Ascott Opens New Properties in China

The Ascott Group today opened two Somerset branded properties in Chongqing and Shenzhen, its first in the two cities. The serviced residence properties – Somerset JieFangBei, Chongqing and Somerset Garden City, Shenzhen – will widen Ascott’s reach and increase the scale of its operations in the mainland. Ascott is one of the largest international serviced residence owner-operators in China with more than 5,000 units in 26 properties across 12 cities. Somerset JieFangBei, Chongqing offers studios as well as one and two-bedroom residences. The 157-unit property is located in the heart of Chongqing’s prime financial area, Yuzhong District. It is a short walk to the bustling Jiefangbei commercial Pedestrian Street, where the city’s biggest shopping malls and department stores are located. Somerset Garden City, Shenzhen is a 147-unit serviced residence located near the Shekou business district, close to many high-end office towers and major malls with a wide variety of retail, entertainment and dining choices. The property is near the Shekou Ferry Terminal, which is an hour away from Hong Kong’s Central or Kowloon by ferry.Each of the apartments, which range from studios to three-bedroom units, come with a private balcony where guests can relax and unwind. Mr Lim Ming Yan, who assumes his role today as the Chief Executive Officer of The Ascott Group, said, “It is a pleasant welcome to join Ascott on the day it opens two new properties in China. The addition of these properties reinforces Ascott’s leadership position as the largest international serviced residence owner-operator in China and signals our confidence in the Chinese market. We will be opening seven more new properties in China by 2010 and there will be no let up in our expansion in the country. Besides China, Ascott will also increase its presence in other countries to maintain its international leadership position.” Mr Gerald Lee, CEO of Ascott Hospitality, the hospitality management arm of The Ascott Group, said, “Chongqing and Shenzhen are two key industrial hubs in China undergoing rapid urbanisation. Chongqing, with a population of 32 million, is rich in natural resources and is a leading production centre for automobiles and motorcycles. The municipality is a key gateway to China’s southwestern region. Shenzhen, in the prosperous southern Guangdong province, is an important finance and manufacturing hub in the Pearl River Delta. Ascott’s entry into Chongqing and Shenzhen will allow us to serve customers who are not only taking up long-term assignments in these two major cities but also those travelling on business trips to the two cities.”Opening specials for Somerset JieFangBei, Chongqing range from RMB328++ per day for a studio executive apartment to RMB800++ per day for a two- bedroom executive apartment. Residents will enjoy complimentary breakfast and broadband internet access.As for Somerset Garden City, Shenzhen, opening rates start at RMB380++ per day for a studio to RMB680++ per day for a three-bedroom deluxe apartment. All apartments are decked out in modern fittings and designed to accommodate living and working from home. The residences come with a fully-equipped kitchen, an ensuite bathroom, home entertainment system and broadband internet access.

Source :www.asiatraveltips.com/news09/17-ServicedResidences.shtml

Arabian Automobies offers Extended warrenty

Arabian Automobiles, the exclusive dealer for Nissan, Infiniti and Renault in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, has announced the introduction of Extended Warranty and Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) insurance, in association with Dubai Insurance Co., to its customer base in the UAE. The company said it has become the first dealer in the UAE to provide a five-year extended warranty with unlimited mileage. The GAP insurance is designed to protect customers in case of theft or total loss.

Source :www.ameinfo.com/202303.html

Need For Speed Shift

En quête de respect, la série Need For Speed s’est soudainement reconvertie en une simulation automobile proche du réputé GRID.Depuis quelques années, la formule édictée par Electronic Arts n’a su remporter le suffrage des amateurs de courses automobiles visiblement lassées de voir perdurer un tel mastodonte. Les développeurs ont du opérer à de vastes modifications conceptuelles et visuelles rapprochant très fortement NFS : Shift de son concurrent de chez Codemasters. En conséquence, le jeu exigera une puissance de calcul supérieure à NFS : Undercover, une puissance que nous décrit aujourd’hui Electronic Arts. Comme toujours, il faudra se méfier grandement de la configuration minimale qui ne permet pas aux joueurs de profiter pleinement du jeu en question mais de le faire tourner dans des conditions affreuses. Need for Speed Shift - Image 29 Need for Speed Shift - Image 26 Need for Speed Shift - Image 25 Il s’agit pour les développeurs de rassurer les consommateurs non-avertis et de ne pas les faire fuir. Mais pour jouer dans de bonnes conditions, il faudra posséder au minimum la configuration recommandée. Vu les améliorations apportées par les anciens de chez SimBin, il ne fait aucun doute que le jeu tirera partie de cette puissance.

For further details visit at :www.generation-nt.com/need-for-speed-shift-electronic-arts-actualite-827121.html

Hyundai Motor interpelle les gouvernements:Allan Rushforth

ors du Forum 2009 de l’organisation de coopération et de développement économique (OCDE) qui s’est tenu le 24 juin à Paris, Hyundai Motor Europe a appelé tous les gouvernements à jouer un rôle plus important dans le développement des solutions énergétiques "vertes" dans l’industrie automobile. Allan Rushforth, vice-président de Hyundai Motor Europe (sur la photo) a rappelé que face à la demande des consommateurs, les ventes de petites voitures ont augmenté de plus de 70 % par rappport à 2008 au cours des 5 premiers mois de l’année au sein de sa marque. Il souhaite que le législateur définisse une direction plus claire en matière de véhicules "verts", soulignant le manque de cohérence des incitations fiscales pour le développement des voitures à faibles émissions proposées sur les différents marchés européens."Nous courons le risque de nous éloigner d’un marché commun et, en fin de compte, les couts devront être supportés par les consommateurs", a -t-il déclaré. Selon lui, l’utilisation de véhicules électriques ne prendra de l’ampleur qu’une fois que les gouvernements et les entreprises de services publics auront fait le nécessaire pour créer les infrastructures adaptées. "Cela signifie la mise en place de points de recharge et la refonte du cadre règlementaire, comme la création de parkings réservés et de réduction des taxes et des pégaes pour les véhicules électriques", a-t-il détaillé. Hyundai Motor était le seul représentant de l’industrie automobile lors d ce forum présidé par Han Seung-Soo, Premier Ministre de la république de Corée.

Source :www.auto-infos.fr/Hyundai-Motor-interpelle-les,1701

kitchen countertops

Granite kitchen countertops may be costly but they have the sophistication and ultimate finish to a modern kitchen. Granites are quite durable due to their hardness and density. It is also resistant to etching and scratches. These features make the granite the best material for kitchen countertops. It is always best to make sure you have pure granite for your material before installation to ensure the value for what you have paid for and to be sure it lasts quite long. A good test to find out will be the lemon test. Use an ample amount of lemon and pour it on a small part of the rock. Noticeable change in colour means the rock is not pure granite and is better not to use it. For genuine and best quality granites countertops and accessories, get them from Marble City - a trusted name in the granite industry in Bay Area California.

