Ubuntu on Nexus One? It's really gonna happen?

Ever wondered what would happen if you threw another mobile OS onto your Nexus One? Without removing Android? Contrary to popular belief, the world will in fact not end, and in many cases, lives could very well be improved. One particular modder over at Nexus One Hacks has managed to put together a video how-to demonstrating the installation of Ubuntu as a secondary OS on his rooted N1, and while you'll obviously find yourself dealing with a few incompatibilities should you follow suit, it's not like you really have anything better to do tonight than tinker. Right? Right. Jump on past the break and mash play to get going.

Lenovo X100e: The little red Thinkpad

THE latest ThinkPad X100e is more of an entry-level ultraportable notebook than a netbook.
Instead of the usual Atom-based processor, it runs on an AMD Athlon Neo X2 Single-Core MV-40 processor.
Supporting the processor is an integrated ATI Radeon HD 3200 IGP 128MB, which provides a boost when playing videos or running graphics-intensive apps on the machine. That's not all, it also has a bigger 11.6in widescreen monitor and the keyboard... well, it's probably one of the best that we have used on a notebook (more on this later).
Of course, being a ThinkPad it wouldn't be complete without having a trackpoint pointing device around. For the uninitiated, it is the tiny red dot that you see in the middle of the keyboard. However fret not if you are not used to the trackpoint as the notebook also has the usual trackpad.
Stay clean
The X100e is available in either the standard non-glossy black or red - which is what we received for review. However, no matter which colour you choose, the interior will always be black.
At first glance, the red review unit looked dull due to the non-glossy coating. Heads will not turn but on a positive note this ThinkPad will stay cleaner, especially from fingerprint smudges, a lot longer than its glossy brethren.
As a matter of fact, we only had to wipe the lid when it was time to return the review unit.
However, for this particular model you will likely notice that not all of the exterior is covered in red. From the rear, you will see the black six-cell battery pack sticking out like a sore thumb.
Seriously, it makes the whole notebook design look awkward. Perhaps, Lenovo will be able to come up with a better design in the future to make the battery pack less conspicious for the coloured models.
TAKE NOTE: Half of the inserted SD card also sticks out from the built-in slot, so don't forget to take it out when moving the notebook around.
Unfortunately that is not the only thing that protrudes from the notebook. Half of an inserted SD card also sticks out from the built-in slot, so don't forget to take it out when moving the notebook around.
As mentioned earlier, the X100e offers a slightly bigger screen than usually found on a netbook.
Its 11.6in WXGA screen is able to display an image at up to 1,366 x 768-pixel resolution, which allows users to view widescreen movies with ease.
To complement the video is a built-in sound system that produces decent audio even at full blast.
It is also worth noting that the notebook supports the company's ThinkVantage suite of professional security features such as Access Connections, Power Manager and Active Protection to give business users peace of mind while using the X100e.
Fast operation
The AMD processor with help from the integrated ATI graphics card and 2GB of RAM ensure fast and smooth notebook operation. It is able to play 1080p HD videos well and handles photo-editing tasks without a fuss.
NICE: The X100e has an excellent keyboard and two navigation methods, trackpad and trackpoint.
It is a shame then that the model does not offer any HDMI connectivity. Users will just have to make do with the built-in VGA port when connecting to a HDTV for a larger viewing.
One feature we liked a lot is the keyboard. Unlike a typical full-sized island-type keyboard, the one on the X100e takes it slightly further where each matte key is curved as if it has been moulded to neatly fit your fingertip.
Plus the keys are raised in order to provide maximum tactility and the keyboard is also spill-resistant.
Some rarely-used keys such as Pause/Break, Scroll Lock and SysRq have been removed, leaving more room for the rest of the keys. Other changes include much smaller Function buttons and two full-sized Shift keys.
However the keyboard is not without its fair share of problems especially in the form of lots of "mis-pressing" due to the different key layout.
On the X100e, the Delete key now sits three keys away from its regular position at the end on the top right corner. The position of the Fn and Ctrl keys are also reversed, with the former now located at the far end on the right bottom corner.
All these switches led to us pressing the wrong keys or key combinations when trying to delete some files fast or when executing certain commands.
2-in-1
As mentioned earlier, the X100e offers both the trackpad and trackpoint, with two mouse buttons for each. Some people find the extra navigation method an unnecessary addition to the notebook but we beg to differ. There are times when you would like to use one over the other.
For instance, based on our experience, the trackpoint allows us to finely position the pointer especially when editing photos while for faster access to the notebook's functions we prefer the touchpad.
Plus the touchpad also has multi-touch capabilities for quick zooming. In any case, the notebook allows you to disable either function if you prefer to use only one method.
SPOILER: The black six-cell battery pack at the back of the notebook sticks out like a sore thumb.
One area users need to be aware of is the heat - the notebook gets pretty hot especially on the left side and bottom. Our advice is to make sure you put it on the table and not on your lap when using it.
What really surprised us was the battery life. Unfortunately, not in a good way.
Despite being equipped with a six-cell battery, the notebook only managed to last slightly more than three and half hours, compared to five hours as claimed by Lenovo.
As a comparison, most Intel Atom-based netbooks with a six-cell battery pack that we have used before can last way longer than this.
However this could be down to the power management, larger screen or simply that the Neo processor needs more juice than its Atom-based competitors.
Nevertheless, the result here is still a disappointment.
The legacy... continues
The first things that come to mind when one sees the name "Thinkpad" are reliability and solid construction.
We are glad to note that the legacy continues with the X100e series. It also ships with enough firepower to let you go about your daily computing life with ease and it feels as fast as other full-fledged notebooks that we have tested before.
Of course, the awesome keyboard helps to give the X100e an edge over the competition in comfortable typing.
While it's impressive in many ways, we simply cannot ignore the heat and rather poor battery life that seem to plague this notebook. And the mismatched colour battery pack definitely ruins an otherwise clean exterior design.
In any case, if you think these drawbacks are something you can live with, then the X100e could just be the good companion that you are looking for when travelling.
Pros: Good performance; reliable; solid construction; excellent keyboard; dual navigation method.
Cons: Unappealing colour; positions of Ctrl, Fn and Delete keys have been switched; poor battery life; runs hot.

Samsung BX2450 LCD monitor

Just a few years ago, buying a nice 24in monitor would have cost you RM2,000 or so for a high-end model, and RM1,000 or more for a low-end or mid-range 24in model.
Today prices have basically halved - RM1,000 or so gets you a top-of-the-line monitor, while paying RM899 gets you an LED backlit 1,920 x 1,080-pixel monitor like the Samsung SyncMaster BX2450 with a fast 2ms response time.
Design and ports
THIN: The BX2450 is barely an inch thick.
The BX2450 is a very nice-looking monitor - the black frame is contrasted with a bright chrome stand which makes the whole thing look quite nice without being too flashy.
It's also incredibly thin - where my old CCFL (fluorescent backlit) 24in LCD monitor was nearly 2in thick, the BX2450 is barely an inch thick.
Even the back is nicer than it has to be, with an interestingly textured finish that looks elegant.
Having said that, the chrome-looking stand does feel a little cheap when you actually get your hands on it - it looks like metal but is in fact just plastic and tends to be slightly wobbly due to the light weight.
The back ports are as you'd expect - a standard VGA port together with two HDMI ports. No DVI to speak of, but since HDMI ports are compatible with DVI, you only need to get a cheap converter if you output from your PC to the monitor using DVI.
An unusual feature is the 3.5mm stereo output port - since HDMI can also by default carry an audio signal, the stereo output port acts as a passthrough and allows you to simply connect your speakers or headphones directly to the monitor.
Of course, if you don't want to use the monitor as a passthrough for audio, you can just change the default audio output to the PC's 3.5mm stereo port in your Windows settings.
Picture quality
The BX2450 is made for gaming - the 2ms response time means that you won't get any ghosting when playing games with fast-moving action.
I tried it with a couple of games at full resolution and I have to say the monitor performed really well, with no signs of ghosting.
Colour response and side-to-side viewing angles are very good although being based on TN (twisted nematic) technology, the screen tends to darken quite a bit as you shift your viewing angle up or down.
However, Samsung has a so-called MagicAngle feature to compensate for the darkening of the screen when viewing from extreme vertical angles.
For example, if you tend to lean back and view the monitor from a really low angle, you can set MagicAngle so that the screen looks best from this angle.
There are four settings to choose from, depending on your viewing angle and it really does help for situations where you monitor is not placed at eye level.
Apart from the usual contrast and brightness settings, there are a number of automatic modes, such as a PC/AV mode which switches the contrast setting for more comfortable PC use or higher for more punchy video viewing.
Talking about settings, the adjustment buttons on the BX2450 are actually soft touch buttons - you just lightly touch the edge of the monitor frame underneath the corresponding label to make the adustment.
While this certainly looks cool I found myself accidentally activating the menu or turning off the monitor when I was shifting the monitor.
The problem is that the settings are in the bottom right hand corner of the frame, which is the place you will most likely get a hold of when picking up the monitor or shifting it.
Conclusion
Overall, the Samsung SyncMaster BX2450 is a good general purpose monitor - it looks good and works well for gaming.
The colour shifts due to the TN panel technology means that it won't be particularly good for critical professional photo-editing, but then again, if you want that, Samsung has a higher-end model for this purpose.
Pros: Nice design; good colour; fast response time; very thin and light.
Cons: Stand feels a little plasticky; button placement could be better.

