For those who must know first
AP – A new online database promises to crack some of the nation’s 100,000 missing persons cases and provide answers to desperate families, but only a fraction of law enforcement agencies are using it.
Read More: Database can crack missing person cases if used
(AP)
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 TopNews United States |
After errors, global warming gets a cold shoulder
Boston Globe A series of highly publicized errors in a landmark report about manmade global warming – and lingering controversy over hacked e-mails between climate scientists – is eroding public confidence in the research and could further stall … Global warming show elicits varied views Climate Change as an Act of Faith? New Study: Humans Are Causing Climate Change |
Read More: After errors, global warming gets a cold shoulder – Boston Globe
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 The Guardian |
10 Issues Apple Needs to Address Before Releasing the iPad
eWeek News Analysis: The iPad is now less than a month away from hitting store shelves, but there are still significant issues with it that Apple hasn't addressed. Here are some of the issues Apple needs to think about before the iPad hits store shelves in … Jobs: iPad Won't Tether with iPhone All about the Apple iPad (FAQ) Key to Apple iPad? Uh-Oh, It's Magic |
Read More: 10 Issues Apple Needs to Address Before Releasing the iPad – eWeek
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 New York Daily News |
iPad Won't Tether to iPhone Says Steve Jobs
Techtree.com As the date of Apple's much-awaited iPad tablet arrival comes closer, loads of people are getting eager to sort out their doubts before making the decision of buying the tablet. Among this confusion comes Apple CEO Steve Jobs statement that the iPad … Apple's Ipad delay is down to a software problem Steve Jobs spotted at the Oscars; iPad ad runs Apple's iPad Launch: 10 Questions |
Read More: iPad Won't Tether to iPhone Says Steve Jobs – Techtree.com
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 BBC News |
Microsoft Gives Rival Browsers a Lift
New York Times PARIS — Rivals of Microsoft's market-leading Web browser have attracted a flurry of interest since the company, fulfilling a regulatory requirement, started making it easier for European users of its Windows operating system to switch. … Windows' Browser "Choice Screen" Delivers Mixed Resu … Microsoft's Week Involved Cloud Strategy, EU Ballot Screen, Windows 7 Sales Windows 'Choice Screen' boosts rival Web browsers |
Read More: Microsoft Gives Rival Browsers a Lift – New York Times
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Lawyers get cross over fake Intel CPU reports
TG Daily Two tech sites have received 'cease and desist' letters after reporting that online retailer Newegg was inadvertently supplying counterfeit Intel chips to customers. HardOCP was contacted by a reader who said that he ordered a Core i7-920, … Intel Investigating Sale of Fake Core I7 Chip NewEgg sold 300 counterfeit Core i7-920 CPUs in "shipping error" Intel acknowledges sale of counterfeit Core i7 CPUs |
Read More: Lawyers get cross over fake Intel CPU reports – TG Daily
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 Brisbane Times |
Portal 2 confirmed for Mac Platform
Techtree.com First person shooter game Portal 2 will soon be available for the Mac apart from Xbox 360 and PC platforms, as Game Informer magazine reports. Portal 2 is a sequel to the first Portal game that was released in 2007 as a part of the Orange Box … Portal 2 confirmed for Christmas 2010 "Portal was a test, Portal 2 is a game" – Valve Portal 2 arrives on PC and Mac |
Read More: Portal 2 confirmed for Mac Platform – Techtree.com
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 TopNews United States |
Scribblenauts Sequel is Announced
Gamespy.com Warner Bros. Interactive and 5th Cell are making another Scribblenauts game. You remember Scribblenauts, right? It won our E3 Best in Show last year. So it's with some excitement that Maxwell and his word-based antics are … Scribblenauts 2 Coming to DS this Fall Scribblenauts 2 Coming to Nintendo DS in Fall Scribblenauts Sequel Planned for Fall |
Read More: Scribblenauts Sequel is Announced – Gamespy.com
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 San Francisco Chronicle (blog) |
AT&T Finally Offers Android On Their Shelves With Motorola BACKFLIP
Hot Hardware We aren't sure what took so long, but we're very glad that the wait is over. Google's Android operating system has made an indelible mark on the smartphone market segment, and it's the first major OS to rival the iPhone in a serious way. … Motorola Backflip Jumps Under $100 at AT&T Motorola Backflip drops below $100 via AT&T AT&T to Offer Motorola Backflip for $99, 2 Year Contract |
Read More: AT&T Finally Offers Android On Their Shelves With Motorola BACKFLIP – Hot Hardware
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 Central Florida News 13 |
President To Defend NASA Aim
Wall Street Journal The White House is launching a political counterattack to fend off escalating congressional criticism of its proposals to outsource US manned space missions to private industry. Facing bipartisan opposition on Capitol Hill and lacking … Aaron Cohen, Official and Engineer With NASA, Dies at 79 Space Workers Eager To Hear More About Obama's Summit Obama to push White House vision for NASA in April |
Read More: President To Defend NASA Aim – Wall Street Journal
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The Xbox 360 may well be in line for a makeover, according to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
The games console has stayed pretty much the same since its launch, a few colour changes aside, but Ballmer has hinted that this may all be about to change.
