January 20, 2012, 6:35 PM CT

In Solar Cells, Tweaking the Tiniest of Parts Yields Big Jump in Efficiency

Scientists from the University at Buffalo, Army Research Laboratory and Air Force Office of Scientific Research have developed a new, nanomaterials-based technology that has the potential to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic cells up to 45 percent.

-- Specifically, the scientists have shown that embedding charged quantum dots into solar cells can improve electrical output by enabling the cells to harvest infrared light, and by increasing the lifetime of photoelectrons. The technology can be applied to a number of different photovoltaic structures.

-- A new company the scientists founded, OPtoElectronic Nanodevices LLC. (OPEN LLC), is commercializing this technology.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- By tweaking the smallest of parts, a trio of University at Buffalo engineers is hoping to dramatically increase the amount of sunlight that solar cells convert into electricity.

With military colleagues, the UB scientists have shown that embedding charged quantum dots into photovoltaic cells can improve electrical output by enabling the cells to harvest infrared light, and by increasing the lifetime of photoelectrons.

The research appeared online last May in the journal Nano Letters. The research team included Vladimir Mitin, Andrei Sergeev and Nizami Vagidov, faculty members in UB's electrical engineering department; Kitt Reinhardt of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research; and John Little and advanced nanofabrication expert Kimberly Sablon of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

July 5, 2011, 8:58 PM CT

New laser technology could kill viruses and improve DVDs

A team led by a professor at the University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering has made a discovery in semiconductor nanowire laser technology that could potentially do everything from kill viruses to increase storage capacity of DVDs.

Ultraviolet semiconductor diode lasers are widely used in data processing, information storage and biology. Their applications have been limited, however, by size, cost and power. The current generation of ultraviolet lasers is based on a material called gallium nitride, but Jianlin Liu, a professor of electrical engineering, and colleagues have made a breakthrough in zinc oxide nanowire waveguide lasers, which can offer smaller sizes, lower costs, higher powers and shorter wavelengths.

Until now, zinc oxide nanowires couldn't be used in real world light emission applications because of the lack of p-type, or positive type, material needed by all semiconductors. Liu solved that problem by doping the zinc oxide nanowires with antimony, a metalloid element, to create the p-type material.

The p-type zinc oxide nanowires were connected with n-type, or negative type, zinc oxide material to form a device called p-n junction diode. Powered by a battery, highly directional laser light emits only from the ends of the nanowires......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

July 5, 2011, 8:21 PM CT

Optics in LEDs for lighting

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been changing the way we see the world since the 1960s. Their usage in everyday life is pervasive and continues to increase thanks to the cutting-edge research being done in the field of optics. To highlight breakthroughs in LEDs, the editors of Energy Express, a bi-monthly supplement to Optics Express, the open-access journal of the Optical Society (OSA), today published a special Focus Issue on Optics in LEDs for Lighting. The issue is organized and edited by Guest Editors Jae-Hyun Ryou and Russell Dupuis of the Georgia Institute of Technology.

"The papers in this Focus Issue represent the outcome of state-of-the-art research and development by recognized experts in the field of LEDs, said Ryou. "These latest advances are truly exceptional and will prove to be invaluable to advancements in lighting technology".



Summary.



LEDs continue to prove themselves as the future in lighting, with applications in everything from vehicle headlights to stadium displays to video cameras. In addition to their current commercial applications, LEDs have opened up an era of solid-state lighting (SSL) with capabilities of emitting photons of either primary colors or white light. With their continuous improvements in luminous efficiency compared with conventional light sources, LEDs will lead to significant energy savings when used as a ubiquitous light source for general lighting applications. The papers in this Focus Issue feature state-of-the-art research and development that address the technical challenges and possible solutions for visible LEDs to be widely used in SSL, while also focusing on the major challenges linked to improving luminous efficiency and simultaneously delivering superb color quality at a reasonable cost......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

May 8, 2011, 9:40 PM CT

Electronic life on the edge

As far back as the 1990s, long before anyone had actually isolated graphene � a honeycomb lattice of carbon just one atom thick � theorists were predicting extraordinary properties at the edges of graphene nanoribbons. Now physicists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), and their colleagues at the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, and other institutions, have made the first precise measurements of the "edge states" of well-ordered nanoribbons.

