Yahoo takes on Google on ads

Yahoo strengthens its service to advertisers by buying online advertising business BlueLithium for $300m.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Facebook opens profiles to public

Social networking site offers profiles to search engines and gives users chance to opt out.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Apple overhauls entire iPod line

New versions of the iPod are unveiled including one with a touch screen and a wi-fi connection.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nintendo dominates console war

Nintendo's Wii continues to dominate the Japanese console market, according to latest sales figures.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

China denies Pentagon cyber-raid

China dismisses reports that its military hacked into the Pentagon's computer network.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Yahoo takes on Google on adverts

Yahoo strengthens its service to advertisers by buying online advertising business BlueLithium for $300m.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cyber crime tool kits go on sale

Cyber criminals are cashing in on their expertise by offering tool kits that let anyone craft attacks.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

New boom-time for British tech?

How investment in technology firms can help the UK recreate Silicon Valley.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Dean Kamen's Prosthetic Arm

Natasha Dantzig of TED (Technology,
Entertainment, and Design) writes,
"We've released a new talk by Dean Kamen ... (plus video clip)
about the robotic prosthetic arm he's building for Iraq veterans. This
project has
been boingboinged, but no one has seen this clip in all its
glory." The TED Dean
Kamen talk is viewable in MP4
format (22MB download) from the TED website. If you don't have the
latest video codec or don't want to wait for a 22MB download, try
viewing the YouTube version of the
talk, which should be viewable in almost any browser. The wars in
Iraq and Afganistan have generated over 30,000 US
casualties, (not to mention the estimated 70,000+ Iraqi deaths). This has
created a booming market for prosthetics of all types.
We've reported previously on DARPA's Prostethics
Program, Toyoto's leg,
RIC's bionic arm, C-Leg and other robotic
prosthetic limbs, and the Open Prosthetics Project.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Fedora Electronic Laboratory

The next version of Red Hat's Fedora
Linux will offer a feature called
Fedora
Electronic Laboratory that should be of interest to robotics and
electronics hobbyists. Fedora Electronic Lab will include free software
for ASIC and VLSI design, verilog and VHDL hardware design, SPICE
simulation, PCB layout, schematic capture, timing and waveform
visualization, 3D layout visualization, and microcontroller programming
tools including Atmel AVR and PIC tools. Many of the free software tools
were already available but required compilation or complex installation
to use. Now they'll be available to all Fedora Linux users without any
extra work. A LiveCD version will also be available. Over 250
Universities are know to already use the VLSI tools in this collection,
so having a
complete Linux distro with the tools included should be a big time
saver. Fedora Electronic Lab is largely the result of efforts by Chitlesh Goorah to collect
useful existing free software for electronic engineers.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Talking Robots: Jean-Christophe Zufferey

In the new Talking Robots
podcast, Jean-Christophe
Zufferey presents his 10g micro-flyer
which uses vision as main source of information to autonomously navigate
in indoor environments. As can be seen from this video, it looks
similar to a plane but its flight dynamics have much more in common with
a fly. In the interview
Jean-Christophe Zufferey explains how his bio-inspired approach has
allowed him to develop this ultra-light, autonomous platform, and gives
us an inside view of developments for flying robots today and in the
future.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Robot Land, S. Korea, 011001

In an effort to boost its competitive edge in the robotics industry,
a South Korean government committee will pick a site for

"Robot Land" soon. Robot Land will be a place for
manufacturers, suppliers and research labs to move up into the ranks of
Japan and others. Also planned are exhibition halls and even a stadium
where robots can compete in public events. As for the postal code, I
made that part up.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Roller-Walker: A Leg-Wheel Hybrid Walking Robot

This week's video was brought to our attention by a post on the
DPRG mailing list. The video shows a 2006 Japanese research robot
called Roller-Walker,
developed at the Hirose-Fukushima
Robotics Lab. The robot has a hybrid locomotion system with legs
that end in wheels. The wheels can be rotated so that the hubs
face the ground and they act as feet for walking. The wheels can
also rotate
to act as normal wheels, allowing the robot to roll like a roller
skater when the legs move appropriately. The result is remarkably graceful.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Artificial brains for robots?

Roland Piquepaille writes, "An international team of European
researchers has implanted
an artificial cerebellum -- the portion of the brain that controls
motor functions -- inside a robotic system. This EU-funded project is
dubbed SENSOPAC, an acronym for
"SENSOrimotor structuring of perception and action for emerging
cognition". One of the goals of this project is to design robots able to
interact with humans in a natural way. This project, which should be
completed at the end of 2009, also wants to produce robots which would
act as home-helpers for disabled people, such as persons affected by
neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease." For more
details on this story, see Roland's blog entry on
SENSOPAC.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

EngineeringTV Robot Episodes

Twice a week, Engineering TV
produces a mini-episode about Engineers doing their thing. Episodes
61-67 covered robot-related research and products including an
anthropomorphic hand built by the German Aerospace Institute,
autonomous balancing robotics from Ologic, artificial muscles
from the
University
of Michigan, the CoroBot
unmanned mobile PC, and more.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Soldiers in Iraq Give Their Robots Female Names

A recent Stars
and Stripes article about robots in Iraq talks about the usual
things we've heard; there are now thousands of robots in Iraq, they're
saving lives (at least the robots that aren't killing people are saving
lives), and soldiers love 'em. There's one
interesting new item in this story though. The ground forces are
beginning to give their robots female names, following the WWII
tradition that led to naming bombers after women. Will robots with sexy
nose art be next?

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Man versus machine

Former Edge magazine editor Margaret Robertson on computers are being taught to play computer games.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Row over German spyware plans

German government plans to spy on terror suspects by deploying malicious e-mails draw sharp criticism.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Gadgets 'ruin' film, claims Scott

Director Ridley Scott claims technology which allows people to watch films on mobiles is killing cinema.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nintendo dominates in console war

Nintendo's Wii continues to dominate the Japanese console market, according to latest sales figures.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Mobiles to become digital wallets

A payment system that allows users to spend cash via their handsets is launched across the UK.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Sony confirms security problem

Electronics giant Sony confirms a recently discovered security flaw in its products and says it will issue a fix.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Dell Treat Malaysian Differently…

This picture was taken by The Sun newspaper early July this year. Staffs of Dell corp and models were promoting the latest colorful Inspiron laptops at the launching event in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Dell launching Inspiron laptops in Malaysia

Today I received a forwarded email with some pictures taken at the same launching event in Korea :-

Dell launching Inspiron laptops in Korea

Though the event in Korea is more like an event for automobile, at least it catches more attention, no?

Oh ya, do you see the difference in quality between the models in yellow? Haha…

Well, there are more pictures after the jump.

