HP Launches Elitebook 2730p and Compaq 2230s

Lets get on to the Compaq 2230s first so we can save the best for the last! The new Compaq laptop weighs just over 4 pounds comes with a 12.1 inch widescreen display. It has all the basic features like Wi-Fi, a suitable gfx card for running vista in all its glory and a 3D Driveguard for shockproof harddrives. This one costs about Rs. 44000 just about a thousand dollars. The HP Elitebook 2730p is a ultra thin tablet PC which runs on the new Intel Core 2 Duo ultra low voltage processor. It comes with a 2 megapixel camera for video conferencing, a Nightlight to lit up your keyboard in the dard and a shock resistant HDD just like the Compaq we mentioned earlier. This one is going to cost you more, close to USD 1700 , so about Rs.74,000 when it comes to India. The HP Tablet definitely gets a thumbs up from our team!

Opera Mini 4.2 beta now surfing Google Android

Opera Mini 4.2 beta, a test version released for Java phones just two weeks ago, on Monday became the first third-party browser available for Google Android. Opera Mini for Android, which was previewed in April, includes most of the familiar Mini 4.2 features: zooming, saving, bookmarking, and searching for in-line text has stayed intact, as has syncing via Opera Link and swapping skins. We couldn't make the video playback workaround that debuted on other Java phones work in this build, though T-Mobile's USA's G1 phone does support video playback (see our review on TuneWiki.) We hear that Opera will address this issue when the mobile browser comes out of beta. What's distinctive and commendable of the Android-optimized build: fast speeds over T-Mobile's 3G network, a very crisp display, and quality that approaches the iPhone when it comes to viewing a zoomed-out Web page, thanks to both screen size and image clarity. The G1's two menu keys also enhance the experience, making Opera Mini's controls easy to access and navigate. Google Android was low-hanging fruit for Opera. It would have been better, of course, if the browser had been available when the G1 began selling, but of all third-party developers, Opera still managed to bring its free browser first to Android's market--and a very able version at that. We're hoping that Opera will port its more robust Mobile version to Android next, and as always, that Opera will release a version that lets users type directly into a text field without pulling up an intermediary screen.

New iPod Touch faster than iPhone 3G

Apple appears to have upped the processing speed of the iPod Touch in order to help it go after the portable-game market. Touch Arcade reports that the applications processor inside the second-generation iPod Touch unveiled in September is actually running faster than the processor inside the iPhone 3G, which runs at the same speed that the original iPhone and iPod Touch used. The new iPod Touch's ARM-based processor is running at 532MHz, while the iPhone 3G's processor runs at 412MHz. A game developer interviewed by Touch Arcade noticed a huge difference in 3D-rendering speed as a result of the speed bump. As we remember fondly from our "megahertz madness" days of the Intel-AMD competition in the PC, processor speed is not the only measure of performance, but it is an important one. With the arrival of the App Store, Apple has been marketing the latest iPod Touch as a gaming device in its latest round of commercials, almost completely ignoring the fact that it's a music and video player as well. It seems that Apple has room to boost the clock speed of the processor to 620MHz, according to ARM's specifications, but that requires striking a balance between performance and battery life.

NASA preparing mission to study of Jupiter

Fans of the planet Jupiter have something new to get excited about. On Monday, NASA announced that it is planning to launch a mission, titled Juno, to conduct a large-scale survey of our solar system's biggest planet.

According to NASA, the new mission will involve an unmanned spacecraft that is planned for an August 2011 launch onboard an Atlas rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla. It is expected that the rocket will reach its destination, orbit around Jupiter, in 2016. Once there, the plan is for the spacecraft to orbit Jupiter 32 times over the course of a year at a distance of around 3,000 miles above the planet's cloud tops. NASA said this would be the first solar-powered spacecraft expected to be able to perform its duties so far from the sun. Jupiter is more than four times farther away from the sun as Earth, a total of around 400 million miles. The spacecraft would feature an advanced camera as well as a series of scientific instruments designed to inspect Jupiter's surface. Among the things NASA hopes the mission will discover or explore are the existence of an ice-rock core, the planet's strong magnetic field, and its aurora borealis. NASA did not say how much the Juno mission is expected to cost, nor whether the project is already fully funded, and a call for comment wasn't immediately returned

Google cutting contractor workforce

Google is in the process of paring back a contractor workforce that numbers about 10,000, the company confirmed Monday. The news, though, isn't as fresh as it might appear at first blush. The contractor cut story made the rounds Monday after publication of a Silicon Valley WebGuild story with the alarming headline of "Google Layoffs - 10,000 Workers Affected." The 10,000 number and Google's efforts to reduce it, though, emerged in October in a San Jose Mercury News story, and it's not clear exactly how many will lose a job. In that article, Google co-founder Sergey Brin revealed the 10,000 number and said, "It's really high." According to the story, "He said Google began looking at the number six months ago and has a plan to significantly reduce that number through vendor management, converting some contractors to regular employees, and other approaches." Google spokeswoman Jane Penner didn't share too many details Monday, such as how many contractors are affected, whether contracts are being canceled or just not renewed, how many contractors Google will hire, and over what time frame the changes will take place. "We have 10,000, and we have had a plan in place for awhile to significantly reduce that number," she said. "This is something we've been thinking about for awhile--six or seven months. It predates the most acute phase of the (present economic) crisis." Google has been slowing hiring and reportedly had 20,123 of its own employees at the end of September. The company has been working to increase revenue from YouTube and other properties, and has shut down projects such as the Lively virtual world and SearchMash experimental search site, which "has gone the way of the dinosaur" according to the page. Layoffs are of course spreading across the world, including at direct Google competitors such as Yahoo, but Google gets more attention than most. For one thing, Google is a high-profile company with lavish benefits such as "20 percent time" in which engineers can work on projects of their own choosing. For another, the company has been relatively bullish about the extent to which its primary source of revenue, search advertising, is recession-proof.

Senator probes privacy law after Obama phone record breach

In light of the recent breach of President-elect Barack Obama's cell phone records, a senator on Monday sent a letter (PDF) to the Justice Department asking how many investigations or prosecutions the department has undertaken for violations of the Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) sent the letter to Matthew Friedrich, acting assistant attorney general, noting that "data privacy breaches involving the sensitive phone records of ordinary Americans are occurring with greater frequency." The Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act, which Leahy sponsored and Congress passed in 2007, prohibits telecommunications carriers from obtaining confidential phone records by accessing customer accounts through the Internet without permission. Along with information about prosecutions and investigations, the letter asks whether the department has found the law effective in protecting Americans' privacy. Obama's cell phone records were improperly accessed earlier this month by Verizon Wireless employees who were subsequently fired.

McCartney: Talks to get Beatles on iTunes stalled

Talks to make The Beatles' catalog available on Apple's iTunes have "stalled," according to Paul McCartney. Apparently the impasse is between the band's representatives and record label EMI, McCartney told the Associated Press in London on Monday. EMI, the smallest of the four top recording companies can't close a deal with iTunes or any new music formats without the authorization of the Beatles: McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the estates of the late George Harrison and John Lennon. McCartney made the comments at an event to kickoff his new album, Electric Arguments, the AP reported. "The last word I got back was it's stalled at the whole moment, the whole process," McCartney said. "I really hope it will happen because I think it should." Apple Corps has long declined to allow Beatles music to be offered over the Web and things looked bleakest after Apple Corps sued Apple over a trademark dispute. The case was resolved last year. An EMI representative told CNET News late Monday that it hopes to have an agreement soon. "We have been working very hard to secure an agreement with Apple Corps to make The Beatles' legendary recording catalog available to fans in digital form," An EMI spokesperson. "Unfortunately the various parties involved have so far been unable to reach agreement, but we really hope that everyone can make progress soon."

