Since the internet is one of the few places left to go to find speech that is truly free, giving the government – which is comprised largely of bought senators and representatives that cater to special interests before the will of the people, mind you – the power to create and internet blacklist is a ridiculously terrible idea. That’s something that Representative Smith is just now realizing, apparently, as his website has been updated with an explanation of why he has moved to ditch the provision:

After consultation with industry groups across the country, I feel we should remove Domain Name System blocking from the Stop Online Piracy Act so that the Committee can further examine the issues surrounding this provision. We will continue to look for ways to ensure that foreign websites cannot sell and distribute illegal content to U.S. consumers.

Of course, the three following paragraphs in Smith’s message are all about why we need SOPA, so you’ll forgive me if I remain unconvinced that Smith and the bill’s co-sponsors are actually listening to the public outcry surrounding the bill. Getting the DNS blocking provision removed from SOPA is definitely a good thing, but don’t think that the battle is close to over – not even for a minute. SOPA is still a bad bill, one that could potentially kill hundreds of thousands of jobs that only exist thanks to the internet, and it gives copyright holders far too much power, allowing the easy removal of entire websites from the internet altogether.

That being the case, it’s of the utmost importance that you call your elected officials and tell them to kill SOPA. The bill still has an absurd amount of support, and the only way to beat it is to remind those in congress that they work for you. Remember folks, all of the special interest money in the world doesn’t mean a damn thing if the votes aren’t there!

Neal Patwari of the University of Utah has discovered that any movement someone makes affects the strength of a WiFi signal. He also realized that this could be accomplished through walls and other barriers. This means that a snoop could possibly set up a WiFi network from outside your house, track the signal strength inside your house, and use that to track movement.

Does knowing this make you want to build super-secure walls in your house made to block WiFi? Don’t worry, these folks will find another way for sure.

Roots of Hope is a Miami-based is a nonprofit which seeks to strengthen relations between youth in Cuba and youth in the United States. The organization claims to be apolitical and that many of its members have differing views on United States policy toward Cuba. One of their largest projects is Cell Phones for Cuba (C4C) which collects cell phones to send to Cuban youth. The phones will give people the ability to:

• Inform – provide mobile news and information
• Advise – help others make sense of the information
• Act – enable coordination to act upon the information

Cell Phones for Cuba has collection drives at locations such as restaurants, universities and other businesses where customers, students and employees can drop off old cell phones to be recycled and sent to Cuban youth.

In the latest string of arrests against the two hacker groups, a homeless man is being accused of hacking. Is hacking while homeless the “in” thing to do in San Francisco? The homeless man is accused of taking part in an attack against Sony while the other, Cody “recursion” Kretsinger of Tempe, AZ, is accused of being part of LulzSec.

Some news sources are reporting that there are more warrants being executed in three other states so there is a good possibility that more arrests are on the horizon. One semi-legitimate Anonymous spokesperson claims that there are now no more LulzSec members left but LulzSec honcho Sabu claims there are still two more to go.

A UN report tells us of several ways recent technology is changing the effectiveness and availability of healthcare in developing nations. Here are a few examples listed:

• Low-cost LifeSpring hospitals in India for urban women who are hard off
• text messaging printers that connect African laboratories to community clinics via mobiles phone networks
• Mobile phones that help guide health workers in Zanzibar through screening, examination, counseling and treatment of patients

Many times newer technology is lessening the need for many traditional infrastructures which is in turn making healthcare more efficient. Mobile technology isn’t just (supposedly) causing tumors in our brains. There’s some real use coming from the growing area of wireless tech. This is a new landscape and the game is changing.

Linus Torvalds in Helsinki released the first Linux kernel by uploading it to an FTP server for sharing. He had been working on the code since April of 1991 but the release date was actually yesterday. When released, the code only contained 10,239 lines of code while today it has 13.5 million lines of code.

You would be surprised if you knew how many gadgets Linux actually powers. Everything from the Android and TomTom GPS to the Kindle and the TiVo runs on Linux. Oh, and don’t forget this writer’s laptop! Follow the source link to read a list of ten cool devices that still run on Linux.

Microsoft was nice enough to realize that their Windows Vista was a failure so they decided to break their 1-years-of-support rule and they extended the life of Windows XP. Companies weren’t upgrading to Vista anyway so it was the least they could do. Now that Windows 7 is out and has been a success, it’s finally time to lay XP down to rest. They’ve promised support up until 2014 and that’s going to be the end.

Microsoft COO Kevin Turner had this to say:

So for all those companies that have the old products that haven’t quite started the refresh, guess what? This has been a great product, XP has been a wonderful product; great TCO has been given. It’s now time for it to go.

Goodbye Windows XP. It’s been good.

The BWA (or body wearable antenna) has the ability to work with just about any smartphone deemed appropriate for combat. It has the ability to transmit several different types of information such as voice, video, and GPS location. Apparently data isn’t just transferable back to base, but soldier-to-soldier communication is also possible, such as sharing video feeds and other warnings.

The BWA technology wouldn’t just be good for soldiers, but other emergency and hazardous occupations as well. Think about police officers, firefighters, miners, gas workers, you name it. Could it possibly be any benefit to the everyday phone holder? We’ll see.

Roughly 5% of Americans claim to suffer from the condition and because of the proliferation of technology in today’s society; they literally become prisoners from the outside world. Some have found a safe haven in what is called the Radio Quiet Zone which is 33,000 square km nestled in the Alleghany Mountains of West Virginia. The purpose of the “dead zone” has less to do with sickness and more to do with interference with radio telescopes in the area. These people are just taking advantage of an area where wireless technology is outlawed and they are finding life more livable.

