June 26, 2006, 11:11 PM CT

Casio EXILIM EX-S600D Digital Camera

Casio Europe announced its new high performance Casio gun, EXILIM CARD EX-S600D, an ultra-slim, card-sized, high-resolutions digital camera. This latest 6.0 megapixel addition to the stylish EXILIM digital camera series can also take high-quality movies in DivX® format, a video compression technology developed by DivX. DivX is a cutting-edge video compression technology which delivers high-quality video in reduced file sizes. It also allows users to save movies on CD-R and DVD-R computer media without the time-consuming hassle of having to convert file formats.

With its 1/2.5" type CCD sensor, no one will miss a once-in-a-lifetime photographic moment again. The biggest image size resolution for Casio EXILIM EX-S600D camera is 2816 x 2112 with the lowest being 640 x 480 which is suitable for email attachments. It can also take a high quality movie in MPEG-4 format with resolutions of 640 x 480 @ 30fps and 320 x 240 @ 15fps. The image file formats will be in JPEG, DCF 1.0 standard and DPOF. Other special features will be an anti shake DSP for reducing photo blur due to shaky hands or moving subjects and movie blur due to shaky hands, revive shot for refreshing the faded colors of old photographs, using digital technology to bring them back to life and past movies which starts recording the movie 5 seconds before the record button is pressed.........

Posted by: Ryan      Permalink         Source

June 22, 2006, 8:14 PM CT

Swatch Game-themed Watch

I'm not sure if this arcade-themed watch from Swatch has already been around for a while, but I came across it only a couple of days ago. Monster Game ( the watch's official name) is listed under the I Want to Believe theme along with this cutie companion named Muffled. It really makes you wonder who's responsible for naming watches and categories over there.

Both Monster Game and Muffled are available from the swatch online store for $55 and $45 respectively.........

Posted by: Ryan      Permalink         Source

June 22, 2006, 7:12 PM CT

When Robots Learn Social Skills

Learning to communicate and adapting our behaviour to the information we receive has been fundamental to human evolution. If machines could do the same the intelligent talking robots of science fiction could become the stuff of science reality, as researchers aim to prove.

Most research into the Artificial Intelligence (AI) that underpins any form of intelligent machine-machine or machine-human interaction has centred on programming the machine with a set of predefined rules. Researchers have, in effect, attempted to build robots or devices with the communication skills of a human adult. That is a shortcut that ignores the evolution of language and the skills gained from social interaction, thereby limiting the ability of AI devices to react to stimuli to within a fixed set of parameters.

But a team of researchers led by the Institute of Cognitive Science and Technology in Italy are taking a new approach to the problem, developing technology to allow machines to evolve their own language from their experiences of interacting with their environment and cooperating with other devices.

"The result is machines that evolve and develop by themselves without human intervention," explains Stefano Nolfi, the coordinator the ECAgents project, which, with financing from the European Commission's Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) initiative, has brought together researchers from disciplines as diverse as robotics, linguistics and biology.........

Posted by: Ethan      Permalink         Source

June 22, 2006, 0:38 AM CT

Digital Still Camera and Mobile Phone in One

Finally, a digital still camera with a nice amount of megapixels combined with a decent phone setup. Sony Ericsson has come out with a model K800i (coming soon) that will rival most mediocre digital cameras (like the one I currently own) and a number of cellphones at the same time.

The Cyber-shot- digital camera and 3G phone seem to have everything a busy summer enthusiast would want. The camera includes a flash too! The cellphone has an included music/video player, uses a memory stick (Memory Stick Micro- (M2-) support) and includes an internal 64MB of memory. With a 72 voice sound it seems Sony Ericsson is ahead of the game.

Check out the phone/camera here. Will probably be released in the UK first. Contact Sony Ericsson for more information.........

Posted by: Ashley      Permalink         Source

June 22, 2006, 0:31 AM CT

SpyFinder Hidden Dangers

Have you been feeling that you are being watched? With today's technology, it is easy to put hidden cameras in almost anything. Use your imagination and a camera can be put into it. This is unnerving when you think about it.

How can we protect ourselves from this hidden danger? SpyFinder Hidden Camera Finder is the answer to this question. This device runs on two AAA batteries and is really simple to use. Pop in the batteries, turn it on, and look through the viewing port. Slowly scan the room making sure to look in places where you think there may be a hidden camera. If there is, you will see a bright reflected spot. This is a great tool to help protect your privacy and for $99, may be worth your money if you think you are being watched.........

Posted by: Ryan      Permalink         Source

June 21, 2006, 11:41 PM CT

Electrical Conductivity Helps Locate Septic System Failure

An instrument that can measure how well soil conducts electricity also can spot the source of septic system failures without destroying a whole yard with a backhoe.

The instrument, called a non-invasive electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensor, measures electrical conductivity based on the soluble salts, water, temperature and percentage of clay in the soil. Purdue University researchers and colleagues tested the tool on a failed septic system in northeastern Indiana and found that soil conductivity changes can signal septic failure.

They found that the sensor was capable of collecting soil data that identified problems in the septic tank and septic field trenches, said Brad Lee, a Purdue assistant professor of agronomy. The findings are reported in the online journal Vadose Zone, a publication of the Soil Science Society of America.

"One of the big problems of looking for septic system contamination is that homeowners don't want their lawns dug up," Lee said. "The sensor can help scientists locate problems without digging. This is possible because soil contaminated with household waste has a higher electrical conductivity than the readings from the rest of the lawn. The instrument identifies these changes in soil electrical conductivity".

