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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 09:57:00 +0000

Have you ever heard "MYSTERY of MOVING DEATH VALLEY ROCKS"

If yes then here's is a good news that it aint a mystery anymore....

If no then check this out !!!

Sailing stones

History:

Moving death valley rocks traditionally called as "Sailing stones" or "sliding rocks" and the list goes on. Coming to its history these
rocks move and inscribe long tracks along a smooth valley floor without human or animal intervention.

The stones move only every two or three years and most tracks develop over three or four years. Stones with rough bottoms leave straight groove tracks while those with smooth bottoms tend to wander. Stones sometimes turn over, exposing another edge to the ground. A solution to this mystery of why rocks move randomly across an isolated patch of California's Death Valley finally cracked on Thursday, when researchers published a study showing the driving force was sheets of wind-driven ice.

How is it solved...

Paleobiologist Richard Norris of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, who led the study, saw the rare phenomenon first-hand last December while standing with his cousin, engineer James Norris, at the spot.

Even though the stones can sit for a decade or more without moving, on certain occasions they move that results from an unusual combination of ice and wind in an area normally known for severe hot temperatures.

That happens when the dry lake bed they are in freezes over with a thin layer of ice which then breaks apart in a light wind, sending large sheets of ice against the rocks with enough force to move them a few yards per minute, Norris said.

Because of the ability of the large ice sheets to catch the wind, and aided by the underlying flow of water, the rocks, which weigh as much as 700 pounds (318 kg), are pushed along in a way that could not occur from the force of the wind alone, he said.

A scientific theory dating back to the 1950s had suggested that thick ice and heavy winds could be behind the movement of the rocks, but the study published on Thursday found the ice is far thinner and the wind much lighter than first thought.

Popular theories for what drives the rocks have ranged from a sudden tilting of the Earth to the action of giant magnets under the surface of the ground.

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 09:38:00 +0000

Interested to get information on AUTOSAR, the only technology that is going to rule the AUTOMOTIVE industry??? Then check this out...

Hi guys, I've been working on autosar technology so i thought i can share some of it with you guys. So if you are interested comment your question's or valuable information here.

Please let me know your views below :)

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 09:26:00 +0000

I am BACK

Sorry guys I've been out of my blog because of some personal issues. Well I'm back and I'm gonna get you all the latest Tech news from now on...

Stay tuned !!!!

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:38:00 +0000

Technology drives BALLOONs to provide internet in remote areas

Google launches huge balloon which has the ability to provide internet in remote and difficult terrain — mountain ranges and jungles.

Wonder how these balloons could stay at a fixed point???
The basic idea behind this is that these huge balloons make use of wind,solar energy and complex algorithms to stay in a fixed part of the sky.

Google says its ultimate goal is to bring Internet to the two-thirds of the world that do not have or simply can't afford Internet access.

check the video below to know the extraordinary idea how this actually works :

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:31:00 +0000

Now u can listen to the voice of telephone inventor - ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL

Alexander Graham Bell

The most common gadget each and every person holds today is none other than Mobile,which was developed based on the idea of telephone.

The inventor of such a wonderful thing (Telephone) may have died over 90 years age but still u can hear his voice.

Smithsonian researchers recovered Bell's voice from a historical recording by using optical technology, Smithsonian Magazine reported.

The recording was recovered from a wax-and-cardboard disc that dates back to April 15, 1885, the magazine said.

I guess you are very excited to hear his voice now. Aren't you?

"— hear my voice, Alexander Graham Bell.”

Listen to the inventor's voice, here.

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:56:00 +0000

Technology turns paper in to touchscreen developed by FUJITSU

The technology has been grown so rapidly that every device or gadget we use is made of touchscreen including mobile, ipad, computer and many more.But what about paper???

Fujitsu has developed a technology that detects objects your finger is touching in the real world, effectively turning any surface — a piece of paper, for example — into a touchscreen, DigInfo reports.

Taichi Murase, a researcher at Fujitsu's Media Service System Lab explains "This system doesn't use any special hardware; it consists of just a device like an ordinary webcam, plus a commercial projector. Its capabilities are achieved by image processing technology".

In the above video we see how one can manipulate data on a piece of paper: by using finger gestures, you can copy an image or a text excerpt and store it into memory. Besides flat surfaces, the technology also works on curved or uneven ones, so one can easily manipulate data from a book.

