Information Technology

MUOS Satellite Delayed Further

2010-10-08T23:40:00.000-07:00

Objective System (MUOS) satellite is facing another significant delay, pushing out the availability of the US Navy's next-generation ultra-high frequency satellite until December 2011, according to a report submitted to Congress by the service's top weapons buyer.

Back in February 2007 the Australian government announced that an MoU had been agreed between the Australian Department of Defence and the US Navy, setting out the governing arrangements for a joint military communications ground station near Geraldton, Western Australia.

The purpose of the joint ground station is to support the US Navy's MUOS, a narrow-band networked satellite constellation for UHF satellite comms enabling secure all-weather and all-terrain 3G mobile telecommunications.

It is designed to support US and Australian military users including deployed forces.

The MUOS ground station is collocated with the Australian Defence Satellite Communications Ground Station at Kojarena, 30 km east of Geraldton WA, but will be managed separately.

Boeing Australia Ltd was awarded a contract to develop the MUOS compound at the Australian ground site with the station scheduled to become operational by March 2010.

However, the MUOS constellation of four geosynchronous satellites (and one spare) will not reach full operational capability until some time after 2014.

General Dynamics C4 Systems is the lead contractor for the entire MUOS ground infrastructure and GD and Ericsson are also providing the waveform technology driving MUOS capabilities.

Based on its 3G technology, Ericsson's WC DMA will be modified by GD to operate over the satellite.

It is anticipated that there will be emphasis on dismounted handheld user terminals provided under the JTRS Cluster 5 program, which is a major user of this waveform, with the same applying to future ADF users already familiar with JTRS capable radios - which will now sport 3G waveforms.

(Australian Defence)

Electric Cars: A Definitive Guide

2010-08-17T22:47:00.000-07:00

What Is An Electric Car?

An electric car is powered by an electric motor instead of a gasoline engine. The electric motor gets energy from a controller, which regulates the amount of power—based on the driver’s use of an accelerator pedal. The electric car (also known as electric vehicle or EV) uses energy stored in its rechargeable batteries, which are recharged by common household electricity.

With the all-electric Leaf, Nissan is taking the lead in pure electric cars in the United States. The Nissan Leaf is a medium-size all-electric hatchback that seats five adults and has a range of 100 miles. The company is hinting at a price around $30,000. It will begin to roll out in select cities in late 2010.

Unlike a hybrid car—which is fueled by gasoline and uses a battery and motor to improve efficiency—an electric car is powered exclusively by electricity. Historically, EVs have not been widely adopted because of limited driving range before needing to be recharged, long recharging times, and a lack of commitment by automakers to produce and market electric cars that have all the creature comforts of gas-powered cars. That’s changing. As battery technology improves—simultaneously increasing energy storage and reducing cost—major automakers are expected to begin introducing a new generation of electric cars.

Electric cars produce no tailpipe emissions, reduce our dependency on oil, and are cheaper to operate. Of course, the process of producing the electricity moves the emissions further upstream to the utility company’s smokestack—but even dirty electricity used in electric cars usually reduces our collective carbon footprint.

Another factor is convenience: In one trip to the gas station, you can pump 330 kilowatt-hours of energy into a 10-gallon tank. It would take about 9 days to get the same amount of energy from household electric current. Fortunately, it takes hours and not days to recharge an electric car, because it's much more efficient. Speaking of convenience, let's not forget two important points: charging up at home means never going to a gas station—and electric cars require almost none of the maintenance, like oil changes and emissions checks, that internal combustion cars require.

Electric motors develop their highest torque from zero rpms—meaning fast (and silent) zero-to-60 acceleration times.

Note: In the illustration, we show the relative features of electric cars and gas-powered cars. However, it doesn't have to be an "either-or" situation. Plug-in hybrids offer many of the benefits of electric cars while mitigating most of the drawbacks, such as limited driving range.

Top 10 iPhone Knockoffs

2010-08-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

Chinese manufacturers piggyback off of successful products by cranking out thousands of copies, nowhere is this truer than with the success of the iPhone. There are literally hundreds of iPhone knockoffs, ranging from empty shells with the LED Apple logo lit up to exact copies (until the phone stops working and you crack it open to find all the parts are in the wrong place).

Here are our ten favorite wannabe phones:
10. Prada

We had to start the list off with the Prada for two reasons: one, because the name is so closely associated with great design, and two, because the design here is so flagrantly an iPhone it’s hilarious.