Now 95 series for Mobile Service Providers

The 95 dialling, which had been introduced for intra-state landline communication and then removed some four months ago, has returned, this time to mobile numbers. Some mobile phone companies, including Airtel and Idea Cellular, have started giving new mobile connections with the number. In technical terms, the first digit of a telephone number is called a level. With the ever-increasing population of mobile users, the existing levels have not been able to accommodate the growing demand, and the Department of Telecommunication had decided to introduce the 95 series for mobile service providers. Along with this, the 94, 93 and 92 series were allotted to specific service providers, including BSNL mobile, Reliance CDMA and Tata Indicom. With the new changes, these series will soon be allotted to other service providers too. Sources in Reliance Communications confirmed that the company has received an allotment of 95 series in some circles. The source refused to divulge more information about the allotment of 95 series. When contacted, an Airtel spokesperson confirmed that the company had been allotted a series starting with 95. The first four digits of the Airtel numbers will be 9516. The company has introduced the 95 series in post-paid as well in pre-paid connections in its Maharashtra region. Idea Cellular has also received an allotment of numbers starting with 9594, and customers have started using these new numbers in its Mumbai circle. Speaking to TOI, Chandra Prakash, chief general manager, BSNL, Maharashtra circle said, "With the instruction from DoT, BSNL has stopped the 95 dialling service. We are not aware that the DoT has started allotting mobile numbers starting with the 95 series and BSNL has not yet received an allotment from the concerned department." The Vodafone Essar official also confirmed that the company has received a 95 series allotment for its prepaid connections and it will available in the markets in a couple of days. The company has not yet finalised its plans about post-paid connections. As per DoT norms, the other series will also be vacated for other service providers, which is a part of the number-portability scheme.

Source : /timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pune/Now-dial-95-for-mobile-numbers/articleshow/4717745.cms

Women are more accurate at pounding nails

One possible reason: He's just not that good at it. Another factor: He's probably doing it in broad daylight. Women are more accurate at pounding nails, a new study finds. At least in the light.Women hit the nail on the head more often in lighted conditions in a lab, but in the dark, men did better. Scientists aren't sure why, but they have a provocative idea. In hammering out the differences between the sexes, the researchers used a mechanical plate that measured force and accuracy. They put small and large targets on the plate, to represent small and large nail heads. Then some test subjects pounded away."We filmed how subjects hammered, and how close the subject hammered to the target was an index of accuracy," explained study leader Duncan Irschick at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst."On average, men were about 25 percent more accurate than women in the dark, women were about 10 percent more accurate then men in the light," Irschick said. Irschick told LiveScience that the difference could be that men and women have different hammering strategies: Perhaps men favor force over accuracy, and women the opposite, he said. "However, if this were true, men should always be less accurate than women, which is not what occurs."He favors this explanation: "Men and women differ in their ability to perceive objects in light versus dark environments, and this has a subsequent effect on motor control," he speculates. "This is a provocative idea that will require a lot more data to test, and at this point, we don't have a good handle on the nature of the motor control and perceptive differences that would induce this difference, but we are excited to find out."Irschick presented his findings today at the Society of Experimental Biology Annual Meeting in Glasgow. Jeff Lockman at Tulane University contributed to the research, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health.Copyright © 2009 Imaginova Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source : www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529477,00.html

BlackBerry

Yes, we all know that the BlackBerry of yours has been a life-saver on many occasions. Providing you instant access to your e-mails, no matter where you are and keeping you in touch with colleagues and friends are all things that a BlackBerry takes in its stride. But saving you from certain death is not amongst those for sure!That is until you hear about David Fitzherbert, a British skier who owes his life to his trusted BlackBerry, quite literally. The skier while on a usual skiing trip somehow managed to slip in to a crevice, fell 70 feet down and lived to tell the tale. What saved him from almost certain death was his BlackBerry phone he had kept in his breast pocket. The phone caused him to get struck in an ice crack and prevented the chap from falling further. Thanks to the half-inch wide phone, he apparently was a tad "wider" than the diameter of the crack and well, he remained stuck there for a couple of hours before the rescuers reached him.If you are worried about the fate of the phone, don't worry. It's still working. Trusty old Blackberries!

Source : www.techtree.com/India/News/BlackBerry_Saves_British_Skier/551-103750-893.html

Cyber cafes log out of fingerprinting system

The proposed move of police to make fingerprint system mandatory at cyber cafes in the city evoked sharp reaction from the internet cafe operators. They argue that police should first crack down on unauthorised cafes. "Making fingerprint system compulsory is not a good idea and may not be feasible. Police should first close down 1,000 unauthorised cafes operating in the city to bring down cyber crimes,'' Ashish Saboo, president of the Mumbai chapter of Association of Public ICT Tools Access Providers, said. Additional police commissioner (crime) Deven Bharti said the police had raided unauthorised cafes whenever they received complaints. "We continue to raid such cyber cafes. Our idea behind the new plan is to keep a tab on internet users. This will help us nail the accused if a cyber crime is committed.'' There are about 500 to 800 registered cyber cafes in the city and about 1,000 are unauthorised. "Increase in the number of cyber crimes in the city prompted us to think about the idea,'' Bharti said. The number of cyber crime cases rose from 142 in 2005 to 775 in 2008. Of the cases registered in 2008, 164 related to fake profiling, defamation and sending obscene content while two complaints pertained to the matrimonial website shadi.com. Police have received over 155 cyber crime complaints this year.

For further details visit at :timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Cyber-cafes-log-out-of-fingerprinting-plan/articleshow/4713516.cms

BSNL Provide High-speed Internet with EVDO Cards

BSNL's new offer for its CDMA subscribers State-owned telecom service provider BSNL has introduced new offers for subscribers of its CDMA platform-based data services. A customer can either avail internet surfing speeds of up to 144 Kbps by using the NIC cards or by using EVDO Cards get speeds up to 2.4 Mbps. Now, BSNL is also offering roaming facility on these cards. EVDO, also known as EV-DO, 1xEvDO and 1xEV-DO, is a standard for high speed wireless broadband. The acronym is short for "Evolution, Data Only" or "Evolution, Data Optimized". The official name, defined by the Telecommunication Industry Association, is "CDMA2000, High Rate Packet Data Air Interface". It is one of two major Third Generation, or 3G, wireless standards. The competing standard is known as W-CDMA. (Source)On promotional basis, BSNL will offer the PCMCIA type of NIC and EVDO cards at Rs. 1,680 and Rs. 2,100 till Sept 30, 2009. The two new plans are Network Interface Card based and will be offered at a monthly charge of Rs 250 with deliverable speeds of 144 Kbps and the other plan priced at Rs. 650 per month delivered over EVDO backbone offering speed of up to 2.4 Mbps. The above-mentioned tariff offers users' unlimited data transfer every month. Certain plans like Rs. 250 for NIC and Rs. 550 for EVDO cards will be discontinued by BSNL. The company will allow users to migrate to another plan within six month

For Further Details Visit At :www.techtree.com/India/News/BSNL_Offers_High-speed_Internet_with_EVDO_Cards/551-103739-613.html

GoodBye to MSN Web Messenger

Say your last good-byes to the MSN Web messenger, as June 30, 2009 will be the last day of its existence. Worry not (Web messenger fans) - instead, you will be able to experience the company's new web-based instant messaging (IM) available in Windows Live Hotmail worldwide. Hotmail's new web-based IM allows users to chat from their Hotmail inbox or contact list, instead of going to MSN Web Messenger. Users can directly go to the Windows Live People page (also known as 'your contact list') at and sign into Messenger to continue instant messaging on the web with Messenger friends.So how many of you are going to mourn the death of the good old MSN Web messenger?

