Styles &amp; News

Windows 8 will be with us in 2012, according to Microsoft roadmaps apparently revealed at last week's Professional Developers' Conference (PDC).
Although microsoft has yet to officially discuss plans for Windows 8,a 2012 release would be consistent with previous Microsoft pledges to release a new desktop operating system every three years. Windows 7 was released a month ago.
The latest speculation suggesting a 2012 release has been credited to Microsoft Kitchen, a blog with the tagline "Serving up some seriously tasty Microsoft."
Despite showing roadmaps apparently picked up at PDC, the blog has little else to reveal about Windows 8.
However, a Microsoft employee may have inadvertently spilled the beans on one key Windows 8 feature last month.
Microsoft employee Robert Morgan appeared to detail the software giant's plans to make a 128-bit version of Windows 8, and even Windows 9, on LinkedIn, where he listed his job as 'senior research and development'. His profile, which has now been removed from the business networking site, said Morgan was "working in high security department for research and development involving strategic planning for medium and longterm projects".
It went on to reveal that his R&D projects included: "128-bit architecture compatibility with the Windows 8 kernel and Windows 9 project plan". He's also responsible for "forming relationships with major partners: Intel, AMD, HP and IBM".
Microsoft is also looking for employees to help shape Windows 8, according to reports online. Neowin.net spotted the vacancy for a Windows 7 software engineer on Microsoft's site.
"We just finished up work on Windows 7, and are pushing forth on Windows 8 planning and preparation," said the blurb in the job ad, which was replicated on the CodenameWindows website.
"As part of this team, you will help shape Windows 8. Components of our code include a core agent that runs as an NT service, an API layer and a UI application," added the advert.

Source : http://www.pcworld.com

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Barco helps University of Potsdam to safeguard the planet

6:28 PM

pocketstyle

Kortrijk, Belgium - The University of Potsdam, Germany, has installed a Barco I-Space to bring its research data to life as the university's Research Focus Area of Earth Sciences tries to find out how system "Earth" works and how everything around and on the Earth, including man, affects the planet.

The brand-new 3D lab, equipped with a three-sided Barco I-Space, helps them gain new insights. The University of Potsdam officially opened its 3D lab on 15 June. With natural hazards and climate change becoming ever-important topics worldwide, the University increasingly focuses on studying the facts, causes, and implications of these phenomena. Next to the researchers, companies from a wide range of industries--automotive, IT, biology, etc.--come to the lab to bring their research data to life.

When the need came for a high-quality visualization solution, the university researched various options but decided on Barco after a visit to the demo room in the company's headquarters in Belgium. "The image quality we saw on the wall at Barco in Kuurne was simply stunning. There was no way the other solutions could compare," states Dr. Bergner, International Project Coordination, University of Potsdam, Research Focus Area Earth Sciences.

For this project, Barco installed an I-Space multi-sided, cubic immersive environment that surrounds the user with virtual imagery. The University opted for a three-sided I-Space with two walls and a front-projected floor. The installation is powered by three Barco Galaxy NW-12 full-HD projectors and designed with three semi-rigid 4.00 meter screens and Barco's XDS Control Center software for the display management.

"The I-Space is immensely changing the awareness within our community. When we have complex, detailed data to discuss and analyze during meetings, we decide to 'go see it for real' in the I-Space. It gives the feeling of being fully 'immersed' in the data or pictures. The high resolution allows us to detect the tiniest details. In this way, we can speed up analysis, decision-making and collaboration," continues Dr. Bergner.

The University of Potsdam is very proud of the cutting-edge solution, which boosts its image of a leading center for science and research. "The I-Space truly helps us better understand how the earth functions and evolves and, as a consequence, how we can safeguard it," Dr. Bergner concludes.
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Source : http://www.cgw.com/

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Robot Love in China

12:43 PM

pocketstyle

A company in China launched a new sex robot. The surplus, a beautiful robot is claimed to be able to communicate and identify its owner.
Sex Love is who created the robot. With the ideal posture as high as 165.1 inches, the manufacturers apply a soft synthetic leather and muscles of the silicone gel is a metal frame strung with modern tech.
Love Sex manager, Li Jian, said the robot costing £ 3,000 or about Rp41, 9 million were targeted high-paid executive men are too busy to have a real partner.
When deciding to buy, customers can select a face and figure robot cult. Robot selection will then be programmed to recognize its owner's face. Programmed at the same time determines the choice of language to converse with the owners.
Li Jian said the robot was equipped with a remote control for controlling the movement of long distance. By pressing one button on the remote, the robot can change its position, even thrilling one part of his body.

