Energy efficient Netbooks :- Asus unveils Eee PC Sirocco, ie Eee PC 1015PW netbook was launched in Taipei. The gadget, which features an energy-saving application comes in three colours. For more information,  read
http://www.buzzbox.com/news/2011-01-19/eee:sirocco/?clusterId=3016226

 Waste Heat can now become electricity :- Northwestern University researchers have come one step closer to generating electricity from heat-generating items such as vehicle exhaust systems, industrial processes and equipment and sun light more efficiently than earlier experiments. The new process will enable 14 per cent of heat waste conversion to electricity, an industry first. For more information,  read

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/7/20110120201101200549075257ae43a17/Waste-heat-can-now-become-electricity.html

                                        BendDesk to replace boring old office Desk in future

The BendDesk is an interactive desk that combines a vertical and horizontal surface via a curve. The surface is integrated with a seamless multitouch input that can detect up to 100 simultaneous points of interaction. The user interface is custom made using OpenGL running on an Apple Mac system. However, the researchers are quick to point out that the same can also be adapted for Windows and Linux systems. A paper on BendDesk appeared on the ACM International Conference on Interactive Tabletops and Surfaces. The paper contains detailed description of how the prototype was constructed can be downloaded via the link at the end of this article. The prototype was made using an acrylic surface and off-the-shelf components making it easy for anyone to replicate the project. To read more click on :-

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/7/20110106201101060209519968e3494b/The-indesk-computer.html

                                               Lenovo 'LePad' combines tablet, laptop in one

Chinese computer colossus Lenovo on Tuesday unveiled an IdeaPad computer that serves as a laptop for work tasks then converts to a touch-screen tablet for play time. The IdeaPad U1 hybrid, with a "LePad" slate that serves as a laptop screen but unplugs to become a tablet computer, made its debut on the cusp of the Thursday opening of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "It is one device to balance life and work," Lenovo product manager Leo Li told AFP. "A keyboard is more important and Windows software more powerful for a lot of things you need to work, especially productivity and creating content," he continued. "At the same time, people want to enjoy music, see videos, go to websites, read e-books, and play games in their personal lives". To read more click on

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/hardware/lenovo-lepad-combines-tablet-laptop-in-one/articleshow/7221491.cms
or
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/7/201101062011010602094921e84955d5/LePad-combines-tablet-and-laptop.html

         Control your PC with gestures- PrimeSense to bring motion controls to PCs

PrimeSense, the company behind Kinect's 3D sensor, is teaming up with Taiwanese manufacturer ASUS to bring us what might be the next big motion-control entertainment system for consumers. The WAVI Xtion (pronounced "WAVI action") utilizes a pair WAVI boxes to stream media from PC to TV and an Xtion sensor near your TV set to to bring gesture control into the mix. We previously reported on PrimeSense back in 2009, and the possibilities the company's technology might hold for the future of home entertainment. It seems that future is now upon us, as the WAVI Xtion system will deliver gesture-contol games and applications to your living room TV as soon as Q2 2011. From what we understand so far, this system will be not just for gaming but for other forms of entertainment as well. The WAVI boxes will allow you to stream media wirelessly across your room in full HD 1080p. You can also use a wireless keyboard and mouse in the living room to control your PC in another room, thanks to wireless USB controls. As fun as Minority Report interaction sounds, I'm happy to hear that I don't need to rely solely on hand waving to check up on my Facebook page. Click on below link to read more : -
http://www.gizmag.com/asus-and-primesense-to-bring-motion-control-to-the-pc/17443/

 Technology to make Window Shopping better

Consumers can now interact with store displays thanks to a system that lets users point choose items they want to see. Researchers want to make window shopping a special experience in future by enabling passers-by to operate window displays with hand and facial gestures. Cameras record the 3D positions of people’s hands, face and eyes and transform them into commands for selecting and purchase goods – even after the shop has closed.