These folks who have escaped to the small town of Green Bank, WV can now go outside, run errands, and enjoy a regular life. Is this illness just part of people’s imagination or is it the real deal?

Google has been in the middle of what can only be described as an all-out patent war. While companies like Apple and Microsoft are swinging it out in the legal arena with Samsung, HTC, Motorola and other handset manufacturers, this can be seen as a proxy attack against Google and its Android platform, which these handset makers use in their smartphones and tablets.

Google’s acquisition of Motorola involves paying $40 per share — totaling to $12.5 billion — does not only make Google a handset maker now, but also an owner of about 17,000 patents relating to cellular telephony and other similar technologies. This purchase is said to have strongly bolstered Google’s legal position, as it has had a relatively weak patent portfolio before and Android was a vulnerable target for  infringement claims from various sides.

Amid all this, Google’s Motorola acquisition has been likened to purchasing the company for its technologies rather than its assets. But Eric Schmidt, Google’s Executive Chairman and former CEO, says they bought Motorola not just for its patents. In a conversation with Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff, Schmidt shares his optimism for Motorola as a hardware-design and manufacturing company.

We did it for more than just patents. The Motorola team has some amazing products.

As for the issue whether patents are promoting or stifling innovation, Schmidt says these stemmed from the early 1990s, when a lot of patents issued had been very broad. At present, the USPTO is trying to sift through these patents in an attempt to verify validity and narrow down the coverage of patents. He even suggested that the patent office should crowdsource validation, such as by sharing all patents with the public in the aim of seeking inputs from Internet users to check for prior use or prior art.

For now, Schmidt has optimism with a bill currently going through the U.S. Senate that will give the USPTO more power in disapproving and cancelling bogus patents. He says that “overbroad patents will somehow slow” progress of the software industry, which is best “defined by creativity” rather than patent ownership.

History has a way with bringing about exceptional individuals to the spotlight. Steve Jobs, the “greatest second act in history,” may not have turned out to be what he is today if things had gone differently with his biological parents. 56 years ago, Jandali and then-girlfriend Joanne Simpson were at a crossroads whether to marry or not, with Jandali’s Syrian descent being the biggest hindrance, especially with Simpson’s father.

When Simpson gave birth to the baby, she decided to give it up for adoption without anyone’s knowledge. That baby turned out to be Steve Jobs, who would later on live to change the world forever. Jandali and Simpson eventually married and had a daughter. But they had never met their son.

If we had just held off for a few months, then we would have been able to raise Steve as our own, but sadly, that was not the case. We often spoke of our son and how we both wished he was with us, especially when Joanne gave birth to Steve’s sister, Mona. But nothing to do with Joanne and I was ever meant to be.

Both Jobs and Jandali seem to be unwilling to speak to each other, due to pride or some reason. Jandali has only recently learned of his relationship with Jobs, but would not want the latter to think he is making contact just because of Jobs’ fortune. Steve seems to be a chip off the old block, though. Jandali is himself a successful executive, and a workaholic at that. They even share similarities in appearance.

But the big difference is that the elder Jandali is fit as a fiddle in his 80′s. Jobs has been battling serious health issues having been battling bouts of cancer for years.

For now, people are likely to wait for who will make the first move. Jandali has been regularly sending emails to his son, greeting him on birthdays, but never signing as “dad.” And to show support to Steve and his work, Jandali says he has bought a Mac, an iPhone and an iPad, but says he  ”honestly look[s] at these things and cannot believe Steve created them.”

It’s called the AP-Google Journalism and Technology Scholarship and they’re looking for six undergraduate and graduate students to receive it for the 2012-2013 academic year. Here are some of the other prerequisites:

• Must submit a project or concept that explains how his or her strategy moves digital journalism forward
• Must be pursuing degree intersecting tech and journalism
• Must be currently enrolled as a sophomore or higher
• Must have at least one more year of full-time coursework left

The Associated Press seems to recognize “how important and powerful new digital tools and knowledge can be in the hands of journalists,” according to Sue Cross, AP senior Vice President for the Americas. The goal of the scholarship program: “To shine a light on the hidden treasures in schools across the country — the digital-minded journalists who will be the future of our industry.”

Find more information about the scholarship by following the source link.

You know the feeling when you see a shiny new Apple device at the Apple store or online. It’s a feeling of awe and desire. You think “I want one.” Many people actually think Steve Jobs is a god and perhaps this is the way the iconic Apple CEO built up his brand.

BBC3 has come up with a documentary studying the effects of popular brands on humans. Dubbed Secrets of the Superbrands, one of the subjects studied is Apple, and among the findings: your brain reacts to the Apple brand as it would a religious experience.

The Bishop of Buckingham — who reads his Bible on an iPad — explained to me the similarities between Apple and a religion. And when a team of neuroscientists with an MRI scanner took a look inside the brain of an Apple fanatic it seemed the bishop was on to something. The results suggested that Apple was actually stimulating the same parts of the brain as religious imagery does in people of faith.

I took up philosophy of religion back in my undergraduate days, and one of the topics I remember is the religious experience. According to philosophers, it’s a certain feeling of ecstasy that one undergoes when faced with something amazing. Some call in “nirvana.” Some would call it “heaven.” And maybe some would call it “iPad 2 unboxing.” And so it doesn’t matter what your formal religion is. You get a religious experience when you have an object of desire within close reach, and your brain tells you to kneel down and worship (or maybe levitate).

Is this how you would usually react when faced with an Apple product? Maybe you’re a fanatic. Maybe Apple is your religion. Or, maybe it’s just great marketing at work. What’s your say?

