Sex robots for pleasure in the future

Robots of the future would be used for sexual purposes, believes a

Sexual pleasure (Getty Images)

leading scientist.

US robotics scientist Professor Rodney Brooks, former head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, said he had no reason to doubt that the technology would have ‘sexual drivers’.

"Every technology that we've had, there has been a sexual driver of it," the Couriermail quoted Brooks, a founder and former chief technical officer of lucrative US company iRobot, as saying.

"I mean, that's certainly true of photographs in the 19th century; and home video players were really driven by sex; and of course the web has been a major source of sex. Yeah, there will be (sexbots) but it is not specific to robots per se," he added.

The expert said the development of sexbots may take some time.

He explained: "There are two versions of it, I suppose. We accept that, yes, there will be robotic sex toys, remote presence sex where someone is controlling a robot and stuff. But there's also been some more outrageous stuff (predicted) – where people marry robots.

"Who knows what will happen in 300 years – you just can't predict – but it's not a burning issue guys. I mean, really."

But artificial intelligence researcher David Levy, who completed his PhD on the subject of human-robot relationships, told LiveScience: "At first, sex with robots might be considered geeky, but once you have a story like ''I had sex with a robot and it was great!'' appear in a magazine like Cosmo, I'd expect many people to jump on the bandwagon.”

IREX DR800SG: The Flip Side of Digital Reading

Robert S. Anthony, PC World

Sep 24, 2009 1:39 am

Things got a little more crowded in the ebook reader market Wednesday as IREX Technologies, a pioneer in e-paper technology, rolled out its first consumer reader for the U.S., the stylus-driven IREX DR800SG.
The beige unit features an 8.1-inch e-paper display, a Qualcomm 3G wireless adapter which links to the Verizon Wireless network, and a different business and connectivity model than Amazon’s Kindle. The DR 800SG will be available for $399 from Best Buy starting in late October, said Hans Brons, CEO and founder of IREX Technologies.
The IREX DR800SG allows users to import new content both wirelessly and via a cable link with a PC. Users can view purchased content on other devices or import their own content from their PCs.
“We believe in openness," Kevin Hamilton, CEO for IREX in North America, proclaimed at the New York launch event. Noting the device has a Linux-based operating system, he added, “Our device is really a reading tool for people who love to read.”
The unit supports a number of open and DRM-based ebook formats, including the ePub format, and Hamilton noted that the company had partnered with Barnes & Noble to make it easy for users to purchase content with the DR800SG.
Instead of a finger-driven touchscreen, the DR800SG uses a magnetic resonance stylus, in part to maintain the brightness of the display, said Brons. He said the additional transparent touch layer needed to enable finger navigation would have decreased screen brightness by 15 to 20 percent. He noted that Sony’s Reader uses just such a touch layer, with the expected detrimental effect on brightness.
The slim unit has an intentionally plain design, with only a menu button, a long “flip” bar and a power and activity indicator light on the left side of the 10-ounce unit. The flip bar is pushed from side to side to page through ebooks or menus. Clicking is performed with the stylus or by pushing down on the flip bar.
“We tried to create an almost frameless design,” says Brons The color of the display and the hardware was meant to be “as neutral as possible.”
He added that while the device is ready for electronic ink based note taking, the application that enables the function wasn’t quite ready but would be added later as a free update. A color model is in the works for early 2011.
The edge of the unit is blank except for a power switch and a mini-USB socket. Installed in the battery compartment on the back is a 2GB SD Card, which can hold up to 1,500 e-books and can be replaced with a larger-capacity card.
Due to the sheer lack of buttons, the unit, which swivels in its book-like hard-cover case as if it was a leaf of paper, proved easy to operate. While the large icons for items like the eBook Mall, online newspapers and other items were easy to read and click, some of the smaller indicators, like the 3G connection confirmation icon and the battery icon, get lost somewhat at the bottom of the display.
Pages can be bookmarked by tapping the stylus on the upper right corner of the display. From there you can go to a list of bookmarks for easy navigation. Changing fonts or rotating the page was a matter of making a selection from a menu. Readability was good and, of course, got better with more ambient light.
Hamilton said that $9.99 had become a “de facto price” for ebooks but noted that users don’t pay extra for air time when downloading purchased content. He noted, however, that there may be airtime charges for future vertical business applications if they consume a significant amount of wireless bandwidth.
According to IREX, the unit should run for days on a single charge. Like other e-paper digital readers, the display consumes no power unity unless it’s refreshing a page, downloading content or performing other activity.
Hamilton says the advantage of having the IREX DR800SG available in brick-and-mortar stores like Best Buy will give it a key selling advantage over Amazon’s Kindle, which is available online.

