hi-tech innovations

November the 6th - New Verizon DROID ERIS will be available for $99!!

2009-11-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

The Verizon DROID Eris will be available from Verizon, tomorrow November the 6th for $99 with a two year contract after a $100 mail in rebate.

Verizon has officially announced its latest Google Android powered mobile phone, the Verizon DROID Eris by HTC, which is due to launch this week the same time as the much anticipated Motorola DROID.

The Verizon Droid Eris is basically Verizon’s version of the HTC Hero, it has a couple of design differences, but the majority of the features are the same.

The Verizon DROID Eris features a 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen display, a 5 megapixel camera, built in WiFi, a microSD card slot which can take up to 16GB cards and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

On top of that, the Verizon DROID Eris also features Bluetooth, a full HTML browser with Flash Lite, a digital compass, voice dialling, GPS, plus supports for a range of Google services.

3000$ Laser Sword Toy

2009-11-04T12:34:00.001-08:00

If you want a laser beam powerful enough to melt plastic or you just need something to light up the sky Hercules f400 Laser is the right gadget for you.

The f400 features internal beam conditioning that delivers near-perfect output in both the near and far field. With a Beam Quality Number (M²) that approaches theoretical limits, the f400 delivers more focused processing power than lasers with higher raw output numbers.

This difference in focused power density makes traditional watt based comparisons obsolete. For example, when compared to other laser solutions that specify 500 watts output, but with poorer beam quality, the firestar f400 delivers an additional 23% of usable laser power.

With its 400mW of power you can do a lot of nice tricks like igniting all sort of things and be seen from miles with your laser beam.It costs 3000$… but don't worry you can rob your town's bank with this scary laser to recover your money .

PS: If you don't want to pay such money for a laser you can always build one. In next post I will told you, how to build a laser gun for less than 100$.

$3000 New Apple All-Screen Laptop without keyboard

2009-11-04T07:51:00.000-08:00

I have received some information about the upcoming Apple laptops - we think they are MacBooks but aren't 100 percent sure they aren't the fabled Pro slim line.

Not in the traditional sense of keys being pushed down and humans feeling the sense of pushing keys down and releasing them.

There is a different way to get feedback. I’m easily not the first to suggest this and there are more than a few test systems that have been produced that give electrical sensations to your fingers as you touch the “keyboard.”

What we know:

Black aluminum and silver aluminum (like MacBook Pros) have been seen
They are considerably slimmer than current MacBook and even a bit more than MacBook Pros
The screen reaches much closer to the edges than current MacBooks but is the same size as current MacBooks - indicating a somewhat smaller footprint
The keyboards resemble Apple's new Bluetooth Keyboard
There is something strange about the touchpad (more on this to come)
While they are dense, overall they are lighter than the current MacBooks

What we are wondering:

Will there be colors like the Nanos? (Red) would be hott.
Will the SSD and memory be easily upgraded?
Will they be in the Pro or Consumer or totally new lineup?
Will they be released with the Leopard announcement? Before Christmas? Macworld?
Is Apple over White?
Touch interface?

Expect to hear more on this in the coming weeks and maybe even see a few spyshots around the web (Apple Lawyers: not here!). Oh, and that keyboard picture? We lifted that from Apple.com, it's not from a MacBook.

LCD screen can detect force so you don’t get feedback unless you are putting more pressure on the screen than just putting your fingers/finger tips down on the screen.

The nerves in your fingers can be fooled into thinking they feel movement in your fingers like when you press down the buttons on your keyboard.

This may be wishful thinking, but the “Mac Book nano” is not. Both of my teenage daughters are leaning towards netbooks as their primary social computing interfaces, though the older ended up with a standard HP laptop, as she needed it sooner rather than later. The younger will probably “need” an LG MOMO from the first day we can buy one.

As a frequent traveler who carries a company-provided ThinkPad in addition to my Mac (currently the MBP), Apple can likely count on a chunk of my disposable income from this product transition with an updated Mac Book–lighter, MBA keyboard, LED display, and a price point under $1000–but what I’d like better than anything is a 10″ nano, with all linkages save for a lonely USB port confined to the “brick.”

HOT NEWS: 2007 Nobel Prize in medicine

2007-10-08T04:29:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine goes Americans Mario Capecchi, Oliver Smithies and Briton Martin Evans won the 2007 Nobel Prize in medicine on Monday for their discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells.

This morning, Mario R. Capecchi, Martin J. Evans and Oliver Smithies were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries of "principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells."

The technology for homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells permits specific targeting of genes for disruption or modification in the resulting animal. Known as transgenic gene "knockouts" (and more recently, "knock-ins"), the methodology has allowed the study of specific processes in normal development, adult physiology, and numerous diseases. According to the Nobel press release, over 10,000 gene knockout mouse strains are now available, representing the manipulation of half of the total genes in mice.

The process, known as gene targeting, has been used to help study such diseases as cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

In its citation, the award committee said that the use of gene targeting has shed light on embryonic development, aging and disease.

The medicine prize was the first of the six prestigious awards to be announced this year. The others are chemistry, physics, literature, peace and economics.

The prizes are handed out every year on Dec. 10, the anniversary of award founder Alfred Nobel's death in 1896.

With gene targeting it is now possible to produce almost any type of DNA modification in the mouse genome, allowing scientists to establish the roles of individual genes in health and disease. Gene targeting has already produced more than five hundred different mouse models of human disorders, including cardiovascular and neuro-degenerative diseases, diabetes and cancer.

(PHOTO) Russia marks Sputnik anniversary

2007-10-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

MOSCOW (AFP) — Russia on Thursday marked the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik, the tiny satellite whose crackly beeps started the Space Race between the Cold War superpowers.

"We Were First," trumpeted a headline in the popular Izvestia daily. "At 22:28 Moscow time on October 4, 1957, humanity entered a new space age. The Soviet Union sent the Earth's first artificial satellite into orbit."

Veterans of the Soviet space programme laid flowers near the Kremlin wall at the grave of Sergei Korolyov, the space pioneer who created Sputnik and whose identity was a state secret throughout his life.

A monument to the satellite, whose name means fellow traveller, was unveiled near Moscow.

President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to Russia's space scientists, saying: "The launch of the Earth's first satellite was a truly historic event, which started a space age in the world."

Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov also praised a "tremendous" achievement.

The launch of Sputnik 1 was a huge propaganda coup for the Soviet Union in its rivalry with the United States and is being interpreted in the same vein 50 years later amid heightened Russian assertiveness.

"On that day, October 4 1957, America was seized by panic," Russia's space agency Roskosmos recalled in a statement announcing a special film on the launch.

The event was at first played down in Soviet official media but quickly prompted awed headlines in Western newspapers and caught the United States badly off balance.

The hurried launch of a US satellite in December 1957 was a flop, or "flopnik," as the London Daily Herald observed in a headline, barely getting off the ground before it burst into flames.

By then Russia had already launched Sputnik 2, which carried a dog into orbit, to become the first space casualty.

Sputnik 1, a silvery orb with four frond-like antennae whose signals could be heard around the world, also helped inspire a generation of astronauts and scientists.

The satellite was the first of several early achievements for the Soviet Union's space programme, including sending the first human being, Yury Gagarin, into space in 1961 -- another stinging loss of face for the United States.

The United States later took the upper hand with the first manned mission to the Moon in 1969. Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, famously dubbed his step "one giant leap for mankind."

On the eve of the Sputnik anniversary, First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov took a group of school children around the Korolyov space centre near Moscow, named after Sputnik's creator.

Also on Wednesday, the Russian and US space agencies signed agreements in Moscow under which Russia will provide technology for US missions to scan the surface of the Moon and Mars.

Russia's space programme suffered severe funding cuts after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 but has been partly revived thanks to greater state financing and international partnerships.

Putin has exhorted Russia's scientists to up their game in space technology. Russia is planning to send a probe to a moon of Mars and is planning a manned Moon mission by 2025.

Earlier this year, Putin voiced pride that Russia had "paved the way for space exploration" but he acknowledged that economic hardships in the 1990s "had a negative impact on the development of our space sector."

An iPod touch ships without OS X -- hints at disabled Bluetooth

2007-09-20T07:58:00.000-07:00

You can argue that the iPod touch is an iPhone without the phone. So what's an iPod touch without OS X? You're looking at it. That's Dave's swanky new iPod touch, fresh off the boat and out of the box with nothing more than a diagnostic utility. Ha, Cheerios icon for the cereal serial number -- clever Apple.

Not quite as clever as shipping a working product though. Now besides a temperature sensor, what's interesting here is that Bluetooth icon showing a disabled radio. Does that mean the hardware is there like we heard but disabled in firmware? Not sure. Still, we'll chalk this little snafu up to first production run jitters unless you tell us differently, dear readers.

See reader Chris' hapless touch after the break as well with a new twist to the Bluetooth mystery.

