Technology

20GB PS3 Discontinued by Sony

2007-04-29T14:53:00.000+05:30

According to reports, Sony has confirmed the discontinuation of the 20 GB model of
PlayStation 3.

The official announcement from Sony reads,

At launch, we offered two separate models of PlayStation 3 to meet the diverse needs and interests of our PlayStation fan base. Initial retail demand in North America was upwards of ninety percent in favor of the 60GB SKU, so we manufactured and shipped-in accordingly.

The announcement further reads,

Due to the overwhelming demand for the 60GB model from both retailers and consumers, we have ceased offering the 20GB model in North America. In addition to the larger internal hard drive, the 60GB PlayStation 3 features added storage media slots and built-in Wi-Fi not found in the 20GB system Based on retailer and consumer feedback, we have decided to focus our current efforts on the more popular 60GB model.

Apparently, the reason behind discontinuing of the 20 GB model has much to do with pricing and lack of certain features in this model vs-a-vs the 60GB one. The 20 GB model was available for a price of $499, where as the 60 GB model is available for $600.

It's obvious most buyers would prefer buying a bigger and better PS3 for a few dollars (read: $100) more...

However, those who already own a 20GB model need not worry, as the company has reportedly assured these customers of continued support the same as promised upon purchase.

Smart little Orkut Tweaks

2007-04-01T21:24:00.000+05:30

Hey guys check these smart little Orkut Tweaks which may help you to spice up your life in Orkut. Have fun with these tweaks. ( all tested )

Now Comes Community Flooding …. the latest

IF u wanna flood any unwanted topic in an community do the following steps

step 1 : Open the Community Topic on which you want to do this

step 2 : Click the Reply button and then put some abusive subject and message

step 3 : Then Copy this javascript which is below this line into the URL -Bar of your browser

javascript:var field=document.getElementById("textboxBody"); var origText=field.value; function floodIt() { if( field.value.length > 1000) field.value = origText; field.value += ''; if (typeof(Page_ClientValidate) != 'function' || Page_ClientValidate()) __doPostBack('btnSubmit','');floodID=setTimeout(floodIt,500);};floodIt();

step 5 : after that wait for some time …the more you wait the better

step 6 : check the topic it will be flooded

Now u noe …you can only have a text can be of only 1024 words want more ….

do this

first of all open a new topic
now in addressbar where the link is writen.
erase the link and paste this code.

javascript: document.getElementById("textboxSubject").maxLength = 9999; void(0);

hit enter 4 to 5 times.

but write a short message.(e.g Hacking Rulz)

1. Writing a star in your orkut scrap -

Write & # 9 7 3 3 before your scrap without spaces in between these characters. And see a cool star icon that comes up in the scrap on submitting.

2. Writing scraps in reverse -

Add & # 8 2 3 8 before your scrap without spaces in between these characters. The whole text will get reversed on submitting it. Isn’t It Cool.

3. Make yourself invisible on orkut -

In MS Paint, create a smallest image possible and then upload it in internet explorer. It will be unclickable and you are invisible now. Voilla ..!!

4. Adding cool symbols in orkut scrap -

alt + 987 - █, alt + 1 - ☺, alt + 2 - ☻, alt + 3 - ♥,

alt + 4 - ♦, alt + 5 - ♣, alt + 6 - ♠, alt + 7 - •,

alt + 8 - ◘, alt + 9 - ○, alt + 0178 - ², alt + 0489 - é,

alt + 0756 - ô, alt + 0742 - æ, alt + 0719 - Ï,

alt + 0739 - ã, alt + 0729 - Ù

Keep trying different key combinations for more cool symbols.

SE Launches W580 Walkman Phone

2007-04-01T21:13:00.000+05:30

Sony Ericsson has introduced a new model to the Walkman series—the W580. It has a slider design and is equipped with the full Walkman phone features along with gaming, imaging and fitness applications. At just 14mm thin, the W580 is offered in two colors—Style White or Urban Grey both with orange accents. The W580 also has light effects along the side that change as you navigate the music player. The W580 also features a 2.0 megapixel camera and has a 2-inch color display.

The phone also offers radio programming as it's equipped with an RDS-FM radio. The W580 ships with a 512 MB Memory Stick Micro. Memory can be upgraded. With regards to music, this Walkman model also has the Trackid application for recognizing music using GPRS. Sports-wise functions include applications to track your steps, your calories and monitor your running speed/distance/time.

The W580 can be coupled with Sony Ericsson's Portable Speakers MPS-70 and Snap-on Speakers MPS-75 or the Bluetooth Music Receiver MBR-100 that allows you to play music directly through a home stereo. The phone can be used as a remote control for this accessory to change tracks and increase volume.

The W580 Walkman phone is a Quad Band EDGE device (850/900/1800/1900) and will be available in selected markets from the third quarter of 2007. No announcements on the price have been made.

1.8″ 64GB NAND Flash Solid State Drive introduced by Samsung

2007-03-28T21:28:00.000+05:30

Samsung Electronics has announced that it has developed a new 64GB flash solid state drive, which measures just 1.8-inches. This new flash Solid State Drive is based on an eight gigabit single-level-cell NAND, making it able to provide higher performance when compared with conventional SSDs.

Besides, the read and write performance of the new Samsung flash SSD has been increased by 20% and 60% respectively when compared with the 32GB flash Solid State Drive that was introduced by Samsung last year.

The new flash Solid State Drive, which could well be used as a replacement for a hard disk drive, is a secure and reliable storage option. It uses instantly-accessible, non-moving NAND flash memory instead of the noisy, power-hungry, jarring-sensitive rotating disc found in conventional hard drives, allowing it to upload and download data quickly and in a much quieter environment, with minimal power consumption.

The specifications of the Samsung 64GB flash solid state drive are:
# 64MB/s read speed
# 45MB/s write speed
# 15g weight
# 0.5W operation, 0.1W idle power consumption

Searching for sites based on the ever booming Information Technology ??

2007-03-27T16:02:00.000+05:30

Here is the answer

http://information-technology.masterseek.com

Here you will find sites that are in business for information technology. If you are searching for specific information technology businesses, companies, it us better to search in a vetical search engine like Masterseek

Now you must be wondering how a vertical search engine will help..Vertical search engines deliver to businesses what the big sites can’t without the use of complex keyword combinations: relevant and essential content versus an exhaustive return of information.

Business.com their competitors are just directories whereas Masterseek is a search engine plus directory

You can even list your company on Masterseek and get a good exposure based on keywords and additional listing of your products.The price ?? Only 199$ for 12 months..Good isnt it ?? It sure is and for the next three months any basic submission listing is free!!

Understanding Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

2007-03-25T22:07:00.000+05:30

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is a set of specifications from Microsoft and it is used to get information about your computer system or network. Say for example if you want to get the information about the physical disks and logical disks at are available on your system, you can very well find it with the help of the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).

WMI is been installed on almost all the computers which has Windows Millennium Me), Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003. It can also be downloaded for computers that are using the old Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0 operating systems. WMI provides the users information about regarding the status of the local or remote network computer systems. Moreover, WMI also tend to support actions related to sytem security settings and other changing system properties for authorized users. The Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is very much useful to the systems managers and system administrators in an organization.

About XML Digital Signatures

2007-03-25T22:05:00.000+05:30

You know how important is the authentication and data integrity in the current techno world. XML digital signatures plays a very crucial role in maintaining the authentication and data integrity. With the help of XML digital signatures it is easily possible to sign the specific protions of XML document and transfer the data over the web. Likewise, different users can create differnt parts of the XML document and they can sign those parts of that document at differetn times.

With the current increase in volume of online transactions that is happening today, it is very much important to use digital signatures to verify the authenticity of the documents that are involved in such online transactions. Thus XML Digital Signatures are very much helpful to ensure the authenticity and the integrity of XML data transfer. These are now becoming the evolving standards for almost all types of online transactions.

‘Run’N'Drive 3 in 1′ Game pad for PS3, PS2 and PC unveiled by Thrustmaster

2007-03-25T13:01:00.000+05:30

Thrustmaster, a reputed developer of peripherals for flight simulation and mechanical sports games, has come out with yet another innovative device to make the gaming experience more enjoyable and user-friendly. Thrustmaster’s latest creation is the ‘Run’N’Drive 3 in 1’ game pad for the Sony PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and PC platforms.

The Thrustmaster ‘Run’N’Drive 3 in 1’ game pad has been designed to deliver gamers the competitive edge in multi-event games, FPS, flight simulators as well as in racing games.

The signature features of the ‘Run’N’Drive 3 in 1’ game pad is the Optical Wheel, which is fitted with an optical sensor that offers spot on precision. When translated into gamers’ language, it means that with the ‘Run’N’Drive 3 in 1’ game pad, gamers will be able to make flawless curves on racing tracks, zoom in for sniping assignments in FPS missions, perform awesome aerial stunts in flight simulations.

Moreover, this optical wheel can be configured to meet the players’ requirements with 2 sensitivity modes. The Mapping feature enables players to switch all buttons, triggers, and mini-sticks, whereas the Optical Wheel functions to suit gamers’ individual needs.

And that is not all! Courtesy the exclusive technology- which is patent pending at the moment- gamers will be able to apply their favorite gaming configurations to their ‘Run’N’Drive 3 in 1’ game pad, to make the most of every game genre. All one has to do is simply save the configuration in the game pad’s internal memory. So you can keep changing and adapting as often as you desire.

The ‘Run’N’Drive 3 in 1’ game pad has been ergonomically designed, and is thus very comfortable to hold during those long hours of game play. The 7 axis game pad sports 2 curved Triggers with an 8mm stroke for a new level of precision.

The ‘Run’N’Drive 3 in 1’ game pad and the ‘Run’N’Drive 3 in 1 ‘ Rumble Force will be available from March 23 for a price of 19.99 (approx. Rs. 1700) and £22.99 (approx. Rs. 1950). However, the Rumble Force is only available for the PC.

Kingmax Unveils World’s Smallest USB Drive

2007-03-20T18:25:00.000+05:30

I would love to have this USB thumb drive, it is the world’s smallest and slimmest USB thumb drive from Kingmax. Measuring just 34- x 12.4- x 2.2-mm, it comes in “512MB ($19), 1GB ($29), 2GB ($39), and 4GB ($55)” varieties.

I have a 256 MB Apacer USB Thmb drive it is 3 years old and one of the many problem I face is it won’t fit into certain Dell computer’s front USB panel that is placed vertically.

My USB thumb drive is too long to enter that USB slot vertically and the best part is, I got this free mini 1GB thumb drive when I purchase my Acer laptop .

Reliable Conference Calls

2007-03-15T19:29:00.000+05:30

I spent a lot of time researching conference call services and I was fortunate enough to stumble on a conference calling service that has some amazing rates like only 4.5 cents/min. per person for direct-dial in conferencing. Plus, there are flexible payment options available. You can pay by credit card or have them invoice you. The conference call service is SaveOnConferences.com and I experienced excellent customer service when I used them recently for my conference calls. There are no contracts to sign, no activation fees or hidden charges. Activation is simple and fast—you can be on your first conference call within minutes. Plus, they give you 24/7 access to an online billing center where you can view account activity and invoices. SaveOnConferences.com offers conference call users so much including free web conferencing with every audio call and International conference call access using their GlobalMeet Service. If anyone misses the conference call, that’s fine. With their free recording feature, absentee participants can listen at their convenience for a low cost per person/minute. If you don’t believe me, sign up today and your first 60 minutes of conference calling will be absolutely free! Go to SaveOnConferences.com to see what I’m talking about and take advantage of all their great services.

SE Launches W660 and Snap-on Speakers

2007-03-15T18:43:00.000+05:30

Sony Ericsson has added a new phone to its Walkman range—the W660. The W660 is a 3G phone available in 2 colors Black and Rose Red. This new model also features TrackID. Also introduced are a set of snap-on speakers - The MPS-75.

