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I have to admit, when the idea of the PrinterStick was brought to me, I was very intrigued. I like the idea of total portability and this is really portable. I’m going to introduce you to the PLANon PS905 Printstick. This device takes printing with you wherever you may be.

The PRINSTICK PS905 Mobile PrinterME (Mobile Enhancer) is a pretty neat device. It came in a box that I thought would be larger, and it turned out to be much smaller once I opened it.

The box comes with the following contents:

• PRINTSTICK printer
• Paper Cartridge
• Nylon Zipper Case
• Wall Charger
• Quick Start Guide
• Installation Diskette with User Manual
• USB Cable

These are the specifications of the device:

• Compatibility: XP, Vista, Windows Mobile, Popular BlackBerry Smartphones
• Size: Approx 25mm x 48m x 280 mm (~1″x1.9″x11″)
• Weight: 1.5 lb. (513 g) including paper cartridge
• Resolution: User selectable up to 400dpi
• Planon Advanced Thermal Technology
• Self-contained paper roll (7 year quality)
• Paper feed for single sheets
• USB/Bluetooth/Rechargeable Li-Polymer Battery
• Print Speed: 3 PPM

System Requirements to install the printer are as follows:

• CD-ROM
• 32 MB RAM Minimum
• 60 MB Hard Drive Space
• Windows Vista (32 bit)
• Windows XP

The description on the box states:

Redefine the way, where, and how you work. Mobile printing is not a new concept, and has, up to now, been an inconvenient option for people seeking printing-on-the-go solutions. PlanOn has now designed the perfect travelling office partner. We have not only designed the PRINTSTIK to be very small, but to also have a 20-page self-contained roll of paper, rechargeable battery with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, making the PRINTSTIK the smallest, most convenient printer on the market. Planon brings the convenience of your office in a pocket so you can print anywhere from your computer or your smart phone. Print emails, attachments, documents, boarding passes, web pages, maps, etc. from any location in seconds. Planon markets the Docupen Full Page ‘pen-size’ scanner to complete your office in a pocket solution.

When you open the box, the white box within has the contents. There are different plug ins for your wall charger, making it perfect for the world traveler. There is a card that states: PrintStik QuickStart can be found on included installation disk inside the manual directory. There are four interchangeable plugs for your wall charger, the USB Cable, the wall charger, the nylon zipper case, the paper and the printer, and the CD.

So step number one is to familiarize myself with the printer. Now in the case, it’s very small. It could fit in a purse, a laptop case with a laptop, just about anywhere. The power button sits on the top left. The paper feed is right next to the power button. There is a panel of lights next to that which are power on, data rate, and battery. The cartridge is easy to change out in a self-contained paper cartridge.

Now the disk. Because this is BlackBerry Sync, I’m going to go more into the details of how to use it with your phone than with the laptop or computer. The User Manual is on the CD. The instructions on how to install are on there. Simply connect your BlackBerry up with your BlackBerry Desktop Manager, and then go to the Application Loader/Add Remove Applications, and search for the files from the CD in the BlackBerry portion of the CD. Once they are chosen, click done, and let them install. After installing them, wait a  few minutes, unplug your phone, then look in the Downloads folder of your BlackBerry for the two files: PrinterDriver Setting Manager and the BlackBerry File Explorer. Run the Printer Driver Setting Manager and click on the Printer Server Settings and select, you will see “host name”, select and click save. Next go to Options/Advanced Options/Applications or Options/Applications and go to the printer drivers and printer files, set all the permissions to allow. Go to the Bluetooth settings last, enable and find the printer, and pair. The pair mode of course is 0000. That’s it.

For 5.0 OS, you will have to go to the following Planon support site to download the drivers as the the BlackBerry file on the CD does not include 5.0.You will do this via pc online, as it is a zip file. Unzip or extract the files to your desktop. Run the BlackBerry Device Manager, The Applications Loader, and do the same.

