The New York Times has reported on internal Microsoft sources which unfortunately dash any hopes of seeing the very interesting Microsoft Courier any time this year.

According to the Microsoft employees who has seen the device, Microsoft engineers have concerns about the battery power needed to keep the two screens going. Courier is about as big as an ordinary paperback and folds out to reveal two screens. Users would be able to take notes on the device with a pen, and easily drag and share content between the screens.

And internally the company is struggling to identify the right market. Though no firm decision has been made to sell the product, at first the idea was to market the Courier for designers and architects, but lately the company is thinking of a broader market of consumers and so would include e-books, magazines and other media content on the device.

Microsoft engineers have talked about getting the Courier out by early 2011.

Read more at the NYTimes.com here.

Via Tabletpcreview.com

According to patent drawings dug up by AutoCar, General Motors will unveil a Chevrolet Volt-based MPV next week at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show. The vehicle will use the Volt’s Voltec powertrain, which has been designed to fit a range of vehicles.

That mean the Chevrolet Volt minivan will carry the same 16-kWh, “T”-shaped lithium-ion battery, which powers an electric drive unit, which is capable of driving the car electrically for up to 40 miles without using a drop of gas. A 1.4L 4-cylinder engine will allow extended range capability once the battery has been depleted.

We’ll have more info next week. Stay tuned.

Click here for more news on the Chevrolet Volt.

Chevrolet Volt MPV Patent Drawings:

– By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoCar

Put Cumberland Advisors’ David Kotok in the camp that feels it’s right to sell on the Goldman Sachs news.

Here’s part of a note just sent out.

In Cumberland’s view, the GS news is big and is not a one-off event.  Since the announcement of the SEC suit, we have been polling everyone we talk to about GS.  They are universally despised.  The alleged wrongdoings have intensified an already large anger.  GS arrogance has created a perception problem, and now GS has a reality problem.  It could quickly become a criminal action.  One lawyer said “just wait until we hear from Andrew Cuomo.”
 
Welcome to the modern post-crisis era.  In the case of GS, we have an actual allegation of fraud.  This is different than the Lehman repo 105 disclosures, although we expect fraud allegations to come there, too.  In Lehman we have a failed firm.  In GS we have an existing stock and a company that is the largest capital-market player on the US scene.
 
We expect that there are a lot more charges coming and they will impact GS and many other firms.  And we will soon see state attorneys general piling on. The plaintiff law firms are already preparing class-action suits.  Germany and the U.K. are launching their own investigations.  These types of allegations are not going to be confined to SEC vs. GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. and FABRICE TOURRE.  The allegations will not be limited to a single security series known as Abacus 2007.
 
At Cumberland we have raised some cash.  We exited the capital-market ETF quickly.  We expect this news will be the catalyst for some market correction.  It is long overdue.

Join the conversation about this story »

Today in the LA Times Op-Ed section, our recent Point of Inquiry guest has a pretty unexpected take on air pollution: Namely, he describes it as useful for blocking sunlight. (The paper edition closed too early to add info about the recent Icelandic volcano, but for those wondering, Kintisch informs me that the amount of gunk it has spewed out is far too little to have a major climatic effect.) Here’s an excerpt from the op-ed:
You’re likely to hear a chorus of dire warnings as we approach Earth Day, but there’s a serious shortage few pundits are talking about: air pollution. That’s right, the world is running short on air pollution, and if we continue to cut back on smoke pouring forth from industrial smokestacks, the increase in global warming could be profound. Cleaner air, one of the signature achievements of the U.S. environmental movement, is certainly worth celebrating. Scientists estimate that the U.S. Clean Air Act has cut a major air pollutant called sulfate aerosols, for example, by 30% to 50% since the 1980s, helping greatly reduce cases of asthma and other respiratory problems. But even as industrialized and developing nations alike steadily reduce aerosol pollution — caused primarily by burning …

Preparando o terreno para a chegada de seu cupê hibrido CR-Z na Europa, o departamento comercial da Honda europeia contratou a agência de publicidade Gaucho Productions para fazer o vídeo de divulgação do modelo, que cá entre nós, reflete bem a sua personalidade.

Com a introdução de gráficos e de belos efeitos visuais, o vídeo demonstra um breve passeio do Honda CR-Z destacando toda a sua versatilidade disponibilizando três modos de condução: econômica, normal e esportiva. Tudo isso é possível com a utilização de seu sistema hibrido, adotando o motor a gasolina 1.5L 16V i-VTEC com 124 cavalos de potência, associado a um elétrico de 14 cavalos e 7,9 kgfm de torque. Seu baixo consumo fica numa incrível media de quase 20 km/l numa condução mista cidade/estrada.