Chris' iPod touch -- now the 2nd we've seen -- only without an "X" through the Bluetooth icon and nearly fully charged battery.

This has led some of our readers to speculate that his Bluetooth is possibly enabled since his battery (unlike Dave's) is charged to a sufficient level. Remember, it is common for devices to shut Bluetooth off automatically when the battery becomes depleted. If true (where's the check mark?), the FCC will not be happy.

iPhone features you'll miss out on by buying an iPod touch

2007-09-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

I'm smack in the middle of my hands-on testing of the new iPod touch and the full review will be posted soon, but in the meantime I know there are some of you who are seeing a handful of iPod touch models come and go in your local Apple Store and trying to decide right now whether to try to get your hands on one or just pony up for the iPhone and the contract that comes with it. So in that light, here is a (preliminary) list of things you'll lose out on by buying an iPod touch instead of an iPhone, and a bit of explanation as to whether each of them might or might not matter to you:

EDGE network

Just because the iPod touch has Safari and the iTunes Store doesn't mean you'll be able to use either of them whenever you feel like it. If you're not within range of a wifi network, you're not getting online with the iPod touch. If wifi access is sparse in your daily routine, you may find yourself wishing you had the iPhone and its (slow but almost always accessible no matter where you are) EDGE network. If you live amongst pervasive open wifi access (say, on a college campus) then you might not miss EDGE at all.

Mail application

The iPhone's built-in email application has gone missing on the iPod touch, meaning that the only email access you'll get is via webmail in Safari. Users of Gmail might not miss a beat, but those accustomed to using a client might not feel the same way.

Safari link sharing

Steve Jobs seemed to imply in his keynote that the iPod touch only has wifi so you can buy music from iTunes, and it only has a web browser so you can sign onto public wifi hotspots and then proceed to buy music from iTunes. But just because Apple doesn't seem to want you to go websurfing on the iPod touch, it doesn't mean you can't surf to your heart's content. The only missing feature I've found in Safari (so far) is the ability to email a web link, which has a lot to do with the iPod touch not having an email client.

Adding items to calendar

Even though the iPod touch features the same cool calendar application as the iPhone, and even though you can sync your calendar from iCal on your Mac to the calendar on your iPod touch, you'll find that you can not add new calendar events directly to the iPod touch. Apple could seemingly change this easily with a software update, and might if there's enough public pressure, but for now it's not there. Oddly enough, however, you can add contacts directly to the iPod touch's Contacts application.

Notes

Not only is there no way to add a calendar event, there's no clear way to jot down random information of any kind. The iPhone's Notes application is missing, which combined with the lack of a Mail application means that the only way to jot down a few words for later use would be through the web.

Bluetooth

The iPhone only has Bluetooth for use with wireless headsets, which wouldn't make much sense with the iPod touch anyway. But be aware that unless Apple snuck Bluetooth hardware into the iPod touch and has hidden it from us for the time being, you won't be able to use any Bluetooth accessories with the iPod touch without the use of some kind of third-party adapter.

Screen quality

Speaking of hardware, one of the iPhone's best features - its brilliant screen - is (sort of) missing from the iPod touch as well. Although I'll need to do more testing to quantify it, immediately clear is the fact that the iPod Touch's screen is neither as vivid or (seemingly) as detailed as that of the iPhone. I'll have a lot more to say about this in the final review, but unless my eyes are thoroughly deceiving me, there's a world of difference between the two.

Rear surface

Just as many iPhone users are finally growing comfortable with the idea that they don't necessarily have to carry their iPhone in a case in order to keep it pristine-looking, the mirrored chrome backside on the iPod touch is every bit as easily scratchable as with traditional iPods.

External volume buttons

Perhaps because Apple expects you'll spend most of your time on the iPod touch merely consuming content and not simultaneously using other applications, the only way to control the volume of that content is when it's right in front of you via the on-screen slider; the iPhone's external volume buttons are nowhere to be found on the iPod touch. On the other hand, you can press the iPod touch's round front button twice to bring up basic playback controls (including volume) at any time, something I wish Apple would hurry up and bring to the iPhone.

Built-in speakers

The iPod touch lacks the iPhone's built-in speakers, but many iPhone users have concluded that those speakers aren't good enough for listening to music anyway. I suspect Apple only intended the iPhone's speakers for speakerphone use on phone calls.

Included dock

While the iPhone comes with a sturdy dock with playback for the iPhone's built-in speakers, the iPod touch comes with a comparatively lame little piece of clear plastic which can be used as a stand. On the plus side is that while watching video or otherwise using the iPod touch in horizontal mode, you can easily pick up the touch and reset it into the stand sideways - try doing that with the iPhone's dock.

Camera

While the iPod touch can display photos that have been synced onto it from your computer, you can't use it to take pictures. Not that I would have expected the iPod touch to have a built-in camera, but be aware that it's not there.

Maps, Weather, Stocks

While you can still use Safari to look up all of this information via the web in one way or another, the individual applets on the iPhone for Google maps, weather forecasts, and stock prices are missing on the iPod touch.

The point of all this

None of this is to say that you shouldn't buy the iPod touch. In fact, based on my early testing, I'd have to say that the iPod touch is by far the most amazing product to ever bear the "iPod" brand name. But be forewarned that the iPod touch is not necessarily the mythical "iPhone without a phone" that some users have been looking for. Instead, think of it as an "iPhone lite without the phone." If the iPod touch suits your needs, then don't let any of the above stop you. But with as much as has been arbitrarily removed from the iPod touch, it sure looks like Apple still wants you to buy the iPhone, and then only wants you to consider the iPod touch if you've already ruled the iPhone out.

Full iPod touch review coming soon - watch the iProng front page.

iProng will be providing hands-on demonstrations of the iPod touch, iPhone, and all other new iPod models at this month's Podcast and New Media Expo in Ontario, California. We'll see you at the iProng booth!

The African iPod, pics

2007-09-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

The picture was taken in a village in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It may well be where Apple’s designers got the inspiration for their iPod…

Has the iPhone really been unlocked?

2007-09-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

Over the past two months, the unlocked iPhone has become the hi-tech equivalent of Bigfoot: chased around north America by geeks, but rarely seen and possibly completely fictitious.

That all changed last week when Apple's flagship touchscreen mobile phone was finally hacked to run on any mobile network, not just America's AT&T. The breakthrough came in the unlikely shape of New Jersey teenager George Hotz. Armed with a soldering iron and a suite of software, the 17-year-old became an instant celebrity when he managed to get his iPhone running with a T-Mobile Sim card. But his hack was daunting and dangerous - so it was no surprise when two other sources claimed they had easier alternatives.

One website said it had a working unlocking process. So far the only confirmation has come from the website Engadget, which claims to have seen it in action.

Another group, Uniquephone, boasted that it would make an unlocking code public - before pulling out at the last minute, claiming legal pressure from AT&T.

Some pundits say they smell a rat, and it would not be surprising if these remain shrouded in mystery. There is, after all, plenty of reason for hackers to claim an iPhone; with gadget-hounds in Europe and the US desperate to use their existing Sim cards in an iPhone, the promise of easy unlocking could prove very lucrative indeed.

But the prospect of a few dollars won't bother Hotz, who has already cashed in by auctioning off his hacked handset.

"I traded it for a sweet Nissan 350Z and three 8GB iPhones," he said, making the deal worth in the region of £25,000. "I leave for college tomorrow, and this has been a great end to a great summer."

Apple intros Component AV Cable for new iPods

2007-09-06T05:23:00.000-07:00

Sure, you could always wait around for Meridian's wicked cool iRIS dock to output videos on your iPod in 1080p, but for those not looking to spend upwards of $370, Apple's got a new peripheral just for you.

The Component AV Cables -- which are said to only play nice with the 3G nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch -- enables you to pipe those movie clips onto a television set via component outs.

Additionally, the accessory touts stereo audio inputs, a USB adapter for charging your iPod while it's playing, and even an AC adapter in case your laptop (or any powered USB port) isn't nearby. Reportedly, the 3G nano and iPod classic can output imagery at 480p or 576p resolutions, while the iPod touch supports 480i / 576i. Shipping in two to three weeks for $49.

Does Apple's iPod touch have Bluetooth?

2007-09-06T04:56:00.000-07:00

Yeah, you've seen it before, that's the iPod touch. But take a closer look at the upper-right corner of the display. See that little icon?

Right, Bluetooth, as in the not announced Bluetooth radio in Apple's new iPod touch.

Read more about Portable Media Players

Is this just a snafu from Apple's arts-and-charts team or something more say, AVRCP and stereo A2DP related? At this point, Apple's not saying and we don't know.

But you'd better hurry up and click that Read link because that Apple-harvested picture won't be around for much longer.