Consumer Turnoffs: Ugly Tech, Garish Gadgets

Fed up with ugly routers and clunky hard drives, a growing number of consumers are looking for well-designed gadgets that complement decor instead of cluttering desktops and clashing with furniture. Many credit Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone, with its strikingly simple forms, for raising the bar on expectations for good design in consumer electronics. And while art and design professionals say that gadgets like mobile phones and personal computers are becoming increasingly well-designed, they also say many electronic products still need to work on their appearance. "Routers are awful; they're ugly," said Kai-wei Hsu, a 31-year-old furniture designer. "With a lot of things, you don't always get to choose."

Ugly Outside, Ugly Inside? Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) is trying to alter that reputation with the Linksys Ultra Range Plus Wireless-N Broadband Router, a slick black design -- although it doesn't quite look like it's headed for the Museum of Modern Art's store just yet. Most design and art professionals agree that looks shouldn't come at the expense of functionality and that the best designs are those that make the object easier or more fun to use. Christopher Benton, an art buyer in New York, said that thoughtless design suggests poor performance . "If something's clunky, doesn't have fluid lines, then I think it's probably the same inside as well," he said. Many agree the iPhone is a prime example of good design in consumer electronics. "It's really good technology, and has everything in it. It doesn't look like a gadget so much. It's something that's elegant and part fashion," said John Kudos, a 29 year-old graphic designer. Kudos says he has noticed that computers and television sets have become sleeker over the years, and he's happy with the compact look of his external hard drive, My Book by Western Digital. "It's like a book sitting on the desk, and it blends in with the bookcase. That's nice: technology that disappears," he said. Simplicity and Elegance Simplicity is also a theme for another design-centric storage manufacturer, Fabrik, although it prefers an organic feel to angular designs; and its bamboo-paneled hard-drive called "[re]drive" emphasizes natural and recyclable materials. Fabrik has also teamed up with Pininfarina, the Turin, Italy, company known for its work on Ferrari and Maserati auto designs, to make a line of small and colorful hard drives. "We want to be edgy; we want to be smart in what we're producing," said Stacey Lund, vice president of marketing at Fabrik. 'Transformative Impact' The ultimate in good design, many say, is something that addresses a need and changes people's perceptions. The Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum recently awarded its annual "People's Design Award" to Zon, a hearing aid developed by industrial design studio Stuart Karten Design. Zon looks more like jewelry than a medical device -- one which many are reluctant to use because of concerns about stigma and appearance.

iPods, iPhones and the Enterprise Data Clampdown

It's a safe bet that most enterprise employees don't haul their personal laptops into the workplace. However, with the ever-increasing capabilities of iPods and iPhones these days, are workers introducing new issues for IT security? The Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPod touch now comes with a whopping 32 GB of storage space and built-in WiFi capable of attaching to nearly ubiquitous corporate wireless networks. The iPhone doesn't currently have as much storage space, but it too has WiFi. While most organizations should be running relatively secure wireless networks, is there still a security risk? More importantly, what are the best policies and strategies? Is there a simple answer policy for a corporate IT department to implement in regard to iPods? There appear to be three options: No iPods anywhere in this office, no exceptions. Those things are the devil! Bring 'em on. iPhones, iPods and other personal media players pose no real risk. Sync them to your desktop, surf the Web on our network, whatever. Just remember to get your work done, too. The best policy lies somewhere in between ...

Try Option 3 "There isn't a technology in the world that doesn't present some sort of additional risk," Rich Mogull, an independent security consultant and publisher of Securosis.com, told MacNewsWorld. "Right now, the risk of a network-connected iPod or iPhone is fairly minimal since it isn't really set up to allow downloading of large amounts of data locally. In fact, many organizations are even allowing remote access to internal Web-based applications over these devices," he said. However, Mogull's general advice is to only allow managed devices on the network. Ah, but What About Hacked iPods? If employees have truly nefarious intent, it may be difficult to stop them from finding a way to steal corporate or customer data. A modified iPod or iPhone, it turns out, could be leveraged to inflict considerable pain and suffering. "A WiFi-enabled iPod or iPhone is in every way equal to a notebook computer from a security standpoint. It can attach to the LAN (local access network), open file shares, remotely control computers using screen-sharing utilities, download gigabytes of data to take offsite, and once jail-broken, it can run a bash shell and virtually any hacker program in existence, including network scanners, cracking tools, and packet sniffers," Mel Beckman, a California-based system administrator and security expert, told MacNewsWorld. Notebook computers, however, are used in the enterprise all the time, and increasingly with wireless networks. If modern iPods are essentially equal to notebooks in the need for security, how might they be any more problematic than a notebook? "Alas, the iPod lacks several critical security features that are common to laptops like full-disk encryption -- especially hardware-based encryption using the Trusted Platform Module, which most business notebooks have today -- anti-virus and anti-phishing protection, and network access control (NAC) components that are becoming the enterprise standard for tapping into the corporate LAN," Beckman explained. "The most sensible workaround I've seen is setting up a separate 'guest' WiFi network for iPods that sequesters iPods from the rest of the LAN. Of course, this limits the iPod's utility as an IT tool, but until the iPod has enterprise-class security features, I don't see how any organization can justify adhoc iPod access," he added. It's More of a Storage Device Issue While a WiFi-enabled iPod or iPhone might present issues to networks that aren't locked down, the bigger issue, Mogull says, comes from storage devices in general. A USB thumb drive can be just as problematic as an iPod. "There is likely less risk of an iPhone -- because of the lack of local file management -- on the wireless LAN than connected to a laptop or a desktop where you can store larger amounts of data," Mogull said. "My recommendation is to allow these devices to be used, unless you are in a high-risk, high-security industry, and to use Data Loss Prevention/Content Monitoring and Protection (DLP/CMP) to restrict what content can go onto 'any' portable storage device," he added. Data Loss Prevention DLP is also sometimes referred to as "Data Leak Prevention," and it's a set of policies and software/hardware solutions that run on end-user workstations or servers in enterprises that can identify and prevent data from being copied to external devices like iPods or thumb drives. Rob Ayoub, industry manager of network security technologies for Frost & Sullivan, told MacNewsWorld that he's been seeing more companies take a closer look at determining which documents and materials their employees could walk away with. "The higher security industries that have traditionally cared most about security have been the first to move in this area, and it's going to take time for the proper safeguards to be put in place in the rest of the world," Ayoub said, noting that most small and medium-sized businesses have yet to seriously address the issues with effective policies or safeguards.

