Trendsetter's high-tech locker room

Trendsetter's high-tech locker room

Trendsetter's high-tech locker room, Oregon Ducks' Amazing Locker Room, The Oregon football team's quarters have a lighting system that most other schools can't touch. The Oregon Ducks have 512 uniform combinations to entice recruits, and if that wasn't enough, their locker room can beat the other 119 in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Bryan Bennett, a sophomore quarterback, takes fans inside the Ducks' locker room, and let's just say you'd be hard pressed to find a more impressive facility in the National Football League.

The football building is dedicated to legendary Oregon booster Phil Knight. Accordingly, the co-founder and chairman of Nike doesn't have your typical boring photo displayed. Knight, with a net worth of more than $14 billion, is showcased wearing a sweet pair of shades. And by sweet, we mean they look like something out of "Blade Runner" or "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure."

Beyond that, each individual player's locker includes the latest in technology, according to the official Oregon Ducks channel on YouTube. Locker stalls are metal, with vents above each player's equipment to prevent that nasty smell of body odor on shoulder pads from stinking up the facility.

In addition, the lighting system has three options: Lounge, Huddle and Game Day. The locker room has sensors that match the lighting in Autzen Stadium, so that on game day the players don't have to change their eyes to adjust to the light, they're ready to go.

Oregon's football team has a 34-6 record the past three years, including a Rose Bowl win.

The two-story facility also features lockers that are angled toward the middle of the room so that players can hear every word from coach Chip Kelly.

via: tpg

Chocolate 3D printer selling for $4,600

Chocolate 3D printer selling for $4,600

Chocolate 3D printer selling for $4,600, You can now get your own chocolate 3D printer for $4,600, A device that can churn out sweet treats is developed by scientists in Britain. Some 3D printers can print out jawbones, teeth, and guitars; others can print something far yummier — pieces of chocolate. Last year, a group of scientists from the U.K.'s University of Exeter built a printer that can make chocolatey works of art. Now, the aptly-named Choc Creator Version 1 is available for purchase, though it sure doesn't come cheap — the machine is worth $4,600.

Dr. Liang Hao, the lead scientist who worked on the project, founded the Choc Edge company to manufacture the printer for anyone who wants (and can afford) it. His team tweaked and improved the printer since it was first introduced to the masses last year. According to Dr. Hao, operating the enhanced machine is easy as pie: "You just need to melt some chocolate, fill a syringe that is stored in the printer, and get creative printing your chocolate."

If you have a strong desire to become a 3D-printing chocolatier, it may be best to get your Choc Creator now. The company is running a discount promo for the first 90 buyers, bringing the price down to just$4,000, not including the $130 shipping fee you need to add for delivery stateside. Check out the video above to see Choc Creator in action.

via: yahoo

Superfan builds working 'Akira' motorcycle

Superfan builds working 'Akira' motorcycle

Superfan builds working 'Akira' motorcycle, ‘Akira’ superfan builds iconic bike for charity, The iconic red bike from the classic anime film took more than seven years to build. Ever thought of taking a rip-roaring road trip to Neo-Tokyo on the back of a futuristic motorcycle? Inspired by post-apocalyptic anime smash Akira, Japan native Masashi Teshima has done just that, and in the process turned his fan-fueled dreams into a platform for a worthwhile cause or two.

Aboard a life-size replica of the iconic motorcycle ridden by Akira protagonist Shotaro Kaneda, Teshima set out from his hometown of Fukuoka, Japan and rode all the way to Tokyo, raising money for Bokura Company, an organization whose focus is to provide support for childhood autism.

But the giving doesn't stop there.

The motorcycle, which took Teshima over seven years and 10 million yen ($121,000 USD) to build, is currently on display at the Katsuhiro Otomo GENGA Exhibition, a celebration of original artwork by the acclaimed Akira creator. Proceeds go toward support for relief and rebuilding efforts stemming from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which devastated large portions of Japan's east coast.

