Archive for: October 2, 2009

By Andrew Liszewski It might look like nothing more than a Kleenex box-sized humidifier, but this Odor Remediator from Hammacher Schlemmer ($199.95) creates an odor-eliminating mist of microdroplets that are 100 times smaller and 1,000,000 times lighter than what you’d get from an aerosol can. That allows the microdroplets to remain airborne for up to 14 hours, giving them time to drift into every corner of a room, replacing unpleasant smells like smoke with slightly less unpleasant smells like pine, lavender-herb or citrus-mint. [ Automatic Odor Remediator ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

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Automatic Odor Remediator

The revelation that Apple snapped up a small mapping service in July has observers speculating about everything from Apple replacing Google Maps on the iPhone to the once-friendly companies moving to fierce competition. Apple acquired Los Angeles-based Placebase in July, a small enough deal that Apple wasn’t required to make an official announcement. Placebase offers an API that lets developers create customized features and functions not available on Google Maps. One of the best-known products based on Placebase technology is PolicyMap. PolicyMap lets users explore geographic information through maps, tables and reports so they can make better decisions. Organizations like The Washington Post and Wachovia are using PolicyMap. Apple and Google Drift Apart Apple could be thinking of displacing Google Maps as the default mapping service on the iPhone and iPod touch, or at least preparing a backup. Could the once-friendly companies be getting ready to do battle on apps? Apple and Google were not immediately available for comment. “Two years ago, Apple’s interests and Google’s interests seemed pretty aligned,” said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret. “But since then we’ve seen Google introduce a new mobile operating platform. We’ve seen Google introduce a new browser. We’ve seen Google introduce a new operating system, all of which are totally divergent from Apple’s interests.” Indeed, despite all the focus on Google invading Microsoft’s territory, Google and Apple are more often competing rather than partnering in the high-tech world. Nothing evidenced this more than Google CEO Eric Schmidt resigning from Apple’s board of directors in August. After sitting on Apple’s board since 2006, Schmidt and Apple mutually decided that the companies were beginning to compete head-to-head on several fronts. At the time, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said, “Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple’s core businesses, with Android and now Chrome ...

Google Wave has hit some rough waters. Just a day after the Internet search giant began e-mailing invitations to test the wave, online shenanigans have erupted. The online tool, which will allow users to post photos, videos and text in real time, has gained so much buzz that hackers have created search traps for “Google Wave” and a scalper attempted to sell access. Security company Websense has reported that Google searches on the terms relating to Google Wave show results leading to rogue antivirus offerings. Patrick Runald, senior manager of security and research at Websense, said this kind of search manipulation has been going on for more than a year. “The bad guys are looking for interesting topics or keywords that they can use to manipulate search results,” Runald said. “They control a lot of computers using malware and create botnets. They keep track of things that interest people as of right now and have these machines take these keywords like Google Wave and do cross-links.” In this case, because searches for Google Wave invitations have sparked interest, they have drawn hackers. Lining Pockets Because Google results look authentic at a quick glance, searchers are quick to click them. Rather than being connected to safe Web sites, they are redirected to a rogue antivirus Web site. The Web site informs the visitor that the computer is infected with a virus and offers antivirus security for a price. Once a user types in financial data such as credit-card numbers, the information is stolen and so may be the user’s identity and savings. “It is always about money,” Runald said. How do you avoid getting stuck in the search trap? Runald said businesses need real-time protection, while home users need to pay close attention the URL and where the Google search result ...

