DER2 actroid by kokoro (2006)

designed by kokoro which is part of the sanrio group, DER2 actroid designed by the japanese animatronics company. a seemingly more attractive and younger version of the original actroid, DER2 doesn't have walking capabilities, but her other behaviors are more human-like than before with enhanced facial expressions and speaking abilities that include a comments such as 'please don't touch me, it's sexual harrassment!' most of her responsibilities include reception and emcee duties. and of course, her wardrobe includes hello kitty t-shirts.

the latest japanese robots

l: enon robot by fujitsu interacts with customer and guides them through stores
r: mechadroid type c3 receptionist robot by business design laboratory guides visitors through face recognition

br23c biomimetic robot car’ by nissan has an anti-crash system which is inspired by bumblebees

murata seisaku-kun rides a bicycle and murata seiko-chan rides a unicycle

ifbot by business design laboratory is highly attuned to human emotions and can communicate with a range of its own facial expressionsregular designboom readers will understand our fascination with robots. small, large, scary or just plain weird, robots seem to capture people’s imagination. CEATEC is a japanese tradeshow which is dedicated to home electronics and robots. here are a few of the new bots that were on display

Albert Einstein

Can Y ou Believe It?

There is a crater on the Moon named after Albert Einstein.

Albert Einstein was born in 1879 in Ulm, Germany. He was the first child born to Hermann and Pauline Einstein. Though he attended school as a young boy, he also received instruction at home on Judaism and violin. By the age of twelve he had taught himself geometry. At the age of sixteen he failed an exam in order to qualify to train as an electrical engineer. He remained in school and developed anew plan for his future. Einstein decided to study math and physics so he could become a teacher. Einstein thought he would be good at this because he could think mathematically and abstractly while lacking imagination and practicality. In 1896 he renounced his German citizenship. He was not a citizen of any country until 1901 when he became a citizen of Switzerland. In 1900 he graduated as a teacher of math and physics. His teachers did not think very highly of him though so he had difficulty being recommended for a job at a university. In 1901 he took a job as a temporary high school teacher and married Mileva Maritsch. The couple had two sons prior to divorcing. Einstein later married his cousin Elsa Einstein. From 1902 through 1909, Einstein worked in a patent office in Bern, Switzerland. While working in the patent office he published many papers on theoretical physics. He earned a Ph.D. in 1905.

In 1905 Einstein wrote a paper on what is now known as the special theory of relativity. This paper contained two hypotheses. The first stated that the laws of physics had to have the same form in any frame of reference. The second hypothesis stated that the speed of light was a constant. Later that year Einstein also showed how mass and energy were equivalent. Following an impressive few years of work, Einstein became a lecturer at the University of Bern. In 1909 he finally got a post at a university when he became a faculty member at the University of Zurich. In 1911 Einstein taught at Carl-Ferdinand University in Prague. The following year he returned to Germany to continue his work. In 1916 Einstein published his general theory of relativity. This theory linked gravitation, acceleration and the four dimensional space-time. With this theory he was able to account for the variations in the orbital motions of the planets. He also predicted that starlight in the vicinity of a massive object such as the Sun could be bent. This was confirmed in 1919 during a solar eclipse. This further increased the adulation with which the press viewed Einstein. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his work on the photoelectric effect. This work proposed that light be considered as consisting of particles called photons. Einstein further proposed that the energy the photon contains is proportional to the frequency of the radiation.

Einstein was not only a scientist, but also a social activist and a humanitarian. He spoke out against the German involvement in World War I. In 1920 a demonstration interrupted a lecture given by Einstein in Berlin. There was also growing criticism of his work by certain Germans. Einstein felt the disruptions and criticisms were occurring because he was Jewish. Einstein traveled the world lecturing and raising funds for a planned Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His hectic lifestyle led to a physical collapse in 1928. By 1930 he was once again travelling the world, especially the United States. On one of these visits he was offered a post at Princeton University in New Jersey. Einstein accepted, believing that he would spend seven months of the year in Munich and five months of the year in the United States. In December of 1932 he left for the United States. A month after his departure the Nazis assumed control of Germany. Einstein never returned to Germany. In 1935 Einstein was granted permanent residency in the United States and became a citizen in 1940. In 1944 he hand wrote his 1905 theory on relativity and allowed it to be auctioned. It sold for six million dollars, which he donated to the effort to win World War II. The work resides in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. By 1949 Einstein was in failing health. His health was so bad that when offered the presidency of Israel in 1952 he had to decline it. In 1955, one week prior to his death, he agreed to have his name appear on a manifesto calling for the end to nuclear weapons. He died in April of 1955 in Princeton, New Jersey. Einstein was cremated and his ashes were spread at an undisclosed location.