A graphene nanoribbon is a strip of graphene that appears to be only a few nanometers wide (a nanometer is a billionth of a meter). Theorists have envisioned that nanoribbons, depending on their width and the angle at which they are cut, would have unique electronic, magnetic, and optical features, including band gaps like those in semiconductors, which sheet graphene doesn't have.

"Until now no one has been able to test theoretical predictions regarding nanoribbon edge-states, because no one could figure out how to see the atomic-scale structure at the edge of a well-ordered graphene nanoribbon and how, at the same time, to measure its electronic properties within nanometers of the edge," says Michael Crommie of Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division (MSD) and UC Berkeley's Physics Division, who led the research. "We were able to achieve this by studying specially made nanoribbons with a scanning tunneling microscope."........ Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

March 20, 2011, 10:05 PM CT

Batteries charge quickly and retain capacity

The batteries in Illinois professor Paul Braun's lab look like any others, but they pack a surprise inside.

Braun's group developed a three-dimensional nanostructure for battery cathodes that allows for dramatically faster charging and discharging without sacrificing energy storage capacity. The researchers' findings would be reported in the March 20 advance online edition of the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

Aside from quick-charge consumer electronics, batteries that can store a lot of energy, release it fast and recharge quickly are desirable for electric vehicles, medical devices, lasers and military applications.

"This system that we have gives you capacitor-like power with battery-like energy," said Braun, a professor of materials science and engineering. "Most capacitors store very little energy. They can release it very fast, but they can't hold much. Most batteries store a reasonably large amount of energy, but they can't provide or receive energy rapidly. This does both".

The performance of typical lithium-ion (Li-ion) or nickel metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries degrades significantly when they are rapidly charged or discharged. Making the active material in the battery a thin film allows for very fast charging and discharging, but reduces the capacity to nearly zero because the active material lacks volume to store energy......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

February 27, 2011, 1:50 PM CT

A Technology Tourist in New York

Taking a trip to New York can be very rewarding for those who have an interest in technology. Home to some of the greatest museums and technological attractions in the world, New York will make any tech geek feel right at home. Visiting some of these museums will not only fill the day with wonder, but it will offer technology buffs a chance to enjoy a day in an environment they love.

One of the best technology sites to visit when in New York is the Sony Wonder Technology Lab. This state of the art facility offers many exhibits that bring together the worlds of technology and creativity. The Lab is located in Manhattan and provides a great learning environment for families. One of the highlights of this museum is that there is no admission charge, so technology lovers are welcome to spend the day at the facility without incurring any costs. If you have always dreamt of designing your own video game or programming a robot, this is the place for you. The lab is basically a four-story playground that features all the latest digital equipment and technology that is being used in medical, research and development and entertainment fields. The lab is closed on Mondays and major holidays.

The New York Hall of Science is the only hands-on technology and science centre in the state. Visitors will enjoy stopping by the Pfizer Foundation Biochemistry Discovery Lab where they can be a scientist for the afternoon. There are more than 255 exhibits at the museum at all times, so no matter when you visit, you will surely find some amazing exhibits that are interactive.

If you do not want to spend the day in a museum and would rather see the city with some other technology buffs, the NY Tech Meetup is the perfect group. This is the largest technology group in New York City, consisting of more than 11,000 members. The group holds monthly meetings that generally attract a crowd of 700. The meetings consist of five minute presentations regarding new tech start-up companies. Most meetings are held at the Haft auditorium at the Fashion Institute of Technology. There is an admission fee of $10 which will allow you access to the after party at the Black Door. This is one of the best opportunities to spend the night talking about technology and new advances.

Planning a technology inspired trip all starts with booking flights to New York. Once you are in the city, you will be faced with many destinations to choose from, including some of the greatest technology museums in the world. One more attraction that will amuse technology fans is the Sci-Tech Centre of Northern New York. Here, you will spend the day interacting with exhibits inspired by light, sound and electricity.

Spending time in these museums and at various attractions will keep the avid technology fan entertained and amused for days. These technology inspired attractions are some of the best in the world and continue to attract visitors from around the globe who want a hands-on experience. Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

January 26, 2011, 7:03 AM CT

New lab-on-chip advance

Scientists have invented a technique that uses inexpensive paper to make "microfluidic" devices for rapid medical diagnostics and chemical analysis.

