porcelain teapot is put in its associated holding device where it can be swayed forward well, directed so that the tea can be easily poured into a cup without having to lift the teapot. Furthermore the holding device is able to boil up the liquid in the teapot and to keep it warm precisely on different temperatures. The measured temperatures are read at the diodes in the region of the operational controls and compared with the temperature that was manually chosen.
Designer: Lotte Alpert
6/2/07
The Lazy Teapot
Tio, Dress Your Chair
Tio is an experience in creative expression that you can contribute to and enjoy changing as often as you choose, in your own home. At one level it is a crafted piece of furniture. But on another level it is the opportunity to creatively transform your living space at will. The Tio concept is a collaboration of creative minds.
Design: Tio
Lithium Technology Corporation Boosts Prius to 125MPG
"Batteries made of LTC's cells can provide 3000 charging cycles, which would be able to do 150,000 miles to 80% capacity for a 100 km or 60 mile all electric range plug in hybrid, which no other technology can claim," said Dr. Andrew Frank, Professor, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at the University of California, Davis. To show the power of its new LiFePO4 cells, LTC rolled out a retrofitted Toyota Prius with plug-in capabilities. The 7 kWh battery is made up of 63 LTC LiFePO4 cells and boosts the Prius from 46MPG combined (city/highway) to 125MPG. It is unclear whether LTC is citing the old 2007 EPA mileage estimates or the new 2008 EPA estimates which aren't very kind to hybrid-electric vehicles. If LTC is still citing 2007 EPA estimates, the retrofitted Prius would still likely achieve 100MPG+ when taking into account 2008 guidelines. While the use of lithium-based batteries give hybrid vehicles more power and endurance to run longer on battery power, it appears that Toyota may actually be shying away from the technology for its next-generation Prius and other hybrid vehicles. Nikkan Koyogo, a Japanese newspaper, reports that Toyota may be postponing the use of lithium-ion batteries due to safety issues. The company has seen a rise in vehicle recalls in recent months. And just recently, the company admitted that a manufacturing defect from its supplier has led to camshaft failures in its brand new 5.7 liter V8 engine. Reference:Brandon Hill,dailytech
LTC embraces lithium battery technology while Toyota may be backtracking a bit
Lithium Technology Corporation (LTC) has announced its new line of batteries to be used in all-electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. LTC's battery packs are composed of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells.
Bill Gates, Steve Jobs Share Stage at D Conference
Microsoft and Apple leaders speak on each other, commercials, Xbox, iPod and more Microsoft and Apple Computer are the yin and yang of the computer world. Without either of them, the technology landscape would not be as it is today. At the head of those two very different, but significant companies are equally different and significant individuals: Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. The two pioneers are often at the center of the stage preaching the latest innovations for their respective companies, but rarely do they share the same stage. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs appeared together at this year’s D: All Things Digital conference, an annual gathering coordinated by the Wall Street Journal. The session began with each leader asked to say what the other has contributed to the industry. Jobs started, “Well, you know, Bill built the first software company in the industry and I think he built the first software company before anybody really in our industry knew what a software company was, except for these guys. And that was huge. That was really huge. And the business model that they ended up pursuing turned out to be the one that worked really well, you know, for the industry. I think the biggest thing was, Bill was really focused on software before almost anybody else had a clue that it was really the software.” Then Gates started with a joke, “First I want to clarify, I'm not Fake Steve Jobs,” referring to the notorious blog. “What Steve's done is phenomenal. Back in 1977, the Apple II, the idea that it would be a mass-market machine and an incredibly empowering phenomenon. And the Macintosh, that was so risky. Apple really bet the company, Lisa hadn't done that well, but the team that Steve built within the company to pursue that, some days it felt a little ahead of its time. Remember the Twiggy disk drive and...” – Jobs interjected, “128K!” Gates continued, “In a certain sense, we build the products we want to use ourselves. He's really pursued that with an incredible taste and elegance and had a huge impact on the industry. Apple literally was failing when Steve went back and reinfused innovation and risk-taking that have been phenomenal. So the industry has benefited immensely from his work. I'd say he's contributed as much as anyone.” The two then went over some historical bits, arriving eventually to 1997, when Steve Jobs returned to Apple. Jobs recalls his thoughts from that time, recorded by the D5 website, “If the game was a zero-sum game where if Apple wanted to win, Microsoft had to lose, then Apple was going to lose. But Apple didn’t have to beat Microsoft. It had to remember what Apple was. Microsoft was the biggest software developer around, and Apple was weak. So I called Bill up.” Although Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are popularly portrayed as rivals, especially in the movie the Pirates of Silicon Valley, the Apple leader says that his company’s close ties with Microsoft is very important. “The developer relationship between Microsoft and Apple is one of the best we have,” said Jobs. A bit of a rivalry does appear on the topic of the Mac ads that appear all over the web and television. Bill Gates referred to the ads as lies in an interview back in February, “I don't know why [Apple is] acting like it’s superior. I don't even get it. What are they trying to say? ... Does honesty matter in these things, or if you're really cool, that means you get to be a lying person whenever you feel like it? There's not even the slightest shred of truth to it.” Back on stage, Job defended the purpose of the ads, saying, “The art of those commercials is not to be mean, but for the guys to like each other. The PC Guy is great… The PC Guy is what makes it all work.” Gates had only to say, “PC guy’s mother loves him.” The two hosts of the session chimed in to add that they liked PC guy too. Moving away from current spats and towards the current products, Jobs cited Alan Kay as once saying, “People that love software want to build their own hardware.” Although Microsoft has its own hardware devices with the Xbox consoles and the Zune, Jobs is referring to any potential desire Microsoft may have to build machines specifically to run Windows. One of the forum hosts had brought up an interesting anecdote: at one point, Microsoft was for a while the biggest purchaser of a certain Mac tower for the use of Xbox 360 development software. Gates then added, “I don’t know if it was the biggest, but, yeah, we had the sa Jobs then shifted the attention to Apple’s leading hardware innovation, the iPod, and a key reason why it is so successful. “If you look at the reason that the iPod exists and the Apple’s in that marketplace, it’s because these really great Japanese consumer electronics companies who kind of own the portable music market, invented it and owned it, couldn’t do the appropriate software, couldn’t conceive of and implement the appropriate software. Because an iPod’s really just software. It’s software in the iPod itself, it’s software on the PC or the Mac, and it’s software in the cloud for the store. And it’s in a beautiful box, but it’s software.”
