Technology & News

Nissan to offer new collision safety devices

2007-08-12T04:36:00.000-07:00

Combines radar sensors, computer system to judge dangers

YOKOSUKA, Japan - Some Nissan cars will soon come with a gas pedal that lifts to warn of possible collisions, while the cars will automatically stop if drivers take their foot off the accelerator in response to the warning.

The technology combines radar sensors and a computer system to assess a car’s speed and the distance to a vehicle in front, Nissan Motor Co. said Monday. Cars with the new safety features will be available this year in Japan, and next year in the U.S.

The idea was to make a car that judges dangers on its own, like a friendly animal, so machine and driver can work together, said Nissan Senior Manager Yousuke Akatsu.

“It is almost like riding a horse, the way the rider can have a dialogue with the horse,” he said.

As soon as drivers lift their foot off the gas pedal, the brakes kick in automatically to bring the car to a stop, Akatsu said. The car will keep going if the driver continues to step on the gas pedal.

Nissan also showed an experimental system that measures alcohol levels in a driver’s sweat from sensors in the gearshift. The system stops short of locking the ignition but issues a warning in an electronic voice.

Nissan said drunken driving caused 611 fatal accidents in Japan last year.

The car also recognizes if a driver is drifting between lanes, and comes with a computerized camera that monitors blinking to check if a driver is drunk or drowsy.

Nissan officials said people probably wouldn’t buy such an intrusive car, but the technology may have commercial uses such as in delivery trucks and taxi cabs.

More practical is the lane departure prevention technology, which swivels a car back into its lane if it swerves off. The lane technology is being offered later this year in the U.S. on the Infiniti EX luxury model.

Nissan also showed a dummy crash test to demonstrate bumper sensors that release a hinge to lift the engine hood slightly and soften the impact if a pedestrian is hit.

People hit by sporty models can be more hurt more seriously and easily, because the cars are lower to the ground and have lean designs with little space between the hood and engine. Raising the hood on impact helps absorb the shock and reduces the potential injury to a pedestrian.

The pop-up hood will be offered in Japan this year, Nissan said. Jaguar, owned by Ford Motor Co., and Honda Motor Co. already offer the feature.

That’s half the number of a decade ago, but 10 percent of fatal accidents.

Apple reveals slimmer new iMacs

2007-08-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

With displays from 20 to 24 inches, their price ranges from $1,199 to $1,799

CUPERTINO, California - Apple Inc. unveiled a line of slimmer desktop computers on Tuesday in a long-expected update of its iMac brand, positioning it for the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.

The new iMacs, which will sport thinner aluminum casings, have displays measuring 20 inches and 24 inches and will cost $1,199 to $1,799, depending on their configurations, said Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs at a media event at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California.

The cost of the 24-inch iMac has been dropped by $200, and Apple has eliminated the 17-inch iMac computer, Jobs said.

The last update to the iMac line was in September 2006, when Apple introduced a model with a 24-inch screen — its largest — and said the entire model line would be powered by Intel chips instead of ones from International Business Machines Corp.

"Apple has grown two to three times the market for the past several quarters," said analyst Shannon Cross of Cross Research. "This product launch should position them well for the back-to-school and holiday seasons."

Apple recently launched the iPhone mobile device in a bid to build a third major product line alongside its Macintosh computers and iPod media players, but desktop and laptop sales still account for the bulk of its revenue.
In its third quarter, Apple sold 634,000 desktops for revenue of $956 million, accounting for about 18 percent of total revenue.

"The iMac has been really successful for us and we'd like to make it even better," Jobs said. "We've managed to make it even thinner than before."

Apple laptop sales totaled $1.58 billion in its most recently reported quarter. The MacBook laptop line was not affected by Tuesday's announcement.

Sales of Macintosh computers have grown faster than the overall PC market, but Apple's share of the market by unit sales is estimated to be less than 5 percent.

Apple has also used the iPod and, now, the iPhone as "halo" products to draw customers into stores and get them interested in its computers.

Jobs also said that the company was adding a software "button" to the iPhone that allows users to upload photos taken with the built-in camera on the iPhone to Apple's . Mac online data and Web-hosting service.

Apple shares rose $1.30 to $136.55 in afternoon trading on Nasdaq. The stock has risen 59 percent so far this year, largely on anticipation of strong demand for the iPhone and that enthusiasm for the device will translate into stronger sales of other Apple products.

Four-galaxy collision could form übergalaxy

2007-08-06T15:29:00.001-07:00

Scientists say it could make one of the largest in the universe

A major cosmic pileup involving four large galaxies could give rise to one of the largest galaxies the universe has ever known, scientists say.

Each of the four galaxies is at least the size of the Milky way, and each is home to billions of stars.

The galaxies will eventually merge into a single, colossal galaxy up to 10 times as massive as our own Milky Way.

"When this merger is complete, this will be one of the biggest galaxies in the universe," said study team member Kenneth Rines of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

The finding, to be detailed in an upcoming issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters, gives scientists their first real glimpse into a galaxy merger involving multiple big galaxies.

"Most of the galaxy mergers we already knew about are like compact cars crashing together," Rines said. "What we have here is like four sand trucks smashing together, flinging sand everywhere."

Galaxy collisions are a common occurrencee in the universe. Our own Milky Way is fated to collide and merge with its neighbor, Andromeda, in about 5 billion years.

