialling IP-based alternatives with local radio shows.

"Developments in IP allow guaranteed levels of service to be established," he said, "but it then costs more."

BT pointed out that although ISDN will not be offered to consumers, it was still available to businesses - both large and small.

Mr Davis from Glen Sound said the European Broadcasting Union was starting to draw up standards to ensure IP-based broadcasting equipment is a good replacement. Some nations such as Sweden, he said, have gone as far as pushing manufacturers to build hardware just for them.

But, he said, the alternatives will take time to arrive.

"It's reasonable to expect that in a few years time the telecoms firms will be able to provide short-term, high-quality, bi-directional IP circuits," said Mr Davis. "They certainly cannot do it now."
source:bbc.com

Lenovo tops eco-friendly ranking

2007-04-06T14:32:00.000+07:00

Chinese computer maker Lenovo has topped a ranking of the world's most eco-friendly electronics firms.

Compiled by Greenpeace, the quarterly report ranks firms by how green their production processes are and what they do to recycle hardware they sell.

In previous reports Lenovo ranked low for eco-friendliness but in 2007 it scooped the top spot over Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Dell, and Samsung.

Apple came last of the 14 firms Greenpeace profiled in the report.

Action plan

The study, which was first compiled in 2006, looks at how big electronics firms make their hardware to see if they use toxic chemicals in the production process and scrutinises what they do to recycle goods when customers have stopped using them.

The campaigning group said that overall scores for the hi-tech firms it profiled had improved but it shied away from describing any hardware maker as "green".
Despite this, Iza Kruszewska, Greenpeace international toxics campaigner, said the industry had made some positive steps in the last 12 months with firms starting to act rather than just issue statements of intent. Of the 14 companies profiled, said Ms Kruszewska, nine now score more than five out of 10.

Top of the table Lenovo, which bought IBM's consumer electronics division in 2005, got 8 out of 10 for offering takeback services in all the nations where its products are sold. This means it will recycle any broken or obsolete own-brand product returned to it.

"Given the growing mountains of e-waste in China - both imported and domestically generated - it is heartening to see a Chinese company taking the lead, and assuming responsibility at least for its own branded waste," said Ms Kruszewska.

However, Lenovo lost marks for still using some of the most toxic substances to make its products.

Other firms in the top five, such as Sony-Ericsson, have already eliminated toxic chemicals including brominated fire retardants, polyvinyl chloride, beryllium and phthalates from their factories.

Greenpeace criticised Apple for not setting a deadline for eliminating some toxic chemicals from its production processes. Apple scored 2.7 out of 10 on Greenpeace's ranking.

In response, Apple said in a statement: "We disagree with Greenpeace's rating and the criteria."

The company added: "Apple has a strong environmental track record and has led the industry in restricting and banning toxic substances such as mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium, as well as many brominated flame retardants."

source:bbc.com

Has slid, Two Notebook Acer Ferrari newest

2007-04-06T14:30:00.000+07:00

The market notebook Acer has been very famous in fact in several Acer countries was in the highest position. In July 2006 Acer released the series notebook Ferrari newest. Two series laptop that has slid this was Ferrari 1000 and 5000, that beforehand was introduced in May 2006. Notebook casing this red colour used the processor of AMD Turion X2 64-bit. The series 5000 was bundled up with the LCD TFT monitor 15,4 inch, the camera web 1,3 megapixel (Acer OrbiCam), WLAN, Bluetooth 2.0, and hard the disk have a capacity 160 GB. Also was available the option to add drive optics of HD-DVD. Where as the Ferrari series 1000 that was aimed for the market share gamer was supplemented with the VGA card the class high-end 512MB ATI Radeon XPress 1150. His LCD screen measuring 12,1 inch widescreen that was technology Acer CrystalBrite. The second price notebook this was defined began US$ 2.500. During him gamer played the adventure that was increasingly exciting in Notebook this.

What is Multimedia?

