Friday, August 31, 2007

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

Thursday, August 30, 2007

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

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

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

Monday, August 27, 2007

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

Friday, August 24, 2007

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

Thursday, August 23, 2007

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

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

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.


twengaTwenga 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.



Windows Vista Comparison

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

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

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

Monday, August 20, 2007

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

Friday, August 17, 2007

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

Thursday, August 16, 2007

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

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

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

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

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

Monday, August 13, 2007

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

Sunday, August 12, 2007

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

Friday, August 10, 2007

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

Thursday, August 9, 2007

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

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

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 HÃ…METM Interactive Media System.



home freespace device


Quoted:

Hillcrest Labs’ HÃ…METM Interactive Media System combines the first graphical, zoomable interface for television with a patented motion control technology called FreespaceTM. 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 HÃ…ME 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.



Movable Type 4

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? :D




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

Monday, August 6, 2007

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

Saturday, August 4, 2007

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

Friday, August 3, 2007

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 colorful inspiron

Dell launching Inspiron laptops in Malaysia

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



dell colorful inspiron at 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.




dell colorful inspiron


dell colorful inspiron


dell colorful inspiron


dell colorful inspiron


dell colorful inspiron


dell colorful inspiron


dell colorful inspiron

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

Have a great weekend, everyone!




Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

Thursday, August 2, 2007

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

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

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