This is just a post for fun coz today is Friday!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

NBC ends iTunes deal in price row

TV programmes such as Heroes will not be available on iTunes after US broadcaster NBC ends a deal with Apple.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

German spyware plans trigger row

German government plans to spy on terror suspects by deploying malicious e-mails draw sharp criticism.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Facebook users force bank U-turn

HSBC bank changes its policy on overdraft charges after a student-led campaign on Facebook.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Bloggers battered by viral storm

Malicious hackers post poisoned entries to Google's Blogger site in a bid to infect visitors' PCs.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

File-sharers forced to play fair

Researchers aim to make file-sharing fairer by treating bandwidth like a currency.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Amazon tops online retailers list

Amazon remains the UK's most popular online retailer, an industry-wide study shows.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Bloggers battered by viral storm

Malicious hackers post poisoned entries to blogs in a bid to infect visitor's PCs.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Random Robot News Roundup

I'm back again and, not surprisingly, the robots.net editor's mailbox is
overflowing. The Shadow
Robot Company, Ltd. let us know that their famous Shadow Dextrous
Hand will be at the upcoming WIRED NextFest 2007 to
represent British robotics innovation. For details see their press
release (PDF format). Michael Somby told about his Review of
Robotics Software Platforms published over at LinuxDevices.net. It
covers both closed/proprietary platforms like Microsoft and the more
standard free/open platforms such as OROCOS, Player/Stage, OpenJAUS. Our Australian friend Murray Cox pointed
out some interesting
video of NASA's Tetrahedral Robot Concept. A couple of
users submitted links to these Engadget
photos of iRobot's totally redesigned Roomba
560 and Roomba
530. There's also a new high-end model called the Roomba
570. Know any other robot news, gossip, or amazing facts we should
report? Send 'em our way please.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Robot Docking Explored

Robotics Engineer Chris Schur has documented his

research into mobile robot docking.
The discussion includes beacon and sensor selection
and usage, techniques for successfully navigating to a charging
station, and ideas about the mechanical and electrical
aspects of the docking connection itself.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Sony's renewed security woes

Electronics giant Sony is again accused of selling products that leave PCs vulnerable to attack by hackers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nokia launches web music service

Nokia launches a music download service that challenges both rival handset makers and network providers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Mars Rovers Continue after Storm

The dust is clearing on Mars and both of NASA's rovers,
Spirit and Opportunity, are slowly resuming activity after 6 weeks of
waiting. Power collected from Opportunity's solar panels has reached
300 watt-hours which is enough to run a typical house light for 3-5
hours. Daily communication and a little movement is now possible.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Acer to acquire Gateway PCs

Acer agrees to take over US PC-maker Gateway creating the world's third largest producer of computers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Million more UK homes go online

The number of UK homes with internet access has gone up by nearly a million over the last year, figures suggest.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Yahoo plea over China rights case

Internet giant Yahoo asks a US court to dismiss a lawsuit accusing it of complicity in rights abuses in China.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Manhunt 2 set for US release

Manhunt 2, the first computer game in ten years to receive a UK ban, is to be released in modified form in the US.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Apollo Moon photos reveal detail

Highly detailed photos of the Moon from the 1970s are being made available to the public for the first time.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Legal threats halt iPhone crack

A British firm which claims to have unlocked the iPhone is holding back the software following legal threats.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Russian music site to 'relaunch'

The controversial Russian music download website allofmp3.com looks set to resume service.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Apple launches TV service in UK

Apple rolles out a limited version of its video download service in the UK, with mainly US content available.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Sony faces renewed security woes

Electronics giant Sony is again accused of selling products that leave PCs vulnerable to attack by hackers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Sensor rise powers life recorders

A person's life could one day be recorded by a network of intelligent sensors, according to a scientist.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Call to regulate the net rejected

One of the net's founding fathers rejects calls for strict regulation of what people put online.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Teenage hacker unlocks the iPhone

A teenager unlocks the iPhone, opening the way to Apple's hit mobile being used by non-US networks.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Howard row over Wikipedia edits

Staff in the Australian prime minister's office are accused of editing potentially damaging Wikipedia entries.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Microsoft to replace Xbox parts

Parts for the Xbox steering wheel controller are being replaced following reports that some are overheating.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Online banking boom for over 55s

The recent boom in internet banking has been greatest for people aged over 55, a report says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Video game sheds light on fear

A Pac-Man-like game that delivers electric shocks to gamers reveals the brain's reaction to danger.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Millions hit by Monster site hack

Job portal Monster.com has released details of how cyber thieves stole confidential information.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Canadian Universities to Build Mars Robot

With funding from corporations, a group of universities
in Canada are hoping to build a robot for a mission to Mars.
The project, named

Northern Light, is shooting for a budget of $20 million
and has the goal of finishing the hardware in a year
(a tiny fraction of what a large agency like NASA would allocate).
Another year will be spent testing, then off to Mars late 2009, possibly
on a Soviet-built launch vehicle.
The goal: Look for water and life.
Group members currently include
Universities of Toronto, Waterloo, Winnipeg, Western Ontario,
Saskatchewan, Alberta, Calgary, New Brunswick and Simon Fraser.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

India now Nokia's second market

India has overtaken the US to become mobile phone giant Nokia's second largest sales market after China.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Britain enjoying 'digital boom'

The net, MP3 players and mobile phones are radically changing what people do with their time, says a report.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Vanderbilt's Steam-Powered Prosthetic Arm

In an effort to circumvent the dismal power-to-weight ratio of batteries
which limits what modern-day prosthetic limbs can do, a team of
researchers at Vanderbilt have developed a

power source based on the burning of hydrogen peroxide.
The result is a 450 degree F jet of steam
used to fill cylinders providing linear motion which is then
converted into joint movements. Strength and speed are
increased by a factor of 3+ beyond what existing commercial limbs
can deliver.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

John Rigg's Fantastic Robot Hut

Grab your 3D glasses and make way to John Rigg's Robot Hut
in eastern Washington state where John shows off his

incredible works including a full-scale
Johnny 5 ,
B9,
Duey from
Silent Running,
C3PO,
Iron
Giant's Soul bolt, and even a full-scale
time
machine.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Big names sign up to iTunes rival

Record labels including Universal and SonyBMG have begun selling music through a new download service.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Man arrested over wi-fi 'theft'

A man is arrested in connection with using someone else's wi-fi broadband connection without permission.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Director joins DVD format war

Transformers director Michael Bay briefly threatens to pull out of a sequel when Paramount drops the Blu-Ray DVD format.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Google Earth given celestial view

Google launches an add-on to its 3D mapping tool which allows star gazers to explore images of millions of stars.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Mobile phones 'eroding landlines'

Mobile phone use continues to cut the amount of time people spend using landlines, a report by Ofcom says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

PlayStation to record digital TV

PlayStation 3 (PS3) users will soon be able to record and playback digital TV on their games console.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

60 AD, Year of the Robot

The never-ending debate over who built the first robot
continues. Many believe that the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci
are the first well-documented designs of what most would call
a robot, but now Noel
Sharkey, a computer scientist at the University of Sheffield in the
UK, believes robots go back to Hero of
Alexandria.
Hero was a Greek mathematician and engineer who built
many contraptions including vending machines, organs, and yes,
a

3-wheeled cart driven by gravity used to automatically deliver
props on a stage.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

The Google Master Plan

I’ve come across this interesting movie clip called The Google Master Plan in Youtube quite some time ago. It’s a movie directed and produced by Ozan Halici & Jürgen Mayer for their Bachelors’s Thesis at the University of Applied Sciences Ulm, Germany.

