Government disconnects Egypt from internet

John Gilmore, internet activist and co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, famously said "The net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it." But what happens when all online routes are cut off?

At around 10.30 pm GMT last night, the Egyptian government shut down the entire country's connection to the internet, leaving its citizens unable to access websites hosted in the rest of the world. Attempts to access Egyptian sites from outside also fail - for example,http://egypt.gov.eg/ is currently unresponsive - while Egyptian access to .eg domains is likely to be extremely unreliable.

Protesters against the government had been coordinating their actions on social networking sites, leading the government to block the likes of Twitter and Facebook, but many got around these restrictions by using smartphones or proxy servers. Now, access through any means is almost impossible - Egypt is effectively offline.

"The Egyptian government's actions tonight have essentially wiped their country from the global map," said James Cowie of Renesys, a internet access monitoring company, in a blog post last night. "What happens when you disconnect a modern economy and 80,000,000 people from the internet?"

Only one Egyptian ISP remains connected to the outside world. It'

John Gilmore, internet activist and co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, famously said "The net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it." But what happens when all online routes are cut off?

At around 10.30 pm GMT last night, the Egyptian government shut down the entire country's connection to the internet, leaving its citizens unable to access websites hosted in the rest of the world. Attempts to access Egyptian sites from outside also fail - for example,http://egypt.gov.eg/ is currently unresponsive - while Egyptian access to .eg domains is likely to be extremely unreliable.

Protesters against the government had been coordinating their actions on social networking sites, leading the government to block the likes of Twitter and Facebook, but many got around these restrictions by using smartphones or proxy servers. Now, access through any means is almost impossible - Egypt is effectively offline.

"The Egyptian government's actions tonight have essentially wiped their country from the global map," said James Cowie of Renesys, a internet access monitoring company, in a blog post last night. "What happens when you disconnect a modern economy and 80,000,000 people from the internet?"

Only one Egyptian ISP remains connected to the outside world. It'

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Compact 'eyeball' camera stretches to zoom

A CAMERA inspired by the operation of the human eye can "zoom" without the need for bulky lenses, making it more compact than conventional cameras.

The device builds on a non-zooming eyeball camera developed in 2008 by John Rogers of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Now he has given the technology a twist by building in a stretchable lens and a flexible photodetector whose shape alters as the magnification of the lens changes. This produces a camera with a 3.5× optical zoom.

Traditional cameras capture their images on a flat surface, formerly photographic film but now usually a digital photodetector. In a conventional camera, extra lenses are required to flatten the image before it hits the detector, otherwise it appears blurry or uneven.

The eyeball camera does away with the need for these extra, movable lenses, and reshapes the sensor instead. Rather than adjusting the image to suit a flat surface, it flexes the sensor to match the curvature of the image and the lens.

To achieve this, Rogers has mounted an array of silicon photodetectors on an elastic membrane, which in turn forms the surface of a fluid-filled chamber (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1015440108). Using hydraulic actuators to adjust the amount of fluid in the chamber, the membrane can be flexed to take up convex or concave shapes.

The lens is formed by fluid held in a gap between a glass window and an elastic membrane whose shape can also be adjusted hydraulically.

The eyeball technology could be used in night-vision cameras that now typically use bulky and expensive lenses to capture infrared images. Another application would be endoscopes, where very tiny cameras with a wide field of view are required, Rogers says.

Corin Gawith, an optoelectronics researcher at the University of Southampton, UK, says the device is an elegant solution to the problem of making lens systems less bulky. "In an endoscope you can see how it would be very useful because you've got a very small lens and what you are trying to do is take an image of quite a wide area," he says. "Same again in the security camera. What they are offering is a very compact way of achieving that."

For now, Rogers's camera can only produce images with an effective resolution of a few thousand pixels, but that could be dramatically improved. "There's no law of physics that needs to be broken in order to go from where we are now to a 5-megapixel camera," Rogers says.

A CAMERA inspired by the operation of the human eye can "zoom" without the need for bulky lenses, making it more compact than conventional cameras.

The device builds on a non-zooming eyeball camera developed in 2008 by John Rogers of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Now he has given the technology a twist by building in a stretchable lens and a flexible photodetector whose shape alters as the magnification of the lens changes. This produces a camera with a 3.5× optical zoom.

Traditional cameras capture their images on a flat surface, formerly photographic film but now usually a digital photodetector. In a conventional camera, extra lenses are required to flatten the image before it hits the detector, otherwise it appears blurry or uneven.

The eyeball camera does away with the need for these extra, movable lenses, and reshapes the sensor instead. Rather than adjusting the image to suit a flat surface, it flexes the sensor to match the curvature of the image and the lens.

To achieve this, Rogers has mounted an array of silicon photodetectors on an elastic membrane, which in turn forms the surface of a fluid-filled chamber (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1015440108). Using hydraulic actuators to adjust the amount of fluid in the chamber, the membrane can be flexed to take up convex or concave shapes.

The lens is formed by fluid held in a gap between a glass window and an elastic membrane whose shape can also be adjusted hydraulically.

The eyeball technology could be used in night-vision cameras that now typically use bulky and expensive lenses to capture infrared images. Another application would be endoscopes, where very tiny cameras with a wide field of view are required, Rogers says.

Corin Gawith, an optoelectronics researcher at the University of Southampton, UK, says the device is an elegant solution to the problem of making lens systems less bulky. "In an endoscope you can see how it would be very useful because you've got a very small lens and what you are trying to do is take an image of quite a wide area," he says. "Same again in the security camera. What they are offering is a very compact way of achieving that."