Seriously, Prada? How often do you complain about those evil pirates stealing your clothes, and then you turn around and do this? We’re going to buy knockoff handbags without wincing, now.
9. LG Dare

LG, on the other hand, should really know better. So, your big innovation on the iPhone is…to mess up the icons on the screen? Really? That’s your big sales innovation? Sheesh.
8. oPhone

The oPhone is the first of many fine Chinese products that will make this list, but it comes first because this is from a respectable manufacturer. Lenovo is what IBM’s computer division used to be before IBM became a trivia question. And, we see they’re carrying on the torch of innovation that led to IBM being taken over by a Chinese company in the first place. We think they just recycled the case from a Palm for this one.
7. The tPhone

Of all the competitors on this list, the tPhone gets the praise for being the most gutsy. They don’t even pretend they’re not ripping off the iPhone, they just get right in there and even steal the Apple logo, flipping it around so that, well, we guess that if you look in the mirror you can pretend you own an iPhone (image: chineseornot.com).
6. The 200 Fashion Mobile Phone

The 200 Fashion, on the other hand, is just kind of sad. It’s like they wanted to do an iPhone knockoff, they were so close, but the touch screen thing just wasn’t affordable, so they kind of stuffed a keypad down at the bottom and called it a day. There’s nothing sadder than piracy that fails.
5. The A88

On the other end of the spectrum is the A88, a knockoff so perfect you won’t even notice it’s a knockoff until you look more closely at the icons on the screen, and try to use the phone (which isn’t exactly a zippy, fun-filled experience) and realize you’ve been had. As counterfeits go, this one is awesome. Also, illegal.
4. The HiPhone

Second place in the fairly convincing knockoff sweepstakes is the HiPhone, which is just like the iPhone, but not quite enough for Apple to sue, because other than looking exactly like it, it’s one letter off. Somehow, we don’t think the Jimmy Hart Version laws really apply to consumer electronics, guys.
3. The C-002

The C-002 missed first place for one reason; that screen is terrible! Even in the few ugly as heck JPEGs we found of this thing, it looked like somebody had run over a monitor from 1995 with a steamroller. Who was this going to fool? The blind? The technophobic? It’s the details that make a forgery, people! I mean, really, if you don’t even care enough to get the details right…
2. Meizu M8

Of all our knockoffs, the Meizu M8 deserves credit for actually bothering to inject some of its own design elements. Instead of just looking completely like an iPhone, it injects a little bit of its own style into the mix. Granted that style makes it look like it’s from the late ’90s, but it’s a start, anyway.
1. CECT P168

Our number one phone gets the top position for a very simple reason. It’s kind of exactly what you imagine when you imagine “iPhone knockoff;” something with the same design that’s just not quite as good as the original.

PlayStation 3 System Begins Preview of Hulu Plus

2010-08-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (SCEA) and Hulu(TM) have announced that the Hulu Plus(TM) preview will begin on the PlayStation®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system in the United States with the consumer release of Hulu Plus available to all PS3 owners set to occur in the coming months.

SonyPS3 is the first and only console with dedicated gaming functionality that will offer Hulu Plus in 2010. Hulu Plus will deliver a library of high-definition (HD) content including full seasons of popular TV shows and blockbuster movies from nearly 150 leading content companies. Content on Hulu Plus is complementary to the more than 23,000 movies and TV episodes already available on the PlayStation®Store

“We are delighted to offer the Hulu Plus preview starting today on PlayStation 3 and that PlayStation 3 will be the only console to offer Hulu Plus in 2010,” said Jack Tretton, president and chief executive officer, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. “The combination of Hulu’s premium video library and PlayStation®Network’s expanding game and video catalogue further cements PlayStation 3 as the industry’s best entertainment device for all of your content experiences from games, TV shows and movies to live sports, original content and 3D.”

Starting today, a select group of PlayStation®Plus subscribers will gain access to a preview version of Hulu Plus for an additional $9.99 per month. All PlayStation Plus subscribers may download the free Hulu Plus application and, within it, request an invitation to the exclusive preview.

General availability of Hulu Plus in the United States is expected in the coming months on the PS3 computer entertainment system and additional Sony Electronics Internet-connected entertainment devices, including select BRAVIA® TVs and Blu-ray(TM) Disc players.

Source: Sony Computer Entertainment America

Skynet 5D Provides Boost to Britain’s Military Communication Capability

2010-08-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a £400 million contract to use a new satellite, Britain’s military communications on operations will be further enhanced, the Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, has announced.

The Skynet 5D which is the fourth satellite of its kind to be used by the MoD is roughly three times the length of a London bus and will be launched in 2013 playing a key role in gathering intelligence on operations. The satellite will also be used to provide the telephone and internet welfare support facilities for Service personnel on operations.

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said:

“Future operations require that our Armed Forces are given access to the best possible communications and this new satellite will go a long way to ensuring this.

“This value for money package not only builds upon a tried and tested capability for the Armed Forces, but also secures hundreds of jobs in a very important field of technology.”

The build of Skynet 5D will directly create around 100 new jobs, mainly at EADS Astrium’s sites in Portsmouth and Stevenage. It will also sustain approximately 800 jobs at these sites and in Corsham, Wiltshire, at Paradigm’s Hawthorn site.

Lord Drayson, Minister for Science and Innovation, said:

“The UK’s thriving space and satellite industry has been a real recession-buster – creating jobs and achieving exceptional growth. This latest success cements the UK’s position as a world leader in satellite technology, with the sector forecast to be worth £40Bn to the UK by 2030.”

Darrell Midgley, MOD Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), Information Systems and Services Networks Head, said:

“The demand for satellite communications is growing faster than originally predicted. To ensure that future operations will continue to have access to the vital communications they may need, the MOD has decided to make arrangements to take advantage of the services that a fourth satellite in the Paradigm’s Skynet constellation would provide.”