2007-04-06T14:29:00.000+07:00

The word on the average "the Multimedia" simply, which can communicate in more, as one way. This means that that you were aware of Multimedia from it or already give not, you. For example, if you rub your temples, by saying someone, have you headache, or if you steer yourselves to a diagram on an advice, by speaking with a class of the students that you use yourselves Multimedia, around your point to receive through. In this case you use ourselves the movement at the same time as the noise. For example the computer, which you use yourselves to be made in order to look at this material, of the signal light text is able, and audio signal audio signal if there is a problem. It is already a Multimediarechner - every other thing is a question of degrees. In other words plus your computer is, the abler, to handle video noise and graphics more your packages of the Multimedia will look at better. At the beginning the multimedia was used by the mechanisms, which run the courses for distance study, in which it contents over a combination of the text, which supplies TV, the telephone, sonorer cartridge, and of the radio. Like that the idea is, Multimedia for the education to use itself not again. What gives it from nine, is the kind to meet of which we computers uses now, in order these things. The arrival of the screens and the highly soluble equipments of playback of noise and of video for computers entailed the largest use of the demand of the Erziehungsmultimedia. The Multimedia typically that application is charactorised by the following devices: • serve themselves the different media, which it possesses and • the use of the digital technology • the reciprocal effect, it required by the user •, and the integration of the noise, the pictures, the text and the data in applications without seam

Failure during Cern magnet test

2007-04-06T14:21:00.000+07:00

A vital component in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator at Cern has suffered a serious failure.

The giant underground laboratory on the French-Swiss border is designed to probe the limits of physics.

It is the world's biggest facility of its type, and will collide sub-atomic particles in a 27km-long ringed tunnel.

One of eight magnet assemblies placed at points around the LHC failed in a test ahead of the lab's scheduled start-up in late 2007.

The magnet assemblies, called "inner triplets", consist of three "quadrupole" magnets that are cooled using superfluid helium at 1.9 Kelvin (-271C) inside a vacuum vessel.

One inner triplet is located on either side of the four major detector experiments at the LHC.

The magnets focus particle beams prior to collision at each of these four interaction points around the accelerator ring.

A statement from Fermilab, which built the inner triplet magnet assemblies, said that a structure holding the magnets in place broke during the test.

Understanding the problem

"Fermilab and Cern engineers are looking into this very closely," a spokesman for Cern told BBC News.

The spokesman said it was still unknown whether the failure would affect the schedule for the switch-on of the LHC.

"We're not saying the schedule is delayed or otherwise. We just need to understand the problem a bit better before we can say," he explained.

The issue is thought to be a "systematic" one affecting all eight inner triplet assemblies.

The structure broke as it was put under a pressure of 20 atmospheres and uneven forces were applied to it. Such forces are expected to occasionally occur during the operation of the LHC.

The LHC is a powerful and complicated machine, which will smash particles together at super-fast speeds in a bid to unlock the secrets of the Universe.

Over 1,000 powerful "dipole" magnets occupy the subterranean tunnel in which the accelerator is housed.

These magnets carry two beams of particles around the ring at speeds close to the speed of light.

One pair of inner triplets focuses these beams prior to collision at each of four experiments located around the LHC tunnel. The one affected in the test is located on one side of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment.

The CMS, along with the rival experiment Atlas, will seek to identify the elusive Higgs boson (known as the "God particle" because of its importance to the Standard Model of particle interactions), look for so-called supersymmetric particles and seek out the existence of extra dimensions.

These experiments, each about the size of a mansion, will capture and measure new particles produced in the beam collisions.
source:bbc.com

GPS to reveal walrus whereabouts

2007-04-06T14:13:00.000+07:00

he satellite data will be shared with BBC News and posted on its website so readers can follow the migration.

The animals will be tracked for two months off west Greenland - and gauge how hunting, oil exploration and climate change may be affecting them.

The project is being run by the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and the Danish Polar Centre.
At this time of year, west Greenland's walruses are lazing around on pack ice, basking in the early spring sunshine.

But as temperatures rise further, the ice will begin to retreat, and the mammals will soon be heading north to colder climes. The exact location of their summer hideaway has long been a mystery.

"We want to find out where they are going," explains Professor Erik Born, the senior scientist in charge of the project.

And to do this, he plans to employ Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.

Tagging from afar

I will be joining the Danish team as it leaves the port of Sisimiut, travelling north by trawler along the coast.

During two weeks at sea, the researchers hope to attach 10 satellite tags to walruses.

The devices will be deployed using a cross bow or CO2-powered gun fired from the boat.

Although this method might sound cruel, you have to remember that walruses have a hide that is about 2-4cm (0.8-1.3in) thick, Professor Born says.

Each time the tagged creatures emerge from the water, a signal will be beamed up to a satellite, allowing the walruses' coordinates to be determined.

The researchers will watch the walruses' day-to-day progress - as will readers of the BBC News website on its Walrus Watch map.

The tags will stay on for one to two months, eventually being pushed out as the hide heals. The team believes the time period should provide enough data.

Who's who?

This will be the third spring in which Professor Born's team has tracked the animals. "They are fascinating creatures," he tells the BBC News website.

