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Microsoft's Latest Flash Memory Technology Now Available for License

2009-12-11T08:28:00.000-08:00

In response to widespread interest from consumer device-makers around the world, Microsoft Corp. is announcing a flexible licensing program for its Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) technology. The latest generation of Microsoft's file system, exFAT delivers a significant leap forward in terms of the size of files that can be stored on a broad range of consumer electronic devices, and the speed with which they can be accessed. The exFAT technology is already being adopted by partners in the industry, and these manufacturers are using the licensing program to deliver a richer and more seamlessly integrated media experience for their customers.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)

"There has been an explosion in the use of rich audio and video files," said David Kaefer, general manager of Intellectual Property Licensing at Microsoft. "exFAT is an ideal file system that delivers fast and reliable use of audio and video files. It is an important technology in Windows 7, and now that we are licensing this technology broadly to the industry, we want to encourage and support partners to build products that also contain this technology."

exFAT is the modern version of its predecessor, the FAT system, and greatly expands the size of files that flash memory devices can handle. The exFAT file system not only facilitates large files for use of audiovisual media, it enables seamless data portability and an easy interchange between desktop PCs and consumer electronic devices. In specific terms, the exFAT file system does the following:

Enables future growth in media capacities, increasing support from 32 GB up to 256 TB
Handles more than 4,000 RAW images, 100 high-definition (HD) movies, or 60 hours of HD recording in a single directory
Speeds up file saves of Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) cards to achieve their full 300MBps speed using modern storage allocation techniques
Supports interoperability with future desktop operating systems
Provides an extensible format, including OEM-definable parameters to customize the file system for specific device characteristics

"Consumers want a richer media storage experience, and we chose the exFAT file system for our SDXC memory card specification because of its incredible potential," said James Taylor, president of the SD Association. "The exFAT file system supports large volumes, large files and better contiguous on-disk layout, which supports the SD Association's plans for the SDXC specification to provide consumers with quicker transfer speeds, support for very large files and seamless portability among devices. We look forward to incorporating the technology into our products."

Microsoft's Commitment to IP Collaboration

Microsoft offers flexible intellectual property (IP) licensing programs that give companies access to many of the foundational technologies in its own products, allowing those companies to build devices, applications and services that work seamlessly with each other. Microsoft has entered into exFAT licensing agreements with several leading companies including Sony, Canon and Sanyo. In addition, SanDisk Corp., as a member of the SD Association and the Memory Stick standard, has endorsed the adoption of the exFAT file system for use in the new extra capacity storage media.

More information about Microsoft's exFAT licensing programs is available at http://www.microsoft.com/iplicensing and http://www.microsoft.com/iplicensing/productDetail.aspx?productTitle=exFAT%20File%20System%20Licensing%20Program.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.

Renaming The Recycle Bin icon:

2009-11-02T02:43:00.000-08:00

To change the name of the Recycle Bin desktop icon, click Start then goto Run, write Regedit and press Enter. It opens Registry Editor. Now in Registry Editor go to:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/CLSID/{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}

On the right pane, locate the registry key of Localized String.

Double click on LocalizedString or right click on LocalizedString and select Modify to modify the registry value.

You should see the default value of “@%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,-8964″. Delete or remove the default value and key in your desired new recycle bin’s name in text, e.g. “Garbage Bin” (without quote).

Refresh your desktop or Windows Explorer by pressing F5. You will see the new ‘recycle bin’ name.

Optionally, you can also modify the text of InfoTip, commonly known as tooltip what display certain help tip, guide or description about Recycle Bin when the mouse is hovering on Recycle Bin icon on desktop. The default text is “Contains files and folders that you have deleted.” Simply double click on InfoTip, or right click on InfoTip and select Modify to change the text of the info tip.

The default value is “@%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,-22915″, simply change it to another description that you want the tooltip to be.

Refresh the desktop to make it effective.

Registry hack to speed up windows xp shut down

2009-11-02T02:41:00.001-08:00

Whenever you shut down your computer, it takes a lot of time in closing all the running applications.And worse, if they stop responding, then you have to click either end task or wait for windows to shut it down. Now you can apply a registry hack that automatically shuts the non-responding annoying applications instantly and without any interruption. Apply the following registry hack to speed up windows xp.

1. Open registry editor from Start -> Run -> type regedit

2. Find HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
on the left side of the registry editor window.
3. Double click on AutoEndTasks key from the right window and assign the value to be 1. The default value is 0.

Reverting the process is also very simple. Just change the AutoEndTasks value to 0.

Enable your folder options in explorer.

2009-11-01T03:07:00.000-08:00

Trouble:

Are you among those who are not able to access or see your folder options under File

Menu>>Tools in Windows Explorer on your Windows XP ? This problem of hidden or

disabled folder options occur normally due to malicious virus (w32.rontokbro@mm)

activity.

The virus creates an entry in registry to disable “Folder Options” in Windows explorer.

Let us see how we can fix it.

Fix:

In most of the cases, even if the virus is been already removed by your anti-virus

program, it doesn’t restore the registry back to the original state. Also anti-virus usually

does not delete the registry entry created by the virus.

For restoring the registry settings,follow the steps given below

Enable your folder options in explorer.

1. Go to Start > RUN

2. Type regedit and press enter.

3. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows >

CurrentVersion > Policies > Explorer

4.On the right side of the screen, you can see some registry entry names, out of them,

right-click on NoFolderOptions and click Modify option.

5.A new small screen pops up, on this screen, sen the value data field as 0 (zero).Press

OK.

That’s it but it requires reboot. Trouble Fixed.

How to Convert FAT to NTFS file system

2009-11-01T02:10:00.000-08:00

To convert a FAT partition to NTFS, perform the following steps.

Click Start, click Programs, and then click Command Prompt.

In Windows XP, click Start, click Run, type cmd and then click OK.

At the command prompt, type CONVERT [driveletter]: /FS:NTFS.

Convert.exe will attempt to convert the partition to NTFS.

NOTE: Although the chance of corruption or data loss during the conversion from FAT to NTFS

is minimal, it is best to perform a full backup of the data on the drive that it is to be converted

prior to executing the convert command. It is also recommended to verify the integrity of the

backup before proceeding, as well as to run RDISK and update the emergency repair disk

(ERD).

In Windows XP, how can I speed up my LAN browsing?

2009-11-01T02:08:00.000-08:00

To speed up the browsing of your local LAN try this:

1.Open the registry editor.

2.Go to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RemoteComput

er\NameSpace

3.Export this key (in order to back it up, just in case) and then delete the key called

{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} (Task Scheduler).

4.Close the registry.

Be sure to check your 'Binding Order' in Network Connections > Advanced.

Make sure you're logged on as actually "Administrator". Do not log on with any account that

just has administrator privileges.

1.Start > Run > type gpedit.msc (not available in home version).

2.Expand the Local Computer Policy branch.

3.Expand the Administrative Templates branch.

4.Expand the Network branch.

5.Highlight the "QoS Packet Scheduler" in left window.

6.In right window double click the "limit reservable bandwidth" setting.

7.On setting tab check the ENABLED item.

8.Where it says "Bandwidth limit %" change it to read 0 (ZERO).

9.Close gpedit.msc.

Effect is immediate on some systems, some need to re-boot.

Steps To Create A BAT File To Format A System

2009-11-01T02:07:00.000-08:00

1.Open notepad

2.copy :-

@ echo off

cls

cd\

echo y | format %1 d:/q

echo new | %1

3.Save as Format.bat

4. Run it

NOTE:- Please Use Carefully

Facts About MICROSOFT..

2009-11-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

Corporate Address

Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-7329
USA
Tel: (425) 882-8080
Fax: (425) 706-7329
http://www.microsoft.com

Important Dates
Date	Event
1975	Microsoft founded
Jan. 1, 1979	Microsoft moves from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Bellevue, Washington
June 25, 1981	Microsoft incorporates
Aug. 12, 1981	IBM introduces its personal computer with Microsoft's 16-bit operating system, MS-DOS 1.0
Feb. 26, 1986	Microsoft moves to corporate campus in Redmond, Washington
March 13, 1986	Microsoft stock goes public
Aug. 1, 1989	Microsoft introduces earliest version of Office suite of productivity applications
May 22, 1990	Microsoft launches Windows 3.0
Aug. 24, 1995	Microsoft launches Windows 95
Dec. 7, 1995	Bill Gates outlines Microsoft's commitment to supporting and enhancing the Internet
June 25, 1998	Microsoft launches Windows 98
Jan. 13, 2000	Steve Ballmer named president and chief executive officer for Microsoft
Feb. 17, 2000	Microsoft launches Windows 2000
June 22, 2000	Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer outline Microsoft's .NET strategy for Web services
May 31, 2001	Microsoft launches Office XP
Oct. 25, 2001	Microsoft launches Windows XP
Jan. 15, 2002	Bill Gates outlines Microsoft's commitment to Trustworthy Computing
Nov. 7, 2002	Microsoft and partners launch Tablet PC
Jan. 16, 2003	Microsoft declares annual dividend
April 24, 2003	Microsoft launches Windows Server 2003
Oct. 21, 2003	Microsoft launches Microsoft Office System
July 20, 2004	Microsoft announces plans to return up to $75 billion to shareholders in dividends and stock buybacks
June 15, 2006	Microsoft announces that Bill Gates will transition out of a day-to-day role in the company in July 2008, Ray Ozzie is named chief software architect and Craig Mundie chief research and strategy officer
July 20, 2006	Microsoft announces a new $20 billion tender offer and authorizes an additional share-repurchase program of up to $20 billion over five years
Jan. 30, 2007	Microsoft launches Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office System to consumers worldwide
Feb. 27, 2008	Microsoft launches Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008
June 27, 2008	Bill Gates transitions from his day-to-day role at Microsoft to spend more time on his work at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Oct. 22, 2009	Microsoft launches Windows 7

Some Unbelievable facts of Microsoft applications S/W

2009-10-19T00:09:00.000-07:00

FACT #1
Nobody can create a FOLDER anywhere on the computer which can be named as "CON".
This is something pretty cool...and unbelievable. ..
At Microsoft the whole Team, couldn't answer why this happened!
TRY IT NOW, IT WILL NOT CREATE "CON" FOLDER

FACT #2
This is something pretty cool and neat...and unbelievable. ..
At Microsoft the whole Team, including Bill Gates, couldn't answer why this happened!
Try it out yourself...
Open Microsoft Word and type
=rand (200, 99)
And then press ENTER

FACT #3
For those of you using Windows, do the following:
1. Open an empty notepad file
2. Type "Bush hid the facts" (without the quotes)
3. Save it as whatever you want.
4. Close it, and re-open it.
Is it just a really weird bug?
You can try the same thing above with another sentence "this app can break"

Explanation for fact #1:
In windows the folder name and the special system variables share the same interface, so when you create a folder with a system variable name it will consider that folder already exist!!
These special system variables are available irrespective of path
You cannot create a folder with these names also:
CON, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3,COM1 to COM9 and LPT1 to LPT9....
CON means console, COM1 means serial port 1, LPT1 means parallel port 1

Explanation for fact #2:
This is a trick which is used for testing of any application sftware of microsoft.This is an inbuild techical automatic fundamentals to check its feasibility.

Explanation for fact #3:
Over at WinCustomize, someone thought they'd found an Easter Egg in the Windows Notepad application but It's not an Easter egg (even though it seems like a funny one), and as it turns out, Notepad writes the file correctly.Every file after its saving on the hard disk is first checked all its content before it is write on the disk, till then all of those content temporarily saved in a temp folder.

Hidden Movies in WINDOWS XP

2009-10-18T23:54:00.001-07:00

Do u know that windows XP is having a hidden "Star Wars Movie" inside it???
You should be connected to the NET for using this.
Go to Starts-->Programs-->Run
Type

telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl

And hit enter......... Enjoy the magic!!!!

Make MOZILLA FIREFOX 10X faster

2009-10-18T23:54:00.000-07:00

THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE TRICK.....NO SOFTWARE REQUIRED......NO DL REQUIRED
Unhidden

1. Type "about:config" into the address bar and hit enter. Scroll down and look for the following entries:

2. Alter the entries as follows:

Set "network.http.pipelining" to "true"
Set "network.http.proxy.pipelining" to "true"
set "network.http.pipelining.maxrequests" to some number like 30. This means it will make 30 requests at once.

3. Lastly right-click anywhere and select New-> Integer. Name it "nglayout.initialpaint.delay" and set its value to "0". This value is the amount of time the browser waits before it acts on information it recieves.

NOTE:this trick only works for broadband users not for dialup

How INTEL microprocessor chip is made

2009-10-16T23:26:00.000-07:00

Sand. Made up of 25 percent silicon, is, after oxygen, the second most abundant chemical element that's in the earth's crust. Sand, especially quartz, has high percentages of silicon in the form of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and is the base ingredient for semiconductor manufacturing.

After procuring raw sand and separating the silicon, the excess material is disposed of and the silicon is purified in multiple steps to finally reach semiconductor manufacturing quality which is called electronic grade silicon. The resulting purity is so great that electronic grade silicon may only have one alien atom for every one billion silicon atoms. After the purification process, the silicon enters the melting phase. In this picture you can see how one big crystal is grown from the purified silicon melt. The resulting mono-crystal is called an ingot.

A mono-crystal ingot is produced from electronic grade silicon. One ingot weighs approximately 100 kilograms (or 220 pounds) and has a silicon purity of 99.9999 percent.

The ingot is then moved onto the slicing phase where individual silicon discs, called wafers, are sliced thin. Some ingots can stand higher than five feet. Several different diameters of ingots exist depending on the required wafer size. Today, CPUs are commonly made on 300 mm wafers.

Once cut, the wafers are polished until they have flawless, mirror-smooth surfaces. Intel doesn't produce its own ingots and wafers, and instead purchases manufacturing-ready wafers from third-party companies. Intel’s advanced 45 nm High-K/Metal Gate process uses wafers with a diameter of 300 mm (or 12-inches). When Intel first began making chips, it printed circuits on 50 mm (2-inches) wafers. These days, Intel uses 300 mm wafers, resulting in decreased costs per chip.

The blue liquid, depicted above, is a photo resist finish similar to those used in film for photography. The wafer spins during this step to allow an evenly-distributed coating that's smooth and also very thin.

At this stage, the photo-resistant finish is exposed to ultra violet (UV) light. The chemical reaction triggered by the UV light is similar to what happens to film material in a camera the moment you press the shutter button.

Areas of the resist on the wafer that have been exposed to UV light will become soluble. The exposure is done using masks that act like stencils. When used with UV light, masks create the various circuit patterns. The building of a CPU essentially repeats this process over and over until multiple layers are stacked on top of each other.

A lens (middle) reduces the mask's image to a small focal point. The resulting "print" on the wafer is typically four times smaller, linearly, than the mask's pattern.

In the picture we have a representation of what a single transistor would appear like if we could see it with the naked eye. A transistor acts as a switch, controlling the flow of electrical current in a computer chip. Intel researchers have developed transistors so small that they claim roughly 30 million of them could fit on the head of a pin.

After being exposed to UV light, the exposed blue photo resist areas are completely dissolved by a solvent. This reveals a pattern of photo resist made by the mask. The beginnings of transistors, interconnects, and other electrical contacts begin to grow from this point.

The photo resist layer protects wafer material that should not be etched away. Areas that were exposed will be etched away with chemicals.

After the etching, the photo resist is removed and the desired shape becomes visible.

More photo resist (blue) is applied and then re-exposed to UV light. Exposed photo resist is then washed off again before the next step, which is called ion doping. This is the step where ion particles are exposed to the wafer, allowing the silicon to change its chemical properties in a way that allows the CPU to control the flow of electricity.

