Think Techi

'iPhone 4S' and iPad 3 Coming in Late October?

2011-08-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

Macotakara reports that it has received information indicating that Apple will be introducing the iPad 3 and "iPhone 4S" sometime early next month, with availability set for "late October". The source offered no information, however, on plans for the iPhone 5, although rumors have suggested that Apple will introduce both a revamped iPhone 5 and tweaked iPhone 4 next month.

According to sources, iPhone 4S which is based on iPhone 4(CDMA) and new iPad will be started produce since 1st week in September and will be shipped in late October.

The "iPhone 4S" name is an unofficial one that has been used in a variety of reports to refer to a new iPhone based largely on and appearing nearly identical to the current iPhone 4, but offering upgraded internal components. What has come to be known as the iPhone 5 is a more thorough redesign which has surfaced in case designs reportedly based on leaked design specs.

There had been some confusion about whether Apple would be releasing an "iPhone 4S" or "iPhone 5" this year, with some suggesting that the confusion stemmed from Apple testing iPhone 5 components within iPhone 4 enclosures for secrecy. But others have claimed that Apple will indeed be introducing both the iPhone 5 and a tweaked iPhone 4 as rumors of a low-cost iPhone have continued to swirl.

Apple has of course traditionally kept its older models around as entry-level options, as evidenced Apple's continued sale of an 8 GB iPhone 3GS model, but the volume of rumors suggest that Apple may be doing a bit more tweaking to its low-end offerings this time around. Such low-cost models are said to be key for penetrating the prepaid markets prevalent in a number of large countries around the world.

Macotakara has offered some accurate information in the past, and notably was the first source to pinpoint some of the features of the iPad 2 as case designs began leaking out. A number of potential dates for a media event introducing the iPhone 5 and perhaps the iPad 3 have been suggested, with early reports of a September timeframe being countered early last week with a report from All Things Digital claiming that the device won't be available until October. The latest rumor has, however, claimed a September 7th media event, although an iPhone 5 introduction at that time to be followed with a launch as far off as late October would be outside Apple's usual gap between introduction and availability.

‘Breakthrough’ Immunotherapy Method Cures Advanced Cancer

2011-08-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

Killer T-Cell

A breakthrough therapy to modify T-cells into potent tumor-killing agents wiped out leukemia in three patients and allowed two of them to stay cancer-free for a year, US researchers said Wednesday.

The findings are the first to show how gene transfer therapy can create specialized T-cells, which guard the body from infection, that attack cancerous tumors in advanced cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The technique helped three elderly male patients who otherwise had little hope of survival, said the research published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine.

Further studies are needed, but the advances offer hope to people who suffer from other cancer types such as ovarian, lung, myeloma and melanoma.

"Within three weeks, the tumors had been blown away, in a way that was much more violent than we ever expected," said senior author Carl June of the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

"It worked much better than we thought it would."

Scientists removed a sample of the patients' T-cells and genetically modified them to attack all cells that express a certain kind of protein, CD19, which includes tumor cells.

They also engineered the T-cells to start triggering other T-cells to multiply as soon as they attached to a cancer cell, bringing on a faster death for the tumor but avoiding the side-effects of cancer drugs.

"We saw at least a 1,000-fold increase in the number of modified T-cells in each of the patients. Drugs don't do that," said June, describing the infused T-cells as "serial killers."

"On average, each infused T-cell led to the killing of thousands of tumor cells -- and overall, destroyed at least two pounds of tumor in each patient."

One patient's case, described in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved a 64-year-old man whose blood and marrow were "replete with tumor cells."

He saw little change for the first two weeks after treatment, but then started experiencing nausea, chills and fever. Test showed he was undergoing a huge rise in T-cell count. By day 28, his blood showed no evidence of leukemia.

A 65-year-old patient saw similar results, with no trace of tumor after a year, but the 77-year-old patient saw a slight recurrence of cancer after he was treated with steroids. However his tumor load remains far from what it was before the treatment.

"Most of what I do is treat patients with no other options, with a very, very risky therapy with the intent to cure them," said co-principal investigator David Porter.

"This approach has the potential to do the same thing, but in a safer manner."

Bone marrow transplants are typically the only treatment for leukemia patients, but they carry a minimum 20 percent risk of dying from the procedure and cure rates hover at around 50 percent.

It remains unknown how long the treatment may keep cancer at bay.

"The doctors have found evidence that months after infusion, the new cells had multiplied and were capable of continuing their seek-and-destroy mission against cancerous cells throughout the patients' bodies," said the study.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the second most common type of adult leukemia after acute myeloid leukemia, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The researchers intend to study similar approaches in children whose leukemia has resisted standard treatment.

They are also looking to see if the approach could target non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and acute lymphocytic leukemia, mesothelioma cancer cells, ovarian and pancreatic cancer cells.

Assassin's Creed 4: Revelations Beta Release Details for PSN/PS3

2011-08-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

Assassin's Creed Revelations Multiplayer Beta, the early test drive version of the 4th episode of the historical, award-winning science fiction video game is about to Released by Ubisoft, exclusively for Sony Playstation Network, on September 03, 2011.

Assassin's Creed Revelations Multiplayer Beta will be equiped with:

3 Maps: Knight’s Hospital, Antioch, Constantinople

4 Modes: Wanted, Manhunt, Deathmatch, Artifact Assault

9 Characters: The Sentinel, The Vanguard, The Guardian, The Vizier, The Thespian, The Deacon, The Bombadier, The Trickster, The Champion

PlayStation Plus Subscribers and Ubisoft UPlay Service Members will have an exclusive chance to download and play new Assassin's Creed 4 Revelations Multiplayer beta on PS3, for the holiday season, this September 03 to 11. UPlay members will receive their Beta invite via email.

Assassin's Creed 4 Revelations Multiplayer beta is promised to bring a whole bunch of new and updated tools of the trade for players to test out.

