The New Yorker magazine: Coming to a portable hard drive near you

A while back, The New Yorker magazine made headlines by releasing "The Complete New Yorker"--the entire archives of the magazine from its 1925 debut to the present--on a set of DVDs. Now the Condé Nast publication has gone a step further by introducing a collection of all 4,000+ back issues stored on a 3-by-5-inch 80GB portable hard drive.

The sleek little aluminum device, which can connect to a Windows or Mac OSX computer via a USB port, retails for $299. Buying the DVD edition of "The Complete New Yorker," however, is only $59. So, unless you need your vintage New Yorker fix on airplanes or at your local Starbucks, the bulkier DVD set might be a better deal.

New Iomega drive bets on eSATA tech

Iomega on Wednesday placed a second bet on a new technology called eSATA for connecting external hard drives to computers.

The storage system maker announced a $240 320GB external hard drive, joining a 250GB drive the company introduced in June. Both drives also can link with USB 2.0, which transfers data three times more slowly.

SATA (Serial AT Attachment) technology connects hard drives inside computers; eSATA (external SATA) uses a connector on the outside of the computer chassis so drives can be connected externally. Iomega and rivals such as Seagate started selling eSATA drives this year.

But while USB is universal and IEEE 1394 "Firewire" connectors are common, PCs today don't come with built-in eSATA ports. Iomega supplies a separate PCI add-in card that computer users must install before using the drive, though the drive also has a USB connector.

The add-in card has several eSATA ports, letting customers plug in several drives. The drive comes with an eSATA cable, a USB cable and EMC's Retrospect Express backup software.

The new Nokia 770 internet on the go!!!!

The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet fits your lifestyle, whatever you're doing - wherever you're at! Chat with your friends using either instant messaging or internet calling. Or browse your favorite sites, catch up on your email, and much more - from right where you are.

Whether you're relaxing on the sofa or enjoying the moment at your favorite café, if you have broadband access over WI-FI connection the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet gives you instant wireless access to the Web. You can also stream files, tune in to Internet radio, News Reader, or play your favorite videos and music.

The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet is easy to use, and easy on your eyes too, with a truly portable design, fashionably discreet brushed metal cover, and an ultra sharp widescreen display that's specifically designed for viewing online content.

Sounds like the perfect device for where you're at? You can purchase the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet online at nokia.com from Nokia, in certain countries, and it is also available at selected retail and co-operative channels, including selected online IT stores.

Geologists Force Astronomers To Rethink Pluto Plan

Scientists who peer under rocks and gaze into space were clashing Friday over the astronomical question of the year: Is Pluto really a planet? The unusual dispute between geologists and astronomers has forced a scientific panel to consider scrapping its plan to call Pluto and similar bodies "plutons," said panel member and University of London astronomer Iwan Williams.

Earth-science experts emailed a mountain of objections after the pluton plan was released this week at a Prague conference of 2,500 space scientists with the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Williams and other members of the IAU panel were scheduled to offer the plan, as part of a new definition of solar system bodies, for a membership vote next week.

The vote will determine the future status of Pluto, a distant world that's been called the ninth planet since its discovery in 1930.

Judging by the news clippings stacked at the conference's press office, the world is watching. And geologists are crying foul.

"The most vociferous reaction (to the proposal) has been against the word 'pluton,'" Williams told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. "Geologists say it's already used.

"In light of the comments received, we might or might not modify (the proposal) a little bit," Williams said. "We're going to try to call them (the proposed plutons) something else."

Among geologists a "pluton" is a traditional term for "any body of igneous rock that solidified below the Earth's surface," according to a University of California web dictionary.

But the IAU panel said this week that, after two years of study, it had coined the word "pluton" to describe a distinctive category of planets. These would include Pluto and at least two other heavenly bodies that orbit the sun beyond Neptune.

Pluto, its companion Charon and a body unofficially called Xena - but scientifically known as 2003 UB313 - would be called "planets" as well as "plutons" as the proposal currently stands. More "plutons" could be found in the future.

In addition, Pluto and Charon would be called a "double planet." No longer would Charon be called Pluto's "moon."

Only Earth and seven other bodies from Mercury to Neptune would qualify as "classical" planets.

"Plutons are distinguished from classical planets in that they reside in orbits around the sun that take longer than 200 years to complete" and have other characteristics that "suggest a different origin than classical planets," according to an IAU circular on the controversial plan.

The proposal would increase the number of all planets -- bodies that Williams said have not so far been found outside our solar system -- to 12 including the three plutons.

"It's important that our definition is something we can translate to different solar systems in due time" after future astronomical discoveries, Williams said.

He expects bodies orbiting other stars to be found "in the not- too-distant future." And each will have to be categorized.

Williams said a majority of IAU astronomers back the panel's new definition of planets while a minority think neither Pluto nor similar bodies deserve the title for "various reasons."

"Strong views" on the Pluto question have surfaced at least partly because "there is some sort of affection for Pluto," he explained.

But Williams thinks the panel's resolution will be approved after the plan is modified -- perhaps in a way that satisfies geologists. IAU members are scheduled to debate the issue Tuesday.

When the dust settles, Williams predicts, Pluto will still be called a planet.

An early look at Vista finds desktop search, more parental control options

You've checked the ads, and new computers look awfully cheap. Yet, something is stopping you from buying. If that something is Vista, the next major overhaul of Microsoft Windows, there's no reason to wait, especially if you need a new PC today, perhaps to send off to college with Junior. The oft-delayed Vista is not expected until January.

Even Microsoft is telling consumers not to hold off, probably the only stance the software giant can assume without ticking off retailers, who will have a hard enough time selling PCs this holiday season. I've been trying out a "beta" version of Vista on a Hewlett-Packard laptop.