For now, Rogers's camera can only produce images with an effective resolution of a few thousand pixels, but that could be dramatically improved. "There's no law of physics that needs to be broken in order to go from where we are now to a 5-megapixel camera," Rogers says.

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White iPhone 4 paint issues fixed, is it time for it to hit the market?

Apple’s white iPhone 4 has started showing up in various carriers’ stock handling systems recently throughout the world but it has been unclear whether it was a mistake or white iPhone really is coming soon. Actually Apple is delaying the white version until Spring 2011 due to ‘manufacturing problems’. According to sources at the time the painting of the handset with a white color was proving more difficult than Apple had hoped with producing a uniform color being the main problem.

Now though, the issue has been resolved by a small company in Japan.

According to Macotakara, the unknown company has developed a new type of paint that can be applied in a more uniform way than before. This means more uniform colors, which in turn means a happy Apple quality controller.

According to a source, specified printing white color for iPhone 4 brings poor yield and then huge number of defective products. This is the reason of disturbing to start manufacturing, a source said.

To solve this problem, a Japanese company developed miracle painting material which is able to be set thickness of painting layer.

For those who are still on a wait for White iPhone, I say what you need now is a pill of patience. With no official news from Apple we can just wait and see.

Apple’s white iPhone 4 has started showing up in various carriers’ stock handling systems recently throughout the world but it has been unclear whether it was a mistake or white iPhone really is coming soon. Actually Apple is delaying the white version until Spring 2011 due to ‘manufacturing problems’. According to sources at the time the painting of the handset with a white color was proving more difficult than Apple had hoped with producing a uniform color being the main problem.

Now though, the issue has been resolved by a small company in Japan.

According to Macotakara, the unknown company has developed a new type of paint that can be applied in a more uniform way than before. This means more uniform colors, which in turn means a happy Apple quality controller.

According to a source, specified printing white color for iPhone 4 brings poor yield and then huge number of defective products. This is the reason of disturbing to start manufacturing, a source said.

To solve this problem, a Japanese company developed miracle painting material which is able to be set thickness of painting layer.

For those who are still on a wait for White iPhone, I say what you need now is a pill of patience. With no official news from Apple we can just wait and see.

Click Here To Read The Full Story »

Asus U36JC A1 - Core i5 460M 2.53GHz - 13.3" TFT

ASUS's U30 series of 13-inch ultraportable notebooks has long provided a strong mix of portability and power, from the original U30Jc with its 7 hours of endurance to the snazzy bamboo U33Jc. The ASUS U36Jc ups the ante with a slick 3.8-pound frame, snazzy aluminum-magnesium alloy lid, speedy 2.53-GHz Core i5 CPU, and Nvidia's Optimus switchable graphics. But are its strong specs good enough to justify its price--$1,000--and beat out its competitors?

Design

Super sleek, the 0.76-inch thick ASUS U36Jc's lid is built from a lightweight, raven black aluminum-magnesium alloy, while its matching palm rest is covered in a soft matte material that ASUS describes as "nanometer" coating. Unfortunately, the area near the screen doesn't have the same premium look as the palm rest and lid; its glossy plastic hinges drag down the aesthetic a bit, as does the gap between the screen and the deck.

At 3.8 pounds, the U36JC is quite a bit lighter than the previous generation U33Jc (4.4 pounds), but a little heavier than the Toshiba Portege R700 (3.2 pounds) and the Lenovo IdeaPad U260 (3 pounds). With dimensions of 12.9 x 9.28 x 0.76 inches, this laptop is also slightly larger than the U260 (12.5 x 8.1 x 0.7 inches) and R700 (12.4 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches).

Heat

While the top surface of the ASUS U36Jc stayed relatively cool throughout our testing, its underside reached uncomfortably high temperatures. After playing a full-screen video for 15 minutes, we measured the touchpad at a pleasant 85 degrees and the G and H keys at an acceptable 95 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the bottom measured a warm 105 degrees and, while playing World of Warcraft, it reached 110 degrees.

We consider temperatures below 95 degrees acceptable on the top surface of a notebook and temperatures of 100 degrees and below unpleasant but common for the bottom. However, this type of underside heat would make us think twice about placing the U36Jc on our lap while gaming.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The U36Jc's island-style black keyboard has the same look and layout as those on a number of Eee PC netbooks, from the 10-inch Eee PC 1015PN to the 12-inch Eee PC VX6. There's no flex at all, but the keys do feel a little stiff, which led us to a make a few more errors than usual while typing. We also wish the right Shift key were larger.

The 3 x 2-inch touchpad has a pleasant matte surface that matches the palm rest and allowed us to navigate around the desktop with ease. It also supports multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom. Though we would have preferred two discrete buttons, the single mouse bar provided good tactile feedback and was not too stiff.

ASUS's U30 series of 13-inch ultraportable notebooks has long provided a strong mix of portability and power, from the original U30Jc with its 7 hours of endurance to the snazzy bamboo U33Jc. The ASUS U36Jc ups the ante with a slick 3.8-pound frame, snazzy aluminum-magnesium alloy lid, speedy 2.53-GHz Core i5 CPU, and Nvidia's Optimus switchable graphics. But are its strong specs good enough to justify its price--$1,000--and beat out its competitors?

Design

Super sleek, the 0.76-inch thick ASUS U36Jc's lid is built from a lightweight, raven black aluminum-magnesium alloy, while its matching palm rest is covered in a soft matte material that ASUS describes as "nanometer" coating. Unfortunately, the area near the screen doesn't have the same premium look as the palm rest and lid; its glossy plastic hinges drag down the aesthetic a bit, as does the gap between the screen and the deck.