BlackBerry Bold 9700

It is hard to resist the whole smartphone wave when everybody you know either has or is planning to buy either a BlackBerry or an iPhone.
Granted there are other smartphone platforms like Android in the market now, but at this point in time these two particular platforms still tend to dominate any discussion where smartphones are concerned.
While the BlackBerry Bold 9700 has been in the market for a few months now, this review is for those who are still sitting on the fence on which device would suit your needs better.
After using the phone for a few weeks, here are my top 10 findings of the Bold 9700 that will hopefully help you make your decision.
The outer package
Yes, aesthetics is important, especially at an age where manufacturers are touting the three "S" - slim, shiny and sleek. On a whole, the Bold 9700 is much sleeker than its predecessors. It sports a ­classier look with the faux-leather plastic on the back cover, soft touch paint and a chrome band that rims the outer edge of the phone, giving it an elegant finish without being too over the top.
The shiny casing at the top part of the phone is of course susceptible to scratches, but with a name like Bold, it merely defines character.
Rear view of the Bold 9700
In terms of footprint, the Bold 9700 though rigid in design is a neater package in terms of size and presentation in comparison to the first Bold installment.
It is certainly smaller and just a wee bit curvier.
But generally when it comes to the BlackBerry, it's not really the curves and design that takes precedence, but rather form and functionality.
Screen size and resolution
The second thing that you would notice with the Bold 9700 is of course the screen. There's nothing worse than a drabby and dull-looking screen.
Luckily that's not something that the Bold 9700 has to deal with. The screen is certainly noteworthy with the ability to display bright, colourful and crisp images, which is very helpful when viewing pictures or videos.
The 480 x 360-pixel resolution also ensures that images and text are sharp. However, it's a bit of a shame that such a vibrant screen is constricted within a 2.44in area, but it is nevertheless one of the most outstanding features of the phone and an improvement in the stable of BlackBerry devices to date.
Moving around – optical pad
Way back when the first BlackBerry was released, navigation was limited to the jog dial on the side of the phone and then most recently there was this flirtation with a trackball.
Thankfully the Bold 9700 sports an optical trackpad, which provides much smoother navigation and makes scrolling through pages much easier in comparison to the trackball for me. If you want a comparison in terms of usability, think about the touchpad and the trackpoint which some laptops have. You get the idea?
Qwerty keypad
Qwerty keypads aren't as daunting as they seem. Especially with the raised and slightly angled keys on the Bold 9700, it makes for a much-easier texting experience.
Although it is a bit smaller than its predecessors and can get rather tiring when writing either long e-mails or messages, it is definitely much easier to pick up and use as compared to a touchscreen keypad for sure.
The keyboard lacks certain shortcuts as with previous models, but once you think of the keypad as a miniature Qwerty keyboard, it makes it a whole lot easier to use.
Multitude of uses
Thus far BlackBerry devices have been positioned as the executive companion - for mobile e-mail communication at anytime and anywhere. But ever since data plans and devices made it affordable for the masses to be always connected - the lines have suddenly blurred.
What's important here is how services like e-mail is accessed. The Blackberry Internet Service uses a proprietary push technology, whereby the service automatically retrieves e-mail as well as attachments from the mail servers and pushes it directly to the device.
The e-mail client is very simple to set up and perhaps the no-frills user interface makes reading and writing e-mail messages that much easier.
It is said that the Bold 9700 features enhanced security and tighter integration, which would definitely make the IT department (if you're using it as a business device) happy. Instead of checking individual mailboxes, messages are unified in one inbox and these are sorted according to date.
The Bold 9700 comes preloaded with applications like Documents To Go. You can activate the trial version to edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on the fly. But of course if you need additional productivity applications, or any other applications for that matter, the BlackBerry Apps World is now open to Malaysian users.
You can download free applications like Facebook, Flickr and a lot more. While you're at it, you may also want to download some maps as well as the Bold 9700 comes with a full function GPS.
I can see why many may perceive the BlackBerry as an enterprise tool largely because of its no-frills, straight-to-the-point approach.
But that's all changing with attempts at making the BlackBerry a more comprehensive lifestyle device. Case in point is the media player on the Bold 9700 and of course the host of social networking applications that you can download and use without much fuss.
Of course there's the BlackBerry Messenger, which really is a simple utilitarian application that only allows you to connect to your other BlackBerry friends to chat (with unlimited characters), share files and the lot.
The best part is that it uses the data line so everything is already paid for if you want to think about it that way. In terms of applications, more specifically games, this is where the Bold 9700 pales in comparison to the iPhone.
Thanks to the iPhone's accelerometer, there are many more games that are more interactive. This coupled by the touchscreen capabilities and screen size makes the iPhone a more versatile entertainment-inclined device.
That said, there are sufficient games that you can download for the Bold 9700 via Apps World but I hope puzzle games strike your fancy because that seems to be the dominant genre.
Browsing
Here's a slight sore point for the BlackBerry, or as many claim. The default browser is not particularly outstanding, and to some downright annoying.
When you access a particular page, you basically see the page in its entirety with the text the size of a pixel.
While you can't pinch and zoom as like with the iPhone, you can move the cursor to a particular spot and zoom in. But I reckon this does not really inhibit your browsing experience and all it takes is just a little getting used to.
Camera and flash
The onboard 3.2-megapixel camera produces decent quality pictures for you to quickly upload to Facebook or to send in an e-mail. There's also an integrated flash, which is nice to have for taking pictures under low light conditions.
In short, it serves its purpose but just don't expect masterpieces from it.
Multi tasking
I have to say that multi-tasking is something that the BlackBerry is pretty good at. You are able to quickly switch between applications, and yet have it still running in the background for when you go on to read a text message or answer a call.
This is a useful feature as you need not, for example, re-login to certain applications like Skype or other instant messenger services while you move on to surfing the Web.
Connectivity and call quality
Having used both the Bold 9700 and an iPhone 3Gs, I have to say that the former has better call quality and battery life is also a little bit better.
While 3G signals are very much dependent on operator choice, in terms of usability and connectivity to cellular and wireless networks the 9700 is a total breeze with just a few clicks of a button needed.
Memory
The Bold 9700 comes with 256MB of built-in memory and that's not a lot if you compare it with the iPhone and its various models.
But the Bold has a MicroSD card slot which instantly enables you to bulk up storage space to a maximum of 32GB.
In this case, the iPhone and Bold 9700 are on par. The only drawback is that the microSD card is a little tricky to remove.

