My Tech Picks (News!)

World Community Grid

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 21:33:00 +0000

The World Community Grid is an IBM sponsored public computing grid that assists in humanitarian research to help in such areas as:

Muscular Dystrophy
Cancer
AIDS
Fiocruz Genome Comparison
Human Proteome Folding

The World Community Grid was created to utilise unused personal computer time around the world. This was necessary to help speed up scientific research as the cost of computing infrastructure is significantly high.

You can help!
You can help by "donating" your unused computer time to assist with this scientific research, and it's easy! Basic Steps:

Register
Download the free software
Install

How it works
When idle, your computer will request data on a specific project from World Community Grid's server. It will then perform computations on this data, send the results back to the server, and ask the server for a new piece of work. Each computation that your computer performs provides scientists with critical information that accelerates the pace of research! For more details, please visit http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/

Tata Motors to introduce Air Car: Zero Emissions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:45:00 +0000

The Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy Nègre for Luxembourg-based MDI, uses compressed air, as opposed to the gas-and-oxygen explosions of internal-combustion models, to push its engine's pistons. Some 6000 zero-emissions Air Cars are scheduled to hit Indian streets by August 2010.

The Air Car, called the MiniCAT could cost around Rs. 3,50,000 ($ 8177) in India and would have a range of around 300 km between refuels.

The cost of a refill would be about Rs. 85 ($ 2).

The MiniCAT which is a simple, light urban car, with a tubular chassis that is glued not welded and a body of fiberglass powered by compressed air. Microcontrollers are used in every device in the car, so one tiny radio transmitter sends instructions to the lights, indicators etc.

There are no keys - just an access card which can be read by the car from your pocket. According to the designers, it costs less than 50 rupees per 100Km (about a tenth that of a petrol car). Its mileage is about double that of the most advanced electric car (200 to 300 km or 10 hours of driving), a factor which makes a perfect choice in cities where the 80% of motorists drive at less than 60Km. The car has a top speed of 105 kmph. Refilling the car will, once the market develops, take place at adapted petrol stations to administer compressed air. In two or three minutes, and at a cost of approximately 100 rupees, the car will be ready to go another 200-300 kilometers.

As a viable alternative, the car carries a small compressor which can be connected to the mains (220V or 380V) and refill the tank in 3-4 hours. Due to the absence of combustion and, consequently, of residues, changing the oil (1 litre of vegetable oil) is necessary only every 50,000Km).

The temperature of the clean air expelled by the exhaust pipe is between 0-15 degrees below zero, which makes it suitable for use by the internal air conditioning system with no need for gases or loss of power.

Cloud Computing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:26:00 +0000

What is Cloud Computing?
The cloud is a virtualization of resources that maintains and manages itself.

Cloud computing is becoming one of the next industry buzz words. It joins the ranks of terms including: grid computing, utility computing, virtualization, clustering, etc.

Cloud computing overlaps some of the concepts of distributed, grid and utility computing, however it does have its own meaning if contextually used correctly. The conceptual overlap is partly due to technology changes, usages and implementations over the years.

Trends in usage of the terms from Google searches shows Cloud Computing is a relatively new term introduced in the past year. There has also been a decline in general interest of Grid, Utility and Distributed computing. Likely they will be around in usage for quit a while to come. But Cloud computing has become the new buzz word driven largely by marketing and service offerings from big corporate players like Google, IBM and Amazon.

The term cloud computing probably comes from (at least partly) the use of a cloud image to represent the Internet or some large networked environment. We don’t care much what’s in the cloud or what goes on there except that we depend on reliably sending data to and receiving data from it. Cloud computing is now associated with a higher level abstraction of the cloud. Instead of there being data pipes, routers and servers, there are now services. The underlying hardware and software of networking is of course still there but there are now higher level service capabilities available used to build applications. Behind the services are data and compute resources. A user of the service doesn’t necessarily care about how it is implemented, what technologies are used or how it’s managed. Only that there is access to it and has a level of reliability necessary to meet the application requirements.

In essence this is distributed computing. An application is built using the resource from multiple services potentially from multiple locations. At this point, typically you still need to know the endpoint to access the services rather than having the cloud provide you available resources. This is also know as Software as a Service. Behind the service interface is usually a grid of computers to provide the resources. The grid is typically hosted by one company and consists of a homogeneous environment of hardware and software making it easier to support and maintain. (note: my definition of a grid is different from the wikipedia definition, but homogeneous environments in data centers is typically what I have run across). Once you start paying for the services and the resources utilized, well that’s utility computing.

