ASUS Unveils Xtreme Design Series Motherboards

By Enterpriser Staff
Mumbai, Jul 21, 2009 1303 hrs IST


SUS has announced its Xtreme Design series motherboards, which is designed using selected materials and features a special circuit design combined with optimized board layout. These motherboards are expected to deliver exceptional overall system compatibility and enhanced reliability by proficiently managing and reliably controlling core processes operating in the PC.

The Xtreme Design features innovative Stack Cool3+ to enhance motherboard component longevity. The Stack Cool3+ technology deployed in these boards is an advanced version of the 2oz PCB design used earlier. Stack Cool3+ offers 17 percent more cooling than reference designed boards. Additionally the Xtreme Design features Xtreme phase to ensure the most stable and optimized power delivery; and Turbo V for a real-time, dynamic processing boost. Both these features allow motherboard enthusiasts to experience optimal power performance under various loading conditions as well as an overwhelming boost of up to 51 percent in processing throughput.

The Xtreme Design series motherboards pass through stringent Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) test that is 30 percent more rigorous than industry benchmarks. The new motherboards have low EMI emissions, low Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and an I/O bracket called Q-Shield. These features help to significantly reduce any negative health impact and potential damage to components.

ASUS will be launching a range of Xtreme Design series motherboards. Among them is the P6TD Deluxe, an enhanced version of the high-performance, X58-based P6T Deluxe motherboard. Technical specifications of ASUS P6TD Deluxe are

• CPU: Intel Socket 1366 Core i7 Processor Extreme Edition/Core i7 Processor Supports Intel Dynamic Speed Technology
• Chipset: Intel X58 / ICH10R
• System Bus: Up to 6400 MT/s
• Memory: 6 x DIMM, Max. 24 GB, DDR3 2000/1866/1800/1600/1333/1066
  
• Expansion slots: 3 x PCIe 2.0 x16, 1 x PCIe x4, 2 x PCI
  
• Multi-GPU: Supports NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFireX Technology
• Storage: 6xSATA 3 Gb/s ports, 1xExternal SATA (SATA On-the-Go), 1xUltraDMA 133/100/66 for up to 2 PATA devices
• LAN: Dual Gigabit LAN controllers 2xMarvell88E8056 PCIe Gigabit LAN controller featuring AI NET2
• Audio: ADI AD2000B 8 -Channel High Definition Audio CODEC
• Other I/O ports: 1xPS/2, 1xeSATA, 1xIEEE1394a, 2xLAN, 14xUSB 2.0, 1xOptical S/PDIF out, 1xCoaxial S/PDIF out
• Other Features: StackCool3+, Turbo V, Xtreme Phase, 16+3 Phase Power design, Express Gate SSD, EPU, AI Nap, Wind-Flow Heat-pipe solution, Fan Xpert, Optional Fan for Water-cooling or Passive-Cooling only, Noise Filter, Q-Shield, Q-Connector, O.C. Profile, CrashFree BIOS 3, EZ Flash 2
• Form Factor: ATX Form Factor, 12 inch x 9.6 inch (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm)

The ASUS P6TD Deluxe will be available through Rashi Peripherals Pvt. Ltd. for a price of Rs. 21,350 (Excluding taxes)

Samsung Launches Lavender Series of LCD Monitors

By Enterpriser Staff
Mumbai, Jul 20, 2009 1658 hrs IST



Samsung India has announced the launch of its series of 'Lavender' LCD monitors in the Indian market. The stylish Lavender series LCD monitor is available in 21.5-inches and 23-inches screen sizes. According to Samsung, the monitors offer consumers 'Complete Display Solutions' for entertainment and business needs.