Source: Ministry of Defence

STPSat-2 Shopped to Kodiak Launch Complex

2010-08-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has shipped the STPSat-2 satellite built for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Development and Test Wing (SDTW) to Alaska’s Kodiak Launch Complex for scheduled liftoff aboard a Minotaur 4 rocket for a fall 2010 launch.

STPSat-2 is the first spacecraft for the Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program Standard Interface Vehicle (STP-SIV) program managed by Space Development and Test Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, N.M. The STP-SIV architecture developed for STPSat-2 supports the Operationally Responsive Space strategy to ensure U.S. space superiority.

The STPSat-2 spacecraft provides a standard interface compatible for multiple launch vehicles that support a variety of experimental and risk reduction payloads at different low-Earth orbits. This was demonstrated on STPSat-2 when a third payload was manifested following the Critical Design Review and then successfully integrated without spacecraft design modification. Using flight-proven hardware for the spacecraft (and developmental hardware only on the experimental payloads), each bus can accommodate up to four independent payloads, each one having its own separate power and data interface.

“STPSat-2 is putting responsive space into practice for the U.S. Air Force,” said David L. Taylor, president and CEO of Ball Aerospace. “This small but robust satellite provides a flexible solution for a variety of customer mission needs, from missile warning, to earth-remote sensing, to situational awareness.”

Production is also continuing at Ball on the second STP-SIV, STPSat-3, an identical spacecraft that will host four DoD experimental payloads. The STPSat-3 spacecraft will be completed in November, with payloads integrated in the first quarter of 2011.

In addition to STPSat-2, the Minotaur 4 rocket will launch two FASTRAC spacecraft from the University of Texas, the Air Force Academy’s FalconSat 5 satellite, NASA’s O/OREOS CubeSat mission, and NASA’s FASTSAT (Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite), which includes the Threat Detection System built by Ball Aerospace for the Air Force Research Lab/Space-Based Advanced Sensing & Protection Branch for detecting tracking, and characterizing space objects and the space environment.

Source: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

Robot climbs walls

2010-08-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. Wielding two claws, a motor and a tail that swings like a grandfather clock's pendulum, a small robot named ROCR ("rocker") scrambles up a carpeted, 8-foot wall in just over 15 seconds – the first such robot designed to climb efficiently and move like human rock climbers or apes swinging through trees.

"While this robot eventually can be used for inspection, maintenance and surveillance, probably the greatest short-term potential is as a teaching tool or as a really cool toy," says robot developer William Provancher, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Utah.



		IMAGE: ROCR, a climbing robot developed at the University of Utah, is shown in this sequence of photos as it climbs an 8-foot-tall carpeted wall in 15.6 seconds. Mechanical engineer William... Click here for more information.

His study on development of the ROCR Oscillating Climbing Robot is set for online publication this month by Transactions on Mechatronics, a journal of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Provancher and his colleagues wrote that most climbing robots "are intended for maintenance or inspection in environments such as the exteriors of buildings, bridges or dams, storage tanks, nuclear facilities or reconnaissance within buildings."

But until now, most climbing robots were designed not with efficiency in mind, only with a more basic goal: not falling off the wall they are climbing.

"While prior climbing robots have focused on issues such as speed, adhering to the wall, and deciding how and where to move, ROCR is the first to focus on climbing efficiently," Provancher says.

One previous climbing robot has ascended about four times faster than ROCR, which can climb at 6.2 inches per second, but ROCR achieved 20 percent efficiency in climbing tests, "which is relatively impressive given that a car's engine is approximately 25 percent efficient," Provancher says.

The robot's efficiency is defined as the ratio of work performed in the act of climbing to the electrical energy consumed by the robot, he says.

Provancher's development, testing and study of the self-contained robot was co-authored by Mark Fehlberg, a University of Utah doctoral student in mechanical engineering, and Samuel Jensen-Segal, a former Utah master's degree student now working as an engineer for a New Hampshire company.

The National Science Foundation and University of Utah funded the research.

ROCR is a Swinger that Claws Its Way to the Top

Other researchers have studied a variety of ways for climbing robots to stick to walls, including dry adhesives, microspines, so-called "dactyl" spines or large claws like ROCR's, suction cups, magnets, and even a mix of dry adhesive and claws to mimic wall-climbing geckos.

Now that various methods have been tried and proven for robots to climb a variety of wall surfaces, "if you are going to have a robot with versatility and mission-life, efficiency rises to the top of the list of things to focus on," Provancher says.

Nevertheless, "there's a lot more work to be done" before climbing robots are in common use, he adds.

Some previous climbing robots have been large, with two to eight legs. ROCR, in contrast, is small and lightweight: only 12.2 inches wide, 18 inches long from top to bottom and weighing only 1.2 pounds.

The motor that drives the robot's tail and a curved, girder-like stabilizer bar attach to the robot's upper body. The upper body also has two small, steel, hook-like claws to sink into a carpeted wall as the robot climbs. Without the stabilizer, ROCR's claws tended to move away from the wall as it climbed and it fell.

The motor drives a gear at the top of the tail, causing the tail to swing back and forth, which propels the robot upward. A battery is at the end of the tail and provides the mass that is necessary to swing the robot upward.



