Coffinternet... it will happen

Imagine yourself in a coffee shop ordering your favorite Iced Latte variation. The time it takes from chattering up the cute barista girl up until she solidifies her interest in you with a genuine wink, flies by so quickly that even the slightest thought about looking at the time might leave your coffee after lunch a bit stale. Now let’s back track to the beginning. What if you could order a fresh cup of Vanilla Iced Mocha Brave, a grande size that is, in less than 10 seconds. You would have your hands instantly wrapped around that warm paper shape that our palms have subconsciously reinforced; the caffeine craving. A sudden upgrade of such magnitude would surely increase the sales of coffee, hardly soporific, no pun intended. I like to compare this thought to the internet. Coffee and the Internet have become synonymous in many ways. For example, we want our coffee to be hot; internet to be ready, (no logging in, inputting password). Next, we want our coffee tasting somewhat pleasant, at least for the $5 you would’ve have otherwise spent on a gallon of gas to take the long way home from work after a bad day. This I would refer to as Internet connectivity; disconnects, sudden bandwidth issues, reliability. And finally the time it takes to receive your fresh cup as speed, pure internet speed.

Hehehe. Sorry for all this Coffee talk, let’s get down to brass tax. British scientists have discovered a way of using Graphene, the thinnest material in the world, to capture and convert light than any other material used for the same technology; internet speed. The process could increase performance capacity of current speeds (avg: 100mps) by over 200 times. That means you could download a 2 gigabyte file, in one second. 

In previous experiments, a solar cell that generates electricity was created by laying out two closely spaced metallic wires on top of grapheme and exposing it to light. This process however was found to be low efficient as grapheme only absorbs 3% of light.

Fortunately, a research team in England has solved this problem by combining graphene with tiny plasmonic nanostructures. This enhanced the performance of graphene by 20 times. Although still at its infant stage, this is a brand new step for the future of the internet.

You have read this article Coffee / Graphene / Network / Technology with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/coffinternet-it-will-happen.html. Thanks!

LG 3D TV and Cinema 3D glasses under attack?

It seems like the big dogs in the TV business, Royal Philips Electronics, Sharp Corporation, TCL Corporation and Toshiba Corporation are planning to promote a new standard for wireless active-shutter 3D technology. LG and Vizio will not be on board for the “globalization” of 3D glasses.

It was announced today (Tuesday, Aug. 30) that Philips, Sharp, TCL and Toshiba have expressed support for the initiative announced earlier this month for which competing titans Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and XPAND have agreed to work together on the development and licensing of Bluetooth-enabled radio frequency (RF) system 3D active-shutter glasses technology, including RF system protocols between consumer 3D active shutter glasses and 3D displays such as televisions, personal computers and projectors, as well as 3D theaters with XPAND active shutter glasses. The standardization will also include several types of infrared (IR) system protocols between 3D active shutter glasses and 3D displays, ranging from the protocols jointly developed by Panasonic and XPAND 3D to the proprietary protocols of Samsung and Sony. I will post more updates in the future. 

You have read this article 3D Glasses / LG / news / Samsung / Sharp / Sony / TV with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/lg-3d-tv-and-cinema-3d-glasses-under.html. Thanks!

Virtual Box

VirtualBox is a virtualization software developed by Sun Microsystems that was later acquired by Oracle.  Like VMware Workstation, they aim to create environments for installation of separate systems. It allows the installation and use of an operating system inside another, as well as their software as two or more independent computers, but sharing the same physical hardware.

Created by the company Innotek, they initially offered a proprietary license, a version of the product for personal use without charge. In January 2007 were released VirtualBox OSE (Open Source Edition) with the GPL (GNU General Public License) version 2. In February 2008 Innoteck was  acquired by Sun Microsystems. On April 20, 2009 Oracle bought Sun Microsystems and all of its products, including VirtualBox.

VirtualBox has an extremely modular design with internal programming interfaces and a well-defined design client / server. This makes it easy to control several interfaces at once. For example, you can start a virtual machine in a typical GUI machine and then control that machine from a command line, or possibly remotely. VirtualBox also comes with a complete software development kit, although it is open source, you do not have to hack the source to write a new interface for VirtualBox.
 