It's buggy and too soon for a real review. But I can offer an early window into the new Windows and tell you how to buy a PC that you can easily upgrade to Vista. Security and Vista: Microsoft claims Vista will be the most secure version of Windows yet. Of course, given the volley of viruses and spyware plaguing Windows XP through the years, that's a bit like saying the new operating system will prove safer than the Titanic.

While much of the security enhancements are under the hood, you will notice a few things outright. When you try loading software, you're greeted with warnings such as "An unidentified program wants access to your computer. ... Don't run the program unless you have used it before or know where it comes from.Through parental controls, Mom and Dad can set time limits for when the kids can use the PC, block programs (or websites), and restrict games by rating, content or title.

Parents can receive a summary of the kids' computer activities, showing the top websites they visited, sites that were blocked, instant messaging, webcam usage and so on. Vista includes version 7 of the Internet Explorer Web browser (available Wednesday as a beta download). IE 7 includes anti-phishing measures to help stymie the Internet fraud in which bad guys spoof financial websites. Before you can enter a suspect site, Microsoft posts the flag, "Security certificate problems may indicate an attempt to fool you or intercept any data you send to the server." Finding stuff: One of the most dramatic improvements in Vista is desktop search, a better-late-than-never feature already offered on Apple's Mac OS X operating system. Type letters, words or phrases in the new search box at the bottom of the revamped Start menu, and Vista will rapidly find the appropriate music, pictures, documents or other files on the system. You can search actual file names or words within a document.

A Search Folders tool (also similar to what's offered on a Mac) lets you organize files into folders based on set criteria. These folders are dynamically updated as new documents meet the criteria. For example, you might search for all documents created by Ed that contain the words "Personal Technology." From then on, any new documents that fit the criteria will turn up in the designated folder. Meanwhile, a "live icon" feature shows you thumbnail images of pictures, the first page in a document, album art for music and so on. You'll see thumbnails when you position the mouse pointer over an item in the taskbar. Another Apple-like addition is a series of miniprograms called Gadgets (similar to OS X "widgets") that let you quickly check the temperature, stock quotes and other information. Vista also includes improved photo gallery software, plus the (still buggy in beta) Windows Media Player 11. Are all Vistas created equal? Not quite. Microsoft confusingly has two main user interfaces for Vista, called "basic" and "Aero."

The latter boasts a slick visually enhanced interface with see-through windows. Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced no less than five editions of Vista, depending on whether you're primarily using Vista in the office, at home or some combination. Pricing has not been announced for the editions, which carry the names Business, Enterprise, Home Premium, Home Basic and Ultimate. What kind of PC do I need? It depends on which version of Vista you intend to run. As a bare minimum, Microsoft recommends a machine with at least an 800-megahertz processor and 512 megabytes of system memory, though I'd spring for a more robust system if you can afford it. You'll need more powerful specs to run Aero, through what's being dubbed a "Premium Ready PC."

These have at least a 1-gigahertz processor, 1 gigabyte of RAM, plus dedicated graphics memory. If you want to fully take advantage of Media Center capabilities, buy a PC with a TV tuner card. While Microsoft may make accommodations for Vista for people who buy a computer shortly before launch, buying a PC now means springing for Vista when it does become available. Not only will that cost you money, but you'll have to feel comfortable upgrading the operating system. Microsoft expects the upgrade process to go smoothly, but only time will tell. There may be advantages to waiting on Vista, anyhow. Pitfalls are possible with any first version of software. That's especially true of software as ambitious as Vista.

EMI to provide videos for Microsoft Zune

18 August 2006 - EMI Group has revealed that it has signed a deal with Microsoft to preload music videos onto the unreleased Zune media player.

The music company confirmed that Microsoft would preload tracks from Jared Leto’s rock band 30 Seconds To Mars, as well as electro-pop band Hot Chip.

EMI said that its content would be preloaded in addition to videos and tracks from other record companies like Universal Studios, who is in discussions with Microsoft.

Milton Keynes soon to get WiMax - first in UK?

Milton Keynes is set to be the first UK city to get a high-speed WiMax network according to telecoms firm Pipex.

Ironically, the town that's famed for cheesy 80s adverts about how wonderful new towns in the countryside are, and whose planners scrimped on the communications network, using aluminium instead of copper wiring, could soon be the recipient of one of the most cutting-edge wireless communications networks in Britain.

WiMax is similar but more powerful to wi-fi technology - both operate using radio frequencies but WiMax can operate over miles rather than metres. It's seen as a real alternative to 3G networks.

MK won't get WiMax in one go, but it will be gradually rolled out across the city. Pipex is due to make an official announcement in a month's time.

Longer term plans include a WiMax roll out to 8 UK cities by 2008, led by networks in London and Manchester.

Road Trip: Testing Google's Wi-Fi Network

When Google announced on Tuesday that it had launched a free municipal wireless network in its home town of Mountain View, we here at PC Magazine decided it was time for a road trip. Free muni Wi-Fi sounded too good to be true, so we just had to see it for ourselves. Equipped with a laptop, some speed-testing software, and a map of the service area provided by Google, we hit the road in search of Wi-Fi gratis.

My road trip to Mountain View started where all respectable road trips begin: Taco Bell. My editors made a point of warning me not to sit in my car with a laptop in front of police stations, so I figured geeking it out in a Taco Bell parking lot would be less suspicious.

I was told by Google spokesperson Megan Quinn that I should not need any help logging onto the network. I would be given a welcome screen where I could either sign in with a Google account or take less than a minute creating one. When I searched for the network in the Taco Bell parking lot, however, I came up short. Using an Odyssey program to scan for wireless connections, I found a network called GoogleWiFi but the strength was poor and I kept getting dropped from my connection.