The innovation represents a way to enhance commercially available diagnostic devices that use paper-strip assays like those that test for diabetes and pregnancy.

"With current systems that use paper test strips you can measure things like pH or blood sugar, but you can't perform more complex chemical assays," said Babak Ziaie, a Purdue University professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering. "This new approach offers the potential to extend the inexpensive paper-based systems so that they are able to do more complicated multiple analyses on the same piece of paper. It's a generic platform that can be used for a variety of applications".

Findings are detailed in a research paper published online this week in the journal Lab on a Chip.

Current lab-on-a-chip technology is relatively expensive because chips must be specifically designed to perform certain types of chemical analyses, with channels created in glass or plastic and tiny pumps and valves directing the flow of fluids for testing.

The chips are being used for various applications in medicine and research, measuring specific types of cells and molecules in a patient's blood, monitoring microorganisms in the environment and in foods, and separating biological molecules for laboratory analyses. But the chips, which are roughly palm-size or smaller, are difficult to design and manufacture......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

January 25, 2011, 7:55 AM CT

Increasing wireless speed

In the first phase of a more than two-year study funded by InterDigital, Virginia Tech scientists have made great strides in the development of more reliable and efficient spectrum sensing techniques that will be needed to meet the ever-expanding demand for wireless technologies.

"The U.S. government has noted that broadband wireless access technologies are a key foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness, and a better way of life," explained Claudio da Silva, an assistant professor in Virginia Tech's Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering http://www.ece.vt.edu/faculty/cdasilva.php. He was referring to a recent report by the Federal Communications Commission on the need to ensure all Americans have access to broadband capability http://www.broadband.gov/download-plan/.

These spectrum-sensing technologies are envisioned to support high speed internet in rural areas, enable the creation of super Wi-Fi networks, and support the implementation of smart grid technologies. However, implementation of these technologies is seen as the "the greatest infrastructure challenge of the 21st century," as per the commission's report.

A major key to solving this challenge is in the design of wireless systems that more efficiently use the limited radio spectrum resources, said da Silva. "As a means to achieve this goal, the U.S. government, through the Federal Communications Commission, has recently finalized rules to make the unused spectrum in the television band available to unlicensed broadband wireless systems. In these systems, devices first identify underutilized spectrum with the use of spectrum databases and/or spectrum sensing and then, following pre-defined rules, dynamically access the "best" frequency bands on an opportunistic and non-interfering basis"......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

January 18, 2011, 7:42 AM CT

Better than the human eye

cientists from Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are the first to develop a curvilinear camera, much like the human eye, with the significant feature of a zoom capability, unlike the human eye.

The "eyeball camera" has a 3.5x optical zoom, takes sharp images, is inexpensive to make and is only the size of a nickel. (A higher zoom is possible with the technology.).

While the camera won't be appearing at Best Buy any time soon, the tunable camera -- once optimized -- should be useful in a number of applications, including night-vision surveillance, robotic vision, endoscopic imaging and consumer electronics.

"We were inspired by the human eye, but we wanted to go beyond the human eye," said Yonggang Huang, Joseph Cummings Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. "Our goal was to develop something simple that can zoom and capture good images, and we've achieved that".

The tiny camera combines the best of both the human eye and an expensive single-lens reflex (SLR) camera with a zoom lens. It has the simple lens of the human eye, allowing the device to be small, and the zoom capability of the SLR camera without the bulk and weight of a complex lens. The key is that both the simple lens and photodetectors are on flexible substrates, and a hydraulic system can change the shape of the substrates appropriately, enabling a variable zoom......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

December 23, 2010, 8:52 PM CT

Ffirst high-temp spin-field-effect transistor

n international team of scientists featuring Texas A&M University physicist Jairo Sinova has announced a breakthrough that gives a new spin to semiconductor nanoelectronics and the world of information technology.