Using the electromagnetic sensor is advantageous because it's portable, it collects data quickly and it can measure down to many soil depths, he said. In addition, maps prepared from sensor data can be used to assess building sites, plan future testing, and locate the best sites for sampling and monitoring of soil for possible septic contamination.........

Posted by: Ryan      Permalink         Source

June 20, 2006, 8:18 PM CT

Coca Cola Flavoured Notebook

Looks like there is one more sporting event companies can cash into. With everyone scrambling to get a piece of FIFA, Lenovo has taken a different path and unveiled a Coca Cola 2008 Olympic themed notebook. A little early some may say but what the heck, lets just see what it is all about.

This notebook will be first available only in China and will sport Coke's trademark red with the Olympic rings dead in the center. Under the hood you will see the same configurations as the Lenovo F20. This means that the machine will sport a 1.66GHz Intel M778 processor, an Intel 915GMS chipset with GMA900 display chip, 512MB DDR2 memory, WiFi, Bluetooth, 56K modem, and 100Mbps Ethernet port and 3 USB ports, 1 IEEE1394 port.

This new avatar of the Lenovo F20 will have a 12.1 inch wide screen monitor and thanks to dual batteries 8 hrs of battery back up.Don't expect it to hit the markets very soon as the release would coincide with the 2008 Olympics. The notebook would cost around 13,499RMB ($1,687 US), so start saving up from now. God knows you have enough notice!........

Posted by: Ethan      Permalink         Source

June 20, 2006, 8:15 PM CT

Dell Latitude D420 Laptop

Dell has just announced its new Ultra portable notebook, the Dell Latitude D420 which looks really promising. The new D420 promises to be the ultimate name in portability as it just weighs about 3 pounds and has an impressive seven hour battery life! According to Dell the new notebook is the right amalgamation of style, functionality and mobility and it looks for inspiration at the popular Dell Latitude X1 when it comes to design and form factor.

The new Latitude D420 apart from being the lightest Latitude notebook till date is also compatible with legacy D-family docking options, power supplies and accessories. Dell has also thrown in a whole gamut of security features and broadband features. Users can also opt for the additional MediaBase which can be attached at the bottom with their choice of optical drive. Though it's an ultra portable notebook, that doesn't mean consumers will have difficulty adapting to the machine. The notebook includes a 12.1-inch wide-aspect display, full-sized keyboard and dual pointing capability. For connectivity one can opt for either Wi-Fi 802.11g or 802.11a/g and also go for the integrated mobile broadband connections from Cingular or Verizon Wireless (U.S. only).

The Latitude D420 not only is 802.11n-ready but also has an unique switch called Wi-Fi Catcher which basically can search for a Wi-Fi connection without turning or booting up the system. The system includes the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security technology and for enhanced security one can also opt for the biometric fingerprint reader. You can opt for either Intel® Core- Solo processors Ultra Low Voltage or Dual Core Processors. While the former configuration is available now, for the Dual Coe Processor one has to wait till this summer. Some other features found on the notebook include here USB ports, an IEEE 1394 port and a Secure Digital (SD) card slot. Prices start from $1,379 and vary according to configurations.........

Posted by: Ethan      Permalink         Source

June 20, 2006, 7:25 PM CT

Moto Q Vs RIM Blackberry 7130c

For those of you who have not heard about it already, Cingular Wireless and RIM unveiled the new Blackberry 7130c smartphone recently, a week following the release of the Motorola Q. Nearly six months after it was supposed to hit the market, the Moto Q's much hyped CDMA launch happened in the last week of May.

As I attempt the daunting task of outlining a fair (and concise) comparison of the two, the first aspect that comes up is Moto Q's sleek form factor. At 0.45 inches and claiming to be the world's thinnest, lightest QWERTY phone, it couldn't get much better. The Moto Q is extremely thin and fits very comfortably in the palm of your hand. The Blackberry 7130c isn't so bad either, but it doesn't score any brownie points in this category as it is quite similar to the rest of the 7100 series, offering a cell-phone-like form factor and a SureType keyboard that may not appeal to users of the traditional QWERTY layout.

Priced at US$199 with two-year activation and qualifying plan, and $419 full retail price.

For most users, perhaps the most significant drawback of the Moto Q is the absence of push email ability without using SMS or a third-party client. The Blackberry conveniently scores here as Cingular's BlackBerry Internet Service provides push email to the handset. However, for me personally, the absence of integrated push email facility is not really vital, as I am not a keen instant email user. The other drawback with the Moto Q is that there is no possibility of using the device as an EV-DO modem for a PC, which could be rather disappointing.........

Posted by: Ryan      Permalink         Source

June 20, 2006, 7:17 PM CT

BulletProof USB Flash Drive

Pretec Electronics Corporation has devised a new ruggedized USB flash drive called the i-Disk BulletProof, which works exactly like its name. The USB flash drive is bulletproof, waterproof and fireproof and its capacities range from 32 MB to 2 GB. PersonalTechPipeline reports that, "the i-Disk BulletProof is constructed with double layers of sealed protective metal, capable of preventing circuit damage from water, fire, and even shielding the heavy impact of a bullet, making i-Disk BulletProof the most rugged USB flash drive in the world."

Besides, designing this revolutionary USB drive, the company also offers to custom design a premium version of i-Disk BulletProof that can even achieve speeds of 266X, up to 40MB with strong security features, including password protection, encryption, write protection, and pre-defined or user-defined auto-execute files for identification purpose. Though, the USB drive has got great protection features, but, was just wondering, waterproof and fireproof is fine, but what good will this bulletproof function will do to a common man! But, on a second thought, will serve military purposes well.....what say!!!........

Posted by: Ryan      Permalink         Source