In a recent series we noted a number of portable keyboards that work with the iPad; this list includes the Freedom Pro Keyboard, a full QWERTY keyboard that folds in two for easy transport. The folks behind the Freedom Pro got in touch with us to make sure we understood that the keyboard will work with many smartphones, in addition to the iPad and Windows UMPCs.
The Freedom Pro keyboard has both HID and SPP Profiles, which means it will work with Windows systems, BlackBerries and Android phones (Android drivers in progress). The integrated device stand is designed to fit smartphones, but will also handle small UMPCs, too. The smartphones that can be used with the Freedom Pro keyboard are many:
BlackBerry (OS 4.0+)
Windows Mobile (5+)
Symbian Series 60 (most N and E)
Symbian UIQ3 (Sony Ericsson)
Android (1.5+)
The Freedom Pro keyboard can run for 90 hours on two AAA batteries, and connects to the device over Bluetooth. It comes with a travel case for easy transport. This video shows the keyboard in action with a BlackBerry.
Related content on GigaOM Pro (subscription required):
Facebook, asexpected, launched its master plan to make the rest of the web social at its f8 conference in San Francisco today. CEO Mark Zuckerberg and director of product Bret Taylor laid out three major initiatives to that effect.
The f8 launches expand on the concept of authenticating on sites using Facebook Connect — which reached 100 million users in its first 15 months — and sending back updates to the Facebook news feed. Most interestingly, Facebook will move from the idea of a transitory stream of actions to give outside sites persistent access to its users.
First, social plugins are little widgets that bring Facebook to the rest of the web. They offer “instant personalization,” said Taylor with the goal of increasing user engagement, using an iFrame and a cookie remembering the Facebook user. So when you visit a website, even if it’s new to you, you’ll which friends have also logged in there, what their activity is, and a set of recommendations based on their actions.
One action in particular will be closely tied back to Facebook: the like button. If you indicate you like an article, a band, a restaurant, really anything, a site using Facebook’s open graph protocol can create a persistent relationship with you around that content. Sites give Facebook semantic information around the thing you liked — for instance, the title, type, genre and city for a band you like on Pandora. Then that band goes straight to the favorite music section of your profile. Same thing happens if you like a movie on IMDB, another launch partner.
The objects that you like are first-order citizens on Facebook, said Taylor. So if another user hovers over that movie you liked, they see information brought from IMDB. A click goes back to the source. If a user searches for restaurants on Facebook, the top things that show up in Facebook’s own search could be restaurants your friends liked on Yelp. And the sites can communicate back directly to that specific subset of users who have liked something. So when Stanford football star Toby Gerhart gets drafted tomorrow, Bret Taylor could automatically see that information in his feed.
One application developed with this in mind is the new Docs.com from Microsoft, a web-based document editor available later today that will enable users to can see, edit and share with their Facebook friends. (This is an obvious team-up against Google Docs.)
Lastly, Facebook’s Graph API aims to make developing on its platform much simpler for the long haul. Every object on Facebook has now been given a easy to formulate unique ID. The API will allow sites to search user updates and get real-time updates every time a user adds a connection or posts on a wall. Developers, with permission, will be able to hold onto user data for more than 24 hours. And Facebook will be adopting the open authentication protocol OAuth.
Though these launches will clearly bring even more data under Facebook’s control, Zuckerberg said they signaled “for the first time a truly open graph.”
“The open graph puts people at the center of the web,” he said. “It means the web can become a series of personally and semantically meaningful connections.”
I spent my morning attending the fifth birthday of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the management organization dedicated to marshaling the 16 intelligence agencies toward a coherent, unified goal. Surrounded by the heads of all those agencies, retired Adm. Dennis Blair, the director of national intelligence, gave an inspiring speech to his workforce about how the next five years of intelligence integration would be “driven by joint missions, powered — united — by technology, continually learning and improving.” There were cupcakes. And then we talked about killing American citizens.