Assassin's Creed 4: Revelations multiplayer beta Gameplay
Assassin's Creed 4 Revelations multiplayer beta Gameplay will include a little of the old and the new, bringing back favorite modes and abilities, while throwing out a few of the new ones in the process. Perks, streaks, and loss bonuses have all been redesigned to include things like "Animus Hacking" – where, after a kill streak of six, a player can rain down arrows and kill all Templars on the map.

Assassin's Creed 4: Revelations multiplayer beta Maps
Speaking of maps, the playing field will be freshened up and available at outset to allow players to take one of nine possible assassin’s out for a stroll. Comprised of three new maps – Knight’s Hospital, Antioch, and Constantinople – the new spaces will give a whole list of areas for characters to run, jump, dive, and hide.

Assassin's Creed 4: Revelations multiplayer beta Modes
Though be careful, as the four possible modes have been tweaked since Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, which means they will no doubt be a bit different. Bringing back Wanted and Manhunt, the long-awaited Deathmatch is making an appearance as well. Another new mode, Artifact Assault, asks teams to try and steal the opposing player’s artifact in a "Capture the flag" style of play. The catch is however; players are allowed to kill only when they are in their territory – adding a new level of complexity.

To get away and make those kills, a select few abilities will be available, including Smoke, Morph, Fire Crackers, Throwing Knives and more. There are a few new ones as well, including a Tripwire Bomb and Closure ,which captures enemies or a target, allowing you to step in for the kill (or whatever other action is required).

Assassin's Creed 4: Revelations Release Date for Public
Assassin’s Creed 4: Revelations Release Date for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC is set to November 15, 2011.

NASA Picks Seven Commercial Spaceships for the Next Generation of Suborbital Science Missions

2011-08-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

Virgin SpaceShip

The new post-shuttle NASA has said it aims to work more cooperatively with private space industry and outside sources of innovation in writing the next chapter in space exploration and science, and the agency is putting its money where its mouth is. After selecting 30 future technology proposals for funding earlier this week, NASA has now inked a number of much larger contracts with seven private space companies--including Virgin Galactic--to integrate and fly various technology payloads aboard their suborbital spacecraft.

We single out Virgin because its SpaceShipTwo is the furthest spacecraft along, development-wise, which means it could soon be ferrying scientific payloads into suborbital space, making it the first commercial company to take that role over from NASA in the post-shuttle era. SpaceShipTwo is already undergoing flight tests and could begin commercial operation as soon as next year.

That’s a big deal, because it’s a stepping stone toward fulfilling NASA’s vision of opening up space to more scientists and technology developers, and doing it on someone else’s less-expensive spacecraft. And Virgin isn’t the only company with a dog in this hunt: the other companies splitting the $10 million in contracts are Armadillo Aerospace, Near Space Corp., Masten Space Systems, Up Aerospace Inc., Whittinghill Aerospace LLC, and XCOR.

Many of these companies are looking to carry tourists into space, but the overarching idea of the Flight Opportunities Program (that’s the NASA funding initiative) is to cultivate a variety of ways for researchers to get their experiments--manned or unmanned--into space as well. There’s a lot of benefit to be spread around in doing so.

For one, it opens up suborbital space to groups that couldn’t afford it or simply couldn’t make the manifest on prior NASA missions (which were quite selective and pricey per pound of cargo). It also supports the private space industry by opening up another revenue stream for the Virgins and XCORs and Mastens of the world. But perhaps most importantly for NASA it means a proliferation in space science and technology development, and technologies that fall out of this program just might become part of NASA’s next-gen space transportation model.

Source: SPACE

New Drug Can Treat Almost Any Viral Infection

2011-08-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

In the left set, rhinovirus (the common cold virus) kills untreated human cells (lower left), whereas DRACO has no toxicity in uninfected cells (upper right) and cures an infected cell population (lower right). Similarly, in the right set, dengue hemorrhagic fever virus kills untreated monkey cells (lower left), whereas DRACO has no toxicity in uninfected cells (upper right) and cures an infected cell population (lower right). MIT

A new broad-spectrum treatment for viruses could be as effective as antibiotics fighting bacteria, MIT researchers report. The method uses cells’ own defense systems to induce invaded cells to commit suicide, preventing the spread of the virus. In lab tests, the new drug completely cured mice that had been infected with influenza.

Viruses work by inserting themselves into a cell and hijacking its machinery for its own use. The invaded cell then creates more copies of the virus, which involves creating long strings of double-stranded RNA — which contains the virus’ genetic material, like DNA contains ours.

When the virus is done copying itself, its hostage cell usually dies, from the virus bursting through its walls (lysis), changes to the cell’s outer membrane, and from apoptosis, or programmed cell death.

Human cells have plenty of defenses against viral invasion, including proteins that attach to the double-stranded RNA, preventing the virus from replicating itself after successful invasion.

This new drug therapy combines those dsRNA proteins with a protein that induces apoptosis. It’s called a DRACO, Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizer.

When one end of the DRACO binds to dsRNA, it signals the other end of the DRACO to induce cell suicide, an MIT News article explains. In this way, the cell is killed before the virus can take over and eventually kill it anyway. If there is no dsRNA, the healthy cells are left alone.

“In theory, it should work against all viruses,” said Todd Rider, a senior staff scientist at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory who invented the new technology.

A handful of drugs can target specific viruses by interfering with their replication process, through addition of modified DNA building blocks or the blocking of enzymes the viruses need to stimulate the replication process. But viruses are wily bugs, and they can evolve to resist these treatments.

The DRACO therapy could be effective because it targets the host cell, not just the virus.

Rider and colleagues are testing DRACO against more viruses in mice, according to MIT. Rider hopes to license the technology for trials in larger animals and for eventual human clinical trials, too.