Source:www.techtree.com/India/News/MSN_Web_Messenger_Dying/551-103748-643.html

History Of Firefox

The official release of Mozilla Firefox 3.5 is due this week. It's a significant milestone in the open-source browser's history. Putting pure features aside, let's take a look at some of the big design changes Mozilla has made over the years, beginning with version 0.8 when Mozilla renamed it from Firebird to Firefox. For the sake of simplicity we're keeping it limited to just the Windows and Mac versions. And for certain features where there is little, if any, difference between the platforms--we're sticking to the Windows version. The four things we're comparing are navigation, tabs, bookmarks, and the settings menu: Navigation has experienced subtle changes over the years, with the exception of version 3. This brought the increased size of the back button, and noticeable shrinking of the rest of the controls. Mozilla also made it easier to bookmark pages, by adding a star button right into the address bar, which users can click, avoiding having to use keyboard shortcuts or on-screen menus to save a page. Note: To see the full-size versions of these images just click on them.

For Further Details Visit At :news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10273456-2.html

Spice launches GSM-CDMA dual mode Windows Mobile phone

Spice Mobiles announced the launch of a new dual mode supporting live GSM and CDMA connections simultaneously and which comes preloaded with host of VAS applications including from Nimbuzz, Reuters, Mitr, Opera Mini to name a few. Branded as Spice D-1111, the model is priced at Rs 18,499/- and is based on the Windows Mobile 6.0 platform. Other features include a 2 mega pixel camera, Bluetooth, expandable memory upto 2 GB and a touch panel. It is also equipped with email2SMS enterprise application allowing users to read email through the SMS channel instead of GPRS connection. Speaking on the launch, Mr. Kunal Ahooja, CEO, Spice Mobiles said, “Spice Mobiles has always endeavoured to drive innovation in the mobile handset industry and set new benchmarks through user-friendly and smart product offerings. With the launch of Spice D-1111, we have introduced world-class dual-SIM (GSM+CDMA) Windows Mobile in India. This unique gadget caters to working professionals who work hard and believe in having fun.”

Source :/www.telecomtiger.com/Handset_fullstory.aspx?storyid=6505&section=S182

Firefox 3.5 Goes Live

Mozilla will release the latest version of its popular open-source Web browser, Firefox, Tuesday. The release comes after three release candidates (RC) and will push the number of Firefox downloads over 1 billion worldwide. A spokesperson for Mozilla confirmed in an e-mail that the launch of Firefox 3.5 is "timed for tomorrow." The release of the latest version of the open-source Web browsers comes after Mozilla went through RC. Firefox RC 3.5 was released late last week. According to the Official Mozilla Blog, the RC 3.5 milestone is "focused on providing a preview of the functionality provided by the new features and changes that will be included in Firefox 3.5." Mike Beltzner, Mozilla's Director of Firefox, expects that the release of Firefox 3.5 will mark a major milestone for proponents of the open-source Web browsers. "We expect the cumulative number of Firefox downloads to surpass 1 [billion] shortly after we release [Firefox 3.5]," Beltzner responded in a tweet. While 1 billion downloads of the software is significant, Mozilla's Firefox is also gaining on its competitors in terms of browser market share. According to numbers from Market Share, Firefox gained 20 percent of the browser market share in November 2008. As of May 2009, the market share numbers have Firefox at 22.51 percent. Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT)'s Internet Explorer continues to retain the Web browser market share lead at 65.50 percent. Apple (NSDQ:AAPL)'s Safari browser has captured 8.43 percent of the market.

Source :www.crn.com/software/218101877;jsessionid=BGTJQSRWIWKJAQSNDLOSKHSCJUNN2JVN

Using the cell phone while driving is very dangerous.

Many of us have seen other drivers make serious mistakes, such as pulling out in front of oncoming traffic, and noticed that they were talking on their cell phones when the mistake was made. The drivers apparently were oblivious to the danger they had created. Many of us may have made mistakes ourselves while using a cell phone.Study after study has shown that cell phone use may not be as distracting as other activities (such as reaching into the glove department or dropping and trying to retrieve something), but it still poses a great risk. And that risk is exacerbated because cell phone use when driving is a far more common occurrence than most other distractions.A study from the University of Utah, published in the 2006 issue of Human Factors, found that talking on a cell phone while driving is almost as dangerous as driving drunk, even if the phone is a hands-free model. An earlier study found that reaction time was slowed by 17 percent when the driver was using a cell phone. Anyone who drives understands that concentration is crucial to safe driving. Any distraction, whether it's a cell phone or a crying child, can disrupt that concentration and slow reaction time. The results can be deadly.We haven't found a study related to texting while driving, but it's easy to see how distracting that could be.\

For further details visit at:www.thefranklinnewspost.com/article.cfm?ID=13921

New 45nm Application Processor developed by samsung

Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd., the world’s leader in advanced semiconductor solutions, announced today the latest in its popular, ARM11 series of application processors, the S5P6440. Designed using Samsung’s advanced 45nm low power CMOS process technology, the S5P6440 offers a low power, high performance, and cost effective solution for consumer electronic (CE) products such as personal navigation devices (PND). “Today’s ultra-competitive consumer electronics market demands rapid performance upgrades and effective cost reduction to continue its expansion,” said Dr. Kwang-hyun Kim, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing at Samsung Electronics’ System LSI division. “Our S5P6440 application processor is specifically designed with those objectives in mind to offer substantial improvements in CPU performance at low power, high quality graphics capability, and lower system BOM cost. CE device manufacturers using S5P6440 can offer exciting new products such as next generation PND to the market in a timely manner.” Samsung’s S5P6440 is based on an ARM1176 CPU core which runs at either 533 MHz or 667MHz clock speed. The CPU core and all on-chip hardware accelerators and peripheral interfaces are connected through a 64-bit AXI bus running at 166MHz, allowing ample input/output bandwidth for handling the multiprocessing requirements in real-life applications.

