Technolgy and Updates

Doodle 4 Google 2010 Winner

2010-05-28T03:18:00.000-07:00

Makenzie Melton - a 9 year old 3rd grader of El Dorado Springs, R-2 Schools, El Dorado Springs, Missouri is the winner of the 3rd annual Doodle 4 Google competition. Makenzie's illustration, is titled "Rainforest Habitat" was chosen out of 33,000 submissions from across the country. She will receive $15,000 college scholarship, a netbook computer and a $25,000 technology grant for a new computer lab at her school, for winning the Doodle 4 Google competition.

Doodle 4 Google is a competition where they invite K-12 students to work their artistic will upon the google's homepage logo.

Download Free Microsoft Office 2010

2010-05-13T01:15:00.000-07:00

The Microsoft Office 2010 suite, which Microsoft will release to business customers tomorrow and to consumers in early June, will include the ability to create, edit, view and share files online using the company's SkyDrive website. In fact, you won't even need to buy the program to use the online tools; Microsoft will make the majority of Office functionality available for free to anyone -- whether they've bought the new suite or not.

To use the online functions, simply visit SkyDrive.com (or the Facebook-ified version at docs.com). You can also save a file from one of the Office 2010 apps directly to SkyDrive. Then visit the file from any browser, anywhere you go, and click the edit button to bring up editing options. The free versions of these apps don't include all of the functionality you'll find if you buy Office 2010, but most users will probably find it sufficient.

You can download Microsoft Office 2010 for free from this website

Source

Another iPhone 4G prototype shows up, bares all including Apple’s own A4 chip

2010-05-13T00:37:00.000-07:00

This is just silly now. Another iPhone has leaked onto the Internet. What kind of ship does Steve Jobs run over there at Apple? This time around they aren’t going to be able to bust down the owner/seller/stealer’s door seeing as it all went down in Vietnam. Then again, anything is possible with the Apple gestapo.

But somehow a Vietnamese website got a hold of the device. The back story really doesn’t matter right now. They got and posted pics and video — good for them. The site went a bit farther than Gizmodo, though. They actually tore it apart, revealing a nice little surprise.

It seems that this prototype is a bit farther along the evolutionary path. There a no longer small screws next to the dock connector on the bottom. Overall it just seems a bit more production-ready than the prototype left in a bar a few weeks back.

The big surprise, however, came during the teardown. It seems this boy is powered by a reduced version of the A4 CPU that also runs the iPad. There’s no indication of the the actual clock speed of the Samsung manufactured chip, but it marks a significant, if not predictable, deviation from the iPhone norm. It’s probably safe to say the iPhone OS 4’s multitasking was coded with this platform specifically in mind and should run like a dream.

Of course we’re going to have to wait just a few more weeks before ol’ Steve-o shows off what the final version, but there isn’t much to wow the crowd anymore. After both the iPhone leaks and the press event showcasing the wonders of iPhone OS 4, what’s left?

Hopefully Steve just walks on the stage and says “Alright, jerks. iPhone 4G, $199 on both AT&T and Verizon.” That would be grand.

Source

Filipino wins Google Map Maker contest

2010-03-05T00:37:00.000-08:00

MANILA, Philippines - A 23-year-old "citizen cartographer" from the University of the Philippines bested 700 other contestants to become the winner of the first Google Map Maker Global Competition.

Wayne Dell Manuel won a US$50,000 donation from UNICEF for the Philippines after adding more than 1,500 qualifying map features and made hundreds of moderations in Google Map Maker. His edits, which were primarily of local public schools, were judged to be the most numerous and accurate entries in the contest.

"I'm so excited to have won this global competition because it represents a win not just for me, but also for the Philippines," said Manuel. "To be frank, I entered the competition to win the US$50,000 for our country, and I hope that my win encourages more Filipinos to contribute to making the online map of our country even better. We Filipinos are known for our spirit of bayanihan, and this is a great way for us to come together in the Internet era to make life better for our fellow kababayans by literally putting their communities on the digital map."

Continue reading at source: ABS-CBN

Digital Compact Camera Nikon COOLPIX P100, L110

2010-02-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the COOLPIX P100 and L110 with high-power zoom NIKKKOR lens for macro to super-telephoto shooting. The COOLPIX P100 is a P-series camera equipped with a 26x optical zoom lens that offers authentic shooting enjoyment, and the COOLPIX L110, a fun and reliable L-series camera with a 15x zoom lens, is powered by AA-size batteries that support recording of a great number of still images and movies.

The COOLPIX P100 and L110 are compact digital cameras equipped with an optimized image processing engine based on Nikon's own image processing concept, EXPEED, and a high-power zoom NIKKOR lens.

The COOLPIX P100 is a high-performance model that offers an effective pixel count of 10.3-million pixels and a 26x optical zoom NIKKOR lens that covers a broad focal range of wide-angle 26mm through super-telephoto 678mm (35mm format equivalent). A CMOS sensor with backside illumination structure has been adopted for the image sensor for less noise in images captured at night or indoors under dim lighting when high sensitivities are used. This camera also supports high-speed continuous shooting of images at the maximum 10-MP size (3648 x 2736) at 10 fps, and offers a sport continuous mode, which allows for continuous shooting at up to approximately 120 fps*, and a function for recording high-definition movies with stereo sound.