Download the 5.0 drivers for your BlackBerry from the Planon Support here

After this you are able to print from your BlackBerry. I did find that when my Tour had the software 4.7, it worked flawlessly. When the Official Software update of 5.0 came out, my Tour would no longer pair with the Planon Printer, even with updated drivers. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling for three hours, to no avail. My guess is that it’s the software upgrade responsible for Bluetooth issues. I wouldn’t recommend using this printer with the Official 5.0.0.591/BlackBerry Tour 9630. It works with other current devices, just not this software for some reason. If you’re able to use the 4.7, it works flawlessly.

These are the options you will have for printing:

Printing has never been easier. You can print attachments, emails, contacts, pictures, you name it. You choose the settings, you choose what to print. Never miss out on those documents ever again. Especially the contact list. Or a shopping list, whatever you may want to carry with you.

I can see this being beneficial to the person on the go, the business person, anyone who wants convenience. Don’t run to find a printer, have yours on hand. You have your BlackBerry, why not your printer? Your hotel room, the airport, the park, the hospital, school, anywhere you go.

CONS: Worked with 4.7 on Tour, but not 5.0. The issue was the printer driver would not install to the downloads as it is supposed to, so while it would pair, it would not print.

PROS: The portability and the convenience. Easy to carry, small, and lightweight. Fits anywhere you go. I really loved it up until I did the software update. I don’t believe it is the printer or the drivers, I think it’s just one more glitch to this particular OS as it worked fine before hand. Prior to the update I had printed an attachment, email, contacts, and it worked amazingly well.

Now the PrintStik is available from Planon for the price of $299.99 and it comes with everything I showed you and stated. PrintStik paper refills are only $22.99 but you can save with a three pack of $59.99. A low price for convenience and reliability.

You can purchase your PrintStik by Planon, extra refills of paper, all from the PlanOn website here

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Again, I can’t hold it against a great printer that worked amazing until the update of the OS on my phone.

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Review: PrintStik By Planon, The World’s Smallest Mobile Printer

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Advanced Diesel Performance
Arv Voss, Canadian Auto Press

The BMW 3 Series has become an internationally recognized symbol of an intelligent and sporty motor vehicle. It is also the best-selling premium vehicle globally. For 2010, the 3 Series is fundamentally unchanged over 2009 models, retaining the Series’ essential attributes of rear- or all-wheel drive, optimum front/rear weight balance, precise on-centre steering feel and superbly engineered suspension — all of which blend to produce a satisfying driving experience that is quintessentially BMW.

2010 BMW 335d

On the design front, 2010 3 Series updates include a freshened front end, profile enhancement and rear treatment. Up front, the vehicle width is more pronounced and accentuated, though actually physically unchanged. The traditional four-headlight look is emphasized by the lamps’ setting in new chromed “tubes;” the more recently traditional “Corona” luminous rings around the headlights now serve as Daytime Running Lamps on vehicles with high intensity discharge adaptive lights. LED turn-signal lamps display a new, vertically layered look. The car’s profile benefits from the side sills/rocker panels providing a stronger lower accent, while newly shaped side mirrors with crisp new contours also provide an enlarged visual field for the driver. Out back, the bumper, taillights and decklid are all newly shaped for greater emphasis on the 3’s sporting character. The tail lamp’s L-shape is more prominent, and new LED lighting illuminates both the tail and turn-signal lamps. The rear track is actually increased adding more emphasis on the vehicles’ wide stance.

Moving inside, subtle updates in materials and surface textures enhance the ambience of the interior, while refinement of the interior styling and amenities include a more ergonomic placement of power window controls for the driver and new, expanded storage possibilities.

