Rare Technology News

AUDIO SHARING WITH PICOSONG

2012-01-21T05:54:00.000-08:00

In the realm of photo-sharing, we have got it made. There is Imgur, Minus and others than permit stupidly simple drag-and-drop-with-no-account-required to upload and share.

I had mentioned SoundCloud recently, and that's a nice audio-sharing site. Truly. My thought was, "Well, it can't get any simpler than this, right?"

This is what you will see when you load picosong.com:

There is that's even simpler, and it is called the "picosong".

Choose a file, upload, get your share-out link, and it is a done deal. Those you send the link to will be able to load up the audio file and play it all inside the browser. No bulky downloads necessary.

USING WATERFOX?

2012-01-21T05:43:00.000-08:00

People see "64" in lieu of "32" and think that because the number is doubled, the app must be better. Most of the time this is not true.
Just because an app is 64-bit does not magically make it better

In a browser application, 64-bit at this point has not proven to be any better than the 32-bit flavors. You can benchmark-benchmark-benchmark all day and spout out numbers-numbers-numbers, but the fact of the matter is that in practical use, you will notice tiny to no difference in performance compared to a 32-bit browser.

Now if we are speaking about, say, a video editing suite that requires gobs and gobs of memory to crunch and render video knowledge faster, then oh yes, 64-bit is better because that architecture can process and access everything faster.

Being that Waterfox is Firefox in 64-bit flavor, it still has the exact same memory-munching issue Firefox does. That's not fixed, and that's not Waterfox's fault at all. The way the engine works explodes in memory use by nature.

Think of it this way: Would you notice a difference between a 32-bit Microsoft Word and a 64-bit Microsoft Word? Nope. Document load time over a network would only be slightly faster on 64-bit (meaning you wouldn't notice any significant difference). Startup and shutdown would show no major difference in speed. You get the idea.

Yes, this does mean by having the tabs open of webmail, Facebook and Netflix that Waterfox will explode up to half-a-gig of memory use by sitting there like Firefox does. Again, this is not Waterfox's fault. Its from the engine the browser makes use of.
Using unofficial builds of browsers is not exactly a nice suggestion

Major browsers release security updates quickly ought to any issues be discovered, and the unofficial builds are always second in line for them. Whatever team is building the unofficial build receives a notice from the official provider, they compile a version, then release but its always after that major provider releases it first. And sometimes this can take weeks or even months for this to happen. Why? Because unofficial builds of browsers are released by tiny teams that don't have the resources the major providers have. In other words, they "get to it when they get to it". No, this is not an accusation of laziness whatsoever. Like I said, smaller teams of programmers don't have the time and resource larger teams do.

Ought to you use Waterfox?

However if you are expecting the fact Waterfox is 64-bit to cure existing issues with Firefox primarily concerning performance and memory-munching, I seriously doubt someone who makes use of it will notice any significant difference.

I downloaded it and tried it out. Its a nice 64-bit browser, and the nice part is that it operates using the same profile as your existing Firefox installation as far as I can tell. Add-ons that work in regular Firefox appear to work in Waterfox with no issues, so that's nice.

But don't take my word for it. Try Waterfox for yourself and see if it works fro you.

APPLE'S NEW GENERATION IBOOKS+TEXTBOOKS

2012-01-21T05:13:00.000-08:00

Steve Jobs vision of the future has one time again fomented revolution in the media industry, this time in the type of a brand spanking new education-oriented iBooks package that Apple announced today at an event in New York City. Looking to take the textbook industry head-on, Cupertino has created a set of apps that will lead to the extinction of the physical textbook & replace it with electronic media while simultaneously increasing the market penetration of its iPad tool. Apple's aim is to get schools to buy an iPad to give to every student, a aim that after the announcement today could very well become a reality. impressively, Apple also announced today that it's secured partnerships with Pearson, McGraw Hill, & Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, publishers that make up 90% of textbook sales in the US & get this: e-textbooks will cost $15.

Apple has taken a three-pronged approach to its work to make a powerful move back to being the leader in desktop publishing. First, iBooks has received a major update to become iBooks two. Included in the book store is a brand spanking new textbook section that allows students to buy & download the titles they require for class. While this is nothing new in the world of e-publishing, Cupertino has added a wealth of interactivity that finally brings important features to using an e-reader for study. The most obvious being the ability to interact with the textbook through the iPad's touchscreen; students will be able to rotate & look at virtual 3D models, as well as getting descriptions & definitions that are associated with it. Videos & the ability to search online glossaries will truly bring a rich media experience to textbook study. of the largest gripes about e-books is the shortage of ability to take notes in an effective way: iBooks two has tackled that by giving you a highlighting technique that not only lets you generate visual cues when re-reading, but also gives the ability to generate electronic note cards that look like the actual thing for studying key ideas & terms.