Read more at source

Microsoft issues urgent Windows, Office security patches

2010-02-10T18:22:00.001-08:00

Microsoft today released patches for 26 recently-discovered security holes affecting users of Windows and Office. It is urging companies, in particular, to prioritize patching certain vulnerabilities that are likely to precipitate active cyberattacks within the next 30 days.

The most worrisome security holes are easy for cybercriminals to exploit. Bad guys routinely reverse engineer Microsoft's patches and quickly create and spread malicious programs designed to seek out and take of control of PCs that aren't current on patching, security experts say.

Microsoft normally issues security updates on the second Tuesday of each month, known as Patch Tuesday. Most home PC users get security updates automatically, via Windows auto update. Home users just need to follow prompts to restart their PCs, once the patches are downloaded to their harddrives.

However, corporations typically take weeks to test security updates and install them company wide. "While everyone has been focused on the volume of updates today, it should be noted that there are 12 vulnerabilities with Microsoft's highest exploitability rating," says Sheldon Malm, senior director of security at vulnerability management firm Rapid 7. "This certainly raises the bar for customers to plan, test, and rollout these updates more quickly than usual."

Source

iTunes 9.0.3 released

2010-02-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

Apple has released iTunes 9.0.3, which addresses a number of bugs found in previous versions of iTunes 9. The update provides a number of important bug fixes, including:

* iTunes no longer ignores your "Remember password for purchases" setting.
* Addresses problems with syncing some Smart Playlists and Podcasts with iPod.
* Resolves a problem recognizing when iPod is connected.
* Addresses issues that affect stability and performance.

The "remember password for purchases" fix will be very popular, since it has been the biggest complaint we've ever received from iPhone Atlas readers about iTunes.

iTunes 9.0.3 is available for download via Software Update or you can grab the installer from CNET Download.com for Windows and Mac.

There is currently no indication that this update adds features for iPad, but it's really to early to tell that yet. If you find support for the iPad or have other comments about the update please let us know by posting a comment.

Updated 02/02/2010 at 6:47 AM PST: Mr. Dee commented that he is still experiencing performance issues during syncing, which is usually related to the Camera Roll. I suggest reading iPhone backups--David's iPhone tip of the week for a quick and easy fix for this common problem.

Source

Amazing Pencil Printer & Eraser

2010-02-08T18:46:00.000-08:00

The paperless office that was promised back in the last century never happened, and despite our increased use of the Internet and electronic gadgets, plus the endless little green pleas about saving the environment on the signature of nearly every corporate email, we still love to print stuff out.

Printing technology, then, continues to evolve. Yet while most people are looking for better laser and inkjet performance, Hoyoung Lee has designed a printer that works using pencils.
The world's tiniest printer might have some competition if Hoyoung Lee's "erasable" printer designs catch on. According to a new post on Treehugger, Lee's concept design uses pencil lead rather than ink to print: Which means any pencil you have worn down to the stub laying around the house can be used to the last drop with the pencil printer. Even better, the design features an eraser mechanism, and you'd be able to erase sentences quickly and efficiently.

Treehugger has photos of what the printer might look like and it looks pretty chic, but the potential paper-saving benefits are even more intriguing. I'd be interested to see how well the printer can erase old text, but the ability to reuse a single piece of paper for multiple printouts would certainly attract environmentalists and frugal folks alike. This amazing Pencil Printer Eliminates Ink and Saves Trees.

Images Via: Yankodesign

Source

Robonauts

2010-02-08T18:36:00.000-08:00

Meet Robonaut 2, the result of a collaboration between NASA and General Motors, along with engineers from Oceaneering Space Systems of Houston. NASA and GM see the new humanoid robot fitting in well both in the automotive industry and in the aerospace business.

Robonaut 2, or R2 for short, builds upon NASA's decade-old Robonaut technology, which was designed specifically for space travel. (The space agency's partner in that go-round was the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, aka DARPA.) While R2 is faster and more technologically advanced in a number of ways, what really stands out are its hands, which NASA says can do work beyond the scope of earlier humanoid robots.

The R2 machines are designed to use the same tools as humans. NASA and GM say this advanced dexterity means the robots will be able to work safely alongside flesh-and-blood astronauts and technicians.

"For GM, this is about safer cars and safer plants," Alan Taub, the automaker's vice president for global research and development, said in a statement. "When it comes to future vehicles, the advancements in controls, sensors and vision technology can be used to develop advanced vehicle safety systems. The partnership's vision is to explore advanced robots working together in harmony with people, building better, higher quality vehicles in a safer, more competitive manufacturing environment."

R2 can lift and hold a 20-pound weight, or roughly four times as much as other dexterous robots, NASA says.

Robonaut 2 isn't the first collaboration between NASA and GM. The two worked together four decades ago on the Apollo program, developing navigation systems and the lunar rover vehicle.

R2 keeps company with a GM project engineer at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Source

Canon launches the Rebel T2i for $899

2010-02-08T18:28:00.000-08:00

THE NEW CANON REBEL T2i DIGITAL SLR TAKES ASPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS BEYOND THE STILL WITH ADVANCED VIDEO FEATURES

The Family Camera is Back, Introducing the EOS Rebel T2i Featuring a Large 18-Megapixel
CMOS Sensor and Full HD Video Recording with Selectable Frame Rates up to 30 fps

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 8, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today introduced the new flagship model for the Company’s highly popular Rebel DSLR line: the Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera. Today’s photo enthusiast is looking for a camera that will grow with them as they learn, and that is a perfect description of the new EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera. Retaining all of the traditional characteristics that have made the EOS Rebel series beloved by entry-level photographers and an industry best-seller, the new Rebel T2i succeeds in bridging the gap between an entry-level camera and a true pro-sumer camera.

The Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera includes a variety of new features for photographic assignments as varied as grabbing that action shot from the sidelines or creating memorable family portraits, including: 3.7 fps shooting, an ISO range of 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800), a 63-zone Dual Layer Metering System, and Canon’s DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor. There are some moments in our lives where video helps capture the moment better than a still image, and the Rebel T2i offers the best of both worlds with Full HD 1080p video as well as 18-megapixel still images. The Rebel T2i DSLR continues Canon’s industry-leading trend in Full HD DSLR video capture with manual exposure control, selectable frame rates and a new external microphone input. There is also a new feature for standard definition recording, Movie Crop, which provides an approximate 7x additional zoom with no loss of image quality when shooting SD quality video.

“There is no question that HD video is the biggest trend in DSLR technology and because of this we are seeing the creativity of still photographers transferring to the moving image. Still photographers are using the various lenses and accessories they are already familiar with to create amazing video footage,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “Taking that HD video quality and putting it in the hands of entry-level photographers with cameras like our new EOS Rebel T2i, we are seeing a new generation of creative digital artists emerge.”

Lights, Rebel, Action – EOS HD Video
Canon’s EOS HD video capture has helped spark a major movement in digital imaging, empowering still photographers with the ability to experiment, learn and capture stunning high-definition video through a variety of creative lenses. Continuing this imaging revolution, the new EOS Rebel T2i puts entry-level photographers on the frontline equipped with all the latest EOS HD video features including full HD video at 1920×1080 resolution, selectable frame rates, full manual exposure control and the visual options of interchangeable lenses. Manual video exposure control provides novice filmmakers with the image control they are accustomed to in a still camera, all while shooting professional-level cinematic video. Professional photographers utilize creative lighting, adjustable depth-of-field and a variety of lenses to create powerful still images and video footage, and these are exactly the tools that the new Rebel T2i gives to budding photo and video enthusiasts. Adding a new professional-level feature for EOS cameras, the Rebel T2i includes an Auto ISO function that works in all Creative Zone exposure modes including Manual where users can set a limit to the highest ISO the camera will use, enabling them to retain the lighting and look they desire for a scene. By setting an Auto ISO range, videographers can retain dark shadow areas and avoid blowing out highlight areas in a scene while still retaining the benefit of automatic ISO adjustments. The Rebel T2i DSLR captures video in both NTSC (National Television System Committee) and PAL (Phase Altering Line) standards at selectable frame rates including Full HD 1920 x 1080 at 30 (29.97), 25 or 24 (23.976) fps, and HD 1280 x 720 or Standard Definition 640 x 480 quality video, at 60 (59.94) or 50 fps.

For easier video recording operation and familiar functionality for beginners, the Rebel T2i’s autofocus can be operated before or during video recording by pressing the shutter button half-way down in video mode. Another feature debuting in the Rebel T2i is Canon’s new Movie Crop mode, where the user can achieve 7x magnification when shooting SD video for a significantly increased “telephoto” effect. Unlike the digital zoom feature found in many compact digital cameras, Canon’s new Movie Crop mode actually crops the image directly from the CMOS sensor at full SD resolution to preserve maximum image quality and provide additional zoom power. The new Movie Crop feature is especially helpful for achieving extra full resolution zoom power when filming youth sports, such as a child running to the furthest end of a field. For better sound quality when shooting video, the Rebel T2i DSLR includes an external stereo microphone jack, a first for an EOS Rebel model, in addition to its built-in monaural microphone. These audio and video features supplement a tremendous range of additional must-have video features in an entry-level Digital SLR camera.

For enhanced viewing pleasure and easy video sharing at home, the HDMI video-out capability of the Rebel T2i DSLR includes a new Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) compatibility which allows users to play back still or video files on a CEC-compliant HDTV, using the TV remote to control the camera when connected via HDMI interface.

Camera Feature Set
The EOS Rebel T2i DSLR features a newly developed 18-million-pixel Canon CMOS imaging sensor providing outstanding resolution and light sensitivity for amazing poster-sized prints with fine detail and stunning color. The camera exhibits exceptional low-noise performance incorporating many of the same technologies used to reduce noise in professional cameras such as the EOS 7D. The Rebel T2i camera’s basic ISO range is an amazing 100~6400, and via a Custom Function, it can be extended to ISO 12,800. The outstanding ISO range combined with its noise reduction technology allows the Rebel T2i to capture outstanding low-light pictures at events such as candlelit birthday celebrations or recitals where flash photography may be prohibited.

The camera provides 3.7 fps continuous shooting for still photos, making it the fastest shooting Rebel model to date and enabling users to capture that great image of a little leaguer’s first swing. The camera features Canon’s proprietary iFCL 63-zone dual-layer metering system offering intelligent Evaluative metering with much finer segmentation than any previous EOS Rebel model. The new Rebel T2i also has an expanded ± 5 EV exposure compensation range allowing for much more versatility when shooting in extremely bright or dark environments; or when shooting HDR (high dynamic range) images.