For further deatils visit at:newswire.ytn.co.kr/newsRead.php?md=A01&tm=1&no=414052

1st master degree in Aerospace Engineering

NANYANG Technological University (NTU) and German university Technische Universit�t M�nchen (TUM) on Friday launched Singapore's first master's degree in Aerospace Engineering.The highly specialised programme aims to meet demands of the growing Asia-Pacific aerospace sector, which garnered US$22 billion in total revenues last year. It is a figure that is expected to triple by 2030. The NTU-TUM Msc Aerospace Engineering programme will be taught by faculty members from NTU and TUM, and be offered on a full-time basis. The first intake is expected to begin in August this year, with an initial cohort of 30 students. Said Professor Ling Shih Fu, Chair, School of MAE, NTU: '[This] programme is in line with the Economic Development Board's plan to develop Singapore into an aviation hub. We envisage that employment opportunities in Singapore and the region would be excellent.'Added Professor Schilling, Vice-President of Technische Universit�t M�nchen: 'Our collaboration with NTU... takes us closer to our mission of increasing the number of high calibre programmes offered and opens new areas of academic exchange in fields of science, engineering and technology.'

For more information visit : www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_395721.html

Teachers from the Valley for the Valley

The Merced City School District is one of several set to benefit from "Teachers from the Valley for the Valley," a new grant program offered by Cal State University, Stanislaus. The university has been awarded an $896,000 National Science Foundation grant that will provide scholarships, starting this fall, for future teachers in the Central Valley and the rest of the state.CSU Stanislaus plans to award scholarships of up to $30,000 each over the next five years to 34 students who plan to teach science or mathematics at "high-need" secondary schools. Additional $10,000 annual scholarships from the NSF grant can be awarded during students' junior, senior and credentialing years.In return, the scholarship recipients must commit to teaching a minimum of two years at the seventh through 12th grade at a "high needs" school. Such schools typically have a high percentage of students from low-income families, high teacher turnover rates and a shortage of teachers qualified to teach science and mathematics.

For further details visit at : www.mercedsunstar.com/167/story/920759.html

Edwards Lifesciences Opens New Training Center in Nyon

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW: 67.43, n.a., n.a.%), the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, today announced the opening of its new regional headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. The facility will serve Edwards' growing Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) operations from a more central location, and features a state-of-the-art training facility where physicians can educate their peers on new technologies and techniques that have the potential to drive better outcomes and lower costs. "Edwards' new headquarters will help us accommodate our significant regional growth in heart valves and critical care, and allow us to continue benefiting from a favorable business climate," said Patrick B. Verguet, Edwards' corporate vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa. "We look forward to expanding our commitment to training and education programs by welcoming physicians and healthcare professionals to our new facility." "We are pleased to welcome the global cardiovascular and critical care technology innovator Edwards Lifesciences to Nyon. The city's economy will benefit from not only the operation of the headquarters here, but also the visitors Edwards expects for meetings and trainings at the new building," said Daniel Rossellat, Syndic of Nyon. "The Canton de Vaud has established a strong presence of leading companies like Edwards, and we look forward to the additional job and economic development opportunities that will result from a thriving bio-medical industry in this region. We are encouraged that companies like Edwards are continuing to recruit new talent, even during a challenging global economy," said Philippe Leuba, Conseiller d'Etat of Canton de Vaud.

For further details visit at : www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/health-care/edwards-lifesciences-opens-new-regional-headquarters-training-center-nyon/

2nd Largest Electronics Producing Region is Europe

The electronics industry is worth €1.14 trillion, compared to the car industry's €1.8 trillion. Half of the industry's production comes from Asia, and half of the industry is in the data processing and telecommunications sectors.

Europe and North America are, respectively, the second and third biggest producers of electronics equipment, together representing up to 40% of world electronics production in 2008.Component manufacturers represent 30% of the equipment value in average and sub-contract manufacturers represent approximately 20% of the electronic equipment industry in 2008. These conclusions come from a monumental study by the French analytical house DECISION, called 'World Electronics Industries 2008-13.

Forecasts from DECISION are:

That this year, the electronics market is expected to decline by up to 6.8% in 2009 for the first time since the 2001 telecom crisis That between 2008 and 2013, the electronics market will grow at 2.7% and recover its 2008 level in 2011.

For more information visit at : www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/david-manners-semiconductor-blog/2009/06/europe-is-second-largest-elect.html

HP Proposed As Technology Partner For Plastiki

HP will be the official technology provider for the upcoming Plastiki expedition led by adventurer and environmental storyteller David de Rothschild and his organisation Adventure Ecology. HP joined the Plastiki expedition as the voyage’s official technology provider to inspire people to rethink waste as a resource. The Plastiki, a 60-foot catamaran created out of reclaimed plastic bottles, self-reinforced PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and recycled materials, is making its momentous voyage across the Pacific Ocean later this year. HP says it will equip Adventure Ecology and the Plastiki crew with the powerful yet efficient technology products needed to make the 10,000-mile expedition from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia. HP also collaborated with Adventure Ecology on its interactive activity and educational centre, Plastiki Mission Control. Located at San Francisco’s Pier 45, Plastiki Mission Control was built to educate and inform people about the Plastiki expedition by showcasing the groundbreaking thinking, technologies and sustainable design solutions that are transforming 10,000 plastic soda bottles into a seaworthy vessel. By interacting with 10 energy-efficient HP TouchSmart IQ816 PCs, visitors can find blueprints and sketches, expedition equipment, maps and films, along with fun ways to interact with the Plastiki expedition. Guests will leave the interactive educational centre with a better understanding of the effects of waste on the planet and of Adventure Ecology’s and HP’s visions for sustainability. "We all share the responsibility to preserve our environment," said Satjiv Chahil, senior vice president, global marketing, personal systems group, HP. "Through technology innovation, HP helps raise awareness of some of the world's most pressing environmental needs and delivers solutions - from energy-efficient products to sustainable packaging and transforming processes - that make it easier for our customers to be green."

Source:www.efytimes.com/efytimes/35467/news.htm

LG Electronics Debuts Ultra TV

The race for the leading edge of the TV-making industry is down to millimeters. [LG flat tv] LG LG Electronics Co., the world's second-largest maker of TVs by units and revenue, on Thursday unveiled a 55-inch flat-panel TV that is the thinnest yet -- just 24.8 millimeters in depth, or 0.98 inches. The company's new models bested the previous thin leader, Samsung Electronics Co., the world's top seller of TVs by units and revenue and LG's crosstown rival. Samsung in late March rolled out a full series of ultrathin flat-panel TVs, with the 55-inch model measuring 30.5 millimeters in depth, or 1.2 inches. The two companies are leading the way in an industry trend to make flat-panel TVs -- which have supplanted the decades-old, tube-based TV in most of the world over the past five years -- even thinner than they already are. Such ultrathin TVs are likely to account for less than 1% of the overall TV market, which is expected to sell about 200 million units this year. But they show the direction TV design is headed, and, for the moment, yield sizable price and profit premiums for manufacturers. LG said its new 55-inch TVs will cost about $5,000 when they hit stores in South Korea and Europe in the next few weeks. The current list price for Samsung's comparable model is $4,000. By contrast, 55-inch TVs that are three to five inches thick sell for $2,000 to $3,000. "The prices of those [ultra-slim] products are likely to fall toward the end of the year," said Yoon Hyuk-jin, analyst at Shinyoung Securities, citing the likelihood of more competition.

