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863. Forensic Computer Targets Digital Crime

coondoggie writes "A European consortium has come up with a high-speed digital forensic computer dedicated to the task of quickly offloading and analyzing computer records. The TreCorder is a rugged forensic PC able to copy or clone up to three hard disks simultaneously, at a speed of up to 2 Gb/min., far faster than alternative equipment. The PC not only provides a complete mirror image of the hard disk and system memory — including deleted and reformatted data — but also eliminates any possibility of falsification in the process, meaning that the evidence it collects will stand up in court."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

864. Toshiba Boosts Hard Drive Density By 50%

An anonymous reader writes "Toshiba has unveiled a ground-breaking technology that boosts recording density by 50% on an 80-GB, 1.8", single-platter drive. Using what it calls Discrete Track Recording technology, Toshiba was able to pack 120 GB storage on a single 1.8" platter. The new development will hugely benefit media player, UMPC, and ultra-portable laptop segments where 1.8" drives with maximum possible capacity are in great demand."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2396. What can you expect in the Xbox 360 Fall Update?

Well, first off the parental controls that everyone threw a fit about not to long ago. Then add to that the Xbox originals and social networking features. The new news is the news feed from xbox.com (maybe at some point we’ll be able to add our own RSS feeds) and you can get yourself a full profile with added info. Movie trailers are finally going full screen and more codec support for enhanced video (is the 360 getting the same DivX compatibility upgrade as the Media Center Extenders?). Lastly, dashboard navigation is said to be easier with dedicated Game Store and Video Store buttons. We’ll find out everything in a few days on December 4th, until then, we’ll just keep making educated guesses. Xbox 360 fall dashboard update deets [via CrunchGear] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

934. Upstairs flood creates 3D ceiling (PICS)

In Russia suspended ceiling is not only a stylish element of the flat interior, it can simply save your dwelling from flood made by the careless neighbors living above. Like in this case the practice shows that it is able to gather and hold all the water. But just imagine you wake up one morning and your ceilings look like this!

961. iTouch: Apple Unveils The iPod Unplugged

• Apple unveil new iPod Touch - an iPod with a touchscreen interface (on sale September 28th) • Revamped iPod Nano also gets a makeover with video access - (available now) Apple has unveiled the latest version of its iPod - featuring wireless internet access and a web browser. Users will be able to download music and videos [...]

1108. Outdoor rechargeable fan with AM and FM radio

The title of this post explains everything this portable gadget is able to do. The 2-in-1 rechargeable device works as an outdoors fan, and a AM/FM radio at the same time. It measures 15-inches and each full charge provides 4 hours of non-stop radio action and “wind blowing” to keep you fresh. Portable design also features [...]

1640. FCC approves rules for 2009 digital TV transition

While we passed the T-minus two year mark earlier this year, the FCC has just now approved rules "that it says will ensure that millions of cable subscribers will still be able to watch broadcast programming after the digital television transition in 2009." Judging by reports, not a whole lot of new material was covered, but the new FCC rules reportedly mandate that cable operators "either convert the digital signal to analog at the point where the cable signal originates or supply customers with a down converter device that will change digital signals to analog at the TV set." Interestingly, the FCC "did not require operators to pass through every bit of information, as broadcasters had pushed for," and while smaller cable systems will be able to request a waiver, all providers will be required to "guarantee that analog cable customers will receive broadcast channels until February 2012."

[Via BroadcastingCable] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

1649. OhGizmo Voice Post: Bring The iPhone To Canada!

By David Ponce So, the iPhone’s unlocked. That’s all fine and dandy for most of the world. Except Canada. Here, we’d have to mortgage our homes to be able to afford the data that makes the iPhone so useful… In this voice post, myself and a very beautiful female guest make a [...]

1660. Aston Martin's Jaeger LeCoultre watch/car key

aston_martin_watch.jpgSorry about this. We're about to make you feel poor and envious of F1 drivers' salaries by mentioning a watch that costs $35,000. Not only is it a bit expensive, you probably won't be able to use its most impressive feature...  

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1849. Google Quietly Closes AdSense API to Small Sites

NewsCloud writes "Google has raised the required minimum traffic limit for publishers who wish to use its AdSense API to 100,000 page views per day. The AdSense API was introduced in March as a way for sites with user generated content to share advertising revenue with their members. Says Google, "This policy change will probably result in fewer developers going live and give us a chance to enhance our support resources and processes to more easily support a greater number of developers in the future...we hope to be able to lower it in the future as we become more efficient at supporting our developers!" Meanwhile, some publishers report waiting a month for their API usage to be approved. I take Google at its word for now but worry that small developers could be increasingly squeezed out of the mashup space if this were to become a trend."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

1856. Apple Cuts Off Linux iPod Users

Will Fisher writes "New iPods will no longer be able to work with Linux. iTunes now writes some kind of hash (SHA1, md5?) to the iPod database which new iPods check against. If this check fails then the iPod reports that it contains 0 songs. This appears to be protection against 3rd party applications writing out their own databases. We haven't found out how to generate our own valid hashes (but we do know the hash includes the database itself, and possibly the iPod serial number), and are looking for help."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