In a speech on cloud computing, Ballmer noted that “various price points and options” could happen for the Xbox in the future.
“[At the moment] you get exactly the Xboxes that we build for you,” explains Ballmer. “We may have more form factors in the future that are designed for various price points and options.”
Xbox 360 slim-lined?
Changing the entire look of a console is not usually something Microsoft does. The company decided to keep the original Xbox look before killing it off completely.
Sony, on the other hand, slim-lined the PS2 and gave it a new lease of life – on which means that the console is still around today, complete with new games.
Sony also slim-lined the PS3 recently, adding more hard-drive space and making it a tad cheaper.
Microsoft has continued to amend the Xbox’s storage space but not much more.
So, could we see a smaller version of the Xbox? One which radically changes the design? Speculation says yes but history, unfortunately, says no.
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Google has bought productivity specialists DocVerse, enabling users to edit Microsoft Office documents collaboratively online.
Google’s acquisition of DocVerse should prove to be a godsend to those working on joint projects where the team is using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to collaboratively create and edit their documents online.
Google Apps gets better
Google credited DocVerse’s “small, nimble team of talented developers who share [Google's] vision.”
The announcement was made via the Google Enterprise blog and via DocVerse’s own site.
“Unfortunately, today, individuals are still forced to make a choice between those two worlds,” reads the DocVerse post. “Google’s acquisition of DocVerse represents a first step to solve these problems.”
Google has put new sign-ups to DocVerse on hold for now until the company is “ready to share what’s next.”
Google Docs already lets users simultaneously edit Google-hosted word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation documents – so it is safe to assume that DocVerse’s talent will be put towards improving that service, in addition to improving Google/MS Office functionality and compatibility.
One major step forward for the company in making Google Apps an essential tool for remote office workers and small businesses alike.
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Panasonic is a superstar of the Blu-ray world. Year after year, its new players are greeted with the sort of unbridled enthusiasm usually reserved for Tom Cruise’s red carpet walkabouts in Leicester Square. The reason for its techno-celebrity is simple: innovation. Profile 1.1, BD-Live, Blu-ray recording – you name it, Panasonic did it first, and over the years no-one has done more to push the format forward.
However, Panasonic’s position has been under threat from deck’s like LG’s brilliant BD390, which offers built-in Wi-Fi, PC streaming, unrivalled digital media support and top-drawer performance at a consumer-friendly price.
Finding itself at the start of 2010 in the rare position of playing catch-up, Panasonic has hit back with the DMP-BD85. Equipped with a killer spec and more of the picture processing goodness that made its predecessors so successful, the BD85 might just be Panasonic’s masterpiece – at least until it unleashes the 3D-capable DMP-BDT300 later this year…
Simple design
On the outside, the BD85 is an unremarkable sight. Touch sensitive keys, curves or a gloss black finish? A Panasonic buyer craves not these things, apparently. A blue light is the best you can hope for, but at least build quality is solid.