Samsung is touting the Lavender Series LCD monitors for its 'Touch of Color' (ToC) design (which is basically the addition of a bit of red blended into the otherwise plain black finish of the LCD frame). It is available with performance features including a dynamic contrast ratio of 50,000:1, a response time of just 2 milliseconds, a viewing angle of 170 degrees/160 degrees -- in a 16:9 widescreen format. These features make it ideal for multimedia, especially high definition content.
According to Samsung, the widescreen format display monitors are fast becoming popular with consumers. The Lavender series of LCD monitors has a slimmer 'neck' compared to conventional models and even has front on-screen display (OSD) touch buttons that emit a red glow from under the panel. The Lavender series is built not built with non-biodegradable components in the manufacture of the exterior panels. The monitors are said to be 100 percent recyclable and environmentally friendly. In keeping with this eco-friendly manufacturing process, the monitors consume less than one watt of power in the 'power off' mode. Just like any other flat panel display, the entire Lavender series is also wall mountable, thereby saving precious workspace.

Nine More Displays
Samsung has also introduced a additional range of nine LCD monitors that available in screen sizes of 15.6-inches to 23-inches.

Price:
The Samsung Lavender 21.5-inches monitor is available for Rs. 12,500 and the 23-inches display is available for Rs. 13,500. The nine LCD monitors launched by Samsung are available in the price range of Rs. 5,950 to Rs. 13,500

Toshiba Introduces Satellite M500 in India

Toshiba (India) has announced the availability of its latest inclusion to its premier series of laptops, with the Satellite M500. The Satellite M500 is a feature-packed laptop, for users who require performance and portability. This means it is ideal for home and office users as well as casual gamers.



The Satellite M500 body classy 'champagne gold patterns' on the lid, the LCD cover is designed using in-mould rolling (IMR).
Apart from the stylish design and body finish, the rims and hinges have not been spared either -- they are made of chrome. Powered by Intel Core2 Duo processors, 3 GB RAM, the Satellite M500 offers an edge-to-edge display with a glass mask.
The laptop also features a high definition Web camera that records videos in widescreen format.

This laptop which is being used to attract those who are looking for portable entertainment and reliable performance, will find the 14-inch high definition display with a maximum resolution of 1366x768 pixels, REGZA-Link, HDMI CEC interface, and its ability to be controlled by a remote control, more than ideal for their use. The Satellite M500 also features a cool (iPhone-like) multi-touch touchpad with gesture support provides as an alternative to conventional scrolling and buttons.

The Satellite M500 comes fitted with a DVD Super Multi (Dual Layer) drive, a 5-in-1 card reader, three USB 2.0 interfaces and an additional eSATA/USB combo port that supports 'Sleep-and-Charge.'

The Satellite M500 comes with hard drive protection, with a built-in 3D motion sensor that monitors free-falls, shock and vibration -- which prepares the drive head for impact.

(The REGZA-Link, an HDMI CEC interface, allows the notebook to be operated with a remote control that is normally used for electronic devices like a Toshiba REGZA TV.)

Technical Specifications:
Processor: Intel Core2 Duo Processor T6500 (2.1 Ghz, 2 MB L2 Cache, 800 Mhz FSB)
Chipset: Intel GM45
Graphics: ATI M92XT, 256 MB dedicated graphics
Display: 14-inch, widescreen (16:9), 1366x768 resolution
System Memory: 3 GB DDR2 RAM
Storage: 320 GB
Optical Drive: DVD-Writer
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Basic
Webcam: HD Widescreen AutoMacro Camera
Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi (a/g/n), Bluetooth v2.1 EDR
Ports: 2 USB, 1 eSATA combo port, HDMI, VGA, memory card reader
Battery type: 6-cell
Weight: Approx. 2.35 Kg
Warranty: 1-year Internation Limited Warranty including parts and labour (Carry-In)

To know more about the Toshiba Satellite M500, visit: www.toshiba-india.com/laptop