1862. Gates Successor Says Microsoft Laid Foundation for Google

thefickler writes "According to Bill Gates' successor Craig Mundie, there would have been no Google without Microsoft. 'I mean, the fact is: Google's existence and success required Microsoft to have been successful previously to create the platform that allowed them to go on and connect people to their search servers. Now, Microsoft's business is not to control the platform per se, but in fact to allow it to be exploited by the world's developers. The fact that we have it out there gives us a good business, but in some ways it doesn't give us an advantage over any of the other developers in terms of being able to utilize it.' This comment comes from a lengthy interview between Mundie and APC magazine, which talks with the newly installed strategy and R&D head. Other interesting topics discussed include the future of Microsoft and Windows, OOXML, and and the 'rise of Linux' on the desktop."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

1879. Thank You, Sponsors

By David Ponce It’s that time of the month where we remind everyone that there’s a reason we’re able to do what we do, and bring you OhGizmo! daily. That’s the sponsors, who believe in our product and are willing to associate themselves with us. And we to them, of course. So, a [...]

1889. Google wants you for the first private Moon mission

google-moon.jpgWe've already had the X-Prize space flight contest that saw SpaceShipOne become the first private craft to orbit the Earth - now Google is offering a prize fund of $30m to the first private company that can stick a ship on the Moon. They won't be able to fake it again, though  

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1895. Translate your cat with Meowlingual

meow2.jpgIf cats could talk, they'd probably be quite repetitive. "Stroke me!". "Feed me!". "Don't disturb me, I'm licking my arse." That kind of thing. But maybe I'm being unfair, and cats have full and frank views on the global financial crisis, Steve McClaren's managerial skills, and the merits of pirates versus ninjas. Meowlingual should be able to prove it.  

1900. Look like a fool with StreetSurfer's five-wheeler bike

street-surfer-bike.jpg A bike with five wheels? You better not be able to ride a bike, or be planning on some major jumps and tricks to have what looks like four little training wheels where the front wheel should be. If you don't mind getting laughed at, the StreetSurfer bike costs $960, and is apparently superior to a normal two-wheeler,...  

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1930. Mac OS X Leopard

draft_2357_big.gif.jpg The new operating system has over 300 upgrades. Leopard makes organizing and cleaning your desktop even easier with a new stacking feature that is exactly what it sounds like, you can make stacks on your desktop just like you do on your desk. This might not sound like much but I find stacking stuff on my desk to be my most effective filing system. Another neat and useful feature is the Time Machine. You'll be able to access your files as they looked on any given date. Leopard will be available October of 2007. Via

1995. New satellite to sharpen Google Earth

DigitalGlobe, provider of imagery for Google Earth, said WorldView I, a new high-resolution satellite to be launched on Tuesday, will produce one-half meter resolution images for commercial use, and will be able to collect over 600,000 square kilomet...

2008. DARPA leads new AI research

With a new Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program called Bootstrapped Learning, the agency wants to allow humans to teach computers in a way that's natural for humans...and then for computers to be able to assimilate the knowledge ...

2108. My Genome, Myself: Seeking Clues in DNA

For as little as $1,000 and a saliva sample, customers will be able to learn what is known so far about how the billions of bits in their DNA shape who they are and what their health risks may be. Three companies have already announced plans to m...

2118. Led by Robots, Roaches Abandon Instincts

Researchers using robotic roaches were able to persuade real cockroaches to do things that their instincts told them were not the best idea. The experiment in bug peer pressure combined entomology, robotics and the study of ways that complex and e...

2312. Facebook bows to mass criticism but doesn't abolish snooping Beacon service

Though, on the surface, the idea of being able to let your Facebook friends know when you've bought a movie ticket or are going to...  

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2350. EFF claims that Comcast is still meddling with data

Filed under: According to a report released by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Comcast has yet to relinquish its data discriminating habits, and users attempting to share content via P2P could still face slowdowns and unexpected delays. Of course, Comcast's Charlie Douglas proclaimed that the firm "does not, has not, and will not block any web site or online application, including peer-to-peer services," but followed up by stating that it did engage in "reasonable network management to serve all of its customers with a good internet experience." The EFF, however, saw things differently. During its own tests, it was reportedly able to confirm conclusions drawn earlier this year by the AP, and it also exclaimed that Comcast was "essentially deploying against its own customers techniques more typically used by malicious hackers." Pretty strong words, to say the least, but we're curious to know if the continued Comcast bashing is indeed legitimate. So, dear readers / Comcast users, are you still (or have you ever, for that matter) experiencing sketchy P2P performance, or is this all just one overblown mess? Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2351. RCA's S2501 Jet Stream gets reviewed

Filed under: ,
Although we already had a chance to briefly try out RCA's Jet Stream DAP / wireless earbud setup at CES, the folks over at PCMag were able to get ahold of a finalized product and put it through paces of their own. Interestingly, they found a lot less to love when using 'em for more than a few moments on a crowded show floor, and while they did admit that gym rats could possibly fall in love, the average joe / jane probably won't. On the upside, the DAP proved durable and the wireless headphones exhibited strong reception, but reviewers found that they didn't fit well enough to really show off their talents. Additionally, the menu navigation was deemed "terrible," and they weren't exactly keen on plopping down over $130 for just 1GB of storage. 'Course, we're sure those who spend the bulk of their listening time on the track (listening to just a few CDs on repeat) could find room to argue, but for the rest of us, it was suggested that we wait for "a better implementation of Kleer's wireless technology to come along" before buying in. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2358. NVousPC outdoes itself with Romero Britto special edition laptop

Filed under: NvousPC has never been one to shy away from unorthodox paint-jobs for its laptops, but it now looks to have outdone even itself with its latest eye-catching model, which it created with a little help from pop artist Romero Britto. As with the company's other laptops, however, the specs are decidedly less stand-out than the exterior, with this particular model boasting a 15.4-inch display, a T7600 Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a lowly CD-RW / DVD-ROM combo drive. No word on pricing or availability, but you'll apparently be able to get a closer look at it at Britto's Miami Beach gallery through February of next year.

