Amzar File

Visit Spore

2011-06-09T22:58:00.014+07:00

ArtScience Museum:
Arty and LUCKY?

Source: AsiaOne

TO MANY fengshui practitioners, the new ArtScience Museum – one of the projects by the US$5.5 billion (S$7 billion) Marina Integrated Resort – which has three floors of gallery space and opens on Feb 17, may just be the luckiest place in Singapore. The New Paper spoke to five practitioners, who agreed that the design, which has a roof that collects rainwater, symbolises a collection of wealth.

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

“The Lotus primarily absorbs wealth and water,” said Master Hui Jie of Hui Master International Geomancy. “Coincidentally, the casino and convention centre are behind the structure. That means that wealth is pouring in to these places.”

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

However, the fengshui master consulted on the project, Mrs Louisa Ong-Lee, had a different spin for the design. In comments made last year in The Straits Times, she said: “The museum is shaped like a lotus, appearing like an open palm with fingers representing a gesture of welcome as well as a gesture of giving back to society through opportunities, generosity and charity. The lotus is a flower with auspicious and divine meaning.”

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

OCULUS - Dish-like roof channels rainwater through the central atrium, creating a 35m waterfall into the reflecting pool at the lowest level of the building. Water is redirected through the water feature to create a continuous waterfall.

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

LOBBY - Ground level: Surrounded by the 4,000 sq m lily pond, the glass- encased entrance on the ground level houses the ticketing booths.

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

MAIN GALLERIES: Basement two - This level holds 8 main galleries and has the largest exhibition space (2,715 sq m) of any level in the museum.

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

UPPER GALLERIES: On the 1,435 sq m third level, 10 galleries provide a walk-around viewing experience for travelling exhibitions.

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

ARTSCIENCE GALLERIES: Fourth level (651 sq m) - The Museum’s largest “finger” extends 60m above ground. It will house the museum’s permanent exhibition: “A Journey Through Creativity"

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

"A Journey Through Creativity", found in the fourth level gallery, will allow visitors to follow the journeys of great artists and scientists across time and culture in a multimedia gallery, complete with lighting effects, sound and moving images.

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

"A Journey Through Creativity", found in the fourth level gallery. will also feature an interactive gallery themed "Inspiration" with large suspended artifacts representing inventions that bridge art and science. Displays include Leonardo da Vinci’s Flying Machine, a Kongming Lantern and a molecular model of a "Bucky-ball".Guests can recreate design projects on interactive touch screens and share them over the internet.

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

GREEN FINGERS: Air stratification - Air-conditioning grills are built into the floor to cool only the air at the visitor's height, rather than the entire space.

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

Natural lighting: Skylight at the finger tips illuminates interior walls without using too much electricity.

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

ADMISSION CHARGES: Adult - $30, Senior (65 years and above) - $27, Child (2-12 years) - $17

Infographics: Fadzil Hamzah, Simon Ang & Celestino Gulapa, Photos: ST, TNP / Text: TNP, Clarence Chen

Justin Bieber NBA

2011-06-09T22:01:00.003+07:00

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez
Catch Some NBA Finals Action

Written by Alicia on Jun-9-11 12:23am

Miami Heat v Dallas Mavericks - Game Four (L-R) Kenny Hamilton and Singers Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez attend Game Four of the 2011 NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat at American Airlines Center on June 7, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. (Getty Images)

Some stars prefer to sit courtside when they catch NBA games, but not Justin Bieber. The Canadian pop phenom went the low-key route Tuesday evening in Dallas, choosing to watch Game Four of the 2011 NBA Finals from the relative privacy of a luxury suite. Girlfriend Selena Gomez — who is originally from Dallas — was in tow, of course.

The pair were photographed sharing a smooch or two during the game, even if Justin looked completely focused on the court. A source told People, "They were kissing and laughing while Selena sat on Justin's lap drinking a bottle of water. She was wildly cheering on the Mavericks while Justin pointed out great plays to her. They were very cute."

A few days ago, Selena admitted to E! Online's Marc Malkin that she's no fan of all the media attention she and Justin get: "It's horrible. It's just horrible." It's nice to see she's not letting her frustration get in the way of her PDA!(zimbio.com)

Kim Kardashian

2010-12-12T23:04:00.002+07:00

Kim Kardashian Steps Out with Her New Man!

Looks like Kim Kardashian has wasted no time nabbing herself a new man after calling it quits with model (and Halle Berry ex) Gabriel Aubry. The reality star was spotted out with NBA player Kris Humphries in NYC last night!

On the left: Kris Humphries (Getty) They partied together at Provocateur lounge in the Big Apple after Kim made an appearance at the Z100 Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden, where she canoodled with Justin Bieber backstage! Then it was off for some adult fun at the swanky NYC hotspot, where Kim K and Mr. Humphries apparently partied until 2am!

They tried hard not to be photographed together, but were unable to avoid the cameras as they were stepping foot into Kim's hotel after the evening's festivities drew to a close.

After splitting with on-again, off-again beau Reggie Bush earlier this year, Kim's dating a handful of gentleman, including NFL star Miles Austin. Looks like she's back on the pro athlete circuit after dating the model with Humphries, a 25-year-old player for the New Jersey Nets. However, Kim says she's not specifically looking for athletes, "I'd rather date someone with a good heart," she told Us magazine.

Source: zimbio

Nokia 7020

2010-05-15T07:28:00.003+07:00

A Stylish Handset

ORIGINALLY released in December 2009, the Nokia 7020 combines a range of functionality with a flip style case. With features such as a built in digital camera and MSN Messenger, it's easy to see the appeal of this handset. The handset is now available in a sophisticated Graphite colour scheme.

Measuring 91.2x46.7x17.3mm, the 7020 weighs in at just 86.2 grams. Its light weight makes it comfortable to hold and use when the handset is opened to reveal the screen and keypad.

The 2.2 inch TFT screen is capable of displaying up to 256,000 colours ensuring bright, vibrant display of on screen content. A second display is located on the front of the handset whereby users can see information such as incoming caller info and the time without opening the screen.

Users are alerted to incoming calls and messages by vibration and ringing with the option to download polyphonic ringtones as well as utilizing MP3 music files as ringtones. A useful speaker phone system is included allowing hands free communication.

Internal memory is 45MB as standard; however a microSD slot is also present. This can be used to accommodate a memory card of up to 16 GB allowing plenty of extra storage of media files and other data.

The primary means of network connection with the Nokia 7020 Graphite is via class 32 versions of both GPRS and EDGE. Bluetooth Version 2.1 is installed as standard allowing direct transfer of files and data with other compatible handsets in the same vicinity.

The 7020 Graphite is equipped with a built in digital camera boasting 2MP. This operates at a pixel resolution of 1600x1200 pixels allowing photos of a reasonably high quality to be taken. As well as the ability to take still images, it can also shoot video in QVGA quality at a rate of 30 frames per second.

A media player is included which can play music and video files in MP3 and MP4 file formats respectively. Media files can easily be transferred to and from a computer by utilizing the built in micro USB (v2.0) port. Extra entertainment options include stereo FM radio playback and 9 pre-installed games with the option to download extra games if required.

Additional applications include an organizer, voice memo recorder, Nokia Maps, Windows Live Messenger and T9 predictive text input.

As well as the Graphite colour variant, Hot Pink, Silver and Blue versions complete the range so there is sure to be a colour to suit most tastes, especially amongst those who see their mobile phone as a fashion statement. While the Nokia 7020 is certainly no Smartphone, its range of features makes it ideal for everyday use, appealing to a wide range of users.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro - A

2010-04-30T21:28:00.002+07:00

Compact Shadow Of The X10

The recently concluded 2010 Mobile World Congress had Sony Ericsson showcasing its latest Android smartphones starting with the miniaturized XPERIA X10 handsets. One of them, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini Pro, sports a QWERTY slider form factor that should live up to its "pro" designation albeit with a diminished feature seat we've known from the delayed X10.

Miniature Features

Nothing best exemplifies what a Mini is than the watered-down features of its Android derivatives.

Your 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 Snapdragon used in the X10 is now just 600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 running the same Android Cupcake version with the UX user interface.

Sony could have done its markets a favour by using the later Android 2.0/2.1 Ã‰clair.
Imaging resolution gets axed from a defining 8 megapixel camera to a plebeian 5 megapixel snapper with no image stabilization and touchfocus features on the X10. You still get autofocus, LED flash, geo tagging and video light. Its press release it is silent on the video recording details but it can't possibly be of the same WVGA resolution as that in the X10.

That's because you only get a QVGA 2.55-inch display, down from the X10's glorious 4-inch Wide-VGA display. At least you now get 16 million colors against the 64k colors on the X10, a gravity accelerometer and scratch resistant surface.

Phone memory almost disappears from a generous 1GB to just 128 MB in the Mini Pro but you still have microSD expandability of up to 16 GB.

Apart from those grossly diminished X10 features, the Mini Pro shares many other hardware and software goodies with the X10.

It's the same quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE on the 2G network and a 3G with dual band UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA. Data connectivity gets WiFi 82.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR and A2DP and microUSB 2,0. There's a built-in A-GPS, stereo FM receiver with RDS, Bluetooth A2DP and 3.5mm headphone jack for either wireless or wired headset listening.

On the software front, the Mini Pro has Timescape that aggregates all your communications and SNS updates on Facebook and Twitter in one location as well as Mediascape that draws together all your handset media content and those from the PlayNow music store and YouTube.

Conclusion
Sony Ericsson may have started a product strategy trend to affix the "pro" to create models with QWERTY sliders. The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini Pro is just the first with the Vivaz Pro as second. Admittedly, its unabashed pretense to being a pro with a simple "pro" appended to the X10 Mini name is more of a caricature with a next to useless QWERTY keyboard.

Good of Sony to retain the virtual on screen QWERTY using a stylus for a faster keying of data. But admittedly, even a diminished X10 feature set makes the Minis a capable smartphone by any definition. It should attract a younger crowd who prefer smaller and more pocket-friendly.

Samsung B3310

2010-04-30T21:21:00.002+07:00

Be A Rider With Affordable Slider

Samsung B3310 has come to relieve the people who have a desire to carry a gadget with stylish slider casing and QWERTY keypad. It has been launched by other name Samsung B3313 Corby Mate also and it has brought beautiful choices of Black, Pink, Blue & Green attires.

Let's know something more about this:

17 mm is the thickness of this pocket friendly tool in casing dimensions 91 x 54 mm and weight 101 grams. Slide out keypad is covered by the upper casing having 2.0 inches TFT display. Samsung B3310 is comfortable with the contents of 256K colors and can resolve them at 240 x 320 pixels to show you. This is a nice source for bringing happiness to the home and miles long smile through 2 MP camera with the functionality of video and image capturing. The camera is good for diversifying the objects at 1600x1200 pixels resolution efficiency.

More music more fun will be always in your pocket so enjoy the music on MP3 player and stereo FM radio that will keep you away from all problems. MP4, H.263 & H.264 videos on your Samsung B3310 will become live and you can have fun with games too.This affordable companion is really nice to other compatible sources and become more social by sharing data through GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth and USB resources. SMS, MMS and Email trio will be always there to transport your message with care. Moreover, Samsung B3310 is an intelligent tool as it can serve you the information of the world through WAP 2.0/xHTML web Browser.

Users will be glad to know that Samsung B3310 supports microSD so they can expand the memory according to the requirement while 40 MB internal memory is enough for the built-in applications. Li-Ion 800 mAh standard battery has been made to provide required power up to 5 hours for communication and for almost 380 hours on standby mode.

Noah's Ark

2010-04-29T16:01:00.004+07:00

Noah's Ark Found in Turkey?

Near the top of Mount Ararat (file photo) in Turkey, explorers claim to have found Noah's ark. (Photograph by Martin Gray, National Geographic)

A TEAM of evangelical Christian explorers claim they've found the remains of Noah's ark beneath snow and volcanic debris on Turkey's Mount Ararat.

But some archaeologists and historians are taking the latest claim that Noah's ark has been found about as seriously as they have past ones—which is to say not very.
"I don't know of any expedition that ever went looking for the ark and didn't find it," said Paul Zimansky, an archaeologist specializing in the Middle East at Stony Brook University in New York State.

Turkish and Chinese explorers from a group called Noah's Ark Ministries International made the latest discovery claim Monday in Hong Kong, where the group is based.

"It's not 100 percent that it is Noah's ark, but we think it is 99.9 percent that this is it," Yeung Wing-cheung, a filmmaker accompanying the explorers, told The Daily Mail.

Noah's Ark Location in Turkey a Secret

The team claims to have found in 2007 and 2008 seven large wooden compartments buried at 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) above sea level, near the peak of Mount Ararat. They returned to the site with a film crew in October 2009.

Many Christians believe the mountain in Turkey is the final resting place of Noah's ark, which the Bible says protected Noah, his family, and pairs of every animal species on Earth during a divine deluge that wiped out most of humanity.

"The structure is partitioned into different spaces," said Noah's Ark Ministries International team member Man-fai Yuen in a statement. "We believe that the wooden structure we entered is the same structure recorded in historical accounts. ... "

The team says radiocarbon-dated wood taken from the discovery site—whose location they're keeping secret for now—shows the purported ark is about 4,800 years old, which coincides roughly with the time of Noah's flood implied by the Bible.

Ker Than
for National Geographic News

Dinosaur

2010-04-29T15:56:00.002+07:00

Dinosaur Feathers Changed With Age

Newfound fossils of a feathered dinosaur suggest that the extinct reptiles might have possessed a diversity in plumage types that puts modern birds to shame.

Farmers in northeastern China have unearthed two roughly 125-million-year-old specimens of the dinosaur Similicaudipteryx, a member of the group called the oviraptorosaurs, which are believed to be ancestors of birds.

The species, most likely a plant-eater, was first described in 2008. It had robust jaws similar to those of other oviraptorosaurs, but with two unusually large buck teeth.

The two new fossils belong to a pigeon-size juvenile dinosaur thought to be just a year or two old and a three- to four-year-old duck-size youth.

The younger animal's fossil included short ribbonlike feathers. On its tail, each feather was just 1.6 inches (4 centimeters) long, while on its arms a typical feather was less than 0.8 inch (2 centimeters) long.

By contrast, the older dinosaur sported long quills, with each tail feather measuring 13.7 inches (35 centimeters) long and a typical arm feather measuring roughly 9.8 inches (25 centimeters) long.

The findings suggest feathered dinosaurs might have been undergone a flurry of changes as they matured—unlike anything seen in modern birds, said study co-author Xing Xu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.

Dinosaur's Ribbonlike Feathers "Really Bizarre"
Modern birds continuously replace old feathers with new ones. But birds completely change the types of feathers in their coats just once their entire lives: when they switch from warm down to their adult plumage.

Very young dinosaurs are thought to have been covered in down, so the new find suggests that dinosuars went through at least three stages of feather types: full down, to a mix of down and "ribbons," to down and quills.

The long quills on the older Similicaudipteryx are much like those seen on modern birds, and they might have served as ornaments or to help the dinosaur balance itself as it ran.

The younger dinosaur's ribbonlike feathers are superficially similar to some specialized plumes seen today, for example, on birds of paradise. But the ancient feathers are actually a type that has been lost in the course of evolution, and the role they played on the younger juvenile remains unknown.

These extinct feathers would not have been useful for warmth, for example, given how flat they are, Xu said.

While the "ribbons" might have served as ornaments, "in modern animals, structures used for display generally develop relatively late, when the animal is mature, for attracting mates," he added. "Their appearance here is at the wrong stage—it's really bizarre."

Similicaudipteryx's odd changes suggest that early birds and feathered dinosaurs experimented with a diversity of feather types and a variety of ways to use them, "which only later stabilized to the more conservative system we see now with modern birds," Xu said.

"There were very, very strange structures in the history of feathers."

