Google tests cars that drive themselves

News

Boy, this will really help with laziness.

Monitor Audio - Bronze or Silver series?

Few that are serious about audio equipments would be ignorant of Monitor Audio. Lately when exploring options to upgrade my home theatre system, one of the major considerations and dilemmas I had is the speaker system.

For this, I was advised of the Bronze and Silver series of Monitor Audio which both have excellent reviews online. Sitting in a room with the speakers blasting around you, you can feel the room come alive with sound and music. Ultimately, it came down to whether you would be spending more time listening to high precision music or watching high definition movies, and of course, a difference in price tag of over $2,000. For the later, just a bronze system would suffice saving me a chunk of my budget for a better projector.

Canon EOS 500D/Rebel T1i

It is actually quite exciting to get your first SLR camera. I was erupting with excitement as this will be mine. This promises to be not just another toy, I promise you all.

The Canon EOS 500D/Rebel T1i is a 15.1 megapixel Digital SLR camera featuring CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 Image Processor, ISO 100-3200 (expandable to 12800), 14-bit A/D conversion, 9-point wide area AF with cross type centre point, 3.4fps with up to 170 JPEG burst , auto Lighting Optimizer, Full HD (1080p) movies with HDMI output, Live View Function for stills (Quick, Live and Face Detection AF modes) and video, EOS Integrated Cleaning System, and a 3.0-inch Clear View LCD with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coating. The camera measures 5.1 x 3.8 x 2.4 in./128.8 x 97.5 x 61.9mm and weighs approx. 16.9oz./480g (body only).

Samsung Wave

Just got myself a new cell phone after two years with the Iphone. Simply love the Wave's presentation (even more so than the new Iphone). I was torn between getting the incredibly hot (ridiculous waiting time) Iphone 4 or the new and innovative Samsung Wave. Guess after Steve Job's last conference where he shirked all responsibilities about the flaws of the new Iphone, I was inclined to go the other way. For style points and phone signals, Wave already has Iphone beaten.

The good: The Samsung Wave has a gorgeous, crystal-clear Super AMOLED touch screen. The 1GHz processor keeps the phone running smoothly, and the Wave has great call quality. The Wave also has a 5-megapixel camera with HD video capabilities.

The bad: Samsung's TouchWiz 3.0 user interface is much improved over its previous versions; however, it is not as intuitive as others are, particularly as you get deeper into apps. No chinese input. Samsung App store is really limited. Running on the new Bada system has pros and cons, obviously most people would have preferred the Android.

The bottom line:

Samsung unveiled the Wave at Mobile World Congress 2010 and it is the first phone to run Samsung's Bada mobile operating system. Samsung didn't design the OS to compete with Apple's iOS and Google's Android, but to bring the smartphone experience, regardless of cost or geographic location. As such, the Wave and Bada particularly affect markets where smartphones aren't normally subsidized by carriers and thus cost a premium to own. The Samsung App Store are attracting developers through events and updates can be expected.

Iphone 4 Press Conference

In a nutshell, Steve Jobs is going down the list of factors for the recent antenna complaints: Smartphones have weakspots, AppleCare has not been slammed with complaints, return rates are super low, and it only drops "less than 1" call per 100 more than the 3GS. He has also promised to give free protective cases to new Iphone 4 buyers to alleviate the so-called “death grip” problem: holding the phone with a bare hand can muffle the wireless signal.


Iphone 4 conference livefeed
The message of this conference seems to be the reiterated declaration by Steve that "We are not perfect." and "We have a return policy." which translate to "If you are not happy with what you get, return it.".

It is what it is, if you want an Iphone, you have to live with the pros and cons.

HP Photosmart C309a

Today, I went to Costco to purchase the HP C309a multifunction Printer. Needless to say having instant rebate of $140 on the price tag of $309.99 is an instant eye-catcher, but I decided upon it after reading its cool reviews.

These newer devices are coming into their own as a quality option for printing and scanning. The HP Photosmart Premium All-in-One is a combination Printer/Scanner/Fax/Copy device. Unlike many devices in this category, the Fax All-in-One uses individual ink tanks and offers photo quality printing on glossy and luster surface papers. The printer has built-in duplex, or double sided printing, and includes wireless, USB, and Ethernet in the standard configuration. The HPFax All-in-One goes a step further and also includes Bluetooth as a standard feature.