Source: MIT News

Apple Becomes the World’s Most Valuable Company Crossing Exxon Mobile

2011-08-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

The world’s leading smartphone manufacturer and vendor, Apple Inc., is now the world’s most valuable company surpassing Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Earlier today, Apple’s shares were trading at $367 which made it briefly past Exxon Mobil, with a total worth of more than $341 billion.

Two months ago, Apple was about $50 billion less in worth than the oil and gas corporation. But after reporting record sales (in the last few weeks) of two of the most popular gadgets i.e. iPad and iPhone, it has managed to take over the top position.

On the other hand, Exxon Mobil has seen a steeper decline as oil prices have fallen over the past few days. For how long Apple will be able to keep the top spot? We will have to wait and see where the market settles at the end of the week to find that out.

[via Mashable]

Apple Sued Over 'Fast Booting' Patent which Links To LG

2011-08-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

Patently Apple reports that Apple has been hit with a new patent lawsuit targeting "fast booting" used in OS X, a method of utilizing boot configuration information from earlier booting processes to speed the system startup process.

The lawsuit specifically states that Apple's OS X violates "at least Claim 1" of the OSS patent. The claim in question reads as follows:

"A method for fast booting a computer system, comprising the steps of: A. performing a power on self test (POST) of basic input output system (BIOS) when the system is powered on or reset is requested; B. checking whether a boot configuration information including a system booting state which was created while executing a previous normal booting process exists or not; C. storing the boot configuration information from execution of the POST operation before loading a graphic interface (GUI) program, based on the checking result; and D. loading the graphic user interface (GUI) program."

What is most interesting about the patent and associated lawsuit is that the patent application was initially filed back in 1999 and assigned to LG Electronics. LG is of course a competitor to Apple in the smartphone market, but also serves as a supplier to Apple, primarily through its LG Display arm.

It is unclear, however, whether LG still has any stake in the patent in question, as the assignment on the patent has changed hands multiple times dating back to 2004. LG initially passed the patent off to a company known as Microconnect LLC, but the patent was subsequently passed along to firms by the names of Protimus Technologies LLC and ANPA Inc while also being reissued once along the way. The patent lawsuit has been brought by a Florida-based company called Operating Systems Solutions LLC, which appears to be a previously-unknown entity that may have been created specifically for the purposes of the lawsuit.

Apple is of course no stranger to patent and other types of lawsuits, not only engaging in high-profile disputes with major competitors but also both taking on and being targeted by smaller firms. And while this latest lawsuit may simply be a case of a small patent holding firm seeking to capitalize on its holdings, the patent's historical ties to LG naturally lead to questions about whether yet another of Apple's major competitors is playing a role in the ever-increasing legal entanglements for Apple.

Earth Has a Ring of Anti-Protons !

2011-08-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

While it's not as visually cool as what Saturn has going for it, this is still an important development, even if we can't technically "see" the ring with our primitive Earthling eyes.

According to New Scientist, this anti-proton ring joins the previously discovered positron cloud that's also circling the Earth like an invisible shield. Ironically, the anti-protons are 2,000 times more massive than their positron counterparts, but were discovered second. Both are trapped in a donut-like ring called the Van Allen radiation belt that's held in place by the planet's magnetic field.

In the distant future, a spacecraft designed to use anti-protons (or other types of antimatter) as a fuel source could tap into this ring to top off its tanks and head out into the void, said Alessandro Bruno, a member of the University of Rome Tor Vergata team that confirmed the anti-proton area's existence.

Between July 2006 and December 2008, PAMELA detected 28 antiprotons trapped in spiralling orbits around the magnetic field lines sprouting from the Earth’s south pole (Astrophysical Journal Letters, DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/737/2/l29). PAMELA samples only a small part of the inner radiation belt, but antiprotons are probably trapped throughout it. “We are talking about of billions of particles,” says team member Francesco Cafagna from the University of Bari in Italy.

Twenty-eight antiprotons sounds like nothing, really. But that’s actually a pretty substantial quantity, and verifies the hypothesized but not-yet-evident theory that such a ring might exist. So it looks like now all we need are those super-efficient rockets.

Source:New Scientist [image: New Scientist]

Apple iOS 4.3.5 Jailbreak: iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone 4.3.5 Jailbreak

2011-08-07T07:27:00.000-07:00

Apple iOS 4.3.5 was released alongwith fixes for some previous Vulnerabilities in the new mobile operating system.

However, thanks to MuscluNerd, a iPhone Dev Team member, who confirmed on twitter that the new Apple iOS 4.3.5 Jailbreak is still a possibility on all devices like iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone (except the iPad 2) just by pointing the tool at the 4.3.4 IPSW:

Warning: Those of you, who are relying on a carrier unlock must stay away from Redsn0w Jailbreak.

Since Apple patched comex’s exploit in Apple iOS 4.3.4, this will be a Tethered iOS 4.3.5 Jailbreak. It is still recommended to stick with iOS 4.3.3 for an Untethered Jailbreak.

How to Tethered iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone 4.3.5 Jailbreak

First of all select and downlaod the appropriate program applicable to your device from the given options:

Download iOS 4.3.5 and iOS 4.3.4 for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
Download Redsn0w 0.9.8b4 for Windows

Download Redsn0w 0.9.8b4

Download iTunes 10.4

Now please follow these step by step instructions given here under:
Step 1: Start Redsn0w Apple iOS 4.3.5 Jailbreak program, browse for the iOS 4.3.4 firmware file (NOT the 4.3.5) that you downloaded above and point it towards Redsn0w.

Step 2: Once Redsn0w is done with recognizing the firmware file, click Next. Then check the 'Install Cydia' box and leave other options as it is for now. Once done, click Next.

Step 3: Now just follow Redsn0w, it will ask you to shut down your device and plug it in to the computer. Once plugged with computer, follow the onscreen instructions and then click Next to continue.