Though the technology is still at the "demonstration level," researchers at Fujitsu plan to develop a commercial version of the system by fiscal 2014.

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:46:00 +0000

Possibility to hijack a plane with android app-HUGO TESO

Imagine the kind of chaos a malicious hacker could cause if he or she were able to take over an airplane simply using android phone. with a tap of his or her fingers, the hacker could arbitrarily control the plane remotely and redirect its path. Does it sound like a Hollywood movie plan,think again, because that's exactly the scenario a German security researcher laid out on Wednesday at a
conference in Amsterdam.

Hugo Teso, a security researcher for the German IT consultancy firm — he is a trained commercial pilot as well — explained at the Hack in the Box security conference that a protocol used to transmit data to commercial airplanes can be hacked, turning the hacker into a full-fledged hijacker.

The flawed protocol is a data exchange system called Aircraft Communications Addressing and Report System, or ACARS. Exploiting its flaws, as well as the bugs found in flight management software made by companies like Honeywell, Thales, and Rockwell Collins, Teso maintains he can take over a plane by sending it his own malicious radio signals. To do that, he has created an exploit framework, codenamed SIMON, and an Android app called PlaneSploit that can communicate with the airplanes' Flight Management Systems (FMS).

The key to Teso's hack is that ACARS doesn't have any encryption or authentication features, so the plane can't distinguish between signals that are coming from a hacker or an airport's ground station. That way, he or she could potentially send spoofed malicious signals to affect the behavior of the plane.

Authorities like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as Honeywell, however, don't believe his hack could be reproduced in real life.

Honeywell says,"As Teso readily admits, the version he used of our flight management system is a publicly available PC simulation, and that doesn’t have the same protections against overwriting or corrupting as our certified flight software".

Even if Teso's hack proves not to be reproducible on real planes, some of the flaws he exposed could still cause issues. And this is not the first time security researchers and hackers have exposed serious flaws in modern aviation systems.

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 07:34:00 +0000

TWITTER TO LAUNCH ITS LONG-RUMORED MUSIC APP

Twitter is about to launch its music app this weekend

Its time to rock. Twitter is about to launch its long-rumored standalone music app this weekend, according to a report.

We Are Hunted announced it had been acquired by Twitter. (Another poorly kept secret, this acquisition likely occurred last year and was revealed by CNET last month.)

We Are Hunted focused on the top trending music on social media, and the Twitter Music app will likely do the same — plus suggest what other tunes you might like based on what you've listened to, and allow you to buy tracks via iTunes.

A streaming-only service, it will feature Sound cloud clips you can listen to from within the app and music videos from Vevo, according to AllThingsD. CNET previous reported that the app would be divided into four sections, including "#NowPlaying", and that a Twitter account would not be necessary to use it.

What we don't have a lot of details on is what platform the app is launching on. CNET's report said it would be iOS only,AllThingsD's sources don't specify.

Will this be an another app that android users have to wait more time to experience it?

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:37:00 +0000

Set top box mandatory in INDIA

All this started because of digitization(set top box) of analogue cable system.TV signals are distributed to households through various platforms such as cable, direct-to-home (DTH), internet protocol TV (IPTV) and headend-in-the-sky (HITS). Cable is the largest platform, followed by DTH.

Cable TV distribution broadly involves three phases: broadcasters encrypt their signals and transmit them to a satellite; multi-system operators (MSOs) download these signals and pass them on to local cable operators; these LCOs then carry them to consumers through co-axial cables or optical fibres.

DTH eliminates the need of an intermediary between the MSO and the consumer. The consumers have to install a small satellite on their rooftop and can download the signals transmitted by MSOs. A set-top box decrypts the signals and viewers can watch channels of their choice.

DTH signals are transmitted through a wireless technology and the system is digital. IPTV uses broadband and is also digital.

Why digitise everything?

Analogue systems have several limitations. For one thing, it is difficult to ascertain how many households are using cable services. The actual number is known only to the local cable operators who also work as bill collection agents. Telecom regulator TRAI had mandated that revenues gathered by cable operators should be split 45:30:25 among broadcasters, MSOs and LCOs. According to a report by industry lobby FICCI and management consultancy KPMG, in 2010, a total of Rs 19,400 crore was generated through subscription fee paid by consumers but only around 20 per cent of this was declared by cable operators.