Apple has thought of this as well by implementing the third part of its plan. Distribution will be handled through iTunes U, which historicallyin the past had been a separate section of the popular online music store. Historicallyin the past only offered to universities, iTunes U allows lecturers to upload audio & video content for students to make use of in study or to audit a work from home. Cupertino has now opened this process up to all schools, meaning that K-12 schooling districts can sign up to distribute materials created by teachers & other educators.

While interactivity is important, another major barrier for the success of the digital textbooks has been getting such content created by major publishers. Textbook companies have been dragging their feet because of the fact that the current model in place makes them a immense amount of funds. In lieu of trying to forge deals with each individual publisher, Apple has completed an end-around by generating iBooks Author, a free application that allows someone to generate an e-book for use with iBooks two. Teachers & professors can take Keynote presentations, text documents, videos, music, & pics to generate their own textbooks for use in the schooling arena. A amazing move on Apple's part, this busts through the content barrier by putting the power of creation in the hands of the user. But how are these created materials going to be distributed?

Today is going to be looked at as the time that marked the death of the physical book. Soon they are going to see authors that creatt works of written art that bring the tales they write to life in the hands of their readers. They are going to see a true convergence of media experience which will be seen as the end-times by some. I for am hoping that Wizards of the Coast will bring back the elderly Dungeons & Dragons choose your own adventure books in this format. I won't mourn the death of the physical novel, but revel in the evolution of the medium that will finally bring it in line with the way they are consuming other forms of media.

In neat package, Apple has implemented a content creation & delivery method that doesn't depend on partnerships with large corporations though it's secured the publishers that count & will without a doubt go on to sell large amounts of hardware to students & institutions similar. The iPad is now poised to make a significant alter like the iPod did on its release. Today's students have not known a world without computers or electronics to aid them in their everyday tasks. The classroom is of the last frontiers that has yet to see a significant advance that brings convergence between digital devices & learning. Until now. While Apple will be the leader for some time because of the announcement today, it won't be long before everyone else falls in line & begins to operate in the same method.

MAGICAL PORTABLE FUEL BATTERIES

2012-01-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Transportable fuel cells have been billed as the final solution for several years now. Regrettably, early pioneers like Jadoo have had trouble achieving the little size & low cost needed to make their products ubiquitous. reason is that most current fuel cell products depend on hydrogen storage, often in refillable canisters. Direct hydrogen storage adds complexity & isn't practical for little units or truly remote applications.

Batteries & chargers are the bane of a high-tech lifestyle. For each new tool there is usually a new size battery, a new charger, & a new set of concerns about battery life. & then comes the quest for an AC power outlet to fire all of them up. For years the industry has been looking for some type of holy grail that would permit road warriors to travel freely without being slaves to power sockets & backup batteries. Solar was the first candidate, but transportable solar cells have limited power output, & naturally only work when the sun is shining.

Enter Signa Chemistry, which provides a smart way of using a powder, sodium silicide, and water, to generate hydrogen on the fly. The hydrogen is mixed with air in the fuel cell itself, combining to generate electricity & water. The hydrogen produced by SiGNa's fuel can be used to power a traditional fuel cell, from briefcase-sized models from Jadoo down to a small hand-held version from Swedish company MyFC. The hand-held model is being introduced to the US market this spring, under the name PowerTrekk & is designed for transportable re-charging of smartphones or other little electronic devices. The PowerTrekk can output up to watts, allowing it to directly power any smartphone, even if it's dead.

The PowerTrekk will be obtainable from REI for $199 for the base unit. Fuel pucks will be sold in packages of for $12. Each PowerPukk has the equivalent power capacity of 6 AA batteries, at a similar cost but much higher power than alkaline cells. Compared to long-life rechargeable NiMH AA batteries that's not much of a saving, but compared to the throw-away high-power Lithium AA batteries needed as a power source for walking plenty of modern smartphones, it is a bargain.

In larger units, like its briefcase-sized DPS300, Signa can claim that its fuel cell-driven power supplies are more cost-effective than rechargeable Lithium batteries like those currently used to power computers & electric cars. They're also lighter. As an example, Signa provided this analysis of using its briefcase unit for 30 full charges:

For now, the PowerTrekk is clearly as much of a lifestyle product it comes in a choice of red, yellow or green as a practical alternative to rechargeable batteries. It'll take some improvements before it becomes a mainstream alternative although Apple has been reported to be taking a look at fuel cells to power future Mac models. But the DPS300 is already being ordered by organizations including USAID for vaccination clinics in remote areas. It is lighter & cheaper for it to make use of a DPS300 fuel cell & supply of sodium silicate than it is to drag along a generator & it is definitely more environmentally friendly.

FreeDOS 1.1 IS BACK NOW!

2012-01-21T04:41:00.000-08:00

The history of FreeDOS stems back to the summer of 1994 when Microsoft announced that MS-DOS as a separate product would no longer be supported. It would live on as part of Windows 95, 98, and (ugh!) Me, but for Jim Hall that wasn't , and so public domain (PD) DOS was born. Other developers quickly jumped on board, a kernel and utilities were made, as well as a usable version of PD-DOS began to emerge. It wouldn't be until 1998 that the first alpha build (version 0.05) was released, however; a slow trend that would continue, with a slew of betas culminating in a final one.0 build in 2006, some 12 years after the project begun. Finally, it would be renamed FreeDOS.