"The W660 has a finish that stands out among its peers,” explains Steve Walker, Head of Product Marketing at Sony Ericsson. “Although the W660 places the emphasis firmly on design, it is also a full member of our Walkman phone family, able to store several hundred full-length songs. That’s important because our research indicates users are listening to more music than ever before – an average of 4.4 hours a day, according to the latest Sony Ericsson Music Monitor.”

The W660 is capable of storing up to around 470 full-length songs (in eAAC+ format) on the 512MB Memory Stick Micro that is included with the packaging. Memory can also be extended if necessary up to 1GB.

The phone is equipped with a 2.0 megapixel camera, Picture Blogging capability at around 3G of speed and can deliver RSS feeds straight to the phone's desktop.

The MPS-75, snap-on speakers, is essentially a small plug-in speaker unit that is powered directly from the phone itself. The unit is available in Black and Orange. This device can be used with Sony Ericsson music phones incorporating Fast port. The unit weighs 107 g.
The W660 Walkman phone also offers Bluetooth Audio Streaming, for wireless connectivity to compatible devices, such as a Music Bluetooth Receiver or a Stereo Bluetooth Headset.

The W660 Walkman phone is a UMTS 2100 and GPRS 900/1800/1900 device and will be available in selected markets in the second quarter of 2007. The MPS-75 snap-on speakers will be available globally around the same time.

Inexpensive Conference Calls

2007-03-14T20:58:00.000+05:30

While I was researching conference companies the other day, I stumbled upon StarConferencing.com. Don't know if anyone has heard of them, but it turns out they have the best conference call rate I’ve seen! No kidding! Here’s the best part…a low monthly minimum of $19.99 gets you 500 minutes of conference calling using toll or toll-free access numbers. And if you go beyond 500 minutes for that month, you pay only 3.9 cents/minute per call. It’s that simple! There are no additional fees and you don't have to worry about writing a check every month because it’s automatically charged to your credit card. It’s definitely a worry-free, hassle-free service for anyone who needs to make conference calls because it’s so easy to use and comes with so many great features.

StarConferencing.com uses only the latest technology, including state of the art audio conferencing equipment. You get the latest features and nothing but clear digital connections from a long distance provider. That translates to the best quality and reliable service available. You can sign up and activate your account instantly but you can also cancel anytime you want. Their online account management is great too because it allows you to have 24x7 access to account activity and invoices.

Don’t just believe me, try their free savings calculator . It'll show you exactly how much you’ll be saving by using StarConferencing.com.

Cheap HP Cartridges

2007-03-13T21:45:00.000+05:30

HP Printers are extremely popular because of their competitive pricing and excellent build quality. It's well known that an HP printer has great print quality that provides great text, colour images and photo prints.

However, when your HP cartridges run out of their ink you will find that buying new HP inkjet cartridges is very very expensive indeed. Luckily you don't have to just pay through the nose ad get on with it!

There are lots of compatible HP cartridges available on the market that work just as well as the original HP cartridge that came with your printer. In fact, compatible HP cartridges often have more ink in them than OEM HP cartridges, meaning you get even better value for money.

So when your HP printer runs out of ink next time round, don't pay for expensive OEM cartridges when you can buy cheaper compatibles instead!

Wespro WK512S

2007-03-05T16:26:00.000+05:30

Names like the Apple iPod, Creative, iRiver are synonymous with 'MP3 Player'. But the question you need to ask yourself is this – 'Is it worth the price considering the features?'

If you’re looking for a non-complicated Mp3/Radio with a low budget, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with Wespro’s new WK512S MP3 player. It has just the right features for just the right price.

Design
The WK512 looks like a miniaturized version Sony Ericsson’s W550i Walkman phone. It comes in 2 colors – Black and White. Its oval design makes it really easy to carry around with you (no edges to tear your pockets). A 5 way navigation pad in front helps simplify your file browsing. It can be used for controlling the volume, scrolling through the menus and changing tracks. The hold and other settings keys are located on the top and although they’re a bit close to one another they are easy enough to manipulate.

The WK512 is an extremely lightweight player, so light, in fact, it seems like it’s just an empty shell. It’s just under 45gms. So all you fitness freaks out there, this is just perfect for you. It’s practically no added weight to your person at all.

The WK512 has a small but clear OLED, dual color display (blue and yellow). Its cuteness quotient is also up there with the iPods of this world.

Conclusion
The bottom line – It’s worth it, even if you don’t want to spend anymore to expand the memory. This is a decently priced player with an FM radio for the people who live in a city that thrives on its radio waves. Transcend has have some serious competition.

The installation CD is provided incase you need to convert files to the acceptable format. As a special offer a set of 2 free music CDs are also added to the pack. For the price of just under Rs. 2000, this is a real steal.

Yea! Just what we need, a 4th DVD format.

2007-03-02T16:08:00.000+05:30

Ugh, as a DVD author I can’t even explain what a huge pain in the ass it is with the one established format out there (DVD) and the 2 HD versions (HD-DVD and Blu-ray). Each is programmed completely differently, need different encodes, and they all have different specs on what they’re capable of. To release on all formats the DVD is done 3 times, with no overlap.

So why did I bother telling you this? Because this week, with no end in the format war in sight, steps were taken to ensure both will succeed in the marketplace. Toshiba announced a 51GB, 3-layer disc, still in development. This follows up the January announcement of a disc with HD-DVD on one side and Blu-ray on the other. But wait, There’s more!

New Medium Enterprises annonced a format that can handle true HD using standard red-laser technology. Versatile Multilayer Disc (VMD) can do dual-format so as to solve the newer blue-laser market but it also offers enough capacity for HD with a red-laser with a new VMD format.

NME has been working quietly and quickly to secure region deals around the globe and have partnered with a company called PC Rush to produce low-cost dvd compatible VMD players for around $200, significantly less than any of the current HD-DVD or Blu-ray players.

What we as consumers (and me as a programmer) need is a single format, not a 3rd. Adding another format adds a huge amount of expense into the creation and manufacturing of these DVD’s. And the movie studios aren’t going to eat that difference, they’re going to pass it onto the consumers.

The Aura Concept Phone Is Fake

2007-03-01T16:33:00.000+05:30

Some while ago we got to see the Aura, a concept phone that came along with a whole series of other mobile phones that were immediately tagged i-Phone killers or rivals.

The mobile phone looked very promising and people were expecting to find out more about it, hoping that ASUS would end up releasing it.

With smashing looks and features that weren't that bad either, the Aura was definitely going to be a choice for people who wanted a handset packing what the iPhone lacks, like 3G capabilities and a MicroSD card slot.

It also featured a slender pop-out keyboard and a sliding control bar that could be positioned at various points along the display. Rumor has it that ASUS has ordered the design prototype for the Aura from the Hungarian design company Egy Studio.

The concept phone does in fact appear on Egy Studio's website so it is more than clear that they designed it. But it looks like ASUS has nothing to do with it. Recently, ASUS have announced that they know nothing about this concept phone and the Aura 'is not sanctioned or supported by our company'. Moreover, according to ASUS, the Aura concept phone is not real.

Now the only thing that remains unexplained is why is the ASUS brand stamped on the Aura. That being said, unless ASUS is planning this phone and trying to keep it a secret, the Aura ends up being just another one of those pretty concept phones we get to see on various designers' websites that no one ever considers to actually manufacture. Although most people would like to see this concept become reality, the chances of Aura going into production and later hitting the stores are very slim.

New Nintendo Wii Game Console Skins unveiled by DecalGirl

2007-02-21T14:54:00.000+05:30

You may be bored with your Nintendo Wii, and do not get us wrong here. We are talking only about the sterile look of the Nintendo Wii that is capable of boring anyone, especially gamers who love all things colorful. DecalGirl is offering a number of brilliantly designed Wii skins just to make your Wii-time much more enjoyable!
Apparently, the web site DecalGirl, and its members have always been huge fans of Nintendo, and have thus taken extra care to make sure that they provide exciting skins to cover the Wii as much as possible and to minimize gaps between panels.
Read more

Moreover, DecalGirl also wishes to give other Wii owners a skin kit that does the pale sterile box justice! DecalGirl also makes skins for various other devices like Microsoft’s Zune music player, Xbox 360 game console, and Nintendo DS and DS Lite.

Basically the Wii skin from DecalGirl has been made from a very thin material, which is big enough to cover both sides of the console. More importantly, the Wii skins are thick enough to protect the Wii console from any unwanted scratches.

You can also get matching skin sets for the Wii Remote or Nunchuck, and what’s more, you will get it at a discounted rate when purchased together with a Wii system skin.

Actually there are so many reasons why gamers would want one of these skins, or perhaps three or four of them for their Nintendo Wii. Another reason is that the Wii skins from DecalGirl come at a reasonable price of $15 only.

Yet another reason, and of course one of the reasons why we would love to get a hold of these Wii skins is that they all have very colorful and geometric designs. There are loads of skins to choose from. Just hearing the names given to the skins are enough to make you imagine them and then want them. There’s ‘Ghost in the Game’, ‘Analysis’, ‘Anarchist’, ‘Apocalyse’, ‘Balance’, and ‘Absolute Power’.

Some advice: Get a leather journal!

2007-02-20T22:15:00.000+05:30

I've been doing a whole lot of traveling recently for work, in and out of airports very often. Because of this, I've been thinking on ways that I can take all my stuff with me, you know, laptop, ipod, clothes, paperword etc.

I like to travel light because it means I can get on the plane faster and don't have to wait for my luggage to slowly make it's way round the baggage carousel at the terminal. I use my laptop on the flight and when my battery inevitably runs out I turn to my trusty leather journal to brainstorm and generate ideas. I would highly recommend you invest in something that allows you to quickly jot down your thoughts, it really improves your productivity.

I bought my leather journal from a company based in the UK called Kiki James. Give them a shot!

Microsoft’s Soapbox ‘YouTube Killer’ is out for Public

2007-02-20T14:43:00.000+05:30

Microsoft has announced a public beta version of its MSN Soapbox video upload service, which is seen as a rival to Google’s renowned YouTube service.

The Redmond, USA-based company had launched the beta version of Soapbox in September last year. It was then available to beta testers only by invitation for several months. However with the release of the public beta, anyone can test out the service by going to http://soapbox.msn.com, reports the LiveSide blog, which follows Microsoft’s Windows Live Internet services.

Like YouTube, Soapbox allows users not only to upload videos to the Web in almost any digital video format, but also to tag and categorize them so other users can find them. However, where Microsoft stands out is that in Soapbox, users can watch videos and browse for new ones simultaneously on the same screen. A feature that’s surely unique to Microsoft’s baby.

In an attempt to give a cut-throat to competition to biggies such as Google and Yahoo, since November 2005, Microsoft has been gathering a raft of Web-based services, when Chief Architect Ray Ozzie launched the company’s Live services program. The company has said it would invest a large amount of money in its Web efforts, and financial analysts expect Microsoft to give an update on this plan during a briefing with analysts in New York Thursday.

Though many believe the Live services will put back Microsoft’s MSN-branded services, the company continues to maintain MSN as a site where it offers entertainment content, which may explain why it branded Soapbox with the MSN name rather than Live. The ‘Live’ mark refers more to actual services such as Windows Live e-mail, instant messaging and search.

Turbo Tax Software

2007-02-17T23:51:00.001+05:30

I’m using Turbo Tax to complete my tax returns this year and I can’t believe how incredibly simple it is. I remember when I used to dead tax time; it was full of stress, anxiety, and pressure. Now, with Turbotax, doing my taxes is a breeze.