[Via Mobile Whack]  Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2381. Vista SP1 public beta to hit in December?

Filed under: , Speed boost or no, all of you clamoring for some hot Vista SP1 action will be able to get a beta-style fix in December, according to ZDNet. Apparently "selected testers" will get a release candidate in the first week of the month, with general availability to come the week after. ZDNet says the current SP1 build being tested is 17051, but it's not clear whether that's the version to be released or not. Like all things SP1, looks like we'll just have to wait and see.

[Via Download Squad] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2433. The Game Plan gets D-BOX Motion Code

The Game Plan gets D-BOX Motion Code Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment follows suit from 20th Century Fox signs a deal with D-Box Technologies to bring you the wildest motion-reality home theaters experiences with Blu-Ray. ‘The Game Plan’ will be the first D-Boxed Walt Disney Blu-Ray tittle releases on Jan 22, 2008. Owner of D-box motion device will be able to enjoy not only the true Hi-def audio and video quality from Blu-Ray but also experiences the action sequences from the scene. But ‘The Game Plan’ is not what I call a good action flick. D-box Press Release Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2450. Linutop v1.2: low-power Linux desktop Revisited

Tech reviews are very much a snapshot process, making a decision after a relatively short period of time and of a single incarnation of the product. Useful, yes, but not an exact facsimile of living with something day in, day out that you’ve bought yourself. If you’re lucky - and assuming that no manufacturer ever pushes out a product so perfect there are no possible improvements - you get a company that’s constantly tweaking and augmenting; if you’re really lucky, you get an opportunity to revisit their product and ring the changes. Back in May I spent some time with Linutop’s fanless, Xubuntu-based micro-PC, framing my review from the perspective of a Linux-naive home user, to see if the compact device would make a decent alternative to a low-end Windows PC. At the time I criticised how tricky, for a fledgling user, it was to add functionality beyond what was preinstalled; since then, Linutop have released v1.2 of their software package, and asked if we’d like to check out the changes. Linutop Linux-based compact PC The hardware is unaltered from when I last reviewed the Linutop, so you still get an all-aluminium case measuring 3.66 x 1.06 x 5.9-inches and weighing just 9.9oz (280g), containing an AMD Geode LX700 processor, non-upgradable 256MB of RAM, 4 USB 2.0 ports, VGA-out, 10/100 ethernet and audio in/out. Aside from the RAM, there’s no internal memory; instead, Linutop provide a 1GB USB memory stick containing the modified Xubuntu OS, preinstalled software and room for your own files. What’s been fettled, then, is the software: Linutop quote boot time has been halved, improved media playback including digital TV capabilities added (via online stream or a hardware DVB-T dongle), PXE boot (simply add a single line to the startup config file to boot from the network) and more. Linutop connectivity If you’ve read my original reviewthen you’ll know that boot time was a significant issue for the Linutop: it took around two minutes, and there were no ’sleep’ or ’standby’ options to avoid that. Thankfully whatever OS changes have been made have almost halved that; v1.2 takes around 1m6s from plugging in the power (there’s no switch, you have to yank the power cord) to the desktop being ready to use. Not exactly instant-on, but far more comparable to the sort of low-end systems users may be used to. You’re still presented with the settings screen, but now there’s more choice in display resolution, including catering for widescreen displays, and this time changing resolution and keyboard layout (then restarting) worked as it should. Similarly, running multiple programmes or switching between settings is quicker and seems to stall the CPU far less than when I tried it last. There’s a pause loading programmes, yes, but only a minor one and well within expectations. Linutop software Firefox, the Gaim instant-messenger and AbiWord word processor are still preinstalled, but they’re joined by the VLC media player which can handle just about any media format thrown at it. Video can be played full-screen, another improvement in v1.2, and you’re able to stream video and audio files from external storage, Web TV or shared Windows folders across the network. The Linutop is also compatible with Skype, although - I’m told for reasons of keeping down size - it’s not preinstalled; you need to download the installation script from the Linutop Wiki yourself. Straightforward, yes, but you’ll only know about it if you visit the Linutop blog. There’s a useful readme file stored on the USB key that outlines DVB-T use, network boot, system recovery and more, but again no link to it - it really needs to show up on the desktop, or even better automatically open when you boot the Linutop for the first time. Without it, you’d easily be at a loss as to how to access the digital TV functionality, which would be a shame because it works relatively well despite the system’s Spartan specs. There’s no dedicated software; just plug in the USB tuner (Linutop supplied me with a Hauppauge WinTV Nova-T, complete with tiny aerial) and type ’scandvbt’ in a Terminal window. You need to tell it your country and then, confusingly, identify your nearest regional broadcast tower (for which I had to look online), but after that it automatically scans the available channels and loads them as a playlist into VLC. You can then reorder and delete them, but you have to remember to save the playlist before exiting as the software won’t do it automatically. Linutop DVB-T digital TV Like all TV tuners, your mileage will vary more with signal quality than anything else; needless to say, when supplied with a reasonable signal (through an installed aerial rather than