One More Reason for Linux Lovers to Give Thanks

Thanksgiving may still be around the corner, but already Linux users have something to be thankful for. Yes, Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) apparently saw the writing on the wall at last, and last week released a 64-bit version of Flash for Linux. The righteous have been rewarded! The news made no small splash on the Linux blogs, as one might expect, with geeks far and wide praising the new technology. 'Bonus Brownie Points for Adobe' CNet's story in anticipation of the release garnered almost 800 Diggs and over 100 Digg comments; then Steven Vaughan-Nichols posted a positive review of the software on a Computerworld blog, and nearly 900 enthusiastic Diggs followed. "Been using the new 64-bit Flash alpha on Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex for a couple days now," wrote triplec110h in the Digg comments. "It's been rock solid for me, whereas my previous Flash forced me to have to restart Firefox all the frickin time. This is extra special bonus brownie points for Adobe from me." Along similar lines: "I love it, finally all my Flash issues SOLVED it rocks!!" added lopla. Indeed, once the geeks started expressing their enthusiasm, there appeared to be no end to the gushing of love. 'I (Heart) Adobe!' "Dear Adobe," began tushyd. "Everyone loves you now! That was a good idea to release a 64-bit Flash for Linux first, it'll keep the company's image much higher in users' minds." Even more succinctly, "I (heart) Adobe!" proclaimed pHr34kY. The same sentiments proved to be prevalent outside the blogosphere as well. "Finally, 64-bit Flash -- I guess this means I have to stop trash-talking Flash now," Montreal consultant and Slashdot blogger Gerhard Mack told LinuxInsider. "64-bit Flash is much faster, and even as 'alpha' is more stable than 32-bit Flash with nspluginwrapper. For the first time my dual core notebook can play full-screen Flash movies. Thanks, Adobe." Adobe probably released the software for Linux first "because Linux users are the most likely to be 64-bit in the first place," Mack added. "Linux users traditionally want to get every last drop of performance from their systems." 'Near to My Heart' Indeed, "64-bit Flash for GNU/Linux is near to my heart," blogger Robert Pogson told LinuxInsider. "My favorite use of GNU/Linux as a desktop OS is as a terminal server." Thirty-two-bit servers "are wimps," Pogson added. "A 64-bit server can run more sessions and move more data by a large margin." A GNU/Linux terminal server is "the best use for these newer quad/multi-socket 64-bit monsters with huge RAM and fancy RAID," he said. "Until this year, doing that with 32-bit OpenOffice.org and 32-bit Opera and 32-bit Flash was painful. Now we can do almost everything in the 64-bit way, even Flash." Forgotten No More Pogson doesn't "really love Flash," he added. "But it has made its mark on the Web and I can use 64-bit Flash on terminal servers. Fortunately, most Flash presentations are just part-screen and not too fast because full-screen video is not the best on thin clients, but it will do." Even the least enthusiastic responses were pretty upbeat, even if not exactly gushing. "Perhaps one day I'll have a 64-bit computer and therefore care," Slashdot editor Timothy Lord told LinuxInsider. "All I can say, and tepidly, is that I'm glad that Linux hasn't been left too long in the cold on that front." 'Stop Pirating Adobe' Generating even more discussion on Digg last week, on the other hand -- and not all of it entirely supportive -- was a post from back in October by Julian Saraceni on his Ainotenshi blog, titled "Stop Pirating Adobe Software, Use Free Software Instead." Saraceni advocates GIMP, in particular -- a suggestion that drew more than 50 comments on his site along with 500 Digg comments and more than 1,100 Diggs. "GIMP sucks for one simple reason: It's not Photoshop!" countered diemunkiesdie. "Also, I can guarantee that 98 percent of those people who pirate Photoshop have no idea what GIMP is. They have never heard of GIMP, but Photoshop is synonymous with photo editing so even people who only use computers to check their e-mail know what Photoshop is (even if they don't go and pirate it)."

Google's New SearchWiki Tool Lets Users Give Their Two Bits

Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) has released a new search editing tool that gives users more control over their results. SearchWiki enables users to customize their searches by re-ranking, deleting, adding and even commenting on their search results. Users will also be able to see how others have edited their searches; however, the edits will only apply to their personal searches. "It will enable the end-user by contributing to the Wiki and the community aggregation to give Google more input on how the relevancy of search engine results," Gene Alavarez, a Gartner (NYSE: IT) Research analyst, told TechNewsWorld. Alvarez likens the new tool to those ubiquitous product reviews and the "report this reviewer" feedback option. "Now in the wiki environment, if I take my search results and start to play around with it, they get to take a look at how the aggregate has done that. And I'm sure over time they will be able to garner patterns from that which will help strengthen the relevancy ranking of all of the search results returned," he said.

Bookmark management comes to Google Chrome

Google has released a new developer-oriented version of Chrome that brings better bookmark management to the Web browser. People could import bookmarks to the earlier versions of the browser, but version 0.4.154.18 adds the a bookmark manager. "You can search bookmarks, create folders, and drag and drop bookmarks to new locations," said Chrome Program Manager Mark Larson in an e-mail announcement It's a developer release, so only those who've subscribed to the Chrome developer channel will get the new version. Another change comes to the browser's pop-up blocker. Previously, it "just minimized pop-up windows to the lower-right corner of the browser window," with a window for each pop-up. Now there's a notification number and a menu to open a specific pop-up window if desired. A "moderate" security issue also is fixed in which "downloaded HTML files (could) read other files on your computer and send them to sites on the Internet," Google said.

Spam declines after hosting company shut-down

Internet hosting site McColo disappeared on Tuesday. Along with it went thousands of pieces of spam, thanks, in part, to investigative work by Washington Post reporter Brian Krebs. For about four months, security experts have been collecting data about McColo Corp., a San Jose, Calif.-based Web hosting service that may have been used by by the cyber underground, according to the The Washington Post. Krebs said that the McColo hosting company had been responsible for up to 75 percent of all spam spent. Security vendor MXLogic said it was seeing about a 50 percent decline in spam volume as a result on Wednesday. Jose Nazario of Arbor Networks, a company that monitors botnet activity, speculated that McColo vanished at around 9 a.m. Eastern time on November 10. Botnets are frequently used to relay spam, and McColo may have hosted some of the command and control servers necessary to coordinate spam campaigns. Adam O'Donnell, writing on theZDNet Zero Day blog, speculates that the spammers might regroup in Eastern Europe. The Post credits Benny Ng, director of marketing for Hurricane Electric, an upstream provider for McColo, for pulling the plug on the company. Another provider, Global Crossing, declined to comment, telling Krebs the company "communicates and cooperates fully with law enforcement, their peers, and security researchers to address malicious activity."

Google shares close at $291, Yahoo just above $10

In a bad day for publicly traded tech companies, Google's stock shares closed at $291 on Wednesday, marking the first time since 2005 that the Mountain View, Calif., dot-com's stock price has slipped below the $300 mark. The $291 is a 6.57 percent drop for the stock. A parade of negative reports and estimates about ad spending in 2009 have led Wall Street analysts to cut their earnings estimates for Google, which can credit its explosive market valuation to its pioneering search-advertising technology. Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney characterized expectations for the fourth quarter of 2008 as "the weakest they have ever experienced," trimming his estimates for Google's earnings by 3 percent. Also weighing on Google is the report that cell phone giant Verizon may be close to ditching Google as its default mobile-search provider in favor of Microsoft. It was just more than a year ago, on November 1, 2007, that Google's stock price climbed above $700 for the first time, reaching a high of $741 later that month and leading some analysts and bloggers to speculate that it could hit $1,000 in due time. But by mid-January, the once-unsinkable stock had fallen below $600 and has not yet recovered. Meanwhile, fellow Valley stalwart Yahoo is in danger of seeing its stock price dip below $10 for the first time since 2003, when the industry was still recovering from the aftermath of the tech bubble pop. Yahoo's stock closed at $10.34, with a low point of $10.02. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings recently revealed that the company has a $73 million bill resulting from failed negotiations with Microsoft over its acquisition bid, corporate raider Carl Icahn over his board takeover, and Google over a proposed search-ad deal. The Google-Yahoo search deal dissolved at Google's behest, when antitrust regulators threatened legal action, and the company said "pressing ahead risked not only a protracted legal battle but also damage to relationships, with valued partners." A jilted Yahoo publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the decision. Microsoft had offered to buy Yahoo in a deal that ultimately would have valued the company at $33 per share. Yahoo rebuffed the offer, and, according to some, it may very well regret doing so now.

