3G Apple iPod nano

Apple launched its third generation of the iPod nano. the new model features a larger, 2-inch screen with a 320x240 resolution that supports video playback as well as the high-quality games that first shipped with the fifth-generation iPod; Sudoku, Vortex, and one other game are included out of the box, according to Apple. The design completely eliminates the use of plastic end caps while becoming even thinner than before at 0.25 inches.

Significantly, the new model is also one of the first homes of Apple's new, click wheel-driven iPod interface. The higher 204 dots/inch resolution ( the most ever for an Apple-made device ) includes a new split-screen interface that shows album art and other content on one side while scrolling through menus on another. Cover Flow is now a part of the design and lets users brows music and videos by album covers or video previews, viewing track details after selecting the album.

Apple promises 24 hours of continuous music and 5 hours of video on the new models, which ship in black, cranberry, light blue, light green, silver, and silver colors alongside a new Product (RED) model. Models should be available in 4GB for $149 and 8GB for $249.

Nokia N96 SmartPhone

Nokia's long-awaited sequel to the N95 smartphone may have been spotted, according to a leak posted in Mobile-Review's forums. It looks like Nokia N81, though the form is close to Nokia N95: the numeric keyboard sliding from the bottom and the panel sliding from the top (it is empty on the photo, so we don’t know its destination, probably it carries sensor media player buttons). Taking into account the pictures, Nokia N96 is powered by S60 3rd Edition FP2 (Symbian OS 9.5), the platform hasn’t been announced yet. The rear panel hides a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens and dual LED flash. The source hasn’t provided more details about the specs or the release date.

Nokia N96 Specifications:
* Networks - GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz and UMTS/HSDPA 850/2100 MHz
* Symbian S60 3rd Edition FP 2
* Display – 2.8” QVGA, 16M colors
* Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
* AGPS
* DVB-H Class C
* Camera - 5-megapixel, Carl Zeiss lens, video capture at VGA 30 fps (double LED flash at video shooting)
* Memory - 16 GB
* microSD-slot
* 3.5-mm jack
* microUSB port
* Battery - 950 mAh
* Dimensions – 103x55x18 mm
* Weight - 125 g

Teksta V2 Robotic Puppy Makes a Great Cheap Aibo Alternative

We get it - you were crushed when they discontinued the Aibo, especially since you never got the chance to scrounge up enough moola to splurge on one. For £36.75 ($69 USD) you can soothe your pain with the Teksta V2 Robotic Puppy which does look strikingly similar to the AIBO. Sure, the Teksta V2 Robotic Puppy may not be as advanced as the Aibo was, but he is sophisticated enough to be activated by voice, touch and light. His eyes also light up and his tail will wag to show you how he is feeling, just like a real AIBO, errr, or should we say just like a real dog? He also barks, whines and whimpers. And an included handheld translator will help you understand what exactly he is trying to convey when he barks, whines and whimpers.

Dreamfall: The Longest Journey

Zoë Castillo is about to get involved in a conspiracy that spans parallel worlds and hundreds of years. Something is affecting our world: static interference disrupts technology, and it seems to be linked to a ghostly presence seen only by a few – a presence inhabiting a black house in a wintry landscape. As Zoë begins her search for a lost friend, she discovers that there is a magical world behind our own – and the search is now on for the one person who may help Zoë unravel the dangerous web she has become entangled in: April Ryan.

Features:

Dreamfall is...

a thrilling action-adventure featuring three playable characters, dozens of locations spanning three worlds, exciting set-pieces with multiple outcomes, action-packed adventure gameplay, and an epic and emotional storyline.

Unparalleled Gameplay Variety

You will never run out of new things to do! Explore exotic locations, travel between three worlds, embark on epic quests, converse with fully voiced characters, fight intelligent monsters, sneak through dark shadows and past dangerous enemies, solve intriguing puzzles, and play fun mini-games.

