An employee of the Japanese subsidiary of US hearing instruments giant Starkey’s displays a pair of glasses equipped with a new digital ‘acouphone’ on its bows. The F229D glasses have bone-conduction speakers that enables the user to listen to clear sounds vibrated through his or her skull. Starkey Japan started selling the new device with a price of 4,20,000 yen (Rs 1,60,000 approx) for a pair of dual ‘acouphone’ glasses and 2,20,000 yen (Rs 84,000 approx) for the one side ‘acouphone’ model

May I take your order?

Robot No 1 and No 2 are displayed at a restaurant called Robot Kitchen in Hong Kong. Robot No 1 is designed to take orders from customers while Robot No 2 is designed as a female robot and is supposed to deliver dishes. The owners say that this is the first such restaurant in the world

A wallet is something most guys would have gone through many times throughout their lifetime, but this time round instead of choosing the traditional black color leather version, why not carry the ogon wallet with you? Not only does it offer added peace of mind with special protection against RFID technology from picking up information stored within, it will also come in a slew of refreshing colors to spice up your otherwise boring wardrobe.
The aluminium casing protects your cards from being read by radio-frequency-identification (RFID) technology. Your cards will also be protected from electro-magnetic radiation. The brushed aluminum gives the Ogon Wallet a modern techno look. Compact and lightweight, it holds up to 15 cards in its seven sleeves, which protect the cards’ magnetic strips. Slips easily into your shirt pocket or purse.

Remember the the professional pen tablets–the Bamboo series–released by Wacom some time ago? Well, this recent Intuos4 tablet from Wacom is just like that Bamboo series, albeit this one has controls on the side rather than on top of the screen. Don’t expect though that the Intuos4 has a multitouch capacity (like the upgraded Bamboo series) because it has none.
It, however, has user-defined ExpressKeys as well as multifunction Touch Ring that makes it easy to use functions like zooming, panning and other shortcuts. It is especially designed for artists since the pen is designed in such a way that it feels like writing on a real paper.

nuclear battery

nuclear battery

Are you tired of your short laptop battery life with only a few hours? Would you like the charge of your mobile phone to last a couple of months? Well, the answer to your “prayers” might be the nuclear batteries, which are been developed at the University of Missouri. They are designed especially for providing a lasting source of energy. And some people think these batteries could replace the current ones, including those used by the electrical cars. According to the creators, a nuclear battery has a very enormous capacity to generate electricity when compared to a regular one.
The batteries have always been the Achilles’ heel of the mobile devices. Usually, the designers of electronic devices for mass consumption (like laptops or media players) use small displays or screens that are not very bright in order to save the scarce energy resources that are provided from the regular batteries. But the new nuclear battery would bring a solution based on a liquid semiconductor (rather than a solid semiconductor) that will produce a much longer lifetime for the battery. The reason is the solid semiconductors are attacked constantly by some radioactive elements used by other types of batteries, while the liquid semiconductor is quite resistant to these attacks. Although the term “nuclear” can be a little perturbing, the fact is that these batteries are not very different from those batteries used in, for example, medical pacemakers.

The new radioisotope battery has the size of a penny and provides much more power than the traditional ones because, according to the researches, its capacity is very superior. Jae Kwon, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Missouri, said that the radioisotope battery “can provide power density that is six orders of magnitude higher than chemical batteries”. That is to say, it provides no less than a million times more charge than any “normal” battery.
Kwon and his research team have spent enough time working to solve many problems that they have encountered when developing this type of battery. One important thing is the batteries need to be small and thin in order to be practical and useful; this way, they could be used to power watches and small electronic devices. As mentioned before, the prototype (which you can see in the picture below) has the size and thickness of a penny, but the researchers think they can achieve a thinner battery. In order to do this, Kwon has required the collaboration of another professor: J. David Robertson (chemistry professor and associate director of the MU Research Reactor). Together, they hope to maximize the power of the nuclear batteries as well as reduce the size and test other materials to make additional improvements. Kwon thinks that the final battery, which would be used in commercial gadgets, could be thinner than a human hair. For the moment, the research team have required a provisional patent in order to protect the exclusive right to use this invention.

memristor a microscopic component

The Next Big thing? The memristor, a microscopic component that can "remember" electrical states even when turned off. It's expected to be far cheaper and faster than flash storage. A theoretical concept since 1971, it has now been built in labs and is already starting to revolutionize everything we know about computing, possibly making flash memory, RAM, and even hard drives obsolete within a decade.
The memristor is just one of the incredible technological advances sending shock waves through the world of computing. Other innovations in the works are more down-to-earth, but they also carry watershed significance. From the technologies that finally make paperless offices a reality to those that deliver wireless power, these advances should make your humble PC a far different beast come the turn of the decade.

Wireless Energy Transfer

To the energy transfer is taking place through wire or conductor. With wired power or energy transfer, we can easily transmit energy of very low to extra high value. But for some places it will be very useful if the energy transfer occur without wire is required. There are different concepts used in the field of wireless transfer technology. The one more thing is that the % of amount of energy transfer is main criteria to transfer between places of very large distances.These are

1. Resonant induction coupling (Evenescent wave coupling)Electro magnetic wave in a high angular waveguide is called as evenescent waves which carry no energy, when if a proper resonant waveguide is brought near the transmitter then a tunnel is formed to the power drawing waveguide which can be converted in DC using rectifier circuits.A prototype model is achieved with 5 meters of ranges with this method.

2. Radio and microwave energy transfer:with this method a long range is possible. In this method microwave is sent to the long distances and can be received through rectenna which extract microwave energy back to electrical energy. But the problem with this methods is that the diameter of antenna should be order of km.

3. Laser beam transferIn this method, laser is beamed to the photo voltaic cells which extracts the electrical energy

4. Electrical conduction methodIn this method, while transfer energy through wires or conductors, when the voltage reaches the breakdown voltage, the sorrounding medium start conducts, in this way the enegy can be transferred through air medium.Though there are several methods available, in practical cases there is no device for transmitting power wirelessly with high energy capacity. But at low power transfer there are so many devices available in the market.

Wireless Energy Transfer

To the energy transfer is taking place through wire or conductor. With wired power or energy transfer, we can easily transmit energy of very low to extra high value. But for some places it will be very useful if the energy transfer occur without wire is required. There are different concepts used in the field of wireless transfer technology. The one more thing is that the % of amount of energy transfer is main criteria to transfer between places of very large distances.These are

1. Resonant induction coupling (Evenescent wave coupling)Electro magnetic wave in a high angular waveguide is called as evenescent waves which carry no energy, when if a proper resonant waveguide is brought near the transmitter then a tunnel is formed to the power drawing waveguide which can be converted in DC using rectifier circuits.A prototype model is achieved with 5 meters of ranges with this method.

2. Radio and microwave energy transfer:with this method a long range is possible. In this method microwave is sent to the long distances and can be received through rectenna which extract microwave energy back to electrical energy. But the problem with this methods is that the diameter of antenna should be order of km.

3. Laser beam transferIn this method, laser is beamed to the photo voltaic cells which extracts the electrical energy

4. Electrical conduction methodIn this method, while transfer energy through wires or conductors, when the voltage reaches the breakdown voltage, the sorrounding medium start conducts, in this way the enegy can be transferred through air medium.Though there are several methods available, in practical cases there is no device for transmitting power wirelessly with high energy capacity. But at low power transfer there are so many devices available in the market.

Bhuvan is a geoportal that provides medium to high resolution satellite imagery of virtually the entire India over the internet. You can "fly" around using mouse and keyboard on a simple desktop computer with virtual globe in front draped with IRS images over Indian region. Many other features are built in, including 3D terrain and information on many thematic data.

Disappointments in Bhuvan

1. India recently got its own version of Google Earth, courtesy Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Called Bhuvan, the Desi version of Google Earth goes a step ahead. The mapping application allows users to zoom far closer than the aerial view from a chopper. Though dubbed as a Google Earth killer by many analysts, the application does have a few disappointments. Here's looking into all that is missing in Bhuvan.