New Berkline Seating Available at TheaterSeatStore.com

Interiormark, LLC announced that several new models of Berkline home theater seating, including the Berkline 45003, 45030, and 45032, are available at
TheaterSeatStore.com. Berkline brought out these new home theater seating models at the end of April, during the Spring Furniture Market at High Point North Carolina.
These new recliners take Berkline’s already successful models and add some slight design changes.
“Whatever you are looking for, we got it,” commented Peter Goldstein, Vice President of Sales at TheaterSeatStore. Go to the theaterseatstore.com to view this new Berkline home theater seating.

JL Audio Wins EISA Award for 13TW5

JL Audio 13TW5 subwoofer has won the renowned EISA award for its superb design, as well as cutting-edge-technologies. EISA (European Imaging and Sound Association) has declared the JL Audio 13TW5 as a Best Product 2008-2009.

The EISA awards are selected by a panel of judges who represent more than 50 well-known photo, video, audio, home theater, and mobile electronics magazines from more than 20 European countries.

As quoted from the Award Citation of the EISA Jury:

“JL Audio´s many years of experience in high quality subwoofers has directed its development of this extremely shallow subwoofer. By employing many new, patented technologies in the 13TW5-3, JL Audio has managed to create a drive unit that measures just a little over 60 mm thick - and compromises neither sound quality nor sound pressure. By incorporating a huge seven-inch voice coil (built to house the magnet) and advanced materials, this subwoofer can handle up to 1,200 Watts of power. JL Audio even made the 13.5-inch cone fit a normal 12-inch mounting aperture, and it requires only a very shallow 23-litre enclosure. All in all the 13TW5-3 provides a fascinating blend of newest technology, high-tech construction and outstanding sound quality in its class.”

The selected products for EISA award are well reviewed for their unique designs along with highly advanced technology, required features, attractive look, and even their highest value for money. Moreover, the JL Audio 13TW5 subwoofer is just available worldwide.

Harman Kardon HKTS 18 Home Theatre Speaker System

Harman Kardon offers a great alternative home theatre speaker system in the HKTS18. This home theater speaker system combines magnetically shielded two-way satellite and center channel speakers with a 10-inch, 200-watt subwoofer for high-performance sound that complements the design of Harman Kardon receivers and DVD players.


Among the features include:

Line-level Sub/LFE input
Audio-sense or external-trigger on/off
Multicolor LED power indicator
Wall mounts are included just in case you decide to buy this home theater speaker system from Harman Kardon. The price range for this set plays around $400 to $800.

Line 6 Ships X2 XDR959 Wireless Lavalier Microphone System

Recently, Line 6, Inc., an industry leader in digital modeling technology for manufacturing music creation products, announced that it has started shipping the new X2 XDR959 Wireless Lavalier Microphone System. This new product is in fact considered as the latest addition to the award-winning XDR95 series of digital wireless systems.

The new X2 XDR959 Wireless Lavalier Microphone System is ideal to be used in business conferences, schools and houses of worship. It includes a high quality cardioid lavalier microphone, a rack-mountable five-channel receiver and a bodypack transmitter. It also boasts of an extended frequency response of 10 Hz-20 kHz for a clear voice.
X2 XDR959 Wireless Lavalier Microphone System from the house of Line 6 is capable of broadcasting dual signals to four receivers. It uses a digital data stream for recognizing only signals embedded with unique digital signature.

Koishi Audio System From Speed Studio Design

Taking inspiration from stacked pebbles in a Japanese garden, these laminated wood boxes, the “Koishi Audio” from Speed Studio Design, is a consolidated digital home audio system. It will not only fill your space with surround sound but also gives a contemporary edge to your home decor.
Instead of being a noticeable (and often unattractive) collection of hi-tech black boxes, the digital audio system seems to say “retro simplicity”. By reducing the control interface to a single control knob and simple touchscreen interface, the Koishi Audio is an ideal choice for compact and modern city dwellings.