There are some channels that survive entirely on subscriptions and carry no advertisements. In India, because of rampant under-declaration by cable operators, broadcasters have had to mainly depend on advertising to sustain themselves. On an average, most broadcasters earn 80-85 per cent of their revenues through advertising. Once the system is digitised, every household accessing signals will be accounted for and cable operators will be forced to share their collections with MSOs and broadcasters.

This is why Indian govt mandatorize set top box.

Benifits to consumers through digitization:

1.Consumers can watch more than 800 channels (nearly 1000),while analog system allows not more than 150.

2.Better viewing experience along with pause and play options.

3.Consumers can choose their own channels and can pay only for them.

Through digitization there are not much more benefits to consumers.

In fact set top boxes are grouped in two types standard and hi-definition.the former one cost around 1200 to 1500 /- and latter one is above 3000/-,which is a huge overhead for consumers.

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:15:00 +0000

EASY FREE SOFTWARE,E-BOOKS and GAMES

This is post is about helping you guys regarding any software, e-books and games for free and easy.You can comment here the necessary software's or e-books you people are looking for.I will provide the links which are completely verified only u need to download clicking those links...

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:42:00 +0000

May be an end to the Mystery of DARK MATTER

The powerful Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS) is visible at center left.

The question still points out what exactly happening on dark side of cosmos,but scientists said on Wednesday that they might be on verge of finding out what makes up the mysterious dark matter that gives the shape to the visible structures of universe.

A massive particle detector mounted on the International Space Station may have detected elusive dark matter at last, scientists announced Wednesday.

The detector, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), measures cosmic-ray particles in space. After detecting billions of these particles over a year and a half, the experiment recorded a signal that may be the result of dark matter, the hidden substance that makes up more than 80 percent of all matter in the universe.

AMS found about 400,000 positrons, the antimatter partner particles of electrons. The energies of these positrons suggest they might have been created when particles of dark matter collided and destroyed each other.

Dark matter emits no light and can't be detected with telescopes, and it seems to dwarf the ordinary matter in the universe.

Physicists have suggested that dark matter is made of WIMPs, or weakly interacting massive particles, which almost never interact with normal matter particles. WIMPs are thought to be their own antimatter partner particles, so when two WIMPS meet, they would annihilate each other, as matter and antimatter partners destroy each other on contact. The result of such a violent collision between WIMPs would be a positron and an electron, said study co-author Roald Sagdeev, a physicist at the University of Maryland.

The characteristics of the positrons detected by AMS match predictions for the products of dark-matter collisions. For example, based on an overabundance of positrons measured by a satellite-based detector called the Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA), scientists expected that positrons from dark matter would be found at energy levels higher than 10 gigaelectron volts (GeV), said study co-author Veronica Bindi, a physicist at the University of Hawaii.

And the positrons found by AMS increase in abundance from 10 GeV to 250 GeV, with the slope of the increase reducing by an order of magnitude over the range from 20 GeV to 250 GeV — just what scientists expect from positrons created by dark-matter annihilations.

Furthermore, the positrons appear to come from all directions in space, and not a single source in the sky. This finding is also what researchers expected from the products of dark matter, which is thought to permeate the universe.

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 06:51:00 +0000

BionicOpter dragonfly robot

FESTO demonstrates Bionicopter

The robot dragonfly measures 44 cm (17.3-inches) long from tip to tail. Its sturdy and lightweight housing and mechanical system are fashioned from aluminum, polyamide (sintered) and terpolymer (deep-drawn ABS), contributing to its overall weight of just 175 g.

The beast is controlled by an ARM microcontroller, which calculates all of the parameters relating to mechanical adjustment based on input from the onboard inertia, acceleration and position sensors, together with pilot input, then translates these into movement by actuating the servo motors.

The complex motion sequences (including flapping frequency of between 15 and 20 Hz, amplitude and installation angle) are handled by the model's software and electronics, leaving the operator only having to worry about the steering. The model is powered by two LiPo cells and can be remotely controlled using a smartphone or digital spectrum transmitter courtesy of the included 2.4 GHz wireless module.

The robot dragonfly can be remotely controlled using a smartphone

or digital spectrum transmitter courtesy of the included 2.4 GHz wireless module

By passing an electric current through the robot's four nitinol "muscles," the head can be moved from side to side, while the tail can go up and down. Indoor or outdoor flight stability is ensured by the real-time automatic correction of in-flight vibrations.