VeraSun studies type of bacteria for breakthrough

2007-09-05T01:52:00.001-07:00

Biofuel companies throughout the world are looking for the right combination of chemicals, enzymes and microorganisms to turn cellulose into ethanol. VeraSun of Brookings is investing in a newly discovered species of bacteria that might be able to do it all.

"Most of them are specialists. They pick one type of plant material or another, and this one just took anything and turned it into ethanol and so: bingo," said Susan Leschine, chief scientist for SunEthanol in Amherst, Mass.

The company called it the "Q microbe" The name is based on the Quabbin reservoir, near where it was found, and on the need for an alternative to the scientific name: Clostridium phytofermentans.

Discovered about six years ago, the bug is extremely unusual for its ability to digest a wide variety of plant matter and for its voracious appetite, Leschine said.

Several microbes make ethanol, the most familiar being yeast. But they are finicky eaters and many make unwanted byproducts, Leschine said.

Leschine said she has no idea what biological advantage the critter derives from its eagerness to make ethanol. She also is a microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts.

"SunEthanol is developing technology that we believe has the potential to be of commercial scale in the future, but we will also continue to evaluate other opportunities and technologies," said Bill Honnef, VeraSun vice president for sales and marketing.

Now the big obstacle is to get the Q microbe to work in the highly unnatural conditions of an ethanol refinery, where the sheer volume of plant material is the main obstacle.

"It appears to be more of an engineering problem. At small scales, we can do this," Leschine said.

Why Drill for Oil When You Can Sift Soil?

2007-09-05T01:51:00.001-07:00

In the fall of 1998, Dr. Susan Leschine, a microbiology professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was sifting through the soil at the Quabbin Reservoir. As she has done for more than two decades, she was looking for new and interesting microbes.

Little did she expect that the microbe she discovered that day, and that she named the Clostridium Phytofermentium, might eventually have major economic and even political ramifications.

The microbe -– and the company trying to commercialize it — today got funding in the millions of dollars from several venture capital funds and from VeraSun Energy, a large, public renewable fuels firm.

It turns out that a strain of the microbe (known as the Q-Microbe) has the property of being able to convert biomass – like switchgrass and wood pulp – into ethanol.
The company trying to commercialize the microbe and its properties is SunEthanol, and Dr. Leschine now serves as a senior advisor. SunEthanol declined to disclose the amount of investment it received today but said it is in the “multimillion dollars.”
The investment is part of a widespread effort from investors and innovators to discover and fund economically viable means of producing ethanol. Their challenge is not so much to produce ethanol, but to do so efficiently enough to compete against the price of unearthing and delivering petroleum; thus far, the economics have greatly favored the oil and gas producers.

According to Dr. Leschine, the Q-Microbe has a voracious appetite for many forms of plant life and the ability to convert it efficiently into fuel. SunEthanol and its backers said they plan to put the Microbe to work by 2009 converting corn stover at a production plant in Missouri.

If they’re right – and they, like their peers and competitors, seem to face numerous challenges – it might be worth getting a spoon out, heading into the backyard, and looking for some multi-million dollar microbes of your own.

SunEthanol Pins Hope on Microbe Technology

2007-09-05T01:50:00.000-07:00

New England biofuels startup SunEthanol said Tuesday it has raised a first round of funding to develop a process for making cellulosic ethanol using a microbe discovered in the soils near the Quabbin Reservoir of central Massachusetts.

The microorganism, dubbed the “Q Microbe,” is the cornerstone of a one-step process that converts plant and woody biomass directly into ethanol, obviating the need for enzymes, which require more steps and more money, according to Amherst, Massachusetts-based SunEthanol.

“Breaking down cellulosic feedstock in a cost effective way is the big challenge,” said Jason Matlof, a partner at Battery Ventures, which joined in the round after a year-long investigation into cellulosic ethanol technologies. “If you can solve that [then you’ve got] a game-changing technology.”

SunEthanol claims to be one of the first to have that technology, and investors seem to be going for it. The lead investor in the deal is VeraSun Energy Corporation, one of North America’s largest makers of corn-based ethanol. Other backers include Long River Ventures and AST Capital.

Microbes are a growing area of interest in the clean tech sector but are mainly being explored for the production of synthetic fuels from coal or coal-fired plant emissions, according to Jef Sharp, SunEthanol’s chief executive.

Although the six-person startup wouldn’t disclose the amount of funding it has received, it said it would use the money to fund lab work over the next year to develop the process – so far proven in lab beakers – for larger-scale ethanol production.

The microbe, Clostridium phytofermentans, was discovered in part by University of Massachusetts microbiologist Susan Leschine, also chief scientist and co-founder of SunEthanol.

“There are ways to make the microbe perform better,” Mr. Sharp said. “Right now it makes ethanol, but it doesn’t make enough to be commercially viable. This funding will help us get to the point where the amount of ethanol that is being produced by the microbe is economically competitive.”

Mr. Sharp said the microbe-based technology, which is being licensed from the University of Massachusetts, offers several advantages over the enzyme-based processes being developed by other cellulosic ethanol companies. Not only does the process have the potential to be 25 percent cheaper than enzyme-based technologies, it might also work with multiple feedstocks, Mr. Sharp said. Processes that use enzymes to break down biomass into sugars need to be re-engineered or modified for different feedstocks, he said.

Another advantage stems from the so-called Q Microbe’s natural origins. “It’s naturally occurring so it’s going to have that stability of an organism that’s naturally occurring, as opposed to one that’s genetically engineered,” Mr. Sharp said. “An organism [that] is genetically engineered hasn’t survived in the wild for millions of years so there are more variables to work.”

Making fuel from plants one step closer

2007-09-05T01:48:00.000-07:00

A technology licensed from the University of Massachusetts has the potential to make the production of ethanol from plant matter economical.

SunEthanol Inc., an Amherst-based biofuel technology company, said it has secured financing from four venture investors to develop plant-based ethanol around its Q Microbe technology.
The Q Microbe was found in the Quabbin Reservoir.

The Q Microbe technology is licensed to SunEthanol by UMass. SunEthanol said the venture funding would help the company get its cellulose-based ethanol to market faster.

The company said it can make ethanol from switchgrass, corn, wheat straw, sugar cane and wood pulp - they studies type of bacteria for breakthrough

Ethanol makers pursuing avenue 'Q'

2007-09-05T01:46:00.002-07:00

A new microbe being used by biofuel leaders has the chance to change the way ethanol is produced.

NEW YORK -- Figuring out a way to turn wood pulp, sugar cane, wheat straw and other biomass products into ethanol is the easy part. Figuring out a way to do it economically and efficiently is where it gets tricky.

Biofuel labs across the country have been busy experimenting with various enzymes that can extract sugar from feedstocks which then can be converted into ethanol. But many of the processes are labor and power intensive because of the need to create special enzymes, leaving American producers to continue to rely on corn until cheaper cellulosic methods are perfected.
One of the more recent entrants into the ethanol enzyme race, though, could be one of the most interesting, particularly in terms of the attention it's attracted.

The enigmatically named Q Microbe, under development by SunEthanol Inc., has attracted the attention of major ethanol producer VeraSun Energy, putting it at the forefront of technology for co-called cellulosic ethanol, which is expected to replace corn as the main source of alternative fuel in the United States. The enzyme's allure lies in how it is found in nature and does not need to go through the costly process of being manufactured in a lab to be effective, as well as its efficiency with a variety of biomass products.

Big ethanol shakeout coming?

Enzymes are introduced to cellulosic products like woodchips and switchgrass to extract sugar, which is then fermented to produce ethanol. Enzymatic hydrolysis is considered to be the most cost-effective way to make the biofuel, and the Q Microbe is expected to be cheaper to use than other enzymes because it can do its work naturally in one step, whereas other enzymes need multiple steps in a laboratory to extract the sugar.

Moreover, the Q Microbe so far has been effective with almost all biomass, while other enzymes only work on particular substances.

University of Massachusetts biology professor Susan Leschine discovered the microbe in the soil of New England and she is working with technicians at SunEthanol to incorporate its use in the production process. Those involved expect a test plant to open by 2009 with commercial production coming once the facility has shown it is viable.

VeraSun (Charts) is one company on a very short list of ethanol producers that generate more than 100 million gallons a year in the $23 billion ethanol industry. Its decision to help finance the development of Q Microbe represents a lurch forward away from exclusively corn-based ethanol.

"VeraSun's strategy is to invest in promising technologies that can be added onto our existing facilities," said company CEO Don Endres. "We're excited about this. There's a lot of work that needs to be done. The technology needs to be proven, the process needs to be worked out, but we think it represents good potential."

Financing for patent-pending Q Microbe technology has been provided by VeraSun, along with private equity interests Battery Ventures, Long River Ventures and AST Capital. The companies will make the technology available on the open market once it is perfected.

Battle over ethanol benefits
SunEthanol CEO Jef Sharp said Q "has the potential to change the game."