(Charles Q. Choi for
National Geographic News)

Shortest Man Dies

2010-03-17T10:21:00.003+07:00

World's shortest man dies at 21

BEIJING, March 16 -- He Pingping, the world's shortest man, has died in Rome aged 21. He who was just 74.6cm tall was born in 1988 in Wulanchabu, China, with a form of primordial dwarfism, and was officially recognized as the world's shortest man in 2008.

He was admitted to hospital two weeks ago after suffering a chest complaint and died on Saturday. However, his death has only just been announced. He Pingping was in the Italian capital to take part in the filming of a television program called The Record Show.

Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday, who measured Pingping in Inner Mongolia to confirm his status as the world's smallest man, paid tribute to him.

"From the moment I laid on eyes on him I knew he was someone special - he had such a cheeky smile and mischievous personality, you couldn't help but be charmed by him. He brightened up the lives of everyone he met, and was an inspiration to anyone considered different or unusual," Glenday said.(Agencies/ Rob Welham/Xinhuanet))

River in the Sea

2010-03-09T10:30:00.000+07:00

Subhanallah!

"It is He who let the two seas (side); that is fresh and fresh again the other salt and bitter, and He made between them and the boundary walls that block." (Q.S Al-Furqan: 53)

IF you are someone who likes watching the TV program `Discovery ' must know Mr.Jacques Yves Costeau, he was an expert diving oceanografer and leading candidate from France. The man, white-haired old man who was throughout his life diving into the ocean floor around the world and make a documentary about the natural beauty of the sea to watch the whole world.

One day while exploring the underwater world, she suddenly found several groups of freshwater springs, a very delicious fresh taste that is not mixed / not blend with the salty sea water around him, as if a wall or membrane which limits both.

Strange phenomenon intriguing Mr. Costeau and encouraged him to seek the cause of the separation of fresh water from salt water in the middle of the ocean. He began to think, lest it was only a fantasy when halusination or diving. Any time passed after the incident, but he never got a satisfactory answer about the strange phenomenon.

Until one day he met a Muslim professor, then he was told it was an odd phenomenon. Professor was reminded of verses of the Quran about the meeting of two oceans (the letter-Rahman Ar verses 19-20) is often identified with the Suez Canal. The verse reads "Marajal Bahraini yaltaqiyaan, yabghiyaan la bainahumaa barzakhun ..." It means: "He let the two seas meet, among them is a barrier that can not be penetrated." Then read surah Al Furqan verse 53 above.

In addition, in some book of interpretation, the verse about the meeting of two seas but no water mixture is defined as the location of the river mouth, where a meeting between fresh water from rivers and saltwater from the sea. But that interpretation does not explain the following verse from the letter Ar-Rahman verse 22 which reads "minhuma Lu'lu Yakhruju` u wal marjaan (Out of the two Pearls and Coral. " And at the mouth of the river is not found pearls).

Mr.Costeau fascinated hear the verses of the Qur'an that, beyond admiration to see the magic scenery ever seen in the deep ocean. The Qur'an is impossible compiled by Muhammad, who lived in the seventh century, an era when there was no sophisticated diving equipment to reach remote locations in the depths of distant oceans. It's really a miracle, the news of the strange phenomenon of the past 14 centuries finally proved the 20th century. Mr. Costeau would say that the Qur'an is true scripture containing the word of God, the whole implies absolute right. He immediately embraced Islam.

Allahu Akbar ...! Mr. Costeau get guidance through the phenomenon of marine technology. Truthful Almighty Allah. Shadaqallahu Al `Azhim.Rasulullah s.a.w. He said: "Verily the human heart as it will rust the iron rusted by water." If one asks, "Is how to make this carefully clean again?" Messenger s.a.w. He said, "Always remember the dead and read the Qur’an."

If you are a diver, then you should visit the cenote Angelita, Mexico. There is a cave. If you dive to depths of 30 meters, the water is fresh water (fresh), but if you dive to depths of more than 60 meters, the water turns salty water, and then you can see a "river" at the bottom, complete with trees and foliage leaves.

Some reviewers said the river was not unusual, it is a layer of hydrogen sulfide, looks like a river ... amazing is not it? Look at how great the Almighty God's creation .***

Tallest and Shortest Men

2010-01-19T12:05:00.004+07:00

He Pingping (L) of China gestures as Sultan Kosen of Turkey looks on as they pose for photographers during a promotional event in Istanbul January 14, 2010. He, with a height of 73 cm (2 feet 5 inch), and Kosen, with a height of 246.5 cm (8 feet 1 inch), are listed in the Guinness World Records as the world's shortest man and tallest man respectively.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

He Pingping of China smiles as Sultan Kosen of Turkey rests his hands on He's shoulders during a promotional event in Istanbul January 14, 2010. He, with a height of 73 cm (2 feet 5 inch), and Kosen, with a height of 246.5 cm (8 feet 1 inch), are listed in the Guinness World Records as the world's shortest man and tallest man respectively. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

He Pingping (L) of China looks up at Sultan Kosen of Turkey as they pose for photographers during a promotional event in Istanbul January 14, 2010. He, with a height of 73 cm (2 feet 5 inch), and Kosen, with a height of 246.5 cm (8 feet 1 inch), are listed in the Guinness World Records as the world's shortest man and tallest man respectively.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

He Pingping (L) of China and Sultan Kosen of Turkey talk with members of the media during a promotional event in Istanbul January 14, 2010. He, with a height of 73 cm (2 feet 5 inch), and Kosen, with a height of 246.5 cm (8 feet 1 inch), are listed in the Guinness World Records as the world's shortest man and tallest man respectively..(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Fans Maradona

2010-01-12T13:13:00.001+07:00

Napoli fans to bid for Maradona's earring

by Mark Meadows, Reuters|12 January 2010

Milan Italy: Napoli fans are planning to raise cash to make a bid to buy Diego Maradona's earring, which was confiscated by Italian authorities in September as part payment for his tax arrears.

The piece of jewellery, taken while Maradona was in Italy at a weightloss clinic, will be put up for auction next week with a starting price of around 4,000 euros ($8,024) expected.

"Let's have a collection," Napoli fans, who adore the Argentina coach after he inspired the club as a player to Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990, have written on a supporter website (www.tifosidelnapoli.it).

Paris Hilton Get Married

2010-01-08T15:33:00.000+07:00

Paris Hilton Wants to Get Married This Year

Written by BangShowbiz on Jan-8-10 1:19am2010-01-07T10:19:12

Paris Hilton thinks 2010 might be the year she hears wedding bells. The socialite has said that she could see herself getting hitched to boyfriend Doug Reinhardt this year because their "amazing" relationship has tamed her.

She said: "I wouldn't rule out a wedding in 2010. With how amazing everything is going between us, I see a very bright and happy future. He's taught me how real love can feel. Doug's taught me how to grow up and become more domestic, as in not going out as much as I used to."

Paris, who reconciled with Doug in August following a brief split, is not the only one who is smitten. The Hills star Doug can't wait to get the blonde socialite down the aisle and thinks she would make a "perfect" wife. He added to Life and Style magazine: "Paris is the most beautiful girl in the world. I am so in love with her - I feel like I'm the luckiest guy in the world. She is gorgeous, smart, funny and kind. My family loves her, and she would make the perfect wife."

-zimbio.com-

Google Phone

2009-12-14T12:29:00.002+07:00

Google phone to be on market soon

www.chinaview.cn 2009-12-14 09:22:18

Google Inc. has designed its own smartphone and plans to sell directly to consumers as soon as early 2010, according to media reports.

The phone, called the Nexus One and made by smartphone maker HTC, runs the search giant's Android operating system and will be sold online, bypassing wireless carriers in a rare strategic move.

Google first announced the phone had been undergoing testing by its employees in a blog post last weekend, and Wall Street Journal confirmed the device and name hours after.

The Internet giant is taking a new and potentially risky approach to selling the device, experts said. Without a mobile carrier partner, Google will ask its consumers to buy the phone online and buy cellular service for the device separately, which the Americans almost never do.

It is a significant move for the Internet giant on the mobile industry potentially challenging mobile carrier partners in the process and shaking up the business model of the mobile industry.

Google hasn't sold hardware in the past and the move may be a big step for the company into direct sales.

BEIJING, Dec. 14 (Xinhuanet)

Schiffer Fashion

2009-12-02T14:32:00.001+07:00

Claudia Schiffer plans to create own fashion label

by Astrid Wendlandt, Reuters|02 December 2009

Berlin, Germany: After lending her image to fashion designers for more than two decades, supermodel Claudia Schiffer says she is now ready to create her own fashion business, which could include cashmere wares and handbags.

The 39-year-old-German born model on Tuesday Nov 17said she was looking to give her life a new direction and was on the lookout for partners to back the launch of her brand.

"I would love to create my own lines now," Schiffer told a luxury conference in Berlin organized by the International Herald Tribune.

"I want the brand to be timeless and classic, with a fashion sensibility."

Many celebrities before Schiffer have launched their own trademarked products, ex-pop star Victoria Beckham is getting rave reviews for her evening dresses, Jennifer Lopez launched her own perfumes and Paris Hilton got into luxury watches.
But Schiffer said the product would have to "speak to her" and be close to her personality.

"Consumers are not stupid. They do understand if you don't believe in your product," she said.

Schiffer said she was looking for business partners, who did not necessarily have to be German, and she aimed to give the brand a global reach instantly.

"I would love to do cashmere, it is something I wear all the time myself...I would love to do something that is a bit more price friendly and...a lot of cashmere is very classic, I would like to create something that is a bit more fashion," she said.

But while pursuing her new business interests, Schiffer, who has recently been featuring in Yves Saint Laurent, Salvatore Ferragamo and Alberta Ferretti ad campaigns, said she hoped to continue being a model for "as long as possible."

Schiffer began her modeling career in the late 1980s and is remembered for her Chanel and Guess jeans campaigns among many others. The model said that despite her very public persona, she was a shy person who was cautious and valued loyalty.

"It takes me some time to warm up, but once you are friends with me I am friends for a long time," she said.

"I am very loyal."

Schiffer, who has been living in England for the past nine years, said she often sought to get away from the limelight.

"I do enjoy having a quiet life and on the weekends, we go away to the countryside and do normal things which make me feel good."
(Asiaone.com)

Armani Mobile

2009-10-28T15:04:00.002+07:00

Giorgio Armani Extends
Designer Touch to New Mobile

by Marie-Louise Gumuchian, Reuters|28 October 2009

Milan, Italy: Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani presented a new 700-euro ($1,445) mobile phone, a stylish device aimed at complementing the designer's suits.

Founding designer Giorgio Armani, widely regarded as the doyen of Italian fashion, made a brief public appearance at the launch of the Armani-Samsung smartphone, which also has the new Microsoft software for mobiles.

Microsoft Corp introduced Windows Mobile 6.5 this week, which allows phones to play music, open Word and Excel documents and be synchronized over the Internet.

The sleek phone has both a touch screen and a key pad. It also includes a video player and GPS navigation, as well as bronze detailing "which coordinates perfectly with Giorgio Armani suits," according to a statement.

Armani, 75, did not speak at the presentation, only posing for photographs, but said in the statement he sought to create a phone "perfect for today's managers."

Armany, who suffered a bout of hepatitis this year, announced three senior management changes in late September, signaling an easing of his workload.

Armani, known for his classically elegant lines and muted colors in clothes, said last month he was reshuffling his agenda to take better care of himself after the illness.

The smartphone is the third phone Armani has designed for South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, wearing a tie signed by Armani, said the phone was "a statement of style" and his company was not looking to work with other designers, adding this partnership with Samsung and Armani was "a unique thing."

Source: plushasia.com

Jacko Glove

2009-09-07T22:30:00.000+07:00

Jacko's crystal glove scoops $49,000 at auction

Sep-7-09 7:00pm2009-09-07T05:00:17
From: afp.com

A crystal-encrusted white glove worn by late pop icon Michael Jackson has sold for 49,000 US dollars in Australia, doubling the auctioneer's estimate after a frenzied bidding war.

Auction house Bonhams & Goodmans said the glove, which went under the hammer in Melbourne late on Sunday, was the first to go on sale since the superstar's death on June 25.

The right-hand glove, made of white spandex and covered with hand-sewn clear crystals, was snapped up by the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in the United States.

Bonhams & Goodmans said Jackson wore the trademark glove to the Sydney premiere of his film "Ghosts" on November 15, 1996.

The King of Pop was in Australia for the HIStory World Tour at the time and earlier in the day had married his second wife Debbie Rowe.

Music journalist Peter Holmes and his friend Bill Hibble were apparently among the few audience members who laughed at the jokes in the short horror spoof and Jackson threw the glove to Hibble in thanks.

Hibble has since died and his father put the glove up for sale.

Las Vegas Hard Rock curator Warwick Stone said the glove would sit alongside memorabilia from Elvis Presley and Sex Pistol guitarist Sid Vicious.

"Michael Jackson gave it to someone in public in Australia and most collectors of Michael Jackson memorabilia knew about this glove," Stone told public broadcaster ABC.

"I've got the chain that used to hang around Sid Vicious's neck, I've got one of Elvis's .357 magnums which he used to shoot TVs with."
Stone said three more Jackson gloves were scheduled to come on to the market in the United States later this year but added: "I think I got the bargain."

-zimbio-

Jacko Rest

2009-09-07T22:12:00.001+07:00

Michael Jackson Laid to Rest

Written by BangShowbiz on Sep-5-09 12:52am2009-09-04T10:52:28

The hearse carrying Michael Jacksons body drives up the hill during Michael Jackson's funeral service at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park on September 3, 2009 in Glendale, California. Michael Jackson, who died at his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles June 25, 2009 is scheduled to be interred in the Great Mausoleum of the cemetery on Thursday evening. (Getty Images)

Michael Jackson was laid to rest at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park last night in a ceremony attended by his family and a host of celebrity friends. Among the stars who paid their last respects were Elizabeth Taylor, Macaulay Culkin and girlfriend Mila Kunis, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Gladys Knight, Rev. Al Sharpton, Corey Feldman, Kenny Ortega and Michael's ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley.

The service was due to start at 7 pm, but guests were kept waiting by Michael's family. Their cars did not start the journey to the service until 7.30 pm, with the ceremony finally getting underway around two hours later than planned.

Michael's children Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II (aka "Blanket") arrived with his parents Joe and Katherine. They spent time with their father's casket before the service began, putting a crown on it in reference to his King of Pop moniker. The children sat in the front row, with a picture of the singer in front of them and lilies and roses decorating the stage.

Gladys sang "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," while songwriter Clifton Davis performed Jackson 5 song "Never Can Say Goodbye." After the ceremony, the Jackson brothers carried the gold coffin into the Great Mausoleum.

The family released a statement saying: "The Jackson Family wishes to once again thank all of Michael's fans around the world for their generous outpouring of support during this terribly difficult time. Their expressions of love for Michael and his music have sustained the Jackson Family."

After the service, it is understood some of the mourners travelled to Pasadena's Villa Sorriso eatery.

Michael died aged 50 on June 25 of acute Propofol intoxication.

-zimbio-

Jacko Money

2009-08-15T07:43:00.002+07:00

Michael Jackson Has Earned
$99 Million Since His Death

Written by BangShowbiz on Aug-15-09 12:28am2009-08-14T10:28:02

Executors of Michael Jackson's estate claim money from a film deal and merchandising contracts has "flooded" into Michael's bank accounts since he died in June.

They predict the pop superstar will make another $99 million by the end of the year, and expect him to overtake Nirvana rocker Kurt Cobain and Elvis Presley -- who have made $745 million and $599 million respectively from beyond the grave -- as the highest-earning dead celebrity in the next 12 months.

Lawyer John Branca, who is co-executor of Michael’s estate, said:
Clearly this will be a new record for estates that likely will not be broken. Elvis’s estate makes $54 million a year. This will be a bigger estate. Branca and fellow co-executor, music executive John McClain, have put together a series of deals for commemorative coins, school supplies, a coffee-table book and a film. They have also been retrieving funds held for Michael by anonymous creditors, thought to amount to "several million pounds," and tallying the value of the singer's property, memorabilia and art collections.