The movie basically talks about how Google can use their free services like Google Search and Gmail with their gigantic database for some known, and possibly unknown, purposes. Well, it talks about our privacy as users of Google free services as well. Needless to say, it got me ponder how powerful Google is nowadays.

I’m sure you don’t want to miss this awesome video clip :-

Check out their The Google Master Plan website. There are some different video formats of the movie ready for download too.

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

UK Shopping Search Engine

Online shopping has gain its popularity all around the world nowadays with the advance of the Internet. Just like the amount of websites we can find on the Internet, there are too many online deals for us to choose from. Hence we do need a search engine which helps us to aggregate all merchant offers, just like what Google is helping us in searching of websites.

Twenga is a UK Shopping Search Engine which was launched in 2006. The shopping search engine finds the best and relevant deals for any product ranged from household appliances, fashion, furnitures, computer hardware, etc. Deals in UK, France, Spain and Italy are now available in Twenga Search.

I am actually hunting for a new mobile phone right now, so I did a search in Twenga for Nokia N80. On top of the description of the mobile phone the search result showed me 13 reviews of the product. These reviews comprises of consumer and expert reviews. Besides, the best price I can get from major online sellers can be found on the left side of the search result too.

I’m pretty sure with such handy UK shopping search engine available, searching for best deals online has become as easy as ever.

*This is a Sponsored Review*

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

Differences Amongst Windows Vista Versions

I’m sure many of us are thinking of upgrading our computer operating system to the latest Windows Vista. Apart from wondering will the current computer hardware be compatible to Windows Vista, probably we are facing the dilemma of choosing which version of Windows Vista.

Basically, there are 5 versions of Windows Vista to choose from, they are Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise and Ultimate.

This is the link to a comprehensive comparison chart of all 5 versions of Windows Vista. Hope it helps you to make your upgrading decision.

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

iBegin Source - Place To Get Local Business Data

Yellow pages is often the source for us to search for local stores and services, be it online yellow pages or printed yellow pages. I particularly like online yellow pages very much, as usually I am just a few clicks away from what I want to find in my local area.

However, in many cases accurate and updated data is something missing in most online yellow pages. That is where iBegin Source comes into play and offers you reliable and up-to-date business data in the US.

At iBegin Source, you can search for any local store or service grouped by state or by business. For example, I did a search for Automobile Repairing & Service in Oxford and I found Tim’s Auto Tech with just a few clicks. One thing I found very helpful in iBegin Source is the integration of Google Map into the information page. Now it’s even easier to locate a store with the map!

iBegin Source keeps their data up-to-date because it it an open system. In other words, at any time the store owner is able to edit the information page in order to keep the information of their store as accurate as possible. iBegin Source even goes further to ensure the data is accurate by obtaining and combining records from various telco and state agencies to keep track of new, updated, and dead businesses. Updated contact information is very important to any business owner, any inaccuracy in contacts of the store would result loss in business.

By the way, the business data available at iBegin Source can be downloaded free for non-commercial use. Whereas the commercial license is only US$1000 for any state in the US or US$40,000 for the entire USA.

*This is a Sponsored Review*

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

Pull down the walled gardens

Internet law professor Michael Geist says the walled gardens of social networks should be pulled down.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Monster attack steals user data

US website Monster.com suffers an online attack with the data of hundreds of thousands of users stolen.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Artificial Life Soon?

We saw similar headlines in the 80's concerning
AI,
now some believe that artificial life (in the form of an active
cell-like structure anyway) is likely within 10 years.

The hope is that combining nucleotides in the correct proportions and
environment would allow Darwinian evolution to
take over and relieve scientists of the design task (and
the consequences I suppose). This is being referred to as "made from
scratch" by some. Jack Szostak at Harvard Medical School states:
"We aren't smart enough to design things, we just let evolution do
the hard work and then we figure out what happened".
Steve Benner, Chemist at the Foundation
for Applied Molecular Evolution in Fl.,
is also working on this and his tactic is to create a new-and-improved
DNA by
adding additional bases. Benner address concerns by stating:
"But them getting out and taking over, never in our imagination could
this happen."

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Playing to win friends

Former Edge magazine editor Margaret Robertson on why gamer stereotypes are not such a bad thing

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Online sales set record in July

Unseasonably wet weather in July has driven online shopping to a record £4.2bn, a report by IMRG claims.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Microsoft cuts Europe Xbox price

Microsoft cuts the price of its Xbox 360 video game console in Europe, weeks after doing the same in the US.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Drug website safety fears raised

Most online pharmacies are unlicensed and may be putting patients health at risk, research suggests.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Skype issues apology for 'outage'

Skype claims its net-phone service is back to normal following days of disruption.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Engineers work to reconnect Peru

Technicians and engineers from Telecoms San Frontieres arrive in Peru to help the earthquake recovery effort.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Univ of Delaware AUV Searches the Black Sea

University of Delaware marine scientists will use the
83-inch-long, 240-pound DOERRI (Delaware
Oceanographic and Environmental Research Remote Instrument) to map
the floor of the Black Sea off Sevastopol, Ukraine, on missions up
to 14 hours long and depths up to 200 meters (656 ft).
The goal is to learn more about hidden geological features, ancient
trade routes, and its maritime history. Maybe even a shipwreck or two.
On-board sensors measure salinity, temperature, and oxygen levels, while
two types of sonar systems map the sea floor.
Redundant processors are also employed to ensure the craft's safe return.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Guitar game takes design prizes

A game revolving around a magical guitar has won a respected prize for student game makers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Compact disc hits 25th birthday

Exactly 25 years ago the world's first compact disc was produced at a Philips factory in Germany.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Juror in the clear over MP3 claim

The attorney general has decided against taking action against a juror who allegedly listened to music during a murder trial.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

US agencies boost satellite use

US agencies get wider access to spy satellites to boost national security and disaster response, officials say.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Super solution for Rubik's cube

A supercomputer shows how to solve the 1980s puzzle Rubik's cube in the smallest number of moves.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Bluetooth helps Facebook friends

Researchers combine Facebook with Bluetooth to learn more about human interactions.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nintendo dominates games chart

Nintendo continues to dominate the UK video game chart, reflecting its resurgence in the industry.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Russia throws out net piracy case

A former owner of Russia's cut-price downloads website Allofmp3.com is acquitted of music piracy.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Lennon solo albums put on iTunes

John Lennon's solo works are made available to download on iTunes for the first time after a deal with Yoko Ono.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Wikipedia 'shows CIA page edits'

A web tool "reveals" the changes made to Wikipedia pages by the CIA and other organisations.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Iraq's Bomb Clearing Robots