The Solaris 11 Express is aimed at developers and will give them a hands on feel for what they can expect when the company is ready to do the full launch. The new OS is supposed to cut system down times in half and limit boot times to a couple of seconds. This release comes just a few months after Oracle announced they would no longer support the OpenSolaris project because members of that project’s board were complaining about the company’s lack of interest in the project too publicly for Oracle’s liking. Solaris 11 Express includes telemetric integration with the company’s online support portal as well as significant enhancements to the ZFS file system.

Oracle is providing several different resources in order for developers to learn more about the new OS and is hosting a webcast on December 7th to answer questions and provide more information.

In this case it looks like Best Buy is going to begin offering a little more focus on things like eReaders and video games.

“We’ll have another store reset before the holidays, which will include an increase in the space for higher-growth and, in the aggregate, higher-margin categories, like Best Buy Mobile, e-readers and gaming, with a heavy emphasis on new gaming platforms and pre-owned game titles,” Best Buy Chief Executive Brian Dunn said in a conference call with analysts Tuesday.

In short, the DVD and CD display racks are going to be reorganized, though it was noted that the CD’s in particular will come out with less space in the end. Sounds to make sense, after all digital music is much easier to obtain these days with options like iTunes and Amazon MP3. Not to mention the faster home access, which makes downloading those tunes all that much easier.

The larger displays for ereader and similar devices makes sense, especially considering they are not the lowest priced devices and they often present customers with what they would consider a large purchase. But perhaps more important is the gaming. The systems may not be getting any larger, but they do need for more floor space in order to properly demo systems such as the Kinect.

Interestingly enough, it was also noted that the “traditional” Best Buy is 50,000 square foot and that is “too big now.” The reason is not that people are buying less, but that, according to Greg Melich who is an analyst with ISI Group;

“Just about everything in the store has gotten smaller with the exception of appliances,”

Due to such a high loyalty rate with everyone wanting their team to win, referees and their calls are put under a lot of scrutiny. The NFL has done everything they can to combat bad calls such as instant replays and the like but just like any other sport, they are going to happen. In extreme cases, a bad call can cost the team a game, leading to very unhappy fans and questioning of referees’ authority.

However, according to recent reports, the NFL is looking to do away with bad calls almost entirely by actually utilizing official balls with a built-in tracking chip. These reports say that the NFL is in talks with a German micro-tracking system manufacturer by the name of Cairos Technologies. Of course, actual implementation into an official game is most likely far off considering these are just talks over whether or not the system would actually be plausible.

However, it seems that Cairos is no stranger to tracking competitive sports play as they were responsible for tracking chip touting soccer ball that made the rounds back in 2007. Unfortunately, it failed to really catch on so Cairos is surely looking to make a comeback if picked up by the NFL.

If/when the NFL does implement these chips it is going to be interesting to see how they are used in the heat of the moment. On the flip side of things, a football referee’s job is about to get a whole lot easier and a lot less stressful.

While previous versions of Internet Explorer have been flawed in one way or another be it security, speed or stability issues, Microsoft is looking to change all of that with the forthcoming release of Internet Explorer 9. They hope to do this by incorporating new technologies into IE 9 like HTML 5, CSS3 and more along with dramatically beefing up the browser’s security, stability and performance when compared to previous versions.

In fact, if you’ve been with us through June, you’ll remember that we showed you an HTML 5 speed test that pitted Internet Explorer 9, Firefox, Opera and Chrome against one another in an all out battle. Surprising results showed that Internet Explorer 9 (along with Firefox) ran train on the competition when it came to raw HTML 5 rendering speeds. This test, along with claims from Microsoft, proves that Internet Explorer 9 is shaping up to be a force to be reckoned with.

However, while Internet Explorer 9 has been recieving a lot of hype from the PR department, consumers wont’ be able to accurately judge the software until they get their hands on it. Unfortunately, Microsoft hasn’t given us a solid release for when we will actually be seeing the newest version of their web browser but today they gave us some promising information.

On September 15th Microsoft will officially be releasing the Internet Explorer 9 beta to the public. As if that wasn’t enough hype, they will also be holding an event in San Francisco that will celebrate the beta’s launch.

Anyone out there actually planning on switching to IE9?

Lucky for said companies, print media is still very much alive with some magazines posting subscriber numbers well into the million. Even better, with the introduction of eBook readers and tablet computers (namely the iPad) it has become much easier for these companies to live in harmony with the digital age. If you remember, back around the iPad announcement, Apple was touting highly their partnerships with different magazine and newspaper companies like Wired Magazine, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

These partnerships effectively turned the iPad into a great device for viewing some of today’s greatest print media, in virtual form. However, many users who would consume this virtual content are already subscribers of its physical counterpart. Sure, it’s nice to have a virtual form of content that can be navigated intuitively but it’s quite hard to justify two subscriptions for the same thing.

Luckily, according to the CEO of Time Warner, Jeff Bewkes a remedy for that problem may be in the pipeline. Apparently, the company is considering trying out a new subscription model that will bundle a digital version of a magazine (like Time, Sports Illustrated, etc.)  with the physical version. This means that if this ever goes into effect, consumers who already have a print subscription will be able to access the virtual version without paying another dime.

I don’t know about you guys but I feel like this should have been like this from the beginning. Until eBook readers or tablets get extremely cheap, it’s always going to be more cost effective to buy the physical version as opposed to buying a device, and then another subscription.

However, seeing how Google likes to come in and add their 2 cents to every market it’s no surprise that they would come in to the communications market and work their magic. Considering they already have the immensely popular GMail and Google Talk it would only make sense for them to combine the two into a completely new product, right?