For further details visit at : online.wsj.com/article/SB124595473000755293.html

GOES-O Satellite Successfully Launched

The latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-O, soared into space today after a successful launch from Space Launch Complex 37 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO ) The GOES-O spacecraft lifted off at 6:51 p.m. EDT on a Delta IV rocket. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES-O satellite will improve weather forecasting and monitor environmental events around the world. The satellite is the second to be launched in the GOES N series of geostationary environmental weather satellites. "All indications are that GOES-O is in a normal orbit, with all spacecraft systems functioning properly," stated Andre Dress, GOES deputy project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "We are proud of our support teams and pleased with the performance of the Delta IV launch vehicle." Approximately 4 hours and 21 minutes after launch, the spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle. The Universal Space Network Western Australia tracking site in Dongara monitored the spacecraft separation. On July 7, GOES-O will be placed in its final orbit and renamed GOES-14. Approximately 24 days after launch, Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems will turn engineering control over to NASA. About five months later, NASA will transfer operational control of GOES-14 to NOAA. The satellite will be checked out, stored in orbit and available for activation should one of the operational GOES satellites degrade or exhaust its fuel.

For further details visit at:sev.prnewswire.com/aerospace-defense/20090628/DC3916928062009-1.html

Venus and Mars

As the nation celebrates another birthday, see the spangled Venus and a dim Mars in July before dawn's early light. Mars, our neighboring red planet, rises about 3 a.m. in the northeastern sky, followed shortly by a brilliant Venus. Both can be seen high in the east before sunrise in the constellation Taurus, but the differences are striking. Venus, at a negative fourth magnitude, is very bright; Mars is much less so at first magnitude and is even harder to see in light-polluted urban areas. By the end of July, Venus is seen lower in the eastern heavens. Late night with Jupiter: The largest planet in the solar system rises in the east-southeast about 11 p.m. After midnight you should see it snuggled between the constellations Aquarius and Capricornus. It's a negative second magnitude, very bright and easily seen from the city. By 4 a.m., Jupiter is high in the southwest. Still loitering in the constellation Leo, see ringed Saturn high in the western sky after sundown. The planet remains visible at first magnitude. By month's end, the planet will be noticeably lower in the west after dusk.

For furher details visit at:www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/28/AR2009062802330.html

solar technology to develop industrial waste water: ITDI

The Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has eliminated pesticides in contaminated water by developing a technology using sunlight and ordinary cosmetics ingredients to clean industrial-wastewater pollutants. Environmentalists in Bulacan welcome the development as it pose a possible solution to revive the Marilao, Meycauayan and Obando river system that the Blacksmith Institute, an international environment watchdog, has listed among the 30 dirtiest rivers in the world. Beth Padilla, editorial and public affairs unit head of the Science and Technology Information Institute of the DOST, said in a statement that trial runs are onstream to treat wastewater contaminated with dyes used in handicraft industry, to help cottage-dyeing industries comply with strict regulations imposed by countries that rigorously monitor the environmental impact of exporters and their manufacturing activities. Christopher Silverio, chief of the ITDI’s environmental division, explained: “Eventually, we intend to design and build a simple and inexpensive technology that runs using sunlight and, when that is not available, by using ultraviolet lamps as backup.” The technology is called solar photocatalysis, a promising technique that uses sunlight and titanium dioxide, a nontoxic chemical commonly used as white pigment in paints and cosmetics to break down toxic and hard-to-remove pollutants. Photocatalysis occurs when a relatively small amount of light-absorbing material, called photocatalyst, chemically reacts with the pollutants without itself being consumed; and in this case, the photocatalyst used is titanium dioxide. In standard photocatalysis, ultraviolet lamps driven by electricity are used. In contrast, solar photocatalyis uses sunlight that is readily available in the country. Silverio said, “Wastewater, especially those containing harmful chemicals, need to be treated before disposal. Various wastewater-treatment processes like filtration, microbial degradation and chemical decomposition are available.” “However, these systems may be cheap but inefficient, effective but costly, or the contaminants basically remain as pollutants,” added Silverio. Solar photocatalysis can completely destroy toxic pollutants into harmless end-products without leaving solid residues. “Our technology is also designed so that it will be cheap, easy to operate, and does not need filtration process that limits its commercial feasibility in the past,” Silverio said, adding that “it simply involves passing of wastewater through glass tubes packed with titanium dioxide under sunlight.” Different designs have seen successful applications in countries such as the United States and Japan. In Spain, they call it “solar-water detoxification.” Solar photocatalysis is virtually unheard of domestically until ITDI researchers thought of ways to use sunlight to remove difficult-to-treat pollutants in wastewater.

For further details visit at:/businessmirror.com.ph/home/science/12374-itdi-develops-solar-technology-to-clean-industrial-wastewater.html

The school of new science and technology is set to open in san Antonio

The former H-E-B building on Everhart Road, which has sat vacant for more than three years, is scheduled to become a tuition-free charter school this fall. The School of Science and Technology, which is headquartered in San Antonio, will admit about 300 students in grades kindergarten through eighth. School officials did not return multiple phone calls for interviews during a two-week period but have released several pamphlets and posters to the community containing information about the planned charter school. Texas Education Agency officials said that the school has not yet provided them information on where the students will be educated next year. They also need to provide a certificate of occupancy for the facility prior to opening. TEA officials said the Corpus Christi school was approved for a charter by the State Board of Education in September 2007, with an expected start date of August 2008. However, school officials filed an amendment to postpone the opening of the school until fall 2009, and it was approved by the education commissioner in October 2008. Charter schools receive money from the state for operations but, unlike traditional school districts, can’t raise money through property taxes. Charter schools usually operate through nonprofit organizations, and the School of Science and Technology operates through the Riverwalk Foundation in San Antonio. Calls to Riverwalk Foundation officials also were not returned.

