Swede used 40Gbps internet connection to dry laundry

Chances are, you could think of a million and one ways to totally take advantage of having a 40Gbps internet connection installed in your abode, but for one Sigbritt Löthberg -- who actually had such a setup -- she chose to take advantage of it in quite a perplexing way. Reportedly, the 75-year old dame wasn't too interested in downloading an entire HD film in two seconds or having ping times more minuscule than the brain can fathom; rather, she chose to use the excess heat emitted from all the kit shoved in her house to "dry her laundry." Unfortunately, the poor lady has had the gear removed from her domicile for further testing in another location, but according to Hafsteinn Jonsson, who is heading up the fiber network operation for Karlstad Stadsnät, they're considering "giving her a 100Gbps [link] in the summer -- then she'll be able to dry all her neighbors' laundry too."


Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/31/swede-used-40gbps-internet-connection-to-dry-laundry/

Sony films headed to mobile phones

Sony Pictures Television is looking to launch the first movie network on mobile phones in the United States.

The studio has signed a deal with AT&T and MediaFLO USA to launch the linear channel as one of two exclusive channels coming to the newly announced AT&T Mobile TV with FLO service in May.

The channel, to be known as PIX, will be stocked with such titles as "Ghostbusters," "Philadelphia" and "Stand by Me."

Mobile has been viewed mostly as a marketing platform for theatricals in the U.S. With the domestic mobile video category for even shortform clips lagging behind markets in Europe and Asia, Sony is looking to entice viewers with more diverse content offerings.

"What you see a lot on the carrier decks is promotional content that people can snack a little on," said Eric Berger, vp mobile entertainment at Sony Pictures Television. "There's nothing currently there as deeply entertaining as these movies."

Films have been made available on handsets on an on-demand basis. Sony was one of several studios that contributed titles to content aggregator MSpot, which teamed with Sprint to launch MSpot Movies in 2006.

Sony always has been bullish on films via mobile. The studio also was the first in the U.S. to embed full-length titles on memory cards for handsets.

Although the prospect of viewers sitting in front of a two-inch screen for two hours seems dim, Berger noted that the objective isn't to keep people watching for the duration of a film.

"We recognize that people are on the go with their mobile phone and coming and going," he said. "This isn't for people looking to view a movie for the first time. It's OK to miss the beginning."

With AT&T on board, PIX will be available on the biggest mobile provider in the U.S., though the company has yet to disclose the price of the FLO tier. With PIX a part of FLO, Sony allows AT&T to differentiate its service from Verizon Wireless, which has been carrying FLO for the past year.

PIX will be available alongside nonexclusive mobile channels including NBC, CBS, ESPN and Nickelodeon, which offer altered forms of their traditional linear programming lineups via multicast transmission.

Sony is negotiating with other U.S. carriers to carry PIX but did not divulge which specific companies are in discussions. As for pricing, each distribution partner likely will use a different business model. For instance, PIX could end up ad-supported on one carrier while free of commercials on another that will charge an extra fee.

Sony eventually might convert PIX to an on-demand model and might take the brand online as well. The full-length linear strategy is just one of many different content plays with which the studio is experimenting. "We're not doubling down and saying it's only about longform," Berger said. "We'll continue to do innovative things in the shortform universe as well."

Films will run on PIX for a month, with additions coming weekly. Other titles coming to PIX include "Memento," "The Karate Kid," "Layer Cake," "Resident Evil" and "Roxanne."


Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080331/tc_nm/sony_dc

Toyota unveils Hi-Ct green-friendly mini-tank

Not to be outdone by the antics at the New York Auto Show, the Bangkok International Motor Show had a couple of surprises as well. The Toyota Hi-Ct concept car made its debut during the event with a decidedly tank-like profile. Despite the car's bulky looks, this is in fact a green hybrid vehicle that can charge from an external power source via an AC100V accessory socket.

The car also features a removable trunk and bicycle/surfboard deck for those granola-chomping weekends us city dwellers are always hearing about. As going green becomes ever more stylish it seems like just a matter of time before we stop relying on prehistoric fossil fuel to power our horseless carriages.

Source: http://dvice.com/archives/2008/03/toyota_unveils.php

College students want Macs more than ever

Even though Apple holds only a small slice of the operating system market, college students want Macs more than ever. And, according to a report from Morgan Stanley, Mac OS X may eventually command a significant portion of the market because of it.

A recent higher-education survey conducted by Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty reveals that almost 40 per cent of college students claim their next computer purchase will be a Mac. And while that news may be enough to make Steve Jobs celebrate, the analyst had even more good news to share: the 40 per cent jump in expected market share far exceeds Apple's current 15 per cent share of the demographic.

'Aging phenomenon' is underway

"Longer term," Huberty said, "we see an 'aging phenomenon' that will put Apple in a more mainstream market share position as students enter the work force, much like Linux adoption in the 1998-2003 time frame."

Morgan Stanley did not say how long it will take for Apple to significantly increase its market share, but it did contend that as college students enter the work force and positions of prominence, the cascading effect could have a positive lasting impact on Apple's bottom line.

Source: http://www.tech.co.uk/computing/mac/news/college-students-want-macs-more-than-ever?articleid=2091916085

Mini Video Player

Check out these mini video players which are small on size but are big on features with full-size bright high-res screens and 8 hour battery life. They’re perfect for playing your favorite movies and music. Choose from the Neon M3 with heat sensitive glowing buttons and a 2.4 inch LCD screen or the Ice with a brushed aluminum finish and a slightly larger 2.8 inch display. Both have 2GB of storage built-in and can be expanded via memory card.