The 335d Sedan represents a significant advancement forward in combining high performance with high fuel-efficiency as an important element of BMW “EfficientDynamics.” Power comes from a 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged inline 6-cylinder diesel engine. The new turbodiesel features aluminum construction, high-pressure direct fuel injection with piezo injectors, and a turbocharging system that incorporates both a small and large turbocharger for optimum response at either low or higher speeds. The engine delivers 265 horsepower at 4,200 rpm, and generates a whopping 425 pound-feet of torque between 1,750-2250 rpm. The engine delivers power to the rear wheels via an electronically controlled six-speed STEPTRONIC automatic transmission with adaptive control. The 335d is capable of moving from 0-100 km/h in just over 6 seconds with the 6-speed automatic. The engine also features BluePerformance emissions control technology.

BMW BluePerformance controls emissions to a strict level that enables the 335d to be sold in all 50 U.S. States and throughout Canada. Specific features of the BluePerformance system include an exhaust particulate filter and an exhaust after-treatment system.

My test BMW 335d sedan came with a base price of $49,900. The exterior sported an Alpine White finish with prominent side graphics that pronounced its makeup — BMW Efficient Dynamics and BMW Advanced Diesel. The interior featured Black Dakota leather. The final sticker grew to $64,900 after adding the Navigation Package, Premium Package, and the Executive Package.

Except for the side graphics applied for promotion purposes, the BMW 335d sedan’s exterior looks the same as other 3 Series models. It really doesn’t sound like your traditional diesel either, nor is there a noticeable diesel odor when operating. In fact, were it not for the promotional graphics and specific badging, one would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the BluePerformance diesel 3 Series and a conventionally gas-fueled model.

The ride quality and sporty handling characteristics are quite typically BMW – no different, except for perhaps the almost unbelievable 425 pound-feet of torque. The extended range per tank of fuel is another clue that the 335d is diesel-fueled. Fuel economy ratings using the more realistic US EPA rating system are the equivalent of 10.2 L/100km in the city and 6.5 during highway driving.

Basically, until Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles and the infrastructure to refuel them become more prevalent, advanced diesel power represents a vast improvement over gasoline-powered vehicles, and the BMW 335d sedan is a fine diesel example.

Article Tags: Willie Soon

PowerPoint slides from Dr. Willie Soon’s Congressional staff briefing held in DC on April 13, 2010.

The paper upon which the briefing was based can be found here: Avoiding Carbon Myopia: 3 Considerations for Policy Makers Concerning Man-Made Carbon Dioxide by Willie Soon & David Legates

Abstract:

In 2007 the Supreme Court commented that “greenhouse gases fit well within the Clean Air Act’s capacious definition of air pollutant.” In this presentation, Dr. Soon will discuss why atmospheric CO2 is not an “air pollutant”. Three points of discussion will be:

(1) CO2 is not an air pollutant,

(2) Ocean acidification claims are exaggerated,

(3) The magical CO2 control knob idea “to save the world” is essentially dead.

Click to download PDF for power point slides from Dr. Willie Soon’s Congressional staff briefing held in DC on April 13, 2010

Source: scienceandpublicpolicy.org

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YouTube has introduced an interesting new tool for channel owners enabling them to post small message updates to their channel. It’s called Channel Bulletins and you can think of it as Twitter for YouTube, but with a narrower focus and a more utilitarian purpose. It enables video publishers to add more details about one of their videos, share … (read more)

Ce este securitatea ?
Inima partidului care bate, bate, bate … (si in caz ca nu v-ati prins, securitatea batea rau !)

Nu poate exista un patrulater cu 3 laturi… (Silviu Somincu, deputat PSM)

Primul rezultat notabil al acestor doi ani este acela ca inca mai guvernam.
(Adrian Nastase, presedinte PDSR – a fost un miracol intr-adevar)

Europa va trebui sa-si adapteze structurile, ca Romania sa se poate integra. (Siliviu Somincu, deputat PSM)

Sint aicea printre noi, in aceasta sala, tineri care au murit in
revolutia din decembrie 1989. (Viorel Catarama, lider PNL …probabil de asta l-au dat afara…)

Acestea sint intrebari care trebuiesc puse celui intrebat. (Sergiu Nicolaescu, senator PDSR – logic,nu?)

