Canon releases 6 new PowerShots

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Ahleen
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Canon may be the last major manufacturer to release its brand new cameras, but they sure know how to make a grand entrance in the point-and-shot arena!

The company has revealed six new PowerShot cameras expected to be available in the next two months.

To give due recognition to each gadget, lets tackle them one by one. 🙂

Canon PowerShot G11

The G11 is the newest flagship model of the PowersShot line and is aimed for those serious shutterbugs out there. This is a follow-up to last year’s PowerShot G10.

The specs retained from its predecessor include ability to shoot in RAW mode, dials that adjusts ISO and exposure-compensation levels, optical viewfinder (aside from the LCD screen), and 5X optical-zoom lens reaches from 28mm wide angle to 140mm telephoto.

And the improvements?

The G11’s LCD is now a flip-out, articulable screen for easier overhead and odd-angle shots. The new PowerShot now has a smaller megapixel count of 10mp compared to G10’s 14.7 mp sensor which for some, is an improvement because the latter sometimes results to noisy images. Lastly, Canon has improved G11’s low-light performance.

This optically image-stabilized PowerShot G11 will be available in October and will be sold for $500.

Canon PowerShot S90

Another camera for the more experienced photographers is the Canon PowerShot S90. This model is more compact than the G11 but has also the capacity to shoot in RAW mode, has aperture- and shutter-priority modes, and has a 10-megapixel low-light-optimized sensor.

The S90 also features a pop-up flash and a control ring around the lens for in-camera settings adjustment. It has a 3.8X optical zoom lens (28mm to 105mm), optical image stabilization, a 3-inch LCD and 640-by-480 standard-definition movie capture at 30 frames per second.

This model will also be available in the market in October with an expected price tag of $430.

PowerShot SD980 IS

Canon’s first touchscreen camera, the PowerShot SD980 IS has a 3-inch touchscreen, optical image stabilization, and 720p HD for movie capture.

This model features a ultrawide 5X optical zoom lens (24mm to 120mm) and HDMI output for users to be able to watch HD movies and photos on TV.

The PowerShot SD980 IS, along with the previous two models, will be released in October. It comes in four colors: silver, gold, blue and purple and is expected to retail at $330.

PowerShot SD940 IS

The PowerShot SD940 IS is a follow-up to the POwerShot SD780 released earlier this year. This new model features a 12-megapixel sensor, wide-angle lens (4X optical, from 28mm to 112mm), optical image stabilization and a 720p HD movie mode with HDMI output.

The PowerShot SD940 IS comes in four colors: brown, black, blue and silver and is expected to be released in September. Price tag for this model is $300.

PowerShot SX20 IS

The PowerShot SX20 features a 12-megapixel, 20X optical-zoom PowerShot SX20 IS (28mm to 560mm), and shoots high-def movies, as 720p .mov files captured at 30fps.

This model has a flip-out swiveling 2.5-inch LCD for easy viewing, a pop-up flash, shooting modes that include shutter- and aperture-priority and runs on AA batteries.

This megazoom gadget from Canon is slated for release in September for $400.

PowerShot SX120 IS

The last and the most affordable of the lot is the 10-megapixel PowerShot SX120 IS.

It features a 10X optical zoom range but has no wide-angle lens. Like the others, it also offers optical image stabilization. This model has a 3-inch LCD screen and runs on AA batteries.

With the PowerShot SX20 IS and PowerShot SD940 IS, the PowerShot SX120 IS will be available in September and will be sold at $250.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/19/AR2009081903121.html

A glimpse of Chrome OS? Screenshots emerge

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Ahleen
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Source: Mashable.com
Source: Mashable.com
Source: Mashable.com
Source: Mashable.com
Source: Mashable.com
Source: Mashable.com

These might be fake, or these could really be screenshots of Google’s Chrome OS. But whether real or not, this is still quite interesting.

These screenshots, which surfaced in the Web today, were sent from an “unfamiliar source” to Mashable.com. Whoever sent the pics claimed that they are offering glimpse of the operating system’s user interface.

The pictures show a very simple and minimal overall design, much like that of the Google Chrome Browser. At the top of the screen is a dock where users can access various programs and Google services like Gmail and YouTube.

No word from Google yet as to whether these are legit photos. We’re quite certain though that it’ll still be a long wait before the actual OS will be available in the market as it is slated to be released on the second half of 2010.

So what do you think?

Source: http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/20090817/tc_pcworld/isthisgooglechromeosnewscreenshotsemerge

Internet Explorer wins this battle of safe browsers

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Ahleen
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0

NSS Labs has conducted two tests to find out which browsers are safest. The criteria include the browsers ability to block Web sites pushing malware and phising.