The bionicopter in action in the below video:

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:57:00 +0000

Nick D’Aloisio, 17, youngest internet millionaire-summly creator.

Yahoo bought an app for a multi million deal with a 17yr old kid who dreamed of an app on his bed-summly.

The terms of purchase have not been declared,but it is thouht that yahoo will pay between £20 million and £40 million for summly app.

the idea behind summly is to make it easier for 15-year old nick to read online articles easier when he was preparing for mock tests.The app breaks any internet article in to a summary of not more than 350 to 400 words.

'When i founded summly at 15, i would never have never being in such a position suddenly',he added going on to thanking his investors,his family,friends,his school and users of the app.

Under the terms of summly deal,nick will work at yahoo at their soho offices while studying for three A levels at king's college school in the evening.

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:37:00 +0000

Screen-smash??? No more with apple new patent

Apple has filed a U.S. patent application for a protective mechanism that would "selectively alter a center of mass" of an electronic device.

Other claims suggest that the mechanism would alter the angular momentum of the device in free-fall. The patent further describes how electronic devices could deploy "air foils" to alter the aerodynamics and speed of decent by producing lift.

In an attempt to slow impact, or even prevent it entirely, the patent describes possible "gripping members" that would turn power cords or headphone connectors into makeshift grappling hooks, perhaps with teeth or hooks that bind into the device in the event of dropping it.

This patent really brings out various possible methods to prevent damage(smashed-screen) to the device which many people are worried about.

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:47:00 +0000

New miss india 2013 : Navneet Kaur Dhillon

Navneet Kaur Dhillon was crowned Femina Miss India 2013 in a star studded grand finale of the 50th edition of the beauty pageant.

The first and second runners-up were Sobhita Dhulipala and Zoya Afroz respectively. The trio was selected from 23 finalists from across the country.

Actresses Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra added Bollywood glamour to the ceremony, which was judged by filmmaker Karan Johar, choreographer Shiamak Dawar, cricketer Yuvraj Singh, fashion designer Ritu Kumar, actors John Abraham, Asin Thottumkal and Chitrangda Singh.

The evening began with an entertaining performance by the star cast of Indra Kumar's Grand Masti - Aftab Shivdasani, Riteish Deshmukh and Vivek Oberoi who were there to promote the film. It was followed by dazzling performances by Aishwarya and Priyanka.

Singer Sonu Nigam too enthralled the viewers when he sang some heart touching numbers.

The beauty pageant completed its 50 years and so the organisers made it a pan India event in the true sense by taking extra care in selecting girls from every corner of India. Auditions were held at Pune, Goa, Indore, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chandigarh and Delhi.

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:38:00 +0000

HERE COMES THE LINUX (ubuntu) IN TO MOBILE ARENA

The founder of canonical Mark Shuttleworth says that "this mobile ubuntu paltform has all the capabilities of general desktop posesses.But it has new mobile interface which is kind of a distilled versinon of ubuntu desktop version.It has a launcher on the left as if ubuntu desktop has,it has got indicators on top such as time and date,network,sound etc.It can run multiple apps at a time we can move ont o particular app just by sliding left and selecting a particular app.The home screen is a kind of evrything we can just go in to.we can come out of an app just by touching a bottom buttom on side bar launcher.

It has on power button and volume up and volume down.And all other things are done through swipe and touch.Top edge system setting,left edge apps,right edge takes u back and bottom edge give u tool bar when you are in an app.

The most beautiful thing is that you can install it in a phone as if you can install ubuntu in a desktop.

Also in other mobiles depending on the manufacturer depends on whether it has the ability to unlock the mobile or not.And expecting the devices can ship on last quarter of 2013 or first quarter of 2014".

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noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 04:35:00 +0000

NTT DOCOMO gears up to 5G data

NTT DoCoMo confirms successful 10Gbps wireless test

No, it’s not the world’s most conspicuous surveillance van — it’s

1 of the first actions toward 5G data. NTT DoCoMo has just confirmed that the gear-laden automobile above effectively conducted a 10Gbps wireless test in Ishigaki this December with the aid of the Tokyo Institute of Technologies. The dry run relied on frequencies and bandwidth effectively outdoors of usual cellular service, in the 11GHz band with 400MHz of spectrum, but proved that it was attainable to blow past the speeds of LTE and LTE-Advanced while moving outdoors the test utilized 24 antennas to maintain the hyperlink. DoCoMo eventually hopes for equivalent speed in frequencies over 5GHz, and it really is not shy about hoping the technology will define mobile communication as it improves. Although we’re not expecting this type of breakneck efficiency in a telephone for years, it is good to know that 4G is not necessarily the finish of the line.