Step 4: RedSn0w will now guide you on how to put your device in DFU mode. Follow the instructions carefully till your device get’s into DFU mode. Follow these simple steps to put your Device into DFU Mode:

First of all,Press and Hold the sleep button for 2 seconds.
While holding the sleepbutton,Press the Home button for 10 seconds.
Now release the sleep button but continue Holding the home button for about 15 seconds.

Step 5: One in DFU mode your iPhone will restart, Now, just wait while Redsn0w gets installed and jailbreaks your device. Once finished your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch will restart automatically.

Troubleshooting:
Any Windows users seeing 'Waiting for reboot' for too long (more than 20 seconds or so), please try 'shaking' the JB process by unplugging then replugging your USB cable (while letting redsn0w continue to run). Also, try using a USB port 'closer' to your computer (as opposed to on your monitor or behind another hub).

Apple iOS 4.3.5 Jailbreak on iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone 4/3Gs
Here is a video tutorial for Apple iOS 4.3.5 Jailbreak on iPad, iPod Touch 4/3Gs for iPhone 4.3.5 Jailbreak using RedSn0w 0.9.8b:

Second Huge Solar Plant In California

2011-08-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

Solar Panels

BrightSource Energy, the California startup that is building the first large-scale solar thermal power plant to break ground in the United States in 20 years, on Friday filed a license application with California regulators to build a second huge solar complex that features new technology.

The 500-megawatt Hidden Hills Solar Electric Generating System would be built in two 250-megawatt phases on 5.12 square miles of privately owned Mojave Desert land in California’s Inyo County on the Nevada border. The site is 45 miles west of Las Vegas and north of BrightSource Energy’s Ivanpah facility now under construction on the California side of the border.

The project is the first to seek approval from the California Energy Commission since regulators rushed to approve nine large solar thermal power plants last year so their developers could qualify for billions of dollars in federal loan guarantees. The loan guarantee program is set to sunset on Sept. 30 and Hidden Hills will test financiers’ appetite for such projects absent such a subsidy.

BrightSource, which is backed by French energy giant Alstom, Morgan Stanley, Google, Chevron and NRG Energy, filed for a $250 million initial public offering in April and has signed contracts to deliver 2,610 megawatts of electricity to utilities Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison.

The company deploys vast fields of mirrors called heliostats to focus the sun’s rays on a water-filled boiler that sits atop a tower. The resulting steam drives an electricity-generating turbine.

In a sign that solar technology is unlikely to stand still for long in the race to bring more efficient power plants online, BrightSource has increased the height of its “power tower” at the Hidden Hills project to 750 feet from the 459-foot height of those being built at Ivanpah. Each tower at Hidden Hills would be surrounded by a field of 85,000 heliostats.

“The new, higher, 750-foot solar power tower allows the heliostat rows to be placed closer together, with the mirrors at a steeper angle,” the company stated in its license application. “This substantially reduces mirror shading and allows more heliostats to be placed per acre. More megawatts can be generated per acre and the design is more efficient overall.”

BrightSource on Wednesday announced it would incorporate molten salt storage in its power plants to extend their operating hours past sunset. No mention of such a system was made in the Hidden Hills application but its addition would most likely depend on a request from the utility that purchases the complex’s electricity.

The company has set out an ambitious construction schedule, stating that it anticipates ground would be broken by the third quarter of 2012 and Hidden Hills would begin generating electricity in 2015.

In contrast, it took more than three years for state and federal regulators to approve the Ivanpah project, which is being built on land managed by the Interior Department.

BrightSource will largely avoid the feds involvement by building on land leased from a private owner. The company also apparently hopes to sidestep disputes over the impact of its power plants on the imperiled desert tortoise, a controversy that has dogged the Ivanpah project.

According to its license application for Hidden Hills, initial surveys found only two desert tortoises on the project site.

Bioengineered spinal disc implants to combat Back Pain

2011-08-05T02:45:00.000-07:00

Researchers have created a biologically based spinal implant they say could someday provide relief for the millions of people suffering lower back and neck pain. Instead of removing damaged spinal discs - a surgery known as a discectomy - and fusing the vertebrate bones to stabilize the spine in patients diagnosed with severe degenerative disc disease, or herniated discs, the artificial discs could be used to replace damaged discs, performing better than current implants that are made from a combination of metal and plastic.

Although discectomies prevent pain, the often limit mobility. Human discs look something like a tire, with the outer part, called the annulus, made of a stiff material, and the inner circle, the nucleus, made of a gel-like substance that gets pressurized and bears weight.

To mimic this structure, engineers at Cornell University in Ithaca and doctors at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City engineered artificial discs out of two polymers - collagen, which wraps around the outside, and a hydrogel called alginate in the middle. They seeded the implants with cells that repopulate the structures with new tissue. Compared to artificial implants that degrade over time, the researchers found that the new implants get better as they mature in the body, due to the growth of the cells.

"Our implants have maintained 70 to 80 percent of initial disc height. In fact, the mechanical properties get better with time," says Lawrence Bonassar, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering at Cornell.

A surgical procedure approved by the FDA in 2005 for treating the degeneration of the intervertebral disc involves removing the damaged disc completely and replacing it with an implant made from a combination of metal and plastic, with the aim of mimicking the normal movement of the lumbar and the spine.

"Bone or metal or plastic implants are complicated structures which come with a mechanical risk of the structures moving around, or debris from the metal or plastic particles accumulating in the body from wear and tear," says Roger Härtl, M.D., associate professor of neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and chief of spinal surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Because the new discs integrate and mature with the vertebrae they would have a huge advantage over traditional implants, says Härtl, who is also the neurosurgeon for the New York Giants. This major surgery would also become less invasive, safer and come with fewer long-term side effects, he adds.