For further details visit at:www.caller.com/news/2009/jun/28/new-science-and-technology-school-set-to-open-in/

Nano technology in practice for long:Dr S Mohun

Dr S Mohun, vice chancellor of PRIST University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, who is attending a global conference on science at VBU here, said on Sunday that nano technology has been in practice in India and China for long. In ancient times, he said, nano particles were developed in mud and used to make ceramic goods. Today, nano technology is used for making a diverse range of products. He said this technology is also used for deriving different colours of gold. Mohun said besides cosmetics, nano particles are also used for making medicines, particularly for cancer treatment. He said that on being injected, medicines made by nano particles only touch the cancer cells in the body and no other parts. Moreover, medicines prepared by nano technology do not have any side effects, he added. As many as 350 scientists would present their papers at the science conference, which comprises seven technical sessions. In another session, Dr Ram Krishna, director of Zoological Survey of India, who too was honoured with a gold medal, in his keynote address on "Alien Invasive Species in India: Fishes", said that alien species, which have become dominant, invade natural communities and cause immense harm to the growth of various species of fish in India. He said that Article 8 (h) of the Biodiversity Conservation Act calls for measures "to prevent the introduction, control or even eradication of alien species" which threaten the eco system.

Source:timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ranchi/Nano-technology-in-practice-for-long/articleshow/4713271.cms

Notebook PC market is picking up

After nearly seven months of bleak sales, the national notebook PC market is once again picking up. The country’s leading PC vendors such as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Dell, Lenovo and Acer claim that the market is gradually bouncing back with month-on-month sales picking up from May onwards. The industry is optimistic on notebook sales growing 20-25 % during May-July .While bulk of the demand is coming from the education sector due to the admission season, the vendors claim even overall consumer sentiments are improving . Little wonder, the PC vendors are revitalising their business strategy and refreshing their notebook portfolio in India. “The education sector is driving demand in the market. Moreover, a lot of consumers who were waiting in the wings for the general elections to get over are now going ahead with purchase decisions. We feel notebook sales will grow by 20% in April-June and thereafter upwards of 10%,” said HP India’s director (consumer product and marketing - PSG) Rajiev Grover. HP, which enjoys leadership status in the national PC turf, has just launched six new notebook models. Taiwanese vendor, Acer, too, has expanded its notebook portfolio in India by recently rolling out 20 new models. The likes of Dell and Lenovo, too, are gearing up for the act.

For further details visit at:economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Internet-/Education-sector-drives-notebook-sales/articleshow/4714081.cms

Apple vs Nokia

Since the timing of Nokia N97’s launch in India has coincided with the launch of Apple iPhone 3GS and the fact that there's a software upgrade available for the older iPhone 3G (and iPod Touch), it is inevitable that we end up comparing both (we don’t have the iPhone 3GS in India yet). The Nokia N97 is also the first device to ship with the Ovi Store, best described as an online appstore for applications such as games, videos, podcasts, productivity tools, web and location-based services. Similar to Apple’s AppStore, Ovi Store, too, has paid for free content from content providers and developers that offer applications for Facebook, Hi5, Twitter, city maps and documents. The N97 is powered by a 434 MHz processor and 128MB RAM compared to the rumoured 600 MHz processor and 256MB RAM on the iPhone 3GS. If this configuration of the iPhone 3GS stands confirmed, then it clearly sets the N97 a step back. Add to that, the Symbian, the new S60 (5th edition) operating system on N97, looks achingly old-fashioned and sluggish when compared with the older iPhone 3G.Too bad that Nokia decided to go with the resistive touch screen instead of the capacitive one on the iPhone that makes its touch operation unmatched. Though the N97 has some touch gestures and the accelerometer, we have to admit that touch features on the iPhone remain iconic despite all efforts by Nokia and Windows Mobile.

For further details visit at:www.business-standard.com/india/news/it%5Cs-apple-vs-nokia/362383/

Indians pessimistic on rate

Despite inflation hovering in the negative territory, Indian consumers feel that banks are unlikely to slash lending rates over the next one year, according to a survey. As inflation has declined somewhat over the last two quarters, providing greater room for interest rate cuts, the emphasis of policy-makers has gradually shifted from combating inflation to propelling economic growth. “Acknowledging the role that lower interest rates can play in economic recovery, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) believes that there is room for banks to reduce their lending rates further and expand their credit,” Boston Analytics said in its monthly Consumer Confidence Survey. “While consumers feel as though interest rates have definitely come down, they have expressed pessimism that they will continue to fall further over the next 12 months,” it said. The combination of declining optimism about future interest rates, job insecurity, uncertainty about borrowings, and pessimism about the state of the economy has led to weaker purchase sentiment, it said. “Overall, in the last few months, there has been a drop in respondents reporting likeliness of committing to big ticket purchases in sectors like durables or white goods, automobiles and home purchase,” Boston Analytics said. Boston Analytics derived the data from a monthly survey targeting 10,000 respondents across 15 Indian cities.A stratified sampling process was adopted for the survey, with the strata based on the socio-economic conditions of the respondents in order to ensure a proper representation of the population.Boston Analytics is a provider of actionable research and analysis to its corporate, consulting and financial clients.

Source : http://www.utvi.com/news/latest-business-news-india/25855/indians-pessimistic-on-rate-cuts--survey.html

Steps for removing viruses from client Machine

It’s inevitable that clients will infect workstations, PCs, and laptops with spyware and viruses. Regardless of preventive steps, from gateway protection to automated scans to written Internet use policies, malware threats sneak through even layered defenses. What makes the situation worse is that many clients aren’t willing to invest in standalone antispyware software, even though they understand the need for minimal antivirus protection. This is a perfect example of what I call Reactive Rationality. Clients who won’t invest in preventive measures find it easier to justify paying three or even four times the cost of prevention to remediate infections once a debilitating disruption strikes their systems or network.Some IT professionals advocate simply wiping systems and reinstalling Windows, while others suggest that’s akin to giving up and letting the bad guys win. The truth lies somewhere in between. Following tried-and-true methods frequently repairs even heavily damaged systems. I’ve returned systems to college students that ran as well as they did out of the box, even though some 1,200 lively Trojans, viruses, and worms were active on the machine when it hit my workbench. In other cases, systems with a single sinister and nefarious infection required me to reinstall the operating system. The trick is to discover which method is called for as quickly a possible when encountering an infected client PC.Here are the virus and spyware steps I find most effective. After making an image copy of the drive (it’s always best to have a fallback option when battling malicious infections).

For further details visit at:blogs.techrepublic.com.com/project-management/?p=714

Microsoft offers OS on USB drives

Microsoft is considering offering Windows 7 on USB flash drives to make upgrades easier for systems without optical drives, a source claimed on Friday. The unnamed contact explains to CNET that the company is looking at the move to make it easier to upgrade netbooks in particular, which currently need either an external drive or else the elaborate creation of a bootable USB drive. Whether this would involve copy protection beyond a CD key isn't known. Other options are still on the table and wouldn't necessarily involve removable storage. As Microsoft already allows Vista downloads, it may extend that to Windows 7 and automate the process of creating a bootable USB stick from the file. Alternately, customers could visit retailers like Best Buy and have technicians perform the upgrade. These may do it anyways as the move from XP to 7 doesn't allow an in-place upgrade, instead requiring a complete reinstall and a backup of valuable data.