India launches satellite for ocean study

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- India on Wednesday launched a second satellite to study oceans.

The cube-shaped Oceansat-2 will monitor the interaction between oceans and the atmosphere, as part of climate studies, according to the country's main space agency.

The satellite, launched from India's southeast coast, carried six nanosatellites from European universities as auxiliary payloads, said the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). It also is equipped with two solar panels projecting from its sides, for generating power and charging batteries.

India says it has the world's largest constellation of remote-sensing satellites -- 16, including Oceansat-2. They produce images for uses such as agriculture, rural development, water resources, forestry and disaster management.

Wednesday's launch came less than a month after India terminated its unmanned moon mission about 14 months ahead of its programmed life of two years.

The mission -- Chandrayaan-1, which means mooncraft in Sanskrit -- had to be abandoned after it lost contact with the ground.

In 312 days, it completed more than 3,400 orbits around the moon before vanishing from radar, according to the space agency.

Chandrayaan-1 aimed to take high-resolution, three-dimensional images of the lunar surface, especially the permanently shadowed polar regions.

The craft carried payloads from the United States, the European Union and Bulgaria.

Earlier this year, the Indian government increased the federal budget for space research to about $1 billion from $700 million

Saksoft launches Veri-sens

Sept 23 :
Saksoft, a global software services company focusing on the BFSI segment, announced the launch of Veri-sens, a Ready-to-use, end-to-end Business Intelligence solution designed exclusively for the Banking and Financial Services Industry.

The product is packaged into three modules providing ready to go portfolio performance reports and dashboards for Credit Cards, Retail Assets like personal loans, auto loans and mortgages and Retail Liabilities, and also the High Net worth Individual (HNWI) segment.

The company plans to expand its service offerings into the Business Intelligence space through similar specialised products and solutions for Mutual Funds, Small and Medium Enterprises and Insurance sector, said a Saksoft release.
Saksoft's Veri-sens framework is technology independent and can significantly reduce IT cost by leveraging upon existing infrastructure, proprietary tools, open source tools and the power of cloud computing.

Aditya Krishna, Founder & Managing Director, Saksoft Group said 'Saksoft has maintained its performance over the last few quarters and has significantly increased profit margins by 333% in 2008-09 fiscal. Saksoft is a specialist solutions provider in Information Management and offers a comprehensive suite of ready-to use reports and dashboards.

'Our product Veri-sens stands apart from other BI solutions available in the market because of its specialized domain-specific business intelligence framework which can be deployed across multiple business units and product lines. Veri-sens works with any Transaction processing solution and complements the operational reports available from these systems by meeting the analytical reporting requirements of senior and middle management. Over the next three years, Veri-sens will contribute to 10-12% of the company revenues.

'Our future product roadmap for Veri-sens is to look at technology advancements and addition of new products and business areas to the Veri-sens product family.'

Veri-sens offers pre-built data models, industry standard computational engines and more than 150 pre-built reports and dashboards which help businesses identify, manage and overcome key strategic challenges across multiple functional areas.
'We wanted to extend our core service offerings to customers in India. High costs, high complexity and long gestation period are some of the concerns in the industry, while deploying a new Datawarehouse and Business Intelligence solution. With Veri-sens, we have shrunk the deployment time by at least 50%. In fact Veri-sens can be useful to audit an existing data warehouse or build a warehouse from scratch with a very powerful ETL logic. Veri-sens has an established data model and Key Performance Indicators built by domain experts that can be readily used by the business users', said N K Subramaniyam, Executive Director, Operations and Technology, Saksoft Ltd. 'This business intelligence solution will allow customers to make more informed business decisions, reduce credit risk and respond faster to opportunities and threats.'