Meanwhile, law enforcement sources claim Michael's Dr. Conrad Robert Murray had Propofol hidden in the singer's house. Police officers found three large bottles and five smaller vials of the anesthetic stashed in a closet in Murray's bedroom at the star's Los Angeles home.

They also believe Murray received regular shipments of the powerful drug -- reportedly used to help Michael sleep, and believed to have played a part in his death -- through FedEx, which he then hid in other locations.

The search warrant used to raid the Las Vegas pharmacy frequented by Murray showed investigators were looking for FedEx records relating to "the purchase, transfer, receiving, ordering, delivery and storage of Propofol to Dr. Conrad Murray." Police were also looking for credit card receipts relating to a purchase of Propofol the doctor made in May.

-zimbio.com-

Blueberry

2009-07-22T07:35:00.002+07:00

CSL Blueberry-i

By ZAM KARIM

TAKING a leaf out of its more illustrious competitor's book, CSL's Blueberry-i mobile phone sports a black, shiny housing with a silver trim around its edges.
Even its Qwerty mini keyboard resembles RIM's BlackBerry to a certain extent.
However the design similarities between CSL's offering and the BlackBerry Bold 9000 handset is only skin deep - as at the end of the day, the Blueberry-i is definitely no BlackBerry.

As a matter of fact, take away the casing and what you would get is a basic mobile phone with a few surprises thrown in.

Looking closer
The phone, which sits firmly in the palm, has a shiny housing and display that attracts fingerprints and dust.

Apart from the mini USB port at the bottom, users will find no other buttons on the sides. The port is used to connect multiple accessories, including the charger, data cable as well as the included USB earphone.

Despite its avant-garde look, the Blueberry-i only offers pretty basic features that include dualband GSM, GPRS, VGA camera and Bluetooth connectivity with A2DP profile.
The extra surprises are dual SIM card slots, multiple language support (Chinese, English and Bahasa Malaysia) and a password-protected SMS inbox.

Also available are a list of Islamic features, including the Azan call to prayer, Kiblat directional finder and an optional Al-Quran reading application.

It offers a meagre 1MB of user memory but users can expand the storage capacity via the built-in microSD card slot. A 2GB card is included in the package.

The card slot is behind the battery so the memory card is not hotswappable.

2-in-1
The two SIM card slots can be used simultaneously but you can close one when it is not in use. Switching between the two numbers is easy thanks to the two dedicated buttons on the phone - each time you want to dial a number, just press the one associated with the SIM card to do so.

It was really simple and fuss free and that's how we like it.

It is a great feature especially for those who travel a lot since you can easily slip a prepaid SIM card into the phone while keeping the original SIM active.

Moving on, we also noticed that the volume of the built-in speaker was extremely loud. It was so deafening that we kept it reduced to only the first level (there are seven levels altogether) most of the time.

The only time we pumped up the volume was when we wanted to listen to MP3 music with some friends. It was like having a portable mini hifi indeed. Even at the highest volume level, we didn't detect any cracking in the audio.

The bundled headset provides a good listening experience but since the phone only has a mini USB port you can't use your favourite standard 3.5mm-based headphone in its place.

But thanks to its Bluetooth with A2DP profile support, you can still replace the earphone with a Bluetooth headset instead.

Speed texter
Typing messages on the Qwerty keyboard is another reason - apart from the look or the excellent built-in speaker - why one would want to get this phone in the first place.

Feedback from the keyboard was good, with a distinct click for each key press. You can even type easily using one hand.

There is no predictive text input to help users but since one can type quite fast on it we were willing to forgive the omission.

The subtle white light that illuminates the keyboard makes it easier to read in areas with low light and it also adds a sense of class.

The Blueberry-i comes with a VGA camera and as such you should not expect much. There are some basic settings like white balance, scene mode and effects but they didn't really add much.

Video recording is possible but the end result was almost always choppy.

The lens is protected by what looks like a hard clear glass cover. Users can clean the fingerprints, dust or grime off it easily but we don't think that it is scratch-proof though.

Conclusion

Plenty of mobile phone users just want to make calls and do not want to bother with other features such as the camera or multimedia capabilities. That's why basic phones are still sold in the market and are still popular despite all the fancy phones around.

Coupled with its low price tag, good looks and equally important, dual SIM card slots, the Blueberry-i certainly fits into that category.

Pros: Qwerty keyboard is great for texting; dual SIM card support; loud speakers; low price.

Cons: Bad picture quality; basic specifications.

CSL BLUEBERRY-i

Dual-band phone Camera: 0.3-megapixels (VGA)

Display: 2.2in QVGA 262,000 colours ( 220 x 176-pixels)

Messaging: MMS, SMS, e-mail

Connectivity: Bluetooth, GPRS

Phone memory: 1MB

Expansion slot: MicroSD

Battery type: 700mAh lithium-ion

Standby/talk time: 180/3 hours

Other features: Dual SIM card slots, Qwerty mini keyboard, FM radio, MP3 player, MPEG4 playback, video and sound recorder, e-book reader, Java applications

Weight: 103g

Dimensions (w x d x h): 110 x 50 x 16mm

Price: $178.50

This story was first published in The Star/Asia News Network.

-asiaone-

Mont Blanc

2009-07-22T07:32:00.002+07:00

Mont Blanc Meisterstuck
"Signature for Good"

by Amanda Jayne Lee, Plush|22 July 2009

The classic Montblanc, Montblanc Meisterstuck 149, celebrates 85 years of writing this year.

A renowned collector's item, it is a symbol of excellence and an icon for pure writing culture and prestige.

The Meisterstuck design is famed for its elegant design - 3 gold rings in the middle and its 18 carat gold nib - which takes more than 150 work steps to produce and is painstakingly checked by experts.

In celebration of their 85th year, Montblanc unveils the Montblanc Meisterstuck "Signature for Good" Special Edition.

The pen is to signify the support and partnership it has had with UNICEF. The "Signature for Good" collection has been especially created to help raise funds to support UNICEF in its work addressing inadequate schooling and illteracy.

Inspired by the UNICEF hallmark and UNICEF's logo colour, blue, the special edition pen is designed with a golden inlay in the distinctive shape of the olive bush and a precious blue sapphire in the top of the cap.

The new version of the Montblanc Meisterstuck comes as a fountain pen, roller ball, ballpoint and mechanical pencil in the versions of "Le Grand" - the bigger broader version of the Meisterstuck - and "Classique" - the most popular of sizes.

Each purchase of the pen will benefit children without proper access to education.

-plushasia.com-

Top 7 Beds Hotel

2009-07-22T07:27:00.002+07:00

World's top 7 hotel beds

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - For travellers who need a good bed for a good night's sleep, travel guidebook publisher LUXE City Guides has come up with a list of 7 of the top hotel beds around the world.

This list is compiled by Luxe City Guides' (www.luxecityguides.com) editorial team and is not endorsed by Reuters.

1. The Bowery Hotel, New York
The Bowery Hotel's custom-built American-style wooden beds look as plump and comfy as they feel. Serta mattresses are enveloped in custom 400 count Egyptian cotton sheets, plus down duvets, two firm and two soft down pillows, or if you're sensitive, a choice of hypo allergenic pillows and duvets. Leave the curtains open for views of the twinkly Manhattan skyline.

2. The Setai, Miami
With its 700 count sateen cotton treats from Christian Fischbacher of Switzerland, Dux beds with a 2.5 inch latex top pad and a choice of down, feather or hypo allergenic handmade pillows from Singaporean company Ploh, it's hard not sleep. Wake up with the views of the sunrise over the Atlantic.

3. Sofitel Watertower, Chicago
The trademarked SoBed sleep system is actually a Serta mattress topped by a Pacific Coast featherbed and duvet, custom 250 count linen and foam and feather pillows. If you can't stand another night without a SoBed, you can buy one through the hotel.

4. Hollywood Roosevelt, Los Angeles
After a night at LA's notorious party pad, you can sleep between custom 400 count sateen Sferra linens on a Sealy Palatial Crest Cushion with squishy pillowtop, and 26" square goose down pillows (hypo-allergenic upon request).

5. The Connaught, London
Sleep on the hotel's own signature Maybourne Deluxe barrel-shaped pocket spring mattress, with a poly-fiber pillow top, own brand 50/50 feather and down pillows and lovely Rivolta Carmignani 300 thread count cotton sheets. The window shades block out light completely and just add private butler and Asprey Purple Water toiletries for absolute luxury.

6. Park Hyatt, Sydney
Lie on an oversized Sealy Hyatt Grand Pillow Top king with 50 percent down and 50 percent feather pillows, snuggling under a cozy down and feather duvet and Australian 'Royal Collection' 300 thread count linens. Wake to a view of the iconic Sydney Opera House and the dazzling harbour.

7. JIA, Shanghai
The bed is Sealy Hotel Luxury Pillow Top, the linen 300 count, the pillows a choice of soft or firm feather and down or hypo allergenic and the duvets 80 percent down, but what makes JIA Shanghai really sleepworthy are extras such as eye shades, ear plugs, aromatherapy oils and even electronic lullaby tunes. If you're in a suite, you can even have a crackling fire DVD.

(Editing by Belinda Goldsmith/asiaone)

Jackson Memorial

2009-07-09T22:14:00.000+07:00

Nielsen: 31.1 Million
Watched Jackson Memorial

Jul-8-09 7:18am2009-07-07T17:18:21
From: ap.org

Jermaine Jackson performs during the Michael Jackson public memorial service held at Staples Center on July 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Jackson, the iconic pop star, died at the age of 50 at UCLA Medical Center after going into cardiac arrest at his rented home on June 25 in Los Angeles.

(Getty Images)

Some 31.1 million people in the United States watched the Michael Jackson memorial on television, with millions more catching video streams on their computers.

The Nielsen Media Research estimate on Wednesday provided only a slice of the audience for the Los Angeles event. But it did offer insight on how the memorial compared to other events: President Barack Obama's inauguration in January was seen by 38 million people on TV, and the "American Idol" finale in May had 28.9 million viewers.

Eighteen different networks carried the memorial live, including all the big broadcasters and cable news stations, along with MTV, BET and the three largest Spanish-language stations. It had an audience share of 56, meaning that 56 percent of the televisions turned on during the memorial were tuned into Jackson.

Nielsen does not immediately have an estimate of Jackson's worldwide audience, a task that could take weeks.

Twelve years ago, 33.2 million people in the U.S. watched Princess Diana's funeral. That happened early on a Saturday morning, as opposed to the middle of a workday, and people then didn't have the option of watching it on their computers. Complete estimates of the Internet audience were not immediately available, but individual Web sites reported some heavy traffic. MSNBC.com said it streamed nearly 19 million videos on Tuesday, a record for the site. Video streamers spent an average of 12 minutes on the site, MSNBC.com reported.

CNN.com said it had 10.5 million live streams, the second busiest day in its history. It streamed nearly 27 million videos on Obama's inauguration day. ABC News said its Web site had nearly 6 million video streams, with traffic up 70 percent over a typical day.

The event combined musical moments from the likes of Usher, Jennifer Hudson and Mariah Carey with remembrances from Brooke Shields, Magic Johnson and others. Brief heartfelt remarks by Jackson's 11-year-old daughter at the end stole the show.

Former President Reagan's funeral in 2004 was seen by 20.8 million viewers in the daytime hours, but his prime-time burial had an audience of 35.1 million people, Nielsen said. The opening ceremony of last year's Beijing Olympics had 34.2 million viewers.

Even for those viewers who watched Tuesday's Jackson memorial, there was still an appetite for more in prime time. ABC, CBS and NBC each had Jackson specials at 10 p.m. EDT and they had a combined audience of 20.5 million viewers. ABC won bragging rights for its Elizabeth Vargas-hosted hour focused on Jackson's children, with a leading 8.6 million viewers.

-zimbio-

Memorial Jacko

2009-07-09T15:10:00.002+07:00

Michael Jackson's final
resting place a mystery

By MARK KENNEDY, Associated Press Writer Mark Kennedy, Associated Press Writer – Thu Jul 9, 12:58 am ET

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson's glimmering casket took center stage at the Staples Center, sitting for more than two hours as celebrities memorialized the King of Pop under the watchful eyes of millions. And when the ceremony was over, it was gone.

By law, the golden casket that presumably held Jackson's body should be exactly where his death certificate says it is: back at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills cemetery, the site of a private family memorial service held before the Staples ceremony. Los Angeles County records show the cemetery as the temporary location, where it must stay until those records are officially updated.

But where Jackson's body will eventually be laid to rest remained a mystery, fed by the same level of rumor and speculation that surrounded much of his life. Will he be interred at Forest Lawn? Is Neverland Ranch still a possibility?

What if he's not buried at all, but cremated? The family isn't talking — and may not even have decided yet.

The casket was first seen leaving the mortuary at Forest Lawn, where it got into a hearse for the 10-mile trip to the Staples Center. But before the service even started, the hearse was seen leaving the facility — empty — and wasn't spotted again.

But to keep in good standing with the law, the casket would have needed to return to Forest Lawn at some point, presumably after the crowds went home and the television cameras were long gone.

Robert J. Biggins, a former president of the National Funeral Directors Association, said Jackson's body is likely in his casket which he identified it as a custom-made, top-of-the-line coffin made by the Indiana-based Batesville Casket Company that is called a "Promethean." The casket is probably in a temporary holding area — perhaps a mausoleum — pending a final location, he said.

"This happened so quickly that it's something that has to have an awful lot of thoughtful consideration," said Biggins, who is the owner of Magoun-Biggins Funeral home in Rockland, Mass. "This is bigger than your average burial."

Conjecture about Jackson's final resting place has been as fraught as the rumors about where his memorial service would be held in the days before the Staples Center was announced. His 5-page will, signed in 2002, does not include final wishes for his body.

Forest Lawn is one likely possibility. If Jackson is buried there, he would join other celebrities such as Liberace, Gene Autry, Bette Davis and Andy Gibb. Recently deceased actor David Carradine and "Tonight Show" sidekick Ed McMahon also are buried there.

The Jackson family seems divided over whether the body should go to Neverland, which would surely turn the Santa Barbara County ranch into a West-coast Graceland. But Jackson abandoned the 2,500-acre estate after going into seclusion following his acquittal on child molestation charges in 2005, and many of the things that made it unique — the merry-go-round, Ferris wheel and zoo — are gone.
Billionaire Thomas Barrack, who owns Neverland in a joint venture with Jackson, has expressed an openness to the idea of having the singer's body buried at the ranch. The family would need to get permission from local land-use officials to bury Jackson on private property, then submit an application and paperwork with the state Cemetery and Funeral Bureau.

The state application would then need to be approved by the funeral board, a process that could take anywhere from seven to 30 days.

Beyond that, accessibility remains an issue at Neverland. A single two-lane highway leads to the property about 130 miles north of Los Angeles, and infrastructure changes would likely be necessary to accommodate the additional traffic.

Another possibility is cremation. State law requires that the person who has control of the cremated remains obtain written permission of the property owner or governing agency to scatter on the property.

Funeral experts said the delay in Jackson's funeral may be due to the fact that such celebrity deaths create logistical, security and legal headaches.

"One of the issues you're going to run into with any high-profile name, whether it be a former president of the United States or somebody of Michael Jackson's stature, is what does the cemetery — if it's to be a burial — do to establish security, to protect the remains, to protect the privacy of the family during the service, to protect remains afterward and what kind of built-in overhead comes with it," said Paul Elvig, former president of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association.

Experts said even a two-week delay between death and funeral is not unusual. The body of singer James Brown was kept in a sealed gold casket inside his South Carolina home for more than two months before being interred in 2007 at the home of one of his daughters.
"You're probably talking more about an impatient public and an impatient press wanting to know what's going to happen and that impatience needs to be understood," Elvig said. "If a body's been properly prepared by an embalmer, it can be held for a considerable period of time with minor touchups to it."

Biggins said he is even encouraged by the delay.

"I think the fact that there's this pause is a wonderful thing because it's being given thoughtful consideration," he said, "to make sure this is done right and this is done in a way that honors his legacy."