At 3.8 pounds, the U36JC is quite a bit lighter than the previous generation U33Jc (4.4 pounds), but a little heavier than the Toshiba Portege R700 (3.2 pounds) and the Lenovo IdeaPad U260 (3 pounds). With dimensions of 12.9 x 9.28 x 0.76 inches, this laptop is also slightly larger than the U260 (12.5 x 8.1 x 0.7 inches) and R700 (12.4 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches).

Heat

While the top surface of the ASUS U36Jc stayed relatively cool throughout our testing, its underside reached uncomfortably high temperatures. After playing a full-screen video for 15 minutes, we measured the touchpad at a pleasant 85 degrees and the G and H keys at an acceptable 95 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the bottom measured a warm 105 degrees and, while playing World of Warcraft, it reached 110 degrees.

We consider temperatures below 95 degrees acceptable on the top surface of a notebook and temperatures of 100 degrees and below unpleasant but common for the bottom. However, this type of underside heat would make us think twice about placing the U36Jc on our lap while gaming.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The U36Jc's island-style black keyboard has the same look and layout as those on a number of Eee PC netbooks, from the 10-inch Eee PC 1015PN to the 12-inch Eee PC VX6. There's no flex at all, but the keys do feel a little stiff, which led us to a make a few more errors than usual while typing. We also wish the right Shift key were larger.

The 3 x 2-inch touchpad has a pleasant matte surface that matches the palm rest and allowed us to navigate around the desktop with ease. It also supports multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom. Though we would have preferred two discrete buttons, the single mouse bar provided good tactile feedback and was not too stiff.

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HP Mini 1103

HP is once again targeting the education market with its new Mini 1103 netbook. Unlike the kid-focused Mini 100e, this netbook looks and acts like a consumer model, but keeps the price low for cash-strapped schools and other institutions. Though not the flashiest system on the block, the $299 Mini 1103 combines very long battery life with decent performance for $50 to $100 less than many competitors.

Design

The HP Mini 1103's design is basic yet attractive. The overall aesthetic is closer to the Pavilion dm1and dm3 rather than high-end business netbooks such as the Mini 5103. The glossy black lid and display bezel pick up smudges, but thankfully the rest of the netbook features matte plastic. As with the Pavilion dm1 and the Mini 210, the bottom of the unit is a smooth line with just one panel to remove. This makes it easier to upgrade or repair internal components, such as the RAM or hard drive.

For the target market, the non-descript yet functional design of the Mini 1103 is just right. You won't find the same flair as other HP models, but it's not as toy-looking as the Mini 100e, which is geared toward younger students. However, the Toshiba mini NB505 offers bright color options and a more eye-catching design.

Heat

The top of the Mini 1103 stayed pretty cool, with the touchpad measuring only 85 degrees after playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes. The space between the G and H keys was about the same: 86 degrees. The underside of the netbook got up to 92 degrees, which is within our acceptable range.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Mini 1103 doesn't have the modern chiclet-style layout of the Mini 210. However, the keys are well sized and placed, and we like the terraced treatment, which provides a better grip. We like that the media and system controls are one touch away, while the Function keys are secondary.

The 3.1 x 1.25-inch touchpad on the Mini 1103 has a fairly small surface when compared to other recent netbooks and even other HP models. This is due to the system having separate mouse buttons instead of integrated ones, as with a clickpad. The buttons are fairly large as well. Users who prefer physical buttons will likely not mind sacrificing some of the touch surface.

Display and Audio

One curious aspect of the 10.1-inch, 1024 x 600-pixel resolution screen on the Mini 1103 is that users can open it a full 180 degrees, allowing the entire netbook to lie flat. However, the viewing angles on the anti-glare display are somewhat narrow. Two people sitting side by side can share the screen, but sit any further away, and you'll encounter color distortion.

The 1103's volume was surprisingly strong from the narrow speaker just under the netbook's front lip. We were able to fill a medium-sized room with audio with the volume on 70 percent. When watching Hulu videos, we didn't need to crank it up to hear. Sound was somewhat flat and a little tinny at the at the max, but that's to be expected.

HP is once again targeting the education market with its new Mini 1103 netbook. Unlike the kid-focused Mini 100e, this netbook looks and acts like a consumer model, but keeps the price low for cash-strapped schools and other institutions. Though not the flashiest system on the block, the $299 Mini 1103 combines very long battery life with decent performance for $50 to $100 less than many competitors.

Design

The HP Mini 1103's design is basic yet attractive. The overall aesthetic is closer to the Pavilion dm1and dm3 rather than high-end business netbooks such as the Mini 5103. The glossy black lid and display bezel pick up smudges, but thankfully the rest of the netbook features matte plastic. As with the Pavilion dm1 and the Mini 210, the bottom of the unit is a smooth line with just one panel to remove. This makes it easier to upgrade or repair internal components, such as the RAM or hard drive.

For the target market, the non-descript yet functional design of the Mini 1103 is just right. You won't find the same flair as other HP models, but it's not as toy-looking as the Mini 100e, which is geared toward younger students. However, the Toshiba mini NB505 offers bright color options and a more eye-catching design.

