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Vizio Announces The Co-Star, A $99 Google TV Box With OnLive Gaming Built In

2012-06-26T19:43:00.000+05:30

Watch out, Sony, Vizio is chasing your tail. Just yesterday Sony revealed its latest Google TV hardware, a $199 remake of the company’s first GTV products. And now today, Vizio took to the wires and announced its first player in the Google TV game, the $99 Co-Star.

The Co-Star is a serious contender in this game, too. The product boasts all the Google TV functionality along with additional baked-in apps such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, iHeartRadio, and for the first time on a Google TV box, OnLive. With OnLive gamers can demo, watch and actually play games through the cloud gaming service. Plus, all this is available for $100 less than Sony charges.

“Our focus to deliver the best consumer experience continues with today’s announcement of the Co-Star, which delivers a superior smart TV interface that anyone can add to their existing HDTV,” Matt McRae, VIZIO’s Chief Technology Officer said in a released statement. “We combined the powerful features of Google TV™ with an intuitive and easy to use interface, giving users the power to enjoy an entire world of entertainment.”

The Co-Star ships with a dual-sided Bluetooth remote (OnLive’s wireless controllers use Bluetooth) with one side featuring a number pad and touchpad with a QWERTY keypad on the other side. The box also sports 802.11n and USB connectivity options.

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Firefox 14 For Android Graduates From Beta, We Go Hands-On

2012-06-26T19:37:00.000+05:30

When Mozilla first pushed their latest beta version of Firefox into the Google Play Store last month, it raised a few eyebrows thanks to its dramatic redesign and its claims of “significant” performance enhancements. Now that new version of Firefox (version 14, if you’re keeping track) has cast off its beta trappings, but is it worth your time? Read on to find out.

The name of Mozilla’s game with their latest mobile version of Firefox is performance. Users who took the plunge with Firefox for Android in the early days (and even the not-so-early days) were left with a novel browsing experience that could often be marred by downright slow performance.

“It was a solid product if you were on a high end phone but it was a problem for anything less than that,” said Johnathan Nightingale, Director of Firefox Engineering. “We decided to rebuild it with performance as the focus, and rip apart anything that was slow.” The Android version of Firefox 14 actually went to beta before the desktop version did because the team was concerned about nailing down performance on as many Android devices as they could.

Their effort is certainly apparent in the final product — unlike the previous version (which would temporarily black out the screen on my Galaxy Nexus for a few seconds before displaying the homepage), Firefox 14 springs to life nearly instantaneously after tapping its icon. Loading pages is generally quicker to boot (though still not as downright quick as Chrome), and swiping down through long pages of content is perceptibly smoother than the version that preceded it.

But Firefox’s performance on new devices is only part of the equation. I took the new build for a spin on something decidedly less robust — the Gingerbread-powered Samsung Galaxy Player 3.6, which sports a single-core 1GHz processor. As you would expect, the experience is decidedly less buttery thanks to some pokey hardware, but FF14 still managed to outperform the device’s stock browser in terms of page loading speed and general usability. It’s bound to be a welcome change for users with older or less powerful devices looking for a way to cruise the web with a bit more panache

Firefox 14 is also notable for its inclusion of Flash support, a move that may seem a bit puzzling considering the group’s focus on open web standards like HTML5. Still, it’s hard to deny that there’s still gobs of Flash content peppering the web, and a member of Mozilla’s mobile team mentioned that it took “a bunch of engineering work” to get things working properly across the multiple versions of Android that Firefox 14 plays well with. It goes without saying that running Flash content on an Android device has never really been the most pleasant experience, but it’s here and it works if you somehow feel as though your life is somehow less meaningful without it.

To sweeten the pot for existing Firefox users, the bookmark syncing Firefox Sync feature still allows users to access bookmarks, browser histories, saved passwords, and tabs stored on different devices.

Mozilla has also completely revamped their original mobile UI in favor of one that places much more emphasis on the address bar. It took a ton of getting used to but I was fan of Mozilla’s original concept, one that had users swiping to the left and right to access a list view of their other browser tabs and a control panel for bookmarking and back and forward through webpages. Now all that functionality is crammed into a smaller area, and naturally some changes had to be made.

Perhaps most frustrating is the fact that the reload button has been relegated to a life hidden away from plain sight. In order to reload a page, users now have to tap the menu button first in order to find the option, something that seems terribly odd since it used to live right inside the address bar. Not all of the design tweaks are questionable, as the tab view button nestled next to the address bar displays a running total of how many tabs are open — tapping that button also displays those tabs as real-time thumbnails.

At this point though, Firefox for Android also lacks a few features that have become widely used in rival browsers. The ability to request the desktop version of a page (as seen in the stock ICS browser and the Chrome’s Android beta) immediately comes to mind because of how often I need to use it, though Mozilla’s mobile team confirmed that the feature would appear in a new release sometime this summer. As such, it becomes clear that Firefox isn’t going to be for everyone — fans of sheer performance have Chrome (though Nightingale says that he’d put Firefox 14 against Chrome anyday), and browsers like Dolphin offer features like gesture-based navigation and voice control to wow their users.

But in the end, Mozilla doesn’t view this as a contest. Rivals like Chrome and Dolphin bring different browsing experiences to the table, and Nightingale noted that the cross-pollination of features and ideas will only strengthen the choices users have when it comes to exploring the web. That’s what Mozilla is really after here, and with Firefox 14 they’re doing their part to contribute to a better web.

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Hong Kong, Singapore have highest number of tablet and smartphone users

2012-06-26T19:27:00.000+05:30

According to a new report from wireless equipment and telecom infrastructure vendor Ericsson, Hong Kong and Singapore have the highest percentage of tablet and smartphone users on the planet, and will most likely continue on the same path until 2017.

The Swedish firm interviewed 47,500 internet users aged between 16 and 60 in 58 countries in the first quarter of 2012, Chinese news service Xinhua said. Hong Kong came out on top of the tablets with 34 percent of web users saying they owned one, while in Singapore the market penetration rate was a fraction less at 31 percent.

But the Lion City could be about to storm ahead of its old rival, according to Vishnu Singh, regional head of Ericsson ConsumerLab. Singh told Xinhua that tablet market penetration there would almost double by the end of the year to nearly 60 percent.

When it comes to smartphones, Singapore also edges out Hong Kong although just by one percentage point, 74 percent versus 73 percent.

The United Arab Emirates is the surprise third placed country, with 64 percent of adults there owning a smartphone. It’s not a massive shock to see Singapore and Hong Kong, both cities competing to be Asia’s pre-eminent technology hub, come out on top in the report. Both have predominantly urban, affluent and gadget-hungry populations and advanced mobile networks.