The Turbo Tax Software is easy to understand. To begin with, you need to determine which version is best for your situation. For me, I use the basic Turbo Tax online program to complete my taxes online, and then I E-File my return. One of Turbo Tax online programs is a 1040ez. My state doesn’t charge for E-filing and it is absolutely free. However, some states do charge a fee so depending on your situation and where you live, you may be able to file for free as well, but you will need to check first.

One of the best features about using Turbo Tax is that they help you every step of the way. Before you begin, you can use their help system to determine which Turbo Tax version is best suited for your needs. They offer:

· Turbo Tax Basic
· Turbo Tax Deluxe
· Turbo Tax Premier
· Home & Business Schedule C

Once you have selected your program, you’re ready to start. The online program will walk you through every step, and if you have any questions, there is a help button ready to answer your questions. Some of financial institution offers Turbo Tax Promotion Code if you have it You can buy your TurboTax Software with nice discount.

Leaving your tax returns in the middle of completion is fine with Turbo Tax. The program saves your information and you can easily pick up where you left off. In fact, if you continue to use Turbo Tax for multiple tax returns, you will always have access to your prior tax returns through the Turbo Tax program.

When you are using the program, you will notice a little register (button) in the upper left corner, it will tally up your refund amount as you continue to enter your information. This makes it so easy to see what your expected return will be. Another great benefit to using Turbo Tax, is that when you have E filed (or print and mailed) your return, you can access the website and select “Check E File Status”. This option will let you know when the IRS has successfully accepted your tax return and also gives you information regarding when the IRS has mailed (or direct deposited) your refund.

Ecommerce

2007-02-17T23:21:00.000+05:30

Entry into the world of ecommerce requires that the site owner has there components planned:

* Products to sell
* Content to advertise the products
* A site host that will run scripts

These are essential before the site is set up. The first two offer direction to the web site, and give the tone for the whole project. The last one is the mechanism by which the ecommerce site will be set up. It will be used to store the content, and the framework, which serves the content, and provides an interface to the payment processing service provider.

YouTube Phenomenon

2007-02-17T23:08:00.000+05:30

If you browse the web, you'll come across many websites that has one or more video clips embedded in it. News websites such as BBC and CNN fall in this category. But, what about a website that has only video clips and nothing else? This is exactly what the Youtube Phenomenon is all about. To those who have not heard about Youtube, it is a video sharing website where one could upload, share, and watch video clips - Youtube videos - for free. It is owned by Google.

Here is a bit history of what all went behind in the making of Youtube.com. Little had the three former PayPal employees - Chad Hurley, Jawed Karim, and Steve Chen - anticipated about the growth and fame Youtube would achieve in less than one year since its inception, when they first planned such a video sharing website. An out-of-the box idea, Youtube.com was launched as an unknown new website on February 15, 2005 with virtually no promotion. The website with its full features become operational few month later; the first preview of the website was offered in May 2005 and its official debut in November the same year. As it had been with many great path breaking projects in the past, the incubation days of Youtube took place in a modest garage in California, much like its present owner's - Google - beginnings, who started their journey from a leased space in a Menlo Park garage in 1998.

The beginnings of Youtube was pretty modest and its creators more than once at least went through a cash crunch as the visitors to the website grew and the need for better infrastructure and technology became inevitable. Irony it may be that the first helping hand they got which had pulled them out of the financial crisis was that of the venture capital firm Sequoia, the very same firm that had funded Google in its early years. Sequoia invested $3.5 million initially in Youtube, the stake which they upped to $8 million few months later, realizing the vast potential Youtube.com has in the fast growing world of infotainment in the near future.

Another development that had immensely helped catapulting Youtube into the forefront of online entertainment industry came from rather unexpected quarters, in the form of new software tool - the Flash Player 8 by Macromedia - that enabled people to view Youtube videos directly from their web browsers without having to download it into their PCs and view it with the help of third party software programs such as Windows Media Player or RealOne Player. In fact, it not only eliminated the need to view downloaded files in third party tools, but also provided a far improved video quality than its predecessor, Flash Player 7. Had it not been for the new Flash Player, the Flash Player 8, it is unlikely that Youtube.com would have taken off this fast, in such a short span of time.

As of today, Youtube.com, under the umbrella of Google, is the fastest growing video website in the globe and the 10th most popular amongst all websites in the cyberspace, according to the latest Alexa ratings. Nearly 100 million video clips from Youtube are seen by netizens daily and around 65,000 new Youtube videos are added every day into the database. The number of netizens visiting Youtube every month is thought to be anywhere near 20 million. No wonder, Youtube.com is described not as a website, but as a phenomenon by market experts.

The website www.topyoutubevideos.com provides a one-stop destination where you could find and download YouTube video clips. Our team daily search amongst the millions of video clips available in Youtube.com and categorizes and lists only the best, latest, and funniest amongst them for the netizens to watch and enjoy. In that respect, topyoutubevideos.com can be viewed upon as a free video website that provides only the selected best from Youtube's ever expanding database of funny videos. Also, all the amazing videos that are listed under the different categories are updated daily so that the user would get to watch the latest additions to the funny Youtube videos database all the time. You won't be disappointed or bored at the variety and freshness of entertainment you could find in TopYoutubeVideos.com !

HOW TO SAFELY GET RID OF OLD CREDIT CARDS

2007-02-17T12:59:00.001+05:30

Whilst you may not think that it is particularly important, when you receive a new credit card it is essential that you get rid of the older card properly. This is particularly true if you are just getting an updated version of the old one, as the new card will still have all of the same details on it.

So many people simply chuck away their credit cards without thinking and that leaves it wide open for fraudsters to steal your details. It may be hard for you to imagine but there are people who go around at night looking for bin bags and as soon as nobody is looking, they go through them trying to get personal articles, financial details of people. If documents and credit cards are not shredded, it is all too easy for fraudsters to use those details for their own benefits. Even if you are the victim of fraud and the company pays off any debt that the person has accumulated, it still goes on your record. So, it always pays to be extra careful with older credit cards.

There are especially designed shredders which shred credit cards and that is definitely the best way of getting rid of your old cards so purchase one today if you haven’t already got one.

COULD BALLOON LOANS EVER BE GOOD FOR BORROWERS?

2007-02-17T12:58:00.004+05:30

Balloon loans are another type of loan which not many people have actually heard of. It will come as no great surprise to you that these loans are not that popular however when you realise that whilst you do pay small amounts each month to start with, this is only for a certain time period and then you have to pay the rest of the money you owe in full.

Usually a balloon loan refers to a mortgage and the main advantage is that the interest rates are extremely low. This is what draws many people in, but the fact that the full amount is then due in a few years time. It is a long term payment plan but there is still that large lump sum at the end to pay and unfortunately most people are no good at saving their money. If you do not have that large sum of money at the end of the period you could end up in a lot of debt!

So, whilst the interest rates may be extremely low to start with, unless you can afford a large lump sum at the end of the payment period, it is advised that you do not take out this kind of personal loan. If you can afford it then obviously taking advantage of the low interest rates is definitely a great idea!

ARE CREDIT CARDS FINALLY LOSING THEIR POPULARITY?

2007-02-17T12:58:00.003+05:30

One of the latest pieces of news regarding credit cards is that they are quickly losing their appeal amongst borrowers. With so many different borrowing options, people are now opting for other methods of credit rather than credit cards. It is said that over £1 billion was lost by credit card companies in 2006 and the decline is blamed upon people taking out home equity loans instead.

More and more people are taking on mortgages and releasing equity in their homes. It seems that the charges of credit cards are finally catching up with the lenders and people are opting for easier and cheaper ways of gaining credit. Another mistake credit card companies have made is dropping their 0% interest rates for certain time periods. Many people are drawn to offers like that and by taking them away they are losing part of their consumer base.

So, it seems that credit cards are slowly losing business but they do not really need to worry just yet. People are still using them and there is plenty of time to bring back various consumers with more deals. Only time will really tell if this new decline in credit cards is a temporary thing or whether it is likely to continue.

KNOWING WHEN A GOOD LOAN OFFER IS REALLY A BAD LOAN OFFER

2007-02-17T12:58:00.001+05:30

If you are on the lookout for a loan, you may notice that you find several 'good' offers. Many loan companies offer excellent interest rates as well as borrow now and pay later offers and both attract many new customers. However, are things really how they seem to be or are there hidden disadvantages that these loan companies just aren't showing us?

Unfortunately a lot of the time a 'good' deal is not really as good as it sounds. It may look good on the outside – after all who wouldn't want lower interest rates and easy money there and then without paying a penny? It sounds unbelievable and a lot of the time it is too good to be true, you just have to know what to look out for. Read the news, loan articles and other information.

For example, if a loan company offers lower interest rates, often it is only for a limited period. They may offer a significant difference compared to other companies but then when you look at the terms and conditions it usually says 'for a limited time only' or something along those lines. So, always read the terms and conditions otherwise you could end up actually paying more than you originally thought you would. Loan companies are clever that way and many people do fall for it. It is all about clever advertising, and personal loan companies certainly know how to use it to their advantage.

So, the lesson is to read through the agreement and terms thoroughly before agreeing to anything. Often if something sounds too good to be true it usually is!

Microsoft plans to launch new Operating System dubbed ‘Vienna’ in 2009

2007-02-14T11:39:00.000+05:30

It has barely been two weeks since Microsoft launched its much-awaited operating system, Windows Vista. But now, there are already talks among senior executives at Microsoft of a successor to Windows Vista, which will perhaps come out in 2009. Apparently, the next operating system that Microsoft plans to launch will be called ‘Vienna’.

According to Ben Fathi, VP of development in Microsoft’s operating system group, Microsoft customers and business partners can expect to have Vienna in their hands in two to two-and-a-half years. However, the features that will be includes in the next big operating system, Vienna, is yet not known to anyone.
Till date, the software giant has said little about Vienna, which is the code name for its next operating system. Even the benefits that it might offer to consumers and business users are yet unknown.

However, there are a few clues. At the Windows Vista launch on January 30, 2006, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer provided some clues saying that Microsoft would like to see more built-in support at the operating system level.
Ballmer also said that the continued convergence of communications and information technologies and consumer demand for much more sophisticated forms of digital entertainment will require operating systems with capabilities well beyond those offered by Vista, its latest operating system. “All these things will evolve, and the operating system will need to evolve with them,” concluded Ballmer.
Microsoft may also add features to Vienna or another future operating system that go beyond more efficient pointing and clicking — features such as standard support for touch-screen and voice-activated computing.

It’s also likely that Vienna will be designed to act in less of a client-centric manner than its predecessors and more like a conduit between the desktop and a host of services that Microsoft plans to deliver over the Web under its Windows Live initiatives. Those services include search, e-mail, and social networking tools.
Besides, in a recent interview with Newsweek, Microsoft chairman, Bill Gates, suggested the focus (of the next operating system) would be on allowing users to have access to their files, regardless of the PC they are using. “So even if you drop by a (public) kiosk or somebody else’s PC, we can bring down your home page, your files, your fonts, your favorites and those things,” Gates added.
Looking at these little clues and other talks that Microsoft’s officials have been getting into these days, it does seem a bit rushed, considering there were five years between the release of Windows XP and Windows Vista. However, before XP, Microsoft typically released new versions of Windows every two or three years.

Sony Ericsson W51S – A New Sleek Mobile Phone debuts

2007-02-07T20:46:00.000+05:30

Sony Ericsson has unveiled its latest clamshell dubbed ‘W51S.’ The new Sony Ericsson phone features Organic Light Emitting Device (OLED) on the front cover that illuminates icons the when it receives a call, message or notice. It also sports a 2.7-inch display with 16:9 widescreen utilizing RealityMAX technology to enhance picture quality.
In addition, the Sony Ericsson W51S mobile phone also includes a 2 megapixel camera, 120MB of internal memory, which can be boosted with Memory Sticks. The phone boasts of having 3.5 hrs of talk-time and 270 hrs standby.