Three Playable Characters

Experience the story from three separate perspectives, and use abilities unique to each character: strength, street-smarts, and dexterity.

Three Worlds

From vast cities to deep forests, across the seven seas and into endless caverns, above and beyond anything you have ever seen – the twin worlds of science and magic are filled with challenges and adventure. But in the world outside the worlds – in the Winter – logic does not apply, and nothing will have prepared you for the ultimate truth...

Play It Your Way!

Multiple solutions and multiple outcomes place you in charge of the story. Make choices that affect how people relate to you; solve conflicts with cunning or with violence; and speak your mind in branching dialogues.

Powerful World Interaction

Interact with the environment through the use of the brand new Focus Field feature, an easy-to-use context-sensitive interface, and fully analog character controls – giving you total power over your character.


Minimum System Requirements :

Windows XP
Processor: PIIII
DirectX 9.0c
512 MB RAM
Free hard drive space: 7.8 GB
3D Accelerator 128MB DirectX 9.0c
DirectX-compliant Sound Card

License:

Free Trial Version , 120 minutes gameplay, No Internet connection needed to play, No CD-ROM necessary, Convert to full version with no additional downloads

publisher:

Funcom

i-LIMB bionic hand

A new hope has arrived for amputees that would make Luke Skywalker feel right at home: a highly advanced bionic hand controlled by a patient's mind and muscles.

The newly released iLimb is the first prosthetic hand to have fully functional motorized digits that move and bend independently, its makers say. Electrodes taped to the skin transmit signals to tiny motors that power the fingers.

Previous artificial hands had only a thumb and forefinger that worked in a clawlike grasping action. But the new device allows amputees to carry out more delicate movements such as peeling a banana, typing on a computer, or eating with a knife and fork.

The iLimb is also covered by a semitransparent "cosmesis" that is computer modeled to look like human skin.

The technology has been tested by a number of people, including US soldiers who lost limbs in the Iraq war.

The hand, manufactured by Touch Bionics of Scotland, went on sale in Britain for £8,500 (U.S. $17,454). An entirely lifelike version is on sale privately for around £13,000 ($26,695).

Traffic Assist Pro - Ferrari Navigator

About this product:

Ferrari and Harman/Becker mutual commitment has resulted in the creation of an accessory of great technology and design: the portable navigation system of the Prancing Horse.

The attractive look of this item, produced in the official colours of Ferrari Gran Turismo cars, matches the technological excellence to guarantee a practical and exclusive product.

This satellite system includes many functions, in fact it is not only a high-performing portable navigator featuring a 400 MHz processor, but also an MP3/WMA player, a receiving TMC traffic information channel, and a picture viewer.

The 2 GB SD card contains the pre-loaded NAVTEQ maps of 37 European countries.

The 4" touch-screen display with anti-glare coating and integrated picture viewer, is characterised by the driver-friendly raised shape.

The mount allows all-round adjustments of the viewing angle and the "Birdview" function consent to display a 3D representation of the way.

As an additional feature, purposely developed to increase the comfort during the drive, the innovative "Audio out" function interrupts the radio emissions and communicates the road markings.

The startup popup is an exact reproduction of the tachometer of Ferrari F430.

NAVTEQ maps only for Europe.

Please note that in GB the price of Traffic Assist Pro is higher due to an extra licence fee for the Traffic Message Channel service.

SPECIFICATIONS

Last-Address-Memory (the unit stores most recent settings)

400 MHz processor, CISC architecture

Low-reflection 4" TFT touch screen with 16 bit colour depth; 65,536 colours

Day-/Nightrepresentation for best readability according to lighting

Dimensions in mm (W x H x D): 137 x 88 x 19.5

Weight: 272 g

CONNECTIONS/OTHER

64 MB SD RAM

External GPS connection

Headphones jack

Host 1.1, USB 2.0 for Client

SD card slot: supports cards up to 2 GB

Batteries replaceable (for increased operation time)

Internal speakers: 2 watts max.