Transcend 128 GB 2.5″ SSD Enters the Indian Market

Transcend has rolled out its latest 128 GB high speed 2.5-inch Solid State Disk (SSD) in the Indian market. The MLC-supported disk offers a powerful new controller, virtually non-existent (0.2ms) latency and promises to provide outstanding sustained reading speed of up to 145 Mbps and writing speed of 92Mbps, irrespective of file size. Austin Huang, Regional Head - Sales, SAARC & APAC, Transcend, said, “With the ever-increasing popularity of compact notebooks and high-end portable devices, the demand for solid-state disks (SSD) is greater than ever. Transcend is poised at the forefront of this new solid-state revolution, offering a new all-new high-speed range of SSD products with a fresh new look and phenomenal read/write speeds.” The RoHS-compliant SSD ensures faster and smooth access to software applications and games. It is based on the industry-standard SATA-II interface and 2.5″ form factor that helps in easy and straightforward user installation for notebooks and conventional PCs. Supporting reliable NAND flash memory, the SSD contains no moving parts, resulting in no mechanical failure due to vibration, shock and heat. The built-in ECC (Error Correction Code) functionality and wear-leveling algorithm ensures highly reliable transfer and durability of data. The Transcend 2.5″ Solid State Disk is available in both SATA-II and IDE versions. Transcend offers a variety of storage capacities, ranging from 8 GB to 128 GB. Backed by a two-year warranty, the Transcend 128 GB 2.5” SSD has hit the Indian shores for Rs. 20,000 through Supertron Electronics and Mediaman Infotech.

Logitech diNovo Keyboard Mac Edition Announced

Logitech unveils its latest addition to the diNovo keyboards, a Logitech diNovo Keyboard Mac Edition. Apart from Logitech’s PerfectStroke key system, this cordless Keyboard also offers a 3-year battery life and an integrated number pad. “With the recently released diNovo Edge, Mac Edition, and now this diNovo Keyboard, Mac Edition, Logitech is giving people more options when it comes to choosing a keyboard that perfectly complements the Mac design,” said Denis Pavillard, vice president of product marketing for Logitech’s keyboards and desktops. “While the diNovo Edge keyboard is rechargeable and includes a TouchDisc and touch-sensitive volume control, our newest diNovo keyboard has a full-size layout and nineteen shortcut keys that provide quick access to Safari, iTunes , Expose , iChat and much more.” The diNovo Keyboard Mac Edition adorns the classic diNovo design. It is .87 inches sleek with high-gloss, semi-translucent Plexiglas frame, sharp angles and built-in brushed-aluminum palm. It equips 2.4 GHz wireless technology. This diNovo keyboard allows one-touch access to Mail, Safari, iTunes, Exposé, Cover Flow, Dashboard, QuickLook and Spaces while the media controls are further simplified with play, pause, mute and volume buttons. (Some features require the Logitech Control Center software installation). It is compatible all Mac computers including MacBook Air, iMac, MacBook or MacBook Pro. The Logitech diNovo Keyboard, Mac Edition is expected to hit the US and Europe markets for a suggested retail price of $99.99 (approx Rs. 4,814).

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Sony PSP 3000 Launched in India

At the recent PlayStation Expo held at Mumbai, Atindriya Bose, country manager, Sony Computer Entertainment, announced PlayStation Portable 3000 for Indian Market just one month after it was announced in Japan. Also plans to introduced 80GB PlayStation 3 console were shared. The Sony PSP has been in news recently for its bright and antiglare screen but same battery life as of PSP Slim and Lite (PSP 2000). Gaming community also refers PSP 3000 as PSP Brite due to its crisper screen. Priced at Rs. 9470, the gaming device features new PSP button replacing the HOME key and in-built microphone for Skype support. The handheld comes without any games and features TV-out but the cables aren't bundled.

Gmail Chat With Voice And Video Support

Google has added voice and video support to the Gmail chat application within the browser. Previously, only voice support was available through the GTalk application-the standalone GTalk client. With this addition, Google has finally provided a much needed feature. The two functions can be added by installing a plug-in. To install the plug-in, select any contact and then click on the "Video & More" option. After installation, you can initiate voice or video chat by clicking on the "Video & More" link. Your friend at the other end will receive a ring, with an option to accept or deny the chat request. The remaining functions are similar to that existing in the earlier Gmail chat application. You have the option to open the chat in a separate window as well as increase or decrease its size. Justin Uberti, a Google software engineer, in Blog Post says, "The video function was designed via open standards, which means that third-party applications and networks can choose to interoperate with Gmail voice and video chat. The offering was developed by Google teams in the U.S. and Sweden, so collaborating across continents and time zones is a fact of life for us, and it sure is easier (and greener) to click 'Start Video Chat' than to get on a plane!" Voice and video chat is available on Macs running Mac OS X v10.4 or later versions and PCs running Windows XP or later versions.

iPhone Firmware 2.2: On November 21?

It's rumor time again. A Greek site has reported, on the basis of information from 'reliable sources,' that iPhone's much awaited firmware v2.2 will be out sooner than expected. According to them, the destined date is November 21. Although the list of updates is still unconfirmed, a few notable additions expected are over-the-air podcast downloads, Google Street View, revamped App Store, and the ability to turn off the auto-correction feature.

Apple Plans To Use Carbon Fiber In MacBook Air?

When Apple came out with MacBook Air, they claimed that it was the thinnest and lightest notebook. The new MacBook Air has a unibody enclosure made from a single aluminum block, which is similar to those of the new MacBook and MacBook Pro. However, the company is planning to reduce MacBook Air's weight to less than three pounds. AppleInsider reported that Apple may adopt carbon fiber to produce MacBook Air's enclosure. Carbon fiber is extremely lightweight. Microscopic crystals are aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber to form strong composites. Aerospace, sports, and racing car sectors use carbon fiber to build the outer body and other components of products. Only the bottom cover and the top cover (with the Apple logo) of MacBook Air might be built with carbon fiber. A pre-production unit made with carbon fiber, in native black, was said to resemble Air's current bottom cover. The dissection experts at iFixit have given out the weights of different components. The unibody chassis weighs 260 grams, while the combined weight of the top and bottom cover is 363 grams (211 grams + 152 grams), and the heaviest component is the battery, weighing 287 grams. You can check out the weight of various components in the image. Kyle Wiens, iFixit chief executive, said, "The current machines feel extremely solid. Apple wouldn't want to sacrifice that at all, hence the willingness to spend more on carbon fiber." Since the newly introduced MacBooks are solid and sturdy, it's unlikely that Apple might move to carbon fiber in the near future. HP's VooDoo PC also plans to roll out lighter and thinner notebooks. Technology innovates at a rapid pace. Adoption of carbon fiber might be Apple's plan in the long run.

DoT Fixes License Fee For Indian 3G Operators

The Telecom Commission has recommended the imposition of a license fee of three percent of the average gross revenue on mobile operators who will provide standalone 3G mobile services in the future. Current 2.5G operators like Airtel and Vodafone will have to pay one percent over and above their present fee when they start offering 3G services. Apart from this, the commission has also recommended an increase of one percent for slabs up to 8 Mhz and two percent for slabs above 8 Mhz. The decision on imposing a one-time spectrum enhancement fee on the 6.2 Mhz slab has been deferred. The new announcement also sees the introduction of a three-year lock-in period on stake sales and the issuing of a special dividend during the three years.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Gets Cloned

Even though the world awaits Nokia's first touchscreen phone the 5800 XpressMusic Chinese have already come up with a clone. The phone dubbed as Li 5800, looks very much like the Nokia 5800 but surely falls behind in features. Unlike the Nokia 5800's 3.2-inch touchscreen, the Chinese handset has a 3-inch screen with 240 x 400 pixels resolution. On features front, the Li 5800 comes with a camera, video playback support, FM radio, video recorder, 256MB internal memory and support for TF memory cards of up to 2GB. There is no word on the pricing and also even if it will be available anywhere else in the world besides China! So, let's wait and lay our hands on the original which has been competitively priced by Nokia.