Trends TA-10.2P Class-T Power Amplifier

Compact yet powerful, Trends Audio delivers another must-have home theater addition with the Trends TA-10.2P Class-T Power Amplifier. This new amplifier offering is perfect for the audiophiles demanding the best audio delivery solutions available in the market today. Trends TA-10.2P Class-T Power Amplifier lets more audiophiles, music lovers or even PC users can enjoy the high fidelity music in an affordable price.
“We’ve experienced unprecedented growth in sales during the global financial crisis because many audiophile and music lovers are looking for the high end but not high priced audio products.” says David Ho, the Marketing Director of Trends Audio.

HP ep7120 Home Cinema Digital Projector

Hewlett Packard may be known for laptops and printers but they also have their own line of projectors that can be added for consideration in any home theater setup today. Expected to deliver theater-like images, HP unfurls the HP ep7120 Home Cinema Digital projector.

This projector connects easily to home A/V components and a PC. Enhance the fun and enjoyment of your home entertainment with big, theater-like DVDs, home movies, photos, games, and more - all from a sleek, innovative and easy-to-use device. Affordably priced for big entertainment in any home or apartment.

JVC GD-32XI- World’s Slimmest 32-inch LCD Display Screen

JVC have announced that their GD-32XI will go on sale in Japan in August. The world’s slimmest 32-inch LCD display screen measures 6.4mm at its thinnest point, and is capable of displaying 1080p Full HD video.

The GD-32XI has a contrast ratio of 4,000:1 and brightness rating of 400cd/m2. JVC’s GENNESA image processing tech is also onboard to improve color accuracy, boost still images and reduce motion noise. JVC expect most buyers of the GD-32XI to be business and commercial. The 1080p display will be priced at the equivalent of around $2,500..

Samsung P3 MP3 player

The last we heard about Samsung’s P3 mp3 player was in January when it was showcased at CES. Well it seems Samsung has finally released the player and it’s not looking half bad.
Featuring a 3-inch touch screen and a capacity of 32GB, the Samsung’s P3 is shaping up to be a worthy opponent to Apple’s 32GB Ipod touch.

Unfortunately the P3 is only available in Korea as of now with no North American release date announced. However, if you’re looking to pay a bit more than the 389,000 won ($291) that Samsung is asking, I’m sure you can find somewhere willing to import it.

Zune HD Ready for Sale by Fall

Remember those Zune HD rumors from a while back ago? Well it looks like the device is really real. Microsoft has announced the Zune HD today and here’s what you can expect from it: 3.3-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen display, built-in HD radio and HD output. We could have some surprises when it comes to apps and games specially conceived for the Zune HD but we don’t have any precise details just yet.
We do know that the Xbox and Xbox Live will get Zune integration and the Zune marketplace will be filled with Live video resources. E3 should bring more information about the Zune HD’s capabilities and extra features. Microsoft is waiting for E3 to reveal more:

Garmin to Launch the nuvifone Soon in the USA

We’re not sure what to think on this one. We’ve told you earlier that the nuvifone is coming only to announce later that Garmin is not quite ready yet for that to happen. We’re hearing now that the phone is on track for release in the USA and that’s going to happen very soon. Are we to believe Garmin this time? You know what happened to the boy who cried wolf one too many times, don’t you?

The Asian market is also supposed to get the phone this month or sometime in early July. Will this late nuvifone be able to fight against the Pre or the iPhone?

Mio Unveils the Explora K75 GPS Phone

While others, read Garmin, are taking all the time in the world to launch the nuvifone, Mio is ready to launch its own GPS phone. The Explora K75 GPS phone is the phone in question and the company will ship it to you with its own Spirit GPS navigation software. The Mio Explora K75 GPS comes with features like:

*Qualcomm MSM7201A 528MHz processor
*Qualcomm gpsOne GPS chipset
*3.5-inch 400×240 WQVGA display
*microSD memory card slot
*VGA CMOS secondary camera
*Built-in rotation sensor

Razer Launches Ultrathin Gaming Grade Mousing Surface

Carlsbad, Calif. –May 27th, 2009 – Razer™, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-end precision gaming and lifestyle peripherals, today announced the release of the Razer Sphex™, the first Gaming Grade Desktop Skin with a distinctive ultrathin form factor.
“The Razer Sphex is a gaming surface that doesn’t compromise tracking ability or durability even with its slim figure,” says Robert “Razerguy” Krakoff, President of Razer. “We wanted to offer gamers a simpler and less expensive gaming-grade mouse mat alternative, while retaining extreme precision and a smooth consistent glide comparable to traditional gaming mouse mats.”