Cloud computing really is accessing resources and services needed to perform functions with dynamically changing needs. An application or service developer requests access from the cloud rather than a specific endpoint or named resource. What goes on in the cloud manages multiple infrastructures across multiple organizations and consists of one or more frameworks overlaid on top of the infrastructures tying them together. Frameworks provide mechanisms for:
- self-healing
- self monitoring
- resource registration and discovery
- service level agreement definitions
- automatic reconfiguration

The cloud is a virtualization of resources that maintains and manages itself. There are of course people resources to keep hardware, operation systems and networking in proper order. But from the perspective of a user or application developer only the cloud is referenced. The Assimilator project is a framework that executes across a heterogeneous environment in a local area network providing a local cloud environment. In the works is the addition of a network overlay to start providing an infrastructure across the Internet to help achieve the goal of true cloud computing.

via [ Cloud Computing Journal ]

Definitions

Cloud Application — The "top" layer of the Cloud Pyramid where "applications" are run and interacted with via a web-browser. Cloud Applications are tightly controlled, leaving little room for modification. Examples include: Gmail or SalesForce.com.

Cloud Center — A datacenter in the "cloud" utilizing standards-based datacenter-like infrastructure.

Cloud Computing — On-demand self-service Internet infrastructure where you pay-as-you-go and use only what you need, all managed by a browser, application or API. Cloud computing is broken up into multiple segments including: Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Platforms and Cloud Applications. (see "Cloud Pyramid")

Cloud Hosting — A type of internet hosting where the client leases virtualized, dynamically scalable infrastructure on an as-needed basis. Users frequently have the choice of operating system and other infrastructure components. Typically cloud hosting is self-service, billed hourly or monthly, and controlled via a web interface or API.

Cloud Infrastructure — The "bottom" layer of the Cloud Pyramid is the delivery of computer infrastructure through paravirtualization. This includes servers, networks and other hardware appliances delivered as either Infrastructure Web Services or "cloudcenters". Full control of the infrastructure is provided at this level. Examples include GoGrid or Amazon Web Services.

Cloud Platform — The "middle" layer of the Cloud Pyramid which provides a computing platform or framework (e.g., .NET, Ruby on Rails, or Python) as a service or stack. Control is limited to that of the platform or framework, but not at a lower level (server infrastructure). Examples include: Google AppEngine or Microsoft Azure.

Cloud Providers — Providers whose product/platform is based on virtualization of computing resources and a utiliy-based payment model.

Cloud Pyramid — A visual representation of Cloud Computing layers where differing segments are broken out by functionality. Simplified version includes: Infrastructure, Platform and Application layers.

Cloud Servers — Virtualized servers running Windows or Linux operating systems that are instantiated via a web interface or API. Cloud Servers behave in the same manner as physical ones and can be controlled at an administrator or root level, depending on the server type and Cloud Hosting provider.

via [ Serverpath ]

Additional Reference:

Cloud Computing Sites:

[ IBM ][ SUN ][ HP ][ Microsoft ][ Yahoo ][ Google ][ Amazon ]