There are at least two sub-species of walrus: the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), found in the Bering Strait region, off Alaska; and the Atlantic walrus ( O. rosmarus rosmarus), found in eastern Canada and the high Arctic.
Some believe walruses in the Laptev sea off Siberia are another sub-species, but this has not yet been confirmed.

They are bulky beasts, weighing up to two tonnes, with tusks that can grow to 80cm (30in) in length.

The animals of central west Greenland that Professor Born and his team plan to track form one of at least eight separate sub-populations of Atlantic walruses.

One of the issues the scientists are hoping to resolve is whether these walruses are connected with other populations.

"We suspect they have a connection with walruses that occur along Eastern Baffin Island. Alternatively, they might be connected with those that occur year-round in northwest Greenland," Professor Born explains.

See where walruses are distributed

This information could have an impact on another concern: hunting.

Walruses make an easy target for hunters. Though graceful and swift in water, their lumbering gait on land has made them an easy kill.

Over the last 500 years, they have been exploited for their blubber, hide, ivory and meat, bringing some populations to the brink of extinction.
Today, although some walrus populations are protected, those that live around the coasts of Greenland and Canada are still hunted for their ivory and meat.

Professor Born believes there may be over-exploitation of some groups.

"If there is a connection between the walruses of Greenland and Canada, and they are both being heavily hunted, then this could have an impact on sustainable numbers."

The researchers also plan to see how the walruses are affected by local oil exploration.

The animals feast on bivalve species on the sea bed, but some of these vital feeding banks are found in areas that are also proving to be of interest to the oil industry.

Climate changes

And, as with all polar creatures, there is the issue of climate change.

Because of rising temperatures, the edge of the pack ice is moving further north. This could spell trouble for some populations.

"The molluscs walruses feed on are confined to relatively shallow waters," says Professor Born.
"Either the walruses can follow the pack-ice north, and stay over deeper waters where they cannot feed; or they could stay behind in open water without a chance to haul out and rest between their feeding."

This could be especially problematic for Pacific walruses, he adds. On the other hand, the Greenland groups may be luckier.

"Atlantic walruses can haul out on land if there is no ice. They have an alternative."

And, unlike the walruses of the Bering Strait, their feeding banks are closer to land, meaning they may manage quite well if the ice goes into a rapid retreat.

The Danish team plans to run the tagging experiments over a number of years.

We hope to have the mapping data up on the BBC News website in the next couple of weeks.
source:bbc.com

High-speed web boost for Africa

2007-04-06T14:11:00.000+07:00

Kenya, Burundi and Madagascar have secured $164.5m (£83.3m) from the World Bank to help roll-out high-speed internet networks.

The World Bank said the money was being made available to boost business competitiveness in the region.

Eastern and much of southern Africa is the only region in the world not connected to the global broadband infrastructure, the World Bank said.

Kenya will take the lion's share of the funding, with a $114.4m loan.

Madagascar is due to receive a $30m loan, while Burundi will receive a grant worth $20.1m, the World Bank said.

Plugged-in
The Washington-based lender said businesses in the three countries were being held back because of the lack of high-speed internet networks.

"University students suffer because they cannot access the internet, and government agencies cannot communicate effectively with each other and their citizens because they are not connected," the bank added.

Currently, the region relies on satellite services for connectivity, with costs among the highest in the world.

But World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz said Africa was becoming increasingly "plugged-in".

"Improving broadband connectivity will add tremendous public value for Africa," he said. "Low-cost, high-quality communications is essential for economic competitiveness."

The boss of Kenyan outsourcing firm KenCall backed the World Bank's move.

"It is absolutely imperative that something be done right now to make bandwidth affordable," said Nicholas Nesbitt, the firm's chief executive.

"Otherwise, we're going to miss a huge opportunity and people are simply going to say that Africa is not ready for these kinds of jobs, is not ready for business."
source:bb.com

Nintendo increases sales target

2007-04-06T14:10:00.000+07:00

Japanese games firm Nintendo has raised its sales and profit forecasts thanks to the popularity of its DS and Wii games consoles.

It now expects sales of 966bn yen ($8.1bn; £4.1bn) in the year to March, up from a previous target of 900bn.

It did not give a figure for profits, but said that they were expected to beat its previous expectations.

Nintendo is one of the world's biggest video game firms, with characters including Mario and Donkey Kong.

Strong demand

Recently, the firm has broadened its appeal to groups not usually keen on games, such as women and the over 40s.

Underpinning Nintendo's earnings growth has been the continuing popularity of its DS console, which opens like a book and which can be controlled by using a stylus or buttons.

As well as more traditional platform and racing games, Nintendo has brought out software such as Brain Training, which has also proved popular.