The configuration settings of virtual machines are stored entirely in XML and are independent from the local machines. Therefore, settings can be easily transferred to other computers.
VirtualBox has special software that can be installed inside the Windows and Linux virtual machines to improve performance and make integration more precise. Among the features provided by these Guest Additions are mouse pointer integration and arbitrary screen solutions (eg, resizing the client window).
 
Like many other virtualization solutions, to facilitate data exchange between hosts and guests, VirtualBox allows for declaring certain host directories as "shared folders", which can be accessed from within virtual machines.

You have read this article Oracle / Software / Virtual Box / Virtual Machine / Virtualization with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/virtual-box.html. Thanks!

Linux Anniversary

Many have only heard of it, some may have used it once, others use it every day. Finally, the operating system that has started as a hobby has become the system used all over the world.

Yesterday on August 25^th marks the 20^th year anniversary of Linux, an operating system originally created out of hobby without any professional purposes. The creator is Linus Torvalds.

This system is favored by the hackers, elite, all the top expert users in computers because of its extreme mobility and the current restricted functions mainstream OS users face.

You have read this article Anniversary / Linus Torvalds / Linux / O.S / Technology with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/linux-anniversary.html. Thanks!

Swede arrested was trying to split an Atom at home

Swede arrested was trying to split an Atom at home

A Swede named Richard Handl was arrested for trying to split a atom in his home.
He was charged with being in authorized possession of uranium and americium. His intent was to create a nuclear reactor for his home and had experimented for months and kept a blog in which he told his experiences about creating a thermonuclear fusion in his oven

He came to wonder if what he was doing was unlawful so he sent a letter to the department that handles these situations in Sweden which is how the police found him.

Handl says he has always been interested in physics and chemistry.

"I just wanted to see if it was possible to split an atom at home, but from now on, I'll just stick to the practical part"

Despite not having found alarming levels of radiation in the apartment, Handl will no longer be able to continue with his experiments and, moreover, will be judged for what he had done already. The penalty for possession of radioactive material is fine or up to two years in prison.

You have read this article Bomb / news / Odd / radioactive / Split atom with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/swede-arrested-was-trying-to-split-atom.html. Thanks!

3D Printing

3D, which generally depicts three dimensions of matter is now becoming mainstream through TV and many other gadgets. A new addition to this list is 3D printing. Think about the situation when simple commands over the computer can print a solid 3D gift item for your friend’s birthday or your friend just emails you a flower pot.  Yes, this all will be possible by an innovative technology called 3D printing.

This unbelievable technology will have a huge impact in the world.  In the future, we can expect to be able to download and print ordered purchases through the internet.

The development of 3D printers is in continuous process through its initial phase. Now there are several 3D printers available in the market which can easily convert any virtual 3D object into a physical 3D object.

This magical 3D printing technology works on simple additive manufacturing technology where the three dimensional object is made by laying down many successive layers of material. 3D printing in the future will not only have impact on prototyping, but also in medicine, arts, auto parts, and even outer space.

You have read this article 3D Printer / news / Technology with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/3d-printing.html. Thanks!

Electric Guitar T-shirt

Every time I search for new things on the internet about technology, gadgets, etc., I come across something amazing or extremely dull and pointless created by people who do not have an active social life, and also do not have many friends. Anyway, this time at least I found something interesting, an electronic T-shirt that mimics the sound of an electric guitar.

The shirt comes with a small amplifier that, when connected, interact with the touching sensitive T-shirt, reproducing the sound of an electric guitar with distortion. The shirt only plays power chords and works only with the magnetic reed that is included in the purchase of the shirt.

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/electric-guitar-t-shirt.html. Thanks!

Funny Apps for iPhone

There are thousands of iPhone apps on the App Store from Apple, but many of them are not that useful or breathtaking. Of course, many applications are very helpful and make our lives a whole lot  easier, but not as those we will see here.



The group called ScripteaseTV posted a very interesting video on YouTube where they show applications, with humor, that might be useful, or not, to play and help us in daily tasks. Of course, it is all a joke, but it would be funny if there existed such a thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=364731XxmWU

Reference: http://ips-imageminteligente.blogspot.com/2011/08/aplicativos-para-iphone-que-deveriam.html

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/funny-apps-for-iphone.html. Thanks!