IBM's Systems Offerings, at a Glance

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Server Line	Power (System i and System p)	System x	BladeCenter	System z
Description	Midrange servers/Unix servers	Intel, AMD processor-based servers	Intel, AMD, POWER6 and Cell BE based servers as well as Intel workstation clients	Mainframe-class servers
Target Deployment	SMBs and large enterprise data centers/ Data centers of all sizes	Scale up and scale out x86 users	SMB, data centers, high-performance computing centers, and telecom and financial services firms	Large and midsize enterprises running mission-critical applications
Processor Type	POWER5+, POWER6	Intel Xeon, AMD Opteron	Opteron, Xeon, POWER6 and Cell BE	z9 BC has 8 CPUs on an IBM Multichip Module (MCM)with 16 total chips Chips: 8 PU chips/MCM, 4 System Data (SD) cache chips/MCM, One Storage Control (SC) chip, two Memory Storage Control (MSC) chips and one Clock (CLK) chip - CMOS 8S
Processor Range	Power Blades: 2- to 4-way Power 520: 1- to 4-way Power 550: 2- to 8-way Power 570: 2- to 16-way Power 595: 8- to 64-way	Rack-Optimized: 1 to 4-way Tower: 1 to 4-way High-Performance Scalable: 4 to 16-way	Support for 2-way POWER and up to 4-way x86-based servers	z10 scales from 1-64-way z9BC: 1-7 processors z9EC: 1-54-way
Operating Systems	i5/OS, AIX, Linux	Windows, Linux, Unix, Solaris	Windows, Linux, IBM i, AIX, Solaris	z/OS, z/OS.e, Linux on IBM System z, z/VM, z/VSE, VSE/ESA, TPF, z/TPF
Servers	Power2: Power Blade Express Servers Power 520 Express Power 550 Express Power 570 Power 575 supercomputing node Power 595 System i Small to Medium: i515 Express i5 520 i5 520 Express i525 Express Medium to Large: i550 i595 System P Entry-Level: p5 505 Express p5 505Q Express p5 510 Express p5 510Q Express p5 520 Express p5 520Q Express p5 550 Express p5 550Q Express Midrange: p5 560Q Express High End p5 595 High Performance Computing: Commercial Blue Gene³	Rack-optimized: x3250 M2 x3350 x3450 x3455 x3550 x3550 Express Model x3650 x3650 T 3650 Express Model 3655 3655 Express Model Tower: x3200 M2 x3400 x3500 Enterprise: x3755 x3850 M2 x3850 Express Model x3950 M2 Internet Scale System x iDataPlex High-Performance Cluster: Cluster 1350 Cluster 1600	Intel-based HS12 HS21 HS21 extended memory Opteron-based LS21 LS22 LS41 LS42 Power Based: JS12 Express JS21 Express JS22 Express Cell-Based: QS22 QS21	z10 Enterprise Class z9 Business Class (z9BC) z9 Enterprise Class (z9EC)¹
Price Range²	Power 520 Express - Starts at $5,576; Power 550 Express - Starts at $25,247; IBM System i models - Contact IBM; p5 505 Express - Starts at $3,717; p5 550 Express - Starts at $13,840; High-End: Contact IBM	Rack Server: Starts at $1045 Tower: Starts at $989 (economy) High-Performance scalable: Contact IBM	HS21: starts at $1,896 (economy) JS12: Starts at $4,228 JS21: Starts at $2,838 JS22: Starts at $5,779 LS21: Starts at $1,550 (economy) LS22: Starts at $2,109 QS22: Starts at $9,995	z9BC: starts at around $100,000 Others: Contact IBM

¹The System z line also includes the S/390 G5/G6 and S/390 Multiprise, which are no longer sold but are still supported.
² Based on IBM's posted prices.
³ Commercial Blue Gene3 powered by PowerPC 450. Contact IBM for pricing.

via [ serverwatch ]

Wi-Fi service in Longmont, CO

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:44:00 +0000

Wi-Fi service in Longmont, Colorado provided by DHB

For Wi-Fi service:
www.airwirz.net/longmont
1-877-247-9479

Longmont is one of the few cities in the nation with city-wide wireless service. DHB Networks provides wireless high speed internet service throughout Longmont under the brand name AirWirz. DHB also provides Wi-Fi service in Dublin , Ohio , its headquarters location, and other cities

DHB offers monthly, daily and hourly service plans.
Current Rate: $24.95/Month, $9.95/Day, $3.95/Hour

DHB, which purchased Longmont's Wi-Fi system last February from Kite Networks, is working to relaunch the city-wide wireless network.

DHB is installing 50 to 60 additional nodes throughout the city in order to overcome the 'dead spots' left by the incomplete wireless system initially installed by Kite Networks. Chris Harris, DHB President, said the company also plans:
- A new Internet "pipe" that will allow faster service.
- A new setup that will make it easier to sign up and pay for service
- 24-hour technical and billing service
- An alert system and local news notification system, created with the City of Longmont

Microsoft Windows 7 brings the multi-touch to the PC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 May 2008 23:08:00 +0000

There they are again, Bill, Steve and the rest of the Microsoft group have just wowed the audience at the opening of the All Things Digital D6 Conference with a demonstration of what could possibly be the coolest version of Microsoft's proprietary OS - the multi-touch enabled Microsoft Windows 7. Could we just say that if this new technology goes mainstream it could also possibly be the coolest thing to happen to our Windows powered PCs?