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Menamcing curious claims its sophistication, this sex doll managed to create a crowd when attending an exhibition in Sex Culture Exhibition in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.
Sex robot offers an alternative for fans of puppet sex. The manufacturers claim, robot sex is more impressed than the realistic sex doll that has been widely circulated.
Robot sex free first went on sale in America in early 2010 ago. TrueCompanion, the manufacturer of the product menklaim which they named 'Roxxxy' as the world's first robot sex. Doll robot is designed specifically as a date.
The robot is equipped with artificial intelligence program to study things like preferred and non-users."He will be able to talk, listen, follow conversations, and feel the touch at once become your real friends," according to TrueCompanion statement on their website. "He can have an orgasm when you touch it."

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Source : vivanews.com

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Microsoft May Build Its Own Windows 8 Tablet?

7:11 PM

pocketstyle

Rumours have recently hit the web that Microsoft could be gearing up to enter the tablet market, but this time with an actual tablet, not just an OS. According to a report by Digitimes, Microsoft is considering launching its own brand of tablet PC. The tablet will obviously feature Windows 8 and should launch by the end of 2012.
Microsoft are said to be working with Texas Instruments and Taiwan based manufacturers according to rumours coming from the supply chain. Of course Microsoft haven’t confirmed this rumour.
I’m not completely certain about this prospect however. I know it does work very well for Apple, if you want their OS, you have to have their hardware and vice versa. It works for them, but what makes Microsoft different is the fact that they do offer you choice. You can choose from a plethora of different laptops,netbooks and PC’s when you want to have Windows 7. Microsoft are following the same tactic with Windows Phone 7 as well.

If you look at Microsoft’s past history with selling their own hardware though, it hasn’t been too successful. They’ve barely made a dent on the iPod with their Zune player. And remember Kin, yeah that lasted long didn’t it?
However on the flip side of things, they have been successful selling their own line of mice and keyboard and the Xbox game console has worked out in their favour too. I’m just wondering if a tablet might be a step too far?
This would also mean that Microsoft are going to be competing directly with all other tablet makers who are currently or will be carrying their OS and Windows 8.
I know there’s an old adage, “if you want something done right, do it yourself” and maybe this is what Microsoft are aiming at? They aren’t happy with the quality of tablets being produced by other manufactures so they’re going to do it themselves.
What do you think of this idea? Does it make sense for Microsoft? How do you think other manufactures will react to it?

Source : http://windows8news.com/

Monday, June 6, 2011

128-Bit Support in Windows 8, 9?

9:01 PM

pocketstyle

Microsoft has been thinking about Windows 8 for a while now even through the production of Windows 7. Some information has been gathered by our friends over at Ars, and all of this said information points to possible 128-bit versions of Windows 8 and definite 128-bit versions of Windows 9. Update: Other technophiles better-versed than I in this whole 64/128-bit business pointed out that it must be for the filesystem (such as ZFS described in this article) rather than the processor and memory scheme.

It was obvious that 128-bit operating systems would be rolling out sooner or later, but the only question was who and when. First, of course, we'll need to have 128-bit processors available to the general public, not to mention other compatible hardware and drivers, but there is plenty of time for Intel and AMD (let's not forget ARM who are making strides in their market) to duke that out on the processor field.

The information found that suggested 128-bit support by Windows 8 and/or 9 was in a LinkedIn profile of a certain Robert Morgan, who happens to be from Senior Research and Development at Microsoft. The information was afterwards taken down, but luckily it's been preserved on news sites such as OSNews:
Working in high security department for research and development involving strategic planning for medium and longterm projects. Research & Development projects including 128bit architecture compatibility with the Windows 8 kernel and Windows 9 project plan. Forming relationships with major partners: Intel, AMD, HP, and IBM.

Robert Morgan is working to get IA-128 working backwards with full binary compatibility on the existing IA-64 instructions in the hardware simulation to work for Windows 8 and definitely Windows 9.