Contact with extraterrestrial life by 2025?

If you're one of the many people who doubt there's intelligent life anywhere else in the universe, or even someone who thinks there is but that it will take centuries to find it, get ready to be surprised. "We'll find E.T. within two dozen years," senior SETI astronomer Seth Shostak said Tuesday night at an event held at Yahoo's Brickhouse here. That is, he said, if the assumptions of many researchers within the SETI Institute are correct, assumptions that are based on a collision of computing power under Moore's Law and the distance into space we can look with new instruments that will be available to researchers in the years to come. Shostak's talk was largely theoretical and was a quick recap of the history of the SETI project. He explained that it had originally been a NASA project, but that it had been canceled in the 1990s by a Nevada senator unhappy with its lack of success. Now a private nonprofit based in Mountain View, Calif., SETI is the primary organization looking for intelligent life in outer space. And Shostak estimated that if the assumptions about computing power and the strength of forthcoming research instruments are correct, we should be able to search as far out as 500 light years into space by 2025, a distance he predicted would be enough--based on scientist Frank Drake's estimate of there being 10,000 civilizations in our galaxy alone capable of creating radio transmitters--to find evidence of life intelligent enough to broadcast its existence. The main tool for this research, he added, could be the Allen Telescope Array, a project funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and run by the UC Berkeley radio astronomy lab (RAL) and SETI. The array, made from dozens of small antennas, could become strong enough by 2025, Shostek said, to look deep enough into space to achieve what mankind has been attempting almost as long as we've been curious enough to look into the sky.

Google now tracking flu trends via search

Google on Tuesday unveiled a new site to track the progress of the common cold. Using the same keyword tracking technology found on Google Trends, it keeps an eye on people searching for queries involving the word "flu" and tracks them both by date and location. What makes the technology so fascinating is that its data set goes back to 2003, and has been cross-referenced with the last several years of survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Google says that because its own system is based on a constant flow of searches as opposed to surveying techniques it's able to provide results one to two weeks faster than the CDC. The same trending technique could be used in tandem with other organizations to track contagious viruses or threats besides the common cold, including AIDS, bird flu, and Africanized honey bees. One limitation of the current system is that it does not track worldwide flu traffic. There is, however, quite a bit to discover from data from years prior--especially when you get several years that stack up on top of each other with similar rises and falls during certain parts of the year. According to Google's chart, we're about three weeks from hitting the heavy season, which goes until early January.

Windows 7: A better Vista?

Microsoft on Tuesday offered up far more details on Windows 7, successor to the company's oft-maligned Windows Vista. In particular, Microsoft is focused on improving the time it takes for Windows to start up and shut down. In addition to its own work, Microsoft has been working directly with computer makers to address all of the factors that affect system performance. As far as other features, Windows 7 features support for multitouch input and a new taskbar that makes it easier to manage multiple open Windows. "The focus is on making sure the things you do (today) are easier and that the things you always wanted to do are possible," Corporate Vice President Mike Nash said in an interview Monday. "There's a lot of work we've done to just make things easier and faster. The early, prebeta version being handed out to developers at the Professional Developer Conference here has all of the programming interfaces that will be in the final version but only some of the planned features. Several enthusiasts who have been checking out the new code for the past couple of days praised the stability of the release, particularly for an operating system, at this early stage. With Windows 7, Microsoft has changed the way it approaches building early releases. In the past, Microsoft included features at various stages of development. With Windows 7, features are included in the main Windows build, only after they are fully baked. Microsoft is clearly looking to leave a far different first impression than it did with Windows Vista, which made major changes under the hood and led to considerable incompatibilities. With Windows 7, Microsoft is not introducing any major changes to the Windows kernel and is keeping much of the other plumbing substantially similar to that of Vista. The software maker has also tried to reduce some of Vista's other annoyances, such as the frequently criticized User Account Control feature, which some complained led to too many annoying dialog boxes. With Windows 7, users will be able to choose for themselves how often the system warns them of changes being made to their computer. The next external release of Windows 7, a feature-complete public beta, is slated for early next year. Nash wouldn't say whether the company plans more than one beta version before its final release. "We'll see how the first one goes," he said. The company has said it will have the release out within three years of Vista's January 2007 mainstream release, however, CEO Steve Ballmer has said he wants Windows 7 out next year.

Windows Server 2008 R2

After two weeks of focus on the desktop version of Windows 7, it's server counterpart finally got a day in the sun. Vice President Bill Laing began on Thursday pointed out the obvious difference between the products that would use the server software, as compared to Netbooks and other PCs built on Windows 7. "We actually use forklift devices to bring our toys," he said, pointing to several refrigerator-size servers that were on stage with him. Laing traced the company's progress in developing its various server operating systems, which now span from its Windows Home Server product to the data center and high-performance computing versions of Windows Server 2008. Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 is now in technical beta, he said. Next week, the company plans to launch the small and midsize business versions of its server products--Windows Small Business Server 2008 (formerly code-named Cougar) and Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (formerly code-named Centro). But the main focus was on the server version of Windows 7, known as Windows Server 2008 R2. It's noteworthy because, on the server side, Microsoft is characterizing Windows 7 as a minor release, while the desktop Windows 7 is being called a major release--albeit one with fewer low-level changes than came with Vista. As for Windows Server 2008 R2, Laing confirmed its statement that it will be 64-bit only. Other features include support for more processors--256 compared to 64 in Windows Server 2008--as well as live migration and the next version of its PowerShell scripting language. Live migration was a feature originally planned for the first release of Windows Server 2008, but the plan was scrapped as Microsoft aimed to get the product out the door. WinHEC attendees received a prebeta version of the new server operating system alongside their copy of desktop Windows 7. Microsoft said on its server blog that the prebeta is available only to those at WinHEC or the TechEd EMEA conference, while everyone else will have to wait until the beta is released early next year.