Heat

The top of the Mini 1103 stayed pretty cool, with the touchpad measuring only 85 degrees after playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes. The space between the G and H keys was about the same: 86 degrees. The underside of the netbook got up to 92 degrees, which is within our acceptable range.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Mini 1103 doesn't have the modern chiclet-style layout of the Mini 210. However, the keys are well sized and placed, and we like the terraced treatment, which provides a better grip. We like that the media and system controls are one touch away, while the Function keys are secondary.

The 3.1 x 1.25-inch touchpad on the Mini 1103 has a fairly small surface when compared to other recent netbooks and even other HP models. This is due to the system having separate mouse buttons instead of integrated ones, as with a clickpad. The buttons are fairly large as well. Users who prefer physical buttons will likely not mind sacrificing some of the touch surface.

Display and Audio

One curious aspect of the 10.1-inch, 1024 x 600-pixel resolution screen on the Mini 1103 is that users can open it a full 180 degrees, allowing the entire netbook to lie flat. However, the viewing angles on the anti-glare display are somewhat narrow. Two people sitting side by side can share the screen, but sit any further away, and you'll encounter color distortion.

The 1103's volume was surprisingly strong from the narrow speaker just under the netbook's front lip. We were able to fill a medium-sized room with audio with the volume on 70 percent. When watching Hulu videos, we didn't need to crank it up to hear. Sound was somewhat flat and a little tinny at the at the max, but that's to be expected.

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Deal of the Day: Fujitsu LifeBook PH52 for $399

There is a lot to like about the Fujitsu LifeBook PH5. With it’s lightweight construction, great battery life, and sleek style, it makes a great netbook for the mainstream user.

Some of the other features include a 320 GB S-ATA, 5400 rpm hard drive, an AMD Athlon™ II Neo Processor, an 11.6″ Crystal View WXGA HD display, 2GB of RAM, an integrated webcam, and it comes with Windows 7 Professional.

If a light and extra portable netbook is what you need, then you should definitely check this out. Originally priced at $599, you can now get it for $399 until January 30th. So strike while the iron is hot.

Purchase the Fujitsu LifeBook PH52 for $399 from LogicBUY.

There is a lot to like about the Fujitsu LifeBook PH5. With it’s lightweight construction, great battery life, and sleek style, it makes a great netbook for the mainstream user.

Some of the other features include a 320 GB S-ATA, 5400 rpm hard drive, an AMD Athlon™ II Neo Processor, an 11.6″ Crystal View WXGA HD display, 2GB of RAM, an integrated webcam, and it comes with Windows 7 Professional.

If a light and extra portable netbook is what you need, then you should definitely check this out. Originally priced at $599, you can now get it for $399 until January 30th. So strike while the iron is hot.

Purchase the Fujitsu LifeBook PH52 for $399 from LogicBUY.

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Dell Venue Pro (T-Mobile)

Most Windows Phone 7 devices are almost identical when it comes to software, but there certainly isn't a lack of hardware variety. So far we've seen an ultra-light slab phone (Samsung Focus), one with a slide-out speaker (HTC Surround), a big-screen monster with a kickstand (HTC HD7), and a Motorola Droid-style slider (LG Quantum). The Dell Venue Pro ($99 on contract with T-Mobile) adds yet another variation to the mix: a vertical slider design that's easily one of the most beautiful gadgets the company has made. With its ultra-bright AMOLED screen and plump backlit keyboard, the Venue Pro gives Microsoft's slick and highly customizable OS an executive-class sheen. Keep on reading to find out if this hardware-software combo has what it takes to stand out.

Design

After picking up the Dell Venue Pro we could immediately tell that its design is a cut above most smart phones. From the rubberized top and bottom to the chrome accents on the sides to the subtly curved Gorilla Glass display, this device screams luxury. We especially like the attention to detail, such as the textured diamond pattern on the black back cover. This pattern changes to silver on the top half of the phone when slid up.

The top half of the Venue Pro houses a headphone jack on the left and the power button on the right, which is not only recessed but positioned on a downward slope. This makes waking the phone unnecessarily difficult. Two large silver volume buttons and a camera button line the right side, and on the bottom you'll find stereo speakers and the microUSB port.

While the Venue Pro's heft is a telltale sign of its high quality, its presence was felt in our pocket. Measuring 4.8 x 2.5 x 0.6 inches and weighing 6.8 ounces, this smart phone has the same thickness but weighs much more than the LG Quantum (6.2 ounces), which also has a slide-out keyboard. The HTC HD7, which has a larger but inferior 4.3-inch display, weighs 5.7 ounces. The Samsung Focus, which has a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen but no keyboard, only weighs 4.1 ounces.

Display

Another major selling point of the Venue Pro is its gorgeous 4.1-inch AMOLED display (800 x 480 pixels). As with the Samsung Focus, colors are quite rich and contrast is sky high, which makes everything from photos and videos to the tiled interface really pop. The curved display limits viewing angles somewhat, but they're still better than the HD7.

Keyboard

The Venue Pro smoothly slides open to reveal the keyboard, which ends with a satisfying click. As far as sliders go, this is one of the better layouts we've laid our thumbs on. While packed tightly together, the evenly backlit keys are plump enough to provide satisfying tactile feedback, beating out the BlackBerry Torch. We appreciate the dedicated .com key, but we'd also prefer a dedicated @ key instead of having to press FN first. This could easily replace the marginally useful emoticon shortcut key.

In our testing we banged out e-mail replies fairly quickly and accurately using the physical QWERTY, but Windows Phone 7 benefits from one of the best touch keyboards around. We typed faster when using just the display, even though we made a few more errors. You'll have to really like physical keys to justify carrying around the Venue Pro's extra weight.