2. While Google Earth works on a downloadable client, Bhuvan works within the browser (only supports Windows and IE 6 and above). Unlike Google Earth which is a desktop app, Bhuvan runs using a browser plug-in. Users need to create an account and download a plug-in

3. The site was inaccessible for the better part of the last weekend (it was launched on 13th August) and even now, it gives up or hangs the browser every once in a while. When a layer (state, district, taluk, etc.) is turned on, it renders unevenly and sometimes fails to render at all. The navigation panel failed to load routinely and it felt like a rare sighting when we could actually use the panel.

4. But these are relatively minor quibbles compared with the biggest disappointment. The promise of high resolution images has not been kept. While the service promises zoom upto 10 metres from the ground level (this is contrasted with apparently 200 metres for Google Earth), we didn’t encounter a single image with nearly as much detailing. In fact, comparative results for a marquee location such as New Delhi’s Connaught Place, shows why we won’t be uninstalling out Google Earth software anytime soon.

5. The navigation tools are similar to Google Earth. The search doesn’t work if a query returns multiple results. A pop up window is supposed to give the multiple results from which the user is supposed to be able to choose. During two days of sporadic testing, we found the result only once. The rest of the time, the window would pop up, but nothing would be displayed. When the search is accurate, the software ‘flies in’ to the exact location, the same way as Google Earth.

6. Bhuvan packs a lot of data on weather, waterbodies and population details of various administrative units. We were unable to access weather data. On clicking the icon of administrative units, one could see basic information such as the population. For specialist users, Bhuvan might hold some attraction. For instance, there is a drought map which can be used to compare drought situation across years and there is a flood map that shows Bihar during the Kosi flood and after. With Isro backing, Bhuvan would be able to provide such relevant data from time to time, but the application needs major improvements in terms of usability before it will be of interest to the ordinary user.

7. Users can also not edit any data or tag locations. We hope Bhuvan is able to fix the bugs soon. But even then, to be a credible alternative to existing mapping services, and even to get new users to try it, it must provide much higher resolution images. User interest will be piqued only when they can see their house or school or local street in high resolution. With ISRO data, this is easily doable.

Bhuvan is a geoportal that provides medium to high resolution satellite imagery of virtually the entire India over the internet. You can "fly" around using mouse and keyboard on a simple desktop computer with virtual globe in front draped with IRS images over Indian region. Many other features are built in, including 3D terrain and information on many thematic data.

Disappointments in Bhuvan

1. India recently got its own version of Google Earth, courtesy Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Called Bhuvan, the Desi version of Google Earth goes a step ahead. The mapping application allows users to zoom far closer than the aerial view from a chopper. Though dubbed as a Google Earth killer by many analysts, the application does have a few disappointments. Here's looking into all that is missing in Bhuvan.

2. While Google Earth works on a downloadable client, Bhuvan works within the browser (only supports Windows and IE 6 and above). Unlike Google Earth which is a desktop app, Bhuvan runs using a browser plug-in. Users need to create an account and download a plug-in

3. The site was inaccessible for the better part of the last weekend (it was launched on 13th August) and even now, it gives up or hangs the browser every once in a while. When a layer (state, district, taluk, etc.) is turned on, it renders unevenly and sometimes fails to render at all. The navigation panel failed to load routinely and it felt like a rare sighting when we could actually use the panel.

4. But these are relatively minor quibbles compared with the biggest disappointment. The promise of high resolution images has not been kept. While the service promises zoom upto 10 metres from the ground level (this is contrasted with apparently 200 metres for Google Earth), we didn’t encounter a single image with nearly as much detailing. In fact, comparative results for a marquee location such as New Delhi’s Connaught Place, shows why we won’t be uninstalling out Google Earth software anytime soon.

5. The navigation tools are similar to Google Earth. The search doesn’t work if a query returns multiple results. A pop up window is supposed to give the multiple results from which the user is supposed to be able to choose. During two days of sporadic testing, we found the result only once. The rest of the time, the window would pop up, but nothing would be displayed. When the search is accurate, the software ‘flies in’ to the exact location, the same way as Google Earth.

6. Bhuvan packs a lot of data on weather, waterbodies and population details of various administrative units. We were unable to access weather data. On clicking the icon of administrative units, one could see basic information such as the population. For specialist users, Bhuvan might hold some attraction. For instance, there is a drought map which can be used to compare drought situation across years and there is a flood map that shows Bihar during the Kosi flood and after. With Isro backing, Bhuvan would be able to provide such relevant data from time to time, but the application needs major improvements in terms of usability before it will be of interest to the ordinary user.

7. Users can also not edit any data or tag locations. We hope Bhuvan is able to fix the bugs soon. But even then, to be a credible alternative to existing mapping services, and even to get new users to try it, it must provide much higher resolution images. User interest will be piqued only when they can see their house or school or local street in high resolution. With ISRO data, this is easily doable.

Readius folding eBook: smaller than Kindle, but pricier too
Electronic Papyrus: The Digital Book, Unfurled
The pocket-sized Readius, made by Polymer Vision, unfolds to show text. Its screen can be rolled around a finger.
CONSUMERS like large displays on the mobile devices they use for reading an e-mail message or an e-book, but they also like to tuck those devices into their pockets. But the bigger the screen on a cellphone or an e-reader, the sooner it outgrows pocket size.
Now a hallmark feature of these screens — their rigidity — is changing. New technologies are developing that make displays flexible, foldable or even as rollable as papyrus, so that large screens can be unfurled from small containers.
One new mobile device, the Readius, designed mainly for reading books, magazines, newspapers and mail, is the size of a standard cellphone. Flip it open, though, and a screen tucked within the housing opens to a 5-inch diagonal display. The screen looks just like a liquid crystal display, but can bend so flexibly that it can wrap around a finger.
Because the Readius is pocket-sized, but has a generous, supple screen, people with five minutes to spare in a taxi, bus or subway can use the dead time to open it, read a page or two of a book and then return the device to a shirt pocket, said Karl McGoldrick, the chief executive of Polymer Vision, the company in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, that created the device.
The Readius may even help stop people from obsessing over their e-mail: with the device, spare moments for reading may be put to a possibly better use — say, a novel by Stendhal. But if their good intentions fail, the device has a wireless connection to download e-mail as well as books.
The black-and-white display holds about 22 lines of a book page, depending on the font, all shown in the crisp black type provided by technology from E Ink, also used in Amazon’s Kindle and other e-readers. The screen changes from one page to the next in about half a second, at the touch of a thumb.
The Readius will be introduced in England, Italy and Germany this fall, and in the United States early in 2009, Mr. McGoldrick said. Its battery lasts for about 30 hours of reading — long enough to get through “The Red and the Black,” and possibly a chunk of “War and Peace.” Pages can be read under a variety of lighting conditions, even including full sunlight, he said. The price is not yet set, but Thomas van der Zijden, vice president for marketing and sales, said the Readius would be more expensive than the Kindle, which now is selling for $359.
The Readius is not the only entry in the area of flexible displays. “It’s an exciting example, but there are going to be a slew of other devices coming soon, too,” said Shawn O’Rourke, director of engineering at the Flexible Display Center at Arizona State University at Tempe, which focuses on the technology’s future commercialization.
Mr. O’Rourke defined flexible displays as “different than a BlackBerry or notebook,” with their traditional glass backings. “These displays are thin, lightweight and rugged — and they bend,” he said. The underlying substrates that support the display are typically either plastic or metal foil.
The market for flexible displays is likely to grow rapidly, said Jennifer Colegrove, an analyst at the iSuppli Corporation, a market research firm in El Segundo, Calif. “Flexible displays are the crucial enabling technology for a new generation of portable devices that are mobile, but also have compelling user interfaces,” she said.
Flexible displays offer the advantages of easy, relatively inexpensive and safe shipping and handling, compared with conventional rigid screens, she said. Her firm forecasts that the total market for flexible displays will grow to $2.8 billion by 2013.
Paul Semenza, vice president for display research at iSuppli, says that flexible displays are not entirely new on the market, but that previous ones have been relatively low-resolution applications — like those in smart cards and point-of-purchase signs — “not high-resolution ones that have the kind of image quality that users expect.”
The Readius images have this potential, he said, because the displays are powered by what is called an active matrix — transistors behind each pixel that can potentially provide fast switching and high performance.
“Polymer Vision’s technology is unusual,” Mr. Semenza said. “It’s hard to make an active matrix on something other than glass.”
If Polymer Vision succeeds in “making these transistor arrays,” he said, “you’ll have the ability to make high-performance displays on flexible substrates that look as good as a notebook display on any high-performance L.C.D.”
THE Readius, which so far displays 16 shades of gray on its screen, is not at that state yet, but Polymer Vision is hoping to add color and video capability in the future, Mr. McGoldrick said. A prototype for a color model was demonstrated at a trade show in May.
Mr. O’Rourke of the Flexible Display Center likes the look of the new generation of supple screens, but he also likes their toughness. “Some of them we’ve beaten with hammers, and they still run,” he said. “No one could do that with a BlackBerry.”