		IMAGE: University of Utah mechanical engineer William Provancher watches as the efficient climbing robot he and colleagues developed scales a carpeted wall. Click here for more information.

"ROCR alternatively grips the wall with one hand at a time and swings its tail, causing a center of gravity shift that raises its free hand, which then grips the climbing surface," the study says. "The hands swap gripping duties and ROCR swings its tail in the opposite direction."

ROCR is self-contained and autonomous, with a microcomputer, sensors and power electronics to execute desired tail motions to make it climb.

Provancher says that to achieve efficiency, ROCR mimics animals and machines.

"It pursues this goal of efficiency with a design that mimics efficient systems both in nature and manmade," he says. "It mimics a gibbon swinging through the trees and a grandfather clock's pendulum, both of which are extremely efficient."

The study says: "The core innovations of ROCR – its energy-efficient climbing strategy and simple mechanical design – arise from observing mass shifting in human climbers and brachiative [swinging] motion in animals."

Simulating and Testing a Climbing Robot

Before testing the robot itself, Provancher and colleagues used computer software to simulate ROCR's climbing, using such simulation to evaluate the most efficient climbing strategies and fine-tune the robot's physical features.

Then they conducted experiments, varying how fast and how far the robot's tail swung, to determine how to get the robot to climb most efficiently up an 8-foot-tall piece of plywood covered with a short-nap carpet.

The robot operated fastest and most efficiently when it ran near resonance – near the robot's natural frequency – similar to the way a grandfather clock's pendulum swings at its natural frequency. With its tail swinging more slowly, it climbed but not as quickly or efficiently.

The researchers found it achieve the greatest efficiency – 20 percent – when the tail swung back and forth 120 degrees (or 60 degrees to each side of straight down), when the tail swung back and forth 1.125 times per seconds and when the claws were spaced 4.9 inches apart.

When the tail swung at two times per second, it was too fast and ROCR jumped off the wall, and was caught by a safety cord so it wasn't damaged.

Provancher says the study is the first to set a benchmark for the efficiency of climbing robots against which future models may be compared. He says future work will include improving the robot's design, integrating more complex mechanisms for gripping to walls of various sorts, such as brick and sandstone, and investigating more complex ways of controlling the robot – all aimed at improving efficiency.

"Higher climbing efficiencies will extend the battery life of a self-contained, autonomous robot and expand the variety of tasks the robot can perform," he says.

###

Downloadable, uncaptioned video of the robot climbing is in the last 25 seconds here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0sZmRnELKk

Video with captions may be downloaded here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCsxYllXSRs&NR=1

More information on ROCR, including the published paper, can be found here: http://heml.eng.utah.edu/index.php/ClimbingRobots/ROCR

More information about the University of Utah's College of Engineering: http://www.coe.utah.edu

Additional image -- A climbing robot's hook-like claws: http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/24494.php

Waterproof GPS Cell Phone for Dogs: PetsCELL™

2010-07-02T01:09:00.000-07:00

PetMobility has finally released a cell phone for pets.The PetsCELL™ is the first voice enabled waterproof GPS cell phone optimized for animals.It's a cell phone that mounts on a collar. You call it and your dog can hear you through the speaker. He'll probably be permanently scarred by the voices coming from his collar, but that's okay, because there's also a camera on the phone so you can see exactly what he's doing.

Hanging Alarm Clock That Actually Makes You Get Up

2010-07-02T01:04:00.000-07:00

Waking up in the mornings is easy for some and more difficult for others. How many people have thrown their alarm clocks across the room to break them? What do you expect from an alarm clock? To wake you up in time and get you out of bed, for 'snoozers' that can be difficult as it delays getting out of bed.

5 MOST EXPENSIVE PENS OF THE WORLD

2010-05-16T23:02:00.000-07:00

Kings and royals were famous for using feathers and inks to write their official letters. When there were no papers people use to write on leaves and primitive people had used great deals of rock writing that is still found by archaeologists in caves in different parts of the world. Writing has been important since man became part of evolution and started expressing his thoughts. Invention of Pen gave a sudden thrust and force to writing and now we wonder if they will become extinct after the invention of computers and keyboards and other storage media.

History of pen goes back to 4000 BC while people were using straws and other liquids to write. Lets have a look at 5 most expensive pens in the world.

WORLD MOST EXPENSIVE WATCH

2010-05-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

VACHERIN CONSTANTIN'S TOUR DE L'ILE -$1,5 MILLION

Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin marked its 250th anniversary in 2005 with the world’s most complicated wrist watch—the Tour de l’Ile. The watch is so complicated that it required over 10,000 hours of research to create. Its name refers to one of the historical sites of the venerable company, located next to the current Maison Vacheron Constantin on the Quai de l’Ile.
Only produced in a limited edition of seven pieces, this expensive watch is also the most complicated double-face watch. Tour de l’Ile is made with a totally original combination of horological complications (that is, features beyond the simple telling of the time of day) and astronomical indications composing a list of sixteen different points including a minute repeater, sunset time, perpetual calendar, second time zone, a tourbillion device, the equation of time and a representation of the night sky.
At $1.5 million, this is one of the world’s most expensive watch produced in recent years.