Running from April 9 to May 30, the exhibition gives fans a chance to don Kaneda's red biker gang racing jacket, take pictures, and even sit on the bike -- the only one to receive the official blessing of Otomo himself.

via: yahoo

Futuristic potential for flying drones

Futuristic potential for flying drones

Futuristic potential for flying drones, The Endless Potential of Flying Robots, Flying "data swarms" or WiFi hotspots could be instrumental for mass protests or uprisings. Right now a quadracopter drone may just be a toy that retails for around $300, but today we're looking at all the potential applications beyond spying on your neighbors BBQ; including flying one through the studios of ABC News in New York (and giving Diane Sawyer a rude surprise).

A quadracopter is something of a blank canvas that can be used for the silly to the serious, from delivering tacos to couch potatoes in San Francisco to remaking the James Bond theme song at the University of Pennsylvania.

But what may be most intriguing is a concept coming from Tomorrow's Thoughts Today, a London based think tank lead by Liam Young, who has created a set of quadracopter prototypes that act as WiFi hotspots.

Once in operation these WiFi drones could be flown above crowds of protestors when access to the internet is cut off by authorities, like during the Arab Spring, or to house servers out of the jurisdiction of hostile governments, in the case of The Pirate Bay. It's one more step in the mobilization of technological infrastructure, one that creates limitless possibilities for the creatively inclined.

via: yahoo

Rewriting The Rules of High Speed Travel

Rewriting The Rules of High Speed Travel

Rewriting The Rules of High Speed Travel, International travel via high-speed tubes, Someday people could zip from New York to Beijing in just two hours, one group believes. Let's say it's the fourth of July, and the Clintons have invited you to their house in Westchester, New York to shoot off some fireworks and have a barbeque. From Grand Central station in New York City, it would take you an hour to get there by train. Well, imagine being able to travel to London in less time to meet the Queen for tea at Buckingham palace.

A licensing organization called ET3 believes that day isn't far off. They hold a patent to Evacuated Tube Technology or ETT and say that with their tubes, you will eventually be able to get you from New York to Beijing in 2 hours and from New York to London in less than an hour.

Their six person capsules would travel on frictionless magnetic levitation tracks, through air-less vacuum tubes reaching a maximum speed of 4,000 miles per hour. At that speed you could spend the day comparing noodles in China to Pasta in Italy and back to New York in time for cheesecake, all in the same day.

Now before you start making dinner reservations in Tuscany and sending out an RSVP to the Royal Family, this technology is still a concept and it's not clear when it will be operational. The first prototype is being built by researchers at Southwest Jiaotong University in China, who licensed ET3's technology and have worked with the founder of the company to build it.

If you're interested in getting involved, it's an open source technology and you can buy a lifetime license for a hundred dollars allowing you to propose and bid on related construction of the rails.

via: yahoo

International travel via high-speed tubes

International travel via high-speed tubes

International travel via high-speed tubes, Rewriting The Rules of High Speed Travel, Someday people could zip from New York to Beijing in just two hours, one group believes. Let's say it's the fourth of July, and the Clintons have invited you to their house in Westchester, New York to shoot off some fireworks and have a barbeque. From Grand Central station in New York City, it would take you an hour to get there by train. Well, imagine being able to travel to London in less time to meet the Queen for tea at Buckingham palace.

A licensing organization called ET3 believes that day isn't far off. They hold a patent to Evacuated Tube Technology or ETT and say that with their tubes, you will eventually be able to get you from New York to Beijing in 2 hours and from New York to London in less than an hour.

Their six person capsules would travel on frictionless magnetic levitation tracks, through air-less vacuum tubes reaching a maximum speed of 4,000 miles per hour. At that speed you could spend the day comparing noodles in China to Pasta in Italy and back to New York in time for cheesecake, all in the same day.

Now before you start making dinner reservations in Tuscany and sending out an RSVP to the Royal Family, this technology is still a concept and it's not clear when it will be operational. The first prototype is being built by researchers at Southwest Jiaotong University in China, who licensed ET3's technology and have worked with the founder of the company to build it.

