Monday, July 2, 2012

the world's thinnest display

MONDAY, 02 JULY 2012 18:46


Viewers may soon be able to watch films on soap bubbles - after researchers developed a technology to project images on a screen made of soap film.
An international team produced a display that uses ultrasonic sound waves to alter film's properties and create either a flat or a 3D image.
The bubble mixture is more complex than the one sold in stores for children, but soap is still the main ingredient.
The team says the display is the world's thinnest transparent screen.
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Sunday, July 1, 2012

China blocks access to Bloomberg

SUNDAY, 01 JULY 2012 10:15


Web users in mainland China are unable to access Bloomberg's websites, after they were blocked by local authorities.
The news agency thinks the move is a response to an article published about the fortunes of Vice President Xi Jinping's extended family.
China has repeatedly blocked sensitive stories. Two days ago, the New York Times' social media accounts were suspended for several hours.
Xi Jinping is set to become the country's next president.
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Samsung Galaxy Nexus banned in US

SUNDAY, 01 JULY 2012 09:55


US District Judge Lucy Koh said Apple "has shown a likelihood of establishing both infringement and validity".
Earlier this week, she barred sales of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the US until the case was resolved.
However, she said that Apple would have to post bonds of nearly $100m (£64m) to enforce the rare pre-trial injunctions.
The bonds serve to secure payment of damages sustained by Samsung should it win the cases.
Samsung, the South Korean electronics giant, said it was "disappointed" by Friday's decision.
"We will take all available measures, including legal action, to ensure the Galaxy Nexus remains available to consumers," it said in a statement.
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SL meets all IMF loan targets

SUNDAY, 01 JULY 2012 09:46

Sri Lanka has met all June-end targets set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the last tranche of a $2.6 billion loan, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said.
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Saturday, June 23, 2012

Sanath Jayasuriya dance at Jhalak Dikhla Jaa

SATURDAY, 23 JUNE 2012 10:37

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Thursday, June 21, 2012

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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Sharp unveils world's biggest LED TV

TUESDAY, 19 JUNE 2012 18:55


How's this for a superlative? The biggest TV in the world. It may not be that simple. We know of at least a couple of plasma screens that are larger.
But with a 90-inch screen, Sharp may have just rolled out the biggest LED high-def television on the market.
The new Aquos LED TV, unveiled Tuesday, stands 4 feet tall and is 6 feet, 8 inches across. (As Consumer Reports notes, that means your television screen would be as wide as an average NBA forward is tall).
Despite all that, Sharp brags, the set is less than 5 inches thick and weighs 141 pounds (considerably less than an NBA forward).
It could be yours for $10,999.99.
Seriously. They tacked on the extra 99 cents.
Consumer Reports obviously didn't render a verdict after just a quick look, but noted that Sharp "has definitely taken the lead in larger TV screen sizes." It cited the 60-, 70- and 80-inch sets from the past, saying they had typically done well in TV ratings, although some of the monster screens had relatively narrow viewing angles.
"Of course," Consumer Reports added, "not everyone has the room -- or room in the budget -- for a 90-inch set."
So, when rolling out the world's biggest TV (in its class, anyway), why bother with subtlety and understatement, right?
Sharp Electronics of America President John Herrington said it "offers size, picture quality and smart functionality unlike anything consumers have experienced." But that was barely a warm-up for the news release accompanying the announcement.
"Imagine yourself standing at the precipice of the Grand Canyon," it reads. "It's 3,000 feet straight down. The wind howls in your ears. Your heart races as you leap forward and plummet toward the bottom. Just before you plunge into the river below ... you spill the popcorn all over the living room couch.
"That's the experience you'll get when watching the breathtaking 90-inch (diagonal) AQUOS LED TV (model LC-90LE745U), introduced today by Sharp."
What do you think? Would you ever consider such a massive TV? Or would you just save the $11,000 for an actual trip to the Grand Canyon? (CNN)
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Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone aims

WEDNESDAY, 20 JUNE 2012 19:15


Samsung rightfully enjoys pointing out that it ships more Android smartphones than anyone else. And, with its new Galaxy S III, the South Korean electronics giant has accomplished something only Apple has been able to do so far: sell the same exact phone at the same price across major U.S. carriers without letting them slap their logos on the front of the device.
This is truly an achievement, and a win for consumers, who can just shop for the hardware they want instead of merely settling for the best hardware available on their carrier.
It's a coup I wish HTC would have been able to make happen with its stellar One X handset. But Samsung beat HTC in that race, and starting this month, the Galaxy S III will roll out to AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and U.S. Cellular for $200 with 16GB of storage -- the same price as the iPhone and the One X.
Wired.com: Samsung Galaxy S III, without quad-core CPU, slated for 5 U.S. carriers The Galaxy S III is Samsung's most ambitious smartphone yet, and it serves as a testament to the company's growing stature as a premium handset maker.
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US and Israel tied to Flame attack

