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Overwhelming interest forced Microsoft to rethink its release plans
The latest Windows release will be available to everyone after a surge in demand crashed the Microsoft website on 9 January, the original release date. (12 January, 2009)
In response, the company has lifted a planned limit on the number of copies of the Windows 7 Beta available for download.
Microsoft delayed the launch by one day to add "more infrastructure and servers" to cope with demand.
The unlimited download will last for two weeks, according to Microsoft.
Microsoft had initially planned to restrict downloads of the software to 2.5m copies, but now says that unlimited copies will be available until 24 January.
After that, the limit will be reinstated, though it looks likely to be surpassed by then.
Laurence Painell, product manager at Microsoft, said that it had removed the download limit so that Windows 7 would be available to "a much wider audience".
Shocking demand
"We would expect a beta to only be of interest to tech-enthused and those that have a vested business interest, to look at an operating system for testing purposes," Mr Painell explained.
"We didn't quite anticipate the demand that we saw."
Windows devotees flooded the Windows 7 blog with comments while waiting with bated breath for the delayed download.
A commenter on the blog called Adinelus posted from Romania on 9 January: "Thank God it's Saturday tomorrow, otherwise I would have missed this.
"Hope you guys have some spare servers…because millions wait for you!"
Mr Painell stressed that consumers should be aware that they are getting a preliminary version of Windows 7 which is meant for testing.
As a result, the software is likely to have problems that haven't been ironed out, and Microsoft does not provide technical support for it.
"It's not ideal for every consumer to install and use it on a daily basis," he explained.
Microsoft encouraged people with MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) or TechNet accounts to download the software through their subscriptions, to avoid the congestion on its public sites. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7825111.stm)
Google's response to Sunday Times story about its search and greenhouse gases (12 January, 2009)
Our sister paper the Sunday Times has caused something of a storm by publishing a story based on the research from a Harvard physicist who claimed that every Google search generates about 7g of CO2.
Here's the top of the story:
Performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate about the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea, according to new research. While millions of people tap into Google without considering the environment, a typical search generates about 7g of CO2.
Boiling a kettle generates about 15g. “Google operates huge data centres around the world that consume a great deal of power,” said Alex Wissner-Gross, a Harvard University physicist whose research on the environmental impact of computing is due out soon. “A Google search has a definite environmental impact.”
Google has been moved to respond on its official blog, saying that this estimate is *many* times too high. Here is the link to the blog. And here is the meat of the Google response:
In fact, in the time it takes to do a Google search, your own personal computer will use more energy than Google uses to answer your query.
Recently, though, others have used much higher estimates, claiming that a typical search uses "half the energy as boiling a kettle of water" and produces 7 grams of CO2. We thought it would be helpful to explain why this number is *many* times too high. Google is fast — a typical search returns results in less than 0.2 seconds. Queries vary in degree of difficulty, but for the average query, the servers it touches each work on it for just a few thousandths of a second. Together with other work performed before your search even starts (such as building the search index) this amounts to 0.0003 kWh of energy per search, or 1 kJ. For comparison, the average adult needs about 8000 kJ a day of energy from food, so a Google search uses just about the same amount of energy that your body burns in ten seconds.
In terms of greenhouse gases, one Google search is equivalent to about 0.2 grams of CO2.
What do you think? (http://timesonline.typepad.com/technology/2009/01/googles-respons.html)
Mike Harvey of TON, posted a summary and review of the top 10 gadgets of 2009 and following my review of the CES meeting and reading several Tec blogs and sites, I agree with Mikes's summary. It is an excellent review and all those people into gadgets better start saving up if you are going to be buying any of these item.
CES is all over, bar the shouting and it's time for a round-up. Here's my take on the 10 best and most significant gadgets, gizmos and launches from Las Vegas. I have put them in no particular order - except that I have saved the best to last. And no, it's not the Palm Pre.
1 SONY'S POCKET LAPTOP
The early contender for gadget of the week (because I have a thing about laptops) was Sony's Vaio P Series, a mini-notebook (not a netbook apparently) which is about the size of a big envelope and not that much thicker. It weighs just 638g.
The device has an Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM and a 60GB hard drive. Other features include mobile broadband, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS technologies with pre-installed maps. The 8-inch display that has a light-emitting diode backlight for more vivid colors than a standard LCD screen. The display has a resolution of 1,600 by 768 pixels and is "ultrawide".