"We're taking what is promising technology and turning it into commercially viable technology," he said.

Sharp did not disclose how much money it will take to develop the Q Microbe, and a company spokesman would only say that the commitment from VeraSun and the other companies is somewhere in the "multi-million dollar range."

Neither company is ready to say this early specifically how much of a cost savings might be reached when the process is perfected, but analysts say the Q enzyme process could result in a 20 percent discount to corn ethanol, which now runs about $2.20 a gallon.

"We're working hard to develop it to make sure that we can deliver on the promise of the microbe as we see it right now," Sharp said.

VeraSun is among the first of the larger ethanol companies to stake out a position in cellulosic ethanol. The nation's ethanol manufacturers now produce only the corn-based product, with cellulosic commercial sales expected to be at least 18 months away. Large corn-based ethanol manufacturers include Archer Daniels Midland (Charts, Fortune 500) and Poet Ethanol, with BioFuel Energy Corp. (Charts) expected to join that list once its production facility comes online next March.

Todd Neeley, who has researched the Q Microbe for agriculture analysts DTN in Omaha, Neb., said the move could be significant both for VeraSun and SunEthanol as well as the rest of the industry.

"The very fact that Vera Sun is going to put its name and money out there is very significant," he said. "Maybe it's the break that the cellulosic industry has been looking for."

About SunEthanol and Q microbes

2007-09-05T01:46:00.001-07:00

SunEthanol is a biofuels technology company that is commercializing the Q Microbe, a proprietary cellulosic ethanol production technology. SunEthanol’s consolidated bio-processing (CBP) microbe technology is expected to consolidate multiple steps into one efficient and naturally-occurring process, potentially resulting in a lower cost of production and the ability to convert various forms of biomass into ethanol. SunEthanol's patent-pending technology was developed by Dr. Susan Leschine and her team of research scientists at UMass. The company is backed by VeraSun Energy, Battery Ventures, Long River Ventures and AST Capital. For more information visit www.sunethanol.com.

About Battery Ventures

Since 1983, Battery has been investing in technology and innovation worldwide. The firm partners with entrepreneurs and management teams across technology sectors, geographies and stages of a company’s life, from start-up and expansion financing, to growth equity and buyouts.

Battery has supported many breakthrough companies around the world, including: Airespace (acquired by Cisco), Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ: AKAM), Cbeyond (NASDAQ: CBEY), LIFFE (acquired by EuroNext), and Neoteris (acquired by Netscreen). Its current portfolio includes emerging firms such as Advent Solar, BladeLogic (NASDAQ: BLOG), Freshpoint, Lion Cells, NanoConduction and Netezza (NYSE Arca: NZ), as well as more established companies such as ITA Software, Consona Corporation, MetroPCS (NYSE: PCS) and Nova Analytics.

From offices in Boston, Silicon Valley and Israel, Battery manages nearly $3 billion in committed capital, including its current fund of $750 million. For more information, visit www.battery.com.

About Long River Ventures

Long River Ventures is an early stage venture capital firm based in central and western Massachusetts. The firm invests in a mix of seed, start-up, and more advanced early stage companies, typically with revenues under $5MM per year. Long River focuses on identifying promising opportunities and entrepreneurs in the emerging technology and life science centers of New England outside of the traditional Boston and New York metro regions. www.longriverventures.com.

About VeraSun Energy Corporation

VeraSun Energy Corporation (NYSE: VSE), headquartered in Brookings, South Dakota, is committed to be a leading producer of renewable fuel. The Company has three operating ethanol production facilities located in Aurora, SD, Fort Dodge, IA, and Charles City, IA, with three facilities under construction in Hartley, IA, Welcome, MN and Reynolds, IN. VeraSun is in the process of acquiring another three biorefineries currently under construction in Albion, NE, Bloomingburg, OH and Linden, IN. Upon completion of the new facilities and those being acquired, VeraSun will have an annual production capacity of approximately one billion gallons by the end of 2008. The Company also has plans to extract oil from dried distillers grains, a co-product of the ethanol process, for use in biodiesel production.

The Company markets E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline for use in Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), directly to fuel retailers under the brand VE85TM. VE85TM, the first-ever branded E85, is now available at more than 90 retail locations.

Discovery of “Q Microbe” Shows Promise for Advancing Cellulosic Ethanol Technology

2007-09-05T01:44:00.000-07:00

SunEthanol Secures Series A Financing from VeraSun Energy, Battery Ventures and Long River Ventures, to Commercialize Q Microbe

SunEthanol Inc., a biofuels technology company, announced today that it has secured funding to commercialize the Q Microbe, a unique natural bacteria capable of converting cellulose into ethanol. Series A financing for developing patent-pending cellulosic ethanol technology around the Q microbe has been provided by VeraSun Energy (NYSE: VSE), Battery Ventures, Long River Ventures and AST Capital. SunEthanol’s Q Microbe technology, licensed from the University of Massachusetts, has the potential to make the production of ethanol from cellulose economically competitive.

“We are harnessing the power of a naturally occurring microbe in order to convert various forms of biomass into fuel,” said SunEthanol CEO Jef Sharp. “In addition to funding the growth of the company, I am very encouraged by the synergies that result from this round of financing. It will enable us to accelerate the commercialization of our novel technology.”

SunEthanol’s Q Microbe represents true consolidated bio-processing (CBP), a technology that consolidates multiple steps into a single efficient and natural process, potentially resulting in a lower cost of production and the ability to convert various forms of biomass into ethanol. It was discovered by University of Massachusetts professor of microbiology, Dr. Susan Leschine in the soil of New England, near the Quabbin Reservoir, and is being developed for cellulosic ethanol production by Dr. Leschine and the SunEthanol lab team. Dr. Leschine serves as a senior advisor to SunEthanol. The team believes that the Q Microbe’s CBP process can be used with a wide variety of plentiful biomass feedstocks including: switchgrass, corn stover, wheat straw, sugar cane bagasse, and wood pulp. It can potentially be used in all parts of the world where biomass is plentiful.

“Commercializing cellulosic ethanol is an important component in reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Bill Honnef, VeraSun senior vice president. “SunEthanol is developing technology which we believe has the ability to be at the forefront of commercial scale cellulosic ethanol production.”

“We have looked at a number of cellulosic ethanol technologies, and are thrilled to make this investment in a potentially game-changing technology,” said Jason Matlof, partner at Battery Ventures. “The development of a CBP solution has long been the goal of the biofuels industry, and SunEthanol has proven that their microbiological process has unique capabilities to meet the industry’s objectives. This funding will give them the support needed to increase the performance and scale of their technology as they work toward bringing it to market.”

“University of Massachusetts faculty are among the most talented researchers in the world. We work hard to engender an academic environment that helps professors convert revolutionary discoveries to solutions to real-world problems and bring them to market,” said Jack M. Wilson, president of the University of Massachusetts. “Spinning off new companies like SunEthanol is a win-win for the University and our state and nation’s economy—our professors and students are involved in basic and translational research that allows the University to foster new technologies, new companies and new jobs.”

"Q Microbe" Shows Promise for Advancing Cellulosic Ethanol

2007-09-05T01:43:00.000-07:00

SunEthanol Inc., a biofuels technology company, announced last week that it has secured funding to commercialize the Q Microbe, a unique natural bacteria capable of converting cellulose into ethanol.
Series A financing for developing patent-pending cellulosic ethanol technology around the Q microbe has been provided by VeraSun Energy, Battery Ventures, Long River Ventures and AST Capital. SunEthanol's Q Microbe technology, licensed from the University of Massachusetts, has the potential to make the production of ethanol from cellulose economically competitive.

"We are harnessing the power of a naturally occurring microbe in order to convert various forms of biomass into fuel," said SunEthanol CEO Jef Sharp. "In addition to funding the growth of the company, I am very encouraged by the synergies that result from this round of financing. It will enable us to accelerate the commercialization of our novel technology."

SunEthanol's Q Microbe represents true consolidated bio-processing (CBP), a technology that consolidates multiple steps into a single efficient and natural process. It was discovered by University of Massachusetts professor of microbiology, Dr. Susan Leschine in the soil of New England, near the Quabbin Reservoir, and is being developed for cellulosic ethanol production by Dr. Leschine and the SunEthanol lab team.

The team believes that the Q Microbe's CBP process can be used with a wide variety of plentiful biomass feedstocks including: switchgrass, corn stover, wheat straw, sugar cane bagasse, and wood pulp.

"We have looked at a number of cellulosic ethanol technologies, and are thrilled to make this investment in a potentially game-changing technology," said Jason Matlof, partner at Battery Ventures.

"The development of a CBP solution has long been the goal of the biofuels industry, and SunEthanol has proven that their microbiological process has unique capabilities to meet the industry's objectives. This funding will give them the support needed to increase the performance and scale of their technology as they work toward bringing it to market," added Matlof.