Everything You Need to Know About USB 3.0
Super-Speed USB is coming in 2010, spelling the end to any hopes for a revival of FireWire

Without the Universal Serial Bus standard we'd live in a world that Apple (AAPL) with its infinite variations of specialized port formats and cable changes, would love to make possible. Think of the margins! But even the design-centric Apple has succumbed to the lure of USB, that ubiquitous little port that connects our gadgets to our computers. Proprietary on one end and universal on the other, USB has the highest consumer success rate—getting shipped on over 3 billion devices in 2008—according to research firm In-Stat. And now there's an upgrade to USB on the way. Here's what you need to know about the coming USB 3.0.
It's fast: Dubbed Super-Speed USB, it will offer transfer speeds of 4.8 Gbps compared with High-Speed USB 480Mbps transfer speeds.
It's backwards compatible: Your existing USB 2.0 stuff will also work on the 3.0 ports and vice versa, although you won't get the "super speeds."
It's coming soon: Vendors will ship some boards at the end of this year, so mainstream consumers should see them on their computers and certain devices starting in 2010.
It's powerful: Like USB 2.0, it will transmit electricity, which means you can still use it to charge your gadgets.
It's energy efficient: It supports reduced power operation and an idle power mode, but it will still make your CPU work like crazy to help it reach those fast data transfer speeds.
It's backed by all vendors: Early on, both AMD and Nvidia were kind of miffed at Intel for holding back on some of the specification details, but that's all over, and everyone's now on board.
It will end the longing for FireWire's resurrection: The faster speeds will mean that sending data to an external hard drive isn't as grindingly slow.
Or will it instead keep the FireWire flame lit? Without the threat of FireWire competing against USB products, it's possible we won't see prices for technology drop as rapidly as they did with previous generations.
Devices that generate big data will be the first to appear with the standard. Large flash drives, hard drives, video cameras, and high-end cameras will be the first to have the technology because they can benefit from faster data transfer rates.
It's a way to create the anti-cloud: Instead of accessing everything online either through downloads or streaming, you can store gobs of content on hard drives, and have relatively fast access to it with USB cables. That might be handy if strict data caps are implemented or you think you'll be without broadband for a while.

Bhuvan gives you an easy way to experience, explore and visualize IRS images over Indian region

ISRO is well known amongst space faring nations for its world-leading reputation in developing new, indigenous and innovative service oriented applications using remote sensing technology. Over the past 2 decades, ISRO has mastered the art of developing these unique applications using various spectral, spatial and temporal resolutions offered by the versatile IRS satellites and these have been successfully institutionalized in many important areas of policy making, natural resources management, disaster support, and enhancing the quality of life across all sections of the society. Bhuvan is an initiative to showcase this distinctiveness of Indian imaging capabilities including the thematic information derived from such imagery which could be of vital importance to common man with a focus on Indian region. Bhuvan, an ambitious project of ISRO to take Indian images and thematic information in multiple spatial resolutions to people through a web portal through easy access to information on basic natural resources in the geospatial domain. Bhuvan showcases Indian images by the superimposition of these IRS satellite imageries on 3D globe. It displays satellite images of varying resolution of India’s surface, allowing users to visually see things like cities and important places of interest looking perpendicularly down or at an oblique angle, with different perspectives and can navigate through 3D viewing environment. The degree of resolution showcased is based on the points of interest and popularity, but most of the Indian terrain is covered upto at least 5.8 meters of resolution with the least spatial resolution being 55 meters from AWifs Sensor. With such rich content, Bhuvan opens the door to graphic visualisation of digital geospatial India allowing individuals to experience the fully interactive terrain viewing capabilities.Multi-resolution images from multi-sensor IRS satellites of India is seamlessly depicted through the Bhuvan web portal by enabling a common man to zoom into specific area of interest at high resolution. Bhuvan brings a whole lot of uniqueness in understanding our own natural resources whilst presenting beautiful images and thematic vectors generated from varieties of geospatial information. Bhuvan will also attempt to bring out the importance of multi-temporal data and to highlight the changes taking place to our natural resources, which will serve as a general awareness on our changing planet. There are lot more special value added services which will be enabled onto the web portal in due course of time and each one of those services are going to be unique to preserving and conserving our precious natural resources through public participation. We are sure the common man will get rich benefits from these Indian geospatial data services in days to come.

Basic features of Bhuvan:

Access, explore and visualise 2D and 3D image data along with rich thematic information on Soil, wasteland, water resources etc.
Visualise multi-resolution, multi-sensor, multi-temporal image data
Superpose administrative boundaries of choice on images as required
Visualisation of AWS ( Automatic Weather Stations) data/information in a graphic view and use tabular weather data of user choice
Fly to locations ( Flies from the current location directly to the selected location)
Heads-Up Display ( HUD) naviation controls ( Tilt slider, north indicator, opacity, compass ring, zoom slider)
Navigation using the 3D view Pop-up menu (Fly-in, Fly out, jump in, jump around, view point)
3D Fly through (3D view to fly to locations, objects in the terrain, and navigate freely using the mouse or keyboard)
Drawing 2D objects (Text labels, polylines, polygons, rectangles, 2D arrows, circles, ellipse)
Drawing 3D Objects (placing of expressive 3D models, 3D polygons, boxes)
Measurement tools (Horizontal distance, aerial distance, vertical distance, measure area)
Shadow Analysis (it sets the sun position based on the given time creating shadows and effects the lighting on the terrain)
Urban Design Tools (to build roads, junctions and traffic lights in an urban setting)
Contour map ( Displays a colorized terrain map and contour lines)
Draw tools (Creates simples markers, free hand lines, urban designs)
There would be many more value added functions and facilities which will be added into the package from time to time. Particular interest of ISRO/DOS would be to provide such functionalities to common man so that he/she adopts participatory approach with scientists to solve simple problems easily and interactively.

What is Bhuvan?

Bhuvan is a geoportal that provides medium to high resolution satellite imagery of virtually the entire India over the internet. You can "fly" around using mouse and keyboard on a simple desktop computer with virtual globe in front draped with IRS images over Indian region. Many other features are built in, including 3D terrain and information on many thematic data.

What can Bhuvan do for me?

Bhuvan is a free web based image portal. Most Image visualization programs are very expensive and complex. Bhuvan provides a fast and friendly way to look at IRS satellite data and thematic information in geographic context, which is invaluable for management, planning and visualization. Additionally, Bhuvan makes it easy to share digital data between people and computers anytime, anywhere. Over a period of time a lot more unique functionalities will be added into this tool to address common man’s problems, particularly in the rural setup of India and addressing natural resources management issues.What do I require to run Bhuvan on my Machine?You require the Bhuvan Plug-in which can be downloaded from the Bhuvan website after registration and you will also need DirectX9 or higher version (www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/) for installing the plug-in. Please note that the Bhuvan Plug-in can be installed with administrative privileges only.

How do we use Bhuvan?