me processor essentially that the Mac had. This is one of those great ironies is they were switching away from that processor while the Xbox 360 was adopting it. But for good reasons, actually, in both cases. Because we’re not in a portable application and that was one of the things that that processor road map didn’t have. But yes, it shows pragmatism, but we try and do things that way. So that was the development system for the early people getting their software ready for the introduction of Xbox 360.”
World's Lightest Chess & Checkers
New Wave Chess & Checkers is the world's lightest, simplest yet most tenacious game board. This 8 3⁄4” square board is an inventive breakthrough in play on flat surfaces. It allows flat game pieces to stand up on the board with a full 3-D effect. The pieces can't be blown away or shaken out! The pieces move only when you want to move them. Another design innovation allows a checker piece to turn into a king simply by rotating it to show its crown. New Wave Ches
s & Checkers is highly portable and can be played anywhere, indoors or outdoors. “Extreme” chess or checkers can even be played during an earthquake!
Designer: Paradoxy
"Melt", Sustainable Umbrella
"Melt" is an umbrella with a future. Every part of the umbrella has been considered from a sustainable point of view and consists of everything you need to start a small garden. It's name is derived from the biodegradable agricultural film that creates the canopy and that will, under correct conditions, melt into the soil.
"Melt" eliminates the fragile and complicated mechanics typical of an umbrella and replaces it with an intuitive tension system. Each arm consists of semi-cylinder pieces strung together. When the handle is extended the loose pieces are forced to create a rigid arm.
Biodegradable but waterproof garden film is used as the umbrella canopy. Waxed cardboard (or bamboo) provides the frame. These parts become home for the seeds stored the the handle, which can be returned for a discount on a new umbrella or simply recycled.
Designer: Chelsea McLemore
Apple to Support 3rd Party iPhone Apps
Jobs asks for a bit more patience on 3rd party support
When the iPhone launched earlier this year, Apple definitely had people excited. Apple CEO Steve Jobs touted that the iPhone would be a revolution in mobile phone technology. As news of the phone spread, users began noticing that the iPhone did not appear to have any support for third party applications -- applications that a user can download and install onto the iPhone.
While it was clearly indicated that the iPhone runs on OS X and that there were a fair number of unique and well designed applications, concern was growing rapidly over application support. Because of its powerful underlying operating system, the iPhone is a perfect platform for development.
During an interview with Walt Mossberg at the D 2007 executive conference, Jobs revealed that the closed nature of the iPhone is simply due to security. According to Jobs, Apple is looking into ways of supporting third party applications on the iPhone without compromising the iPhone's stability and security.
"I've used 3rd party apps. The more you add, the more your phone crashes. No one's perfect and we'd sure like our phone not to crash once a day," said Jobs. "If you can just be a little more patient with us I think everyone can get what they want."
Reference:Tuan Nguyen,dailytech
New PSP 3.5 Firmware Update Adds PS3 Remote Play
Remote Play enables the two devices to connect to each other, one serving as a media hub and the other as a portable viewer. Users can now store their music, pictures and video content on their PlayStation 3 console, and access it remotely with their PSP wherever and whenever it is connected to an adequate Internet connection. While users can carry gigabytes of media on their PSPs using Memory Stick Pro, connectivity with the PlayStation 3 offers access to 20 or 60 GB (or even more for those who have upgraded their consoles). The term Remote Play is a bit of a misnomer, however, as the system does not currently support any form of gaming. Also in the 3.5 PSP update is a new RSS Channel Guide to offer better support for RSS feeds. The update for PSP may be obtained now using the system’s auto update feature.
PSP users can now watch videos, listen to music and view pictures off PS3
Sony’s PSP has received a new 3.5 firmware update. This update, along with the latest 1.8 PlayStation 3 firmware, unlocks one of the most exciting connectivity features between the two Sony devices: Remote Play.