Price:
The Satellite M500 is priced at Rs. 53,490

Find Out How Much Spam Costs Your Business

By Ashutosh Desai
Mumbai, Nov 21, 2008 1307 hrs IST


Businesses need to be as productive and efficient as they can, in order to be successful. With the economic slump, organizations are assessing their processes with a magnifying glass, trying to figure out how they can reduce costs without affecting efficiency levels. Spam--unwanted, unsolicited e-mail accounts for almost 90% of e-mails received by businesses today. Even though recent months spam through e-mail has not increased as quickly as was expected, it continues to be a hindrance to productivity levels. The bigger problem is that businesses do not realize the consequences of being a soft target of bots and spammers. Each employee in a company spends a few seconds to a couple of minutes removing unsolicited e-mail from the inbox. Make an estimate of the total time spent by all your employees in removing spam and you will realize how much time could have been used to doing some productive work. Google Apps Security Services provides a hosted mail solution called Google Message Security (a result of Google s acquisition of an e-mail and web security company called Postini), which will take the headache of dealing with in-house hosting as well as e-mail spam. This sort of a solution is not new--there are many mail hosting services available for businesses today. But the approach is a sensible one and comes with a nifty return on investment (ROI) calculator. The security services will not only filter e-mail spam, it will also upgrade its infrastructure as when required--reducing the expense that would otherwise be borne by the business. Since Google s mail hosting solution will filter spam before it reaches an employee s inbox, businesses will save on the bandwidth usage also. If you want to know how much e-mail spam is costing your business, try out the ROI calculator by Google Apps Security Services. If you host an in-house mail service, you can also use the total cost of ownership (TCO) calculator to find out how much it will cost you (values are in U.S. dollars) to invest in a spam management system and compare it with Google s mail hosting service cost.

Surf the Net Even While Your PC is Booting

By Sharon Lobo
Mumbai, Nov 07, 2008 1903 hrs IST


Over the years, processing speed of computers has increased by leaps and bounds. However the duration of the computer's boot process has more or less remained the same. In this age, when businesses believe in the mantra "Time is Money", this miniscule boot-up time can mean a lot. To address this issue BIOS maker--Phoenix Technologies has developed HyperSpace, an instant-on platform.
HyperSpace is a ROM-based environment, which uses a form of virtualization that assigns memory and disk space for its usage.To enter theHyperSpace environment you press a pre-assigned hotkey, while your computer boots. In the HyperSpace environment you can check your appointment calendar, browse the Web, and send/receive emails while your PC is booting, running or shutting down. To further enhance the capability of HyperSpace, Phoenix has partnered with Opera Software ASA--makers of the popular Opera Web browser, which enables you to conduct secure transactions. The Opera in HyperSpace supports widgets and efficiently manages your computer's resources based on its configuration. It also includes Opera Link, which you can use to synchronize bookmarks and saved pages among multiple devices and OS.
The new HyperSpace is a boon for mobile PC users; as it is capable of extending the notebook's battery life by 25-percent and providing instant-on access to the Internet.
Users of HyperSpcae-enabled PCs can also toggle between their Windows applications and the HyperSpace environment. Currently HyperSpace-enabled PCs are not available in India, though Phoenix Technologies plans to release it in India in the near future.

Microsoft to Launch 6 Editions of Windows 7

By Sharon Lobo
Mumbai, Feb 12, 2009 1154 hrs IST



Having a customer base of over 1 billion along with many partners, it was important for Microsoft to make sure that the right edition of Windows with the right features set is available for its users. To do this Microsoft learnt a lot from the feedback it received from its customers and partners on how to communicate what s available in different editions.
As a result, Microsoft has made three major changes in Windows 7. Firstly, every edition of Windows 7 will be a superset of one another. Which means, as customers upgrade from one version to the next, they keep all features and functionality from the previous edition. For instance, some business customers using Windows Vista Business wanted the Media Center functionality that is in Windows Vista Home Premium but didn t receive it in Business edition. Customers won t have to face that trade-off with Windows 7 as there is a more natural progression from one edition to the next.