The European Commission introduced a new satellite-based navigation system Thursday that vastly improves the accuracy of signals delivered to Europe by American GPS satellites. Called EGNOS — short for European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service — the new “open” technology promises to revolutionize navigation for European professionals and consumers alike. The primary EGNOS service is free to users equipped with compatible navigation receivers. Most mass-market personal navigation devices being sold in Europe are ready for EGNOS, the EC said. “European users of the EGNOS GPS system will be able to determine their position within two meters, compared to the 10-meter (32.8 feet) radius provided by the GPS alone,” said EC Vice President for Transport Policy Antonio Tajani. A Crucial Enhancement The space component of the EGNOS system consists of two-way communications channels called “transponders” installed aboard three satellites occupying geostationary orbits over the equator. These extraterrestrial relay stations are designed to communicate with a ground-based network of four control centers and 40 ground stations. “In simple terms, the ground stations measure the GPS signal and send the data to the computing centers where the correcting GPS signals are calculated,” Tajani said. “And then the computing centers send out the corrective signals to the EGNOS satellites,” which then relay the more accurate signals to users’ GPS receivers. Improving the accuracy of GPS signals to two meters is crucial for many applications related to safety, said Hans Fromm, retired deputy head of the navigation department at the European Space Research and Technology Centre. For example, the EGNOS system provides a navigation signal for aircraft, ships, trains and other forms of transport. “A train needs to know which rail it’s traveling on,” Fromm said. “It’s important for safety — especially where life could be at risk.” Guaranteed Level of Service EGNOS represents a vast ...

Nvidia used the GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, Calif., to show the world it has reached a new milestone in graphics processing. Nvidia demonstrated its next-generation GPU architecture, code-named Fermi. The new architecture will not replace the CPU, but will secure a significant place in PC system architecture. Fermi’s graphics capabilities will mean substantial improvements to game play, multimedia encoding and enhancement, and other PC applications, according to the company. “It is completely clear that GPUs are now general-purpose parallel computing processors with amazing graphics, and not just graphics chips anymore,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, cofounder and CEO of Nvidia. “The Fermi architecture, the integrated tools, libraries and engines are the direct results of the insights we have gained from working with thousands of CUDA (compute unified device architecture) developers around the world.” Huang provided several examples of Fermi’s potential. In one demonstration, he created a realistic physical reaction for a game by throwing rag dolls at destructible walls. In another, he showed its value in 3-D stereoscopic video. A third demonstration showed how GPUs can be used to enhance processing of ultrasound recordings to detect breast cancer. Increased Performance Nvidia said Fermi has increased the performance startup by eight times over Nvidia’s last-generation GPU. The increase is critical for high-performance computing applications such as quantum chemistry, linear algebra, and numerical simulation, according to Nvidia. It added that Fermi also provides supercomputing features and performance at one-tenth the cost and one-twentieth the power of traditional CPU-only servers. The GPU architecture is designed for C++, makes parallel programming easier and increases performance on a greater variety of applications than in the past, the company said. Performance increases are seen in ray tracing, physics, high-precision scientific computing, sparse linear algebra, and sorting and search algorithms, according to Nvidia. Fermi is also the ...

By Chris Scott Barr I’m all about having a kick-ass case for my gaming rig. I like having something to show off that not only look cool, but is easy to work with in terms of upgrades. I’ve owned and reviewed quite a few different cases over the years, and I have to say, this new Level 10 from Thermaltake tops them all. The case was designed by BWM Designworks USA, where they were obviously thinking outside the box. Or rather, they were thinking about what’s usually located inside the box. Instead of having a big rectangle for a case, they chose to outline each component, putting it in its own compartment. Each compartment features its own cooling system, ensuring that you’ll never have to worry about overheating. You’ve got room for six hot-swappable SATA drives and three optical drives. My only concern is that you might not have enough room for some of the longer video cards. Oh, and that little $700 price tag might also be an issue for some. [ ThermalTake ] VIA [ Dvice ]

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Thermaltake’s Level 10 Case Cranks Your PC To 11

This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net We’re just about a month away from the release of Dragon Age: Origins, which means Bioware is teasing us with new footage from the game. Today we have a video and a few high-rez pics of the Ferelden capital city of Denerim. Here’s a brief description of the city for your reading pleasure. “Denerim, the capital of Ferelden, began originally as an outpost of the ancient Tevinter Imperium. Its mages rose up a dark tower from the side of a mountain, a symbol of the Imperium’s power. As the Imperium faded, the tower passed to the hands of the teyrns that ruled the region for a millennium. Today that tower still stands as Fort Drakon, immediately recognizable to any ship that approaches the rocky coast. The city that has sprung up around it has almost been carved out of the side of the mountain it rests on, and during the Dragon Age, its population has grown beyond the city’s ability to cope. The cramped districts, joined to each other by a network of bridges, are built one almost on top of the other. The narrow streets of the Lower Docks have an almost labyrinthine quality, and the walled-off Elven Alienage is so overpopulated that several purges have been required to keep order. To the rest of the world, Denerim is most famous as the birthplace of Andraste. In typical Fereldan fashion, however, the monument erected to the prophet in the Palace District is unassuming—a great rock adorned with a simple message of peace. Worshippers come from far and wide to touch the Birth Rock and issue a quiet and respectful prayer. This is how things are done in Denerim, and the locals would have it no other way.” [ Bioware ] ...