Mobile internet penetration in Hong Kong is predicted to grow from 60.9 percent last year to 93.1 percent by 2016, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

And as impressive as these numbers may be, it’s to countries like China and India that the tablet and smartphone makers are looking for serious growth, because while the penetration rates there may be comparatively lower, the actual user numbers are much larger on average.

As the percentage of users owning such devices increases, so will the clamour at the IT manager’s door for BYOD programs.

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Windows 8 Phone to feature an electronic wallet with NFC fonctionality

2012-06-26T19:23:00.000+05:30

According to Microsoft, its new Windows 8 Phone will feature an electronic wallet with NFC functionality, but one that is similar to Google Wallet and Apple's Passbook, and will still be compatible to U.S. wireless carriers as well. Demonstrating the Near Field Communications (NFC) capabilities of Microsoft's new phone operating system, Joe Belfiore couldn't demonstrate pay-by-tap, as he didn't have a suitable SIM handy, but that issue may be what pushes Windows Phone 8 to the front when it comes to paying for items with a mobile phone.

Belfiore did demonstrate NFC-enabled business cards, picking up a URL from an NFC chip embedded in a copy of Wired and setting up a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi link to play a Scrabble derivative, but despite flashing a wallet boasting credit and debit cards from Chase he could only use them online as his SIM didn't have the requisite secure element for paying with a tap of the mobile handset.

As well as a short-range radio connection, pay-by-tap needs a secure location in which to store the cryptographic keys and do the encryption used to authenticate payments, but where that secure location goes is still the subject of intense and increasingly political debate.

Wireless network operators say that the SIM is the perfect place-- it's already secure and if the customer changes handsets then their wallet comes with them, but that places the payment schemes firmly under the control of the network operator and if customers change networks then they'll have to manually move their wallets.

For it's part, Google's compromise is to simply have one secure element in the phone (under the control of Google) but still support a SIM-based secure element if that's what users want, but all the while reminding them it's not something they need.

The Android Wallet application will merge the two so that users shouldn't see the complexity, but when they change handsets or wireless carriers it might become more obvious to them.

By contrast, Microsoft is leaving the pay-by-tap business to the network operators, and has already signed an agreement with Orange for the first deployments in France although other mobile operators should be quick to jump as their collaborative efforts to create standard platforms come together over the next few weeks.

And of course, in the United States, that's under the ISIS brand. In the United Kingdom, it's known as Project Oscar and is being challenged by Google and PayPal who've complained that their inability to use the SIM is anti competitive. Both ISIS and Oscar will store coupons as well as credit cards, which is important as the Coupon business is considered hugely important to those who intend to generate revenue through advertising.

Having given up on getting a percentage of the transaction fee, the mobile operators are now hoping that coupon revenue will fund the deployment of NFC handsets, but that's not going to happen if Google and Apple are in control of that segment.

Apple and Google both see the coupons section of their e-wallets as critical revenue streams. Apple's wallet contains only tickets and coupons, for the moment at least, but Microsoft seems happy to let the network operators compete with app providers for that market rather than running their own couponing service.

Windows 8 Phone provides a consistent interface, not a competing service, and that could be as critical as any other feature Windows Phone can boast. It will be interesting to see how it picks up in the field with the average consumer.

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The World’s Most Social Places

2012-06-25T21:58:00.001+05:30

Facebook has close to a billion members, or about 14% of the world’s population, and thus they probably know a thing or two about what the world likes to do, the places we frequent and so on.

The social networking site today released a list of the most “social” landmarks in the world or places where the maximum number of Facebook check-ins have happened so far (since August 2010).

Sports stadium and public areas like parks were found to be the most “social” places as per the data.

Amusement parks like Johannesburg’s Gold Reef City, Moscow’s Gorky Park, Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens and Seoul’s Lotte World were among the top 10 places to check-in.

Cities with warmer climates had more check-ins to outdoors spots, like St. Kilda Beach in Melbourne and the Wynyard Quarter wharf in Auckland, while colder climes had more activity in concert halls or bars. Six of Moscow’s 10 most popular slots belong to bars and clubs.

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Chevrolet The Heartbeat Of America

2012-04-13T11:54:00.000+05:30

History Of Chevrolet

The Chevrolet cars began with the auto designs of Louis Chevrolet, a Swiss race car driver. The original founder of General Motors was forced from his position in management, and due to his determined effort to restore his reputation he started to use Louis deigns and creating his own models in 1911. His car models were really successful that he was able to buy a major share of the GM’s stock. In 1916 he became the president of the General Motors Company. Although Chevrolet began as an independent company, it became a part of the General Motors Company.

At first, the Chevrolet cars were being identified and determined by model numbers. However, after the occurrence of World War II, the company finally decided that it will be great for their interest to begin giving their cars real names. Chevrolet was able to develop wide range of car models from two door copes to four-door sedans, mini vans, SUVs, station wagons, sports cars and crossovers. These were the original models, however at the present, station wagons and mini vans were dropped to give way to more popular types.

From the start of the Chevy models, the cars were able to significantly grow both in size and power. The engines that started with four cylinders were upgraded to six cylinders and then the V8 was implemented in 1950s. The early models of the car are very big and are not really fuel efficient.

Then again, as time passes by, fuel has become expensive, finances grew tighter and the company realized the necessity to make something that will not consume too much fuel. They started to downsize and create cars that are smaller and more fuel efficient, which attracted many customers. This was a really smart move.

At the present, the company pays more attention on creating crossover vehicles that can replace the minivan as the modern family car. Crossovers are made to be more fuel efficient, more innovative and modern hence representing the ideology of the dreams of the people. The Travers is an example of one of the popular Chevy models.

Chevy has been capable of creating a reputable and trusted brand that many Americans have trusted for years. They have been through hard times as they need to compete against foreign brands and hike in material prices yet they were able to market their brand effectively and remain on top. Some of the most popular models of Chevrolet that has been in the production for ages are Camaro and Corvette.

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$700 Million Google Data Centers To Open In China

2012-04-13T11:51:00.000+05:30

Google data centers are known all over the world for their eco friendliness, so the word of three brand new data centers to open in China is a welcome piece of news in the industry.

Despite political tension between US and China, and some uncomfortable past experiences regarding search censorship and the infamous hacking incident, Google is bringing its ethical data center practices to Asia with $700 million total investment, said Google’s Asian-Pacific President Daniel Alegre.

If past experience of eco-friendly data centers is anything to go by the new center will be built according to the green standards Google has embraced in all of its data centers and offices since the beginning of the company.