Michael Jackson's family
silent on burial plans

By Jill Serjeant Jill Serjeant – Wed Jul 8, 8:59 pm ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – More than 31 million Americans watched Michael Jackson's public memorial on television, but mystery surrounded the whereabouts of his body on Wednesday and plans for his burial.

A day after Jackson's casket was taken to a Los Angeles basketball arena for an emotional memorial for fans, friends and his family, attention returned to how Jackson got his hands on powerful prescription drugs reportedly found in his rented mansion after his sudden death on June 25.

Sales of Jackson's albums soared for a second week, with his solo albums jumping another 90 percent to 800,000 copies in the United States, tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan said.

Nielsen Media Research said 31.1 million Americans watched Tuesday's Los Angeles memorial live on television. The figure is lower than the TV audience of some other recent events.

Some 49.5 million Americans tuned in for President Barack Obama's first White House news conference in February, and 35 million watched former President Ronald Reagan's 2004 burial live on TV.

The Nielsen figures do not include viewing on the Internet or other platforms, which has grown rapidly in the last few years.

The Jackson family spokesman did not return calls for comment on burial plans for the "Thriller" singer, who died of cardiac arrest at age 50.

NO REQUEST FOR NEVERLAND BURIAL
California officials and those in Santa Barbara County said the family has not asked for the required special permission to bury Jackson at his abandoned Neverland Valley Ranch in central California.

Media reports said the Los Angeles coroner's office was conducting neuropathology tests on part of Jackson's brain, which could be behind the delay in the family's burial plans.

One of Jackson's doctors, Beverly Hills dermatologist Arnold Klein, on Wednesday denied he was one of the targets of a police investigation over drugs seized from Jackson's home after his death.

"I was not one of the doctors who participated in giving him overdoses of drugs or too much of anything," Klein told ABC's "Good Morning America" in an interview.

"I always was concerned about him. No matter what he wanted, someone would give it to him," he said. Klein also denied media reports that he was the sperm donor of Jackson's two children with his ex-wife Debbie Rowe.

A spokesman for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the elaborate memorial cost the cash-strapped city $1.4 million, "far less" than an initial estimate of $3.8 million.

City officials had braced for as many as 250,000 fans to show up at the Staples Center. The actual number was closer to 1,000. Donors chipped in $17,000 after the city set up a website asking for cash to cover the cost, he added.

Jackson's music is enjoying the commercial success that eluded the "King of Pop" in recent years.

The singer's "Number Ones" compilation was the top-selling album in the United States during the week ended July 5, and his 1982 blockbuster "Thriller" took second place.
(Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Jacko Memorial

2009-07-04T23:46:00.003+07:00

Fans scramble for Jackson tickets

More than half a million Michael Jackson fans have already applied for 17,500 free tickets to the singer's public memorial service next week.

Jackson, who died last week aged 50, will be remembered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Tickets will chosen at random from names registered at staplescenter.com.

Police in Los Angeles expect as many as 700,000 people may try to reach the arena but it will be sealed off to those without tickets.

As of 1730 on Friday (0030 GMT Saturday), more than 524,330 people had registered for tickets, Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said in a statement.

A total of 11,000 free tickets are to be issued for the service. Fans from around the world can apply.

Another 6,500 tickets will be issued for a simulcast of the service at the nearby Nokia theatre. It means a total of 17,500 fans will be able to see the events free.
Officials said 8,750 pairs of tickets would be allotted to the successful entrants after 1800 Saturday (0100 GMT Sunday) and notifications would go out later on Sunday.

Those selected will be able to get their tickets via Ticketmaster on Monday, officials said.

Originally, the Staples Center website said only US residents could apply for tickets, but AEG's Randy Phillips later told the BBC that that was not the case.

Officials appealed to other fans to watch the memorial service from their own homes, amid fears that thousands of people without tickets could flood the area.

"If you do not have a ticket, if you are not credentialed, not only will you not be allowed at these venues, you will not be allowed in this area," said Los Angeles assistant police chief Earl Paysinger.

Big screens

Jackson had been rehearsing for his London concerts at the Staples Center.

In a press conference, family representative Ken Sunshine said they wanted to accommodate as many fans as possible.

"It is all about the fans," he said.

Officials said that no funeral procession would take place and the memorial service would not be shown on big screens outside the venues. Free pool feeds will be made available to media organisations for broadcast, they said.

Earlier, a lawyer for Michael Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe said she was undecided about whether to fight for custody of her two children with the star.

On Thursday, Ms Rowe won a delay in a custody hearing while she decides if she wants to raise Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, known as Prince Michael, 12, and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11.

The singer's youngest son - seven-year-old Prince Michael II - was born to a surrogate mother whose identity has never been revealed.

In his will, Jackson stipulated that his mother, Katherine, 79, should have permanent custody of all three children. She currently has temporary custody of them.

A judge has delayed a guardianship hearing - scheduled for Monday - until 13 July at the request of Ms Rowe and Katherine Jackson.

Mystery death
It is still not known what caused Jackson's death last week at the age of 50.
He collapsed at his home and was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre.

An autopsy was conducted but results are not expected for several weeks. The Jackson family had a second autopsy performed and those results are also pending.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's office has said there is no evidence of foul play.
It added that the results of toxicology tests could take weeks to come back.

Jackson service set for Tuesday
A memorial service for Michael Jackson will be held on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles where he had been rehearsing for his London concerts.

His family announced the event as concert promoters AEG Live released a video of the singer rehearsing for the O2 gigs, two days before his death.

Some 11,000 free tickets will be made available for the service.

Meanwhile, a lawyer for Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe says she is undecided about whether to fight for custody.

Tuesday's memorial service will start at 1000 (1700 GMT).

Footage of Jackson, recorded on 23 June, shows the star singing and dancing as he performed his hit They Don't Really Care About Us - incorporating elements of History and She Drives Me Wild.

The star was rehearsing for a 50-date residency at the O2.

Randy Phillips, president of AEG Live, which also owns the Staples Center, said there were more than 100 hours of rehearsal footage which could be turned into a film and live albums.

"We have enough audio to make two live albums, and he's never done a live album," he added.

"This is really the last great work of a 21st century genius."

Meanwhile, Benny Andersson has quashed rumours that Abba would reform to take over Jackson's O2 dates.

"No-one's asked us, and if they did we wouldn't say yes," he said in an interview filmed for BBC One's Friday Night With Jonathan Ross.

Hearing delayed
On Thursday, Ms Rowe won a delay in a custody hearing while she decides if she wants to raise Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, known as Prince Michael, 12, and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11.

The singer's youngest son - seven-year-old Prince Michael II - was born to a surrogate mother whose identity has never been revealed.

Jackson's will asks for his mother, Katherine, 79, to have permanent custody of all three children.

A judge has now delayed a guardianship hearing - scheduled for Monday - until 13 July, at the request of Ms Rowe and Katherine Jackson, who has temporary custody of the children.

It follows media reports that Ms Rowe wanted to look after her children.

But her lawyer, Eric George, told reporters: "I am representing to you now. Debbie has not reached a final decision concerning the pending custody proceedings."

On Thursday, it was revealed that Jackson had left Ms Rowe out of his will.

"I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife, Deborah Jean Rowe Jackson," the document stated.

Rowe married Jackson in 1996 but filed for divorce in 1999. She gave up custody rights to the children but sought them again in 2003.

They agreed a settlement in 2006 but the terms were never disclosed.

In 2003, Ms Rowe appeared in footage released by Jackson in response to a controversial ITV documentary, which raised allegations of inappropriate behaviour with children by the star.

In it, Ms Rowe described her family as "non-traditional", saying her children were her gift to Jackson.

"My kids don't call me mom because I don't want them to," she said. "These are Michael's children."

-BBC-

Michael Jackson 2

2009-07-01T23:50:00.000+07:00

Jackson body 'going to Neverland'

A host of television satelilte trucks are already in situ outside the property

Fans and reporters have continued to gather outside Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch after reports that his body will go on public view there.

Various sources claim a public viewing has been scheduled for Friday ahead of a private funeral on Sunday.

Vehicles and workers have been going in and out of the property, located about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

According to the Associated Press (AP), Jackson's will has now been filed in a Los Angeles court.

Dated 7 July 2002, the document reveals that the star chose not to provide for his former wife, Debbie Rowe, and gives his entire estate to the "Michael Jackson Family Trust", AP said.

The documents estimated his estate at that time at more than $500m (£303m).

Tourist shrine
Members of Jackson's family have met police and the California Highway Patrol to discuss funeral arrangements.

Unconfirmed reports suggest Jackson's body may be placed in a glass coffin and be transported from Los Angeles to Neverland in a "fairytale carriage".

According to a California Highway Patrol spokesman, however, "details are still pending".

It is unclear whether Jackson can be legally buried at the 2,500-acre property, which he bought in 1987 but had not lived at since 2005.

The site could reportedly be turned into a permanent tourist shrine to the singer, akin to Elvis Presley's Graceland home in Memphis.

Meanwhile, Jackson's tour promoter has said the star's ill-fated London show could be turned into a tribute gig featuring his family.

Randy Phillips, president of AEG Live, told Sky News he was "discussing with the family" the possibility of mounting the show in some form.

"I would imagine it could be done as a tribute with the family, with the brothers performing, some sisters, and the stars that were influenced by him," he said.
"The world needs to see this production. It would have been, which is the tragedy here, one of the most amazing shows ever."

Insomnia Mr Phillips denied claims that Jackson had been daunted by the upcoming concerts and was too frail to perform.

According to a nutritionist who was working with the singer, however, he had been battling persistent insomnia.

In an interview with CNN, registered nurse Cherilyn Lee said she had repeatedly rejected his demands for the drug Diprivan, a powerful sedative which is given intravenously.

"This was a person who was seeking help, desperately, to get some sleep, to get some rest," she told the US news network.

It has been alleged that Jackson had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants at the time of his death.

According to actor Lou Ferrigno, however, the 50-year-old singer had been entirely focused on his health in the run-up to his 50 London concerts.

"I've never seen him take drugs," said the Incredible Hulk star, who Jackson had been working out with.

"He was always talking about nutrition.

"When he was with me, he wasn't different. He wasn't stoned. He wasn't high. He wasn't being aloof or speedy

-BBC-

Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T08:27:00.004+07:00

Michael Jackson dies at 50

Pop star Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles, aged 50.
Jun-26-09 4:01am 2009-06-25T14:01:45

UPDATED 3:23 PM: Legendary musician Michael Jackson has died, law enforcement sources have confirmed.

TMZ reports that someone at Jackson's Holmby Hills home called 911 at 12:21 pm. When paramedics arrived at his home, he was not breathing. The Los Angeles Times reports by the time he reached the UCLA Medical center, Jackson was in a coma. He was pronounced dead by doctors this afternoon.Paramedics were called to the singer's home around midday local time on Thursday after he stopped breathing.

He was pronounced dead two hours later after arriving at hospital in full cardiac arrest, said Fred Corral of the LA County Coroner's office.

The star, who had a history of health problems, had been due to begin a series of comeback concerts in the UK on 13 July.

Concerns were raised last month when four of the concerts were postponed, but organisers insisted the dates had been moved due to the complexity of staging the show.

A spokeswoman for The Outside Organisation, which was organising the publicity for the shows, said she had no comment at this time.

Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini said: "I always doubted that he would have been able to go through that schedule, those concerts. It seemed to be too much of a demand on the unhealthy body of a 50 year old.

"I'm wondering that, as we find out details of his death, if perhaps the stress of preparing for those dates was a factor in his collapse.

"It was wishful thinking that at this stage of his life he could be MJ again."

Uri Gellar, a close friend of the star, told BBC News it was "very, very sad".

Hip hop star P Diddy wrote on Twitter: "Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat.

"He made the music come to life! He made me believe in magic. I will miss him!"
Speaking outside the UCLA medical centre in Los Angeles, civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton paid tribute to his friend.

"I knew him 35 years. When he had problems he would call me," he said.

"I feel like he was not treated fairly. I hope history will be more kind to him than some of the contemporary media."

Musical icon
Paramedics were called to the singer's house in Bel Air at 1221 following an emergency phone call.

They performed CPR on Jackson and rushed him to the UCLA medical centre, where crowds have since gathered.

Jackson began his career as a child in family group The Jackson 5.

He then went on to achieve global fame as a solo artist with smash hits such as Billie Jean and Bad.

Thriller, released in 1982, is the biggest-selling album of all time, shifting 65m copies, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

He scored seven UK number ones as a solo artist and won a total of 13 Grammy awards.
Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, which awards the Grammys, also paid tribute: "Rarely has the world received a gift with the magnitude of artistry, talent and vision as Michael Jackson.

"He was a true musical icon whose identifiable voice, innovative dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and sheer star power carried him from childhood to worldwide acclaim."

"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words," said Quincy Jones, who produced Thriller, Bad and Off The Wall.

"He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

Family
The singer had been dogged by controversy and money trouble in recent years, becoming a virtual recluse.

He was arrested in 2003 on charges of molesting a 14-year-old boy, but was found not guilty following a five-month trial.

The star had three children, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II.

He is survived by his mother, Katherine, father, Joseph and eight siblings - including Janet, Randy, Jermaine and La Toya Jackson.

Jackson Family Attorney:
Jackson Was Surrounded By Enablers.

It is not yet known what caused Michael Jackson's death from cardiac arrest; an autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow. But the Jackson family's attorney, Brian Oxman, called CNN to shed light on Michael's medical condition.

Oxman wanted people to know that Michael was not gravely ill, as had been rumored for months. The singer was, however, debilitated by a dependence on prescription medication. He told CNN in a shaking voice:

Michael has always been in very fine physical condition. The one thing which has bothered me so much is the discussion that one day he was going to be dead, and...I don't know if this is that day, I can only tell you that this is something that was not unexpected...the medications which Michael was under, this family has been trying for months and months and months to take care of Michael Jackson.

The people who have surrounded him have been enabling him. If you think the case of Anna Nicole Smith was an abuse, it's nothing in comparison to what we have seen taking place in Michael Jackson's life. Oxman also confirmed that Jackson was struggling to get in shape for the 50 performances he had scheduled at London's O2 Arena.

MICHAEL JACKSON 1958-2009
Full name: Michael Joseph Jackson
Born: August 29, 1958, Gary, Indiana, US
Also known as: The King of Pop, Wacko Jacko
Biggest hits: I Want You Back, Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, Billie Jean, Bad, Black or White, Earth Song

-BBC/zimbio-

Future Car

2009-06-25T16:17:00.003+07:00

The future of cars?

THE Hoverpod could very well revolutionise air travel.

Australian company Entecho has come up with a prototype of a flying machine that resembles a flying saucer and uses fan technology to give it lift.

The CAV or compact air vehicle has vertical take-off and landing ability, and can be launched from anywhere and fly over any surface like water, sand or snow.
The vehicle can hover up to 1.5m above ground and can cruise at maximum speed of 120kmh.

The disc-shaped chassis carries a person or payload in the centre.

Air is drawn from the upper side of the aircraft, then forced downward through the rotors, which spin inside the shell of the aircraft.

The resulting pressure propels the aircraft off the ground.

Flexible skirt
At the bottom of the aircraft is a flexible skirt which can be pulled or released. This directs the flow of air and consequently, the direction of the aircraft. Steering is done using a joystick.

The huge blades which enable it to hover are hidden, making it safer as compared to helicopters, which have exposed blades.

The Hoverpod will also save space and operational cost as it does not need runways or airports. It can fit in a garage.

The Hoverpod can be used for recreational activities such as beach rides and for emergencies like marine rescue operations.

The Hoverpod is still in the development stage, but it is believed by the time it becomes a reality, the flying car should be able to deploy solar or even fuel cell technology to power its flight.

Rotor
The compact auto vehicle rotor is a cylindrical drum fan which rotates about the central vertical axis of the craft where the rider is.

Airflow
As the drum fan rotates, it pumps air radially through its blades. The air is drawn in and is then accelerated as it passes through the fan. It is then directed downward by the skirt, creating lift.