Splinter Cell: A conviction for revenge

CONVICTION is the fifth game in the long-running Splinter Cell stealth action game series and it picks up few years after the events of the last game with Sam Fisher looking for answers behind his daughter's sudden death.
Having gone rogue, Sam's now a loose canon on the run from his former employers at Third Echelon. A man with nothing to lose, Sam focuses solely on tracking down his daughter's killer as he picks up a fresh trail in Malta.
Unfortunately for Sam, things aren't so simple as he gets called back to action to resolve a major terrorist threat.
Hide or die
The main campaign takes Sam through a variety of locales but the game centres largely around the greater Washington D.C. area. There a few nicely designed outdoor missions that really show off how well integrated the levels are with the game's smart artificial intelligence (AI).
It's like playing a deadly game of hide and seek with the loser earning a bullet through the forehead.
I SEE YOU: Once detected, enemies will home in on your last known position, though you can use this to your advantage and flank them from behind.
The enemies in Conviction are definitely much smarter this time round. Though they still patrol areas in an orderly predictable fashion, the AI really shows its smarts when its alerted of your presence.
Enemies will home on your last known position, shown by a ghostly white silhouette, sweeping the area throughly. Being detected isn't necessarily a bad thing however, as you can flank enemies as they sweep an area and you can take them down slowly from the rear.
Interestingly, Conviction's AI enemies are smart enough not to walk into a dark room where you can ambush them, preferring to draw you out into the open.
A different beast
Conviction plays very differently from past Splinter Cell games. For one, the game is more action-oriented and has a faster pace, and replaces the trial and error ways of the old games with more aggressive combat.
The gameplay feels similar to last year's Batman: Arkham Asylum, where you're more of a hunter stalking your prey rather than an infiltrator. The main difference is of course, Sam has no qualms killing his foes and does so with deadly efficiency.
While there is a stronger emphasis on action and gunplay, you still need to use stealth and the element of surprise to dispatch foes.
Like in previous games, Sam is invisible to enemies under the cover of darkness, rendering the world black and white. However, enemies in the game present more of a challenge now as they carry flashlights and can see you skulking in the dark.
HUMAN SHIELD: Grab enemies from behind and use them as shields to protect yourself during a firefight.
In a way the game is like a puzzle where you've got to figure out how best to tackle a situation. But should things get rough, you can take comfort in knowing that old Sam has a few new tricks up his sleeves.
New to the game is the "Mark and Execute" feature, which lets Sam mark the enemies he sees and line them up for several quick shots when they are in view. As efficient as the move is, the system balances out by requiring Sam to kill an enemy using stealth before being able to perform another round of execution moves.
Sam's also got a pretty sizable arsenal of weapons ranging from silenced pistols to submachine guns and assault rifles at his disposal that he can upgrade using points earned by completing challenges in the game.
While it isn't as customisable as Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer mode, you can increase a weapon's damage, accuracy and number of marks it can target.
Like in the previous games, you're given some high-tech gadgetry to aid you in your fight. Series staples such as the snake cam for peeking under doors and sticky camera make a return. However the sticky remote cams have new added features such as "sounding off" to distract enemies and the ability to remotely detonate.
You'll also get to play with new toys like EMP grenades and EMP pulse generators to temporarily knock out power supplies while you sneak around enemies.
Gone however are Sam's trademark night vision goggles - instead he gets a pair of improved Sonar goggles that allow him to see in the dark and through walls to detect approaching enemies.
Two is better than one
To be honest, Conviction's campaign length doesn't feel as long as previous Splinter Cell games. On the normal difficulty setting most gamers can coast through the early parts of the game without much difficulty.
However the game's difficulty does ramp up towards the end of the game as tougher enemies in body armour hunt you down.
All in all, the game length varies between six to eight hours depending on the difficulty setting.
Once you're done playing the single-player mode, there's the multiplayer co-op mode to dive into. The co-op mode actually has a separate back story that takes place before the events in the main game.
Here you and a friend can take on the roles of Third Echelon agent Archer or Russian Voron agent Ketrel, who are working together to uncover a plot involving terrorists and missing weapons of mass destruction.
There are plenty of options to play with friends - both online over Xbox Live or offline using splitscreen or system link - so there's absolutely no excuse why you can't play with another person.
TWICE THE FUN: Partner up online or offline buddy in the game's co-op mode to fight bad guys across five different maps.
Like most games, throwing in another player into the mix multiplies the fun you have.
Though the story is shorter than the main game (clocking just over two hours), co-op mode delivers a more engaging and interesting experience where you have to work together to co-ordinate attacks and help each other out when the going gets tough.
There are three modes of play that you can tackle together with a friend: Hunter is a straight-up locate and kill mode that has you sneaking around a map killing a set number of guards on patrol. Goof up here and the guards will call in reinforcements, making the game more difficult.
Infiltration on the other hand requires players to be absolutely silent and stealthy, once you're spotted it's game over.
Finally, Last Stand serves as the game's obligatory "Horde mode" where you need to defend an EMP device from continuous waves of incoming enemies.
That said, the only competitive game type in Conviction is Face-Off where two players are thrown into one of the maps and tasked with taking down both AI controlled guards as well as each other.
Conclusion
Splinter Cell: Conviction marks an evolution for the long running stealth series, reinventing much of the game's core mechanics.
The game now flows much faster and is more exciting as the focus on combat take-downs is a stark contrast to the slow gameplay of the past. However, the delivery still isn't quite up to par with most modern games.
THIS IS GOING TO HURT: Sam will use any means necessary to get the information he needs, even if it involves breaking a few bones.
Disappointly, the game isn't too challenging for the seasoned gamer. A good half of the game will pass you by once you've learned the basic game mechanics.
By far, Conviction's co-op is where you will get the most enjoyment out of the game. Playing with a buddy and executing cool manoeuvres is much more rewarding than playing by yourself.
If you are a long time fan of the series, Conviction will be an enjoyable experience that surpasses previous games in the series. However, as a stealth game on its own, Conviction lacks the challenge of the older games.
Still it is worth a look if you are tired from playing generic first-person shooters and want a change in pace.
Pros: Faster, combat-focused action; cool Mark and Execute feature; awesome co-operative mode.
Cons: Not as challenging as past games; shorter single-player campaign.

Panasonic's 3D Full HD TV system

With the head of LG Display recently quoted as saying that flat-panel LCD prices have bottomed, the world's electronics manufacturers are looking for the next big thing to keep the coffers ticking over. With a number of companies rolling out various 3D TV technologies over the years, it’s obvious that many think that this will be the next big thing. Panasonic is one such company that has spent a lot of time and money investing in 3DTV and debuted the fruits of its labor - the world’s first 3D Full HD (3DFHD) Plasma Home Theater System - at CEATEC JAPAN 2008 in October 2008 followed by the US debut at CES 2009.

Panasonic’s 3D FHD system comprises a 103-inch Plasma HDTV and a Blu-ray Disc player that plays back Blu-ray Discs onto which 3D video (consisting of left- and right-sided 1080p Full HD images) are recorded. Full HD processing occurs on both the left- and right-sided 3D image in every single process – from recording, playback and display. A special pair of active shutter glasses that work in synchronization with the Plasma HDTV enable the viewer to experience 3D images formed with twice the volume of information as regular full HD images, and enjoy them together with high quality surround sound.

While LCD has taken the upper hand in big screen display sales Panasonic is one manufacturer which has stuck with Plasma and now hopes that persistence will pay off because Plasma is currently “the only TV capable of delivering a 3D Full HD experience due in great part to its ability to refresh at a speed which enables multiple image display without loss of resolution”, according to Panasonic’s Executive Vice President, Bob Perry.

Additionally the use of Blu-ray allowed Panasonic to overcome the previous problem of delivering true High Definition picture quality in 3D due to the lack of bandwidth in transport and the limited capacity of the storage. Previous systems also suffered from reduced vertical resolution caused by a 3D display method that divides the scanning lines between the left and right eyes, and picture quality degradation caused by pixel skipping that results from the squeezing of two (left and right) screens' worth of full HD images into one screen of data capacity for image storage and transmission.

There’s no word on a commercial release date for the system yet, but when it is made available, expect it to have a hefty price tag attached.

Future Technology2 - The Time Machine

I have a few famous inventors I would love to meet in person and the idea of messing with the time-space continuum is exciting as well.
Check out - Attention Chronic Argonauts and fellow Time Travelers

Future Technology - Transporter

What kind of technology is required to scramble a person's atoms and send them for regrouping in foreign lands all in the blink of an eye? Imagine, I could work in Tokyo and sleep in Paris. Beam me up.
Check out - Quantum Teleportation or Scientists Report 'Teleported' Data

Free Energy

I want my energy bill to come only once, not every month. So be it solar or electro-magnetic, please make it personal and portable with batteries that keep going and going.
Check out - D.O.E. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Regeneration: International Green Computing Design Competition

Dell’s first Regeneration: International Green Computing Design Competition encouraged designers to create a broad range of design concepts and innovations for technology products that demonstrate refreshed approaches and responsible solutions for green computing technologies. Vas Obeyesekere, IDSA, of Dallas, TX, stood out at the competition with his design of Evolve that won him a $25,000 prize. The Evolve is versatile `laptop/PC` designed to change over time and adapt to a variety of uses. It is made using material that is biodegradable, renewable and even reusable to a certain extent, battery is a LEES capacitor that does not require chemical reactions to produce energy. It has components that are modularized making it easier to upgrade individual parts minimizing waste. The Evolve also allows the user to expand the system to suit his or her own personal needs, hence reducing environmental impact, as it does not become outdated when the user needs a more sophisticated system, but can adapt accordingly.

Consumer Electronics Association i-Stage competition

Green has been winning the hearts of many, so a green electronic gadget-winning Consumer Electronics Association i-Stage competition comes as no surprise to me. The ReNu solar charger has secured the first position at the competition, which previews innovative electronics products before they actually set the market ablaze. Regen’s ReNu system consists of a ReNu panel, a freestanding power module containing solar cells, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and an intelligent user interface. It comes with a peg leg attachment that allows you to change the angle of the panel in order to get maximum sunlight. The built-in rechargeable battery juices up power all day and uses it during the night. The ReNu portable solar panel is a true blend of sleek design and multi-use flexibility. The device was voted the “fan favorite” and so received an additional $2500.