Some 17 years after its first release in 1994, and over years since one.0, FreeDOS one.1 the definitive, open source version of MS-DOS is now obtainable to download.

When I tell the story of FreeDOS to my friends the next query is usually: So, like, what's the point of FreeDOS? A fair query, given the maturity of Linux and its giant support framework. Well, for a start, FreeDOS is already extensively used by recovery disks. If you've ever made a boot disk for the sake of checking your hard disk or memory, or fixing a broken installation of Windows, you certainly used FreeDOS.

Beyond that, though, FreeDOS is actually an excellent surroundings for educational or simple systems. Linux, compared to MS/FreeDOS, is fat. When combined with QBASIC or DJGPP (a C/C++ development surroundings), FreeDOS makes a surprisingly lovely development platform. It's also important to point out that FreeDOS isn't actually an old operating method: It supports FAT32 (with LBA) and UDMA for hard drives and DVD players, and the FreeDOS distro comes with an antivirus scanner as well as a BitTorrent client. USB support isn't there, but USB keyboards, mice, and outside storage can be finagled in to working.

When it comes down to it, though, the reason I am liking FreeDOS is that I can run it inside VirtualBox and play Doom. With a burst of nostalgia, I can fiddle around with HIMEM and EMM386 and Autoexec.bat to eke out conventional memory to play Cannon Fodder. Ultimately, though, with DOSBox providing a much better (if less actual) gambling experience, I would must admit that FreeDOS is mostly a curio for old-timer geeks.

2012 3D TV REVIEW

2012-01-21T04:31:00.000-08:00

CES 2011 was billed as the year of 3D, but this year's show also had dozens of offerings, lots of of which sound similar on paper. Here, ExtremeTech checks out the most fascinating prospects for no-glasses 3D in 2012 & beyond.

Stream TV's Ultra-D: Wide-viewing-angle 3D without glasses

After the rush to upgrade to HDTV, 3D was supposed to be the next giant thing. Propelled by the enthusiasm for a few well-crafted media properties like the blockbuster film Avatar, preliminary expectations were set high. But cost, a lack of compelling content, potential health issues, & the necessity for annoying & pricey glasses have kept 3D TV from getting far. Now, several firms are trying to break through by getting rid of those pesky glasses, offering glasses-free 3D experiences, while others are upping the ante by providing a premium experience with cheap polarized glasses or even new version of pricey, but now wireless, active glasses.

Until now, the most common way to accomplish 3D viewing without glasses has been with specially designed displays using what is called a parallax barrier where any viewer to the left of the display's middle sees the picture recorded by the left camera (& meant for the left eye) & any viewer to the right sees the right-side picture (meant for the right eye). As you can imagine, this only works if the person viewing the screen sits exactly where the parallax barrier is set up to divide the picture. As a result, it works well for personal display screens like the on the Fujifilm & Panasonic 3D cameras, & the LG Thrill & HTC Evo 3D smartphones, which permit capturing & viewing 3D. But a parallax barrier doesn't work well when you have over person in the audience, or in the event you require to move around at all while watching the media since it only performs properly if the viewer is directly in front of the direction for which the barrier is tuned.

The Ultra-D method requires a small bit of heavy lifting on the hardware and program side. Existing LCD, LED and OLED panels can be used, but an additional microlens layer is necessary for the displays, as well as new firmware and program. StreamTV is aggressively licensing its platform to makers of TVs, tablets, and smartphones, with the promise of 42-inch and 55-inch LED TVs available in retail by this summer. The Ultra-D TVs will be bundled with Stream TV's SeeCube, which allows the realtime conversion of 2D to 3D and of traditional 3D content designed for use with glasses in to autostereoscopic content for display on an Ultra-D gizmo. Tablets and digital picture frames are also on tap, although details haven't been disclosed.

Several companies are using this year's CES to launch new solutions for multi-viewer 3D without glasses. StreamTV, best known for the Elocity tablet, rolled out an impressive platform called Ultra-D, which allows not autostereoscopic (without glasses) viewing of existing 3D content, but realtime conversion of conventional 2D images and video in to its 3D format. On paper Ultra-D slices through the major bottlenecks hampering 3D very nicely. By having displays that are autostereoscopic no glasses are necessary, and by allowing realtime conversion to 3D, suddenly a near boundless amount of content is available.

StreamTV is tight-lipped about how the method actually works, but from watching a variety of their prototypes and speaking to some of their researchers, it turns out that in lieu of the traditional glasses-free solution of having images for the left eye and for the right then showing to each eye Ultra-D creates 9 different images, each with a matchless angle on the scene. The specially built display has an array of microlenses in front of the conventional LCD that project each picture out in a series of overlapping cones. As a result each eye sees a combination of as plenty of as four different images all with a slightly different point of view and is responsible for integrating the total in to a coherent picture. Since your eyes are a few inches apart, at most viewing positions your left eye sees a different set of four images than your right eye (in essence your right eye is moved over by, so if your left eye sees picture two, three, four, five, for example, your right eye might see images three, four, five, and 6). This clever approach means that as you move around the viewing area, the picture you see actually changes.