LG comeback is massive with passive.

Ok. I have some exciting news for LG LW6500 owners and those who are interested in 3D LED TVs. LG has just announced that they have made an update to the Cinema 3D technology used in the LW series. The new software is for the 3D algorithm which, according to LG, improves 3D picture quality and 3D resolution. Now this brought a lot of skepticism among popular review sites, many whom have previously made detailed reviews. That’s why, FlatpanelsHD (http://www.flatpanelshd.com) decided to put LG to the test.

Since I am not affiliated in this review site in any way, I will just post their reviews as “  “. 

“We tested LG’s LW6500 earlier this year but LG recently made some improvements to their 3D system and software to improve 3D picture quality and Cinema 3D was also recently awarded a Full HD 3D Certified by a German institute”.

“Before the Cinema 3D technology worked like this: During a time period of 1/200 seconds the TV showed 2 frames; 540 lines for the left eye and 540 lines for the right eye.
The new algorithm shows 4 frames instead of 2 during the 1/200 second time frame. It shows 1080i for the left eye and 1080i for the right eye.  When these are combined the two pictures create a 1080p picture according to LG. LG believes that this update improves picture quality on their Cinema 3D TVs to compete directly with the active 3D TVs such as 3D plasma TVs”.

Now in the much heated debate between active and passive 3D, LG has seemed to solidify its claim that image quality isn’t sacrificed in comparison to Shutter Glass technology (active). With almost all top companies in the world taking a no-holds barred approach in dominating the competition, we can anticipate active 3D manufacturers making modifications to their schadenfreude schemes for round three of the TV wars. 

*References
http://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1313938337

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/lg-comeback-is-massive-with-passive.html. Thanks!

Apple Vs Samsung

Lately, the two largest Smart Phone companies, Apple & Samsung, have  been going at it with each other.  Apple has made claims that Samsung had illegally mimicked the popular iPhone’s design and features on the Galaxy S.  According to Apple, Samsung have illegally copied their interface on the phone, from functionality to the display icons. They have however refrained from mentioning anything about the display screen.  

 

This isn’t the first time that Apple sued a company. The list includes many companies, most targeted for using the Android system on Google’s patents.

Take a low below to see the similar comparisons between the Galaxy S and iPhone 3GS.



  The outcome of the lawsuits are yet to come however we can expect Samsung’s royalty fees reach upward in the billions.

*Note. Apple has recently failed to prevent Samsung from selling its new Galaxy tab 10.1 in European countries. A judge ruled out the case against iPhone citing lack of evidence.

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/apple-vs-samsung.html. Thanks!

Tranformers Flash drives

There is so much variety in today’s flash drive market and the ones that are all the rage right now are the Transformers flash drivers, that’s right. The franchise’s popularity has been soaring and the demand for cute little gadgets or toys have been increasing. I know I plan on purchasing one, these things look too cool.

The unit comes in 2GB ($ 23), 4GB ($ 28), 8GB ($ 45) and 16GB ($ 60) capacities and also with a character-specific content, including wallpapers, icons, avatars, screensavers, digital editions of the comics, and other digital extras.

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/tranformers-flash-drives.html. Thanks!

A Transparent airplane in 2050?

Since the technological revolution began, it has been growing exponentially thanks to the many brilliant minds in the tech field. We can only imagine the advancement we can achieve by 2050.

The aircraft manufacturer AirBus has interesting plans for our future; airplanes  equipped with a transparent fuselage, where the passenger can see changes in the atmosphere during flight.

The theory is to have the outer shell be made from recyclable material, creating less noise and lower energy consumption. 

This project is only an idea at the moment however with the right funding and technological advancements, it may become a reality.

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/a-transparent-airplane-in-2050.html. Thanks!

Our New Generation

I think everyone can agree that we’re entering a new era of television. Scratch that, we’re already living it. Quite literally. From the old black-and-white days to the big silver screen, from HD quality images to… 3D technology! It’s the most innovative way of viewing your movies, television shows and pretty much anything else.