Through a process called ion implantation (one form of a process called doping) the exposed areas of the silicon wafer are bombarded with ions. Ions are implanted in the silicon wafer to alter the way silicon in these areas conduct electricity. Ions are propelled onto the surface of the wafer at very high velocities. An electrical field accelerates the ions to a speed of over 300,000 km/hour (roughly 185,000 mph)

After the ion implantation, the photo resist will be removed and the material that should have been doped (green) now has alien atoms implanted.

This transistor is close to being finished. Three holes have been etched into the insulation layer (magenta color) above the transistor. These three holes will be filled with copper, which will make up the connections to other transistors.

The wafers are put into a copper sulphate solution at this stage. Copper ions are deposited onto the transistor through a process called electroplating. The copper ions travel from the positive terminal (anode) to the negative terminal (cathode) which is represented by the wafer.

The copper ions settle as a thin layer on the wafer surface.

The excess material is polished off leaving a very thin layer of copper.

Multiple metal layers are created to interconnects (think wires) in between the various transistors. How these connections have to be “wired” is determined by the architecture and design teams that develop the functionality of the respective processor (for example, Intel’s Core i7 processor). While computer chips look extremely flat, they may actually have over 20 layers to form complex circuitry. If you look at a magnified view of a chip, you will see an intricate network of circuit lines and transistors that look like a futuristic, multi-layered highway system.

This fraction of a ready wafer is being put through a first functionality test. In this stage test patterns are fed into every single chip and the response from the chip monitored and compared to "the right answer."

After tests determine that the wafer has a good yield of functioning processor units, the wafer is cut into pieces (called dies).

The dies that responded with the right answer to the test pattern will be put forward for the next step (packaging). Bad dies are discarded. Several years ago, Intel made key chains out of bad CPU dies.

This is an individual die, which has been cut out in the previous step (slicing). The die shown here is a die of an Intel Core i7 processor.

The substrate, the die, and the heatspreader are put together to form a completed processor. The green substrate builds the electrical and mechanical interface for the processor to interact with the rest of the PC system. The silver heatspreader is a thermal interface where a cooling solution will be applied. This will keep the processor cool during operation.

A microprocessor is the most complex manufactured product on earth. In fact, it takes hundreds of steps and only the most important ones have been visualized in this picture story.

During this final test the processors will be tested for their key characteristics (among the tested characteristics are power dissipation and maximum frequency).

Based on the test result of class testing processors with the same capabilities are put into the same transporting trays. This process is called "binning". Binning determines the maximum operating frequency of a processor, and batches are divided and sold according to stable specifications.

The manufactured and tested processors (again Intel Core i7 processor is shown here) either go to system manufacturers in trays or into retail stores in a box. Many thanks to Intel for supplying the text and photos in this picture story. Check out Intel's site for full size images of this entire process.

Evolution Of Microsoft

2009-10-15T19:56:00.000-07:00

Let me Introduce you all about the brief history and evolution of the world most reputed software company named "Microsoft".

It all began in Plaza Hotel, New York City on the 10th of November 1983.. Two Microsoft founders Paul Allen and Bill Gates officially announced their corporationâ€™s first and next-generation graphical user interface operating system â€“ Microsoft Windows.

Despite the criticism on stability and constantly being compared to their rivals Apple Macintosh, Microsoft Windows is still the most widely used operating systems in the world.

Windows 1.01 (1985)

Officially released on November 20, 1985, this 16-bit OS that cost less than 1MB in overall is Microsoftâ€™s very first operating system that allows multi tasking with graphical user interface on PC platform that runs on MS-DOS 5.0.

Windows 1..03 (1986)

Introduced in 1986, Windows 1.03 is an upgrade to its previous predecessor Windows 1.01. Entire operating system cost about 2.2Mb hard disk space.

Windows 2.03 (1987)

Taking advantage of the speed of Intel 286/386 processor at that time, Windows 2.03 is a replacement for Windows 1.x. It also starts the era where users are able to overlap windows, customize screens, etc. Still the entire operating system cost no more than 2.5Mb.

Windows 2.86 (1989)

Windows 3.0 (1990)

This is the third major released of Microsoft Windows with a improved set of Windows icons and applications like File Manager, Program Manager that is still being used in todayâ€™s Windows. This 22 May 1990 released operating system is then replaced by Windows 3.1 two years later.

Windows 3.1 (1992)

Windows 3.1 is probably the earliest Windows most of us are familiar with. Windows 3.1 and later Windows 3.1x is an upgrade to Windows 3.0 with bug fixes and multimedia support.

Windows NT 3.1 (1993)

The first Windows New Technology (NT) introduced. It maintains consistency with the Windows 3..1, a well-established home and business operating system at the time, the new Windows NT operating system began with version 3.1. Unlike Windows 3.1, however, Windows NT 3.1 was a 32-bit operating system.

Windows 3.11 (1993)

A superset of Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.11 added peer-to-peer workgroup and domain networking support. For the first time, Windowsâ€“based PCs were network-aware and became an integral part of the emerging client/server computing evolution â€“ Microsoft

Windows NT 3.51 Workstation (1995)

The Windows NT Workstation 3.5 release provided the highest degree of protection yet for critical business applications and data. With support for the OpenGL graphics standard, this operating system helped power high-end applications for software development, engineering, financial analysis, scientific, and business-critical tasks â€“ Microsoft

Windows 95 (1995)

Previously code-named Chicago, Windows 95 is a successor to all the existing Windows operating system so far. It gives full graphical user interface support, integrated a 32-bit TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) stack for built-in Internet support, dial-up networking, and new Plug and Play capabilities that made it easy for users to install hardware and software.

Windows NT 4.0 (1996)

Windows NT Workstation 4.0 included the popular Windows 95 user interface yet provided improved networking support for easier and more secure access to the Internet and corporate intranets â€“ Microsoft.

Windows NT Server 4.0 (1996)

Windows 98 (1998)

Windows 98 was the upgrade from Windows 95. Described as an operating system that "Works Better, Plays Better," Windows 98 was the first version of Windows designed specifically for consumers â€“ Microsoft.

Windows 2000 (2000)

More than just the upgrade to Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional was also designed to replace Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 on all business desktops and laptops. Built on top of the proven Windows NT Workstation 4.0 code base, Windows 2000 added major improvements in reliability, ease of use, Internet compatibility, and support for mobile computing â€“ Microsoft.

Windows 2000 Server (2000)

Windows ME (2000)

Designed for home computer users, Windows Me offered consumers numerous music, video, and home networking enhancements and reliability improvements â€“ Microsoft.

Windows XP (2001)

Windows XP Professional brings the solid foundation of Windows 2000 to the PC desktop, enhancing reliability, security, and performance. With a fresh visual design, Windows XP Professional includes features for business and advanced home computing, including remote desktop support, an encrypting file system, and system restore and advanced networking features â€“ Microsoft.

Windows Server 2003 (2003)

Released on April 2003, and also known as Win2k3, this operating system is a sucessor to itâ€™s predecessor Windows Server 2000 (Win2k).

Windows Vista (2006)

Came more than 5 years after itâ€™s predecessor Windows XP, Vista is the longest timeline break for Microsoft between two operating system.

Windows 7 (2009)

Codenamed Blackcomb, Windows 7 is one of the most anticipated operating system which should be available somewhere in Oct 2009.

dont forget to put comment on it.

Windows XP booting problems - Remove it using MSCONFIG...

2009-09-28T06:35:00.000-07:00

Apart from all the wizards and utilities given in Microsoft Windows XP, there is one great utility that has its roots in the Windows 9.x 'The System Configuration Utility' or 'MSCONFIG'. This utility is very handy and allows you to make changes to boot files and set the startup parameters when troubleshooting boot problems. Today I’ll teach you all about the features included with MSCONFIG so anybody can remove the pesky boot problems from a Windows XP.

Start MSCONFIG

Click the Start button and select Run. In the Open box, type MSCONFIG and click OK. The will open, as illustrated in Figure given below.

If you cannot open this window so dont worry because you have to be logged on to the computer using an Administrator account before you can run MSCONFIG.

The MSCONFIG window have six tabs: General, SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI, BOOT.INI, Services, and Startup. We’ll take a closer look at each of these tabs in the following sections.

General tab

The MSCONFIG General tab gives you some basic options for starting a computer. There are three settings for the computer to start up. The first is default type Normal startup and other two are Diagnostic Stratup and Selective type of Startup.

Diagnostic Startup allows you to start the computer with only the most basic devices and services that are needed for the computer to run. This startup gives you a clean environment for troubleshooting.

Selective Startup provides a variety of startup options that you can use for troubleshooting. By default, all the options under Selective Startup are chosen. However, deselecting one of these preselected options allows you to prevent one or more of the Selective Startup options from running.

If you think one of the programs that launch on startup is causing a problem, you can deselect the Load Startup Items option to prevent any startup program from launching. While this won’t help you determine which program is causing the problem, it will help you isolate the problem to a certain area. Please note that you’re unable to select the Use Modified BOOT.INI file unless you make a change on the BOOT.INI tab, which I will be discussed later on this post.

Finally, the Launch System Restore button provides easy access to the System Restore function, and the Expand File button is a very useful feature if you encounter a corrupted file and want to restore it.

The SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI tabs

The SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI tabs are given here for the licit compatibility, and you should not use them very often. These tabs use to modify the SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI files or prevent lines of code from executing when the computer is started.

In Figure below, each line of the SYSTEM.INI file is displayed in the window. Sections of the file, such as drivers, are expandable to allow you to work with the lines of code in those sections. You can also deselect a section to prevent the entire section from being executed.

Deselect a section to prevent the entire section from being executed.The Move Up and Move Down buttons allow you to move lines or sections to other locations in the file. The Find button is used to search the file; the New button lets you add new lines; and Edit lets you change the value of a line. The Enable All and Disable All buttons at the bottom of the window will select or deselect all the lines of the program. Using these buttons to alter these files is much easier and safer than using a text editor to perform the same tasks.
As you can see in Figure below, the WIN.INI tab provides the same functionality as the SYSTEM.INI tab.

Same as before, select and deselect.

Boot options using the BOOT.INI tab

The BOOT.INI tab, shown in Figure below, gives you many options for starting the computer. The top portion of the window contains the BOOT.INI file that the computer is currently using. You cannot edit this file using MSCONFIG. You can change the timeout value for the boot menu. Even if you can’t edit the file, it is easy to view the file when you use MSCONFIG.

Microsoft recommends that you don’t attempt to use MSCONFIG to edit BOOT.INI unless you’re directed to do so by a Microsoft support professional.

Three of the four buttons provided in this window are for editing purposes and are grayed out by default. The Check All Boot Paths button is used to verify that the boot paths in the BOOT.INI file are correct. When you click this button, you’ll receive either an error message you can use for troubleshooting or a window alerting you that the boot paths have
been verified.

Boot option pane

The most valuable functions on the BOOT.INI tab are the boot options, which are explained below. You can use these choices for a variety of troubleshooting techniques:

* /SAFEBOOT gives you suboptions for starting the computer.
* /SAFEBOOT with MINIMAL starts the computer in Safe Mode.

* /SAFEBOOT with NETWORK starts the computer in Safe Mode with networking support.

Note: /SAFEBOOT with NETWORK does not load the normal network configuration; instead, it loads a generic TCP/IP network configuration.
* /SAFEBOOT with DSREPAIR is used to repair Directory Services on Domain Controllers.
* /SAFEBOOT with MINIMAL (ALTERNATESHELL) starts the computer in Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

* /NOGUIBOOT starts the computer without the VGA video driver that displays graphics during the boot process and Blue Screen crash information.

* /BOOTLOG enables boot logging to help you debug and troubleshoot startup problems.

* /BASEVIDEO starts the computer using a standard VGA video driver, as opposed to the one installed for the graphics card.

* /SOS causes the driver names to be displayed when they’re loaded. You can use this switch to diagnose driver-related issues.

The BOOT.INI Advanced Options screen, shown in Figure below, offers you more options for starting your computer:

* /MAXMEM limits the amount of memory that Windows XP can use. You can use this switch if you believe that your system has a bad memory chip.
* /NUMPROC limits the number of processors used in a multiprocessor system.
* /PCILOCK stops Windows XP from dynamically assigning system resources to PCI devices. The devices will use the BIOS configuration instead.
* /DEBUG starts the computer in debugging mode. It allows you to configure the machine with three additional suboptions, as follows:
* /DEBUG with /DEBUGPORT specifies the communications port to be used for debugging.

* /DEBUG with /BAUDRATE specifies the baud rate to be used for debugging. The default baud rate is 9600 with a modem and 19200 with a null-modem cable.
* /DEBUG with /CHANNEL specifies the 1394 communications channel for debugging.

These are the advanced options.

Working with the Services tab

The MSCONFIG Services tab, shown in Figure below, allows you to prevent specific services from starting when the computer is started. This is extremely useful when you’re troubleshooting service-related problems.

Microsoft has designed the majority of services in Windows XP. To make it easier to find a non-Microsoft service, you can select the Hide All Microsoft Services option.

Troubleshooting using the Startup tab

The Startup tab lets you prevent items in your startup folder from starting when you log in. As you can see in Figure below, you can simply deselect the service to prevent it from starting. If you want to disable all the services, click the Disable All button. To enable all the services again, click the Enable All button.

These are the startup choices.

Nokia launches Nokia 5230 and Nokia 5530 XpressMusic models in India

2009-08-25T06:31:00.000-07:00

Global handset major, Nokia today announced the launch of two new touch screen devices namely Nokia 5230 and the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic combining the features of touch interface with that of music and entertainment features.

The Nokia 5230 is positioned as an affordable touch device with rich entertainment features. Nokia launched the model in India as well as across the globe today. It offers 33 hours of playback time and is priced at 149 euros. In some markets the handset will come preloaded with Comes music service of Nokia and such models will be priced at 259 euros. Headphones with 3.5mm AV connector can be connected to the device for a personal rich audio experience. It also has a Media bar with quick access to favourite media and applications such as music, photos, YouTube or Ovi Share. Thumbnail images of up to 20 friends are displayed and their communications history including emails, phone calls, photos or other social media updates. The handset is expected to be commercially available from Q4 2009.

The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is derived from the top selling Nokia 5800 Xpress music. The home page has one touch shortcuts to content and popular social networks like facebook and MySpace. It also has a innovative ‘people carousel’ as in the case of Nokia 5230 displaying thumbnail images of as many as 20 friends along with communication history.

The model offers 27 hours of playback time and a 4GB memory card for storing music and other media. It can store new music through the MusicStore either directly on the phone or through a PC.

Nokia Enters PC Market With Mini-Laptop Launch

2009-08-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

The Nokia Booklet 3G, which uses Microsoft Inc.'s (MSFT) Windows software, will be a "full-function" personal computer with high-speed mobile Internet access capability, Nokia said.

The Espoo, Finland-based company, has recorded declines in the average selling price of its handsets for the last six quarters and has stepped up its efforts in recent years to find new revenue streams, launching services such as music download store Ovi and buying mobile navigation company Navteq in July last year.

The company remains the dominant producer of mobile phones with a 38% share of the global market, although it has faced increased competition for high-end phones from Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone, and Research in Motion Ltd.'s (RIMM) Blackberry. It has also ceded market share to Asian rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd (SSNHY), which already makes both PCs and mobile phones. Meanwhile, companies such as Taiwan's Acer Inc. (2353.TW), the third-largest PC-maker by shipments, in February launched its first lineup of smartphones.

The move highlights increased consumer demand for products that fuse portable computing, telecommunications and music listening technology, and marks a significant strategic move, said Ranjit Atwal, principal research analyst for the PC industry at Gartner Inc.