Thinking outside the parking box

“Think Outside the Parking Box”, organized jointly by Nissan and Designboom, asked designers to suggest innovative designs to morph urban parking lots into tougher and more stylish spaces. The designers necessarily had to focus on sustainability. Tanzim Hasan Salim Salim from Bangladesh impressed all with his winner design the Rotary Parking Machine that bases itself on the Ferris wheel. The concept machine allows sufficient parking for six cars, which is actually meant for only one.

Cleantech Open 2009 National Prize Winner

Among the 12 finalists for the prestigious Cleantech Open business plan competition, the National Prize went to EcoFactor for developing a personal residential energy management system for heating, air-conditioning and ventilation. We can also call the system as an intelligent HVAC system. The firm received prize package worth $250,000, including $100,000 in seed capital.

Electrolux Design Lab 2009 competition

The Electrolux Design Lab is an annual global design competition open to undergraduate and graduate industrial design students who are invited to present innovative ideas for household appliances of the future. This year the special focus was on appliances that will shape how people prepare and store food, wash clothes, and do dishes over the next nine decades. Rickard Hederstierna of Lund Institute of Technology, Sweden won 5,000 Euro and a six-month paid internship at one of the Electrolux global design centers by banging the first spot. His creation called the ‘Cocoon’ is a sustainable response to the world’s growing population and its desire to consume meat and fish. The device uses heated muscle cells that are identified by radio frequency identification (RFID) signals to prepares genetically engineered and pre-packaged meat and fish dishes. The signals detect the specific dish and then suggest the required cooking time.

Greener Gadgets Design Competition 2009

Core77 has launched the Greener Gadgets Design Competition 2009 in collaboration with CEA to generate outstanding design innovations for greener electronics. The Greener Gadgets Conference’s event was introduced in January 2008 and was a tremendous success, drawing over 1000 entries from all around the world. The Winner who took away $3000 was Tweet-a-Watt, a twittering power meter. The eco gadget is a Kill-a-Watt with a capacitor and transmitter added that would Tweet your current power usage using a nearby computer or wireless Arduino mini PC. A large capacitor that charges, transmits, and then discharges over time is then used to power the transmitter, after which an XBee module come into action to transmit the information read by the Kill-a-Watt, giving you an up-to-the-minute reading of your energy usage.

The Global Green Challenge

The Global Green Challenge, an evolution of the acclaimed World Solar Challenge introduced by the South Australian Tourism Commission completed ten years of its existence this year. This solar car event is the world’s leading, cross-continental showcase of the latest advances in hybrid, electric, solar, low emission, and alternative energy vehicles. The Tokai University team was declared the winners after defeating 30 competitors from 13 countries. Driven by Dakar rally champion Kenjiro Shinozuka, the one-passenger solar car equipped with Sharp compound solar cells covered 3,000-kilometer race from Darwin in northern Australia to Adelaide in South Australia at an average speed of about 100 kilometers per hour. The six square meters of solar panels covering the streamlined car made it possible to win the race by moving at an average speed of 100.54 km per hour.

Green life competition

A competition to encourage green design and lifestyle was conducted by designboom in partnership with Incheon metropolitan city, Korea recently. Dubbed as the Green Life competition, the contest saw nearly 3709 participants from 96 countries. Among the 200 shortlisted projects, Thermodynamic cooler and Murakami chair design by Rochus Jacob from USA took away the prize. The thermodynamic cooler consists of two pots, one placed inside the other and the space between the two pots is filled with wet glass-foam, a waste product of the glass recycling process. Food gets preserved by the cooling effect of evaporating water in the glass-foam between the two pots.

The Murakami chair uses the advanced nano-dynamo technology, which is built in to the skids of the chair. An OLED fitted reading lamp consumes the electricity produced by the rocking motion of the chair. During daylight, the energy gets stored in a battery pack that can be used to power the lamp.

Solar Decathlon

The Solar Decathlon, an international collegiate contest designed to spur students to pursue careers in science and engineering, encourage the development of green technologies and raise public awareness of energy efficiency issues, this year had 20 teams giving tough competition to each other. Run by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Solar Decathlon 2009 took place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Winner of the prize in 2007, Team Germany has yet again proved its talent this year by winning the competition for the second time. This year the team started with a focus on the façade, creating a house that is essentially a two-story cube. The surface of the structure is completely covered by solar panels that are completely covered by solar panels. It also features automated louver-covered windows and a boiler integrated into the heat pump system that allows the system to provide domestic hot water as well as heating and cooling. The 24-member team consisting of many Technische Universitat Darmstadt architecture students has put in $650,000 to $850,000 for the construction.

Best of best from last year’s best green competitions

It’s the best time to take a look back at the best of the best things that happened this year. A number of green competitions were held this year and a number of entries managed to make an impression. Designers and companies from around the world came up with some really innovative and eco-friendly ideas, concepts and products. Here we, T4 team will bring to you the winners from the best green competitions held in 2009. stay tuned~

Eco Gadgets: Design Hara’s green computer features non-toxic materials

Eco Factor: Energy-saving computer made from sustainable materials.
Industrial designers have envisioned computers that generate renewable energy for power and are made using green materials. However, most of these green computers remain only on paper due to the lack of adequate technology. Hailing from Korea, Design Hara has come up with a custom and hand-built computer that looks like a modern space heater and boasts some green credentials as well.

The energy-efficient computer is claimed to use only 60Wh of electricity and is made using sustainable materials like Canadian rosewood or Italian cypress that are treated with non-toxic finishes. The computer boats an Intel Core2Duo processor, 4GB of RAM that can be upgraded to 8GBs and a solid state 1TB hard drive.

How to choose a good laptop that suit you?

Laptop is a everyday social tool used by everyone. There are hundred and thousand type of laptop scatted all over the world. Since there are so many people asking for my opinion on which laptop should they choose? So, here am I, gonna tell ya on how to choose a right laptop for yourself.

Need
There are hundred type of laptop exist with their own purpose. Some are gaming laptop, some are for multitasking, some just multimedia type laptop. So, it is important to know what your career needy and how you want your new laptop to behave. A multitasking laptop? A gaming laptop? Or just some simple everyday e-mailing and paperwork purpose?

Performance
A serious buyer would consider their performance of their new laptop. How power their processor? How much RAM the laptop have? Does the graphic card sufficient to their need? A 500GB of hard disk space enough for their data storage? This all need to be take into consideration when purchasing a new laptop.

Durability and warranty
The durability of a laptop also is taking into consideration when making a mind onto a laptop. Some laptop is protected with anti-shaking technology, some even use a solid state hard disk drive for better durability. You definitely don't want your laptop to stop function after a drop or short-circuit after dropping a cup of coffee onto it. Beside that, every laptop comes with 1 year local warranty, it is advisable to upgrade to 3 year local warranty because each laptop is designed to last till at least 1 year and there might be some slightly problem after using it for a long time. You won't want to spend hell lot of your penny on fixing it aren't you?

Style
Many people took this in their consideration when choosing a laptop. Each laptop have their own unique style that represent the identity of users who use them. A laptop that it's style suit you definitely make you feel good when using it.

10 key features to consider when buying phones

Organizer applications: Even the most basic handsets offer organizer applications. Typically, you'll find a calendar, an alarm clock, a stopwatch, and a calculator. Higher-end handsets will have many more options, while other models will offer offbeat applications such as a compass or a thermometer.


The Nokia N95 has almost every feature you could want in a cell phone.

Phone book and voice dialing: Consider how many contacts you can store. Voice dialing lets you make calls without using the keypad, which is particularly handy when you're on a headset or if you're using the speakerphone.

Web browser: This lets you surf the wireless Web and get information such as news and sports recaps, weather reports, and stock quotes. It also lets you download files including games and ring tones. WAP (Wireless Access Protocol) browsers are optimized to view sites configured to display on small, mobile devices but keep in mind that not all sites are made for WAP browsing. On the other hand, some newer, high-end phones are including full HTML browsers so find out which you'd prefer. You can use some Internet-ready phones as a modem for your PC, but you'll need to purchase the proper data cables to take advantage of this feature.


The Neonode N2 id a unique all-touch-screen phone.

Messaging and e-mail: Text messages send text only, and multimedia messages send pictures and videos as well as text. Some handsets support instant messaging from services such as AOL and Yahoo. If you'd like to receive personal or work e-mail on your handset, make sure it supports this feature. Messaging and e-mail does cost extra, however, so consider purchasing a data plan if you'll be using the features frequently. You might also consider a phone with an alphabetic keyboard for faster typing.

Camera and video recorder: Use them for taking pictures and shooting brief video clips. Some have a low-grade VGA resolution, but many camera phones now have resolutions of a few megapixels or more, which offer much better photo quality. Similarly, while some camera phones offer just a few extra features, other models offer a flash and editing options that resemble those on a regular camera.