This time around Google is piloting a unique cooling system to be used at the Taiwan data center. According to a Google spokesperson, the new method is based on nighttime cooling and thermal energy storage system. Large quantities of water will be cooled at night when the temperatures are at their lowest and power resources more readily available. Cool water will be stored in special insulated tanks where the low temperatures will be retained. In the daytime when temperatures rise and power is more costly, this cold water will be used to cool the data center.

In the past Google data centers became famous for using ‘free’ cooling techniques such as using the surrounding air and used toilet water to cool Google facilities.

The new data centers in China will provide users faster access to a variety of Google products and help meet the high demand for online services in the fastest growing new Internet user community in the world.

The opening of the $300 million Taiwan center is scheduled for the second half of 2013, with the other two centers to follow later.

With the construction of data centers in Hong Kong and Singapore already in progress, Google boasts a presence in 12 countries in the Asia Pacific region, including Indonesia and Thailand. The Eastern expansion of the global giant can mean more business opportunities and better connectivity in that region.

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Top 10 Low Cost Tablets in India

2012-04-13T11:45:00.000+05:30

If you are searching for low cost tablets in India, you must be aware of the fact that most of these products come along with some truly great features, such as GPS, Wi-Fi and 3G. Therefore, the low price tags do not relate to low quality. On the contrary, these tablets are able to support different applications, just as any other types of tablets. The below given paragraphs present the most affordable tablets that are available in India these days.

Top 10 Budget Tablets In India :

1) MSI WindPad 100A:

This is a very slim device that comes equipped with 1280 x 800 IPS. It provides different ports, including 3.5mm audio jack, HDMI and USB.

It accommodates a front camera of 2MP and a rear camera of 5MP. This device is powered by the Tegra 2 processor that comes together with 2GB RAM. There are two options available, the 16GB and 32 GB tablets. The price should be around Rs 17000.

2) HCL Sakshat Tablet:

This tablet has a 7-inch display, USB ports, external hard drive and sports different applications, including the most common ones, such as Open Office, PDF viewer, Power Point, Excel, Word, video streaming, sip/unzip facility, web browsing, and flash video. Its a wonderful discovery in the tablets market and costs only $35, i.e Rs 1500 (approx).

3) MSI WindPad 100W:

The WindPad 100W provides specifications that are pretty much similar to those of the WindPad 100A. However, there are a few small differences from which the most important one relates to another processor type, which in this case is Atom Z530 of 1.6GHz.

This device also comes embedded with SRS PC sound system, biometric software, control system, photo manager and some other characteristics. This is little costly compared to other devices and is worth Rs 34990.

4) Reliance 3G Tab:

This tablet provides a 7-inch display, being powered by Android 2.3. It also comes with micro SD storage space which can support up to 32GB. The tablet has two cameras of 2MP. It sports various features, including video streaming, GPS, voice calling, mobile TV and others. Reliance have priced it at Rs 12999.

5) MSI Enjoy 10:

This tablet is another low cost alternative. Cheaper than the WindPad 100A and 100W, this option is ready to deliver different low-end specifications.

It comes along with a processor of 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A8, which can support different applications.The device also presents 512MB of RAM, 4GB or storage, 2 cameras of 2MP each, and a great display that ensures a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels. Price of this tablet is Rs 14999.

6.) Spice MI-720:

This tablet promises to become a very popular choice of many Indian consumers. And this is mainly because it intends to replace the well-known Mi-700, which runs on the operating system, Android 2.2 Froyo.

The Spice Mi-720 runs on Android 2.3 and features an updated processor of 800MHz. Other specifications include 512 MB RAM and ROM, VGA front and rear cameras of 3MP, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, SIM and SD card slots. It may cost around INR 17000 – INR 20000.

7) MSI Enjoy 7:

Similar to the aforementioned tablet, Enjoy 10, this tablet presents similar capabilities. The main difference consists of the size of the tablet and display’s characteristics, which highlight a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. Any other features remain the same.The price of the device is Rs 13999 (Approx).

8.) Zinglife ZL101:

This 10-inch tablet is proposed by Zinglife, being powered by the operating system, Android 2.2. It comes with a processor of 1GHz, 512 MB of RAM and RJ45 broadband port. The price is estimated at Rs 12300.

9) Beetel Magiq Tablet:

Developed by Beetel Teletech, this low cost tablet brings in the Android 2.2 operating system and 8GB of memory, which is extendable to 16 GB. The tablet also provides a long battery life, front and back cameras of 2MP, Wi-Fi and 3G functions. The price of this tablet is Rs 8999.

10) Wespro Digital ePad:

This is another great alternative that comes along with different features. These features include Android 1.9 operating system, a processor of 400MHz, 128MB of RAM, expandable memory up to 32GB, Wi-Fi, MP3, MPEG, WMA DIVX and XVID file formats. This tablet is for sale at its official site for Rs 5999.

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Top 5 Android Apps for 2012

2012-04-13T11:36:00.000+05:30

Who says the competition on mobile OS is slack? Well, this is not applicable with Android and Apple users. Last year was a breakthrough for Google’s mobile OS. Android has become one of the favorites and sought-after smartphone platform despite the plagued lawsuits. It didn’t only become popular, but the market boomed having 400,000 app downloads for its users. With Google partnering with mobile manufacturers, expect greater things this year on its system as there will be more available applications right there on your fingertips. Below, we have compiled the Top 5 Android Apps for 2012 that we would like to get on our hands. Take a look at the newest apps on Android.

Ninja Dash

Ninja Dash is an addictive game that any android user should download. The Ninja apprentices become the Ninja heroes! If you’re into speed and accuracy, Ninja Dash is the best fast paced running game. Well, it actually involves levels from easy, hard, to crazy and set it according to your preferences. In this ninja adventure, you’ll jump and slide, and as you get along the way. Avoid the traps and cliffs and these takes a maze of booby traps in order for you to survive. Ninja Dash is available for download at the Android Market. It is compatible with devices running Android 2.0 and higher.

Zombie Dash

Bring back the child in you as you play this cool arcade game called Zombie Dash. The game is pretty simple with stunning graphics. Basically, the game is more of hitting the zombies and running over them by jumping and shooting them. The game starts in the Zombie City. See your town with dead men walking. Of course, there’s only one thing to do in this kind of situation, you cut down the wave of zombies in this unlimited shooting adventure. The controls are visible, so you can jump and shoot them. Kill the zombies by using submachine gun and special weapons. So what’s the secret in this game? You just have to run and run as far as you can and enjoy four different adventure worlds on your smartphone. It’s fun and addictive. Zombie Dash is available for download on mobile devices running Android 2.0 and higher.