Astronomers have observed several clashes involving one big galaxy and several larger ones, and they have also witnessed more major mergers among pairs of big galaxies. But the new findings mark the first time major mergers between multiple hefty galaxies have ever been seen.

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope serendipitously spotted the quadruple merger during a routine survey of a distant galaxy cluster, called CL0958+4702, located nearly 5 billion light years away. Spitzer's infrared eyes observed an unusually large fan-shaped plume of light emerging from a gathering of four blob-shaped elliptical galaxies. Three of the galaxies are about the size of the Milky Way, while the fourth is three times as large.

The plume turned out to be billions of elderly stars ejected and abandoned during the clash. About half of the stars in the plume will later fall back into the galaxies.

Spitzer observations also show that, unlike most known mergers, the galaxies involved in the quadruple collision are bereft of gas, the source material that fuels star birth. As a result, astronomers predict that relatively few new stars will be born in the new, combined galaxy.

IT companies move in on Romania

2007-08-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

Story Highlights
Romania is known for strong computing and language skills and cheap labor
Electronic Arts has a mobile phone branch in Bucharest
Microsoft opened a technical support center in Bucharest in February

In the mobile phone version of the "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" video game, the torches hanging along the dark walls of Hogwarts glow in an eerily realistic fashion.

"We invented the technology, it's called 'dynamic lighting'," said Mihai Pohontu, general manager of Romania's mobile phone branch of Electronic Arts Inc, the world's biggest video game publisher.

Romanian programmers, such as Pohontu's team, are among the most sought-after in the world as large international IT companies turn to the east European country to take advantage of strong computing and language skills coupled with cheap labor.

Its computer literacy is not without its dark side -- the country has an unenviable reputation as a hotbed for computer fraud and a large community of hackers.

But legitimate IT is one of Romania's fastest growing export sectors with turnover of about 1 billion euros ($1.38 billion).

Roughly 90 percent of some 1,000 IT companies in Romania are foreign-owned and the government hopes exports will reach 1 billion euros in the next couple of years.

In February, Bill Gates opened a Microsoft Corp. technical support center in Bucharest. The investment followed, among others, the launch of a development center by Amazon.com Inc in the university town of Iasi in 2005.

That is the online retailer's only software development hub in Europe besides one in Scotland's Edinburgh. Other centers are located in India, the United States and South Africa.

"Romanian programmers are exceptionally creative. And in games, you need to explore," said Pohontu.

Prospects for large cash inflows from the European Union after Romania joined the bloc this January, cut-rate taxes and low wages add to Romania's appeal.

"In Eastern Europe, Romania is appreciated as having the biggest growth potential together with Turkey and Russia," said Stefan Cojanu, head of Oracle Corp in Romania.

The software maker, which has a support and software development center in Romania, has doubled its local staff to 1,000 over the last year since opening a tower office in central Bucharest. It plans to hire an additional 500 employees.

"The geographical distance, the similar time zone and business mentality argue for us to develop our activities in a country where costs are also lower," Cojanu said.

Romania's low wages of around $600 a month compare with $1,050 in Poland and $950 in the Czech Republic. Both countries also attract hefty investment in the IT sector.

However, some see a risk the sector is overheating. Double-digit wage growth and a shortage of skilled labor is dampening the enthusiasm of some investors and Romania is struggling with emigration as workers leave for better pay.

"The battle for specialists is very intense," said Ana Ber, head of human resources firm Dr.Pendl & Dr.Piswanger.

"There aren't enough of them, especially as many emigrated."

Industry observers say this state of affairs has prompted companies to focus on building support or software development centers, which need cheaper and lower skilled labor, rather than hiring high-end programmers.

"Romania remains good for outsourcing but not for first-class software authors," said Dragos Stanescu, sales and marketing manager at GECAD, a Romanian company that sold RAV Antivirus technology to Microsoft in 2003.

"The brains are already with companies that have good salaries and it is costly to buy them. A good senior programmer can earn 2,000 euros gross a month. Plus a 30 percent raise to buy him, and you have a salary of a good programmer in Germany."

FBI data show Romania may be the biggest single source of online auction fraud in the world, a multi-million dollar industry that scams people using Web sites like eBay.

"It's highly organized. They create fake accounts to trick people into thinking they are insured," said Gary Dickson, FBI representative in Romania.
"If Romanians were stopped, the amount of online fraud would drop significantly."
Experts say some 70 percent of software used in Romania is pirated, and salesmen still visit office buildings in central Bucharest to sell pirated CDs and DVDs.

Some hackers hope their skills will help secure employment, although breaking into other people's networks for fame or as part of a job CV has its dangers.

"The Romanian hacking community is quite large. They see the computer as a ticket out of the country. It is the easiest way to get a better-paid job abroad," said Victor Faur.

He faces a potential 54-year jail term if convicted on charges of hacking into U.S. government computers, including NASA. He was indicted in 2006. in an eerily realistic fashion.