Speakerphone/conference calling: A speakerphone is useful for hands-free calling when you're driving or multitasking. Consider getting a unit with a full-duplex speakerphone, which allows both parties to speak at the same time. Business travelers who need to set up impromptu meetings will want to look at a phone that supports conference calling.

Push to talk: A walkie-talkie-like service that lets you immediately connect with individuals or call groups, which is especially useful for business users who need instant contact with their colleagues. Best of all, you don't need a cell signal to use them and you won't use standard calling minutes. Not all carriers offer this feature, however, and it's not available on all phones.

Bluetooth: This feature lets you wirelessly connect via low-frequency radio waves with external devices, such as a headset for making calls. Many phones also allow you to use Bluetooth to exchange or sync data with other Bluetooth devices or to connect to stereo headphones to listen to music.

Multimedia options and memory: Some features to look for include a digital music player, support for MP3 files, and an FM radio. Also, many phones now support streaming video through 3G wireless broadband networks, live TV, and wireless music downloads.There will be an extra fee, of course, and you'll need 3G service in your area.

For the best experience with a multimedia phone, make sure your phone has plenty of storage space (an external memory card slot is best), and consider whether you want dedicated music controls on the exterior of the phone

Accessories, applications, and personalization options: Some phones come in multiple colors or allow for changeable faceplates. Accessories such as Bluetooth headsets, speakers, or SIM card readers also are available, but make sure it's specifically designed for your phone of choice. Most models offer a variety of customization options as well. These can include a choice of display wallpaper, screen savers, and ring tones. If personalizing your phone is important to you, make sure you have a lot of options before buying a particular model.

Handsets will also differ on their support for extra applications. Though every cell phone supports games not every model comes with integrated titles. In that case, you'll have to buy them for a few dollars a pop, and your selection will change by carrier. Extra applications are available depending on your phone model and your carrier. For example, Sprint offers a wireless backup service to save your contacts, while Verizon Wireless has a GPS application called VZ Navigator.

Confused On Phone? Let ya help ya up

Picking the right cell phone has as much to do with personality as it does with needs. Handsets vary from the feature-rich and slickly styled to the strictly functional and unassuming. Ultimately, though, it's a personal choice, and you'll want to buy a handset that is right for you--one that you'll enjoy using and carrying around. And while there are many factors to consider, it all boils down to which handset will offer the best blend of design, features, and performance.


Style

The Samsung FlipShot SCH-U900 is a flip phone. Cell phones come in a variety of form factors. Flip phones and candy bar models are the most common, but slider phones have grown quite popular as well in the last couple years. Swivel phones are also available, but they are relatively few in number.

Each form factor has its unique characteristics, so you'll want to think carefully about which is best for you. For example, flip phones are useful if you frequently store your mobile in a pocket when on the go since the shape prevents accidental dialing. Also, since they cradle your head naturally, flip phones can be more comfortable for some users. On the other hand, candy bar-style phones can be sturdier and, for many users, easier to use. Lastly, slider models can provide the best of both worlds, and many people just find the sliding action appealing. When making your decision, be sure to hold the mobile in your hand and next to your ear to see how comfortable it is to hold in your hand.

Now it's time to think about more specific design concerns. When evaluating a new phone you should first examine the size and placement of the buttons and controls and the size of the text on the display. Make sure that the controls are big enough and that you can understand how to use them. Though thin phones are very popular they usually have keypads that are flat with the surface of the phone, which can be difficult to use. If you're considering a phone with a full alphabetic keyboard, you should test that as well.

Secondly, look at the display and see if you can read the text without straining. If you have a flip phone, an external screen is advisable so you won't have to open the phone to see your caller's identity. Thanks to the iPhone, touch screens have also grown in popularity. Though touch screens provide a nice "wow" factor, many don't provide tactile feedback, which can entail a learning curve for many users.

Finally, remember that you'll want to enjoy using your phone and carrying it around. So go for an interface that's attractive and easy to use, and pick a color and shape you won't mind holding in your hand. And since some handsets are more rugged than others, find something that fits your activity level.

Features

The LG Voyager VX10000 has a touch screen and a full alphabetic keyboard. If you thought picking a design was hard, choosing your features isn't any easier. The list of possible mobile features is extensive, so carefully consider each point. As a general rule, you shouldn't buy anything more than you need, so don't let a carrier salesperson pressure you into buying an expensive handset. If you want a handset just to make calls, stick with something simple that doesn't offer a lot of extra features. Though basic phones are often overshadowed by high-end handsets in carrier stores, a variety of such models exist. But you may have to ask for them.

If you're going to use your mobile for e-mail or organizational tasks, go with a higher-range model or even a smart phone. Alternatively, if you'd like entertainment options on your handset, consider a camera phone or a device with an MP3 player or streaming video.

Performance

The Sony Ericsson W580i is a slider phone. Though design and features are very important when buying a cell phone, performance is the most critical point to consider. Remember, a cell phone is only as good as the calls it makes, so even the most feature-rich and design-centric handset is worthless if it can't offer decent call quality. And while the strength of a carrier's network is critical to making good calls, the strength of the phone's antenna and receiver play a big part in performance as well.

Determining call quality will take some work on your part. Editorial reviews are helpful, but call quality is ultimately subjective and will vary sharply--even for the same kind of phone--according to the user's geographic location, the numbers of callers using a carrier's network at a given time, and even atmospheric interference. You can start by asking your friends and see what they recommend. Also, ask to test their phone for yourself. When shopping in a carrier store, ask to make a test call with any handsets that perk your interest. If they don't have working display phones, ask a sales rep to use one. When evaluating call quality listen for the clarity of the voices and the volume level. Check to see if the phone picks up any static or interference and ask you callers how you sound to them. Remember, you can always test a phone during the grace period and exchange it if necessary.

If you're looking for a good camera phone or multimedia handset, you should also consider how those features will perform. Every camera phone will vary in photo quality and some music phone will be better than others. Performance also will fluctuate among 3G phones that play streaming video. If possible, evaluate these features before buying.

Finally, ask about the phone's battery life. At the very least, you'll want a handset with more than three hours of continuous talk time and more than five days of standby time. Though every phone will have a rated battery life as set by the manufacturer, your real-world experience will vary, so you should check editorial reviews as well.

A fact that no one know about FACEBOOK

When Facebook raised $240 million from Microsoft in 2007, and another $235 million in debt and equity in 2008, everyone thought they had plenty of cash to get through their big growth phase. With that kind of cash, the company could hire as many people as it needed to and not worry about profitability or going public until at least 2009, as board member Jim Breyer said in 2007.

But a confluence of factors may be conspiring to throw those assumptions out the window and force Facebook back to the capital markets much earlier than they originally planned. We’ve heard from multiple sources that they are testing the capital markets right now, in fact, and may be considering a near term capital raise at terms that could be much more favorable to investors than the previous $15 billion round that Microsoft kicked off in October 2007.

Facebook Is Growing, But So Are Costs

There’s no doubt that Facebook is growing at a breathtaking pace. A year ago, according to Comscore, they had just 74 million unique monthly visitors and 35 billion page views. Today those numbers have grown by 118% and 74%, respectively, to 161 million unique visitors and 61 billion page views per month.

Facebook’s growth, thanks to all these user-created translated versions of the site, has probably exceeded even their own internal projections. And running this engine isn’t cheap.

The company is likely spending well over a $1 million per month on electricity alone, say experts we’ve spoken with. Bandwidth is likely another $500,000 or more per month on top of that. The company has earmarked $100 million to buy 50,000 servers this year and next. And sources say they’ve been buying one NetApp 3070 storage system per week just to keep up with all this user generated content. At up to $2 million each, that adds up quickly – we’ve heard estimates that they may have spent as much as $30 million this year alone with the company. And the icing on the cake – earmark another $15 million per year in office and datacenter rent payments.

And don’t forget those human assets. With 750 employees and growing, Facebook is spending at least another $10 million per month on payroll.

It costs a couple of hundred million dollars a year just to keep the lights on at Facebook. But the real problem is keeping up with growth, particularly storage needs. Add another $100 million or more per year for capital expenditures, and you’ve got a company that’s doing exactly the opposite of printing money.

So How ‘Bout Those Revenues?

eMarketer estimates $265 million in revenue for Facebook in 2008. That’s great, right? Well, not really. The company is still losing money – lots of it – at current revenues. And it’s not clear that revenue will grow as robustly as costs.

Most of Facebook’s growth is outside of the U.S. A year ago, according to Comscore, Facebook had 31 million U.S. visitors, about 42% of the total. Today, U.S. visitors have grown to just 41 million.

19 million live in Africa and the Middle East. 26 million are in Asia. Europe, with 48 million Facebook users, has a larger share than the U.S. Another 16 million are in Latin America.

Just one in four Facebook users come from the U.S. today.

As we wrote last summer, most of these international users can’t be monetized today. And to make things worse, bandwidth costs in those countries is generally much higher than the U.S. So the users cost more, and they don’t bring in any revenue.