Via [Windows Vista Blog]
Watch [Multi-Touch in Windows 7]

"Data Center in a box"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:11:00 +0000

IBM Launches iDataPlex With Container Option (Video)

The iDataPlex series will offer racks pre-populated with servers for rapid deployment, and is also being offered in a 40-foot trailer, marking IBM's first foray into container-based systems.
IBM said its hardware design for iDataPlex reduces the cost per server by at least 20 percent, and can cram twice as many servers into the same floor space as conventional servers while requiring 40 percent less power to run. It can be outfitted with IBM's Cool Blue rear-door water-cooling system. The Wall Street Journal said IBM has deployed iDataPlex systems with Yahoo (YHOO), Merrill Lynch and the Chinese online service Tencent.

The IBM system will be officially announced today at the Web 2.0 conference, and will begin shipping next month. iDataPlex targets a small number of high-end customers with data centers that have thousands of servers.

The iDataPlex system supplies about 100 Intel-based servers in a standard—42U rack, according to eWeek, which said IBM will offer 22 different configurations with a choice of 1U or 2U servers and a choice of switches from Cisco Systems, QLogic and others.
IBM's decision to offer iDataPlex in a 40-foot container reflects the growing interest in the "data center in a box" concept in the wake of Microsoft's commitment to populate one floor of its new Chicago data center with up to 220 40-foot containers packed with servers.

The iDataPlex servers are designed to address the space constraints of high-density data centers and 8-foot wide containers, as IBM has turned the server sideways (more details at Network World), allowing for less depth and better cooling.

[ datacenterknowledge ]

IBM - World's Fastest Unix System + Water Cooled Super-Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:50:00 +0000

Power 595
IBM Unleashes World's Fastest UNIX System, Offers Twice the Performance of HP Itanium System at Comparable Price
Announces Customers Can Earn More Than $500,000 in Migration Services on Competitive Trade-Ins;
POWER6 Becomes First Processor to Achieve 5 GHz Barrier
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/23843.wss
Featuring up to 254 virtualized partitions. The Power 595 supports up to 4 TB of memory per server, twice as much as the HP Superdome and Sun SPARC. Continuing the IBM tradition of innovation with the Power Architecture® systems design, the Power 595 also supports four memory operations per cycle and an aggregate memory bandwidth of more than 1.3 TB/sec (terabytes per second), which is enough to transfer in each second the amount of information printed on the paper made from 50,000 trees

Power 575
IBM Turns on the Water for Energy-Efficient Supercomputer
Fast processor keeps cool thanks to unique ‘Hydro-Cluster’ design
Points the way to ‘Zero-Emissions’ Future Vision from IBM Labs
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/23826.wss
The new Power 575 supercomputer, equipped with IBM’s latest Power6 microprocessor, uses water-chilled copper plates located above each microprocessor to remove heat from the electronics. Requiring 80 percent fewer air conditioning units, the water-cooled Power 575 can reduce typical energy consumption used to cool the data center by 40 percent. IBM scientists estimate that water can be up to 4,000-times more effective in cooling computer systems than air. This means all the new computers of this mould are both eco-friendly and friendly towards the planet.

3D VisWall

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:59:00 +0000

click here -> Viswall Opening Video

At first glance, the screen dominating a front room at the Tufts University School of Engineering seems nothing more than an out-sized version of the high-definition TVs found in any sports bar or airport lounge.
But when Lionel Zupan, the school's associate director for research technology, fires up the new "VisWall," you get more than close-ups of some sweaty-browed pitcher pondering whether to hurl a sizzler or a sinker.

The $350,000 scientific display device and its twin backscreen projectors are packed with software designed to impart three-dimensional form and even "feel" to virtual objects, whether a string of molecules seeming to swirl in mid-air, a hovering swath of DNA, or a simulated diseased organ about to be removed.
The 3D objects - which leap off the screen with such forcefulness that first-time observers often flinch or hop backward - can be manipulated to perform flip-flops and other twists and turns. It's illusion, sure, but not just the scientific version of a parlor trick. The virtual forms enable researchers to scrutinize things they would not be able to easily view or handle otherwise.
"You can go deep into the structure of a chemical, an organism, or even a natural event," said Zupan. "It is getting interest from researchers into everything from particle physics to how a caterpillar locomotes."