When you first open Bhuvan website, You will land on the index page which gives you information on Bhuvan and this page also allows you to register for using the Bhuvan. Once you successfully register, you will land on the Bhuvan 3D client page. Here, there are three primary areas of the program that you'll be using. The main window shows a globe, and you can navigate around with your mouse or use the Heads-Up Display (HUD) option available on the right top corner. Double right click to zoom in, and double left click to zoom out (or use your mousewheel). Right click, hold, and drag to pan. The second area is at the upper right of the main window. When you move your mouse over the navigation compass, it give you more movement options such as rotate and tilt (which you can also do with your mouse). The third area is to the left of the main window. This frame includes a fly to location and fly to important places option. On the top of the globe are the menu options for layers, 2D and 3D drawing, measurement tools, snapshot tools etc. When you select any of these options, you see the context options on the left plane where you can make appropriate choices that you can turn on to make visible in the main windows such as roads, 3D terrain, and more.

Can we use Bhuvan if I don't have a fast internet connection?

Yes. Bhuvan is designed to be as bandwidth-friendly as possible. However, it is dependent on continuously downloading a large amount of imagery. Consequently, the faster your connection, the better the program will perform. If you have a slow connection, Bhuvan will download imagery correspondingly slowly, but it will (eventually) download everything at the maximum available resolution. Depending on the number of concurrent users on over servers and the kind of bandwidth at client end the ultimate speed of visualisation will be decided. This is a beta release, however with more learnings we will be able to make things more comfortable for all types of users.

Can I use Bhuvan if I'm not connected to the internet?

No. You will have to be connected to Internet for using Bhuvan. How current is the imagery in Bhuvan?Bhuvan portal does NOT display data in real-time. The images you see are a combination of satellite imagery from various IRS sensors taken (generally) sometime within the last three years during different seasons. Bhuvan, on release, contains IRS satellite images from OCM, AWifs, LISS 3, and LISS 4 sensor images and will be added with more data from time to time. Bhuvan is constantly updating its database to use more recent and higher resolution images. You can explore the metadata content to determine when exactly a specific area was imaged, but you may be able to use landmarks to generalize a date range if you are familiar with the area.

How do I bookmark a place in Bhuvan?

Zoom to the location that you'd like to bookmark (placemark, more accurately), use the draw tool to place an icon. After you save the placemark, it will stay in the frame to the left of the main window, and double clicking on it will zoom you to that position. Can I add my own data into Bhuvan? No. In the current version, you will not be able to add your own data

Do I have to register to use Bhuvan?

Yes. It is mandatory to register to use Bhuvan.

How much does Bhuvan cost?

The basic version of Bhuvan is free. Once you register and you login, you will be asked to download the Bhuvan plug-in. Accept the installation of the plug-in and you are ready to use the full features of Bhuvan.

What are the System Requirements for Using Bhuvan?Requirements for Windows

Operating System: Windows XP/Vista
CPU: Pentium 4 2.4GHz+ or AMD 2400xp+
System Memory (RAM): 512MB
Hard Disk: 2GB free space
Network Speed: 256 Kbits/sec
Graphics Card: 3D-capable with 32MB of VRAM
Screen: 1280x1024, "32-bit True Color"

Can I run Bhuvan on Mac OS and Linux?

No. At the moment Bhuvan can run only on windows system and is optimised for IE 6. or higher with 1280x1024 resolution

What type of data can I see in Bhuvan?

You will be able to see the following data on Bhuvan

1. Satellite imagery (LISS III , LISS IV along with metadata and Multi- temporal Data from OCM & AWiFS) maps)
2. Base layers ( administrative boundaries, transport layers, water bodies, etc)
Census information
3. Metadata
4. Value added information (NADAMS – National Agricultural Drought Monitoring System), Output of flood studies for certain areas,

5. Thematic information (Wastelands, Soils, watershed,water resources related maps

Lip-Reading Computers Able to Identify Different Languages

Lip-Reading Computers Able to Identify Different Languages

One of the latest inventions created by scientists from theUniversity of East Anglia (UEA) are lip-reading computers that are able to identify different languages.
Scientists managed to come up with lip-reading computers some time earlier but now they created the first computer that can really distinguish different languages. This latest invention could prove to be very useful for people with hearing problems, as well as for law enforcement agencies, and in noisy environments.
The revolutionary research is currently led by Stephen Cox and Jake Newman of UEA's School of Computing Sciences. They will present their latest invention at a major conference that will take place in Taiwan on April 22.
It is worth mentioning that the technology was built up by statistical modeling of the lip movements developed by a team of 23 bilingual and trilingual speakers. The system could distinguish any language with extremely high accuracy. It could identify English, French, German, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Italian, Polish and Russian, reports the UEA website.
"This is the first scientific confirmation that when people speak different languages, they use different mouth shapes in different sequences," outlined Prof Cox.
"For example, we found frequent 'lip-rounding' among French speakers and more prominent tongue movements among Arabic speakers," he added.
The study was funded by the EPSRC and is a part of a larger project of the University of East Anglia that focuses on automatic lip-reading. Soon scientists will start working on the system closer to an individual's physiology and their way of speaking.

Lip-reading computer can distinguish languages

Researchers at the University of East Anglia's school of computing developed the technology by statistically modeling the lip motions of 23 bilingual and trilingual speakers. The resulting system is able to identify the language spoken by an individual with "very high accuracy," according to the university. Identifiable languages included English, French, German, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Italian, Polish, and Russian.
What gives you away? The movement of your articulators--when you wag your tongue, jaw, and lips, you are generating the measurable characteristics of visual speech, the recognition of which is known as lip reading. Computer vision has already been used in lip reading, or "feature extraction," but this is the first time computers have been "taught" to recognize different languages.
"This is an exciting advance in automatic lip-reading technology and the first scientific confirmation of something we already intuitively suspected--that when people speak different languages, they use different mouth shapes in different sequences," said Professor Stephen Cox, who led the research along with Jake Newman. "For example, we found frequent 'lip rounding' among French speakers, and more prominent tongue movements among Arabic speakers."
The discovery could have practical uses for the deaf, law enforcement, and military units serving overseas, the researchers predict. With a little fine tuning it may also help you figure out what language your teenager speaks.

Washing Machine That Doesn't Need Water

British company Xeros looks forward to conquer the American market with its latest invention, a new washing system able to save a lot of water using nylon beads. The beads tumble wash clothes using 90 percent less water than traditional washers.
In addition, the company's latest invention, which is currently in the development stage, requires less detergent. Xeros claims that there would be no need for tumble drying and if the homes in the United States would switch to the new system, the emissions of carbon dioxide would be considerably reduced. The result would be as though 5 million vehicles have been removed from the road. The company also says that the new washing machine will save 1.2 billion tons of water each year, which equals 17 million swimming pools.
The washing machines does its job using small nylon beads that eliminate stains off clothes and lock them into the molecular structure of the nylon. The beadscan be used for hundreds of washes and afterwards they can be easily recycled. The technology behind the new washing machine is the result of a research carried out at the University of Leeds. It has been used in a concept washing machine by the Cambridge Consultants.
After carrying out tests for over three years, Xeros, a spinout from the University, managed to achieve an agreement with Kansas City-based GreenEarth Cleaning, which intends to market Xeros' latest invention across North American continent in 2010. You can read more about the product on the company's website.

No Washing Powder Required
Sanyo has announced it will begin marketing a washing machine which does not require washing powder or soap of any kind. The machine cleans the clothes by combining electrolysed water's dirt dissolving and bacteria removing properties with its ultrasonic wave technology. For really dirty clothes, there's a cycle suitable for using detergent, but if used in "zero detergent" mode, Sanyo claims the machine is capable of saving AUS$180 a year in detergent costs alone. No plans are in place for an Australian release just yet, but the Japanese domestic price of the machine will be around AUS$2000, meaning it will pay for itself in just over a decade.

Quad-Core Processor

Intel Quad-Core Xeon E5450 Passive H E5450 , 3 GHz (BX80574E5450P) Boxed Processor



Overview

Introducing the Intel® Core™2 Quad processor for desktop PCs, designed to handle massive compute and visualization workloads enabled by powerful multi-core technology. Providing all the bandwidth you need for next-generation highly-threaded applications, the latest four-core Intel Core 2 Quad processors are built on 45nm Intel® Core™ microarchitecture enabling faster, cooler, and quieter desktop PC and workstation experiences.
Plus, with optional Intel® vPro™ technology, you have the ability to remotely isolate, diagnose, and repair infected desktop and mobile workstations wirelessly and outside of the firewall, even if the PC is off, or the OS is unresponsive.