If this technology makes ethanol less expensive that methanol, it could help the production of biodiesel also. At present methanol is used with animal and plant lipids to make the methyl ester of the fat. The ethyl ester could equally well be made.Turning waste into fuel - this is critical for our evergrowing world. I hoped this would happen in my lifetime. Thank goodness for those micro biologists!

Congress stalks ethanol corn

2007-09-05T01:37:00.000-07:00

In the rush to renewable energy, lawmkers push for a fuel from plants other than King Corn.

NEW YORK -- Ethanol made from corn may be the sexy starlet of the nation's alternative energy policy but its cellulosic cousin is the young ingenue about to take center stage.

In Congress, where the 2007 energy bill is sparking heated debate over cutting tax breaks for oil companies and other provisions, legislative priorities actually call for a more ambitious program to develop ethanol from sources other than corn over the next 15 years. Corn supplies could never keep up with Americans' insatiable thirst for gasoline, so other plant materials will be needed to fill the void.

Senate lawmakers recently approved a Renewable Fuels Standard calling for the production of 36 billion gallons of ethanol by 2022, with more than half of that coming from plants other than corn - so called cellulosic ethanol. That marks a six-fold jump from what's being produced now and nearly a five-fold increase from the 7.5 billion gallon production sought by 2012.

Sounds like a lot, but some industry experts think the Senate projections could be modest, considering the energy industry right now is close to the old goal set for 2012.

"I do think it's a stretch but everybody thought 7.5 billion was a stretch goal," said Neil Koehler, CEO of California-based Pacific Ethanol. "I do think it's achievable. There's no question that when you get to cellulosic technology, the raw material base is there to support those kinds of gallons. We need 36 billion."

Of those gallons, 21 billion are designated as cellulosic. The number reflects a growing feeling among lawmakers that we have to make better use of the nation's bounty of plants to boost alternate fuel production and wean us from our addiction to foreign oil.

Yet even with the move away from fossil fuels, some industry-watchers are concerned. They worry that America may be trading one addiction - oil - for another - ethanol - that will not solve ecological issues related to global warming.

Transporting ethanol in big tanker trucks, after all, still leaves a pretty sizeable carbon footprint. So does burning trees and spreading fertilizer across thousands of acres that used to be occupied by soybeans, alfalfa, brussel sprouts and wheat. The nitrogen in fertilizer mixes with soil bacteria and produces nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas.

Nathanael Greene, senior policy analyst at the environmental watchdog National Resources Defense Council, worries that too much attention has has been turned to what's expedient - chopping down trees, harvesting millions of acres of corn - and not enough to the ecological, like more environmentally friendly perennial grasses and prairie crops, in seeking alternative fuels.

"The fact that we can make cellulosic technologies with a smaller environmental footprint doesn't mean that we will. What I see is a lot of silver-bullet optimism and gambling going on right now," Greene said. "What we're doing now is just looking at the spigot rather than looking at what's behind it all."

Such sentiment is prevalent among energy industry analysts.

Otto Doering, a public policy expert at Purdue University, said that ethanol's benefits will become more apparent only after the nation reduces fuel consumption, and hence its reliance on foreign oil. He also criticized legislative proposals in other bills that propose subsidies for growing switchgrass and other plants for cellulosic ethanol production.

"We're using 144 billion gallons of gasoline a year and we're all excited because we're going to be producing 8 billion gallons of ethanol, which is costing us $4 billion," he said. "If I put that $4 billion into conservation ... it would be the gift that keeps on giving. Once you put the technology into place to get the conservation going it gives you the return every year."

The energy bill, the Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007, does call for a 35 percent reduction in consumption by 2030. It also calls for better fuel standards - something Detroit automakers long resisted - and even requires the General Services Administration to reduce operating costs in its buildings by 20 percent in five years.

Opponents, though, say the bill will drive up fuel prices and, through an anti-gouging provision, actually cause gas shortages by pricing motor fuel below market value. They also worry about rising food prices caused by the jump in corn prices, which have doubled over the past two years, though forecasts for a big harvest this year could slow the rate of price gains.

At Pacific Ethanol (Charts), they're cognizant of the need to get away from solely corn-based ethanol. The company is expanding to begin producing more cellulosic fuel, which Koehler says will happen in three to seven years at additional plants across the western half of the country.

Koehler calls the current energy bill a positive step toward more cellulosic production and said manufacturers and the government need to continue to keep an eye on providing the raw materials needed for the process.

Bruce Jamerson, president of Cambridge, Mass.-based Mascoma Corp., expects to be producing up to 20 million gallons of ethanol a year by 2009 using wood chips, switchgrass, corn stalks and other products. He, too, sees benefits in the dozens of legislative efforts making their way through Congress, but believes more can be done.

Specifically, Jamerson calls for a federal loan guarantee program for cellulosic producers; an additional tax credit on top of those for corn-based ethanol production, and measures to boost the market for developing cellulosic ethanol.

"In terms of the support I would say that we're heading in the right direction," he said. "It's very positive but more work needs to be done, simply because this is a brand new industry. There are no commercial cellulosic ethanol plants today, there aren't any in the world."

But that doesn't mean there's no demand. Jamerson said he believes commercial demand for cellulosic ethanol is strong and the ability to meet that demand near, with Mascoma preparing to start filling orders in about 18 months.

Plus, he said, cellulosic production has environmental benefits over corn ethanol. A recent study by the University of California-Davis, he noted, showed that cellulosic ethanol takes about one-third - or less - the energy needed to make ethanol from corn

News about gPod - famous High-Tech Sex Toy

2007-08-28T07:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I don`t now whether it is a good news or a bad news.

Just to the point, the gPod (good name) displayed to the public during Japan`s first ever sex toy expo in Tokyo. It is a phallic-shape vibrator that creatively able to respond to sound of media player, television or even voice of your boyfriend on the phone.

“You can use it in many ways, for example hooking it up to your mobile phone,” said Ichiro Kameda, the machine’s inventor. “The dildo vibrates through the same waves as a voice. So one of the ideas is that you can use it here in Tokyo when your boyfriend in New York is talking to you on the phone.”

Hi-Tech classrooms in the 21st century

2007-08-27T05:32:00.000-07:00

When students enter the classroom this fall, their backpacks will be full of more than just loose-leaf paper and pencils. Many of today’s 21st century students carry hi-tech gadgets equipped for a variety of tasks.

Because technology is constantly changing, educators in the Ohio County School system are working to keep classrooms full of necessary tools to keep students on the cutting edge of education.

Additionally, educators are given the resources needed to teach students how to use popular devices such as MP3 players, laptop computers and digital cameras.

Dianna Vargo, assistant superintendent of Ohio County Schools, said the school system regularly keeps up with ever changing technology and the new devices both children and adults are utilizing.

“This is the type of project that prepares students for post secondary education and the world of work,” Richards said.

Ohio County Schools Curriculum Coordinator Sue McGuier said 12th-graders are required to create a senior project, and the end result is a Power Point presentation. The senior project focuses on students’ goals, both educational and personal, and the communication of a learning activity.

Because of this, students spend time downloading music from the Internet to accompany their presentations and use iPods and laptop computers along with LCD projectors — a type of video projector for displaying video, images or computer data on a screen or other flat surface. It is the modern equivalent of the slide projector or overhead projector.

In some cases the Interactive Whiteboard — a device that interprets a projected two-dimensional surface interacting with a computer’s desktop — combined with Power Point presentation integrates a variety of skills.

According to McGuier, the visual component may be integrated film clips or personal photos and music. The photos are taken using a digital camera, which students normally possess. However, the school system does provide a number of devices.

“Beginning this school year all Language Arts teachers in grades six through 12 will be maximizing 21st century skills using the Interactive Whiteboard Projector, laptops and audio equipment to actively involve students in their learning,” McGuier said.

Students enrolled in the WPHS Computer Technology Program, under the direction of Chuck Hill, are available to assist teachers with the use of their technology — as far as making repairs.

Additionally, the schools in Ohio County constantly are being updated with top-of-the-line equipment to use in and out of the classroom.

While many students arrive to the classroom already knowledgeable of how to use hi-tech gadgets, Vargo said the Ohio County Schools Professional Development Council works diligently to focus on staff development for teachers on the use of 21st century tools.

Hi-tech criminals target Vietnam

2007-08-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

VietNamNet Bridge – In the next ten years, Vietnam will become one of the ten most attractive tourist destinations in the world and it will be the age of card services in the country, according to a report of MasterCard.

The use of fake cards to withdraw money from banks is rising around the world. Banking criminals are now operating organisationally, in trans-border manners, and using modern technologies to steal money of banking customers and banks through card services.

With 25 operating accounts and 9 million small financial accounts, Vietnam is considered to be ready for the “credit card culture” and card services will develop strongly in the country in the next tens years. Along with the development of card services, hi-tech criminals will target Vietnam, according to MasterCard.