The system runs Windows Vista, but has an instant-on option that launches directly into Sony's Xross Media Bar interface, which provides access to music, video, photos, and the Web. The Vaio P Series Lifestyle PC is available from February in the obligatory range of fancy colours. The only real problem is the price - from £849 in the UK - which is a lot for such a small screen. But it is a thing of beauty. Details here.
2 YAHOO! GETS INTERACTIVE WITH YOUR TV
Yahoo led the show-wide charge into getting more internet content on your TV. The company unveiled an avalanche of deals with TV manufacturers such as Samsung and Sony to put its TV Widget platform into the living room. With a Widget-enabled set you can interact with content and services that complement your TV viewing (but you don't get the full browsing experience). Press one button on your remote to bring up the TV Widget Dock, select a TV Widget, and view content.
You can track your favorite sports team, watch financial stocks, share photos with friends and family, go shopping, play games, view movies or web videos while you watch your favorite show. eBay, YouTube and MySpace are among the offerings. A significant move for the ailing company. Details here.
3 SKYPE FOR MOBILES
Skype, free video calls over the internet, is the one technology that my move to San Francisco from London has turned into a true life-changer. The company is now doing the same for mobile phones.
The Web-based voice and text messaging service owned by eBay has developed a "lite" version that can be downloaded for free to more than 100 models of Java-enabled mobile phones or those using Google's open-source Android platform.
The T-Mobile G1 runs Android software while phones from LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson are Java-enabled. Skype "lite" is not yet available for the Apple iPhone. (ha!)
The "lite" version gives you the ability to make free Skype-to-Skype calls and low cost calls to landlines and mobiles (no video but still pretty fab). Details of the beta here.
4 THE BEST HD MINI VIDEO CAMERA
Ok, so the Flip Mino HD, strictly speaking, was launched months ago but it was one of the ten entries in the Last Gadget Standing competition at CES and I think it is just brilliant. The world's smallest HD-quality video recorder features 4GB of memory and up to 60 minutes of recording time and all-new built-in FlipShare software for easy saving, organizing and sharing of video. It is pocket perfection. Details here.
Sony entered the market at CES with a new line of HD cameras called Webbie HD, both models coming in under $200. The PM1 has a swivel lens with 4x digital zoom and captures high-definition video at 1080p and snaps 5-megapixel pictures. It has a USB connection allowing easy transfers to a computer and uploads to services such as YouTube. Personally I still prefer the Flip Mino and they were first. But here's a picture of the Sony Webbie, anyway.
5 SUPER-POWERFUL PC FOR GAMERS
One of the sexiest launches for gamers was HP Firebird, from the gaming supercomputer specialists VoodooPC. I'm no gamer but it was not difficult to see why everyone was getting so excited about this fantastic piece of PC engineering.
Currently only slated for the US, the top of the range model features a 2.83GHz Intel Core 2 Quad, 4GBs of RAM, two 2.5in 320GB hard drives, a slot loading Blu-ray drive, Bluetooth and Draft-N Wi-Fi, Creative Labs X-Fi sound and dual 512MB nVidia 9800S graphics cards. Which translates as everything a gamer might want. And because it is watercooled its runs in near silence. No word about when it is coming to the UK... Details here.
6 PALM PRE HAS IPHONE IN ITS SIGHTS
The Palm Pre is the new cellphone sensation. There has been a lot of attention paid to this new smartphone from the old smartphone pioneers. I think it has great potential but because I have not had a chance to test it myself yet, I am going to sit on the fence. But it was easily the most talked about launch at the show. It will, I am told, be coming to the UK, probably in the second half of this year. Networkworld has got all the details and compares its specs with the iPhone.
7 NIGHT VISION CAMCORDER
My favourite "toy" of the show was the Digital Blue NightVision video camera. Aimed at kids and teenagers this camcorder employs infrared technology to allow users to see and record video in pitch black conditions up to 20 feet away. It is marketed at kids and teens who want to have "stealthy adventures in the dark". Now that sounds a bit weird but I think it is still a great gimmick.
The recorded videos can be played back on the camera's LCD screen, on a PC, or uploaded to social networking sites like YouTube. It also features a built-in flashlight "for safety", and a daytime recording mode. It will be available in the US this summer for $79.99.