Bonassar and Härtl began collaborating on the project in 2006 and have since moved into the animal testing stages. The project has received a US$325,000 grant from Switzerland's AO Spine foundation and $100,000 in support from NFL charities. The research appears online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

PS Vita Release: Sony Playstation Vita Release Date, Price and Games

2011-08-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

Sony has finally announced Sony Playstation Vita Release, the successor for the Sony PSP. PS Vita, the new portable gaming device from Sony is designed to provide users with a whole new level of gaming experience along with some great connectivity features to stay connected on your social network.

Sony, at E3 2011 had announced the much awaited Sony PS Vita Release, revealing the Sony PlayStation Vita (codename NGP) Features, Specs, Price and Release Date.

The new multi-touch screen and a rear multi-touch pad will be a great addition, helping with the users game handling capabilities. The WiFi and 3G connectivity features also allows gamers to connect, share and play with all their friends on the go. With the microphone feature, users can actually communicate on real time, providing an ultimate gaming experience. Sony also introduces a new feature called ‘LiveArea’, where users can access all the latest information of their favorite games on the PlayStation Network.

Still, the announcement will bring disappointment to many gamers, who were expecting Sony Playstation Vita Release earlier in US and Europe for holiday sales, with an OLED touchscreen up front and a clever touchpad controller surface on the rear. Since the new PS Vita was spotted passing through the FCC, a day ago, speculating a PS Vita Release this fall in US.

PS Vita Release: Sony Playstation Vita Release Date

Sony PlayStation Vita, the new portable game console will go on sale in early 2012. PS Vita Release is set in early 2012 for U.S. and Europe, following a Sony Playstation Vita Release in Japan during this Christmas by the end of 2011.

Sony Vice President, Kazuo Hirai termed it a 'phased global rollout' in 2012 rather than a delay. He said the scheduling was intended to give Sony time to prepare 'solid' game offerings.

PS Vita Release: Sony Playstation Price

Despite of recent price cuts for Nintendo 3DS, a popular competitor handheld game console released earlier this year, the PS Vita will cost $249 in the US for the WiFi-only model, and $299 for the 3G-equipped version. In Japan it will start from 24,980 yen.

iPhone 5 and ‘simplified iPhone 4′ both due out this fall, report claims

2011-08-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

After several reports pointing to a lower-end iPhone set to be released this fall, a new source is now suggesting that along with the iPhone 5 we’ll see a “simplified iPhone 4”, as reported by the Chinese language website Sohu.com.

According to the report, Apple has reached an agreement with China Telecom, China’s state-owned mobile carrier, to bring two devices to the country: the iPhone 5 and a lower-end iPhone, allegedly similar to the iPhone 4, around “the end of October”. As claimed by the source, and as speculated by us many times, the lower-end iPhone model will be cheaper and most likely targeted at developing and emerging markets, such as China:

a more economical version of iPhone to target a broader customer base in developing countries such as China, allowing for an expanded market opportunity.

Apple’s current solution to make the iPhone available to a greater number of customers is to simply sell the previous-generation device for a lower price. While the iPhone 4 has been available for a year, Apple keeps manufacturing the nearly two-year-old iPhone 3GS and selling it for $99 instead of its original price of $199, but now the supply of the iPhone 3GS is dwindling drastically. This approach has its obvious shortcomings, including the device’s aging hardware that developers and Apple itself will be forced to support as long as the device is sold.

The lower-end iPhone will reportedly be similar to the iPhone 4, which has been for sale for over a year, although we don’t yet know much about its hardware or software. According to previous reports on the matter, however, we would guess that this low-end smartphone will be an iPhone 4 with improved internals and perhaps slightly cheaper plastic casing, as opposed to the iPhone 4’s glass enclosure, in order to reduce manufacturing costs, and therefore the price.

This report also, once again, sparks up the debate over whether the next iPhone will be released in September or October, since the source points to an October release, at least in China. I believe, as we have speculated previously, that the US release will take place sometime in September with an international release in October, since the iPhone 5 has allegedly reached final testing stages. The iPhone 5 is expected to be announced by Apple at the company’s traditional music and iPod event in September and released a few weeks later.

(via BGR)

Free Samsung Nexus S: Today Offer from Best Buy Mobile

2011-08-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

What about a "Free Samsung Nexus S"? Well, we are not kidding, infact its Today Offer from Best Buy Mobile, that is offering the Nexus S for free today only.

The catch is you need a two-year contract with Sprint, T-Mobile, or AT&T to get it. The unlocked model will still be full price.

All variants (3G version on T-Mobile or AT&T / 4G version on Sprint) will be free when you sign up for a new contract by either setting up a new line or upgrading a current handset.

While this device may not have dual-core this and that, it’s still one of the fastest and most stable devices you’ll ever use. As a “Nexus” device, you won’t find another handset in the world with this pure of an Android experience. The Nexus S is one of our favorite Android phones out there, offering a clean version of Gingerbread, and first dibs on software updates from Google.

The offer ends at 11:59 p.m. tonight, so get at it. Here under is the Press Release by Best Buy Mobile about Today Offer:

One-Day Exclusive Offer: Best Buy Mobile Offers All Versions of Nexus S from Google for Free on Aug 3
Available on AT&T, Sprint and T Mobile at Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile specialty stores and online. Offer runs from Aug. 2 at 11 p.m. CST to Aug. 3 at 11:59 p.m. CST
MINNEAPOLIS, August 2, 2011 – Best Buy Mobile today revealed an exclusive one-day sale on Nexus S from Google phones valid on all carriers who support the device - AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. Customers can receive a free Nexus S phone, either as a new phone or an upgrade purchase, with two-year activation at all Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile specialty stores, and online at BestBuy.com/Mobile.
Nexus S is a pure Google experience phone and runs Android 2.3, Gingerbread, the fastest version of Android available, and will be offered free starting tonight at 11:00 p.m. CST, through Aug. 3, at 11:59 p.m. CT.
In addition to the most smartphones under one roof, including all three versions of Nexus S, Best Buy Mobile offers an array of services aimed at improving customers’ experience, including Walk Out Working, Upgrade Checker, Happy 24 and a full array of accessories for customers to protect and personalize their device.