the portable one included) the Linutop managed both window and full-screen playback with no problems. One issue with the lack of dedicated software is the absence of a signal-strength gauge; there’s no way of telling whether moving the portable aerial around would have a beneficial effect on image quality. I tried using a Freecom USB tuner but the Linutop would not recognise it; there is a scant list of compatible hardware on the project Wiki. With VGA-out the only way of connecting a display, you’re limited if you want to hook the Linutop up to a TV or other large display. It’s a shame, because it would make a compact and functional alternative to a normal DVB set-top box. When I asked Linutop about this, they pointed out that most flat-panel displays have VGA among their connections and as such they’ve no plans to add S-Video or similar. However, I was told that HDMI “could be interesting” as a future development. There has also been some interest in the PVR community as to using it as a MythTV frontend, although consensus is that the hardware would only support standard rather than high-definition media. There’s no option to record DVB-T TV directly on the Linutop. Of course, the home market is only one area Linutop are aiming at; the silent, low-power (no more than 5-6W) device is ideal for digital signage and presentations. There are new options for looped webpages, photo presentations and Flash, and you can set these to automatically run on boot so as to minimise user involvement. Linutop - supplied with Firefox browser Documentation remains a thorny issue; the Linutop Wiki remains the first signposted port of call, but it lacks the sort of “new user” information so necessary when dealing with an unfamiliar OS. The same NAS problem I experienced in May remains - searching the Wiki results in no guidance, the readme file details accessing Windows shares on other PCs but didn’t work for my LaCie NAS, the Xfce desktop environment support didn’t help and I was again left to the mercy of Googling for answers. Is it too much to ask for a simple “type in your username & password” script to make common setup issues like these straightforward? My request from last time still stands: a few bookmarks to basic Linux tutorials would go a long way in rescuing new users. Linutop tell me that they’re in the process of re-examining their Linux documentation to better cater for those new to the platform, but that they also prize the fact that the OS implemented is “standard” so as not to require changes from more adept users familiar with Xubuntu. Linutop Despite all that, the upgrade to v1.2 is a significant one, and it certainly broadens the Linutop’s scope as a home PC. It’s interesting to look at the state of competition; in my initial review I compared the Linutop to a cheaper Dell Dimension desktop which far exceeded the former’s specs (albeit consuming many times the power even when idle), and the past few months have seen ASUS release it’s Linux-based Eee laptop. Although ostensibly aimed at significantly different markets, the Linutop and the Eee could both be viewed as basic home computers and here the Eee laptop (priced from $299) could edge ahead with what’s supposedly a particularly user-friendly GUI and battery-of course its battery-powered portability. When I put this to Linutop they confirmed that their target is more professional than home, and it’s true that in school, library and business settings the Linutop undoubtedly makes more sense than the Eee. It’s smaller and likely more robust, consumes less power and - most importantly - has access to the UBUNTU software library. Would I still recommend the Linutop for a home user? Again, it’s a qualified yes. Just as some are buying an ASUS Eee as a second machine for when their kids are wanting to go online but the main PC is occupied, the Linutop makes for a great, low-maintenance system that, out of the box, can quickly get up and running. It’s also a decent Linux learning platform, with the backup that most mistakes can be erased with a simple restore of the USB stick (which you can do from an optional boot menu on restart). For a home looking for their first computer, I’d still lean toward a full, traditional PC, if only for the flexibility it brings, but anyone else - particularly business or library/public service users - should certainly consider Linutop’s offering. Thanks to Linutop for the loan of the unit; it’s available now for €280, while the v1.2 OS can be downloaded from the site by existing owners. Rating:

    3.5 out of 5 stars

Relevant Entries on SlashGear
Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2479. Xbox 360 Marketplace Video Store arriving in the UK on December 11

xbox-360-video-marketplace.jpgA year after Xbox 360's movie download service launched in America it's finally coming to the UK - the HD download service launches here next week. For 250 points you'll be able to download standard definition movies, or 380 points (£3.20) will get you a full HD version. The initial UK movie launch line-up is a bit, shall we say, eclectic, with quality stuff like 300 mixing with ancient movies like Superman III, Swordfish (will be good to see Halle Berry's...  

2497. Nintendo launching DSvision film downloads for DS in Japan

nintendo-DSvision.jpgIn March next year, the fifty-thousand-billion-billion people who own a Nintendo DS in Japan will be able to use the thing to watch movies on. The DSvision service is slightly odd, though, and not the forward-thinking digital service you might be expecting. Users need to buy a memory card...  

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2516. Updated Windows Mobile 6 for Treo 750

Palm has unveiled its latest Windows Mobile 6 update, made specifically for the Palm Treo 750, and it brings some cool goodies to the table, such as: real-time synchronization with Outlook by using Microsoft Direct Push Technology improved Calendar functions upgraded HSDPA capabilities support for emails in HTML encryption option for miniSD cards being able to remotely wipe your data The update [...]