MEGAUPLOAD'S TIMEOUT

2012-01-21T01:44:00.000-08:00

If you are only joining us, late yesterday the US Department of Justice shutdown Megaupload, arrested seven employees, & seized assets worth over $50 million (including 82-inch TVs, 108-inch TVs, 14 Mercedes, & other rich boys toys). This immense indictment poses lots of questions, but today we are going to look at of them: What happens to all of those files that people had stored on Megaupload servers?

This morning the net is littered with hundreds of millions of broken Megaupload links. There was no warning, no preamble: In the event you stored files on Megaupload, they are gone at least for now. So you have some idea of the scale of Megaupload, a speedy search on XDA-Developers for megaupload returns some 226,000 hits. There's hundreds if not thousands of forums on the net that are similar in scale to XDA-Developers.

In short, in the event you stored important files on Megaupload, I hope you had an up-to-date backup on your computer.

It is feasible that Megaupload servers will be brought back online, but only if Megaupload & its employees are found innocent & in all likelihood, the trial & sentencing process will take months. Even if Megaupload does return, there is no guarantee that your files will still be there.

There's always been major concerns about cloud services in general, and cloud storage (Dropbox, Megaupload, SkyDrive, iCloud, and so on). The first is privacy: When you upload knowledge to a third party, there's always the risk that they can look at the contents of your files. Some cloud providers securely encrypt knowledge, but plenty of don't. The second issue is knowledge security and integrity: Does the third party keep a tight ship against hackers? What happens if a hard drive fails? What protections have the cloud provider put in place to mitigate against natural disasters, bankruptcy, or being shutdown by the Feds?

The folly of cloud storage

For the most part, the only actual way of ameliorating these concerns is by doing an terrible lot of research before pushing in your chips. Even then, though, you would be hard pressed to discover a cloud storage provider that offers an simple way to migrate your knowledge in case of bankruptcy. If Dropbox decides to close down, the only way to transfer knowledge to another cyberlocker is to download it and re-upload to another service. If you're an enterprise customer using Microsoft Azure or Amazon AWS, you ought to probably be given help to migrate your knowledge to another provider. In the case of a federal indictment, though, I don't think any cloud provider offers a way out and if there's an earthquake, you better hope that they kept an offsite backup (and you can bet that consumer services like Dropbox or Backblaze).

At the finish of the day, though, the only other option is keeping your own backups on some kind of NAS and maintaining your own offsite backups which is feasible, and how plenty of companies and individuals select to do it, but rife with its own issues. Cloud storage is so simple it is the epitome of fire-and-forget that you forget about the risks and then Megaupload gets shutdown.

So, what happens to my files when a cloud service dies?

Assuming the midden hits the windmill, then, and your cloud storage provider goes offline without notice what happens to your files?

For consumer-oriented services that are more about backup than file sharing Backblaze, for example your files would probably stay in the digital ether, encrypted for all eternity. It's unlikely that a backup provider would ever be shutdown, but it could go bankrupt. In such a situation, you would probably be given a week or month to grab all of your information and then that would be it. There is no chance of Backblaze sending you a hard drive along with your information on, for example.

In Megaupload's case, where some one,000 servers (and thousands of hard drives) were seized, the Feds will probably pore through your files looking for facts that improves their chance of a conviction. It's guaranteed that Megaupload stored the IP address of file uploaders, and the Feds could pursue individual copyright infringement cases at a later date. If Dropbox was ever indicted of similar charges, the situation would probably be the same.

Finally, at the enterprise level Azure, AWS, Rackspace, etc. It's likely that you would be given ample opportunity to recover your files, and you might even get help in migrating your information directly to another cloud service. In this case, if you're storing terabytes of information in the cloud, you could probably even request that your information be returned by FedEx hard drives.

MAKE YOUR OWN COPY OF WIKIPEDIA

2012-01-21T01:27:00.000-08:00

Beyond your anger about conflicted representatives voting on disgusting & broken laws, though, you are probably experiencing a very different emotion entirely: loss. Loss for your beloved Wikipedia. The Wikipedia Foundation knows how important its encyclopedia is, it knows that blacking out the site for 24 hours will generate an uproar but most importantly, it knows that a blackout will make people query the future safety of of the most important services in the world. I mean, if SOPA was enacted & Wikipedia was made to close down, what would they do?

With today's blackout of Wikipedia, its editors & governing Foundation are sending a very clear message to Congress & other governments around the globe: In case you mess with the net the fabric on which Wikipedia is built there will be more trouble & strife than you can ever imagine.