For further details visit at:www.electronista.com/articles/09/06/26/ms.to.offer.win.7.on.usb/

Plantronics Voyager Pro Bluetooth headset

Balancing personal and professional lives with today’s busy schedule induces users to multi task along with talking on the phone. Plantronics offers help as it expands its portfolio with the introduction of the new Voyager Pro Bluetooth headset. Using AudioIQ2 technology, the headset reduces wind and ambience noise and enriches the sound quality. This headset delivers a unique adjustable dual-microphone boom. It maintains the natural sound of the voice and offers complete clarity while conversing. The device makes use of three layers of the WindSmart technology. The dual external stainless steel microphone screens and fabrics around the microphone act as a barrier to wind noise. Moreover, wind noise is eliminated through the AudioIQ2 DSP algorithms. It also incorporates a custom speaker that gives full spectrum audio to users. Stuart Bradshaw, EMEA Marketing Manager for the Plantronics Mobile Division expressed, “Plantronics is singularly focused on one thing – the headset perfected. With the Plantronics Voyager PRO we set out to engineer a high-performance headset for today’s professional user who not only demands unparalleled sound quality on both sides of call, but also insists on comfort and usability. Voyager PRO breaks new ground in Bluetooth headsets, and consumers will be delighted by the total experience.”

For further details visit at:www.mobiletor.com/2009/06/26/plantronics-introduces-the-voyager-pro-bluetooth-headset/

EyeIC invest $1.9 million for screening software

A growth in the incidence of eye diseases correlated with aging is prompting a rise in investment for technologies to diagnose and treat such disorders.So far this year, venture capitalists have invested more than $80 million in several companies developing advanced ocular imaging, retinal therapies and specialized contact lenses. Most recently, EyeIC, a Narbeth, Pa.-based developer of software used in detecting and monitoring glaucoma, recently secured the third installment of a $1.9 million Series A round after receiving certification by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration allowing it to market its product. A Series A round is the first round of funding that startups raise from investors.EyeIC was founded in 2004 based on intellectual property developed at the University of Pennsylvania. The company raised its $1.9 million Series A round from MentorTech Ventures, Ben Franklin Technology Partners and individual investors. The financing was split over three tranches.CEO Ira Wallace says that the company plans to seek additional funding, including about $1 million "to get through 2010," as well as another $2.5 million to $4 million to market and distribute its software in the United States and Europe.EyeIC develops software, called MatchedFlicker, which aids in glaucoma diagnosis by allowing doctors to monitor retinal photographs over time to mark changes and detect progressions of disease. The program, which the company plans to make commercially available in July, will be sold either as a subscription or licensed to ophthalmologists and optometrists following a free trial. The company has not yet set prices on the software.

For further details visit at:www.reuters.com/article/deborahCohen/idUSTRE55M46320090627

china's firewall

Top US officials have urged China to abandon a controversial plan requiring all new personal computers to be sold with Internet filtering software from next week, warning the step could violate world trade rules.China has the world's biggest online community but foreign companies seeking to do business there have faced charges of bowing to censorship rules in their hunt for market access. Here are some questions and answers about China's internet controls: Why does Beijing control the internet? China's government uses internet controls to prevent its citizens accessing online information that it considers morally corrupting or politically sensitive, or to rein in potentially destabilising online trends like fervent nationalism. The Communist Party has held on to power since 1949 in part by restricting the free flow of information. What is the 'Great Firewall'? Beijing uses a series of measures including a firewall that blocks objectionable overseas sites, content guidelines for online companies and internet service providers and an army of censors who trawl the web for controversial postings. From next week all personal computers sold in China will also have "Green Dam" filtering software installed, which the government says aims to protect children from illegal pornographic and violent images.Critics say the programme is technically flawed and could be used to spy on internet users and block other sites that Beijing considers politically offensive.

For further details visit at:www.news24.com/Content/World/News/1073/65207b5ad71f4a6d9d0bfd60709adb0d/How_tight_is_Chinas_firewall

STScI Search for Earth-sized planets around other stars

The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, US, is partnering on a historic search for Earth-sized planets around other stars. STScI is the data archive center for NASA's Kepler mission, a spacecraft that is undertaking a survey for Earth-size planets in our region of the galaxy. The spacecraft sent its first raw science data to STScI on June 19. The Institute's role is to convert the raw science data into files that can be analyzed by Kepler researchers and to store the files every three months in an archive. "We are part of this mission because of our experience with Hubble data processing and archiving," explained David Taylor, project manager for the development of Kepler's Data Management Center at the Institute. Launched on March 6 on a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Kepler spacecraft will spend the next 3 1/2 years searching for habitable planets by staring nonstop at more than 100,000 Sun-like stars out of about 4.5 million catalogued stars in the spacecraft's field-of-view, located in the summer constellations Cygnus and Lyra. The spacecraft simultaneously measures the variations in brightness of the more than 100,000 stars every 30 minutes, searching for periodic dips in a star's brightness that happen when an orbiting planet crosses in front of it and partially blocks the light. These fluctuations are tiny compared with the brightness of the star. For an Earth-size planet transiting a solar-type star, the change in brightness is less than 1/100 of 1 percent. This event is similar to the dimming one might see if a flea were to crawl across a car's headlight viewed from several miles away. When the mission is completed in several years, the survey should tell astronomers how common Earth-size planets are around stars. "The mission's main purpose is to find planets that are the same distance from its solar-type star as Earth is from the Sun," said Daryl Swade, who directed the systems engineering development of Kepler's Data Management Center at the Institute. "So that means that the planet would cross in front of its star every year. We would need three or four of these transits to confirm the detection, which will take about three or four years," he added.

Source:timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health--Science/Science/Search-for-Earth-sized-planets-around-other-stars-/articleshow/4705760.cms

CNano : world's largest production capacity of 500 tons per year

CNano Technology (CNano) announced today at NT09: Tenth International Conference on the Science and Application of Nanotubes, that it has successfully scaled up its manufacturing technology to reach the world's largest production capacity of 500 tons per year for multiple wall carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotube products are already in evaluation with selected customers in several markets that include electronics, automotive and energy storage. "This manufacturing capability is an important milestone in the drive to meet current and future customer supply demands. The production line validates our technology at a much larger scale while providing a reliable large volume supply source for customers utilizing the unique properties of carbon nanotubes in their products," said Xindi Wu, President and CEO of CNano. CNano proprietary manufacturing technology enables large scale production at a lower cost structure than other commercial nanotube manufacturing processes. The growing list of commercial applications for carbon nanotubes includes conductive plastics for electronics and automotive, structural composites for sporting goods and aerospace, conductive coatings for displays and aerospace and electrodes for batteries and super capacitors among others. "CNano has achieved a truly significant milestone. CNano can now bring mass produced nano materials to market at the right price. The company has broken through a barrier that has existed in this market up until now. They have successfully scaled the manufacturing process for making carbon nanotubes. This now makes their unique combination of elevated mechanical properties and low electrical resistivity available at the low cost necessary for adoption in large consumer and industrial markets," said Tom Baruch, founder and managing director of CMEA Capital, who serves as chairman of CNano.