With a slightly misleading title, this article
at Time
entitled Iraq's Coming Robot Wars might lead one
to believe the subject was robotic warriors, but instead,
the article goes on to explain how the Army is boosting
their purchases of bomb-clearing robots up to 1000 by
the end of the year, with a possible 2000 more later on.
Since almost 50% of the U.S. troups killed are victims of
IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), this move makes
a lot of sense, as does the strategery of eliminating
some of the hoops suppliers must jump through to get a
new product approved. Prototypes for testing are expected
to be available within only 10 days of the contract award.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Shuttle's Robot Arm Hard at Work

After wrapping up inspection of a

gouged thermal tile,
Shuttle Endeavour's
(STS118) 100-foot
robot arm went on to work

installing the third stowage platform on the
International
Space Station. NASA missions can hardly be mentioned these days
without also mentioning robotics of one sort or another.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Tiny wind engines cool computers

Minuscule "ionic engines" could be used to cool the next generation of computer chips, scientists believe.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

ISP warns on web video costs

The popularity of online video could lead to increases in the cost of broadband for UK consumers, an ISP warns.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Shares in VMware increase

Shares in software firm VMware soar in their first hours of trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

New Barclaycard is touch-and-pay

Barclays says its new Oyster-style credit card will be accepted by more than 1,000 retailers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nintendo dominates UK games chart

Nintendo continues to dominate the UK video game chart, relecting its resurgence in the industry.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Paper battery offers future power

Flexible paper batteries could meet the energy demands of the next generation of gadgets, say researchers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Honesty the best online policy

Regular columnist Bill Thompson says our trust should only be given to technology when it is merited.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Violence and video games

Former Edge magazine editor Margaret Robertson on the continuing debate over violence and videogames.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Why I play games

Former Edge magazine editor Margaret Robertson explains her love for games when so many of them are rubbish.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Shuttle damage inspected

Astronauts complete a spacewalk outside the space station as Nasa mulls repairs to the shuttle.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Share sale values VMware at $11bn

The hotly-awaited flotation of virtualisation software firm VMware values the firm at $11bn.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nokia admits mobile battery issue

Nokia is offering to replace 46 million batteries for its mobile phones after reports of overheating while charging.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Forensic data stolen in burglary

Equipment is stolen from a firm that provides police with telephone evidence linked to their investigations.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

UN's website breached by hackers

Hackers attack the United Nations official website, forcing some sections to be taken offline.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Google shuts down video service

Google is shutting down its premium video service, leaving users unable to view paid for content.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Shuttle damage inspected

Astronauts begin a spacewalk outside the space station as Nasa decides whether to repair a gouge on the space shuttle.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Net firm warns on web video costs

The popularity of online video could lead to increases in the cost of broadband for UK consumers, an ISP warns.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Get The Best Deal Online - Dealighted

If you are a frequent online buyer who purchases computer stuffs and digital devices via the Internet, you don’t want to miss out this website called Dealighted!

Its name doesn’t explain much of its operation. Dealighted is a free tool to help online buyers to find the best bargain for the products they are looking for! In fact, it is backed by a few popular forums where close to a thousand forum users constantly contributes attractive deals online everyday. These forums consist of Slickdeals, Fatwallet, and Anandtech, etc.

Dealighted aggregates the deals forums users contributed, identify which are the best and most popular deals then display them onto the main page of its website.

I particularly love the way Dealighted aggregates all best deals. Those deals are not simply extracted from RSS feed or the forum posts itself without filtration. Dealighted is smart enough to identify the truly hot deals and discards the bad deals. It certainly saves us a lot of times to search for genuine best deal!

Apart from its main operation as mentioned above, shop.dealighted.com is another useful tool that displays retail prices for a product offered at different stores. On top of that, recent deals of the same product and discount coupons that might be available for that product will also be displayed as well.

Take for example, at shop.dealighted.com you may find all details of Panasonic TH-42PX600U 42 in. HDTV Plasma Television within one page. Cheap prices, previous deals and discount coupons at the same place! How cool is that?

So now we don’t have to search high and low to grab the best deal online anymore! Just visit Dealighted, you will find all useful information you need before making your final buying decision!

* Sponsored Post *

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

DARPA Names 36 Urban Challenge Semi-Finalists

DARPA issued a new
release (PDF format) yesterday afternoon naming the 36 semi-finalist
teams for the Urban Challenge. The semi-finalist selecctions were based
on site visits done by DARPA. The Urban Challenge is a competition in
which autonomous robot cars will perform simulated military supply
missions in an area design to simulate "the type of terrain American
forces operate in when deployed overseas".

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Universal sells songs without DRM

Universal Music, the world's largest music label, is to test the sale of songs without copy-protection technology.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

The Robot Civil Rights Act of 2037

A Christian
Science Monitor article brings up the subject of roboethics again,
this time noting a new congressional caucus in the United States that
will be considering the issue. Several Asian and European countries have
been seriously considering roboethics issues for some time and it looks
like the US is begining to follow their lead. The short article
speculates on the usual ethical issues of robot sentience, robot rights, and
responsibility for autonomous robots. Towards the end, the author
suggests Congress may someday pass the "Robot Civil Rights Act of 2037".

Source: http://www.netchain.com

The ghosts in the voting machines

Regular columnist Bill Thompson says our trust should only be given to technology when it is merited.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

State of Play: Why I play games

Former Edge magazine editor Margaret Robertson explains her love for games when so many of them are rubbish.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Lenovo has Packard Bell in sights

Chinese PC manufacturer Lenovo is in talks to buy Dutch counterpart Packard Bell as it seeks to expand.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Photo tool could fix bad images

Researchers are working on tools which can erase elements in digital photos by scanning online libraries.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Shadow lamps to connect friends

Shadows are being used by Japanese researchers as an non-intrusive way for friends to stay in touch.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

US bridge 'design issue' detected

US officials find a possible design issue in the collapsed Minneapolis bridge as divers find two more bodies.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Mobile snaps reveal invisible art

City monuments are adorned with digital artworks that can only be seen when viewed with a camera phone.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Go ahead for digital home signal

Regulator Ofcom gives the go ahead to UK industry to develop ultra-wideband wireless technology.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Random Robot News Roundup

Sorry for the news slowdown folks! Let's see if we can get things
rolling again by cleaning out the editor's inbox. Tom Whitwell of the
Times Online sent a link to their list of The
50 Greatest Movie Robots. To help differentiate their list from the
many others out there, they also classify each robot on a scale of 1 to
10 in four different categories: plausibility, coolness, dangerousness,
and comedy value. The Swirling Brain sent us a Telegraph
UK story on the discovery of a way to reverse the Casimir effect.
This could lead to something called Quantumm
Levitation and near frictionless MEMS and nano-scale machines.
Charlie Kondek sent us two more YouTube
marketing videos featuring fembots. Sergey Popov let us know about
Skilligent's proprietary, off-the-shelf robot learning software.
Finally, we also got a link to a Time/CNN
photo gallery of RoboCup 2007. For more and
better RoboCup 2007 photos, try flickr.
Know any other robot news, gossip, or amazing facts we should report? Send 'em our way please.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

No Robot Left Behind?