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 10:19:00 +0000

LoFi-Fisheye Digicam shoots HD video, fits in the palm of your hand

Pressing and holding the power button on the top brings the camera to life and it goes straight into HD video mode.

After a fruitless search for a teeny key-chain digital camera with a fish-eye lens out front, Greg Dash decided to design and build his own. The subsequent prototype was just intended for his own use, but when more and more folks asked him where they could buy one when they spotted him snapping photos, he hatched a crowdfunding plan to bring his LoFi-Fisheye Digicam to market.

Thankfully, monster lenses like the one introduced by Nikon at the 1970 Photokina show are something of a rarity. Today's smaller varieties, however, are still a rather expensive addition to a photographer's toolkit, and certainly something that was out of Dash's price range. Of course, he could have opted to add something like a Turtle Jacket Penta Eye lens wheel to his iPhone, or post-processed images using software or apps for a digitally-manipulated snap, but didn't feel that such things were quite what he was looking for.

"Although apps give the appearance of a fisheye-effect, they're unable to replicate the true 170-degree image due to the limitations in the hardware," he told us. "Snap-on attachments can suffer from low quality construction, can fall off, can break and can be device specific."

He wanted an easy-to-use, pocket-friendly digital camera that had a quality fish-eye lens, was able to record in HD, and included features like time-lapse – criteria that were satisfied in his (roughly) Chobi Cam-sized LoFi-Fisheye Digicam.

Dash, who works and studies at Aberystwyth University in Mid Wales, told us that the reference to Lo-Fi in the camera's name relates to its simple, uncluttered style and the distinct lack of bells and whistles of the design itself, rather than an indication of anything lacking in image quality. In fact, the camera's onboard sensor can record HD video and grab images at up to 12 megapixels.

Pressing and holding the power button on the top brings the camera to life and it goes straight into HD video mode (indicated by a red LED on the back). Next to the power button, there's another which allows the user to choose between video and photo (green LED). A microphone on the rear picks up and records audio and the button on the front of the camera activates the camera's time-lapse feature. The front is also home to that desirable 170-degree glass fish-eye lens.

On one side there's a microSD slot (it doesn't have any internal memory), and there's a mini-USB port on the other. The latter is used to connect the device to a computer or to charge its lithium battery. A small text file is stored on the supplied microSD card that can be opened on a computer to change some of the camera's parameter settings, if desired.

There's no screen, no viewfinder and you've got no idea what your photo or video will be like until it's viewed on a computer. This might not be to everyone's taste, but I think it adds an element of old-fashioned surprise and intrigue to the proceedings (harking back to a time when you never quite knew if your holiday snaps would turn out until you got them back from the developers).

To bring his design to market, Dash has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. The production model will feature a custom-molded body over a metal frame. He has partnered with an experienced manufacturer to finalize the design and now needs a cash injection to pay for tooling and meet the costs associated with an initial production run.

All the early bird units have gone, so you'll need to pledge at least £65 (US$99) to wrap your hands around a production model. The campaign closes on April 4 and, providing the target is met, shipping is scheduled for August.

"If I'm unable to hit the £35,000 (about $46k) target, the production will not go ahead," admitted Dash. "It's unlikely I will seek funding from elsewhere as I have neither the funds or time to continue with this project. If funding is successful, however, I have many more ideas I would like to try out. I'd really like to create a line of fixed-lens pocket cams at an affordable price, but this project is currently my priority."

The campaign's suitably lo-fi pitch video can be seen below (although a higher quality, updated version has been produced if you'd rather watch that).

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:57:00 +0000

Demi Lovato, New Album: Singer Talks 'Dope' Collaboration

Demi Lovato's fans got served with a "Heart Attack" when she teased her new single last week. While we have to wait until March 4 for the track to drop, we can debate who her mystery collaborator is!

"I've been working with incredible producers," Demi told MTV News. "There's so many I don't even know who to name, but I do have a collaboration with somebody. I don't know if I'm allowed to tell, but it'll be dope."

Ahhh, suspense! The "Give Your Heart a Break" singer also hinted at what fans can expect from the project.