High pressure
High-pressure regions form as a result of the air being accelerated through the ducts by the rotating fan blades. These regions of high pressure produce powerful lifting forces.

Lift off
The vehicle is lifted as a result of all the forces joining together.
This article was first published in The New Paper.

-ASIAONE-

Aspirin

2009-06-25T16:01:00.001+07:00

Medicine abuse: Aspirin to
'keep oily skin at bay'

By Cheryl Lim

A "KITCHEN beauty remedy" used by some women here is giving doctors and dermatologists reason for concern.

Crush some aspirin tablets, mix them well in water until they form a paste, then apply the paste on the face.

That is how some women are tackling the problem of oily skin.

The problem is that there is no clinical proof that this will work, and the women run the risk of developing a bad allergic reaction.

Aesthetic doctor Calvin Chan of Calvin Chan Aesthetic and Laser Clinic sees about five patients a year who approach him with problems caused by such "home remedies".
He said: "The worst-case scenario is an allergic reaction but the odds of it happening are low."

Such reactions include "patchy redness, peeling, itching and red bumps".
Plastic surgeon J. J. Chua of JJ Chua Rejuvenative Cosmetic and Laser Surgery described the practice as "very primitive".

He said: "Commercialised products have a vehicle in which the ingredient is carried, that delivers a calculated and constant amount of the active ingredients."

Still, women here believe that the salicylic acid - a common ingredient in skincare products - in aspirin will help solve their problems with oily skin.

One of the remedy's fans is 55-year-old housewife Camy Teo, who heard of it from a friend. She said: "Initially, I was sceptical, as I always saw aspirin as medicine. But my skin looks clearer and feels smoother after using (the paste) just once."
But doctors do not recommend such remedies.

Dr Chua said that the danger involved in using the homemade paste is akin to that in experimenting with the unknown.

"If you want a perfumed shower cream, you buy one in the fragrance you like. You don't buy an unperfumed one and pour your perfume into it. These experiments... should not be done by yourself, it should be done by others, like skincare

-Asiaone-

Porsche

2009-06-22T22:45:00.002+07:00

Porsche sales down 15%
as crisis hits luxury cars
by AFP|22 June 2009

Frankfurt, Germany: Sales at the German luxury sports-car maker Porsche have crashed in another sign of problems for high-end auto manufacturers, company data showed on Friday.

Sales fell by 15 percent in the first nine months of Porsche's fiscal year to 4.6 billion euros ($9.3 billion).

The result, which covered the period from August 1 to April 30, did not include sales at Volkswagen, the biggest European auto manufacturer, in which Porsche holds a stake of 51 percent.

Porsche said its operating profit was also less than in the same period a year earlier, but did not provide figures.

"A look at global unit sales makes clear that no region is being spared the sharp decline in automobile markets," a statement said.

Deliveries fell by 27.6 percent to 53,635 vehicles on a 12-month basis, as luxury cars in particular paid a price for weaker consumer sentiment.

Small car sales have resisted the slump in Germany and elsewhere better, owing in large part to car scrapping premiums offered by many governments.

At Porsche, sales of its iconic 911 model fared much better than that of the Cayenne sports utility vehicle, but were still off by 18.2 percent.

Looking ahead, the company declined to give a precise forecast but said sales were likely to fall below the level in its previous fiscal year.

Porsche ran up debt of nine billion euros trying to increase its stake in VW through the use of complex stock options.

The two groups have agreed to merge, but the talks have hit obstacles and Porsche is now seeking investment from the Gulf state of Qatar, which would be a major shift for its present owners, the Porsche and Piech families.

On Tuesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani told reporters that the results of talks with Porsche should be revealed within three weeks.

"We are still negotiating over the share to be acquired," he said. "We have not disclosed any details, nor has Porsche, because there is an agreement between the two parties not to divulge any information," he said.

German media reported this week that Qatar was ready to buy at least 25 percent of Porsche, which would allow it to pursue its takeover bid for VW.

Porsche has also asked for a German state credit of 1.75 billion euros after struggling to obtain loans from private banks as credit markets tightened up.
It is not expected to obtain the loan from the German state-owned KfW bank however.

-plushasia.com-

H-Car

2009-06-18T08:01:00.003+07:00

Hydrogen car to be 'open source'

The manufacturer of a hydrogen car unveiled in London on Tuesday will make its designs available online so the cars can be built and improved locally.

The Riversimple car can go 80km/hr (50mph) and travels 322km (200mi) per re-fuelling, with an efficiency equivalent to 300 miles to the gallon.

The cars will be leased with fuel and repair costs included, at an estimated £200 ($315) per month.

The company hopes to have the vehicles in production by 2013.
Next year, it aims to release 10 prototypes in a UK city which has yet to be confirmed.

Riversimple has partnered with gas supply company BOC to install hydrogen stations for the cars in the city where the prototypes are launched.

'Open source' model
The car itself is an amalgam of high-efficiency approaches in automotive design.
Its four motors are powered by a fuel cell rated at just six kilowatts, in contrast to current designs that are all in excess of 85 kilowatts - required because the acceleration from a standing start requires a great deal of power.

Riversimple's solution is to power the car also from so-called "ultracapacitors", which store large amounts of electric charge and, crucially, can release that charge nearly instantly to provide the power needed to accelerate from rest.

The ultracapacitors are charged as the vehicle brakes to a halt, converting the energy of the moving car into stored energy.

Without a combustion engine, gearbox, or transmission, and with a shell made of carbon fibre composites, it weighs 350kg.

The company claims that it is closer to market than any of its start-up competitors, but what sets them apart is an unusual business model.

"Riversimple has effectively rethought the whole of what in the business school world we call the 'value chain' of the auto industry," said John Constable, chair of the Riversimple project.

The company asserts that in the leasing model, the vested interest for the manufacturer is in producing long-lasting, fuel-efficient, high-quality products, since it bears the cost of both hydrogen and repairs.

Its partnership with BOC is designed to resolve the chicken-and-egg question of who would build the infrastructure required to refuel hydrogen cars when there are none on the road. Meanwhile, would-be hydrogen car buyers are concerned about the dearth of re-fuelling stations.

"You can incrementally put in a template package of one re-fuellling point and 50 cars in different cities, and each city one by one can build an urban hydrogen infrastructure, and that incrementally builds a nationwide infrastructure," said Hugo Spowers, the former race car designer who conceived the Riversimple idea in 1999.

The company will distribute the engineering designs to the 40 Fires foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that will make the designs "open source".
The idea, they say, is to allow local manufacturing in small plants. This stands in contrast to the "economies of scale" that drive current plants to huge sizes and workforces.

In addition, designs can be adjusted for local markets, using locally sourced parts or materials.

The agreement will be such that if the designs are improved by a local manufacturer, those improvements will be sent back, so that what the company refers to as its "network of manufacturers" can contribute to the overall development of the product line.

By Jason Palmer
Science and technology reporter, BBC News

Notebooks

2009-06-14T22:45:00.002+07:00

Goodbye desktops, hello notebooks

By Adli Yashir,
a correspondent/ Internet coordinator with Berita Harian

THE last time I bought a desktop PC was way before my teenage daughter was born. Since then, notebooks have been my preferred choice simply because they allow me to bring my work home and give me the flexibility to work away from the office.
It seems I am not the only one.

According to research firm iSuppli.com, notebooks have become increasingly popular.
Notebook shipments exceeded desktop shipments for the first time in the third quarter of last year - some 38.6 million notebooks were shipped compared to 38.5 million desktops.

Recently, I was tasked to develop new media content for my newspaper.
So apart from writing stories, I would also be in charge of creating videos, flash animation and graphics content.

This new assignment called for new equipment.

Desktops are out of the question as I needed a PC that allows me to work at home, at the office and when I travel.

My five-year-old Dell business laptop barely had the computing muscle to edit photos, let alone videos.

Calls to several contacts in the industry provided me with this option - a desktop replacement notebook.

These rigs are portable computing machines that come close, in features and capabilities, to that of a full-sized desktop computer.

They are usually larger than standard notebooks, have more components and a wide range of ports and slots.

Naturally, these big boys do not come cheap.

The Toshiba Qosmio, for example, can set you back $4,199.

At the top of my checklist is to look for a notebook with a powerful processor, one that allows me to work with Adobe Photoshop or Premiere with e-mail and Microsoft Word running in the background.

Toshiba's Qosmio G50-AV871 is one potential candidate.
It has an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz processor.
You can bump the memory up to 9GB RAM.
The 17-inch Macbook Pro is also a worthy option.

The top-end machine sports a 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with up to 8GB RAM.
Plus you get the cool iLife09 software bundle that lets you edit movies and videos.
Working with graphics and video content always require a bigger screen - it is better to see colour and video elements clearly.

I would put my money on a notebook with at least a 16-inch screen, which comes with a true 16.9 aspect ratio - great for viewing widescreen movies or editing high-definition videos.

A good desktop replacement notebook should also come with an equally powerful graphics card.

I would go for a machine that comes with a dedicated graphics card.

One example would be the Asus W90Vn.

This baby is rigged with an Nvidia GeForce 9800M GS with 1,024MB dedicated VRAM up to 2,047MB TurboCache.

What is equally important when working with video or graphics content is the amount of storage space.

When you deal with graphics and videos, it is always safe to have lots of hard disk space.

Here is why: A six-minute video captured using MOV format takes up 1.3GB of space.
My video documentary project about the Amanpulo Resort in the Philippines took up 13GB of hard disk space.

To wrap it all up, I would also look at the following good-to-have features in a desktop replacement notebook.

It is good to have lots of ports and slots - especially USBs - so that I can connect an external memory drive, a FireWire to capture videos and a high definition multimedia interface to transfer high-definition images to a larger screen.

A Blu-Ray DVD Combo drive should also come in handy.
I could watch high-definition movies on my days off.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.
-asiaone-

Taiwan's Asustek,

2009-06-05T22:16:00.001+07:00

Acer unveil new laptop PCs

Tue, Jun 02, 2009
AFP

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - The world's two leading makers of mini laptops Tuesday introduced their latest computers at the opening of Asia's leading information technology trade fair.

Asustek Computer added the latest netbook products to its slim 'Eee PC' family, which has boosted the company's global market share since 2007.

Acer, Asustek's rival, unveiled its first Aspire One netbook featuring the Android operating system. The company said it will provide users with faster connection to the Internet, further enhancing efficiency on-the-go.

Equipped with a 10-inch (25 cm) display, Asustek's Eee PC Seashell 1008HA touts a 18 mm profile and weighs only 1.1 kilogrammes (2.42 pounds), making it easy to carry. It is installed with a battery that lasts up to six hours.

"Getting thinner is the trend as users pursue mobile Internet," an Asustek official said. It will sell for around 430 US dollars.

The company also launched its U series, with one of the world's first notebooks powered by Intel's consumer ultra low voltage (CULV) processor, which allows its battery to operate for up to 12 hours.

The series will be priced a minimum of 30,800 Taiwan dollars ($1370).

With a market share of 4.2 percent, Asustek was eighth in the world PC vendor rankings, according to the Taiwan-based think tank Topology Research Institute. It moved up two notches last year with a share of 5.30 percent.

Acer's Android is a free, open source, and fully customisable mobile platform. Acer said Aspire One netbooks with Android will hit the market in the third quarter this year, declining to specify prices.

ASIAONE

Taiwan's Computex

2009-06-05T22:08:00.002+07:00

Touchscreen PCs more hype than reality?

A model poses with a Microsoft Multi-Touch-enabled computer installed with Windows 7 during the 2009 Computex exhibition in Taipei on Tuesday.

By Kelvin Soh

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Touchscreen technology is sweeping the consumer electronics market as technology brands hope to come up with the next iPhone, but these new toys could be little more than plenty of hype especially in the PC market.

Major phone and PC makers such as Nokia, Research in Motion Hewlett-Packard and Asustek have launched touchscreen-enabled products, aiming to ride the trend of what they expect to be the next big thing.

Microsoft's impending launch of its next-generation Windows 7 operating system is expected to give the budding technology a further boost, bringing a software that supports such capabilities into millions of home and office PCs.

But most consumers may not find touchscreen PCs very different from their usual laptop or desktop PCs, and the technology is unlikely to spread beyond mobile phones.
"I don't think it's going to be the next big thing by any means, but just more and more brands are going into it," said IDC analyst Jay Chou.

"The software's still in an embryonic stage, and until that changes, hopefully with Windows 7, it's still going to be a while more before we see things taking off."
Touchscreens, once only commonly found in supermarket checkout counters and airports and banks, jumped to the forefront of consumer technology thanks to Apple's popular iPhone, inspiring a whole list of knock-offs in the process.

PC brands' previous forays into touchscreens have fizzled, with products such as the tablet PC not living up to its initial hype when they were first launched more than a decade ago, with its popularity has dwindling.

The old-fashioned keyboard and mouse could still be the best way to use a PC, with user interaction habits notoriously hard to change, especially if there is a dearth of software support.

"I think it sounds like a lot of hype," said Gartner analyst Tracy Tsai. "It seems impractical to me for a person to use touchscreens on a computer, and when you're using a device so big, it really adds little value to the overall experience."

Touchscreen PCs have been around for a while now, but high costs and limited functionality have kept them to niche devices. These type of PCs make up less than 1 percent of all computers sold worldwide. While most analysts expect this figure to climb, few see it growing as quickly as some computer brands expect.

"The biggest question to me is how much value does a touchscreen add to your computer? Probably not very much, and if that's the case, why would I want to pay more money for such a computer," said iSuppli analyst Peter Lin.

Investors have been pumping money into companies that make touchscreens, with shares of component makers such as Wintek quadrupling this year while recently-listed Young Fast has more than doubled.

Research firm DRAMeXchange expects revenue at these companies that manufacture touchscreens to grow nearly 17 per cent annually to about T$49.79 billion (US$1.5 billion) in three years, betting that more PCs and other tech gadgets will be equipped with touchscreens.

IT'S ALL ABOUT COSTS
High cost associated with touchscreens could set back the technology a few more years until prices come down, with the cost of manufacturing a panel and its required chips jumping manifold on a PC when compared to a smaller smartphone.
Specialist manufacturer Wintek estimates it costs about US$10 to make a 3-inch touchscreen frequently used in smartphones, but said costs can increase exponentially when the size increases.

"It really depends on the specifics of what the client wants, but prices can change and will of course be different when there are specific requirements that a client wants," said James Chen, a Wintek spokesman.

Touchscreen chip designer Elan Microelectronics, which counts Dell and HTC among its clients, estimates that adding a touchscreen to a desktop computer would increase its price by more than 10 percent.

"We've got to wait for the cost to come down a little before the kind of growth we're seeing right now in mobile phones can spread to computers," Elan's Chairman I.H. Yeh told Reuters at during the PC trade show Computex.

"Right now, I think it's still an issue whether or not consumers are willing to fork out an extra 10 percent for a touchscreen on their computers."

And not all consumers are buying into the hype surrounding touchscreens, especially as the current lean times force many of them to pull back on their discretionary spending and focus on what they really need.

"It's more expensive, and the money can be put to better use somewhere else," said 44-year-old John Lai, as he looked at the rows of computers on display at a computer shop.

(Editing by Anshuman Daga)
ASIAONE

Digital Rangefinder

2009-05-23T09:54:00.002+07:00

Leica M8.2 Digital Rangefinder

Even for most people who grew up using film cameras, the term 'rangefinder' would probably still not ring a bell.

The camera preferred by photojournalists, rangefinders were seen as the best cameras during the 1930s to the 1970s, before the invention of the current photography darling - the SLR.

Photography hobbyists still using rangefinders today will probably tell you that their camera of choice is an expensive affair, and new cameras typically cost at least the price of a professional DSLR.

The Leica M8.2 is one of two digital rangefinders available in the market today, and we took it on a travel review of Japan to see how this camera, said to be the holy grail of cameras, performed.