About Best Buy Mobile
Best Buy Mobile was founded in 2006 with a goal of changing the way consumers shop for and purchase mobile phones in America. Today, Best Buy Mobile is in every Best Buy store and also has 206 Best Buy Mobile specialty stores around the country. Best Buy Mobile features one of the largest selections of carriers, handsets and accessories available anywhere. Employees undergo at least 80 hours of intensive training, as well as continuing education on mobile phone technology and trends to help customers get the most of their mobile phones. For more information about Best Buy Mobile, visit www.bestbuy.com/mobile or www.bestbuymobile.com

About Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is a leading multi-channel global retailer and developer of technology products and services. Every day our employees – 180,000 strong – are committed to helping deliver the technology solutions that enable easy access to people, knowledge, ideas and fun. We are keenly aware of our role and impact on the world, and we are committed to developing and implementing business strategies that bring sustainable technology solutions to our consumers and communities. For information about Best Buy, visit www.bby.com

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Released on Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY

2011-08-03T04:11:00.000-07:00

The release of Battlefield: Bad Company 2, has made available the award winning FPS franchise by Electronic Art and DICE on Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY, the PlayStation certified gaming smartphone.

Sony Ericsson's Market Development Head, Dominic Neil-Dwyer says:

As Xperia Play becomes available in more markets across the world, the portfolio of games continues to grow and so we're delighted to announce the availability of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for Xperia Play. We aim to give consumers the best possible gaming experience on a smartphone and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for Xperia Play is the latest title from EA to bring one of the most popular gaming franchises to our consumers.

The game, now available for download takes full advantage of Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY smartphone's outstanding graphic capabilities and game-changing control pad to deliver a better and realistic, fast-paced gameplay to the Android operating system for the first time.

Bad Company 2 for Xperia Play features fourteen single-player missions across five intensely detailed battle zones. It also includes fourteen weapons ranging from a knife to rocket-propelled grenades and multiple vehicle types, including tanks and helicopters. An iOS version of the game is now also available at the App Store.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is available to download today for Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY customers, adding to the more than 100 optimised games available for download on the world’s first PlayStation certified smartphone.

Saudi Arabia Set to Own Title of World's Tallest Building

2011-08-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

Kingdom Tower Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture

The design, by Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, pairs radical developments in skyscraper technology with a sleek, tapered aesthetic inspired by the folded fronts of young desert plant growth.

Saudi Arabia is set to shatter the record for the tallest building in the world, with a slender, asymmetrical spire that'll rise at least 3,280 feet in the air. That's more than twice the size of the Willis Tower, the tallest building in the United States, and 568 feet taller than the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

The $1.2 billion Kingdom Tower will be built in north Jeddah, the major urban center of western Saudi and an historic gateway to Mecca just off the shores of the Red Sea. The building, by Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (Smith also designed the Burj Khalifa while at SOM), pairs new developments in skyscraper technology with a sleek, “three-petal” form inspired by the folded fronts of young desert plant growth. “The way the fronds sprout upward from the ground as a single form, then start separating from each other at the top, is an analogy of new growth fused with technology,” Gill says.

The tower’s got a slick, aerodynamic shape with tapering wings that’ll help slash structural loading caused by wind. A high-performance facade is expected to drastically reduce energy consumption, and notches in each of the skyscraper’s three “petals” will create pockets of shade, shielding occupants from the harsh desert sun and providing outdoor terraces with views of Jeddah and the Red Sea. Kingdom Tower will include a Four Seasons hotel and apartments, luxury condominiums, and Class A offices spread over roughly 3.5-million square feet. It'll also have a sky terrace on the 157th floor (the 157th floor!) and the highest observatory in the world.

Kingdom Tower is the linchpin of a larger, $20 billion waterfront development venture for Jeddah -- part of the Saudi monarchy’s ambitious efforts to diversify its economy beyond crude oil. (Financing for the Kingdom Tower results from a deal between the investment firm of Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and the Saudi Binladin Group, a construction conglomerate founded by the father of you know who.) The proposed Kingdom Tower Waterfront District -- the master plan of which is also designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill -- will include residential and commercial buildings, a shopping mall, outdoor spaces, and other amenities.

Explosion of Mobile Gaming

2011-08-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

Geekaphone, an online resource for the mobile industry, has revealed stats about mobile gaming industry. They have been researching the mobile gaming industry and revealed figures for 2011.

A few key points that stand out are:

The mobile gaming industry is predicted to reach $54 Billion by 2015
84% of tablet owners play games
70 – 80% of all mobile downloads are games
Android is soon to overtake Apple in number of total available apps
In-game purchases should overtake pay-per-downloads by 2013
Angry Birds has been downloaded 140 million times
Developers made $87 million in ad revenue in 2010 and will grow 10 fold by 2015

via DigitalBuzzBlog

iCloud and iWork Beta Launched For Developers

2011-08-02T03:43:00.000-07:00

Apple seems to have opened up the iCloud Beta on iCloud.com. Notably, the login page is nearly identical to a leak from the days before the original iCloud announcement. We were doubtful of the screen at the time, but it appears to have been legitimate.

There's some mixed reports about people being able to login. We have reports of both developers and non-developers having success and trouble logging in.

iWork Beta with iCloud support was also seeded to developers:

Genes Can Now Be Patented, But the Future of Gene Research Remains Unclear

2011-08-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

BRCA1

In a victory for biotechnology companies, a federal appeals court ruled Friday that human genes can be patented. Odds are pretty good the case will make its way to the Supreme Court, and it’s possible the justices will rule the other way, so this is not a done deal — but until then, it seems companies can own the exclusive right to use human genes.