You can use the HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One without a computer if you like. The color LCD gives you access to all features, and a very well laid out control panel makes it easy to select which options you want. For printing photos directly, you'll work directly from a memory card using the built-in card reader that supports SD, CF, Memory Stick, and xD cards. You can also connect a PICTBidge compatible device via the provided port.

The HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One uses a five ink system - pigment black for text, cyan, magenta, yellow, and photo black for photo printing. The inks are HP's Vivera and available in two sizes. The XL size gives you about 2.5 times the prints at less than twice the cost, making it a much more effective way to print.

The HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One does have an automatic document feeder, so if you have several pages to scan, you'll appreciate this feature. At high quality, a scan takes about 12 minutes to complete.

The primary reason you'll be looking at one of these devices though is most likely the printing. The HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One includes automatic duplex printing, making it easy to print on both sides of the page, and is reasonably fast at printing normal documents. The key though is photo printing and the quality level generated and, in this area, the printers did a very good job.

Another unique feature to the HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One is the iPrint Photo application for your iPhone or iPod Touch. The app uses the BlueTooth connection to let you print any image on your iPhone or iPod directly to the printer.

The HP 564XL Black ink cartidge is about $35 and can do approx. 250 pages. The 564 color combo ink cartridge is about $27 for approx. 300 pages. All in all reasonable prices.

Rex, the robotic exoskeleton

It took 7 years and $10 million but the Rex exoskeleton which is capable of supporting the full weight of a person and moving him or her around in a familiar bipedal fashion is finally ready. Operated using a joystick and control pad, it is simple enough for handicapped users to self-transfer in and out of, effectively making their dream of walking a reality.

It's about to go on sale in New Zealand, its home country this year, with an international launch following in 2011. But such a sophisticated equipment does not come cheap. Estimated initial asking price of $150,000 (US) is high but then how do you value the chance to walk?

So I guess the million dollar question is how do you make it more accessible to the public instead of limiting it to the few with the financial means.

Consumer Reports Confirms iPhone 4 Defect

News:

All the weird reports of how if you touch the left side of the phone, there will be signal loss. The signal can significantly degrade enough to cause you to lose your connection altogether if you're in an area with a weak signal.

In response to related complaints from customers, Apple released a statement on July 2 claiming the problem was not one of reception, but of faulty software which “mistakenly displays two more bars than it should for a given signal strength.”

Apple has yet to respond to the Consumer Reports confirmation of Iphone 4 defect and its stock has continued to suffer.

Despite its signal defect, Iphone 4 is still ahead of its competition and is easily the best smart phone on the market or coming out for that matter. Its sharp display and video camera capabilities are remarkable. It is simply beautiful to hold. And for those who are worried about the signal defect, there are rumors that there is a case cover for Iphone 4 that fixes the problem.

In the end, people still want to own the new Iphone. I know I am.

Sony HX5V

Went and got myself a new camera for upcoming Europe trip.

Sony CyberShot DSC-HX5V is a 10.2MP CMOS Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle Zoom with Optical Steady Shot Image Stabilization. The camera also features HD movie recording, integrated GPS receiver and compass, ISO 125-3200, Intelligent Sweep Panorama Mode, and a 3.0″ Clear Photo LCD™ display (230k pixels). The camera measures 4 1/8″ x 2 3/8″ x 1 3/16″ (102.9mm x 57.7mm x 28.9mm ) and weighs 6.0oz. (170g).

The Sony HX5V also includes both a GPS receiver and compass built-in, allowing it to tag images with both the location and direction in which they were captured. I am not really that into this feature but since we will be travelling, it might prove to be convenient.

The thing I love about HX5V is you turn it on, compose the image and fire. Don't worry about the settings except to ask yourself if you should be in Program Auto, HDR, HHT or iSweep Panorama. And maybe 4:3 or 16:9. Then let the camera take it from there.

You'll be as surprised as I was when you get the picture you wanted instead of the one you expected. The Sony HX5V will capture what you saw, what attracted you to the scene, not what a camera sees through its tiny lens, crammed on its tiny sensor. The Sony HX5V is a convenience.