Palm to release the new Treo model next month

A September or October release is seen by analysts as vital for any firm hoping to cash in on the all-important Christmas period as they vie for shelf space with rivals' products.

Any later than that and stores and Web sites are likely to have already made decisions about what to stock their shelves with ahead of the key trading period.

The Californian-based firm said in July the new version will operate on Vodafone's high-speed third generation (3G) network and be powered by Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile operating system, however details about the handset's functionality remain sketchy.

The current 700p version of the latest Treo has a slot for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cards, but with the latest Nokia, Sony Ericsson and O2 offerings all boasting the technology in-built, Palm knows it can not afford to fall further behind as the competition heats up.

Palm is to launch the new handset to Vodafone customers in a number of European countries including the U.K., Germany, Spain, Italy and Netherlands as it attempts to win back the confidence of a market it once dominated with its Palm Pilot device.

The company is hoping the move to the Windows Mobile will help alleviate the concerns of Treo users who have long complained of Palm's own operating system crashing the handsets on a regular basis.

In June, the company stopped shipping its Treo 650 model in Europe because it was not compatible with a newly introduced phone technology standard.

US, Japan to share Blu-ray region code

Blu-ray Disc players and movies expected on sale later this year in Japan and the U.S. will share the same region code, Sony said Thursday.
Current DVD discs and players on sale in the two countries use different region codes so that software bought in one country will not work on players purchased in the other country. The system was designed to allow content producers to better manage release and sale of content around the world.
The theory is that a movie can go to DVD in the U.S. before it hits movie theaters in Japan with little impact on Japanese box-office takings because the U.S. discs won’t play in Japan. In practice, the system has proved easy to hack, and multi-region players that accept software from any region are readily available and popular among consumers.
In all, there are six DVD regions but content producers and hardware makers have been discussing changes for the new Blu-ray Disc system, which is being positioned to replace DVD for high-definition content. Backers of the competing HD DVD format are waiting on a decision by the Blu-ray Disc Association with the idea of using the same region coding system to avoid confusion among consumers.

Google is Tired of Googling

Google to crack down on the misuse of its trademarked name
DailyTech reported last month that Google was concerned over the use of its trademarked name in reference to general internet search. This concern was expressed after the word "google" popped up in the 11th edition of the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Now the company intends to crack down on the misuse of its name.
What has Google upset is people who use phrases like "I'm going to google it" or "I just googled his name on the Internet and found what I was looking for." "We think it's important to make the distinction between using the word 'Google' to describe using Google to search the Internet and using the word 'google' to generally describe searching the Internet. It has some serious trademark issues,” said a representative for Google.
An expert in the field of linguistics is sympathetic to Google's concerns in frustrations over the use of its name. Said Julie Coleman from the University of Leicester, "The prestige associated with a trademark is lost if people use it generically, so I do see Google's point. They also do lots more than just search, so maybe they're reluctant for their brand name to be restricted in this way." She goes on to say that despite Google's protests, they likely won't get very far in stopping the spread of "google" in everyday speech, "Normal people are using it in normal conversation and in writing, and they aren't likely to face legal proceedings."
“Resistance is futile.” There is no way possible that Google can stop the spread of words such as “googling” or “googled” in everyday speech. It’s already deeply rooted into our subconscious just like Kleenex or Band-Aid. Google may be able to get dictionaries to properly note the origins of its trademarked name (as the Oxford English Dictionary already does), but who goes to a dictionary to look up the definition of Google? Mostly likely, they’ll just “google it” instead.

Logitech Unveils Killer iPod Speaker

Logitech has just released details of its forthcoming iPod stereo speaker system, the Logitech AudioStation. Underneath the device's removable speaker grilles are two 1-inch dome tweeters and a pair of 4-inch woofers all in a single box that measures 16 by 7.25 by 4.25 inches and weighs 8 pounds. It also has an integrated AM/FM tuner—the AM capability makes it a rarity among iPod accessories. The company is lining it up to compete with the Bose SoundDock, though it could potentially give the Apple iPod Hi-Fi a run for its money. The AudioStation will be available in a black finish in October for $299.99 (direct), and there will also be a portable version called the AudioStation Express for $129.99.
On paper, the AudioStation looks to be a fairly impressive speaker/dock. It charges your iPod while it plays, and it has touch-sensitive backlit controls on the unit itself. A built-in LCD provides a clock as well as radio station info, and you can use it as an alarm clock thanks to the sleep timer and alarm functions. On the back of the speaker, there's a 3.5-mm auxiliary input for connecting any audio source, a composite video output, and an S-Video output. The included 16-button wireless remote control gives you access to all of the speaker features, as well as a 3D wide stereo button, which engages a digital signal processor that widens the perceived stereo image.
Other relevant specs on the AudioStation include 80W (RMS) total power output, a maximum sound pressure level (SPL) of 110dB, and a frequency response of 36Hz to 23kHz plus/minus 3dB. These are all fairly impressive numbers given the size and price of the speaker system, but don't forget to check back in October for my full review, complete with lab test results.

Web queries offer clues to personal data!! interesting

Don Fullman finished off a cinnamon roll and iced tea at the St. Louis Bread Co. in Winchester on Friday morning and talked about some of the things he's looked up recently on the Internet.

Bile duct cancer, aneurysms, substance abuse.

"If you took that out of context . . . it would look like I'm a wreck and I'm not going to live much longer," said Fullman, a self-described healthy 60-year-old from Ballwin, whose laptop computer sat open on the table. "If that's winding up under my name personally, that's a little scary."