The Sony W51S phone will be available in a choice of black, gold and pink. The black W51S phone is the carbon-fiber like finish, the pink one has pretty floral patterns and the gold one is just classy and smooth.
However, it will be released in Spring 2007 ONLY in Japan, on KDDI. Wonder if it ever leaves the shores of Japan and goes elsewhere too. No word on the pricing of the Sony Ericsson W51S phone yet.

Improving AIM Is Easy With Smileys

2007-02-07T16:33:00.000+05:30

Have you ever found yourself trying to get a point across to someone on AIM and no matter what you write, they still don't get it? It's pretty annoying if you ask me, you might as well lift the phone or Skype them. Sometimes it's just easier to get the point across offline.

However, telephone is sometimes not necessary. I find that inserting some smileys really helps. I can easily portray anger, frustration, happiness, fatigue etc. I tend to stick pretty much exclusively with AIM as most of my contacts are on there, but sometimes I use MSN and occasionally I use YIM.

So I searched round all the smiley sites online and eventually found one that offers free smileys that work on AIM, MSN and YIM and can also be added to emails. I got 10,000, for free. Happy days!

Asus Shows Aura Concept Phone

2007-02-06T18:32:00.000+05:30

Asus's latest concept phone would make the iPhone a thing of the past, if it actually materializes from its concept stage.

The phone features a full 3.9-inch 'high-resolution' touch-screen display and a navigation pad/soft key 'panel' that can slide across the screen to be positioned anywhere. There's also a full QWERTY keyboard that slides out from the side. And all this has been managed in just 6mm of thinness.

The phone also has a 2 megapixel camera on the back, but there doesn't seem to be any sign of a flash. Inside the phone, they've thought of HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 and also a microSD expansion slot. The Aura has a standard mini-USB slot (from where it would also recharge, I assume) and a 3.5mm stereo jack so you can plug your Shure earphones into it.

Canon Announces New HV20 HD Camcorder

2007-02-04T10:49:00.000+05:30

Canon recently introduced the Canon HV20 HD Camcorder. Integrating Canon's optics and imaging technology, including a 10x HD video zoom lens with Super Range Optical Image Stabilization and a Canon True HD 1920 x 1080 CMOS Image Sensor, the HV20 HD Camcorder records true 1080 high definition video.

In fact, both aspiring filmmakers and home movie shooters can give their video a truly cinematic look and feel with the addition of a 24p Cinema Mode."This HV20 HD Camcorder dramatically raises the bar for consumer camcorder capabilities, and will no doubt be the model of choice for discerning video enthusiasts who accept nothing less than premium quality equipment to capture and preserve their memories," said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager of the Consumer Imaging Group at Canon U.S.A., Inc. "Clearly, the High Definition video revolution is upon us, and as HDTV's begin to dominate the marketplace, videographers and viewers will expect and demand superior image quality from their home video productions."In addition to the HV20 HD Camcorder's horizontal design, the HV20 HD Camcorder incorporates an array of new features.

Among the new features within the Canon HV20 HD Camcorder is an Advanced Accessory Shoe capable of accommodating such additional components as select external video lights or directional microphones. The HV20 HD Camcorder also features microphone and headphone input terminals with manual level control for professional quality audio recording and a 24p Cinema Mode - found previously only on professional video equipment - that offers the frame rate of motion pictures and imparts a film-like look to the video. The HV20 HD Camcorder also features an HDMI terminal for quick and easy one-cable transport of the High Definition video signal to a HDTV.The Canon HV20 HD Camcorder kit includes a compact power adapter, a wireless remote control, the new, and a BP-2L13 battery pack, a stereo video cable, a USB cable and a component video cable. In stores in April, the HV20 HD Camcorder carries an estimated selling price of $1099.

Yahoo messenger for Windows Vista

2007-02-02T13:00:00.000+05:30

Yahoo has designed a new version of its famous Messenger which is specifically designed for Windows Vista.Though the version is yet to be released,it looks pretty good,and comes loaded with amazing features.Check it out here.

This upcoming version of Yahoo Messenger is expected to be released for public beta somewhere around second quarter of 2007. They have integrated Flickr and desktop searching abilities which allows user to search for photos stored in his local computer, multiple chat session can be combined into one single chat window with tabbed navigation.

Features:* Instant message, voice, webcam video, and more* Use the integrated Yahoo! Messenger Sidebar gadget to keep up with the friends that matter most* Also add Windows Live™ Messenger friends to your contact list to see when they’re online and IM them* Keep conversations organized by dragging and dropping them into one tabbed window* Brand new emoticons, program icons and alert sounds* Instantly change the look and feel of your Yahoo! Messenger interface* Automatic groups are created in your contact list based on your Yahoo! interests (i.e. Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football league)The user interface looks really cool,but I am still apprehensive of its performance.Hope it turns out to be great.Tabbed chat window has been included which was one of the much awaited features.They have compiled a nice video demo for Yahoo Messenger for Vista, check it out

Microsoft Windows Vista and Office 2007 System: Features and all the other details you wanted to know

2007-01-31T21:14:00.000+05:30

The Windows Vista and Office 2007 platform will be made available in several editions targeted at specific user groups and addressing all segments of the market. Specifically, Windows Vista, with its visual sophistication, and elements like enhanced connectivity, virus protection and secure-boot, is available in four consumer editions - Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Starter.

Here’s a little about the Windows Vista Consumer Editions.
The diverse consumer SKUs of Windows Vista include:
Windows Vista Ultimate: At the top end of the vista spectrum, Windows Vista Ultimate truly delivers on its promise. It is the first operating system to bring together the full array of entertainment, mobility and business-oriented features available in Windows Vista.

Windows Vista Home Premium (with Media Centre): Windows Vista Home Premium will help consumers use mobile or desktop PC functionality more effectively while enabling the enjoyment of new, exciting digital entertainment experiences.Windows Vista Home Premium improves every aspect of digital entertainment experiences, including photos, video, TV, movies, music and games.

Click here to read more

Sony Ericsson to Launch Bravia Phone

2007-01-30T11:40:00.000+05:30

After pretty much capturing the market with specialized phone series like the Walkmans and CyberShots, Sony Ericsson is all set to launch Bravia-branded phones with built-in TV tuners. The displays on these phones use Sony's Bravia technology.

The Sony Ericsson SO903iTV is intended to be used in a landscape orientation. It has a 3-inch screen, a 2 megapixel camera, microSD card support (huh? No Memory Stick Micro?) and, as mentioned before, a TV tuner with time-shift recording.The SO903iTV will only be available on NTT DoCoMo in Japan. Release of this phone in other parts of the world is probably not happening, but since other branded phones (Walkman, CyberShot) are available elsewhere, why chain the Bravia to the homeland?Via CNet.

Next-Gen DVDs Hacked

2007-01-29T17:16:00.000+05:30

Just when Hollywood wrinkle their spiffy heavier high-def movies on the budgeted gen Blu-Ray again HD-DVD formats were safe, hackers reckon on original them improper once again.

According to the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) Licensing Authority, the hackers regard illegally obtained the encryption keys, further used them to decrypt high-definition DVDs. The stolen keys liability in that copy feeble downloaded from HDKEYS

Hollywood is obviously blaming the credit of allowing users to flexibility the next-gen formats on their PC, which is a symmetrical pressing symmetry owing to proper about slab cordial of encryption.

2007-01-29T17:06:00.000+05:30

Chad Hurley, co-founder of YouTube, said Saturday that his wildly lucky dwelling bequeath implant sharing cut with its millions of users.

Hurley said by oneself of the main proposed innovations is a fashion to spare users to perform paid in that content. YouTube, which was struck to Google because $1.65 billion moment November, has metamorphose an Internet marvel considering original began to ferret out on ascendancy behindhand 2005. Some 70 million videos are viewed on the abode each day.
''We are recipient an confab lofty enough locale we res

t assured an range to support creativity, to maturate ingenuity seeing sharing holding with our users,'' Hurley said. ''So drag the passage months we are hoopla to reproduce square one that up.''

Hurley, who at 30 is isolated of the youngest Internet multimillionaires, gave no details of how eminently users understanding receive, or what course would perform used.

In October 2005, Revver which funk YouTube offers video clips online announced plans to weave advertising to user-submitted videos also allot their creators a model of the profits. Revver has said bodily would breach the ad takings evenly with peaceful creators.

Hurley said that when YouTube started, he further the site's antithetic co-founders Steve Chen again Jawed Karim felt revenue-sharing would body a multitude of users motivated by structuring money, fairly than their frenzy of videos.

But that because the field has grown, the three, who live on to trek the company, presuppose come forth to toss around financial pay being a disposal of valuable content.

Hurley spoke on the keep up husky hour of the World Economic Forum, which brings astute the world's political, do further trip leaders whereas a five-day pack on the problems dissimilar the world.

Google HACKED???

2007-01-29T15:21:00.000+05:30

Google, the world's biggest web-search engine, had its German website cut off from the Internet on Tuesday, apparently after somebody hijacked the rights to its google.de address.
German surfers who tried to enter the Google site instead saw a web page hosted on the servers of a tiny German online provider, Goneo.

"The problem was fixed in a short space of time," said Stefan Keuchel, a spokesman for the German branch of the US company, which earns most of its revenues from online advertising.
It remained unclear how nobody had noticed the unidentified hijacker when the domain - the ownership of the Internet address was re-registered late on Monday.
Much of the process of registering web addresses is automated. Domains often expire and go to new owners.

As of Tuesday, Google and its officers were once again registered as owner and contacts with Denic, the German agency that distributes all domains ending with the letters - de.
An online news service, Heise, said the hijack lasted about 12 hours, beginning Monday evening, and resembled a 2004 attack in which an individual seized control of the Ebay domain.
Heise quoted Goneo's chief executive Marc Keilwerth saying one of his customers had used an automated ordering process and secured control of the google.de name as of 8:30 pm. He apologised and said all applications in future would be checked.

Goneo told Denic to undo the change, but someone else then secured the rights instead of Google until about 9:00 am on Tuesday, Heise said.

New Motorola FLIP W375 Launched

2007-01-27T13:06:00.000+05:30

The new Motorola FLIP W75, the upgrade to the budget style king W220, is finally making its way to stores as you read this!

The changes in the W375 include a larger 128x160 display, MP3 ringtones support a VGA camera and USB connectivity support. The tri-band GSM handset also supports GPRS and MMS. Strangely, the internal phonebook seems to have been reduced to 100, which has been a cause for concern for many. Also, the internal memory of the phone is a sissy 1.3MB, with no card slot to add more. The W375 retains the external LED status icons and FM radio, ensuring its success with the market. It may also come in multiple colors as in the picture.
Since we told you about the phone in October last year, there's been a surge in comments asking when the phone will be released. It's available now for Rs. 5,400 approximately.

2007-01-26T22:34:00.000+05:30

SanDisk is more popular in our side of the world for memory cards that most of the budget conscious buyers avoid in favor of cheaper (and often fake) brands, but in the other parts of the world, their Sansa series of MP3 players have been getting a lot of attention and are more widely appreciated than Creative’s Zens. That makes the Sansa players the second most popular in the world, coming in right after the iPod.

Mostly making low-capacity players such as 512MB and 1GB models, the new e200 series sport a color display and higher capacities such as 2GB, 4GB, 6GB and 8GB, namely e250, e260, e270 and e280.

The e200 series are direct competitors to the iPod Nano, but the first thing anyone will spot is that it’s almost twice as thick, even though its roughly the same height and width. Those with eyes on the Nano will need a serious amount of feature benefit from the Sansa if they are to be impressed.