Most Windows Phone 7 devices are almost identical when it comes to software, but there certainly isn't a lack of hardware variety. So far we've seen an ultra-light slab phone (Samsung Focus), one with a slide-out speaker (HTC Surround), a big-screen monster with a kickstand (HTC HD7), and a Motorola Droid-style slider (LG Quantum). The Dell Venue Pro ($99 on contract with T-Mobile) adds yet another variation to the mix: a vertical slider design that's easily one of the most beautiful gadgets the company has made. With its ultra-bright AMOLED screen and plump backlit keyboard, the Venue Pro gives Microsoft's slick and highly customizable OS an executive-class sheen. Keep on reading to find out if this hardware-software combo has what it takes to stand out.

Design

After picking up the Dell Venue Pro we could immediately tell that its design is a cut above most smart phones. From the rubberized top and bottom to the chrome accents on the sides to the subtly curved Gorilla Glass display, this device screams luxury. We especially like the attention to detail, such as the textured diamond pattern on the black back cover. This pattern changes to silver on the top half of the phone when slid up.

The top half of the Venue Pro houses a headphone jack on the left and the power button on the right, which is not only recessed but positioned on a downward slope. This makes waking the phone unnecessarily difficult. Two large silver volume buttons and a camera button line the right side, and on the bottom you'll find stereo speakers and the microUSB port.

While the Venue Pro's heft is a telltale sign of its high quality, its presence was felt in our pocket. Measuring 4.8 x 2.5 x 0.6 inches and weighing 6.8 ounces, this smart phone has the same thickness but weighs much more than the LG Quantum (6.2 ounces), which also has a slide-out keyboard. The HTC HD7, which has a larger but inferior 4.3-inch display, weighs 5.7 ounces. The Samsung Focus, which has a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen but no keyboard, only weighs 4.1 ounces.

Display

Another major selling point of the Venue Pro is its gorgeous 4.1-inch AMOLED display (800 x 480 pixels). As with the Samsung Focus, colors are quite rich and contrast is sky high, which makes everything from photos and videos to the tiled interface really pop. The curved display limits viewing angles somewhat, but they're still better than the HD7.

Keyboard

The Venue Pro smoothly slides open to reveal the keyboard, which ends with a satisfying click. As far as sliders go, this is one of the better layouts we've laid our thumbs on. While packed tightly together, the evenly backlit keys are plump enough to provide satisfying tactile feedback, beating out the BlackBerry Torch. We appreciate the dedicated .com key, but we'd also prefer a dedicated @ key instead of having to press FN first. This could easily replace the marginally useful emoticon shortcut key.

In our testing we banged out e-mail replies fairly quickly and accurately using the physical QWERTY, but Windows Phone 7 benefits from one of the best touch keyboards around. We typed faster when using just the display, even though we made a few more errors. You'll have to really like physical keys to justify carrying around the Venue Pro's extra weight.

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Motorola Atrix 4G Promo Video Shows Why It’s a Superphone

Motorola has unleashed a splashy promotional video for its Atrix 4G smart phone. This is the gadget that stole the show at CES 2011 with a ground-breaking list of features, most notably the ability to plug into a laptop dock. When docked, you can use this superphone to surf the fell web via a Webtop application (powered by Firefox 3.6), complete with tab support. You can also see your smart phone screen in one window on the dock’s display and the web in another. A separate media dock lets you output video, pictures, and music to an HDTV.

Dubbed as “The World’s Most Powerful Smart Phone”, Motorola also trumpets the Atrix 4G’s dual-core CPU (Nvidia Tegra 2), 1GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage memory, and its ultra-sharp qHD screen. There’s even a fingerprint scanner for increased security.

Our excitement is certainly growing for the Atrix 4G, and we can’t wait to run it through its paces. Check out the video below for more

Motorola has unleashed a splashy promotional video for its Atrix 4G smart phone. This is the gadget that stole the show at CES 2011 with a ground-breaking list of features, most notably the ability to plug into a laptop dock. When docked, you can use this superphone to surf the fell web via a Webtop application (powered by Firefox 3.6), complete with tab support. You can also see your smart phone screen in one window on the dock’s display and the web in another. A separate media dock lets you output video, pictures, and music to an HDTV.

Dubbed as “The World’s Most Powerful Smart Phone”, Motorola also trumpets the Atrix 4G’s dual-core CPU (Nvidia Tegra 2), 1GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage memory, and its ultra-sharp qHD screen. There’s even a fingerprint scanner for increased security.

Our excitement is certainly growing for the Atrix 4G, and we can’t wait to run it through its paces. Check out the video below for more

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Latest concept: Double U USB– means you’ll always insert your USB the right side up

USB ports play a huge part in our everyday lives but one thing that always seems to catch us is the when we go to insert them. Even with a 50-50 chance of getting the USB connector the right way up, more than not mines always seem to be the wrong way around when fumbling to make a connection.

Designer Ma Yi Xuan hopes to put an end to the heartache and has designed the Double U USB that can go it to a port either way up.

The Double U USB has two contact layers which are both retractable and provides a connection which ever way around the USB connector is inserted, with the one side retracting back into the device and the other creating the data connection.

The design is still a concept at the moment but hopefully it wont take to long to find its way into production.

USB ports play a huge part in our everyday lives but one thing that always seems to catch us is the when we go to insert them. Even with a 50-50 chance of getting the USB connector the right way up, more than not mines always seem to be the wrong way around when fumbling to make a connection.

Designer Ma Yi Xuan hopes to put an end to the heartache and has designed the Double U USB that can go it to a port either way up.