Many people might not realize that every time they enter a word or phrase into an online search engine, they leave behind a trail of clues about themselves. "You are turning over when you do searches . . . . a lot of information," said Ari Schwartz, of the Center for Democracy and Technology, a nonprofit public policy organization. "It seems as though you're just dealing with a computer, but in reality, on the other side, that information will be stored and collected. We forget that sometimes."

The public got a sharp reminder recently when AOL, an Internet service company, released more than 20 million search queries made by 658,000 customers over a three-month period.

AOL posted the data on its research site in late July as part of what a spokesman called "an innocent enough attempt" to provide academic researchers with information to help develop new search-related tools.

To provide anonymity, the data assigned numbers rather than names to users. But many queries provided plenty of hints that made it easy to identify many of those seeking the information. Some were obvious, like names, Social Security numbers and addresses. Others are more of a road map, such as interests, local businesses, medication, doctors.

"It was obviously not appropriately vetted, and if it had been, it would have been stopped in an instant," AOL spokesman Andrew Weinstein said in a prepared statement.

The company, based in Dulles, Va., pulled the data Aug. 6 and apologized.

Microsoft Invites the World to Create Its Own Xbox 360 Console Games

In the 30 years of video game development, the art of making console games has been reserved for those with big projects, big budgets and the backing of big game labels. Now Microsoft is bringing this art to the masses with a revolutionary new set of tools, called XNA Game Studio
Express, based on the XNA platform.
XNA Game Studio Express will democratize game development by delivering the necessary tools to hobbyists, students, indie developers and studios alike to help them bring their creative game ideas to life while nurturing game development talent, collaboration and sharing that will benefit the entire industry.

During his keynote presentation at Gamefest 2006, a Microsoft game developer event hosted by Microsoft in Seattle, Chris Satchell, general manager of the Game Developer Group at Microsoft, announced details of the new technology, which will be broadly available this holiday season. XNA Game Studio Express will be available for free to anyone with a Windows XP-based PC and will provide them with Microsoft's next-generation platform for game development.

By joining a "creators club" for an annual subscription fee of $99 (U.S.), users will be able to build, test and share their games on Xbox 360(TM) and access a wealth of materials to help speed the game development progress. This represents the first significant opportunity for novice developers to make a console game without a significant investment in resources. More...

Microsoft to blasts Zune, Xbox in India

New Delhi, Aug. 13 (PTI): Microsoft is all set to revolutionise digital music and gaming market in India with the launch of its own version of popular music player iPod and its new video gaming console Xbox this festive season.

Global IT giant plans to launch its Zune music player, which is being touted as an iPod-killer, in India as well as worldwide before Christmas this year, sources close to the development said.

Indians would not have to wait for Zune longer than people in other parts of the world this time around, which has been the case with Xbox, the other eagerly awaited product from Microsoft here, company sources said.

The company has already announced its plans to launch its Xbox gaming consile in India during Diwali season.

Earlier last month, Microsoft announced the global launch of its music software and players under the brand name Zune, but it has not announced any official date for the launch.

The sources said Zune could come to India along with its worldwide launch as the retailing patterns and infrastructure in the country has undergone a drastic improvement in the recent past.

Microsoft's video gaming and entertainment system Xbox was launched in the US and European markets in November last year, but would hit Indian markets during Diwali.

Zune is being touted in the industry circles to be aggressively priced, which could be at par with the 299 dollars tag of Apple Computer's iPod, as well as similar or even better song download and storage features.

Apple currently holds nearly 75 per cent of the digital music player market with various versions of its iPod product.

For the launch of Xbox in the country, Microsoft has already drawn up an elaborate marketing strategy and distribution network to facilitate sales in the estimated 50 million dollar market.

India, which has about 1.6 million avid gamers who spend more than 20 hours a week on gaming and an average of Rs 926 on buying legal gaming software, has become a attractive market for gaming companies.

The company would set up 1,200 retail centres across 7 cities, including four metros, in the country for marketing Xbox, Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division India Country Manager Mohit Khanna said during the announcement of the launch of Xbox in India.

"The gaming community in the Indian market is expected to grow rapidly in the coming few years. Xbox will definetely act as a catalyst to fuel this growth and expose Indian gamers to next generation gaming experiences," he said.

"The market, which is coming off a small base, is rapidly increasing as the population is young and tech-savvy," he added.

"We see an opportunity to lead and define the market," said Mitch Koch, corporate vice-president for global retail sales at Microsoft's entertainment and devices division.

Microsoft said it had no plans to set up a gaming development centre in India but would work with third-party game developers.

Warning on Christmas sales

Sony has been hit by competition from rivals

Sony has warned that it does not expect profits at its home electronics business to recover in the normally busy Christmas season.

The high costs of developing flat screen television and falling demand will eat into potential profits.

Low profitability in televisions, DVD recorders and audio equipment will be offset by profits from mobile products.

Operating profit in the electronics business fell 46% to 49.5bn yen ($449m; £250m) in the 2003 holiday period.

Sluggish

"We are not in a position where we will see profits in home electronics rise all that much compared with the previous year," said Sony President Kunitake Ando.

The latest news has prompted a fall in Sony's share price

"It is true that profitability in home electronics is sluggish when compared with mobile products," he added.

The company is facing stiff competition from rivals that have launched new products such as DVD players and televisions.

The electronics division, including home and mobile products, accounts for $45bn (£25bn) or two thirds of Sony's overall sales.

Hopes on flat screen

Mr Ando estimates it will need five million liquid crystal displays (LCDs) a year to meet demand for flat screen televisions, a huge increase in projected demand.

Currently, Sony plans to sell one million flat screen televisions during this business year to March.