Reference:Marcus Yam,dailytech
6/1/07
Dell to Cut 10 Percent of Its Global Workforce
The move to retail is expected to help Dell expand its business and better compete with #1 PC maker Hewlett-Packard. "Our strategic intent is to simplify information technology for our customers by removing cost and complexity," said Chairman and CEO Michael Dell. "No other company is as well positioned to unlock value for our customers - empowering them to implement simpler and smarter technology solutions." The company announced another move today that will help the company cut costs: a 10 percent reduction in its global workforce. Dell currently has a global workforce of over 88,000 employees and expects to trim more than 8,000 employees over the next twelve months. According to the company, "The reductions will vary across geographic regions, customer segments, and functions, and will reflect business considerations as well as local legal requirements." "While reductions in headcount are always difficult for a company, we know these actions are critical to our ability to deliver unprecedented value to our customers now and in the future," said Michael Dell. Rumors of the impending cuts have been looming around the company for at least the past three weeks. "Everyone knew it was coming. I got out of there early, but we knew it had to happen for the company to survive," said one former Dell sales representative who left the company on May 7. Interestingly enough, Dell witnessed operating income of $947 million USD for Q1 FY2008. This was up from $762 million USD in Q1 FY2007.
Dell will eliminate 8,000+ jobs over the next 12 months
Last week, Dell announced that it would extend its reach into the retail sector by partnering with Wal-Mart. According to the deal, Dell will provide sub-$700 desktop computers to Wal-Mart and Sams Club locations in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.
Reference:Brandon Hill,dailytech
Motorola Plans Additional 4,000 Layoffs, Bets on New RAZR
The 4000 addition job cuts, along with prioritization of investments, discretionary-spending and expense controls, are expected to net Motorola another $600 million in annualized cost savings in 2008. "Long-term, sustainable profitability is and always has been Motorola's top priority," said Tom Meredith, chief financial officer, Motorola, Inc. "Today's actions are an update to the commitment we made during our first-quarter earnings conference call -- to drive out additional costs -- and a continuation of the plan we announced in January. We are confident that the steps we are announcing today, together with the actions that we have outlined previously, will further improve the company's Financial and operational performance and create value for our stockholders." "We are taking steps to ensure that, as these cost reductions are implemented, there will be no adverse impact on customer service and support, product quality and those research and development programs that are expected to contribute meaningfully to Motorola's revenues, profits and cash flow in 2008 and beyond," said Greg Brown, president and chief operating officer, Motorola, Inc. For the remainder of this year, the company expects costs of approximately $300 million, or approximately $0.08 per share, and will consist primarily of severance and related expenses resulting from the workforce reductions. Mobile phone analysts are pointing at Motorola’s weak product lineup as a culprit for the company’s sagging bottom line. Analyst Lawrence Harris said to the BBC, "The extra job cuts will certainly help them return to profitability but it's not enough to get them to the double digit profit margins they seek. They need exciting new products." When Motorola released the original RAZR phone over two years ago, it was the hottest and most stylish gadget on its hands. Since then, Motorola has been unable to replicate the RAZR’s success in follow-up products such as the KRZR. Despite that the RAZR remains one of the U.S. market’s most ubiquitous handsets, the majority of RAZR sales were at low, mass-market price points – a far cry from the profit margin realized during the phone’s introduction at $800. After countless different colors and other variations, Motorola is finally releasing the true RAZR2 in July. The true sequel to Motorola’s most successful handset features 2GB of memory, a 2 MP camera, better sound quality and much improved software with Linux and Java support. “With the modern style and powerful performance of RAZR2, Motorola is once again redefining the cell phone,” said Ed Zander, Motorola’s chairman and chief executive officer. “This device takes the world’s best-selling feature-phone to the next level. Combining groundbreaking new features and an even slimmer exterior than the original icon, the RAZR2 is capable of giving consumers the ultimate mobile experience.” With intense cost-cutting measures in place and bets placed on the upcoming RAZR2, Motorola hopes to revive its mobile business before losing more marketshare to competitors Nokia and Samsung. Following the restructuring news, shares of Motorola rose 17 cents to $18.45 in extended trading, according to Bloomberg.
Big job cuts at Motorola in effort to return to profitability
Motorola, Inc. today revealed that it is already on target to for its workforce reduction of 3500 by June 30 and is on track to achieve the $400 million in annualized cost savings that it announced in January. That’s not the end of the job slashings, however, as the company says that another 4000 layoffs – more than 6 percent of its workforce – are on the way.
NHK Demonstrates Ultra HD Signal; 16 Times Better Than HDTV
Super Hi-Vision makes 1080p HDTV appear as clear as a Vaseline smear Although high-definition formats HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc are the bleeding edge of technology in the current consumer market, a new technology from Japan makes the latest HD movies specifications look simply archaic. Last week, engineers at NHK's (Nippon Hoso Kyokai) Science and Technical Research Laboratories demonstrated Super Hi-Vision technology capable of a 7680x4320 resolution, reports IDG. At 7680x4320, over 33 million pixels make up the image – this represents 16 times the resolution of a 1080p image. To get a picture of the bump in resolution, a Super Hi-Vision image could be approximated by tiling 16 of today’s best HDTVs together. In comparison, a 1080p picture represents a six-fold jump in resolution over standard-definition television. Unlike current HD cameras, which are hitting the hands of consumers, the Super Hi-Vision camera sensors are not yet able to capture a full color picture. The latest prototype Super Hi-Vision sensor is monochrome, but NHK plans to incorporate three sensors – one for each primary color – in order to capture color images. The prototype is super-fast too, able to capture data at a rate of 4,000 frames per second. NHK is also working on a sound system to complement the improved image. While today’s best home theaters have 7.1 setups, the audio component paired with Super Hi-Vision is 22.2. However, it may be quite some time before such an image is delivered on media, let alone broadcasted, as an uncompressed signal requires a bit-rate of 24Gbps. A single minute of Super Hi-Vision footage would require 194 GB of storage. To help ease that burden, NHK is enlisting the help of ATEME, a provider of MPEG-4 and H.264 solutions, to compress the 7680 x 4320 "Ultra HD" video – creating a new video standard. ATEME says that it is currently cooperating closely with NHK Labs in the design and development of this next-generation standard using existing MPEG-4 AVC compression technology. "We are very excited to be partnered with NHK - the leading broadcaster in the world for advanced technology implementation - for Ultra HD," said Benoit Fouchard, Vice President of Sales, Broadcast and Broadband for ATEME. Super Hi-Vision cameras, recorders, encoders and projectors are under development and the introduction of a new Ultra HD standard is planned for 2009. NHK estimates that satellite transmission tests will begin in 2011, and by 2020, Ultra HD will be ready for broadcast to households.