"It's not going to be a huge compared with its mobile portfolio, but strategically it's where devices are headed," with the convergence of PC-like functions together with the ability to communicate. He added the key task will be how it will differentiate its offering from rivals.

Around 2.5 million netbooks were sold in Europe last quarter, according to Gartner figures.

"A growing number of people want the computing power of a personal computer with the full benefits of mobility," said Kai Oistamo, Nokia's Executive Vice President for Devices, in a statement.

"We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us."

Nokia declined to comment on pricing, availability or detailed specifications of the device ahead of a media event Sept. 2. "It looks a more premium device than low end," said Gartner research director for mobile Carolina Milanesi, noting that operators also want to improve data revenue though it remains to be seen how the device will be marketed and what sort of subsidies may be available.

That the device will be based on Windows is a positive, as there had been some concern that it would use the "aging" Symbian platform, said FIM analyst Michael Schroder in Helsinki, but he cautioned that Nokia "will enter head to head with strong competitors in a tough market."

Nokia's net profit was EUR380 million for the three months to June 30, down 66% from EUR1.10 billion a year earlier on sales of EUR9.91 billion, down from EUR13.15 billion.

At 1325 GMT, Nokia shares were trading up 1.4% at EUR8.89 while the broader Helsinki market was up 1.6%. The stock has lost more than 20% of its value in the past three months on concerns over consumer spending amid the recession.

Now Is the Time to Evaluate Windows 7

2009-08-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

Windows 7 is a relatively modest improvement over Windows Vista in terms of performance, features and security. But, with an aging XP unable to take advantage of the latest hardware and networking technologies, the time is coming for most enterprises to consider a Windows client upgrade. eWEEK Labs put Windows 7 RTM through its paces and found some compelling usability improvements, features that will work best (or only) with Windows Server 2008 R2 and some mixed security messages.

With Windows 7 now released to manufacture and with licensing available for Software Assurance customers, the time is right for enterprise administrators to begin testing the new operating system in earnest.

For while Windows 7 itself is really a somewhat modest improvement over Windows Vista in terms of performance, features and security, the time is coming for most enterprises to consider a client upgrade to take best advantage of the latest technologies. Come October, Windows XP will celebrate its eighth birthday, and the aging OS is not the best choice out there for multicore systems and 64-bit architecture on the hardware side, nor is it best-suited for modern networking technologies such as IPv6, ISCSI or even wireless networking.

The most noticeable and compelling aspect of Windows 7 is undoubtedly the revamped Aero interface (which I first looked at in my review of the public beta). With the Aero Peek thumbnail-driven task bar blending access to dormant applications and background windows alike; new Jump Lists providing quick access to application-specific documents and history; and Libraries extending the scope of access beyond the computer and out to the network, a lot of applications and documents are now within the user’s reach with just a few clicks.

But GUI enhancements are not what will drive enterprise uptake of the new operating system.

For this audience, there are a number of features in Windows 7--including DirectAccess (remote access into the network leveraging IPv6) and BranchCache (local caching of files and sites)--that are designed to work with servers and domains upgraded to the latest version of Microsoft's server line, windows server R2. eWEEK Labs will look at those kinds of features down the road in our "better together" testing of the two products in use in tandem. In the near future we’ll also look in more depth at the new Enterprise Search and the myriad virtualization options available for use with Windows 7.

Weird Facts 101: Weirdest book in the world

2009-08-11T08:27:00.001-07:00

What do you call a lavish, two-volume book with its own alphabet, bizarre illustrations of people turning into animals during sex, eating food made of colored light, and other images from the Twilight Zone?

Image: abebooks.co

Good question.

Since the Codex Seraphinianus, by Italian artist Luigi Serafini, was first printed in the 1981, countless people all over the world have been trying to figure out what it means.

Dubbed "the most unusual and interesting book ever published," the Codex is a literary philosopher's dream come true.

Serafini said "The Codex presents the creative vision of this time" and was for the “age of information” where coding and de-coding messages is increasingly important in genetics, computer science and literary criticism.

Richard Davies wondered what Serafini would make of today’s information age featuring Facebook, Twitter, blogs and Google?

Davies said "the [Codex] is essentially an encyclopedia about an alien world that clearly reflects our own. Each chapter appears to deal with key facets of this surreal place, including flora, fauna, science, machines, games and architecture. It’s difficult to be exact because no-one has ever understood the contents page. Elements of today’s world are visible but they are nearly always given some surreal twist."

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of blogs dedicated to deciphering the Codex. A good one is The Believer, by Justin Taylor.

If you'd like to buy a copy of the book, move some money around. A signed first edition will cost you about $5000, although other editions of the book range from about $350 and up.

HP announces Digital print network service

2009-08-07T03:22:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to tap the growing opportunity of personalized digital printing in the hospitality sector, HP India has announced a digital print network service to educate corporate, hotelier, and printing organization. The move is aimed at addressing the industry's requirement of highly personalization solutions, and to have larger business share.

While offering more insight on this, Puneet Chadha, director (imaging solutions business) of HP India's Imaging and Printing Group said, "Today more than 90% of printing solutions in hospitality vertical is dominated by off-set printing and single digit being driven by digital printing. Digital printing fulfills the four key needs of hospitality sector, such as personalized printing, short run and on demand printing and environment friendly."
"The domestic hospitality sector is expected to see investment of over $11 billion in the next two years with 40 international hotel brands making their presence felt in India by 2012," he added.

Hospitality and many other sectors are gradually opting digital printing to produce marketing collaterals and direct mailers to menu cards, photo merchandise, calendars, personalized itinerary and check -in cards.

Green Idol

2009-08-07T02:09:00.000-07:00

Hey,

I've just joined the Green Idol campaign and told Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh that he has no time to lose.

If he's serious about fighting climate change – as he should be – then he
MUST have a Renewable Energy Law in place by 2010. That's next year!

I know he's not going to do it just because I asked him to. But if he starts
getting hundreds of thousands of other Indian citizens asking him too,
he’ll have no option.

Do what I’ve done. Save the climate. Be a Green Idol! Tell Dr. Manmohan
Singh now at http://greenidol.in/?utm_source=TYF&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=greenidol

Scratch

2009-08-07T01:24:00.000-07:00

Scratch is a new programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art -- and share your creations on the web.

Scratch is designed to help young people (ages 8 and up) develop 21st century learning skills. As they create and share Scratch projects, young people learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.

Scratch is available free of charge: go to Download.
Currently available for Mac OSX and Windows (see system requirements)

Imagine Cup

2009-08-07T01:14:00.000-07:00

The World's Premier Student Technology Competition

The Imagine Cup is one way Microsoft is encouraging young people to apply their imagination, their passion, and their creativity to technology innovations that can make a difference in the world. Now in its eighth year, the Imagine Cup has grown to be a truly global competition focused on finding solutions to global issues. Below is a list of the 2009 and 2008 winners. For More Info Visit www.imaginecup.com.

Cloud computing, low or high appeal for banks?

2009-08-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

A recent survey sponsored by Temenos has found that despite lots of marketing activity, cloud computing has yet to generate any real support from banking executives. The survey found that just 15 percent of 42 executives are currently utilizing the technology, about 33 percent said they don't know enough about the potential risks and 44 percent said the lack of data security was a barrier.

Below the executive level, there seems to be a lot more support for the technology. An IBM/SIFMA survey of more than 350 Wall Street IT professionals has suggested "a significant increase in the level of interest in new technologies and computing models, in particular cloud computing, as firms seek to overcome budgetary restrictions and skills shortages," reports Wall Street & Technology. The IT managers are obviously closer to the ground on new technologies. At some point, they'll have to convince the top executives. A process that I think is underway.

Nikon's New DSLRs: D300s and D3000

2009-08-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

A month after the images of Nikon Digital Single lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras D300S and D3000 were leaked, the company has made the cameras official.
What's New?

The D300S is the revived version of the popular D300 which was launched about two years ago. Featuring a 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor and 51-point autofocus system, the D300S offers full 720p HD video recording, a 7 fps continuous shooting and Dual CF and SD card slots.

On the other hand, the D3000 will be the company's newest entry-level DSLR with features like a 10.2 MP DX-format CCD sensor and 3fps continuous shooting.

Its features include a 3-inch LCD and 11-point AF system with 3D tracking. Targeted towards beginners and experienced compact users, the camera features a new Guide mode to help learn how to get the most out of a DSLR. The recommended selling price will be $599 with 18-55mm VR lens.

Other Features

The D300S now features a new Quiet drive mode and a dedicated Live View and Info button as well. The D3000 offers a New Guide mode which provides a simple interface meant to help first-time users to select shooting modes. There's also in-camera photo editing and Nikon's Integrated Dust Reduction System in the camera.

Both cameras come with an Active D-Lighting function which claims to vastly improve shadows and highlights of high-contrast scenes.

Simple technique to save your Gadget

2009-07-26T12:36:00.001-07:00

Rescue your cell from water

No matter how hard you try, at least once in its lifetime, your cellphone will find its way into the potty or the sink. But does it mean it’s time to bury your dear one? Definitely not, especially if you try this home remedy. First, take the phone battery out immediately to prevent electrical short circuits from roasting your phone’s innards. Next, wipe the dripping piece of machinery gently with a tissue, and bury it into a jar full of uncooked rice. Yes, rice. Remember the coconut-in-dry-rice routine to keep moisture away? It’s the same logic that works here too. It’s been found rice has a high chemical affinity for water — which means it has an almost magnetic attraction for water droplets. So, instead of sticking to the cold metal of your cellphone, they will get soaked by the rice, thus leaving your phone dry as a bone (well, almost).

How to extend laptop battery

Another most common gripe with laptop users is that its juice runs out when you need it. So a good home remedy is to remove the battery from your laptop when you are using the AC power exclusively. This reduces constant charging/ recharging of the battery. Maintaining the battery at full charge for extended periods can shorten its service life. Should you opt not to remove the batteries but run the laptop so that it is nearly always plugged in, it’s a good idea to remove the charger cord frequently — at least once a week — and run the computer off battery charge for an hour or two. A similar techniqe, by the way, works for your iPod too. If your iPod’s battery stubbornly refuses to charge or doesn’t charge completely, try making the battery completely dry. Next, simply pull out the battery from the iPod and leave it outside for 24 hours. Plug it back and notice the difference.

Squeeze cartridge ink

If the ink dries out just when you are in the middle of printing an important document, simply remove the cartridge and run a hair dryer for three-four minutes and place it back into the printer and print again while it is still warm. Tech experts say the hair dryer melts the thick ink, thus releasing extra ink for a page or two.

Revive your dead hard drive

If you have been hit by the blue screen of death — the hard drive just crashed on you — don’t panic. You might be able to salvage your precious data. The nuskha is simply freeze the hard drive for an entire night. This might sound silly, but here’s the logic. Tech experts say, many hard drive failures are caused by worn parts that no longer fit in with each other, making it impossible to read from the drive. Engineers have found that if you freeze the drive, lowering the temperature causes its metal and plastic internals to contract slightly. Thawing it will cause those parts to expand again, thus possibly binding them. This might not bring the drive back to life essentially, but give you enough window to transfer data to a safe place. Worth a try, right?

Nokia N86 8MP Smartphone

2009-07-26T06:09:00.000-07:00

The award winning Nokia N86 8MP, the most advanced Nokia imaging device, is coming to the US

The smartphone is a 2-way slide dual-mode mobile computer supporting WCDMA/HSDPA, EGSM, and WLAN. Enjoy videos, music, and graphics on the 2.6” Active Matrix OLED display and orientation sensor.

One can find directions and locations with the integrated A-GPS and included maps. At the same time it can take photos with a 8-megapixel autofocus camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Tessar lens and dual LED flash.

N86 8MP comes with additional features include Flash lite 3.1, USB charging with simultaneous data transfer, UPnP and TV out. Supported WCDMA frequencies depend on the region where the device is available.

With its eight megapixel camera, dual LED flash and Carl Zeiss Optics, the Nokia N86 8MP will allow US consumers to carry a true replacement for single purpose point-and-shoot camera.

Sharing images and video with your social network couldn’t be easier with the Share Online client that is preinstalled on the Nokia N86 8MP and its one-click upload.

With over-the-air uploads, media can be seen within seconds from Ovi Share and other media sharing sites. The Nokia N86 8MP also comes preloaded with Ovi services including Ovi Maps, N-Gage and Ovi Files.

With exceptional build quality and loaded with features, the Nokia N86 8MP continues the reputation that people expect from the Nokia Nseries.

The Nokia N86 8MP will be available for $558.00 through Nokia Flagship Stores.

Slow, but impressive: hands-on with the Xbox 360 update

2009-07-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has given the press a limited preview of some of the new features that will be coming to the Xbox 360 dashboard, and while the Twitter and Last.fm functionality has yet to arrive, what is there points to a rosy future for the 360 as a media box... not to mention a more friendly platform for advertising. Let's take a look at the changes coming to the system.

Netflix is now browsable, without an extra computer

One of the nicest additions to the service is the ability to browse the content available via Netflix. Streaming Netflix content on your 360 used to require a computer or laptop to fill your queue, but will soon be able browse movies directly from the system—a much-needed update.

You can also share content with your friends in a virtual movie theater, where your Avatars watch the same film or TV show, as long as everyone has Netflix. I'm not sure how many people want to see movies together with your virtual friends, but hey, it's there. Netflix is now also more adaptable to "changing network conditions." You also have the ability to see what your friends are watching, or you can choose to hide that information.

Netflix is much easier to use on the Xbox 360, and content is likewise simple to find and watch. If you liked the Netflix feature before, be prepared to fall in love.

Rate games, spiff up your avatar

Combing through arcade games and content used to be something of a pain, but now you can rate every game, every add-on, every arcade release, and likewise arrange games by rating. Right now Geometry Wars Evolved has 78 ratings, showing four and a half stars. That's a game worth checking out! Bankshot Billiards 2, on the other hand, shows 22 ratings with an average of two and a half stars... you may be safe skipping that one.

While putting too much stock in user-controlled ratings may not be wise, they certainly give you another data point when browsing titles, and could help to separate the good stuff from the junk. With so much content on Xbox Live, every little bit helps. The system is also granular, meaning that a game is rated, as well as its add-on content. That way users can send the message that a certain game is great, but a $5 update that adds bigger breasts to the NPCs is rather lame.

One annoying issue? When you select "top rated" under Game Add-Ons, it gives you the top rated games, not the content. I would have loved to have seen what content was top rated, but the system apparently isn't set up to share that sort of information. For instance, I know that Mass Effect is a highly rated game, but that shouldn't make it jump to the top of the charts in Game Add-ons when the Bring Down the Sky content has zero ratings. Disappointing.

You can also now check out the expanded store for clothing and accessories for your Avatar, although there isn't much there to see yet. You can browse through branded clothing from Halo 3 or Fable 2, or simply pick up some Steampunk duds. How does 80 Microsoft points for Black Boots sound? Or 160 points for a Halo Hoodie? The concept of real money for fake goods is nothing new, and with Microsoft using Avatars for more and more content, this sort of for-pay add-ons may catch on faster than many expect.

Indie games, Games on Demand, and other updates

Community Games have now been rebranded as Independent Games, and with the aforementioned ratings, are now much easier to browse to find good games. The new name, matched with user ratings, should do much to make this area of Xbox Live much more popular.

There is a slot for Games on Demand, but we've been told the 360 games won't be available until a later preview closer to August.