Two weeks ago, anonymous administration officials had said an American citizen, Anwar al-Awlaki, living in Yemen and producing scores of incitement-filled sermons about the alleged Islamic imperative to kill Americans, could be targeted for assassination. The legal basis for such a thing has not been disclosed. So in a brief press Q-and-A with Blair, I asked what legal authorization he had for targeting an American citizen like Awlaki. Blair replied broadly that his authorization came from the law and the Constitution, pledged the intelligence community would “follow all rules” given to it by the “executive branch [and] the congressional branch” and then ended the press conference. There were more cupcakes.
I filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the CIA and the Justice Department two weeks ago to find out the actual legal basis claimed by the Obama administration for targeting an American citizen for death without any provision of due process.
2Market Information’s Distance Learning Division has lined up an array of practical, how-to audioconferences and webinars over the next several months, focusing on many of key challenges in research commercialization. From working effectively with in-house counsel and transforming your operations to become more industry-friendly to faculty outreach/education and IP marketing, these sessions offer an outstanding way to access high-quality training without the cost of travel. All sessions offer unlimited attendance, and recording of the sessions are also available for ongoing staff and faculty education. Also just scheduled is a 6-session series, “Start-Up Boot Camp for University TTO Professionals and Inventors,” featuring an all-star faculty of start-up experts. Here’s the schedule — for details, click on any of the individual titles:
The vast majority of consumers don’t have a clue as to what those little numbers on their cell phones battery mean. Like with processor clock speeds and television refresh rates, we all tend to just assume that bigger numbers = better product. So when Joe Consumer sees some third-party manufacturer touting their batteries with ratings double that of what the official battery offers, it seems like a killer deal.
Alas, it appears that some of these third-party manufacturers might be pulling the oldest marketing trick in the world: flat-out lying.
Armed with a nothing but a fancy battery testing suite and a desire for honesty, a gent named Doug Simmons set out to put third-party battery ratings to the test. He asked his online cohorts to loan him their third-party wares, and the brawl began.
His findings? While OEM batteries are clocking in at right around the promised rating, third-party batteries.. aren’t.
Now, no one really expects the “official” batteries sold on eBay to be.. you know, official. And they most certainly aren’t. Pitched as being one-to-one matches with the real deal, some of these bootlegs are failing to perform even half as well as the original.
That part’s obvious. You get what you pay for. But it goes beyond eBay: even amongst the (fairly pricey) batteries of some of the more well-known third parties (like Seido, or Mugen), Doug is seeing discrepancies left and right. Take Seido’s 1600mAh replacement for the Nexus One, for example. The battery is pitched as being about 14% stronger than the Nexus One’s original 1400mAh battery (which, by the way, tested at a very acceptable 1357mAh) — but in Doug’s tests, this “bigger” battery is actually clocking in at a lower capacity (1317mAh) than the original.
Doug’s only tested around a dozen batteries so far, but the results are eye opening; while the OEM batteries are almost always reasonably accurate to their promised rating, the third-party batteries are consistently 20-30% weaker than advertised. Check out his results so far here — and if you’ve got a new-condition battery for him to take a crack at, be sure to get in touch.
ApaTech, a spinout from Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) that was established in 2001 to manufacture and market synthetic bone substitutes, has been acquired by Deerfield, IL-based Baxter International, Inc., in an agreement valued at up to $330 million. ApaTech was launched at QMUL’s Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials nine years ago with an initial investment of £3 million. QMUL’s equity interest in the spinout means the college is set to receive a significant sum from the sale. ApaTech generated sales of approximately $60 million during 2009. Its lead product, Actifuse, is being used in Europe, the United States, and other markets around the world. The acquisition follows a number of successful VC investment rounds that fueled significant expansion of the business, including new manufacturing capacity, and enabled the company to continue the development of its lead products.
“ApaTech is the perfect university spinout success story,” says Caroline Quest, managing director of Queen Mary Innovation (QMI), which serves as the TTO for QMUL and manages the equity interests in its spinout portfolio. “This sale demonstrates just how much can be achieved in a relatively short time frame when innovative scientists join together with top-class commercial leadership.”