Well, yes, and no. Just about a year ago Google opened their brand new Wave communications platform to the general public. At first, there was a lot of hype surrounding Wave as it was something we’ve never seen before essentially combining email with instant messaging, even combining elements of a Wiki, all into one.

Unfortunately, after the hype died down, consumers were clueless as to what Wave actually brought to the table and the service failed to ever catch on. Due to the poor reception, Google has announced today that they have no plans to continue developing the service as a standalone product and will instead incorporate its technologies into other services.

What this means exactly, we don’t know, but if we were to take a guess we’d say that Google would incorporate some Waveness into their GMail platform. Although, until we actually see something happen we’re just stuck guessing.

Anyone out there actually going to miss Google Wave?

Despite 3D gaming making strides, the majority of consumers are focused on getting not only 3D movies into their home, but 3D broadcasts from their service providers as well. If you’ll remember, we told you in the past that companies like DirecTV would be airing things such as baseball games and the World Cup in 3D. However, the 3D broadcast was exclusive to these airings which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the massive following behind these types of broadcasts.

What we’ve yet to see is a broadcast service provider give us a channel that is completely dedicated to broadcasting 3D content. Lucky for us, the above mentioned satellite broadcaster provider DirecTV is again taking the 3D initiative and have announced that they will be launching n3D. In conjunction with Panasonic, DirecTV will give consumers a channel dedicated exclusively to 3D content with n3D.

Finding its home on channel 103, n3D will be pushed out to consumers who are qualified to receive such a channel and will broadcast things such as 3D baseballs games, NASCAR races, IMAX movies and music related content.

What do you guys think of this? Do you have any use for a channel like n3D? If all broadcaster providers were to add such a thing at no extra cost, would it be of interest to you? Let us know.

The hurdle in question wasn’t so much getting it out into space, but what would happen once it got there. And that question was successfully answered when the IKAROS’ wings unfurled and the solar sails deployed.

Yes, you read that right: IKAROS is actually a kind of solar-powered spacecraft that doesn’t work by photovoltaics. In a traditional idea of a solar-powered spacecraft, the ship would gather energy via solar panels and use them to store energy to power an engine. But IKAROS is a bit different, in that they’re actually intending to use the VELOCITY of light as a power source. Without drag, they figure, the spacecraft can use the sails to stop light, transferring that energy to movement. Since spacecraft don’t lose kinetic energy to resistances like drag, the accumulated effect of several tiny strikes might result in movement, or so goes the logic.

The sail is out, now the only question is, will the idea work? If it does, it may well represent mankind’s first means of leaving the solar system, as it will mean ships can move without needing fuel.

The idea behind the Nokero N100 solar LED lightbulb is that it could replace oil lamps in third world and developing countries. Thus improving safety and reducing CO2 emissions in one go.

The N100 solar bulb is about the same size as a standard lightbulb but has four small solar panels built in to its plastic housing. When the bulb is fully charged it will provide up to four hours of light. Light is generated by 5 LEDs and a replaceable NiMH battery.

The idea is to hang the bulb outside during the day to charge it up, then bring it inside and turn it on at night.

Location and climate will have a major effect on the output of the bulb, though Nokero suggests that one day of charging in the sun can provide about two hours of light.

The life of the N100 is basically 5 to 10 years, so at US$15 per bulb (with substantial reductions for bulk purchase) it is cost-effective – especially when considering the cost of oil for the lamps it replaces.

It certainly looks as though the Nokero N100 could prove a viable option for charities and government agencies providing aid the third world countries.

Pictured above is one of the UK’s leading technology inventors Trevor Baylis, who himself developed the wind up radio.

Cambridge Wireless and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) have joined forces to offer local technology start-up businesses the opportunity to win cash prizes in a competition to find the best new wireless technologies.

Prizes are up for grabs in 5 different areas of wireless technology:

• Green radio – wireless technologies that address environmental concerns
• Hot applications and services – for software developers/service providers
• Health and wellness – using wireless technology solutions to solve health-related issues
• Technology design – for those with a new take on technology, and;
• Emerging disruptive ideas – for the best ideas that might come out of research and development.

And just in case you think you need a bit of support then Cambridge Wireless are providing a whole series of ‘masterclasses’ to help technology-focused start-ups – whether they be wireless technology or otherwise.

The sessions will help these start-up businesses to address common issues when starting and growing their business.

So, are a new start-up? Or perhaps a small company looking to take your business forward?

Well, if you are based in the East of England this programme may be for you.

Perhaps you need to raise money but don’t know where to go and what to ask for.
Maybe you need to enhance your presentation or pitching skills.
Possibly you could use some extra cash or support.
Could it be that you need a link into the industry to move your business forward?

The closing date for entries is 29 October 2010 so you’ve got time to get your pitch together.

Just imagine a world without GPS; you would actually have to dust off those old maps of yours and figure out where you’re going that way, what a hastle. Thanks to GPS, all you do is punch in your desired destination and, depending on the device, it will give you turn-by-turn directions on how to get there.

If you didn’t know, GPS works thanks to 24 seperate satellites orbiting our earth at this very minute. However, considering the project went live so long ago, these satellites have seen better days and are quickly becoming obsolete. So, since the US Government likes spending money so much, they have announced that they will be investing $8 billion into upgrading each and every one of these aging satellites.

While the Government says taht this new GPS system will be a lot more accurate than the system currently in use today, don’t get too excited. Apparantly, the project will take a decade to complete but if/when it does get completed, GPS users will see the margin of error decreased from 20 feet to just 3.

According to the L.A. times there are an estimated 1 billion GPS receivers currently in use in the United States that rely on these satellites. One could only wonder how much chaos there would be if this $8 billion upgrade went hay wire causing all of these GPS receivers to work improperly.