No, it's not the name of Bush's latest political strategery. It's
the name of a new GCN special
report on DARPA's cognitive computing challege. DARPA's Biologically-Inspired
Cognitive Architecture (BICA) program hopes to achieve true, general
AI that can think like humans, learning from experience and adapting to
changing conditions. During Phase I numerous cognitive architectures
were developed. In Phase II some of those models will be built and
tested. For more details on a couple of the more interesting
architectures see the related research reports, An
Integrated, Self-Aware Cognitive Architecture (PDF format), TOSCA:
A Comprehensive Brain-based Cognitive Architecture (PDF format), Development
of a Large-scale Integrated Neurocognitive Architecture (PDF format).

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Fake Jobs blogger unmasked

The writer of a prominent blog which lampoons Apple boss Steve Jobs is unmasked by the New York Times.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Microsoft to cut US price of Xbox

Microsoft is to cut the US price of its Xbox 360 game console by 13% in a bid to boost summer sales.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Microsoft MP3 fine dropped

A US court overturns a decision ordering Microsoft to pay Alcatel-Lucent $1.52bn for patent infringements.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Music body joins YouTube battle

A major US music industry body joins other businesses in seeking to sue video-sharing website YouTube.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Video games need 'realism boost'

Characters and worlds created for video games must be made more believable, says an industry expert.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Digital art aids health checkups

Doctors turn to graphic artists to help patients better understand their illness and treatment.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Pointing Device For Your TV

Ever think of using a “mouse-like” device as pointing device for your TV instead of the dull TV remote control? You know, like having a cursor moving in your TV just like what we have for PC?

Hillcrest Labs actually has this revolutionary pointing device for TV called HōME^TM Interactive Media System.

Quoted:

Hillcrest Labs’ HōME^TM Interactive Media System combines the first graphical, zoomable interface for television with a patented motion control technology called Freespace^TM. Where Freespace is a motion control technology senses motion in three dimensions and precisely translates human motions into on–screen cursor movement.

This device is used with a special program to recognize hand movements and provides graphical interface for televisions. In fact, the HōME software can be embedded in a broad range of digital media devices, including high definition televisions, set–top boxes, and PCs too.

Here is a video demonstration of this futuristic device by CNET. The device looks very promising even though it will only hit the market maybe another year later.

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

Web Based Remote Computer Technical Support Service

Remote computer support can be provided either via Windows Remote Assistance or software that specially designed which we have to install on our PC. As a result, there is always a hassle to install a separate software onto the PC in order to provide or receive remote assistance.

To save the one who provides or receives remote assistance from hassles, Athivision Inc, a New Jersey, USA based corporation offers a web based remote assistance service as a better solution, named iRemotePC Remote Support. This service is practically useful when remote assistance is needed immediately. This is because remote assistance has been simplified further as now there is no installation is required, no software nor ActiveX components is required!

Imagine if a company has to provide instant training or support to 10 of their employees at remote places, the training or support can be provided without delay by simply access to iRemotePC Remote Support members area using any web browser then create a secured connection to employees’ PCs.

iRemotePC Remote Support not only offers an ease for remote assistance, it provides also end-to-end secure encrypted (industry-standard 128 bit SSL & AES encryption methods) and firewall-friendly connection. In other words, the service will work safely and securely behind Firewalls by having encrypted connection between the 2 PCs during remote session.

One feature that I like about this web based service is that iRemotePC Remote Support comes with a full-featured chat, where chat with the client’s PC is possible in real-time while diagnosing and remotely accessing their PC.

Anyway, to understand how iRemotePC Remote Support works, there is a link for quick start guide on that page.

*Sponsored Post.*

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

Movable Type 4 Targets Business Blogging Market

Today marks the release of Movable Type 4 (MT4) beta version! By the way, MT is an alternative to the popular Wordpress blogging platform. It is developed by Six Apart.

MT4 is believed to target business bloggers and further expand its market share. Currently Six Apart is already having some enterprise customers such as Intel Corp., Oracle Corp., Boeing, The Washington Post and New York University.

Quoted:

Movable Type 4 has been rearchitected to simplify companies’ management and deployment of corporate blogs and the creation of online communities, Six Apart officials said.

There are more than 50 new features in MT4 compared to the older version. Some of the new features include an installation and upgrade wizard, more efficient template management tools, built-in asset, photo and file management, and completely redesigned user interface.

One more exciting fact from this news is that Six Apart also expressed its intention to release an open source version of Movable Type in third quarter 2007 for companies and developers interested in extending the functionality of the platform.

Now I can see Wordpress could be having a stiff competition from this release of Movable Type 4. Anyway, healthy competition is always beneficial to the end users, isn’t it?

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

Make Cheap Long Distance Calls Using Comfi.com

Cost of making local and international call using phone/calling cards is quite cheap nowadays. I like to use phone cards to make international call especially when I’m traveling instead of making expensive roaming calls. There is one thing I don’t like about ordinary phone cards is that we need to remember the PIN number on every calling card we buy. Needless to say those PIN numbers are long and hard to remember.

Comfi.com is a leading Internet communication company offering online PIN-less and refillable phone cards for you to make cheap long distance calls. Furthermore, Comfi.com has a wide variety of phone cards to suit everyone’s needs. Many of their online phone cards are refillable, which means you can top up the credit in the same card and use it repeatedly without having to purchase a new card.

Once you’ve purchase a PIN-free and refillable card from Comfi.com, you may sign up an account with them and register your phone number with them. So, when you are dialing using the phone number registered, you don’t even have to enter the lengthy PIN number ANYMORE!

Well, two more thing you might be interested to know are the charges of Comfi.com phone cards and finding the best calling rate in Comfi.com.

Besides calling from normal phone, some Comfi.com phone cards allow you to make calls from the web page itself. Making calls using SMS, PDA or any WiFi network is also possible! Now you can make call from anywhere without no PIN needed, no software to download and install, no roaming charges, no wires!