PATEK PHILIPPE'S PLATINUM WORLD TIME-OVER $4 MILLION

The Platinum World Time created by Patek Philippe was sold at auction for over $4 million USD in 2002. It is believed that only one was created and, at the time, it was the most expensive wristwatch in the world.
In fact, Patek Philippe had produced all of the ten most expensive watches in the world. The company, headquartered in Geneva, made their first wristwatch in 1868. They had already made a name for themselves prior to that, however, by providing watches to Queen Victoria herself in 1851. Other notable customers include Pope Pius IX, a king and queen of Denmark, an Italian king and Saddam Hussein’s son-in-law.

PATEK PHILIPPE'S SUPERCOMPLICATION-$11 MILION

Patek Philippe’s most expensive watch was a yellow-gold pocket watch created in 1932 for New York banker Henry Graves, Jr. The watch, Supercomplication, was created as part of a vain competition Graves had with Ohio automobile engineer James Ward Packard to have commissioned a watch with the most complications in the world.This watch, of course, guaranteed that Graves won the contest. Supercomplication wasn’t surpassed until over fifty years later, when Patek Philippe created the 18k gold Caliber 89 which had a total of thirty-three different functions.Graves’ watch became the most expensive watch in the world when it was sold at auction in 1999 for over $11 million USD. Caliber 89 went for a mere $6 million.

Mafia MoFo – Not Just Another Mafia Game

2010-05-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

Recently, there has been a lot of activity with online mafia / mobster games, from the problems with Mafia Wars to the launch of Bulletproof, New Mafia, and more. You may be asking why you would care about yet another mafia game.

Mafia MoFo sets itself apart from the rest in several ways. Mafia MoFo is not a MySpace game, which generally makes it more easily accessible, without the performance issues associated with Myspace. However, what really sets Mafia MoFo apart from the rest is the amount of entertaining activities that are available. Mafia MoFo is miles ahead of the other games in this regard. Some of the virtual properties and activities available include a pharmacy for buying drugs, real estate purchasing (house and land), equipment shop, pawn shop, black market, point shop, used car lot, bus station, ability to drive to another city (if you have a car), jobs, hire a private investigator, stock market, gambling (lottery, slot machine, and 50/50 game), and more. Players increase stats by working out in the gym. Numerous crime jobs are available to increase experience and earn cash. Of course, fighting is also available, as well as a hitlist. The game is further enhanced with interactive contests and events that award prizes, such as a medal or other special item. On top of all that, the job outcomes and other messages displayed throughout the game are humorous and very enjoyable, making the entire game experience pleasant and relaxed.

The game is brand new. Therefore, it is being enhanced vigorously with new features and improvements. Soon the game will feature the same fight list style familiar from other mafia games. Since the game has just launched, new players are all the game really needs to be a big success and highly enjoyable for all players. Come check it out! The most important thing to concentrate on in the beginning is performing crime jobs to advance your level and working out in the gym. By the time you’re ready to battle it out, perhaps the new fight system will already be in place! So, get started building up your character so that once it is available, you will be ready! Of course, you can also fight now from any player’s page in the meantime, if you so choose. On one last note, be sure to check out the "How to Play" tutorial under the Account section. If contains valuable information all players need to know. Mafia MoFo is a bit different from the others, but easy to play once you get the hang of things. Of course, the differences it features are what make the game as great as it is!

Send Email and SMS with this Digital Pen

2010-05-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

Looks can be deceptive. Really deceptive when it comes to the digital pen. Fountain pens are a thing of the past. And you would rarely see anybody except your grandfather use it. This fountain pen by D-scribe is digital and the coolest pen in the world. Communication has risen to a whole new level and getting in touch with people was never this easy. This Digital pen can send sms and E-mail messages.

All you need is a surface to write on and bluetooth enabled mobile phone. It converts your handwriting into digital form and is ready to send your sms or Email message via Bluetooth enabled phone. Simply write your message and circle the name of recipient to indicate who to send it to. There is a small built-in LED screen that updates you on the status of your message.

What are your waiting for? Get this device and pen your thoughts not forgetting to put it across. Now you can speak your mind whenever and wherever! Your friends are just a scribble away!

Motorola Crush: Budget Basic Touchscreen Phone

2010-01-19T20:26:00.000-08:00

ust recently the U.S. cellular officially announced the Motorola Crush. This phone might be the perfect phone for those who wantstouchscreen phone but a bit short on budget. The Moto Crush is really a touchscreen-enabled basic phone with simple features such as messaging app and the Motorola’s proprietary Operating System. There’s a 2 megapixel camera too.

There’s a 2 megapixel camera too.

Speaking about the price; the Motorola Crush can be yours for $79.95 after a two-year customer agreement and mail-in rebate. Meanwhile, here are the Motorola Crush specs andfeatures:

* Band CDMA 850/1900MHz
* Data 1xRTT/EV-DO
* Size 51mm x 119mm x 15mm (2.0in x 4.7in x 0.6in)
* Weight 102g (3.6oz)
* Battery 950mAh
* Battery Life 4.3 hours estimated talk time
* 20.8 days estimated standby time
* Main Display 2.8-inch WQVGA (240 x 400 pixels) touchscreen display with onscreen virtual keyboard
* Camera 2.0 megapixel
* Video Record/Playback
* Messaging SMS/MMS/IM
* Email Yes
* Bluetooth Yes with A2DP
* Memory microSD card slot
* Other 3.5mm audio jack
* Availability November 19, 2009

Now that you know what’s inside of this Moto Crush and the price, would you buy it?