The company website does not mention the new product yet but here is the press release.
8 JIVE ROBOT
Cute robot alert. WowWee Robotics have been turning out award-winning androidy products for a while (Robosapiens) but I was particularly taken with the Joebot. He is your interactive friend with a sense of style and rhythm. (pictured here with his launch companion the Roborover)
Joebot responds to voice commands and can beatbox and dance - his movements are sharp and swift and he can get himself up if he falls over. He has various modes but my favourite was battle mode when he will blast objects with the LEDs in his hands. You can even duel against him using any infra-red remote control. Waddya mean, this is just silly? Here's SlipperyBrick.com's take.
9 SEXIEST BLU-RAY PLAYER YET
Samsung unveiled the thinnest Blu-ray player on the planet with the BD-P4600. It can be wall-mounted and features support for internet interactive BD Live and Bonus View. Add a USB dongle for Netflix instant movie streaming and Pandora Internet Radio. This is a very cool product indeed. Gizmodo has the details. The Samsung website is pants.
10 THE WINNER - NEVER MISS A WORD
First of all - a confession. No, two. This is not a brand new launch but as above, it was part of the Last Gadget Standing contest and I had not come across it before. So I can include it. And secondly, yes, I know I love it so much because I am a hack whose shorthand is not what it was.
But this gadget is a fantastic piece of innovation and my favourite from CES.
The Livescribe Pulse smartpen places a computer inside a writing stylus to deliver a pen and voice recorder that remembers everything it writes and syncs it all with your PC.
There is a tiny scanner in the tip of the pen that picks up invisible dots in the special paper to keep a timeline of where the pen comes into contact with the paper. The pen can have its voice recorder activated, so it records audio while the notes are taken and afterwards, simply by touching the pen to any point in the notes, you can play back what was being said at the time.
If this sounds amazing, it is and it works. A journalist colleague swears by the smartpen now. Livescribe sells notebooks of the special Dot Paper, and users can even print out their own Dot Paper using a 600 dpi or greater printer.
Here's a video to help explain (it's a bit cheesy but it is aimed at students).
The pen is designed (by some ex-Apple people) to make note-taking - for journos and for students - really easy. What's more, the pen uses handwriting recognition to solve maths questions and translate words. No, I am not making that bit up.
The notes can all be transferred onto your computer using the Livescribe Desktop. The system is Windows compatible and there is a public beta to download for Mac users. A starter pack of the pen, the software, some of the special notebooks and other bits of kits costs around £185 in the UK.
And that's it. I hope you read this far. I should add that I have not included Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system update because I doubt very much that it will be fully released by the time the next CES comes to an end. So what did I miss?
(Posted by Mike Harvey on January 10, 2009 TON, Tech Central. http://timesonline.typepad.com/technology/2009/01/the-best-of-the.html)
January 11, 2009. First flying automobile, equally at home in the sky or on the road, is scheduled to take to the air next month (Mark Harris, TOL, Business)
IS it a car? Is it a plane? Actually it’s both. The first flying automobile, equally at home in the sky or on the road, is scheduled to take to the air next month.
If it survives its first test flight, the Terrafugia Transition, which can transform itself from a two-seater road car to a plane in 15 seconds, is expected to land in showrooms in about 18 months’ time.
Its manufacturer says it is easy to keep and run since it uses normal unleaded fuel and will fit into a garage.
Carl Dietrich, who runs the Massachusetts-based Terrafugia, said: “This is the first really integrated design where the wings fold up automatically and all the parts are in one vehicle.”
The Transition, developed by former Nasa engineers, is powered by the same 100bhp engine on the ground and in the air.
Terrafugia claims it will be able to fly up to 500 miles on a single tank of petrol at a cruising speed of 115mph. Up to now, however, it has been tested only on roads at up to 90mph.
Dietrich said he had already received 40 orders, despite an expected retail price of $200,000 (£132,000).
“For an airplane that’s very reasonable, but for a car that’s very much at the high end,” he conceded.
There are still one or two drawbacks. Getting insurance may be a little tricky and finding somewhere to take off may not be straightforward: the only place in the US in which it is legal to take off from a road is Alaska.
Dietrich is optimistic. He said: “In the long term we have the potential to make air travel practical for individuals at a price that would meet or beat driving, with huge time savings.”