2525. "Robot" firefighters get put into service

Filed under: We've seen robot firefighters before, and even a robot firefighting contest, but it looks like some brave bots from the folks at Qinetiq are among the first to actually see service, although their roles are decidedly limited for the time being. According to Popular Mechanics, the robots are only being used to put out fires involving involving Acetylene gas, which had previously simply been left to burn themselves out due to the risk of explosions. With the bots, however, they're able get things moving along far more quickly, which is especially useful when the blaze is causing train delays. It seems that's a job too big for just one robot, however, as Qinetiq has reportedly been commissioned to put three bots into service during a six month trial period, including a Talon bot that uses thermal imaging to asses the situation, a 2,160-pound Brokk 90 robot that can "tear through walls or shove vehicles out the way," and last but not least the ATV-sized "Black Max" that actually douses the situation. Sadly, it seems that the bots are all remotely-controlled for the time being, and not fully autonomous, but we're sure it's only a matter of time before they really get to show what they're capable of.
 Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2528. Modder stuffs microphone into iPod touch dock appendage

Filed under: ,
Just under a fortnight ago, we found that the audio input pins on the iPod touch were indeed active and able to record audio. Now, a modder has constructed a smallish dock appendage that plugs directly into the touch and enables you to input audio. Apparently, the gizmo sports a built-in microphone and pre-amp, which could theoretically be used in VoIP applications or for recording simple voice notes. It seems as though the creator is offering these up to anyone interested, but you'll have to drop him an email to find out how much such an accessory will run you.

[Via Digg, thanks RadicalxEdward] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2534. Belkin and Kodak trot out cameraphone-friendly Bluetooth adapter

Filed under: , While there's certainly no shortage of ways to get your photos off your cameraphone and onto your PC, Belkin and Kodak seem to think they've got a better way of doing things, with the pair now rolling out a new Bluetooth adapter / software combo that promises to make things even easier. The key to that, it seems, is Kodak's Picture Upload Technology software, which will apparently automatically pull images off your phone whenever you walk within range of the adapter. Unfortunately, it seems that only XP or Vista users will be able to take advantage of the software, but if that's not a deal-breaker for you, you should be able to get your hands on the bundle now for $50.  Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2536. Nokia gets offiicial with 3G 6263 for T-Mobile

Filed under: We already had a pretty good indication that this one was coming thanks to our pals at the FCC, but Nokia has just now gotten official with its 3G 6263 handset which, as we previously suspected, does indeed appear to be nearly identical to the Euro-centric 6267. Getting a slight downgrade from that model, however, is the camera, which now clocks in at just 1.3 megapixels as opposed to 2. You will get the same 2.2-inch QVGA display though, as well as the same built-in Bluetooth, microSD card slot, and usual range of internet and music player features. If that'll do, you should be able to grab one of these from T-Mobile right away.  Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2547. Microwave beam car stopper tested, fries cars in nanoseconds flat

Filed under: Yeah, this idea has definitely been around the block a time or two, but Eureka Aerospace is doing a whole lot more than just envisioning yet another concept. Its 200-pound, 5-foot long prototype has recently undergone testing, and reportedly, it's been able to completely and utterly incapacitate any vehicle that dared roll in its path. The device has been used to shut down four whips thus far, each from a distance of 10 to 50-feet, and all it took was a microwave pulse lasting some 50-nanoseconds to do it. According to James Tatoian, the outfit's CEO, a version that weighs just 50-pounds and can disable rebel rides from 600-feet away is only a couple of years from reality, but it's highly doubtful that these will be available to the general public. Depressing, we know.

[Via Slashgear] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2551. Stay At Home Servers out to shatter the stereotype

Filed under:
We outright asked you how you'd alter Windows Home Server if you had the chance, and thankfully, none of you requested that these no good storage gizmos head right back to the office closet where "they belong." Unfortunately, it seems that not everyone has been able to overlook tradition and see how beneficial a home server can truly be. Legions of such devices are trickling into abodes as we speak, and while some families are rejoicing, others are apparently being torn apart at the notion of such a handsome device setting up shop within the residence. Stay At Home Servers: it's a debate sure to rage on long after the frosty months have passed, but just remember -- a family that stores together, (generally) stays together.

Psst, check out the video in the read link if you're completely befuddled. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2594. Dell's World of Warcraft Laptop

Psychor writes "Dell has released a high specification new laptop complete with World of Warcraft branding (Horde and Alliance versions available). With a starting price of $4,499 it's not cheap, but does feature SLI graphics and AGEIA PhysX technology (a laptop first). RAID and solid state storage are also options." Unfortunately for purchasers, the laptop won't boot on tuesday mornings until early afternoon, and some days you just won't be able to log in.Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2634. IBM creates a chip-sized supercomputer

Filed under:
Good news, everybody! Those super-geniuses over at IBM have whipped up a new form of CPU transfer which utilizes pulses of light instead of electricity to move data between cores on a chip. The new technology -- which is one-hundred times faster than current speeds -- is called silicon nanophotonics, and if implemented, could downsize supercomputers to laptop stature. The invention is unhindered by common problems with electrical chips, such as overheating and breakdown of data on short trips, allowing signals to pass unmolested over greater distances. Using this process, data can be moved a few centimeters, while requiring one-tenth as much power, resulting in lower operational costs for supercomputers. Will Green, a researcher at IBM, says that the company's creation will, "Be able to have hundreds or thousands of cores on a chip," and will result in huge speed boosts. Unfortunately, the project is on track to be carried out in 10 to 12 years, which leaves a lot of time to ponder if the chips will play Doom. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2663. Microsoft Wants OLPC System to Run Windows XP