Luckily, thanks to the masterminds the Government is sure to have working on this GPS upgrade, the chances that it won’t go smoothly are most likely slim to none.

Regardless of what Google decides to do its no secret that the line between traditional computing and television watching is becoming increasingly blurred. Well, with the announce of Google TV, that line is getting blurred even quicker.

While it’s not kow whether Google plans to ship their own set top box, bunlde Google TV with existing boxes or have one of their hardware partners deal with manufacturing, the software they recently displayed at their I/O conference in pretty amazing.

First and foremost, being a search engine company Google TV incorporates a Quick Search box allowing you to search not only the web but also your TV. This means you’ll be able to just type in a show that you want to watch and Google TV will tell you if any channels are playing it. If not, they will show you various retailers, such as Amazon or Hulu, that will allow you to purchase your desired content.

YouTube, and pretty much every other online video provider’s videos will work completely flawlessly with Google TV considering it’s got a built in web browser that allows you to do things like watch the baseball game and look at player stats at the same time or even see what the latest buzz is on Twitter.

Another pretty hefty feature that Google TV touts is the ability to boot up any Android app currently available on the Android Marketplace. Just think of Google TV as turning your television into a computer while retaining all the functionality and ease of use of a traditional television set.

Now we’re going to talk about one more interesting announcement of the day, not necessarily related to Google, but an announcement that was made at Google I/O. Adobe is almost ready to recognize the fact that Flash is going to slowly be replaced by HTML5 so it’s only logical to see the company announce HTML5 support for its Dreamweaver CS5 product.

So if you are a web designer or developer that rely heavily on Adobe’s programming solutions then this is definitely good news to you. The Adobe HTML4 Pack will certainly help you reshape the web, or at least the tiny part of the web you represent in order to better attract customers and/or readers.

Lea Hickman, senior director, Creative Solutions at Adobe said about HTML5:

Adobe prides itself on delivering industry-defining tools and being compatible with the most popular Web programming languages, formats, APIs and libraries. We continue to move forward to support the leading edge of work in HTML, enabling our customers to deliver creative content taking advantage of the latest in HTML capabilities.

Having watched the live streaming of today’s keynote from Google I/O I can tell you that Adobe seems really confident it can offer you lots of HTML5 solutions to your programming needs, but that doesn’t mean Flash is going away anytime soon. Sure HTML5 represents the future of the web but Adobe will not kill Flash without a fight. And what better way to keep Flash alive than by bringing Flash support to Android smartphones and tablets? That’s right, Adobe will make some kind of announcement tomorrow at Google I/O about Flash support on said products, but I digress.

The HTML5 Pack extension will let Dreamweaver users to enjoy HTML5 tags and CSS3 capabilities in order to offer a better web experience. The extension comes with WebKit updates and support for video and audio in Dreamweaver CS5’s Live View. Developers and programmers will be able to design multi-screen web pages for various browsers and devices at the same time. But here’s a list of features for Adobe’s HTML5 Pack extension for Dreamweaver:

Introduces the Multiscreen Preview panel , allowing for Live View display on 3 different screen sizes, with Media Query support. (Window > Multiscreen Preview)

Adds code hinting for the HTML5 Tag Library with new tags, attributes, and properties.

Updates code hinting for new attributes and values in existing HTML tags.

Adds code hinting for the following CSS3 specifications: 2D/3D Transformations; Animations; Background and Border; Basic User Interface; Line Layout; Marquee; Media Queries; MultiColumn; Ruby; Text; and Transitions.

Updates Live View to support and . (Requires Quicktime installation.)

Improved rendering for CSS3 in Live View.

Adds HTML5 starter layouts to the New Document Dialog box.

Offers better rendering for new tags in Design View.

The new pack is available free of charge to current Dreamweaver users and it can be downloaded immediately from Adobe. The good news is that it works both with PCs and Macs and we’ll be interested to see how this new tool will influence the work of current Dreamweaver users.

It seems that the United States Government is investing a whole $5.6 million into the design, development and production of an upgrade to their already heavily used and incredible valuable M24 sniper rifle (Call of Duty players, you payin’ attention?). The current version of the M24 rifle has the capability of firing ad deadly shot from up to 800 meters away, or about half a mile. Well, this new and improved version of the sniper rifle has the ability to disable (read: kill) a target with .300 Winchester Magnum rounds from over a kilometer away. Couple this with the gun’s new 16.5x – 25x adjustable magnification scope and a attachment loving body and you have yourself a very, very deadly weapon.

In all honesty, this advancement in firearm technology will prove itself to be extremely valuable to the United States military currently positioned in the Middle East. The M24 is already known to be a silent killer but with the added range, new and improved scope and the ability to be paired up with attachments like night vision, this new rifle may very well be a game changer.

The War on Terror has seen a number of guerrilla warfare tactics utilized by the Middle Eastern insurgents so being able to neutralize enemies silently, efficiently and quickly is an absolute must. However, before you head over to your local gun shop to pre-order one of these puppies, think again; the only way you’re going to get your hands on one of these brand new M24 sniper rifles is if you enlist in the military or wait until game developers incorporate it into their games.

WiGig won’t replace Wi-Fi devices as a whole but rather will complement it instead. The idea is to combine a 60GHz adapter with the current Wi-Fi bands 2.4GHz and 5GHz into a single router. The 60GHz adapter is what allows you to transfer at super-high speeds, but only over a short-distance. That’s where the 2.4/5GHz comes in to improve range and handle backward compatibility.

With the tri-band 60GHz technology, we could see fast transfer speeds of up to 7Gbps. 802.11n fastest speed is only 600Mbps, but usually performs around the 100-300Mbps transfer range.