If you're interested in getting involved, it's an open source technology and you can buy a lifetime license for a hundred dollars allowing you to propose and bid on related construction of the rails.

via: yahoo

The right way to remove a computer virus

The right way to remove a computer virus

The right way to remove a computer virus, Computer Virus: How to Remove It, You can fix an infected PC yourself for free in just a few straightforward steps. Becky Worley walks you through the best ways to remove a virus from your PC. Ughhhh! If your PC has ever been infected - or worse, if it's infected right now - you're probably groaning. Yes it's a pain, but the good news is: you can remove viruses yourself, for free.

STEP 1: Back Up Documents, Photos and Videos.

Save your important data to an external drive. Be sure to scan this drive and its contents after you remove the virus; you don't want to re-infect your computer after the clean-up.

STEP 2: Reboot in Safe Mode

You have to prevent the virus from running when you try to remove it. To do this, reboot in safe mode. Safe mode runs only the Windows operating system and a few key programs. It's a way to limit any malware from launching. Restart your computer and hit the F8 key on the keyboard repeatedly until you get to a black screen with the option of restarting in Safe Mode. Choose "Safe Mode with Networking" so that you can still get on the Internet.

STEP 3: Download Virus Scanner/Removal Tools

I recommend downloading two to three different programs to find and remove the malware. One may do the job, but three will almost certainly do the job. These three have worked for me and come highly recommended by PC Magazine and CNET:

Malwarebytes

SuperAntispyware

PC Tools

STEP 4: Run Virus Scanners

Download, double-click to install, accept all the defaults they recommend, and then run each. This will take a while. When the programs locate a virus or any suspicious items, allow the programs to delete the files.

STEP 5: Reboot Normally

Reboot your computer normally; no need for safe mode. You should be back to normal now. If you have files backed up on an external drive, plug it in and use the security programs you downloaded to scan that drive before you open or transfer any files. If the virus is gone, go to step

6.**IF YOU STILL HAVE THE VIRUS**

Many people will recommend you reinstall Windows or try system restore or download a registry cleaner. I say that at this point, most people should take the computer to a local PC repair shop. Where I live, it costs about $120 to get the virus removed and a clean version of Windows installed. It is a personal decision how you proceed from here, but take into account the value of your time.

STEP 6: Add Security

How did you get that virus in the first place? Even if you don't know, it's clear you need more protection. PC Tools is a real-time virus scanner that you can use as your ongoing protection, or install something like Avast or AVG. All three are very good, free, anti-virus programs. Also Microsoft's Security Essentials comes well recommended.

You should also go to the Control Panel of your computer, and in the security section click Windows Update. Make sure that it's set up to regularly update.

And if you think someone else accidentally installed malware on your computer, it's a good idea to give other members of the family their own sign-on accounts that don't have admin privileges. This way, if the kids try to download software that could harbor viruses, they won't be allowed to. And yes, this means you should keep your admin password private. (Also, if they've installed any file-sharing programs, now would be a good time to remove them. P-2-P music and movie sites do expose you to a lot of junk.

STEP 7- Damage Control

Viruses are a gateway to identity theft and spam. So after you disinfect your computer it's a good idea to check your credit (annualcreditreport.com is the credit report site that the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act forced the credit unions to create for consumers to access yearly free reports). You should also change all your passwords, especially your email password and any passwords for your financial institutions. Here's my method for creating easy-to-remember rock-solid passwords.

via: yahoo

Cyber-Pranksters Target Hotels, Their Guests

Cyber-Pranksters Target Hotels, Their Guests

Cyber-Pranksters Target Hotels, Their Guests, Web prank causes $100,000 in damages, An infamous online community may be crossing the line from trick to felony. Guests are being conned into acts of damage by prank phone calls.