About the Razer Sphex™
The Razer Sphex is currently the world’s thinnest gaming-grade mousing surface which boasts of an ultrathin profile. It is specifically engineered to perform at the highest precision for both Optical and Laser mice. Made of high-grade durable material, the Razer Sphex allows gamers to wipe or wash the product repeatedly without compromising its quality or tracking performance. The Razer Sphex can adhere and detach from any desk surface without any extra effort making it fully reusable.
Razer Sphex™ Features
Adhesive bottom to stick to any surface
Midsized mouse mat suited for most gaming environments at 320mm by 230mm
Extra thin to avoid any restrictions to your gaming experience
Excellent tracking quality for both Laser and Optical mice

COST: US: $14.99, Europe €14.99 AVAILABILITY: WorldwideRazer Sphex™ High Resolution Image Links

LED Projector Review - Optoma PK101 Pico Projector

This is an in-depth review of the Optoma Pico PK101, a VGA (640x480) resolution DLP - LED projector. It has just been posted, and will be further proofed and a few additional images will be added

Optoma Pico PK101 LED Projector - Overview

The whole concept of these small LED projectors has garnered a lot of attention. Optoma (I believe) was the first to ship one in the US, with this, the PK-101 Pico projector. In the industry two terms have been used to describe this type of projector. Some call them LED projectors (but LED light engines are just about to start appearing in more traditional larger projectors), and others call them pico projectors (wise of Optoma to grab the name Pico for their brand).
I think it necessary to briefly discuss the abilites, the role and the types of usage these new projectors are best suited for, before focusing on this particular LED projector. Here goes:
The biggest question out there is who will buy them, and what will they use them for. It's been argued by some, that they can be used for presentations. Whether they are viable for presenting in the tradtional sense is iffy at best. I've been in the projector industry for more than 15 years, and even the early portables back in 1994, (about 20 pounds) produced 100 lumens or more, and here we have something only 1/10th as bright as the dimmest of those early projectors.
About three years ago we saw the first small LED projectors. Mitsubishi's probably being the best selling. Those types of LED projectors are much larger, and typically weigh in at more than 1/2 pound, excluding their battery packs which could bring them up to about 1 pound. That class of projector has proved abysmal in sales, considered a novelty by most, and despite typically 30 - 80 lumens, dim compared to the dimmest business projectors. Those larger LED projectors have found some specialty vertical markets, but their overall sales numbers are insignificant, compared to either business or home theater projectors.
Projectors like the Optoma Pico, however will find a different market, and that one primarily consists of working in conjunction with portable devices like cell phones, portable game machines (think Sony PSP3000, etc.) and a variety of other portable devices.
Ultimately industry forecasters see this as a huge market - bigger by far than the traditional projector market. One industry analyst projects (no pun intended) that as many as 15 million will be sold by 2012! There are, however two different types - first there are the stand alone projectors like the Pico, as well as competing models from 3M, AIPTEK, Samsung, and others. The rest of the sales are for the projector engine, to be built into other devices (like cell phones). The market for the engines to go into other devices is almost certainly the far, far, far, far (get the idea?) greater market. Imagine - if Apple decided to build a mini-projector into a future version of the iPhone (very likely), right off the bat, the sales of those LED projector engines (in units) would dwarf the unit numbers for traditional larger projectors (about 1.25 million projectors, worldwide in 2008).
So, what can we do with the Optoma Pico? I've had it hooked up to and working with my Wii, and my PS3, Oppo DVD player, as well as my iPhone, and an old portable DVD player system (with built in 7" diagonal screen and speakers). Right off the bat, I only see one possible reason for people to buy it with the larger game machines, and that's if they want to take their machine with them on a trip. The Pico then allows them to project the image onto a small screen, or small area of wall, but that's better than not taking the game machine for those folks.