WiGig was finalized last December 2009. Wireless Gigabit Alliance just announced this week that is has partnered with Wi-Fi Alliance to promote new Wi-Fi products to operate in the 60GHz frequency. Ali Sadri, WiGig Alliance’s president and chairman state that:

Now that our specification is complete and published, it’s time to set our sighs on driving a great user experience through interoperability and certification. We are happy to work with the Wi-Fi Alliance to extend multi-gigabit capabilities to the Wi-Fi technology portfolio.

This new Wi-Fi technology is definitely promising as Dell and Cisco Systems have recently joined the organization’s board of directors. Sadri also suggested to the Los angeles Times that Apple might also be “an innovator in driving new technology uptake.” However, he wouldn’t further comment on Apple’s involvement. And as usual, Apple wouldn’t comment on this topic either.

WiGig and Wi-Fi Alliance are currently trying to convince networking hardware manufacturer like Linksys and D-Link to include their tri-band WiFi device. Edgar Figueroa, CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance commented that:

60GHz device connectivity will be an exciting enhancement to the capabilities of today’s Wi-Fi technologies. From its inception, the WiGig specification was designed to work on a wide variety of devices, making it a compelling input.

Figueroa added that this technology could be making its way to a BlackBerry or iPad in a couple of years.

You’ll be able to do things like walk up to a kiosk with your portable device—a hand-held, an iPad or a device like that, and download a high-definition movie in seconds. It’s those kinds of applications this will enable.

Biometrics recognition isn’t anything new — security systems can identify users by their faces, eyes and fingerprints. However, heart rate isn’t something you will associate immediately with biometric identification.

Apple’s new patent entitled, “Seamlessly Embedded Heart Rate Monitor” sets out to incorporate a heart rate sensor that can identify the user, along with capabilities to monitor the user’s heart rate and mood.

The electronic device can include a heart sensor having several leads for detecting a user’s cardiac signals. The leads can be coupled to interior surfaces of the electronic device housing to hide the sensor from view, such that electrical signals generated by the user can be transmitted from the user’s skin through the electronic device housing to the leads. In some embodiments, the leads can be coupled to pads placed on the exterior of the housing. The pads and housing can be finished to ensure that the pads are not visibly or haptically distinguishable on the device, thus improving the aesthetic qualities of the device. Using the detected signals, the electronic device can identify or authenticate the user and perform an operation based on the identity of the user. In some embodiments, the electronic device can determine the user’s mood from the cardiac signals and provide data related to the user’s mood

Essentially, by integrating this technology with the iPhone, the handset can authenticate the user by seamlessly picking your heart rate instantly as soon as you pick up your phone. No password required or tedious scanning of fingerprints or faces.

The part that intrigues me the most is how the device can “determine the user’s mood” and possibly react to it. So if I’m having one of my stressed out moments, will my iPhone send me a motivation message before proceeding to download a yoga app?

The decision to broadcast the Yankees-Mariners baseball game in 3-D comes from the recent 3-D coverage of the Masters and of a Rangers-Islanders hockey game at Madison Square Garden.

DirectTV in collaboration with YES Network has beaten Fox Sports to the punch by airing the Yankees-Mariners baseball game in 3-D on 10-11 July in Seattle.

Ed Delaney, YES’ vice president for operations, commented that the Anaheim rehearsal of a baseball game went well and “showed the depth of the guy on second, the pitcher and the batter.” He added that shooting through netting won’t propose a serious distraction and will have a more realistic feel as “you’ll see the net as if you were sitting in the seat and you’ll get that depth of field.”

It’s still unsure how many people will take up the 3-D offer as it is a bit of hassle to get started and can be quite costly. Firstly, you would need the 3-D TV set, be subscribed to the network, have the software upgrade installed and be equipped with special glasses.

Nevertheless, 3-D technology has caught on with sports networks. Both DirecTV and Fox Sports will feature the baseball All-Star Game in 3-D from Angel Stadium in July. Also, ESPN will have the pre All-Star Home Run Derby in 3-D.

Eric Shanks, DirecTV’s executive vice president of entertainment, stated that:

If everyone’s happy with it, we’re going to want to take a look at potentially other productions similar to this one. First we need to get this one under our belt.

What do you think about this 3-D craze? Do you think it’s just a fad or is it something that would revolutionize the way we watch TV? For me, I’m still trying to catch on with HDTV. Currently, a lack of sports coverage in high-definition makes me doubt if sports networks would jump on the 3-D bandwagon and be dedicated to it for the long-term.

Light Peak will be an alternative to USB 3.0 which will grant us speeds of up to 10Gbps when transferring files between various devices. The new standard will also double as a universal port which is surely a feature Apple would love to use on its slimmer and slimmer MacBook lines as Light Peak will surely replace USB, Display Port and HDMI ports.

In fact it’s Apple that came up with the whole idea and now Intel is working on Light Peak development as we speak. And it’s all based on fiber optics which is really remarkable.

Intel already has a laptop using Light Peak which means that the company has made some significant advancements from last time we looked at Light Peak demos. The laptop has been apparently unveiled at Intel’s European research showcase in Brussels and it was apparently capable to deliver two separate HD video streams without any lag. Impressive!

As you can see from the picture above we are far from having a fully functional Light Peak laptop yet and once we do get one we’ll also need compatible products that will be able to decipher all those light impulses the laptop will send through its Light Peak connection.

A Light Peak laptop will require a dedicated 12mm square chip which will turn electrically data into optical light which will then be sent away to a monitor or other device that also requires a special Light Peak port:

You’ll see multiple displays being served by a single Light Peak connection. There’s almost no limit to the bandwidth – fibres can carry trillions of bits per second.