Stony Stevenson passed us a link to an IT News story about Microsoft's recent request that the folks behind the XO laptop redesign it to suit their needs. The company now wants to be able to run Windows XP on the highly-publicized and inexpensive portable. "Microsoft general manager ... Utzschneider says a shrunken version of Windows XP could potentially run on 2 Gbytes of flash memory. The XO, however, can only hold 1 Gbyte. As a result, Microsoft wants the XO's designers to add a slot through which more memory can be added via a secure digital (SD) card, Utzschneider said. Microsoft's renewed interest in participating in OLPC might be viewed by skeptics as an admission that a rival offering for developing markets called Classmate — which uses an Intel processor on Microsoft software — has failed to catch on."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2664. Balancing Robot Can Take a Kicking

BotKicker writes "A Japanese team has created the first full-size humanoid robot that won't fall over if you push it. A video shows it staggering and regaining balance after blows from a researcher. Being able to withstand shoves and kicks is essential if robots are to truly be our buddies, they reckon. 'The robot's balancing ability depends on its joints. For one thing they are never kept rigid, even when standing still, meaning they yield slightly when the robot is pushed. Force sensors within each joint also work out the position and velocity of the robot's centre mass as it moves around. Control software rapidly figures out what forces the robot's feet need to exert on the ground to bring it back into balance, and tells the joints how to act.'"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2665. Brain Changes When Viewing Violent Media

Ponca City, We Love You writes "Scientists at Columbia University have used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to show that a brain network responsible for suppressing inappropriate or unwarranted aggressive behaviors became less active after study subjects watched several short clips from popular movies depicting acts of violence. These changes could render people less able to control their own aggressive behavior. Although research has shown some correlation between exposure to media violence and real-life violent behavior, there has been little direct neuroscientific support for this theory until now. 'Depictions of violent acts have become very common in the popular media,' said researcher Christopher Kelly. 'Our findings demonstrate for the first time that watching media depictions of violence does influence processing in parts of the brain that control behaviors like aggression.' The full research paper is published on the The Public Library of Science, a peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication, that publishes all its articles under a Creative Commons Attribution License."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2670. Most In US Have False Sense of Online Security

BaCa sends along a link from Net-Security on a study of attitudes among Americans about the security of their PCs, versus their actual vulnerability. "More than half of computer users who think they are protected against online threats like spyware, viruses, and hackers actually have inadequate or no online protection, according to an independent research study conducted for Verizon... While 92 percent of participants thought they were safe, the scans revealed that 59 percent were actually vulnerable to a variety of online dangers. Ninety-four percent of those surveyed said they would find it helpful to be able to diagnose or check their online security status on a regular basis to make sure their PCs were safe."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2690. Polaroid DPJ-08580B DVD Player

The Japan corporation of Polaroid has released a new portable DVD played codenamed DPJ-08580B. While most DVD players of the portable kind are suppose to be light, this one weighs 1.1Kg, but on the other hand, its screen measures 8.5-inches, and it supports the latest iPods for video play back. Other features include speakers, being able [...]

2691. Amazon Kindle Does E-Mail, RSS, Calendaring

Don't tell Amazon, but its new Kindle e-book reader does e-mail, RSS feeds and calendaring. I've discovered that the applications Google designed for cell phones -- the mobile versions of Gmail, Reader and Calendar -- actually work on the Kindle. They're clunky, funky and slow. But if your laptop dies during a business trip -- or if the Kindle is the only device you happen to be carrying, it's great to be able to do this stuff. HERE'S HOW TO E-MAIL, RSS FEEDS AND CALENDARING ON A KINDLE.

2708. Novint Falcon gets reviewed: undoubtedly cool, unlikely to sell

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Ever since we first got wind of this thing, we had a sneaking suspicion it just wouldn't take off regardless of how clever it was. Sadly, reviewers over at Bit-Tech tended to agree, deeming the Novint Falcon the "coolest peripheral" it had ever touched, but completely unlikely to ever gain steam in the marketplace. During the review, it was reiterated time and time again just how phenomenal the device actually is; the internal motors were able to transmit textures to one's hand almost impeccably, and it certainly enhanced certain aspects of game play once it became second nature to use. Unfortunately, all that gushing was met with the stark reality that there's no real promise that developers will ever latch on to this thing, and without guaranteed support, it's hard to recommend handing over $239. Nevertheless, we're sure more than a few of you may be willing to take the chance, and either way, the in-depth look at this curious creation is worth a read just to see what you're (potentially) missing. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2710. How would you change Nokia's N95?

Filed under: ,
We know, Nokia's hotly anticipated (and equally well received) N95 has been shipping to all corners of the globe for much of the year -- save for America, of course. Recently, however, those of us parked in the US of A were able to grab hold of a 3G iteration to call our very own, and while we're mighty confident many owners are just glad to (finally) have one, there's a heightened level of expectations that comes along with a price tag this large. Sure, it's hard to knock the 5-megapixel camera, blazing HSDPA support and integrated GPS, but even Achilles had his heel.