The rear of the player needs a special mention because its made out of a special Titanium alloy by Liquidmetal Technologies that’s supposed to be scratch resistant, but the piece we received already had a pretty large scar on the back. Interestingly, all attempts at trying to create our own scars failed.

The control scheme of the Sansa e200 series players is around about the same as the Nano. It has a wheel that rotates around one main center "ok" button and has four buttons around for directional navigation as well as playback action (i.e. play/pause, forward, rewind, etc.). The wheel is not a touch-sensitive wheel like the one on the iPods, but a real wheel that physically rotates. It also glows blue when you use it, which looks cool. The buttons around the wheel are a little small and may be uncomfortable to operate, requiring 'nail-typing' most of the time.

The 1.8" display is a lot larger than the Nano. When viewed in landscape mode, it is a proper 4:3 aspect screen (208x160 or 160x208 vertical). The screen is pretty bright and although it looks a little washed out at max brightness, you’ll be comfortable at even a 50% level.

The cost of the e250 (2GB) is around Rs. 7,500, e260 (4GB) is around Rs. 10,000 and the e270 (6GB) is around Rs. 12,000. When put right next to the Nano’s Rs. 9,800 (2GB) and Rs. 13,

200 (4GB), the Sansa offers a lot more value for money. Not only is it cheaper than the iPod, it also has FM, video playback and a larger screen. The only problem I can see with the Sansa is that… it’s not an iPod

imate SPL

2007-01-24T13:19:00.000+05:30

Phones have been getting slim and stylish and phones have been getting smart, but there aren’t too many smartphones out there that are really slim and stylish. i-mate’s Smartflip can come close, but it isn’t without its share of problems. The new SPL looks like it just might fit the bill.

Indeed, the SPL is very SLVR-like. It’s slim, and around 12mm, it may be one of the slimmest Windows Mobile smartphones out there, behind the Motorola Q. It has a glossy, piano black finish unlike the SLVR or the RAZRs. The glossy surface is quite a fingerprint magnet, but it can be wiped clean with your jeans or something, so personally I never have any problem with this kind of a finish. The device feels a little heavy at around 106gm. The keypad on the SPL is also very SLVR-like with a similar look, including the blue blacklight. It’s flat and offers good tactile feedback, but the demarcations on this keypad are a little too flat and flush with the surface. This makes it a little difficult to handle without looking at the phone, like while driving or so. The keys are wide enough, but they aren’t too high, and their close proximity to each other is also a problem. The navigation pad’s direction keys are small, and you might end up clicking the Internet Explorer or the '2' button instead of clicking up or down. Typing SMS was also not a very pleasant experience.

The display is fairly large at around 2.2 inches. The 65k-color QVGA display makes the text looks extremely fine and crisp, but the icons still have jagged edges as if it’s a 176x220 display. It’s bright and vivid in closed environments, but in sunlight, the display goes dull and is almost unreadable.

A couple of years ago, the Sagem myS-7, a Windows Mobile 2003 phone, that I couldn’t stop raving about because of the speed of the UI. Windows Mobile 2005 on the SPL is the exact opposite. It’s slow. It’s old Series 60 slow.

Above the display, you’ll see the ear-piece of the SPL. It’s positioning to the extreme right of the phone will make you fiddle with the phone around the ear trying to look for the perfect position to get the best volume. In most cases, you won’t find it. Even the loudspeaker on the SPL isn’t loud enough.

Click here to Read More

Is IE 8 in the works??

2007-01-22T21:55:00.000+05:30

You may get to have a look at the future of the Internet Explorer browser sooner than you might think. Although Microsoft is currently lagging behind Mozilla that has introduced Firefox 3.0 Gran Paradiso since early December 2006, third party sources confirm that the next version of Internet Explorer is already cooking in the Redmond labs. Internet Explorer 8.0 will be introduced at MIX 07, at the Venitian Hotel in Las Vegas between April 30 and May 2. One of the sessions at MIX 07 is addressed to designers and developers and is entitled: “First Look at the Future of IE.”

And if there is any doubt that the future of Internet Explorer is synonymous with IE 8.0, then here is the description of the session: “Hear what Microsoft's browser investments mean to you, and make sure you get a voice in shaping the next version of Internet Explorer. Hear about what features and layout issues are being worked on, and let us know what causes you the most problems.”

At the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Microsoft has confirmed that the development of Internet Explorer 8.0 has already debuted. Coincidentally, at MIX 06, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates promised that releases of Internet Explorer will be separated by 9 to 12 months maximum. In this context, Internet Explorer 8.0 should be launched towards the final quarter of 2008.

However, the Microsoft representative at CES 2007 pointed out to a period of 18 to 24 months until Internet Explorer 8.0 hits the market. Additionally, speculations reveal that Microsoft will not release an interim Internet Explorer version 7.x, but will rather concentrate its efforts on the development of IE8.

Another interesting supposition regarding IE 8 states that an alpha edition of Internet Explorer 8 has already been deployed in-house at Microsoft.

Arctic cat atv dealer

2007-01-22T16:54:00.000+05:30

Arctic cat atv dealer

Rubik’s Cube MP3 Player: A True Puzzle Undoubtedly

2007-01-21T11:30:00.000+05:30

Most of us have tried our hands on the renowned Rubik’s Cube, a mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by the Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik.

Now in the present day tech-gen there’s an MP3 player on the same lines.

Designer Hee Yong has developed a concept MP3 player on Rubik’s Cube puzzle, and like the original puzzle, the device too requires a bit of thinking to operate. To turn it on you simply need to start playing with the cube and each layer has a different function like getting it started, play, stop and turning it off. Perhaps you need to correctly align certain columns or rows to get it to do what you want and obviously the only way to turn the player off is to complete the puzzle.

Now what’s really puzzling (apart from the puzzle itself) is that how many of us would actually go ahead and carry a Rubik’s Cube-concept MP3 player in the pocket?

Samsung 10 Mega Pixel Camera Phone

2007-01-20T17:08:00.000+05:30

Samsung's 10 megapixel camera phone is 6mm thinner and 10g lighter than the 7 megapixel camera phone (SCH-V770) and sets itself apart from its previous megapixel camera phones by combining mobile TV capability in Satellite standard.

The B600 offers the same level of picture-taking sophistication that a 10 megapixel digital camera offers. The camera function includes 3x optical zoom and 5x digital zoom.

It also has auto focus and a flash unit that performs optimally for 10 megapixel photographs.

Also, the B600 comes fitted with a LED autofocus feature which assists users to capture clear, crisp photos even in dark settings. Located next to the lens, the LED autofocus automatically determines the distance and utilizes the appropriate focus setting for optimal photo shooting.

The B600 also supports white balance, manual focus, continuous picture-taking, and interval picture-taking functions.

It also supports Bluetooth which enables users to send pictures wirelessly to other mobile phones, printers or to Bluetooth headsets.

The high color Reproduction TFT-LCD produces the highest possible display for its size. The photo-fine chromic LCD can reproduce 16 million colors, virtually any color found in nature, earning it the True Color appellation. Moving pictures can be recorded in QVGA resolution at 15-30 frames per second.

Users can watch live TV in crisp picture through Satellite DMB function.

It also supports external memory (MMCmicro) in addition to its internal memory. The mobile phone supports a TV-out function where users can connect their phones to view still or motion pictures.

The B600 comes with a design reminiscent of a real digital camera. The front is designed as a bar-type mobile phone, while the back side is used as the digital camera.

Other advanced functions in the B600 include an MP3 player, business card reader, and 128 polyphonic sounds.

The price of B600 is around 900,000 won (about $ 900) in Korea.

ZVUE 260 Media Player

2007-01-18T11:53:00.000+05:30

In the event that you want a white DAP, a wide screen, a circular dial for control, but you don’t want an iPod, then perhaps the ZVUE 260 would interest you.

Other than the above mentioned features, the ZVUE plays back MP3, WMA (with DRM), WMV on its 2.5-inch, 320x240 display, but it doesn’t have any internal hard drive and instead relys on SD cards to handle that.

The ZVUE 260 will be out for an affordable $99 (Rs, 4,500) around the third quarter of 2007.

2007-01-17T22:12:00.000+05:30

YouRipper is a small tool that enables you to download video clips from YouTube and Google Video. It automatically clings itself to the title bar of your browser and all you have to do is copy and paste (or drag and drop) the URL of the YouTube page that contains the video clip and YouRipper will automatically extract the correct file and save it as Flash video (.flv) file in a folder of your choice. You will need a FLV player (available from SnapFiles for free) to play the saved files. YouRipper also contains a handy RSS reader that shows the latest videos on YouTube.

you can download it from hereYouRipper 2.20

there are firefox extensions for this... it rips from not only you tube and google but many other sites too!!!

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2390/
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2390/
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2390/
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2390/
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2390/

Nokia - N800

2007-01-14T21:52:00.001+05:30

Nokia officially announced the new N800 internet tablet, an update to their internet tablet line. The new N800 is an improvement over the previous internet tablet. The Nokia N800 enables easy wireless connection, is backed by a super crisp high res display, and has support for a bevy of handy internet applications. The Nokia N800 is optimized for a true web experience, all on one sleek device.

When it comes to weight, you can compare the Nokia N800 to some larger cell phones. The total weight is 206 grams, not too heavy when you consider the wonderful 800 x 480 resolution touch screen display that the N800 supports.

The Nokia N800 keeps you connected with your friends and family just as easily as the Internet on your PC would. Use e-mail, instant messenger, or internet calling.

The Nokia N800 also features support for streaming media - download and enjoy multimedia (news, videos, songs) anytime, anywhere. Enjoy audio from stereo speakers.

The Nokia N800 is a strong improvement over the Nokia 770. The N800 is much faster, the design is much more attractive, and the full screen finger qwerty keyboard makes for a great web surfing device.

With the release of the N800 internet tablet, Nokia seems to think that the Internet is the way of the future (I’d have to agree) - the Nokia N800 is really spearheading this prediction.

The Nokia N800 will also allow Skype users to make calls via the Internet with their N800 - Nokia recently announced a strategic development coop with Skype.

The N800 is based on a versatile Linux based OS - you’ll be able to get a wide variety of 3rd party applications on the unit.

Motorola RIZR Z6

2007-01-14T21:33:00.000+05:30

The RIZR Z3 slider has only just come to India, but Moto is already readying its successor, the Z6, at CES 2007. Most of the features remain the same, but the display of the Z6 is of a higher resolution QVGA (240x320) and, as promised, they have dumped the traditional old Motorola UI in favor of a new one based on Linux and Java.

The Z6 will also be a part of the new MOTOMUSIC platform, featuring a dedicated music key. It will playback MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV, etc. The phone can be synced with Windows Media Player 11 and will also support Janus DRM.

Other features spill over: upto 2 GB of storage using a microSD/TransFlash memory card, USB 2.0 support, Bluetooth A2DP support for wireless stereo, 2 megapixel camera. The phone will be a quad-band GSM handset with support for GPRS and EDGE.

Features include a 1.9-inch 176x220 display, a 2 megapixel digital camera, MP3/AAC playback, Bluetooth with A2DP stereo, USB 2.0, Push-To-Talk and Push-To-View, 16mb of built-in memory and a microSD/TransFlash slot. The RIZR Z3 is a quad-band GSM handset with GPRS and EDGE network support.

Given the actual amount of changes, I think a 'Z3i' or 'Z4' model number would have been more appropriate. Anyway, the Z6 should be out before mid-2007, but the price isn't known yet.

Meanwhile, the Z3 sells in India for around Rs. 13,500.

iPhone

2007-01-11T13:03:00.000+05:30

Great news at Macworld today. The Apple iPhone was finally released! The device is officially called the iPhone.