My first impression of the M8.2 is that the design really lives up to the legacy that is the Leica brand. Staying true to the traditional rangefinder design, the M8.2 still sports the classic 'Leica look'. Sitting side by side with my Leica IIIa from 1936, you can tell the cameras are relatives, albeit made a millennia apart.

With a very neat, sleek finish, the M8.2 would have looked perfect if not for the glossy leatherette texture that makes up the camera's body. While using real leatherette is probably a thing of the past, the glossy texture of the body seems to give the M8.2 a slightly plasticky feeling that didn't go well with the chrome finish on the rest of the camera.

The traditional swing-lock and plate base of the Leica rangefinders is one more element of design that remained unchanged in the M8.2. While those using the older models will have to remove the plate base to access the film, the SD card slot and battery is what users have to disembowel the M8.2 to access.

One might find this aspect of design slightly nostalgic, but I've learned that it can be a pain after a while, especially if you are in a rush or need to change an SD card quickly while on the move or in the most unlikely of places - such as dangling off an abandoned railroad bridge.

While the M8.2 might look as bulky as your regular DSLR on a tech specs sheet, the camera is actually much more compact than it looks. Summarit-M 50mm/f2.5 lens is half the size of a regular DSLR's and the M8.2's body is only slightly larger than a prosumer compact digital camera, meaning that it is very easy to carry around.

Rangefinder users prefer their cameras largely for the fully manual settings that they can use in opposition to the full-auto cameras of today. If you're an experienced hand at taking good snaps on manual settings then the M8.2 has a lot to offer and explore.

The M8.2 has five different ISO settings - 160/320/640/1250/2500, which are a strange choice compared to the standard rounded off numbers 100/200/400/800/1600 etc. The low to mid-ISO settings look very good, but I thought pictures looks less appealing on the higher settings of 1250 and 2500 as compared to other professional cameras.

White balance settings on the camera come with six presents, manual, custom temp and an auto-mode. They are adequate, but not particularly outstanding. Also, the simple aperture priority mode is not as fancy as what you would find in some of the newer DSLRs, but it does have its charm when you get the hang of it.

As a digital camera, the M8.2's user interface is simple and easy to use. I found the location of the buttons not exactly in optimal position, but it doesn't really seem that much of a problem once you have familiarized yourself with them.

The Verdict
For those new to photography the Leica M8.2 might intimidate, which is why I would recommend this to those who have at least some experience using a camera with manual settings.
The M8.2 is an ideal camera for existing rangefinder users interested to take the digital leap. While this is a very expensive investment to make, the M8.2 is a camera you can rely on to take stunning pictures once you understand how it works.

by Jasmine Osada Mariko, Plush|05 May 2009
Asiaone

Blue Diamond

2009-05-22T15:27:00.001+07:00

HK tycoon names blue diamond "Star of Josephine"

by Reuters|22 May 2009

Geneva - A Hong Kong property tycoon and collector who bought a flawless blue diamond for a record $9.5 million, has named it the "Star of Josephine," auction house Sotheby's said on Wednesday.

Joseph Lau Luen-Hung made the winning bid last week by telephone for the diamond, which fetched the highest price per carat for any gemstone at the auction and a world record price for a fancy vivid blue diamond at auction.

"Mr. Lau has already exercised his right to name the diamond, which is now known as 'Star of Josephine'," it said.

The rectangular-shaped blue stone weighs 7.03 carats, about the size of a small coin, and was the rarest to enter the international market this year.

David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby's jewelry department in Europe and the Middle East, told reporters after conducting the May 12 sale in Geneva: "I hope it will be worn, it is such a beautiful stone."

Lau is chairman of Chinese Estates, a major Hong Kong property developer.

Source: Asiaone

Ferrari Record

2009-05-22T15:18:00.002+07:00

Vintage Ferrari sets auction record

by Reuters|22 May 2009

Milan - A 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa has set a new world record for the most expensive car ever sold at auction, costing the buyer 9.02 million euros (S$17.8million), according to RM Auctions, which organized the event.

The price, which includes a 10 percent buyer's premium on top of the "hammer price," is nearly 2 million euros more than the previous record set at a similar auction at Ferrari's headquarters a year ago, it said in a statement.

"The historical significance of this car attracted a bidding war as collectors from around the world -- both in the room and on the telephone -- competed to secure one of the most alluring ... Ferrari racing cars," RM Europe Managing Director Max Girardo said in the statement.

RM declined to identify the buyer or the seller.

The auction took place on Sunday at Ferrari's factory and test circuit at Maranello, a small town near Modena in the north of Italy. Between 1957 and 1958, only 22 examples of the open-topped "pontoon fender" model were made, according to the statement.

Examples of the open-topped two-seater model entered 19 international championship races from 1958 to 1961, claiming 10 victories, it said.

The example sold on Sunday has a black body and a red nose. Inside, the leather seats are red.

Ferrari is part of Italy's Fiat industrial group, best known for small, economical cars.

Source: Asiaone

Luxury Hotels at Dubai

2009-05-22T15:10:00.002+07:00

More luxury hotels to wow in Dubai

by Reuters|22 May 2009

Dubai - U.S.-casino operator MGM Mirage will manage three luxury hotels at the Dubai Pearl, a $4 billion project close to man-made island Palm Jumeirah, including the Bellagio, MGM Grand, and Skylofts hotels.

The three hotels are valued at $1 billion, Santosh Joseph, chief executive of Dubai-based developer Pearl Dubai told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Construction has begun on four out of six hotels planned for the Dubai Pearl, he said.

MGM Mirage is planning to move into the hotel industry throughout the Middle East and Asia and has already signed eight hotel management deals with developers, a company executive told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

The company told the paper it was in talks with 10 more developers about opening luxury hotels, mostly without casinos, under the banners of its Las Vegas properties. By 2014, the No 2 casino operator expects to generate revenue of about $100 million a year from its hotel operations.

Global hoteliers have been pinning their hopes on the east's underserved leisure markets to offset falling revenue as holidaymakers and business travellers cut back to save money in the global economic downturn.

The Dubai Pearl development will also feature a Baccarat Hotel and Residences that will be branded by the French crystal company Baccarat and managed by U.S.-based Starwood Capital Group.

The remaining two properties will be managed by international luxury brands from the U.S. and Italy and will be announced before the end of the year, said Joseph.

Pearl Dubai is a "well capitalised company" and will fund the development through "capital debt and pre-sales", he said.

The first phase of the project is scheduled for completion by 2012, and the second in 2013.

In Dubai, one of seven emirates making up the United Arab Emirates, the tourism industry slowed in the first quarter with hotel revenues dropping 15 percent.
But Joseph said Pearl Dubai is not worried about market conditions.

"We are building for the future. It will take some time but we are sure the Dubai market will recover," he said.

Source: Asiaone

Sweet Laptops

2009-05-19T23:21:00.010+07:00

Sweet 16: the new must-have laptops

By Oo Gin Lee
(asiaone)

SIXTEEN inches is the new sweet spot for consumers looking for a larger-sized multimedia laptop that will not yank out their limbs when they lug their machines around.

You can get the same high-definition crisp images (1,920 x 1,080) on today's multimedia laptops as on the full HD TV in the living room.

Most of them come with Blu-ray drive and powerful speakers, often with a built-in mini-subwoofer as well, to pump up the volume while you enjoy your high-definition movies.

The Blu-ray drive also typically doubles up as a DVD writer so you can store your home videos and photos and burn them onto discs to share with friends and family.
In some machines, there are decent graphics cards which turn these sleek laptops into gaming centres.

All of them have dedicated multimedia buttons, which are soft touch-sensitive keys and, sometimes, back-lit as well to add a touch of style.

The evolution of laptops to the 16-inch models is a chain reaction to netbooks encroaching into the laptop space.

It used to be that netbooks, when they were first out at the end of 2007, were just 7-inch models. However, consumers did not like the too-small screens, yet wanted their machines to be lightweight.

So, laptop makers brought out 8.9-inch, then 10-inch and 12-inch models in the space of a year.

To differentiate the pricier mainstream laptops from the sub-$500 to $1,000 netbooks, manufacturers started to bump up the screen sizes - from 12-inch to 13.3-inch models for the ultra-portables, and from 17-inch to 18.4-inch versions for the desktop replacements.

For the multimedia laptops, the upsizing went from 14 and 15 inches to 16 inches from the end of the last year.

Digital Life takes a look at six such models.

1. Gateway ID-5805G
Coming in at under $2,000, this is the most affordable of all the laptops tested and it comes with some pretty decent features, including a huge hard disk drive, plenty of RAM, fast processor and a discrete graphics card.

One cool thing is the manual slider that covers the webcam lens when you want privacy.

Compared to the competition, there are a few missing parts like the lack of a Blu-ray drive, no Firewire port and no Express Card slot.

The lid design is again the typical glossy piano black and fingerprint-smudging type.
However, the body is matt inside.

There is a generous-sized keyboard and a huge sound bar at the top, which slopes upwards.

Audio can go loud but lacks clarity and the bass is muted.

The graphics card scored 2,255 in 3DMark06, which is low where gaming is concerned.
There are some touch-sensitive keys under the sound bar but unlike most of the other laptops, the keys lacks sophistication in its looks.

Verdict: The cheapest of the lot, it has the basic features but lacks a Blu-ray drive.

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo P8700 processor (2.53 GHz), 1336 x 768 15.6-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard disk drive, 512MB Nvidia GeForce G105M graphics, DVD writer, 3kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, eSATA, 3x USB, LAN, headphone port, mic port

Price: $1,988

2. Sony Vaio FW37

The best thing I liked about this Sony offering is its screen.

It is big at 16.4-inch, has high resolution but most important of all, it has the right level of reflectiveness for bright images and yet is not glaring.

Design is top-notch with a metallic greycoating on the lid that gleams like the paint of a new car.

Inside, the body and bezel around the screen are decked out in a sturdy silver finish with robust hinges.

Lots of nice curves accentuate the stylish design of the machine with contrasting black keys on the "floating" keyboard.

The power button is built neatly into the right hinge while the power port is on the left hinge.

Instead of going with the softer look of the other laptops here, Sony has stuck to a tough stance: There are no soft touch-sensitive keys but hard ones that go clickety-clack.

Sound quality is super: The crystal clear audio is great when you are listening to the sound of glass shattering in an gunfight scene in the 24 TV series.

Specs-wise, there is nothing to write home about.

The use of the less efficient T processor (instead of the newer P processors) and a run-of-the-mill graphics card, which only hit 3,848 on the 3DMark06 scale, make the stiff price hard to justify.

Verdict: Fabulous screen, good audio, beautiful tough-looking design but priced at a premium.

Specs: Windows Vista Ultimate, Intel Core2Duo T9550 processor (2.66 GHz), 1920 x 1080 16.4-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard disk, 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon 3650 graphics, Blu-ray reader/DVD writer, 3.2kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, memory stick reader, Express Card slot, Firewire, 3x USB, LAN, headphone port, mic port

Price not available yet, expected to be over $4,000

3. Lenovo Ideapad Y65

The Y650 is a refreshing change from the typical all-black look of most multimedia laptops.

While the lid is brownish-black, the keyboard and palm rest are ceramic white.
Both the edges of the lid and the body are finished with a metallic orange tinge that contrasts sharply between the black and the white.

What I really liked about this laptop is that Lenovo has taken away the keypad and squeezed the keyboard together.

So instead of the typical space-hogging soundbar above the keyboard, there are two small but powerful JBL speaker squares on the sides of the keyboard.

The result: More than half of the body space is freed up.

Although there is a gigantic trackpad smack in the middle of it, there is still enough space for both my palms to rest.

The trackpad is excellent and by far, the most responsive of all the trackpads here.
Ideapad is also the lightest of the lot and the thinnest too.

The battery is built into the laptop, which saves space but it is not swoppable.
So you cannot have a stand-by ready.

In terms of clean and smart design, this machine wins hands down.

The screen has a resolution of only 1,336 x 768, but I did not find it as reflective as the others, giving it a good balance of brightness in the dark and just enough glare under ambient lighting.

Unfortunately, it does not come with a Blu-ray drive which, to me, is an absolute necessity for a multimedia machine.

The graphics card is also rather weak for games, registering only 2463 on the 3DMark06 scale.

Verdict: The slimmest and cleanest cut of them all, but pity about the missing Blu-ray drive.

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo P8700 processor (2.53 GHz), 1336 x 768 16-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard disk drive, 256MB GeForce GT105M graphics, DVD writer, 2.55kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, Express Card slot, eSATA, 2x USB, LAN, headphone port, mic port

Price: $2,299

4. Dell Studio XPS 16

The Studio XPS 16 is one of the best designs that traditionally staid Dell has come up with.

The overall glossy piano black finish across the lid, body and bezel is broken with attractive dashes of aluminium accents on the sides and the hinges.

The black leather strip near the hinge gives it not only a handsome look but also allows for a firm grip.

The screen delivers sharp, crisp pictures but it is also a tad reflective.

As with all Dell machines, you can make plenty of tweaks but I would strongly recommend going for a machine with higher specs: Consider one with a Blu-ray drive and a full HD 1,920 x 1,080 screen.

Twin candy-bar sized stereo speakers are found to the sides of the keyboard, which belts out decent tunes with deep bass.

A minimalistic look goes with the soft, tactile, well-spaced and back-lit keys on the keyboard.

Above the keyboard sits a bar of touch-sensitive multimedia keys.

The Blu-ray/DVD writer combo drive is a slot load one.

Though it looks good, I do not like it for the dust bunnies that it will gather after some time.

Verdict: Slightly pricier than the rest but has a clean minimalistic look and great features.

From $1,999, price of unit selected: $2,799

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo T9550 processor (2.66 GHz), 1920 x 1080 16-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard disk drive, 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3670 graphics, Blu-ray reader/DVD writer, 2.95kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, Display Port, VGA, SD-size card reader, Express Card slot, eSATA, 2x USB, Firewire, LAN, two headphone ports, mic port

From $1,999, price of unit selected: $2,799

5. Acer Aspire 5935G

Launched this month, the 5935G is a refresh of the older 5930, with pretty good features at an attractive price.

Compared to the HP HDX-16, this Acer number has a faster processor, larger hard disk drive, more RAM and a better graphics card, which scored 5517 on 3DMark06 - the highest among all the laptops tested here.

At this score, all games should run smoothly although you may have to set to the lower graphics settings for resource-hungry titles like Far Cry 2 and Crysis.

This machine does not have the digital TV tuner and its screen resolution is only 1,336 x 768 - expect HD-Ready rather than full HD quality.

That said, you will see little difference in quality on a screen of this size.
For instance, the BBC's Planet Earth looked just as good on this screen as it does on the full HD HP and Sony machines.

In finish, while the piano black lid looks sharp, the gloss also shows up fingerprint smudges too easily.

Under the lid, the raised "floating" keyboard keys gives a good tactile feel and works quietly.

A huge sound bar at the top of the keyboard booms out loud audio with good bass.
At maximum volume, though, audio was a little muffled.

What is really nice is the back-lit, touch-sensitive media keys with a huge volume knob, which looks really neat.

There is also a dedicated touch-key below the screen, which lets you turn the screen on and off instantly without shutting down or going into stand-by mode.

Verdict: Good specs and a Blu-ray drive translate into the best value for money among the laptops here.

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo P8700 processor (2.53 GHz), 1336 x 768 15.6-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard disk drive, 1GB GeForce GT130M graphics, Blu-ray reader/DVD writer, fingerprint reader, 3kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, Express Card slot, eSATA, Firewire, 3x USB, LAN, headphone port, mic port, SPDIF port

Price: $2,298

6. HP HDX 16

It may cost a little more but the HDX 16 has all the bells and whistles you need in a multimedia laptop.

These include an ultra-sharp full HD 1080p display, Blu-ray and a decent graphics card for games, which hit 4,103 on the 3DMark06 benchmark.

This unit also qualifies for HP's premium round-the-clock Total Care service.
It also comes with a digital DVB-T TV tuner, which means you simply plug-in the supplied digital antenna and get digital channels like TV Mobile broadcast over-the-air.