Wikipedia, being the awesome site that it is, provides complete dumps of each of its encyclopedias to make the mirroring technique simple. With a tiny little bit of developer know-how, you can set up your very own Wikipedia mirror, available & editable by the public, like Wikipedia itself. Even if you are a standard web surfer without geek credentials, you can set up a local version of Wikipedia right on your computer, available at any time, irrespective of blackouts or shutdowns. Let's start!
Download a replica of Wikipedia

I have been thinking about this for the last couple of days, poring over potential solutions. Speaking to your local Representative or Senator (or member of parliament, if you are outside the US) is definitely a nice preventative step. But if Wikipedia actually goes dark not in a soft sense like today the only actual solution is to have a network of mirrors.

To start with, you will need to grab a compressed copy of the Wikipedia language that you need to reflect English, French, French, & so on from dumps.wikipedia.org. I strongly recommend you use a mirror, as the official servers appear to be slow. I used a fast Brazilian mirror, but its latest dump is over a month elderly.

You are looking for a file name that looks something like: enwiki-20120104-pages-articles.xml.bz2. The important thing is that the file name ends with pages-articles.xml.bz2.

If you are mirroring the English Wikipedia, this file will be around 7.5GB; other wikis will be considerably smaller.

Decompress Wikipedia

Now you have options:

You can cease reading now in the event you only require to generate a local mirror; otherwise, read on

In the event you require to make a web-accessible version of Wikipedia (i.e. an actual mirror of Wikipedia), you require to uncompressed pages-articles.xml.bz2. On Windows, this can be completed with 7-Zip. On Linux and Mac OS X it can be completed with bunzip2. The uncompressed English Wikipedia, without pics, is around 25GB.

In the event you require to make a local mirror of Wikipedia in the event you require a duplicate of Wikipedia on your computer, in case the world wide web-site suddenly disappears download WikiTaxi.It can take your compressed Wikipedia dump and turn it in to a browsable, searchable Wikipedia with a few clicks. The import technique will around an hour for English Wikipedia, or considerably more in the event you have an older computer.

Now Record Your History @ Facebook Apps

2012-01-20T23:56:00.000-08:00

Life log: Timeline apps let Facebook collect stats on previous activity, like the travel log shown here.

Facebook won the loyalty of over 800 million users largely by getting them in to the habit of visiting lots of times to see the latest updates, comments, and photographs posted by friends. Now the site will also let outside apps provide even more content, and it will encourage people to spend time looking back over activity from months or even years ago. New features introduced at an event in San Francisco last night will enable users to automatically record their eating, reading, exercise, and other habits over time, share them with friends, and review their earlier actions.

The key to the new features is an update to the Timeline page that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg introduced at his company's F8 event last September. Now, with a user's permission, third-party sites and mobile apps can record details of what the person is doing and automatically feed that knowledge to the person's Timeline page through a "Timeline app" that sends the information to Facebook and provides the necessary permission and privacy settings.

"Your timeline is not a way to tell your story based on what you are doing on Facebook, but using your activity out in the remainder of the world as well," said Carl Sjogreen, director of platform products at Facebook, at the launch event.

Fans and researchers have experimented with comprehensively logging their lives for years. In 1998, for example, Microsoft researcher Gordon Bell began trying to digitally capture as much as they could about everything they did. But Bell and others have often found that browsing and reviewing their records introduced a greater challenge than capturing them. Facebook's new design could help people do both.

Facebook's hope is not to hook in users with more experiences, but also to make use of the new trove of information that Timeline apps will provide. The knowledge could help the company's efforts to target ads more cleverly, although Facebook says that for now, information from Timeline apps is not used in that way.

DELETE FOREVER

2011-10-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

There are a few methods to delete files from the computer. In Windows, they can hit the delete button or right click any folder or file & select delete to delete the file or folder. By default, this will take the file to the recycle bin & then they can empty the recycle bin to delete the file permanently. But this won't delete the file from the computer. It remains on the hard drive until it is re-written by some other knowledge.

One technique to delete the file without taking it to the recycle bin is to make use of Shift-Delete in lieu of only delete. But this also leaves the files on the hard drive. There's plenty of programs that can securely delete files permanently from the computer but the issue with them is that they need to be installed on the technique in order for them to function. If you are using a public computer, it is not always feasible to put in those programs.

RightDelete is a small transportable utility which can permanently delete files from the computer without being installed. It is very simple to make use of. It offers options on startup:

Explorer context menu file/folder links
Explorer context menu SendTo link
Desktop shortcut link

Selecting the first check-box Explorer context menu file/folder links will add a context menu item so that you can right click any file or folder in order to securely delete it.

You can take it with you in your portable pen drive & use it on any computer or laptop In case you need to make use of it permanently then make positive that you unzip the utility in a folder in order for it to function properly..

FINGER TOUCH MOUSE DEVICE

2011-10-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

There are not enough numbers to count the times I have been annoyed by the click and clack sounds that come from a computer mouse. While relaxing at home, getting a nice cup of tea prepared and sitting down to a good book, the sounds from the mouse and keyboard will start up and then I can concentrate on nothing else.