In another win for QMUL, Activiomics, Ltd. — the first spinout created from the Institute of Cancer at Barts and The London Medical School — has signed a commercial agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) through its Respiratory Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery (CEDD) in a collaborative effort to investigate inflammatory signaling mechanisms. Scientists from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry at QMUL developed a novel method based on mass spectrometry to analyze and interpret cell signaling pathways. The technology enables the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry to identify biomarkers and better select new drugs for diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, and diabetes.
The targeted in-depth quantification of cell signaling (TIQUAS) platform has several advantages over existing methods: it is quantitative, antibody-free, label-free, and applicable to any cell or tissue sample. These features offer significant value in reducing drug development cycle by aiding clinical trial candidate selection and biomarker discovery. Activiomics Ltd received early-stage financing from IP Group plc — the IP commercialization company that works closely with QMI to identify and develop new business opportunities from QMUL research. Sources: Queen Mary University of London and PRLog
The age-old conflict between East and West is endlessly debated by critics in terms of soundtracks, acting abilities and budgets. We thought we’d add to the intellectual debate by examining what really matters to film watchers. Yes, you guessed it…boobs. Read on to see some of film’s hottest beauties pitted against each other before our judges. But who will triumph? advice
10. Tanushree Datta vs Carmen Electra
The judges love the size and weight of both these contestant’s creamy jugs, so it’s going to come down to form. It’s very close, but unfortunately there has to be a winner and Carmen is awarded extra points for perfect shape and pertness. Hollywood wins it – by a nipple.
SCORE: Bollywood 0 – Hollywood 1
9. Bipashu Basu vs Megan Fox
Megan Fox earns some quick early points by appearing in oh-so-cute pink lingerie, accompanied, by a teddy bear – but this contest is about boobs not bears. For sheer pertness Bipashu’s bazongas are almost unbeatable, so Bollywood collect the points.
SCORE: Bollywood 1 – Hollywood 1
8. Koina Mitra vs Jennifer Love Hewitt
The talent on display here is cracking – this is going to be a tough one to call. Both achieve excellence in size, weight and poise, but whereas Koina’s boast juicy pertness, the accompanying fishnet stockings on Jennifer have swayed us.
SCORE: Bollywood 1 – Hollywood 2
7. Tulip Joshi vs Gisele Bundchen
Gisele is clearly outdone in the size stakes, but her wonderfully bronzed globes are firm enough to open a beer on (which is definitely a good thing). Close, but Hollywood collect the points – although the judges have requested a thorough inspection afterward just to be on the safe side.
SCORE: Bollywood 1 – Hollywood 3
6. Rakhi Sawant vs Tyra Banks
Clash of the Titans here – Tyra’s milk factories are conceived on an industrial scale, but are they too large? Don’t be stupid. On the other hand Rakhi is hardly lacking in the size stakes… In the end we’ll have to mark Tyra down for the suspicion of foul play (a boob job). Bollywood wins.
SCORE: Bollywood 2 – Hollywood 3
5. Raima Sen vs Marissa Miller
This is tough. We’ve seen exceptional talent in the size, shape and pertness stakes but both these contestants bring all three together into what must be two pairs of nearly perfect funbags. We’ll declare this one a tie.
SCORE: Bollywood 3 – Hollywood 4
4. Malika Sherawat vs Jessica Simpson
If this were a melon smuggling contest, neither would do very well; as it is this is a boob perfection contest. Top marks to Malika for size and firmness; Jessica, I’m afraid your cleavage gap means we’re going to have to mark you down. Go Bollywood!
SCORE: Bollywood 4 – Hollywood 4
3. Brinda Parekh vs Heidi Klum
A pair of scorchers meet here in this clash of opposing styles: Brinda has gone for the sweetie-pie look, complete with ice-cream cone (which we hope she’ll be spilling all over…), whereas the sophisticated Heidi thinks it’s elegance men really want in her slinky black dress. Decisions, decisions… can’t we put the two together? We’re giving it to Heidi, although we would request that Brinda and her ice cream cone join us at the afterparty.