According to Gartner, by 2012 organisations will allocate at least 40 per cent of the total IT budgets for business intelligence. With Veri-sens, Saksoft continues to deliver powerful, affordable and easy-to-use solutions with a comprehensive suite of ready dashboards and reports that can immediately address a company's most critical business needs. Veri-sens BI solutions can be used across various levels of the organization from front-line customer service representatives to business analysts and senior executives.

Business intelligence has become one of the top most technology priorities. IDC predicts that by 2013, companies will increase their spending at the rate of almost 10% in this sector. Investments are likely to expand in the areas of production reporting, spreadsheets and ad hoc queries, in the range of about 45- 50 % as compared to the last fiscal.

--IBNS

Yahoo to kick off new branding campaign

By Alexei Oreskovic

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc said it would kick off a $100 million branding campaign next week as the No. 2 U.S. Web company seeks to revive growth and redefine itself under Chief Executive Carol Bartz.

The global campaign, "It's You," comes a few months after Yahoo said it would outsource its search technology to Microsoft Corp.

The deal with Microsoft remains on track to close in early 2010, Bartz said during a news briefing in New York on Tuesday to introduce the marketing campaign.

Bartz declined to comment on recent reports that Yahoo is seeking to sell certain businesses such as Zimbra, a provider of business email and calendar services that Yahoo had acquired for about $350 million in 2007.

Yahoo is also seeking as much as $500 million for its small business Web hosting group, sources told Reuters on Monday.

"Most of our assets are very core to the company. Those that aren't, where it makes sense we will sell and where it makes sense we will shut down," Bartz said.

Yahoo's collection of websites were the second most visited Internet properties in the United States in August, behind Google Inc, according to comScore. Yahoo also faces growing competition from a new crop of social networking websites such as Facebook, which recently announced it reached 300 million users.

"The company needs to reinvigorate their brand. Maybe this is kind of a first step in that," said Kaufman Brothers analyst Aaron Kessler.

Yahoo executives on Tuesday promised more product launches such as the redesigned version of its Internet homepage that incorporates third-party websites like Facebook.

The multimedia campaign will be launched in the United States next week, in the United Kingdom and India in October, and other countries next year.

Yahoo shares fell 14 cents at $16.90 in late-afternoon trading on Nasdaq.

Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:48pm IST

New computing tool may help scientists create tastier and longer lasting tomatoes

Scientists have developed a new computing tool that could help scientists predict how plants will react to different environmental conditions in order to create better crops, such as tastier and longer lasting tomatoes.

The tool will form part of a new 1.7 million pounds Syngenta University Centre at Imperial College London, which will see researchers from Imperial and Syngenta working together to improve agricultural products.

Scientists are keen to develop new strains of crops such as drought resistant wheat and new pesticides that are more environmentally friendly.

However, in order to do this, they need to predict how the genes inside plants will react when they are subjected to different chemicals or environmental conditions.

According to Professor Stephen Muggleton, Director of the new Centre from the Department of Computing at Imperial College London, "We believe our computing tool will revolutionize agricultural research by making the process much faster than is currently possible using conventional techniques. We hope that our new technology will ultimately help farmers to produce hardier, longer lasting and more nutritious crops."

The researchers have developed a prototype of the new tool, which they are currently testing.

It can analyze in a matter of minutes, instead of months, which genes are responsible for different processes inside a plant, and how different genes work together.

It uses a type of computer programming that relies on 'machine learning', a set of sophisticated algorithms that allows a computer to 'learn' based on data that it is analysing.

The researchers said that the tool will recognize complex patterns in that data to find 'nuggets' of information about plant biology that might previously have taken months or even years to find.

The 'machine learning' ability of the new tool means that researchers can develop an understanding of different plants even when they are lacking information about some aspects of their inner workings.

Previously, mathematical modelling of a plant's behaviour has been time consuming and difficult because without all the information about a plant, the models have been imprecise.

For the first project using the tool, scientists will look at how different genes affect the way a tomato's flesh hardens and tastes, and how the fruit's skin changes colour from green to red.