To read more

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/7/20110104201101040201086516dc4a12d/Shopping-from-a-window.html

Facebook tried to buy Twitter in 2008

The microblogging site Twitter turned down a 500 million dollar purchase offer from the social networking site Facebook in 2008, according to the Financial Times. In an interview with the British business daily published over the weekend, co-founder Biz Stone said Twitter wanted to become not just a popular site but a viable business, rather than be taken over by another company. "We?ve created something that people are finding value in," he said. "But we haven?t yet created a business out of this, and we really wanted to do that." According to the Financial Times, Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg offered 500 million dollars in Facebook stock for Twitter. But Stone said Facebook had nothing that Twitter's three co-founders -- Stone, Evan Williams and Jack Dorsey -- wanted. To read more

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hcJjyvuaAqpzvNJMGjBeValx8beQ?docId=CNG.9b3734321ed62d26cc8b8df2670a9dc0.151

Skype Unveils IPhone Video Calling Over 3G and Wi-Fi

With Skype 3.0, you can place video calls from Skype on the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and 4th-generation iPod touch, and you can receive video calls on the iPad and the 3rd-generation iPod touch. Video calling works over both Wi-Fi and 3G, Skype says. Apple's FaceTime technology is currently limited to Wi-Fi calling only. To read more

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/215158/skype_unveils_iphone_video_calling_over_3g_and_wifi.html

New Device may be able to treat Bladder Cancer

A bladder disease called interstitial cystitis affects millions people around the world, mostly women, with perhaps an equal number undiagnosed. At present, there are no good options for such people; the only treatment that reduces the symptoms of painful and very frequent urination, which can be debilitating and make it impossible to work, is an infusion of the drug lidocaine into the bladder through a catheter, but the treatment only provides brief relief and needs to be repeated frequently. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology think they have found a much better solution. They fill a small medical-grade silicone tube with the solid drug, after drilling a tiny hole in the tube using a laser beam. A shape-memory wire made of nitinol is threaded through the tube, which is then straightened out, placed in a catheter, and inserted into the bladder.

 To read more http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=7&contentid=2010123120101231025729337c5ceb011

Sony to launch PlayStation smartphone in spring

TOKYO — Sony's long-rumoured PlayStation Portable smartphone is set to be launched in North America and Europe as early as the spring, according to a Japanese newspaper report Wednesday.The device would likely be based on Sony's handheld PSP Go game console, would be made by Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications and run Google's Android operating system, said the Asahi Shimbun's English edition, citing unnamed sources. Sony hopes to take on Apple's iPhone, Research in Motion's BlackBerry and Nokia devices by offering the first smartphone that is based on a portable game console, with a set of controls that allows very advanced gaming. The PSP Go, launched in November 2009, already features software downloads through a wireless connection, allowing players to also browse the Internet, watch movies, play music and read books and comics. The new PlayStation handset would similarly work with Sony's online media platform, the company's answer to Apple's iTunes. To read more

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jkj4oDp2U9kZxMdTe__nWB7nXdew?docId=CNG.ea638b1a0a24b53c0f92f7048d96ae35.481

Successful businessmen have Midas gene

Some people exhibit an exceptionally brilliant business sense, which may be a result of a particular gene they possess - says a new study. California Institute of Technology researchers believe they have found a 'Midas touch' gene, which makes some people brilliant at business deals. Inherited from parents, the gene variation called MAOA-L allows a person to make better decisions when it comes to risky financial deals. Such people are happy to take gambles - but only if the odds are in their favor. MAOA-L is linked with the brain chemicals serotonin, which affects mood and dopamine, which is involved in decisions. 

Source :- http://www.hindustantimes.com/Successful-businessmen-have-Midas-gene/Article1-644361.aspx

New chip to make PCs 20 times faster

LONDON: In what could be called a major technological innovation, scientists have unveiled an ultra-fast chip which they claim could make desktop computers 20 times faster than the current ones. Modern computers have a processor with two, four or sometimes 16 cores to carry out tasks. Now, a team, led by the University of Glasgow, has developed a central processing unit which effectively have 1,000 cores on a single microchip. The developments could usher in a new age of high-speed computing in the next few years; the new "super" computer is also much greener than modern machines, despite its high speed, say its developers. The scientists used a chip called a Field Programmable Gate Array which allowed them to create more than 1,000 mini-circuits , effectively turning the chip into a 1,000-core processor. Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/New-chip-to-make-PCs-20-times-faster-/articleshow/7188579.cms#ixzz19Z55LzoJ