The New I-Pad

With the I-Pad set to release in about 2 months time, it is time to check out how great this new gadget will be.

This review of the I-pad highlights its most enticing features.

I am most impressed with the unlocked 3g connectivity and strong battery life of 10 work hours. To top it off it, it is going for an affordable price ranging from $500 to $600, making hard not to imagine people walking around with one in their backpacks in the near future.

Sad to say, this will totally kill other computer manufacturers. Time to buck up, guys. The bar has just been raised.

Google Map

Just learned that there is a little man on the google map that you can drag to your map destination to get a street view of the place, pretty neat eh? That coupled with mapquest and other yellow pages, you can find almost any place and contacts online.

Verizon Droid - Better than Iphone

News Link

It is technology day!! With all sorts of interesting innovations on the way!!

Freedom with your softwares, user-friendly interface, lighter and faster, what more can you ask for from a group effort from Verizon, Google and Motorola? It is good to see some serious competition to the Iphone, I am sick of having to pay for all the softwares that many aren't even that good.

Wasted Heat No More

News Link

Heat loss is a crime, at least to the computer nerds needing a little tweaking. Wataru Kobayashi at Waseda University in Japan and a few friends have built a rectifier that allows a heat current to travel in one direction but not the other thus controlling the insidious effects of heat in microchips.

This invention offers countless applications, such as a thermal transistor, thermal logic gates, and a thermal memory thus offering a solution to one of the biggest obstacles in high level electronics and computers (processes with intensive workloads).

I, for one, appreciate it if the computer does not lag, hang or blow up.

Samsung Electronics Develops the World’s First Single Chip for North American Mobile Digital TV Standard Approved

NEWS LINK

In today’s globalized environment, technology makes all the difference in crossing borders. In case you haven’t heard, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. have announced that it has successfully developed the world’s first single chip compatible with the newly approved North American mobile digital TV broadcasting standard.

Samsung’s latest chip innovation combines the radio frequency (RF) and digital chip components into one single 65 nanometer (nm)-scale chip. Compared to traditional multiple-chip sets, the single chip provides makers of various mobile devices including mobile phones, car-mounted televisions and portable media players an optimal solution that is more compact, uses less power, and is more affordable.

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has been working towards standardizing mobile digital TV broadcasting utilizing the existing digital TV broadcasting spectrum and facilities since May 2007. After a membership vote that concluded yesterday, ATSC Mobile DTV was officially adopted as an ATSC standard.

“Prior to Samsung’s technical demonstration at the 2006 NAB Show, industry experts believed that the compatibility of mobile TV broadcasting technology with the existing ATSC broadcasting system was not possible. In early 2005, Samsung Electronics decided to apply significant resources to ATSC standardization,” said Mr. Byung Duck Cho, executive vice president of the Digital Media and Communications R&D Center of Samsung Electronics. “Samsung succeeded in ATSC Mobile DTV standardization through its dedication and support in cooperation with the ATSC, broadcasters, and other electronics manufacturers. Through this collaborative accomplishment, Samsung Electronics aims to advance its leadership in the North American mobile market with mobile TV.”

Over 70 broadcast stations have announced their support of this initiative and have agreed to broadcast on a trial basis across North America by the end of 2009. The goal is to prepare for formal broadcasting tests to North American consumers beginning in early 2010.

ATSC Mobile DTV makes live mobile broadcast TV possible by installing minimal additional equipment at existing TV transmitters while utilizing the same frequencies as current terrestrial digital TV broadcasting. ATSC Mobile DTV does not influence current DTV receivers even when operating in the same channels making it in-band compatible. It is widely considered as the best solution for mobile broadcast digital television in North America. Through mobile broadcasting, consumers will be able to access free content such as local news, emergency alerts, weather reports and entertainment as well as premium paid services.

As the couch potatoes call it, “YAY!!”.

The Brooks - Canad's Greenest Condo Building

The Brook is a collection of ultra-modern, luxury condos on target for LEED Platinum certification.

