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Own Your Own Fighter Jet 222

Posted by samzenpus from the only-one-on-the-block dept.
gimmebeer writes "The Russian Sukhoi SU-27 has a top speed of Mach 1.8 (more than 1,300 mph) and has a thrust to weight ratio greater than 1 to 1. That means it can accelerate while climbing straight up. It was designed to fight against the best the US had to offer, and now it can be yours for the price of a mediocre used business jet."
Power

Submission + - China to enforce universal cell phone charger (eetimes.com)

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: In order to reduce the number of cell phone chargers tossed out each year, China is planning to enforce a compulsory USB-based universal cell phone charger standard.
Announcements

Submission + - Lifeware Launches Media Center Line (castercomm.com)

Submitted by
Nick B.
Nick B. writes: "LIFE|WARE ANNOUNCES LIFE|MEDIA: HIGH FIDELITY ENTERTAINMENT AND COMPLETE HOME AUTOMATION

New line of Life|media Servers are optimized for both digital entertainment and comprehensive home control.

Columbus, OH — June 1, 2007 — Exceptional Innovation, makers of Life|ware(TM), announces the launch of a new line of Life|media(TM) servers, optimized for complete digital entertainment experiences and comprehensive home automation.

Using benchmark internal components and the look and feel of a high-end A/V receiver, Life|media provides from 500GB to 4.5 Terabytes of storage for digital music, movies, pictures, and recorded TV as well as instant access to Life|ware's complete home control via the user's home network. The servers come in configurations that include Digital CableCARD, NTSC or ATSC tuners, a DVD RW Drive (HDDVD & BluRay forthcoming), and feature optical audio with Dolby Master Studio decoding.

"Exceptional Innovation has been a terrific leader in creating whole-home media and control solutions," said Joe Belifore, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President, Entertainment and Devices for the eHome division. "Life|ware has been instrumental in bringing MCE into the CEDIA channel and we are now thrilled to have them as an OEM introducing this line of professional media servers."

  "Our Life|media Server line brings together the very best technology for high definition entertainment with the most advanced automation solution available. This is the Media Center that empowers a high definition lifestyle," said Mike Seamons, vice president of marketing for Life|ware. "No one has lived with and done more testing of Media Centers over the past four years than we have, and we have addressed the shortcomings of previous systems along with every other lesson we have learned into the design of these servers."

The Life|media Server line includes five models, ranging from a set-top to a four-rack unit ultra high performance edition. All models run Microsoft® Windows® Vista® Ultimate Operating System, and offer a range of Intel® chipsets and processors. Life|media strives for the perfect balance between an elegant AV style back panel and the open flexibility of using standard PC industry components. This patent pending MediaPlate(TM) design makes Life|media the most upgradable entertainment console on the market.

Life|media Servers include an Intel® motherboard with 965 chipset and Intel® 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo® Processor, 2GB DDRAM, DVD-RW drive, and a built-in 28-in-1 Flash Reader. Performance specifications increase for each model, culminating with the flagship LMS-700, which features the Intel® D975XBX2 chip set, Intel® 2.4 GHz Quad Core Processor, 4 GB DDRAM and 4.5 TB hard drive in RAID 5 Array.

"We have always recognized that enjoying your digital entertainment and controlling your home's environment are wonderfully complementary experiences with Life|ware and Media Center," said Seamons.

Easy to mount in a standard AV Rack but quiet enough to be installed in a room, Life|media can be connected to the customer's network, peripherals, and serial home automation devices in minutes. Its Windows® Vista(TM) operating system is up and running quickly, and it is preinstalled with Life|ware home control software.

Life|media's port design simplifies installation with the inclusion of two front mounted USB (2.0, 1.1), front mounted firewire jack, front composite A/V and S-video, rear A/V Out for 7.1 Channel analog and optical S/PDIF audio, rear HDMI, DVI-I, S-Video, Component and composite video, two RS-232 Ports (9-pin), rear IR control input/output, and two unique ports for 12V trigger relays and contact closure devices (for screens, shades, contacts, relays, etc.).

Life|media Servers will start at $4,500 and be available this summer.

For more information, or for logos and images please visit www.life-ware.com."
Data Storage

Submission + - A new global memory card standard (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: "The Technology Research Institute has approved a new memory card standard called the Multiple Interface Card (miCard). The card will make transferring pictures, songs and other data between electronic gadgets and PCs easier. Twelve Taiwanese companies are preparing to manufacture the new miCard. 'The compatibility with both USB and MMC slots means most users won't need separate card readers anymore. MMC cards fit most consumer electronics, while USB connections are built into a wide range of IT hardware, including laptops, desktops, printers and home entertainment gear.'"
Intel