SCORE: Bollywood 4 – Hollywood 5
2. Celina Jaitley vs Lindsay Lohan
Just look at Celina’s magnificent mammaries! Just look, man! These are surely some of the advice most glorious knockers to come before our filthy mind. Lindsay, we love what you’re doing, but Pinky and Perky just aren’t up to scratch in this case.
SCORE: Bollywood 5 – Hollywood 5
1. Sherlyn Chopra vs Scarlett Johansson
So it comes down to the wire in the battle for which industry has the best boobs. Once again epic performances from both sides – great size, hang and tone. On the grounds of pure sultry, raw sex appeal, we’re going to give it to Scarlett and Hollywood. Well done both contestants.
Mustang and Camaro fans are among the most fiercely loyal in the auto industry, as necessitated by the closeness of the rivalry between their chosen cars. Throughout a long history of excellence (and sometimes mediocrity—nothing was really great for a while there in the ’70s and ’80s), both have had their ups and downs. Yesterday we asked about the Camaro. Today’s question: What’s your favorite Mustang of all-time? Vote for one of the selections below or start a write-in campaign for your favorite in the comments. Voting ends Saturday.
The Mayo Clinic has signed an exclusive license and commercialization agreement with Gamma Medica-Ideas, Inc., (GMI) of Northridge, CA. The company, a developer of digital molecular imaging systems, plans to further develop and commercialize a suite of technologies invented by a team of Mayo physicians and scientists headed by Michael O’Connor, PhD, a nuclear physicist in the department of radiology. The license also includes methods and devices developed at Mayo for combining next generation x-ray tomosynthesis techniques with molecular imaging of the breast. In initial clinical studies, the Mayo algorithms licensed to GMI yield better images at lower dose. The company aims to utilize the licensed technology in conjunction with its Lumagem molecular breast imaging (MBI) system to improve the diagnosis of cancers in the estimated 30% of women who have dense breast tissue, which can impede the diagnosis of abnormalities using existing mammography and other screening techniques. Mammography works well in fatty breast tissue, but in dense breast tissue “mammography is like looking through a frosted-glass pane,” O’Connor says. Mayo research shows MBI to be three times more effective than mammography at finding tumors in dense breast tissue.
While mammography uses low-energy X-rays, MBI relies on high-energy gamma radiation and the behavior of cancer molecules. Although similar gamma-camera approaches have been pursued, Mayo’s breakthrough is lowering the radiation dose needed for MBI to detect small tumors. From a patient’s perspective, MBI is similar to a mammogram. The breast is compressed, although with two-thirds less pressure than a mammogram, and two images are taken of each breast. However, in MBI, a radioisotope (Tc-99m) is injected in the patient’s arm beforehand. Breast-tumor cells absorb this tracer like a sponge and appear as bright spots on MBI films. O’Connor’s innovation was to build a dual-headed system with cameras positioned on either side of the breast, so that each camera would need to image only half the breast. “We found we could increase our ability to detect tumors by about 10 or 15%,” he says. MBI also can improve treatment once women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Because MBI can detect changes in tumor size, “you could rapidly reassess your drug regimen,” says Deborah Rhodes, MD, a preventive medicine specialist at Mayo who helped develop the technology. MBI also addresses the issue of breast cancer recurrence. Among Mayo study participants who had breast cancer, MBI detected a second tumor in a patient’s breast in about 10% of cases.
A month ago, the world saw Apple as equal parts North Pole and KGB—unpredictably innovative and notoriously secretive, they were a force wielded by nothing less than magic. Then, an elf got loose. More »
Professor Subramanian will be teaching Advanced Negotiation: Deal Design and Implementation at the Harvard Negotiation Institute June 14-18. For more information, or to register, click here.
Saab today announced pricing on the all-new 2010 Saab 9-5 sedan.