* This is a sponsored post. *

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

The new wave in Silicon Valley

Click investigates the start-ups operating in Silicon Valley, as optimism and money pours back into the area.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Democrats spar at blog gathering

Democrat presidential candidates field questions from more than 1,000 bloggers at their annual convention.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Low-cost PC aims at rural China

PC-maker Lenovo announces a low-cost computer aimed at the world's most populous country.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Warcraft expansion pack unveiled

The second expansion to the popular World of Warcraft online role-playing game is announced.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Fake Steve Jobs blogger unmasked

The writer of a prominent blog which lampoons Apple boss Steve Jobs is unmasked by the New York Times.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Tomorrow's World 'not returning'

The BBC dismisses speculation that it is considering reviving its weekly science series Tomorrow's World.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Lenovo to offer Linux on laptops

Lenovo, one of the world's biggest PC makers, is to start selling laptops with Linux pre-installed.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Firms withdraw BNP Facebook ads

Six firms withdraw adverts from the networking website Facebook after they appear near BNP content.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Lift off for Nasa's Mars probe

Nasa launches a spacecraft on a nine-month trip to Mars, where it will search for signs of past or present life.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

The new wave of Silicon Valley start-ups

Click investigates the start-ups operating in Silicon Valley, as optimism and money pours back into the area.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Crack down on mod chip sales

Raids are carried out in 16 US states in a bid to clamp down on the sale of mod chips for game consoles.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Firms withdraw BNP Facebook ads

Vodafone and First Direct withdraw adverts from a website after they appeared near BNP content.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Grand Theft Auto delay hits firm

Shares in Take-Two fall 16% after it said that its latest version of Grand Theft Auto would be delayed.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nasa to launch Mars polar probe

Nasa prepares to launch a spacecraft to Mars, where it will search for signs of past or present life.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Warning of webmail wi-fi hijack

Webmail and social network users are warned about loopholes that let attackers hijack accounts via wi-fi.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Google sidesteps mobile reports

Google refuses to deny mounting speculation that it is working to produce its own brand mobile phone.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Dell Treat Malaysian Differently…

This picture was taken by The Sun newspaper early July this year. Staffs of Dell corp and models were promoting the latest colorful Inspiron laptops at the launching event in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Dell launching Inspiron laptops in Malaysia

Today I received a forwarded email with some pictures taken at the same launching event in Korea :-

Dell launching Inspiron laptops in Korea

Though the event in Korea is more like an event for automobile, at least it catches more attention, no?

Oh ya, do you see the difference in quality between the models in yellow? Haha…

Well, there are more pictures after the jump.

This is just a post for fun coz today is Friday!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

Eminem sues over downloads

Rap star Eminem is suing Apple for allegedly offering his songs as downloads on iTunes without permission.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Halt e-voting, says election body

Web and phone voting pilots should halt until elections are modernised, the Electoral Commission says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Microsoft tries free office suite

Free versions of Microsoft's Works package of programs will be available soon, says the software firm.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Britain 'failing' net speed tests

A Which? survey finds a big gap between advertised and actual broadband speeds in the UK.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Crack down on US mod chip sellers

Raids are carried out in 16 US states in a bid to clamp down on the sale of mod chips for game consoles.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nokia opens India design studio

Mobile phone firm Nokia teams up with a design school in Bangalore to open its first studio in India.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Payments service 'goes offline'

Online retailers protest as payments system Protx confirms part of its service has spent much of the day out of action.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Eminem sues Apple over downloads

Rap star Eminem is suing Apple for allegedly offering his songs as downloads on iTunes without permission.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Teachers in websites closure call

A union calls for websites such as YouTube to be shut down to prevent pupils and staff being bullied online.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Music and vice top games awards

Guitar Hero II will go head to head with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories at the 25th Golden Joystick awards.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

New York Times on the Real Transformers

A lengthy New
York Times article by Robin Marantz Henig offers an overview of the
state of real world robots to be found in research labs. She visits the
robot labs of MIT to see Mertz, Kismet, Leo, and other social robots.
She talks to Rodney Brooks about his "scientific midlife crisis". She
mentions historical robots like Elktro and talks with Sherry Turkle
about the danger of robot boyfriends. There is also a discussion of
robot self-awareness, consiousness, and emotion in robots. About the
only thing not covered in this article is transformers or other
shape-shifting robots.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Office printers 'are health risk'

An office laser printer can cause damage to the lungs in the same was as cigarettes, Australian scientists say.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Social networks 'lure music fans'

A survey finds that social networks are changing the way we listen to and consumer digital music.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Robot fins to propel submarines

The distinctive swimming technique of the bluegill sunfish is used to develop agile submarines.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Robots battle for military prize

The finalists of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) "grand challenge" to find new military technology are announced

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Robots.Video: Building a Robot

No, this isn't a tutorial on creating a robot. It's a new music video
from a group called the Robotmakers and here's
what they have to say about their creation, ""Building a Robot" is
the result of a
long evolutionary process that resulted in successive generations of
forms, some of which we call music. Natural selection and repeated
lethal mutations winnowed the results. We are left with the Robot
Maker's opus, which cannot be used as proof of intelligent design."
A whole pile of interesting electronic gear was used to produce the
music, including one of Rog-a-matic's own modular synthesizers. Oh, and
did I mention there are some robots in the video?

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Game worlds become virtual labs

Social scientists are starting to use game worlds as laboratories to study human interaction.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

EU moves to cut roaming charges

Mobile phone companies are to cut the cost of customers making and receiving calls between EU countries by up to 70%.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cautious welcome for BBC iPlayer

The first people to use the iPlayer service post broadly positive comments about the video service.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Web child fight videos criticised

Police chiefs urge websites to remove violent video footage of children fighting, following a BBC probe.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Vintage Transformers Collection Draws 6 Digits

An
Ebay auction for a giant collection of Transformers stands at $100K.
Included in this incredible batch of mint, still-in-box, robots are
approximately 275 Transformers and Transformer licensed products
collected by the late Anthony Lindgren as he recovered from a
motorcycle accident back in the Mid-80s. 101 Autobots, 81 Decepticons,
the highly sought-after Transformers Toothbrush, and my personal
favorite, Transformers Shrinky Dinks! The bidding battle will end on
Aug 1 at 12:33 PDT, unless someone clicks the $1M Buy-It-Now button.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Nasa astronauts 'drunk on duty'

US astronauts were cleared to fly while drunk at least twice, according to a report commissioned by Nasa.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

'Space arrow' to map Earth's tug

The Goce gravity satellite will be one of Europe's most challenging space missions to date.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Controlling High Current Devices with a Microcontroller

The Microcontroller Hobby blog has
posted a handy new tutorial by Eric Wolf explaining how to control high
current devices from a microcontroller. Eric
explains how to use what he describes as "the cockroach of
transistors", the NPN BPJ 2N3904 to drive up to a 170ma load. Robot
builders may question the idea that a 170ma load should be described as
"high current" but reader comments at the end of the article point out
that a MOSFET could be used to controller devices in the 30A-50A range.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

EU outlines Intel 'market abuse'

EU competition regulators say chipmaker Intel abused its dominant market position in Europe.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Space computer 'sabotage' probed

Nasa looks into the apparent sabotage of a computer due to be flown to the International Space Station.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Game worlds show their human side

Social scientists are starting to use game worlds as laboratories to study human interaction.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

BBC online video service launches

The BBC's flagship online TV service, called iPlayer, launches amid some concerns.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Machinima Review: Stolen Life