The browsers compared are Apple’s Safari 4, Google’s Chrome 2, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8, Mozilla Firefox 3 and Opera 10 Beta.

IE8 won the malware tests hands down. It blocked 81% of live threats compared to its closest contender Firefox 3.0.11 which blocked 27% of malwares. Safari 4 came in third place with 21%, followed by Chrome 2’s 7% and Opera 10 beta’s 1%.

The results showed that Microsoft updates their lists of malware faster than the other browsers, three of which are using Google’s Safe Browsing API.

IE8 also topped NSS’s Phishing Tests, blocking 83% of phishing URLS. Firefox wasn’t that far behind though, with 80% of phishing URLs blocked. Opera 10 beta is next with 54%, followed by Chrome 2 with 26% and Safari 4 at 2%.

User’s however, should not just rely on these protections. To be on the safe side, good anti-virus software, a firewall, DEP, ASLR and up-to-date patches on the system is still the best way to go. 😉

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2351669,00.asp

Pink, Lilac and Turquoise PSP-3000s

By
Ahleen
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2
Source: SlipperyBrick.com
Source: SlipperyBrick.com

It’s not just external hard drives that are making news today for their aesthetics.

Sony announced at GamesCom 2009 that they’re bringing three new PSP-3000 colors to Europe this November. The colors are “Lilac” purple, “Turquoise” blue, and “Blossom” pink, obviously targeted to the female market sector.

“The gaming world has traditionally been a male domain, but today we’re seeing more and more female gamers, particularly on portable devices,” says John Koller, SCEA’s Director of Hardware Marketing. “While SCEA has a broad range of PSP owners from under 12 to over 45 years old, we saw a tremendous opportunity for us to connect with the female and ‘tween’ demographic and create a PSP system that girls will love.” Changing the color from black to an off-purple tone was exactlywhat girls were waiting for.

The Lilac PSP was first announced last February who will debut as part of the Hannah Montana Entertainment Pack that includes a Miley Cirus PSP game, a UMB with Hanna Montanna episodes, a 2GB memory stick and some HM stickers. The other two are new though, with the Turquoise PSP coming in bundled with LittleBigPlanet.

Source: http://www.slipperybrick.com/2009/08/turquoise-lilac-and-pink-psp-3000s-to-hit-europe-in-november/

Your tree might be from outer space

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Ahleen
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0

Well, not really.

But a new discovery supports NASA’s theory that some of life’s ingredients were formed in space and then deposited here in our planet.

NASA said today that a comet scoured by the Stardust spacecraft carried an amino acid. This acid – glycine to be exact – is essential building block for organic life.

The research results were presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, DC.

The samples were collected by Stardust from the Wild 2 comet by flying through its debris trail in January 2004. It took two years however, for researches just to develop techniques to accurately analyze the samples.

“The discovery of glycine in a comet supports the idea that the fundamental building blocks of life are prevalent in space, and strengthens the argument that life in the universe may be common rather than rare,” Carl Pilcher, director of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute, said.

The findings suggest that comets can disseminate life in the universe by distributing amino assets to planets, much like insects spreading pollen to flowers.

Pretty cool huh?

Source: http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/leadership/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=219400433

By
Ahleen
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0

Who says hard drives can’t look good?

Verbatim introduced today their new line of InSight portable USB hard disk drives which tops our list of cool drives in the market.

Credit: Verbatim
Credit: Verbatim

Aside from the piano black finish that houses a fairly high memory capacity (320 GB and 500 GB), the 2.5 inch drive also runs at 5400RMP, with an 8MB memory cache and is compatible for both Mac and Windows. The whole drive measures just measure 6 x 3.4 x 0.63 inches and weigh less than six ounces.

And that icing on the cake?

A new feature that Verbatim calls an “Always On LCD”. It’s a 32 x 128 pixel display window that’s always on, even if the drive is disconnected from the computer. It shows the drive’s available free space and personalized name.

The InSight is priced at $120 for the 320 GB model and $150 for the 500 GB model.

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/170300/new_verbatim_drives_feature_builtin_status_display.html

Quamut shuts down

By
Ahleen
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0

Quamut, Barnes a how-to site, has been quietly shut down by its parent company Barnes & Noble.

The site previously featured simple instructional pieces ranging from professionally made how-to-guides and user-created wikis about all subjects. It was launched March 24, 2008.

The 1,685 guides from the site however, will still be available for sale at Barnes & Noble’s online store as digital downloads, and at brick-and-mortar stores as laminated paper reference guides. The prices range from from $2.95 to $5.95 depending on its format.