The 8-foot high by 14-foot wide screen at the Tufts Center for Scientific Visualization, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and built by the Illinois firm Visbox Inc, is among the most sophisticated such devices in use on any US campus. Boston University and Brown University also have visualization systems, but the Tufts model uses an advanced German-designed filter to sift out "ghost" images and is equipped with twin projectors - as opposed to multiple projectors - for smoother images.
"You feel like you are entering another world," said Bruce M. Boghosian, chair of the Tufts mathematics department and adjunct professor of computer science, who uses the VisWall to enrich his studies of fluid dynamics, or how liquids flow under a range of conditions.
"With such powerful visualization, you can immerse yourself in the data," he said. "You can go right up to streamlines in a fluid or dig into a reservoir to see which way it's flowing."
Scientific visualization refers to computer-linked technology that enables researchers to "see" objects, processes, or raw information that may be too small, too distant, or - in many cases - too abstract to scrutinize with the unaided eye. The VisWall, for example, can lead a medical student on a highly-detailed journey through the colon or create a virtual tornado that uses computer models to show how the collision of winds and thermal currents quickly builds into one of nature's most brutish forces.

"The brain has a large region devoted to processing visual images, it's very powerful, and often under-utilized in processing data," said Robert J. K. Jacob, professor of computer science. "We hardly think about it because it is so easy, natural, almost unconscious, but it really does a lot. A key idea behind visualization is to harness all that brainpower to help understand our data."
According to Tufts, most visualization systems use several projectors or multiple "tiled" screens to produce images based on data entered by scientists or mathematical models produced by computers. The VisWall uses a single screen and two projectors to produce nearly 9 megapixels of resolution. In flatscreen mode, it boasts twice the sharpness of high-definition televisions.
For Caroline G. L. Cao, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, a big attraction of the VisWall is its "haptic" capability - that is, the unit's ability to use computer-generated feedback to impart a sense of feel or touch to someone using the remote controls. This allows senses in the fingertips to guide the manipulation of virtual scalpels or surgical tweezers onscreen.
"You aren't just seeing, you are feeling," said Cao, whose focus is making more tactile surgical training systems. "This is critical, for example, in training or designing tools for laparoscopic surgery," or for surgery performed with devices manipulated by tubes inserted through tiny incisions in the skin.
Someone wielding a scalpel, for example, can sense the yield of the skin and the controlled slice of blade through soft tissue, said engineering student Kyle Maxwell, a Tufts senior and member of Cao's surgical simulation team.
Such refined haptic technology is not employed on most laparoscopic training systems, so research using the VisWall could eventually boost the quality of medical training as well as assist in the designing new surgical tools.
"The texture of the skin or the organ changes and deforms according to how you use your device," Maxwell said. "You use 'feel' to figure out the right pressure for cutting away a tumor, say, and removing it with a grabbing tool."

[ visbox ] [ boston.com ]

Cyber MC glasses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:20:00 +0000

Brainwash Your Way To A Better Life

There are numerous ways to lose weight or quit smokin, but most of those dated methods require will power and a desire for self improvement. Orange Dream has a new approach for the person that would rather spend money then exert effort. The Korean companies new Cyber MC glasses aim to help improve your education, loss weight, quit smoking, and relieve stress. If all else fails you can also play games with the glasses.

As a brainwave management software utilizing special sound frequency, the Cyber MC supports a variety of modes including education, health, no smoking, meditation and more.

Details are still thin on how exactly these glasses take advantage of your 'brain waves', but it looks as if they flash images in an Orwellian brainwashing fashion. If your ready to embrace this brave new world the Cyber MC software and glasses will be available this April.

[ hallyutech ] [ aving ]

Siafu PC + Ambeint Corps's neckband + Eye Typing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 05:50:00 +0000

- Siafu: A new concept PC for the blind

- Ambient Corp.'s high-tech neckband lets you speak without really speaking.

- Eye Gaze/ Eye Typing using eye motion detectors/sensors

Siafu is a new kind of personal computer intended to provide computer access to those who have a vision impairment or similar handicap. Using a touch-sensitive surface filled with a magnetized liquid, which is called Magneclay, Siafu provides reading materials in the form of braille, and it even has the ability to render images in 3D relief.

The key to making this device work will be Magneclay, the morphing magnetized liquid that is supposed to be able to take the shape of anything, from braille text to the 3D rendering of web pages being accessed by the user. It comes with a 9-button braille keyboard that users can use to input text, and they can easily review what they've written just by sliding their hands over to the tablet's transforming surface. It also has a built-in microphone that works with Siafu's voice recognition software, intended as a great alternative to the already seemingly amazing touch interface.