Above: From Lord of the Rings - standard DVD, from an Oppo DVD player. Projected image of approximately 50 inch diagonal screen in a darkened room. Most of the light in the room is coming in from the blinds you see, below the screen that the image is projected on.
Working with the iPhone, and other compatible phones, as well as portable game machines and devices that can support it, is a significantly more logical market.
The Optoma Pico is the first pico projector I've had a chance to review, so I'm not prepared to determine how good a value it is, nor can I clearly say how it differs from the competition. That said, over the next two months, I plan to review at least three additional pico projectors from other brands. Once I have reviewed four of them, I will also assemble an article comparing them, and which are better for different user applications.
Ultimately, the main attraction of the Pico is its tiny size and light weight, as well as being battery operated. The Pico comes standard with two batteries (they are about the size of a cell phone battery). One goes in the unit, the other, a spare.
I find that the projector can produce a respectable image in a mostly darkened room of 10 to 30 inches diagonal. Fully darken the room and you can go larger. At one point I projected a 58 inch wide image (almost 80 inches diagonal). Even in a fully darkened room, the image appeared very dim. Sufficient to say, at that sized image, it's not something I would want to watch for any period of time. In a fully darkened room, however, the Pico does a decent (but hardly bright) job on a 30 inch diagonal image. Drop the image size down to about 12 inches diagonal (just a touch smaller than the average laptop screen, and the Pico can work reasonably well in a room with low lighting.

Optoma Pico PK101 LED Projector Highlights
.Simple to use
.640x480 resolution (VGA)
.Suitable for projecting a small image - 10 to 50+ inches diagonal, in a mostly darkened or fully room
.Compatible with standard composite video sources, as well as many portable devices including .iPhones, game machines, some other cell phones
.Weighs only 1/4 pound, including battery
.Recharges fairly quickly (less than 4 hours) from the provided AC adapter though its USB port, comes with two batteries
.Includes iPhone adapter, mini-USB to mini-USB cable, mini-plug to 3 RCA connector cable (for video and audio)
.5 watt speaker
Two brightness modes
Comes with an adapter to place on a mini tripod (a great idea)
Easily fits into any pocket, and a soft carry case just large enough for the projector cable and adapter (but not big enough to also fit the recharger
Rated 11 lumens, this is not a product for use in a bright room (consider that the dimmest home theater projectors are 20-25 times that bright, and the dimmest business projectors are 100 times as bright

all you need to know about robots

legged-walking robots

yambo III

one of the moving and task performing robots,the legged-walking type, which has high terrain adaptability,is yambo III. generally walking robots need so many degreesof freedom (DOF) that robots become heavy and its mechanismbecome more complicated. one of the effective solutions tothese problems is developing the robot with bipedal configuration.---

morph

3officials and researchers in japan, home to almost halfthe world's 756,000 industrial robots, hope a new robotindustry will give the stagnant economy a boost.japanese researchers want to advance the technologyby improving mobility or making robots more autonomous.morph 3, a 38-cm-tall humanoid robot, tries to standafter being laid on its back during an experiment at thechiba institute of technology in narashino, chiba prefecture.the project is a joint project between kitano symbiotic systemproject and leading edge design corp.athletic properties of the robot become the highest amongthe same size robots in the world.the robot appeared on the stage of robocup 2002 held infukuoka, japan.---

cyclopsis

an interactive human-shaped machine. the machine isequipped with a single camera eye and a spinal columnstructure. this work was developed for 'robot meme exhibition'at the national museum of innovative technology andemerging science, tokyo, in 2001. cyclops was shown inseptember 2002at ars electronica center in linz, austria as apart of its permanent exhibition.---

DB

an expert in brain science, kawato developed the DB,a humanoid robot that can imitate human action, based on hisknowledge that the cerebellum plays a key role in learningand memory. however, the robot has managed to learn only24 kinds of human action over three years.---

atom

japanese researchers are advocating a grand project,under which the government would spend 50 billionyen a year over three decades to develop a humanoidrobot with the mental, physical and emotional capacityof a 5-year-old human - the atom project.'most of today's robots operate with a program written byhumans. in order to develop a robot that can think andmove like a 5-year-old, we have to first understand themechanism of how human brains work,' mitsuo kawato,chief of the computational neuroscience laboratoriesat the kyoto-based advanced telecommunicationsresearch institute internationa said, admitting the difficultyof his project. 'that will be equal to understandinghuman beings.'tthe project was inspired by the popular robot animation series'tetsuwan atom' by the late cartoonist osamu tezuka(unlike cartoonist tezuka's 'atom' character, known as'astro boy' overseas, based on an image of a 9-year-oldboy, the atom project aims to create a humanoid robotwith the physical, intellectual and emotional capacity ofa 5-year-old that would be able to think and move on itsown). the researchers say it would help promote scientificand technological advances in japan, just like the u.s.apollo project, which not only succeeded in landing menon the moon but contributed to a broad range of technologicalbreakthroughs - a project of this magnitude would injectmuch-needed vigor into a nation depressed from years ofeconomic slump.