Windows 8 News, which first discovered Morgan's profile, now claims to have secured an interview with him and is having its readers submit the questions. You, too, can participate, so meander on over before October 11th to do so. There is only one question thus far as of this article's publication, so go show your OSNews spirit with intelligent queries worthy of science academies worldwide.

Overall, this doesn't mean we can expect to see Windows 8 to appear with 128-bit support, but it's for sure in the process. This also brings up the theory that maybe Windows 7 could be the last OS in Microsoft's arsenal to have a 32-bit version. As Windows 7's outlook is much better than Vista's was and still is, it's not hard to come to the conclusion that the release cycle between 7 and 8 will probably be longer than just three years, so this has plenty of time to brew. Also, who's to say that Apple doesn't have anything 128-ish being put together behind their iron curtain of mystery?

Time will tell. Read More ...

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

2012 Release For Windows 8, Ballmer Reiterates

9:23 AM

pocketstyle

2 comments

At a Microsoft Developer Forum in Japan today, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer confirmed what we’ve all been assuming: the company plans to release Windows 8 in 2012, just about three years after the release of Windows 7.
Unfortunately, that’s as specific as the famously enthusiastic CEO cared to be, and no new features or details about the release were discussed, though we can glean some tidbits from his remarks.
First, as evidenced by the upcoming ARM port of Windows, one of Windows 8′s focuses is adaptability and modularity – more than any previous version of the OS, Windows 8 will be written to power everything from tablets to netbooks to high-end workstations, or as Ballmer put it, ”Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs, a variety of different form factors.”
Ballmer went on to talk about the need for more intuitive computing, in the form of hardware and software that can more accurately respond to natural input instead of arcane search terms: “Today on a PC, it’s file open, blah, blah, blah, respond, reply, forward. I can’t just say to my device, get me ready for my trip to Tokyo,” Ballmer said. ” We ought to make it so that the search engines, and the user interface of the device can take actions on our behalf.”
This is a theme that Microsoft has focused on before, especially in some of its ads for the Bing search engine. In Windows 8, it’s possible that these innovations will come in the form of more reliable and pervasive voice recognition, or perhaps through tighter integration with Bing itself (though this sort of cross-pollination could draw the ire of antitrust regulators).
So, there we have it: More proof that Windows 8 is on its way, right from the horse’s mouth. If the Windows 8 development cycle continues to mirror that of Windows 7, we should get an increasing amount of official information this summer (perhaps beginning at the All Things D conference) leading up to a public beta later in the year or in early 2012.
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Source Article : http://windows8news.com/

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Friday, May 6, 2011

Sith Series laser is double-handed, 'insanely dangerous' and not like Darth Maul's at all

9:23 PM

pocketstyle

LAST year, he was one of the few entrepreneurs who tangled with George Lucas and came out on top.
That was because Steve Liu's Wicked Lasers weren't actually "lightsabers". That was just a name given to them by the media.
Now on this May the Fourth — a date cherished by Star Wars geeks the world over — Mr Liu has upped the ante, releasing a double-handed laser for the menacing Sith social climber in us all.
He's even called it the "Sith Series".
"We consulted a number of attorneys — as we wanted to avoid what happened last year," Mr Liu told news.com.au.
"We came to the conclusion that Lucasfilm's trademark 'Sith' does not cover our category of laser products.

"We are planning to file a trademark shortly for this term for our own use."
Wicked Lasers' Arctic Pro Spyder III laser raised the ire of George Lucas last year — but it attracted attention even before that due to the strength of the beam, which is 1000 times the legal Australian limit.
That means it's 1000 times stronger than sunlight on the skin and can blind in a millisecond if shone into the eyes. You are only allowed to own one if you're a member of an astronomy club or society.
The "Sith Series" wields the same power, except at both ends — similar to the lightsaber used by a certain apprentice now spinning through space in two pieces after falling into a reactor chasm.
So why make a double-handed laser?
"Everyone we showed it to said it was insanely cool," Mr Liu said.
"At Wicked Lasers, we strive to be first in all things lasers (and) there wasn't a double-handed laser on the market yet.
"For us, that's usually enough to go ahead and take the time and effort to make it."
Mr Liu admits the double beams of the Sith Series "almost crosses the line" when it comes to looking out for the wellbeing of his customers, but says anyone who wants to buy one has to pass certain tests and watch a safety video before getting the goods.
"We are not limiting its power and I have to restate that these are insanely dangerous," he said.
Last year there was all sorts of hysteria after kids started posting videos on YouTube showing the Spyder III lighting cigarettes and popping street lights.