New features of Windows 7

Seven things you may not know about Windows 7 While Windows 7 has gotten plenty of attention over the past two weeks, there are some features in there that haven't gotten as much attention. I wrote on Friday about a new programming interface for location-based services. Here are seven more features that caught my eye. 1. Standard approach to mobile broadband Windows 7 treats cellular modems as a standard connection, much like a Wi-Fi network, popping them up in the same available wireless networks dialog. Sierra Wireless has already said it will support the new approach, which should make life much easier for road warriors (myself included). One of my few gripes about the prebeta Windows 7 laptop I'm using is that it doesn't recognize my relatively new USB Sprint modem. 2. Help with public Wi-Fi spots. This was a little feature I discovered on my own. With many public Wi-Fi hot spots, once you connect to the network, you have to do something in your browser, such as agree to certain terms or enter a password. Windows 7 pops up a notification that tells you that, although you have to be connected to the network, more action may be needed and it gives you a direct link to open your browser 3. Windows Troubleshooting Sure, it would be better if your computer worked problem-free. But, acknowledging that's not the case, Microsoft has added a central place in Windows 7 to try to figure out what went wrong and why. Among the kinds of problems that Windows Troubleshooting aims to help solve are issues with networked printers, detecting hard drive problems, and even some proactive things, like figuring out how much life a laptop battery has before it will likely need to be replaced with a new battery. 4. New sensor support Windows 7 adds base-level support for all kinds of sensors, from GPS, to ambient light sensors, to accelerometers. Light sensors, for example, can now be used not only to light up a keyboard, but an application could sense daylight and make type larger so that it's easier to read. At WinHEC, Microsoft handed out 700 free sensor developer kits that included a light sensor, touch pad, and accelerometer. The kit was a big hit with the developers, prompting one of the only long lines of the show. 5. Improved battery life and playback of DVDs Microsoft is trying to do a couple things to make the DVD-playing experience better in Windows 7. First and foremost, it has changed things so that DVD movies just start playing, as opposed to bringing up a long list of options. Second, the company has worked to adjust power settings while playing back movies to enable better battery life. "I'm hopeful it will have battery life equivalent to a portable DVD player," Microsoft's Jon DeVaan said in an interview. The issue is personal, he said. If Microsoft can reach its goal, he might be able to only bring a laptop on outings. "I hope to spare my back on family trips," he said. 6. Windows Biometric Framework According to a press release from fingerprint sensor make AuthenTec, the operating system features improved biometric support that should enable a more standard way for fingerprint management applications to work with fingerprint readers in Windows 7. "This provides ease of fingerprint sensor integration for PC manufacturers and a more consistent user experience," AuthenTec said in its release. 7. Enhancements to Windows Media Center Microsoft hasn't given up on its dream of having Windows gain a prominent spot in the living room and its main effort in this area--Windows Media Center--is back in Windows 7. BetaNews has a look at some of the new features, including support for H.264 video, an on-screen keyboard, and better method of scrolling through large libraries.

InfoWorld says Windows 7's not that fast

While many of those who have played around with the early version of Windows 7 have noted that it feels pretty zippy, especially for a pre-beta version, InfoWorld says early benchmarks show the software is just on par with its predecessor. In an article on Monday, InfoWorld said that Windows 7 is a "virtual twin" of Vista when it comes to performance. On the one hand, this could be seen as bad news, considering Microsoft's efforts to position Windows 7 as better performing. At the same time, this is a pre-beta version. Early releases often lag in performance since optimizations tend to be among the later steps in operating system development. For its part, Microsoft is encouraging folks to withhold judgment. "Microsoft consistently encourages people to hold benchmark tests until software is finished and ready for broad release," Microsoft said in a statement to CNET News. I've been using Windows 7 for a couple of weeks on a loaner machine from Microsoft (a Lenovo X300). It does feel considerably faster than my work machine, but that's a several-year-old IBM ThinkPad T42. And, as a colleague points out, a new Windows image often feels fast, until you load all of your usual add-ons and third-party software on top of it. I will say, the new Windows has been incredibly stable for an early build. I used it a bunch at PDC and WinHEC and am currently using it as my main machine. Most things I have tried are working, including the software I use every day, such as iTunes and several IM programs. On the not-so-hot list, I haven't gotten it to work with my Sprint wireless broadband card. I also haven't been able to connect to CNET's VPN, meaning I've been using Outlook Web Access as opposed to the real thing. But to me, the testament to Windows 7 is that I still want to use it, even though Outlook Web Access is way less convenient than Outlook itself. I'll be interested to see if Microsoft continues in the right direction with its broad beta, which is slated to be released early next year, as well as whether it hits its internal goal of shipping Windows 7 in time for next year's holiday shopping season.

Argentine judge: Google, Yahoo must censor searches

If an Argentine sports fan tried searching Yahoo Argentina for one of his country's most beloved athletes--soccer star Diego Maradona--these days, he'd be out of luck. Both Yahoo and Google are locked in a legal battle with dozens of fashion models and other public figures like Maradona over whether the Internet companies should have to censor search results relating to those persons' names. The result so far: since last year, Internet users have been left with abbreviated search results from Yahoo Argentina and Google Argentina, as a result of temporary restraining orders handed down by Argentine judges. The restraining orders against Google and Yahoo mean the search companies must censor search results from their Argentine sites for information about the plaintiffs, such as their names. The court orders do not apply to the U.S. sites Google.com and Yahoo.com. The move effectively holds the search companies responsible for content on other Web sites, a legal maneuver that would not be possible in the United States or the European Union, according to a Google representative. In the United States, federal law generally says that search engines are not responsible for the content of pages they index. Google first received an injunction to block references to the individuals on its Argentina search engine in mid-2007, after refusing to do so voluntarily, said Alberto Arebalos, Google's director of Latin America global communications and public affairs. A group of about 70 fashion models, represented by the same lawyer, initially asked the Internet company to block all search results with their names with the intent of blocking pornographic sites that used the models' pictures. Google responded that it would only block specific problematic links, provided it could notify users, Arebalos said. The matter was taken to court, and judges in Argentina have so far sided with the models. Other public figures--including Maradona and Judge María Servini de Cubría--have in recent months sought out the same lawyer to successfully block search results about them on Google and Yahoo as well. The move amounts to a class action suit against the Internet companies, although there's technically no such thing as a class action suit in Argentina. The lawyer representing all the plaintiffs, Martin Leguizamon Peña, has sought damages between 100,000 and 400,000 pesos for his clients (about $30,000 to more than $121,000). Both Google and Yahoo have unsuccessfully appealed the restraining orders and are now complying with them while the underlying lawsuits filed by Peña's clients are pending. Peña probably "thought we'd make a deal out of court, but we don't want to do that because it's not a good deal," Arebalos said. "We will fight because we think this is a good fight." Multiple restraining orders have been filed for some individuals. In some cases, the restraining orders require the search engines to censor results for certain keywords or URLs. In other instances, however, they call for broad restrictions such as censorship of "scandalous material." Such broad restraining orders compelled Yahoo to remove all search results for certain plaintiffs such as Maradona, the soccer star. A search for "Diego Maradona" on Yahoo Argentina brings up only news results and a notification that--translated from the Spanish--reads, "On the occasion of a court order sought by private parties, we have been forced to temporarily remove some or all of the search results relating to it."

Verizon to offer mobile app for Disney vacationers

Verizon Wireless and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts are teaming up to create a new mobile application to help families plan their trips and get the most out of their Disney vacations. With more than 90 percent of its guests walking through the gates with mobile phones, Disney Parks and Resorts executives see cell phones as a perfect way to connect with their customers. On Wednesday, Disney will announce it has entered into an exclusive multi-year agreement with Verizon Wireless. The two companies will develop an application, which will be hosted by Verizon. Also as part of the deal, Verizon has agreed to boost network capacity and coverage within the Disney theme parks to ensure optimal coverage and performance of its service. The new application will be available for download from Verizon's "Get It Now" store in early 2009. Initially the application will only work for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. The companies will add support for other Disney resorts later. Specific details about what the application will actually do haven't been announced yet. But some of the likely features include the ability to make reservations for restaurants, hotels, and even attractions right from a Verizon handset. Using GPS-based location services, subscribers will also be able to access a Disney character map that will pinpoint exactly where Minnie Mouse is at any given moment, thus saving scores of parents from running around the park all day looking for their kids' favorite characters. There will also be information about show times and the best places to view characters and other attractions. Disney will also offer mobile games and fun facts that can be downloaded inside the park to provide more information about what people are seeing and doing on their vacation.

Google, T-Mobile too mum over Android security?