The rest of the updates may sound unremarkable when taken individually, but as a group they add much usability to the system. Party invites are now one-click affairs, and if you become disconnected you're automatically reinstated into the party. This now a badge showing how long you've been an Xbox Live subscriber, and you can get a feel for how many achievements you've earned with new graphical information. Console settings have also be re-organized to be easier to use.

The only issue is that, at least in the preview build given to the press, the responsiveness of the dashboard has been severely compromised. The 360 runs slllloooowww at the moment, with frequent pauses and stutters between windows. I'm sure that's an issue with what may be unfinished code, but at the moment the system can be frustratingly unresponsive.

Buying full games with real cash, not points, as well as Twitter, Last.fm, and Facebook functionality will be coming in future updates, but so far we like what we see. If you'd like to take the update for a test drive yourself, sign up for the testing program; Microsoft is allowing a good amount of gamers to explore the new options.

Facebook Fact

2009-07-23T09:55:00.001-07:00

Facebook was originally named TheFaceBook and it was developed by Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg. The first use of the FaceBook was on the Harvard campus and it was limited only to Harvard students. Soon the FaceBook spread like wild fire around the other major U.S. Universities. Mark Zuckerberg dropped the Harvard and pursued his facebook dream to become one of the 4th most-trafficked websites in the world with more than 90 million active users. The FaceBook website is built on PHP-MySQL technology and it is probably the most popular PHP website ever built. Interesting fact is that the facebook.com domain was purchased for $200,000 and FaceBook has more than 24 million photos uploaded daily.

Interesting facts about 2012

2009-07-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

2012 is expected to be year of great positive change. It is not the end of the world! Back in 1899 something was identified called Schumann Cavity Resonance. It is the heart beat or frequency of the Earth. Since its discovery till 1986 this heart beat frequency was constant 7.8 Hertz per second. From 1986 it started to raise dramatically and in 1998 it was reported to be 10 hertz per second. On other hand magnetics of the earth are dropping dramatically and it is expected they will reach zero point in 2012. Maya calendar and other calendars end in 2012, but it is not the end of the world just beginning of the new one since every 26000 years Earth goes through grand cycle of evolution.

A new class of BLACK HOLE

2009-07-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

Only two sizes of black holes have ever been spotted: small and super-massive. Scientists have long speculated that an intermediate version must exist, but they’ve never been able to find one until now.

Astrophysicists identified what appears to be the first-ever medium-sized black hole, pictured in an artist’s rendition above, with a mass at least 500 times that of our Sun. Researchers from the Centre d’Etude Spatiale des Rayonnements in France detected the middling hole in a galaxy about 290 million light-years from Earth.

The discovery may shed some light on the origins of super-sized black holes like the one at the center of our own galaxy. These astral heavyweights top out at several million to several billion times the mass of the Sun, but their origin remains a mystery.

Small black holes, between three and 20 times the mass of the sun, are created when big stars collapse and leave behind a gravitational pull strong enough to block nearby light rays. Researchers have speculated that super-massive black holes result from the successive fusion of many smaller black holes. But without finding evidence of a medium-size hole, it was a tough theory to prove.

“The existence of such intermediate-mass black holes is in dispute,” the French scientists wrote Wednesday in Nature, “and though many candidates have been proposed, none are widely accepted as definitive.”

The new discovery is the most convincing evidence to date that medium black holes exist. Using the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton X-ray space telescope, the researchers identified a radiation source that gives off X-rays 260 million times brighter than the radiation of the Sun.

Called “Hyper-Luminous X-ray Source 1,” the structure sits on the edge of galaxy ESO 243-49. Because of the source’s physical characteristics and the pattern of its radiation, the researchers conclude it must be a black hole more than 500 times the mass of the sun: not too big, not too small, and the first of its kind.

World's First 256GB Flash Drive

2009-07-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

After boasting over the 128GB Data Traveler 200 Flash Drive marvel, Kingston has now announced whopping 256GB DataTraveler 300 USB Flash Drive. This high capacity USB flash drive comes with new Password Traveler software that allows creating and access password protected area on the drive called 'Privacy Zone'. At this moment, Kingston Europe is selling Kingston DataTraveler 300 256GB flash drive at an astonishing price of 657 Euros (Rs. 45, 100) which is more than even 256GB SSDs.

Likely to be a proud possession of select few, the new 256GB DataTraveler 300 has the usual retractable pin interface. This 256GB Flash drive allows storing data of up to 10 Blu-ray Discs or 54 single layer DVDs or 365 CDs. Kingston claims that this USB drive offers read speed of 20MB/sec and write speed of 10MB/sec without any stutter in data access.

For Windows Vista and Windows 7 based systems, DT 300 is already ReadyBoost enable and thus will allow Vista users to use this flash drive as memory. Ideal for netbook users who are looking for extended, portable storage which can be easily carried in pocket. However, it's a fact that this pocket toy will literally burn a hole in the pocket.

Android-based Phone HTC Click Surfaces

2009-07-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

A rumored Android based handset that will be targeted at the low to mid range segment. The idea behind this phone is to gradually enable more people to come into the Android fold. Not everyone can afford a Hero or a Rachael, mind you. So, what we have here is a stripped down smartphone that comes laden with the bare essentials, skis the eye candy and stuff. This will of course be priced reasonably and will still be a full-fledged Android phone.

Now, we do not have any inkling as to what the specs of the HTC Click look like. By the looks of it, this might be a quite a decent phone with unassuming looks and well that's just about it. Watch this space!

Google promises 'the end of viruses'

2009-07-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Google's Engineering Director has promised that its forthcoming Chrome OS will see 'the end of malware'.

Google is promising what the latest issue of New Scientist magazine refers to as "a carefree antivirus nirvana" with its forthcoming Google Chrome OS.

Linus Upson, Google's Engineering Director, has promised the company is: "Completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work."

Chrome browser patched

Ironically, Google is also in the news this week due to security flaws in its Chrome browser.

Two of the most recent Google Chrome web browser security flaws (one relating to malicious code exploitation in the Chrome tab sandbox and one relating to memory corruption in the browser tab processes) have now been fixed.

You can see the full run-down of all the latest changes over on Google's Chrome site.

So is the cloud computing future really going to be more secure than our current system of downloading regular security patches to constantly fix the software that's sitting on our hard drive?

"Downloading updates is always going to be a step or two behind the cloud approach because it takes a while to get a fix out to a PC to install it," argues Paul Jackson of Forrester Research.

And while Jackson agrees that "the cloud approach allows patches to be applied much faster" he notes that any web-based OS is still going to be at risk from malware targeting the browser or Linux.

Robert Caunt, an analyst from CCS Insight in London, notes that Google has a good record on security to date: "Its Gmail spam filter and search engine's phishing-detection is good. They know what needs doing."

Major computing brands such as Nvidia, Dell, Asus, Acer and others have already confirmed that they will be fully supporting Google's Chrome OS. Stay tuned for further Chrome OS news updates as and when we get them.

Google launches voice-powered search

2009-07-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Google, the renowned name in the area of internet search, has introduced new concept to make search easier for mobile users. It has come up with voice-based search and map solutions to strengthen its application portfolio.

Users can get information regarding particular site, opening Google search page that shows top results of the category. The firm aims to capture large market share by providing the facility to low-cost GPRS handsets and offering cheaper data plans.

Google India Head of products, Vinay Goel said, "Mobiles (more than 400 million) outnumber the personal computers (PCs -- slightly over 30 million) concentration in India. A big part of the population accessing Internet going ahead would do so on a mobile handset and so we need to offer enriching experience to these users."

The company has recently introduced a free voice-based mobile Internet search, a master piece of its India engineering team, for BlackBerry users. Mr. Goel said that apart from BlackBerry users the facility will be soon extended to other handsets by December this year.

A leading technology related blog adds, "With this app you get local business suggestions even before you click the search button if My Location is enabled."

Google Wave going to lauch this year

2009-07-19T02:34:00.000-07:00

Google Wave , Google’s new real-time communication platform that will launch to the public later this year.
What is Google Wave?
Google Wave is a personal communication and collaboration tool announced by Google at the Google I/O conference, on 27 May 2009 .It is a web based service and computing platform designed to merge e-mail, instant messaging, wiki, and social networking. It has a strong collaborative and real-time focus supported by robust spelling/grammar checking, automated translation between 40 languages, and numerous other extensions. It is expected to be released later in 2009.Google Wave has a lot of innovative features, but here are just a few:-
Real-time: In most instances, you can see what someone else is typing, character-by-character.
Embeddability: Waves can be embedded on any blog or website.
Applications and Extensions: Just like a Facebook (Facebook reviews) application or an iGoogle gadget, developers can build their own apps within waves. They can be anything from bots to complex real-time games.
Wiki functionality: Anything written within a Google Wave can be edited by anyone else, because all conversations within the platform are shared. Thus, you can correct information, append information, or add your own commentary within a developing conversation.

Open source: The Google Wave code will be open source, to foster innovation and adoption amongst developers.
- Playback: You can playback any part of the wave to see what was said.
- Natural language: Google Wave can autocorrect your spelling, even going as far as knowing the difference between similar words, like “been” and “bean.” It can also auto-translate on-the-fly.
- Drag-and-drop file sharing: No attachments; just drag your file and drop it inside Google Wave and everyone will have access.

Official Google Website : http://wave.google.com/
More About Wave :http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/28/google-wave-drips-with-ambition-can-it-fulfill-googles-grandwebvision/
====http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Wave

Buzz Aldrin: Put Humans on Mars By 2031

2009-07-18T06:53:00.000-07:00

NASA's plan to replace its three aging space shuttles with Orion capsules to carry astronauts to the moon by 2020 may not justify its $35 billion cost if it stops there, said Aldrin, one of the first humans to set foot on the moon during the apollo 11 landing on July 20, 1969.

Instead, the United States can aid international partners in exploring the moon and free up its own spaceflight resources to develop systems for even more ambitious goals, he told in an interview.

"While the international explorers, with our help, are going to the moon, we can develop the long-duration life support systems for other things," said Aldrin, 79. "Flying by a comet, visiting an asteroid and station-keeping with it."

With an international base on the moon and vital technologies like in-space refueling, Aldrin envisions an ambitious series of expeditions to send astronauts on a deep space mission to visit the asteroid Aphophis when it swings near Earth in 2021. A temporarily manned base on the Mars moon Phobos could follow, he added.

"By that time, we'd be ready to put people in a gradual permanence on Mars by 2031," Aldrin said. "That, in a nutshell, is what I really think we should be doing."

NASA's current transition from the space shuttle to orion is a huge step backward, Aldrin said. The shuttle's may not have lived up to its initial expectations, but its ability to haul tons of cargo to orbit and land on a runway is a capability that should not be lost in order to replace it with something faster and cheaper, he stressed.

"What happens to U.S. space global leadership if everything is going to be done on the cheap and we're not going to think ahead, and we're going back to the moon for some reason that really won't justify the cost of human habitation," he said.

The United States should "do the things that this nation can do and strive toward maintaining globally space leaderships. And that means lifting bodies, runway landers and not going back to the moon, because we've been there," Aldrin added.

While the future of American spaceflight remains to be seen, Aldrin said he takes comfort knowing that the history-making apollo 11 moon landing still resonates today.

"I'm kind of glad it does," he said. "Whatever we do in space is not on the front page unless there's something going wrong or it's highly unusual. And it doesn't capture the budget discussion."

Aldrin and Neil Armstrong spent a day on the lunar surface and just 2 1/2 hours walking outside their Eagle lander. Their crewmate Michael Collins orbited overhead inside the command module Columbia. Five other Apollo moon landings followed.

In the past, Aldrin has frankly recounted the depression and bout with alcoholism that followed his flight aboard Apollo 11.

Now, 40 years after the mission, he said he's matured considerably since the flight - his last space mission and has released a new autobiography "Magnificent Desolation." In a bid to spark interest in spaceflight in today's youth ad children, he rapped about the moonshot with Snoop Dogg and Talib Kewli, and has a new children's book about space exploration.

The Apollo 11 anniversary, he said, is a chance for NASA to remind the American public of the country's technical prowess.

"I do think that it does momentarily keep the public abreast of what we're doing now, and they'll look back," Aldrin said. "Of course it's been a long time, so many people weren't alive when those things happened, and those that were are, I guess, maturing a little bit and look back with a bit of nostalgia."

But the moon, Aldrin added, hasn't changed.

"Well, it still looks about the same when I look at it," Aldrin said. "But I know inside, it sounds kind of trite, that it's really not the stranger that it was. It's somewhat of a friend now because I've been there."

Aldrin said he still vividly remembers that first moonwalk. Armstrong called the view beautiful, but it was so much more. Aldrin, instead, saw what described as magnificent desolation.

"Beautiful, I thought, that's not quite right," he said. "It's magnificent that we're here ... but what a desolate place this was."

He still recalls the apparent stillness.

"No life, no motion, no air. And just the same uniform color of all the dust that reflected light differently depending on the angle of the sun and your view," Aldrin said. "It just wasn't a very welcome place at all."

Developing “Dark” Flash for Better Night Pictures

2009-07-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

When you try to take pictures under lower light conditions, you are largely left with one of two options. You can use the flash and get all sorts of unnatural and uneven lighting. You can avoid the flash and get one big blurry mess. Well, a couple of students are coming up with a much better alternative.

Some people are calling it a “dark” flash, whereas others are referring to it as an “invisible” flash. Whatever you choose to call it, the innovation is supposed to provide us with much better photos at night and under other dim lighting conditions.

Hailing from New York University, Dilip Krishnan and Rob Fergus are developing a two-step technique that can be completely automated in regular digital cameras (and maybe even camera phones). The flashbulb has been modified to emit a wider spectrum of light, but it filters out visible light.

The UV and IR filters that are normally present in camera sensors have also been removed. The net result is a picture that looks like an infrared image, similar to the picture you see on the left. The blur is gone and the lighting is even, but it’s the wrong color, right?

An algorithm takes care of that. A second photo is taken immediately after the second one, but without the “dark” flash being used. By doing so, the camera is able to grab the color information from the resulting grainy and shaky pic. Combining the detail from the first pic with the colors of the second, you get the picture on the right.

This sounds like it could be quite a fantastic innovation if it really works as promised, but it almost sounds like the camera has to be dedicated to this purpose. If they can merge the technology with existing tech for “regular” photos, they could have a very lucrative patent on their hands.

Give me time... I don't even have a mail id: Nilekani

2009-07-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Give me more time... I don’t even have an e-mail ID,” an exasperated Nandan Nilekani said on the sidelines of a book launch by Pearson Education today.
Nilekani, who has been appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to head the National Authority for Unique Identity, has been in the news for providing a unique identification (UID) number to all Indians. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is being established under the aegis of the Planning Commission.
When asked where his office would be (Nilekani is sitting in the Planning Commission office currently), the former co-chairman of Infosys said that, as of now, he did not even have an e-mail id. As for what his priorities would be with regard to the ambitious UID project that would create a ‘national verification process’, he said: “Give me more time. Wait till August 15.”
The UID intends to enable a unique identity which will ensure that people have a unique number. This is also expected to help in creating a national verification process, and create a national enrollment capability as it would be a database of Indian citizens.

The government has earmarked an initial budgetary allocation of Rs 120 crore for the UID project in the fiscal year 2009-10. In fact, in 2008, the government implemented a pilot project for a ‘Multi-purpose National Identity Card (MNIC) in 13 districts of 12 states and one Union Territory wherein more than 1.2 million identity cards were issued to people above 18 years of age.

The unique ID will require creation of a database that links an individual to a unique identifier that remains constant over his lifespan, like parentage, date and place of birth. The card automatically gets activated as a voter identity card at the age of 18.