"ATEME's MPEG-4 AVC encoding has always been accepted as the world's best, and NHK's sole reliance on our technology proves we are fully capable of scaling to the ultimate in bandwidth and quality requirements for HD. We are very proud to be working with them and look forward to a continued partnership with NHK."
Reference:Marcus Yam,dailytech
Microsoft Plans to Revolutionize Interface Technology With "Surface"
Microsoft is looking to today make the same breakthrough in interface technology with "Surface" that the mouse did back in the 1980s. Surface, which will be demonstrated today at the Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference, provides instant interaction between people and digital content using hand gestures "With Surface, we are creating more intuitive ways for people to interact with technology," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. "We see this as a multibillion dollar category, and we envision a time when surface computing technologies will be pervasive, from tabletops and counters to the hallway mirror. Surface is the first step in realizing that vision." In its current form, Surface is incorporated into a 30" display mounted into a table. This allows user involvement to expand beyond just one person. Surface is capable of recognizing input from not just one finger, but up to dozens of inputs simultaneously. This technology isn’t exactly new as Apple uses a less complex version on its iPhone and “multi-touch” technology was demonstrated by Jeff Han to much fanfare last year. Microsoft, however, is bringing multi-touch to the masses. Users can perform tasks such as browsing through pictures and music files by simply using their fingers. For users operating Surface in restaurants, a simple touch of the screen could allow you to order a beverage during a meal. Surface also has the ability to read bar codes on items to provide further information to the user. "This means that when a customer simply sets a wine glass on the surface of a table, a restaurant could provide them with information about the wine they’re ordering, pictures of the vineyard it came from and suggested food pairings tailored to that evening’s menu," said Microsoft also notes that the transfer of digital content is also possible with Surface. So it's not too hard to envision being able to set your Zune on Surface and transfer your playlist or video files for playback on the 30" display. Surface will first be available at Harrah’s Entertainment properties, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and T-Mobile retail stores. "When visitors to Las Vegas choose to stay at one of our casinos, they can enjoy the amenities at all of them," said Harrah senior VP Tim Stanley. "Microsoft Surface is a great way to help our guests get the most out of their trips to Las Vegas by putting all the offerings and experiences we make available at their fingertips." "We are creating new and engaging ways for our guests to connect with their passions while away from home. Microsoft Surface puts us at the forefront of technology and allows guests to interact with each other and our hotel in a revolutionary way," said Hoyt H. Harper II, senior vice president for Sheraton.
Surface takes user involvement with digital media to the next level
on a touch screen.
Microsoft. "The experience could become completely immersive, letting users access information on the wine-growing region and even look at recommended hotels and plan a trip without leaving the table."
Reference:Brandon Hill,dailytech
Phonograph CD Player
A CD player was disassembled and the components rearranged to suit the layout of a phonograph. The speakers are put below the trumpet loudspeaker for amplification. The wooden box is made slightly more spacious then the electrical PCB board needed to achieve bass resonance. The laser pointer is shifted to the top allowing the spin of the CD to be clearly shown. By bringing back a familiar nostalgic form of a phonograph, the design seeks transport the user back to the golden age of phonographs in early 1900s where sound broadcasting had a magical feel.
Designer: Yong Jieyu & Ama Xue Hong Bin
Eclair, Fiber Silicon Exterior
The aim of the concept is wide usage of alternative and experimental materials for the interior and exterior design. The body of the prototype is made of fiber silicon so it can not be deformed in case of an accident and also it can change shape, modifying the configuration of the vehicle to the more spacious or more compact, depending on the preferences of use.
Designer: Alexander Kotlyarevsky
Electronic Date Indicator Watch
Fashion Watch has genuine design for those who value originality, and for whom clearly expressed style is an important part of life. The watch is made from modern material, but avoids unusual and expensive technology. It features an electronic date indicator and two characteristic circles, which play the role of hands.
Since the date indicator is an electronic display, it could be placed anywhere on the face. Due attention was paid to the placement and size of the figures for the date, with their disposition and size representing modern times. The winding mechanism is located in the upper zone, making the use of the watch easier. Very often, a watch's winding mechanism will leave unpleasant traces on the wrist. This has been avoided in Fashion Watch .
The unique style of this watch allows its wearer to be at the center of attention – even with such a small item.