When it comes to telling customers about security weaknesses, there's a fine line between alerting customers and inviting attacks. With T-Mobile G1, the first phone to run Google's Android operating system, I think the companies are erring on the side of inadequate disclosure. I've been testing a review model of the G1, and an update arrived first on November 1 and then a second a week later. Only by dint of much pestering and more than a week of waiting did I find out from Google what was in those two Android patches. And T-Mobile has been pretty quiet, too. (I'm waiting for comment from the company about its choices.) I'm not the type to blithely ignore patches. Sure, I'm not convinced the security patches I download for Adobe Reader, Microsoft Windows, and Firefox are flawless, but I think the odds are good enough they'll be an improvement that I install them. But with the Android phone, I couldn't even tell if the patches were security related, much less how important they are, much less what they actually do. The closest I could come was figuring out what operating system build I had installed, then using that nugget of information to snoop around the T-Mobile forums, the Android bug-reporting system, and assorted Web sites to see if I could piece together what was going on. In short, even if companies are generally looking out for their customers' best interests, I think it behooves them to keep the customers better informed. It prevents us from feeling like disempowered pawns. It helps us make intelligent choices with our products. And it can even make us happy, when pesky bugs are stamped out or useful features are added. Even Microsoft, which hardly has a reputation for coddling its users, does a better job of keeping people in the loop. It gives a heads up a few days in advance about what's coming on its next monthly "patch Tuesday" upgrades.

Sony Ericsson TM506 Clamshell

T-Mobile has come out with a report on the launching of the Sony Ericsson TM506 mobile phone in the United States as early as next month. The phone will retail only from T-Mobile online and retail stores and the price is not yet disclosed. The phone has a nice compact design and is available with Emrald and Amber color. The phone has a ebony glass type finish and has an external display screen for photo calling. The Phone supports 3G technology which ensures you good download speed and streaming video/audio. It comes along with a 2megapixel camera for video and still photography. The SE TM506 measures about 3.7 x 1.9 x 0.7inches and weighs close to 3.5 ounces. The battery of the phone lasts for a reported 9 and half hours on GSm and stand by of 250 hours. The phone is equipped with both UMTS network as well as HSDPA connectivity with Tri-band GSM.

Google launches web browser - Chrome

Google has launched a new web browser ahead of the Internet Explorer 8 launch. We had earlier expected that the Google browser would be launched just before IE8 somewhere in the start of 2009, but this early release by Google has come as a surprise for all. Google Chrome as it is called looks an appealing browser and according to tests by major software giants on the Acid3 and other tests it comes up better than IE and Firefox both. The Acid3 test rates Chrome at 78 out of 100 ahead of Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer 7. Although the browser doesn't meet the lofty standards of the Opera browser that scores as high as 83 on this test routine.

BenQ launches E2200HD in India

BenQ corp has launched the first 22 inch or so to say 21.5 inch 1080p Full HD LCD monitor. The monitor is equipped with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution with 300 cd/m2 brightness. It comes with VGA and HDMI inputs with a headphone jack. The LCD has a 16:9 aspect ratio and has a 10,000:1 contrast ratio. The E2200HD comes with integrated speakers and can render content from STBs, camcorders and DVD players. The LCD Monitor will be available for only Rs. 13,500 which is a pretty neat price for what you are getting.

Tethering Part of AT&T's Vision for Apple's iPhone

Before you wake up in the morning, your iPhone downloads your news and tells your coffeemaker to start brewing. Then when you're up and you wave the device at your TV, the news feeds get transferred to your TV. That's how AT&T's iPhone chief Ralph de la Vega envisions the popular Apple device in the future, according to a public discussion Wednesday at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. Lock Your Door, Start Your Car After you drink your coffee and read your news on the TV, de la Vega envisions you'll use your iPhone to lock your house door, start your car, and, as you drive, the device's text-to-speech function reads you the news you haven't yet read. At the office, the ubiquitous device coordinates a conference call and, since the call is with non-English speakers, it translates your English into their spoken language and vice versa, acting as the voice for both sides. De la Vega also said AT&T Labs is working to integrate the iPhone with its Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, U-Verse. One function would be to use the smartphone as a remote control for the programming service and for its digital video recorder, with the resulting TV programming playing either on the TV or on the iPhone. Al Hilwa, a program director at industry research firm IDC, noted that such all-in-one automated uses have also been projected in past years for computers. "But most people find this kind of extreme automation to be more trouble than it's worth," he said. He noted that a PC is much more capable than an iPhone, and "we don't use a PC to start a car." The key to what the future iPhone will do, he said, is solving problems where mobility has been a problem or is an asset. "The litmus test is mobility," he said. "Is there a solution to some problem for which carrying it with you is an asset?" Tethering, Hot Spots, Femtocells Closer to the present, an AT&T spokesperson has confirmed that the company is working with Apple to develop a tether for the device, which would allow a user to connect the phone to a computer and thus obtain access to AT&T's 3G network. A third-party application to allow this kind of functionality has appeared in Apple's App Store, but it has only been sporadically available. According to some news reports, tethering could be available next year. AT&T also announced Thursday the addition of about 20,000 new wireless Wi-Fi hot spots in the U.S., which would be available at no charge to iPhone users. The additional hot spots are the result of the company's acquisition of Wayport, a Wi-Fi provider that has hot spots at hotels run by Four Seasons, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Sheraton and Wyndham, as well as all McDonald's restaurants. The discussion with de la Vega did drop some other hints that have AT&T- and iPhone-watchers buzzing. For instance, when asked when AT&T might bring out a phone based on the open-source Android platform, de la Vega didn't answer, but the interviewer, Michael Arrington, mentioned that backstage de la Vegas has said Dec. 3. As for problems with coverage, especially in urban areas, de la Vega mentioned that one solution involves femtocell technology. Users would need to buy small stations that, when plugged into an office or home broadband connection, would create small-area cell coverage in that location.

Intel inside your medical care

Intel has begun pilot programs to test a home health laptop, application, and database system that puts patients remotely in sync with their health care providers. The Intel Health Guide, which includes a laptop for patients and an online interface for health care administrators, received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July. Now Aetna, Scan Health Plan, Erickson Retirement Communities, and the Providence Medical Group in Oregon have each begun pilot programs to test how well the system works, or doesn't work, with their patients. "Health care is an area where getting and gathering the right information, and getting decisions made in a timely matter can make an enormous difference in patient care. We hope this technology helps with that," Mariah Scott, head of sales and marketing for Intel's Digital Health Group, said in an interview. While many see health care moving into the home through technology, it seems like Intel knows government approval alone will not convince people to trust a tech company to dispense medical advice. The company also announced that it has partnered with two major names in medicine, the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association, to provide the application's medical assessments, evidence-based treatment guidelines, and educational multimedia content. That's probably a good idea because Intel plans to sell its Intel Health Care Management Suite as a comprehensive online data-collection system for health care organizations; the Intel Health Guide PHS6000 device is intended for patients themselves to operate, not experienced clinicians visiting the homebound as previously speculated. As is the case with the two pilot programs being run by Aetna, and Providence Medical Group in Oregon, organizations can also choose to program their own treatment guidelines into Intel's system, according to Scott. Nurses or other health care professionals program, administer, and monitor the system remotely via an online connection to the device. The laptop can activate at a specific time every day and sound a reminder chime. Once the patient responds, he or she is automatically run through a series of questions and prompts that can include taking vitals. Depending on a patient's needs, things like blood pressure cuffs and glucose measuring tools are already connected to the machine. Patients are given step-by-step instructions on how to use them. But patients themselves will be responsible for inputting their medical data and following any medical instructions. With that in mind, Intel has designed the Health Guide PHS6000's touch-screen laptop and interface to be easy for even the least tech-savvy and medically unaware person to use, according to Scott. It has extra-large touch-screen "buttons," step-by-step voice prompts, and text simultaneously read aloud as it appears onscreen. Like Johnson & Johnson's online health care coach, the Intel device can also be used as a tool to educate patients on how best to take care. If, for example, a patient with high blood pressure continues to have elevated pressure, the device might offer to show that person a video about managing hypertension, said Scott. "They can then manage their patients and only need to intervene if something is not normal. That's one of the aspects of cost efficiency and labor productivity we hope to see with this system. Instead of needing to call every patient every day, they can see that data in a dashboard and only need to intervene if there's an issue or concern. That should help nurses or case managers move to more of a management by exception approach," said Scott.