You shouldn't get too excited though, because the Siafu PC is just a beautiful concept for now. But that shouldn't stop you from crossing your fingers and wishing it gets developed now, does it?

Keep reading for a few more pics of the Siafu PC…

Via [Yanko Design] Via [Gadget Venue]

Ambient Corp.'s high-tech neckband lets you speak without really speaking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyN4ViZ21N0
What if you could talk… without really talking?

Ambient Corporation promises to give you the ability to say words without opening your mouth. Just think of all the possibilities this will bring. In a recent conference held by microchip manufacturer Texas Instruments, Michael Callahan of Ambient Corporation demonstrated how "Audeo", the groundbreaking technology developed by their company, can let a user "speak without speaking" via a neckband and a nearby computer. The neckband is used to interpret the nerve signals in the user's vocal cords and then wirelessly transmits it to the computer to be spoken aloud by a robotic voice. It doesn't read your thoughts, though, but only the words that you "want to say". I believe this is a significant step forward in the field of wireless communications. You have to see it for yourself to believe it (keep reading for a video demonstration).
Interestingly enough, this technology was not developed to aid cellphone users or any other kind public speakers with their endeavors, but rather to help those afflicted with motor neurone disease in voicing out their thoughts and opinions. As of now, the system can only recognize a limited set of about 150 words and phrases, but the company promises to further develop their technology so that a user can successfully say whatever they want in the future.

Eye Gaze/ Eye Typing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO7qThQLUuA

The Eye Gaze Research Team at the IT University of Copenhagen is designing a communication tool controlled by eye movements instead of hand/mouse movements. The system is being developed for people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) who have lost their voice and may only be able to move their eyes. A synthetic voice output delivers the message typed in. The communication tool uses a word prediction method to speed up the communication process and includes an e-mail system.

Background
Even though the first eye typing systems for people with disabilities was introduced 15 years ago, there still seems to be a need for low-cost type-to-talk communication systems that can be accessed easily and can be used by people without expertise in eye tracking or advanced computing. Several efficient systems are available today, used by e.g. people with ALS. But the existing systems has several serious drawbacks:

IBM Aims to 'SMash' Web 2.0 Threats

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 05:08:00 +0000

IBM today announced a technology to secure enterprise mashups -- the applications built from cobbling together data from multiple sources.

SMash -- short for "Secure Mashup" -- compartmentalizes the underlying code of the applications combined in a mashup. The partitioned code is then brought together through a secured channel.

Mashups are a part of IBM's broader agenda of infusing business applications with Web 2.0 features to improve workplace collaboration, data accessibility and, ultimately, the business decisions that companies make.

In October, IBM first unveiled its Mashup Starter Kit, a suite of tools for non-technical workers to create mashup applications through an intuitive series of mouse clicks.

Using an enterprise mashup, companies could -- for instance -- pair real-time traffic or weather data with distribution schedules to ensure that shipping routes are not disrupted.

A recent study conducted by IBM's X-Force Security Team highlighted the need for securing Web browsers, finding that they are becoming the entry point to sensitive data for increasingly sophisticated cyber criminals. Hacking a browser would enable crooks to access data behind the company's firewall.

Clearly, if Web 2.0 is going to catch on in the enterprise as IBM is expecting it will, the fundamental security issues will need to be addressed. Chief among those is that in applications like mashups, the origins of the data are often unknown, and therefore unsecured.

IBM thinks it has that problem solved. The company said that it has put SMash through extensive testing, and that it will incorporate the technology in some of its WebSphere products.

The technology also will wind up in its forthcoming Lotus Mashups offering, scheduled for release in the summer.

IBM also plans to give the technology behind SMash to the OpenAjax Alliance, a group of businesses and developers working to create interoperable Ajax-based Web tools. Big Blue is a founding member of the two-year-old Alliance, along with Oracle, BEA, Zend and others.

- By Kenneth Corbin
[ internetnews ]

Few Mash Editors:
IBM QEDWiki
Google Mashup Editor
Microsoft Popfly
Yahoo Pipes
Dapper

Microsoft "Surface" Computing [ multitouch screen ]

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 01:41:00 +0000

The name Surface comes from "surface computing," and Microsoft envisions the coffee-table machine as the first of many such devices. Surface computing uses a blend of wireless protocols, special machine-readable tags and shape recognition to seamlessly merge the real and the virtual world — an idea the Milan team refers to as "blended reality." The table can be built with a variety of wireless transceivers, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and (eventually) radio frequency identification (RFID) and is designed to sync instantly with any device that touches its surface.