Intel Shows Off 80-core Processor 222

Posted by Zonk from the next-up-a-skillion-core-system dept.
thejakebrain writes "Intel has built its 80-core processor as part of a research project, but don't expect it on your desktop any time soon. The company's CTO, Justin Rattner, held a demonstration of the chip for a group of reports last week. Intel will be presenting a paper on the project at the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco this week. 'The chip is capable of producing 1 trillion floating-point operations per second, known as a teraflop. That's a level of performance that required 2,500 square feet of large computers a decade ago. Intel first disclosed it had built a prototype 80-core processor during last fall's Intel Developer Forum, when CEO Paul Otellini promised to deliver the chip within five years.'" Update: 06/01 14:37 GMT by Z : This article is about four months old. We discussed this briefly last year, but search didn't show that we discussed in February.
Hardware Hacking

New AACS Fix Hacked in a Day 362

Posted by Zonk from the oh-day-warr-ez dept.
VincenzoRomano writes "ArsTechnica has just published an update to the neverending story about copy protection used in HD DVD and Blu-ray discs and hacker efforts against it. From the article: 'The ongoing war between content producers and hackers over the AACS copy protection used in HD DVD and Blu-ray discs produced yet another skirmish last week, and as has been the case as of late, the hackers came out on top. The hacker BtCB posted the new decryption key for AACS on the Freedom to Tinker web site, just one day after the AACS Licensing Authority (AACS LA) issued the key.' The article proposes a simple description of the protection schema and a brief look back at how the cracks have slowly chipped away at its effectiveness. It seems it'll be a long way to an effective solution ... if any. One could also argue whether all that money spent by the industry in this race will be worth the results and how long it would take for a return on investment."
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft demonstrates Surface Computer (reuters.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: This Reuters News video shows Bill Gates demonstrating a next-generation computer, which has a tabletop 30-inch display and is operated without a keyboard or mouse. Inital projected price is $5,000-$10,000. The unit is apparently a large, non-portable Tablet PC, but the video does not go into much detail about the eye-catching software being used on it.
Intel

Submission + - Intel in graphics partnership with Nvidia?

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Intel may get some help building its upcoming floating point accelerator Larrabee. Following some rumors earlier this month, which claimed that Intel and Nvidia will be trading technologies, TG Daily now says that it has received information that the two companies will be announcing a "graphics partnership". An acquisition of Nvidia is a bit unlikely right now, but if Intel has access to Nvidia GPU technology, what exactly does that mean for AMD/ATI? Looks like Intel is catching up with AMD's ideas much faster than we thought.
Wii

Submission + - Wiimote concert (youtube.com)

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: There's a video on YouTube of two guys playing a song using four wiimotes. In front of an audience!
Portables

Submission + - Sony makes the perfect laptop

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: There have been a lot of rumours and photos of Sony's new TZ notebook, but here's the first full review. Key points seem to be the first dual core ultra low voltage mobile chip from Intel, and a stunning new LED backlight screen. Throw in a weight of just over a kilo and an integrated DVD writer, and it looks like the perfect laptop! http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/200 7/05/31/Sony-VAIO-VGN-TZ1MN/p1
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - Endangered Raw Materials (newscientist.com)

Submitted by WorthlessProgrammer
WorthlessProgrammer writes: The article "Dwindling of rare metals imperils innovation" [EETimes.eu], says that essential materials that would enable fuel-efficient technologies, and materials required for the next-gen IT hardware may become could become extinct. E.G., hafnium will be gone by 2017 and zinc will be gone by 2037 (no problem, the 2036 Unix crash will make this a minor problem). Other 'endangered' elements include platinum, copper, indium, gallium, and selenium.

My Notes 1. Was an interesting article until I read the reference to Moore's Second Law, which has never been defined. In fact, G. Moore said has said "I'm not close enough now to make new predictions — several things have been called Moore's Second Law but I can't take credit for any of them" So what is this 'Second Law' ?

2. The "Almighty Buck" icon selection alludes to potential creation of a new source of political and financial power that may rival oil producers
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft to unveil coffee-table-shaped computer (stuff.co.nz)

Submitted by
TheCybernator
TheCybernator writes: "Microsoft is to unveil a coffee-table-shaped "surface computer" today in a major step towards co-founder Bill Gates' view of a future where the mouse and keyboard are replaced by more natural interaction using voice, pen and touch. Microsoft Surface, which has a 76cm (30-inch) display under a hard-plastic tabletop, allows people to touch and move objects on screen for everything from digital finger painting and jigsaw puzzles to ordering off a virtual menu in a restaurant. It also recognises and interacts with devices placed on its surface, so cell phone users can easily buy ringtones or change payment plans by placing their handsets on in-store displays, or a group of people gathered round the table can check out the photos on a digital camera placed on top. The world's largest software maker said it will manufacture the machine itself and sell it initially to corporate customers, deploying the first units in November in Sheraton hotels, Harrah's casinos, T-Mobile stores, and restaurants."

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