Reaching Tranquility: 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 mission

2009-07-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

Talking cars that help you avoid accidents

2009-07-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

EVER IMAGINED driving a car which would communicate with other cars to prevent a collision? Very soon, such talking cars will be seen running on the roads, much to the relief of the drivers. Scientists have developed a set of algorithms that will allow future robotic cars to talk with each other to help avoid accidents.

Under the guidance and supervision of Indian-origin scientists, Dr Bhibhya Sharma and Dr Utesh Chand, an international team in the University of South Pacific, have developed mathematical equations which would instruct robotic cars on how to drive and change lanes safely. The series of such mathematical equations would instruct the future robotic cars on how to merge lanes, thus bringing down the accident rate and easing traffic congestions.

Dr Sharma said that flocking was a biologically-inspired technique and strategy commonly used in robotics. The advantages of flocking make robots work together and achieve what would normally take an individual far longer.

According to the scientists, each robotic car will be controlled by a centralised brain which will be guided by a series of algorithms which will enable the brains to talk with each other and instruct the cars to merge lanes and altogether move together in a formation that avoids collisions.

Using computer simulation, the team demonstrated the technique and is currently trying it out in two-wheeled robots. Dr Chand said that the cars would have targets they move towards. Whenever the cars finds itself in a merging situation, one car would take the lead position and the rest would follow. The team has noted down equations for attraction towards a target, enabling the cars to stay in the lane and avoid crashing into each other. According to the team the only challenge would be to allow the robot to automatically plan how to avoid collision with the side of the roads and cars moving close by.

The scientists have put forward and presented their findings at the 1st Rim Mathematical Association (PRIMA) conference that was held in Sydney.

Sixth sense-Future of personal computing

2009-07-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Future of personal Computing

The next generation of mobile computing... ....

you dont need to carry laptops or heavy mobile sets......

projector + camera + computer + internet + sixth sense

makes computing easier...... ..

6th sense - technology by MIT student----- ------absolutely amazing!!!

Must watch - This video shows the new wearable technology

that makes takes personnel computing to a whole new level.

This is done by an Indian Student who is in MIT

Pranav Mistry

Worth to watch this:
so just have a look.

MSI G41 Motherboards to Support DirectX 10

2009-07-11T23:59:00.000-07:00

the G41 chipset-based motherboards from MSI are designed for the gamers, engineering and multimedia professionals. They feature Intel's integrated GMA X4500 graphics processing unit, which is not only faster compared to its predecessor but is also DirectX 10 and OpenGL 2.0 compatible.

Additionally, the G41 chipset also supports faster hardware decoding, which decreases the loading on the CPU while rendering a movie or a scene. The chipset supports dual video and audio output as well as HDMI for easy connectivity with other multimedia devices. DirectX 10 support provides a better gaming and graphics experience with Windows Vista or Windows 7 as the operating system.

The motherboards also feature APS intelligent power management, USB safeguard protection and M-Flash BIOS recovery. These boards feature a solid capacitor design which enhances the product's life span and stability. These boards can be easily overclocked via the BIOS-located 'Switch'.

MSI's G41 series motherboards include G41TM-E63, G41TM-E43, G41M4-F, P41T-C31, P41T-C33, G41M-FD and G41M-FIDP.

SCRATCHbot: The robotic rat that could save lives

2009-07-11T04:32:00.000-07:00

A team of scientists have developed a robotic rat that could eventually help rescue people from man-made and natural disasters.

Researchers from the Bristol Robotics Lab and the University of Sheffield have developed the SCRATCHbot, which can find objects using its sensory whiskers in dark or smoky rooms. And unlike previous rodent-like machines, SCRATCHbot adapts the way it moves its whiskers when it makes contact with an obstacle.

The project was inspired by the use of touch in the animal kingdom – specifically how rats explore their environments using whiskers in poorly-lit places.

Watch the robot rat at work:

Web slows after Jackson’s death

2009-07-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

The internet suffered a number of slowdowns as people the world over rushed to verify accounts of Michael Jackson’s death. Search giant Google confirmed to the BBC that when the news first broke it feared it was under attack. Millions of people who Googled the star’s name were greeted with an error page rather than a list of results. The microblogging service Twitter crashed with the sheer volume of people using the service. Full Story : BBC.com….

New study describes risk of mobile phone virus attacks

2009-07-10T19:45:00.001-07:00

New study in the journal Science that is coauthored by University of Notre Dame physics doctoral student Pu Wang and researchers from Northeastern University suggests that the risk of mobile phone virus attacks will increase as a few operating systems gain more market share. The study also analyzes the pattern and speed of the spread of infection for Bluetooth and multimedia messaging services (MMS). Smart phones, which can share programs and data, could attract virus writers at a level more disruptive than computer viruses. Mobile viruses can be spread by either Bluetooth or MMS communications protocols. Bluetooth viruses can infect phones with the technology within a local area, comparable to the spread of contact-based disease. The infected phone must be moved into another tower’s range in order to infect a new set of phones. The slow spread provides time to develop protection from the virus. Full Story : Physorg.com…..

Trojans: The Method of Infection

2009-07-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

The most simple method is to send a trojan via email. So you receive a message saying that a wonderful file is attached and it will coerce you to click on it. This one is for dumb heads. I assume you are not one of those who click every attachment without scanning it with an up-to-date AV.

Secondly, you may receive a file from someone you know and the file looks harmless enough. On clicking you find a small application running, so you rest assured that the file was not a trojan. Here is where the ingenuity of the hacker comes into play. What he does is that he joins the trojan horse with an harmless application. . Such joiners are widely available on the Net. (If you want one, try Joiner). He designs a new icon for it using Micro Angelo. If he uses sub 7, the best and the most dangerous trojan according to me, then the latest version comes with an inbuilt icon changer. So one can easily assign a mp3 icon to a sub 7 server. (More on sub seven later)

If you are an experienced net user, you can easily restrict yourself from falling prey to above methods. But can you resist the feminine charm? . So you get an incoming file request, say pic.jpg. Now you know that trojan has to be an .EXE file, so this cannot be one. So you receive it and click it.

The file is indeed a Jpg file joined with a trojan. But it is a fact that though you can bind an exe file to a Jpg one, the final file has to be an exe. What the hacker does is that he renames the file as pic.jpg.exe. ICQ shows this as pic.jpg. So you end up making a fool of yourself.

These are not the only ways. New ingenious ways are being designed by thinking minds to get better of you. So keep your senses wide awake when dealing with someone unknown on the Net.

Chandrayaan 2 Set for 2013 Launch

2009-07-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

he Chandrayaan II mission will be far more complicated as compared to the first one because of the Moon Rover landing that this mission involves. Landing a rover on the moon is a complicated task, as the moon does not have an atmosphere that can slow down the descent of the rover with parachutes. The ISRO is working on alternatives that will endure a safe landing for the rover.

With the Chandrayaan I continuing to dazzle scientists with fresh data being received from the craft everyday, it is only natural that the Chandrayaan II needs to be launched later to supplement data received from its predecessor. ISRO will also launch a geostationary, weather satellite in the near future for recording monsoon patterns and cloud shifts in the next few years.

India is also planning a mission to Mars, which has been stalled owing to the lack of qualified personnel. Nair, in what seems to be an indirect call to the student community, has requested young students to take up careers that would help the country achieve success in missions like these. Currently, there seems to be dearth of ideas and most students it seems do not seem to take up research activities as a career option.

Audio CAPTCHA

2009-07-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

CAPTCHAs (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) as the name suggests are used to differentiate automated computer programs or bots from humans. CAPTCHAs are used for various purposes such as preventing automated account creation on websites, prevention of traffic flooding on websites and spam-protection etc., but CAPTCHAs deny access to visually impaired humans as well. Most visually impaired people use narration softwares, so visual CAPTCHAs deny access to those considering them as bots. Audio CAPTCHAs help the visually impaired people pass the test, though they possess major challenge as bots may pass such a CAPTCHA by voice to text translation. Hence, some trivial or lingual techniques need to be employed in order to make them effective against bots but easy to crack for humans.

Nanotube super batteries

2009-06-30T05:28:00.000-07:00

Last night i was going through the various latest seminar topics posted by one of my friend.Out of those topics i found this topic to be something very interesting i.e. NANOTUBE SUPER-BATTERIES.
Have you ever thought of a battery whose size is in the range of microns & having the capacity of about 10-12 v & providing a total power of about 1watt;i know it sounds tough n even more tough to digest;but yes this is possible with this lastest invented super batteries whose size could be in nano range & deliver a power of much more than than our expectations.

come on let us know something more about it:
about its fabrication & characteristics.

Dense films of carbon nanotubes store large amounts of energy.

Researchers at MIT have made pure, dense, thin films of carbon nanotubes that show promise as electrodes for higher-capacity batteries and supercapacitors. Dispensing with the additives previously used to hold such films together improved their electrical properties, including the ability to carry and store a large amount of charge.

Carbon nanotubes can carry and store more charge than other forms of carbon, in part because their nanoscale structure gives them a very large surface area. But conventional methods for making them into films leave significant gaps between individual nanotubes or require binding materials to hold them together. Both approaches reduce the films' conductivity--the ability to convey charge--and capacitance--the ability to store it.

The MIT group, led by chemical-engineering professor Paula Hammond and mechanical-engineering professor Yang Shao-Horn, made the new nanotube films using a technique called layer-by-layer assembly. First, the group creates water solutions of two kinds of nanotubes: one type has positively charged molecules bound to them, and the other has negatively charged molecules. The researchers then alternately dip a very thin substrate, such as a silicon wafer, into the two solutions. Because of the differences in their charge, the nanotubes are attracted to each other and hold together without the help of any glues. And nanotubes of similar charge repel each other while in solution, so they form thin, uniform layers with no clumping.

The resulting films can then be detached from the substrate and baked in a cloud of hydrogen to burn off the charged molecules, leaving behind a pure mat of carbon nanotubes. The films are about 70 percent nanotubes; the rest is empty space, pores that could be used to store lithium or liquid electrolytes in future battery electrodes. The films "can store a lot of energy and discharge it rapidly," says Hammond. The capacitance of the MIT films--that is, their ability to store electrical charge--is one of the highest ever measured for carbon-nanotube films, says Shao-Horn. This means that they could serve as electrodes for batteries and supercapacitors that charge quickly, have a high power output, and have a long life.

The MIT group is not the first to use the layering technique to create nanotube films. But previously, researchers using the method layered a positively charged polymer with negatively charged nanotubes, resulting in films that were only half nanotubes. No polymer can equal the electrical conductivity of carbon nanotubes, so these films' electrical properties weren't as impressive as those of Hammond and Shao-Horn. Others have made films by growing the nanotubes from the substrate up, but the resulting forest of vertically aligned nanotubes is insufficiently dense.

Fake spyware/Antivirus

2009-06-29T03:42:00.001-07:00

Be careful ! List of fake Antivirus/ Antispyware products

Following are not an Antivirus, But they look like an Antivirus application

Advanced Cleaner	ContraVirus	PC SpeedScan Pro	Spyware Stormer
AlfaCleaner	Doctor Antivirus	PestTrap	SpywareStrike
AntiSpyCheck 2.1	DriveCleaner	Perfect Cleaner	Spy-Rid
AntiSpyStorm	Disk Knight	PAL Spyware Remover	SpyWiper
AntiSpywareBot	EasySpywareCleaner	PCPrivacytool	System Live Protect
AntiSpywareExpert	Errorsafe	PC-Antispyware	SystemDoctor
AntiSpywareMaster	free-viruscan. com	PSGuard	TrustedAntivirus
AntiSpywareSuite	IE Antivirus	SecurePCCleaner	TheSpyBot
AntiSpyware 2008 XP	IEDefender	Security toolbar 7.1	UltimateCleaner
Antivermins	InfeStop	SpyAxe	VirusHeat
Antivirgear	KVMSecure	Spy Away	Virus Isolator
Antivirus 2008	MacSweeper	SpyCrush	VirusProtectPro
Antivirus 2009	MalCrush 3.7	Spydawn	VirusRanger
AntiVirus Gold	MalwareCore	SpyGuarder	Vista Antivirus 2008
Antivirus Master	MalwareAlarm	SpyHeal	WinAntiVirus Pro 2006
Antivirus XP 2008	Malware Bell 3.2	Spylocked	WinFixer
Awola 6.0	Microsoft AntiVirus	SpySheriff	WinSpywareProtect
Brave Sentry	PCSecureSystem	SpySpotter	WorldAntiSpy
BestsellerAntivirus	PC Antispy	Spyware Cleaner	XP Antivirus
Cleanator	PC Clean Pro	Spyware Quake	XoftSpySE

Trick 2 avoid junk mails.

2009-06-26T00:28:00.000-07:00

Q: What is a 'bounce email' and how do I do it?
A: A junk mail sender (a.k.a. spammer) sends unsolicited mail to active email addresses on its mailing list. In order to trick spammers into thinking that your email address is not active, IncrediMail has created a feature called "Bounce Emails", which enables you to send a 'fake' bounce message to the sender. Thus, the spammer is led to believe that the email account is inactive or unrecognized by the server, and in many cases will remove your address from its mailing list. In other words, when you bounce an email there is a good chance that you will no longer receive junk mail from that specific spammer.
Note: To effectively fool the spammer, it is not recommended to perform this action more than once on the same email message.
For every email that you would like to fake bounce;Right-click on the unwanted message and select "Bounce to Sender" (marked in red).

At this point, the following dialog will open:

Click on "Bounce to Sender" to fake bounce the sender of the email message. Note: You can also delete the message along with bouncing it by clicking on the field "In addition, delete this message" (marked in red).
An example of a bounced email as the spammer will receive it:

Note: You can also use this feature directly from within the Advanced Account Access.

Colour sensor

2009-06-17T21:45:00.000-07:00

Color Picker is an innovative design of a concept pen that can scan colors from anything around and instantly use the color for drawing. After placing the pen against an object, the user just presses the scan button. The color is being detected by the color sensor and the RGB cartridge of the pen mixes the required inks to create the target color. This superb device will help people to observe the changing colors of nature. With color picker, all range of artists will be able to create a more sensorial and visual insight of their surrounding natural colors.

Bluetooth wireless video tranmission system

2009-06-09T01:34:00.000-07:00

There are several issues to be considered to develop a wireless video transmission system successfully.Problems such as the lack of bandwidth in wireless channel, and the dense nature of video data etc. The wireless video transmission system that is mentioned in this paper uses a few approaches to tackle these problems. The 3D set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) coder is employed in our system. This coder is very efficient and proves to have real-time capability in compressing video. A grey scale image with size 72x88 needs to be represented with 50.7kbits. If we want to transmit 16 frames/s video, the system needs to have a transmission rate of 811.2kbits/s. It is well known that wireless technology has limited bandwidth. For example, bluetooth has a maximum transmission rate of 721kbits/s. The coder can achieve 40:1 compression ratio introducing minor distortion on the video. We investigated a few ways to improve the processing time of the 3D-SPIHT and its error resilience. Then we try to classify different objects in the video with different priorities. This allows us to minimise the maximum bits that are needed to encode the video sequence. The feedback from the channel is used to control the maximum bits used.

Still some development is made in the 3G technology in mobile communication.In 3G we prompt to use the B-ISDN (Broadband ISDN) which is used to transmit the data at the ultra high speed even in several Mbps towards the receiver.But the compressed data enhance the possibility of introduction of error n loss in the data received. So there some advancement is still required to improve the quality of data received.IEEE standard still working on this issue.