For those of you fortunate enough to own this here mobile, why not release a little steam by venting to us those minor, yet inexplicably annoying quirks that are preventing the N95 from being the phone it could otherwise be? Not quite satisfied with the design? Slightly perturbed by the current storage capacity limits? Do you truly feel as if this thing should handle laundry and Quake in its spare time? C'mon, we're confident this heralded handset has a few niggles holding it down, and while a certain segment of you are already enjoying the niceties presented by the latest firmware release, we know this thing is a few features shy of unequivocal domination. Let's hear it! Oh, and don't spend too much time bragging about ownership -- let's get to the good stuff, k? Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2717. ES&S e-voting machine fails epically at withstanding hackers

Filed under: We're going out on a limb here and assuming that precisely no one is surprised, but yes, another e-voting machine has proven totally incapable of resisting even the most unsophisticated of hacks. Not long after California Secretary of State Debra Bowen okayed the use of systems that failed prior security audits provided they make a few last minute attempts to appear invulnerable, a security penetration team revealed that an ES&S test system was no better than the rest. Reportedly, Red Team researchers were able to circumvent physical blocks with little effort, and they were even able to access internal files by making a quick and dirty change to the BIOS and booting it up with an external memory device. Needless to say, this deceased horse has been bludgeoned quite enough, but if you're interested in seeing a dozen pages of epic failure, the read link has got you covered. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via ArsTechnica, image courtesy of USA Today] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2725. iPhone Dev Team releases code for the AnySim unlock tool


digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/iPhone_Dev_Team_releases_code_for_the_AnySim_unlock_tool'; The iPhone Dev Team has been calling their AnySim iPhone unlock tool "open source" from the start, but they've finally made good on their promise and posted the code on Google Code. Have at it, hackers -- not being able to unlock new 1.1.2 iPhones is surely putting a damper on someone's holiday season. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2794. Ideazon's Reaper Edge gaming mouse gets reviewed

Filed under:
It's been over a year since Ideazon threw its Reaper into the totally saturated gaming mouse market, but now that the Reaper Edge has arrived to challenge the revived SideWinder, Razer Lachesis and Saitek Cyborg (to name just a few), it seems suitable to see how it stacks up. The folks over at ExtremeTech were able to wrap their hands around said device, and the long and short of it is that it's a real competitor. Gamers looking for a new mouse should probably put Ideazon on their short list, as what it lacks in brand appeal it more than makes up for in the design and performance departments. Reviewers praised the "real rubber thumb grip," intelligently placed side buttons and relatively low price tag ($69.99 MSRP), but did note that the bundled software wasn't as robust as they would've liked. Still, the Reaper Edge seemed to have quite a bit going for it, but feel free to dive into the full review below if you're still skeptical. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2817. In fruit flies, homosexuality is biological but not hard-wired

University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have discovered that sexual orientation in fruit flies is controlled by a previously unknown regulator of synapse strength. Armed with this knowledge, the researchers found they were able to use eithe...

2825. 128GB Toshiba SSD brings conventional HDD storage with SSD speed and power saving

This is a 1.8-inch SSD made by Toshiba, who also offers the same drive in 32 and 64 gigabyte configurations. This particular model manages to cram in 128GB and make it work at 100MB per second read speeds and 40MB per second write speeds. It uses the 56nm process with continues to save power, and allow them to speed up the drive to the 100/40 read/write speeds. When asked, Toshiba hinted at the drives being used in more than just notebooks and ultra-portables. So, come CES, when they are showing off the drives, we might see them in something else, be it a PMP, or maybe a phone, who knows, but a 1.8” drive can go a lot of places. Toshiba also declined any inquiries into price of the drive, but I assure you, its not going to be cheap, but being able to offer comparable drive capacities as standard HDD drives is a step in the right direction. Toshiba enters solid-state with 128GB drive [via macnn] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


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2873. Tomato's .3-inch thick 60GB hard drive

Filed under: Sure, we're used to seeing some damn tiny SSDs and flash drives but Tomato's D-18 manages to be only 8.5mm (.3 inches) thick and still pack in a 60GB 1.8-inch Toshiba hard drive. That's quite a feat -- and you'll be able to show it off in your choice of five colors, if you can manage to sneak one out of Korea. Available now for 99,000 Won, or $107.

[Via PMP Today] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2875. Hitachi intros CP-X417 wireless projector

Filed under: Those looking for a little wireless connectivity from their projector now have yet another option to consider from Hitachi, which has just introduced its new CP-X417 model. Apart from that desirable-but-increasingly-common feature, the projector will give you a standard XGA resolution, along with 3,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, a full range of inputs (minus HDMI, it seems), and a promised 3,000 hours of lamp life in "whisper mode," not to mention a built-in 7 watt speaker. At just $900, it also shouldn't throw your budget off too much and you should be able to get your hands on one right now.

[Via About Projectors]
 Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2884. The Engadget Interview: Peter Chou, CEO of HTC

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If you were to make a shortlist of Engadget's most sought after executives, Peter Chou, CEO of arguably the most advanced cellphone manufacturer in the world, HTC, would be right near the top. We finally got a chance to sit down with the man who helped reshape what a cellphone could be (and in doing so put Windows Mobile on the map), and discussed HTC's new partnership with Google on Android, whether WinMo has a stagnant platform, challenges for companies trying to break into the US wireless market, and even the 700MHz spectrum auction. Talking with Peter was definitely a high point for us, check it out.