We seem to have a history here at robots.net of reviewing unusual
robot-related art forms. Last time it was robot poetry and today it's a
machine-made movie about machines. Stolen Life is an example of
machinima.
It's an animated movie but it isn't animated in any
traditional way. It was rendered on a computer but not in the way you'd
expect. Rather than rendering the scenes one frame at a time at the
highest resolution possible in the way Hollywood does, machinima goes
the opposite direction, rendering in real time at low resolution. The
rendering is done not by specialized animation software
but by repurposing a videogame rendering engine. The upside is that
it's fast and inexpensive compared to Hollywood's method. The downside
is that it looks like, well, a video game. It doesn't look real like the
CG you see in typical theatrical movies. It looks more like the earliest
attempts at computer rendered animation such as Tron. Aside from the
unusual animation, Stolen Life has an interesting story,
a great score, and voices provided by real actors. Read on for a more
detailed review and an interview with the producer.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Facebook court hearing is delayed

A hearing in the case against the founder of the networking website Facebook is postponed.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Mac and iPhone sales boost Apple

Apple reports much better than expected three-month results, helped by sales of Macs and iPhones.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Price tag for Mars rover sought

European industry is asked to cost the construction of a robotic rover to send to the Red Planet in 2013.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Malaysia cracks down on bloggers

Malaysia threatens to use anti-terrorism laws against bloggers who insult Islam or the king.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

MySpace purges sex offenders

Social networking website MySpace blocks over 29,000 sex offenders, a four-fold increase on May.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Sony up despite Playstation woes

Sony quarterly profits more than double on demand for its cameras despite problems with its games console.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Crackdown wins innovation prize

Xbox 360 title Crackdown is among winners at an award ceremony for games developers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Huge Chinese piracy ring tackled

Pirated software worth $500m has been seized in raids against a Chinese software gang.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

iWalk on a Robotic Ankle

MedGadget gurus are reporting an active ankle/foot Orthosis from MIT and Brown University.
The novel robotic prosthesis provides not only a mechanical structure
but also a powered joint to aid in the walking process and eliminate the
unnatural gait of the typical amputee. The ankle utilizes multiple
springs to capture and release energy along with a small electric motor
for an extra boost. The robotic ankle is scheduled to be available
mid-2008 from iWalk, Inc.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Digital TV booking for GPs

Patients around the country will be able to book a GP appointment through their TV set.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Competition hits Lara Croft firm

The computer games maker behind the popular Lara Croft adventure says sales will be hurt by pricing pressure.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

PlayStation 3 sales boost in US

Sales of Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) console in the US rose by 21% in June, according to analyst figures.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

iPlayer faces petition pressure

An online petition calls on the BBC to halt the launch of its iPlayer to a Windows-only audience.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Phone mast allergy 'in the mind'

Mobile phone masts are not responsible for the symptoms of ill health some blame them for, a major study says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Facebook site faces fraud claim

Networking website Facebook is to face legal action on Wednesday in a suit brought by a rival site's founders.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Request made for Mars rover price

European industry is asked to cost the construction of a robotic rover to send to the Red Planet in 2013.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

MySpace bars 29,000 sex offenders

Social networking website MySpace blocks over 29,000 sex offenders, a four-fold increase on May.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Hacking the EverMore GM-R900 GPS Module

Dean Hall needed an
inexpensive GPS module that could interface with a
microcontroller for use on his outdoor robot project, named Argonaut. He started by
comparing the two least expensive USB GPS modules, the Holux
GR-213 and the EverMore
GM-R900, both of which use the SiRFstarIII chip.
Indoor reception, outdoor reception, and other details were compared
before selecting the GM-R900. Dean then offers photos
and technical
details of the GM-R900, revealing that the board itself
has a serial connection which goes through a serial to USB adapter in
contained in the cable. The serial interface uses standard NMEA protocol
and should be easy to connect to virtually any microcontroller. Dean has
also
written some Python code to communicate with the GM-R900.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

How will the Elderly Get Around? With a Robot!

A Canadian
Globe and Mail article details the motivations of Stanford
University roboticist, Sebastian
Thrun. His elderly father caused a car accident while driving,
resulting in the loss of his father's driver's license and a gradual
decline in his health. This got Thrun thinking about how robots could
help and eventually led to his work on autonomous robot cars. He
predicts we'll see a gradual transition from the totally manual cars of
today to cars that assist with parking, accident avoidence and,
eventually, can handle the entire task of driving if we want. The article
also talks about other robots that could help the elderly get around
such as robot wheel chairs that are smart enough to avoid obstacles and
navigate their occupant safely to the desired destination.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Apple iPhone issue highlights security debate

Regular columnist Bill Thompson says what counts as private has to change if we're to get the most out the network.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Mars dust storms threaten rovers

Dust storms raging on Mars pose the worst threat yet to Nasa's robot rovers, the US space agency says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Google mulls auction bid

Google considers a bid in the forthcoming wireless spectrum auction in the US, if certain conditions change.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Web networkers 'at risk of fraud'

People who use internet networking sites are being warned that they could be at risk of identity theft.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Digital TV booking scheme for GPs

Patients around the country will be able to book a GP appointment through their TV set.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Search sites tackle privacy fears

Top search engines from Microsoft, Yahoo and Ask say they will store less data about users and delete it sooner.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

'$100 laptop' production begins

A low-cost laptop, designed for children in developing countries, finally goes into mass production.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Random Robot News Roundup

Nelson Bridwell sent us
links to interesting video from last month's Robots and
Vision 2007 conference including the Velodyne
HDL-64E Lidar system that may be used by several DARPA Urban
Challenge teams, the Motoman
2-armed robot, and the Barrett
Technology WAM Arm. Charlie Kondek of MS&L wrote, "We're working
on a new campaign ... that I thought might be of interest to your
readers because it features a
robot." Seed Magazine published an article
on roboethics recently that includes a little uncredited input from
yours truly. Elsewhere, researchers have finally perfected an unbeatable
checkers algorithm but Chess and Go are still beyond the grasp of
machines. Another reader pointed out an Engadget story with photos of a
full-size
Gundam robot replica at a Japanese amusement park. Know any other
robot news, gossip, or amazing facts we should report? Send 'em our way
please.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Technium: the 7th kingdom of life?