According to the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank), it has detected more than 20 fake credit cards.

High-tech lights could save gas

2007-08-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

In a big garage-size laboratory in Ford Motor Co.’s sprawling research complex in Dearborn, Mahendra Dassanayake stands beneath a planetarium-like dome that can replicate the sun.

It can surround new cars and trucks with an eye-squinting 5,000 watts of light. Or mimic the fading light of dusk. Or make the room turn black, like a backwoods street where there are no city lights or ambient light from the stars or moon.

In this visual performance evaluation lab -- dreamed up by Dassanayake and put into use a little over a year ago -- Ford can evaluate new interior and exterior lights in virtually every lighting condition mother nature and the manmade world has to offer.

But the research isn’t just about offering better, cooler lights. Ultimately, it’s about improving fuel economy with more efficient lights, such as those that use light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs.

About 5% of fuel consumption goes directly to power a vehicle’s interior and exterior lights, said Dassanayake, a senior staff technology specialist at Ford. So, more efficient lighting systems, which offer good luminosity with less power, could ultimately save consumers at the gas pump.

Lately, Dassanayake’s lab has focused on the benefits and challenges of LED lights over other forms of bulbs, such as incandescent, halogen or fluorescent versions that generally use a filament that must be heated and gas to create a visible spectrum.

LEDs don’t have a filament that can burn out. Rather, they are illuminated solely by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor material, called a diode, which is a small, long-lasting chip.

Bulbs with light-emitting diodes are about twice as efficient as the other light forms, and usually 10 times more expensive. But Dassanayake said that if the lighting systems of all future vehicles were LED, consumers could save as much as a gallon of gas per week.

“We are not doing LEDs for the sake of LEDs,” he said.

Rwanda: Faisal Gets Hi-Tech Breast Cancer Gadget

2007-08-22T03:18:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer patients have renewed hopes after King Faisal Hospital in Kigali secured a high-tech machine to help doctors detect the disease. The mammography machine, which uses X-ray images of the affected breast, helps physicians to detect and evaluate breast cancer at an early stage. It is part of the newly procured medical apparatus from a $12 million (approx Frw6.7bn) grant, which Saudi Arabia offered to King Faisal Hospital (KFH).

The grant extended which had been promised last year is meant for expansion and stocking of the hospital with modern equipment to upgrade into a referral hospital.

Dr Etienne Uwimana, the head of Radiology Department, said: "Breast cancer among African women has been there but lack of medical equipment for physicians to detect it remains a major stumbling block."

He said the new gadget will complement the already existing cancer detecting technology using an echography device which relies on ultra-sound waves.
Already, KFH has secured five sets of neonatal intensive care gadgets for infants less than a month old.

The gadgets are Vital Sign Monitor, Resuscitate Infant Warmer and Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.
However, Dr Joseph Mucumbitsi, the head of Paediatratic Department at the hospital expressed concern over lack of safe transportation means for premature infants from upcountry areas.
"It is serious problem which requires more government's attention to stop infants' death caused by that," Mucumbitsi said adding that KGH is the only one provider of such a service in the whole country. He also pointed out ignorance among mothers about maternal health checks for premature deliverance.

Other new machines obtained by the hospital include two high detecting Microscopes, an Electrophoresis Analyzer and Safety Storage Cabinets for laboratory practices.
"They will enable us to store hazardous chemicals and to conduct laboratory tests that have been done abroad," Emma Ngoga, the head of Laboratory department, said.
The government has of late upgraded the hospital, with a view of equipping it with the necessary medical specialists and technology to help cut down on the number of patients who travel abroad for treatment.

Creative Zen Vision M 60 GB Portable Media Player features and review

2007-08-22T02:35:00.000-07:00

The Vision:M is Creative’s newest creation poised with an impressive set of features. The most notable feature is the video playback file support which easily handles MPEG, DivX, XviD, WMV9, and Motion-JPEG. The video, as well as photos, play back on the Vision:M’s bright 2.5” 262k color 320 x 240 pixel screen.

Memorex MMP8640 4GB flash audio player - the newest audio gadget.

Features and style aside, you cannot argue with the massive amount of quality content providers- Napster, Yahoo!, Rhapsody, MSN Music, AOL Music, to name a few, along with the upcoming content deals with MTV, Microsoft, BBC, TiVO, and others. When selecting a new MP3 player, this one should not be overlooked. It is a well built, well designed, easy to use player with lots of useful features. Overall I am very impressed with the Vision:M, despite some of its shortcomings.

Spy everyone with this new spy gadget

2007-08-22T02:31:00.000-07:00

The spy gadget presented today is manufactured by Orbitor Electronic.

The gadget is a listening device that allows you to you listen to distant sounds and voices from 300 feet away.

Orbitor Listening Device Gadget Features:

-Includes padded full-size high-quality headphones
-Weighs 1.9 Lbs
-Measures 11×7 inches
-Digital recording system allows you to playback 120 second snippets
-Watch and Hear birds simultaneously
-Take it to the game to hear what the coach is saying in the huddle
-See things up close with viewfinder and 10x prism optical system
-Utilizes advanced parabolic sound technology
-Related post Spion binocular with 50mp digital camera

Cool iPod speakers from Hisungtech

2007-08-22T02:04:00.000-07:00

Top iPod speakers will be presented today. Like I said in the iPod mania post the Apple's iPod gadget is so popular that evryone is making something to go with the iPod.

Today you will find some of the iPod accessories made by Hisungtech.

1. Portable Audio System Designed For iPod Hs-PL2026

Compatible with iPod shuffle, iPod mini 20G, 40G, photo, Nano, Nano (new) and video (30G, 60G and 80G) iPods

16W sound output (10W + 2 x 3W)

iPod docking and charging

Wireless remote control.

2. Truly Move Your Music: iPod Speaker HS-DS330

Built-in ipod docking adaptor(ipod video 30G/60G ,ipod NANO)Output power:20W*2

High efficiency digital amplification

Built-in AM/FM radio function

Remote control for speaker and ipodWith alarm clock

3. iPod Portable Water-Proof Speaker HS-R8111

Water proof iPod speaker

Use for iPod,mp3,mp4,PC,CD,cell phone

Output: 1.5w

Power supply: 9v

4. Mini iPod Speaker HS-SD019

High performance 1.5″ neodyum driver deliver crisp clear audio

Output Power:2×2W

Built-in amplifier for active operation

Supports iPod with iPod slots or other audio players with 3.5mm earphone jack

5. Vacuum Tube iPod Speaker HS-IS02

Vacuum Tube Amplifier embedded in a Piano paint finish wooden ported enclosure

Output Power:2×16W+18W

Fully compatible with other audio sources Most advanced iPod dock compatible with all iPods, including the Shuffle(optional)

Memorex MMP8640 4GB MP3 Player with LED Lighting

2007-08-22T02:02:00.000-07:00

Memorex MMP8640 4GB flash audio player is the newest audio gadget.

It distinguishes itself from others Mp3 players like: iPod and Zune by the LEDs that give the the player 6 different color schemes which extend to the interface as well.

Memorex MMP8640 uses mini-SD that allows you to increase Mp3 player capacity by another 4GB at most.

The screen is a QCIF+. QCIF+ LCD display for mobile phones and PDAs that is specialized at showing text, still photos and video. Memorex MMP8640 screen has 176×220 for playing back MPEG-4 in either landscape or portrait mode.

Memorex claims that the battery life is about 20 hours.

30 GB Digital Media Player

2007-08-22T01:57:00.000-07:00

Microsoft’s Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player without secrets. All the important features of this iPod rival will be discussed in today post.

Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player short description

Zune 30 GB is desigened around the principles of sharing, discovery and community, Zune will create new ways for people to connect and share entertainment experiences.

The Zune experience centers around connection– connection to your library, connection to friends, connection to community and connection to other devices.

Zune starts with a 30GB digital media player and adds a twist. You can wirelessly share selected full-length sample tracks, playlists, pictures or your home-grown tracks directly from Zune to Zune.

The Zune has arrived, sporting sharing features that may revolutionize the way we experience music.

You can listen to the full-length songs that you receive up to three times in three days, flag the ones you like and easily buy them the next time you sync up. You can discover new music in the Zune Marketplace, and show off your favorite pictures and videos on the big, bright screen.

Wireless Zune-to-Zune Sharing

Zune Accessories

You can choose from a full line of accessories to outfit your Zune. Three Zune Accessory Packs provide complete solutions for Zune in your car, in your home or while you travel. Individual accessories are also available:
- The Zune Car Pack includes everything needed to hit the road with a Zune device, such as the built-in FM tuner with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger.
- The Zune Home A/V Pack enhances your experience in the home through five products that integrate Zune with the TV and music speakers: Component AV Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Sync Cable, Zune AC Adapter and the Zune Wireless Remote for Zune Dock.
- Zune Travel Pack is a set of five products designed to keep friends and family entertained on the road: Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Dual Connect Remote, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and the Zune AC Adapter.

Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player Technical Details

Supported standards: WMA, AAC, MP3
Battery Average Life: 14 Hours
Width: 7.44 inches
Depth: 0.6 inches
Height: 7.44 inches
Weight: 5.01 pounds
Media type: Hard disk drive
Component type: Digital Player
Audio output mode: Stereo
Digital storage capacity: 30 GB

Apple 80 GB iPod video Black presentation

2007-08-22T01:51:00.000-07:00

Apple iPod - Continuing its tradition of hardware and software innovation and design, Apple has released a new iPod that surpasses the last.

Black iPod with 80 GB hard drive for songs, podcasts, videos, games, and more.

This update to the 5th generation iPod with video playback features a huge 80GB hard drive - the largest yet!

With iTunes 7 ushering in movie and game downloads, there’s more than enough content to satisfy this beast of a media player
The gadget has large, 2.5-inch, 320 x 240 pixel color display screen.

Apple 80 GB iPod video Black holds up to 20,000 songs, thousands of photos, and hours of video.

Search function lets you type name of song with Click Wheel for instant results.

Ports - dock connector, Stereo minijack, composite video and audio through minijack.

Connectivity for Apple 80 GB iPod video Black - USB through dock connector, composite video (with A/V cable - sold separately), and audio through headphone jack or line out on the iPod Universal Dock.

Good parts:
-Great GB/money ratio
-Bright screen
-Battery life on video is double what it was before
-Great interface
-Innovative search
-Games are pretty fun
-Excellent design
-Minimal buttons.

Bad parts:
-Scratches easily
-Battery isn’t removable
-Still no FM tuner, line-in, or voice record
-Expensive accessories
-Cheap earbuds.

Ipod gadgets models

2007-08-22T01:42:00.000-07:00

I have realized that I was talking about the iPod gadgets without having a special post about them. So I’m going to correct that.

What is iPod?

iPod is a brand of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple and launched in 2001. Devices in the iPod range are primarily digital audio players, designed around a central click wheel — although the iPod shuffle has buttons also.

As of October 2005, the line-up consists of the video-capable fifth generation iPod, the smaller iPod nano, and the display-less iPod shuffle. The full-sized model stores media on an internal hard drive, while the smaller iPod nano and iPod shuffle use flash memory. Like many digital music players, iPods can also serve as external data storage devices. In January 2007, Apple announced the iPhone, a device that combined the features of the video-capable iPod with mobile phone and mobile Internet capabilities.

What iPod looks like.

Car gadget Harman Kardon Drive + Play 2

2007-08-22T01:39:00.000-07:00

Harman Kardon - new car gadget Drive + Play 2 is compatible with iPod and Zune.
If you have wanted a audio car gadget that will alow you to listen you favorite music from Mp3 player (iPod or Zune)
Harman Kardon Drive + Play 2 special features is an iPod-and-Zune compatible connection hub, a 3.5″ color display, a control knob that wirelessly adjusts the volume and helps you select music and the iPod menu controls can be mounted wherever you fancy.

You can also hook up the Drive + Play 2 to stereos with audio inputs, while an FM modulator broadcasts music to stereos without them.
A software voice is reading out menu names and initial letters without having to leave your eyes off the road for a second when changing tracks.

Unusual gadget - Tape Recorder Blocker

2007-08-22T01:36:00.000-07:00

Tape Recorder Blocker is the unusual gadget of this week.
Are you afraid that someone is spying you?

Now you have an anti spy gadget. The Tape Recorder Blocker. The Tape Recorder Blocker is specifically designed to block digital or tape recorders, and all microphones associated with transmitters/bugging devices by emitting a sub-audible tone which cannot be detected by the human ear but will drown out any recordings when played back.

The unit has a built-in clock and can be used as a desk-top item by simply placing a telephone on top of it. It also comes with a smart document holder so that it can be carried around and used portably via the in-built re-chargeable batteries which will give 2.5 hours of uninterrupted use.

The Tape Recorder Blocker has a remote control to activate or de-activate this unusual gadget.

Anydrive car gadget, Mp3 player with FM radio

2007-08-22T01:34:00.000-07:00

In the previous post I have tlaked about USB gadgets, today is time for car gadgtes.
Yes the time is come so people with cars to enjoy the latest car gadgets.

Simply plug your portable CD or MP3 player via USB into the Anydrive and you’re set; or plug in your USB memory device for an even lighter load.
The on-board Play, FF/RW, and Volume controls provide easy access to your music, and the 4 dip-switch channel-selector guarantees the cleanest possible FM transmission.

The USB port provides quick access to your music.

TomTom GO 720 Nominated For The Most Useful Gadget Award

2007-08-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

We’ve been raving about it for weeks now. Other websites have already showered it with praise, presenting it with top marks in their gadget reviews. The TomTom GO 720 simply has everyone in the industry foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the impact it is set to create in the GPS world.

Now T3.co.uk, one of the UK’s leading tech news and reviews websites, has nominated the GO720 for its inaugural T3 awards 2007 under the “Most Useful Gadget” category. Up against the likes of the acclaimed Nokia N95, Sky Television’s new High Definition television service, the Blackberry, and the nifty Freeloader Solar Charger, the competition is certainly a tough one. However, given the fantastic range of features boasted by the GO 720, it is sure to fend off its competitors and prevail.

The imminent release of TomTom’s new flagship device, the Go 720, is already beginning to create a stir in the GPS community. PCPro and VNUNet have both awarded it with the highest possible rating, and a number of other sites are hailing the device as the best GPS on the market. And quite rightly so – the Go 720 isn’t just an update to previous models, it boasts a whole host of innovative new features which set it apart from the crowd.

In addition to improvements in aesthetics, which include a larger 4.3 inch touch screen, and smaller, more lightweight design, the Go 720 really packs a punch, featuring a number of improvements to earlier TomTom models.

With integrated Bluetooth, users can now pair their TomTom with their Mobile phone to enable TomTom ‘Plus’ services, such as weather and traffic. Hands-free functionality and text to speech (allowing text messages to be read aloud), as well as audio routing through Bluetooth enabled car stereos, means that drivers can have a safer, more convenient driving experience.

Perhaps the most significant feature is the inclusion of TomTom’s new Map Share software, which enables users to interact with mapping data in a unique and exciting way. Drivers can now modify their own maps by adding new roads, streets, alternative routes, traffic directions – you can even update motorway entrances/exits, Points of Interest and speed camera locations.

It will also be possible to share map modifications with the 10 million strong TomTom community using the included TomTom HOME desktop software, and as the number of Map Share users grows, Map Share looks set to redefine the way that users interact with their GPS.

Map Share will be shipping with TomTom’s latest releases, including the new TomTom Go 520 and 720 and should be available very soon!

Neuro-Hitech to Present at Noble Financial Conference

2007-08-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

Neuro-Hitech, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of next-generation compounds against proven targets for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced, that Chief Scientific Officer Dr. William Wong will present at the Noble Financial "Two-Double-O-Seven" Small Cap Conference/Microcap Symposium at the Charleston Place Hotel, in Charleston, South Carolina. The conference focus is on companies that represent high, but yet to be realized, value because they are undiscovered or otherwise misunderstood.

The Company will present at 12:30 pm. in the Thunderball Room on August 21st. The presentation will be webcast live via the Conference website.

The Noble event will feature companies across a broad range of industry sectors. Senior executives will make group presentations to analysts and portfolio managers on their business strategy and outlook, and will be available for breakout sessions and one-on-one meetings.

About Noble Financial

Noble Financial is a privately-held, full-service capital markets firm driven by what is often overlooked by other firms - uncovering the value embedded in the orphaned, undiscovered or misunderstood company. The company focuses on converting market inefficiencies into profit opportunities. Noble Financial supports emerging companies through strategic advice, investment banking, market-making, sales & trading, comprehensive equity research, and the development of institutional support. Noble Financial's equity conferences - 2007 marks their third annual - allow for a unique blend of professional and personal interaction among a diverse cross-section of executives. The company has operated for 23 years and has offices in Florida and New York City.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act). To the extent that any statements made in this press release contain information that is not historical, these statements are essentially forward-looking. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "plans," "will," "may," "anticipates," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates," "projects" and other words of similar meaning.

These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified and, consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include those outlined in "Risk Factors" found within our Annual Report on Form 10-KSB and include, without limitation, Neuro-Hitech's limited cash and ability to raise capital to finance the growth of Neuro-Hitech's operations, the ability of Neuro-Hitech to develop its products and obtain necessary governmental approvals, Neuro-Hitech's ability to protect its proprietary information, Neuro-Hitech's ability to attract or retain qualified personnel, including scientific and technical personnel and other risks detailed from time to time in Neuro-Hitech's filings with the SEC, or otherwise.