Ordinary item that can save your life on a desert island

Ordinary item that can save your life on a desert island

Ordinary item that can save your life on a desert island, Ordinary item's many amazing uses, The "Mythbusters" guys prove you can survive on a desert island with plenty of one thing. Monday's Primetime in No Time

"Mythbusters" guys prove you can survive on a desert island with plenty of one thing

"Mythbusters" guys prove you can survive on a desert island with plenty of one thing

"Mythbusters" guys prove you can survive on a desert island with plenty of one thing, Ordinary item's many amazing uses, Ordinary item that can save your life on a desert island, The Monday's Primetime in No Time

High-tech ways to unlock cities' mysteries

High-tech ways to unlock cities' mysteries

High-tech ways to unlock cities' mysteries, Unlock the hidden mysteries of your city, New phone apps let you discover cool, hidden-gem spots and much more. Have you ever stood on a street corner—whether it's in New York, London, Beijing, or even your own hometown--and wished you could discover a really cool new place that might be just around the corner? Ever see an old statue or monument on the commute home and wonder who cared enough to build it?  These smart phone apps will help you disover cool and interesting parts of the city you're in, things even the locals don't know about.

Well, to quote the ubiquitous ad slogan-- "There's an app for that." Actually, this week we're checking out three apps that help you unlock the hidden mysteries in your hometown or any other city you might visit.

First up is Trover (free). Part social network, part review AND part photography, Trover helps you find a treasure "trove" of hidden gems in a city. The idea is simple: users snap quick pics of things they've found and want to share with their friends. A great local slice of pizza. The new art gallery in their neighborhood. An undiscovered watering hole. Using your current location, Trover shows you geo-tagged photos close to where you are. Like an image? Click to find out more info. You can thank the poster or even share the info on Facebook, Twitter, etc., if you think it's worthy. Follow those users whose pics (and picks) you especially like.

As a user, I felt like Trover combined the best aspects of other social networking sites. The geo-tagging and recommendations work like Yelp. The photo collections are reminiscent of Flickr. And the brief social component felt like Twitter. This is an app I could easily spend hours wasting time with — and I mean that as high praise.

While Trover is useful all over the country, Art by Subway ($1.99) is limited to New York City and the surrounding areas served by the MTA. Matt Vincent combined his love of developing software and finding local art to create this entry for the MTA's "App Quest" competition. While Matt didn't win, he did get an honorable mention for creating a guide to what might be the world's largest underground museum — the New York City Subway. Though fairly limited in scope, this app truly serves its stated purpose. Matt spent hours combing New York's subway stations, painstakingly photographing and cataloging almost every available piece of public art on display. The result is a fascinating guide that reveals the beauty surrounding subway RIDERS. And since Art by Subway doesn't require WiFi, you don't need any of those pesky cell signals to use the app below ground.

A former #1 travel app on iTunes, Roadside America ($2.99 to sign up, additional $5.99 to unlock each region) uses your phone's location to point out all those roadside attractions you always wanted to see — and those you might not have known about. But it's not just a catalog of wacky places to stop for tourist photos with your family en route to Wally World. The app also features unique tools like a "Sunset Alert" to notify you when the sun's going down so you're sure not to miss an incredible sunset. Or the "Tourist Interruptus," which allows you to schedule dummy phone calls to help you gracefully excuse yourself from any museum tour that's taking too long. This app is a fun one (and would also make a great father's day gift!), but beware OF the hidden cost. Buy the app and get one "region" worth of listings for free — say, the Northeast, or the Southwest. However, other regions cost extra.

via: yahoo

Microsoft Mustang 2012 Pictures

Microsoft Mustang 2012 Pictures

Microsoft Mustang 2012 Pictures or Photos, Project Detroit Photography, What a 'Microsoft Mustang' would look like, Microsoft Mustang: How cars would look if the software giant ran Detroit, The car features a Web-connected heads-up display and Xbox Live gaming for passengers. The software giant loads a Ford Mustang with its consumer technology as a showcase for what developers can do with on its platform.  Microsoft Mustang 2012 Pics. 