Earlier this week, Hollywood's last major independent studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, says it has agreed in principle to be bought by Japan's Sony Corporation.

The deal will give Sony access to MGM's film library, a key source of cash as more movies are released on DVD.

Shares in Sony fell 80 yen or 2.1% to 3,760 yen in Asian trade on this latest news

DVD battle heads for showdown

The next thing on from recordable DVDs, Blu-ray and HD DVD formats are due to come to market this year. But which type will win over consumers?

s consumers, we have merely been spectators to the three-year fight over the next generation of DVDs.

But very soon we will be right in the middle of the fray as high definition discs and decks finally arrive in shops.

In America, the launch of HD DVD hardware, already six months late, is supposed to come at any moment.

The first-adopter price point is lower than expected. There will be two different players on the market, says Mark Knox from HD DVD Promotion Group.

"The first will retail in the US for $499 [around £280], and then another at $799 [around £450] with a few more features and some beefier components."

The Blu-ray Disc Association, which represents the competing and incompatible format, is not worried, according to the group's Andy Parsons.

He says: "I don't think that's going to be such a threat for us. I believe that a new format takes time to launch, and anybody who's in the market a couple of months before anybody else is unlikely to have a big impact just by nature of being on the market a relatively brief period of time before the other format."

Top trumps

Blu-ray is the Sony-supported format, whereas HD DVD is led by Toshiba.

Both sides have been bragging about the respective tech specs. Blu-ray discs have 50GB maximum storage capacity, while HD DVDs boast only 45GB .

HD DVD players are going on sale in the US soon

Sandra Benedetto, from Blu-ray partner Pioneer, says: "Blu-ray disc really does, with its capacity of 25 GB single layer and 50 GB dual layer, allow for the creative directors and the artists really to only be limited by their imagination.

"That can only be good for the consumer because that means a better viewing experience, better video quality, and superior sound."

Sony also has the biggest number of partners, including Hollywood studios; Toshiba has far fewer industry supporters.

But it is claimed HD DVD discs will be easier and therefore cheaper to produce.

Mark Knox says: "When you look at someone who makes the discs, the factories, he's got to spend a couple of hundred grand to upgrade his equipment to make both DVDs and HD DVDs, as opposed to building a whole new facility for millions to make Blu-ray discs."

Content key

Sony's Trojan horse in the battle for supremacy is the PlayStation 3 with built in Blu-ray.

It seems simple - sell millions of people a video game console and create an instant user base for Blu-ray movies.

However, Sony's PlayStation Portable has had limited success with its proprietary film format, UMD.

Nonetheless, most people agree a catalogue of strong content is crucial to the victor of the high definition disc fight. Sony hopes to make 150 movies available this year, and HD DVD plans to offer 200.

Betsy Smith, from Toshiba USA, is optimistic. She says: "This is definitely the time that HD DVD will come into the consumer's home.

"We've been working very closely with the studios, they're completely ready to go to production with all of the software, and the consumers are ready for this extra HD content."

Maybe in a few months we will find out, but with two competing formats it is hard to believe that the average consumer is going to invest in a whole new platform and movie library.

Deadlock?

Neither side shows signs of backing down.

Mark Knox says: "I just don't foresee the point coming where we give up."

And Andy Parsons says: "It hasn't even occurred to us that we might lose."

On paper Blu-ray looks the stronger camp, boasting more partners both in the movie and computer world.

Melissa Perenson, from PC World Magazine, says: "The thing to remember is that none of the agreements are exclusive.

"So if you remember the beta versus VHS war, Sony was beta and then eventually they did do VHS.

"Nothing is written in stone and I think that's the one thing that has to be remembered here."

As yet it very difficult to takes sides as a consumer.

There is still no official launch date or price for the PlayStation 3 and reports circulating on the internet, for what they are worth, suggest the entire rollout of Blu-ray may be on hold for months while copy protection concerns are worked out.

Next generation DVDs tested and verified

Later this year two competing next generation DVD formats will hit shelves across Europe. To find out how they compare, BBC News went along to the offices of the British Video Association to see them in action.

The two DVD formats are battling for supremacy

The battle for the hearts, minds and wallets of next generation, high-definition DVD consumers started in earnest in March of this year when Toshiba launched the first HD-DVD player.

Three months later Samsung returned the initial volley with the release of the first Blu-ray players.

The opening salvos, already likened to the 1980s tussle between VHS and Betamax, meant that consumers were once again thrust into an uncertain world where a DVD player they purchased could be obsolete within a year.

On one side is the Toshiba-led HD-DVD format and on the other the Sony-led Blu-ray.

In the 1980s Sony lost out to rival JVC in the video format wars. But it took nearly 10 years for consumers and industry to decide which player had a place in the world's living rooms.

Digital push

According to the British Video Association (BVA), by the end of this year there will be 14 million HDTVs in Western Europe.

Already, they say, 75% of all televisions sold are HD ready.

The high definition push is already upon us and there is clear demand for the new technology.

Other than a sticker confirming which format they play, there is little difference in looks between the rival format players.

But that is where comparisons end.

First up in the test was Blu-ray. On one screen, the beautiful House of Flying Daggers was shown in standard DVD format, while on another the high-definition version played.

The difference was immediate: the picture was crisper, the colours more vibrant and there was an almost hallucinogenic 3D-like quality to the film on Blu-ray.

In one scene, one of the characters rode a horse through a field of flowers. As he galloped past, plumes of pollen rose into the air as they were kicked up by the horse.

Instant gratification

But some of the strengths of the new format only become apparent when you try to access extra features on the disc.

There is no more stopping the film to access the menu. Pop up displays and navigation can all happen as the film continues to play in the background.