Ceea se este dramatic pentru un om ca mine este ca semneaza mai mult decit citeste. (Adrian Nastase, presedinte PDSR … bine macar ca ai citit ceva …)

Dar ce, este neaparata nevoie sa citesti legea ca sa votezi? (Sergiu Nicolaescu, senator PDSR – Corect! Dovada vie este Parlamentul Romaniei)

Lumea se plange ca s’au scumpit toate …
Nu’i adevarat, salariul s’a ieftinit. (nu stiu cine a zis-o…dar a zis-o !)

Trimite si prietenilor:

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Las marcas europeas no tienen el problema de la importación y eso se nota en la enorme gama de motorizaciones (hasta 45 diferentes), acabados y colores; todo lo que sea ofrecer más, implica más controles y papeleos. Es una (y la principal) de las razones, pero por supuesto que el que más ofrece, más ventas alcanzará, de eso no cabe duda.

En el caso del Audi A3 la marca ofrece hasta 17 colores diferentes, para llegar a todos los gustos y en nuestro caso, la unidad venía con el Azul Martín Pescador efecto perla (715 euros), llantas en diseño de 10 radios y una tapicería en cuero Vienna color beige. Sin duda la combinación gana muchos enteros y os aseguro que no pasa desapercibido. Nos adentramos para ver sus detalles.

Diseño exterior

Aunque estemos ante el modelo menos nervioso de la gama A3, está claro que la deportividad no brilla por su ausencia. Y aunque no cuenta con el paquete S-Line típico de los modelos más deportivos, podemos intuir que la marca, de por sí, es muy deportiva.

Sus formas agresivas en los faldones delanteros (es cierto que cada vez se ven en más marcas) y su gran parrilla delantera, recogen el aire para refrigerar el motor. Las luces diurnas tipo LED, la forma de los faros culminan este frontal tan característico de la marca. La antena oculta en el parabrisas delantero en modelos anteriores ha dado paso a la antena en forma de aleta de tiburón.

A medida que nos vamos desplazando a la parte trasera, vamos observando que se trata de un modelo de 5 puertas. El color también ayuda a que llame la atención. Personalmente me gusta y es muy agradecido cuando está sucio, porque apenas se nota. Las llantas de 17 pulgadas y 10 radios que monta sobre unos neumáticos de 225/45 (para mi gusto excesivos para este motor) realzan la elegancia y deportividad del lateral.

Sus dos salidas de escape es lo que más llama la atención de la parte trasera. Quizá demasiado para el motor que monta, pero suficiente para aportar unos CV extra. No son cromados que lo haría más estético, pero tampoco queda mal del todo. Sobre todo el grupo de ópticas trasera es lo que más se ha ido renovando a lo largo de los años. Ahora son más alargadas, pero en el modelo anterior se definían más redondas. El tiempo marca la tendencia.

Diseño interior

Si de algo puede presumir la marca germana es de su interior. Pocas personas conozco que no les guste el interior de los coches que fabrica y se puede decir que es único cuidando los detalles, aunque si nos ponemos a criticar, encontramos aspectos que no entendemos. Vayamos por partes.

Adentrarnos en el habitáculo es una sensación especial y que sorprende (para bien) la postura de conducción tan baja que llevan en general sus coches. Al que no le guste, el asiento dispone de regulación de altura, así que problema resuelto. En modelos anteriores era el rojo (en la radio se mantiene) el color predominante en el cuadro, pero ahora es el blanco y negro, propio de marcas de alta gama como Lexus y Mercedes, por citar ejemplos.

Todo está al alcance del conductor y con una distribución muy intuitiva y cómoda. La pantalla central con las dos esferas de velocidad y revoluciones son las piezas principales del cuadro de instrumentos. En dicha pantalla aparece casi toda la información que puede ofrecernos la electrónica del vehículo, mostrando incluso el bastidor y permitirnos la configuración de gran parte de sus acciones.