One of the key components of surface computing is a "multitouch" screen. It is an idea that has been floating around the research community since the 1980s and is swiftly becoming a hip new product interface — Apple's new iPhone has multitouch scrolling and picture manipulation. Multitouch devices accept input from multiple fingers and multiple users simultaneously, allowing for complex gestures, including grabbing, stretching, swiveling and sliding virtual objects across the table. And the Surface has the added advantage of a horizontal screen, so several people can gather around and use it together. Its interface is the exact opposite of the personal computer: cooperative, hands-on, and designed for public spaces.

After you see the Surface in action, it doesn't take long to figure out just how attractive such a machine must be to the retail and service industries. Microsoft has partnered up with cellular provider T-Mobile, as well as hotel conglomerate Starwood Hotels and Resorts (which owns Sheraton, Westin and W Hotels, among others) and Vegas casino giant Harrah's Entertainment. Machines will be ready for deployment by the end of 2007.

So you could, for instance, walk into a T-Mobile store, pick up a phone you're considering buying and place it on the Surface. The table could then either link with the phone via Bluetooth or scan a code imprinted on the packaging to identify it. Suddenly, the phone is surrounded by graphical information (pricing, features, etc.). After selecting a service plan and any accessories, you just run your credit card through a reader built into the table (or, when RFID cards have become the norm, just slap your card on the tabletop) and your new phone is paid for. By the time you open the package, everything is set up — all without talking to a single employee.

It's easy to dismiss the concept as pure novelty — and at first it may well be. But ask yourself: When was the last time you made a bank withdrawal from a human teller? The Surface machine is networked and infinitely flexible. You could use it to order food in a restaurant. While you wait, you could play games or surf the Internet, and then eat off its surface. And every table in the joint could be a jukebox, a television or a billboard for advertising. (You didn't think advertisers would miss out on this, did you?)

And once you've gotten used to ordering calamari through a tabletop at your favorite eatery, you may want to use it to call up recipes on your kitchen counter. Surface machines will cost $5000 to $10,000 at launch, but as prices fall, similar devices may find their way into the home. "We view its migration as similar to that of plasma TVs," says Pete Thompson, Microsoft's general manager for surface computing. "People will see it in public spaces like bars and restaurants and want to expand it into other environments." Its current coffee-table shape could evolve into a Pottery Barn-style catalog of computerized furniture — a dining room table, a wall-mounted panel, a desk or practically any surface. "It's a platform that can be put into various form factors," Thompson says. "This is a way to put technology into a piece of wood."

Computer scientists see technologies such as surface computing and multitouch as the key to a new era of ubiquitous computing, where processing power is embedded in almost every object and everything is interactive. Last year, New York University professor Jeff Han launched a company called Perceptive Pixel, which builds six-figure-plus custom multitouch drafting tables and enormous interactive wall displays for large corporations and military situation rooms. "I firmly believe that in the near future, we will have wallpaper displays in every hallway, in every desk. Every surface will be a point of interaction with a computer," Han says, "and for that to happen, we really need interfaces like this."

Short-term success for a technology can be measured by how much attention a product gathers when it is new. Long-term success is measured by how effectively that product disappears into the everyday routine of life. Surface computing has enormous potential to do both — it is a splashy new computer interface, surrounded by hype, but it is also, quite literally, furniture. It is a technology in its infancy, where even the engineers behind it can't predict its full impact; but the possibilities are everywhere, underhand and underfoot — on every surface imaginable

(1) Screen: A diffuser turns the Surface's acrylic tabletop into a large horizontal "multitouch" screen, capable of processing multiple inputs from multiple users. The Surface can also recognize objects by their shapes or by reading coded "domino" tags. (2) Infrared: Surface's "machine vision" operates in the near-infrared spectrum, using an 850-nanometer-wavelength LED light source aimed at the screen. When objects touch the tabletop, the light reflects back and is picked up by multiple infrared cameras with a net resolution of 1280 x 960. (3) CPU: Surface uses many of the same components found in everyday desktop computers — a Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a 256MB graphics card. Wireless communication with devices on the surface is handled using WiFi and Bluetooth antennas (future versions may incorporate RFID or Near Field Communications). The underlying operating system is a modified version of Microsoft Vista. (4) Projector: Microsoft's Surface uses the same DLP light engine found in many rear-projection HDTVs. The footprint of the visible light screen, at 1024 x 768 pixels, is actually smaller than the invisible overlapping infrared projection to allow for better recognition at the edges of the screen.