Light Peak might be available to manufacturers by the end of the year so it’s up to them to start designing the first Light Peak computers now.

First of all, the Chilean mountain range of Cerro Armazones has a height of approximately 3,064 m (10,052 ft). Couple that with the fact that the mountain range receives, on average, 320 cloudless nights a year and the reason the ESO chose Cerro Armazones as the home for the European Extremely Large Telescope becomes very apparent.

While the telescope has no official estimated completion date, it’s been reported that the ESO is to spend around €1.5 billion (~$2 billion) to complete it. But that ridiculous sum of money won’t go to waste as the E-ELT lives up to its name with a diameter of 138 feet which blows the previous record holder of 98 feet, the Thirty Meter Telescope, out of the water.

You may be asking yourself, why in the world would we need a 2 billion dollar, 138 foot telescope? Well, the find other worlds, of course. The E-ETL has the ability to shed light on planets in other solar systems giving astronomers a glimpse of their atmosphere which, with a bit of luck, may possibly lead to the discovery of other life-supporting worlds, much like our own Earth.

Like I said before, there is no telling when the European Extremely Large Telescope will be completed but with all of the funding and expertise behind it, the chances of us finding extraterritorial life may have increased a good amount. Or so we hope.

Konnet Technology has been known to make nice looking docking and charging stations for phones and gaming consoles. Their designs make you want to display the stations in public, rather than hiding them behind the TV or in some dark corner.

The PowerV Quad is no exception to Konnet Technology’s aspect of being practical and aesthetically pleasing. The polished white charging station is able to charge up to four Wii remotes simultaneously. It uses the technology of inductive charging, meaning you can just place your remote on the station and it will charge it wirelessly. No need to fiddle around or hook anything up.

To make things more convenient for you, it’s fully compatible with the Wii Motion Plus and also works with silicone covers. No more hassling over taking off those pesky covers every time you need to charge.

You don’t even need to worry about over-charging as it includes “intelligent charging technology” that can monitor the charge. Leaving you with more time to concentrate on your Wii tennis skills.

The design of PowerV Quad is to reflect the Nintendo Wii console with its shiny white surface and the blue trimming details. It has a vertical-type layout, so it can easily fit into a tight space.

You can purchase the PowerV Quad from Amazon for just $49.99 and it also comes with two rechargeable battery packs. Konnet Technology claims that this product will “sure to be the envy of all your friends.”

After Sony openly expressed their interest in the Google TV, Samsung has switched its original statement and is now also “looking into the feasibility” of an Android-based TV.

Samsung’s original Internet-based TV, Samsung Apps, was revealed at this year’s CES and had a similar concept to Google TV. The interface showed a range of applications where the viewer can browse and access them. However, it looks like now the company might want a slice of the Google TV buzz that has all the tech-enthusiasts talking.

The Google TV products would be based on the Intel Atom processor and will allow developers to build applications that will run directly on the set top boxes. You can expect to surf the web on the Google TV using the Chrome browser and access applications like the calendar, weather, to-do list, maps and games.

In-Stat predicts that by 2013, TV-based applications could be generating more than $1.7 billion in revenue annually. Digital media software developers like Boxee, Vudu and Roku are already looking to enable paid apps that can be downloaded via their connected TV devices. It is expected that TV apps will be the next big thing to hit households and will be a profitable revenue stream for companies and CE manufacturers.

Unlike Panasonic, the high cost associated in developing the Google TV hasn’t deterred Samsung to explore the platform. Panasonic decided not pursue the project as EVP Bob Perry pointed out that the Android would require too much processing power to make it a viable and affordable product for consumers.

Google is rumored to be unveiling Google TV software this summer and Sony plans to release a model by the end of 2010. The race is now on to see who develops the first Google TV and what it might incorporate.

Image courtesy: Flickr user brianteutsch / CC BY 2.0

The bill that was recently passed by the House of Representatives seems to have been carefully written. At least careful enough to make sure it covers both traditional landline as well as VoIP communications.

“It shall be unlawful for any person within the United States, in connection with any real time voice communications service, regard- less of the technology or network utilized, to cause any caller ID service to transmit misleading or inaccurate caller ID information, with the intent to defraud or deceive.”

It should also be clarified that companies can still block their outgoing caller ID, they just cannot have it reflect another number. In other words, you cannot make a call and have the caller ID show the telephone number for, say, the White House. And for those that never played around with any caller ID spoofing sites and or programs — it was surprisingly easy to do. I guess in that respect it may be a good thing that this will soon go into law, after all there are some devious and less than honest uses for caller ID spoofing.

Finally, and seemingly for good measure, CTIA – The Wireless Association also came forward with their approval stating that;

“making caller identification spoofing illegal as the applications of such an activity are usually for malicious purposes.”

And yes, aside from the odd practical jokes, I would venture a guess that many cases of needing to alter your caller ID display were probably used for something bad.

Recently, the director general of MI5, Jonathan Evans, told a Parliamentary committee that he was worried over his agency’s overall IT skills. “I think some of the staff perhaps aren’t quite the ones that we will want for the future,” he told the committee. Shortly thereafter, MI5 is introducing a program (or programme as they’d say) of lay-offs to many employees, some voluntary, some compulsory. Although those laid off will make up a small percentage of total MI5 staff – it is being done across all divisions and departments, not just the agencies IT tech support department.

According to the Daily Telegraph, government workers have joked among themselves about the “James Bond generation of elderly spies” being put out for a lack of computer skills. That may not be far off, as in 2008, MI6 warned that if the English government raised the retirement age for its employees, the older intelligence officers overseas would work beyond their prime.