Currently, the Sith Series' only option is dual Arctic Pro Spyder III lasers as its "blades", but Mr Liu said additional colour and power combos would be available in the future.

He said while Wicked's lasers had found a serious market in "numerous scientific, industrial, and military applications", most of their customers were "early adopters who have a natural affinity to the latest cutting-edge technology, whatever it is".
"I think that watching sci-fi movies and playing video games when we were younger has a lot to do with it," he told news.com.au.
And far from holding any grudges against Lucas for last year's stoush, Mr Liu said the company had learned several valuable lessons from the experience.
"Lucas is one of the most influential visionaries of the century and everyone at WL has been big fans," he said.
"His work reminds us that anything we imagine or dream can be made into reality... as long as we choose the right path."

RIM embraces BlackBerry rivals to remain relevant

8:51 PM

pocketstyle

By alastair sharp

ORLANDO, Florida | Thu May 5, 2011 2:12pm EDT

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Research In Motion's decision to open its highly secure Enterprise servers to Apple and Android smartphones is a once-unthinkable concession that could save the BlackBerry maker's skin.
RIM, once the dominant force in out-of-office communications for business professionals, had little choice but to offer to manage communications sent over rival devices. The key question is how much it can charge for the privilege.
"On the one hand, this sounds like very bad news as RIM acknowledges implicitly that their Enterprise business is under attack," said Sanford Bernstein analyst Pierre Ferragu.
"On the other hand, it might be the wiser thing to do in order to defend the service revenues of RIM that are about half their profits."
The change comes as companies increasingly allow their employees to access corporate data from Apple's iPhone and iPad, as well as devices using Google's Android software, even though the rivals don't boast the same security features as RIM's trademark BlackBerry.
It means workers accustomed to the features of competing phones no longer have to use their company-issued BlackBerry, viewed by many as clunky and outdated.
To bridge the divide, smaller companies are now offering their own software and management services as an alternative or addition to a BlackBerry service. The upstarts can ease IT department concerns about leakage of confidential information.
PLAY THE GAME
RIM's decision, announced this week during the BlackBerry World 2011 conference in Orlando, Florida, aims to stop its big business customers from looking elsewhere to manage the growing mobile arsenal.
The trade-off would likely protect RIM's sky-high margins for managing mobile devices, which previously came only from BlackBerrys that access corporate email, databases and other internal applications.
Even so, Ferragu questioned how much RIM could charge businesses to manage an iPhone, for example, which would offer limited integration with RIM's infrastructure.
The nascent device management sector was worth some $150 million last year and could grow up to 20 percent over the next three years, tech industry research company Gartner said in a report.
RIM's move to play the game rather than stand aloof will raise the pressure on security software companies such as privately held Good Technology and Symantec, which help to beef up security credentials for non-BlackBerry devices.
RIM has said the service, to be available later this year, would not offer its push capabilities or data-squeezing technology, nor its just-released Balance software that separates business and personal applications on a BlackBerry.
The smaller middlemen say RIM's move will push them to be more nimble and focus on what sets them apart as the industry grows.
"We like to think of ourselves as Switzerland and being able to play fair between all the different operating systems out there" said Robert Tinker, chief executive of Mobile Iron, a mobile device management company.
Mobile Iron, with 130 employees, added 160 enterprise customers last quarter and expects that to grow sharply.
"Mobile allows people to do work at home but also allows people to do home at work. Your personal and your work life intersect somewhere in the middle of your mobile device."
Rival Boxtone said it manages 70,000 devices at its largest customer, a financial services firm. It expects to increase that to 300,000, a business-enabled smartphone for every employee, within two years.
RIM's U.S.-listed shares rose 1.03 percent on Thursday to $47.86, well off their 52-week high of $70.54.
(Editing by Janet Guttsman and Frank McGurty)