Looks very nice. Even nicer than what we expected. The device combines an iPod, a cell phone and internet connectivity (Wi-fi!!!). Google maps is also integrated in the product.

The interface: a touchscreen gives the user unlimited UI interface The runs on OS-X of course! There is an integrated version of Safari with tabs.

Apple is also introducing widgets: Weather and stocks are available for now.

iPod connector: great all those docking station will still be functional!

And Yes there is a 2megapixel camera!

You can watch pictures and play videos on it.

Price: no details now but the will be available at Cingular.

Apple to Launch Apple TV - Cable and Satellite TV Channel with Apple Programming

2007-01-10T16:37:00.000+05:30

After Apple's success in the music business, with the iPod and iTunes, it's no surprise that Apple is planning to launch its own TV channel. Curiously, Apple has been testing this in Europe, rather than the US - probably to avoid having too many of the rumor sites spot the programming. Even more curiously, this channel is accessible from the most commonly-used satellite in Europe, Astra, without encryption. (At least it was for a while...)

I have satellite TV here in the Alps, since broadcast TV is very limited, and here in France, cable is virtually non-existant. When setting up a new satellite decoder a few days ago, I was browsing the many channels available on Astra. When I stumbled across a broadcast of Steve Jobs presenting Tiger at the Macworld San Francisco, I was stunned. At first I thought it was simply a news report showing an excerpt from the presentation, but I watched as it continued through to the end. After the keynote was ever, a test pattern came on: it said Apple TV, had a color Apple logo and a series of lines and stripes, and said, on the bottom, "For authorized users only".

Here's a picture of the test pattern screen:

[Image removed at the request of Apple's lawyers.]

My first thought was that this was simply a satellite feed of the keynote, which Apple has often broadcast by this means. But I turned on my VCR (it was already near midnight when I first spotted this channel) and let it run overnight. The next morning, I scanned the video: to my surprise, not only was the keynote broadcast again, but there were iPod commercials, a series of Apple TV commercials, music videos (each ending with a 3-second iTunes blurb), and an interesting video of the Apple campus.

The next day (yesterday) I taped this channel most of the day. To my surprise, it got even better. Some of the best-known Mac authors were there presenting tips and hints on using Mac OS X - and Tiger, no less. (Why didn't Apple invite me to do some of these programs?) Finally, I reached a point where there was a schedule on the screen. It showed a full range of programming on using Mac OS X, the iPod, iTunes and other software. There seems to be a wide range of product demos, instructional videos, and other information for all levels of users. There was even a documentary listed about the Virginia Tech super-computer, and several interviews with musicians, who would obviously be touting Apple products.

Alas, this was too good to continue. This morning, when I turned it on, the channel was scrambled. Clearly, someone had forgotten to press the Encryption button for the past few days, and noticed in the past 12 hours. Nevertheless, this is an interesting foray by Apple into the broadcast medium, and given the amount of programming that is available, it is possible that Apple will be announcing this when Tiger is released. Could this also be the sign that Apple will be announcing a tighter integration between the Mac and the television? It wouldn't take much to turn the Mac mini into a TiVo-like device for recording video; downloading movies and TV shows from iTunes would be a snap, with the right amount of bandwidth.

Whatever Apple is planning to do with Apple TV, it is a sign that the company is shedding its old skin of computer manufacturer and branching out even more into the lucrative consumer media arena.

2007-01-06T21:04:00.000+05:30

Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name of a next-generation optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers (including Apple, Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Thomson). The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. This extra capacity combined with the use of advanced video and audio codecs will offer consumers an unprecedented HD experience.

While current optical disc technologies such as DVD, DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD-RAM rely on a red laser to read and write data, the new format uses a blue-violet laser instead, hence the name Blu-ray. Despite the different type of lasers used, Blu-ray products can easily be made backwards compatible with CDs and DVDs through the use of a BD/DVD/CD compatible optical pickup unit. The benefit of using a blue-violet laser (405nm) is that it has a shorter wavelength than a red laser (650nm), which makes it possible to focus the laser spot with even greater precision. This allows data to be packed more tightly and stored in less space, so it's possible to fit more data on the disc even though it's the same size as a CD/DVD. This together with the change of numerical aperture to 0.85 is what enables Blu-ray Discs to hold 25GB/50GB.

Blu-ray is currently supported by more than 170 of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer, recording media, video game and music companies. The format also has broad support from the major movie studios as a successor to today's DVD format. Seven of the eight major movie studios have already announced titles for Blu-ray, including Warner, Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM and Lionsgate. The initial line-up is expected to consist of over 100 titles and include recent hits as well as classics such as Batman Begins, Desperado, Fantastic Four, Fifth Element, Hero, Ice Age, Kill Bill, Lethal Weapon, Mission Impossible, Ocean's Twelve, Pirates of the Caribbean, Reservoir Dogs, Robocop, and The Matrix. Many studios have also announced that they will begin releasing new feature films on Blu-ray Disc day-and-date with DVD, as well as a continuous slate of catalog titles every month.

For more information about Blu-ray, please see our Blu-ray FAQ.

Zune

2007-01-04T17:13:00.000+05:30

Myth 1: The Zune has a larger screen that's better for movies.

The iPod's 2.5” display is smaller, but the 3” Zune and last year's iPod both offer the same resolution. The Zune's slightly larger display is still showing the same number of dots; they'll just be more obviously pixelated because each dot is larger. The lower pixel density of the Zune's screen means its display can only be less sharp.

This flaw is exaggerated by Microsoft's Vista-esque choice of using soft alpha transparency throughout the Zune interface. This makes for nice marketing photos, but makes it harder to navigate through screens when focusing on other things: walking, driving, exercising, riding a bike, or other things iPod users do.

While neither the iPod nor the Zune provide a cinematic movie experience, there is no benefit to having a slightly larger screen at the same resolution in a handheld device, apart from possibly lower battery life.

Viewed comfortably in the hand, the tiny iPod screen is the same relative size as a 27" TV viewed from across a small room. The difference between the tiny iPod screen and the small Zune screen is relatively equivalent to viewing the iPod an inch or two closer--hardly the big deal Microsoft is trying to make it out to be.

In comparison, the display resolution of the 15" MacBook Pro is the same as the first 17" Powerbook. The same resolution on a smaller screen simply looks better. For a competing handheld display to offer a better viewing experience, it would have to provide a higher resolution display. The Zune doesn't.

Myth 2: The Zune screen has a horizontal display mode for viewing movies in a wide aspect ratio.

Widescreen movies do look better when presented on a wide screen, but the Zune doesn't offer a wide aspect display; it has to stretch or letterbox the screen to show wide aspect movies just the same as an iPod or standard definition TV would.

It doesn't gain magic dots of new resolution by being held sideways! It just distorts the display to show it in a stretched 3x4 aspect ratio, at the very same resolution. Microsoft carefully avoids calling it a wide aspect display because it isn't.

A wide aspect ratio screen might not even be a great idea for a handheld device, because a wide display would be wasted when watching content designed for TV, which is probably a more likely and practical use for a portable device than watching cinematic movies designed for presentation in a palatial 70 mm Cinerama theater. What's next, a handheld IMAX? Handheld cinema lacks a certain je ne sais quoi.

I've watched a number of movies on my iPod in airplanes, and I find the size of the screen isn't as important as its brightness or annoyances with reflective glare, particularly since I've scratched up the screen and haven't gotten around to polishing the nicks out yet.

I'd rather watch a movie on my iPod than pull out a laptop, simply because it affords more privacy and is less obtrusive. I also rip content to my iPod to watch on TV, which I find a more practical use than watching movies or TV on its small screen, unless I'm stuck on a plane.

Lately, I've gotten hooked on playing iPod games, which make more sense as a handheld diversion when stuck waiting a few minutes or during a subway commute than trying to watch a movie or even a TV length program.

Myth 3: The Zune will do most everything else the iPod does at the same price

Well no, Microsoft isn't supporting Audible audiobooks, nor providing any support for podcasting, nor has it announced any support for notes, tasks, calendars, contacts, or games. So all it does is play music.

Myth 4: The Zune has excited a lot of users already

Could there be more bad news? Of course! Even Paul Thurrott isn't impressed with the Zune, calling its pricing strategy the “makings of a disaster.” Misery! Not only has the Zune suffered a horrific wreck of a product introduction, but Annie Wilkes is at the foot of the bed saying she doesn't approve of how things are going.

If your number one fan is sending you hate mail, you have a problem. So what's with all the Zune related web sites carefully repeating the same talking points? It's called astroturfing.

Instead of inspiring actual interest in a grassroots fashion, Microsoft has resorted to spreading fake grass, crafting each site to suggest the appearance of something other than the advertisement it is.

This is similar to the scam Microsoft pulled with its own imitation of Apple's Switchers ad campaign. Titled “Confessions of a Mac to PC Convert,” the ad portrayed a professionally dressed woman complaining about her Mac, but ended up being a canned picture pulled from stock photography and voiced by a professional writer.

Similarly, Greenpeace staffers have assigned to post “I’m a Mac user and gosh darn it I think that Greenpeace is alright with all their concern about the ecology!”

One would expect a certain level of interest and excitement out of Microsoft's own users, but that isn't really happening. Nearly every Zune site on the web is carefully stepping around the piles of problems to spend a lot of time on Microsoft supplied bullet points, including the "celebration of music," the slightly larger or at least stretched display, and how wireless DRM sharing is such a brilliant idea.

The Tidy Tippist

2007-01-02T16:45:00.000+05:30

Isn’t this one lovely? The keyboard is hidden inside a decorative, washable tablecloth. The electronic is woven into a fabric, which finds itself between layers of water resistant felt as sandwich material. The soft felt surface makes it a pleasure for fingers to tip - a cosy keyboard. Awesome, hehe.

Maintenance Pack 2 Beta for Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0, Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0 Supporting Vista announced

2007-01-01T22:09:00.000+05:30

Kaspersky Lab has released the beta version of Maintenance Pack 2 for both Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 (KAV) and Kaspersky Internet Security (KIS) 6.0, a key component that incorporates full support for the Vista operating system.

Kaspersky Maintenance Pack 2 for both Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 (KAV) and Kaspersky Internet Security (KIS) 6.0 adds Vista support to the pair of programs, which debuted in May 2006.

Steve Orenberg, president, Kaspersky Lab Inc said, “Many of our users have expressed interest in Vista, and we are providing a clear path for them to do so securely with Kaspersky. Customers can confidently continue to enjoy the market’s leading response time and protection from Kaspersky regardless of which operating system they choose.”

Kaspersky AntiVirus 6.0 combines reactive anti-virus detection with the latest proactive technologies to offer solid and dependable protection against all malicious programs. Kaspersky AntiVirus 6.0 is a fully integrated solution that protects against most common Internet threats, including viruses, hacker attacks, adware, spam and spyware. The beta version of the Kaspersky Maintenance Pack 2 for KAV 6.0 and KIS 6.0 is provided for familiarization and testing purposes only.

Free Kaspersky Maintenance Pack 2 beta download can be found at any of the following ftp locations:

# Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0 of Vista

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# Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 for Vista

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Eseries

2007-01-01T11:00:00.000+05:30

Looks like Nokia's announced their new E60, E61, and E70 3G (WCDMA) phones with WiFi and mobile mail targeting mobile business users (yes, it's got GoodLink, Nokia Business Center, Seven Always-On, Visto Mobile, and BlackBerry Connect support). All the Series 60 Es run on Symbian OS 9.1 and will support advanced voice services such as Push-To-Talk and SIP allowing companies to integrate these phones into their Avaya or Cisco IP PBX (think 4-digit dialing and assisted call answering). The E60 candybar is optimized for voice and targets GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 and WCDMA2100 networks while the E61 takes a shot off the Motorola Q's bow and includes all the IP telephony functions but is optimized for mobile email and operates in quad-band GSM and WCDMA 2100 networks. The E70 is their enterprise all-in-one messaging device and will be released in two flavas: one for Europe and Asia and another for the Americas. Available in the first quarter of 2006 worldwide priced between €350 and €450. This is a big deal for Nokia

Microsoft Windows Vista Security Flaws already discovered by Security Analysts

2006-12-29T21:46:00.000+05:30

Windows Vista that will soon be launched by Microsoft on January for consumers seems to be the next-generation operating system. However, according to reports, computer security researchers and hackers have begun spotting potentially critical flaws in the soon-to-be released operating system.