Hi-tech sex toys excite Japan

2007-08-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

THE Japanese are famous for their enthusiasm for new technology. But the new gadget causing excitement in Tokyo is not a phone or laptop - it's a sex toy.

THE Japanese love technology so much that now even sex toys are on the cutting edge. The “gPod”, a phallic-shaped vibrator, is designed to respond automatically to sounds picked up by an accompanying handset, which can plug into anything from a telephone to a music player to a television.

The ¥25,000 ($243) gPod was one of a number of toys that went on public view yesterday at Japan's first-ever sex toy expo in suburban Tokyo.

“You can use it in many ways, for example hooking it up to your mobile phone,” said Ichiro Kameda, the machine's inventor. “The dildo vibrates through the same waves as a voice. "So one of the ideas is that you can use it here in Tokyo when your boyfriend in New York is talking to you on the phone.” Kameda said he had spent four years trying to design a product when he hit upon the concept.

He declined to say how the idea came to him. Nearly 160 companies or groups are exhibiting products and services at the three - day Adult Treasure Expo 2007, including sex toys, sex machines, costumes and videos.

Start-up to produce cheaper ethanol with Q microbe (macrophoto)

2007-08-15T04:26:00.000-07:00

SunEthanol wants to streamline ethanol production from plant cellulose, using bacteria to do the heavy lifting.

The company, spun off from the University of Massachusetts, on Tuesday announced that it has raised a first round of funding for an undisclosed amount and intends to raise a second round later this year. Investors are ethanol producer VeraSun Energy, Battery Ventures, Long River Ventures and AST Capital.

The investment will be used to optimize a naturally occurring microbe, which the company calls the Q Microbe, to make ethanol, a car fuel. The microbe was discovered by Susan Leschine, University of Massachusetts professor of microbiology and company adviser, in the soil of New England.

The microbe can degrade the cellulose - essentially the fiber in green plants - and convert it to sugar, which is fermented into ethanol, explained company CEO Jef Sharp.

Making ethanol from plant cellulose, called cellulosic ethanol, is considered less polluting than making ethanol from grains such as corn. But the technology to produce cellulosic ethanol has not been used on a commercial scale, and the facilities are typically a lot more expensive to build than corn ethanol plants.

The company, spun off from the University of Massachusetts, on Tuesday announced that it has raised a first round of funding for an undisclosed amount and intends to raise a second round later this year. Investors are ethanol producer VeraSun Energy, Battery Ventures, Long River Ventures and AST Capital.

The investment will be used to optimize a naturally occurring microbe, which the company calls the Q Microbe, to make ethanol, a car fuel. The microbe was discovered by Susan Leschine, University of Massachusetts professor of microbiology and company adviser, in the soil of New England.

The microbe can degrade the cellulose - essentially the fiber in green plants - and convert it to sugar, which is fermented into ethanol, explained company CEO Jef Sharp.
Making ethanol from plant cellulose, called cellulosic ethanol, is considered less polluting than making ethanol from grains such as corn. But the technology to produce cellulosic ethanol has not been used on a commercial scale, and the facilities are typically a lot more expensive to build than corn ethanol plants.

Using the Q Microbe can reduce the number of steps needed to break down plant matter into ethanol, Sharp said. Other cellulosic ethanol processes require multiple steps and use enyzmes to break down the cellulose in plants.

"It's very unusual for a microbe to have ethanol as its primary byproduct. Once we knock out some of the other things it makes, its performance will increase," Sharp said.
The Q Microbe works with a wide range of plant matter, or biomass, including grasses, wood pulp, and different forms of agricultural residue like corn husks.
The company also intends to engineer a process based on the Q Microbe. It hopes to have a demonstration plant in 2009, Sharp said.

Hi-Tech mosquitoes killer!!

2007-08-13T04:49:00.000-07:00

Summer’s here and the coolest gadget team are turning their attention to barbeques, parties and mosquitoes. As many of you will know, mosquitoes can ruin those warm summer evenings for some, and be a serious threat to the health of others.
I’m sure you’ve heard of a million gizmos that claim to repel mosquitoes with chemicals, ultrasound etc. Here we’ve found a couple of contrasting approaches to mosquito control, depending on your budget!

The hi-tech solution (shown on the left hand side picture!) is the Mosquito Mega-Catch from Hammacher that uses flashing LEDs, pheromones, and ultra violet light to lure the blood-sucking insects towards the machine. As they get close, they’re sucked inside by a negative airflow. It’s been claimed that one of these machines devoured 1200 mosquitoes in a single night, and at $200 dollars this gadget’s not overly expensive.
Of course there are people for whom 200 US is unthinkable, and these are most likely to be the people whose lives are threatened by the malaria parasite. The low-tech solution, developed and perfected by schoolchildren from Taiwan, uses a 2 litre soft drink bottle, filled with a sugar solution, to which yeast is added. The yeast ferments the sugar producing CO2 gas that acts as a magnet for the mosquitoes. If the top of the bottle is cut off and replaced in an inverted position, the insects are trapped. The yeast will continue to produce CO2 for two weeks.
I’m definitely going to try the low-tech solution, because we have a baby this year and I’m worried that the chemicals produced by our (very effective) mosquito repellent device will harm him. If that doesn’t work I could afford $200, I suppose, but I have to say I’d feel a little uneasy about doing so.
DIY mosquito trap found in Burkina Faso!

Xbox Sharpens Picture With High-Def Interface

2007-08-10T04:15:00.000-07:00

Gamers who pick up a new Xbox 360 premium version may find two added features: a new HDMI port for high-definition viewing, and hardware that won't burn itself out after a few weeks. Microsoft quietly rolled out the HDMI-enabled systems recently, and the consoles on which the outputs appear likely have also been given the hardware fix Microsoft promised to remedy the so-called "red ring of death."

The same week the world learned Microsoft had shaved US$50 off the price of its Xbox 360 next-generation gaming console, the company also rolled out refreshed versions of its Xbox 360 Premium models. Consumers picking up the consoles from now on will receive a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port.
The news initially came from gamers who had recently purchased the console and were surprised to find it included the HDMI port, according to reports.
The addition offered another choice for console owners. HDMI-enabled platforms, according to a Microsoft spokesperson, are gradually being introduced by retailers. The HDMI-enabled consoles are fairly easy to spot, as they sport an HDMI logo placed on the box.

Double Whammy
The new functionality makes the device a bonus for gamers with high-definition televisions. The HDMI port allows gamers to simply connect their consoles to compatible HD TVs using a single digital cable. The resulting image on the screen will provide up to 1080p resolution, an improvement over the component video connections found on older models without the HDMI port that offer poorer resolution using more cables. It will also offer improve the game's audio as well.

Combined with the $50 price cut, Microsoft's latest addition provides consumers who have been toying with the idea of purchasing the console a little more incentive to do so, Mike Goodman, a Yankee Group analyst, told TechNewsWorld.

"It adds another little feature to the premium model," he said. "If you're gonna play games in HD and you're gonna play them on an HD TV, then having an HD output is awful nice."

Don't Like to play Xbox 360? Try Traveling To Burkina Faso!

'A Nice Addition'
While only about 5 percent of households in the U.S. currently have an HD television, that percentage is expected to surge, and within five years will grow to as much as 50 percent of households by 2012, according to Michael Pachter, an analyst at WedBush Morgan.

"Gaming households both for the [PlayStation 3] and the 360 index higher with HD TVs than the national average," he explained. "So it would be a nice addition.

"It's very nice to have," Pachter noted, "and necessary to have it or DVI (digital visual interface) if you want to run at 1080p."

With the release of the Elite model last Spring, this announcement came as no real surprise, Brian O'Rourke, an InStat analyst, told TechNewsWorld. While it still does not remove the incentive to purchase a PS3, which boasts a Blu-ray high-definition DVD drive, it does make the console more attractive, he acknowledged.

"This really isn't a surprising announcement. HDMI had already been announced in the Xbox 360 Elite, the high-end Xbox with the bigger drive. It's not surprising they are putting it in the Xbox 360 Premium."

So Long, Red Ring of Death?
The new devices come include an additional boon for gamers who have been leery about purchasing the Xbox 360 after many users reported seeing the what's been dubbed the "red ring of death" -- the flashing ring of red light on the front of the system indicating the console had suffered a catastrophic failure and would need to be replaced.

Microsoft announced in early July that the design flaw that triggered the much-dreaded red ring had been corrected. The company also unveiled its new extended warranty, which will cost Redmond more than US$1 billion.

For Pachter, the most significant aspect of the release of the HDMI-enabled consoles is that it "gives consumers a way to be sure they are buying a box that doesn't have the design flaw that caused the red rings of death problem addressed by Microsoft's extended warranty."

The new machines are recently manufactured, he explained, so it would be a safe assumption that those devices would not include the flawed design.

The Mosquitoes disturb to play? Mosquitoes force to sell houses In california !