The team has developed an electrically controllable device whose functionality is based on an electron's spin. Their results, the culmination of a 20-year scientific quest involving a number of international scientists and groups, are reported in the current issue of Science

The team, which also includes scientists from the Hitachi Cambridge Laboratory and the Universities of Cambridge and Nottingham in the United Kingdom as well as the Academy of Sciences and Charles University in the Czech Republic, is the first to combine the spin-helix state and anomalous Hall effect to create a realistic spin-field-effect transistor (FET) operable at high temperatures, complete with an AND-gate logic device � the first such realization in the type of transistors originally proposed by Purdue University's Supriyo Datta and Biswajit Das in 1989.

"A main stumbling blocks was that to manipulate spin, one may also destroy it," Sinova explains. "It has only recently been realized that one could manipulate it without destroying it by choosing a particular set-up for the device and manipulating the material. One also has to detect it without destroying it, which we were able to do by exploiting our findings from our study of the spin Hall effect six years ago. It is the combination of these basic physics research projects that has given rise to the first spin-FET"......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

December 10, 2010, 11:27 PM CT

Deals on Electronics, Watches, Family Products

New York (12/10/2010)-For perpetual bargain hunters and other shoppers looking to get a great deal on the latest electronics, brand name watches, wireless accessories, jewelry and more, 1SaleaDay.com is the lowest-priced deal-of-the-day website offering unheard-of exclusive deals on just a single item and only for 24 hours. To keep customers coming back for more, 1SaleaDay.com even offers surprise free products once or twice a week.

As the largest independently-owned daily deal site in the world, 1SaleaDay.com leverages its tremendous buying power with major brands and retailers plus a dedicated team of competitive price-comparison experts to offer outrageous deals to more than 350,000 daily site visitors, like a Magellan Roadmate GPS, HD camcorder or 12 MP digital camera-all of which recently sold for just $39.99.

How 1SaleaDay.com offer such amazing prices? Rather than spend precious dollars on marketing to attract new customers, 1SaleaDay focuses on giving deep savings to customers, who then pass the word on about the great deals they've discovered at the site.

"Thousands of customers make 1SaleaDay.com their first web stop of the day to see what's hot and get the best deal on the products they want at a price anyone can afford," said Ben Federman CEO of 1SaleaDay.com. "Collectors, gadget geeks and even parents and grandparents check us out first to get the best deals anywhere on the web on gifts for their kids or grandkids - or even for themselves."

With a new deal posted everyday at midnight EST in each of five categories-Deal of the Day, Wireless, Watch, Family and Jewelry-1SaleaDay entices shoppers who stop by every day to check out the deal, offering items like a TomTom GPS device, luxury watches, a waterproof MP3 player with earphones, black freshwater cultured pearls, and even kid's games, accessories and home decor.

Once in a while, 1SaleaDay clears out its inventory with the Chunk o'Junk Deal featuring a box full of items randomly selected from past deals, such as laptops, MP3 players, USB adapters, GPS units, cables, accessories and cell phones - a $200 value - sold for just $5 plus $5 shipping. Chunk o'Junk deals are limited to the first 1,000 customers and are usually gone in just a few hours.

"Customers often tell us that they love shopping at 1SaleaDay not only for the great deals, but also for the fun, creative and catchy descriptions for the products," Federman said. "We don't just tell them about the product-we tell them how they can use it to get the most out of their purchase."

Most items ship the day after ordering and typically arrive in 3-5 business days via UPS or USPS. Products offered on 1SaleaDay.com are almost always new, in original packaging, with occasional deals on refurbished or wholesale packaged items for even greater savings. The site is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and authenticated secure by Comodo, Authorize.net, McAfee and PayPal.

To find out about today's Deal of the Day, visit www.1SaleaDay.com. And, stop back tomorrow for a different deal-there's a new one posted every day.

About 1SaleaDay.com
1SaleaDay.com offers the deepest discounts on a variety of merchandise with a new deal posted every day at 12 midnight EDT. With Deals of the Day in five categories, including Wireless, Watch, Family and Jewelry, 1SaleaDay leverages its global buying power to offer discounts up to 90% off retail prices for electronics, collectibles, housewares, toys and more. Headquartered in New York, NY, 1SaleaDay.com is part of a family of discount retailers that includes Ben's Outlet, Dynamite Time and Glasses Unlimited. For more information, visit, www.1SaleaDay.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Belinda Banks
SS | PR
609 750 9110
belinda@sspr.com
Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

November 1, 2010, 7:42 AM CT

Advance could change modern electronics

CORVALLIS, Ore. Scientists at Oregon State University have solved a quest in fundamental material science that has eluded researchers since the 1960s, and could form the basis of a new approach to electronics.