Claytronics

2009-06-09T00:56:00.000-07:00

"Claytronics" is an emerging field of engineering concerning reconfigurable nanoscale robots ('claytronic atoms', or catoms) designed to form much larger scale machines or mechanisms. Also known as "programmable matter", the catoms will be sub-millimeter computers that will eventually have the ability to move around, communicate with other computers, change color, and electrostatically connect to other catoms to form different shapes. The forms made up of catoms could morph into nearly any object, even replicas of human beings for virtual meetings.

Claytronics technology is currently being researched by Professor Seth Goldstein and Professor Todd C. Mowry at Carnegie Mellon University, which is where the term was coined. According to Carnegie Mellon's Synthetic Reality Project personnel, claytronics are described as "An ensemble of material that contains sufficient local computation, actuation, storage, energy, sensing, and communication" which can be programmed to form interesting dynamic shapes and configurations.

Properties of Claytronics Atoms (Catoms):
• real, physical objects; analogous to “physical voxels”
• include processing, networking, energy storage, etc.
• also include a means of actuation (locomotion and adhesion)
– move in 3D relative to other catoms, using magnetic or electrostatic forces
– communicate & coordinate with other catoms to control their motion
– a catom itself contains no moving parts (“ensemble principle”)
• outer surface of each catom is a video display
– renders visual details at a higher resolution than physical catom size

for more information about its application refer the link beow:

http://www.mj.gov.pt/sections/o-ministerio/instituto-das/anexos/todd-c-mowry/downloadFile/file/tcm-ejustice07.pdf

Return your junk phone, get a tree planted

2009-06-07T02:46:00.000-07:00

courtesy: the Hindu
Every time you return a junk mobile phone to a Nokia dealer, the firm will thank you by planting a tree, apart from recycling that phone in an eco-friendly manner.

Announcing the initiative on World Environment Day, Ambrish Bakaya, director of corporate affairs in Nokia India, said the firm had already tied up with two NGOs in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to plant 22,000 trees. The programme would soon be extended to the top 15 cities of the country, he added.

"We already have 1,300 bins at our main dealers' shops around the country where people can throw in their junk phones," Bakaya said.

The mobile phone manufacturer with the largest market share in India has been getting a good response. "Now we have tied up with an NGO called Ahimsa in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu to plant 12,000 trees, and with Bangalore's Rotary Midtown to plant 10,000 trees in educational institutions around that city."

Nokia has also been working computer manufacturers to strengthen the laws on recycling of e-waste, which threatens to become a major problem in India.

Saying that the firm was working with the Manufacturers Association for Information Technology, the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Department of Telecommunications to put together stronger guidelines on the subject, Bakaya added: "We welcome any step which helps strengthen e-waste management and creates awareness about the need to recycle e-waste in an eco-friendly manner".

Incredible Insect Robot

2009-06-06T06:05:00.000-07:00

watch this incredible insect robot, it has excellent balancing capabilities, a video worth watching.

Future Possibilities in Electronics And Communication Engineering

2009-06-06T06:01:00.001-07:00

Some Trends in Electronics & Communications Engineering Research

Radio Communication Engineering
Software-Defined Radio Technology
Intelligent (Cognitive) Radio Design
Cognitive Radio Architecture
User-Friendly Operator Interfaces
Multiple Access Techniques
Protocols Performance Evaluation
Trunked Radio Systems
Digital Voice Radio
Encrypted Radio
Rf Interference Analysis
Public Safety Dispatch Center Design
Dispatch Staffing Analysis
Simulcast Radio Systems
Microwave
Rf Propagation
Spectrum Management/Allocation
Automatic Vehicle Location (Avl)
Telecom Engineering
Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

Broadband

Wireless Technology
Wi-Fi
3g
Wimax
Wi-Fi Mesh Technology
Wap
Gprs
2.5g
Edge
Voip
Video Conferencing
Web Conferencing
Instant Messaging
Adsl2+
Vdsl

Mobile Engineering

Pen-Based Computing
Pencentral Software
Handwriting Recognition Capability
Drawing User Interface (Dui)
Embedded Security Subsystem (Ess)
Multiple Data Capture Options
Rfid
Hf-Iso
Voice Recognition
Ultra Mobile Pc (Umpc)
Embedded Hsdpa
Mobile Broadband Capability
Cdma Ev-Do Technology
Multicarrier Cdma
Ofdm (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)
Handsmart Enhancing Mobile Engineering

Radio Communication Engineering

Software-Defined Radio Technology
Intelligent (Cognitive) Radio Design
Cognitive Radio Architecture
User-Friendly Operator Interfaces
Multiple Access Techniques
Protocols Performance Evaluation
Trunked Radio Systems
Digital Voice Radio
Encrypted Radio
Rf Interference Analysis
Public Safety Dispatch Center Design
Dispatch Staffing Analysis
Simulcast Radio Systems
Microwave
Rf Propagation
Spectrum Management/Allocation
Automatic Vehicle Location (Avl)

Telecom Engineering

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

The Future Of Robotics.

2009-06-06T05:53:00.001-07:00

Need something done? Soon you may be turning to various "service and personal" robots. These machines perform domestic chores or tasks such as milking cows or handling toxic waste, or serving in fields like emergency medical support.

The timeline below summarizes experts' opinions on how soon every home will have a little mechanical helper.

2006 Roomba sales top 2 million. [This already happened in May 2006.]

2007 Sales of pool-cleaning and window-washing robots rise significantly. A new, bipedal Honda Asimo unit that can run
(at 4 miles per hour) debuts in United States.

2009 In just three years, 4.5 million domestic robots have been sold.

2010 Service and personal robotics sales exceed $17 billion.

2025 Sales of service and personal robots near $52 billion.

2040 Most households now own a robot or are considering buying one.

Single-Duty Robots: All Work, No Play

Photograph: Ames F. Tiedeman, Systems Trading Corporation

Current robots tend to look like regular machines, and most--such as the vacuuming iRobot Roomba--perform only one task. For example, Friendly Robotics' RL1000 Robomower (pictured at left, with docking station) will cut your lawn while you watch TV. The autonomous mower costs $1800.

Ever performed a software patch on a lawnmower? Wireless diagnosis could someday permit automatic patching of software problems, but currently if your Robomower starts doing nonstop doughnuts, you'll need to turn off its motor and plug it into a phone line to download a software patch.

The Next Steps in Robotics

Photograph: Choromet, a project of four Japanese firms, courtesy of AIST.

Today's robot designers will have to solve some fundamental problems before robots can become as versatile, independent and useful as the ones we've seen for years in the movies. Click the accompanying image for more about these challenges.

Are you 'dangerously' searching for Katrina?

2009-05-31T01:28:00.000-07:00

Katrina Kaif recently became one of the popular and most searched personality over the web in India. Of course, the never-ending media gossip that she had parted ways with Salman Khan, and is getting closer to John Abraham, makes her an even 'hotter' search object.

And this Web trafficking over the Bollywood dame has served as an opportunity for the criminal minds to lay their hands upon.

According to the 'The Web's Most Dangerous Search Terms' report released by McAfee on Wednesday, the popular Bollywood actress is one of the most dangerous online search word in India.

With the maximum risk percentage of 28.6, Katrina ranks second after 'Waptrick,' a website for free downloads of music, ring tones, wall paper, animations and logos for mobile phones.

The other popular key words posing higher risk rate in India also include Orkut, Yahoomail, Shahid Kapur, Rediffmail, 'How to earn money', Namitha, Shimla and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

"Hackers are most successful when they can attract a large number of victims. One way to target big crowds online is to track current events - everything from celebrity meltdowns and natural disasters to holidays and popular music. One key tool cybercriminals use to snare victims is to get them to download a computer file or program that comes with a malicious payload," said the report.

The study conducted by Shane Keats, research analyst, McAfee, Inc. and Eipe Koshy, software development engineer, McAfee, Inc researched more than 2,600 popular keywords to assess the degree of risk for each.

The study confirms that scammers consider popular trends when deciding which victims to target.

This makes common sense. If hackers are now motivated largely by profit, the biggest profits can be wrung from the largest pools of potential victims. And on the web, popular trends and visitor traffic are highly correlated.

The best protection is to install a computer security suite and keep it up to date and to use a safe search tool, concluded the report.

Isn't this dangerous phenomenon an indication of the 'Bollywood' addiction of the India psyche?

Indian students design, build car for global championship

2009-05-31T01:23:00.000-07:00

CHANDIGARH: With the 600 cc car they have designed and fabricated, a bunch of engineering students from Punjab are all geared up to take part in

the prestigious Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) competition in the US next month.

This car is made by a group of 10 students of engineering (nine from mechanical and one from electrical stream) of Rayat Institute of Engineering and INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, near Ropar town in Punjab, around 50 km from here. They will participate in the Formula SAE International Competition at Fontana, California in the US, June 17-20.

"We are determined to give a tough fight to all other universities. Our concept is based on speed and our car can easily go up to a speed of 260 km per hour in normal conditions. We have tested it on different kinds of roads," vice-captain of the group Kenneth Dean told reporters Saturday.

"The cost of this car is nearly Rs.650,000 but the overall cost of this project is Rs.35 lakh (Rs. 3.5 million). All the members of our team have contributed Rs.200,000 each and rest is borne by our college," added Dean.

He said the group has been working on this project for the last six months. The car has a five speed gear and it can reach 110 km per hour within only 4.4 seconds.

"Its weight is 300 kg with aerodynamic design and it's equipped with advanced safety equipment. We have used various hi-tech technologies in the car and it has been designed and finally analysed using SOFTWARE like Pro-E and AN-SYS," pointed out Dean.

SAE is a 29-year-old annual competition and this year only one college from India is competing among 81 universities from across the world. Other participating countries include the US, BRITIAN, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Germany and Australia. In June 2008, students of the same college went to the SAE competition in Michigan in the US with their super-mileage car and won accolades for the country.

"Our super-mileage car bagged first place in Asia and 13th position in the world. It could easily give a mileage of 250 km in one litre. That time our focus was on mileage but this time, we zeroed only on speed," said Gurvinder Singh Bahra, vice-chairman of educational group Rayat-Bahra.

The Lord Of The Ring's: Aragorn's Quset Announced

2009-05-31T01:17:00.000-07:00

Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment has announced that they are going to develop a new game based on the The Lord of the Rings franchise.

The first game has been named The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest.

This game would be available for sale by the end of the current year. It would be available on Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Sony Playstation 2 and SONY PLAYSTATION PORTABLE.

Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment president Martin Tremblay spoke about this new title: “The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest is the first of many different types of games we will be developing with the film and literary rights.”

This game is being developed by Headstrong Games and TT Fusion.

New swim fabric lets sun penetrate to skin

2009-05-31T01:11:00.000-07:00

LONDON, May 30 (UPI) -- A new swimsuit material that lets 80 percent of the sun penetrate to the skin could contribute to deadly forms of skin cancer, British health experts said.

The material, meant to eliminate tan-lines, has thousands of microscopic holes in the fabric that make it transparent, said John Walker, who owns Kiniki, the maker of the Tan Through fabric.

When looked at, the material appears solid because of abstract patterns and prints that confuse the eye, Walker said.

Walker's company warns wearers of Tan Through to be vigilant in applying sunscreen under the material. Health experts, however, said many wearers likely will be less than judicious in protecting tender skin, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

"We recommend UV protected clothing and this is the very opposite," said Richard Clifford, a spokesman for the Karen Clifford Skin cancer charity.

What is Core 2 duo???

2009-05-25T04:10:00.000-07:00

Now as the technology takes a new step, everyone left behind needs to run fast to catch the real world on time. In a simple language its faster than Intel Pentium 4, Intel Pentium D etc. Here is the technical description.
The Core 2 brand refers to a range of Intel's consumer 64-bit x86-64 single-, dual-, and quad-core CPUs based on the Intel Core microarchitecture. The single- and dual-core models are single-die, whereas the quad-core models comprise of two dies, each containing two cores, packaged in a multi-chip module (MCM).The introduction of Core 2 relegated the Pentium brand to the mid-range market, and reunified laptop and desktop CPU lines, which previously had been divided into the Pentium 4, Pentium D, and Pentium M brands.

The Core micro architecture returned to lower clock rate and improved processors' usage of both available clock cycles and power compared with preceding NetBurst of the Pentium 4/D-branded CPUs.Core micro architecture provides more efficient decoding stages, execution units, caches, and buses, reducing the power consumption of Core 2-branded CPUs, while increasing their processing capacity. Intel's CPUs have varied very wildly in power consumption according to clock rate, architecture and semiconductor process, shown in the CPU power dissipation tables.

The Core 2 brand was introduced on July 27, 2006, comprising the Solo (single-core), Duo (dual-core), Quad (quad-core), and in 2007, the Extreme (dual- or quad-core CPUs for enthusiasts) version. Intel Core 2 processors with vPro technology (designed for businesses) include the dual-core and quad-core branches.

HP has announced to launch its p6000 PC in the Indian market.

2009-05-23T23:12:00.000-07:00

The computer comes with genuine Windows Vista Home Basic or genuine WINDOWS VISTA HOME PREMIUM gives superior digital entertainment and advanced features.

The PC features stunning good looks. One can enjoy the flexibility of wireless connectivity for work, ample storage for growing media collection and a LightScribe CD/DVD burner for more sharing.

User can burn music, videos, save photos and play your favorite movies using the SuperMulti DVD burner. Whatever your activity, enjoy it further with the HP Pavilion p6000 Series Desktop PC.

The HP MediaSmart Software Suite is all you need for multimedia, movies and Internet TV. No more multiple programmes required!

Just use all-in-one software to record TV shows from the internet, edit holiday photos, and create music playlists.

FACEBOOK LAUNCHED IN INDIAN LANGUAGES

2009-05-11T03:59:00.000-07:00

leading social networking site Facebook has launched it in Indian languages to get more eyeballs from India. With more than 1100 million people, a large number of whom are young, India can be a big market for Facebook and similar other social networking sites.

Just a few weeks ago Gmail also introduced Indian languages for composing email on this popular email service provider.

Gmail added a new feature whereby it is possible to compose emails in hindi and four other Indian languages, namely Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, very easily. If enabled you will see an icon with an Indian character next to the Bold button, as seen in the last picture above. To select the language of your choice simply click on the icon and select the language from the drop dow menu. Now to use this feature simply type the word the way it is pronounced and Gmail will automatically convert it into the language of your choice.

Facebook is a free-access social networking website that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. Users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with other people. People can also add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. The website's name refers to the paper facebooks depicting members of a campus community that some US colleges and preparatory schools give to incoming students, faculty, and staff as a way to get to know other people on campus.

Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook with fellow computer science major students and his roommates Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes while he was a student at Harvard University. Website membership was initially limited to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and Stanford University. It later expanded further to include any university student, then high school students, and, finally, to anyone aged 13 and over. The website currently has more than 200 million active users worldwide.

Google search's carbon footprint

2009-05-05T03:21:00.001-07:00

A Harvard University physicist says a typical search on a desktop computer generates about 7 grams of carbon dioxide. Thus, performing two searches is comparable to bringing a kettle to boil, according to a report Sunday in The Times of London. While that may not sound like a lot, the report notes that Google handles about 200 million searches daily.

"Google operates huge data centers around the world that consume a great deal of power," Alex Wissner-Gross told the newspaper. "A Google search has a definite environmental impact."

The global IT industry generates about 2 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, or about as much greenhouse gas as the world's airlines, according to a recent Gartner study cited by the newspaper.

Google disputed that report late Sunday evening, saying in a blog that the "time it takes to do a Google search, your own personal computer will use more energy than Google uses to answer your query." The blog also noted:

Queries vary in degree of difficulty, but for the average query, the servers it touches each work on it for just a few thousandths of a second. Together with other work performed before your search even starts (such as building the search index) this amounts to 0.0003 kWh of energy per search, or 1 kJ. For comparison, the average adult needs about 8000 kJ a day of energy from food, so a Google search uses just about the same amount of energy that your body burns in ten seconds.