It’s official. Sony has launched the new PSPgo, the latest version of its PlayStation Portable video-game system. The new PSPgo aims to give the Nintendo DS and Apple’s iPod touch a run for their portable gaming money. Available in piano black and ceramic white and selling for $249, the PSPgo offers a sleek, pocket-sized design with a sliding screen. But industry watchers are more excited about one of the PSPgo’s key differentiators: Full-length, portable games will be available in an all-digital format. “When we launched the PSP-1000 in 2005, it was clear that there was a huge demand for not only a great portable gaming system, but a complete portable entertainment device,” said John Koller, director of Sony’s Hardware Marketing group. “Since then, the PSP has sold more than 15 million units in North America and 53 million units worldwide.” More Content With the PSPgo, Sony has focused on making a device more suited to the mobile lifestyle. The company is also offering new content from the PlayStation Network, including the much-anticipated Gran Turismo and MotorStorm Arctic Edge. Koller said virtually all future PSP titles will be available on the PlayStation Store to download anytime, anywhere via Wi-Fi, on a PC, or through a PlayStation 3. Koller also pointed to new and exclusive games and videos on the PlayStation Store, including PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe, Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake, and LocoRoco 2: Midnight Carnival. Sony is also making available what it calls bite-sized minis for quick game play on the go, such as Tetris and Fieldrunners. In all, Sony is offering more than 150 titles previously released, such as God of War: Chains of Olympus, Madden NFL 10, Soulcaliber Broken Destiny, and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, along with more than 60 original PlayStation classics and more than 2,300 movies ...

In a move that could impact its sales among both consumer and business Mac users, Research In Motion announced Wednesday that a BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Apple’s Mac will be released on Friday. The free software syncs contacts, calendar appointments, and notes on a Mac with BlackBerry smartphones. The software works with Mac programs such as iCal, Address Book, Microsoft Entourage, and others. It also enables a user to schedule backups automatically, add or delete applications, encrypt backup files, and install software updates for the BlackBerry. Until now, BlackBerry Desktop Manager has only been compatible with Windows machines. ‘A Long Time Coming’ BlackBerry Media Sync can also be managed within the desktop manager. With media sync, users can transfer their iTunes music, including playlists, song information, and album art, from a computer to a BlackBerry. Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, said the Mac version of the manager was “a long time coming.” He said it probably doesn’t change the appeal of the iPhone to Mac users, but it “makes it easier for BlackBerry owners who are in a business environment” or in a home where Macs are used. Greengart noted that the Mac’s market share is still in the single digits, although notebook users in the U.S. are above the global share. It’s the U.S. Mac notebook market, he added, that RIM needs to tap into. Greengart noted that, since most of RIM’s sales these days are to consumers, this is actually more of a consumer play than a business one. Keeping Up While RIM is looking more toward the consumer market, Apple has been busy making its iPhone more compatible with businesses. Newer Mac software enables the iPhone to work with Microsoft Exchange and standards-based servers, allowing a user to utilize a company’s e-mail, ...

By Andrew Liszewski It’s just another concept at this point, but Jeong-Sun Park’s Knob Light will be appreciated by anyone who tends to wander the house at night. It’s basically a replacement door knob in the shape of a glowing light bulb, making it easier to find your way around when the lights are all off. There’s no specifics on how the bulb is supposed to get power, since doors aren’t usually wired for electricity, but I’m pretty sure it will use LED based bulbs instead of incandescent ones because of the whole hot glass vs. skin issue. [ Yanko Design - A Knobby Light ] VIA [ Toxel ]

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Knob Light Door Handle Makes Sense