Tiki Kart 3D

Enjoy a full pack 3D kart racing on your Android devices with Tiki Kart 3D. Take control over the vehicle and drive with exceptional graphics, speed and crashes with Tiki Bobby. Now get your wheels on a giant piece of fruit and enjoy the ride. If you think, this will be a traditional race track; you might want to think again. Go further along the road as you get your fruit tropical drink, and if you want to get it more serious there’s a big heavy log or volcano lump of rock you can ride and be the big bully down the road. You will experience death defying jumps, speed through boost pads, spiral corkscrew turns and down the race of fun-filled 15 tracks. What’s different in this kart racing is that you can fire up your missile to plow your way through the competition. This is an awesome game you shouldn’t miss. Tiki Kart 3D is available for download on mobile devices running Android 1.6 and higher.

Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots

The popular game in Apple Store is now available on the Android Market. Enjoy a fruity and juicy game this year on your smartphone devices with the dashing swashbuckler Puss in Boots. Prepare your fingers as you get familiar with fruit slicing action with exciting challenges as you go further. Each level will thrust you into a fruit slicing fiasco like never before. Enjoy a massive fruit from the Giant’s castle, timing and precision challenges and fruity onslaughts as new obstacles arise. Now there’s a catch, you get to throw down the most-requested addition in Fruit Ninja – the tomato. So get ready with your blades and slice efficiently with Ninja’s reflexes to get high scores. Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots is available for download on mobile devices running Android 2.1 and higher.

Mega Mall Story

Mega Mall Story is finally available on Android market. Enjoy this management simulation game as you design your own mega mall tower with mega proportions to attract more customers. Be on top as you go further to get the 5-star status in this mall-management simulation game. You can also add your own fast-food joints such as restaurants, elevators, stairs and even a heliport. You can all do these things at the touch of the finger. Just like any simulation game, you can attract more customers by investing on your surrounding area by building your affluence. So get ready and build your own mega mall as neatly as you can. Mega Mall Story is available for download on mobile devices running Android 1.6 and higher.

7 Strange Robots the Pentagon is Developing

2012-04-09T16:25:00.000+05:30

With a budget in excess of $600 billion, the pentagon is hard at work researching technology that is sometimes bizarre and out of this world. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA is busy bringing in robotic creations to the pentagon that are craziest at the least. Here is a list of some of the strange robots the pentagon has in mind.

No 7. BigDog

BigDog is a dynamically stable quadruped robot created by Boston Dynamics with Foster-Miller, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Harvard University Concord Field Station. It was made in 2005 and can haul, climb, and carry its way over rough terrain. Capable of traversing difficult terrains, running at 4 miles per hour, carrying 340 pounds, and climbing a 35 degree incline, BigDog is intended to one day be able to serve as a robotic pack mule to accompany soldiers in terrain too rough for conventional vehicles.
This strange-looking robot is powered by a two-stroke, one-cylinder and 15-HP go-kart engine operating at over 9,000 RPM.

No 6. Nano Hummingbird Drone

Developed by AeroVironmen, the Nano hummingbird drone is built to look like a bird for potential use in spy missions. It is capable of flying at speeds of up to 11 miles per hour, hovering and flying sideways, backward and forward, as well as going clockwise and counterclockwise, by remote control for about eight minutes of sustained flight.

No 5. LittleDog

A quadruped robot designed for research on learning locomotion, the LittleDog’s four legs are each powered by three electric motors and are strong enough for climbing and “dynamic locomotion gaits.”

No 4. RiSE Climbing Robot

RiSE is a robot capable of climbing vertical terrain such as walls, trees and fences. It has “feet with micro-claws” to climb on textured surfaces. It weighs at 4.4 punds and is able to travel at 0.68 miles per hour.
It has six legs, an on-board computer that manages the coordination of these legs and a variety of sensors.

No 3. PetMan

This is a bipedal device constructed for testing chemical protection suits. The technology is basically derived from BigDog with advanced features such as sweating; simulating both human movement mechanics and human physiology to a much realistic extent.
PetMan is capable of walking on a treadmill i.e. walking, doing squats and pumping out push-ups. It also has a phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range.
And as Boston Dynamics President Marc Raibert said:
“Places like the Fukushima reactors could be accessed by Petman-like robots (or AlphaDogs), without requiring any human exposure to hazardous materials. Perhaps firefighting inside of buildings or facilities designed for human access, like on board ships designed for human crews.”

No 2. Crusher

This 13,200-pound monster was developed by researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center for DARPA. Its technical name is Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle and Perceptor Integration System.
It can travel over walls as much as 4 feet high, wooded slopes and can even turn 180 degrees. It can also lower or raise its suspension by as much as 30 inches. Capable of seeing enemy troops from over 2 miles with its cameras, while carrying a maximum of 8,000 pounds of payload and armor combined, it is capable of moving at 26 miles per hour. The downside being, it can sustain that speed for 7 seconds only.

No 1. BigDog with Horns

And those horns would act as weapons, right? Of course, how long would a mechanized donkey last in a battlefield without weapons anyway? Then again, I don’t think horns are going to deflect bullets or something.

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Top 10 Android Phones

2012-04-09T16:15:00.000+05:30

10. LG Optimus LTE

The LG Optimus LTE is a pioneering phone by LG as it brings the world’s first True HD 720p IPS display. The 4.5 inch display boasts enhanced color correctness, display intelligibility and, of course, high screen real estate for fitting more onto the display at once. It will also have a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, an 8 megapixel HD rear camera with LED flash, a 1.3 megapixel camera and more.

9. Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V

Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V is a new phone with a catch as it really resembles the Xperia neo, save for the fact that it runs with an updated edition of Android Gingerbread, 2.3.4. Design wise the device is almost the same, but when it comes to the specifications it looks more like a downgrade as the camera now only has 5 megapixels with support for 720p videos on the neo V, while the original Sony Ericsson Xperia neo featured an 8-megapixel snapper. All in all it’s a nice phone to have.

8. Sony Ericsson Xperia S

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S was proclaimed in September 2011 and the Sony Xperia S was announced during CES 2012. The concluding device is the descendant to the Arc S, and also the third in the series, the first being the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S runs a 1.4MHz single-core processor against the faster 1.5MHz dual-core processor on the newer device. 3.5G HSDPA + WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Touchscreen candybar, 12.0 MP camera, 32GB Memory, Android OS 2.3 (Gingerbread)

7. HTC Sensation

The HTC Sensation is a turbocharged phone that commenced as the manufacturer’s flagship device upon release. It is crowded to the edge with powerful specs and cutting edge design. The Sensation’s 4.3-inch screen has an amazing 540 x 960 pixel resolution using a new screen technology called qHD Super LCD. It’s all powered by a dual-cored 1.2 GHz processor with 728 RAM.