The Edge has published an speculative essay
by Kevin Kelly of Wired
magazine. In it, he explains his use of the word technium to describe
the whole system of technology as it exists in our world. Technium, he
says, "has its own inherent agenda and urges, as does any large
complex system, indeed, as does life itself." He explains his idea
further by saying that technium is the child of humanity but that with
each new technology like AI, robotics, and genetic engineering, it
challenges our notions of what it means to be human. And the bit about
the 7th kingdom? "There are roughly six kingdoms of life according to
Lynn Margulis and others. As an extropic system that originated from
animals, one of the six kingdoms, we can think of the technium as a
7th." An essay full of interesting, if unusual, ideas.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Guitar Heronoid Rocks

Guitar Heronoid is a
robot built to play the Guitar Hero video
game on a PS2.
The brains, developed by Rafael Mizrahi, analyses video from the PS2
and detects the fretting.
Data is then sent via TCP to the robot where Tal Chalozin used solenoids
to activate aluminum fingers attached to a life-sized mannequin.
The guitar and PS2 were left unhacked.
Video.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

The Google Master Plan

I’ve come across this interesting movie clip called The Google Master Plan in Youtube quite some time ago. It’s a movie directed and produced by Ozan Halici & Jürgen Mayer for their Bachelors’s Thesis at the University of Applied Sciences Ulm, Germany.
The movie basically talks about how Google can use their free services like Google [...]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

UK Shopping Search Engine

Online shopping has gain its popularity all around the world nowadays with the advance of the Internet. Just like the amount of websites we can find on the Internet, there are too many online deals for us to choose from. Hence we do need a search engine which helps us to aggregate all merchant offers, [...]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

Differences Amongst Windows Vista Versions

I’m sure many of us are thinking of upgrading our computer operating system to the latest Windows Vista. Apart from wondering will the current computer hardware be compatible to Windows Vista, probably we are facing the dilemma of choosing which version of Windows Vista.
Basically, there are 5 versions of Windows Vista to choose from, they [...]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

iBegin Source - Place To Get Local Business Data

Yellow pages is often the source for us to search for local stores and services, be it online yellow pages or printed yellow pages. I particularly like online yellow pages very much, as usually I am just a few clicks away from what I want to find in my local area.
However, in many cases accurate [...]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

Computers crack board game

A computer program is created that will never lose a game of draughts, scientists say.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Google mulls spectrum auction bid

Google considers a bid in the forthcoming wireless spectrum auction in the US, if certain conditions change.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

New products boosting Microsoft

Demand for the Vista Windows system and other products helps Microsoft to profits of $3.03bn, up 11% on last year.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Facebook buys start-up Parakey

Social networking site Facebook has bought internet start-up Parakey.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Google profits miss expectations

Google's quarterly profits jump 28% to $925m but the figure is not as good as analysts had hoped for.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Computers crack famous board game

A computer program is created that will never lose a game of draughts, scientists say.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Robot to carry out heart surgery

A robotic arm able to carry out an intricate life-saving heart operation is being pioneered by UK surgeons.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Net criminals shun virus attacks

Hi-tech criminals are turning away from viruses to mount the most serious attacks, warn security experts.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Life Beyond Brain Death

A Newsweek
article covers the changing definitions of death. It used to be that
when you reached "clinical death", that was it. Then it became possible
to restart the heart. Doctors moved on to declaring "brain death", when
cerebral function stopped. But it seems that even after the brain stops
working, all the information is still there and, provided
cellular death can be stopped or reversed in time, it's possible to boot
the brain back up. Normally, unrecoverable brain damage occurs within
five minutes but by lowering the body temperature,
doctors can significantly extend that time. More interestingly,
apoptosis and necrosis take time to destroy the information in the
brain, during which it may be possible to reverse the process or
cryogenically preserve the information
making up the mind and transfer it to a new receptacle; perhaps a
cloned brain or a robot. This leads to a new term: "information-theoretic
death" is the point at which the
physical structure of the brain succumbs to entropy and the mind can no
longer be reconstituted. This moral uncertitude as to when death occurs
is interesting in light of recent
suggestions that organ donation should be mandatory or done on an
"opt-out" scheme. Another
article suggests individuals be allowed to accept the legal
definition of death or define their own meaning. To
learn more about the endovascular temperature modulation techniques
described, see the Medical News
Today article on the subject.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

US Navy Buys 50 Robotis Bioloids from KumoTek

Matt Fisher of KumoTek writes,
"We just won a bid to provide 50 Bioloid Kits to the US Naval
Academy". The Bioloids will be used at the US Naval Academy for
classroom instruction in robotics. The Robotis
Bioloid is a robot kits consisting of RC type servos and joints that
can be assembled into a variety of robots such as bipeds, quadrupeds,
snakes, hexapods, robot arms and about any other type of jointed robot.
KumoTek also sells to the general public through their Roboporium website. For more
details on KumoTek's Navy contract, read on for the full text of their
press release.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

JK Rowling rails against spoilers

US publisher sues a distributor and online store for shipping copies of the final book too early.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Fast food brands hit kids online

Despite rules banning the advertising of unhealthy food online, some brands bend the rules, research suggests.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Gecko glue exploits mussel power

The remarkable adhesive abilities of geckos and mussels have been combined to create "geckel" glue.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Ebay profits up amid listing drop

Revenue from online auctions sends Ebay's profits surging, despite a shrinking number of items up for sale.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

i-LIMB Bionic Hand

Touted as a next-generation prosthetic device, the

i-LIMB Hand from Touch Bionics is a fully articulating bionic hand
that is commercially available right now.
Built with high-strength plastics, the hand is lightweight, strong, and
aesthetically pleasing.
Control signals are detected by two electrodes implanted under the skin,
then transmitted to a battery-powered processor which in turn
controls actuators and monitors gripping force.
Programmed grip patterns improve movements required in modern-day life
such as operating computer keyboards, ATM machines, and telephone dial
pads. Patients are also appreciating the life-like appearance of the
i-LIMB hand while at rest and in motion.
A patient
gallery and videos
are available.

Source: http://www.netchain.com

Yahoo seeks 'plan' as profits dip

The boss of Yahoo says he is working on a "strategic plan" for the firm after reporting a sixth quarterly profit fall.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Milestone for unique bionic hand

A highly-functional bionic hand, controlled by the patient's mind and muscles, goes on the market

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Firms snub 'mobile for elderly'

A back-to-basics mobile phone aimed at older people will be sold online, as stores and networks reject it.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Xbox chief defects to games firm

Peter Moore, the head of Microsoft's gaming business, leaves to join game maker Electronic Arts.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

EU backs standard for mobile TV

The EU's decision to back a single standard for TV on mobiles could see the UK fall behind, warn analysts.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Battle to keep the internet open

Regular columnist Bill Thompson says more can be done to encourage young filmmakers from all walks of life.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Truphone wins court injunction

Fledgling mobile firm Truphone wins an injunction in a row with T-Mobile over calls made via wi-fi networks.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

No 10 website in e-petition row

More than 255,000 sign a Downing Street website petition against plans to build Britain's biggest mosque.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Galileo challenges sat-nav firms

Novel ideas that exploit the pin-point accuracy of Europe's soon-to-launch Galileo system are being sought.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Google cookies will 'auto delete'

Google says its cookies will auto-delete after two years in an effort to "improve privacy" for users.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Artificial Muscles from Carbon Nanotubes

Artificial muscles made with
electroactive polymers simply don't hold up to the rigors of constant
shape-changing, but a new class of carbon nanotubes
may remedy this says Victor Pushparaj at the
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
Initial tests with a two-millimeter block containing
millions of vertically-aligned nanotubes
endured 500,000 cycles while maintaining its shape, and
electrical and mechanical properties.
The goal is to build the next generation of actuators for
robot arms and prosthetic limbs that will last longer and offer
smoother, more life-like motion.
See the story at
NewScientist

Source: http://www.netchain.com