The outlook is much brighter on the back. Multi-channel analogue outputs offer receiver luddites a chance to enjoy hi-res Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks, and there’s an Ethernet port for accessing BD-Live content, which is finally becoming worth bothering with.
There’s also a USB input for attaching the BD85’s supplied USB dongle – because one of the BD85’s big new features is Wi-Fi support, bringing the web into your living room without Ethernet cables cluttering up the place.
Plugged into the back, the chunky dongle is unwieldy and could cause problems in your AV rack, but there’s an extension lead if you’re worried about that sort of thing.
Wireless connectivity throws up more goodies. The BD85 is DLNA certified and as a result you can pull music and photos from PCs on your home network, and the setup process is slick and hassle-free.
DivX HD playback has been added, too, popping up on the spec sheet alongside MP3 and JPEG. You can play these from USB sticks via the port on the front, which sits next to an SD card slot that accepts higher-capacity SDHC and SDXC cards. But because the BD85 doesn’t come with BD Live memory built-in, you’ll need to keep a card in the slot for any online activity.
Once running, the deck keeps things simple onscreen, and apart from some unnecessary submenus, it makes navigation a breeze.
But there’s a sluggishness about the BD85 that you really shouldn’t have to put up with these days. Entering the setup menu not only lost my place in the movie, but i also had to wait for the player to handshake with my receiver and TV again.
Beating heart
Once again, Panasonic’s P4HD chipset is the beating heart of the BD85 and, in conjunction with PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus, it delivers beautiful images.
With Inglourious Basterds the opening shots of the verdant French countryside are conveyed with such depth and richness that you can almost smell the grass, and after colonel Landa has charmed his way into the house, the fantastic contrast range sheds light on the painstaking detail of the rickety interior.
Elsewhere, the BD85 doesn’t put a foot wrong – skin tones are faithful, strong hues blaze from the screen and the chaos of the cinema-set showdown is smoothly tracked. and the way it aces the Silicon Optix HQV tests without so much as a flicker or twitch is bordering on nonchalance.
On the audio side, there’s a wealth of sound modes to play with, including Digital Tube sound simulator, which ups the warmth to make music sound like it’s being played on a tube amplifier. The effect is pleasant, but I preferred the stereo untampered.
There’s more new tech in the shape of an HDMI Jitter Purifier, which enhances the stability of bass performance when piping audio over the digital connection. Let the deck rip with a movie through the analogue outs and the results are equally electrifying – Basterds’ brutal denouement is sharp, feisty and oozing with energy from every speaker.
All of which makes the DMP-BD85 a certified triumph. Okay, so it’s not the prettiest deck ever designed, nor the fastest, but there’s something still very special about this player, particularly when it comes to picture and sound performance.
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Philips’ 47PFL9664H is one of the top dogs of the Dutch manufacturer’s LCD TV range.
Strip out the Cinema 21:9 and LED Pro models and it’s actually the most highly-specced TV it offers, boasting a plethora of picture enhancing tech alongside Wi-Fi, web and media-streaming DLNA capabilities – not to mention the iconic Ambilight rear lighting system.
If you’re looking for a smaller set with all the features listed about, check out our review of the 42PFL9664H, the smaller brother of this quite mammoth LCD TV.
Haul the 47in beast out of its box and you’ll find it’s a solidly built set that’s easy on the eye. The narrow frame sports a fetching brushed metal finish and the TV is a slim 50mm in depth – not as achingly skinny as some edge-lit LED models, but very thin all the same – and running down the right-hand side is an array of touch-sensitive controls.
Perhaps as a result of this slimline profile, there are no connections located on either side panel, and everything is clustered at the back, including five HDMI inputs. There are also USB and Ethernet ports, the former for playing back media files and the latter for connecting the 47PFL9664H to your home network – although thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi you don’t need to use an actual cable.
Internet on the TV
Philips’ NetTV feature allows you to view a variety of pre-picked websites (including YouTube), or alternatively log into a full-on web browser – although the sloth-like pace and need to key in URLs via the remote control means it’s not the smoothest experience.