Secondly, Windows 7 is designed such that its every edition can run on a very broad set of hardware, from netbooks to full gaming desktops. This way, customers are free to choose the hardware of their choice. And finally, Microsoft will broadly communicate in the marketplace, to make these choices as simple and clear as possible for customers and partners. Windows 7 will have two primary editions: Windows 7 Home Premium, and Windows 7 Professional apart from others four.

Windows 7 Home Premium: Windows 7 Home Premium is recommended for home users, as it will give them a full-function PC experience and a visually rich environment in everything from the way they experience entertainment to the way they connect their devices.

Windows 7 Professional: Windows 7 Professional is the recommended for SMBs and SOHO (Small Office Home Office) users who have to operate in an IT-managed or business environment where security and productivity are critical.

Windows 7 Enterprise: This edition is meant for the enterprise customers, thereby it will not be available at retail or by OEMs for pre-installation on a new PC. Windows 7 Enterprise will offer advanced data protection, lower cost compliance and IT tools to streamline PC management and help save costs, while enabling access to information from anywhere for business users.

Windows 7 Home Basic: To cater to the unique needs of emerging markets Microsoft will offer the Windows 7 Home Basic edition. This edition will be available only in emerging markets, for customers looking for an entry-point Windows experience on a full-size value PC.

Windows 7 Starter: The Windows Starter edition will be available worldwide but only as pre-installed OS by an OEM. This edition is available only in the OEM channel on new PCs limited to specific types of hardware.

Windows 7 Ultimate: There is a small set of users who prefer to have all the features of Windows 7, for such users Microsoft will have theWindows 7 Ultimate edition to meet that specialized need. Windows 7 Ultimate edition is designed for PC enthusiasts and customers who want the security features such as BitLocker found in Windows 7 Enterprise edition.

As Windows 7 is still under development, Microsoft has to yet put together their guidance on hardware recommendations. However a lot of people have been able to run the most premium, full-featured edition on netbooks with good experiences and good results. This indicates Windows 7 is not as heavy on the system resources as compared to Vista. Though Microsoft hasn't announced the pricing for all the editions of Windows 7, Windows Vista users can expect a free upgrade to Windows 7.

The Clean Energy Economy: A New Industrial Revolution Rising From Challenging Times

In the last five years, many venture capitalists (myself included) have committed to backing entrepreneurs who aspire to build the next generation of clean energy companies that will endure. Thousands of companies have formed to harness alternative forms of energy like wind, solar and biofuels; and to reduce man's carbon footprint. Billions of dollars have been poured into this fledgling entrepreneurial ecosystem with the vision of creating significant wealth, millions of jobs, and energy security for our nation.

When the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was passed, entrepreneurs focused on the communications sector, and within a decade companies like Google, Yahoo and EBay became household names and changes heretofore unseen since the Industrial Revolution occurred. It's time for another Industrial Revolution, fueled by clean energy.

Despite the capital-intensive nature of clean energy companies, the nation's entrepreneurial ecosystem is committed to building a clean energy economy for three primary reasons: 1) a strong and growing belief that concern over climate change and increasing energy demand from emerging economies have created a long term opportunity for clean energy innovation; 2) a conviction that technology and business innovation can reduce our carbon footprint and produce viable alternative energy sources at scale; and 3) the development of a favorable U.S. policy framework at the federal and state level, that has attracted large scale private funding to build the next generation of infrastructure.

However, I submit that the continued development of our clean energy economy is now at risk with the advent of the economic crisis. Large financial institutions that had begun to finance the commercialization of clean energy technologies have suddenly lost their capacity to do so. Chief executive officers of emerging clean energy companies now have genuine fears as to whether enough capital will be available to fuel their growth. Furthermore, the slowdown of emerging economies as well as a dramatic reduction in the price of oil further hinders the situation. Investors and entrepreneurs alike are forced to reconsider funding this sector, worried that this may lead to another false start akin to the setback in the early 1980s.