"Well, not only does the album say a lot about where I am in life right now, [but] like, there's follow-up songs," she teased. "I feel like one is a follow-up song to 'Skyscraper.' I feel like other ones talk about some issues I haven't spoken about. I'm continuing to let out a lot of things therapeutically on my music and I'm very thankful I have the opportunity to do that."

A big motivation Demi has in finishing the album? Her reality show judging stint!

"Well, I definitely want to back up why I was a mentor on 'The X Factor,'' Demi said. "I don't want to go on my album and kind of make people think, 'Well what does she know about judging?' And I definitely think I'm going to accomplish hopefully a positive response. I just always thought I need to give it my all 'cause that's what my contestants were doing."

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:12:00 +0000

FOR THE FIRST TIME CANADIAN COMES UP WITH ASTEROID-TRACKING SATELLITE

The Canadian Space Agency's NEOSSat will be world’s first space telescope for detecting and tracking asteroids and satellites.

In the wake of the meteor blast over Russia and the close quarter fly by of asteroid 2012 DA14last week, many people's thoughts have turned to potential dangers from above. It is timely then that the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will next week launch NEOSS (Near-Earth Object Surveillance Satellite), the world’s first space telescope for detecting and tracking asteroids, satellites and space debris.

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A demonstration of the CSA’s first MMMB (Multi-Mission Microsatellite Bus) spacecraft, the suitcase-sized NEOSSat weighs only 80 kilograms (176 lb) and will orbit the Earth at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometers (500 mi) every 100 minutes. Its key technology is derived from CSA’s MOST (Microvariability and Oscillation of Stars) satellite and, like MOST, it uses a 15-cm (5.9-in) aperture Maksutov telescope that can detect objects down to the 20th magnitude in brightness as its primary instrument.

NEOSSat has two missions. The first is NESS (Near Earth Space Surveillance), which is intended to detect and track asteroids, such as the one that made a close quarter fly by of Earth last week. Because of its high orbit, NEOSSat isn’t restricted by the day/night cycle as telescopes on Earth are and can operate 24/7. It will scan space from 45º to 55º from the Sun and 40º above and below the Earth’s orbit. The hundreds of images produced will be sent to the University of Calgary's NEOSSat science operations center for analysis.

The second part of its mission will be as part of the Defence Research and Development Canada's (DRDC's) High Earth Orbit Surveillance System (HEOSS), which aims to reduce collisions by monitoring orbiting space objects – both satellites and "space junk." NEOSSat will be the first microsatellite used for this purpose and will compare observed satellites and debris to existing orbital catalogs and provide updates. This will be used both to help control space debris and for military applications.

While the launch is timely given the events of last week, it would not have detected the meteor that exploded over Russia even if it was already in orbit. This is because NEOSSat is designed to look for asteroids larger than 500 m (1,640 ft), while last week's meteor is estimated to have only measured 17 m (55.7 ft) across. However, NEOSSat will overcome the problem of glare faced by earthbound observatories if a larger asteroid decided to arrive unannounced during the day from the direction of the Sun as the Russian meteor did.

NEOSSat will be launched on February 25, 2013 at the Satish Dhawan Space Center, India, atop an Indian Space Research Organisation PLSV-C20 rocket.

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:45:00 +0000

Sony Xperia Z review

Focussed on mobile, gaming and imaging

The Xperia Z is one of the main pillars of Sony's new plan to focus on mobile, gaming and imaging. In fact, it's a device that addresses all three of those areas, while also pressing reset on Sony's smartphone past. The handset ushers in a new design language, one Sony's decided to bring to its new tablet too. It's called omnibalance design, but it's best described as a combination of 90-degree angles, even weight distribution and flat glossy sides.

Once you get to look at the phone in person, all Xperias that came before it pale in comparison. The phone feels solid and you'd be hard-pressed to describe any part of it as plastic. Between those mirrored sides, you'll find Sony's first 1080p phone display, measuring five inches and benefiting from the company's new Bravia Mobile Engine 2. Improvements to the Xperia line aren't merely cosmetic, though: Sony's added a 13-megapixel camera (featuring the HDR video-capable Exmor RS sensor) and a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro -- Qualcomm's most potent mobile processor currently available.