The Rebel T2i DSLR includes a number of professional-level user-selectable Canon image processing features to enhance the image quality of in-camera JPEG files, and to tag RAW images for processing later through Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software (included with the camera). These features include Canon’s Auto Lighting Optimizer to enhance shadow detail and add contrast to “flat” scenes, Highlight Tone Priority adding up to one stop of detail in bright highlight areas, Peripheral Illumination Correction for automatic correction of vignetting, High ISO Noise Reduction with four user-selectable settings, and Long Exposure Noise Reduction applied to exposures one second or longer. These Canon image enhancements provide new photographers with professional quality automatic image correction on JPEG files right out of the camera.

The EOS Rebel T2i digital camera includes a new enhanced 3-inch LCD monitor featuring 1.04 million dots with a wide 3:2 aspect ratio, wider than previous EOS models. The Rebel T2i camera’s LCD monitor can display a full-screen video image utilizing the entire screen during playback. For maximum storage capacity the new EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera is the first EOS model to support SDXC memory cards. With all the new and exciting features of the EOS Rebel T2i, the Rebel series continues to provide great Canon features such as Live View, a built-in pop-up flash, and the EOS integrated cleaning system, as well as compatibility with Canon EX-series Speedlites and Canon EF and EF-S lenses allowing users to fully explore multiple creative photographic possibilities. The new EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera is also compatible with Canon’s new BG-E8 battery grip and new RC-6 wireless remote control for both still images and video capture.

Pricing and Availability
The Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers in early March, and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $799.99. It will also be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $899.99.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked fourth overall in the U.S. in 2009†, with global revenues of US $35 billion, is listed as number four in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2009 list, and is on the 2009 BusinessWeek list of “100 Best Global Brands.” Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future” – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives.

Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.

The First Cell Phone Produced by Nokia!

2010-02-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

Whenever you think of Nokia phones, a big range comes to your mind and pushing yourself to know more about them, by visiting a retail outlet or by surfing internet. But one thing is very important to know about Nokia or Nokia phones, that how did they started, what they had produced as first, or what is the evolution of Nokia company?

Here is the first mobile phone produced by the Nokia Cellular Company in 1989.

Nokia was initially involved in developing some mobile radio communication devices since 1960. These technologies were based on ‘oG’ standards, which were pre-cellular used in mobile radio telephony. The technology in your hands today is basically preceded from there, and now you Nokia have become the World’s largest mobile selling companies in the World. The demand is everywhere for Nokia phones and every time on the run.

In 1966, they first developed VHF Radio in affiliation with Salora, further they worked together to create ARP standard to innovate a car radio phone. It developed in 1971, and was fully operational and giving full coverage by end of 1978.

In 1979, they further worked together and developed Mobira Oy. This company proceeded to create mobile phones that happened to come alive in 1981.

In 1984, Nokia bought Salora Oy and gained full ownership of the company and named it Nokia-Mobira Oy. They launched World’s first Nokia phones in 1987, and gained anonymous boost and publicity later on. Today, Nokia phones are still high in demand and leading the World’s with its new, advanced, and every time better quality.

Source

Recent Security Updates - Microsoft Office 2007

2010-02-07T20:05:00.000-08:00

Security Update for Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 (KB957789)
Security Update for Microsoft Office Word 2007 (KB969604)
Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB969559)
Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB969613)
Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB974234)
Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB972581)
Security Update for Microsoft Office Visio Viewer 2007 (KB973709)
Security Update for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (KB973593)
Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB973704)
Update for Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007 (KB976416)
Security Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (KB972363)

Win Free Domain Names Contest

2010-01-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

www.amitbhawani.com is giving away domain names. They want to again offer a few high quality domain names this year, and this time its 40 Domain Names which are registered with Godaddy. Below is a nice list of Domain Names based on Top Female Actress, Bollywood & Hollywood Celebrities which have a huge searches on the search engines.

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How to join?

Rule 1 : Comment on a minimum of 5 Different Blog Posts on this blog with some meaningful lines, and dont spam like – Nice Post etc.
Rule 2 : Follow me @amitbhawani & Tweet the following text on your Twitter Account :
Entered #Free #Domain #Names #Contest by @amitbhawani at http://bit.ly/7JZ8xE www.amitbhawani.com/blog/

For full reference, check www.amitbhawani.com.

Palm On the Right Path With Pre Plus, Pixi Plus

2010-01-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

Competition in the smartphone market continues to heat up, with Google's Nexus One ready to take on Apple's iPhone. But Palm is not sitting idly by. At the Consumer Electronics Show this week, Palm announced upgraded versions of its Pre and Pixi smartphones, and announced that it devices would be coming to more carriers.

The new phones, the Pre Plus and the Pixi Plus, will be available from Verizon later this month. AT&T also announced that it will offer two webOS phones, but has not yet said which handsets they will be.

The Palm Pre Plus features a few hardware improvements over the original version. For one, it gets rid of the single hardware button its predecessor had, and offers double the internal memory (16GB of storage instead of 8GB). The Pixi got an upgrade as well, in the form of Wi-Fi connectivity, though it still sports only a 2-megapixel camera.

The Pre Plus also features a revamped slider mechanism, and hands-on reviews say it's snappier and solid (no word on the sharp edges though). The keyboard on the Pre Plus saw some cosmetic changes as well, as the orange coloring has been removed, and the keys raised slightly.