Designer: Zviad Tsikolia
Zaragoza Bridge Pavilion
British star architect Zaha Hadid has chosen glass fiber concrete from Austrian company Rieder to cover the 275 meters long “Zaragoza Bridge Pavilion“, symbol of the Expo 2008 in the northern spanish Zaragoza: she will envelope the outer skin of the building with 29,000 triangles in diverse grey nuances out of fibreC (a new innovative sustainable material). The new bridge over the river Ebro is entrance to the Expo area and at the same time multi-level exhibition area; 10,000 visitors per hour will frequent the main building of the world exhibition.
Designer: Zaha Hadid
5/29/07
Music Vortex, Water Speaker
Bronze prize winner of the Chinese design competition Soundbox held by speaker manufacturer 3Nod, designer Eric Zheng created the Music Vortex. A speaker system that produces vehement vibration of water via resonance. It works by having a built-in metronome which enlarges music rhythm to stable vibration and producing pretty ripples through the vibrating perch in the middle. Volume is adjusted by turning the 3nod switch located in the middle as well.
Designer: Eric Zheng
Anemix, 3D Effect Lighting System
Created by two young Chilean architects and lighting designers, Ximena Munoz and Paulina Villalobos, the Anemix is a lighting system that creates unique 3D effects. It´s a panel composed by a luminescent and a reflective layer, which can be modified to create a wide range of visual effects. It uses Osram LED technology to be the light source of this system, as it´s efficient, small and with a very low cost of maintenance. The glass-aluminum technology was developed by Glasstech, a specialized glazed Chilean company.
Designer: Ximena Munoz & Paulina Villalobos
Health Conscious Tracking Phone
This health conscious phone enables users to track their health through nutrition and fitness. Other users of this phone with similar goals (lose weight or run a 5k) networks together to motivate, and hold the others accountable for their workout sessions. The phone is equipped with eNose technology in order to "smell" and recognize foods eaten by their unique chemical signature. It tracks intake wherever you go, and will periodically analyze info to let you know what food groups you are missing.
Designer: Kristina Lee
Nikon 360 Degrees Digital Camera
A panoramic view is ‘an unbroken view of an entire surrounding area'. Often, this means one has to turn around 360 degrees, to receive this unbroken view. As we translate this to an image captured in print, the concept of Nikon 360 is the solution. Based on an ergonomic cylindrical form lens, the 360 is a camera that allows you take an all-round picture. An angle indicator provides a gauge on the direction of the rotating head and is also an additional detail to provide the camera with a stronger and steadier feel while in operation. A built-in inclinometer indicates the horizontality of position prior to execution. The 360 is designed with much emphasis on the user interface, with the main operating function designed as a touch sensor, thereby maintaining a flushed surface on the exterior. 360 is an innovation that captures all that meets the eye, and more.
Designer: Ye Chen
Multi Functional Hearing System
A consequently offensive design could provide hearing devices without compromises either in ergonomic or in functionality. The struggle between technical shrinking and usability suggests a separation of steering and hearing. This operating unit provides useful additional functions such as telephone, audio recording and playback, orientation guidance and emergency calls. The whole concept aims for usability by means of simple structure and great usage certitude. The integration of essential communicational and navigational functions and a self-contained appearance enhances the rejected prosthesis to a system for accomplished hearing.
Designer: Triagonale Studio
NVIDIA Facing 51 Pending Lawsuits
Analysts expect a stormy summer as NVIDIA faces not one, but fifty-one pending lawsuits. The 51 civil complaints filed against NVIDIA claim that the company participated in anti-competitive business agreements and price fixing strategies. Some of these civil suits allege that NVIDIA entered into these agreements with graphics rival AMD. Late last year AMD and NVIDIA received subpoenas from the U.S. Department of Justice alleging that both companies violated antitrust laws. The suit was sparked after AMD's acquisition of ATI was approved; leading to the belief that NVIDIA had somehow cooperated with AMD in regards to the acquisition. The fact that AMD and NVIDIA are long time partners also sparked debate but the U.S. Department of Justice did not reveal any specific allegations against AMD, ATI or NVIDIA. AMD senior executives indicated last year that even with ATI under its wing, it will still be cooperating, while simultaneously competing, with NVIDIA for the foreseeable future.
NVIDIA under fire for anti-competitive and price fixing business practices
In March 2007, 42 civil suits were filed against NVIDIA for anti-competitive business practices; 14 of those suits alleged that the company colluded with AMD to fix prices. According to NVIDIA, most of the suits were filed in the Northern District of California. NVIDIA states that while there appear to be many civil suits, all of the suits are putative class-actions, indicating that they are from direct or indirect purchasers of NVIDIA graphics products.
Price fixing occurs when a company enters an agreement with its competitor to set a minimum selling price for a particular product or family of products. In this case, many of the suits allege that AMD (then ATI) and NVIDIA artificially inflated the value of high-end and enthusiast components.
Currently there is roughly an even-split in market share between AMD and NVIDIA, with NVIDIA holding 28.5% of the graphics market and AMD picking up another 23%. AMD saw the biggest loss last year with the introduction of NVIDIA's G80-family GPUs -- the company's high-end GPU.
Along with the U.S. Department of Justice, Intel also issued subpoenas against AMD and ATI, requesting that all documents related to the AMD-ATI merger be reviewed. Intel, also under anti-trust litigation with AMD, was unsuccessful in lobbying for further sanctions. AMD successfully absorbed ATI last year.