The beginnings of the ultimate days of peace are at hand. Microsoft has made a touch mouse that is completely clack-free. Multi-touch technology lets you tap and slide on the mouse instead of hammering down a button on either side, or scrolling with something that sounds like you’ve gone too far into the shoulder on the road. This mouse can also function on any surface whether it be smooth and glossy or rough and uneven, which makes it much more appealing than most other of it’s kind. It works off of a USB Nano transceiver and has a rather commendable 30-ft range. At only $80 a pop, it’s a wonder everyone doesn’t already have these to replace their old loud ones.

INSTRUCTIONS TO INSTALL THE OPENSUSE

2011-10-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

OpenSUSE is another great Linux flavor that you can install and play around. The latest version is having excellent new features, appearance and working surroundings. This tiny guide shows how to download OpenSUSE 11.4 and install on VMware with working VMware tools by Easy Install process, so you can fine-tune the screen resolutions and get more more options in virtual machine.

If I can shift my all programs and drivers to OpenSUSE 11.4 from Windows OS, then definitely I will think to move on. The latest version looks great and works smoothly. I think it is having major changes from earlier version 11.3.

The latest VMware products support 11.4, so it is a straightforward installation. Since it can be done by VMware simple install which is like unattended installation, the all installation steps will be done automatically including VMware tools. Successful VMware tools installation on OpenSUSE 11.4 will enable us to change the screen resolutions, working sound, network, full screen mode and unity mode to basically work with visitor and host Operating Systems.

Installation Steps – OpenSUSE 11.4 on VMware

Select the appropriate download method and correct 64 bit or 32 bit to suite your physical computer processor.

2) Create a new virtual machine in VMware workstation or VMPlayer.

3) Mount the downloaded Opensuse ISO file, VMware will detect the OS type automatically, this indicates the possible Easy Install method

4) Next screen to enter the user details which will be used by ‘Easy Install’ to create user account inside guest OS.

5) Modify the virtual machine name and location if you like. You can change the default hardware option in next screen. I started the installation with default options. Press ‘Customize Hardware’ if you like to modify the hardware settings.

6) As expected, installation will start automatically, you do not need to do anything during the installation.

7) Give enough of time to restart automatically and install VMware tools. Guest OS will be waiting for the password to enter which you created in earlier step –4.

8.) That’s it, installation is done. Network, sound and more screen resolutions are working well inside OpenSUSE 11.4 virtual machine. Also Unity mode works fine which allows to access Linux guest OS from Windows host computer’s desktop.

Enjoy and play with the latest Linux release with working most of the choices inside virtual machine. I will try the same with Oracle VirtualBox and update this weblog in coming days.

AUTOMATIC CAMERA AND VIDEO DEVICE FOR DOORS

2011-10-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

The latest tech safety product from Brinno is a Digital Peephole Viewer. In most homes & apartments, front doors are fitted with a traditional peephole that sometimes obscures the vision of the person standing on the other side. The Brinno Digital Peephole Viewer guarantees you the utmost quality & clarity when viewing the outside visitor. The Brinno Digital Peephole Viewer is small & straightforward to put in. It's a one.3 megapixel resolution that even has a zoom function. All it takes is AA batteries to run. Now you can feel much safer opening your front door.

Sony PlayStation 4 Review

2011-09-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

Sony is definitely in competition with Microsoft to bring up its next generation gambling console to the market. When the PlayStation three was released years ago, it was sold out in every store, & as of June 31, 2011 there were over 51 million units sold.

The competition gets tougher & intense in the video game market, & Sony is preparing itself for the release of PlayStation four. In fact, while the PlayStation four is currently getting its treatment, PlayStation five & PlayStation 6 are in the early stages of planning & conceptualization at Sony's R&D labs.

The world eagerly waits for the next generation PlayStation four sported with hi-tech gambling features & latest technologies. Game enthusiasts are not expecting the PS four to have a combination of motion & dual-shock controllers, but also 3D gambling experience. There is no reason why ought to not expect what the next version of PS four will contain, since know-how has advanced widely & effectively.

Features:

The Sony PlayStation four is said to be made of eco-friendly materials. The gambling console is expected to be made up to 60% of recyclable materials. Apart from that, it will also have an Eco Start feature, which will permit game enthusiasts to save and resume games, without having to switch off the console.

Additionally, it is choreographed to switch off every 30 minutes of no activity. The fascinating part is that in the work of this time, the console will self-charge automatically from a rechargeable cell. This not only saves energy, but also maintains and extends the life of the console.

The Sony PlayStation four will have full 3D support with 4K2K compatibility, and supports 3D Blu-Ray. It is enabled to synchronize with Sony Ericson, and also synchronize with the Sony Bravia. The Sony Entertainment Network (SEN), formerly called Qriocity, will even be included in the console.