El reposabrazos central lo encuentro algo justo de tamaño (estrecho) y aunque es cómodo para el conductor, no puede usarlo el pasajero si el conductor lo está usando. Ambos deben ceder espacio para poderse usar. Algo que no es perdonable es que impide levantar el freno de mano en condiciones, ya que toca con la parte inferior.

Los asientos de conductor y pasajero son muy envolventes. Sin duda ofrece mucha seguridad. No paramos de comentar aspectos propios de coches deportivos, pero la marca mezcla deportividad con comodidad. El espacio entre asientos es muy cómodo y detrás caben 3 adultos medios de forma aceptable. La amplitud que ofrecen las 5 puertas es una ventaja y si el conductor y pasajero llevan los asientos no muy atrás, el hueco para las piernas es suficiente.

La calidad de los materiales de salpicadero y puertas ha aumentado notablemente con respecto a modelos anteriores. No se observa que se puedan pelar como ocurría antes, sino que se trata de una pieza completa sin capa superficial. En general predominan los plásticos de buena calidad, entremezclados con cromados. En los pedales se observan cables tras el acelerador, poco agradables a la vista (ver detalle).

El maletero tiene 370 litros y llegamos a 1.100 litros con asientos abatidos. Los asientos traseros son abatibles accionando una sola palanca y el resultado es que deja una superficie completamente plana como si fuera una continuación del suelo del maletero. El espacio sorprende y más en la versión de 3 puertas que apenas se reduce en 30 litros con respecto a ésta.

Y si no es suficiente el maletero para guardar todo, iremos más que servidos en cuanto a espacios portaobjetos en el interior del habitáculo. La guantera es bastante profunda y con compartimentos para guardar documentación y chalecos para que quede todo perfectamente ordenado. A esto hay que sumar el reposabrazos central, guanteras propias en cada puerta y espacios bajo la consola central. Podemos decir que va cargadito en este aspecto.

Para mañana dejamos el equipamiento de serie, que no es poco y la seguridad, aspecto que la marca tiene presente en todos sus coches. No os va a defraudar.

Audi A3 Sportback 1.4TFSI 125CV

Fotos | Javi Vicente

Article Tags: World Temperatures, You could not make it up

Source of image – University of Alabama – Huntsville
A map of the world shows which areas were warmer-than-average (in orange and red) and which areas were cooler-than-average (in blue) in March. Northern Canada and the Arctic recorded temperatures up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (up to 8.5 degrees Celsius) above average in March. The southeastern USA, along with much of Europe and central Asia, were cooler-than-average.

Although a large chunk of the USA didn’t get in on the warmth in March, the rest of the world sure did.

According to the climate center, the combined global land and ocean average surface temperature in March was 56.3 degrees, which is 1.39 degrees above the 20th-century average of 54.9 degrees. Additionally, the worldwide ocean surface temperature was the highest for any March on record — 1.01 degree above the 20th century average of 60.7 degrees.

Source: usatoday.com

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Article Tags: Newspaper Article

Unafraid, questioning minds are central to the pursuit of truth and democracy

AT Easter, the official Greenpeace website carried a blog written by Gene Hashmi, communications director of its affiliate in India. Hashmi pointed his finger at sceptics who fuelled “spurious debates around false solutions” and concluded with the not too subtle threat: “We know who you are. We know where you live. We know where you work. And we be many but you be few.”

Welcome to a world where the term sceptic has acquired the meaning usually associated with a Dark Age heresy.

Fearing a backlash to a statement that most normal readers would interpret as an incitement to violence, Greenpeace pulled the blog from its site.

It defensively justified its act of self-censorship on the ground that it was very “easy to misconstrue” the statement.