The researchers hope that this will enable them to develop new tomato strains that are tastier, and that redden earlier and soften later so that they can be transported more easily to market. (ANI)

Washington | September 23, 2009 2:16:42 PM IST

Diamonds could help devise the ultimate MRI probe

Posted On :23-Sep-2009 02:59:10 Source :Indo Asian News Service

Washington, Sep 23 (IANS) Diamonds, a woman's best friend, might also turn out to be the patient's good friend as well.

Work done by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on quantum computing, it appears, has more immediate application in medical science.

NIST theoretical physicist Jacob Taylor envisions diamond-tipped sensors performing magnetic resonance tests on individual cells within the body, or on single molecules drug companies want to investigate - a sort of MRI scanner for the microscopic.

Their finding that a candidate 'quantum bit' has great sensitivity to magnetic fields hints that MRI-like devices to probe individual drug molecules and living cells may be possible.

The candidate system, formed from a nitrogen atom lodged within a diamond crystal, is promising not only because it can sense atomic-scale variations in magnetism, but also because it functions at room temperature.

Diamond, which is solidified carbon, occasionally has minute imperfections within its crystalline structure. A common impurity is a 'nitrogen vacancy,' in which two carbon atoms are replaced by a single atom of nitrogen, leaving the other carbon atom's space vacant.

Nitrogen vacancies are in part responsible for diamond's famed lustre, for they are actually fluorescent: when green light strikes them, the nitrogen atom's two excitable unpaired electrons glow a brilliant red.

The team can use slight variations in this fluorescence to determine the magnetic spin of a single electron in the nitrogen.

Spin is a quantum property that has a value of either 'up' or 'down,' and therefore could represent one or zero in binary computation.

Reading a quantum bit's spin information - a fundamental task for a quantum computer -has been a daunting challenge, says an NIST release.

But the NIST team demonstrated that by transferring the information back and forth between the electron and the nuclei, the information could be amplified, making it much easier to read.

Microsoft developing new tablet PC device

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is developing a small tablet-style PC to rival a similar product that may be launched by Apple Inc, technology blog Gizmodo reported on Tuesday.

The booklet-shaped device, called Courier, is in the "late prototype" stage of development, Gizmodo reported, without identifying the source of its information.

Microsoft did not immediately answer a request for comment.

The Courier device has dual 7-inch (18 cm) screens that are touch sensitive and can be used in conjunction with a stylus, Gizmodo reported.

Apple has long been expected to launch its own tablet PC -- essentially a large version of its iPhone -- but has so far announced no plans to do so.

Jude Law's drag film 'RAGE' going straight-to-mobile phone

London, Sept 23 : Jude Law's quirky stint as a drag artist in the low budget experimental flick, Rage, will make a record of sorts when it is released directly on cellphones.

Film enthusiasts will also be able to text in their questions about the feature.

Helmer Sally Potter is unsure how it will work out for the movie, but is willing to give technology a chance.

The Sun quoted her as saying: "We don't know how this is going to work, especially since it is the first ever feature on cellphones. We're making it up as we go along and taking the plunge and the risk.

"There's so much terror in the film industry at the moment about piracy, people stealing your idea and making money off

of it; and the only way I found of dealing with that is to say, 'Here, have it.' If you keep looking over your shoulder, you don't trailblaze.

"It's not necessarily a great money spinner. At the moment I'm in debt but the great advantage of being in debt means you've got nothing to lose."

Potter also disclosed her reasons for casting Law as a cross-dressing Minx, a role she earlier planned for a woman.

She said: "When I first wrote the part I was imagining it would be played by a woman and I suddenly realised one day it would be infinitely more interesting to be played by a man.

"I immediately thought of Jude because he has been accused, so to speak, of being too beautiful.

"That gave us incredible material to work with and we had discussions about that when we were working on it. We worked together on the looks and spent quite a bit of time with make-up, hair and costume tests until we found the character."

Rage will be released in London next week.

--ANI

HP introduces SkyRoom

California: HP established a new category in videoconferencing with the introduction of HP SkyRoom - affordable, high-definition videoconferencing software that offers live, real-time collaboration for instant face-to-face meetings with no subscription fees.