The Double U USB has two contact layers which are both retractable and provides a connection which ever way around the USB connector is inserted, with the one side retracting back into the device and the other creating the data connection.

The design is still a concept at the moment but hopefully it wont take to long to find its way into production.

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Geeky technology: A lock that can be unlocked remotely by a text message

When it comes to technology, we’re always looking forward to those that can make our live easier, and speaking of new technologies, today we have a lock that can be unlocked not by a key but instead by a text message.

I personally think this is an amazing idea, because it will be perfect for you if you accidentally lock yourself out of your apartment, or lose your keys. In fact, you can almost forget all about keys because you can open your lock at any time from any place just by sending a text message from your phone.

So how does this works? Simple, there’s a small web server that’s connected to the lock and when you send a text message from an approved number, the server will open the lock or close it. The downside? Don’t lose your phone.

It’s a great idea, but we doubt that it will replace standard keys anytime soon or ever. Its probably still safer to have a spare key with you, just in case you lose your cellphone or run out of battery.

When it comes to technology, we’re always looking forward to those that can make our live easier, and speaking of new technologies, today we have a lock that can be unlocked not by a key but instead by a text message.

I personally think this is an amazing idea, because it will be perfect for you if you accidentally lock yourself out of your apartment, or lose your keys. In fact, you can almost forget all about keys because you can open your lock at any time from any place just by sending a text message from your phone.

So how does this works? Simple, there’s a small web server that’s connected to the lock and when you send a text message from an approved number, the server will open the lock or close it. The downside? Don’t lose your phone.

It’s a great idea, but we doubt that it will replace standard keys anytime soon or ever. Its probably still safer to have a spare key with you, just in case you lose your cellphone or run out of battery.

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Holocube HC70 transparent display is one step closer to holograms

If you thought that holograms were just part of science fictions movies, you’re wrong, because holograms just became closer to reality and larger than ever thanks to the Holocube.

Today we have a Holocube HC70 and it’s the latest version of 70-inch transparent screen that can be viewed from both sides. However, the hardware behind this technology is 40GB of SSD for storing more than 18 hours of uncompressed videos of 4 Mb/s or eight hours of compressed video at 9 Mb/s.

Other specifications include 600cd/m2 brightness and 1080×1920 pixel resolution. Besides that, Holocube HC70 is using the Inter Dual Core 2.8 GHz processor and Windows 7 Embedded as its operating system.

As you can see, new Holocube HC70 is the largest model so far and it works pretty well. Results look impressive and although HC70 cannot produce real holograms like in science fiction movies, it still does a great job. Who knows, maybe the real hologram is closer than we think?

If you thought that holograms were just part of science fictions movies, you’re wrong, because holograms just became closer to reality and larger than ever thanks to the Holocube.

Today we have a Holocube HC70 and it’s the latest version of 70-inch transparent screen that can be viewed from both sides. However, the hardware behind this technology is 40GB of SSD for storing more than 18 hours of uncompressed videos of 4 Mb/s or eight hours of compressed video at 9 Mb/s.

Other specifications include 600cd/m2 brightness and 1080×1920 pixel resolution. Besides that, Holocube HC70 is using the Inter Dual Core 2.8 GHz processor and Windows 7 Embedded as its operating system.

As you can see, new Holocube HC70 is the largest model so far and it works pretty well. Results look impressive and although HC70 cannot produce real holograms like in science fiction movies, it still does a great job. Who knows, maybe the real hologram is closer than we think?

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News: Sony unveils Playstation NGP, aka PSP 2 – boasts WiFi and 3G

NGP? You read that right – the Sony “Next generation portable” is supposedly what the new successor to the PSP will be codenamed. Announced today, and due to be released by the end of 2011, it feels as though Sony is trying to move on from the PSP label into another level.

The latest NGP will sport a unique Super Oval Design form factor, what’s more, it’ll be first portable entertainment system to feature two analog sticks, which will hopefully enable a wider range of game genres.

The new PSP NGP will boast both 3G and WiFi connectivity, a five-inch multi-touch OLED display and runs on an ARM Cortex-A9 core CPU. The new portable playstation system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, and together with the front touch display, NGP offers new game play allowing users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” moves of the fingers.

NGP adopts a new game medium, a small flash memory based card, dedicated for NGP software titles. Taking advantage of the flash memory feature, this innovative card can store the full software titles plus add-on game content or the game save data directly on to the card. By adopting flash memory based card, SCE will be able to provide game cards with higher capacity in the future, allowing developers to store more game data to deliver rich and immersive games.

NGP will also come equipped with two cameras on its front and rear, as well as three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass – the same as the Playstation Move, all of which are designed to enable users to enjoy the world of entertainment that is linked with real life experiences.

In addition, Sony also announced today PlayStation Suite (PS Suite), will also closely coordinate with NGP. This will allow future game content to run on Android devices (smartphones, tablets). As a result, users will have access to not only the most leading-edge content, but also some of the more casual experiences that typify the mobile market place.

NGP? You read that right – the Sony “Next generation portable” is supposedly what the new successor to the PSP will be codenamed. Announced today, and due to be released by the end of 2011, it feels as though Sony is trying to move on from the PSP label into another level.

The latest NGP will sport a unique Super Oval Design form factor, what’s more, it’ll be first portable entertainment system to feature two analog sticks, which will hopefully enable a wider range of game genres.