The discovery, just reported online in the professional journal Advanced Materials, outlines the creation for the first time of a high-performance "metal-insulator-metal" diode.

"Scientists have been trying to do this for decades, until now without success," said Douglas Keszler, a distinguished professor of chemistry at OSU and one of the nation's leading material science researchers. "Diodes made previously with other approaches always had poor yield and performance.

"This is a fundamental change in the way you could produce electronic products, at high speed on a huge scale at very low cost, even less than with conventional methods," Keszler said. "It's a basic way to eliminate the current speed limitations of electrons that have to move through materials".

A patent has been applied for on the new technology, university officials say. New companies, industries and high-tech jobs may ultimately emerge from this advance, they say.

The research was done in the Center for Green Materials Chemistry, and has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Laboratory and the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 05:13:00 GMT

Powergorilla: portable charger

I have been testing a Powergorilla portable charger for a few weeks now, mainly as a phone charger for extended trips rather than a laptop charger, and one thing sticks out –  this is not your average power block. The massive 21000mAh capacity battery pack for standard 5V USB devices is absolutely superb, and means you can keep all your gadgets charged on the move, without having to worry about finding a mains power socket at all.

I’ve successfully used it to keep my phone charged for 10 days with no hassle. The array of connectors is impressive, as is the flexibility of the power output options, from 5V up to 24V for heavy devices such as laptops or video cameras. It’s kind of like carrying around your own powerstation in a bag. It’s not lightweight at 700g, but worth the lug if you’re always finding yourself out of power when it counts.



The company also promotes the Solargorilla solar charger as an optional accessory to keep the Powergorilla charged up in the field, but when I tried I found the output of the solar unit so weak (it took an hour to add 10% juice to my phone) that I gave up almost instantly. I guess you need to be in Africa to get the most out of it, and really if you’re serious about solar you’ll need to carry around one of those hefty suitcase products to get the job done.

However, the powergorilla unit really shines as a power source on the run, and for £150.00 it’s not too heavy on the wallet. It’ll deliver around 2 to 3 hours of power for your laptop and the blurb says 20 hours for your phone from one recharge of the unit, which could be a lifesaver in extreme emergency.

 Then simply hook up your gadget and away you go! You can even daisy-chain, so whilst the powergorilla is charging your laptop, you can charge the powergorilla from the mains power supply. Or you can charge your laptop and your mobile phone simultaneously! One-touch button technology means the powergorilla charger for laptops is easy to use and its sleek, aluminium casing with shock resistant rubber protection strips makes it totally robust. Posted by: Redferret      Read more     Source

August 27, 2010, 7:30 AM CT

3-D movies via Internet and satellite

Blockbusters like Avatar, UP or Toy Story 3 will bring the 3-D into home living rooms, televisions and computers. There are already displays available and the new Blu-Ray players can already play 3-dimensional movies based on MVC. The first soccer games were recorded stereoscopically at the Football World Championships in South Africa. What is missing is an efficient form of transmission.

The problem is the data rate mandatory by the movies in spite of fast Internet and sat-ellite links. 3-D movies have higher data rate requirements than 2-dimensional movies since at least two images are needed for the spatial representation. This means that a 3-D screen has to show two images one for the left and one for the right eye.

Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI in Berlin, Gera number of have already come up with a compression technique for movies in especially HD quality that squeezes movies while maintaining the quality: the H.264/AVC video format. What H.264/AVC is for HD movies, Multiview Video Coding (MVC) is for 3-D movies. The benefit is reducing the data rate used on the transmission channel while maintaining the same high-definition quality.

Videos on the Internet have to load quickly so that the viewer can watch the movies without interruptions. Thomas Schierl is a scientist at the HHI in Berlin and he explains that MVC packs the two images needed for the stereoscopic 3-D effect so that the bit rate of the movies is significantly reduced. These 3-D movies are up to 40 percent smaller. Thomas Schierl and colleagues are working to establish the MVC codec for television transmission over satellites or the Internet. New TV sets will start off by only playing 3-D movies from the Blu-Ray disc that is now coming into the third dimension. The next step to bring 3-D into living rooms will be made possible via broadcast or IPTV channels running via DSL or cable......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

August 26, 2010, 7:30 AM CT

Organic LED light source for home electronics

Electronic products pollute our environment with many heavy metals before, during and after they're used. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 70% of heavy metals in landfill come from discarded electronics. With flat screen TVs getting bigger and cheaper every year, environmental costs continue to mount.