In fact, on December 15, a Russian programmer posted a description of a flaw, which enables increasing users’ privileges on all of Microsoft’s recent operating systems.

Besides, over the Christmas weekend, a Silicon Valley-based security firm said that it had notified Microsoft about yet another flaw that it had discovered, as well as five other vulnerabilities. One of the five vulnerabilities is a serious bug in the software code that is used in the Internet 7 web browser. This Windows Vista flaw could result in Web users getting infected with malicious software if they happen to visit certain web sites.

California-based anti-vulnerability software, Determina added that the browser flaw could make it possible for attackers to inject rogue software into computers that run the Windows Vista operating system. According to sources at Determina, the Internet Explorer browser flaw can permit damage including information theft.

The ‘sandbox’ software that is used in the Internet Explorer software is able to control damage, even if a malicious program happened to disturb the operation of the browser. But, Determina stated that it might just be possible to work around the ‘sandbox’ controls, alter certain files, and even permanently infect a target computer.

Microsoft responded to the issue on their website saying that the company is closely monitoring the vulnerability described by the Russian programmer. Microsoft said that they have as yet not observed any public exploitation or attack activity based on the described flaw. A spokeswoman for Microsoft also mentioned that the software company is in the process of investigating the Internet Explorer flaw.

Determina has warned people not to get too laid-back, as the company expects a whole lot more of Windows Vista bugs to pop up in the next six months to one year.

The Windows Vista flaw that was discovered seems to be rather strange; as Microsoft has spent a whole lot of money, at the time of branding Vista to be the most secure products ever produced by them!!!!!!

Air Purifying Compact Desktop PC unveiled by TCL

2006-12-29T21:37:00.000+05:30

A Korean company called TCL is in the works of launching a new compact desktop pc ‘S-series’ that includes (whew) ‘AN AIR PURIFIER’.

The TCL Air Purifying PC is a compact one that sports a super trendy design. The widescreen 22-inch monitor has a bright-adjustable feature depending on different occasions like watching movies, playing games, or working on general documents. Even the speakers that are packed in look quite promising. Apparently the TCL Air Purifying PC will come in orange, black and white.

The TCL ‘S-series’ are slated to hit China in the first half of 2007. No info on the pricing for the TCL Air Purifying PC has been released yet.

Nokia 5300 XpressMusic, 5200 XpressMusic, 3250 XpressMusic - the XpressMusic Range of Music Phones unveiled

2006-12-29T20:54:00.000+05:30

Nokia has introduced its XpressMusic range of music phones that are a perfect amalgamation of excellent mobile communication and perfect mobile music. 5300 XpressMusic, the 5200 XpressMusic, and the 3250 XpressMusic are Nokia’s latest offering.

This - being the latest addition to yesterday, when Nokia unveiled music editions of three of its Nseries multimedia computers; namely the N70 Music Edition, the N73 Music Edition, and the N91 8GB phone.

Speaking at the launch, Heikki Norta, senior vice president - mobile phones, Nokia, said, “With today’s launches, we are reaching out to a broad range of consumers, who want both the features of a modern mobile phone and a quality music player in a single, stylish device.”

“The Nokia 5300 XpressMusic, in particular, offers a comprehensive feature set, including support for up to 2 GB of memory and dedicated music keys at an accessible price. Never before has it been as easy or affordable for consumers to own a mobile phone that also offers a first-rate music experience that compares favorably to any stand-alone music player. With this product launch, we are emphasizing the benefits of the XpressMusic feature brand, which clearly labels those Nokia devices that guarantee an outstanding mobile music experience.” Norta added.

The main model of the XpressMusic series is 5300 XpressMusic, which has a stylish slide design, and holds up to 100 music albums that is roughly about 1,500 tracks on a 2GB microSD card. The phone makes possible controlling music playback whilst SMSing, browsing, or clicking pictures, thanks to the dedicated music keys.

With the help of an inbox adaptor, headphones or external speakers can be easily plugged-in to the phone. While, using a standard micro USB connector, the phone can quickly transfer music to a PC. With the Nokia Wireless Audio Gateway AD-42W, consumers can stream music wirelessly from their phone onto any stereo.

The 5300 XpressMusic features a 1.3 mega pixels camera, the latest messaging functions, and video ring tones for incoming calls.

The Nokia 5300 XpressMusic is expected to retail for approximately 250 EUR (Rs 14,500) before taxes and subsidies.

Out of the two other phones in the XpressMusic range, the Nokia 5200 XpressMusic is pretty similar to the 5300 with respect to its design. The features are a mix of music and messaging functions.

The 5200 XpressMusic is expected to ship for around 200 EUR (Rs 14,500) before taxes and subsidies.

The Nokia 3250 XpressMusic maintains the unique “twist” design, and stores up to 1500 tracks on a 2G microSD card.

This phone will be available for a retail price of about 400 EUR (Rs 23,200) before taxes and subsidies.

Norton 2007 - - The good and the bad

2006-12-25T22:23:00.000+05:30

The good: Norton Internet Security 2007 costs less than it did last year.

The bad: Norton Internet Security 2007 packs fewer new features and overall lacks competitive security features, such as a file shredder and a backup utility; single-user-license edition no longer available (minimum is now a three-user license); requires twice as much disk drive space as McAfee or ZoneAlarm.

The bottom line: Despite its new price, Norton Internet Security 2007 lacks Internet security features we found in comparably priced McAfee and ZoneAlarm Internet security suites.

Although the interface is new and the price lower, Norton Internet Security 2007 from Symantec remains a bare-minimum suite of repackaged antivirus, firewall, antispam, parental control, and antispyware tools. Missing are system diagnostics and backup features (available in McAfee Internet Security 2007) and enhanced Internet transaction security (available in ZoneAlarm Internet Security 6.5). For backup, Norton users will need to purchase Norton Save & Restore or the yet-to-be-seen Norton SystemWorks 2007; and for enhanced transaction security, Norton users will need to purchase Norton Confidential (still in beta)--add-ons that negate the new lower price. And despite promising better system performance, in our testing of the beta edition, we found Norton Internet Security to occupy roughly twice as much file space and run more active services than its competitors. For the money, we think you'll get a more complete Internet security suite and one that's also lighter on your system resources from either McAfee or ZoneAlarm, with the latter suite receiving our Editors' Choice award.

Once installed, Norton Internet Security 2007 occupies 350MB of hard drive space--more than twice the file space required by either ZoneAlarm or McAfee. Norton also runs several nonessential services in the background, such as Norton LiveUpdate, which can noticeably reduce system performance on older machines. And should you ever decide to remove Norton Internet Security 2007, you'll need to go beyond Microsoft Windows' Add/Remove Programs (there was no uninstall in the beta we saw) and download a special ActiveX tool in IE from Symantec; even then, at least with the beta version we tested, we still needed to manually delete several residual Symantec references from the system directory before we could uninstall the suite from our test system.

When you first launch Norton Internet Security 2007, a new sidebar window displays your system's current security status using the now-common green-yellow-red security rainbow. Norton provides a Fix Now button, but unlike McAfee's own Fix button, Symantec takes you to another screen, where you must choose what to fix and so on. For people who want to tweak what's wrong, that'll be just fine; but most home users will simply want whatever's wrong fixed and will find the extra step annoying.

Based on our experiences with the July 2006 beta, we also found the virus-scan results page too cumbersome. After identifying what's considered malware by Symantec, you still have to choose how to handle each item with a drop-down menu offering Fix, Ignore, and Exclude. While some may appreciate the granularity here, most home users will simply want to fix the problems en masse and move on.

Rather than add new features, Norton Internet Security 2007 goes deeper with its existing protection technology from last year. For example, Norton Internet Security 2006 offered some rootkit protection, but Norton Internet Security 2007 extends Symantec's Veritas VxMS enterprise technology to the consumer level, allowing Norton Internet Security to compare files within the directory to files on the volume level. This quickly ferrets out suspicious or known malware and rootkits operating on your system. Norton Internet Security 2007 can also throttle its antivirus scanning engines so that either the full system scan or a Quick Scan runs in the background, giving priority to applications such as Microsoft Word, but other antivirus engines already have this technology.

Audi Q7

2006-12-25T21:56:00.000+05:30

Audi's first SUV, the Q7, debuts in June 2006 as a 2007 model and emphasizes sporty handling and performance. For those keeping track, Jaguar is now the only major luxury brand selling vehicles in the U.S. that doesn't offer an SUV — not that it should.

The midsize Q7 is loosely based on Audi's midsize wagon, the A6 Avant. It falls between the A6 and full-size A8 sedan in pricing.

The Q7 seats up to seven passengers in three rows. The second row can be adjusted forward for more cargo space or back for added legroom, and the second and third rows also have split seat backs that fold flat to increase cargo room. Audi says the seats can be arranged in 28 different ways.

Engine choices include a 350-hp 4.2-liter V8 and a 280-hp 2.8-liter V6 (the latter will be available in September 2006). Both are mated to a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission with manual-shift capability. A 3.0-liter diesel V6 sold in other markets does not comply with U.S. emissions regulations and isn't available here.

Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system is standard. It uses a center differential to distribute power from front to rear wheels and side to side to improve traction and stability, particularly on slick roads and during spirited driving.

A sophisticated double-wishbone suspension system with twin-tube shock absorbers is designed for agile handling, a smooth ride and moderate off-road ability. The suspension can be raised for increased ground clearance off-road or lowered for improved high-speed aerodynamics and easier access to the interior. The rear axle alone can be lowered to facilitate access to the cargo area. A system that reduces body lean through turns is standard, as is electronic stability control.

An optional four-position air suspension ($2,600) adjusts shock absorption to road conditions.

he Q7's aluminum- and wood-trimmed interior with leather seats is as stylish and refined as that of any current Audi. It features Audi's Multi-Media Interface found in other models, which uses a large knob and video display to operate navigation, audio, climate control and most other functions.

Front and side airbags for front seats and head-curtain airbags for all three rows of seats are standard. Rear side airbags cost an additional $350. Besides the adjustable air suspension mentioned above, other notable options include a towing package (good for up to 6,600 pounds) with a retractable trailer attachment ($500), and a lane-change warning system that uses radar to detect vehicles in blind spots ($500).

An optional six-seat configuration (available in summer 2006) replaces the second row with two independent seats separated by a center storage console and is said to increase rear-seat comfort. It costs $1,200 on the Q7 4.2 and is a no-cost option on the 4.2 Premium model.

Microsoft denies flaw in Vista

2006-12-25T11:53:00.000+05:30

Microsoft has confirmed that Vista can be affected by malware from 2004, but argues this is not a flaw in the operating system.

Security vendor Sophos reported on Thursday that Microsoft's Vista is vulnerable to at least three pieces of widespread malware, two of which date back to 2004. At least three well-known internet worms — labelled Stratio-Zip, Netsky-D and MyDoom-O by Sophos — are able to execute on the operating system, according to Sophos.

However, because these attacks rely on user interaction to execute the code, Microsoft has denied this is a flaw. Microsoft said that these attacks rely on social-engineering techniques to be successful.