Nokia E65

2007-08-01T03:47:00.000-07:00

Where style meets substance

Key Features

Get more out of your workday with a range of business features: conference calling, voice recording, notepad, integrated handsfree speaker, talking ringtones, and Nokia Team Suite
Send messages using an extensive range of options: SMS, MMS with distribution lists, instant messages, and email
Access business functions quickly and easily: One Touch keys for conference calls, mute/unmute, and contacts
Talk around the world with quad-band coverage on up to five continents
Show your sense of style with the slim, stylish slide design
Work hard, play hard – listen to your favorite tunes or watch video clips with the music and media players
Take snapshots with the 2 megapixel camera

Size

Volume: 74 cc
Weight: 115 g
Dimensions: 105 x 49 x 15.5 mm

New material can soak up pollutants

2007-07-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

Aerogel picks up mercury and lead like a sponge, researchers say

A new porous material can soak up heavy metals from liquids like a sponge, researchers said Thursday, offering a host of potential uses including removing pollutants such as mercury or lead from water.
The material is an aerogel, a type of rigid foam made from a gel in which most of the liquid has been replaced by gas.
“What we’ve made is a new kind of aerogel that is made of the same stuff that semiconductors are made of,” said Mercouri Kanatzidis, a researcher with Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory.
Classical aerogels — which are made of silica or carbon — have been around for many decades. “They are white and colorless and don’t absorb any light,” Kanatzidis said in a telephone interview.
Kanatzidis has made aerogels from chalcogenides, which are used in semiconductors. “These new aerogels absorb light and they can be changed in composition from one kind to another,” said Kanatzidis, whose work appears in the journal Science.
He and colleagues placed this new gel in a solution containing smaller metal ions and larger, highly toxic metal ions such as mercury. The aerogel removed almost all of the mercury from the solution and also a number of organic compounds.
“It is very much like a sponge, only the walls of this sponge have a surface that presents sulfur atoms to the solution,” he said.
“Mercury likes to bind with sulfur,” he said.
The solution used in the experiment contained platinum, which is far too expensive for widespread environmental use.
“
We need to replace the platinum with cheaper elements,” he said.
But Kanatzidis said he believed it was possible and his lab had already had some success with this.

PALM'S NEW MOBILE COMPANION

2007-07-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

Business Wire
The Palm Foleo mobile companion has a large screen and full-size keyboard with which to view and write e-mail and and other documents on a smartphone.

Total PDA re-think?

Palm has announced tthe Foleo, designed to be used with another device – like a Palm Treo – for connecting to the Internet via your cell phone’s Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

There are similar little computers on the market today – for instance Nokia’s diminutive N800 Internet tablet. But unlike the Nokia, Palm’s is a large device.

Foleo is described a 2.5 pound computer with a 10-inch screen with full sized keyboard which runs on the Linux operating system. It reportedly is capable of instant on and off, one-button access to your email, a PDF viewer and software which allows you to edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. Palm claims five hours of battery life per charge.

HD RADIOS COMING DOWN IN PRICE

2007-07-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

Radiosophy
The HD100: A "volks-radio" for the digital age.

Here’s some good news to report: HD radio prices are on the way down.

When I first wrote about the Boston Acoustics Recepter Radio HD it had just been introduced for $500. It now retails for $299.99.

Recently, I’ve been testing a Cambridge SoundWorks 820HD table-top radio which also retails for $299.99 after a $40 rebate.

But the big news here is a product from a company named Radiosophy. Their small, stylish radio is just hitting the market with an introductory price of $99.95 – and, if you buy one before July 4th, a $40 rebate will make the final cost to you just under $60.

HTC TOUCH TAKES ON THE IPHONE

2007-07-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

HTC's Touch smartphone improves upon ebery WindowsMobile device of the past.

iPhone is getting all the hype – but people should soon be talking about the Touch.

HTC’s Touch is a brand new smartphone design with a very cool touch-screen navigation system – similar to what Apple has reportedly developed for their soon-to-be-unleashed iPhone.

But one of the big differences here is that HTC’s device is built on – and has improved upon – a sixth-generation operation system. The iPhone will be Apple’s first-generation in-house designed smartphone.

HTC, the manufacturer behind some of the best smartphones on the market today (like the terrific T Mobile Dash), has been working on their revolutionary touch screen device for two years – and the pedigree is reflected in the Touch.

HTC based their phone on Microsoft’s just-released Windows Mobile 6 OS. They developed a number of improvements to the standard (boring-but-functional) WM smartphone home screen by, among other things, adding a big digital clock or local weather display as the main focal point. The new screen is not only beautiful it’s also user-friendly.

HIGH-SPEED INTERNET ACCESS VIA USB

2007-07-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

Sierra Wireless
Two high-speed wireless modems. One from Sprint - the other from AT&T.

Access to a Wi-Fi network is a great computing tool when you’re home or at the office. But sometimes it’s difficult to find one to connect to when you’re on the move.

The cellular phone industry has come up with a solution. With the proliferation of new, higher speed, wide-area cellular data networks (such as Verizon’s EV-DO) laptops began to sport built-in modems. Even if you decided against paying for the service you were stuck with the modem inside.

Now, we can choose the wide-area, high-speed data provider and the services we prefer. Just plug in a nifty, new high-speed USB modem and get connected nearly anywhere on the planet.

I’ve been testing two very similar modems both made by Sierra Wireless. The AirCard 595U works on Sprint’s U.S. Mobile Broadband (EV-DO) network. The AirCard 875U works on AT&T’s Broadband Connect (UMTS/HSDPA/EDGE) network in the U.S. and participating networks worldwide. The two wireless technologies are nearly identical in operation.