Source: theaustralian.com.au

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Localization and personalization of search results has been a major focus at Google. There isn’t one universal set of relevant results for everyone so it makes sense to customize them based on various factors. Now Google is taking things one step further with a few features which should get you to the results you need no matt… (read more)

Self-protection is something that we all take seriously. Nostradamus’s 2012 predictions and similar prophesies by the Mayan calendar are making people believe that the world is about to end just a couple of years from now. While there are some who blatantly reject these predictions, there are some who’re too seriously about them and as an answer have designed several vaults or shelters that will save life on earth. Here is a list of seven such shelters that can save life post-apocalypse:

• The Svalbard Global Seed Vault:

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a secure seed bank located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen near the town of Longyearbyen in the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago. The facility was established to preserve a wide variety of plant seeds from locations worldwide in an underground cavern. The seed vault will provide insurance against the loss of seeds in genebanks, as well as a refuge for seeds in the case of large scale regional or global crises.

• Vivos’ $10 million Doomsday Shelter:

Created by a California company called Vivos, this underground shelter offers the chance to seek a refuge if the world ends in 2012. This bunker offers you, your family and 4000 other people a chance to escape the end of the world in a network of 20 underground tunnels. The surprisingly luxurious shelter promises a survival stocked with power generation, water wells, filtration systems, sewage disposal and a year’s supply of food, security devices and medical equipment.

• Germany’s Titanic Doomsday Bunker:

This Titanic Doomsday Bunker is where the West German political elite can spend their time post-apocalypse. The gigantic bunker with 17km of tunnels equipped with all kinds of commodities is filled with a mixture of gray machinery and bright 60s designer décor. The $4 billion bunker was declassified by the German government in 2008.

• British Military of Defense secret command center:

This unique bunker has been designed to house the nation’s political and military leaders in a global crisis and is supposed to become the operational hub of the government of Britain after a disaster. The three-story building is equipped with high-tech security devices. The bedroom, which might be used by the Prime Minister, features a simple pine double bed flanked by a couple of bedside cabinets.

• Cheyenne Doomsday Bunker:

Though the Cheyenne Mountain bunker was to close back in 2007, the facility could be a perfect place for those seeking survival. This famous nuke-proof bunker buried 2000ft under a Colorado mountain was long known as the HQ for NORAD.

• Doomsday Cult’s Bunker:

Used by Doomsday Cult member, this underground location in Russia’s Penza region has already been home to several members for about six months. The bunker is a series of caves, which was used by 35 members of the Doomsday Cult, including several children who believed that the world would soon end and the only place for survival is this bunker.

• Lifeboat Foundation’s Ark I:

While there are many apocalypse-fearing folks who believe that seeking refuge in an underground hideout is the best way to live, Lifeboat Foundation Space Habitats have designed the Ark I, a self-sustaining space colony that will be built to ensure that humanity could survive disasters that make earth uninhabitable.

Discover Magazine has an excellent piece by Carl Zimmer on the brains of elite athletes and how they have adapted with practice to process movement and the body differently.

There are lots of fascinating aspects to the article, but this particularly caught my eye:

To understand how athletes arrive at these better solutions, other neuroscientists have run experiments in which athletes and nonathletes perform the same task. This past January Claudio Del Percio of Sapienza University in Rome and his colleagues reported the results of a study in which they measured the brain waves of karate champions and ordinary people, at rest with their eyes closed, and compared them. The athletes, it turned out, emitted stronger alpha waves, which indicate a restful state. This finding suggests that an athlete’s brain is like a race car idling in neutral, ready to spring into action.

Del Percio’s team has also measured brain waves of athletes and nonathletes in action. In one experiment the researchers observed pistol shooters as they fired 120 times. In another experiment Del Percio had fencers balance on one foot. In both cases the scientists arrived at the same surprising results: The athletes’ brains were quieter, which means they devoted less brain activity to these motor tasks than nonathletes did. The reason, Del Percio argues, is that the brains of athletes are more efficient, so they produce the desired result with the help of fewer neurons. Del Percio’s research suggests that the more efficient a brain, the better job it does in sports. The scientists also found that when the pistol shooters hit their target, their brains tended to be quieter than when they missed.

There’s an interesting distinction here between what it means to have a quiet mind and what it means to have a quiet brain.