The wikis are no longer available.

No comment from Barnes & Noble is heard yet and there’s still no word on whether the company will still invest in the creation of more guides.

Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-9902186-2.html

Microchips to be built from DNA

By
Ahleen
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0

Well, in a world where its all about small stuff – small cars, small computers, small phones – it’s no wonder IBM is now basing new microchips on life’s building blocks: DNA molecules.

Credit: IBM Research
Credit: IBM Research

The DNA molecules are used by chip designers as ”scaffolding” to create origami-like complex patterns on top of which they can add carbon nanotubes, nanowires, and other microscopic materials that control the flow of electronics across a microchip.

Paul Rothmund, a scientist at the California Institute of Technology, discovered several years ago that DNA molecules can be made to “self-assemble” into tiny forms such as triangles, squares and stars. The approach takes advantage of DNA’s natural ability to incorporate large amounts of complex information that can be applied to different types of activities. His work, together with his colleagues, is now the basis for this new technique.

“The cost involved in shrinking features to improve performance is a limiting factor in keeping pace with Moore’s Law (that computing power at a given cost doubles every two years) and a concern across the semiconductor industry,” Spike Narayan, Science & Technology manager at IBM’s Almaden research lab in San Jose, CA., said.

So what does all of these bring? Smaller chips for greater speed performance and reduced power consumption that are less expensive and easier to manufacture.

Don’t get to excited though, as it will still be long time before these chips can be put to practical use.

“It’s too early to say whether this will be a game changer,” Bob Allen, senior manager of chemistry and materials at IBM Research, said.

IBM plans to publish a paper on the research in the September issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/170288/ibm_scientists_build_computer_chips_from_dna.html

A new president for Sony Ericsson

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Ahleen
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0

Sony Ericson has appointed Bert Nordberg as its new president today.

The long-time Ericsson manger with Silicon Valley experience has served the company for 14 years and has been in charge of Ericsson’s software development efforts in Silicon Valley since 2008. He will succeed Hideki “Dick” Komiyama, a Sony executive who had led the venture since November 2007. He will be retiring this year.

The 53-year-old Swede is aware that Sony Ericsson isn’t doing very well in the mobile phone arena. He says he plans to “reinvigorate the company’s lineup of mobile handsets with state-of-the-art software and applications”.

“We need to improve the product design and development processes and we need a different product portfolio to reflect what customers are asking for,” Nordberg, a native of Malmo, Sweden, said in an interview. “And we definitely need to strengthen our offering in the mobile Internet segment.”

The company, an equal partnership between Sony and Ericson (duh), has lost $1 billion since July of last year. According to Strategy Analytics, the company is in 5th place, trailing behind Nokia, Samsung, LG and Motorola.

Sony Ericsson’s phones largely reflect Sony’s traditional emphasis on camera optics and music. This might be the cause of the problem though. According to Carolina Milanesi, a Gartner analyst in London, the company needs to diversify because those two areas “do not help Sony Ericsson stand out anymore.”

“Since I’ve been living in Silicon Valley, I’ve seen our competitors attack this market from the I.T. and from the applications side,” Nordberg said. “We need to do more of that.”

Oh well, at least he’s very aware of what he’s getting in to. 😉

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/technology/18sony.html?_r=1

Swine Flu-inspired video game

By
Ahleen
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0

How do you fight against swine flu? That’s easy.

Keep your immune system strong, eat healthy, always wash your hands and uhmn, keep your eyes glued on the computer?

Yup, doing the latter will help you fight the emerging outbreak…in a video game, that is.

Dutch researchers, in an effort to further raise awareness, have created a game that challenges players to control the AH1N1 virus.

The video game “The Great Flu” is for free and it can only be played online on its website.

“It is actually what is happening now, what is happening in the real world,” said Albert Osterhaus, head of virology at the Erasmus Medical Center, who designed game with colleagues.

In the game, players assume the role of the head of the fictitious “World Pandemic Control”. To fight the emerging virus outbreak, players can do a number of preventive measures such as setting up surveillance systems, stockpiling antivirals and vaccines, and closing schools and airports.

The game is also very realistic, giving players a limited financial budget and even mirroring problems faced by international agencies like WHO through messages from governments flashed on the screen during the game.

In a report from the AP, Osterhaus says that through the game gives people a sense of how difficult it is o make decision in the public health world.

So what does WHO say about the game? Well, the guys there haven’t played it yet so they’re still unavailable for comment. 😉

Source: http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090817/ap_on_hi_te/eu_med_swine_flu_game

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