WATCHING YOUR IPOD ON A BIG SCREEN

2007-07-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

The HomeDock Deluxe - a neat solution for watching iPod content - more than one person at a time.

The HomeDock Deluxe has one purpose - to allow you to watch and listen to your iPod content on a big-screen TV.

HomeDock Deluxe is a clever, all-in-one, remote controlled cradle and charger unit for your iPod.

It also provides you with a terrific interface that you see on your big screen TV.

Operating the HomeDock Deluxe is simple: you just slide your iPod into the device.

The HomeDock Deluxe works with later iPod models – that means fourth-generation iPods with click wheels, fourth-generation iPods with color displays, fifth-generation iPods with video, iPod nanos (first and second generation) and iPod minis. You can easily adjust the docking station slot to fit your iPod’s exact dimensions.

You connect HomeDock Deluxe to your television set via the composite or S-video connection. There are stereo RCA output jacks for the audio. The HomeDock Deluxe comes with all the wires you’ll need. The HDD does not connect to your computer or to the Internet. Your iPod is meant to do that.

Living with an iPhone

2007-07-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

Five iPhones will set you back at least $2,500.

So you don’t have to peek at the end of this review I’m going to tell you what I really think: iPhone is fabulous. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but its interface – the way you control the device – is truly revolutionary.

The iPhone is thin – but not small. It measures 4.5 by 2.4 by 0.5 inches and it weighs 4.8 ounces. In your hand, it feels a little heavier than it looks – and it looks like someone took an old-fashioned smartphone and flattened it out under a steamroller.

iPhones have a very cool little mechanical device inside called an accelerometer. It senses when you tilt your iPhone sideways – and then automatically changes the picture on the screen from vertical to horizontal. When you’re looking at a Website, photo or video you can turn iPhone sideways and see a much larger picture. The iPhone is not the only smartphone to have this feature: Sidekick’s screen does a 180-degree turn when you open its keyboard.

Inside there’s a four-band GSM world phone, EDGE data capabilities, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth – pretty standard fare for a modern-day smartphone. It sports a very large 3.5-inch diagonal screen.

Like having a cell phone tower indoors

2007-07-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

T-Mobile
If you're not sure what a home Wi-Fi router and cellphone have in common -- read on.

Readers often write me to ask what can be done about not being able to use their cell phones inside their homes. Many people can’t find a usable cellular signal indoors.

Until now, the best advice I could give them was to stand near a window or walk outdoors to find an adequate cellular signal. Notice I said until now.

That’s because T-Mobile has come up with a clever way to have near-perfect cell phone coverage in your home. Think of it as having a cell phone tower in your home.

T-Mobile has rolled out a new service called Hotspot at Home. Using special handsets, the new service routes your cellular calls over your home Wi-Fi wireless, wideband Internet network.

Battle of the luxury smartphones

2007-07-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

Not all high-end smartphones are alike, but they do have one feature in common – they’re expensive.

The iPhone sells for $500-600. I’ve seen unlocked LG Prada KE850 phones available in the $570 (and higher) range and Nokia’s N95 retails for a lofty $749 when they can keep them in stock.

We’ve set out to determine which of these new super smartphones is the heavyweight champ.

Is it the new iPhone – LG’s Prada phone - or the Nokia N95?

Apple’s iPod-cell phoneFirst, the iPhone.

Arguably, it is the new standard by which all other smartphones will be judged. If you haven’t read or heard about Apple’s new handset you must be living under a rock.

The iPhone’s user interface is the best on any cell phone anywhere. Every person who has tried my phone has been able to master navigating through the iPhone’s features within a minute or two.

Apple may launch Nano-based iPhone

2007-07-10T02:01:00.000-07:00

iPhone manufacturer could release a smaller, cheaper version of the touchscreen phone later this year, JP Morgan analyst says.

iPhone 5.0:What's next

Long lines of people turned out June 29 when U.S. sales began for the iPhone, a mobile phone with a music player and Web browser. Analysts have estimated that sales in the first weekend were as high as 700,000 units.
Chang said a way to follow up the iPhone with a cheaper version would be to convert the Nano into a phone and price it at $300 or lower. The iPhone sells for $500 and $600, depending on storage space.
"We believe that iPod Nano will be converted into a phone because it's probably the only way for Apple to launch a lower end phone without severely cannibalizing iPod Nano," he said, noting that the new phone could have "rather limited functionality."
Another analyst, Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray, said he expects Apple to bring out iPods that resemble iPhone, which features a touch-sensitive screen, later this year. Such products would help stop iPhone from eating into iPod sales.
"We believe the iPhone reveals much of what the iPod will soon be," Munster said in a note to clients, adding that "iPods with some of the touchscreen features of the iPhone should lessen the impact of cannibalization."
Kerris also declined comment on Munster's note.

New gen of sharper screens to rival LCDs

2007-07-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

Novel displays glow on their own, stretch battery lives and are super thin

TAIPEI/SEOUL - A new generation of super-thin, power-sipping displays is making its way to the market, stretching battery lives to new limits and perhaps one day posing a challenge to heavier, energy-gobbling LCDs.
New screens that glow on their own are taking on their clunkier liquid crystal display rivals — which require powerful backlighting — by producing sharper video images for smartphones, game consoles and portable media players.
But industry watchers say it will be years before a clear winner — if any — emerges with the clout to outdo LCDs.

Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and bi-stable technologies are the most likely challengers to LCDs.
An OLED screen uses as much as 40 percent less power than a comparable LCD and could be twice as thin because it does not need backlighting.
These technologies are already being used in some smaller portable devices, such as music players from Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Reigncom Ltd. and a thin mobile phone from Kyocera.
And Sony Corp. plans to sell small-sized TVs using the OLED technology later this year.
“In hand-held devices, display consumes power most. It’s all about power and then maybe brightness,” said Lehman Brothers analyst James Kim in South Korea.
Analysts reckon Apple’s iPhone, which launched in the United States on Friday, may end up using more energy-efficient screens, such as OLED, given the short battery life of its pilot models with LCD screens.
“It makes sense (for Apple) to move to OLED screens. They are working to improve the battery issue,” said Kim Woon-ho, an analyst at Prudential Investment & Securities.

Pilots shot down in Iraq tell of dramatic escape

2007-07-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Comrades rescue ambushed officers

"We're taking fire!" Chief Warrant Officer 2 Steven Cianfrini, 27, yelled to his co-pilot as he looked out the helicopter door and saw tracer rounds flying his way.

It was the first ominous sign Monday morning as their OH-58D Kiowa attack helicopter banked over palm groves, fields and canals on a reconnaissance mission to flush out Sunni insurgents in rural areas south of Baghdad.

It was also the opening salvo of what participants described as a dramatic ordeal of combat and survival, with two Army pilots crash-landing their aircraft, taking cover in neck-high water and reeds in a canal, avoiding insurgent fire, and dashing to a helicopter that lifted them to safety.

Hearing Cianfrini's warning, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Mark Burrows, 35, banked right to evade bullets from a heavy machine gun that had opened up across a field. Then a second machine gun began firing at them. Burrows turned again, only to face a heavier barrage.

'World just opened up'"The whole world just opened up on us, it seemed like," Cianfrini said in a telephone interview from Iraq. "We zigzagged, whatever we could do, to get out of the guns' target line.

Then we started taking rounds from behind. That . . . took the aircraft down."

Insurgents attack military helicopters in Iraq about 100 times each month and manage to hit about 17 of the aircraft, using weapons such as heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and shoulder-fired missiles, according to U.S. officials. Since January, at least 10 American helicopters, including two belonging to contractors, have been shot down. Since October 2001, the Army has lost 33 helicopters to hostile fire in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a new tactic that has downed several U.S. helicopters in recent months, insurgents use guns mounted on trucks to fire at the choppers from multiple directions. The U.S.military has targeted cells conducting such attacks; on May 31, northwest of the Baghdad airport, U.S. attack helicopters spotted and destroyed insurgents in five trucks outfitted with 14.55mm machine guns.

On Monday, though, insurgents struck again. This account of the events that followed is based on U.S. military interviews, unclassified documents and video footage from the responding aircraft.

"This was a deliberate air ambush," said Brig. Gen. Jim Huggins, assistant commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, which oversees the volatile region where the helicopter was downed, several miles east of Mahmudiyah.

Hit ground tail firstAs it lost altitude, the Kiowa started to shake violently, its main rotor damaged. Burrows said he decided to head into the field but the aircraft began to spin uncontrollably, and at about 20 feet above the ground he had to cut the power. The helicopter hit the ground tail first, bounced over an irrigation canal, crashed nose down and slid into a ditch beside a dirt road.

Cianfrini climbed out one door, and Burrows got out the other. They met at the nose and discovered that they had suffered only scratches, they said. The Kiowa was by then on fire, its engine blowing up inside. Insurgents were shooting from across the field, and the pilots could hear rounds hitting the burning helicopter.

"Where's your weapon?" Burrows yelled to Cianfrini.

"I have no idea," came the reply.

Gates no longer the richest man in the world?

2007-07-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

Bill Gates appears to have been dethroned as the world's richest man. But based on his past comments, he probably isn't disappointed. The Microsoft Corp. chairman and co-founder has been overtaken on the world's richest list by Mexican telecommunications tycoon Carlos Slim, according to a Mexican financial news service quoted by Reuters.
A 27 percent surge in the stock price of Slim's wireless company, American Movil, in the second quarter has put his worth at close to $67.8 billion, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Reuters quoted financial tracker Eduardo Garcia, from Sentido Comun, an online financial publication. Garcia estimated that Gates was worth $59.2 billion, Reuters reported.
At a Microsoft conference in Redmond last year, advertising executive and TV host Donny Deutsch asked Gates if he would be upset if someday he were no longer the world's richest man.
"I wish I wasn't," Gates replied. "There's nothing good that comes out of that."
"It's better than being second," Deutsch said.
"No," Gates replied. "You get more visibility as a result of it."
On this spring's Forbes list, Slim was just behind Warren Buffett, an investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, who had been second on the list for years.
Forbes reported then that Gates, who had topped its list for 13 years, and Buffett were quickly losing ground to Slim. In April, Forbes reported that Slim had overtaken Buffett and was on his way to passing Gates.