3D Technology has advanced to create battery free, lightweight glasses and flicker free, crosstalk free 3D TVs. This is the passive technology, mind. Everything is designed for maximum comfort and an unforgettable 3D viewing. If you’re still clinging to the days of 2D, I say that there’s no need to worry. Don’t be afraid or worried about letting go of the old. The new 3D TVs preserve the 2D but allow for something more, something beyond. In the case of Cinema 3D, you can even convert your 2D content to 3D and back. I think it’s a great step forward in terms of home entertainment. So why not sit back, relax and let the images come to live around us with 3D TVs?

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/our-new-generation.html. Thanks!

3D movies coming soon.

It seems like almost every single movie is making a 3D version today. That just says that demand for 3D movies is higher than ever. In today’s post, I will share a list of upcoming 3D movies you can enjoy with children.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (Now playing)

So this is the final chapter of Harry Potter series. Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue to search for the Dark Lord’s 3 remaining Horcruxes, which is what gives him immortality. Voldmort finds out about this and they face the biggest battle of life. If you’ve been following the series, this is a must-see.

Dolphin Tale (September 23)

This is a movie about a boy, a dolphin whose tail was lost in a crab trap, and friendship between them. This will probably be the warm, fuzzy kind of movie that makes me tear up. I personally like this kind of movies because they are just so cute to watch with children and they usually have messages for children.  

Happy Feet 2 (November 18)

Mumble (I just love the name! I need to get a family dog and name him Mumble) is a penguin and he has a problem. His problem is that his son Erik, who doesn’t really like to dance, meets The Mighty Sven, a penguin who can fly. Things get worse and somehow Mumble needs to bring together the penguin nations and their allies to set things right. If you like cute 3D movies filled with cuteness and fuzzy animals, this movie is for you.

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/3d-movies-coming-soon.html. Thanks!

White MacBook Discontinued

After a decade, Apple has  decided to retire the white MacBook; entry model in the segment of the company's laptops. The famous design was introduced in 2001 by polycarbonate iBook and was named MacBook in 2006 when they started to come equipped with intel processors.

 From now on, the basic model notebook with the apple brand is the Air 11-inch, available at the same price as the MacBook White: $ 999.

 

The laptop features the Intel Core i5 with a 64GB HDD or 128GB SSD, Thunderbolt connection, Intel graphics card HD 3000 graphics and 2GB or 4GB of memory. The MacBook Air is also available in a 13 inch model, from $ 1,299, or $ 100 more expensive than the most basic MacBook Pro. 

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/white-macbook-discontinued.html. Thanks!

Dual Screen Notebook

In the progressive technological era we live in today, creators have dug deeper with their wired fingernails attempting to relieve the insatiable computer itch and came up with DSN, the Dual Screen Notebook.

The notebook weighs 10 pounds, 16 and 1 / 2 inches wide, about 13 inches deep and about 2 inches thick. This makes it clear that despite being called a "notebook", it is evident that their use should be on top of a desk or workbench.

The GScreen SpaceBook will have various hardware configurations for the user to choose, and the price of the most basic version is in the range of $2395. 

 

It is too soon to know whether this product will appease to consumers.  I won’t be purchasing as of yet, maybe if the price gets slightly lower.

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/dual-screen-notebook.html. Thanks!

Switchblade by Razer

Razer is a company specializing in developing equipment and accessories to facilitate and improve the gaming experience.

 The Switchblade is a notebook designed to be portable while offering high performance so players around the world can play their favorite games anywhere.

The release date and price for the Razer Notebook hasn’t been released yet.  We can only wait.

 

More pics here:

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/switchblade-by-razer.html. Thanks!

New battlefield 3 Trailer

Electronic Arts has released a new video of Battlefield 3 for the fans on the Internet. It is a series called EA PWNED, which depict the scenes of the games in production for the company and its studio partners. In its seventh episode, shown below, we can have more information about the new game of modern warfare that is in production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PXaFw7aC9GE

 Watch the video and see the comparison between the Karkand maps of Battlefield 2 and 3, with a big increase of details and a larger number of new objects. This is undoubtedly a remake for the loyal fans by EA.

You have read this article with the title August 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://metroplexbbq.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-battlefield-3-trailer.html. Thanks!