Although the device is mixed with eco-friendly features, it definitely needs those specifications which are fundamentally necessary for any hardcore game enthusiasts. The PlayStation four is expected to sport a one.5 TB hard disk drive, which allows users to store a giant number of games. It will have USB three.0 ports along with an HDMI connect port.

In terms of CPU, the current PS three makes use of a cell based processor with one PPE (Power Processing Element) at three.2 GHz. They are expecting the PS4 to have 32nm 8 Core Cell processor with 16 SPEs, along with a 22nm Kepler. They are also expecting the console to have a boatload of RAM, with at least maximum of 2GB RAM.

Although the gambling console is yet to be announced, fans have already posted idea images of the PlayStation four, which definitely looks amazing. It is obvious that users mostly look for technical specifications, but there's sure number of individuals who also depend on looks and design.

It is also expected that the Sony is planning to include the body movement-based control like Kinect, a motion sensing input gizmo developed by Microsoft for the Xbox 360.

And...

Apple iPhone 5 Review

2011-09-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

As the 5th generation of the iPhone is on the verge of being released, & with all the speculations spreading on the Web about the iPhone 5, people are anticipating & desperately waiting for the launch of the smartphone. Plenty of fans & current Apple iPhone consumers are wondering what groundbreaking features Apple will add to the new iPhone 5.

Device Features:

Although Apple does not reveal the exact specifications & features until the tool is officially unveiled, they could dictate a number of the main features that are expected. However, rumor of the new iPhone 5 features, in terms of both hardware & application upgrades, will certainly entice any smartphone buyer.

The upcoming phone is expected to sport the Apple's latest & greatest A5 processor chip, iCloud service, higher-resolution camera, & a 4-inch screen size. Here are a number of the most anticipated.

iOS 5:

Apple announced iOS five.0 & its features in the coursework of the WWDC 2011 keynote address on June 6, 2011. The user interface is based on the idea of direct manipulation, using multi-touch gestures. It is expected to come with over 200 new features that will include improved Notification Process, News Stand & iMessage.

iMessage is an application that is developed to compete with Blackberry Messenger. The app will permit iPod Touch, iPhone, & iPad users to communicate (much like a chat service) with each other. The iMessage feature has been integrated in to the SMS/MMS application used originally on the iPhone models.

iCloud:

iPhone5 is being expected to include the iCloud service. Apple's iPhone 5 is expected to feature the new iCloud service for wireless remote access of music from all computers & mobile devices.

However, rumours state that Apple might release a low-cost iCloud iPhone alongside the iPhone 5. It could be named the iPhone Mini

The iPhone5 will automatically sync with the iCloud which will permit users to store pics, apps, calendars & documents without having them to store in the phone's memory. Apple is also looking to tie up with top music label companies to license songs for the iCloud service.

The iPhone Mini (or iPhone Nano, or whatever) could have significantly less storage than a typical iPhone. Most likely 8 gigabytes of storage the same as the lowest finish iPhones right now. Apple will not prevent users from storing their own content, because that would be crazy. But since it's a tiny amount of memory, Apple will likely push the ability to stream media by MobileMe as well.

The Powerful A5 Processor:

Apple iPhone 5 will house the A5 as the main processor, which technically is the same chip that currently powers the iPad two. The A5 contains a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU with NEON SIMD accelerator and a dual core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU, which means that the iPhone5 can do two times the work directly. The processor speed will be somewhere between one.2 to one.5 GHz, with probably a 1GB RAM.

The processor upgrade is completed not to increase the processing speed of the phone, but also to compete with the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S II.

The A5 chip might effectively increase the power use, however, it is said that the chip has got a dynamic power management, which can lower the [speed] depending on the workload, and thus effectively make use of the power.

8MP dual-LED flash camera:

According to sources, Apple has filed several patent applications relating to 3D picture capturing to the US Patent and Trademark Office later in March. This indicates that the iPhone 5 might feature a 3D camera. The filing indicates that the tool will be able to capturing, processing and rendering 3D images with dual-camera hardware.

The iPhone 4 supports a 5MP camera, so we are expecting that the iPhone 5 will have a rear-facing 8MP dual-LED flash camera. However, this is not awesome, since most of the high-end Android smartphones come with an 8MP camera. Along with that, the iPhone 5 is expected to have a front-facing camera for video chatting.

Additionally, if Apple wishes to keep up with the competition to Android, then it might think about improving on the video resolution to a full 1080p HD recording. Currently iPhone 4 has a 720p video capture at 30 frames per second.

Another fascinating feature is that the iPhone 5 will be able to taking pics in Panorama. It will work similarly to the 360 Panorama application in the App Store. It will let you take pics in a sequence as you move the camera from side to another, which in the finish will effortlessly stitch the images together to generate a panorama.

High Resolution And Display:

There has not been a better screen resolution since the release of the iPhone 4. Currently the iPhone 4 has a 3.5" screen size, and sources indicate that Apple might stay locked with the current size. But a few other sources say that Apple is planning to increase the screen size to 4" with higher screen resolution. I feel that Apple could compromise at three.7" instead of 3.75".