Features and benefits

With four processing cores, up to 12MB of shared L2 cache¹ and 1333 MHz Front Side Bus the Intel Core 2 Quad desktops processor delivers amazing performance and power efficiency enabled by the all new hafnium-based circuitry of 45nm Intel Core microarchitecture.
Whether you're encoding, rendering, editing, or streaming HD multimedia in the office or on the go, power your most demanding applications with notebooks and desktops based on the Intel Core 2 Quad processor. Plus, with these processors you get great Intel® technologies built in²: Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution, enabling delivery of more instructions per clock cycle to improve execution time and energy efficiency Intel® Intelligent Power Capability, designed to deliver more energy-efficient performance Intel® Smart Memory Access, improving system performance by optimizing the use of the available data bandwidth Larger Intel® Advanced Smart Cache, optimized for multi-core processors, providing a higher-performance, more efficient cache subsystem. Intel® Advanced Digital Media Boost, accelerating a broad range of multimedia, encryption, scientific and financial applications by significantly improving performance when executing Intel® Streaming SIMD Extension (SSE/SSE2/SSE3) instructions. Intel® HD Boost³, implementing new Intel® Streaming SIMD Extension 4 (Intel SSE4) instructions for even greater multimedia performance and faster high definition video editing and encoding. Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT)², enabling greater security, manageability, and utilization. Future ready, designed to perform in highly threaded programs with powerful Intel® multi-core technology.

finger print door lock

Finger Print Door Lock

1. 
   
   
   
   Window 7
   
   .Windows 7 Home Premium offers a rich, dynamic entertainment experience on your PC, making it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. You can even watch, pause, and rewind TV or record it to watch whenever and wherever you want
   
   Features
   
   Run your PC more efficiently
   
   Pin any program to the taskbar: Any program is always just a click away – and


2. 
   


3. 
   
   you can rearrange the icons on the taskbar just by clicking and dragging.
   
   Record TV on your PC
   
   Record TV on your PC: Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV, movies, and other


4. 
   


5. 
   
   video content with Windows Media Center, updated to manage a single TV


6. 
   


7. 
   
   guide containing both standard and digital high definition TV shows.
   
   Easily connect a home network
   
   Share files across the various PCs in your home: Use HomeGroup to connect


8. 
   
   your PCs running Windows 7 to a single printer. Specify exactly what you want to share from each PC with all the PCs in the HomeGroup.
   
   
   
   
   
   Product Details
   
   
   System Requirements
   
   Microsoft Windows-based computers
   
   Processor 1GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
   
   Memory 1GB RAM (32-bit) / 2GB RAM (64-bit)
   
   Hard Disk 16GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
   
   Video Card DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or later driver.
   
   Other 1For some Windows Media Center functionality, a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required. Windows Touch and Windows Tablet require specific hardware.
   
   DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive. Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware. Internet access required to use certain features (fees may apply).
   Music and sound require audio output.
   Some features in earlier Windows versions are not included in Windows 7. Get similar programs including Windows Live Mail™, Photo Gallery, Messenger and Movie Maker for free through Windows Live Essentials, at download.live.com.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Reasons to buy
   
   Record TV on your PC: Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV, movies, and other video content with Windows Media Center, updated to manage a single TV guide containing both standard and digital high definition TV shows.
   
   Personalize your desktop: Easily change backgrounds, window colors, and sounds to reflect your personal style. You can even turn your desktop into a slide show of your favorite photos.
   
   Enjoy better Web browsing with Internet Explorer 8: Get impressive new features such as Web Slices, which lets you track information such as auction items, sports scores, and weather reports without revisiting a site.
   
   Access recently used files with just two clicks: Right-click the relevant program icon (such as Word) on your taskbar and Jump List will show your most recent, frequently used, and pinned Word documents.
   
   Stream music files on any network-connected device: Just open Windows Media Player, right-click on what you'd like to hear, select Play To, and you'll see a list of devices and PCs on which you can play your music.
   
   Find virtually anything on your PC – from documents to photos to e-mail: Just click on the Start button, and enter a word or few letters in the name or file you want into the search box, and you’ll get an organized list of results.
   
   Share files across the various PCs in your home: Use HomeGroup to connect your PCs running Windows 7 to a single printer. Specify exactly what you want to share from each PC with all the PCs in the HomeGroup.
   
   Pin any program to the taskbar: Any program is always just a click away – and you can rearrange the icons on the taskbar just by clicking and dragging.

Blu-ray Disc



What is Blu-ray?
Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD) is the name of a next-generation optical disc format. The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. For more general information about Blu-ray, please see our What is Blu-ray? section.

Why the name Blu-ray?

The name Blu-ray is derived from the underlying technology, which utilizes a blue-violet laser to read and write data. The name is a combination of "Blue" (blue-violet laser) and "Ray" (optical ray). According to the Blu-ray Disc Association the spelling of "Blu-ray" is not a mistake, the character "e" was intentionally left out so the term could be registered as a trademark. The correct full name is Blu-ray Disc, not Blu-ray Disk (incorrect spelling)The correct shortened name is Blu-ray, not Blu-Ray (incorrect capitalization) or Blue-ray (incorrect spelling)The correct abbreviation is BD, not BR or BRD (wrong abbreviation)

Who developed Blu-ray?

The Blu-ray Disc format was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers, with more than 180 member companies from all over the world. The Board of Directors currently consists of:
ü Apple Computer, Inc.
ü Dell Inc.
ü Hewlett Packard Company
ü Hitachi, Ltd.
ü LG Electronics Inc.
ü Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
ü Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
ü Pioneer Corporation
ü Royal Philips Electronics
ü Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
ü Sharp Corporation
ü Sony Corporation
ü Sun Microsystems, Inc.
ü TDK Corporation
ü Thomson Multimedia
ü Twentieth Century Fox
ü Walt Disney Pictures
ü Warner Bros. Entertainment
What Blu-ray formats are planned?
As with conventional CDs and DVDs, Blu-ray plans to provide a wide range of formats including ROM/R/RW. The following formats are part of the Blu-ray Disc specification: BD-ROM - read-only format for distribution of HD movies, games, software, etc.BD-R - recordable format for HD video recording and PC data storage.BD-RE - rewritable format for HD video recording and PC data storage.There's also plans for a BD/DVD hybrid format, which combines Blu-ray and DVD on the same disc so that it can be played in both Blu-ray players and DVD players.
How much data can you fit on a Blu-ray disc?
A single-layer disc can hold 25GB.A dual-layer disc can hold 50GB.To ensure that the Blu-ray Disc format is easily extendable (future-proof) it also includes support for multi-layer discs, which should allow the storage capacity to be increased to 100GB-200GB (25GB per layer) in the future simply by adding more layers to the discs.

How much video can you fit on a Blu-ray disc?

Over 9 hours of high-definition (HD) video on a 50GB disc.About 23 hours of standard-definition (SD) video on a 50GB disc.
How fast can you read/write data on a Blu-ray disc?
According to the Blu-ray Disc specification, 1x speed is defined as 36Mbps. However, as BD-ROM movies will require a 54Mbps data transfer rate the minimum speed we're expecting to see is 2x (72Mbps). Blu-ray also has the potential for much higher speeds, as a result of the larger numerical aperture (NA) adopted by Blu-ray Disc. The large NA value effectively means that Blu-ray will require less recording power and lower disc rotation speed than DVD and HD-DVD to achieve the same data transfer rate. While the media itself limited the recording speed in the past, the only limiting factor for Blu-ray is the capacity of the hardware. If we assume a maximum disc rotation speed of 10,000 RPM, then 12x at the outer diameter should be possible (about 400Mbps). This is why the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) already has plans to raise the speed to 8x (288Mbps) or more in the future.

What video codecs will Blu-ray support?