6. Samsung Galaxy Note

The device is a technology geeks dream. Who can ever deny that they wanted an immensely enhanced processor and RAM joined with a larger FULL HD display and a huge battery that can even last you a full day easily with continuous use. It also comes with a dual-core 1.4GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor, a Mali-400MP GPU, and a stylus for a fun-filled huge-screened experience.

5. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc comes with the Ice Cream Sandwich giving a new life to older phones that have existed more than 1 year old, the Xperia Arc also brings back the love to blue and white colored-cell-phones again. The specifications involve having a 4.2-inch screen, an 8MP rear camera with flash and a 1 GHz Scorpion processor that comes with an Adreno 205 for graphics.

4. Samsung Galaxy SII

The 4.3? SUPER AMOLED Plus display goes a step beyond the already remarkable SUPER AMOLED to provide enhanced readability, a slimmer design, and better battery consumption for the best viewing value of any smartphone. Clocking at lightening speeds the performance of the Dual Core Application Processor provides functionality and density for fast browsing, quick multi-tasking, a smooth UI, snappy streaming and efficient gaming. With encoding/decoding ability that supports video play and recording, the Samsung GALAXY S II showcases outstanding power and performance.

3. Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx

Motorola RAZR features a 4.3 inches HD Super AMOLED display, enclosed with Gorilla Glass display on a really thin and light weight Kevlar conglomeratic body. This creates it the smartest mobile phone on planet. It’s operated by an OMAP 4430 chipset with a 1.2GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 processor operating Android 2.3 Gingerbread and 1GB of RAM. It promises to be priced moderately as compared to different mobile phone rates.

2. HTC Rezound

The HTC Rezound is produced for the US spectators due to CDMA and 4G LTE competences, the HTC Rezound is argued to be a great music phone as its outer surfaces are complementary with Beats by Dr. Dre and an SRS WOW HD audio enhancement for the audiophiles. It has a better Sense 3.5 UI, a Dual-core 1.5 GHz Scorpion processor, and an Adreno 220 graphics processor.

1. Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Incoming as the world’s first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Smartphone, the newest Nexus family member follows in the impressive touch screen footsteps of its close Galaxy compatriots.
Powered by 1.2GHz dual-core processor situated inside the Samsung Galaxy S2, the Galaxy Nexus hosts an exciting 4.6-inch Super AMOLED HD screen that’ll do full integrity to your 720p videos, internet browsing and the propel of camera features which includes the admirable single motion landscape style.

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Top 10 Most Powerful Tanks of the World

2012-04-06T14:14:00.000+05:30

A tank is a tracked, armored fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility and tactical offensive and defensive capabilities. Firepower is normally provided by a large-caliber main gun in a rotating turret and secondary machine guns, while heavy Armour and all-terrain mobility provide protection for the tank and its crew, allowing it to perform all primary tasks of the armored troops on the battlefield. These tanks serves as the key medium of transportation in the country's army. Here we have listed the top 10 most powerful tanks from all over the world. Take a look at it one by one...

10. M1A1 Abrams (USA) :

The main battle tank of American military sits in the top with its 120mm smooth-bore cannon, classified Chatham armor and a 1500hp engine giving it a top speed of 40mph. Equipped with advanced fire-control computer and damage control systems; it is surely the most hi-tech. Never defeated in a conventional tank battle but it has suffered in the hit-and-run tactics in Iraq. This tank is an American third-generation main battle tank. The tank is named after Gen. Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972.

9. Challenger 2 (UK) :

Challenger 2 is a British main battle tank (MBT) currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. It was designed and built by the British company Vickers Defense .The current British main battle tank has seen in action in Iraq. One Challenger was hit by eight RPG’s and a MILAN anti-tank missile, but its crew survived unharmed though shaken. It also uses the same Chatham armor as the Abrams. It can survive 14 hits from rocket propelled grenades and from one MILAN anti tank missile.

8. Al-Khalid (Pakistan) :

In 1990 Pakistan embarked on this project to develop its own tank and within 10 years it has designed manufactured and tested the product which is now in production. This compared to an average time of 13 to 15 years to mature a tank development programmed for most of the western Countries with substantial experience in tank design and manufacture. It is worth mentioning here that it took India 25 years to develop her project of Arjun tank and cost her considerably more. The 125mm smooth gun of the tank is also produced locally. The tank is equipped with night vision equipment and explosive reactive armor for higher level of battlefield survivability. After the field trials with Pak Army, the tank was officially handed over to Pakistan Army on 23 September 2004.

7. T-90 (Russia) :

The T-90S is the latest development in the T-series of Russian tanks and represents an increase in firepower, mobility and protection. It is manufactured by the Uralvagonzavod Plant in Nizhniy Tagil (Potkin’s bureau) of the Russian Federation. The T-90 is a Russian main battle tank and presently the most advance tank in service with the Russian Ground Forces and Indian Army. It entered service in 1992.

6. Leclerc (France) :

The Leclerc main battle tank (MBT) built by Giat Industries is operational with the French Army and the armed forces of Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates. The Leclerc was first operational with the French Army in 1992 and with UAE in 1995. Leclerc mk2 tanks with improved software and engine control system entered production in 1998. The French Army has 354 Leclerc MBTs in service and in September 2001 ordered the final tranche of 52, concluding a total order of 406 (plus 20 armoured recovery vehicles). Deliveries completed in October 2007.The Leclerc is the main battle tank of France created by Nexter. It was named for Gen. Philippe Leclerc of WW II. It entered service in 1992 and is also operated by UAE – United Arab Emirates. The French Army has a total of 406 Leclercs and the UAE has 388. A unit of Leclerc is worth ₣ 29,000,000 in 1993.

5. Leopard 2 (Germany) :

The Leopard 2, was first produced in 1979 and is in service with the armies of Austria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain and Turkey, with over 3,200 produced. The Leopard 2 is the main battle tank of Germany. It entered service in 1979. It first saw combat in Kosovo with the German Army and has also seen action in Afghanistan with the Danish and Canadian ISAF forces. The Leopard 2 is one of the most expensive tanks in the world where a single unit is worth US$4.5 million (Leopard 2A6).

4. Merkava ( Israel) :

First introduced in 1977, the Merkava was design with crew safety and protection in mind. Though low in mobility, it has adapted well to the urban nature of warfare faced by the Israeli forces. But its complex design lowers its production rate. The Merkava, which is means Chariot in Hebrew, is the main battle tank of Israel Defense Forces. A Merkava tank is worth $4.5-$5 million in 2006. The turret assembly is located nearer the rear that gives the crew additional protection against a frontal attack. The rear entrance’s clamshell-style doors provide overhead protection when off- and on-loading cargo and personnel.