WEDNESDAY, 20 JUNE 2012 18:55


Accusations the US and Israel jointly created the computer virus Flame have been printed by the Washington Post newspaper.
It quoted unnamed "Western officials with knowledge of the effort" as its sources.
The powerful malware was discovered after the UN noticed data disappearing from PCs in the Middle East.
The Post said the US National Security Agency, the CIA and Israel's military had collaborated on the project.
It had "intended to slow Iran's nuclear program, reduce the pressure for a conventional military attack and extend the timetable for diplomacy and sanctions", the newspaper said.
Reuters subsequently reported that current and former Western national security officials had told the news agency the US had been involved in making the virus.
The BBC has been unable to confirm or disprove the allegations.
Flame is thought to have been first noticed when Iran's servers were taken offline in April following a malware attack on key oil terminals.
Covert action A later report by anti-virus company Kaspersky Labs said there had been 189 attacks in Iran, 98 in Israel and Palestine, and 32 in Sudan.
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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

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Facebook to show you ads based on your Web browsing

TUESDAY, 19 JUNE 2012 18:55


Facebook will soon be using your Web browsing to help decide which advertisements you see.
A new Facebook system will use your activity on other websites to send you what Facebook thinks are ads about your current interests. Advertisers will, in effect, be bidding to get their ads in front of you.
Here's an example: Say a Facebook user visits a travel website and clicks on a page about a vacation package to Las Vegas. If an advertiser has bid on that kind of search, that user could then see ads for discounted trips to Vegas the next time they visit Facebook.
"By bidding on a specific impression rather than a larger group, advertisers are able to show people more relevant ads while also running more efficient and effective campaigns," a Facebook spokeswoman said in a written statement.
The site announced the new system, called Facebook Exchange, to marketers last week. It's expected to begin rolling out in the next couple of weeks.
Real-time bidding is already widely used across the Internet. In a blog post, Mike Stiles of Atlanta-based social marketing company Vitrue compared the feature to Google's Ad Words, which pushes an advertiser's ad in front of users when they search for a keyword that advertiser has chosen.
"The underlying principle is that users want relevant ads, advertisers don't want to waste money on misguided ads, and Google wants both users and advertisers to be real happy so they'll come back again and again," he wrote.
Currently, Facebook ads are targeted based on users' profiles and the companies or other pages they "like." Stiles writes that model will still be available for advertisers, but the new one should be more specific.
Facebook noted that users will be able to opt out of Exchange by going to the site's About Ads page, by clicking on an "X" that appears on the ads themselves or by blocking cookies on their Web browser.
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Angry Birds flock to China

TUESDAY, 19 JUNE 2012 18:45


The Angry Birds' red faces have been etched on bras, embellished on T-shirts, turned into stuffed toys and baked into mooncakes. China has a love affair with Angry Birds as both unofficial and official merchandise have boomed in the country.
Rovio, the creators of the blockbuster game, will open game-themed retail stores and activity parks in China. It's the first country to get these parks and stores outside Finland, where the game originally hatched.
The first retail store in China opens in Shanghai on July 3, and the Beijing location opens on July 10, where shoppers can find a bevy of merchandise featuring green pigs and furrow-browed birds.
An Angry Birds Activity Park will be built inside Tongji University in Shanghai. The park will feature game-themed rides, benches and what the company described as “decorative elements.”
That park will be located inside the Sino-Finish Center design factory, which will invite the college students to help co-design future Angry Bird parks in China, according to a company release.
"Instead of building one massive amusement park, we're planning to build hundreds, maybe even thousands of activity parks here in China," Peter Vesterbacka, Rovio’s chief marketing officer, told Xinhua.
Rovio officially opened its Shanghai office last week, according to a company statement.
Last year, the entertainment media company updated its Angry Birds Seasons showing the birds-on-pig attack at the moon festival, with pagodas and red lanterns in the background. Then, it came out with a Chinese New Year theme in the beginning of 2012 for Angry Birds Seasons.
“We’re very excited about the opening of our first retail stores in China,” Vesterbacka said in a press statement. “We have a very active and engaged Chinese fan base, and we’re excited to continue expanding our presence and serving our fans even better.” (CNN)
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Perera, Kulasekara recalled to the test squad

TUESDAY, 19 JUNE 2012 18:35


Star all-rounder Thisara Perera and Nuwan Kulasekara have been recalled to Sri Lanka test squad that will meet Pakistan in the three match series, starting at Galle on Friday. The national selectors have included spinning all-rounder Jeevan Mendis too considering the fact that Pakistanis are vulnerable against leg spin. Left handed opener, Lahiru Thirimanne lost his place as Tharanga Paranavithana come in to the test squad. Thirimanne failed badly in the two test matches against England during March & April this year. Off spinner Suraj Randiv retained his place in the test squad. However, the squad had been named only for the first test. Sri Lanka squad for the first test Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Angelo Mathews (Vice Captain), T. M. Dilshan, Tharanga Parnavithana, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera, Dinesh Chandimal, Prasanna Jayawardene, (Wicket Keeper), Chanaka Welagedara, Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Kulasekera, Nuwan pradeep Fernando, Thisara Perera and Jeevan Mendis(Daily Mirror)
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Smartphone users risking health with overuse of devices