spider-like robots

comet III

was designed by chiba university professor kenzo nonami, andis part of a state-funded project to develop de-mining technologiesfor afghanistan. four metres long and weighing one tonne,the comet III walks on six sturdy metal legs.an additional limb in front is equipped with a metaldetector and radar to find mines, while a second sprayspaint on the ground to mark the spot.

snake-like robots

souryu

snake robots are also known as serpentine robots.as the name suggests, these robots possess multiple actuatedjoints thus mulitple degrees of freedom.this gives them superior ability to flex, reach, and approach ahuge volume in its workspace with infinte number of configurations.this redundance in configurations gives them the technical name:hyper redundant robots. ideally, the future snake design willconsist of three degree of freedom stages - roll, pitch, and extension.souryu or blue dragon, is a remote-controlled robot designed bytokyo institute of technology's professor shigeo hirose.the snake-like souryu crawls using six tracks, two on eachside of its three-part body. it is equipped with a cameraand microphone to search for victims, and can bend atthe joints or roll over on its side to maneuver through rubble.

Apple MacBook Air: Encore please

The Apple MacBook Air has remained almost unchanged for a year and a half--a testament to the staying power of its design. So, how will Apple respond to the wave of inexpensive, ultra-thin lookalikes hitting the market over the next six months?

The Air was a sensation when it debuted in January of 2008. Not that it sold by the boatloads, but the stunning form factor set off an industrial-design

The Air is still a stunning design but its novelty and high price will come under assault as lookalikes flood the market

frenzy. Ergo, the Dell Adamo and the raft of "ultra-thin" laptops in the hopper as a result of Intel's push to get its "ULV" (ultra-low-voltage) chips in as many glamorous but affordable designs as possible

MacBook Air or Dell Adamo but it's close enough to give prospective buyers even more reason to balk at the $1,800-plus price tags attached to those two gorgeous designs.
And other designs are already out there like the 0.78 inch-thick MSI X340 X-Slim, which is, more or less, a photocopy of the Air. And even Lenovo is tempting fate with the 3.5-pound 13.3-inch IdeaPad U350, which will start at $649 and make the $1,900 ThinkPad X301--and the Air--look very expensive.

So, what does an Acer Aspire Timeline get you for $899? Let's take a quick look:
Intel Core 2 Duo processor SU9400 (1.40GHz, 10 watts)
13.3-inch LED-backlit TFT LCD
Mobile Intel GS45 Express chipset
4GB of DDR3 memory
6-cell lithium ion battery
500GB SATA hard drive
3.5 pounds
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Many of those specifications are a stone's throw away from the Air (and Adamo)--or match it.
So, what will Apple's MBA encore be? Thinner? Lighter? Faster? 3G capable? Dare I say, cheaper? Or a new industrial design that will send all the ultra-thin wannabes back to the drawing board? I'm waiting.

'Star Wars' fans flock to video game launch

SAN FRANCISCO--In four hours, the latest--and maybe greatest--Star Wars game, The Force Unleashed, will go on sale.
No one knows if the game will be a best-seller, but if you judged by the energy at the Best Buy in this city's Mission District on Monday night, where the game's official launch event is being held, it's got a bright future.
There is a special guest scheduled to speak in about 15 minutes, and by now, it's no secret that it will be George Lucas himself.
For now, however, fans of the game--and hired hands--are milling around the Best Buy here in all kind of Star Wars costumes, and every now and then I hear the easily recognized beep bleep bloop sound of R2-D2.
Stay tuned to this blog for more on this event as the evening goes on.

Darth Vader 'chokes' a Best Buy employee at the launch party for 'Star Wars: The Force Unleashed' on Monday night

Cell phone video cams start to have ‘reel’ feel

Ability to take, not just watch, mobile video becoming more common

Nokia N96. This may be one of the premier cell phones for video recording, and perhaps one of the most expensive, at $579, as priced recently at Nokia's Web site. (The phone is sold by Nokia in the United States as "unlocked," without a wireless carrier contract and without a subsidy on the phone's cost.)