3. CI Ariete (Italy) :

The Ariete CI is currently being brought into service and studies are being carried out for an advanced second or third-generation battle tank. The Italian Army took delivery of its first Ariete main battle tank in December 1995. This tank carries the latest optical and digital-imaging and fire-control systems, enabling it to fight day and night and to fire on the move. The first deliveries were in 1995, and the last occurred 7 years later in August 2002.

2. T-84 (Ukraine) :

The T-84, the main battle tank of Ukraine, is one of the fastest existing MBTs in the world, It entered service in the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 1999.This tank was developed from Soviet T-80. The T-84 Oplot is an advanced version incorporating an armored ammunition compartment in a new turret bustle. The T-84-120 Yatagan is a prototype model intended for export, mounting a 120 mm gun capable of firing standard NATO ammunition and guided missiles.

1. Type 99 ( China) :

Type 99, a 3rd generation main battle tank operated by the Peoples Liberation Army of China, is the fastest tank in the world. The ZTZ99 MBT is considered one of the 12 best tanks in the world. A unit of Type 99 is worth ¥ 17,417,659 Renminbi, approximately US$2.5 million. It is also known as ZTZ-99 and WZ-123. The newest and much improve variant is the Type 99KM It is currently the most advanced MBT in the People’s Liberation Army. It entered the PLA service in 2001.

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World's First Quad SIM Card Cellphone - Flying F160

2012-04-06T14:01:00.000+05:30

This Flying F160 is the world's first Quad SIM card, quad standby mobile phone. But why you'd need four SIM cards in your phone is another matter, although I suppose for permanent travelers this could save a bunch of time swapping out cards when you cross a border. The rest of the spec is pretty too, with a 2 inch touchscreen, TV & FM radio, 0.3 mp camera and a choice of colors. Priced, however, at a very reasonable $75.00 . The F160 phone has tons of other great functions, including Bluetooth hands free calling, dual picture and video cameras, and a multimedia player to watch videos and listen to music. Well! then what are you wait for? Get your hands on this cool Quad SIM Phone!

Feature Overview :
4 SIM, 4 Standby
Quad Band GSM
Full QWERTY Keyboard
FM Radio
Dual Cameras
Bluetooth
MP3, Video Player

Amazing Flying Alarm Clock

2012-04-06T12:55:00.000+05:30

It's not that we've gotten lazy as a species, far from it! We're more productive now than we've ever been, but with more and more work to do, we have to create time by cutting down on late night raids on Molten Core, ordering fast-food, talking on the phone while driving… The only time we have left is spent sleeping. Now you have to stay up late and get up early in an effort to get more done.

Waking up after a pitiful five hours of sleep has its own challenges, though. At ThinkGeek, we're always looking for new ways to haul your lazy butt out of bed. Normal alarm clocks wake you up with loud noises to jar you into wakefulness, however we've become accustomed to the snooze-bar… Now, it's become muscular instinct to flail your hands roughly in the direction of the noise, and smack! Nine more minutes of blissful unconsciousness. No more.

The Flying Alarm Clock wakes you up with a loud shrieking alarm coupled with a little propeller-driven key that leaps off your nightstand. To turn off the horrible racket, you have to get out of bed and retrieve the key. The propeller flies the key high into the air and off into some dusty corner. You have to force your sleep addled brain into wakefulness, move your stiff legs and retrieve the key before the alarm goes off. By the time you've done so, you're awake enough at least to go make a pot of coffee.

Motorola Connected Home Gateway home automation all-in-one hits the FCC with Verizon tags

2012-03-24T18:10:00.000+05:30

We first got our eyes on Motorola's Connected Home Gateway home automation box during CES 2012, and now that it's passed through the FCC it should be ready to do its all-in-one magic in real consumer's homes sometime soon. What makes this device special is its ability to speak more than one of the various wireless home control protocols currently in use, easily connecting to, controlling and spitting out macros to make multiple things happen with a minimum of user interference or setup. Want to dim the lights, lower the temperature and turn on security cams as soon as you step outside your door? It can do that. This will all be a part of Verizon's Z-wave based Home Monitoring and Control system at some point, if you're still wondering what possibilities are out there, check out our CES demo video embedded after the break.

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NVIDIA CEO suggests Kepler GPUs could be headed to future 'superphones'

2012-03-24T18:08:00.000+05:30

NVIDIA looking for a piece of next-generation smartphones shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone, but CEO Jen-Hsun Huang dropped a few details in a recent email to staffers that's sure to spur at least a little excitement. As AnandTech reports, in addition to marking the launch of the company's new Kepler-based GeForce GTX 680 graphics card, he also looked towards future possibilities for the GPU, noting that "today is just the beginning of Kepler," and that "because of its super energy-efficient architecture, we will extend GPUs into datacenters, to super thin notebooks, to superphones." Not surprisingly, that's about as specific as things got as far as mobile devices are concerned, with no mention whatsoever as to when we might see such Kepler-based "superphones."

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Huawei Fusion arrives at AT&T, lets you Go prepaid with Gingerbread for $125

2012-03-24T18:06:00.000+05:30

Hey, not everyone needs a bunch-of-core superphone tied down to a two-year contract, so it's always nice to have some solid prepaid options, right? If you shook your head yes to that, you'll be pleased to know that AT&T's just added the Android Gingerbread-loaded Huawei Fusion to its GoPhone lineup. The device features a 3.5-inch (320 x 480) display up front, while on back there's a 3.2-megapixel shooter. Other goodies include Bluetooth 2.1, FM radio functionality and support for up to 32GB of storage via MicroSD. If your still nodding your noggin, the Fusion and its (essentially) utilitarian specs can be yours for the keeping, sans contractual commitment, for just $125. You'll find more info at the links below.

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Largest Paper Airplane in the World Gets Launched

2012-03-24T18:02:00.000+05:30

Measuring 45-feet long, this massive paper airplane "flew for all of six seconds after it was released by a helicopter (the pilot of which "gave the order to cut the plane loose from the cable when it began to pull the chopper itself in a strong gust," according to museum officials)." Continue reading for a video of the first launch.

"The ending of the video released by the museum suggests the flight ended in a pretty gnarly spiral of a nose-dive."

Linux and Android are now more closely linked together

2012-03-24T17:57:00.000+05:30

Linux's newest kernel, version 3.3, includes some source code from Google's Android operating system that should help both Android mobile app developers and other Linux-based projects that will soon be used as well in the IT segment, and not just in mobile.