MPEG-2 - enhanced for HD, also used for playback of DVDs and HDTV recordings.MPEG-4 AVC - part of the MPEG-4 standard also known as H.264 (High Profile and Main Profile).SMPTE VC-1 - standard based on Microsoft's Windows Media Video (WMV) technology.Please note that this simply means that all Blu-ray players and recorders will have to support playback of these video codecs, it will still be up to the movie studios to decide which video codec(s) they use for their releases.

What audio codecs will Blu-ray support?

Linear PCM (LPCM) - up to 8 channels of uncompressed audio. (mandatory)Dolby Digital (DD) - format used for DVDs, 5.1-channel surround sound. (mandatory)Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) - extension of Dolby Digital, 7.1-channel surround sound. (optional)Dolby TrueHD - lossless encoding of up to 8 channels of audio. (optional)DTS Digital Surround - format used for DVDs, 5.1-channel surround sound. (mandatory)DTS-HD High Resolution Audio - extension of DTS, 7.1-channel surround sound. (optional)DTS-HD Master Audio - lossless encoding of up to 8 channels of audio. (optional)Please note that this simply means that Blu-ray players and recorders will have to support playback of these audio codecs, it will still be up to the movie studios to decide which audio codec(s) they use for their releases.

Will Blu-ray discs require a cartridge?

No, the development of new low cost hard-coating technologies has made the cartridge obsolete. Blu-ray will instead rely on hard-coating for protection, which when applied will make the discs even more resistant to scratches and fingerprints than today's DVDs, while still preserving the same look and feel. Blu-ray also adopts a new error correction system which is more robust and efficient than the one used for DVDs.

Will Blu-ray require an Internet connection?

No, you will not need an Internet connection for basic playback of Blu-ray movies. The Internet connection will only be needed for value-added features such as downloading new extras, watching recent movie trailers, web browsing, etc. It will also be required to authorize managed copies of Blu-ray movies that can be transferred over a home network.

Will Blu-ray down-convert analog outputs?

No, Blu-ray players will not down-convert the analog output signal unless the video contains something called an Image Constraint Token (ICT). This feature is not part of the Blu-ray Disc spec, but of the AACS copy-protection system also adopted by HD-DVD. In the end it will be up to each movie studio to decide if they want to use this "feature" on their releases or not. The good news is that Sony, Disney, Fox, Paramount, MGM and Universal have already stated that they have no intention of using this feature. The other studios, which have yet to announce their plans, will most likely follow suit to avoid getting bad publicity. If any of the studios still decide to use ICT they will have to state this on the cover of their movies, so you should have no problem avoiding these titles.

Will Blu-ray support mandatory managed copy?

Yes, mandatory managed copy (MMC) will be part of the Blu-ray format. This feature will enable consumers to make legal copies of their Blu-ray movies that can be transferred over a home network. Please note that "mandatory" refers to the movies having to offer this capability, while it will be up to each hardware manufacturer to decide if they want to support this feature.

When will I be able to buy Blu-ray products?

If you live in the US or Canada you can already find Blu-ray players from Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, Philips and Pioneer available in stores, as well as a growing selection of Blu-ray movies. We also expect to see Blu-ray players from LG and Sharp, as well as a second-generation Blu-ray player from Samsung introduced in the near future. The first Blu-ray hardware and software should also be available in many European countries now.

What will Blu-ray products cost?

As with any new technology the first generation of products will likely be quite expensive due to low production volumes. However, this shouldn't be a problem for long as there is a wide range of Blu-ray related products (players, recorders, drives, writers, media, etc) planned, which should help drive up production volumes and lower overall production costs. Once mass production of components for Blu-ray products begins the prices are expected to fall quickly. According to the Blu-ray Disc Association, the overall cost of manufacturing Blu-ray Disc media will in the end be no more expensive than producing a DVD. The reduced injection molding costs (one molding machine instead of two, no birefringence problems) offset the additional cost of applying the cover layer and low cost hard-coat, while the techniques used for applying the recording layer remain the same. As production volumes increase the production costs should fall and eventually be comparable to DVDs.
Blu-ray vs DVD

Will Blu-ray replace DVDs?

Yes, that's the expectation. The Blu-ray format has received broad support from the major movie studios as a successor to today's DVD format. In fact, seven of the eight major movie studios (Disney, Fox, Warner, Paramount, Sony, Lionsgate and MGM) have released titles in the Blu-ray format. Many studios have also announced that they will begin releasing new feature films on Blu-ray Disc day-and-date with DVD, as well as a continuous slate of catalog titles every month. For more information about Blu-ray movies, check out our Blu-ray movies section which offers information about new and upcoming Blu-ray releases, as well as what movies are currently available in the Blu-ray format. However, the two formats (Blu-ray and DVD) will most likely co-exist for quite some time until HDTVs become more widespread.

Will Blu-ray be backwards compatible with DVD?

Yes, several leading consumer electronics companies (including Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Pioneer, Sharp and LG) have already demonstrated products that can read/write CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs using a BD/DVD/CD compatible optical head, so you don't have to worry about your existing DVD collection becoming obsolete. In fact, most of the Blu-ray players coming out will support upscaling of DVDs to 1080p/1080i, so your existing DVD collection will look even better than before. While it's up to each manufacturer to decide if they want to make their products backwards compatible with DVD, the format is far too popular to not be supported. The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) expects every Blu-ray Disc device to be backward compatible with DVDs.

Why should I upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray?

The simple answer is HDTV. If you've ever seen high-definition (HD) video on an HDTV, then you know just how incredibly sharp the picture is and how vivid the colors are. In fact, HD offers five times the amount of detail compared to standard-definition (SD). The problem with today's DVDs is that they only support SD and don't have the necessary storage capacity to satisfy the needs of HD. That's where Blu-ray comes in, it offers up to 50GB of storage capacity and enables playback, recording and rewriting of HD in all of the HD resolutions including 1080p. The format also supports high-definition audio formats and lossless audio. In addition to the greater video and audio quality, the extra storage capacity also means there will be plenty of room for additional content and special features. This combined with the new BD-J interactivity layer adopted by Blu-ray will bring the menus, graphics and special features to a whole new level. For example, you will be able to bring up the menu system as an overlay without stopping the movie, and you could have the director of the movie on the screen explaining the shooting of a scene while the scene is playing in the background. The advanced interactivity combined with the networking features of Blu-ray will also allow content producers to support new innovative features such as downloading extras, updating content via the web, and watching live broadcasts of special events. Thanks to the greatly enhanced HD video and audio quality as well as the advanced interactivity and networking features, Blu-ray represents a huge leap forward in the DVD viewing experience and will offer consumers an unprecedented HD experience.

PC Lock

It is a very useful hardware designed by china, like USB,like Pen Drive having following features.
PC lock

Lock game

Control game

trim Lock Chat

It is a kind of USB key used for controlling computer programmers. It helps control children or emploees behavior on computers, also helps secure the private data etc.

Key Specifications/Special Features :

1. PC lock


2. Lock game


3. Control game


4. trimLock


5. ChatLock


6. internetControl online


7. timeLock websites


8. Lock all adult websites


9. Lock CD/DVDs


10. Lock computer system


11. startScreen moniter


12. Save onine log records

Computers and Internet

ExportersIndia is a company , maintains a large database consisting of manufacturers, exporters, retailers, wholesalers and suppliers of computer & software and various other categories related with computer & software like: computer peripherals, modems, network device, notebooks/laptops, printers & scanners, ups & power supply, keyboards etc. Access to computers and the internet and the ability to effectively use this technology are becoming increasingly important. Computers play an essential role in industry, commerce, government, research, education, medicine, communication systems, entertainment and many other areas of our society. Professionals who contribute to the design, development, analysis, specification, certification, maintenance and evaluation of the many different applications of computer & software have a significant impact on society, making thereby beneficial contributions to society. Manufacturing and the export of computer & software parts are constantly rising. India is one of the leading manufacturer and exporter of computer & software parts. China is the largest exporter of computer parts and accessories.