HP SkyRoom is based on video and image communication technology developed in HP Labs, the company's central research arm. Elements of this technology were used by NASA's Mars rovers to transfer high resolution images back to earth. HP SkyRoom is the only videoconferencing tool to offer real-time collaboration for up to four people over a standard business network for $149 - less than the cost of round-trip airfare from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Until now, companies have had few options for videoconferencing - expensive enterprise telepresence systems or Internet freeware tools that strip out the subtleties of human interactions and don't allow for the sharing of rich media content such as video and computer-aided design manipulation.

SkyRoom will be included as a standard feature 'at no cost' on select HP business desktop and mobile workstations and for free for a trial period on many upcoming HP premium business PCs and notebooks. HP SkyRoom can be used on workstations or PCs from Dell, Lenovo or Sun that meet minimum technology requirements. Companies now have the power to change the economics of travel and reduce their carbon footprint while preserving the value of personal human interaction.

"Finally, video meetings with genuine eye contact and natural human interaction are as easy as starting an instant messaging connection. It takes business productivity and collaboration to a completely new level when we can connect people around the world in a day via HP SkyRoom and let them get home to family dinner and bedtime stories - without the wear and tear of travel," said Jim Zafarana, Vice President and General Manager, Workstations, HP.

Using HP SkyRoom is as easy as beginning an instant message conversation. Users simply click a contact to connect, which quickly initiates a live SkyRoom session. Another click shares the desktop or rich media content and participants are instantly collaborating. During an HP SkyRoom session, information is transferred at a rate of four times faster than the blink of an eye.

HP SkyRoom is available worldwide pre installed at no cost on the HP Z800, Z600, Z400 and xw4600 workstations. Select premium business PCs and notebooks due out from HP in the coming months will include a 90-day trial of HP SkyRoom, which will be available for purchase thereafter. Customers using current HP workstations, desktops, notebooks or non-HP systems can purchase HP SkyRoom for $149 at HP's website.

By siliconindia news bureau

Wednesday,23 September 2009, 15:10 hrs

Acer Gemstone

Acer Gemstone: New Affordable Notebooks

Acer will unveil new affordable multimedia notebooks by the end of this month. The Gemstone lineup will get new multimedia notebooks in two 15.6-inch and 17.3 display screen sizes. Of the three new Acer Gemstone notebooks, two would be sub $600 (Rs. 29,300 approx.) Aspire AS5536 and Aspire AS7735Z are available in U.S. today onwards. Aspire AS5739G, equipped with Blu-ray drive, will be made available by end of this month for $749.99 (Rs. 36,600).

The new Gemstone notebook lineup will consist of 15.6-inch Aspire AS5536 that packs 2.1GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 QL-64 dual-core processor with 1MB L2 cache and 800MHz FSB support.

Apart from that, the notebook adds 3GB DDR2 667MHz memory, 320GB SATA HDD and has ATI Radeon HD 3200 series graphics card. A dual-layer DVD-Multi drive and WLAN with 802.11 b/g/n support is also included. This notebook is priced for $479.99 (Rs. 23, 400 approx.).

While the 17.3-inch Aspire AS7735Z features 2.0GHz Intel Pentium T6400 with 1MB L2 Cache and 800MHz FSB support. This notebook packs in 4GB DDR3 1066MHz memory, Intel GMA 4500MHD, 250GB SATA HDD and dual-layer DVD-Multi drive. Like the Aspire AS5536, this model too supports 802.11 b/g/n wireless Internet standards. This notebook is available for $599 (Rs. 29,300).

Another Gemstone notebook Aspire AS5739G, carrying Blu-ray drive, would be launched by the end of this month in U.S. The Aspire AS5739G has 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 with 2MB L2 Cache and 800MHz FSB. Packing 4GB DDR3 1066MHz memory, this notebook has Nvidia GeForce GT130M graphics with 1GB video memory. Also, the WLAN 802.11b/g/n support and other features like Bio-protection fingerprint solution and PowerSmart key have been added. This notebook would be sold at price of $749.99 (Rs. 36,600).