The case involved patents on two human genes that are used to predict breast cancer, BRCA1 and BRCA2. To study these genes, patients and scientists will again have to pay a fee — up to $3,000 — to the company that owns the patent, Myriad Genetics.

In a 2-1 ruling, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which specializes in patent law, overturned an earlier decision that invalidated the patents. The decision is still somewhat unclear, however, with three separate opinions and a half-dozen points of law under debate. The lack of clarity, and the complex and controversial nature of the case, makes a hearing by the high court seem likely.

The court did rule against Myriad in one aspect, involving the process they use to analyze a patient’s genes. This requires “abstract mental steps,” the court said. So the court said the genes themselves could be patented, but a specific method of studying them could not.

"We strongly support the Court's decision that isolated DNA and cDNA are patent-eligible material as both are new chemical matter with important utilities which can only exist as the product of human ingenuity," said Peter Meldrum, president and CEO of Myriad Genetics. Scientists were not as pleased: "Genes or a sequence of the genome is a product of nature and should not be patentable," said Dr. Timothy J. O'Leary, president of the Association for Molecular Pathology, which brought the lawsuit.

The U.S. Trademark and Patent Office has already issued patents on more than 4,000 human genes, so a ruling that would invalidate gene patents would have major implications for the biotech industry. Companies like Myriad argue patents are necessary to protect product development and encourage innovation; opponents argue the ruling will stifle competitive research and jeopardize patient health, and that it’s unethical to patent something that comes from nature. The Obama administration had filed a brief arguing that isolated genes should not be patented.

Patents on plant and even animal genes have not risen to this level of controversy. Genetically altered plants and animals are big business for biotech firms, which license their gene patents to other companies that produce seeds, additives and other products. About 20 percent of the human genome is also patented, including genes associated with diseases like Alzheimer's. Other companies and researchers must pay fees to license the patent.

The court ruled that patents are allowed because once pieces of DNA are isolated from the body, their chemical structures differ from the DNA that exists inside the body — so they’re not actually products of nature. Two of the judges on the three-judge appellate panel are scientists, and brought their own analysis to the debate. Judge Alan D. Lourie, who as the Atlantic points out holds a PhD in chemistry, concluded thusly:

In this case, the claimed isolated DNA molecules do not exist as in nature within a physical mixture to be purified. They have to be chemically cleaved from their chemical combination with other genetic materials. In other words, in nature, isolated DNAs are covalently bonded to such other materials. Thus, when cleaved, an isolated DNA molecule is not a purified form of a natural material, but a distinct chemical entity. In fact, some forms of isolated DNA require no purification at all, because DNAs can be chemically synthesized directly as isolated molecules.

Judge Kimberly A. Moore, who has a degree in electrical engineering, also discussed the chemical makeup of the isolated DNA, but also said the new sequences have a utility that whole gene sequences do not — in this case, predicting breast cancer risk.

Judge William C. Bryson, who does not list any scientific background on his bio, was the sole dissenter, arguing that most people would argue patents are intended to protect inventions, and “a human gene is not an invention.”

Much legal wrangling remains to be done before this question is finally settled.

[Popsci via New York Times, The Atlantic]

iPhone 5 Actually Launching in October, Not September?

2011-08-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

AllThingsD offers some disappointing news for those waiting for an iPhone 5. According to the site, Apple won't be launching the iPhone 5 in September as rumored. Instead, the iPhone 5 will launch in October, according to "a source familiar with Apple's plans".

So, when can we expect the company to uncrate the iPhone 5?
“October,” the source said, while declining to offer a hard launch date. Other sources said it will be later in the month rather than earlier.

There are no other details about the specs, and they suggest it could end up launching late in October.

AllThingsD tends to be well connected with industry sources, so there is reason to believe their rumors. It still seems possible that Apple may pre-announce the iPhone 5 for some small period. Historically, Apple has held their fall media event in September.

Source: Macrumors

World's Smallest Battery Yet is About as Thick as a Human Hair

2011-07-31T04:35:00.000-07:00

Nanotechnology promises to enable tiny, intricate circuits powering devices on any surface. But unless they’re harvesting energy from something like a heartbeat, the devices can only be as small as the smallest battery.

Now researchers at Rice University have combined the two, packing an entire lithium-ion battery into a single nanowire. The developers say it’s as small as such a device can possibly get.

Researchers led by Rice professor Pulickel Ajayan built a hybrid energy storage device, which serves as a battery and a supercapacitor. The first version sandwiched an electrolyte between a nickel/tin anode and a cathode made of a polymer called polyaniline. The cathode also served as a supercapacitor, storing lithium ions in bulk, as this writeup by Rice University explains. The prototype proved that lithium ions would move through the electrolyte and into the cathode.

Then Ajayan and colleagues incorporated this structure into a single nanowire, through a complicated process of etching and chemical washing. The goal is to make nanowires with ultra-thin separation between electrodes, so the device can remain as small as possible.

The completed wire-batteries are about 50 microns tall, which is roughly the diameter of a human hair, according to Rice.

For now, they can only charge and discharge about 20 times before they die, but researchers are trying to optimize them to last longer. The research is published in the journal ACS Nano Letters.

[Popsci via PhysOrg]

White Samsung Galaxy S2: Release Date, Specs and Price

2011-07-29T12:11:00.000-07:00

The white version of best selling Samsung Galaxy S2 has been hinted for a September 2011 release in the UK. White Samsung Galaxy S2, functionally identical to the existing black Galaxy S2, which hit the market 85 days ago, and has already racked up 5 million sales record with Samsung. The new White Samsung Galaxy S2 model means another 5 million units sale, which seems to be a very smart move on the foot print of Apple.