The new PSP NGP will boast both 3G and WiFi connectivity, a five-inch multi-touch OLED display and runs on an ARM Cortex-A9 core CPU. The new portable playstation system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, and together with the front touch display, NGP offers new game play allowing users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” moves of the fingers.

NGP adopts a new game medium, a small flash memory based card, dedicated for NGP software titles. Taking advantage of the flash memory feature, this innovative card can store the full software titles plus add-on game content or the game save data directly on to the card. By adopting flash memory based card, SCE will be able to provide game cards with higher capacity in the future, allowing developers to store more game data to deliver rich and immersive games.

NGP will also come equipped with two cameras on its front and rear, as well as three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass – the same as the Playstation Move, all of which are designed to enable users to enjoy the world of entertainment that is linked with real life experiences.

In addition, Sony also announced today PlayStation Suite (PS Suite), will also closely coordinate with NGP. This will allow future game content to run on Android devices (smartphones, tablets). As a result, users will have access to not only the most leading-edge content, but also some of the more casual experiences that typify the mobile market place.

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Facebook to improve security measures with encryption

According to an announcement on the Facebook blog, it seems that Facebook will take some serious steps related to improving the security of their social network, and these steps include encrypted connections.

Since we all share personal information on Facebook, it’s more than necessary to ensure that your personal information is safe from malicious users, therefore Facebook decided to use encrypted pages.

According to Facebook, encrypted pages could take longer to load, but with HTTPS you won’t have to worry whether will anyone track your personal data. In addition, Facebook is planning to add another feature that will help you to protect your account if it ever gets compromised. For example, if someone gets your login data, and starts using your account, Facebook will require that person to identify pictures of your Facebook friends. This sounds like a great idea, but you might have to delete all those people that you don’t know, in case that you somehow compromise your own account

According to an announcement on the Facebook blog, it seems that Facebook will take some serious steps related to improving the security of their social network, and these steps include encrypted connections.

Since we all share personal information on Facebook, it’s more than necessary to ensure that your personal information is safe from malicious users, therefore Facebook decided to use encrypted pages.

According to Facebook, encrypted pages could take longer to load, but with HTTPS you won’t have to worry whether will anyone track your personal data. In addition, Facebook is planning to add another feature that will help you to protect your account if it ever gets compromised. For example, if someone gets your login data, and starts using your account, Facebook will require that person to identify pictures of your Facebook friends. This sounds like a great idea, but you might have to delete all those people that you don’t know, in case that you somehow compromise your own account

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Gallery: Sony NGP / PSP 2 – eyes only

I’m don’t sure about you, but I’m still getting used to the fact that it won’t be officially called the PSP anymore but instead the “Next generation portable”, aka NGP. As you can see in the gallery below, the NGP will be the first portable entertainment system to feature two analog sticks.

The new PSP NGP will boast both 3G and WiFi connectivity, a five-inch multi-touch OLED display and run on an ARM Cortex-A9 core CPU. The new portable playstation system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, together with a front touch display panel.

I’m don’t sure about you, but I’m still getting used to the fact that it won’t be officially called the PSP anymore but instead the “Next generation portable”, aka NGP. As you can see in the gallery below, the NGP will be the first portable entertainment system to feature two analog sticks.

The new PSP NGP will boast both 3G and WiFi connectivity, a five-inch multi-touch OLED display and run on an ARM Cortex-A9 core CPU. The new portable playstation system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, together with a front touch display panel.

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Kraft and Intel team up to build a kiosk that knows what food you want

This is a new idea from Intel and Kraft, and it is a kiosk that can apparently scan your face and tell what you want to eat.

What happens is that when the user passes by the kiosk, the digital signage with Anonymous Video Analytics technology can determine the gender and age group and guess what products would be right for you.

Shoppers can even swipe their local market’s loyalty card or their mobile phone, and the smart kiosk will make recommendations based on past purchasing history. It will even allow shoppers to add recipes, shopping lists, to smartphones with a barcode scanner. You can see a video of it after the jump.

I suppose this is good, as my Source says that most homes don’t have much variety in the way of meals. I know my house has dinners of spaghetti, Hamburger Helper, Gyros, chicken, and it gets shuffled around each week.

Of course, this does have an agenda, to sell more Kraft products. Something tells me that you’re going to get a lot of recommendations for Mac and Cheese.

I wonder if all businesses will be trying like this. Are we looking at a future where the front area of the grocery stores will be all kiosks? I just am trying hard to picture that without getting a dystopian image. Now, if there were a way of doing the kiosk from home with a webcam, this would be easier.

This is a new idea from Intel and Kraft, and it is a kiosk that can apparently scan your face and tell what you want to eat.

What happens is that when the user passes by the kiosk, the digital signage with Anonymous Video Analytics technology can determine the gender and age group and guess what products would be right for you.

Shoppers can even swipe their local market’s loyalty card or their mobile phone, and the smart kiosk will make recommendations based on past purchasing history. It will even allow shoppers to add recipes, shopping lists, to smartphones with a barcode scanner. You can see a video of it after the jump.

I suppose this is good, as my Source says that most homes don’t have much variety in the way of meals. I know my house has dinners of spaghetti, Hamburger Helper, Gyros, chicken, and it gets shuffled around each week.

Of course, this does have an agenda, to sell more Kraft products. Something tells me that you’re going to get a lot of recommendations for Mac and Cheese.

I wonder if all businesses will be trying like this. Are we looking at a future where the front area of the grocery stores will be all kiosks? I just am trying hard to picture that without getting a dystopian image. Now, if there were a way of doing the kiosk from home with a webcam, this would be easier.