Source:Techtree.com

MINI 3i - Dell's Chinese phone

Yesterday, the first reports of Dell's Chinese handset came into light. Though it was just speculation, although from a credible source. A day later, we have more information about the handset.

Apparently, the device will be called the Mini 3i and will run the same, "customized for China" Android OS used by the Lenovo Ophone. This latest development was revealed by a Chinese news portal. The report however added that the phone is expected only later this month and not "immediately" as reported earlier. It adds that China's largest mobile operator, China Mobile will be distributing the device under the Ophone brand. The Ophone brand will consist of different handsets, running the same operating systems. Currently, Lenovo and Dell have handsets running the Ophone OS in China. Another company Dopod will join the fray soon. The devices are all 3G ready - but will work on the Chinese, TD-SCDMA standard.

More on this as soon as the news is out! Oh, and lest we forget, the phone might be announced during the "middle" of the month. We're approaching the middle part in a few days! Therefore, it might just be a week or so away!

Gscreen Computers - DUAL SCREEN LAPTOPS

US Firm Plans Dual Screen Laptops

Now this is quite something! A US based company, Gscreen Computers, is readying a dual screen laptop that might go on sale sometime later this year. The laptop will consist of a main display and a slide out expandable display, which will give the laptop huge screen real estate.

Each of the screens will have a 1280x800 pixel resolution (which might be too low by today's standards) and will measure 15.4 cm. However, the widescreen effect should more than make up for this.

Dual screens apart, the laptop is as "normal" as a laptop could be - save for the specifications, which is not bad at all. The base version will ship with the following configuration Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 @2.26GHz, 4GB RAM, a 320GB hard disk. As for the graphics, it might either pack in a Nvidia GeForce 9800M GT or a Nvidia Quadro FX 1700M - both with 512MB memory.

The only concern with this laptop may be its power hungry requirements and it is likely that it will ship with a 9-cell battery to give it a decent backup time. When launched, the laptop is expected to cost around $3000. It will run either Windows XP or Vista, although it makes sense to ship this one with Windows 7 installed.

Canon New PowerShot Cameras

Canon Launches Six New PowerShot Cameras

Canon has announced six new PowerShot cameras meant to offer diverse photographic options. This new range includes a G-series PowerShot, three from the ELPH line, and two in the lightweight category compact digital cameras.

1.)

The cameras are Canon PowerShot G11, PowerShot S90, PowerShot SX20 IS, PowerShot SX120 IS, and PowerShot SD980 IS and SD940 IS Digital ELPH Cameras.

Features

All of the new cameras feature Optical Image Stabilization and use the DIGIC 4 Image Processor, meant to offer higher performance levels, improved signal processing speeds and enhanced image quality.

They also offer the 'Smart AUTO technology' that tracks moving faces and 22 different shooting situations (up from 18 previously) by identifying the surroundings to help ensure proper lighting and focus.

Select new PowerShot models also have the ability to shoot 720p High-Definition (HD) video, utilize the PureColor System LCD and a PowerShot Digital ELPH camera will now have a touch screen user interface for easy navigation through images and menus.

The G11 features a variety of shooting modes and is compatible with EOS accessories. Designed for those looking for a pocket-sized camera with SLR functionality, Canon said that this camera is aimed for people who love to capture landscapes and professional portraits.

Key features:

• 10.0 megapixel High Sensitivity System, 5x Optical Zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilization. Additionally, a 28mm (equivalent to 28-140 mm) wide-angle lens helps to get large groups into one shot at events such as a family reunion.

• A 2.8-inch vari-angle PureColor System LCD, new to the G-series, meant for easier on-camera previewing and reviewing of images from nearly every angle, while still incorporating the optical viewfinder found on previous models.

• Two mode dials for adjusting ISO and exposure compensation, and a full range of shooting and recording modes, including RAW + JPEG for ultimate creative control when editing images.

Scheduled to be available in October, the PowerShot G11 Digital Camera retails for an estimated price of $499.99 (approx. Rs. 24,319) in U.S.

2.)

The PowerShot S90 comes with a High Sensitivity System sensor in addition to a 28mm wide-angle f/2.0 lens to help produce sharper images in low-light situations, said Canon.