White Samsung Galaxy S2 Features and Specs

It does appear that white is the only difference from the black version with no change to specs. The White Samsung Galaxy S2, like its Samsung Galaxy S2 black version, is Worlds Thinnest Smartphone, loaded with Android mobile operating system. The Samsung Galaxy S2 is the successor to the critically acclaimed Samsung Galaxy S, featuring:

1.2 GHz Dual-Core SoC Processor
Samsung Exynos Processor (GT-I9100 model) or Nvidia Tegra 2 Processor (GT-I9103 model)
1GB RAM
10.9 Centimetre (4.3 inches) WVGA Super AMOLED Plus Display
8 Megapixel LED Flash Camera with HD 1080p videos recording
USB Host (OTG) Function Support
Upgraded version of Android, officially known as TouchWiz 4.0
Enhanced Accessibility with Multi Touch Gestures and Clean Widget Arrangements
It also supports Mobile High-definition Link (MHL), which allows up to 1080p uncompressed video output with HDMI while charging the device at the same time.

White Samsung Galaxy S2 Release Date

The incoming White Samsung Galaxy S2 variant was first previewed by a UK retailer earlier in the week, though the original product page suggested an August 15 launch and has since been taken down.

Since, Samsung Galaxy S2 is going to be released for sale in the US, in August 2011 through Verizon. Its white version, Samsung White Galaxy S2 Release Date is expected to be somewhere in late September or October 2011.

White Samsung Galaxy S2 Price

Right now it appears one can only pick White Samsung Galaxy S2 at full retail price, between £410 and £500 ($669 to $800 USD) depending on ones country.

White Samsung Galaxy S2 Price is listed at for an unlocked, SIM-free model, though Samsung UK tells us that the white version will be made available through carriers as well, so iTechWhiz expect some easy cheap subsidized deals and offers.

3D Displays Does Cause 'visual discomfort'

2011-07-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

No, it's not just you. According to studies recently conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, the viewing of stereoscopic 3D displays does indeed cause visual discomfort, fatigue and headaches. The problem appears to come from the fact that the viewers' eyes are simultaneously trying to focus on the screen, and on objects that appear to be located either in front of or behind that screen.

The studies involved 24 adult subjects, who viewed 3D content both on small, consumer electronics-style screens, and on larger, theater-style screens. With the smaller screens, which are viewed at a closer distance, content that appeared to be located in front of the screen caused the most discomfort. Interestingly, however, viewing of the larger, more distant screens was most uncomfortable when content appeared to be located behind the screen.

"When watching stereo 3D displays, the eyes must focus - that is, accommodate - to the distance of the screen because that's where the light comes from," said Martin S. Banks, professor of optometry and vision science. "At the same time, the eyes must converge to the distance of the stereo content, which may be in front of or behind the screen."

Further studies are planned, which would include a larger number of test subjects, including children. The U Berkeley researchers hope that their findings could be used to establish guidelines for the positioning of viewers relative to 3D displays.

"Discomfort associated with viewing Stereo 3D is a major problem that may limit the use of technology," said Banks. "We hope that our findings will inspire more research in this area."

The research was recently published in The Association for Research and Vision in Ophthalmology's Journal of Vision.

Source: Gizmag

Apple Becomes World's Top Smartphone Vendor Passing Nokia and Holding Off Samsung

2011-07-29T03:40:00.000-07:00

Just hours after research firm IDC released data showing Apple dramatically outpacing the overall mobile phone industry in year-over-year growth for the second quarter of 2011, Strategy Analytics has confirmed that Apple has indeed become the world's largest smartphone manufacturer. In that smaller but faster-growing submarket, Apple dethroned long-time leader Nokia and just barely held off a fast-rising Samsung to take the top spot.

Alex Spektor, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global smartphone shipments grew a healthy 76 percent annually to reach a record 110 million units in Q2 2011. We had previously reported on Apple becoming the largest smartphone vendor in terms of revenue and profits. Now, just four years after the release of the original iPhone, Apple has become the world’s largest smartphone vendor by volume with 18 percent market share. Apple’s growth remained strong as it expanded distribution worldwide, particularly in China and Asia.”

With both Apple and Nokia reporting their quarterly financial results last week, it was confirmed that Apple had passed Nokia, but some analysts had suggested that Samsung might surge past both companies on the strength of its Android-based handset sales. While Samsung did indeed achieve remarkable 520% year-over-year smartphone growth to move from 5.0% of the market to 17.5%, Apple's performance was strong enough to at least temporarily take the crown with 18.5% of the market.

ABI Research has also released similar data showing Apple on top of the smartphone market with Samsung in a close second.

ABI Research Senior Analyst Michael Morgan comments: “Although Apple’s 142% YoY growth placed it as number one this quarter, Samsung’s 500% YoY growth shows that going forward, the top smartphone OEM position is Samsung’s to lose.”

ABI Research estimates that 47 million Android phones were sold during the quarter, giving the platform 46.4% of the smartphone market, more than double that of the iPhone.

New Liquid Biomaterial Could Help Rebuild Faces Without Surgery

2011-07-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

Doctors are testing a new liquid polymer that can be injected under the skin, molded and sculpted, then set in place with a LED array. Ultimately intended for use around the face, it sounds like a plastic surgeon's worst nightmare.

According to Technology Review, the compound is made of substances that are already used in cosmetic surgery, but has different properties than any before it.

It's a blend of hyaluronic acid-a biological material already used as a soft-tissue implant-and polyethylene glycol, a synthetic material. The blend is a liquid polymer that can be injected-thus avoiding the need for surgery. Once injected, the material can be sculpted into the necessary shape. When exposed to light of specific wavelengths, the messy tangle of polymer chains in the liquid implant rearrange into a stable, crosshatched form, stiffening the implant.

It only takes a few minutes in front of the LED light array before the material sets, and the procedure is generally pain-free once finished. Doctors recently completed a small trial in Canada, which was mostly successful (save for some unwanted inflammation), and they plan to launch a full-scale trial soon.

Source: Gizmodo via Technology Review