Google at 10: Searching its own soul

As Google recently turned 10 years old, some analysts and investors began to say the company was suffering from early signs of maturity. Google's growth rate, while still brisk, has slowed significantly and is expected to slow more because of the economic slowdown. Eric E. Schmidt, chief executive, said Google was better positioned than other advertising companies to survive a recession. Schmidt, 53, spoke earlier this week from the company's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters about his plans for managing Google in a downturn, the unraveling of an advertising partnership with Yahoo and his recent public endorsement of Barack Obama. Schmidt is also a member of Sen. Obama's transition economic advisory board. Q. Google is working hard to rein in expenses. Is that because Google has matured or because of the economic crisis? And how bad do you think the economy will get? A. The issue we face with the economic crisis is, we don't know as managers how long the crisis goes. So what is a prudent answer? A prudent answer is to watch hiring. We are hiring, but at a slower rate. Last week, we made some number of tens of offers. I suspect that will continue. The other thing we have done is fairly detailed expense reviews to make sure we are not wasting money. Q. Given the uncertainty, do you plan for a worst-case situation or something else? A. It is a judgment call. Google is in a good position over the long term. We have a product that is more measurable, more targetable, and we are the innovator in the space. At some point, people need to sell products, and at some point, they realize that the best advertising is measurable advertising, and they conclude that we do that. Q. Google is known for investing liberally in projects that don't produce immediate returns. Does the new measure of austerity, such as it is, change that? A. It is interesting you use the word austerity. It doesn't feel very austere. I think it is better to use the word focus. We are clearly going to be more careful with potential large expense streams which are of uncertain return. But we are also going to continue to invest, certainly, in small teams to do wacky things. Q. Are there examples of projects you have undertaken in the past--things like Chrome, Google's Internet browser, or Android, its mobile operating system--that you wouldn't do today? A. The question is, with today's market, would we still have done the things you named? Absolutely. Going forward, maybe we would do fewer ultimately. The problem here is that if you tighten up too much, you eliminate future innovation, and then you set yourself up for a really bad outcome 5 or 10 years from now. Q. Google is known for its lavish employee perks. Can you rein in expenses without affecting the culture? A. The people who manage these areas are very, very sensitive to what is really important versus what is an experiment or a waste of money, or what have you. But we have no intention of getting rid of the really important aspects of our culture. Q. Isn't it less fun to run a company that has to watch its spending more carefully? A. I think it is actually more fun. The reason is that it is very easy to be a successful executive in high-growth times. It is much more challenging, but in my view much more rewarding, to be a leader in times where you have to make really hard choices.

Memo to Intel: Netbooks morphing into notebooks

Looking for signs that netbooks are catching on? And even morphing into notebooks? Here's a few. Netbooks were the big end-user gadget on display at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference that ended Friday. And all the Netbooks at a Microsoft booth were running Windows 7, Microsoft's next-generation operating system due next year. A Microsoft person on the floor said that a lite version of Windows 7 will run on 1GB of memory and 16GB of (solid-state drive) storage. Higher-end Netbooks will have a 160GB hard disk drive, according to Microsoft "guidance." This person also said something surprising. Dual-core Atom processors will be used in Netbooks. I tried to disabuse him of the notion that netbooks would get dual-core Atom processors. No, I said, it was Nettops (Atom-based desktops) that would get dual-core. But he assured me that vendors were planning to bring out dual-core Netbooks. So, I contacted Intel. There are no immediate plans for dual-core Atom chips designed specifically for Netbooks, according to Intel. But what's stopping a netbook supplier from using a dual-core Atom 330 (designed for nettops) in a Netbook? Answer: nothing. At 8 watts, the chip has a higher power envelope than single-core Atom processors, but 8 watts is still low compared with a mainstream Core 2 Duo processor. Other specifications for the Atom 330 include a core clock speed of 1.6GHz, 1MB of level-2 cache, and support for DDR2 667MHz memory. Beginning to sound more like a low-end notebook? I think so. Netbook market share appears to be growing too. A little more than 5 million Atom processors shipped in the third quarter of 2008, according to Shane Rau of IDC, a market researcher. "Will it add to the total market or will it eat into the total market? Another question might be is Atom eating into another processor brand such as Celeron (Intel) or Sempron (AMD)?" Rau says that the total market can grow while Netbooks eat into notebook market share. "The TAM (Total Available Market) can grow even as Atom eats into another brand. But we don't know how it's shaking out yet," he said. And here's evidence of Netbooks penetrating the consumer consciousness. Best Buy now has a separate category for Netbooks on its Web site. Right under laptop computers you'll see "Netbooks". Interestingly, the Netbooks category is ranked above desktops and most other "computer" categories. Other signs. Dell has a 12-inch laptop, the Inspiron Mini 12 based on the Atom processor. Is this a Netbook or notebook? You tell me.

Apple gambling on Papermaster's leadership skills

Apple knew full well that Mark Papermaster would have to learn his new role as iPod and iPhone chief "on the job" when it hired him. Papermaster's former employer, IBM, filed a lawsuit against him last week, claiming that he broke the terms of a noncompete contract with IBM in accepting a high-profile job with Apple. InformationWeek spotted Papermaster's formal response Friday morning, in which he declares that the two companies are not competitors and that his experience at IBM is not the primary reason why Apple sought his services. The court filings reveal the interesting process Apple used to hire Papermaster to replace Tony Fadell, a longtime executive in charge of Apple's iPod group. And contrary to speculation, it appears that Papermaster--a well-respected chip executive--will have nothing to do with chip design at Apple on Day 1. Apple began searching within the consumer electronics industry in October 2007 for a lieutenant and eventual successor to Fadell, but it couldn't find anyone it liked, according to the court filing. Instead, the company decided to search for an executive with strong overall technology skills who would be a good fit inside Apple, modeling the search on the process used to find current Mac hardware leader Bob Mansfield. Mansfield was the one who suggested Papermaster as a candidate, though he didn't exactly roll out the welcome mat for his college buddy. On a list of potential candidates sent to Vice President of Human Resources Danielle Lambert (who is married to Fadell), Mansfield described Papermaster: "Mark fits the bill wrt (with respect to) systems and semiconductor understanding, but in every other way is a long shot." Nonetheless, he was brought into Cupertino in February 2008 to interview with CEO Steve Jobs and Fadell. Apple liked Papermaster in many ways, but it wasn't sure that his experience in server development was the proper background for the role--especially in light of the fact that in February, Apple was working hard on getting the iPhone 3G out the door, and it wanted someone who could hit the ground running. However, as Lambert said in a statement attached to Papermaster's response, "nobody questioned Mark's ability to lead a development team." The company offered him a role designing laptops, and while Papermaster was intrigued by the possibility of working at Apple, he wasn't all that crazy about that particular role. But after Apple got this year's crop of iPods out the door in September, the search for Fadell's replacement intensified. Papermaster was offered that role, and he jumped at what he called "the opportunity of a lifetime."

HP Authorized Service Centres and Service Partners

There are a lot of HP Service Centers in India , so here's a page with all the locations: http://216.198.210.216/(S(rqrbqi45swqmp245baq5ncfv))/HP/Service_Locator/service_search.aspx