To counter this, a new Tel Aviv University solution applies a discovery in nano-technology, based on self-assembled peptide nanotubes, to "green" the optics and electronics industry. Scientists Nadav Amdursky and Prof. Gil Rosenman of Tel Aviv University's Department of Electrical Engineering say their technology could make flat screen TV production green and can even make medical equipment - like subcutaneous ultrasound devices - more sensitive.

Inspired by a biomaterial involved in Alzheimer's disease research discovered by Prof. Ehud Gazit of the university's Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, the researchers developed a new nano-material, applying the scientific disciplines of both biology and physics. This biological material is the basis for their new, environmentally-friendly variety of light-emitting diodes (LED) used in both consumer and medical electronics.

TV in a test tube?

Their new invention is more than a clean, green way to create light, the scientists say. It also generates a strong signal that can be used in other applications in the nano-world of motors, actuators and ultrasound......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

August 24, 2010, 5:59 PM CT

Glorious gadolinium gives flash memory

College Park, MD (August 24, 2010) -- Future flash memory could be faster and store more data without changing its basic design by using a clever nanocrystal material proposed by researchers at Taiwan's Chang Gung University, who describe a new logical element made with the rare earth material gadolinium in the journal APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, which is published by the American Institute of Physics.

It's well known in the semiconductor industry that conventional flash memory -- an essential element of mobile electronics today -- cannot improve much more because continued shrinking of its floating gate structure in the pursuit of faster performance and higher data storage capacity will soon degrade its ability to retain its memory. The situation has stimulated a wide range of research worldwide into dozens of alternative memory designs, but most attractive to industry would be one that requires the least modification to the existing floating-gate design.

A research group headed by Chao-Sung Lai at Chang Gung University in Taoyuan, Taiwan, has done just that. They have demonstrated that a cleverly modified floating gate made of gadolinium oxide -- an inexpensive rare-earth compound already used in other microelectronic applications -- has the write/erase speed and data retention properties that will enable smaller, faster and higher-capacity flash memories in the future......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

August 9, 2010, 7:33 PM CT

What is Cloud Hosting?

When web hosting meets cloud computing, the result is a variety of hosting products that let businesses dynamically scale resources according as their business needs fluctuate. By adjusting their hosting packages on an as-needed basis, businesses can save money by paying only for what they need and still avoid any downtime caused by servers going over capacity. In general, there are three general kinds of cloud hosting technologies that businesses can leverage to reap the cost efficiencies of cloud computing.

Cloud Shared Hosting
For businesses whose hosting needs are small to moderate, there is cloud shared hosting. This kind of hosting is designed for those who are just starting out a new online business or website. As a rule, cloud shared hosting plans offer increased reliability, performance and security. In a nutshell, these are businesses who are just starting out with a blog, an online community, or basic e-commerce website, and cloud shared hosting offers a great balance between low costs and high uptime.

Cloud Servers
At the next level, cloud servers offer businesses all the benefits of dedicated servers, but at a fraction of the cost. With a cloud server product, you can get flexibility, convenience, and the enhanced performance offered by cloud computing. Your servers can be dynamically scaled to meet the changing needs of your online business, and that will significantly reduce the costs of doing business because you will only have to pay for the bandwidth and server space that you actually use.

Cloud Storage
When cloud computing meets data back-up, cloud storage is what you get. Cloud storage offers online businesses high performance, future-proof and highly-scalable online data storage so that their media and files can be hosted and/or accessed from anywhere. Often using storage area network (SAN) disks, cloud storage plans tend to feature faster data throughput and improved reliability. This lets you store media files (such a video) and serve them up on your various web properties. It is also great for backing up your internal network files, or giving employees access to those files from anywhere in the world.