The EEG studies mentioned above found that during skilled athletic performance there were an increased number of alpha waves – electrical brain activity between 8-12Hz (cycles or waves per second) – usually associated with wakeful relaxation. In other words, mental calm.

However, these waves do not necessarily imply that the brain is similarly relaxed. In fact, a study that directly measured the link between alpha waves and the brain’s use of glucose found that more energy was need as alpha waves increased.

This whole brain energy / activity link is a little crude, however, and a more recent study using fMRI – a technique that measures the difference in oxygenated blood – has found increased alpha waves linked to reduced activity in parts of the occipital, temporal and frontal lobes, but with increased activity in the deeper brain areas the thalamus and insula.

In other words, it’s not that the whole brain just becomes ‘quieter’ (although you could say this about some specific areas) but that it seems to reconfigure the distribution of work.

Rather than becoming ‘relaxed’ the brain seem to become more ‘finely tuned’ with practice.

Link to Discover article on the brains of athletes.

Eco Factor: Vertical garden based on hydroponic plant growing technology.

Industrial designer Manuel Dreesmann is envisioning the year 2020, when most of the buildings will be self-sufficient not only in terms of energy and water, but will also rely on hydroponic plant growing technology to grow all the food that its occupants need. The designer has come up with a conceptual vertical garden that allows owners to grow food crops on windows and building facades.

(more…)

Optimal for combination or oily skin, Equalizing Toner helps balance, refresh, and restore the skins protective pH mantle while removing residue. Hydroxy acids help exfoliate dead skin cells while botanical extracts such as witch hazel, rosemary, aloe and chamomile soften, soothe, and tone the skin. This fragrance-free and oil-free toner contains anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.

SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner Benefits:

• Hydroxy acids gently exfoliate dead skin cells
• Helps restore the skin´s protective pH mantle
• Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory
• Ideal for combination or oily skin

International Customers Please Note: SkinCeuticals products will not be shipped outside of the United States of America.

View SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner – 240 ml details

Eco Factor: Flexible wrist displays powered by solar energy.

HP is working on a technology that could enable soldiers read maps, directions and other important information on a flexible display that will be mounted on the wrist of the soldier. The displays will use E-Ink technology and will be powered by solar cells that are integrated into the surrounding fabric.

(more…)

Eco Factor: Piezoelectric power technology to generate renewable energy for streetlights.

We’ve seen piezoelectric devices being embedded in everything ranging from dance floors to subway stations. Toulouse, France is now using the technology to generate enough electricity to run streetlights. The city has become the first to stick these pressure-sensitive modules on the sidewalks so that residents can generate power by simply walking down the street.

(more…)

Last month we brought you a review of a great new product called Phone Halo. This device is designed to work with your BlackBerry to help prevent misplacing or forgetting your keys, purse, smartphone or anything else you may be prone to leave behind when you’re in a hurry. Phone Halo prevents you from losing items by notifying you when items become separated. You can purchase one of the Phone Halo devices on their website, or use an existing Bluetooth device to interact with the application.

Christian, one of the founders of Phone Halo, let me know that they were accepted in to BlackBerry App World today. You can download their free application on your BlackBerry and pair it up with your Bluetooth headset, and never again worry that you have lost an expensive and oftentimes essential accessory. If you are prone to losing or forgetting your valuables, you should definitely consider also purchasing a Phone Halo device.

• Download Phone Halo for BlackBerry from App World
• Learn more about Phone Halo

Phone Halo is compatible with all BlackBerry devices and carriers.

You’re reading a story which originated at BlackBerrySync.com, Where you find BlackBerry News You Can Sync With…

This story is sponsored by the new BlackBerry Sync Mobile App Store. Grab your free copy today at www.GetAppStore.com from your BlackBerry.

Phone Halo for BlackBerry Now Available in App World

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Podcast you say??

So, if you’ve had an opportunity to listen to our Thursday Night Podcast you know that we do things a bit differently. Well, in order to get our audience a bit more involved with the podcast we’ve come up with what we think is a pretty good idea to do just that!