Specially sensitive folding SIRF III GPS receiver (12 channel)

Connection cable for cigarette lighter socket (12 V/24 V)

2 GB SD-Card (pre-programmed)

Universal mounting system

AC Adapter (110 - 230 V mains voltage to 5 V)

Docking Station (base unit, TMC receiver)

• TMC function*
• Mute (Car-Soundsystem will be muted meanwhile navi announcements)
• Audio Out

* Dynamic route guidance with TMC in connection with Docking Station

in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France (the Paris area), Germany, Great Britain,

Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

MP3/WMA PLAYER

Compression formats: MP3/WMA9

Display of elapsed track time, directories, ID-3 tags (title and artist)

MP3 sound by SD-Card or USB-Stick

PICTURE VIEWER

Picture viewer, slide show (JPG picture format)

Nokia 6205 The Dark Knight Edition

Verizon and Nokia teamed up and announced the Nokia 6205 The Dark Knight edition mobile phone, celebrating the upcoming July 18, 2008 theatrical release of “The Dark Knight”. it is preloaded with Dark Knight’s wallpapers, voice tones, animated screensavers inspired by the film, and a full movie trailer. This clamshell comes with touch-sensitive external music keys, making it easier to access tracks purchased from Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Music service.

The Nokia 6205 The Dark Knight edition will be available online for $69.99 after a $50 online instant rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Following the premiere release of The Dark Knight edition, the standard edition of the Nokia 6205 phone - containing all of the same features and a striking metallic blue and silver color scheme - will be available both online and at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores next month.

Nokia 6205 Specifications:

• 1.3-megapixel camera with flash and 4x digital zoom
• 58 MB internal memory; expandable up to an additional 4 GB with an optional microSD memory card
• Support for text, picture and video messaging
• Get It Now
• VZ Navigator
• Mobile Web for access to the latest news, sports, weather and more
• Voice dialing and voice commands for touch-free phone operation
• Built-in speakerphone
• Bluetooth.

Calif. Firefighters Get Backup From NASA Drone

Fire crews battling nearly 300 blazes burning across California are getting help from a pilotless plane that transmits real-time images of hot spots and flare-ups to commanders in the field.

The unmanned drone developed by NASA scientists discovered a hot flare-up in a canyon near the town of Paradise, prompting fire officials to issue evacuation orders for 10,000 people in Butte County last week. Thick smoke and heat had prevented other aircraft from patrolling the area.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday toured the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, where he credited the NASA technology with saving lives and pushed an initiative to charge homeowners a fee to pay for emergency response equipment.

"This unmanned plane is a true life-saver. But even though we get all this terrific help, California needs more resources, there's no two ways about it," the governor said.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said 288 blazes were still burning around the state, most of them in the mountains ringing the northern edge of the Central Valley.

So far this fire season, flames have blackened about 1,300 square miles and destroyed about 100 homes across California. Most of the blazes were sparked by a June 21 lightning storm across the northern part of the state.

The current complex of fires is "the largest single fire event in history for California," said Kelly Houston, spokesman for the Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

The previous record was set in the October 2003, when wildfires scorched more than 1,155 square miles, Houston said. State record-keeping on wildfires began in 1936.

The state defines a "fire event" as a grouping of blazes that fall within the same location or time period.

While the October 2003 fires killed 24 people and destroyed more than 3,600 homes, Houston said officials point to acreage when quantifying wildfires to point to the strain on firefighting resources.

A massive wildfire in the Los Padres National Forest continued spreading northward and eastward Monday, relieving the danger to the storied coastal town of Big Sur but forcing residents of another community to stay away from their homes for a third day.