The newly elected administration must show its full resolve and partner with the entrepreneurial ecosystem by reinforcing our national commitment to achieve energy independence and curb global warming. Swift and comprehensive action is required.

First, the incoming administration must make a significant financial commitment towards research and development of clean energy technologies. We need to recognize that while the $15 billion of annual funding that President-elect Barack Obama has called for is a step in the right direction, it may not be sufficient for the task at hand. We need to financially enable our nation's research institutions to innovate in clean energy without relying mostly on funding from existing energy and oil companies that do not necessarily feel an immediate imperative to commercialize such innovations. Significantly increasing federal dollars for unencumbered research and development will attract increased entrepreneurial activity around commercializing clean energy solutions that are needed for the U.S. to lead the way to a secure and environmentally sustainable future.

Second, the Obama administration must develop a comprehensive national policy framework to build and adopt alternative energy solutions. We need a national cap and trade legislation; an aggressive renewable portfolio standard to reduce our dependence on oil and drive the adoption of all forms of clean alternative energy; and energy efficiency programs through regulations and incentives for utilities that can increase the energy productivity of our nation. For a comprehensive framework, we need to look no further than my own home state, Massachusetts, which has quickly enacted a comprehensive clean energy strategy to mandate energy efficiency programs, to establish a renewable portfolio standard, and to limit green house gas emissions.

Finally, the administration needs to have an unbiased strategy for lending its financial support to this sector. The federal government shouldn't be in the business of picking technology winners. Instead, it should lend support to all sustainable clean alternative technologies that have a roadmap to economic viability without any subsidies. This financial support needs to come in the form of strong investment tax credits and production tax credits that predictably decrease and ultimately disappear over a period of time, and a streamlined loan guarantee program that enables these companies to attract debt and equity investors to fund the nation's new alternative energy infrastructure. A strong financial commitment by the federal government will spur confidence among our entrepreneurs and investors to continue developing the clean energy sector.

All over the country, entrepreneurs are hard at work founding and building new energy companies, new fuel companies--even new car companies. With the right signals from Washington, it is hard to imagine anything short of a new industrial revolution. The right policies on clean energy will bring economic prosperity, energy independence, and global leadership in solving the world's climate crisis. This is the opportunity that awaits the new administration.

Helping Robots Get a Grip

One of the main things preventing robots from lending a hand with everyday tasks is a simple lack of manual dexterity. New research from a team at Columbia University NY could help robots--and robotic prosthetics--get a better grip on all kinds of objects.

Good grip: A new approach allows a complicated robotic hand to grab an object more easily. Credit: Matei Ciocarlie and Peter Allen, Dept. of Computer Science, Columbia University

Multimedia See the grasping system in simulations and real-life experiments.

Peter Allen, a professor at Columbia University and director of its Robotics Group, and colleague Matei Ciocarlie developed a simpler way to control a dexterous robotic hand by drawing on research in biology. They realized that while human hands have about 20 degrees of freedom (20 joints that can each bend), each joint is not capable of moving completely independently; instead, its movements are linked to those of other joints by muscles or nerves.

Traditionally, the software used to control a complex robot hand has tried to account for all the degrees of freedom in the robotic hand's joints, but this is computationally cumbersome and slows the robot down. Instead, Allen and Ciocarlie decided to limit the movement of a robot hand in the same way a human hand is limited. By linking its joints in this way, they showed it is possible to control a complicated robotic hand with faster, more efficient algorithms and without losing any of its functionality. "You can learn from biology to reduce the degrees of freedom," says Allen. "Even though you may have 20 degrees of freedom, you don't need to use them."

The researchers experimented with four different kinds of complex robotic hand, each of which had multiple joints. They developed software to control each gripper by linking its joints. In simulations and real-life tests, the software was able to quickly calculate grasping positions in order to grab different objects, including a wine glass, flask, telephone, model airplane, and ashtray.