Sony's Blu-ray discs can hold up to 50GB of data

Other features include a picture within a picture, allowing a "making of" or director commentary to be shown within the same screen as the main feature.

The high capacity of both new formats - 50GB for a dual-layer Blu-ray disc and 30GB for a dual-layer HD-DVD - also means that there is a potential for even more content.

At the moment most distributors use the 30GB HD-DVDs and single layer 25GB Blu-ray discs.

But the 5GB edge HD-DVD currently enjoys does not seem to make much difference when viewing.

Digital divide

Unfortunately, it is not possible to watch House of Flying Daggers on HD-DVD because the film is a Sony Pictures release. It is only available on Blu-ray.

And that is part of the problem with the competing formats.

They have already split the Hollywood studios.

Disney and 20th Century Fox have sided with Sony, while Universal supports HD-DVD.

Warner Bros and Viacom have said they will support both.

But until more studios take this middle road or there is agreement on one format, consumers will either have to buy two players or make a choice of which studio's films they are not going to watch.

Net extras

On the HD-DVD player they showed King Kong.

Again the picture was outstanding, allowing you to make out individual hairs on Kong's body.

The sound on HD-DVD was incredible too. The extra capacity of discs of both formats allow 7.1 surround sound.

HD-DVD is backed by official industry body, the DVD forum

Like Blu-ray, HD-DVD allows far more interesting menus and interactive features.

Both players have an internet connection, which adds a further dimension to these extras. For example, instead of having the same trailers at the start of a film, the DVD player could automatically download the latest film teasers.

Directors could also do live streaming commentary over a film, or music videos could have extra hidden content that could be unlocked over the internet.

Digital decision

But with both formats offering similar picture quality, sound and extras, how do you choose which one to buy?

There is a price difference. The Toshiba HD-DVD player currently sells for $500 (£270), while Samsung's Blu-ray machine is priced at $1000 (£540) in the US.

Both formats will be on sale across Europe by the end of the year

These are the first machines on the market and other cheaper models will follow.

Trade bodies like the BVA say they are platform agnostic. Others, like Deluxe Digital Studios who make DVDs in both formats, say that neither has an advantage.

It seems it is only really the companies making and backing the different technologies that have strong opinions on which the consumer should invest in.

So for now, people have a choice: to buy into one technology, hoping it will not be superseded by another format in a year's time, or to sit back and wait.

There may still be agreement between big business, or both formats may continue to exist side-by-side. No one knows.

What is certain is that the release of the two competing formats across Europe later this year marks the start of what could become, if past format wars are anything to go by, a long campaign to dominate the global living room.

URGE for updates

The US government is urging internet users to download a new fix for a serious flaw detected in Windows Operating Systems.

The department of homeland security (DHS) is recommending that Microsoft technology users immediately apply the new security patch to protect against a vulnerability that could give criminals access to machines.

The hole in the Windows OS could enable attackers to gain remote access to compromised machines and delete information, install programs or even create accounts in the victim's name. Microsoft and the DHS's US computer emergency readiness team (US-Cert) are working together to minimise the threat posed by the vulnerability and the team has issued its own alert, conducted a series of briefings with federal information security experts, agencies and critical infrastructure sectors. A statement from the DHS reads: 'Attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in operating systems routinely occur within 24 hours of the release of a security patch. 'This vulnerability could impact government systems, private industry and critical infrastructure, as well as individual and home users.' The Microsoft security patch MS06-040 is available for immediate download from the Microsoft website. A recent monthly Patch Tuesday update from the company fixed a total of 23 flaws identified in Windows software some of which have already been exploited by hackers.

high-def DVD war!!!

The Blu-ray format is backed by Sony

The battle between two rival and incompatible high-definition DVD formats will end in stalemate, a research firm has predicted.

Blu-ray and HD-DVD are the two new formats being rolled out globally over the course of the next 12 months.

But Screen Digest predicts neither format will gain the upper hand and that the rivalry will do damage to the market for high-def DVDs overall.

Sony is the principal supporter of Blu-ray while Toshiba backs HD-DVD.

Ben Keen, Screen Digest chief analyst said: "We believe that the most likely outcome is... that the two formats will coexist until they give way to affordable dual-format solutions.

'Dampen appetite'

"Overall though, the net result of the format war and the publicity it has generated will be to dampen consumer appetite for the whole high definition disc category."

Screen Digest forecast that only $11bn (£6.4bn) of the total $39bn expected to be spent on video discs by 2010 in the US, Europe and Japan will be generated by the competing high-definition formats.

Microsoft is to release an HD-DVD player for the Xbox 360

The DVD format exploded into a multi-billion-dollar industry in the 1990s in large part because the universal format delivered a more convenient way to own movies than its predecessor, the VHS videotape.

Consumers had also tired of the low quality of much of VHS and there was a desire for a better format.

"This time both formats support similar features," said Graham Sharpless, who wrote the report.

The new formats are being introduced just as DVD sales level off but some observers question whether the appetite for a next-generation format is yet present.

All of the Hollywood studios, except Universal, have said they will release movies on Blu-ray, with the first players and titles having launched earlier this year.

Major studios

Only three of the major studios have said they will release movies in HD-DVD formats.

Microsoft has thrown its weight behind HD-DVD while Sony is incorporating Blu-ray players into its PlayStation 3 console.

At the moment Blu-ray players cost twice as much as HD-DVD players - at about $1,000 (£600) versus $500 (£300).

There have been reports of Blu-ray discs played on Sony and Samsung machines being noticeably lower in video quality than HD-DVD rivals.

Samsung reportedly blamed a faulty chip for problems with early models, which have since been rectified.