What a 'Microsoft Mustang' would look like

What a 'Microsoft Mustang' would look like

What a 'Microsoft Mustang' would look like, Microsoft Mustang: How cars would look if the software giant ran Detroit, The car features a Web-connected heads-up display and Xbox Live gaming for passengers. The software giant loads a Ford Mustang with its consumer technology as a showcase for what developers can do with on its platform.  Microsoft Mustang 2012 Pics. 

SEE More Pics of  Microsoft Mustang 2012 by Clicking Here: Buzzpixs

Tricking out a car with Windows sounds, well, sort of lame on its face. But suppose it came with a heads-up display that let passengers play Call of Duty against their buddies? 

Or cameras around the car that let you use your smartphones to check out who might be eyeballing your ride? Or turning that phone into a microphone you could use to ask -- nicely, of course -- lookie loos to step away from the car?

That's what the folks at West Coast Customs, working with developer evangelists at Microsoft, have put together for their television program, Inside West Coast Customs, which airs on Discovery's Velocity Network this Sunday at 9 p.m PT/ET. The idea, dubbed Project Detroit by Microsoft, was to create a car that showcases some of the cool things developers can do with Windows, Windows Phone, Windows Azure, Xbox 360, Kinect, and Bing.

"We believe coding should be fun," said Jeff Sandquist, senior director of developer relations at Microsoft, who worked with West Coast Customs on the project. "We're about developer evangelism and telling developers what they can do with the Microsoft platform."

The car is a vehicle for that. West Coast Customs took a 2012 Ford Mustang and retrofitted it with a 1967 Mustang fastback replica body. They painted the car matte black, and decked it out with neon blue lights in the grill and around the rims.

Then they baked in just about every Microsoft consumer technology they could. The car is Web connected, giving the driver the ability to glance at the heads-up display to check the weather forecast or find the nearest gas station. The heads-up display on the passenger side, which the driver can't see, lets passengers play games over Xbox Live with their friends.

What's more, when parked, the rear windshield can flip up, turning into a projector screen for playing movies or video games from behind the car. The rear windshield also has a customizable display, giving those in the car the ability to flash custom messages to tailgaters and others.

"So you could say, 'Excuse me, you're following me too close,'" Sandquist said. Or, perhaps, something a little more profane.

The touch-screen dashboard displays run the Windows 8 beta, called the consumer preview. The driver can swipe the screen to toggle between different dashboard skins that includes one that resembles the dash of a 1967 Mustang, as well as one that features the 2012 Mustang look and one that borrows the tile-based look of the new Windows 8 interface, dubbed Metro.

West Coast Customs also put the Kinect motion-sensing controllers in the front and rear of the car. Drivers can use the cameras to check out a live video and audio feed of the car's surroundings using their Windows Phone. And if someone gets too close, the driver can tap into the external audio system with a smartphone to tell an onlooker to buzz off.

Using Viper SmartStart app for Windows Phone, drivers can locate the car, as well as unlock it and start it remotely.

Sandquist declined to disclose how much the car cost to create, except to say the tab was roughly what it might cost to create a collector car at a custom fabrication shop.

"This was not some ridiculous mission to Mars project," Sandquist said.

He said all of the technology used is off the shelf. Microsoft didn't create any specific hardware to make the technology work.

"This is achievable," Sandquist said. "This is not science fiction."

After the show airs Sunday, Microsoft will post the group's programming code. And it will go into more detail about how developers can create their own car applications on its Channel 9 developer Web site. As for the car, Microsoft will take it on the road to some of its trade shows. The first one: TechEd North America in Orlando this June.

via: yahoo

Scanner finds best jeans for your rear

Scanner finds best jeans for your rear

Scanner finds best jeans for your rear, Let Kinect find the best denim for your derriere, The Bodymetrics Pod uses Microsoft's Kinect motion sensor to map your curves. Bloomingdale's, Kinect for Windows, and Bodymetrics team up for body scans that will connect you with the best jeans for your individual shape.