The N96 provides digital image stablization for video recording — a great idea when you're shooting video with a device weighing only 4.5 ounces. Also unusual is the N96's video settings for scene, light, white balance and color tone. The phone, which includes a 5-megapixel camera, has a dual LED camera flash and video light.
The phone comes with 16 gigabytes of internal memory, and another 8 GB can be added with a microSD card. It has a 2.8-inch display screen. Up to 90 minutes of video can be recorded, depending on resolution.

Lines between netbooks, laptops keep blurring

A 12-inch netbook? In an evolving PC market, everything's fair game

One of Lenovo's new netbooks, the IdeaPad S12, has a 12-inch screen, a full-size keyboard and starts at $449. Most netbooks top out at screen sizes of 10.1 inches, but Lenovo said this model will be for those who want a portable and affordable device with a "familiar computing experience

Nokia E Series E55 in a More Stylish Red Colorway

Nokia has just released this Nokia E55 last month and now they are bringin it back this month with a new stylish color way that most of us would truly enjoy. Aside from the stainless and black version of this model, it is now also available in red.
Nokia is re introducing their Nokia E55 with a new stylish color way that is very much attractive compared to the original versions that they first released. This red color way will definitely appeal to many users especially with the functionality and features that this phone already has. This includes a 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity allowing you to surf the net in high speed connection.
This also includes a 3.15 megapixel camera with autofocus allowing you to take quality pictures. This cellular phone is also equipped with an mp3 and mp4 player for your entertainment functions. This also includes other functions including a digital compass, document viewer, FM radio, Nokia Maps, and GPS functions.
This new red Nokia E55 will definitely be one of your reasons to buy this phone aside from its functionality. Expect this new version to be available soon on your local mobile retailers.

Who was invented the hukka?

The origin of the Hookah or water pipe can be dated millennia back and its initial traces have been found in the North Western provinces of India alongside the border of Pakistan in the state of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The Hookahs of the ancient times were very simple, rugged and archaic in design. The initial Hookahs were crafted out of a coconut shell base. They were designed to smoke opium and hashish. The Hookah headed for Persian Kingdom and made its way towards Pakistan, Afghanistan, many parts of Asia and Arab parts of Northern Africa.If the history of an object is goes back so far, it is very difficult to know who invented it. In most cases, like for the hookah, the name of its inventor is long forgotten.

Hookah smoking just as bad for teeth as cigarettes

Hookah smoking just as bad for teeth as cigarettes

ISLAMABAD: Water pipes (hookah) might be a safer way to smoke, but they are as damaging to the teeth and gums as the cigarettes.
Hookahs have long been used for smoking tobacco in the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia. Hookah lounges are also becoming increasingly popular in the US and other countries. The pipes consist of a long tube attached to a glass or plastic container that holds water in its base, BBC radio reported.
The tobacco, which is flavored with fruits and sugar syrup, is burnt using charcoal. Because the smoke passes through the water before the smoker inhales it, water pipes are believed by some to filter out the harmful substances in tobacco smoke.
However, water pipe smoke contains the same toxins as cigarette smoke. Previous studies have suggested that hookah smoking increases heart rate and blood pressure and impairs lung function.
Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm studied 262 adults in Saudi Arabia, where hookah smoking is widespread, to find out if hookahs are as tough on the teeth as cigarettes.
Overall, 31 percent smoked water pipes exclusively, while 19 percent smoked only cigarettes. Another 20 percent used both smoking methods, and the rest 30 percent were non-smokers.
The researchers found that about 20 percent of all study participants had signs of gum disease, which is marked by inflammation and redness in the gums in its earlier stages and later, destruction of the bones and soft tissue supporting the teeth, possibly leading to tooth loss. But while only eight percent of non-smokers had gum disease, 30 percent of water pipe smokers and 24 percent of cigarette smokers were affected.
When researchers weighed other factors, such as study participants' ages, they found that water pipe smokers were five times more likely to show signs of gum disease than non-smokers. Cigarette smokers had a nearly four-times greater risk than non-smokers.
It's not clear why tobacco smoking promotes gum disease, but it's highly likely, that it harms the bones that support the teeth. Hence, the findings suggest that tobacco from a water pipe is equally harmful to the teeth as cigarettes.—APP