There are two remote control units, with the smaller one designed to fit snugly into the Express Card slot.

Its design, what HP calls the Fluid imprint, has dashes of silvery thread-like designs running across the greyish-black lid.

The Altec-Lansing sound bar runs across the space on top of the keyboard and, combined with a mini-subwoofer embedded at the bottom of the laptop, produces clean audio with a punchy bass.

The maximum volume could have been a little louder though.

There are two headphone ports, so you and your beau can share your favourite song together.

The screen displays sharp and beautiful images in the dark although I felt it was a tad too reflective under room lighting.

Just below the sound bar is a row of back-lit, touch-sensitive media buttons including volume, treble and bass control and the MediaSmart launch button, which launches the multimedia functions - movies, music, photos, TV and files.

The keyboard has a soft tactile feel and includes the number keypad.

Verdict: If you are the type who wants everything in your laptop plus a full HD screen, this is the one for you.

Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium, Intel Core2Duo P8400 processor (2.26 GHz), 1920 x 1080 16-inch screen, 3GB RAM, 320GB hard disk, 512MB GeForce 9600M GT graphics, Blu-ray reader/DVD writer, fingerprint reader, 3.2 kg

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel webcam, built-in mic, HDMI, VGA, SD-size card reader, Express Card slot, eSATA, Firewire, 3x USB, LAN, TV tuner, two headphone ports, one mic port

Price: $2,699

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

Great Barrier Reef Tour

2009-05-19T22:53:00.008+07:00

Sensual seclusion on the Great Barrier Reef

Aerial of Resort and Island, Hayman

HALCYON waters, pristine white sand, balmy sea breeze and nobody in close sight.
Add a trail of footprints ' yours and your partner's, that is.

Strolling down a vast expanse of beach in ultimate seclusion can be consummated reality rather than wishing thinking on the islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

After all, the world's greatest coral reef spans a whopping 348,700 square kilometres in area, with over 600 islands, 25 of which have resorts on them.

Though all are located along the same stretch of the Queensland coastline, each island offers trippers a varied experience - Magnetic Island, for example, is often recommended by the budget conscious, and for family fun many quote Daydream Island for its comprehensive kids' programme.

For those seeking romantic exclusivity, however, Hayman Island and Hamilton Island more than fit the bill.

Part of a group of 74 islands collectively known as the Whitsundays, both not only offer azure waters, spectacular beaches, and diverse flora and fauna, but plentiful opportunities to find seclusion and scenery in these settings - through self-hikes, picnics, or private dining options.

The entire Great Barrier Reef boasts a 25 to 30 degrees Celsius all-year-round climate, giving you flexibility to plan your trip throughout the year.

Visit according to your "season" of love - for a honeymoon, wedding anniversary, or just to get away from the drudgery of urban life.

Hamilton Island
As the interview location for the "Best Job in the World" contest, and the future home of six months for the chosen candidate, Hamilton Island has been receiving considerable attention of late. The place's nestled location amongst the idyllic Whitsunday Islands, its famed Whitehaven Beach, and tropical weather likened to the Mauritius makes it an obvious showcase for Tourism Queensland in their campaign.

Hamilton Island, Queensland

But you shouldn't have to worry about thousands flocking to Hamilton Island - there is plenty of island for everyone to enjoy their private getaway.

Some 70 per cent of the place is designated as a National Park, which is easily traversed on walking trails that lead to peaks and lookouts, remote beaches, and natural bushland.

Trails open daily from 6.30am to 5.30pm, so pack a picnic, grab a map and set out with your other half to find a place to call your own, for a few hours.

Resorts can pack you a picnic with a 24-hour notice, and an ample selection of takeaway outlets specialising in gourmet sandwiches, fish and chips, and pastries offers cost-friendly alternatives.

Hamilton is the closest resort island to the renowned Whitehaven beach, which features six kilometres of pristine silica sand and aqua blue waters - one of BBC's "places to see before you die".

Whitehaven is easily accessible via cruise or yacht, and an incomparable backdrop for some stunning photographs.

For couples who want to experience romance out at sea, a sunset kayak trip to the Whitsunday Islands - with a one-hour leisurely paddle and bottle of champagne - is a perfect way to close the day.

Hamilton Island, Queensland

Sightings of turtles, dolpins, and other colourful marine creatures are not uncommon during these kayak outings.

Wish to spend the night on the reef itself? Fantasea's Reefworld - just a stone's throw away from Hamilton Island - offers a "Room for two" on its specially designed infrastructure situated out at sea.

When night falls, stargaze in absolute tranquillity on the top or marvel at the vibrant marine life in the viewing gallery below.

It's just you, your other half, and a million other reef fishes and creatures.

Getting there:

Daily direct flights to Hamilton Island are available from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns.

Accommodation:
Hamilton Island offers a wide range of options, from 3-star island-style garden bungalows, 4-star hotel rooms, to luxurious 5-star waterfront rooms. A wide range of 3- to 5-star self-catering properties are also spread throughout the island.

Hayman Island

Luxury and nature blend in seamlessly at the Whitsundays Group most northerly island, amalgamating into an island getaway unlike any other.

A 212-room resort is located on the southerly shore, fronted by a sweeping sandy beach and surrounded by some 14 hectares of tropical gardens.

Villas, penthouses, suites, and appointed rooms are ingeniously designed to be integrated into the natural surroundings, through sandstone walkways that surreptitiously weave in and out of manicured gardens and shady ponds.

Just a stone's throw away from the resort is a rugged bushland which can be explored on foot, with rich rewards of seeing the island's colony of Proserpine Rock Wallabies, native Australian birds, and fascinating fauna.

Unlike luxury resorts where scenic views come at an added expense, nobody misses out in this aspect on Hayman Island. Every form of accommodation features private terraces or balconies that offer breathtaking views of pools, lagoons, beach, gardens or the stunning Coral Sea.

The resort takes a "nothing is built higher than four stories" approach to ensure your outlook is unspoilt.

The balcony or terrace is, inevitably, also the perfect tranquil setting for a sunset candlelit dinner, which the resort can easily set up.

Wine and dine in absolute privacy, with spectacular views matched only by the contemporary Australian cuisine conjured up by renowned executive chef Glenn Bacon and his team.

Pool and beach, Hayman

Hayman Island's all-year round warm weather - with just a light jacket or sweater required during the evenings of winter days - ensures that the outdoors is always there to bask in, after you leave the hideaway of your room.

For ultimate seclusion, guests can choose to reside in the resort's aptly-titled Retreat Wing, which is set back from the beach in tropical gardens, amongst magnificent native tree and plant varieties.

For those seeking to wake up to the sounds of the sea, the beach villas are built up-close to the pristine sands, and employ woven rattan and natural finishings for a complete islander back-to-nature experience.

Each villa comes with a plunge infinity pool, letting you enjoy the view of the sapphire blue sea without the saltiness of seawater.

Like Hamilton Island, Hayman is close by to the beauty of the Whitsundays and the activities surrounding it.

Fishing, diving, snorkeling, sea-kayaking and trips to Reefworld and the acclaimed Whitehaven beach can be easily arranged.

But with the seclusion and beauty offered at the resort, you'll be hard-pressed to find a good reason to leave.

Getting there:
Regular flights are available from most Australian capital cities to Hayman Island via the Great Barrier Reef Airport on Hamilton Island. Flights connect with Hayman's luxury launches, seaplanes or helicopters.

Photos courtesy of Tourism Queensland.

For more information visit www.australia.com.

-asiaone-

Japan Street View

2009-05-17T23:24:00.002+07:00

Google to reshoot Japan Street views

Fri, May 15, 2009
AFP

TOKYO, Japan - US Internet giant Google has decided to reshoot Street View photos in Japan following complaints from people who said public images of their homes violated their privacy.

The company's Japanese unit announced the decision Wednesday, saying it would take new photographs with the cameras set lower so the images accessible via net-based maps would not show photos looking into people's houses.

The company has also blurred vehicle license plates in the service.

Google said on its Japanese website that the company wished to provide the new service in a way that is socially acceptable in Japan.

Launched two years ago in the United States, Street View gives Google users a 360-degree view of streets. The service in Japan is now available to show images from major cities.

The move in Japan came after various municipalities and citizens groups accused the company of violating people's privacy by publishing the photos of private houses and community streets without owners' consent.

Japan is not unique in worrying about the Internet feature.

Earlier this week, Greece's data protection agency barred Google from taking any more images for its Street View feature until the company explains the service and its privacy safeguards.

An American court earlier this year rejected a privacy suit by a couple whose house was shown on Street View. --AFP

-asiaone-

Baby Giraffe at Night Safari

2009-05-16T20:57:00.004+07:00

Night Safari's leggy blonde finally goes on exhibition
15 May 2009

[top photo: Kayin suckling from her mother, Dobeni.]

Night Safari's baby giraffe, Kayin, whose name means "long-awaited one" in Swahili, is the first giraffe to have been born in six years. Her proud parents are first-time mother, Dobeni and fourth-time father, Pongola.

Kayin is a healthy baby and recently saw a growth spurt of 1.1 metres in 10 months. She now stands at 2.9m tall.

Despite having been born on 27 July last year, she has only just been exhibited due to extra precautions taken by keepers. Conditioning was undertaken before letting her graze in the mixed habitat that is shared with the zebras and scimitar-horned oryx.

Although the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) status of giraffes is at low risk, baby giraffes nonetheless face a myriad of threats to their lives.

"In the wild, young giraffes often fall prey to lions, leopards and wild dogs. It is estimated that only a small percentage of baby giraffes reach adulthood," said Mr Kumar Pillai, assistant director, zoology, Night Safari.

"Like our own offspring, we will continue to nurture the calf until it reaches adulthood and then find a suitable partner for her."

Night Safari boasts Over 1,000 animals from 115 species (of which almost 30 per cent are threatened) inhabiting its 40-hectares.

As part of conservation efforts, the park focuses on the captive breeding of threatened species. Over the years, it has bred Malayan tigers, Asian elephants, fishing cats, red dholes, anoas, markhors, bantengs and Malayan tapirs, among other endangered species.

Night Safari is part of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) and is a designated wildlife rescue centre by the governing authority.

-AsiaOne

Nokia XpressMusic

2009-05-14T00:35:00.001+07:00

Nokia Comes With Music service on
the 5800 XpressMusic handset

By Irene Tham

WITH four million tunes, the collection at Nokia's Comes With Music store is as good as - if not more exhaustive than - that of PlayNow Plus.

The 5800 XpressMusic touchscreen is easy to use, especially for users with long fingernails.

The handset acknowledges an input with haptic feedback.
Unlike the Sony Ericsson handset (see other story), this touchscreen phone does not come with the TrackID, or an equivalent, feature.

However, the quality of the music at the store more than makes up for it.
(You just have to buy another standard 3.5mm headphone as the supplied Nokia earphones do not do justice to the high quality music.)

Music file sizes are about 4MB to 5MB as they are in the WMA format with a higher 192kbps bit-rate - even for downloads on the phone.

Best of all, all the tracks downloaded are for keeps even after the one-year service expires.

The catch: The music is locked to one phone and one PC and you cannot transfer them to another device.

You also cannot renew the music subscription service; you have to buy another Nokia phone.

However, your music account can be transferred to another phone-PC pair but only one pair can play at any one time.

One thing I like about this service is the freedom to choose the 3G data service of any of the three telcos.

Separate 3G data charges apply.

With Sony Ericsson PlayNow Plus, I am limited to its exclusive partner telco, SingTel.

The biggest complaint I have with the Comes With Music service is the tardiness of the music downloads on the phone. A 5MB track, for instance, took about 11/2 minutes to download via 3G. Downloading on the PC is much faster. Also, it did not make sense to have to click on every track even when I am downloading an entire album and key in my username and password again when I visit the store after the phone has been switched off and on. Yet another snag: You have to click on the "Back" button a few times to return to the main menu to continue with music searches while music downloading is taking place.

Final say

Imagine keeping all four million songs for $798, excluding telco subsidies.

It is still worth your while even if you download only 5,000 tunes.

Based on online prices of $1 a song, that would have come up to $5,000.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

Source: Asiaone

Tour to Eat

2009-05-14T00:24:00.005+07:00

Tour to eat

By Cheryl Tan

When Mr Nelson Lee went on holiday in Hokkaido earlier this year, he packed more than just a digital camera to snap sights and a handycam to record activities. Just as importantly, he brought along a healthy appetite.

Unlike those who are enticed by the things to see and do on a vacation, the 26-year-old computer engineer was hooked by the mouth-watering line-up of speciality food such as Hokkaido crabs, sashimi and traditional Japanese steamboat. He paid more than $6,000 for himself and his girlfriend to go on CTC Holiday's nine-day tour to the northern-most Japanese island.

Various types of dishes from a Japanese kaiseki meal.

"The Japanese food and seafood in Hokkaido is so different from what we have here," says Mr Lee, who put on nearly 3kg after his trip in February.

Such food-centric holidays have been available for about five years, but tour agents say people have been signing up in droves in the last year.

ASA Holidays has seen a 70 per cent year-on-year increase in the demand for such 'merged itineraries', which include sightseeing and food tasting. Its spokesman Louisa Chin says Singaporeans "have a great passion for food" and are adventurous enough to "try new tastes".

The agency started to include food gourmet segments in its tours nearly three years ago. For example, its nine-day North Eastern China tour takes travellers to feast on locally flavoured and prepared ginseng chicken, roasted duck and seafood buffet.
Chan Brothers' slew of gourmet-themed holidays, including a one-day Peranakan food tour to Malacca and a six-day Taiwan Night Market Explorer tour, has seen a 30 per cent jump in sign-ups annually.

It also conducts tours to Kuala Lumpur and Chiang Mai for travellers to participate in cooking demonstrations.

Such Asian destinations in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Vietnam are popular as these countries' "cuisines are palatable for Singaporeans' taste buds", says Chan Brothers' spokesman Jane Chang.

CTC Holidays, which started offering food tours five years ago, adds Japan, South Korea and China to the list of Singaporeans' favourite eating hot spots.

Hot pot dish from South Korea.

Its first gourmet tours had local celebrities, such as comedian and food-lover Moses Lim, leading tour groups to Tohoku and Hokkaido in Japan to sample the local cuisines.

It now incorporates the food components into their normal tour packages, with the agency's local representatives making the recommendations.

Getting a taste of a destination's local cuisine does not come cheap. The food tasted on gourmet tours are usually in popular and more upmarket restaurants well-known for their quality local fare.

CTC representative Alicia Seah notes that those who sign up for food tours are usually "affluent and well-travelled Singaporeans above 40 years old", since "the difference in costs for meals on a gourmet tour could amount to more than double the price of a normal tour package".

She adds: "They are usually adventurous and like to try different types of food and delicacies which may not be available here. Younger travellers are more into free and easy travelling and sightseeing. They do not want to spend so much on food."
Given the current depressed economy, she predicts that the new food tours might "settle for reasonably priced cuisines instead of forking out a substantial sum of money for high-end quality food".

SA Tours, which has seen a 9 per cent annual increase in its gastronomic packages since it started offering them four years ago, has a different game plan.
Instead of omitting the more expensive food places at a destination, it has made "provisions to cut back on the number of days to lower the costs of such tours", says its spokesman Ruth Lim.

But recession or not, retiree Fong Mee Fah is determined to go on her annual holiday to enjoy the eats. The 59-year-old has paid more than $800 for a five-day Chan Brothers Guangdong gourmet tour next month.

Dim Sum from Guangdong, China.

Madam Fong, who has heard of the region's famed cuisine, hopes to try as many of the local dishes and snacks as possible.

She says: "My children have all grown up already, so I tour the world now. I live to eat."

tcheryl@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

Source: Asiaone

Smartphone

2009-05-10T23:27:00.006+07:00

The best email smartphone is...
By Alfred Siew

WHAT gives a mobile warrior the best way to get his personal e-mail on the road? That was what I set out to find out when I tried out the most popular e-mail offerings on today's smartphones.