Thank you for sitting down with us.

Thank you! You have a very successful site.

Thank you. Yeah, well, we do our best, it's a lot of fun. So, Android is obviously huge news for you guys.

This is a significant announcement for us.

I assume that you guys have been working on this with Google for quite some time.

Yep. That's true.

Are we talking about, say, over a year that this has been in the works?

Two years. More than two years.

Then you've have been playing with Android, I imagine. If not on the HTC device (or devices) that you are working on, then at least some kind of build of the software. You've been fooling around with it and know what its like...

Yeah.

We didn't get too much of a sense of what this software is going to be about and what it's really like as a core experience. Can you tell me anything that you really like that Google has done with Android? And the things that you think that Android is really going to excel in? Things that you will be able to leverage in HTC hardware?

Maybe you can get a little more information [from the SDK]. But this is trying to be a more optimized experience of Google applications, and obviously the internet experience will be more optimized. So there are some things that I still think today are being... well, I'm a veteran in this industry and we've been working on this stuff for ten years and really waiting to see something which can really enhance the internet experience in these mobile devices. I believe in this system and I'm excited about its ability to perform well.Continue reading The Engadget Interview: Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2911. Weblin avatars offer a characterful way to surf

weblin.jpg Imagine if RIGHT NOW, while browsing Tech Digest, you were able to have a colourful cartoon version of yourself converse with colourful cartoon versions of other people reading the site at the same time? I know, I know: an impossible dream. But no!  

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2924. Sumvision Akita III digital photo frame - stills and movies for under £60

Yet another digital photo frame on the market, but the Sumvision Akita III digital photo frame has the advantages of being at the budget end of the market and bein able to sow movies images as well as stills.  

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2938. LG's BH200 HD DVD / Blu-ray player gets reviewed

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Although we were able to get the BH200 to pose for a few glamour shots back at CEDIA, the recently released player has just now got around to checking in for a review. According to Home Theater Mag, the BH200 exhibited "stunning" image quality from both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles, and moreover, the video processing (DVD upconversion included) was "as good as any it had seen in a disc player." Unfortunately, the (high) praise essentially ended there. First and foremost, it made little sense to the reviewer to pay such a high premium ($999) for a dual-format unit unless you place a great deal of value on size and convenience. Beyond that, the player really dropped the ball on high-resolution audio playback, as HTM couldn't even get it to output Dolby TrueHD in multichannel form from "any output, at any resolution." Overall, the BH200 turned out to be a mixed bag, and while strict videophiles may find nothing to kvetch about, its inability to handle certain audio codecs was viewed as a "serious shortcoming." Nevertheless, there's much, much more where this came from if you're in the market, so head on over to the read link to catch the full spill.

[Via AVSForum] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2941. Cologne firemen make haste in rescuing crash test dummies

Filed under: , Here's an interesting one. Apparently, a team of engineers failed to shut off the automated emergency calling system on a vehicle being used in a crash test facility in Germany, and as you may expect, it wasn't long after the dummies slammed into a wall that medical personnel were arriving on scene. It was reported that this incident was the first of its kind, as members of the Cologne fire brigade rushed out to what they believed was some sort of "massive" automobile accident. The firemen were able to locate the vehicle due to its integrated GPS unit, and while we're sure they were at least slightly confused upon arrival, at least they got to take the fire engine out for a leisurely spin.

[Thanks, Martin T., image courtesy of Edmunds] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2944. DisplayLink, Alereon intro wireless USB video card reference design

Filed under: , DisplayLink's certainly no stranger to wireless monitors, but it now looks set to push the technology even further along, with it and Alereon trotting out a new reference design for a wireless USB video card (and corresponding monitor adapter). That'll apparently let you use a monitor at a distance of up to three meters, with a throughput of 120-150mbps and lossless compression ensuring that "the image users see is the same that they'd get with a wired monitor," according to Wi-Fi Planet. What's more, you should also be able to use up to six displays at the same time, "theoretically," although DisplayLink admits that gamers likely won't be satisfied. While this is just a reference design, DisplayLink says the final adapter set should run between $150 and $250 when its released in the spring, while monitors with the technology built-in will apparently demand $150 "or more" than a comparable non-wireless model (those are expected in mid-2008).

[Via DailyWireless]
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2950. Xbox Live Video Marketplace launches in five new countries

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Right on cue, the Xbox Live Video Marketplace has indeed launched in Europe today, and our neighbors to the north are being treated, too. Effectively immediately, Xbox Live users in Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom can dip into features made available to Americans last year. More specifically, gamers will be able to rent downloadable flicks in HD and SD forms, and while the former will run folks "as little as 250 Microsoft Points (£2; $4.06)," high-definition versions will cost upwards of 380 Points (£3.20; $6.49). Also of note is the inclusion of additional Warner Bros. films such as Batman Forever, Batman Returns and Analyze That -- all of which will be available by the year's end. Lastly, Microsoft will be offering up a "mystery HD [Warner Bros.] title" to UK users for just £0.99 ($2.00) on December 28th, but we can't say we're brimming with excitement over it.

[Via Pocket-Lint]