TUESDAY, 19 JUNE 2012 18:29


People are risking their health by working on smartphones, tablets and laptops after they have left the office, according to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
It says people have become "screen slaves" and are often working while commuting or after they get home.
The society said poor posture in these environments could lead to back and neck pain.
Unions said people needed to learn to switch off their devices.
An online survey, of 2,010 office workers by the Society found that nearly two-thirds of those questioned continued working outside office hours.
The organisation said people were topping up their working day with more than two hours of extra screentime, on average, every day.
The data suggested that having too much work and easing pressure during the day were the two main reasons for the extra workload.
'Posture'
The chairwoman of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Dr Helena Johnson, said the findings were of "huge concern".
She said: "While doing a bit of extra work at home may seem like a good short-term fix, if it becomes a regular part of your evening routine then it can lead to problems such as back and neck pain, as well as stress-related illness.
"This is especially the case if you're using hand-held devices and not thinking about your posture. Talk to your employer if you are feeling under pressure."
The general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Brendan Barber, said: "Excessive work levels are not good for anyone. Overworked employees are not only unlikely to be performing well at work, the stress an unmanageable workload causes is also likely to be making them ill.
"By the time someone is so overloaded they constantly feel the need to put in extra hours every night of the week at home, things have clearly got out of hand.
"Individuals who find themselves unable to leave their work in the office should talk to their managers and learn to switch off their smartphones." (BBC)
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Facebook buys Israeli facial recognition firm

TUESDAY, 19 JUNE 2012 18:36


Social networking giant Facebook has decided to buy an Israeli startup specialising in facial recognition technology - Face.com.
The firm already provides software that allows Facebook's members to identify and tag photos of their friends.
The terms of the deal are not known, but Reuters quotes estimates of $55-60m (£35-38m).
Tagging is a popular feature on Facebook, but privacy advocates have raised concerns about the technology.
Face.com's software scans photos Facebook users upload, and suggests friends they may wish to tag with just one click.
According to the social network, the acquisition does not mean there will be changes to Facebook's current face detection and recognition systems for photos.
"People who use Facebook enjoy sharing photos and memories with their friends, and Face.com's technology has helped to provide the best photo experience," said Facebook's spokesperson in a statement to the BBC.
"This transaction simply brings a world-class team and a long-time technology vendor in house."
Privacy issues
UK campaign group Privacy International warned of what it described as the potential pitfalls of the technology.
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Microsoft unveils Surface Windows 8 tablets

TUESDAY, 19 JUNE 2012 17:46



The touchscreen computers will be powered by its upcoming Windows 8 system and contain a choice of an Intel or ARM-based processor.
It allows the firm to challenge Apple's bestselling iPad with a device that can run standard applications such as its own Office programs and Photoshop.
But it puts Microsoft in competition with other manufacturers planning to release tablets designed for Windows 8.
The company's chief executive, Steve Ballmer, said he had wanted to give the software "its own companion hardware".
The devices have 10.6 inch (26.9cm) displays, built-in kickstands and are housed in magnesium cases - which the company described as the first of their kind.
The ARM-based tablets are 9.3mm (0.4 inches) thick - slightly less than the iPad - and run the Windows RT version of the new system. The Verge reported that the chipset will be built by Nvidia. Third-party developers must rewrite programs from scratch to run on the system's Metro interface to work on these devices.
The versions using Intel's x86 technology run Windows 8 Pro and are 13.5mm (0.5 inches) thick. These can run Metro and an updated version of the "classic" desktop meaning they can use software designed for earlier editions of Windows, although some programs will need to be updated to be compatible.
The specifications mean the Surface tablets have bigger screens than the iPad but are heavier.
Pen input
A variety of accompanying covers can be attached using built-in magnets. They double as keyboards with trackpads. One version is flat while the other offers keys that can be depressed.
The devices are also designed to work with a pen accessory using what the firm dubbed "digital ink". When the stylus is held close to the screen of the tablet it ignores touch-input from the users' hands and "samples" the ink at 600dpi (dots per inch).
The ARM-based version will be available with either 32GB (gigabytes) or 64GB of storage. Microsoft said they would be priced at a similar rate to other tablets using the same type of processor built by other firms.
It added that the Intel-based versions would be offered with either 64GB or 128GB of storage and would have price tags comparable to ultrabook laptops.
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Monday, June 18, 2012

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