Motherboard
The motherboard is the "brain"of the computer. Components directly attached to the motherboard include:
The central processing unit (CPU) performs most of the calculations which enable a computer to function, and is sometimes referred to as the "brain" of the computer. It is usually cooled by a heat sink and fan.
The chipset mediates communication between the CPU and the other components of the system, including main memory.
RAM Stores all running processes (applications) and the current running OS. RAM Stands for Random Access Memory
The BIOS includes boot firmware and power management. The Basic Input Output System tasks are handled by operating system drivers.
Internal Buses connect the CPU to various internal components and to expansion cards for graphics and sound.

Google Earth

Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographic information program that was originally called Earth Viewer, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a company acquired by Google in 2004. It maps the Earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite imagery, aerial photography and GIS 3D globe. It is available under three different licenses: Google Earth, a free version with limited functionality; Google Earth Plus (discontinued), which included additional features; and Google Earth Pro ($495 per year), which is intended for commercial use.

The product, re-released as Google Earth in 2005, is currently available for use on personal computers running Windows 2000 and above, Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above, Linux Kernel: 2.4 or later (released on June 12, 2006), and FreeBSD. Google Earth is also available as a browser plugin (released on June 2, 2008) for Firefox 3[4], Safari 3, IE6 and IE7. It was also made available on the iPhone OS on October 27, 2008, as a free download from the App Store. In addition to releasing an updated Keyhole based client, Google also added the imagery from the Earth database to their web based mapping software. The release of Google Earth in June 2005 to the public caused a more than tenfold increase in media coverage on virtual globes between 2005 and 2006, driving public interest in geospatial technologies and applications.

RAID
RAID is an acronym first defined by David A. Patterson, Garth A. Gibson and Randy Katz at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987 to describe a redundant array of inexpensive disks,[1] a technology that allowed computer users to achieve high levels of storage reliability from low-cost and less reliable PC-class disk-drive components, via the technique of arranging the devices into arrays for redundancy.
More recently, marketers representing industry RAID manufacturers reinvented the term to describe a redundant array of independent disks as a means of disassociating a "low cost" expectation from RAID technology.
"RAID" is now used as an umbrella term for computer data storage schemes that can divide and replicate data among multiple hard disk drives. The different schemes/architectures are named by the word RAID followed by a number, as in RAID 0, RAID 1, etc. RAID's various designs involve two key design goals: increased data reliability or increased input/output performance. When multiple physical disks are set up to use RAID technology, they are said to be in a RAID array. This array distributes data across multiple disks, but the array is seen by the computer user and operating system as one single disk. RAID can be set up to serve several different purposes.

Transcend

Transcend have now announced availability of its new line of DDR3 ECC DIMM memory, the new RAM is server-grade and has built in thermal sensors. The is RAM is mainly intended for use in dedicated servers, however can also be used in workstations.
Transcend say that the RAM is “For high-end systems that constantly process huge amounts of data under non-stop operating conditions, CPU speed regulation and various other techniques to prevent overheating have become increasingly important in hardware design”.
All of these new memory modules come with a 3 year manufacturer and are currently selling at a range of prices starting at 3,000 Rs and ending at 8,400, what they will sell at in USD is yet to be seen.

What Is The Department of Justice Doing About Internet Fraud?

Since February 1999, when the Department of Justice established its Internet Fraud Initiative, the federal government has been expanding its efforts to combine criminal prosecution with coordinated analysis and investigation as part of a comprehensive approach to combating Internet fraud.

Prosecution

The Justice Department has begun to bring a number of criminal prosecutions throughout the country against individuals and groups engaging in various types of Internet fraud. Here are some examples of federal criminal prosecutions directed at Internet fraud:

• Auction and Retail Schemes Online

1. Oxford, Mississippi On August 27, 1998, a woman was sentenced in the Northern District of Mississippi to 15 months' imprisonment and $9,432 restitution on fraud charges relating to her conduct of a fraudulent scheme. The scheme involved her use of Web pages and interactive computer locations on the Internet for falsely advertising various computer hardware and software and computer accessories.

2. Philadelphia On March 2, 2000, three men were criminally charged in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for their alleged roles in falsely offering the sale of Beanie Babies® on the Internet, and then failing to deliver the orders or sending stolen Beanie Babies® that generally were of substantially less value than the items ordered.

3. San Diego On March 6, 2000, a man pleaded guilty in the Southern District of California to mail and wire fraud in connection with his conduct of a fraudulent scheme involving Internet sales of Beanie Babies® that he never delivered.

4. Santa Ana, California On November 1, 1999, a man was sentenced in the Central District of California on mail and credit-card fraud charges to 14 months' imprisonment and $36,000 restitution, for his conduct of an Internet auction fraud that falsely offered digital cameras and laptop computers to consumers.

5. Seattle On August 6, 1999, a man pleaded guilty in the Western District of Washington to wire fraud in connection with his role in placing on various Web sites false advertisements for computer systems, for which he accepted victims' payments but which he never delivered.

6. West Palm Beach, Florida On February 12, 1999, a man was sentenced in the Southern District of Florida on wire fraud charges to six months home detention and more than $22,000 restitution, for his conduct of a fraudulent scheme in which he falsely advertised on Internet auction and retail sale Web sites computer components that he purported to have for sale, but did not have or obtain most of the merchandise he advertised.

• Business-Opportunity Schemes Online

1. Los Angeles In November, 1999, four individuals were criminally charged in the Central District of California for their roles in conducting a fraudulent scheme, in which they sent out approximately 50 million e-mails that falsely advertised work-at-home opportunities for people but provided few actual opportunities for people who paid the $35 advance fee.

• Investment Schemes Online "Pump-and-dump" schemes, short-selling schemes, Ponzi schemes, and other fraudulent investment schemes have all been subjects of federal prosecution throughout the country.
  1. Alexandria, Virginia In September 1997, a man was sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia to one year's imprisonment and fined $20,000 on securities fraud conspiracy charges relating to his touting of a stock involved in a "pump and dump" scheme.
  
  2. Brooklyn, New York In August, 1999, four individuals were indicted in the Eastern District of New York on securities fraud charges for their alleged roles in the fraudulent promotion of eight stocks through misleading Internet Web site and e-mail newsletter profiles.
  
  3. Charlotte, North Carolina In 1999, two individuals pleaded guilty in the Western District of North Carolina to securities fraud charges for their roles in offering securities in a nonexistent investment bank that purportedly offered, among other things, a "guaranteed" 20 percent return on savings.
  4. Cleveland On March 22, 2000, four people were indicted in the Northern District of Ohio, on charges including conspiracy to commit and committing mail and wire fraud. The defendants allegedly devised and carried out a scheme to defraud "investors" in a "Ponzi" pyramid scheme. A company with which the defendants were affiliated allegedly collected more than $26 million from "investors" without selling any product or service, and paid older investors with the proceeds of the money collected from the newer investors.
  
  5. Los Angeles On January 4, 2000, two men were indicted in the Central District of California on securities fraud charges for their alleged roles in the NEI Webworld scheme described earlier. In addition, on August 30, 1999, the individual who conducted the PairGain Technologies scheme mentioned earlier was sentenced in the Central District of California to five months' home detention and $93,000 restitution.
  6. New York On August 9, 1999, a man was criminally charged in the Southern District of New York with securities fraud. The man allegedly conducted a scheme to unlawfully inflate the price of stock of a company involved in acquiring retail auto dealerships, by making various false claims that another company (located in the same office suite as the auto dealership company) had developed a cure for HIV infection and AIDS.

Credit Card Fraud

1. Ft. Lauderdale In November, 1997, a former graduate student was sentenced in the Southern District of Florida on wire fraud charges to four months' home detention, for a scheme in which he obtained the names of multiple students from a local university and fraudulently applied for 174 credit cards via the Internet. Because of the quick investigative work by the Postal Inspection Service, no losses were incurred.

2. Wilmington, Delaware In 2000, three individuals were indicted in the District of Delaware on charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, identity theft, Social Security fraud, and wire fraud, for their alleged roles in the military officers' Social Security number/credit-card fraud scheme described earlier.