“The new 9-5 Sedan stays true to its unique Swedish heritage and Saab DNA. The 9-5 showcases progressive Scandinavian design, an exhilarating driving experience and responsible performance with its all-turbo powertrain line-up,” said Mike Colleran, Saab Cars North America President and COO. “Saab’s distinctive new flagship brings a fresh, alternative choice to the premium sedan segment.”
The 9-5 model will hit U.S. dealerships in July starting with the top-of-the-line 9-5 Aero Sedan model, which is priced at $49,990. The 2010 Saab 9-5 Aero Sedan is powered by a 2.8L V6 turbocharged engine making 300-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
The lineup will be extended in the Saab 9-5 2011 model year, which will consist of a 220-hp 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo with prices starting under $40,000.
Make the jump for the press release for more details.
2010 Saab 9-5:
Press Release:
Saab Cars North America Announces Pricing on All-New Premium Flagship Vehicle: The 9-5 Aero Sedan Launch Package
* All-new 9-5 vehicle pricing on model year 2010 and 2011 variants
* Premium 9-5 Sedan available in July
DETROIT – Saab Cars North America announced pricing for its all-new 2010 model year 9-5 Aero Sedan launch package. The flagship vehicle will arrive in U.S. dealer showrooms in July.
Saab will lead the new 9-5 launch with its top-of-the line Aero Sedan model, priced at $49,990 MSRP. The Aero, featuring a 300 hp 2.8-litre V6 turbo engine, delivers uncompromised driving performance and is packed with advanced chassis, comfort and safety technologies.
Shortly following the 9-5 Aero introduction, a 2.0-litre turbo variant will be added to the 9-5 line-up. Pricing for these 2011 model year vehicles will start at under $40,000 MSRP.
The clean, ‘organic sculpture’ of the 9-5 bodywork, with elements inspired by Saab’s award-winning Aero X concept, heralds the introduction of a bold, more expressive design language for the brand. The spacious, driver-focused cabin features a new iteration of Saab’s signature cockpit layout.
Staying true to its roots, the 9-5 family features an all-turbo powertain line-up. The Aero model, features a 2.8-litre V6 Turbo Engine with 300 horsepower @ 5,300 rpm; a 24-valve, dual overhead camshaft valvetrain and a twin-scroll intercooled turbocharger and the Sentronic six-speed automatic with transmission with paddle shifting.
Performance is second to none with sophisticated electronic chassis systems such as electronic stability program, DriveSense adaptive chassis and Saab’s advanced all-wheel-drive system, XWD. Additionally, the Aero features a new front and rear suspension design that provides a sporty driving experience without sacrificing on comfort.
Saab continues its commitment to safety with eight standard airbags in the new 9-5, including rear seat thorax protection side airbags. A lane departure warning system and head-up display are also available.
The refined interior of the 9-5 features leather-appointed seats and steering wheel, power front seats with memory settings for the driver’s seat and mirrors, automatic dual-zone air conditioning, a cooled glove box, front and rear interior reading lamps, and 12V outlets in the front console and trunk.
The standard audio system includes an AM/FM radio with CD player, XM® Satellite radio, USB and auxiliary connections for portable devices and steering wheel mounted controls. A Harman-Kardon surround sound system is also available.
Saab’s unique Night Panel feature continues in this new 9-5 and is enhanced by a new instrument cluster with a supplemental rolling speedometer display that hints at its aircraft heritage.
Texas Tech, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (HSC), and Dallas-based HemoBioTech are developing blood substitutes that meets more rigorous safety protocols instituted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Tech has patented a method to ensure that bood substitutes do not contain pathogens that are associated with blood. Intrinsic toxicity of hemoglobin was a major cause of complications in first-generation substitutes. The technology developed at Tech enables the formulation of blood substitutes with different pharmacological characteristics so the product is safe when injected into the bloodstream, says Jan Simoni, DVM, principal investigator of Tech’s blood substitute program. Tech is trying to make a substitute for perfusion fluids, which are used in heart surgeries. Blood substitutes also could be used in times of war or catastrophe, when mass casualties occur. In addition, blood substitutes could be stored for six months before use, in contrast to human blood, which must be used within one month. Blood substitutes also could also be transfused without typing a patient’s blood.