Aston Martin pair set off on world-first Asia-London adventure

2007-07-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

Trail-blazing Brits Richard Meredith and Phil Colley set off from Tokyo today (June 25) at the wheel of an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, with their sat-nav set for London’s Trafalgar Square.
They are aiming to become the first people in the world to cross the full extent of the Asia-Pacific Highway, whilst bringing attention to road safety and raising money to increase road safety awareness among children in developing countries.
Their 10,000-mile journey in the factory-prepared V8 Vantage will take them through 16 countries, including South Korea and China. At times they will face inhospitable terrain, intransigent bureaucracy, intense heat, and a variety of other difficulties which will test them and their near-standard car to the limit.
Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Richard, Phil and the V8 Vantage face a tough journey, but I have every confidence all three will succeed.”
Richard, a 58-year-old teacher who lives in Newport Pagnell, Bucks., said: “I have dreamed of making this journey for two years, and in Aston Martin I found a partner with the confidence and enthusiasm to subject its car to a very public trial in the name of road safety.”
Londoner Phil, 42, a travel specialist and tour operator, said: “We are proud, in our small way, to be joining in the effort of focusing attention on road safety among the young.”
The trip has attracted the support of the regional commission of the United Nations and a variety of international companies, and a team based in the UK has been set up to monitor progress and organise help if it is needed.
Richard and Phil are scheduled to arrive in Trafalgar Square on August 13.

Top 10 product hits - and misses

2007-07-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

The hype surrounding the iPhone is hardly unique. Splashy product launches are a time-honored tradition in the American marketplace -- and so are the stunning flops that sometimes follow. Here's a look at some of the more noteworthy hits and misses.

Nintendo Wii

Hit Nintendo had been a gaming giant, but fell on hard times when the N64 and GameCube systems missed the mark -- and sales expectations. It was a track record that didn't bode well for the Wii, especially considering that the console was being released head-to-head in late '06 with Sony's breathlessly anticipated PS3. But gamers, and perhaps even more impressively, non-gamers have gone wild for the Wii, demonstrating that Nintendo can still make a great system.

As for the battle with the PS3, it was a rout: It's been the Wii all the way.

Tickle Me Elmo

Hit Tickle Me Elmo continues its juggernaut with the junior set, over 10 years after the chortling red doll first hit store shelves in 1996. Witness the toy store melees that were sparked by shortages of Tickle Me Elmo Extreme last Christmas. "There's speculation that a lot of these product `shortages' were just to create demand," said Julie Hall, vice president of the Consumer Group at Schneider Associates. "Whether that's true or not, it generated a lot of excitement around the product."

Suspected bomb defused in London

2007-06-29T01:23:00.000-07:00

Story Highlights

British defuse a bomb in central London early Friday morning, police say
Explosives officers called to examine parked car in The Haymarket
Car found in busy street in theatre district

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- British police say they have defused a bomb in central London.
Explosives officers were called to examine a car parked in The Haymarket, a busy street in the heart of central London's theatre district, early on Friday morning, London police said in a statement.
"They discovered what appeared to be a potentially viable explosive device. This was made safe," they said, adding that counter-terrorism officers were investigating.
A police spokesman confirmed the device was a bomb.
The device was found in the week that a new prime minister, Gordon Brown, took office in Britain.
Police responded after a member of the public reported a suspicious vehicle shortly before 2 a.m. (0100 GMT).
The street was sealed off while police investigated and was likely to remain closed for the foreseeable future, they said.
The nearby Piccadilly Circus underground train station was open, but exit restrictions were in place, the police said.
Fifty-two commuters were killed by bombs on London's transport system on July 7, 2005.

Dell unveils new notebooks

2007-06-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -- Dell Inc. introduced new notebook computers Tuesday, available in eight different colors with advanced features as it tries to grab a bigger slice of the consumer PC market.

The world's second-largest personal computer maker also launched its first consumer PC to use flash memory instead of a traditional hard-disk drive to store data.

The lightweight laptop comes with a modest 32 gigabytes of data storage space.

Dell's new notebooks, to be unveiled at an event at Macy's flagship store in Herald Square in New York, come in colors with names such as flamingo pink, sunshine yellow, alpine white, ruby red, jet black, midnight blue and espresso.

An entry-level version of the notebook PC costs $749 and is available starting Tuesday. Dell seen expanding services

Dell also said it would phase out its Dimension brand, used for its desktop computers for more than a decade, and switch to the Inspiron name previously used only for its notebooks. The company will continue to sell Inspiron notebooks.

The new products are among steps the Round Rock, Texas-based company is taking to boost sales of notebook computers to consumers, the fastest-growing PC segment, as it tries to catch up with Hewlett Packard Co. (Charts, Fortune500), which last year displaced Dell as the largest PC maker by unit sales.

Dell this month started selling PCs in Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (Charts, Fortune 500), breaking from a 23-year practice of selling directly via Internet or phone, under a strategy by founder Michael Dell to stoke growth. The company said it planned to announce more retail partnerships in the coming months.

Japanese firm tests brain-controlled toys

2007-06-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

Part 2

Real-world applications

The technology could one day replace remote controls and keyboards and perhaps help disabled people operate electric wheelchairs, beds or artificial limbs.

Initial uses would be helping people with paralyzing diseases communicate even after they have lost all control of their muscles.

Since 2005, Hitachi has sold a device based on optical topography that monitors brain activity in paralyzed patients so they can answer simple questions -- for example, by doing mental calculations to indicate "yes" or thinking of nothing in particular to indicate "no."

"We are thinking of various kinds of applications," project leader Hideaki Koizumi said. "Locked-in patients can speak to other people by using this kind of brain-machine interface."