Screen Digest predicts that few households will opt to replace their existing DVD libraries.

The research firm predicts that market value will come from the premium prices charged for the new formats.

This could mean that by 2010 total revenues from DVD sales will be 15 to 20% higher than would have been the case without high definition.

Sony readying Wi-Fi IM, music device WOW!!!

Sony said it is set to introduce its first wireless broadband communications and entertainment device, aimed at heavy users of instant messaging.
Sony's new Mylo personal communicator is a hybrid electronic device that competes with a range of gadgets already on the market, including the Sidekick, created by Danger, and Nokia's 770 wireless Internet minitablet.
The name Mylo stands for "my life online" and provides users access to online instant messaging services, HTML Web pages, e-mails, and to play music or view photos. Mylo will be available in September retail for about $350, Sony said.
Sony is borrowing the name Mylo from a prior, ill-fated generation of its handheld devices the Japanese consumer electronics giant had planned to launch in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, but subsequently canceled.
The Mylo was the last product in its discontinued line of Clie devices, which were aimed at business and professional users and would have competed with Research in Motion's Blackberry or Palm Treo devices.
The Mylo is meant to operate on Wi-Fi wireless networks, which are increasingly available on college campuses, in busy public spaces and in homes with wireless broadband connections.
It is a small, oblong device with a 2.4-inch screen and a slide out keyboard designed for typing with one's thumbs. more...

Plasma Screens a girls dressing table!!

It used to be that diamonds were a girl’s best friend, but now that position has been taken by plasma screen TVs. According to a study released by female-targeted US cable network Oxygen, 77 per cent of women would prefer a new plasma TV to a diamond solitaire necklace.
The study shows that a full 79 per cent of the female market is interested in and using technology, breaking the myth that the only women interested in technology are urban trendsetters.
Technology is closing the gender gap, with men and women becoming digital peers. Both genders own a similar number of devices, with women owning 6.6 and men owning 6.9 devices. A similar number of devices are also used weekly by women (4.4) and men (4.9).
Women are comfortable with technology and are not afraid of it, the study found. Around 79 per cent of women feel comfortable using technology and only 21 per cent wish they felt more comfortable using technology, while 20 per cent of men wish they felt more comfortable.

Hackers tip hat to Vista security!!!

LAS VEGAS -- When a group of Microsoft Corp. employees first attended the Black Hat hacker convention in the late 1990s, the company's security reputation was so bad that one of them says the experience was like constantly hearing people criticize his mother.
Apparently, things have changed.
Members of the Black Hat audience responded to Microsoft's briefings on Windows Vista security Thursday not with hostility but with polite interest. The real test won't come until after Windows Vista's retail release next year, but several people said Microsoft appears to have made the operating system more secure.
"They've listened to the security community," said one attendee, a 32-year-old "security engineer by day and hacker by night" from the Washington, D.C., area who goes by "Beetle" and declined to give his real name.
Others cited areas where they believe Microsoft still needs to improve. HD Moore, a security researcher who recently called attention to unfixed bugs in Web browsers, including Microsoft's Internet Explorer, said he believes the company takes too long to develop and issue patches for flaws in its programs.
"They're not really negligent, so much as just non-responsive and slow to move," Moore said, adding that it's hard to get Microsoft to speed up unless there's a looming threat of someone exploiting a particular vulnerability.
That's a sampling of what Microsoft encountered at Black Hat, an annual technology convention that examines security vulnerabilities, ways that people could exploit them and how to protect systems from attack.
Microsoft gave a full day of briefings on technical aspects of Windows Vista, detailing how it has changed its approach in areas such as networking, the Internet Explorer browser, and how the operating system handles memory. It was an unusual effort by the company to demonstrate progress on the security front.
At its conference booth, the company handed out preliminary Windows Vista copies, encouraging the hackers to try the program and tell the company about any problems they find.
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Although Black Hat is called a hacker convention, most people who attend don't fit the image of the person breaking into systems with malicious intent. Many are what's known as white-hat hackers or security researchers -- people who work to find vulnerabilities and get companies to fix them, to keep others from exploiting them.
Andrew Cushman, director of Microsoft security response, engineering and outreach, said past advice from security researchers helped set the company straight.
"About four or five years ago, we went to the doctor, and the doctor said, 'Dude, you are seriously ill. ... If you don't do something drastic, you're going to die,' " Cushman told the audience. "That was a pretty good wake-up call."
John Lambert, a Microsoft security group manager, outlined how the company has overhauled its development process to focus on security. Windows Vista is the first version of the PC operating system developed entirely under the company's Trustworthy Computing initiative, launched in 2002 after a series of high-profile viruses and worms took advantage of vulnerabilities in Microsoft programs.
"We had a chance to take all of the different lessons that we learned ... and apply them for the first time to an end-to-end operating system release," Lambert said.
To be sure, many people at Black Hat weren't exactly waiting on the edges of their seats to hear what Microsoft had to say. After drawing several hundred people to its initial sessions, the company saw attendance wane toward the end, with many attendees opting for presentations on such topics as Hollywood's view of hackers and methods of hacking the popular "World of Warcraft" online video game.
But one Black Hat attendee said it was good to see Microsoft being more clear about exactly what it's trying to do.
"You always distrust what you don't understand, and their security review process has always been a black box to the public," said Pete Harrigan, who works on security issues for a federal agency that he declined to identify. "That's for good reason -- it's proprietary. However, with security, they needed to make an exception, to give people a comfort level to know that they're thinking about the right things."
Another scene at the conference also demonstrated how Microsoft has benefited just by showing up at such events.
Over lunch Wednesday, two attendees were talking about some negative experiences with Microsoft when another person at the table smiled and introduced himself as George Stathakopoulos, Microsoft's general manager of product security. The attendees acknowledged some of the company's progress but also talked about remaining issues it needs to address.
Ben Fathi, corporate vice president in charge of Microsoft's Security Technology Unit, attended sessions and talked with people in the hallways.
Microsoft also has held its own conferences with hackers and researchers on the Redmond campus, dubbed Blue Hat, in an effort to further expose its executives to security issues and improve relations with researchers.
The parties haven't hurt, either.
For the past few years, Microsoft has held "security researcher appreciation" events in conjunction with Black Hat.
Continuing that tradition, Microsoft capped its day of presentations Thursday with a party by the pool at the Palms Casino Hotel.