Doing Business in the Cloud
In a nutshell, if you're a company can't afford to experience any significant down-time, but still has to be prudent to not invest in more in your hosting than is necessary, then some kind of cloud hosting package is probably what your business needs. Basically, with a cloud hosting package, your business can save money by not spending more than you need to, but still harness all the benefits of cloud computing — such as scalability and enhanced server performance. Such features are ideal for a company that's tech- and/or web-reliant, but doesn't have enough free resources to commit to something as comprehensive as a dedicated hosting package.

Writer's Bio:
Samantha Wheeler is a freelance writer in the tech industry that has written articles on dedicated servers, managed hosting and cloud hosting. For more inquiries, please contact Samantha Wheeler at samantha.wheeler3@gmail.com
Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:43:44 GMT

Walden digital

I was sitting on the front porch of the cabin, reading Walden. On my iPad. Actually, it’s become more of Libby’s iPad, which doesn’t bug me too much.

We took the iPad with us when we spent the night at the cabin a couple of weeks ago. Not having electricity out there, we don’t have reading lamps, so when night fell, we were pretty much restricted by what we were left able to do in the dark. Not so with a back-lit ebook reader, however.

It’s a novelty. The iPad, aside from being an ebook reader, does nothing my laptop can’t also do (and do better). And as a book reader, it doesn’t do much that a paperback can’t do as well. (So far, the only thing I’ve found that the iPad can do while I am reading is look up words I don’t know the definition of, which is certainly the case when I’m reading Walden.) But I’ve dropped plenty of paperbacks and they still work fine when I pick them up. And I’ve never had a low battery message on a paperback. And I could even throw a paperback across the room if I hated it.

I’m reluctant to get sucked into the new book marketing paradigm. The iPad can use some of the services and not others. (For example, I can’t download any books from my local library onto it.) The services I have looked into seem pop culture heavy. I’m unlikely to read the latest bestseller, but the novelists I am interested in aren’t available on the services I’ve looked into. I suppose I could find them, but do I want to?

I’ve found that I cannot read out at the cabin. Too much is going on. I want to watch the woods and the lake. I am constantly listening to the birds and the breeze. When I’m out there I’m always thinking of the next thing I can go do or how much I can enjoy the stupor provided by the comfy chairs.

Like most things, though, Pablo will likely evolve.

Missouri calendar:

• Bobolinks migrate from Argentina and some nest in northern Missouri.

Posted by: Roundrockjournal      Read more     Source

July 20, 2010, 8:34 PM CT

Why the Home Phone Has Become Irreplaceable

Typically, a home phone concept was normally identified with the landlines or wired networks, where the phones were connected through the physical media. There was a time before a couple of decades, when the members of our families used to tell us who called, and pass on the information.

With the advancement of technology, things have changed quite considerably all around the world. Communication has become more direct now, and the SMS facilities allow people to send messages even when the receiver's cell phones are switched off.

We have reached a stage, where the cell phones have exceeded the number of fixed telephones in most of the countries. However, almost all the houses have still retained their good ol' telephones even to this day.

According to some survey reports, China has the highest number of wired home telephone lines, followed closely by the United States.

The reason for this is primarily the cost factor, since the wired telephone lines offer cheaper tariff plans and packages. Also there are many 'Voice over Internet Protocol' (VOIP) service providers, who offer excellent packages for free and cheap international calling.

Many new telephone service providers are cropping up everywhere around the world, and the offers which they provide to promote their businesses are absolutely unbelievable. Calling other countries has become as cheap as talking locally these days. Amazingly, all these features have been integrated with the home phone lines......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

July 6, 2010, 7:23 AM CT

Creating a super battery

Using super-high pressures similar to those found deep in the Earth or on a giant planet, Washington State University scientists have created a compact, never-before-seen material capable of storing vast amounts of energy.

"If you think about it, it is the most condensed form of energy storage outside of nuclear energy," says Choong-Shik Yoo, a WSU chemistry professor and main author of results reported in the journal Nature Chemistry

The research is basic science, but Yoo says it shows it is possible to store mechanical energy into the chemical energy of a material with such strong chemical bonds. Possible future applications include creating a new class of energetic materials or fuels, an energy storage device, super-oxidizing materials for destroying chemical and biological agents, and high-temperature superconductors.