Key Features:

• A 10.0 megapixel High Sensitivity System with a 3.8x Optical Zoom and Optical Image Stabilization.

• A customizable control ring for easy access and operation of manual or other creative shooting settings.

• A large 3.0-inch PureColor System LCD.

• Full range of shooting and recording modes, including RAW + JPEG.

Scheduled to be available in October, the PowerShot S90 Digital Camera retails for an estimated price of $429.99 (Rs. 20,900 approx.).

3.)

The latest additions to the SX-series are the PowerShot SX20 IS and PowerShot SX120 IS.

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Digital Camera

Key Features:

• A 12.1 megapixel sensor with a high-powered 20x wide-angle Optical Zoom lens and Optical Image Stabilizer to help reduce camera shake and achieve magnificent images whether up close or far away.

• The ability to shoot superb 720p (30 fps) HD video with HDMI output to share high-quality videos of memorable moments with family and friends.

• A 2.5-inch vari-angle PureColor System LCD allowing for easy on-camera viewing of images and menus at nearly every angle while also having a viewfinder.

• AA batteries for easy power-up and replacement.

Scheduled to be available in September, the PowerShot SX20 IS Digital Camera retails for an estimated price of $399.99 (Rs. 19, 450 approx.).

4.)

Key Features:

• A 10.0 megapixel sensor with a 10x Optical Zoom lens and Optical Image Stabilization.

• 3.0-inch LCD.

• AA batteries for easy power-up and replacement.

Scheduled to be available in September, the PowerShot SX120 IS Digital Camera retails for an estimated price of $249.99 (approx. Rs. 12, 154).

Canon PowerShot SD980 IS and SD940 IS Digital ELPH Cameras

The stylish ELPH brand from Canon will now offer a camera that has a 3.0-inch touch panel PureColor System LCD.

Canon PowerShot SD980 IS Digital ELPH Camera

Key Features:

• 12.1 megapixel sensor, 3.0-inch touch panel PureColor System LCD.

• 720p HD video shooting capabilities plus HDMI output connector for playback of video and photos on HDTVs to share with friends and family.

• A 5x Optical Zoom lens with an ultra-wide 24mm lens, plus Optical Image Stabilization.

Scheduled to be available in October, the PowerShot SD980 IS Digital ELPH Camera retails for an estimated price of $329.99 (Rs. 16, 050 approx).

5.)

Featuring:

• A 12.1 megapixel sensor, 28mm wide-angle lens with 4x Optical Zoom lens and Optical Image Stabilization offering versatility when shooting in the field.

• 720p HD movie shooting capabilities plus HDMI output connector for easy playback of video and photos on an HDTV.

• A 2.7-inch PureColor System LCD with a wide viewing angle.

Scheduled to be available in September, the PowerShot SD940 IS Digital ELPH Camera retails for an estimated price of $299.99 (approx. Rs. 14, 585).

Is it Time to Bid Goodbye to VoIP?

Just as the Department of Telecom, or DoT , has taken a call to bury IMEI-less handsets that could play into the hands of terrorists, reports suggest that your untraceable Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP services may not live very long too.

Reportedly, India's Intelligence Bureau (IB) has instructed the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to block all Internet telephony services in and out of India till DoT can devise a method to track such calls.

According to the report, "In the absence of Caller Line Identification (CLI) parameters of calls landing from abroad, it's next to impossible to identify the country of location of the caller. The calls passing through the VoIP/IP route contain inadequate parameters rendering it impossible to trace the actual callers. As DoT had conveyed that it is not possible to mandate transmission of CLI from abroad, IB has approached DoT to block such calls till a technical solution is found."

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended the lifting of restrictions on Internet telephony in the country in August 2008.

As per TRAI, there are around 34 companies providing VoIP services in the country. If the block is implemented, it is likely to disrupt the habits and businesses of many.

Source: Techtree.com

Halo 3 ODST

Halo 3 ODST hits Indian market on Sept 22

Good news for gamers. Halo 3 ODST, the most awaited gaming title of the year drops on September 22 in India.