10 Jan, 2009 (TOI, Infotech section). Well, I came across this brief 'article' and I thought as matter of amusement, I will bring it to the attention of my readers.....
LONDON: An Austrian jeweller has given 'bling bling' a new definition by designing the world's most expensive phone.
The new Apple iPhone 3G 'Kings Button' is made of solid 18-carat yellow gold, white gold and rose gold!
Designed by Peter Aloisson the stunning diamond-encrusted iPhone comes for a whopping 1.8 million pounds.
The one-of-a-kind phone features a rare 6.6-carat diamond on its home button, reports The Sun.
Aloisson is credited as being the ultimate pioneer when it comes to blurring the lines between gadget, art and jewellery.
Baghdad. In a significant development, the Government of Iraq has decided to rebuild the 15th century Sikh Guru Guru Nanak Dev's shrine which was destroyed in the 2003 war in Baghdad.
Talking to media here at his palace, Iraqi Vice President and senior politician Adil Abd-al-Mahdi has said that the government would rebuild the destroyed Guru Nanak Dev''s shrine in Baghdad.
He also thanked the Indian Spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravishankar for taking up this issue with the Iraqi Government.
I hope my sikh friends will really enjoy this little article. Here attached are a couple of video's relating to Guru Nanak in Baghdad:
Another very recent video relating to Guru Nanak in Baghdad by Zee News
The Iraqi Vice President and Sri Sri Ravishankar, who is on a peace mission to Iraq met here and held discussion about rebuilding of over 500-year-old Sikh shrine.
Talking to media, Sri Sri Ravishankar said, "It was a part of my mission and the Iraqi government had agreed to rebuild the historical shrine."
The Gurudwara was founded Mohamad Pasha Amoot, follower of Pir Bakol at the time of Guru Nanak's visit to Baghdad in the year 927 AH (1520-1A.D).
Baghdad was visited by Guru Nanak Dev on his way back from Mecca and Madina. He stayed outside the city of the west of Dajala (Tigris) River, about two kilometers north of Baghdad West railway station.
He held discourses with Sajjadanashins (caretaker of mausoleum) of the mausoleums of Abdul Qadir gilani and Bahlol the Wise, who were greatly impressed by his views on God and religion.
After the Guru's departure, they raised a memorial in the form of a platform where the Guru had sat and discoursed. After some time when a room was constructed over the platform, a stone slab with the following inscription in Turki was installed in it. The shrine was completely rubbled during the 2003 war.
Genetic tests for all - the new approach to preventive medicine
By Mark Henderson and Sam Lister(10 January, 2009, TON Health)
Genetic tests that can detect a raised risk of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer are being offered for the first time to people without family histories of the diseases, The Times has learnt.
The programme, run by University College London (UCL), paves the way for a new approach to preventive medicine involving widespread screening. It will also prompt greater demand for screening of embryos by parents who carry a defective gene and want to avoid passing it to their children.
News of the programme came as Paul Serhal, medical director at University College Hospital’s Assisted Conception Unit, announced the birth of one of the world’s first babies selected to be free of a genetic risk of breast cancer. The girl was born after embryos were screened to exclude the faulty BRCA1 gene. All the father’s female relatives had developed breast cancer caused by BRCA1. The gene gives a woman an 80 per cent chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime and raises the risk of ovarian and prostate cancer.
The two developments show the speed with which advances in genetic screening are having an impact on patient care. Genetic tests can now identify people with heightened risks of chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes and even high cholesterol.
Embryo screening, which is licensed for certain serious conditions, such as Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis, continues to attract controversy, with claims that it is paving the way for the creation of “designer babies”. However, doctors’ leaders argue that a technique that can prevent a child from developing a life-threatening illness should not be restricted.
The UCL screening programme is focusing on the London community of Ashkenazi Jews, who have a high risk of inheriting BRCA1 and BRCA2. The NHS offers BRCA testing, but only for women whose relatives have had cancer because of the mutations. Up to 50 per cent of people with the faulty genes do not have a family history of the diseases, largely because the gene can be carried by men. (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5485233.ece)
The new Apple iPhone 3G 'Kings Button' is made of solid 18-carat yellow gold, white gold and rose gold!
Baghdad. In a significant development, the Government of Iraq has decided to rebuild the 15th century Sikh Guru Guru Nanak Dev's shrine which was destroyed in the 2003 war in Baghdad. 
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