Car firms to provide iPod link up

Computer firm Apple has teamed up with vehicle-makers Ford, General Motors, and Mazda to integrate its iPod digital music player into car stereos.

The firms will provide a specific iPod connection in most of their new models.
Drivers will be able to listen to music from a player in their glove box or centre console, and will also be able to change songs using stereo controls.
Apple's shares climbed 2.5% in New York on optimism that the tie up will help boost sales of its market-leading iPod.
'Safe manner'
"More than 70% of 2007-model US automobiles will offer iPod integration," said Greg Joswiak, vice president of iPod product marketing.
The biggest loser could be terrestrial radio
Craig MoffettSanford Bernstein
At the moment, drivers have to use an adapter that either plugs in to their car stereos, or emits a radio signal that is picked up by the stereos.
"Consumers are listening to music, they're messaging each other, and they want to engage in all those activities in their vehicles but in a safe manner," said Doug VanDagens of Ford.
Apple's iPods are the best-selling digital music players, with about 75% of the market share.
While many analysts said that they expected the deal to boost Apple's profits, it may hurt earnings at radio stations as consumers prefer to listen to their own compilations rather than their drive-time programming.
That would mean fewer companies would be willing to pay for radio advertising.
"The biggest loser could be terrestrial radio, because their revenue stream is directly proportional to the number of hours you listen," said Craig Moffett, an analyst at Sanford Bernstein.

NASA gives them no space

WASHINGTON -- Two spacewalking astronauts Thursday found the reward for working so well and so fast is ... extra work.

American astronaut Jeff Williams and German astronaut Thomas Reiter were so efficient at important repairs to a key new cooling system for the International Space Station that they finished that primary job 90 minutes early in their 5-hour, 54-minute spacewalk.
But did NASA let them take some time to enjoy the view from 250 miles up?
No. Mission controllers pulled out their massive honey-do list.

Install a floodlight on an exterior railcar, put a vent valve in the science lab, remove a faulty global positioning system antenna, move a foot restraint for future spacewalks, retrieve a connecting device and take a picture of a scratch on the outside of the space station.
At one point when some of the extra jobs were done and Mission Control couldn't radio up for a minute or so, Williams and Reiter considered the beautiful view.

"Just hanging out," Williams said happily.
"You can no longer hang out; I have more work for you," spacecraft communicator Stephen Bowen interrupted. NASA ran through their planned "get-aheads" -- tasks set aside if there is extra time -- and came up with yet more work.
After Williams finished taking photographs of the scratch on the space station, he practically pleaded: "You did say that was our last task."

It was. The chores done, the spacewalk ended 36 minutes earlier than planned.
"Thomas, it feels good that they run out of stuff for us to do," Williams told Reiter.
"And we will never ever let it happen again," Bowen said. "Wait till you see what we have for you next week."
The mix of work on this spacewalk, which does not have the derring-do of Hubble Telescope repairs or other construction work, is what will be happening frequently over the next several years, said lead spacewalk officer Paul Boehm. More work will be done after the shuttle Atlantis arrives, later this month. NASA said Thursday that Aug. 27 will be the first liftoff attempt for that mission.

The spacewalk, the 69th in the construction of the space station, is important for expanding the orbital outpost with a flurry of 10 rocket launches in the next year, said Kirk Shireman, NASA deputy space station program manager.

Real,Google & Mozilla joins together!!!

RealNetworks, Google, and Mozilla Corp have announced a new multi-year agreement, under which Real will offer the Google Toolbar and Mozilla's Firefox Web browser along with its RealPlayer. As per the deal, when users install RealPlayer, they will also be given the option to install either the Google Toolbar or Firefox free-of-cost. The Google Toolbar is a very popular addition to a Web browser that allows consumers to quickly conduct a Web search. While, Firefox is a very popular Web browser that simplifies how consumers browse the Web, and offers pop-up blocking, tabbed browsing, and enhanced Web security. Rob Glaser, chairman and chief executive officer, Real, said, "Real and Google share a common passion for innovation that has enhanced the Web experience. The Google Toolbar has been a welcome addition to Real customers, because Google simplifies and enhances how they interact with the Web. We think our customers will feel the same way about the Firefox Web browser." Eric Schmidt, chief executive officer, Google, said, "Real has been one of Google's most important distribution partners for the past two years, and we are delighted to broaden and deepen that relationship. Google and Real will continue to work together in innovative ways to further improve the Web experience." Mitchell Baker, chief executive officer, Mozilla Corp, said, "Mozilla is very pleased to partner with global leaders like Google and Real to distribute our award-winning Firefox Web browser. Thanks to our global community of open source contributors, Firefox is making the Web browsing experience better for everyone." Reportedly, Real distributes more than 2 million pieces of software a day worldwide. In addition, the company has been distributing millions of Google Toolbars for the past two years. The Google Toolbar and Mozilla Firefox will soon be available options for customers of RealPlayer, Rhapsody music service, and RealArcade games.