As vendas do cupê hibrido Honda CR-Z no continente europeu terá inicio no segundo semestre desse ano. Além disso, o vídeo acima também será utilizado para a divulgação do hibrido pela companhia no Oriente Médio e na Africa.

Fonte: EGMCarTech

The headline humor is the work of Gizmodo head honcho Brian Lam, but the iPad app, called Telecom Tycoon HD, is all Telect. It’s sort of like SimCity or RollerCoaster Tycoon, but with cell towers and consumer-screwing subscription plans! More »

Filed under: Motorsports, China

It’s a funny thing, rain at a parade. Most of the time, it’s considered a bad thing, but in a handful of cases it can be exactly what you’ve been praying for. Like if you sell umbrellas out of your shop along the parade’s route. Or if a local fascist gang is preparing to march through your neighborhood. Or, in this case, if you’re a racing fan hoping for a little more action than the usual procession of state-of-the-art machinery piloted by millionaire prima donnas.

The latter – showers on the circuit, not the main street umbrellas or the skinheads – is exactly what spectators got this weekend in Shanghai. Or rather, it was the threat of rain, the inclement, unpredictable nature of mother nature that threw everything into chaos. The result was a complete shake-up in the order of things, plenty of spins and more passing than a joint at a Phish concert. Follow the jump to read how it unfolded.

Continue reading Raining on the Parade at the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix [Spoilers]

Raining on the Parade at the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ohio State class of 2011 continues to grow, and Florida defensive back Jeremy Cash has verbally committed to the Buckeyes.

Hailing from Plantation HS, the 6′2″ Cash is ranked as a top 150 athlete by ESPN, and the #23 ranked safety by Scout.

Highlight film from his sophomore year (before he transferred to Plantation):

Cash’s offer sheet included Miami, Florida State, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Nebraska.

Junior Highlight film:

There were concerns that his “strong interest” in the Buckeyes was waning, since he needed to cancel his visit for the spring game. Obviously, these concerns were ill founded.

Most famous for arriving at the Ohio State summer camp in 2009 wearing a suit because he saw it as a “business trip”, Jeremy’s verbal brings the number of 2011 commitments to nine.

Listed as an “athlete”, he’s projected by most as a safety. He’s recorded a 4.45 40 time, a 4.5 GPA, and a 96.57 SPARQ score from the Nike Clinic.

Welcome to the family, Mr. Cash!

Charitybuzz.com is auctioning off a visit for two people to visit Jay Leno’s Garage to the highest bidder. The proceeds will got the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights.

Leno owns approximately 200 vehicles, in a space that spans 17,000 square feet and has vehicles from over 100 years ago. Some rare vehicles include the 1906 Stanley Steamer, a Monteverde, a Bugatti Atlantic and a turbine motorcycle.

Auction winners will get to tour the garage, but most likely won’t get to see Leno himself. The bids is currently at $1,100.

– By: Kap Shah

Source: CharityBuzz.com (via DriveOn)

Filed under: Car Buying

Although it will probably remain a stress-inducing experience, Kelley Blue Book has introduced a smartphone app and a Seller’s Toolkit to make buying a car slightly less stress-inducing. The app ties your iPhone directly into the KBB database, so you can pull up the appropriate KBB values on the fly when that one-owner steal looks more like it’s been stolen from five or six owners. It’ll also clue you in to dealer locations and provide 360-degree views and reviews of any car you have questions about. It’s a free download in the App Store.

On the other hand, if you’re a seller who’s trying to unload that one-owner steal, you’ll want to take advantage of Kelley Blue Book’s Seller’s Toolkit. AutoTrader won’t be happy to hear about it, but the KBB software helps you create a professional-looking listing for posting on Craigslist, Facebook, Twitter, or in your e-mail or blog. Check a few boxes and you’ve got a digital window sticker, Facebook application, widget, dynamic images and a direct link to your selling page.

On top of that, all of the tools provide quick links to KBB for buyers to research your car. The window sticker comes with a QR code that calls up KBB’s LiveValue function, the LiveValue ID can respond via SMS, the widget is built to fit into WordPress and Blogger, Direct Link provides a shortened URL for Twitter, or a potential buyer can even make a voice call to KBB to get more information. Like we said, it might not make things less stressful, but it could make everyone more informed, and that’s got to be good for something.