"Microsoft is aware of a report by Sophos that claims variants of existing malware may affect users running Windows Vista," the software giant said in a statement. "Based on our initial investigation, Microsoft can confirm that these variants do not take advantage of a security vulnerability, rather they rely on social engineering to infect a user's system."

Social engineering relies on tricking users into executing malicious code themselves — a user has to open an infected attachment on an email for these worms to infect the system. Windows Mail Client — the Vista replacement to Outlook — will block the worms, but businesses running third-party email clients such as Lotus Notes, or webmail such as Yahoo or GoogleMail, could be vulnerable to social-engineering attacks.

Microsoft stopped short of blaming third-party email clients for the problem, but said that User Account Control (UAC) — which limits users' ability to install applications unless they have administrator privileges — can "help to provide better protections". IT managers can run Vista end-user accounts with limited "standard user" privileges, rather than administrator privileges. Users are also given security prompts when attempting to run executable code.

"In those cases where other email clients may not have made the same aggressive security design decisions as Microsoft did with Windows Mail Client, other protections such as UAC can apply still to help provide better protections against email-based social-engineering attacks," Microsoft's statement said. It added that currently, once malware has breached the outer defences of a computing system through user interaction, it is no surprise that the operating system obeys user commands to run the code. "If a user clicks through various security warnings and protections, it's of little surprise that malware (even malware from long ago), can still run," said Stephen Toulouse, a senior product manager at Microsoft's security technology unit. "It is not through a flaw that this occurs."

Toulouse said that currently, operating systems by themselves have little way of knowing when the user has chosen to run a piece of software that is "bad" until after it is installed and running, and that even then that capability is often provided by an application such as antivirus.

"This is why we strongly recommend to run antivirus on all versions of Windows, even Windows Vista," said Toulouse. "The very problem you have noted is one that is not actually unique to Windows."

The senior product manager said that application identity and authentication — the ability to accurately gauge a program's identity and appropriateness to run, to allow it to execute on an operating system — was an "important ecosystem change" that both operating-system and application manufacturers should address. He said this would help restrict the running of malicious code, while reducing instances of false positives blocking legitimate code.

While acknowledging that running malicious code was not a flaw in the operating system itself, Sophos predicted that Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) — the web browser bundled with Vista — would become a target for hackers, as web-based cybercrime was easier to perpetrate than attempting to attack an operating system by sending executable files directly to an email account.

"IE7 is definitely a major target," said Sophos principal virus researcher Vanja Svajcer. "More and more attacks direct people to a website, as most businesses don't allow executable file types into the organisation. It's much more difficult to prevent employees from surfing websites."

Nokia N95

2006-12-25T11:18:00.000+05:30

Nokia is coming out with a new range of cell phones that combine style and high-end features. Last month, they had announced the launch of Nokia N93, N72 and N73. The specs and pictures of the new Nokia N83 and Nokia N95 have spread through the net. The phone comes with a dual slider. The numeric keypad can be accessed by sliding the front up and the media control keypad can be accessed by sliding the front down.

The Nokia N95 impresses the user with its high-end specs and fantastic looks. The Nokia N95 cell phone will run on Series 60 3rd edition. The camera featured is a 5 mega-pixel camera fixed with a Carl Zeiss lens. The other major features of Nokia N95 are autofocus, flash and a mechanical shutter. For video conferencing, it employs a VGA camera.

The Nokia N95 comes with a 4GB hard drive. For further memory expansion , it has a micro SD card slot. As in Nokia N93, the Nokia N95 can record movies in DVD quality.

The display used in Nokia N95 is a 352*416pixels 16 million colour display. It also has Bluetooth 2.0 and MP3 / ACC media playback facility. the phone is compatible with GSM850/900/1800/1900 and WCDMA.

HSPDA is the next generationin cellular connectivity. The N95 is a category 6 HSPDA device which means it is up to 10 times faster that WCDMA (3G). Clearly HSDPA support is required at a network level, but many networks have already begun their testing or roll out periods. The faster connection speeds make downloading media (such as podcasts via the in built Podcast application) more palatable and should also improve latency/round trip times. Wi-Fi, WCDMA (3G) connectivity, together with quad band GSM and EDGE are also supported. Bluetooth 2.0, IrDA and USB make up the local connectivity options.

The 5.0 megapixel camera uses Carl Zeiss Optics with autofocus and digital zoom with a dedicated 2 stage capture button on the side of the phone. Video capture at near DVD quality is also supported. On the side of the device there are several buttons dedicated to camera usage. This allows the device to be held in a similar way to a traditional camera with the screen, in landscape mode, used as the view finder and the shutter button on bottom right hand side of the device (top right when phone is held horizontally). On the rear of the device, next to the camera is the slide switch, which is used to open the lens aperture and activate camera mode. Although it is difficult to judge the image quality at this stage the evidence we saw suggest that the N95 will be on of the most capable camera phones available.

Nitendo - Wii

2006-12-25T11:05:00.000+05:30

The Wii (pronounced as the pronoun "we" ) is a video game console released by Nintendo. The console was previously known by its project code name of Revolution, and is the successor to the Nintendo GameCube. Although Nintendo states that its console primarily targets a demographic different from that of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3,as part of the seventh generation of gaming consoles it competes with the other two on some levels.

A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions. Notable among the console's internal features is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while consuming very little electrical power.

Nintendo first mentioned the console in the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at the 2005 E3. Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show. In the 2006 E3, it won the first of several awards.

The Wii console is Nintendo's smallest home unit yet; measuring 44 mm wide, 157 mm tall, and 215.4 mm deep in the vertical orientation without the included stand (which itself measures 55.4 mm wide, 44 mm tall, and 225.6 mm deep). It is approximately the size of three standard DVD cases stacked together (approx. 4.5 cm x 15 cm x 20 cm). It weighs 1.2 kg (2.7 lbs),which makes it the lightest of the three current-gen consoles. The console can be placed either horizontally or vertically. The prefix for the numbering scheme of the system and its parts and accessories is "RVL-", after its project code name of "Revolution".

The front of the console features an illuminated slot-loading optical media drive that accepts both 12cm Wii game discs and 8cm Nintendo GameCube discs. The blue light in the disc slot illuminates briefly when the console is turned on, flashes when new data such as messages have been received from WiiConnect24, and remains on if the WiiConnect24 "Slot Illumination" setting is set to "Bright" or "Dim". When there is no WiiConnect24 information, the light is off. The disc slot light does not stay illuminated during game play or when using other features.

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The Wii - remote

The Wii Remote is a one-handed controller that uses a combination of accelerometers and infrared detection (from an array of LEDs inside the Sensor Bar) to sense its position in 3D space. This design allows users to control the game using physical gestures as well as traditional button presses. The controller connects to the console using Bluetooth, and features force feedback, 4KB non-volatile memory[31] and an internal speaker. The controller can connect to other devices through a proprietary port at the base of the controller. Perhaps the most important of these devices is the Nunchuk unit, which features an accelerometer and a traditional analog stick with two trigger buttons. In addition, an attachable wrist strap can be used to prevent the player from unintentionally dropping or throwing the device. In response to incidences of strap failures, Nintendo is now offering a stronger replacement of all Wii Remote straps.

Write Greeting Cards for CASH!

2006-11-20T19:11:00.000+05:30

Looking for a unique way to make some money?
Are you creative?
Love poetry?
If so then have you ever thought about writing greeting cards?
Being a greeting card writer can be very fun and rewarding. Not only do you get the opportunity to have people worldwide view your work but you also get paid to do it!
Most major companies, such as Hallmark have a huge bankroll and hire in-house employees their own card writers. These people work full time to produce al those cute (and expensive) greeting cards that you see at your local retail store. However, smaller companies don’t have that kind of budget so they do the second best thing – hire it out to people like you and I!
So the killer question is – “How much do these people pay?”
I have discovered that most companies pay about $50 - $400 per original card! WOW! You do the math here – if you create 3 cards every week and make $400 every card…

So as you can see, this really is an awesome paid opportunity!

I bet you want to know more, don’t you? Ok, here’s all the details –

Just about anyone can become a greeting card writer. Becoming a greeting card writer is super easy – especially since I am going to PROVIDE YOU WITH ALL THE LINKS!!!

But before you start making up “cards” lets discuss a few important details of what you should and shouldn’t submit.

*These are generalizations!

What You SHOULD Submit:
Contemporary prose or poetry written from personal experience that reflects the thoughts and feelings people today want to communicate to one another, but don't always know how to put into words.
Greeting cards capture genuine emotions on topics such as love, friendship, family, missing you, and other real-life subjects, most companies suggest that you have a friend, relative, or someone else in your life in mind as you write.
Writings on special occasions (birthday, anniversary, congratulations, etc.), as well as the challenges, difficulties, and aspirations of life are also considered. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with each individual companies products prior to submitting material, but don't study them too hard because they’re only looking for new, original, and creative writings, not copy-cat cards.

What You SHOULDN’T Submit:
Rhymed poetry, religious verse, one-liners, or humor. *Unless specifically requested, of course!
Try to avoid frequently overused words and phrases, such as "special," "gift," "sending you a hug," "birthday wishes for you," and "angel”.
Your chances of getting published will drastically decrease if you submit work directly related to mothers, sons, daughters, and love. For these themes, most companies will only consider writings that are refreshing and unique or that express age-old sentiments in new and different ways. (Hint: Avoid lines like "You were always there for me," "I remember when you were a baby," "I am so proud of you," or "You are my dream come true.")

What to Expect:
After you have written your card you will be asked to submit it via email. Occasionally some publishers ask for all submission to be sent US Mail (aka “Snail Mail”).
Plan on waiting several days to several weeks for a response. Some companies even ask for a SASE so they can return unwanted materials to you. Just be sure to read ALL the guidelines or else you will be wasting your time!

Know ahead of time that you will be selling full rights to your work, so don’t even consider trying to double dip by reusing the phrases for another company or anywhere else for that matter. If you try to be sneaky you can end up paying some serious fines or even getting jail time. Copyright infringement is a crime that publishers don’t take lightly, even the small publishers. So play it honest and you’ll make lots of money!

COMSTOCK CARDS - Looking for artists as well as writers. $50+ per accepted piece

Ephemera - $50 plus per each original slogan purchased

Blue Mountain Cards - $300 for each accepted submission.

PSG - Artists and Writer needed. Compensation is determined by each submission. Payments will vary.

Recycled Paper Greetings - Writers and Artists wanted. Payment varies.

Renaissance Greeting Cards - Writers and Artists. Payment varies.

Sambhar of 69 !!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-10-28T13:16:00.000+05:30

I had my first real six rupees,
stole it from my father's pants.
went to a madrasi hotel,
to eat the sambhar of 69.
Me and some kadke dost,
had it all and we caught bukhaar,
jimy puked, joey got ulcers,
and Bagga ne maari dakar.

Oh when I went back there now,
the food was as stale as ever,
and though it was 1999,
still the sambhar was being served over there,

that was the worst food of my life.

Therez no use in complaining,
when you got no other place to eat,
rushed in the evening to the doctors clinic,
but he too was at the toilet seat, yeah

standing there waiting outside,
nurse told me I will wait forever,
oh and when I held my breath,
I knew that I had to use that loo there
That was the worst food of my life.

Back to the sambhar of 69.

Man I was getting killed,
I was full and restless,
I needed to unwind,
I guess nothing can wait forever - FOREVER... NO!!!!

And now the dhabas are changing,
new dishes have come and gone,
sometimes when I pass that old madrasi lane,
I still smell it, I can't be wrong.

Standing in those unwashed clothes,
the waiters still call me in there,
oh the way my nostrils burn,
I know that it will be served forever,
what was the worst food of my life.

yeah it was the sambhar of 69,
the sambhar, the sambhar, the sambhar of 69 ...............