To the Point Google Nexus One Android Review

2010-01-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

Yep, we’ve already told you about the Nexus One Specs and Features, Nexus One Video Tutorial’s from Google, and now I present you a review on the Google Nexus One. This review was done by out folks at BoyGeniusReport; but I took the liberty to sum and shorten them up just for you after the break

Nexus One Hardware Review

Overall, we are impressed by the Nexus One. There’s a big, bright 3.7 inches AMOLED capacitive display with 800×480 pixels, a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, 512MB of RAM, world-wide 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash among other things combined in a slim 11.5mm phone known as the Google Nexus One.

Anyway, the display is excellent, but still isn’t the most responsive display available out there. However, it is pretty pleasant and responsive for average user.Anyway,the Nexus One seems to be using the same button with the HTC DROID Eris’s touch-sensitive buttons below the screen. And it seems that the Nexus One has the same problem, which is the lack of (or perhaps, too much) sensitivity. BGR also think that the button is too close to the screen.The trackball as a navigational input device is fine — it’s a trackball that’s been used on many, many devices for many years.

Nexus ONE Software Review (Android 2.1)

Overall, the Android 2.1 is working reasonably well. The Android has improved so much from last year, and now we can enjoy built Exchange (contacts and email only) support, Facebook, widget support, updated browser with a useless double-tap feature, voice search / commands, and many others. However, there are still small slow downs and hiccups even with this 1GHz processor. That’s not good. With that said,Android 2.1 doesn’t add too much more than what the Motorola DROID offers (that runs Android 2.0).

Nexus One Phone quality

Nexus One, as a phone, is the best phone we’ve ever used. And the call also sounds absolutely perfect for the other person as well. And oh yeah, it will be supported by Verizon Wireless this “Spring” so you can pair that with “America’s Most Reliable Network.” The actual loudspeaker on the phone is decent. It’s definitely loud enough, but it’s not that clear and can get distorted pretty easily if the volume is raised up enough. With that said, calls with speakerphone enabled still were pleasant enough.

Nexus One Screen Review

The screen on the Nexus One, while gorgeous, is not usable in direct sunlight and it’s rather depressing. Getting over the sunlight issue, the screen isn’t as rich as the Motorola DROID’s display, unfortunately. We didn’t miss the actual resolution in terms of having more room, but the DROID’s display doesn’t show pixelation likethe Nexus One does, and just honestly seems like a better product. Now, before you get too worked up, the Nexus One display is in and of itself great, but if you’d like to know the best of the best, it would have to be the DROID’s display.

Camera

The camera is decent, it’s worlds better than the Motorola DROID’s camera, in both hardware and software. Unfortunately feature like tap to focus aren’t present. It’s such an invaluable feature for a touch screen device with a camera, and it’s a shame it’s not in here. In general,Android’s default camera application is mediocre at best, slightly frustrating, and mildly confusing.

Battery:

The Nexus One ships with a 1400mAh battery, and it is actually holds up quite well. Power users are probably going to have to have a charging station visit at some point during a long day, but for regular phone, browser, email, and multimedia usage, the Nexus One actually almost lasted an entire day.

Google services

What would a “Google Phone” be without Google’s services? Everything is stuffed into Android, and Android 2.1 just as you’d expect. Obviously Google’s Gmail app is the best you’re going to get if you’re a Gmail warrior, and other Google services tightly integrated intothe Nexus One (and more Android phones) you can look forward to include: Google Maps, Google Navigation, Google Voice Search, Google Contacts, Google Calendar, Google Talk, Google Voice, Google Market, Google News and Weather, and of course, YouTube.

Conclusion

The Nexus One is the best Android phone to date, and if you love your Android devices, this is the phone that beats them all. There are always going to be new handsets around the corner — HTC isn’t slowing down, Motorola is pushing forward, and countless other manufacturers are pumping out handsets — but right now, this is it. Now, if you ask us ifthe Nexus One is the phone for you, we’re not sure. If you’re stepping up from another basic smartphone or regular phone, there is little doubt you’ll be drawn in by the beautiful screen, the oh-so-easy Gmail and Google service integration, and a solidly built handset with amazing phone capabilities. However, if you’re coming from a BlackBerry or iPhone, we’re not sure you’ll be able to ride it out asAndroid still feels undercooked to us, and while the “openness” definitely shines through, we feel it might be shining a little too bright.