Check out the galleries below for screenshots of the new iPhone app (we loaded it and poked around) and of the KBB Seller’s Toolkit features.

[Source: KBB]

KBB launches free iPhone app and Seller’s Toolkit originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s a shame Nine Inch Nails isn’t touring anymore. Their concerts, while an acquired taste for some, were always a spectacle, replete with one-of-a-kind technological marvels, and I could totally see Silent Drum at the forefront should they return. More »

Oh, my, you all certainly are excited about signing up to be notified by e-mail for when Adobe begins its Flash 10.1 and AIR betas for Android. And so are we. But do note that you’re only signing up to be notified when the beta begins. It doesn’t mean you’re actually getting Flash next week (or even getting accepted into the beta program, for that matter), and we’re not even sure exactly what’s going to be involved in the beta, or just how usable it’s going to be. Not to burst the Flash bubble, it’s just that all you’re doing right now is signing up to get a future e-mail. That’s all. And here are the links to do it. [Flash 10.1 beta notification | Adobe AIR beta notification] Thanks to everyone — and we do mean everyone — who sent this in.

Toyota plans on paying a fine from U.S. regulators without admitting wrongdoing as the Japanese automaker seeks to repair its image and reputation after massive recalls. According to reports from Japanese media, Toyota plans on paying the $16.4 million sought by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for failing to notify the department of a “sticky pedal” defect in its cars for at least four months.

Toyota was in talks with U.S. officials and intended to pay the fine ahead of Monday’s appeal deadline, Jiji news agency reported Saturday. The report said that there is still a possibility that Toyota would appeal if regulators did not approve the automaker’s plan of not admitting the allegations.

Toyota’s decision to pay the fine came out of fear that its refusal could draw more negative attention from the U.S. Congress, hurting its efforts to rebuild its image.

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

So this happened last night. Much to Frucci’s chagrin, it looks like Laser Harps are catching on. In other news, the innuendo-laden Shake Weight now has its own DVD. [SNL] More »

The Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to land at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center Monday morning at 08:48 EDT (12:48 GMT).

ISS astronaut Soichi Noguchi took this picture of Discovery over the Caribbean as she undocked from the station and prepped for landing. After she lands, there will be one more flight for the Orbiter, scheduled for September. In fact, each of the Orbiters — Discovery, Endeavour, and Atlantis — each have one flight left before they are retired. Assuming their lives aren’t extended, but that’s still in the scuttlebutt (shuttlebutt?) stage.

If you want to watch this landing yourself, the de-orbit burn will be at 07:43, so stay tuned to NASA TV around then to find out if weather will permit it to touch down. The ground track is unusual this time, taking the Orbiter over most of the country. It’s a bit too far north to get a good view from Boulder, and it’s also a bit early for me… but I might try for it anyway. It’s not like there are many more chances to see it.

[Update: I just noticed that if the landing is delayed one orbit — about 90 minutes — then Discovery will pass almost overhead at my location (and it’ll be at a more decent hour of the morning, too). Keep your eyes and ears open for news of when it lands, and check those ground tracks.]

It may seem like Cameron Maybin(notes) is already a confirmed fantasy bust, but that’s only because the hype preceded the production by a few years. (Um … my bad. Sorry). He’s still just 23. This season, unlike last year, the early returns are promising.

Maybin stole another base on Sunday (his third) and went 2-for-4 against Cole Hamels(notes), raising his average to .309. He’s hitting at the top of Florida’s lineup, and he’s scored at least one run in 10 of his 13 games. Nonetheless, he’s only owned in 21 percent of Yahoo! leagues. 

You’ll recall that Maybin made his MLB debut with Detroit back in 2007, promptly homered off Roger Clemens, then basically spent the next three years striking out. He was dealt to Florida in the Miguel Cabrera(notes) trade, but failed to distinguish himself in the majors, except in September cameos. Maybin opened the 2009 season with the Marlins, but was demoted to Triple-A in May after hitting .202/.280/.310 over his first 26 games. 

Things have come together nicely in 2010, however. Johan Santana(notes) made Maybin look silly on opening day (0-for-3 with 3 Ks), but he’s reached base safely in every game thereafter. Maybin entered last season (and the prior season) ranked among the top 10 prospects in the game by Baseball America, and his minor league track record tells you that he’s a 15/25 sort of talent.