The search giant has actively campaigned to reduce the amount of energy consumed by the IT industry.

Google is a board member of a new coalition called the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, which aims to reduce computing power-consumption by half by 2010. It will do that largely by encouraging member companies like Google to turn off computers when they're not in use. The coalition says that reaching that goal would be the equivalent of taking 11 million cars off the road.

The search giant's Google.org philanthropy released numbers and policy recommendations in November regarding how the U.S. could wean itself from coal and oil for electricity generation and nearly halve its gasoline consumption by 2030.

Google first introduced its 2030 energy road map in the fall. And CEO Eric Schmidt, an adviser to President-elect Barack Obama, called on the federal government to show more leadership on climate change by fostering clean-technology businesses.

Schmidt told the Corporate EcoForum last year that the company's plan is to reduce global demand for oil and to help generate new white- and blue-collar jobs by investing in solar, wind, and geothermal energy projects.

But As per i think

Harvard has made a major miscalculation here. Harvard says it takes the energy of "bringing a kettle to boil" for 2 searches. This would be a minimum of 178 KJ of energy. (Asssume raising 500 cc of water from 15 degC to 100 degC = 85*500 cal = 42.5 kcal or 178 KJ or 0.05 KWH). Thus Harvard's estimate of energy is about 90 times greater than Google's. (Google says 2 KJ for 2 searches.) Using Harvard's estimate would mean that the electrical cost of 200 million searches would be about $500,000 per day or $182 million per year. (Assume $0.10/KWH, 200 million searches/day, 0.05 KWH/two searches). Using Google's estimate yields $5500/day in electrical usage. I think that Harvard has way over estimated Google's energy usage.

Weird technology...have a look...!

2009-05-01T02:41:00.000-07:00

Now you can have more fun while doing some “businesses” in your toilet. What fun you can have? You can play Sudoku which is printed on the toilet paper.
I guess if you’re a Sudoku addict who can’t bare to be without your favorite brain game, then this will keep you occupied in even the most "trying" circumstances. Anti-Theft Car/Bike Stickers: “These rust and scratch stickers are designed to make your beautiful bike/car look rusted and scratched so that passing thieves assume it’s not worth stealing due to its apparent shabbyness.”
Chewbacca Plush Backpack: “Strap the Chewbacca Plush Backpack to your back and he’ll be carrying your books in style. His arms wrap around you to let you know he’s secure - even his legs will secure around your abdomen, for some extra cuddly fun. Who needs real friends when you have a Chewie on your back?”
Ergonomic Camera:Using a unique ergonomic cylindrical design, the "360 Camera" by Cedric Tay allows users to easily take panoramic images by just holding the device with one hand. Rounding out the specs on this camera is a built-in inclinometer and angle indicator.
restricted source:http://www.funniestgadgets.com/

Apple apologizes for `Baby Shaker' iPhone game

2009-04-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

Apple Inc. is apologizing for allowing a 99-cent iPhone game called "Baby Shaker" that let a player quiet a virtual crying infant by shaking the device.

Apple removed the program from the iPhone's App Store on Wednesday, but critics pressed for an apology Thursday.

Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said Thursday that the game was "deeply offensive" and said it should not have been approved for sale.

"We sincerely apologize for this mistake," Kerris said in a statement.

Apple approves the programs that outside software developers make available in the store. "Baby Shaker" came from a company called Sikalosoft, which has not commented.

The game asked players to see how long they could endure a baby's cries and then shake the phone to stop the wailing.

Samsung advances technology for green electronics

2009-04-25T08:27:00.001-07:00

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd announced that over the past year it has succeeded in introducing more than a half dozen technological advancements that extend battery life in notebooks, MP3 players, digital cameras, video camcorders, multimedia phones and cellular handsets.

These design improvements are part of a concentrated effort by the company to move to more energy-efficient chip and display designs, utilizing nano-scale technology breakthroughs, new sensor technology and advanced manufacturing techniques.

'Great strides'
"Anticipating the increasing need for energy-conserving, power-efficient products, we have made great strides in getting laptops and mobile devices to run faster and longer by aggressively pursuing the development of more efficient chips," said Kevin Lee, VP, memory marketing Samsung Semiconductor Inc.

"We have challenged our R&D teams to develop new displays based on advanced technology that will not only produce better user experiences, but at the same time, improve the energy-efficiency of consumer electronics," added Scott Birnbaum, VP, Samsung LCD Business.

Over the past seven months, Samsung Semiconductor has made major energy-saving advancements in a wide range of components that together have a substantial effect on prolonging battery life. Among the products are solid state drives that consume a third of the laptop power (.5W) consumed by comparably sized HDDs (1.5W). Also, 2.1-inch LCD screens extend battery life in mobile phones by automatically adjusting the screen brightness to reduce the amount of backlighting when ambient lighting is already sufficient.

80% power savings
Samsung SoCs for hybrid hard drives reduce laptop power consumption up to 80 percent compared to conventional HDDs. Meanwhile, embedded DRAM features 40 percent power reduction in mobile devices when designed into SoCs, such as Samsung's DV-1 chip, for mobile devices including next-generation smart phones, portable music players and handheld PDAs.

CMOS image sensors for mobile phone cameras now use 1/10 the power of widely used CCD image sensors, reducing battery consumption and power charges while prolonging the usage span of CE devices such as mobile phone cameras and digital still cameras.

New Mobile DRAM chips (using 80nm production process) with temperature sensors reduce mobile phone power drain by more than 30 percent. In addition, DDR3 memory chips use only 1.5V of power and adopt improved circuit designs with a reduction in power consumption by more than 20 percent over DDR2.

Samsung also uses a new wafer-level-processed stacked packaging technique that reduces current leakage in multistack memory packages another 30 percent.

The company plans to deliver more power savings for laptops and mobile devices with new generations of "fusion memory" chips, such as the OneDRAM chip developed earlier this year.

Orkut's new "google latitude" Application..

2009-04-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

Google latitude is fantastic application by Google . This applications is based on Google Maps for Mobile. This application helps its users track each other’s current location on the map no matter where you in the world.

The application is still in its infant stages where the application has not been put to innovative and out-of-the-box use. Nonetheless we are starting to see some very creative implementations of the application.

Google just announced Latitude app integration with its most popular social networking service, Orkut. Once installed on Orkut it tracks your existing friends on latitude and shows their current location within Orkut.

Height of recession................

2009-04-23T03:36:00.000-07:00

Doobte hue aadmi ne
Pull par chalte hue aadmi ko
Aawaz lagayi "bachao bachao"
Pull par chalte aadmi ne neeche
Rassi fenki aur kaha aaoo....

Nadi mein dobta hua aadmi
Rassi nahi pakad pa raha tha
Rah rah kar chillaa raha tha
Mein marna nahi chahta
Zindagi badi mehengi hai
Kal hi to meri ek MNC mein naukri lagi hai..

Itna sunte hi pul par chalte
Aadmi ne apni rassi kheench li
Aur bhagte bhagte wo MNC gaya
Usne wahan ke HR ko bataya ki
Abhi abhi ek aadmi doobkar mar gaya hai
Aur is tarah aapki company mein
Ek jagah khali kar gaya hai...

Mein berozgaar hoon muje le lo...
HR boli dost tumne aane me der kar di,
ab se kuch der Pehle humne us aadmi ko lagaya hai
Jo usse dhakka de kar tumse pehle yahan aaya hai !!!

Size of 1GB

2009-04-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice picture that a friend of mine sent to me:

It shows an IBM 1GB hard disk (yes, that huge, bulky thing is actually a hard disk drive) manufactured in late 80s. On top left is a hand holding the modern version of 1GB, a 1GB SD card. It gives us an idea of how much advancement the computer hardware industry has gone through the last two decades.

Answer

2009-04-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

However the actual answer is two weighings. The technique is to split the balls into three approximately equal groups, here we have 3,3,2. Then weigh the 3,3 groups against each other, if they are the same, then weigh the two remaining balls against one another. If one of the two 3,3 groups are heavier, then select that group and weigh any of the two balls against one another, if one is heavy, then you got the ball, if both are equal, then the third one of the group is the heavier.

Decision Tree

Here is a schematic diagram:

Good job sir..............u hv guessd it rite.

Hot Stuff..!!!

2009-04-19T23:27:00.001-07:00

Apple iPhone
The iPhone is claimed by Apple themselves to be the best iPod ever. Although Apple didn't reinvent the wheel with the iPhone, they did add some features that make the iPhone stand out in the crowd. Like the presence of 8 GB or 16 GB built-in memory (which was rare back when the iPhone was announced), full-screen album art, Coverflow feature to browse through your albums with the flick of your finger, integration with the iTunes store so you can download your music, videos and podcasts directly on your phone and compatibility with all the iPod docks out there.
Add to that excellent sound quality and 24 hours of audio playback time and you have a fantastic device in your hand. What's not so hot however, are the poor quality loudspeaker and the absence of A2DP. But if you are ready to overlook that then the iPhone is probably the best music phone that you can buy.

Samsung INNOV8

The Samsung INNOV8 is not exactly a music phone per se but its audio performance is strong enough to merit it a place in this list. It comes with the option of an 8 GB or 16 GB built-in memory with a microSD card slot for further expanding it up to another 16 GB. This means you can have a massive 32 GB of memory for your music. It includes a 3.5 mm headphone jack for connecting your own headphones. Most importantly the sound quality is excellent. However, at Rs. 37,000 the INNOV8 is an expensive phone. But if you have the cash this phone is one of the best phone's that you can get for music playback.

Sony Ericsson W980i
The Sony Ericsson W980i soon after its launch won the EISA award for Best European Music Phone and not without a reason. The W980i takes the already impressive sound quality of the Walkman phones and takes it up a notch making it a great device for audiophiles. The phone also comes with a pair of high quality in-ear headphones, so you don't have to bother with any other pair of headphones. There are dedicated music keys located on the exterior of the clamshell that can be used for controlling your music. There are also some funky orange LEDs that blink to the beat of your music. The phone has an enormous 8 GB of built-in memory to carry your entire music library with you. Priced at Rs. 20,000 the W980i is for the audiophiles and promises excellent audio performance right out of the box.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
Nokia's flagship music phone is also its best yet. For starters it boasts of the best sound quality from Nokia so far and is right up there with the industry best. It has a large touchscreen that shows your album art and the music controls. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack and stereo speakers that are nice and loud. Then there is the usual long list of supported formats along with Bluetooth stereo headphone and FM radio. More importantly the phone comes with an 8 GB memory card bundled with it and can be expanded up to 16 GB in case you need even more storage. Priced at Rs. 19,000 the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is a great buy.

Motorola ZN5
Although not a music phone in the strictest sense, the ZN5 has most of the things that make a good music phone. First and foremost it has excellent sound quality, an essential for any music phone. It also comes with a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. The music player supports a long list of formats and comes with a 2 GB card as standard (which can be further expanded up to 8 GB), while Bluetooth A2DP and FM radio complete the list. The only thing that you might want are a pair of dedicated music keys, but barring that the Motorola ZN5 is a good music phone that won't disappoint. Priced at Rs. 15,000 it is highly recommended.

Sony Ericsson W595t was Sony Ericsson that first brought in the music phone concept back in 2005 and made other manufacturers sit up and take notice. Now, even though every manufacturer has their own list of music phones, Sony Ericsson is still at the top with 26 music phones so far.
One of their recent phones, W595, is also a great little device. Its forte is the dual headphone jack with which you can connect two pairs of headphones at the time to the phone. It also comes with stereo loudspeakers built-in. While testing I found that the W595 offered good sound quality, especially through the loudspeakers. It also supports a wide range of formats such as MP3, AAC, eAAC+, WMA and WAV. Then there is also the support for Bluetooth stereo headset and FM radio. Overall at Rs. 14,000 the W595 is a great choice.

Samsung BEAT 450
The phone supports a wide range of formats, which can be further expanded by third party applications that the BEAT 450 supports, thanks to the Symbian S60 platform on which it runs. The phone also supports Bluetooth stereo headsets and has a built-in FM radio. Priced at Rs. 11,000 the Samsung BEAT 450 is a really good music phone.

Nokia 5320 XpressMusic
Nokia 5320 earns its place in this list as it offers solid features and performance at an affordable price. For starters it supports a long list of formats natively, which includes MP3, AAC, eAAC+, WMA and WAV. Also, since it is a Symbian S60 handset, you can install third party software that can play additional formats such as OGG, FLAC, etc. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack and dedicated music keys on the handset, so you can control the playback of your music even if you are not in the music player application.
Sound quality offered by the 5320 is excellent with good clarity and bass. The phone comes with a 1 GB card bundled and you can expand it further up to 8 GB by microSDHC cards. As for the battery life the phone is capable of a stunning 24 hours of continuous playback. At Rs. 10,050 I believe the 5320 XpressMusic is an excellent music phone.

Motorola EM30
The younger sibling of the ROKR E8, the EM30 has basically everything in it that the E8 has, except for the 2 GB built-in memory and the Omega wheel. The phone supports MP3, WAV, AAC, WMA, Enhanced AAC+, MIDI, AMR NB, Real Audio, AAC+ formats. The EM30 inherits the excellent sound quality of the E8 and also has a 3.5mm headphone jack for connecting your own headphones, along with Bluetooth A2DP profile for connecting your wireless stereo headset. The EM30 also has an FM radio and a music recognition service.
It comes with a 1 GB card in the bundle and can be expanded up to 8 GB. The battery is rated to last up to 13 hours of continuous music playback, which is great. Priced at Rs. 7800, the EM30 is a solid music phone that won't burn a hole in your wallet.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

Sony Vaio P - Pocket PC

Extremely compact design, lightweight, very comfortable keyboard, sharp 8-inch screen, instant mode, battery life

Expensive, sluggish multimedia performance

2009-04-19T23:20:00.000-07:00

Google has released an update for Google Chrome via its Preview Channel which gives users the option to remove thumbnails from the New Tab Page .
The latest Chrome version for those signed up for the Preview was released on Thursday.

Along with more control over the thumbnails this version also gives users the option to undo an accidental tab close. This very useful undo close tab feature has been incorporated owing to increased demand for the same. Chrome's Beta and normal versions already come with the feature; but you would require to open a new tab and then click on the recently closed options.

The aforementioned features are available only for those who have signed up for the Dev Channel releases.

For normal beta seekers, Google has announced an update to the existing Beta version on Wednesday . This one fixes some bugs and crashes.

Re: [ȚΈĆĦŊŐ Ű] Weighing puzzle........

2009-04-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

The answer is 2. It can be done by dividing them into groups of 3, 3 and 2.

First Weighing: Both groups of 3 balls each.

Possibility 1: One of them is heavier

Second Weighing: Take any two balls from the heavier group and weigh them.

Possibility 1.1: One of them heavier. That is the one.

Possibility 1.2: Both are equal. The third one is the heaviest one.

Possibility 2: Both groups of 3 balls each are equal in weight.

Second weighing: The remaining 2 balls in the third group. One of them would surely be heavier!

Weighing puzzle........

2009-04-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

This is one gem, that I got from a friend of mine. The puzzle in its simplest form goes like this:

There are a set of 8 balls. Out of which 7 are of same mass, and the remaining one is heavier than the rest. What is the minimum number of weighings required to find out the heavier ball? i.e. How many times do you require to use the balance?

Try to solve this puzzle at ur best........i will tell u the answer on monday.Let me see hw many of u r the real challenger's.........

Can u imagine this????