For further details visit at : pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=229870&Itemid=33

Council for Research and Development

ONE of the key ingredients in the progress that a number of industrialized nations have reached is the significant attention, support, and investment that the government gave to research and development efforts.Publicsector involvement in scientific research and the translation of these research findings into commercial technologies or public policies propelled countries in East Asia, such as Japan and South Korea, to sustained economic growth in the 1960s and 1980s, respectively. Recognizing the importance of research and development, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has created the Presidential Coordinating Council for Research and Development (PCCRD) which will review and take charge of research and development projects of various government agencies. The council chairman is the President herself while the vice chairman is the Secretary of Science and Technology. The members are the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Budget and Management, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of National Defense, the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning, the Secretary of Trade and Industry, the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, the Chairman of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, the President of the National Academy of Science and Technology, the President of the National Research Council of the Philippines, five representatives from the private sector, and two representatives from organizations of scientists and engineers engaged in research and development. We hope that the Presidential Coordinating Council for Research and Development will be an effective venue for the government to maximize gains from research and development efforts in the public sector.

Source : www.mb.com.ph/node/204374

IIT-Patna PhD programmes starts from JULY

The newly set-up Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in this Bihar city will start its doctoral programmes from next month, an official said on Friday. "IIT-Patna will become the first among the eight new IITs set up last year to start PhD programmes," institute official Subhash Pandey said. The IIT will have PhD programmes in computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, mathematics, physics, humanities and social sciences. Pandey said that interviews of the applicants are underway and there are 30 vacancies. At present, the IIT is functioning from a polytechnic building here as a temporary campus. The process of land acquisition for a permanent campus is underway. The first director of the institute A.K. Bhowmik will also assume charge in July, the official added. .

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Patna/IIT-Patna-to-start-PhD-programmes-from-July-/articleshow/4705888.cms

Design Around Solar Cell

In the previous article, we checked the usability of the solar cell module equipped in the Solar Phone SH002, which KDDI released as one of its summer 2009 models of the au brand mobile phones. Then, we moved on to break down the display unit incorporating the solar cell module.

The SH002 features waterproof property that complies with IPX5/IPX7 standards. Therefore, we expected that it would be more difficult to disassemble the handset compared with other mobile phones. The display unit is composed without screws, and its cover is attached by using double-faced tape. We inserted a flat-blade screwdriver between the chassis and the cover to remove the cover and check the solar cell module. Next, we began to take out the solar cell module, which was fixed on the frame together with 1.1-inch black-and-white electronic paper. On the back of the module, there were electrodes probably for grounding, and they were connected to metal part on the back side of the frame. The module might produce electromagnetic noise.

For further details visit as : http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20090624/172182/

“Fairly valued” After a 49 percent Advance this year Indian Stocks

Indian stocks are “fairly valued” after a 49 percent advance this year and further gains depend on government policies to boost economic growth and pare a budget deficit, Nomura Holdings Inc. said. The benchmark Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index may rise to 16,400 in the next 12 months, a “muted” 14 percent gain from yesterday’s close, Nomura analysts led by Prabhat Awasthi said in a report today. Investors should own a mix of so-called defensive and domestic cyclical shares, they added. The rally this year has helped India post the fifth-best performance among the 89 markets tracked by Bloomberg News globally. Valuations have also climbed, with the Sensex now valued at 16 times reported earnings, double November’s low of 8.1 times. “The relative outperformance and the strong move in the market post the elections have now priced in improving economic fundamentals,” the analysts wrote in the report. “The upcoming budget next month will be very important for the overall direction of the market.” The Sensex advanced 1.7 percent to 14,590.18, the highest in more than a week, as of 1:23 p.m. in Mumbai. India has announced three stimulus packages since December, lowering retail fuel prices, cutting taxes on consumer products and injecting capital into state-run banks, to shield the economy from the global crisis. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will disclose the projected fiscal deficit for the year ending March 31 in his budget on July 6. The government in February said the deficit may be 5.5 percent of gross domestic product. Nomura recommends that investors buy shares in industries including automobiles, financials, so-called fast-moving consumer goods, technology services, media, pharmaceuticals and power. Its recommended portfolio is “underweight” in energy, metals and cement companies following a jump in their valuations, according to the report.

Source : http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aLLm1mXh.kFw

North American auto revival Motorheads

For automobile enthusiasts - even many non-enthusiast industry-watchers - the automotive landscape is shifting at such a dizzying pace it's difficult to keep abreast of the latest developments. Over the past few weeks, major announcements have included Italian automaker Fiat's takeover of Chrysler LLC, General Motors' bankruptcy and sale or discontinuation of key brands and assets, and Canadian auto parts manufacturing mogul Frank Stronach's realization of his longtime quest to become a car manufacturer by taking control of GM's erstwhile European subsidiary Adam Opel AG of Germany. Chrysler emerged from Chapter 11 much leaner, more efficient and debt-free. Fiat SpA will receive up to a 35-per-cent ownership stake in exchange for sharing its small car technology, while the United Auto Workers union gets a 55-per-cent share and the U.S. and Canadian governments a combined 10-per-cent stake. Fiat's Italian-Canadian CEO Sergio Marchionne has been named CEO of the new Chrysler, which is reopening its factories that had been idled during the bankruptcy process. The Fiat/Chrysler marriage should be beneficial to both companies, whose product lines are complimentary with little overlap. Fiat brings the well-engineered and proven-popular small, fuel-efficient designs Chrysler will urgently need as North America emerges from recession and gasoline prices climb, and gets access to Chrysler's established manufacturing, distribution and dealership infrastructure, as well as especially the iconic JEEP brand to market outside the U.S. As a longtime fan of Fiat, which owns Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia, as well as its core Fiat brand, I couldn't be happier at this outcome. Fiat makes superb and interesting automobiles that will nicely compliment Chrysler's strength in minivans, trucks, and large performance sedans and coupes, and the new (redux for the third time in 30 years) Chrysler should be well-poised to thrive, better than ever. Former auto racer and race team (IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am) owner Roger Penske has announced that his Penske Automotive Group, America's second-largest dealership chain, will buy GM's Saturn brand, including 350 Saturn dealerships, with Saturn vehicles continuing to be manufactured on a contract basis in GM plants.

For further details visit as : http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/710930