In your search for a great pair of jeans, you may end up becoming a pod person.

The Bodymetrics Pod, which launched in the United States during the Denim Days celebration at a Bloomingdale's in Los Angeles, uses Kinect for Windows to digitally ogle your curves and body-map your butt. This is all in the name of hooking you up with a pair of jeans that will flatter you rather than make it look like you crashed into a denim factory at 55 mph.

The Pod is designed for privacy, so all the mall walkers don't have to stare at you in your skivvies while you're getting scanned.

There is still a human component to all of this. After you get scanned, Bodymetrics Stylists help you pick out your ideal jeans. Hopefully, they will have the good sense to steer you away from that hot-pink acid wash pair. Fitting well doesn't necessarily translate to looking good.

via: yahoo

Microsoft Word shortcuts you don't know

Microsoft Word shortcuts you don't know

Microsoft Word shortcuts you don't know, 8 Microsoft Word Shortcuts You Probably Don’t Know, There's an easy way to cut and paste text without keeping the annoying formatting. Microsoft Word: Love it or hate it, practically everyone uses it. I've been using it so long, I thought I knew everything about it. But I stumbled across some super helpful shortcuts — hidden tricks and timesavers that make Microsoft Word easier and faster. Becky Worley shows time-saving shortcuts to make word processing faster and easier.

One caveat for these tips: different versions of Word may have different commands, so some of these may not work in your version. That said, here are my top eight shortcuts:

1. Double Click And Drag

If you're like most people, when you want to move a section of text from one place to another, you use Control-C to cut and Control-V to paste. That's fine. It works. But there's a faster way: Double click or highlight what you want to move, then simply drag what you've highlighted to where you want it to land.

2. Double Underline

You know you can affect text by hitting Control-B to make it bold or Control-U to underline. But if one line of underlining just isn't emphatic enough, Control-Shift-D will double underline. (On a Mac, use Command-Shift-D.)

If that doesn't make your point, you may have to go to ALL CAPS, and I've got a shortcut for that too…

3. Change Case

Instead of retyping everything to change from lower case to Title Case or to UPPERCASE, just highlight the text you want to change, click the case button, and then choose which case you want.

4. Adding Buttons to Your Toolbar

Suppose you just tried using shortcut #3, but the case button isn't on your toolbar, no worries; you can add it (and almost any other command). Go to View, Toolbars, Customize Toolbars, Commands, then scroll to find the command you want — and drag it to where on the toolbar you want it.

5. Add the Date

How many times a day do you type the date? If you do it even once, that's too much. Next time, just hit Alt-Shift-D (or Control-Shift -D on a Mac) to add the date automatically.

6. Quick Parts

This next tip builds on what the Autotext function did in older versions of Word: If you have a certain paragraph of text you regularly need to add to a document — like a boilerplate disclaimer, or maybe directions to your office — turn it into a Quick Part. Here's how:

Highlight the text you regularly use

Click the insert tab

Hit Quick Parts, and choose "Save Selection To The Quick Part Gallery"

Now any time you want to insert that chunk of text into a document, either a new one or and old one you're editing, just hit that Quick Parts button. Just one more click will select which saved Quick Part to insert. This trick will even work as a shortcut for adding a logo or letterhead.

7. Conform Fonts

This one used to drive me crazy: I'd copy and paste some bit of text from another document or from the Web, and then I'd have to click all over the place to get the font size and style to match the surrounding text of my existing document. No longer. Here's all you need to do: Highlight the non-conforming text, then hit Control-Spacebar. Done.