Software Improvements

But what Palm did right is to concentrate on software - and that's where the biggest improvements come from. The Palm Pre plus can record video (a feature missing from last year's Pre model), edit it, and upload it to sites such as YouTube or Facebook. Original Pre and Pixi owners will benefit from an over-the-air update as well in February, which will enable them to record video without having to purchase new hardware.

Another cool software feature from Palm allows Pre and Pixi devices to be turned into mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, serving up to five devices with Internet connectivity from your phone (though it will need a special tethering plan). Adobe Flash support is also on the way, and will come as a plugin in the App Catalog.

Speaking of Palm's app store, the company introduced a plug-in development kit that will allow developers to make games for the WebOS platform. Tittles such as Sims 3 and Need for Speed are already in the works. More apps for the platform are on the way as well, as the App Catalog lags far behind competitors Google and Apple.

What could help Palm gain a wider developer base though, is the partnership it has forged with Verizon and AT&T. The Pre and Pixi are now available from Sprint, so Palm's smartphones will be available on the three major U.S. carriers, though the price plans for the new additions are not known yet. There was no word on international availability either.

It's great to see Palm thought about the existing Pre and Pixi user base, which won't be forced to buy new hardware to enjoy the latest software features. On other platforms, such as Google Android and Windows Mobile, this sort of software updates usually take months to filter down to older devices.

Source: PCWorld

History of company name

2010-01-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

Hewlett-Packard

Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard tossed a coin to decide whether the company they founded would be called Hewlett-Packard or Packard-Hewlett.

Yahoo!

The word was invented by Jonathan Swift and used in his book Gulliver's Travels. It represents a person who is repulsive in appearance and action and is barely human. Yahoo! founders Jerry Yang and David Filo selected the name because they considered themselves yahoos.

Xerox

The Greek root "xer" means dry. The inventor, Chestor Carlson, named his product Xerox as it was dry copying, markedly different from the then prevailing wet copying.

Sun Microsystems

Founded by four Stanford University buddies, Sun is the acronym for Stanford University Network.

Sony

From the Latin word 'sonus' meaning sound, and 'sonny' a slang used by Americans to refer to a bright youngster.

SAP

"Systems, Applications, Products in Data Processing", formed by four ex-IBM employees who used to work in the 'Systems/Applications/Projects' group of IBM.

Red Hat

Company founder Marc Ewing was given the Cornell lacrosse team cap (with red and white stripes) while at college by his grandfather. He lost it and had to search for it desperately. The manual of the beta version of Red Hat Linux had an appeal to readers to return his Red Hat if found by anyone!

Oracle

Larry Ellison and Bob Oats were working on a consulting project for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The code name for the project was called Oracle (the CIA saw this as the system to give answers to all questions or something such).

Motorola

Founder Paul Galvin came up with this name when his company started manufacturing radios for cars. The popular radio company at the time was called Victrola.

Microsoft

It was coined by Bill Gates to represent the company that was devoted to MICROcomputer SOFTware. Originally christened Micro-Soft, the '-' was removed later on.

Lotus

Mitch Kapor got the name for his company from the lotus position or 'padmasana.' Kapor used to be a teacher of Transcendental Meditation of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Intel

Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore wanted to name their new company 'Moore Noyce' but that was already trademarked by a hotel chain, so they had to settle for an acronym of INTegrated ELectronics.

Hotmail

Founder Jack Smith got the idea of accessing email via the web from a computer anywhere in the world. When Sabeer Bhatia came up with the business plan for the mail service, he tried all kinds of names ending in 'mail' and finally settled for Hotmail as it included the letters "html" - the programming language used to write web pages. It was initially referred to as HoTMaiL with selective upper casings.

Google

The name started as a jockey boast about the amount of information the search-engine would be able to search. It was originally named 'Googol', a word for the number represented by 1 followed by 100 zeros. After founders - Stanford graduate students Sergey Brin and Larry Page presented their project to an angel investor, they received a cheque made out to 'Google

Cisco

The name is not an acronym but an abbreviation of San Francisco. The company's logo reflects its San Francisco name heritage. It represents a stylized Golden Gate Bridge.

Apple Computers

Favourite fruit of founder Steve Jobs. He was three months late in filing a name for the business, and he threatened to call hiscompany Apple Computers if the other colleagues didn't suggest a better name by 5 o'clock.

Apache

It got its name because its founders got started by applying patches to code written for NCSA's httpd daemon. The result was 'A PAtCHy' server - thus, the name Apache.

Adobe

The name came from the river Adobe Creek that ran behind the house of founder John Warnock.

How To Set Up Gmail In Outlook 2010 With IMAP

2010-01-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

Go to Gmail’s website and go to Settings on the top right. Go to Forwarding and POP/IMAP page and make sure IMAP is enabled.

Now open your brand new installation of Outlook 2010. It will start up a wizard to set up your email address. Click the option to Manually configure and click Next.

Click Internet Email and click Next.

In this window put in your name and email address. This is the name that others will see who you send emails to. Set the incoming server to imap.gmail.com and the outgoing server to smtp.gmail.com. Then click More Settings.

You can rename the mail account here which by default is your email address. I name it something more pleasing like “Gmail”. Then go to Advanced tab.

Set the incoming server to 993 and encryption to SSL. The outgoing server should be 587 and encryption should be TLS.

Go to Outgoing Server tab and check the box for outgoing server requires authentication.

Once you click OK it will bring you back to the “Add New Account” screen where you should click Test Account Settings which tells you if it is set correctly or not. When you get a success screen then you are good to go. Click OK and enjoy your newly set up Gmail in Outlook.