For the first time in the history of gaming entertainment in India, Microsoft Xbox 360 and PVR cinema have teamed up to host the most exciting console gaming night in New Delhi on September 22 .The event is expected to serve as a platform for gamers to come together and play their favorite game on 35 mm screen.

The "Halo" franchise is an award-winning collection of properties that have grown into a global entertainment phenomenon. Published by Microsoft Game Studios, the "Halo" franchise of games is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the games are optimized for the Xbox LIVE online entertainment network.

Halo 3: ODST's tale focuses on the legendary ODSTs or "Orbital Drop Shock Troopers" as they drop into the ruined city of New Mombasa, looking for clues behind the Covenant's catastrophic attack on the city. With exclusive new maps and the chance to play online on Xbox LIVE, the world's biggest gaming social network, Halo 3: ODST offers endless enjoyment.

Source: India Syndicate

For more details log on to
Halo 3 ODST

SAMSUNG PIXON 12

Samsung Pixon 12 makes Indian debut

All you megapixel fans out there rejoice! Here's one more ego booster for you all if your now "standard" 8 megapixel camera count did not seem "good enough". To satiate the needs of your kind, Samsung has (finally) announced the Pixon 12 (M8910) in the country, complete with phone functionalities and a touchscreen.

If you were starting to get worried about the lack of enthusiasm (from the victims to whom you were showing off, of course) for your current 8 megapixel phone, getting the Pixon would be a mighty good idea. Apart from boosting your ego, it will also make your pocket lighter by 29k. Not a bad price for getting to say, "I have the most megapixelled (yeah, we made up that word) phone in the country". Indeed, not bad at all!

If your audience is even mildly geeky and understand that image quality is not just about megapixel count, you can divert his attention to the other impressive features of the phone - like the 3.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen (don't tell him it's resistive) that renders 16 million colors at a bedazzling resolution of 480x800 pixels. As the last resort, you have the Touchwiz UI, which will make the phone look cooler than it actually is. The video recording part might be a let down, however, (especially if you own the Omnia HD) But hey, it still records stuff at 720x480 pixels at a very decent 30 frames per second - which is just below the Omnia HD'S 1280x720 pixel HD resolution.

Coming back to the camera, the Pixon 12 has a wide-angle lens (there you go N86 owners) and with autofocus, xenon and power LED flash all integrated, the Pixon's attempt to replace that digicam of yours becomes more serious. Oh and you get all those snazzy software enabled modes to play around with as well - smile shot, face detection, image stabilization and the likes.

Moving away from the camera, the Pixon 12 also supports 3G, GPS, A-GPS, and all the other wireless connectivity options one can think of (IrDA is dead, so please don't!). When you are tired taking pictures, you can use the FM Radio with RDS or tinker with the TV out functionality as well. Thank Samsung for including a TV Out cable for this one. While the paltry 150MB of internal memory might seem insufficient, you can always use the microSD slot to add a 16GB card and relax.

The Pixon 12 is now here and can be yours for the aforementioned price of Rs. 29,990. Once you get this one, do make an occasional phone call or send a text - just to make it feel "complete".

Source: www.techtree.com

Zuma's revenge demo for PC

If you haven't heard about Zuma, then it's time to start afresh and take a look at the Zuma legacy. The game is about a frog shooting colorful marbles out of its mouth. Zuma's Revenge is an iteration of Zuma with refined graphics for this classic color ball-matching game. The demo of this game is available from its official site and can be played on Windows or Mac based systems.

In the Zuma's Revenge Demo, the player gets to play stone frog idol Zuma. Gameplay has been refined a bit with sliding and hopping. The frog rotates itself around an axis, moves horizontally or vertically. The objective of the game is to shoot the marbles with matching color before any of them reaches the skull.

The sequel takes the player into a new Polynesian setting which is ruled by the angry god and final boss of the game, Zhaka Mu.

Features:
-Take on the tikis in four game modes: Adventure, Challenge, Iron Frog and Heroic Frog
-Explosive power-ups including three new shots
-New gameplay includes lily-pad hopping, slide-aiming, and more
-Save stats in the Tiki Temple
Popcap offers this full game for $19.95 (approx. Rs. 960).