Microsoft Nokia Flip Cellular Phones

2011-09-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

How plenty of flips does it take to make your Smartphone super-sexy. The answer? flexible AMOLED touchscreens and a keyboard on the reverse. Here is what the Flip Phone feels like: a smart triangular piece held together with soft steel mesh hinges, hosting a custom flavor of Android.The boundaries of a PC and phone have smudged-up large time and this is a sample of what that future looks like. The hardware will be designed by Nokia while Microsoft will create the program platform like window 7 phone. This phone is meant to compete both Apple iPhone & Apple iPad.

Amazing Laser Keyboard Gadget

2011-09-30T14:39:00.000-07:00


Laser Keyboard

The amazing glimpse of Cube Laser Virtual Keyboard Device appeared as Magic Cube it is a laser keyboard that can be launch for use at any surface. This is very unique gadget which can be connected with any Bluetooth device e.g Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Windows and Android.


Laser Keyboard 2

It is available in market at the price of 160$ one piece.

Future Keyboard Gadget

The Future World of Technology

2011-09-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

What can you imagine in this age? iphone, screen panels, gsm, 4th generation apps, high definition cameras, memory chips and high definition sound? Science is heading towards something beyond the present term of technology.

How should the future devices look like? You may get astonished by watching this video. Just take a look of future what's going to be happen in the world of technology.

You are going to be the part of that world!

Biological Refrigerator

2011-09-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

The Bio Robot fridge cools biopolymer gel through luminescence. It might look stinky and sticky but it’s actually an odorless gel that envelopes the food.

Though it looks like the boot process machine but for everyone product you make a separate capsule.

Amazing Features:

The process of work does not require expenditure of energy for cooling products;
Design features, it is 4 times smaller than the conventional refrigerator, the refrigerator can change shape depending on the intensity of its use, it becomes more or less depending on the number of products;
Without shelves and doors you can place it both vertically and horizontally;
Biopolymer gel by touch as polyethylene is not sticky and has no smell;
The high density storage, the volume is used as efficiently as possible;
Products in a plain view and easily accessible;
Completely silent operation, no moving parts.

Intelligence Opticals

2011-09-10T06:21:00.000-07:00

Don't Ignore This!!! These are not some ordinary glasses.

These are BABELFISK OPTICAL DEVICE. If you have em' you are no more a lazy man. By using these glasses you will become master-mind guy. these glasses are fixed inside microphones that can get you text and audio recorded in to a flash drive by simply directing towards any particular vocal direction.

"IN" THE NEXT GEN-NEWSPAPER

2011-09-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

Nowadays people try to find options to using paper and they come up with fascinating solutions. They already saw the eRoll in this editorial and tablets like iPad are made in lots of variations today but Seon-Keun Park and Byung-Min Woo came with a different idea.

FUTURE PHONE

2011-09-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

Wow... what is this? a 3D image?

NO! Its a real Windows Mobile Phone and this device is amazingly astonishing to see. The phone is entirely different not only in appearance but also different in functions. In the upcoming days they are planning to launch this unique and amazing mobile as a special edition as a limited offer.

Surely if this might be actually put in to production, it would set an amazing peak to wold of cellular gadgets.

4 LGA1155 boards from Gigabyte

2011-07-09T21:54:00.000-07:00

Gigabyte's GA-Z68X-UD3P-B3, GA-Z68X-UD4-B3, GA-Z68X-UD5-B3 and GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 are up for review on X-bit Labs right now. You need to be observant to notice the difference in the models and have a great memory to know which is which at a glance. All of them share some similar characteristics, such as the dearth of onboard video out but also share positive traits like Dual BIOS and Phase LEDs and a lot of USB five.0 and SATA 6G ports. They had a few issues in the coursework of the review which you may need to find out about before purchasing of these boards.

Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3P-B3, GA-Z68X-UD4-B3, GA-Z68X-UD5-B3 & GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 mainboards do not have video Outs, that is why integrated graphics doesn't work on them. They can use Intel Smart Response know-how, but do not support any of the Lucid Virtu modes. Read our in-depth review to find out about other features of these main boards.

Tritton 8 Speakers In PC 510 HDA 5.1 Headphones

2011-07-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

Some four.1 surround sound headsets emulate additional speakers through application but you find the occasional set that actually have a hardware solution in the kind of multiple speakers. Tritton's PC 510 HDA's speakers range from 23mm in the centre to 30mm for back & front & a sub of 40mm. It connects to your four.1 sound card by the numerous RCA jacks present & a USB connector to handle power & the controller. MektuMods had fun gambling with these but felt that the audio quality was not up to snuff when it came to enjoying music.

This time they will take a closer look at a gambling headset from Tritton - an American manufacturer established in 2000. The new model they sent us for a review is PC 510 HDA, & it is a gambling headset of the four.1-variety. Now lets see the way it compares to the audio gear we have reviewed earlier.