Anti-stress Pen
A researcher from the Netherlands has invented a pen that can not only detect levels of stress in an individual but also help them reduce it over time. To illustrate the power of this theory, TU Delft researcher Miguel Bruns Alonso has developed a pen which can measure the stress levels of the person using it, and can actually help to reduce that stress. In experiments, the heart rate of people who used it fell by an average of five per cent.  To read more
http://mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=7&contentid=2010122820101228020329811bc0d861a

Gadget News:- IBALL SLEEC

This Dual Sim Qwerty phone with a thickness of just 8mm features a 2.2inch display, 1.3 MP camera with flash, Bluetooth, GPRS, FM Radio and multimedia playback for a variety of formats. The phone comes with a 2GB MicroSD card which can be upgraded to 8GB. it also has a battery life of 7.25 hours talk time on a single charge. It comes at a price of Rs 5499 in India. To read more  http://www.mobiledekho.com/iball/iball-sleec.html

Users at risk of IE bug, warns Microsoft  :-Microsoft has issued a warning about an Internet Explorer bug that might hack into and take control of unprotected computers. Although Microsoft has already released a workaround solution for the bug, it is still working on the permanent solution, it said. In the meantime, it recommended those concerned use a protection system known as the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit. The bug revolves around the way that IE manages a computer's memory when processing Cascading Style Sheets - a widely used technology that defines the look and feel of pages on a website. Criminals can exploit IE's memory management to inject their own malicious code into the stream of instructions a computer processes as a browser is being used. Installing and applying the toolkit may require Windows XP users to update the version of the operating system they are using. But even if they do that some of the protection it bestows on Windows 7 and Vista users will not be available. We're currently unaware of any attacks trying to use the claimed vulnerability or of customer impact," the BBC quoted Dave Forstrom, the director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing group, as saying. "As vulnerabilities go, this kind is the most serious as it allows remote execution of code. This means the attacker can run programs, such as malware, directly on the victim's computer," said Rik Ferguson, senior security analyst at Trend Micro . He added, "It is highly reminiscent of a vulnerability at the same time two years ago which prompted several national governments to warn against using IE and to switch to an alternative browser."

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/software/users-at-risk-of-ie-bug-warns-microsoft/articleshow/7155617.cms

Bose AE2 Headphones :- Bose has launched its latest around ear headhone: the AE2. The headphones feature memory foam cushions and an advance design for added portability. The device retails for Rs 8100.  For more Information :-

http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/headphones/audio_headphones/around_ear_headphones/index.jsp

Get your genome in a few minutes:-   Scinetists from Imperial college London have patented an early prototype technology that they believe could lead to an ultrafast commercial DNA sequencing tool within ten years. Fast and inexpensive genome sequencing could allow ordinary people to unlock the secrets of their own DNA, revealing their susceptibility to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer. For more information :-

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx? page=article&sectid=7&contentid=2010122320101223020236851ce427d51

                               Korean app creates a virtual girlfriend (Mina,22)

Nabix, a South Korean applications developer, launched an app called "Honey, it's me!" for iPhone users on November 30. It achieved 80,000 downloads a day during an initial free launch period.There are a number of apps on the market that can make single men feel a little less lonesome, including a night time app that plays the sound of a female sleeping peacefully on the next pillow.But the "Honey, it's me!" application appears to be the first to make video-calls from a virtual model. Mina, 22, video-calls smartphone users three to four times a day for some sweet talk.Her messages range from "Are you still sleeping? Time for breakfast!" to "Good night, sweet dreams".A Korean model posed for the video calls and recorded more than 100 comments to melt the hearts of single men."I've developed this application to console people for their loneliness," said Kim Yoon-Kak, head of Nabix.
(Source : http://newspolitan.com/india/sci-tech/2010/12/13/mumbai-mirror-Korean-app-creates-a-virtual-girlfriend)