Free Video Editing Software for Windows

2010-01-08T05:52:00.000-08:00

Avedit
It is a great tool to work with .AVI files. Regardless of small executable size, this avi editor offers you unlimited power of digital video processing. Some high-tech tricks included into AVIedit allows you to perform with ease and fun the many interesting things, like video warping, color restore, noise reduction and so on…
Homepage

Avid Free DV
Avid Free DV is feature-streamlined, standalone software which includes basic video and audio editing capabilities, up to two streams of real-time effects and support for both Windows XP and Macintosh OS X platforms.
Homepage

Avidemux
Avidemux is a free video editor designed for simple cutting, filtering and encoding tasks. It supports many file types, including AVI, DVD compatible MPEG files, MP4 and ASF, using a variety of codecs. Tasks can be automated using projects, job queue and powerful scripting capabilities.
Homepage

Chopper XP
Chopper XP is a tool that lets you extract a part of any DVD easily. It is a Vob cutting program with a video display and a great interface. You just need to scroll to a location and select mark in and out points. The program also lets you set any priority of extraction and displays the estimated time left for extraction.
Homepage

DDClip Free 2.23
Homepage

FFMpeg
FFmpeg is a collection of free software that can record, convert and stream digital audio and video. It includes libavcodec (a leading audio/video codec library), and libavformat (a leading audio/video container mux and demux library). FFmpeg is developed under Linux, but it can be compiled under most operating systems, including Windows. The project was started by Gerard Lantau, a pseudonym of Fabrice Bellard, and is now maintained by Michael Niedermayer. It is notable that most FFmpeg developers are also part of the MPlayer project, the VLC/VideoLAN project, plus one member of the xine project, and that FFmpeg is hosted at the MPlayer project server.
Homepage

Jahshaka
Jahshaka is the worlds first OpenSource Realtime Editing and Effects System. Jahshaka takes advantage of the power of OpenGL and OpenML to give its users exceptional levels of performance. We currently support Linux, OsX, Irix and Windows, and Solaris is on the way! Jahshaka is licenced to the public under the GNU GPL agreement.
Homepage

SolveigMM AVI Trimmer
SolveigMM AVI Trimmer is a free video editor to allow you to AVI movie cut extremely fast and lossless. This freeware AVI editor software is small, smart, easy to use and involves no encoding/decoding processes. Video enthusiasts use AVI Trimmer to cut commercials, cut video files or edit video for YouTube. AVI Trimmer solves annoying out of sync problem. It operates with all known types of AVI including DV AVI type 1 and 2.
Homepage

WAX
Wax is a high performance and flexible video compositing and special effects software. The idea for Wax is to be very general purpose and flexible in video compositing and effects, so that you can compose your dream video sequence with ease everytime.

Wax can create 2D & 3D special effects and can work in two modes – as a standalone application which would appeal for home users/beginners, and as a “plug-in” to video editors/NLEs which would be more useful for professional editors. Currently Wax can work as a plug-in with Sony Vegas, Pure Motion EditStudio and Adobe Premiere and work for integrating with various other NLEs is in progress.
Homepage

Windows Movie Maker
Windows Movie Maker is a video editing software that is included in recent versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system. It contains features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track, timeline narration, and Auto Movie. New effects and transitions can be made and existing ones can be modified using XML code.
Homepage

Virtual Dub
VirtualDub is a video capture/processing utility for 32-bit Windows platforms (95/98/ME/NT4/2000/XP), licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). It lacks the editing power of a general-purpose editor such as Adobe Premiere, but is streamlined for fast linear operations over video. It has batch-processing capabilities for processing large numbers of files and can be extended with third-party video filters. VirtualDub is mainly geared toward processing AVI files, although it can read (not write) MPEG-1 and also handle sets of BMP images.
Homepage

Virtual Edit
Virtual Edit is a semi-professional software video editing package aimed at ambitious content creators to video novices, who want to produce material with a slick and professional look, on a limited budget. Virtual Edit has been written by experts with experience in the Television and Broadcasting industries, which has been encapsulated in this simple software package.
Homepage

Zwei-Stein
Zwei-Stein 3.01 is a freeware non-linear, non-destructive video compositing and editing system which offers many advanced features unavailable elsewhere. With Zwei-Stein you can edit up to 256 video, audio and still image clips, each with up to 64 effects chained serially. Cropping, panning and custom effects are easy with automatic key frames.
Homepage

Phatch – Photo Batch Processor

2010-01-08T05:44:00.000-08:00

About:
Phatch is a simple to use cross-platform GUI Photo Batch Processor which handles all popular image formats and can duplicate (sub)folder hierarchies. Phatch can batch resize, rotate, apply perspective, shadows, rounded corners, ... and more in minutes instead of hours or days if you do it manually. Phatch allows you to use EXIF and IPTC tags for renaming and data stamping. Phatch also supports a console version to batch photos on webservers.

To download Phatch, visit the official homepage.