That international growth might be ok if U.S. growth remained strong. But the U.S. market just seems to be tapped at this point, and gaining market share from MySpace is a battle. As we wrote in August, at current growth rates it will take Facebook 18 years to overtake MySpace in the U.S.

Uh Oh, The Economy

So costs are skyrocketing, and revenues can’t keep up. Ok, But Facebook still has plenty of money, right?

Wrong.

The economy isn’t looking so hot, and it may get worse. If revenues don’t grow substantially, the company’s runway of cash gets much shorter. 2008 revenues are likely $100 million less than the company anticipated a year ago. If the economic train really derails, Facebook could be in big trouble.

A big chunk, probably a majority, of the roughly $500 million the company has raised is already gone. Even more will be spent next year, particularly if international growth rates remain constant (and there is lots and lots of room to grow internationally). Facebook could be down to just a year’s worth of cash at this point, with no IPO horizon in sight.

And even if they have cash into 2010 (its nearly impossible to figure out exactly how much they’re burning), the economic downturn is likely to be much, much worse than they anticipated. If they don’t grab the money now, it may not be available later on.

How does Facebook get its revenue? wonder??

The obvious answer is advertising. However, you can now purchase "gifts" to send to your friends. This month's featured gift is Aviator Sunglasses, "limited edition," at 1,000,000 units for a price of $1. Thats a lot of one dollars! I guess that's how they generate at least a portion of their income.
Facebook still makes most of its money from advertising...
Facebook, like many other community based web sites, generates the majority of it's revenue through what is called "pool investing." In Layman's Terms, pool investing consist of a number of investors pouring their money into a particular investment such as Facebook. Simply put, the more investors the more money, the more money, the more revenue.
.....in regard to the above paragraph about "pool investing" and the notion that "Simply put, the more investors the more money, the more money, the more revenue" -- there's a term for that: PONZI SCHEME!

Apple lost their precious IPhone 4G Prototype? True? Fake?

Gray Powell—a North Carolina State University 2006 graduate and talented amateur photographer—is an Apple Software Engineer working on the iPhone Baseband Software, the little program that enables the iPhone to make calls. A dream job for a talented engineer like Powell, an Apple fan who always wanted to meet Steve Jobs.

On the night of March 18, he was enjoying the fine imported ales at Gourmet Haus Staudt, a nice German beer garden in Redwood City, California. He was happy. [UPDATED] After all, it was his birthday. He was turning 27 that very same day, and he was celebrating. The place was great. The beer was excellent. "I underestimated how good German beer is," he typed into the next-generation iPhone he was testing on the field, cleverly disguised as an iPhone 3GS. It was his last Facebook update from the secret iPhone. It was the last time he ever saw the iPhone, right before he abandoned it on bar stool, leaving to go home.



It a simple, honest mistake in the middle of celebration. Something that anyone, from Steve Jobs to Jonathan Ive, could have done. Knowing how ferocious and ruthless Apple is about product leaks, those beers may have turned out to be the bitterest of his life.

(Almost) Impenetrable Security
Until now, Apple's legendary security has always worked perfectly. Perhaps there was a blurry factory photo here, or some last-minute information strategically whispered to some friendly media there. But when it comes to the big stuff, everything is airtight. At their Cupertino campus, any gadget or computer that is worth protecting is behind armored doors, with security locks with codes that change every few minutes. Prototypes are bolted to desks. Hidden in these labs, hardware, software and industrial-design elves toil separately on the same devices, without really having the complete picture of the final product.

And hidden in every corner, the Apple secret police, a team of people with a single mission: To make sure nobody speaks. And if there's a leak, hunt down the traitor, and escort him out of the building. Using lockdowns and other fear tactics, these men in black are the last line of defense against any sneaky eyes. The Gran Jefe Steve trusts them to avoid Apple's worst nightmare: The leak of a strategic product that could cost them millions of dollars in free marketing promotion. One that would make them lose control of the product news cycle.

But the fact is that there's no perfect security. Not when humans are involved. Humans that can lose things. You know, like the next generation iPhone.

Lost and Found
Apple security's mighty walls fell on the midnight of Thursday, March 18. At that time, Powell was at Gourmet Haus Staudt, just 20 miles from the company's Infinite Loop headquarters, having his fun. Around him, other groups of people were sharing the jolly atmosphere, and plenty of the golden liquid.

The person who eventually ended up with the lost iPhone was sitting next to Powell. He was drinking with a friend too. He noticed Powell on the stool next to him but didn't think twice about him at the time. Not until Powell had already left the bar, and a random really drunk guy—who'd been sitting on the other side of Powell—returned from the bathroom to his own stool.

The Random Really Drunk Guy pointed at the iPhone sitting on the stool, the precious prototype left by the young Apple engineer.

"Hey man, is that your iPhone?" asked Random Really Drunk Guy.

"Hmmm, what?" replied the person who ended up with the iPhone. "No, no, it isn't mine."

"Ooooh, I guess it's your friend's then," referring to a friend who at the time was in the bathroom. "Here, take it," said the Random Really Drunk Guy, handing it to him. "You don't want to lose it." After that, the Random Really Drunk Guy also left the bar.

The person who ended up with the iPhone asked around, but nobody claimed it. He thought about that young guy sitting next to him, so he and his friend stayed there for some time, waiting. Powell never came back.

During that time, he played with it. It seemed like a normal iPhone. "I thought it was just an iPhone 3GS," he told me in a telephone interview. "It just looked like one. I tried the camera, but it crashed three times." The iPhone didn't seem to have any special features, just two bar codes stuck on its back: 8800601pex1 and N90_DVT_GE4X_0493. Next to the volume keys there was another sticker: iPhone SWE-L200221. Apart from that, just six pages of applications. One of them was Facebook. And there, on the Facebook screen, was the Apple engineer, Gray Powell.



Thinking about returning the phone the next day, he left. When he woke up after the hazy night, the phone was dead. Bricked remotely, through MobileMe, the service Apple provides to track and wipe out lost iPhones. It was only then that he realized that there was something strange that iPhone. The exterior didn't feel right and there was a camera on the front. After tinkering with it, he managed to open the fake 3GS.

There it was, a shiny thing, completely different from everything that came before.

He reached for a phone and called a lot of Apple numbers and tried to find someone who was at least willing to transfer his call to the right person, but no luck. No one took him seriously and all he got for his troubles was a ticket number.

He thought that eventually the ticket would move up high enough and that he would receive a call back, but his phone never rang. What should he be expected to do then? Walk into an Apple store and give the shiny, new device to a 20-year-old who might just end up selling it on eBay?

The Aftermath
Weeks later, Gizmodo got it for $5,000 in cash. At the time, we didn't know if it was the real thing or not. It didn't even get past the Apple logo screen. Once we saw it inside and out, however, there was no doubt about it. It was the real thing, so we started to work on documenting it before returning it to Apple. We had the phone, but we didn't know the owner. Later, we learnt about this story, but we didn't know for sure it was Powell's phone until today, when we contacted him via his phone.

Coverflow Music app coming soon

The makers of Landscape Pro have done it again and are currently developing iMeLo is a music player application that will have the interface similar to iphone’s coverflow, the application is still development an not release now but preview version coming out soon

* Developing for N97/5800XM/i8910HD and non-touch phone

Check it out in action

Intel's Next Processor Details Leaked?

A Taiwanese publication is reporting that Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) plans to release three Nehalem quad-core processors at the end of the fourth quarter, complete with specs on the new chips. DigiTimes, based in Taipei, cited motherboard vendors as its sources, many of which are also based in Taipei.

The official model names have not been set, but the specs list the three CPUs – with the codenames XE, P1 and MS3 – at clock speeds of 3.2GHz, 2.93GHz and 2.66GHz, respectively. All three have a thermal design power (TDP) envelope of 130W, 8MB L3 cache and come with simultaneous multi-threading (SMT) technology, which will allow for two threads per core, the report said.

In addition to the chips, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) will also launch the X58 and ICH10 chipset combination to support these processors. These will use the QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) architecture, replacing the venerable frontside bus design.

The TDP seems rather high, given Intel's top Core 2 processors run at 95 watts and the top Xeons run at 120 watts. Part of the reason is that the on-die memory controller will add a good 15 to 20 watts to the processor, since it is no longer a separate chip. But also, reasons the analysts, that's the top end of the power rating.


"For all I know, that could be a maximum rating just so you could design a heat sink for worst case scenario," said Tony Massimini, chief of technology for Semico Research. "It was probably something on a spec sheet, but right now I would guess those spec sheets are a boiler plate and will be the maxed on the top end. I would think when these [processors] are announced they will put out more precise spec sheets."

Nathan Brookwood, research fellow with Insight 64, was of the same mind. "This is the max they can put into a desktop, air cooled platform. Clearly over time that number will get better," he told InternetNews.com.