What we’d like to do is this: send us an .mp3 intro of your voice introducing the show, we’ll mix it with some audio, and feature it as the intro for our Thursday Night AndroidGuys Podcast. Feel free to spice it up however you’d like but please keep it family friendly. I’m sure I’ll get multiple entries, so I’ll choose one that sounds good and mix it. I won’t announce who I’m using, so you’ll have to listen in to see if I used you that week.

The following info MUST be included in the intro for it to be considered:

• Your first and last name.
• The city/state/country you are hailing from.
• “Android Guys Thursday Night Podcast hosted by Scotty Brown”

Again, feel free to use any type of inflection, voice, or accent that you’d like… as long as it is your voice and it includes the items above, you should be good. Obviously higher quality audio is required, and you’re much more likely to have your clip used if it’s entertaining. I’ve got a great sense of humor, and value individuality and creativity. Grab my attention, you’re likely to be used.

Send your submissions to [email protected] with the subject: Podcast Intro and I’ll confirm receipt of it.

If you have any questions, post them below and I’ll answer there.

Good luck, and I look forward to your creativity!

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Smart owners were grabbing Juan Gutierrez(notes) in mixed leagues Thursday night – and those same smart owners are probably dropping him now. The balls roll funny for everybody, kid.

We knew Arizona would give Chad Qualls(notes) the night off Friday at San Diego – he’s been busy and ineffective – and with that, Gutierrez, the No. 2 man, got the call when the Diamondbacks had a one-run lead in the ninth. Gutierrez quickly got in a jam by walking the leadoff batter, with a sacrifice and strikeout to follow.

One more out and Gutierrez is the hero, but not on this night. David Eckstein(notes) rapped a double over Geraldo Parra’s head, squaring the game, and two batters later Chase Headley(notes) hit a titanic home run to right field that probably hasn’t landed yet. Left-handed batters have been the problem with Gutierrez over his brief career (.269 BAA, 1.56 WHIP), and the pitch to Headley had "hit me" written all over it (adjust your set if you didn’t make out the lettering).

Gutierrez wasn’t the only bullpen goat in this loss – Bobby Howry allowed a run in the seventh and Aaron Heilman(notes) was a mess in the eighth, though just one run came out of it. Edwin Jackson(notes) (6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 3 K) deserved a better fate.

That’s the lead item for tonight. Check back a little later and I’ll add 1,000 bonus words or so.

Microsoft Office 2010 along with three other products reached the RTM (Release to Manufacturing) milestone. This announcement was made at “The official blog of the Microsoft Office product development group” at Technet by Takeshi Numoto, the Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Office.

RTM is the final engineering milestone of a product release.

Office 2010 has reached the RTM milestone alongside Visio 2010, Project 2010 and SharePoint 2010. The flagship Office suite from Microsoft saw the public beta release of its latest version in November last year. Since then, more than 5,000 partners and testers have continuously evaluated the product. Stats at the Office blog indicate that the testing of Office 2010 was the largest ever for a software product.

As far as availability of the final product is concerned, Volume License customers with active Software Assurance will be able to download the latest version from April 27. Others may get their hands on it from 1st of May onwards.

This time, Office 2010 will have a virtual launch at the 2010 event website. You can expect to see product demos, customer and partner testimonials, and interviews with product managers and executives at this virtual launch.

Even though Office 2010 along with SharePoint and other 2010 products is available online only two weeks from now, it will hit the stores only in the US in June 2010. The India launch is also expected to be sometime in June this year.

Do not forget to check the pricing and edition details to choose your Office 2010.

Don’t miss these Related Posts:

• Microsoft Office 2010 RTM Next Month, Free Upgrade If You Buy Office 2007 From Today
• Microsoft Office 2010 Editions and Pricing Revealed
• Microsoft Unveils Office 2010 & Public Beta Details [Including Adware Starter Edition]
• Microsoft Office 2010 RTM Coming in April, New Build Leaked

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