8. Customize Quick Access Toolbar

There is one way to get your most commonly used commands in the same place- that's to customize the Quick Access Toolbar. It's like the center drawer in your desk that has all the stuff you use most in one easy-to-access place. No organization, just (as the name implies) quick access. So take the things you like most and add them to the Quick Access toolbar. Click the little down arrow tab to get to the Customize Quick Access Toolbar drop down menu:

Hit "more commands" and add whatever you use most. You can also position this toolbar below the ribbon if you prefer it to be closer to your document text.

via: yahoo

New Lamborghini Aventador 'J' unveiled

New Lamborghini Aventador 'J' unveiled

New Lamborghini Aventador 'J' unveiled, Jaw-dropping Lamborghini Aventador 'J' unveiled, Year after year, the Geneva International Salon d'Auto is the site of some of the most buzzworthy automotive unveils of the car-show circuit, and this year is no exception with the wraps coming off the jaw-droppingly gorgeous Lamborghini Aventador J edition roadster. The open-air two-seater "J" forgoes a roof entirely, but it packs the same 6.5-liter V12 engine putting out 691 horsepower and 509 pound-feet of twist as its hard-topped sibling, Autoweek says. Pricing hasn't been announced and may never be made public.

The cars that will wow you this year

The cars that will wow you this year

The cars that will wow you this year, Geneva Motor Show: Pulling back the curtain on the cars that will wow the crowds, As preparations get underway for the 2012 Geneva Motor Show we take a look at some of the best cars. As preparations get underway for the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, we take a look at some of the cars and concepts that will draw the crowds.

From the superfast Ferrari to the quirky Rinspeed there are sure to be vehicles that cater for all tastes.

Ferrari has already released details of its V12 supercar which will be officially unveiled in the Swiss city where the public can give it a close inspection. Its top speed is said to exceed 211mph and it can reach 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds.

Also putting in a first appearance at Geneva will be Land Rover's Evoque. The concept convertible has a fully retractable roof and seating for four.

And then, for the driver who wants something a little different there is the Rinspeed Dock+Go with its removable 'backpack on wheels'. Need more space, add it on. Need to lighten your load, take it off.

At heart it is a simple idea, attaching a third axle with two wheels on to the back of smaller vehicles, like the SmartCar, to increase luggage capacity. The additional axle is designed to mimic the rear end of the vehicle.

The technology is aimed towards compact electric cars that give very little boot space, though Rinspeed has come up with some innovative solutions. Among a number of designs are a dock that includes a heated box for pizza delivery boys and another for workmen that has an integrated toolbox.

via: yahoo

Japanese Develop Gun Device Shut Up

Japanese Develop Gun Device Shut Up

Japanese Develop Gun Device Shut Up, Japanese invent awesome device to shut people up, A pair of researchers in Japan have developed "SpeechJammer," a prototype "gun" designed to compel people to stop talking, without physically harming them. The "gun" is actually a directional speaker, combined with an input microphone, a motherboard, and software, all combined inside a small box that can be either fixed or used as a portable device. It uses what's known as delayed auditory feedback (DAF), essentially turning people's own voices against them in disconcerting fashion, to compel loudmouths to clam up.

The device was developed by Kazutaka Kurihara of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan, and Koji Tsukada of Ochanomizu University in Japan.

The problem that the researchers were trying to solve was a cultural one: in some cases, one person can simply overwhelm another, dominating a conversation through sheer volume and persisting when it is their turn to let others speak. The researchers did not note the tried-and-true method used at the Academy Awards, where music that gradually increases in volume is deployed to "play off" those with lengthy speeches. But they observed that in most social settings (train cars and libraries being among the exceptions), it is simply impolite to tell others to be quiet, even though their turn to speak has ended.

The SpeechJammer is predicated upon the principle that the humans are disconcerted by DAF, which "jams" speech when our own voices are played back to us, and slightly delayed. The effect is well-documented, the researchers said, and is related to stuttering.

"We utilized DAF to develop a device that can jam remote physically unimpaired people's speech whether they want it or not," Kurihara and Tsukada wrote.

The researchers tried out two prototypes, one fixed and another portable, each using some combination of a directed speaker that could be operated at a distance. Sounds entered the system via a direction-sensitive microphone, were delayed via the software, and the delayed speech was "shot" back at the speaker.