Overall, the English intelligence community has been moving towards a younger workforce. As we reported last November, the GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) has been targeting gamers on Xbox Live for employment. As for MI5, the Telegraph reports that they’re trying to push their agency as the “employer of choice” by targeting young potential employees with radio commercials and a heavy media campaign.

As for the older staff being let go, MI5 should handle it delicately, as anybody who’s see the 1960′s TV show “The Prisoner” can tell you (I kid).

Fujitsu, it must be said, did indeed file for the term iPad as a trademark in 2003, namely for a multifunctional handheld, dubbed the Fujitsu iPad — specifically a device with a 3.5-inch color touchscreen, an Intel processor, Microsoft’s CE.NET OS, Wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity along with VoIP telephony, specially built for use by shop assistants — but, and here’s the key point, Fujitsu lost their hold of the trademark in early 2009 when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office listed the company’s application as abandoned and it seems that they then applied a few months later, in June, but by that time Apple already filed their own request and contested Fujitsu’s new application.

“It’s our understanding that the name is ours,” said Masahiro Yamane, PR director for Fujitsu, who also mentioned the fact that the company is now consulting with lawyers to see what can be done about the whole deal.

For those who don’t know and worry, Apple had the same issues with Cisco Systems regarding the iPhone name, but that was settled when the two companies agreed to share the name.

If you’re not thrilled witht the typical 1920 x 1080 resolution in a projector these days and you’re dreaming of a cinema hall where they usually project movies at a much higher 4096 x 2160 you’re in luck as the Japanese from Epson have announced that they’ve come up with a breakthrough technology that allows them to actually build the world’s first 4K-compatible high-temperature polysilicon (HTPS) TFT liquid crystal panel for 3LCD projectors.

Meant as a solution to the rather large projectors used for business presentations or in school these days, the new Epson 4K-Compatible HTPS TFT LCD only measures 1.64 inches (4.2 cm) diagonally, yet, supports resolutions up to 4096 × 2160 pixels.

“With a resolution of nearly 8.85 megapixels, 4K panels offer four times the resolution of full HD (1920 × 1080), making them ideal for the high resolutions required by special applications such as industrial design, architectural design and simulations, as well as for presentations and projecting four full HD images at the same time.”

The new technology developed by Epson is not only going to allow for much smaller and less expensive projectors that would support super high resolutions, it’s also going to deliver high contrasts, smooth images
and jet-black color reproduction in a tiny device.

A prototype of an ultra-high resolution projector using the panel will be showcased from November 18 to 20 at the International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition in Makuhari Messe, Chiba, Japan.

The fact that various carriers and cell phone manufacturers are going to embrace LTE as the future 4G technology is not a secret anymore. But Long Term Evolution needs standards in order for consumers to make a smooth transition from 3G to 4G and have a great voice and data experience no matter what network they will be using.

A bunch of carriers and cell phone manufacturers have announced a profile for future LTE voice and SMS services. Called the One Voice initiative, the profile defines the “optimal set of existing 3GPP-specified functionalities” which are going to be used by carriers and manufacturers in future LTE voice solutions.

The chosen common profile was the IP Multimedia Subsystem or IMS, which is expected to offer “service quality, reliability and availability when moving from existing circuit switched telephony services to IP-based LTE services.” A standard is needed in order to make future communication as smooth as possible and allow customer to use voice and SMS services even when roaming in different international LTE networks.

A standard LTE technical profile is also needed by manufacturers which are to supply future LTE handsets and various devices to international wireless communications operators. That way it will be a lot easier for a cell phone maker to make a phone that could be used in various markets around the world without needing specific customization for certain carriers.

Here are the carriers and manufacturers that have gathered together for the One Voice initiative: AT&T, Orange, Telefonica, TeliaSonera, Verizon, Vodafone, Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nokia, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Sony Ericsson. Can we expect them to offer a lot of LTE devices in the near future? You’ll be surprised to find out that your carrier is not on the list above. A particular name that comes to mind is T-Mobile but I am sure that the new voice and SMS LTE profile will be adopted by more carriers out there as soon as they are ready to deploy and start using LTE.

Now let me make things perfectly clear for you folks! I have not altered the image here in any way. The car in the picture is a Nissan Land Glider and it looks like it’s leaning towards its right hand side because it really does do that.

The car is supposed to be a Zero Emissions concept car that seems to want to act similarly to the Segway. The Land Glider is an electric car which could save you a lot of precious cash on gas if it will ever go into mass production. That doesn’t explain the leaning does it? Well inside the Glider there’s this little thing, which we’ll refer to as a computer, capable of leaning the car into the turns. That means the driver is not the only one in control as he’s taking advantage of a sophisticated controlled steering system.

Leaving jokes aside, this leaning system could prove to be very efficient not to mention that it makes taking curves a lot safer. And the Land Glider has more tricks for you. Step inside it and you will notice how there’s only one seat available. This is a one-man car and there’s no room for passengers. It’s more like a covered smart ATV with Segway-like abilities. The wheel has been replaced by a flight yoke while the rear view mirrors have been replaced by cameras and monitors. As you can see there’s quite a lot of technology involved in this Land Glider Concept so we can’t remain indifferent to it!

The car will be powered by an all electric motor which will feed itself from a battery similar to the one found in the Leaf, a more famous Nissan electric car. The Land Glider will be available together with the Leaf at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show so if you happen to be in Tokyo from October 24 to November 4, make sure you check it out.

There are no details at this point about the future of this tiny Land Glider but we’ll keeping an eye on its development. Although it looks, and probably feels, strange, the car could be a smart solution for driving in these crowded cities so don’t act surprised when other car makers will roll out similar concepts!