Intel declined to comment on the DigiTimes story, saying only that it was on track to release Nehalem in the fourth quarter of this year.

Nehalem is a major new architecture from Intel, one that finally puts the venerable frontside bus and external memory controller out to pasture for good. It adds a memory controller to the CPU and a high-speed interconnect, meaning the architecture will be very similar to AMD's Athlon, Opteron and Phenom designs.

Nehalem will scale from two to eight cores and features the return of multithreading, allowing each core to run two threads at once. Its design will be used in commercial desktops, laptops and server processors, so it will cover the range of Intel designs.

The clock speeds are pretty much in line with what's available today, but the on-chip memory controller and Quickpath will make it much faster. "While it's going at roughly the same clock rates as today, because they have much more memory bandwidth and much less memory latency, they should get some substantial improvements in performance," said Brookwood.

The specs DigiTimes cited also listed support for up to four PCI Express 8x slots and support AMD's Quad CrossFireX technology for running multiple GPU cards. However, there was no word on whether Intel will or wants to license nVidia's SLI technology, which does the same ting.

It seemed odd that Intel would work with the company that's suing it for antitrust over the company that's just kicking at its ankles. Massimini thinks a deal will eventually be made.

"Everybody's out to make money," he said. "They can argue and sic each other's lawyers on each other but ultimately, they have to sell parts, and it's kind of a tug of war, love/hate relationship in this business. But it's in Intel's interests to show they are willing to work with companies and not shut anybody out."

He said it's just a matter of ironing out details. Brookwood said he wasn't sure why Intel was working with AMD (NYSE: AMD) but not nVidia (NASDAQ: NVDA).

Asus U5: The Latest Green Laptop

Asus has thrown it's hat in the ring of TreeHugger-friendly laptops (we've mentioned others before) with it's latest model, the U5. Built to comply with the European Union's standards to limit the use of toxic substances, the U5 is Asus's first lead- and halogen-free laptop. They got the lead out because it's the wrong kind of heavy metal, and halogens include an icky assortment of chemicals, including chlorine, that are decidedly bad for us TreeHuggers. The laptop itself is well-apportioned, with 512MB RAM, lots of wireless connectivity with built-in Bluetooth and WiFi, one FireWire and three USB ports, and a fast Pentium M, all weighing in at about three pounds. No word on price just yet; more info will be coming later this month, according to the manufacturer.

Apple Unveils Green Ultrathin Laptop

Apple today debuted its new très trim MacBook Air that is not only thin enough to slip inside a manila envelope but was made without many of the environmentally harmful chemical compounds used in older PCs.

Environmental activist organization Greenpeace just months ago criticized Apple for using bromine—whose vapors are toxic when inhaled—in its hugely popular iPhone. But the company now appears to be making good on its earlier promise that all new products would be free from brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a chlorinated plastic, by the end of this year. Apple says the new MacBook Air is made from "brominated flame retardant–free material for the majority of circuit boards as well as PVC-free internal cables."

The three-pound (1.36-kilogram) laptop, which Apple calls "the world's thinnest" and expects to sell starting at $1,799, also has a recyclable aluminum enclosure and Apple's first mercury-free LCD display with arsenic-free glass. MacBook Air measures 0.16 inch (0.41 centimeter) at its slimmest point and 0.76 inch (1.93 centimeters) at its thickest.

Greenpeace is generally satisfied with the message that the new MacBook sends about cutting back on the environmentally unfriendly materials used to build PCs, but the conservation activists believe Apple can do even better. "We can say that Apple is getting greener, but it's still not green enough," says Zeina Alhajj, coordinator of the organization's international e-waste campaign. Although the new laptop contains less PVC and BFRs, "it could have been made without them entirely, and that would have made Apple an ecological leader." Still, she acknowledges, Apple CEO Steve Jobs emphasized the environment during his Macworld keynote today, "and that's a good start."

The company's bid to eliminate or reduce its use of environmentally harmful chemicals is an encouraging sign that they are trying to keep last year's promise. "I think Apple's extremely serious about improving their environmental footprint, but it takes time to find the new materials to replace what they're currently using," says Shannon Cross, an analyst with technology research firm Cross Research based in Livingston, N.J.

Apple says the 13.3-inch (33.8-centimeter) MacBook Air, which begins shipping at the end of the month, consumes the least amount of power of any Mac, and its retail box, made primarily from post-consumer recycled material, is 56 percent smaller by volume than the previously smallest MacBook packaging. Users will be able to get up to five hours of uninterrupted computing time from a fully charged battery. The laptop is available with either a 1.6 gigahertz or 1.8 gigahertz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with four megabytes of L2 cache. Standard features include two gigabytes of memory and an 80-gigabyte, 1.8-inch (4.6-centimeter) hard drive as well as 802.11n Wi-Fi technology and Bluetooth 2.1.

The company today also introduced a number of complementary features, including a compact external storage drive, the ability to wirelessly rent movies from its iTunes store and a wireless file backup called Time Capsule.

Sony’s Green Laptop (Literally)

At the Consumer Electronics Show, Stan Glasgow, the head of Sony Electronics in the United States, alluded to the arrival, in a not-too-distant future, of a laptop capable of rendering three-dimensional video. As it was, though, he settled for four new Vaio notebooks, each with its own personality. Here’s a brief look at each of them:

W series “eco-friendly” Mini. We won’t call it a netbook, though that’s pretty much what it is. The angle is that the green-tinted (we get the hint) plastic enclosure is made of 23 percent recycled CDs (from overstocked Sony artists?), and that the carrying case is made of recycled plastic bottles. The 10-inch screen is LED-lit, and it runs Windows 7 Starter edition.
Z series lightweight. Called an ultra-portable by Sony, the aluminum-encased Z is about three pounds and ships exclusively with solid-state drives, up to a 512-gigabyte model. It starts at $1,900 and can go way up (a Blu-ray player is optional, as are Intel Core i7 and i5 processors ) from there.

F series. The latest entry in the multimedia entertainment portable space, the F has a just-right-for-movies 16.4-inch screen and likes to stay at home on a desk.
Y series. This is the semi-lightweight (four pounds) MacBook fighter that delivers up to seven hours of battery life and incorporates a 13-inch screen. Starts at about $800.
Sony showed off a slew of other new products beyond the new Vaios, including new Cyber-shot digital cameras and camcorders, home theater audio systems, and an intriguing touchscreen Internet viewer for the desk called the Dash.

Mr. Glasgow also said that Sony would now market SD (secure digital) memory cards, even though it has long been pushing its propriety flash storage technology, the Memory Stick. Mr. Glasgow said the decision was prompted by the need to “give consumers a choice.”

Woodern Keyboard & Optical Mouse

If you think about it, as a society, we’ve moved away from more natural materials (wood, clay, fibres) and replaced them with a massive range of plastic-based compounds. However, plastic materials have a nasty impact on the environment, often taking thousands of years to break down. However, a rather novel green gadget by a UK company is a wooden optical mouse and wooden keyboard.

These rather impressive looking wooden eco gadgets are made from 4 year old bamboo, which has been aged to give it strength and an attractive look. Unfortunately, the keys are wood-coloured plastic, rather than wood themselves, but the idea is great. The keyboard and mouse are completely conventional in operation, so you won’t have any compatibility issues with your computer.

Battery-Free USB Wireless Optical Mouse

This USB Wireless Optical Mouse is made by Cables Unlimited allows you to stop using even rechargeable batteries to operate your computer’s mouse.


The Battery-Free USB Wireless Optical Mouse is a plug and play device, meaning its easy for anyone to install. The mouse itself is wireless and is optical providing you with a sensitive response to your movements. It draws its power through the specially designed mouse mat. It is this mat which plugs into your computer’s USB port and draws power through that. The mouse has two buttons and two scroll buttons to help you use your computer smoothly and efficiently.

The mouse itself measures 12 cm x 5.4 cm x 3.7 cm (4.7in x 2.5 in x 1.45 in) which is a pretty standard size. The mouse mat is 22.5cm in diameter (8.86 in). Due to the fact the mouse draws power through the mouse mat though the mouse is wireless it does not offer you the same freedom other wireless mice do, as you are tied down to working on that mat and it has a wire connecting it to the computer. Also it is probable that the mousemat is taking charge from the computer constantly and so is using electricity needlessly for a lot of the time. For these reasons some may feel this product is not eco-friendly, but some may feel it is worth this to cut out the use of batteries and the problems of disposing even rechargeable ones after they are finally worn out.

Citroen Survolt concept

Citroën has revealed an electrifying new model at the Geneva Motor Show - the sensational SURVOLT concept.

A blend of high-fashion, extravagance and more than a hint of motor racing punch, SURVOLT takes the essence of Citroën’s REVOLTE concept - performance, cutting-edge technology and luxury - and adds an assertive sporting dimension into the mix.