Did it work? The study found that the effect varied, depending on the volume of the speaker's voice and the gain of the input and output of the microphone/speaker assembly. The researchers tested two scenarios: a "spontaneous monologue," as well as a case where the reader read news aloud. In the latter case, SpeechJammer was more effective, although the researchers did not speculate as to why. The paper also found that SpeechJammer was ineffective at discouraging prolonged sounds, such as "Aaaaaahhhhhhh."

via: pcmag

Apple now worth more than Poland

Apple now worth more than Poland

Apple now worth more than Poland, Apple Is Now Worth A Staggering $500 Billion — Can It Hit $1 Trillion?, The iPhone maker's market cap is now more than the GDP of several countries. Apple (AAPL) crossed an amazing milestone in after-market trading yesterday, when its market capitalization exceeded $500 billion for the first time. To put this in perspective, the tech juggernaut is now more valuable than the gross domestic product of Poland, Belgium, Sweden and even Saudi Arabia.

Apple is one of the only one of four companies in history to break this mark, and unlike others that have briefly traded in this neighborhood--Microsoft (MSFT) and Cisco (CSCO) --Apple has the potential to not only sustain this value but blow past it.

Why?

First because Apple's stock still is not expensive on traditional valuation measures.

The stock trades at a 15X trailing price-earnings ratio, which is about the average PE ratio for the market as a whole for the past century. Needless to say, Apple is growing its earnings vastly faster than the market as a whole.

Second, Apple's penetration of its key product categories is still relatively low. Macs, for example, still make up only about 10% of PC sales worldwide. iPhones, meanwhile, are only about 20% of the exploding global smartphone market, which itself is growing extremely rapidly. And Apple dominates the tablet market, which is still in its infancy.

Thus, all three of Apple's core businesses appear to have plenty of room to grow. And the company is widely expected to launch a major new business later this year, TVs, which could open up another huge growth opportunity.

Lastly, for those focused on near-term catalysts, Apple should have plenty of good news to announce over the next six months. The iPad 3 is expected next week (click here for all the expected features), the iPhone 5 should appear this summer, and Apple's TV is expected in the fall.

Obviously, as with any fast-growing technology company, there is plenty of downside risk for Apple, especially given the loss of Steve Jobs. All the products Apple will release this year were likely incubated under Jobs, and it won't be until next year and the following year that we'll know how well Apple can innovate under its new CEO, Tim Cook.

But Cook is off to a great start so far. And Apple's three businesses are humming, with another potentially big one thought to be on the way. And Apple's stock just isn't expensive relative to historical earnings, let alone expected future earnings.

So it is not, actually, far-fetched to think that Apple's value could eventually hit $1 trillion or more.

via: yahoo

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 arrives March 1 on Verizon

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 arrives March 1 on Verizon

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 arrives March 1 on Verizon, The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 will be available to customers this Thursday on the Verizon Network for about $500. Back in January during CES (yeah, with all this Mobile World Congress stuff, it can be hard to remember), Samsung announced its tablet, the Galaxy Tab 7.7. We liked the initial look and feel of the device, and if you're interested in purchasing one, it will be available this Thursday, March 1, on Verizon's 4G LTE network.

As CNET's Stephen Shankland reported, the Galaxy Tab's 7.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display uses "active matrix organic light-emitting diode technology." Combine that with a 1,280x800-pixel resolution, and it's easy to expect that graphics and videos will be bright, clear, and vibrant.

The Tab 7.7 will run Android 3.2 Honeycomb, and will support your standard Google apps like Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Search, Books, and Maps--along with access to the Android Market.

It will have a 1.4GHz dual-core processor inside, a 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera (with flash) that can record in 720p, and a 2-megapixel camera in the front for video chatting.

The device is going for $499.99 with a two-year contract and will be available for online purchase. Owners will be required to subscribe to a LTE mobile broadband data plan that starts out at $30 a month for 2GB of data.

via: cnet