32" Hephaestus Khalil Mamoon Hookah

32" Hephaestus Khalil Mamoon Hookah
This is the ultimate four-hose Khalil Mamoon hookah and it is just as impressive to smoke as it is to look at. Khalil Mamoon made this hookah with wide gauge ports and the use of brass with critical components. With a name meaning god of metallurgy, this is truly a metallic work of art. This hookah comes with four 65 inch signature Khalil Mamoon hoses and a clay bowl that holds 15 - 20 grams of hookah tobacco. This hookah will most likely be a collector's item, so get one while they are still available. Supplies will go fast.
Includes:
Egyptian Hookah Head
(4) 65" Khalil Mamoon Hoses
Gaskets
Metal Screen
Cleaning Brush
Tongs
1 Dozen Plastic Tips

TYPES OF HOOKAH

1.12" MYA QT Hookah

This is the most famous of the small MYA hookah line and is an industry standard for personal use travel size hookahs. The base is 5 inches across offering good stability for its size. The stem fits over the base in a way that hides the gasket line making the entire hookah look seamless. The matching head is a standard high grade ceramic that holds approximately 16 to 20 grams of hookah tobacco. The hose also matches the color scheme and is 72 inches long. The hookah comes with a specially made wire carrying cage. These hookahs are a great buy for their size and quality.
Includes:
Wire Carrying Cage
72" Mya Hose
Hookah Head
Gaskets
Metal Screen
Cleaning Brush
Tongs
1 Dozen Plastic Tips

Sheesha Smokers: Beware! (Hukka)

Sheesha Smokers: Beware! (Hukka)

Sheesha is a water pipe widely used in Saudi Arabia to smoke jurak or moasel-a tobacco-fruit mixture cooked to produce a dark-colored paste. The mixture is burnt by an electrical device or more commonly by charcoal. The produced smoke passes through water at the base of the sheesha and a long tube before it is inhaled.

Many people consider sheesha t be less harmful than smoking cigarettes. But according to a study conducted at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, sheesha can be even more harmful. Sheesha smokers absorb more carbon monoxide than do cigarette smokers, putting themselves at greater risk for coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis and chronic respiratory disease. It can also retard fetal growth.Sheesha smokers using charcoal have higher levels of carbon monoxide in their blood than those using an electrical device. Carbon monoxide absorption is greatly increased when sheesha is smoked just prior to sleeping. Even minimal exposure to carbon monoxide is known to be harmful and people who smoke sheesha as little as once a day put themselves at risk. According to the study 15 minutes of smoking sheesha is equivalent to smoking one cigarette. The researchers defined a ‘smoker’ as anyone who smoked 15-30 grams of jurak each day. A study conducted on adult males suggests that sheesha smoking may be responsible for abnormal changes in their chromosomes. Another study concluded that regular sheesha smokers carry a risk of deforming their teeth. And although not proven, it is suspected that sheesha smoking may lead to cancer.
Facts about sheesha:
1.Symptoms reported by sheesha smokers include headaches, blurred vision, palpitation and dizziness.
2.Sheesha smokers have higher levels of carbon monoxide in their blood than cigarette smokers.
3.Burning jurak with coal results in greater absorption of carbon monoxide than when an electrical device used.
4.Smoking sheesha just before sleeping greatly increase absorption of carbon monoxide.
5.Sheesha smoking may increase the risk of heart disease, arterioscleroses and chronic respiratory disease.
6.Sheesha smoking stunts fetal growth.
7.Sheesha smoke may trigger an asthma attack.
8.Sheesha smokers exhibit higher levels of total cholesterol than cigarette smokers.
9.Smoking sheesha increases gastric acidity, thus increasing the chance of peptic ulcers.
10.Passing the sheesha from person to person is unhygienic and may result in transmission of communicable diseases.

BMW presents next-generation hydrogen storage tank

BMW’s research division, Forschung und Technik, has developed a next-generation hydrogen fuel storage system for cars and in the process has allowed the carmaker to edge closer to the volume production of hydrogen powered vehicles. Teaming up with partners, including Air Liquide, Daimler AG, Dynetek Europe and Ford, engineers have developed a new type of tank made of advanced composite materials that’s much safer than previous designs.Its lightweight construction also means the weight of the entire tank system can be reduced to one third that of conventional cylindrical steel tanks. Another added benefit of composite construction is that the shape of the tank can be molded to suit any vehicle, once again reducing cost and adding flexibility. Filled with ten kilograms of hydrogen, its creators think it could allow a range well in excess of 350 miles in a future vehicle. In comparison, the current Hydrogen7 only has a range of 100 miles.BMW will take its hydrogen focus a step further by constructing a 4,500 gallon fueling station near its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey for a fleet of new hydrogen-powered cars.