Other Types of Internet Fraud

1. Los Angeles On February 7, 2000, a man was sentenced to 87 months' imprisonment for his role in a scheme that purported to provide immigration assistance to aliens seeking to become residents or citizens of the United States. Using Web sites, newspaper advertisements, recruiters, and word of mouth to offer their services to aliens, the leaders of the scheme typically charged more than $10,000 per client and promised that the client would receive particular immigration documents. In some cases, however, the leaders of the scheme provided their clients with counterfeit or false immigration documents; in other cases, they provided no documents at all, and blamed the government and the legal system for the delay in providing the promised documents.

2. Los Angeles In November, 1999, four men were criminally charged in the Central District of California for their alleged roles in conducting the "work-at-home" scheme described earlier.

FILING COMPLAINTS ABOUT INTERNET FRAUD
If you think that you've been the victim of a fraud scheme that involved the Internet, you can file a complaint online with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a joint project of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. In addition, you can file complaints about specific types of fraud complaints with the following agencies:

Commodities Fraud: Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

Consumer Fraud: Federal Trade Commission

Securities Fraud: SEC Enforcement Division Complaint Center or your state securities regulators.

TIPS ON SPECIFIC INTERNET FRAUD SCHEMES -

AUCTION AND RETAIL SALES SCHEMES

To reduce the chances that you may be victimized by fraudulent online auction or retail sales schemes, here are two basic tips:

Research The Prospective Seller Carefully.

If you haven't had personal (and favorable) experience with someone who's offering certain goods for online sale or auction, look for sources of information at the Web site where the offeror's information is posted, and at other Web sites. Some online auction sites provide their member with opportunities to provide "feedback" on their experiences with particular sellers (although certain sellers have tried to manipulate the "feedback" process by posting favorable but false reports about themselves).

Pay by Credit Card or Escrow Service If Possible.

If you charge your online purchase on a major U.S. bank-issued credit card, your liability may be limited to $50 under any circumstances, and at least one credit-card issuer has recently indicated that it will waive the $50 deductible. In the alternative, some online auction Web sites offer escrow services that (for a small percentage) will guarantee delivery of the ordered goods before releasing your payment to the seller.


INVESTMENT SCHEMES ONLINE
To reduce your risks from online investment opportunities that may be fraudulent, here are four basic tips:

A) Take Your Time In Making Investment Decisions.

Remember that in any "get-rich-quick" scheme, there's only one person who's guaranteed to get rich quick: the person promoting the scheme.

1) If you're thinking about pursuing some online investment opportunity, start by recognizing that you need to take your time in making decisions about what you do with your hard-earned money. Sound investing for the long term takes patience, the will to ignore momentary market fluctuations, and a carefully thought-out plan for reaching your investment goals.

2) Whether you're researching an investment opportunity on the Web, or talking with a broker or someone else who's offering you the opportunity, you should make it a habit to take notes of what you're reading or hearing. The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) publishes an investor's notepad entitled, "When Your Broker Calls, Take Notes!" The forms are printed in notepad fashion so investors can get into the habit of making written records of their conversations with their brokers. The notepad is available from your state securities regulators or on the NASAA website at http://www.usdoj.gov/cgi-bin/outside.cgi?http://www.nasaa.org/whoweare/media/Notepad/html.

B) Research The Potential Investment Opportunity - And Who's Behind It - Carefully.

If you're making a major investment decision, here's an easy rule of thumb:

Count how many weeks, months, or years it took you to earn that amount of money, and then resolve to spend at least that many days to research the investment opportunity and the people who are promoting or running it.
Several agencies and self-regulatory organizations can give you a substantial hand with your research, at no cost to you:

1) The SEC's Web site, http://www.sec.gov/, contains a wealth of information about many companies, in at least two principal sources: (1) reports these companies file electronically through the EDGAR system; and (2) the SEC Enforcement Division's online files, which among other things list the persons against whom the SEC has filed civil enforcement actions for securities law violations (and, in some cases, against whom the Department of Justice or state or local prosecutors have filed criminal charges). You can use the built-in search engine at the SEC's Web site to check out names, and see whether you get any hits in the SEC enforcement action listings. The site also contains some excellent lists of questions to ask about any investment opportunity, and a discussion of how to spot signs of online investment scams.

2) The Federal Trade Commission's Web site, http://www.ftc.gov/, also has an internal search engine, which allows you to look for information on particular individuals or companies involved with your prospective investment, including listings of FTC enforcement actions.

3) The National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) allows you to check for some disciplinary history on the broker or company that's touting a particular investment. Go to http://www.usdoj.gov/cgi-bin/outside.cgi?http://www.nasdr.com or call the NASD's Public Disclosure hotline at 800-289-9999.

4) State securities regulators in your state may also have information on the company or its organizers that you can obtain. Check your local telephone listings for the securities regulator in your state, or go to the North American Securities Administrators Association's Web site, http://www.usdoj.gov/cgi-bin/outside.cgi?http://www.nasaa.org, for a listing of state and provincial securities regulators in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

5) If the potential investment involves commodities, you may also need to check out the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Web site, http://www.cftc.gov/, and use its internal search engine to check out companies and people. The National Futures Association can also give you information on the disciplinary history of brokers or other commodity professionals, the registration status of firms and individuals, and arbitration and mediation procedures. Call them at 1-800-676-4NFA between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central Time or go to http://www.usdoj.gov/cgi-bin/outside.cgi?http://www.nfa.futures.org.

6) If the prospective investment supposedly involves an Internet financial institution, go to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)'s Online Banks Web pages, and use the FDIC's Financial Institutions Search Engine you find there to see whether the financial institution has a legitimate banking charter and is a member of the FDIC.

7) When the potential investment is based outside the United States, remember that your money may be even more at risk, as you may have little or no recourse in the event of loss. The United Kingdom's Financial Services Authority allows investors to check out U.K. and European Union-based investment offers at its Central Register (call 01-71-929-3652).

8) Finally, use one or more of the many Internet search engines - like the ones available on your Web browser - to help you expand your research on the company's background and market performance.

If you use these resources, and find that one or more of the people behind your prospective investment has been subject to legal action, especially for investment offers, it's a very safe bet that the investment is a high risk at best and an outright scam at worst.


C) Boilers and "Boiler Rooms" Need High Pressure To Do Their Jobs. If someone online is insisting that you invest right away, or telling you that someone else will get the "deal of a lifetime" if you wait, ask yourself at that moment whether you're feeling pressured and uncomfortable. If you are, that's a major red flag warning you away from the investment.

1) Legitimate businesspeople and brokers don't need to subject you to "high-pressure" tactics to make you commit to an investment decision before you're ready. That's why the operations scam artists run are called "boiler rooms": like steam boilers, high pressure is what they're designed to generate (along with a wide array of lies, half-truths, and deceptive statements).

2) Even if you're in a chat room or online discussion group where everyone seems to be "just like you," enthusiastic about investing and looking for the next great investment, not everyone who's online at that moment is necessarily just like you. Some of the messages you see may be coming from someone working for the investment scheme's organizers - or even one of the organizers himself - who pretends to be someone else, so they can pressure you in less obvious ways and get you to fall for the scheme.

D) Check Out The Competition. If someone's promising you returns on investment that are far above what you see in the financial pages of your newspaper or at your local bank, ask yourself how they can possibly guarantee those fabulous returns.

1)Sometimes it's because, as in any good old-fashioned Ponzi scheme, they're paying older investors with money that newer investors gave them, and they're trying to string out the fraud to rope in as many investors as possible. Sometimes it's because they'll promise you anything, but give you nothing once you've entrusted your money to them.

2) If, after you've gone through all of the steps listed above, you still feel like the prospective investment is worth considering, talk to a broker, financial adviser, or banker with whom you've done business for a while, and ask whether his or her firm or financial institution can offer you a comparable type of investment with less risk.
a) The chances are that they'll say no, but they'll be willing to take time with you to walk through the information you have about the prospective investment and point out the risks you may be taking, as well as possible alternative investments that offer more realistic returns.

b)You lose nothing by consulting an investment professional about any major investment decision - and you stand to lose a lot if you don't.