Linux and Android are now two very closely linked open-source projects, but they've also been as notable for how distant they are from each other-- until yesterday that is.

That's when Linus Torvalds, leader of the Linux kernel project, released a version of the OS kernel that bridges the two operating systems together. Version 3.3 of the Linux kernel is the actually beginning of the end of isolation between these two projects.

To be sure, under the hood of every Android phone is a Linux phone-- end of the story, and it's always been that way. But although some programmers and a few mobile app developers writing Android software generally use a Java-like interface, a Google-customized version of Linux handles underlying details such as keyboard input, multitasking among different chores, and keeping needed data readily at hand in memory.

However, Google's Android project has been in a way a form of a code repository-- ie a separate code base that's branched off from the main repository Torvalds oversees at the Kernel.org Web site.

The end result of merging Google's Android with Torvalds "Linux Mainline" version, if all goes well, should be easier programming and therefore faster progress for all parties involved. For its part, Google can benefit from new features added to mainline Linux sooner and with fewer hassles keeping its code in sync with the mainline kernel.

And others using Linux in mobile devices can also benefit from improvements that previously had to be retrieved from Google's separate Android archive system.

Google lifts code liberally from many open-source projects, often contributing its own additions back as well as launching its own open-source works. But sometimes Google prefers to work more in isolation from a project's primary developers, which can lead to tensions given the generally collaborative, code-sharing ethos, and Linux sure isn't any exception.

Another example of where Google's Android workgroup is linking up with its open-source variety is with the WebKit browser engine. Google had worked on its stock Android browser as a separate project of WebKit, but with the arrival of Chrome for Android, the mobile version of its browser is being integrated with the ordinary WebKit project-- something a lot of observers in the Linux community were expecting for over a year now.

Torvalds announced the release of Linux 3.3 late Sunday night on the Linux kernel mailing list. He made no specific note of the Android merge, but it's been under way for months already.

Tim Bird, a Sony programmer who works on the Linux Foundation's consumer-electronics project, announced the "Android mainlining project" in December 2011. "I would like to announce the beginning of a new project to make a concerted effort to mainline security patches and features from Android into the mainline Linux kernel," Bird said.

His words came shortly after Torvalds himself tried to ease tensions between the two camps last November. He said in an interview with Muktware's Swapnil Bhartiya: "Every time there is a fork, and I think actually forks are good things, it means that somebody sees a need and a technical reason to do something different from the standard kernel. But most forks are failures. They find that the things they needed were not actually worth doing and as a result most forks die. Some forks are successful-- Google with Android has really been very successful."

"Now, we are talking about how to say 'Hey you were right, we were wrong, you were successful doing something right.' We are talking about how to merge the good parts," added Torvalds.

Greg Hartman, a longtime Linux kernel developer and new Linux Foundation fellow, said to expect Android kernel components in Linux 3.3 on Google+ at the same time. And in a February interview with Muktware, he added "The 3.3 kernel release will let you boot an Android userspace with no modifications, but without very good power management. The 3.4 kernel release will hopefully have all the power management tools that Android needs in it, along with a few other minor missing infrastructure pieces that didn't make it into the 3.3 kernel release."

"Boot an Android userspace" means that a developer could run Android on a standard Kernel.org system rather than having to fetch one on Google's customized version. That could actually be practical for many programmers-- the large number using Linux in electronics devices with memory and processor power limits, for example. And Mozilla, with its B2G (Boot to Gecko) project for a Linux-based browser operating system, also stands to benefit from the integration. It's currently using the Android open-source project (AOSP) software," said Hartman.

At a February meeting of the Android mainlining project, Linux OS programmers dug into the details of the code merge. One area where there has been some friction is with a Google technology called WakeLock, which lets a programmer tell the kernel that a particular computing process should prevent the computer from going into a low-power sleep state.

Linux News Today documented the initial loathing of WakeLock, which Google developed in isolation. That displeasure doubtless meant more work for Google mending fences than if it had worked closely with mainline kernel developers right at the beginning. But now the Linux community thinks that Google has learned from this mistake.

However, Google still had its own priorities nevertheless, and collaboration takes some time. Nothing is ever achieved in just one day-- Android and Linux isn't any exception.

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HP launches its Application Lifecycle Intelligence (ALI) development tools

2012-03-24T17:52:00.000+05:30

Hewlett Packard announced earlier this morning a whole slew of new development tools, software suites and services aimed at accelerating application development lifecycles, with an emphasis on mobile apps and cloud solutions used in IT, mobile apps as well as tele-medicine applications.

HP is looking to make better use of the tools already provided by some social sites to allow better collaboration within work groups, and has added features designed to help mobile app developers and to reduce the development lifecycle to just days instead of months.

"Today, modern enterprise applications require a much different approach to original design and testing phases than traditional software applications," said Jonathan Rende, vice president and GM of application transformation solutions at HP.

"Overall, HP ensures that enterprise applications provide the highest level of quality, security, availability and scalability while elevating the user experience to an entirely new level."

On the social side, HP Application Lifecycle Intelligence (ALI) now uses social-media methods to track who is working on each stage of a software development project, and what input they have had so far, and at every phase of the development cycle.

HP's new Enterprise Collaboration suite allows real-time conversations on source code and links them to action items so that everyone in the team can benefit.

For enterprise mobility applications, HP has teamed up with Perfecto Mobile to speed up smartphone and tablet application development by allowing automated testing for multiple mobile handset types. There's also a new module for taking on-the-fly information on SAP Netweaver and Sybase Unwired platforms in the enterprise segment.

Then, HP Anywhere has also been updated to allow mobile phone users access to defect tracking, troubleshooting and service health monitoring, ensuring that as long as you've got your mobile app you can still get some work done and then post on an executive scorecard.

In the next few weeks, HP will also announce some new development tools that will enable app developers to collaborate on M2M (machine-to-machine) projects that can be used in the IT industry as well as in mobile medicine apps.

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Minecraft heads to the Xbox 360 on May 9th, do not adjust your TV sets

2012-03-23T12:09:00.000+05:30

It may not yet be quite the massive cultural phenomenon that Angry Birds is, but Minecraft is certainly no slouch in the ranks of little-games-that-could, and it's now set to expand its reach even further. Microsoft confirmed today that Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition will be available for download on May 9th, with it setting you back 1600 Microsoft Points (or $20). That will apparently buy you a fairly full-featured version of the game, including a revamped crafting interface, "natural controller movements," a tutorial mode, and split-screen multiplayer in addition to multiplayer over Xbox Live. Hit the links below for a closer look at it and the rest of the games in Microsoft's "Arcade NEXT" promotion.