A key advantage to Hitachi's technology is that sensors don't have to physically enter the brain. Earlier technologies developed by U.S. companies like Neural Signals required implanting a chip under the skull.

Still, major stumbling blocks remain.

Size is one issue, though Hitachi has developed a prototype compact headband and mapping machine that together weigh only about two pounds.

Another would be to tweak the interface to more accurately pick up on the correct signals while ignoring background brain activity.

Any brain-machine interface device for widespread use would be "a little further down the road," Koizumi said.

He added, however, that the technology is entertaining in itself and could easily be applied to toys.

"It's really fun to move a model train just by thinking," he said.

Japanese firm tests brain-controlled toys

2007-06-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

Story Highlights

Story Highlights• Technology translates brain motion into electric signals•
Optical topology analyzes brain's blood flow• Technology could one day replace remote controls

HATOYAMA, Japan (AP) -- Forget the clicker: A new technology in Japan could let you control electronic devices without lifting a finger simply by reading brain activity.
The "brain-machine interface" developed by Hitachi analyzes slight changes in the brain's blood flow and translates brain motion into electric signals.
A cap connects by optical fibers to a mapping device, which links, in turn, to a toy train set via a control computer and motor during one recent demonstration at Hitachi's Advanced Research Laboratory in Hatoyama, just outside Tokyo.
"Take a deep breath and relax," said Kei Utsugi, a researcher, while demonstrating the device on Wednesday.
At his prompting, a reporter did simple calculations in her head, and the train sprang forward -- apparently indicating activity in the brain's frontal cortex, which handles problem solving.
Activating that region of the brain -- by doing sums or singing a song -- is what makes the train run, according to Utsugi. When one stops the calculations, the train stops, too.
Underlying Hitachi's brain-machine interface is a technology called optical topography, which sends a small amount of infrared light through the brain's surface to map out changes in blood flow.
Although brain-machine interface technology has traditionally focused on medical uses, makers like Hitachi and Japanese automaker Honda Motor have been racing to refine the technology for commercial application.
Hitachi's scientists are set to develop a brain TV remote controller letting users turn a TV on and off or switch channels by only thinking.
Honda, whose interface monitors the brain with an MRI machine like those used in hospitals, is keen to apply the interface to intelligent, next-generation automobiles.

Part 2: next day

Arsenal announce Henry departure

2007-06-23T04:47:00.000-07:00

Arsenal have confirmed they have reached an agreement with Barcelona for the transfer of striker Thierry Henry.

The deal, thought to be worth about £16m to the Gunners, is subject to the Frenchman, 29, passing a medical, which is set to take place on Monday.
Henry had already announced he intended to end his eight-year stay at Arsenal to sign a four-year deal with Barca.
"I still must pass a medical on Monday but yes, I have chosen Barcelona," he told French sports daily L'Equipe.

Earlier, Barcelona revealed that they were close to bringing Henry to the Nou Camp, with vice-president Ferran Soriano telling Spanish sports newspaper Marca that talks were at an "advanced" stage.
Soriano added it was "the wish of all parties" for an agreement to be reached for the transfer of Henry.

He also insisted that Barcelona waited for the green light from Arsenal before making a move for the France international, who is the club's all-time record goalscorer.

Henry said:

" I will miss the Arsenal fans dearly, they have supported me through thick and thin. They will always be in my heart, as will all the fans who make the game here so special. I will always have a special bond with Arsenal Football Club."

"Barcelona are a wonderful club steeped in tradition and play beautiful football. I'm sure I will be very happy there," he continued.

Henry helped Arsenal to two league titles and three FA Cups and led the Gunners to the finals of the 2000 Uefa Cup and 2006 Champions League.

In February 2006, he became the first Arsenal player to score over 200 goals for the club, with a strike against Birmingham, and has bagged a club record 226 goals in 364 appearances for the Gunners.

His consistency in front of goal ensured he finished as the Premier League's top scorer on four occasions.

He has won the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year title on two occasions and the football writers' player of the year three times. He has also twice finished runner-up in the Fifa world player of the year.

Apple: iPhone

2007-06-23T02:03:00.000-07:00

Apple: iPhone battery better than expected

Story Highlights:

• Apple: iPhone will support 8-hours of talk time

• Battery supports 7 hours of video playback, 6 hours of Web use

• Touch-screen made out of optical-quality glass, not plastic

• On sale at AT&T, Apple stores on June 29 for $499 and $599

CUPERTINO, California (AP) -- Apple Inc. says its highly anticipated iPhone will have a battery life that supports 8 hours of talk time.

The company said Monday the battery also supports 7 hours of video playback, 6 hours of Internet use, 24 hours of music playback, and it will feature up to 10 days of standby time before requiring a recharge.

When the phone was unveiled in January, Apple said it would support 9 days of standby time.

In another change, the iPhone's touch-sensitive screen will be made out of optical-quality glass, instead of plastic. Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the change will create "superior scratch resistance and clarity."

The combo cell phone, media player and wireless Web device will only be sold at stores owned by Apple Inc. and AT&T Inc., which has an exclusive deal to offer service for the device when it goes on sale in the U.S. on June 29.

It will also be available at Apple's Web site.

The iPhone will be available in two configurations, $499 for a 4 gigabyte model and $599 for one with 8 gigabytes of storage.