It features high-efficiency geothermal technology to heat and cool the building, solar thermal hot water, heat recovery ventilation systems that constantly circulate fresh air throughout each unit, water recycling andlow-flow plumbing fixtures. These reduce consumption of greenhouse gases by 87 per cent, municipal water by 83% and energy by 70%.

Delivering Urban living in a suburban setting residences have open floor plans, nine-foot floor-to-ceiling glass window walls, charcoal grey cream polished concrete floors and cut oak cabinetry.

The kitchen is state-of-the-art and the spa-like master ensuites have extra deep soaker tubs, separate walk-in showers and Han Grohe fixtures.

It sets the platform for a greener and more environmentally-conscious lifestyle.

New Slimmer & Better PS3

Sony got on stage today at GamesCom and confirmed the new, slimmer PS3 is really REAL.

It'll be out in the first week of September (September 1 in North America and Europe, September 3 for Japan), and will retail for $300 (or 300 Euro, or 29,980 Yen). It's smaller and lighter, has a 120GB HDD, and packs "all the same features" of the regular PS3 while consuming 34 percent less power and taking up 32 percent less space. Existing PS3 SKUs have their prices dropped a hundie apiece tomorrow in anticipation. However I struggle to find a reason to pay $300 for an 80GB PS3 when a couple weeks later, I can get 120GB in a cuter package.

Canon unveils augmented reality Dinosaur show in Japan

Canon's just unveiled its new augmented reality display in Chiba, Japan. Featuring 260 dinosaur specimens, this is basically a virtual reality show using a hand-scope. The show only lasts from July 18 to August 1st, 2009.

XBOX Project "Natal"

Holy Crap!!

I think if I played a RPG or MMORPG, I won't last a week. But hey, this will be great for sports and some fighting games.

More news that Facebook and Twitter will be coming to XBOX Live this fall. I hope Al appreciates that I am giving him my XBOX 360 in a month or so.

Official Project Natal Site

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News From OBSESSABLE

Project Natal is a new technology under development at Microsoft's Xbox division. It's an accessory that connects to the Xbox 360 video game console, made up of cameras, motion sensors, and a microphone. Natal lets you interact with your games without a controller in your hand. You (along with your friends or family members if you're playing a multiplayer game) can stand in front of the TV and move your body to control what happens on screen. The system recognizes who you are as soon as you step up thanks to facial recognition technology, and you can give voice commands in addition to using movements. According to Microsoft, Natal is precise enough to recognize facial expressions and emotion, so it can be used for more than just simple arcade-like games. For example, that facial expression recognition was used in tandem with the voice recognition to interact with a fictional boy on screen in a demonstration at Microsoft's E3 press conference. Microsoft hasn't said how much Natal will cost or when it will be available, but it has confirmed that the tech will work with all existing Xbox 360 consoles. Check out the Project Natal concept video from the E3 keynote on the Product Details page.

X-Ray Glasses

Have you ever wanted to be a spy? Lots of spy toys are currently on the market and are so user-friendly, even an idiot can look cool using it. For example, did you ever want to be able to see if the next person is hiding a gun under his coat? The X-ray glasses are no longer a fantasy but instead now come with 470 lines of resolution. And for some of the perverted few, they would be used with a camcorder to record voyeur pictures or movies.
How do they work?

Under normal light, Both visible (light you can see) and infrared light (light you can't see) will pass through some materials covering an object and be reflected back by the object's surface.
In this case the reflected visible light is too strong and saturated preventing you from seeing through the material with the naked eye.

However, if the reflected visible light is filtered out and only the reflected infrared and the required light is captured using special made sensitive cameras inside the glasses, the covered object surface will be visible.

With the advancement of technology, no one’s privacy is really safe. However, it may help to wear thicker clothing as these so called x-ray glasses do not pass through thicker materials.

The price for an x-ray glasses with palm size portable DVR is approximately US$2,400. These toys don’t come cheap and owning some of them are against the law.

Robotic Baby Seals - To Provide Mental Stimulus To Aging Patients

They are so cute!!

What you are seeing are Mental commitment robotic baby seals named "Paro" being recharged. The 350,000 yen (US$3,480) Paro, a cooing baby harp seal robot fitted with sensors beneath its fur and whiskers, is developed by Japan's Intelligent System Co, to soothe patients in hospitals and nursing homes.