So there you have it, the review on the Google Nexus One. Personally, I am excited to see how this Google Nexus One compete in this market with other cool phone such as the DROID etc. I also agree that if you compare the Google NEXUS ONE vs the DROID, I think the winner will be the N-1. Now it is up to youAndroid Lovers to choose between them :) Share some thoughts on the subject by leaving comments below.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 8

2010-01-19T20:04:00.000-08:00

The newest version of the #1 selling consumer photo-editing software, Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 combines power and simplicity so you can easily tell amazing stories with your photos. Bring all your photos and video clips together in one convenient place where you can easily find, view, and manage them; protect them with automatic online backup and 2GB of free storage; and then dive right into a full range of creative activities. Make your photos look extraordinary with editing options that let you recompose photos to any size while keeping key subjects intact; combine multiple exposures into a single, perfectly lit shot; and quickly preview a range of adjustments before choosing the perfect one. And share your stories in unique photo books, scrapbook pages, slide shows, and interactive online experiences.

Extraordinary photos. Amazing stories.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 software offers a complete solution for photos:

* Make your photos look extraordinary with easy-to-use editing options.
* Share your stories in beautiful, personalized print creations and web experiences, and share on popular devices.
* Easily manage and protect all your photos and video clips from one convenient place.
* Enjoy automatic online backup with 2GB of free storage, and access your photos and videos anywhere you are.*

Top reasons to buy Adobe Photoshop Elements 8

Do it all with one powerful yet easy-to-use product

Use Photoshop Elements 8 for all your photo needs. Manage, edit, and enhance photos; make unique photo creations; share in print, on the web, and on popular devices; protect photos with automatic online backup and 2GB of free storage*--enough for up to 1,500 photos or 24 minutes of DVD-quality video; and view photos anywhere you are.*

Experience the ultimate media management hub
Bring all your photos and video clips together in one convenient place, and easily find your best stuff fast. Then dive into a full range of creative activities and start enjoying your memories.

Go from flawed to phenomenal in seconds
Get just the photo fixes you're looking for with one-step shortcuts that whiten teeth and make skies a vibrant blue. And now, when you perform one-step photo adjustments--including color, contrast, and lighting--you can quickly choose the best result from a group of adjustment

.

Go from flawed to phenomenal in seconds.

Adjust color, contrast, and lighting.

Whiten teeth.

Make skies a vibrant blue.

Dramatically transform your photos with easy-to-use options
Convert your color originals to elegant, nuanced black-and-whites, or use color curves adjustments to get the perfect exposure.

Count on step-by-step assistance
Want to touch up a scratch? Create a scrapbook page? Add artistic effects that make a photo look like a pencil sketch? Get help with key steps to get the results you want fast.

Easily create the perfect photo
Take advantage of amazing Adobe Photomerge technology to easily remove distracting elements from photos in just a few clicks, create perfect group shots and seamless panoramas, and combine elements of different faces for entertaining results.

Get creative inspiration
Bring your ideas to life with relevant tutorials that appear just when you need them. New tutorials help you explore creative possibilities.

Share experiences in fresh, exciting ways on the web
Showcase your photos in one-of-a-kind Online Albums with your choice of animated templates, including all-new options for sharing photos and videos together. Adobe Flash technology lets viewers interact with your photos for an entertaining experience. And share via public or private galleries--friends and family won't have to register to look.*

Show off your creativity with flexible layouts
Make amazing printed photo creations--like scrapbook pages, photo books, and cards--that you can customize to get exactly the look you envision. Get fun, fresh looks with new artwork and templates.

Top new benefits of Adobe Photoshop Elements 8

Recompose photos to any size--without distortion
Ever want to change the size or orientation of a photo to fit a certain frame? Now you can quickly resize--even going from landscape to portrait or vice versa--without distorting key subjects like people or buildings.

Get the best exposure
Want to capture all the details in a scene that includes light and dark areas? Snap one photo with flash on and one with flash off, and Photomerge Exposure will combine the shots into a single, perfectly lit photo.

Quickly find your best photos
No need to click through dozens or hundreds of shots to find the good ones. The Auto-Analyzer automatically tags your media so you can easily find your most interesting, highest quality photos and video footage.

Find specific people in a flash
Quickly find photos that feature specific friends or family members thanks to People Recognition, which automatically identifies the people in your photos.

Get the big picture
See the full effect of your photos and video clips from within the Organizer with new full-screen previews, which let you make quick edits to photos while viewing them.

See the same photos and video clips on every computer
Forget trying to manually maintain your photos and video clips across multiple computers. With automatic syncing, media added or edited on one computer will automatically be synced to another.*

Give your creations fresh looks
Experiment with new artwork and templates to give your printed creations fun and stylish new looks.

Enjoy support for Windows 7
Take advantage of support for the new Windows 7 platform and the hands-on capabilities of Windows Touch technology.

Cartier Midsize Ballon Bleu Stainless Steel and 18K Gold Watch

2010-01-19T19:58:00.000-08:00

The sophisticated Cartier Midsize Ballon Bleu Stainless Steel and 18K Gold Watch is designed with delicate two-tone gold accents to create an accessory suitable for semi-formal social engagements. The timepiece is constructed with a stainless steel case, a stationary round stainless steel bezel, and an 18-karat-gold and 00012stainless steel link bracelet with a secure deployment buckle. A scratch-resistant sapphire window shields the silvered-opaline dial, which features black Roman numeral hour markers and slim minute indexes. In addition, this beautiful watch is powered by superior Swiss-quartz movement.