Free Audio Editing Software for Windows

2010-01-08T05:41:00.000-08:00

Audioblast
Audioblast is a program to edit sounds (WAV or MP3). It has all the basic edit functions, but also some special functions that you won’t find in other sound editors. Cool effects: soften, alien, satellite, creaking, shrink. Other features include adding echo, changing the volume and reversing the sound. It also lets you convert your message to Morse.
Homepage

Asia 2.12
ASIA 2.12 is the digital audio software you’ve been waiting for. It’s very easy to learn and offers the professional user top-quality digital effects. ASIA 2.1 is the professional’s choice for editing and producing .wav files. It’s ideal for games, video films, multimedia applications and, of course, web pages.
Download Link

Encounter 2003
Encounter2003 Release 4.1 is the first and only fully multithreaded sound editor in the Windows world today. Load files and work on files while other filters are still running in the background. Encounter2003 also features the EncounterExtension plug-in architecture, which works similarly to plug-in architectures that are know in the graphic world for years. Encounter2003 can add functionality directly via it’s web plug-in.
Homepage

QuickAudio
QuickScore Elite is comprehensive, integrated software for music composition, incorporating notation, arranging, MIDI and audio sequencing and recording. Create publication-quality scores, musical content for the desktop and world wide web, audio CDs, MP3s and soundtracks for film, video and games.
Homepage

ModuLoop
Moduloop is a standalone sound mangling/manipulation tool made using MAX/MSP, specifically geared towards users of drum loops – there is, however, no limitation as to what grooves you decide to moduloop! You can import any wav or aiff file, although the program works best on predefined loops of audio, as it syncs the BPM of the loops to the modulation matrix.
Homepage

Soliton II
Soliton II is a simple and easy to use editor that lets you record and edit wav files. Soliton lets you view spectrums, change sample rates, amplitude and resolution. It also lets you apply common filters and effects like fade, echo, delay, normalize, signal generation and wall transmission simulation.
Homepage

SoundEditor
SoundEditor is a free sound editor used to edit, filter and modify sound files. It is an Open Source freeware program with no limitation of usage or distribution. Our aim is to meet or surpass current software standards. SoundEditor is constantly evolving.
Homepage

SoundEngine Free
SoundEngine is used for creating and editing music, processing sound effects, recording and creating podcasts, and creating melody signaling an incoming call. SoundEngine is the best tool for personal use, because it enables you to easily edit a wave data while it has many functions required for a mastering process.
Homepage

Tiny Wave Editor
Tiny Wave Editor is a fast and simple WAV/AIFF editor which features basic editing tools and SCSI sample transfer for Yamaha A3000, EX series and CBXD5 devices. It allows easy manipulation of sample data to and from the devices themselves using SCSI transfers.
Homepage

Wavosaur
Wavosaur is a free sound editor, audio editor, wav editor software for editing, processing and recording sounds, wav and mp3 files. Wavosaur has all the features to edit audio (cut, copy, paste, etc.) produce music loops, analyze, record, batch convert. Wavosaur supports VST plugins, ASIO driver, multichannel wav files, real time effect processing.
Homepage

X-Razor
X-Razor is a solution for processing, mangling, creating, reverse engineering, decimating, and reconstructing drum and percussive loops. XRAZOR adds a whole bunch of new and useful functionality to the set of features found in previously released beat manipulation programs.
Link

ZS-1 Amen
ZS-1 Amen is a very easy to use basic loop arranger. Amen has been designed so simplify the process of rearranging waveforms. Amen is specially useful for arranging ‘Drum and Base’ style rhythms. The program features onset location and sequencing as well as sequence generation.
Download Link

Google's faster public DNS server

2010-01-07T11:28:00.000-08:00

Introducing Google's faster public DNS server - 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.

When you use Google Public DNS, you are changing your DNS "switchboard" operator from your ISP to Google Public DNS.

In most cases, the IP addresses used by your ISP's domain name servers are automatically set by your ISP via the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). To use Google Public DNS, you need to explicitly change the DNS settings in your operating system or device to use the Google Public DNS IP addresses. The procedure for changing your DNS settings varies according to operating system and version (Windows, Mac or Linux) or the device (computer, phone, or router). We give general procedures here that might not apply for your OS or device; please consult your vendor documentation for authoritative information.

Read More at: code.google.com

Cork USB stick and light bulb USB stick

2010-01-07T07:47:00.001-08:00

The cork version holds 2GB and weighs 13g.

The mini light bulb USB stick holds 2GB, too, and weighs 25g.

Greenhouse is selling the sticks for $35 each. As they’re Japan only, I suggest you contact the usual suspects, import/export specialists Japan Trend Shop, Geek Stuff 4 U or Rinkya, if you’re interested.

Disassembling and reassembling a netbook into a massive Dell cellphone

2010-01-07T04:02:00.000-08:00

This video shows a man designer disassembling a netbook and assembling it into a dell smartphone.

Yes, it's not real, but it's cool!

How to choose a web development agency?

2010-01-07T03:53:00.000-08:00

Let me just grab this chance to share some information to folks out there who do not have enough knowledge in web development. This is not a tutorial though, but just few of the basic things one should consider in choosing a web development agency. As we know, in an online world, a successful website can attract more attention, or gets the highest impression to everyone in the world wide web. Some also consider their website(s) as their company’s calling/business card online.

I’ve been working in a web hosting company for almost 3 years now. Based on my experience, a lot of customers got misleaded with the concept of “web hosting”. They thought that we build websites. Educating customers to the basic concept of web hosting over web developing is not that hard at all, however there are just instances that they are already annoying. Anyhow, it doesn’t matter now, we need to keep attitude.