Don’t let him sit there in your free agent pool, un-owned. Maybin has a much higher fantasy ceiling than almost anyone in the 20-60 percent ownership range. Go get him. Drop any other Marlins outfielder. Or drop Reimold (39 percent owned), Drew (39), Teahen (38), Hart (34), DeJesus (34), Schumaker (32), Cameron (24) or Byrd (23). When players like Maybin show signs of breaking out, mixed leaguers have to be willing to launch their less-interesting roster decorations.

—

Photo via US Presswire

The flying car, a goal of starry-eyed engineers since at least the beginning of the last century, is getting the DARPA treatment. Called Transformer TX, this flying Humvee-like prototype could be airborne by 2015. More »

Arizona physician Joseph Scherzer says he plans to close his office by 2014 unless the new health care law is repealed by Congress or the courts, despite the fact that new health care regulations won’t fully kick in for a few years.

He’s one of several doctors across the country preparing for changes that will greatly impact the way they operate. Earlier this week Dr. Scherzer posted a sign on the front door of his practice that read, “If you voted for Obamacare, be aware these doors will close before it goes into effect, unless Congress or the Courts repeal the bill.”

Dr. Scherzer, who has more than 30 years of experience practicing medicine, told Fox News on Sunday, “We need to be unafraid. This is an important time…many doctors talk about it in the lunch room, but don’t do anything. And if there is a chance to speak out, you need to take it.” He went on to urge patients to do the same.

“This bill could really represent the death of professional medicine,” Scherzer said.

He said that if his friends and peers are any indication, most physicians feel the same way. Dr. Scherzer told Fox News “patients need to talk to their doctors and get them to see that now is the time to act.”

Scherzer says his main problem with the new health care regulations stems from the headache of even more government involvement in health care. He points specifically to Medicare reform and his past experiences dealing with Medicare patients — a process Scherzer has found to be unncessarily complicated and confusing.

For those who think he is doing it because of the money, Dr. Scherzer says, “In my case, it is not a worry about financial loss of income because I voluntarily cut my own income this past year.” He points instead to a fear of “government threats and financial threats of extremely horrendous fines that are present in Medicare if you…diagnose and treat.”

Dr. Scherzer went to Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and has been a practicing Dermatologist in Scottsdale, Ariz., since 1976.

Lexi Stemple contributed to this report.

Article Tags: Gary Novak, [email protected]

It is claimed that a doubling of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will cause a temperature increase of 1.2°C and the only question is how much increase will be due to forcing effects, mostly by water vapor. Computer models are used to evaluate the forcing.

There is an equation for calculating the 1.2°C temperature increase; and it is such a simple equation that it seems to never be questioned. The problem is, it is too simple. It is a three component equation.

The equation is this: Heat increase = 5.35 ln C/C0. Temperature increase = 0.75 times heat increase. C sub zero is the starting concentration of CO2 and C is the final amount. Since the question is doubling, this ratio is two. The natural log of two is multiplied times the constant 5.35. Then the heat increase is multiplied times 0.75 to get the temperature increase. If only seventh grade general science were so simple.

Determining where this equation came from is no easy task. Steve McIntyre tried to trace down the citations for it in the IPCC documents and failed (1). All of the references led to no real explanation. The citation problem wasn’t just glaciergate, Amazongate ad infinitum; it was also in the claimed, unquestionable physics.

Read in full with comments »   

Here’s the official announcement of the project:

SculptCAD Rapid Artists to Debut at Society of Manufacturing Engineers Rapid 2010 Conference and Exposition

Inaugural Sculpture Exhibit Will Showcase the Convergence of Art and Technology

DALLAS, TX–(Marketwire – April 12, 2010) –  SculptCAD Rapid Artists, an experimental project launched by SculptCAD, a provider of sculptural/CAD design and reverse engineering services, announced its upcoming debut at the 2010 Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) RAPID Conference and Exposition (SME RAPID 2010), to be held on May 18-20 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. For the first time ever, SME RAPID 2010 will host an exhibit dedicated to the convergence of art and technology. Titled “Art’s Newest Medium: Rapid Prototyping Applied to Contemporary Visions of Sculpture,” the exhibit will feature the works of 15 SculptCAD Rapid Artists members who are exploring the use SculptCAD digital 3D modeling software to create art.