Reference:Tuan Nguyen ,dailytech
Learn about Computer Power Supply
Wiring coming off an industry standard circuit board will be: ORANGE : +3.3V YELLOW : +12V BLUE : -12V RED : +5V WHITE : -5V (May not be present on recently manufactured supplies) BLACK : GND GREEN : POWER-ON (Active high -- must be shorted to ground to force power up) GRAY : POWER-OK PURPLE : +5V STANDBY BROWN : +3.3V REMOTE SENSING
(please check with the specification of the manufacturer which may vary)
Ensure that the sockets fit into the components well. Go for one with 20-pin/24-pin ATX Socket (as required) and enough 12V Molex Sockets (4-Pin Molex Connector/Serial ATA Connector/PCI-Express Connector) to power different peripherals inside the computer box. Now-a-days modular power supplies are available where the cable can be plugged and unplugged to many sockets provided in the power supply. In this case one has to use only as much cables as needed. This prevents the inside of the cabinet from cluttering. It is wise to use sleeved cables. Go for the power supply with a cooling fan and lesser noise. Never trust a vender for his words. Go for superior, trusted and reliable one, even if it costs more. It will give you years of comfort.
I must repeat again that the power supply should be the highest priority when choosing components; if working with a set budget, invest in the power supply and compromise elsewhere.
By: Tapan Bhanot Article Source: myarticlezine.com Read More......
Palm vs. Pocket PC-The Great Debate
From Apply Now,
Is there a right choice?
Talking PDAs is a lot like talking Politics. Everyone has their own opinions and sometimes it's easier to respect those opinions than to argue them. But what makes a person so passionate about their PDA? A lot of it has to with how you use it and how much you rely on it. Power Users sometimes have their lives so interwoven with their PDAs that to lose it or have it break can be downright gut-wrenching. Now don't smirk, I bet the last time your computer crashed, you remembered a few choice words from your college days. If you've ever lost your Day Runner you know what I mean--you thought it was just a binder till everything was gone. The great thing about a PDA is that it's a Day Runner that has the ability to be backed up, saving all of your valuable information.
What truly brings out passionate conversation is the question: What's better: Palm or Pocket PC. Heck, that question alone has resulted in some scenes reminiscent of those infamous Thanksgiving get-togethers (of course you've never had one of those have you?).
The first thing we need to do is clarify some facts versus perceptions.
Some facts are:
* Pocket PC multitasks (you can run several programs at once), Palm is intended to run one program at a time (although Palm OS 5.0 introduced some multitasking ability)
* In 2001, there were over 13,000 commercially available software programs for Palm versus 1,600 for Pocket PC (although the gap is shrinking)
* In 2001 Palm had a market share of 72% while Pocket PC had about 15%
* Palms start at around $99 while Pocket PCs start around $200.
Some (sometimes faulty) user opinions/perceptions are:
* Palm is easier to learn and use
* Palm is more stable, Pocket PC crashes more
* Pocket PC is more powerful
* Pocket PC integrates better with Windows Office
* Palm has more freeware and the software is cheaper
* Palm is an Organizer, Pocket PC is a computer
As you see, the users' opinions are as varied as the users themselves. Palm has been a more popular platform in the past mainly because of the perceived easier learning curve and the price. In fact, until late last year, a Palm would cost you around $200 while a Pocket PC would run about $500. Many people weren't willing to spend $500 to see if they would even use a PDA. In fact, many Pocket PC users will tell you their first PDA was a Palm because of low cost, but they upgraded to Pocket PC because they wanted the Windows feel. Currently both platforms offer PDA's around the $200 range, making it affordable to try either Pocket PC or Palm.
Is the Palm easier to use use than Pocket PC? If you're somewhat computer illiterate, the Palm may be a little easier to use. If you're familiar with computers, than both platforms will probably have the same learning curve. One of the biggest misconceptions of Pocket PC is that it runs regular windows programs. It does not. Programs for Pocket PC are developed for Pocket PC and will not run on Windows computers and vice versa, although many Pocket PC programs were developed from the same source code as their Windows counterpart. The thing that many developers for both Palm and Pocket PC are doing is creating a desktop and PDA version of their product. That way information can be entered on either the PDA or the computer and then synced to the other.
A big part of the debate over which PDA to use is a lot like the Mac vs. PC debate. Many people feel that Mac is easier to use and many even enjoy bucking the "Everyone should use a PC" trend. If you hate Windows and think Bill Gates is the epitome of evil, you'll probably want to stick with Palm. If you love Windows and want the Windows feel, you'll probably want to try Pocket PC. The best way to know is go to your local electronics store and play around with different PDAs. Also do some research online. There are a lot of sites dedicated to handhelds with news and reviews of different PDAs. PDA forums are great if you want to solicit some opinions on the best bet for you (be ready to open Pandora's box!). In reality, both Operating Systems are more similar than some people want to give them credit for. With a few exceptions, they have equal power to help you run your business or your everday life.
One thing to remember is the validity of a PDA user's opinion. While the opinions of others can be beneficial to making a buying decision, be sure to ask questions. Some PDA users will tell you the Operating System they use is the best while the other one sucks. The thing to know is that many of those die-hards have never tried the other Operating System. If you want a true comparison, talk to someone who has used both platforms so that you can understand how the PDA they use might compare to your needs.