The next step is to perform preclinical and clinical animal trials, which will require $2 million to $3 million in funding for testing by an independent lab. If the capital is raised quickly enough, testing could begin within the year. HemoBioTech has licensed the technology for the blood substitutes, which address a market estimated at more than $25 billion. “We are very focused on holding [HemoBioTech] accountable to raise the capital and get this to market,” says David L. Miller, Tech’s vice chancellor of technology commercialization and economic development. Success in FDA animal trials would bring additional capital from investors, he adds, by helping to move the technology to the next level.
When used appropriately, provisional patent applications (PPAs) are an inexpensive way for technology transfer offices to protect IP while they begin to market it to outsiders. In addition, PPAs buy inventors and TTOs an extra year of time to further develop the science before a non-provisional patent application must be filed with the USPTO. However, legal experts emphasize that shoddily prepared PPAs can come back to haunt TTOs later on in the game. And some busy TTOs tend to lose sight of the fact that PPAs are, quite frankly, a waste of time and money when they are prepared so routinely that little thought goes into whether or not the underlying IP merits further development.
It’s an easy trap to fall into because PPAs are much easier to draft than non-provisionals, and at a cost of less than $1,000 they are far cheaper to file. However, the low cost without the accountability can be a double-edged sword, stresses Libby Hart-Wells, PhD, executive director of commercial ventures and intellectual property at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. “The provisional is not examined. It just goes into a file at the patent office. It is a placeholder. You could literally submit a napkin to the patent office and they would put it on file with a provisional application number,” she explains. However, Hart-Wells urges TTOs to remember that if the IP turns out to be highly valuable, then the quality of the provisional patent application becomes very important. “If you have filed a document that is crummy, and it will be the foundation for your entire patent portfolio later, then you are building a house of cards,” she says. A detailed article on best practices for filing PPAs appears in the April issue of Technology Transfer Tactics. To start a subscription and access the full article, plus three years of archived articles filled with tech transfer success strategies, CLICK HERE.
Zensi, an energy monitoring startup co-founded by University of Washington assistant professor Shwetak Patel, has been acquired by Belkin, the computer hardware and wireless company based in the Los Angeles area. Financial terms of the cash deal weren’t given. The news was reported earlier today by CNET.
Patel co-founded Zensi in 2008 while he was in graduate school at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, but he has continued to develop the technology at UW as a faculty member in computer science & engineering and electrical engineering. The company’s technology includes sensors that you plug into a wall outlet to measure the amount of electricity used by each appliance or device in a home. Zensi’s similar systems for water, gas, and ventilation—and software to run it all—could help people keep better track of their home energy and resource use, and ultimately reduce it.
Zensi was based in Atlanta and Boston, but the technology was licensed from UW and Georgia Tech. To hear Patel talk, this is just the beginning for using software help consumers better conserve energy. “This puts UW on the map as a premier place for energy work in the residential space,” says Patel. He adds that Zensi is one of the first examples of a residential energy monitoring company getting acquired for cash. The acquisition should speed up the process of making Zensi’s technology widely available to consumers. Zensi was looking to close a round of venture capital earlier this year, but decided to go the acquisition route when multiple bidders appeared, Patel says.
Indeed, the residential energy monitoring sector seems to be heating up all around, with big companies like Intel, Microsoft, Google, and even Apple unveiling new products in the past year. (Intel’s most recent offering looks a lot like Zensi’s, in fact.)
Patel’s fellow co-founders include Gregory Abowd from Georgia Tech, Matt Reynolds of Duke University, and CEO Kevin Ashton, who was based in Boston and has joined Belkin as general manager of the company’s new Conserve business unit. Belkin says to expect some new energy management products later this year.
As for Patel (who’s in his late 20s), now that he’s made his “big splash” in energy, he says he’s working in other areas, such as health-monitoring technologies. An example might be a mobile phone that can do X-rays in the field, he says. Will he work on another startup? “I imagine I will again,” he says.