V8 Vantage Roadster

2007-06-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

The V8 Vantage Roadster embodies the qualities that are integral to Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul. Representing the essence of pure driving pleasure, the new Roadster is a compact sports car that offers an astonishing blend of performance and exhilaration, a car with two distinct personalities: Open and invigorating, or closed, cosseting and protective.

Sportshift

Sportshift adds electro-hydraulic control to the V8 Vantage Roadster 6-speed manual transmission to offer improved shift times and replaces the conventional manual gear lever with push button controls on the centre console to select ‘Auto Drive’, ‘Reverse’ or ‘Neutral’.

Manual gear changes are selected in Paddle Shift Mode - the new ultra-quick system provides the driver with heightened precision via fingertip control of gear changes using steering column mounted paddles, forged from lightweight magnesium, to progress smoothly and swiftly through the ratios.

Sportshift offers gear changes up to three times faster than the standard manual transmission already available, with the driving enthusiast able to access precision gearshifts in around 200m/s. To adapt to all driving conditions, an additional 'Comfort' mode offering a more relaxed gear change features which is selected via a single button on the centre console.

Sportshift functionality is also enhanced with a low speed ‘crawl’ feature, which acts as a manoeuvring aid, gently engaging the clutch to move the car up to 4mph - allowing the driver to focus on positioning rather than throttle control when parking. Additionally, Sportshift includes a user-selected ‘Auto Drive’ mode, which, when operated, will take full control of the timing of all changes and select the appropriate gear for all conditions.

Equipped with Sportshift, the Vantage Roadster retains its low polar moment of inertia and excellent balance, with a negligible increase in overall weight and minimal impact to the Roadster's optimal 49:51 weight distribution. Equally, top end performance is unchanged, at 280 km/h (175 mph).

V8 Vantage

2007-06-21T03:23:00.000-07:00

The V8 Vantage is a hand-crafted sports car that offers electrifying performance and outstanding agility. The most affordable of all Aston Martins, it fuses traditional Aston Martin style and everyday usability. The result is the world's most desirable sports car.

Dynamics

Exhilarating Performance

At the heart of every great sports car is a great engine; and in the case of the V8 Vantage, this has never been more true. The V8 Vantage has a powerful 4.3 litre 283 kW (380 bhp) engine, unique to Aston Martin. This is an engine designed and built by Aston Martin for Aston Martin. Developed for flexibility as well as outright performance, the front mid-mounted V8 also delivers an outstanding aural experience, as one would expect of an Aston Martin with a potential maximum speed of 280 km/h (175 mph).

Extraordinary engine power is not the only reason for the superb performance of the V8 Vantage. Just as important is its lightweight, all-alloy structure, which offers class-leading strength and rigidity. The front mid-engined layout – the dry sump lubrication system allows the engine to sit low – and rear-mid transmission help provide optimum front to rear weight distribution as well as a low centre of gravity. The result is exceptional agility and inspired balance and handling.

Powerful, Musical V8 Engine

The V8 Vantage is a very fast sports car. With 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.0 seconds and a potential maximum speed of 280 km/h (175 mph) its performance figures are as heady as you would expect of an Aston Martin.

The Ultimate Aston Martin

2007-06-21T03:12:00.000-07:00

Vanquish S

‘The fastest road car in the history of Aston Martin. A car that fuses hand-crafted tradition with the highest calibre of automotive technology. Appropriately it is our flagship car - the Vanquish S - the ultimate Aston Martin.’

Dr Ulrich Bez, Chief Executive Officer, Aston Martin

A Distinguished Heritage

In 1914, the founders of Aston Martin, Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, began building handcrafted, high-performance sports cars. They believed sports cars should have a distinctive and individual character, be built to the highest standards and be exhilarating to drive and own. More than 90 years later these values remain true today.
Aston Martin has earned a reputation for another speciality: building lifelong one-to-one relationships with each of its cars and with every owner. This is due to meticulous records and archives, plus personal attention from experts at the factory.

The Vanquish S effortlessly combines 21st Century technology and 200 mph (321 km/h) performance, with understated elegance and craftsmanship.
To build such an extraordinary car, the company has used British expertise in aerospace and race-car engineering. Conventional automotive industry materials and manufacturing techniques were not good enough for the fastest road car in Aston Martin’s history.

Aston Martin

2007-06-20T05:44:00.000-07:00

The Cars

Aston Martin is a name that needs little introduction. It has always stood for fine, civilized high performance sports cars, designed and produced by skilled craftsmen. There is a special place in the market and in the hearts of owners for classic sports cars which conform to this ideal. These are cars which bring to life the freedom and enjoyment of the open road.
Even so, every Aston Martin is very much a product of today’s technology. New resources and new investment in the latest computer aided design and engineering facilities, in statistical process control and many other leading edge disciplines are ensuring that for Aston Martin, the future is every bit as bright as its illustrious past .

DB9

A Striking Balance

DB9 is a thoroughbred sports car with GT levels of comfort and refinement. Its design philosophy is uncompromising and brings together everything that makes a sports car great with that unique Aston Martin character, borne out of craftsmanship and use of the finest quality materials.
So what is it that makes a great sports car?Most cars are a series of compromises. The result is usually rational – even impressive on paper – but often bland and soulless in reality. Sports cars should be all about character and driver involvement. They need to look great, sound great and have power and performance to stir the soul.