Hopefully you weren't looking for the answer to which PDA is better. Only you can answer that question, but hopefully we've given you some things to think about so that you can make an informed buying decision.
source: about.com
Microsoft Passes One Million Mark With Zune
Microsoft shipped its one millionth Zune MP3 player after nine months on the market according to Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division. The company had originally expected to top the one million mark in June, but the company achieved the feat a month early. "We're very pleased with the progress. We've sold a little over a million Zunes. In the category we're in, the hard-disk-based category, we've got about 10 percent market share," said Bach. "It's a good start. It's not an overwhelming start. I'm not going to pretend it's some gigantic move." Even though Microsoft shipped over a million Zunes, it's still well behind segment leader Apple which recently celebrated its 100 millionth iPod sold after nearly six years on the market. As of February 2007, the iPod commanded 73.7 percent of the MP3 player market. Microsoft's 2.4 percent share was good enough for fourth place behind SanDisk and Creative Labs. Microsoft is expecting a rather large uptick in sales leading up to the 2007 holiday season. The company is building a new manufacturing plant in China which will produce a second-generation HDD-based Zune along with a flash-based Zune. In the mean time, Microsoft is likely to add firmware updates to existing Zunes to further enhance their capabilities. New MP3 player entries on the market such as SanDisk's Sansa Connect offer wireless downloading functionality that many assumed the Zune would feature from the start. "As to the Wi-Fi, we think the idea of these devices being connected where you want them connected is very important. That's why we shipped the original Zune with Wi-Fi built in, remarked Bach. "The cool thing about that is, the innovation can all be in software. Wi-Fi is an important area. We'll see how that SanDisk project does."
Reference:Brandon Hill,dailytech
Sony Faces Blu-ray Patent Challenge
Sony and Target Technology will battle in court over Sony's alleged patent violations
Target Technology is suing three divisions of Sony over alleged patent violations dealing with metallic layers that are used to reflect light in Blu-ray technology. The suit was filed in a Southern Indiana U.S. District Court, with Target Technology (TT) hoping to win a permanent injunction against Sony.
Instead of using gold alloys, the Target Technology patent enables the use of a silver-based reflective layer of optical discs. The silver-based material is reportedly more corrosive-resistant.
Target Technology claims it filed for patent no. 7,018,696 in April 2004, and was approved in March 2006 -- Sony deliberately and willfully infringed on the patent. While the company did not clearly state how Blu-ray technology infringes on Target Technology's patents, it claims that all Blu-ray discs created, sold and marketed by Sony are infringing.
Sony and TT did not disclose the amount in monetary damages TT hopes to win.
If the lawsuit success, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Sony DADC, and Sony Pictures would likely have to find an alternative material, or agree to a licensing deal with Target Technology.
Lawsuits are nothing new to Sony. The company faced a patent lawsuit from Immersion Corporation over the Dual Shock rumble technology used by the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 controllers. Sony paid $97 million in punitive damages. Sony also settled a patent-infringement lawsuit with Kodak, a lawsuit that dealt with 10 Kodak patents.
It is unknown what affect, if any, this will have on the ongoing Blu-ray and HD DVD high-definition content battle.
Reference:Michael Hoffman,dailytech
5/28/07
Apple Patches 17 Mac OS X Vulnerabilities
On Thursday, Apple released its fifth major security update for Mac OS X. The release fixes 17 vulnerabilities, about one-third of which leave the door open for hackers to commandeer a Mac remotely.
Unlike other 2007 security updates, Apple's Thursday release did not patch any vulnerabilities stemming from the Month of Apple Bugs project. And most of the bugs were ranked less than critical on Apple's rating scale.
About half of the vulnerabilities identified in Security Update 2007-005, for example, do little more than lead to possible attacks that cause the affected component to crash. Only five of the flaws would let attackers put malicious code on a victim's computer.
Dangerous Bugs
The CoreGraphics bug is among the most serious vulnerabilities patched in the latest security release. By enticing a user to open a maliciously crafted PDF, an attacker could trigger an overflow that might lead to an unexpected application crash or arbitrary code execution. The Apple security update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of PDF files.
Also of note is a dangerous flaw in iChat, Apple's instant-messaging service. A buffer-overflow vulnerability exists in the code used to create iChat port mappings on home NAT gateways.
By sending a maliciously crafted packet, an attacker on the local network could trigger an overflow that could lead to an unexpected application crash or arbitrary code execution. The update addresses the issue by performing additional validation when processing data packets in iChat.
More Back Doors
In certain circumstances, an implementation issue in Alias Manager will not show identically named files contained in identically named mounted disk images. This can leave some wiggle room for attackers.
By enticing a user to mount two identically named disk images, an attacker could mislead the user into opening a malicious program. The update addresses the issue by performing additional validation.
In other flaws, a cryptographic weakness in fetchmail could lead to the disclosure of fetchmail passwords. Meanwile, a local user might obtain system privileges through a format string vulnerability in VPN, and a file-handling issue that exists in texinfo might allow a local user to create or overwrite files with the privileges of the user running texinfo.