Meanwhile, those precious electronics are protected by a shell that's water- (IPX5/7) and dust-resistant (IP5X). It's rare to see such protection on a phone that's not being marketed as a rugged device, let alone a company's new flagship. Sony is looking to succeed in mobile and, with just a week away from the world's premier phone tradeshow, has the company created something that can stand up against current Android champions and win?

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support; 3G with HSPA; LTE
5" 16M-color 1080p capacitive touchscreen with 441ppi pixel density; Bravia Mobile Engine 2
Android OS v4.1.1 Jelly Bean with custom UI
Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geo-tagging, HDR
1080p video recording @ 30fps with HDR mode, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
2.2 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
IP 57 certification - dust resistant and water resistant
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA; Wireless TV out
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
16GB of built-in storage; microSD card slot
MHL-enabled microUSB port
Bluetooth v4.0
NFC
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Glass front and back panels

Main disadvantage

Low contrast display with below-par viewing angles
Non user-replaceable battery
13MP camera hardly any better than some competitors' 8MP units
Feeble loudspeaker

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:03:00 +0000

The Scuddy electric folding scooter stands up, sits down and trolleys

The Segway never actually changed the way cities are built – or anything else for that matter – but to a certain segment of commuter, a small, light, zero-emissions mode of transportation remains quite attractive. The Scuddy is a German-built electric scooter that fits the bill. It folds up for easy transport, allows riders to sit or stand, and provides an attractive alternative to cars, bikes and motorcycles ... and Segways.

Similar to the JAC and Myway, the Scuddy is a stand-up scooter that folds for transport. It doesn't look quite as compact as those folding scooters, but it does add some convenience by offering two folding options. It can fold up into a trolley, allowing the rider to pull it on its wheels (it even looks like you could stack a backpack, suitcase or package on top). This configuration is ideal for boarding a train or subway or rolling the scooter into the office for storage. The scooter also compacts further into a small box-like package, ideal for loading it into tighter spaces like a car or closet.

Out on the road, the Scuddy makes use of a 2 horsepower motor to roll up to 25 miles (40 km) at speeds up to 21.7 mph (35 km/h). Its rechargeable battery charges to full in about four hours with a standard charger and one hour with the optional quick charger. A regenerative braking system helps keep the battery going as long as possible.
The Scuddy uses a carving chassis with two 12.5-inch tilting front wheels and a 10-inch rear wheel with suspension. Riders shift their weight to carve into turns. With the available seat post, it can be ridden as either a stand-up or sit-down scooter. It also includes front disc brakes, rear drum brakes, and LED headlight and taillight. Various accessories, like a cargo basket and trailer, can be added on to extend its utility.
Scuddy GmbH introduced the scooter last year and began sales earlier this month in Europe. The City version has a 12.4 mph (20 km/h) top speed and retails for €2,999 (US$4,000), and the Sport goes up to 21.7 mph and will set you back €3,499 ($4,690).

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:57:00 +0000

Swiss bionic hand offers true sensations through the nervous system

Those wearing bionic hands and similar prostheses often suffer a frustrating disconnect when they can touch an object but can't feel it, even if they're using direct neural control. The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and allies in Project TIME have developed a hand that could clear that psychological hurdle. The design implants electrodes directly in key nerves that not only allow motor input, but deliver real sensory feedback from the artificial appendage -- including needle pokes, much to the test subject's chagrin. An early trial (seen above) kept the enhanced hand separate from the wearer and was limited to two sensations at once, but an upcoming trial will graft the hand on to a tester's arm for a month, with sensations coming from across much of the simulated hand. EPFL hopes to have a fully workable unit ready to test in two years' time, which likely can't come soon enough for amputees wanting more authentic physical contact.

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 09:13:00 +0000

Asteroid fly by came closer than TV satellites

A newly discovered asteroid nearly half the size of a football field passed closer to the Earth than TV satellites.

noreply@blogger.com (rajesh) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:19:00 +0000

Bump app now allows transfers of any file between phone and computer.

We've seen the Bump app evolve from just a way to transfer contacts to a version that allows for mobile payments and one that lets you share photos between your phone and your computer. Now the company has expanded its feature set to transferring files of all kinds, be they photos, videos or Word documents. Simply enable the location feature in your browser, tap the files you want to move over, slap that space bar button with your phone and the files will be on their way. They'll actually head over to Bump's servers and not your desktop, but you can still easily download them if you so choose. The updated app is available on iOS and Android today, so you can start bumping your files over right now.