Product Features

• Mini Media Players Handle Video, Audio and can do Voice Recording
• Keys on Neon M3 are heat sensitive and glow when touched
• Built in FM Radio
• Integrated Speaker, or use the included Headphones

Product Specificatons

• Built in Storage: 2 GB
• Support USB mass-storage mode for easy transfer of videos on any OS
• Expandable Memory Slot - ICE (TransFlash/MicroSD), Neon M3 (T-Flash)
• Video: AVI, MPEG
• Voice Record: WAV
• Image Viewer: JPEG
• Video Playing Time: 3-4 hours
• Audio Playing Time: 6-8 hours
• Charges Via USB
• FM Radio, Text Viewer, Picture Viewer, Game
• Built-in External Speaker
• 3.5mm Stereo Earphone Output

Available for $99 about £49 from ThinkGeek.com


Source: http://www.gadgettastic.com/2008/03/27/mini-video-player/

Stretchy silicon circuits wrap around complex shapes, like your wife

The first "completely integrated, extremely bendable circuit" was just demonstrated to the world. The team behind the research is led by John Rogers of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The process bonds circuit sheets measuring just 1.5 micrometers (50 times thinner than human hair) to a piece of pre-stretched rubber. That allows the circuits to buckle like an accordion when pulled or twisted without losing their electrical properties. Unfortunately, the materials used thus far are not compatible with human tissue. In other words, no X-ray vision implant for you. X-ray contacts perhaps... quantum-computers please Mr. Scientists? Watch a circuit buckle in the video after the break.


Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/28/stretchy-silicon-circuits-wrap-around-complex-shapes-like-your/

BMW’s ConnectedDrive in action

Chrysler may end up being the first to market with an in-car internet solution, but BMW’s ConnectedDrive, announced in advance of this year’s Geneva Motor Show, is the first to bring us video of the system in action.

An interesting point covered in the videos is that the internet service is routed through BMW proxies - meaning both that no anti-virus or other protective measures are needed, and that all traffic on your annual subscription will be going through a BMW computer before being relayed to your car. BMW insists that surfing is not limited nor restricted in any way, however. Unlike Chrysler’s system, BMW’s ConnectedDrive does not require a separate mobile phone subscription.

Source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/videos/video-bmws-connecteddrive-in-action/

Army tests of Land Warrior high-tech uniform successful, soldiers request more

We knew the Army's supposedly-dead Land Warrior high-tech uniform program still had some life in it, but now it appears that good marks from tests in the field might mean it's going to make a full recovery. The Army sent the 4/9 Infantry (aka the "Manchus") off to war loaded down with the 16-pound Land Warrior kit, and after some on-the-fly adjustments that made the gear lighter and more functional, the soldiers had talked Land Warrior up to the point where the 2nd Infantry Division's 5th Combat Brigade Team has now officially requested 1,000 more Land Warrior rigs. The main change is the removal of six pounds of inessential gear, but the crew in the 4/9 also requested and added in a "digital chem light," which allows buildings and waypoints to be marked in green on an electronic map, and restricted Land Warrior deployment to team leaders and above. There's still some tricky funding problems to solve -- some $102M needs to be set aside for the request -- but the Land Warrior project managers say it's looking promising. Now if we could only get some of that HUD monocle action on the civilian side, our morning coffee run would be a lot more interesting.


Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/28/army-tests-of-land-warrior-high-tech-uniform-successful-soldier/

Sanyo Claims XGA LCD Projector World's Smallest and Lightest

This is the PLC-XW60, the world's smallest and lightest XGA LCD projector—according to its maker, Sanyo. Weighing in at just 3.6 pounds, the projector can beam a 1024 x 768-resolution, 100-inch image on a wall just nine to 11 feet away and is aimed at teachers and travellers. Find out what else the compact little blighter can do below. As well as automatic keystone correction and automatic input signal detection, the XW60 has an adjustable color mode for projecting onto different surface colors, and there's no cool-down cycle thanks to its easy-off function, which means you can just unplug it and shove it back in the cupboard straight away. Available in April, the PLC-XW60 will cost $795.


Source: http://gizmodo.com/373279/sanyo-claims-xga-lcd-projector-worlds-smallest-and-lightest

Steampunk “von Slatt Original" keyboard for a retro look

If you have about $1000 and more in your piggy bank and they are begging to be used then here’s the most idiosyncratic keyboard that you can buy of it. If retro is your style mantra then the "von Slatt Original" keyboard will fit well on your work table. Mr. Jake von Slatt cleverly manages to pimp up the old-styled keyboards in to most extraordinary good-looking functional one. You can opt for keyboards made of brushed aluminum, polished aluminum, polished brass, antiqued brass, polished copper, antiqued copper. Obviously prices vary accordingly. Using authentic keys from antique Royal typewriters, he settles for the simpler "table leg" style foot for the brass and copper keyboards. However the triangular foot tends to look better on the aluminum models. As of yet you can place the order and get a completely bespoked keyboard but later the designer plans to offer ready to pick up models like "The Sojourner" and "The Aviator". Check out the one that features a black felt faceplate, chrome keys, and a polished brass frame that is left unvarnished to develop a deep, rich patina as it ages.

Exclusively handmade, a lot of effort and handwork goes in to its making. Hence it’s get pricey.




Source: http://www.luxurylaunches.com/gadgets/steampunk_von_slatt_original_keyboard_for_a_retro_look.php