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How to unlock an iPhone with a ring

I’ve recently got a Motorola Droid X phone (which I will probably review later on this site), and I found that getting yourself a smartphone with a pure touchscreen interface can lead a user to all kinds of security issues.

After all, the screen will activate with any touch, and so anyone with a finger can access my e-mail and possibly the important information available there.

A man named Michael Knuepel has come up with a way to make an iPhone screen accessible with a secret ring. It sounds like something from a spy movie (a bad one) but he’s perfected the proof of concept, as seen in the video after the jump.

I’m not certain how the ring works. Perhaps there is some sort of chip in there that sends a message to the iPhone that the “key is in the lock” so to speak. It reminds me of the days when messages had to be sealed with wax and a specially molded ring.

Granted, the ring in the video looks like something that only Green Lantern would wear, but if it could be put on a normal-sized ring, like a wedding ring or class ring, then we have a marketable iPhone accessory with the bonus of some added mobile phone security!

I’ve recently got a Motorola Droid X phone (which I will probably review later on this site), and I found that getting yourself a smartphone with a pure touchscreen interface can lead a user to all kinds of security issues.

After all, the screen will activate with any touch, and so anyone with a finger can access my e-mail and possibly the important information available there.

A man named Michael Knuepel has come up with a way to make an iPhone screen accessible with a secret ring. It sounds like something from a spy movie (a bad one) but he’s perfected the proof of concept, as seen in the video after the jump.

I’m not certain how the ring works. Perhaps there is some sort of chip in there that sends a message to the iPhone that the “key is in the lock” so to speak. It reminds me of the days when messages had to be sealed with wax and a specially molded ring.

Granted, the ring in the video looks like something that only Green Lantern would wear, but if it could be put on a normal-sized ring, like a wedding ring or class ring, then we have a marketable iPhone accessory with the bonus of some added mobile phone security!

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Skype’s updated app one-ups Apple with mobile video chat

Skype has launched a video chat feature for their iPhone app which adds 3G capability, as well as being able to chat with iPhone 3GS users in a limited one way video basis.

Users who have the iPhone 4 or 4th generation iPod Touch can initiate video calls with friends who use the iPhone 3GS, iPad, and 3rd Generation iPod Touch, while 3rd Gen Apple device users can only receive the video chat and while talking audio only. Mac Desktop users can also jump into the fray using the Skype client.

But what’s really challenging to Apple’s Facetime dominance is that Skype can video chat over 3G, not just WiFi only. And according to Red Ferret, the data usage isn’t too bad, chiming in at about 1.3MB per minute.

Frankly, I’m amazed that Apple approved this update, but it may be that they’ll be announcing a “one more thing” update next month that will do the same.

The Skype App update is free can is available right now at the App Store.

Skype has launched a video chat feature for their iPhone app which adds 3G capability, as well as being able to chat with iPhone 3GS users in a limited one way video basis.

Users who have the iPhone 4 or 4th generation iPod Touch can initiate video calls with friends who use the iPhone 3GS, iPad, and 3rd Generation iPod Touch, while 3rd Gen Apple device users can only receive the video chat and while talking audio only. Mac Desktop users can also jump into the fray using the Skype client.

But what’s really challenging to Apple’s Facetime dominance is that Skype can video chat over 3G, not just WiFi only. And according to Red Ferret, the data usage isn’t too bad, chiming in at about 1.3MB per minute.

Frankly, I’m amazed that Apple approved this update, but it may be that they’ll be announcing a “one more thing” update next month that will do the same.

The Skype App update is free can is available right now at the App Store.

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Joby unveils two new iPad Accessories at CES 2011

Most of you are familiar with Joby, and they are most famous for their Gorillapod accessories. These are tripods with some very flexible feet for cameras, flashlights, and even the iPhone 4. At CES 2011 Unveiled last night, the company revealed that they have two new iPad related products.

The first is the Yogi, and it is a case for the iPad with those famous Gorillapod legs (seen on the left). Not only can the user take these two legs and twist them around to mount the iPad in many places, but it makes the iPad so it literally stands on two feet for viewing in portrait and landscape mode, perfect for those who like to watch iPad vids.

The second iPad product is the Ori, and it doesn’t have the Gorillapod feet. It does allow the iPad to stand up by itself. Not only can it stand it up in portrait or landscape mode like an easel, but the case itself can fold up and around the iPad, giving the user an extra layer of metal protection for their favorite Apple tablet.

I wasn’t able to get the release dates, but I do have the prices. The Joby Ori will sell for about $79.95 while the Yogi will go for about $49.95.

Most of you are familiar with Joby, and they are most famous for their Gorillapod accessories. These are tripods with some very flexible feet for cameras, flashlights, and even the iPhone 4. At CES 2011 Unveiled last night, the company revealed that they have two new iPad related products.

The first is the Yogi, and it is a case for the iPad with those famous Gorillapod legs (seen on the left). Not only can the user take these two legs and twist them around to mount the iPad in many places, but it makes the iPad so it literally stands on two feet for viewing in portrait and landscape mode, perfect for those who like to watch iPad vids.

The second iPad product is the Ori, and it doesn’t have the Gorillapod feet. It does allow the iPad to stand up by itself. Not only can it stand it up in portrait or landscape mode like an easel, but the case itself can fold up and around the iPad, giving the user an extra layer of metal protection for their favorite Apple tablet.

I wasn’t able to get the release dates, but I do have the prices. The Joby Ori will sell for about $79.95 while the Yogi will go for about $49.95.

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