Mac users can download the security updates from Apple's site or by using the Mac's built-in update tool. Read More......5/27/07
UPS Adds 50 Next-generation Hybrids to Its Delivery Fleet
The hybrid news continues to flood in this week. On Tuesday, we learned of Wal-Mart's new hybrid addition to its trucking fleet, then New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the city's decision to make all yellow cabs hybrid by 2012. Today, UPS announced that it is adding 50 hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) to its delivery fleet in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Phoenix. The stop and go nature of deliveries to commercial and residential addresses make hybrid technology a perfect fit for UPS trucks. Hybrid vehicles are most efficient in stop-and-go city traffic where the electric motor can be called upon to handle a majority of the propulsion duties. "We're excited to be among the first to deploy the latest in HEV UPS says that the 50 new HEVs improve fuel efficiency by 45 percent, will save the company 44,000 gallons of fuel per year and reduce carbon emissions by 457 metric tons per year. The HEV trucks feature a smaller capacity diesel engine, lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor/generator. Regenerative braking is also used to capture energy normally lost with conventional brakes and converts it to charge the onboard battery pack. The hybrid system being used is from Eaton Corporation -- the same company that provides hybrid power for Wal-Mart's new Peterbilt Model 386 Hybrid. UPS' new HEV trucks look nearly identical to the existing "brownies" that can be seen scurrying through city streets. What will tip you off to their hybrid functionality are "Low Emission, Hybrid Electric Vehicle" scripting on the side of the truck and an overall quieter demeanor. UPS currently operates over 20,000 low-emission and alternative-fuel vehicles in the United States.
What can brown do for you?
technology because it promises a 45% increase in fuel economy in addition to a dramatic decrease in vehicle emissions," said Robert Hall, Director of UPS Ground Fleet Engineering.
All NYC Yellow Cabs to be Hybrids by 2012
Given the stop and go nature of traffic in New York City, the promise of increased fuel efficiency from hybrids is too good to pass up. Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday on the "Today" show that every yellow cab will be a hybrid by the year 2012. There are roughly 13,000 taxis roaming city streets (90 percent of which are gas guzzling Ford Crown Victorias). According to Bloomberg, 20 percent of the existing yellow cab fleet will be replaced each year until all are running on hybrid power. Currently, there are only 375 hybrid taxis on the road in NYC. "There's an awful lot of taxicabs on the streets of New York City obviously, so it makes a real big difference," said Bloomberg. "These cars just sit there in traffic sometimes, belching fumes; this does a lot less. It's a lot better for all of us." There are currently eight vehicles on the city's "approved" list when it comes to hybrid vehicles to be used as yellow cabs: the Ford Escape Hybrid; the Honda Accord Hybrid and Civic Hybrid; the Lexus RX400h; the Saturn Vue Green Line; and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Camry Hybrid and Prius. As more manufacturers roll out fuel efficient hybrids, the number of possible candidates is sure to increase. Vehicles like the Saturn Aura Green Line and rumored Ford Fusion hybrid are likely to join the list. Ford Crown Victorias are rated at 15 MPG in city driving. A Ford Escape Hybrid, however, is rated at 31 MPG in the city according to the new 2008 EPA estimates. Hybrids like the Camry and Prius are even more fuel efficient at 33 MPG and 48 MPG respectively. The Ford Escape Hybrid has already seen extensive use in San Francisco. Taxi operators reported on their vehicles once the 100,000 mile mark was surpassed. According to the operators, fuel savings compared to the Crown Victoria were between $20 to $31 per shift. Air conditioning costs were also roughly half that of Crown Victorias. Another plus was that the brakes lasted twice as long due to the hybrid system's regenerative braking feature taking a load off the traditional braking system. Most importantly, there were no complaints of poor rear legroom from passengers. Yahoo Inc. has already committed to donate 10 Ford Escape Hybrid taxis according to Bloomberg. When all is said and done, the switch to a completely hybrid yellow cab fleet will save each taxi operator over $10,000 USD per year in fuel costs while also cutting total carbon emissions by 200,000 tons per year.
Hybrid fever strikes New York City
Reference:Brandon Hill,dailytech
Wal-Mart to Get Hybrid Big Rig
We have hybrid cars, SUVs, pickups and school buses, so it makes sense that hybrid technology would start filtering into other areas of the automotive segment. Wal-Mart understands the benefits of hybrid technology and is adding a hybrid-diesel Class 8 truck to its stable of transport vehicles. "The implementation of Hybrid trucks is an encouraging step towards environmental sustainability and the reduction of emissions throughout the industry," said The Pete Store President John Arscott. "Wal-Mart is proving to be a leader in this arena, and The Pete Store is pleased to play a part in such a landmark event within the transportation industry." A single Peterbilt Model 386 Hybrid will join Wal-Mart's fleet of 230 existing diesel Peterbilts. The Model 306 Hybrid uses an Eaton Hybrid Power System. The hybrid system takes full advantage of regenerative braking and used a motor/generator to complement the existing diesel engine for improved performance. Also, under certain circumstances, the rig can travel solely on battery power. In addition; heating, air conditioning and the rig's electrical system can also be powered solely by batteries. The Eaton Hybrid Power system is said to improve driving efficiency by five to seven percent -- an estimated $9,000 USD will be saved annually in fuel costs. Wal-Mart will add more of the vehicles to its fleet in an effort to improve its overall fuel efficiency. "Wal-Mart is careful to consider the civic and environmental impact its operations have in the communities it serves around the world. We are continually looking for new, innovative ways to improve the fuel economy and reduce the emissions of our fleet,” said Tim Yatsko, Wal-Mart senior VP of Transportation. “We currently operate the Peterbilt Model 386, and we anticipate that the hybrid version will help us move toward our goal to increase our fleet efficiency by 25 percent over the next few years.
The Peterbilt Model 386 Hybrid will save an estimated $9,000 USD per year in fuel costs
Reference:Brandon Hill,dailytech"
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