[ microsoft ] [ popularmehanics ]

The key-free keyboard (Optimus Tactus)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:18:00 +0000

Art Lebedev’s concept design of an OLED screened keyboard can be simply described as jaw-dropping. There are no keys, instead a completely customizable, touchscreen surface. You can choose links to programs for quick-access, and judging by the pictures you can run video on it as well. What makes this a great design is it’s multi-lingual compatibility. Different languages could simply be reprogrammed into the keyboard, meaning this Optimus Tactus could make it all round the world.

Its a refreshing change to the keyboard design and the greatest upside I can see is that no food crumbs will ever get stuck in between the keys. It is still a concept, but we eagerly await the release date.

[ gadgetell ] [Art Lebedev]

Windows on USB drive in the works

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:04:00 +0000

Microsoft plans to alter the portable computing landscape with its ongoing development on Windows StartKey, a portable USB flash drive which can store your customized Windows settings, desktop wallpaper, contacts, data, application, profiles, and possibly the whole bootable installation.

it is more feasible as backup system in case something bad happens to your PC or laptop. In short, you can turn virtually any Windows-based computer into your own personal workstation.

Aside from its USB flash drive version, Microsoft is also working on different flash memory types and storage formats such as SD cards. Even though there’s no official word yet from Microsoft about StartKey, there are speculations that will be available towards the end of this year.

[ gadgetell ][ars technica] [ubergizmo]

Denver Airport Pioneers Fast & Free Wi-Fi

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:46:00 +0000

DIA provides free WiFi access to the Internet throughout the airport in Jeppesen Terminal and Concourses A, B and C.
Your wireless device should automatically detect and connect to DIA’s free public wireless network The airport's service set identifier (SSID) for free public wireless access is DIAFREEWIFI. Note: SSID is case sensitive, use all capitals if enetering the identifier manually.
If you do not automatically connect or if you are having trouble making a connection, call (800) 986-2703 for 24-hour customer support.
Additional information about DIA’s WiFi service is available at aiport information booths.

The Denver airport is a large-scale case study of free Wi-Fi in airports. About 50 million passengers pass through the airport annually, with as many as 165,000 per day during busy times of the year, according to airport spokesman Jeff Green. Now that Wi-Fi is free, there are 7,000 to 8,000 connections to the network per day, according to Winston. To link all those free users with the Internet, the airport at first bumped up its "backhaul" to 5Mbit/sec. but later found that wasn't enough. It now has a 10Mbit/sec. connection just for the Wi-Fi users.

Denver may be the first U.S. airport to deploy a public Wi-Fi network with IEEE 802.11n Draft 2.0 capability. The new technology, which the Wi-Fi Alliance is certifying for interoperability because the final 11n standard has been delayed, is designed for higher speed and longer range than previous versions. DIA's network also supports earlier versions of Wi-Fi.

The airport turned to Meru Networks Inc. for its infrastructure, partly for ease of management, Winston said. AT&T fixed and upgraded access points and bore that cost itself. As the carrier left the picture, DIA knew that it would have to handle firmware upgrades and other changes to the approximately 60 access points in the 53-square-mile airport.

Open ID

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:32:00 +0000

What is Open ID?
With OpenID, you create a single username and password, along with some data about you.
You can then log into an increasing number of sites without registering each time! It's also free - forever.

OpenID also provides you with a place to store your digital identity - a place where you can easily be found on the web.

Getting Openid

IBM's Project Big Green.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:19:00 +0000

IBM to Build $86 Million Energy Efficient Data Center in Boulder as Part of Project Big Green

http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/21763.wss

IBM Helps Clients Benchmark Effectiveness of Green Data Centers

http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/presskit/21440.wss

IBM's Project Big Green Spurs Global Shift to Linux on Mainframe

Plan to Shrink 3,900 Computer Servers to About 30 Mainframes Targets 80 Percent Energy Reduction Over Five Years

http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/21945.wss