Yamaha YZF-R1

Starting with the FZR1000 in 1987, Yamaha introduced several motorcycle engineering firsts including the boxed aluminum "DeltaBox" frame, advanced intake and exhausts technologies including a 5 valve-per-cylinder head and an exhaust EXUP power-valve. The engines usable power output was dramatically improved throughout the entire RPM range and featured one of the flattest power curves ever seen on a motorcycle. The aluminum Deltabox frame was very light and rigid when compared to steel and both handling and braking were vastly improved over the old-style steel cradle frames. These numerous advances made the FZR1000 a veritable "tour de force" and it was voted "bike of the decade" by many who found it to be quite capable both on and off the track.

For the next four years Yamaha enjoyed significant sales and racing success, however in 1992 Honda introduced the CBR900RR Fireblade which was essentially a marriage of the chassis used for their 600cc motorcycles with an over-bored 750cc engine. Even though the Fireblades weren't as powerful as the FZR1000, it was lighter and shorter which resulted in much quicker handling. It took Yamaha four years to realize the significant weight and power changes that were introduced in the short-lived YZF1000R "ThunderAce". Still, the YZF1000R was based on the original Genesis engine which was canted forward sharply causing the wheelbase to be longer than the Fireblades An all-new YZF-R1 for the 2007 model year was announced on 9 October, 2006. Key features include an all-new inline four-cylinder engine; going back to a more conventional 4-valve per cylinder rather than Yamaha's trade mark 5-valve genesis layout. Other new features are the Yamaha Chip Control Intake (YCC-I) electronic variable-length intake funnel system, Yamaha Chip Control Throttle (YCC-T) fly-by-wire throttle system, slipper-type clutch, all-new aluminum Deltabox frame and swingarm, six-piston radial-mount front brake calipers with 310 mm discs, a wider radiator, and M1 styling on the new large ram-air ports in the front fairing. 2008 brought BNG and the ability to buy limited edition Fiat plastics.

Watermelon Has Viagra-Like Effect, Say Scientists

A slice of cool, fresh watermelon is a juicy way to top off a Fourth of July cookout and one that researchers say has effects similar to Viagra -- but don't necessarily expect it to keep the fireworks all night long.

Watermelons contain an ingredient called citrulline that can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels, similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra, said scientists in Texas, one of the nation's top producers of the seedless variety.

Found in the flesh and rind of watermelons, citrulline reacts with the body's enzymes when consumed in large quantities and is changed into arginine, an amino acid that benefits the heart and the circulatory and immune systems.

"Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it," said Bhimu Patil, a researcher and director of Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center. "Watermelon may not be as organ-specific as Viagra, but it's a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side effects."

Todd Wehner, who studies watermelon breeding at North Carolina State University, said anyone taking Viagra shouldn't expect the same result from watermelon.

"It sounds like it would be an effect that would be interesting but not a substitute for any medical treatment," Wehner said.

The nitric oxide can also help with angina, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems, according to the study, which was paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

More citrulline -- about 60 percent -- is found in watermelon rind than in the flesh, Patil said, but that can vary. But scientists may be able to find ways to boost the concentrations in the flesh, he said.

Citrulline is found in all colors of watermelon and is highest in the yellow-fleshed types, said Penelope Perkins-Veazie, a USDA researcher in Lane, Okla.

She said Patil's research is valid, but with a caveat: One would need to eat about six cups of watermelon to get enough citrulline to boost the body's arginine level.

"The problem you have when you eat a lot of watermelon is you tend to run to the bathroom more," Perkins-Veazie said.

Watermelon is a diuretic and was a homeopathic treatment for kidney patients before dialysis became widespread.

Another issue is the amount of sugar that much watermelon would spill into the bloodstream --a jolt that could cause cramping, Perkins-Veazie said.

Patil said he would like to do future studies on how to reduce the sugar content in watermelon.

The relationship between citrulline and arginine might also prove helpful to those who are obese or suffer from type-2 diabetes. The beneficial effects -- among them the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does -- are beginning to be revealed in research.

Citrulline is present in other curcubits, like cucumbers and cantaloupe, at very low levels, and in the milk protein casein. The highest concentrations of citrulline are found in walnut seedlings, Perkins-Veazie said.