The company has also seen strong demand for its new gaming console, the Wii.

For many analysts, the speed with which these have sold has been something of a surprise, especially given that it was up against market leader Sony and its Playstation models, and Microsoft's highly successful Xbox 360.

Nintendo is due to report its annual figures on 26 April.
source:bbc.com

'Talking' CCTV scolds offenders

2007-04-06T14:07:00.000+07:00

"Talking" CCTV cameras that tell off people dropping litter or committing anti-social behaviour are to be extended to 20 areas across England.

They are already used in Middlesbrough where people seen misbehaving can be told to stop via a loudspeaker, controlled by control centre staff.

About £500,000 will be spent adding speaker facilities to existing cameras.

Shadow home affairs minister James Brokenshire said the government should be "very careful" over the cameras.

An example of how talking cameras work

Home Secretary John Reid told BBC News there would be some people, "in the minority who will be more concerned about what they claim are civil liberties intrusions".

"But the vast majority of people find that their life is more upset by people who make their life a misery in the inner cities because they can't go out and feel safe and secure in a healthy, clean environment because of a minority of people," he added.
The talking cameras did not constitute "secret surveillance", he said.

"It's very public, it's interactive."

Competitions would also be held at schools in many of the areas for children to become the voice of the cameras, Mr Reid said.

Downing Street's "respect tsar", Louise Casey, said the cameras "nipped problems in the bud" and reduced bureaucracy.

"It gets across the message, 'please don't litter our streets because someone else will have to pay to pick up that litter again'," she told BBC News.

"Half a billion pounds a year is spent picking up litter."

'Scarecrow policing'

Mr Brokenshire told the BBC he had a number of concerns about the use of the talking cameras.

"Whether this is moving down a track of almost 'scarecrow' policing rather than real policing - actually insuring that we have more bobbies on the beat - I think that's what we really want to see, albeit that an initiative like this may be an effective tool in certain circumstances.

"We need to be very careful about applying this more generally."

The talking cameras will be installed in Southwark, Barking and Dagenham, in London, Reading, Harlow, Norwich, Ipswich, Plymouth, Gloucester, Derby, Northampton, Mansfield, Nottingham, Coventry, Sandwell, Wirral, Blackpool, Salford, South Tyneside and Darlington.
In Middlesbrough, staff in a control centre monitor pictures from 12 talking cameras and can communicate directly with people on the street.

Local councillor Barry Coppinger says the scheme has prevented fights and criminal damage and cut litter levels.

"Generally, I think it has raised awareness that the town centre is a safe place to visit and also that we are keeping an eye open to make sure it is safe," he said.

But opponent and campaigner Steve Hills said: "Apart from being absurd, I think it's rather sad that we should have faceless cameras barking at us on orders from who? Who sets these cameras up?"

There are an estimated 4.2 million CCTV cameras in Britain.

A recent study by the government's privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner, warned that Britain was becoming a "surveillance society".
source:bbc.com

HP boss 'did not back spy probe'

2007-04-06T14:05:00.000+07:00

Ousted Hewlett Packard (HP) chairwoman Patricia Dunn is set to deny she hired private investigators to carry out an internal inquiry into boardroom leaks.

Ms Dunn is due to appear before the US House Energy and Commerce Committee's investigative subcommittee later.

In a prepared statement she is expected to name HP's finance director as the person who instigated the inquiry.

US authorities have been investigating whether HP broke any laws during its investigation into media leaks.

In an attempt to discover which employee had leaked "confidential" reports to the press, investigators obtained the phone records and other data of journalists and HP employees without their permission.

The practice - known as "pretexting" - is a common one among private investigators but tests the limits of California state laws, as prosecutors believe it violates laws covering identity theft and unauthorised access to computer data.

Legality 'assumed'

Ms Dunn has consistently denied knowing about what tactics the investigators would use to uncover the source of the leak.

In her prepared statement for the House Committee, she says she was under the impression that finance chief Bob Wayman had given the go-ahead for the investigation.

"It was my assumption that Mr Wayman, having ultimate authority over all the resources involved in security and investigations, as well as having been one of the directors who felt the most strongly about the importance of controlling leaks from the board, had provided authorisation for whatever work was undertaken," Ms Dunn's statement says.

The written testimony also adds that she asked private investigator Ron DeLia if his methods were legal and complied with HP's "normal practices".

"I never doubted... that what they were doing was legal," her statement, released by the committee's hearing panel, adds.

As well as Ms Dunn, five private investigators, Mr Wayman and HP chief executive Mark Hurd have been subpoenaed to appear before the committee.