The TV’s networking talents also allow you to stream media content via DLNA. So if you have a PC or a Mac running some sort of UPnP client, you can plonk yourself down on the sofa and enjoy videos, photos and music stored on your computer. Would you want to listen to music through your TV’s speakers?
Well, the 47PFL9664H comes with a surprisingly good set of them. Despite the TV’s thinness, its speakers are capable of belting out a substantial slice of bass, backed up by clear treble.
As for images, the company has brought its full arsenal of enhancement technology to the table here (besides the LED backlighting): Perfect Pixel HD Engine for boosting sharpness and detail while reducing noise; Perfect Natural Motion to remove judder from pictures; and 200Hz Clear LCD to counter motion blur, keeping moving images looking sharp.
It all works together, along with the strong dynamic contrast, to serve up a mightily impressive picture. Black levels are strong, but not at the expense of vibrancy and brightness. Colours are beautifully vivid, with smooth, contour-free gradation from light to dark.
There’s a huge amount of detail on show, too, particularly with HD sources, and there’s built-in sharpness enhancement if you want to upscale SD material.
Motion is smooth and moving images remain clear (even for fast-paced games), although the effect 200Hz tech creates might not appeal to all viewers – it can make things look too smooth, and introduce an occasional shimmer around a moving object. You can tone down the processing, or turn it off completely, should you wish.
Top notch, top price
The 47PFL9664H’s excellent picture performance, fine array of features and stylish, high-end design make it a very impressive LCD TV.
Its price tag will put a lot of people off, but if you’re looking for a top-notch largescreen and have the money, then add this one to your list.
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Apple has decided to keep the UK pricing of the iPad under lock and key but that hasn’t stopped one third-party retailer from possibly blurting out a price for the company’s tablet computer.
Play.com has been listed on Google Products as selling the Apple iPad for the UK price of £499 for the 16GB version and a whopping £699 for the bigger 64GB version.
Dollars and sense
There is no word whether this is official pricing, but even if it is the e-tailer’s guess-work (and let’s be fair it is only swapping the dollars sign for pounds) we trust its judgement more than most, considering the relationship Play has had with selling Apple goods in the past.
Just last week, the US found out it is to get the Apple iPad 3 April. Since then there has been no word on UK pricing or release date.
It does look like the US and UK will be getting the 3G version of the iPad simultaneously, however, with the press release indicating that both are to receive them at the end of April.
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Sun-friendly laptop screen specialist Pixel Qi is set to release its new replaceable notebook screens later this spring.
The company’s Mary Lou Jepsen’s announced on the Pixel Qi blog that there will be DIY kits for replacing your own laptop screen with the sunlight-friendly Pixel Qi screen.
OLPC experience
“One of the reasons I’m personally committed to doing this goes back to my One Laptop per Child experience and girls in a poor rural part of Nigeria who helped us test the early beta-laptop builds,” notes Jepsen.
“In their school they had slanted desks bolted to benches with 4-5 kids per desk/bench combo. When any kid fidgeted or bumped all the laptops would fall on the concrete floors.
“The laptops were designed to be rugged and didn’t break usually, but in this early build one of the cables to the touchpad/keyboard was 1mm too short and could become “unseated”. This meant the keyboard and the touchpad would no longer work unless something was done.
Easy as changing a lightbulb
She adds that local “Ministers of Education had a tough time believing that these girls could fix the hardware… they would visit – to see it with their own eyes – and start thinking differently about maintenance of hardware. We kept preaching that ownership was the best way to assure maintenance.”
So if you are worried about changing your laptop screen, the message from Pixel Qi is – don’t be, if 11-year-old Nigerian girls can do it, so can you!
In fact, in Jepsen’s own words: “It’s only slightly more difficult than changing a lightbulb: it’s basically 6 screws, pulling off a bezel, unconnecting the old screen and plugging this one in. That’s it. It’s a 5 minute operation.”
Pixel Qi’s screens are set to be a key component in Notion Ink’s forthcoming Adam tablet PC/e-reader device, which is gaining a lot of interest as a potential competing device to Apple’s iPad.
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Panasonic has announced the arrival of the DMC-G10, a camera that uses the company’s Micro Four Thirds technology.