The system works in two stages. First it chooses an array of possible grasping motions depending on the angle at which the hand is approaching the object. Second, it selects from these positions the one that will provide the most stable grasp. Then, if the controller thinks the grasping position looks right, she can give the command and the hand will take hold of the object.

"Grasping objects with a human-like hand is a seemingly complex computational problem," says Charlie Kemp, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, who has developed robots capable of grasping unfamiliar objects. "This work suggests that there is an underlying simplicity. It shows that a complex hand may not require a complex brain."

Calculated grabs: A sensor lets the system detect the direction of approach; the software then calculates the most effective grasping positions.
Credit: Matei Ciocarlie and Peter Allen, Dept. of Computer Science, Columbia University

"I believe it's the way forward for automated grasping," adds Eric Berger, the codirector of the personal robotics program at Willow Garage, a robotics research center in California. "From my perspective, the algorithmic work ... is novel and useful, but the most exciting thing about what they're doing is the different approaches they're taking to applying these new algorithms to the real world."

In their experiments, the Columbia team preprogrammed the system with a rough idea of the shape of the object it would grab. The next step is to couple the robotic grasper to a system that can evaluate completely unfamiliar objects in the real world.

Other research groups are making progress in this area. For example, Intel has created technology that uses electric fields to carefully sense delicate objects within reach, while Andrew Ng and colleagues at Stanford University have developed a robot that can calculate the best place to grab onto an object that it hasn't seen before.

Quake and Tsunami Predicted on July 22, 2009

Hello there. I just wanted tolet you know that please stay away from the beaches all around in the month of July. There is a prediction that there will be another tsunami or earthquakehitting on 22 July 2009. It is also when there will be sun eclipse. Predicted that it is going to be really bad and countries like Malaysia (Sabah & Sarawak), Singapore, Maldives, Australia,Mauritius, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Philippines are going to be badly hit. Please try and stay away from the beaches in July. Better to be safe than sorry. Please pass the word around.Please also pray for all beings.

Quake and Tsunami Predicted 22 July 2009

The eclipse quake theory is as follows, When the gravitational force of the sun and moon are both pulling on a plate that has not had series of recent earth quakes, the extra pull is all that is needed to "pop the seam" and cause a major quake.

Japans tectonic plates

6+ Magnitude Quake on 22 July 2009 at 3:00 pm Local Japanese time. This will be follower by two level
5+ Earthquakes and a Tsunami between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm. The tsunami will start out in the pacific
ocean (to the South East of Japan ... Along the fault line) and hit all the islands to the south west of
Japan, Indonesia and even reach New Zealand. The major quakes will actually be along the fault lines in
the Ocean.

The theory that the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon pulling together will do the following things.

1. Lift the tectonic plate

2. Cause the tide to rise more than usual

3. Cause an underground molten magma tide to dip and raise the plates following the water tide.

Taken all the time data from the Nasa eclipse site into an excel spread sheet four the four tectonic plates
in the region. Assumed an hour delay for each event following the lunar eclipse, and then summed the values. I assumed that the events would last longer for the fluids, water and molten magma than for dryland. And then summed the values four all 4 plates where Japan sits.

The blue path above shows the lunar path that will achieve the full solar eclipse at around 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Red dots show where the solar eclipse will be full.

The theory is based on gravitation pull and the earth's tectonic plates

A solar eclipse means that the moon is blocking the sun. The moon has enough gravitational pull to cause the tides other natural phenomena on earth. The sun has enough gravitational pull to keep the earth in orbit. The theory is that during a solar eclipse, the moon has the Sun's added pull on the earth's tectonic plates. When the Sun and Moon are together on one side of the planet, they pull together and lift up the earth's tectonic plate, just beneath the eclipse. This causes the plate to shift upward, and then an earth quake when the lifted plate gets the little extra push (lift) it needed to move over its neighboring plate. The theory may be hair brained, or it might actually have some pull to it. (pun intended) I'd like to do a simulator game to find out.