There are a lot of things or shall I say criteria in choosing a web development agency. Among them are: reputation of the web design Edinburgh, quality (which includes design, internet strategies and the likes), communication, and of course commitment to technology. Bottom line here is, finding and expert in web designing, web development and internet startegies – web designer Edinburgh.

I hope I have given you some thoughts in finding a web development agency. Remember, your website brings the image of the group, company or firm you worked with. A poorly developed website can turn away business

Kodak launches Slice touchscreen camera

2010-01-06T03:17:00.000-08:00

KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera Lets You Share and Relive Moments Instantly

New Digital Camera Boasts Sleek Exterior with Thousands of KODAK Moments Inside

Rochester, NY, January 7, 2010 – Eastman Kodak Company today announced the latest addition to its consumer digital product portfolio, designed to make it easier than ever for people to share pictures with family and friends anytime, anywhere. The KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera lets consumers carry a personal photo album worth sharing and reliving at all times. With a sleek and intuitive 3.5-inch touchscreen, and the KODAK SLICE Search Feature, consumers can find the pictures they want from up to 5,000 that can be stored on internal memory. Then, they can easily share those pictures right from the back of the camera.

“Kodak knows that consumers want the ability to share life’s memories at a moment’s notice, whether it’s pictures that evoke a tear or just the funny everyday moments,” said John Blake, General Manager, Digital Capture and Devices and Vice President, Kodak. “The power of sharing and reliving life’s moments drove the development of our new SLICE Camera. It provides instant access to all of your KODAK Moments, and it’s right at your fingertips.”

Store, Sort and Share with the SLICE Camera
With the ability to store up to 5,000 pictures in HD resolution, the SLICE Camera’s onboard KODAK SLICE Search Feature and Face Recognition allow consumers to sort through thousands of pictures by person, place, date, or occasion in order to locate and share a collection of treasured moments.

The touchscreen and Share Button allow consumers to tag pictures directly on the camera for effortless uploading to popular sharing sites including Facebook, KODAK Gallery, Flickr, and YouTube. Pictures can also be tagged to email or to send directly to the new KODAK PULSE Digital Frame.

KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera features include:
• Intuitive 3.5-inch, 16:9 LCD touchscreen with anti-reflective coating
• KODAK SLICE Search Feature and Face Recognition to easily sort, locate and share pictures
• Share Button for easy upload to Facebook, KODAK Gallery, Flickr, YouTube sites and e-mail
• Store up to 5,000 pictures in HD resolution
• Stunning image quality with a 14MP CCD sensor and 5X SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH Lens
• Built-in optical image stabilization
• 720p/30fps HD video capture
• Kodak’s exclusive Smart Capture feature, which analyzes scenes and automatically adjusts camera settings to deliver beautiful pictures more often
• Compatible with PC or APPLE iLife Software
• Li-Ion rechargeable battery included
The KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera will be available in black, nickel and radish for US $349.95 MSRP beginning in April 2010. Best Buy will initially be the exclusive retailer for in-store sales. The KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera will also be sold online at Amazon.com and Kodak.com.
Kodak is also introducing a case for the SLICE Camera, which was designed in a competition among accessories students at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. The final case design was chosen by celebrated designer Steve Madden and FIT faculty.
*Colors and availability may vary by region

The first USB 3.0 hub controller is here

2010-01-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

USB 3.0 is just around the corner, with us having reported about more and more compatible devices in the last few months. And now Taiwan-based PC accessory maker VIA has readied the so-called VIA VL810 SuperSpeed Hub Controller, the world’s first USB 3.0 hub controller. It supports data transfer speeds of up to 5Gb/s and features one upstream and four downstream ports.

The controller is backwards compatible with USB 2.0, but data transfer rates are up to ten times slower in that case. The five ports support Hi-Speed (480Mbps), Full-Speed (12Mbps) and Low-Speed (1.5Mbps) data traffic. VIA says the controller is ideal for those users who, for example, need to backup HDDs or quickly move HD video files from one device to the other.

The company plans to demo the controller at the CES later this week.

Source: crunchgear.com

The power of internet

2010-01-05T07:59:00.000-08:00

I was 17 and I was a freshman high school student when I first heard the word "internet" way back 2000. I know it sounds so outdated. I still remember the first time our computer teacher gave us an assignment, it was about CPU processes. It was not written in our book, so basically internet research needs to be done. I was not that sure where to go, and here comes Yahoo! one of the biggest or shall I say the leading search engine that time, until Google arrived! So what exactly am I gonna talk about here? Well, I just wanna share some of the things I got amazed with the power of the Internet. I am basically talking about the first time experience in the world wide web - specifically the internet.

Internet is define as a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. We may have different kind of experiences to the internet, but maybe we all have the same reactions, expressions, feelings when we first explore to the world wide web. Below are among the things I could consider the power of the internet, based on my first time experience.

1. Information is really fast. Almost everything can be found in the Internet that time.
2. Website - got amazed with the web design Edinburgh and web development Edinburgh.
3 Instant Messenger- who could ever forget the first time you had sent messages like: ASL pls? CTC, and etc. No matter where you are, internet is making

Somehow, technologies are modifying our way of life, it is making our it more easy!

About

2010-01-05T07:45:00.000-08:00

Technology and Updates is a blog that talks about Internet and Technology. However, it does not limit there, it would also cover different stuffs like Mobile devices, Cameras (Point and Shoot,DSLR), Computers and the likes!