The G10 is touted as the first Lumix G Micro System camera that has a touchscreen interface and brings with it 1280 x 720 HD movie recording.
The G10 uses a 12.1MP CMOS sensor and images are processed with the Venus Engine HD II image processing engine.
When it comes to viewing your images, there’s a 3.0-inch large 460,000-dot high-resolution LCD which is said to offer up 100 per cent of the field of view and it also has touchscreen capabilities.
The Live View on show shoots at 60fps, so it should be smooth and ISO levels are said to be ‘high’.
Dust brothers
To stop dust from entering the sensor, there’s a Dust Reduction System on board and for those with ’shaky hand syndrome’, an Optical Image Stabiliser is inside too.
The G10 not only shoots HD video but if you want to use intelligent auto while creating your movies, you can now do so. If only Panasonic didn’t decide to record on the high-definition Motion JPEG, we would be much happier.
Panasonic has a winner on its hands with the Micro Four Thirds system. The G1 and GF1 are great cameras – if a tad expensive – and the G10 looks to likely to follow this trend.
The Panasonic DMC-G10 has a UK release date of June, with pricing still to be announced.
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You wait ages for a Micro Four Thirds camera and two come at once. The second release from Panasonic this week, housing the company’s Lumix G Micro System, is the DMC-G2.
Following up from the mightily successful G1, the G2 is a camera sporting 12.1 megapixel Live MOS sensor, the new Venus Engine HD II processor, double Live-View function, AVCHS Lite high definition movie recording, and a sparkly new iA (Intelligent Auto) mode.
The camera’s LCD is a 3-inch touchscreen, like its stable mate the G10, and allows the user to release the shutter and use the autofocus with a single touch of the screen.
The LCD also offers a 100 per cent field of view, so exactly what you see is exactly what you shoot.
View finder
The Live View Finder function is another new feature which allows you to see what an image will look like settings-wise, without actually taking the image. This means you can tweak the settings until you get the right look for your image then shoot.
Users can shoot HD footage from the G2 as well, with various shooting codecs available, including AVCHD Lite, HD Motion JPEG, QVGA, VGA and WVGA.
Alongside Intelligent Auto, there are a number of scene modes to shoot in. These include: Portrait, Night Portrait, Scenery, Night Scenery, Close-up and Sunset.
The Panasonic DMC-G2 has a UK release date of June, with price still to be announced.
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Sky is opening its first 3D TV experience at the Westfield shopping centre in West London on Friday – the first of many planned displays to showcase the company’s forthcoming technology.
With Sky’s 3D channel scheduled to launch in April for pubs, and come to homes by the end of 2010, Sky is keen to show off what consumers should expect from 3D TV.
Following a successful first 3D football match – Arsenal v Manchester United last month – Sky will hope that footage including Burberry’s London Fashion Week Show, football, rugby, ballet and tennis will convince people to consider purchasing a 3D Ready television and subscribe to the satellite broadcaster.
“Over the next 12 months Sky expects to have over 100 3D shopping centre demos,” explains Sky.
Already equipped
“Sky’s existing Sky+HD boxes, which are in 2.1 million UK and Irish homes, are already equipped to receive Sky 3D, so these people will only need to upgrade their TV set,” the company adds
“New 3D Ready TVs will be introduced over the coming months and later this year, as they begin to reach people’s living rooms Sky 3D will launch with a range of movies, sport, documentaries, entertainment and arts content.
“Sky 3D is compatible with all 3D Ready TVs – both ‘active’ and ‘passive’ – coming to the UK and Ireland this year, including all models from Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic.
“Every visitor to the stand will have the opportunity to register to win a competition to be one of the first people in the UK kitted out with a 3D TV, Sky+HD box and subscription to Sky’s top channel and HD packs, ready for when the service launches.”
So if you happen to be near the Westfield Centre and are interested in checking out 3D TV then you can pop in and see if for yourself.
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AP – It’s the new front in the nanny state: Microchips placed in garbage bins to monitor how much people throw away.
Read More: Waste watchers? UK group fears trash bin spies
(AP)
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