The scientists created the material on the Pullman campus in a diamond anvil cell, a small, two-inch by three-inch-diameter device capable of producing extremely high pressures in a small space. The cell contained xenon difluoride (XeF2), a white crystal used to etch silicon conductors, squeezed between two small diamond anvils.

At normal atmospheric pressure, the material's molecules stay relatively far apart from each other. But as scientists increased the pressure inside the chamber, the material became a two-dimensional graphite-like semiconductor. The scientists eventually increased the pressure to more than a million atmospheres, comparable to what would be found halfway to the center of the earth. All this "squeezing," as Yoo calls it, forced the molecules to make tightly bound three-dimensional metallic "network structures." In the process, the huge amount of mechanical energy of compression was stored as chemical energy in the molecules' bonds......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:16:42 GMT

AMX Launches New Modero Touch Panel

When you're in the lead of a particular industry, you strive to maintain top spot by continuously innovating and pushing the boundaries of ingenuity beyond targets or expectations. This is exactly what AMX, one of the leading hardware and software solutions companies that help simplify the way we interact with technology, is doing with the launch of the latest addition to its Modero Touch Panel line.

Dubbed the MVP-9000i, the new tool for home automation from AMX will supposedly redefine the term "touch panel" with its nine-inch full-color screen.

"The MVP-9000i significantly advances touch panel capabilities that enhance the way users interact with control and automation touch panels," said Robert Noble, chief technology officer of AMX. "With finger-swipe animated page transitions, brilliant 24-bit color display and other cutting-edge innovations, it will be a must-have for anyone who experiences it."


© AMX
Posted by: Linda      Read more     Source

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 23:52:15 GMT

Huawei S7 Android tablet to be announced soon?

The Huawei S7 table was demonstrated recently at the Computex recently but not much was revealed about the device. Now there. Now there is news floating around that Huawei is soon going to announce and possibly launch its new Android tablet at a conference that will be held on June 24. The Huawei S7 is basically an internet tablet but it will also be equipped with phone functionalities making it a good competitor to Apple's iPad and also smartphones like HTC Evo 4G, iPhone 4 & Motorola Droid.

Here are the specs known so far:

Network: 3G
OS: Android 2.1
Processor: 1 GHz Snapdragon
Display: 7 inch (800 x 480) pixels
Connectivity: Bluetooth, HSDPA, WiFi,USB, HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack
Memory: microSD slot

Posted by: Kevin      Read more     Source

February 26, 2010, 11:49 PM CT

How to Select the Best Headsets for Your Office Phone

Corded headsets have been taken over by the wireless ones. Though the corded ones were very popular they are being fast replaced by the wireless ones. Commercially speaking the wireless ones are more convenient. With the corded headphones you had to deal with many cables and connections which you had to connect to different points in the system. They were also quite cheap. The wireless ones, particularly the Bluetooth headsets are comparatively expensive yet with them you don't have to deal with cables and cords.

It has been almost a decade since the wireless headsets have been discovered. They have been a huge technical innovation and are continuously improved upon. A whole new range of Bluetooth headsets have cropped up, further simplifying the use of mobile phones and computers. Recently, Cardo Systems have unveiled the G4 Bluetooth Headset. It is of the wireless variety and it is specifically designed for bikers. It has a very good noise cancellation feature which helps bikers to talk to each other while riding a bike with minimum background noise. One can hear very clearly even while riding a bike. They are compatible with mobile phones which are incorporated by the Bluetooth feature.

The corded headsets as well as the wireless ones are available in a wide range of style. The headbands, over the ear styles and the behind the neck styles are all different from one another. Every manufacture generates different styles with each of these products. But what is more important is the quality of the product. One should not compromise on the audio quality of the product. The main function of the headset is to give you better audio while leaving your hands free to perform other tasks.

One should always do some research on the best models available before buying these kinds of devices. They are available in various ranges. If you are opting to go for a wireless variety then you must check its range. Remember, the wireless variety is used so that one does not have to remain seated in a particular position while having to answer a call over the landline in the office. So, the range of the wireless headset should be such that even if a person moves 20 feet away from the device to do some other office work, he can still carry on a business discussion over phone conveniently without any audio problems.

Hence, choose the best possible headsets available in the market. Invest in the right product and you will definitely be satisfied with the services. Visit Telecom Superstore to select the best possible device.