2009-04-18T02:42:00.000-07:00

Most see airport security as a pain. Some feel violated. When you watch this clip, you'll understand why they want your cell phone through

the x-ray machine. If you get asked to test your cell phone at the airport, this is the reason. Cell phone guns have arrived.

They are real. The attached video clip shows how cell

phone guns operate. These phones are not in the U.S.

yet, but they are in use overseas.

Beneath the digital phone face is a .22 caliber handgun capable of firing four rounds in rapid succession using the standard telephone keypad. European law enforcement officials are stunned by the discovery of these deadly decoys. They say phone guns are changing the rules of engagement in Europe. Only when you have one in your hand do you realize that they are heavier than a regular cell phone.

Be patient if security asks to look at your cell phone or

turn it on to show that it works. They have a good reason! Wake up to our NEW WORLD!! We shouldn't complain

about airport security 'invading your privacy.'

Blood batteries

2009-04-18T02:27:00.000-07:00

A group of scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute claims they've created just such a battery, one that uses the electrolytes naturally found in bodily fluids. The results of the research, detailed in the Aug. 13, 2007, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are generating some excitement as part of a new crop of "bio-batteries" that run off of bodily fluids or other organic compounds. (The RPI team claims that theirs could even run on tears or urine.)

RPI batteries:-

RPI's battery is paper-thin, can be cut into a variety of shapes and runs on blood or sweat.

The battery is not only as thin as paper; it essentially is paper. At least 90 percent of the battery is made from cellulose, which makes up traditional paper and other paper products [source: RPI]. Aligned carbon nanotubes make up the other 10 percent, give the paper its conductive abilities and also make it black. The nanotubes are imprinted in the very fabric of the paper, creating what's called a nanocomposite paper. One of the paper's authors said that the battery "looks, feels and weighs the same as paper" [source: RPI].

Using nanotechnology, the battery's small size, flexibility and replenishing electrolyte source -- that is, as long as you eat -- make it ideal for medical applications. When using the battery away from the human body, scientists soaked the paper in an ionic fluid (a salt in liquid form), which provides the electrolytes.

The battery's paper-like construction grants it significant flexibility. The RPI research team believes that the battery could, in the future, be printed in long sheets, which could then be cut into small, custom-shaped batteries. The nanocomposite paper can have holes poked in it or be cut into unusual shapes and continue to function. Several sheets could be lumped together to power medical implants, such as pacemakers, artificial hearts or advanced prosthetics. The battery would easily fit under the skin without causing any discomfort.

Because the ionic liquid used doesn't freeze or evaporate like water, the battery could be employed at a wide range of temperatures: from -100 degrees Fahrenheit up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Its temperature resistance and light weight mean that manufacturers of automobiles and airplanes -- both of which require light, durable materials -- may come calling.

The researchers behind the battery claim that their device is unique because it can act "as both a high-energy battery and a high-power supercapacitor" [source: RPI]. Supercapacitors allow for large, quick bursts of energy, potentially extending the technology's already wide range of applications.

The battery, which is considered environmentally friendly because of its lack of chemicals and high cellulose content, was announced in the summer of 2007, but it may be years before it's ready to stream off production lines in long sheets. The RPI research team says that, in the meantime, they're trying to boost the battery's efficiency and to figure out the best method for production.

It's not just researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnique Institute who are working on bio-batteries. Many other corporations, universities and research foundations are competing to produce viable batteries that can be powered off of organic compounds, especially human fluids. Researchers consider sugar and human blood glucose potentially valuable sources of power because they occur naturally, are easily accessible and don't produce harmful emissions.

2009-04-18T02:06:00.000-07:00

Google is the second Brain to many of us.

We use it frequently.

It uses white screen which consumes high power.

Read the following... ......
If Google had a black screen,

taking in Account the huge number of page views,

according to calculations, 750 mega watts/hour

per year would be saved..!!!!! !

In response, Google created a black version

of its search engine, called Blackle,

with the exact same functions as the white version,

but obviously with lower energy consumption:

Help spread the word:-
http://www.blackle. com/

Isro to launch high-end satellite on Monday

2009-04-17T22:53:00.000-07:00

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will on Monday put in orbit its first radar imaging satellite (Risat), which can watch'
the earth under all-weather conditions, day and night.

Isro's workhorse PSLV (C-12) will take off at 6.45am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, an island by the sea 100km north of Chennai. About 17 minutes later, the 300-kg Risat will be put in an orbit 550km from the earth. Riding piggyback on Risat will be a microsatellite called Anusat, developed by Anna University, Chennai.

"The countdown will start 48 hours before take-off (Saturday morning). As of now, everything is going on fine. Risat, which can penetrate clouds and observe earth under all climatic conditions, will be extremely useful in disaster management," Isro spokesperson S Satish told TOI. Unlike Isro's previous remote sensing satellites that used optical imaging, Risat uses synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that has several antennas
to receive signals that will be processed into high-resolution pictures.

While its applications in mapping and managing natural disasters such as floods and landslides are spoken about, Risat will come in handy for defence applications as well. Isro had started work on a 1,780-kg Risat, but shelved its launch to advance the launch of the present 300-kg variant. Defence sources confide that the lighter Risat version was assembled on a war footing in the wake of terrorist attacks. "Risat has been put together with inputs from the Israeli Space Agency (ISA), but the satellite images
will be used solely for Indian purposes," Satish said.

Also in the PSLV-C12 payload will be Anusat, the first satellite to be assembled by an Indian university. "Scores of students and faculty members from different streams have been working on Anusat for six years," said Anusat project director P V Ramakrishna. Anusat will be a store-and-forward communication satellite that will enable transfer of confidential academic material like exam question papers, to get rid of leakages.

PSLV-C11 had, on October 22, 2008, carried the lunar probe as part of Chandrayaan-I. Ever since it launched the first satellite Aryabhatta on April 1, 1975, Isro has launched more than a dozen satellites, including the INSAT (Indian National Satellites) series for communication, broadcasting and meteorology and IRS (Indian Remote Sensing Satellites) for resources monitoring and management.

250 cc segment of bikes

2009-04-16T06:14:00.000-07:00

As you all know day by day people giving up mass transit and opting to buy their own vehicle which gradually made the automobile industry hot. Nowadays we can experience an increase in vehicles as well as traffic but without caring about the future the automobile industry is firing up the market with brand new models and features that inspires customers to buy their own vehicle.

Born out of this competition, came up these three beasts that burn up the Indian roads. They are none other than Bajaj Pulsar 250cc, TVS Taurus Fiero f3 and Yamaha Fazer 250. Economic bike drivers please stay away from this post and keep worrying about your petrol consumptions while young energetic drivers out there I am sure these bikes will quench your test. The main catch about these bikes are their 250 Cubic capacities but they inherit different design and performance.

Hope everyone will eagerly be waiting for launch of these vehicles in India but until then I want your personal suggestion of which bike outta 3 will rock?

So go ahead and post your comments for which out of these three bikes goanna rock the Indian roads and why?

The nominations are

Bajaj Pulsar 250 cc

TVS Taurus Fiero F3
Yamaha Fazer 250

I am eagerly waiting for your comments on it…

looking for the perfect "notebook"..??

2009-04-16T04:43:00.000-07:00

Mackbook and Acer laptops..

HP Laptops - HP Pavillion laptops were the products HP started manufacturing with the latest models being HP Pavilion dv2600 series Entertainment Notebook PC, HP Pavilion dv2000 series Entertainment Notebook PC, HP Pavilion dv6000 series Entertainment Notebook PC and HP Pavilion tx1000 Entertainment Notebook PC. With the screen size ranging from 12.1″ to 15.4″ HP offers a stylish design, high-definition viewing and wide-screen twist and turn touch-screen. Current offers from HP include a Hauppage TV Tuner with HP Pavilion/Compaq Presario Notebook PCs worth 5000 INR.

Dell XPS - Dell used to be a market leader in all their products series long back but now its position has been taken by many other laptop manufacturers, and Dell has recently launched a new model - The XPS 1730 which is a powerful notebook with Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz) / T7500 (2.2GHz) / T7700 (2.4GHz) / X7800 (2.6GHz) processor and is the first laptop to have intel’s latest Core 2 extreme x 7800 mobile processor.

Sony vaio-famous for high performance, neat designs , light weight and best of all the other laptops.

HONDA STUNNER

2009-04-13T17:49:00.001-07:00

Honda Stunner CBF

After partial success of Unicorn and not so shining performance by the Shine, HMSI was desperate to bring forth a product that would combine looks, performance and efficiency to optimum. As a result Honda launched a motorcycle that magnificently justifies its name, the all new 125 CC Honda Stunner CBF.

Stunner surely is the sportiest looking bike in its class. The integrated fairing at the front, the two tone paint job, stylish yet sober stickering, all add up to the sporty claims of the stunner. Powered by a 125 cc engine, the bike produces a healthy 11 bhp at 8000 rpm. Breaking the 60 kmph barrier in just 5.2 seconds, its performance makes it highly competitive product in the Indian Market. Honda still pursuing with the twin shock formula, has provided stunner with box section swingarm, tubeless tyres and good ground clearance for better ride quality and handling. Overall, Honda CBF Stunner is soothing to the eyes and a pleasure to ride in Indian conditions. The stunner is positioned in the price band of Rs 47,020 to 51, 655 ex-showroom Delhi.

Company Name	Segment	Performance
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India	125 cc	Stylish and Sporty

Honda Stunner CBF

Engine of Honda Stunner CBF is more powerful than the earlier launched Honda Shine.
Stepped seats complement the stylish looks of the bike.
Foot pegs are positioned slightly backwards for a sportier riding stance.
This is the first bike in 125 cc segment with tubeless tyres.
Integrated fairing and colour combination further the sporty appeal of the bike.
Has better handling and improved ride quality.

Quote-Unquote

"The new bike promises to provide its customers an ultimate experience of a true Honda bike. The new bike is a reflection of Honda's worldwide sports bikes. In India, we will continue to bring exciting products and be a full line company by 2010 starting with 100cc motorcycles and fun bikes."

Said HMSI president and CEO S. Aoyama

Color Options in Honda Stunner CBF

Sports Red
Pearl sports Yellow
Space Silver metallic
Black

Kick drum models will only be available in Sports Red and Black

Price of Honda Stunner CBF

The Price ranges from Rs 47, 020 to Rs 51,655 ex-showroom Delhi.

(Please Note: The prices are ex-showroom and based on the close approximation. Please check the latest prices and variant specifications with your dealer)

Technical Specifications of Honda Stunner CBF

Dimensions & Weight
Length (mm)	2012 mm
Width (mm)	734 mm
Height (mm)	1113 mm
Wheelbase (mm)	1271 mm
Kerb Weight (kgs)	129 Kg
Engine
Type	4 Stroke, Air Cooled, OHC Single Cylinder
Displacement (cc)	124.7
Transmission	5 gear, 1 down, 4 up
Suspension
Front	Telescopic front fork suspension
Rear	3 step spring loaded hydraulic shock absorbers
Brakes
Front Brake Type	240mm Disc
Rear Brake Type	130mm Drum
Tyres
Front	80/100-17
Rear	100/90-17
Performance
Max. Horsepower	11Ps @ 8000 rpm
Max. Torque	1.1 kgm @ 6500 rpm
Fuel Tank Capacity (liter)	10 litres

Believe it or not.....!!

2009-04-12T02:09:00.000-07:00

Believe It or Not!, an American vegetarian held 11 Madagascan Hissing Cockroaches in his mouth for ten seconds to beat the world record. Previously, the record was only nine of the two-to-three inch insects. Mr. Fessler, the champ, is no stranger to the bugs: he owns over 1,000 as pets! Ewww.

This is crazy! Cairns Post, an Australian news source, got this story of a spider that actually caught and ate a snake! The 14cm-long snake was found tangled in the spider’s web and over a few days, the spider killed the snake, rolled it up in the web, and ate it! Believe It or Not!Image 12 of 12

Rick Murray has spent over $4000 USD and 24 tattoo hours turning himself into a tattooed skeleton....

an overview of TATA NANO

2009-04-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

Overview

The introduction of the Nano received media attention due to its targeted low price. The Financial Times reported^[16]: "If ever there were a symbol of India’s ambitions to become a modern nation, it would surely be the Nano, the tiny car with the even tinier price-tag. A triumph of homegrown engineering, the $2,200 (€1,490, £1,186) Nano encapsulates the dream of millions of Indians groping for a shot at urban prosperity." The car is expected to boost the Indian economy, create entrepreneurial-opportunities across India^[17]^[18], as well as expand the Indian car market by 65%^[19]. The car was envisioned by Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors, who has described it as an eco-friendly "people's car". Nano has been greatly appreciated by many sources and the media for its low-cost^[20]^[21] and eco-friendly initiatives which include using compressed-air as fuel^[22] and an electric-version (E-Nano)^[23]^[24]. Tata Group is expected to mass-manufacture the Nano, particularly the electric-version, and, besides selling them in India, to also export them worldwide^[25]^[26]^[27].

Critics of the car have questioned its safety in India (where reportedly 90,000 people are killed in road-accidents every year^[28]), and have also criticised the pollution that it would cause^[29] (including criticism by Nobel Peace Prize winner Rajendra Pachauri^[30]). However, Tata Motors has promised that it would definitely release Nano's eco-friendly models alongside the gasoline-model^[31]^[32].

The Nano was originally to have been manufactured at a new factory in Singur, West Bengal, but increasingly violent protests forced Tata to pull out October 2008. (See Singur factory pullout below.) Currently, Tata Motors is reportedly manufacturing Nano at its existing Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) plant and a mother plant has been proposed for Sanand Gujarat.^[33]. The company will bank on existing dealer network for Nano initially.^[34] The new Nano Plant could have a capacity of 5,00,000 units, compared to 3,00,000 for Singur. Gujarat has also agreed to match all the incentives offered by West Bengal government.^[35]

[edit] Design

Ratan Tata, the Chairman of Tata Motors, began development of the world's cheapest production car in 2003,^[36] inspired by the number of Indian families with two-wheeled rather than four-wheeled vehicles.^[37] The Nano's development has been tempered^{[clarification needed]} by the company's success in producing the low cost 4 wheeled Ace truck in May 2005.^[36]

Contrary to speculation that the car might be a simple four-wheeled auto rickshaw, The Times of India reported the vehicle is "a properly designed and built car".^[38] The Chairman is reported to have said, "It is not a car with plastic curtains or no roof — it's a real car."^[36]

To achieve its design goals, Tata refined the manufacturing process, emphasized innovation and sought new design approaches from suppliers.^[38] The car was designed at Italy's Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering — with Ratan Tata requesting certain changes, such as the elimination of one of two windscreen wipers.^[36] Some components of the Nano are made in Germany by Bosch, such as Fuel Injection, brake system, Value Motronic ECU, ABS and other technologies.^[39]

The Nano has 21% more interior space (albeit mostly as headroom, due to its tall stance) and an 8% smaller exterior compared to its closest rival, the Maruti 800. Tata offered the car in three versions: the basic Tata Nano Std; the Cx; and the Lx. The Cx and Lx versions each have air conditioning, power windows, and central locking. Tata has set its initial production target at 250,000 units per year.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Cost Cutting features

The Nano's boot does not open, instead the rear seats can be folded down to access the boot space.^[40]^[41]
It has a single windscreen wiper instead of the usual pair.
Some exterior parts of it are glued together, rather than welded.
It has no power steering.
Its door opening lever was simplified.^[42]
It has 3 nuts on the wheels instead of the statutory 4 nuts.
It only has 1 side view mirror^[43]

[edit] Quality features

Japanese and Korean steel is used to make quality body panels.^[44]