A new breed of stylish, sporty and elegant supermini, SURVOLT bucks current trends and points towards the future of sleek coupés - combining elegance, sophisticated style and sporting passion. Clearly ahead of its time, SURVOLT also captivates the imagination with its innovative, environmentally-conscious all-electric drivetrain, which delivers driving pleasure, thrills and performance - all in virtual silence.

With a sleek, compact and low-slung frame - 3.85m long, 1.87m wide & 1.2m high - SURVOLT takes inspiration from sports car styling, then casts convention aside to form an entirely new and revolutionary concept design. SURVOLT’s aerodynamic, flowing lines convey agility, precision and vitality - with a powerful, muscular character contained in its refined and luxurious frame.

Both charming and profound, SURVOLT’s distinctive profile features a voluptuous bonnet and generous, sculpted flanks highlighted by emphatic wheel arches. The front end is characterised by slim, horizontal headlights, a large oval-shaped grille with Citroën’s integrated double chevrons and an eye-catching vehicle badge design. The striking LED clusters also add a contemporary, high-tech flourish. At the rear, SURVOLT inherits the elegant light signature of the REVOLTE concept and gains a new spoiler - an essential reference to motor sport.

An evolution of REVOLTE’s distinctive colour palette, SURVOLT’s two-tone paintwork features shades of fuchsia and charcoal grey. The concept’s elegant curves, shifting from satin-smooth to shiny, are a clear departure from the classically masculine design codes of the sports car world and the use of chrome and aluminium throughout simultaneously references the worlds of luxury and motor racing.

Resembling a piece of fashionable jewellery, SURVOLT’s two-occupant cockpit is designed like a glass setting between the chrome-finished roll bars. The generous glazed area brings a sensation of light and space, which sets SURVOLT apart from many contemporary sports cars with their confined and gloomy cabin environments.

Citroën’s new and radical vision with SURVOLT is entirely consistent with the Company’s 90-years of history as an innovative brand, focused on creativity and technology.

BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid

The new concept car offers a particularly good rendition of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan in all its dynamic, efficient and innovative qualities, at the same time representing the ongoing development of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 and the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 with their drivetrain technology already in production.

The drive system featured in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid consists of a straight-six gasoline engine with TwinPower Turbo technology, eight-speed automatic transmission, and electric drive. Integration of BMW ActiveHybrid technology in a sedan already extremely efficient with its "conventional" combustion engine reduces both fuel consumption and emissions once again by more than 10 per cent. At the same time the electric motor offers a boost function, supporting the gasoline engine in generating particularly dynamic drive power for an even more sporting driving experience in the car.

Intelligent energy management likewise serves to enhance the efficiency of the overall system, its unique functions ensuring appropriate control and management of all energy paths within the car and appropriate interaction of the drivetrain components precisely adjusted to driving conditions.

The drivetrain technology featured in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid allows all-electric, zero-emission motoring in city traffic. At the same time a special hybrid-based Auto Start Stop function offers additional efficiency by consistently switching off the combustion engine when stopping at the traffic lights, a road junction, or in congested traffic. Optimised comfort, finally, is provided by the auxiliary climate control function already featured in the BMW ActiveHybrid 7.

Special development of ActiveHybrid technology as part of BMW EfficientDynamics.

The concept car based on the new BMW 5 Series Sedan for the first time presents the next generation of BMW ActiveHybrid technology, a special solution exclusive to BMW for intelligent interaction of the combustion engine and electric drive focused specifically on the requirements made of a dynamic sedan in the upper midrange segment.

Taking this approach, BMW is consistently continuing the development of hybrid technology according to a modular principle (best of hybrid), thus offering the optimum rendition of BMW ActiveHybrid technology for each concept and vehicle segment.

In accordance with the BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy, this ensures highly effective and practical use of hybrid technology for the reduction of both fuel consumption and emissions.

Also in the BMW Series Sedan segment: the BMW among hybrids combines supreme dynamics with maximum efficiency.

The combustion engine is supported in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid by an electrical drive system developed specifically for this model and arranged in compact dimensions between the straight-six combustion engine and the automatic transmission. Drawing its energy from a high-voltage battery at the back of the car, the electric motor develops maximum output of 40 kW.

An automatic clutch connects the gasoline engine and the electric motors.

Due to the particularly high level of torque generated from the start through the electric motors, the interaction of the two drive systems ensures extremely spontaneous and dynamic acceleration whenever required.

Perfectly integrated, precisely controlled: high-voltage battery supplying power to both the electric motor and the on-board network.

In overrun and when applying the brakes, the electric drive systems acts as a generator developing electric power fed into the high-voltage battery. This converts kinetic energy otherwise wasted as heat in the brake system into electric power saved for subsequent use.

Such energy obtained without any further consumption of fuel may then be used to generate drive power or operate electrical functions in the car.

This principle is the same as that of Brake Energy Regeneration already applied in BMW's current production models, with the level of electrical energy generated by the electric motor being significantly greater and the increase in efficiency correspondingly higher.

The high-voltage battery likewise developed for this specific concept is fitted within a high-strength special case near the rear axle of the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid. This leads to an optimum position in terms of both safety and harmonious weight distribution. An integrated control unit permanently analyses the charge status of the high-voltage battery and controls both the battery charge process by way of Brake Energy Regeneration and the system cooling process. Apart from the electric motor, the high-voltage battery also delivers electric power to the car's on-board network. Among other things, this allows efficient operation of the car's auxiliary climate control activated whenever required by a remote control function to cool down the car's interior significantly even before starting the engine.

Convenient use of the all-electric driving mode and the Auto Start Stop function is likewise guaranteed in this way, with all electrical functions such as the audio system, climate control or navigation remaining fully available even with the combustion engine switched off.

Unique: intelligent energy management with advance analysis of driving conditions.

BMW ActiveHybrid technology provides its unique potential in terms of both efficiency and driving dynamics under all kinds of conditions and throughout a wide load range.

Unlike conventional hybrid cars whose extra efficiency is largely limited to city traffic, both the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 and the BMW ActiveHybrid 7, by combining the combustion engine and the electric motor, are able to offer significantly lower fuel consumption and emission ratings also at higher speeds. This is made possible by technically sophisticated power electronics masterminding the interaction of the combustion engine and electric motor and thus optimising the overall efficiency of the drive system as a whole.

The BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid once again raises the range of functions provided by such power electronics to an even higher standard. As an example, the energy contained in the fuel and provided by the high-voltage battery may now be used even more specifically and efficiently to provide that Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of BMW.

Taking additional factors into account, the interaction of the two drive units in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid is tailored to the driver's requirements and current driving conditions with maximum precision. At the same time the power electronics also control the operation of the car's ancillary units and comfort functions, again in the interest of maximum efficiency.

The range and diversity of parameters taken into account by the system is indeed quite unique in the automobile, just as the number of functions controlled in this way. A high level of all-round networking allows the power electronics to provide intelligent energy management, thus optimising the operating strategy of the entire vehicle under all conditions.

A further unique feature of energy management in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid is the car's ability to adjust its operating strategy not just to current, but also to upcoming driving conditions. To do this the power electronics from the start evaluate data indicating a possible change in exterior conditions or the driver's wishes and prepare the components in the drivetrain as well as the car's electronic system for a possible change in requirements.

To analyse driving conditions up front, the system uses data provided by engine and chassis management as well as the sensors in the driver assistance systems on board the car. Data saved in the navigation system on the route chosen by the driver likewise goes into the final calculation, enabling the system to forecast driving conditions on the route directly ahead. Then, proceeding from this analysis, the car is coordinated in advance and the optimum use of all systems serves to use the energy available with maximum efficiency.

Should the system determine, for example, that the autobahn ahead is about to lead downhill, the charge level of the high-voltage battery is intelligently controlled in advance to regain brake energy upfront with maximum efficiency.

Similarly, the high-voltage battery may be fully charged in good time before the driver reaches his destination, enabling the system to switch off the combustion engine at an early point and change to all-electric drive along the final stretch of road. Indeed, this forward-looking function is able to extend the cruising range on electric power by up to 30%.

The BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid: the future of driving pleasure and efficiency in the upper midrange segment.

Optimised to an even higher standard in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid, the drivetrain and control systems underline the great significance of hybrid technology as a cornerstone of BMW EfficientDynamics. Looking at a new generation of hybrid technology from BMW featured in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid therefore offers particularly attractive perspectives, the ongoing development of BMW ActiveHybrid technology serving to provide substantial progress in all areas leading to a harmonious all-round concept with distinctive features typical of the brand.

The BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid is therefore more dynamic, efficient and more intelligent than conventional representatives of this drive technology, standing out clearly as the BMW among hybrid cars in this segment.