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Nokia releases Play To beta, updates Music app for Windows Phone

2012-03-23T12:05:00.000+05:30

To follow its announcement of updated Nokia Drive, Maps and Transport apps (and not to forget Creative Studio), the firm in Finland now has two more servings of software to crow about for its Lumia lineup -- okay, no more alliterations. We promise. Today, Nokia has announced an updated version of its music app, now dubbed -- simply enough -- Nokia Music 2.0, along with an entirely new beta package known as Nokia Play To. While the Music upgrade appears to include little more than minor revisions to the wording of certain functions, the Play To software will cater to users of DLNA equipment with its ability to stream photos and videos. Because it's only in beta form, the means to stream music hasn't yet arrived, but Nokia intends to bake this ability into a future revision of Play To. For those who'd like to be a Guinea pig for the Espoo crew, just check out Nokia's source link below.

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Free Photoshop CS6 Beta Released, Includes New Content-Aware Technology

2012-03-23T12:00:00.000+05:30

Adobe's long-awaited Photoshop CS6 is finally here, and the beta is free for everyone to download (Mac or PC). In addition to new "Content-Aware" technology, you'll also find a newly redesigned dark UI as well as several performance tweaks, including a revamped liquify tool. Download link. Continue reading to see some of its new features on video.

"Another big step forward is the revamping of video handling. While the video editing capabilities still aren't quite as robust as you'll find in motion-specific programs like Premiere, they do maintain a very Photoshop-like experience."

Microsoft expands its Azure cloud storage bundle

2012-03-23T11:53:00.000+05:30

Microsoft said that it is now offering a CommVault Simpana data feed and access portal as an Azure cloud storage suite.

CommVault enables its customers to make use of cloud computing and cloud storage facilities using Microsoft's Azure cloud services.

Simpana is CommVault's data protection and archiving suite which supports block-level and app-aware data deduplication. CommVault has struck reselling and OEM deals with Dell, Hitachi Data Services and NetApp.

This new program builds on an existing partner relationship between CommVault and Microsoft for Simpana-Azure inter-connection with a MS SharePoint implementation.

The documentation states "CommVault software’s archiving enables MS Azure to be a central storage location for archived and backed up data for Exchange Server, SharePoint, Active Directory, SQL Server, Windows OS, Lotus-Notes/Domino and other heterogeneous file system data used in IT today."

It adds "CommVault ensures that Windows Azure is integrated with a business’ on-premise data such that the information can be accessed and managed regardless of physical location."

CommVault stresses that Simpana's data deduplication capabilities cuts down on the amount of information flowing to and from the Azure cloud, lowering network bandwidth needs. The dedupe app would be carried out before sending data across the network. A Windows Server 2003 or 2008 can be an integrated Azure and Simpana dedupe target.

CommVault has a Strategic Cloud Agreement with Microsoft and Simpana software will be able to use Azure as a back-end repository for data backups and archive data. That gets Microsoft Simpana as a data source feeding data in to Azure.

CommVault enterprise customers will also be able to use Microsoft's Azure cloud storage and compute resources on an on-demand basis. Microsoft and CommVault's Simpana have been working more closely together on a number of joint ventures.

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IBM helps students learn concepts in math, science and language

2012-03-23T11:51:00.000+05:30

IBM said this morning that is has donated 45 Young Explorer™ computer learning consoles to help students learn key concepts in math, science and language, while also making teachers more effective at the same time.

The devices were installed at 14 CUNY campus child care centers, including the Borough of Manhattan Community College Early Childhood Center, where the Young Explorers were demonstrated today.

The Young Explorers will serve approximately 100 educators and thousands of children ages 3 to 7. The training consoles, which were installed with award-winning educational software geared toward Spanish and English speakers, are valued at $135,000.

The grant is part of a $4.3 million nationwide initiative by IBM to provide more than 1,700 computer learning centers and teaching curricula to schools and nonprofit organizations globally that provide services to disadvantaged students.

“The Young Explorer computer learning centers are a wonderful donation to CUNY’s Early Childhood Centers. While the children are learning the important skills necessary for bright futures in good schools and exciting jobs in the Early Childhood Centers, their parents are benefiting from similar opportunities as students at CUNY,” said CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein.

CUNY Early Childhood Center educators will share with colleagues the successful strategies and practices they develop for using the technology effectively. Like other such grant recipients around the world, they access the curriculum and other resources found on www.kidsmartearlylearning.org, the Web site that supports IBM’s KidSmart Early Learning program, and for which Young Explorers are a centerpiece component.

"The best way to improve student achievement is to start with children at a very young age by giving them a strong foundation in basic skills," said Stanley Litow, IBM's Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs, and president of IBM's International Foundation.

"Research reveals that access to these specially designed computer learning centers will improve the math, science, and language skills of children in care centers in a fun, interactive way. Adopting innovative techniques and technology are just some of the ways that CUNY is building a smarter planet -- and we are pleased to be able to do our part."

IBM works closely with CUNY on other education initiatives, particularly those that promote the study of science, technology, engineering and math. Initiatives include Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH), the nation’s first grades 9-14 school that blends high school, college and career in one.

IBM has also developed a way for Queensborough Community College to better identify and help freshman studying science, technology, engineering and math at risk of failing or dropping out. The system analyzes a number of factors and provides alerts much earlier than with traditional methods and criteria.

The school can then provide students with resources such as tutoring, child care, counselling and transportation services. Young Explorers are computers housed in brightly colored, child-friendly Tikes™ furniture and equipped with educational software to help children learn and explore new concepts.

The computer centers can also help children acquire important socialization skills such as cooperation and sharing, which are essential to classroom success. In addition, teachers participating in the program become more confident about incorporating technology into their classrooms.

The KidSmart program also includes access to the KidSmart website www.kidsmartearlylearning.org. Available in eight languages, the site also helps parents guide their children's use of technology and preschool teachers to use technology more effectively in their classrooms everyday.

Initially, IBM developed the KidSmart program in 1998 to help reduce the digital divide, especially in urban areas, where it was becoming apparent that children from less affluent backgrounds needed access to specialized technology tools and educational material to better prepare them to enter school.

IBM is focused on increasing the number of children entering into math, science and engineering, and believes that success in early childhood learning is a critical step.

Since the inception of the KidSmart Early Learning Program in 1998, IBM has invested more than $133 million, donating more than 60,000 Young Explorers to schools and nonprofit organizations in 60 countries, reaching more than 105,000 teachers and more than 10 million students.

Source: IBM.