“This inaugural exhibit marks the first time that the SME RAPID Conference and Exposition has been open to fine art,” said Nancy Hairston, Founder and President of VanDuzen Inc. — the parent company of SculptCAD, and a SculptCAD Rapid Artists sculptor. “I applaud the vision of the SME RAPID 2010 conference leaders in welcoming SculptCAD Rapid Artists and its ground-breaking approach to art in the 21^st Century.”

“SME is always on the lookout for cutting-edge, rapid manufacturing applications to enhance the value of our program,” said Gary Mikola, SME show manager. “SculptCAD Rapid Artists is a perfect fit. We’ve received strong interest from registered attendees and participants, and as a result we’re also offering technical sessions that support the visual Contemporary Art Gallery.”

Launched in October 2009, SculptCAD Rapid Artists’ mission is to expose career fine artists, previously unfamiliar with digital techniques, to 3D software, 3D scanners, and Rapid Prototype (RP) output. Members of SculptCAD Rapid Artists include sculptors, painters, and installation artists who work in materials ranging from marble to rubber to wood. Using computer technology to fuel the creative process, SculptCAD Rapid Artists is challenging conventional perceptions of art in the physical realm.

Digital sculptures created by SculptCAD Rapid Artists members benefit the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Arts Magnet) in Dallas. Many of the participating artists are alumni of Arts Magnet. All exemplify an innovative spirit consistent with the contemporary vision of the extraordinary Dallas Arts District.

At SME RAPID 2010, Nancy Hairston will give a Fine Arts track presentation titled, “Rapid Artists – Experiment in Artists Immersed in Rapid Technologies for the First Time.” Scheduled on May 19 at 10:00 a.m., Nancy’s presentation will report on the potential that SculptCAD Rapid Artists is unleashing.

About SculptCAD Rapid Artists
SculptCAD Rapid Artists is an experimental project launched by SculptCAD, a leading provider of sculptural/CAD design and reverse engineering services. Dedicated to the creation of fine art, SculptCAD Rapid Artists’ mission is to explore and expand the use of computer technology to design and produce works of sculpture utilizing 3D software, 3D scanning, and 3D printing. Artists can create having freedom from the constraints of physical media, and can make art faster using digital tools. Digital also offers artists the ability to make multiple versions and editions of their work, print art on-demand, and enable collectors to purchase and download art online. SculptCAD Rapid Artists was founded in October 2009 and is based in Dallas, Texas. For more information about how SculptCAD Rapid Artists is changing perceptions of art in the physical world, visit http://www.sculptcadrapidartists.com.

About SculptCAD
SculptCAD specializes in time compression technologies for 3D design and manufacturing. These technologies include reverse engineering, 3D visualization, 3D modeling, rapid prototyping, rapid manufacturing, digital sculpting and CAD surfacing. SculptCAD serves a number of industries including fine art, housewares, medical, aerospace, packaging, product and toy manufacturing, and inspection. SculptCAD is a division of VanDuzen Inc., a rapid digital solutions company. Based in Dallas, Texas, VanDuzen is the parent company of two other divisions: MedCAD andVouch Software.

About Nancy Hairston
President & CEO, VanDuzen Inc.
Ms. Hairston brings 17 years of experience as a traditional sculptor and digital technologist to the pursuit of integrating 3D technologies in the creation and manufacture of sculptural products. Receiving a BA in Sculpture from Loyola University in New Orleans, Ms. Hairston began a career in 3D modeling with Alias | Wavefront / Silicon Graphics , in 2000, Ms. Hairston joined SensAble Technologies, and was instrumental in designing and implementing the “rapid” digital product development process between the United States and Asia for major American manufacturers. She founded VanDuzen Inc. in 2002, whose divisions – SculptCAD and MedCAD – work with major manufacturers to develop a variety of products, from toys to housewares to medical devices using Rapid technologies. In 2009, VanDuzen Inc. developed Vouch Software, which detects safety hazards in children’s products. VanDuzen Inc. is based in Dallas, Texas.

About The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
Founded in 1932, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (www.sme.org) is the premier source for manufacturing knowledge, education and networking. Through its many programs, events and activities, SME connects manufacturing practitioners to each other, to the latest technology and the most up-to-date processes spanning all manufacturing industries and disciplines, plus the key areas of aerospace and defense, medical device, motor vehicles, including motorsports, oil and gas and alternative energy. A 501(c)3 organization, SME has members around the world and is supported by a network of technical communities and chapters worldwide.

Hit this link for all posts on the SculptCAD Rapid Artists Project.