By the early 20th century, Cartier had expanded its collection to include watches. At a time when pocket watches were still considered de rigueur for the distinguished gentleman, Cartier helped popularize the wristwatch, making it a bold fashion statement for men and women as well as a status symbol among the well-to-do. Louis Cartier is credited with creating the first men's wristwatch, the Santos, in 1904. He developed and named the watch for his client and friend, the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who needed a device that would allow him to read the time without taking his hands off the controls of his airplane.

Other classic designs followed, including Cartier's signature timepiece--the Tank--which debuted in 1917 during the First World War and was inspired by the tough new war machine the Americans introduced to the fighting in Europe. Cartier's first water-resistant watch was named after the Pasha of Marrakesh, who requested that Cartier create watch that he could wear while in his swimming pool and not lose track of time.

And while it is known more for its luxurious design, Cartier is also credited with creating the highly functional deployment folding clasp in 1910, which is now used by watchmakers around the globe.

Modern Cartier watchmakers still base their watch designs on the early fundamentals developed by Louis Cartier. Treasured by collectors, Cartier watches are distinguished by their impressive variety of shapes (round, square, oval, Tank, Tortue and Tonneau), by their exceptional materials and workmanship, and by their recognizable Cartier aesthetic, an elegant blend of classic and modern design.

Sprint’s LG Lotus Elite Specs n Features: QWERTY Stylish Fashion phone

2010-01-19T19:51:00.000-08:00

Just recently Sprint, collaborating with the Taiwanese cellphone manufacturer LG have released a new QWERTY stylish fashion phone from Lotus series. The phone name is LG Lotus Elite and as you can see from the picture available, it is a clamshell phone with QWERTY keyboard. The Lotus Elite is basically an entry-level fashion phone with some decent specs and features that include:

January 8th, 2010

* 2.4 inch, 320 x 240, 262K color external display
* CDMA/1xRTT connectivity
* QWERTY keyboard
* Bluetooth with support for A2DP
* EV-DO Rev. 0,
* GPS with Sprint Navigation,
* access to Sprint broadband services like Sprint TV, Sprint Navigation, Sprint Music and Sprint Radio
* 2 megapixel Camera/Camcorder
* Music Player with External Controls
* MicroSD expansion (supporting up to 32GB)
* Distinctive tattoo design on its black or red casing

The phone will soon be available from Sprint starting from tomorrow and the price will be $99.99 with a new two year service agreement and a $50 mail-in rebate. If you’re asking for other variant of color, a black LG Lotus Elite with the same specs and features will be available on January 14th.

It could be used as your present on the valentine’s day

Constructon of Eiffel Tower

2010-01-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

Constructon of Eiffel Tower

Robo Japan 2008 Exhibition

2010-01-10T05:45:00.000-08:00

In the Japanese city of Yokohama was held the “Robo Japan 2008“ exhibition, in which were presented the latest development of World leaders in robot technology. In this year’s Robo Japan 2008 was presented over hundreds of types of robots, including Robot-Spider, Talking Robot Housewife Vakamaru, Robot Suit, helping elderly people carry heavy things, Miniature Androids with height of 3.4 cm, and other fascinating fascinating electronic substance.

Honda robot "Asimo" serves dishes at a media preview of Robot Japan 2008 in Yokohama, Japan, on Oct. 10, 2008. ASIMO is being developed with the expectation of actually using it in daily life in the near future.

ASIMO is 130 cm tall and weighs 54 kg. It uses advanced walking technology to walk upright at 6 km/h. Even when both of ASIMOs feet are off the ground, it can actively control its posture, so that it walks in a straight line.

New company Badai "Net Tansor Web" knows how to take photographs and enjoy the various blog services.

A mini-sized robot Evolta "climbs" a rope.

Robot Chroino

The Robot developer Tomotaka Takahashi showing two models-androids Chroino and the FT, created in cooperation with Robo Garage.

Hart Step, the unit helps older people carry heavy things.

Robot-trainer, created by Institute Kanagawa Institute of Technology.

Mechanized ladybird (Lady Bird), capable of communicating with people.

Dancing robot i-SOBOT, shown by Takara Tomy.

A dog-robot Yume Inu DX, created by Sega Toys.

A robot "Android Wakamaru" imitates human gestures.

3,4-cm nanorobot Robo-Q is equipped with artificial intelligence that allows him to navigate in space and playing games.

Humanoid can play football, find the way in the maze and deftly circumvent suddenly emerging obstacles in his path, using the built infrared sensors.

Luxury Watch

2010-01-10T05:33:00.000-08:00

Louis Vuitton’s Tambour watch collection has enhanced with the adjoin of the Tambour Mysterieuse, a watch made of luxury gold and steel, but still in the immediately recognizable tambour drum outline, this completely mechanical watch deals in the horological magic stuff.

Calibre LV115 is another addition in this series which has been developed, created and assembled in the workshop of this brand in Switzerland. This exceptional piece can reserve 8-day power and there is nothing redundant about the mechanical movement and healthiness stands in bleak contrast to its ephemeral nature. The hour and minute indicators generally placed on completely transparent mobile sapphire discs.