HP unveils plan for gaming future

2007-04-06T13:23:00.001+07:00

US computer and printer manufacturer Hewlett-Packard has unveiled plans it hopes will make it a major force in the global video and online gaming market.

HP bought specialist gaming computer firm VoodooPC at the end of last year, and said it would now expand the hardware the firm was able to offer.

Ideas on the drawing board are a curved computer screen and a handheld device that let users play on the move.

The global computer gaming business is worth some $35bn (£18bn) a year.

Gloves off

As computer software and hardware becomes more sophisticated, so does the taste of consumers who look for ever more interactive gaming experiences.

A number of the world's biggest electronics firms are already fighting for domination in the video console business, including Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft.

However, HP said that it would not go into direct competition with Nintendo's Wii console, Sony's Playstation 3 and Microsoft's X-Box.

Instead the company would focus more on the online, mobile and computer gaming market, where millions of players take part in interactive games such as World of Warcraft.

"When we start playing in that space, the gloves are coming off," said Rahul Sood, chief technical officer of HP's global gaming division and the founder of VoodooPC.

Greater reality

One part of the sales plan will be for HP to offer gaming-specific computers that are more expensive than a normal PC, but less pricey than the custom-built specialized hardware that VoodooPc offers its clients.

HP is not the only company looking to meet the growing needs of gamers, and in March 2006 rival Dell bought computer maker Alienware in an effort to better cater to the profitable if somewhat niche market.

HP also unveiled some prototypes that it hopes will lure consumers.

One idea is a curved computer screen that would allow people playing a driving game to see the road to their left and right, and not just straight ahead.

Another prototype is for a handheld device that would let a users incorporate real landscapes into their games whilst on the move.
source:bbc.com

Computer germs- Viruses spoils digital data

2007-04-06T11:00:00.000+07:00

Computer viruses are just like germs whose only purpose is to spoil computer’s normal functionality. They come to computer territory by different ways like by any removable media, or if the computer is connected through any network, by internet and by e-mail.

Computer viruses are just like germs whose only purpose is to spoil computer’s normal functionality. They come to computer territory by different ways like by any removable media, or if the computer is connected through any network, by internet and by e-mail.
These viruses are block of some instructions that enters in to the system without the permission of the computer user.

Different types of computer viruses exists are

 Macro viruses
 Companion viruses
 Link viruses
 Parasitic viruses
 Multi-partite viruses

The first ever virus that was developed by two brothers, Basit and Amjad Farooq Alvi in 1986 and it was named Boot sector virus. When network concept was not widely spread viruses are usually spread by the removable mediums like through floppy diskette and flash drives etc. But nowadays most of the organizations are interconnected through some network that provides an easy path for the viruses to make number of victims just in one go.

So it always suggested after installing any Operating system to the computer anti virus program should be installed just after it. Because it will be working as defensive wall against any virus and will not let it to get inside and to harm any of your data file or operating system. Anti virus detects all the incoming viruses coming to your system from any device and will provide you the facility to scan it before copying any thing from it to your hard disk.

Precautionary Measures:
In order to get rid of these computer germs some precautionary measures has to be taken to have safe data; not affected by any computer viruses.

Like
 Always scan removable medium for viruses
 Don’t open E-mail by unknown sender
 Don’t download attachment which are not familiar
 Use firewall programs
 Install updated Anti-Virus programs
 Regular backups of data
 Secure network connection
 Scanning of hard drive on daily basis
 Careful while downloading any software from the internet

Has slid, Two Notebook Acer Ferrari newest

2007-02-13T13:00:00.000+07:00

Has slid, Two Notebook Acer Ferrari newest
The market notebook Acer has been very famous in fact in several Acer countries was in the highest position. In July 2006 Acer released the series notebook Ferrari newest. Two series laptop that has slid this was Ferrari 1000 and 5000, that beforehand was introduced in May 2006. Notebook casing this red colour used the processor of AMD Turion X2 64-bit. The series 5000 was bundled up with the LCD TFT monitor 15,4 inch, the camera web 1,3 megapixel (Acer OrbiCam), WLAN, Bluetooth 2.0, and hard the disk have a capacity 160 GB. Also was available the option to add drive optics of HD-DVD. Where as the Ferrari series 1000 that was aimed for the market share gamer was supplemented with the VGA card the class high-end 512MB ATI Radeon XPress 1150. His LCD screen measuring 12,1 inch widescreen that was technology Acer CrystalBrite. The second price notebook this was defined began US$ 2.500. During him gamer played the adventure that was increasingly exciting in Notebook this.