I tested how well they worked out of the box by checking how easy it was to set up a common e-mail account, say, on Yahoo or Gmail, and how the software allowed users to scroll through a day's worth of e-mail messages.

I also noted how the e-mail software handled complex HTML messages and how easy it was to open an attachment - say, a PDF file or Word document.

What I did not test: the features on individual devices. This was because, with the exception of the iPhone, these e-mail experiences are available on a myriad of devices - say, with a Qwerty keyboard or touchscreen.

Here they are, in alphabetical order:

(Source: Asiaone)

Push email - BlackBerry

Device tested on: Blackberry Curve 8900
Still seen as the king of the hill when it comes to e-mail, BlackBerry is one tough nut to crack.

The e-mail set-up is easy as can be, usually requiring just your e-mail address and password to get started. Once your account is up, you simply wait for messages to be automatically pushed to you when they hit your inbox.

The concept of a push-mail system, made famous by Research in Motion, the company behind BlackBerry, works in the background and never misses a message during my tests.

Its handling of e-mail messages is top-notch. Complex HTML messages with difficult graphics and tables in them are not a problem - they are just reformatted so as to make very readable.

Naturally, regular text-based e-mail does not present a challenge. The messages are displayed clearly, with all the indents and other formatting kept intact for a quick glance.

The powerful features are all there with a single press of a button. You can search for messages according to sender or subject, mark a message as unopened or even forward an e-mail message as an SMS or MMS message.

The only downside - and it is a big one for consumers - is that they have to subscribe to a special BlackBerry plan to get their mail. This costs more than $60 a month from StarHub, for example, for an unlimited usage plan. In contrast, subscribers of its regular data plans, who can pick any of the other devices and e-mail services here, pay a maximum of only $36 a month.

Push email - Apple iPhone

Device tested on: Apple iPhone

Not the best gizmo around if you ask e-mail junkies who check their inbox every second. Still, the iPhone's e-mail software hooks up to Yahoo and Gmail easily.

The two-line screen - more than the usual one-liner or just a few words - gives a clue of what the message is about.

With both regular text messages as well as rich HTML messages, the original formatting - down to the text colour and indents - are well kept. Opening a Word or PDF document is also a one-touch affair, giving you access to attachments quickly.
However, the iPhone lacks some features for power users. To delete a message without opening it - say, if you have several spam messages, you have to click on the 'edit' button and select them for deletion. Edit button? Not exactly the most intuitive interface, if you ask me.

You can view up to 200 messages at one go on the iPhone but, if you have lots of e-mail messages, the iPhone can come up a little short.

For example, you cannot do a quick search, like with Windows Mobile, or mark a message as read, like with a Nokia phone.

On the bright side, I got my Yahoo messages pushed directly to me when I set the iPhone to fetch data updates automatically. Gmail, for now, seems to be only on 'pull' mode, which means I can get the messages at periodic intervals (the shortest is 15 minutes).

How much you pay for e-mail on the go depends on your data plan with the telco and how often you download messages on the move.

Push email - Nokia

Device tested on: Nokia E75

The world's biggest cellphone maker is on a grab-market-share warpath after it launched its push mail service along with its newest phones.

The E75 is one of these devices to offer a recently souped up e-mail interface, which promises some handy features. For one, a contextual menu - accessible via a button on the phone - lets you quickly reply, delete or even move the message. That is nifty and powerful at once.

Set-up is also easy - as easy as on a BlackBerry. I set up my Gmail and Yahoo accounts within minutes.

I would rate the Nokia experience just a short way behind the BlackBerry. The only reason is that it does not do HTML messages as nicely as the king of e-mail now.

Typically, such messages are reformatted for the small screen. Even when you choose to view them in full HTML mode, it is a hassle scrolling up/down or left/right of the message.

The good news is that regular text messages are well-formatted and easily readable. Opening PDFs and other attachments is usually a one-click affair.

What Nokia lacks, it makes up for in its coverage of popular e-mail services and price. There is none of the costs involved with BlackBerry plans.

Instead, expect bundles like the $5-a-month offering from SingTel, unveiled when the telco launched Nokia's E63 messaging phone early last month. On other phones, you will have to pay regular mobile data charges, but even these should be cheaper than a comparable BlackBerry plan.

For its advantages and ease of use, yet at a cost lower than the BlackBerry, Nokia would be my system of choice.

Push email - Windows Mobile

Device tested on: HTC Touch Diamond

The latest Windows Mobile phones come with easy-to-set-up e-mail accounts, which require only an e-mail address and password to get things up and running. So it was on my HTC Touch Diamond, which took just minutes to start connecting to my Gmail and Yahoo accounts.

There is push-mail support for Hotmail but not for popular third-party services like Yahoo or Gmail. For these, you can set the phone to pull the messages every five minutes, which gives you near instant e-mail alerts.

The list of messages come on quickly once I start to send/receive mail. Do note though that, with Gmail, you do not automatically synchronise any folder other than Inbox - understandably to save on data costs. However, you can set this up through the options menu, say, if you need to get a message from your Gmail Sent folder.
HTML messages look reasonably well-formatted and images keep to their original positions.

There is room for improvement. On phones with small screens like the Touch Diamond, a preview of the message can be just four- or five-words short.
Unlike on the Nokia, the preview does not scroll sideways like a ticker tape to present more information.

There are no e-mail data bundles for Windows Mobile phones right now, so you will have to limit your usage by downloading only part of the message (the default setting) or go for an unlimited usage data plan from your telco.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

All source: Asiaone

Toyota New Car

2009-05-10T22:57:00.005+07:00

Toyota Launch Lexus IS250C

Employees of Toyota Motor Corporation demonstrate features of the Lexus IS250C at Nihon Jidosha Kaikan on May 7, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. The new convertible model, equipped with a 215-horsepower 2.5L V6 engine, six-speed automatic transmission and a three-segment aluminum folding roof, which can be opened or closed in 20 seconds, goes on sale on May 7 in Japan at a price of 4,950,000 yen (approx. US $50,220).
(Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Source: Zimbio

10 Girls Gadget

2009-05-07T23:38:00.010+07:00

Gadgets that turn girls on
What gadgets turn women on? Find out what are the 10 must-get gizmos for ladies, and why women nowadays prefer their tech both smart and sexy.

Chic flicks
By Irene Tham

Philips GoGear Luxe
MP3 player with Bluetooth headset
$139
Launched last year

Small and stylish, this clip-and-click digital audio player makes a cool accessory. It switches from playing music to receiving calls on your Bluetooth mobile phone - and even displays caller ID - with one touch. It has a long life too - up to 100-hour standby time and four-hour talk time.

Canon Legria FS200 camcorder
$669
Launched this month

This compact camcorder weighs just 230g and comes in alluring red, blue and silver colours. It records movies to flash memory, which is incredibly power efficient. For instance, it takes only 20 minutes to recharge for a further hour's worth of recording. A "pre-record" mode allows you to start recording three seconds before pressing the "record" button. Even if you were slow in pressing that button, the camera would have captured some of the action.

Vivienne Tam HP Mini 1000
$1,099
Launched in January

The must-have digital clutch is the brainchild of Hewlett-Packard and New York-based designer Vivienne Tam, who added "oriental chic" to the special edition mini-laptop. The flaming red netbook, splashed with her peony motifs, has curved edges so it can fit snugly in fashionistas' handbags without damaging the totes.

Sony Ericsson T707
Price not available
Available in June

nifty camera phone, touted as Maria Sharapova's new favourite gadget. Set different pulsating light patterns to identify your favourite callers. Or, silence an alarm or an unwanted call with the wave of a hand. Comes in rose or blue.

Casio Exilim EX-FS 10
$699
Launched in February

High-speed image capture just got more compact. By reducing the size of the circuitry and the image sensor units, this card-sized 9.1-megapixel shooter is only 16.3mm thin. Yet, it offers a 30 shot-per-second burst rate, faster than an SLR camera. Its blazing red finish is a perfect shade mate for that black evening dress.

Nokia 8800 Gold Arte
$2,088
Launched last year

Designed to be a headturner, this handset, which combines 18-carat gold plating and genuine leather, appeals not just to the tai-tais but successful business women. You can silence incoming calls discretely by turning the phone over with

Canon Selphy CP770
$249
Launched last year

Designed for easy travel, this cheery bucket holds all the cables of the portable photo printer inside - out of sight. It packs a pretty mean punch too: It prints clear and vivid photos on the spot, be it at birthday parties or family vacations. Plus, it does its job directly from your digital camera; no computer needed.

Sony Walkman W series MP3 player NWZ-W202
$129
Launched this month

Free your hands while at the gym, cycling or rock climbing and yet enjoy your music with the wearable W series MP3 player. It boasts a wireless headphone design with music playback controlled from the headphone itself. Available in five colours - white, black, green, purple and pink - it is super light (35g) and has large storage (2GB).

FujiFilm Finepix Z33WP
$349
Launched last month

This 10-megapixel little camera is perfect for those who love the great outdoors. Designed to withstand the elements, it is waterproof to up to 3m under water for up to two hours. At night and under low light, shutter speed and sensitivity are automatically adjusted, producing blur-free pictures.

LG Prada II (KF900) and Prada Link Bluetooth watch
$1,288 and $688
Launched in February

Sporting not only glamour but also fancy technology, this duo can convince a fashionista to up her tech quotient. The highlight of the phone is the mate it brings in the form of a Bluetooth timepiece, the Prada Link.

All products are available at their authorised dealers

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life

SOURCE: Asiaone

Food Spots at Geylang

2009-05-07T23:13:00.003+07:00

[top photo: 126 Eating House serves dim sum 24 hours daily.]

Geylang's 5 hottest food spots

By Hedy Khoo

LORONG 9 BEEF KWAY TEOW
237 Lorong 9
Geylang Road
4pm-3.30am on Mondays,
11am-3.30am from Tuesdays to Sundays

This is perhaps the most famous eatery in Geylang, and its specialty is rice noodles with slices of beef cooked in black bean sauce (starts from $5 a plate).

When we visited the stall last Thursday evening, the owner was too busy to be interviewed - he was frying up plates of beef kway teow for a long queue of hungry diners, some of whom were seated at tables which lined the back alley.

A diner in his 30s, who did not want to be named, said he has been a patronising the restaurant for the last eight years. "It's cheap and delicious. A meal for three, which includes the beef kway teow and other dishes, costs just $20," he said.

126 EATING HOUSE
126 Sims Ave
24 hours daily

This is a must-visit for dim sum lovers. While the menu is purely in Mandarin, it has plenty of pictures for those who can't read.

The popular dishes are the fried beancurd ($5), king prawn dumplings ($4.50), and king siew mai ($4).

Madam Tay Sen Yen, 36, an account manager who was there with five friends, said she found out about the eatery last year from an Internet forum.

"Considering that we are eating by the roadside, the prices are slightly higher than a hawker centre. But the quality of the food is fresh and good."

PEOPLE'S PRAWN NOODLES
252 Lorong 12 Geylang Road
7.30am-5.30am daily, closed on Wednesdays

The stall's signboard displays various rave reviews that the prawn noodle stall, a family business, has garnered over the years.

Before the family set up shop in Geylang nine years ago, they sold live prawns at the Pasir Panjang wholesale market.

Mr Chris Tan, 22, said he personally boils the soup stock every day. He starts preparing the stock at 3am daily, which is then left to simmer for six hours.

Patron Derek Kwok, 48, an IT manager said that while he likes to try prawn noodles all over Singapore, the Geylang stall is his favourite because of its unique taste.
"The prawns are very fresh, and you can taste their full flavour in the soup. It's unlike those from other stalls that contain a lot of sugar or artificial seasoning in the stock."

LAO JIANG SHANXI COLD DISHES
27 Sims Ave, 11am-2am daily

Those looking for authentic Shanxi cuisine can find it here. Most patrons are mainland Chinese who gravitate here for familiar tastes from home.

The simple fare is reasonably priced. One of the most popular dishes, a bowl of cold noodles in chilli oil with cucumber strips, costs $3.

Mechanic Wang De Jun, 23, a Shanzi native who came here last year, said he chanced upon the eatery as he lived in the area. "It's hard to find eateries that sell dishes from my hometown. The cold noodles here are no different from those back home."

SINMA LIVE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

161 & 163, Lorong 3 Geylang Road, 5pm-4am daily

While this is a seafood restaurant, its star dish is really the claypot frog porridge.

Restaurant manager Chai Chin Hai, 41, said they sell up to 2,000 frogs - kept live and freshly slaughtered to keep the meat tender - every day.

There are permanent offers for the dish too: Buy two frogs and get one free, or buy three and get two free. Each frog costs $8.

Such offers draw customers like manager Cynthia Cha, 33, who patronises the restaurant at least once a month.

"The seafood here is not cheap, but the claypot frog porridge is reasonably priced. I like the thick and tasty gravy."

For customers who drive, parking is also less of a hassle than in other parts of Geylang - there is a public multi-storey carpark nearby.

Source: Asiaone
This article was first published in The New Paper.

Blackberry

2009-05-05T22:24:00.003+07:00

BlackBerry Storm

By Sherwin Loh

BLACKBERRY finally goes touchscreen and it is serious about making a thunderous impact.

Dubbed Storm, this is one multimedia phone not for those with frail fingers. Instead of just lightly brushing the icons on the screen with your fingers, you actually have to press down on the screen to make your selection. The screen itself is semi-rigid, which means it is tough yet flexible enough to be depressed when you exert force on it.

Like clicking on a mouse button, this mode of interaction can actually be a boon for users who launch the wrong application by accidentally brushing against the touchscreen.

That said, the experience will not be pleasurable for the fast-fingered typists. The idea here is that users need to click on a letter, press the screen and release it before the next one can be activated. For those used to multi-fingered typing, it is down to one for the Storm.

For Qwerty users, the tactile feel of the buttons are also gone so you cannot make a small shift of the fingers to spell out words, based on your familiarity of the spacing of the buttons.

In portrait mode, the on-screen Qwerty keys are also very small, and I found typing to be easier on landscape mode, as the keys are bigger.

Still, there is a lot to appreciate about the device, including the 3.25-inch screen with four navigation buttons on the bottom plus volume and camera controls on the side. The speakers delivered robust music from music tracks and audiophiles would love the 3.5mm headphone jack.

There is a slight heft to the 155g unit, but it fits snugly into your palm and when rotated for two-handed use, there is enough surface area for a proper grip.

However, just as the recent BlackBerry Curve came without full 3G features, RIM has decided to cripple the Storm by not throwing in Wi-Fi, leaving users at the mercy of telcos and their data charges for Internet access.

While there is the 3.2MP camera, low-light images are grainy and there is a delay during focusing and taking the picture itself.

Interface wise, it runs similar to the Curve. Setting up the e-mail access with my Gmail account took less than a minute and pretty soon, I was activating various built-in messaging services installed on the phone, like MSN and Google Talk.

For newly minted BlackBerry users, there is also the BlackBerry Messenger. Using a unique pin number or e-mail, it is possible to send messages directly to other BlackBerry devices. This chalks up data charges instead of the more expensive SMS fees for the frequent flyers.

There are also a mixture of applications like Facebook and maps that can be downloaded for free or purchased and while they are not as numerous as that of the iPhone, the current ones cover a gamut of topics, from entertainment to finance and news.

Given the number of features, the device is very user friendly. The tiled menu can be configured to suit your preference and a simple flashing red light on the receiver indicates that attention is needed, be it a new e-mail, SMS, missed call or instant message.

Final say
It is not the perfect storm but as RIM's first touchscreen, it has enough oomph to zap some of the competition.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

SOURCE: ASIAONE

Leisure in Taipei

2009-05-05T22:00:00.004+07:00

Have it all in Taipei

By Frankie Chee

SINGAPOREAN ABROAD
IN TAIPEI WITH...
Jane Lim
Age: 26
Occupation: Assistant accounts manager
Length of stay: Five years

Admire nature, enjoy good food, shop till you drop or party all night in Taiwan's happening capital city Taiwan's capital city is one that truly never sleeps. With seemingly endless food choices and numerous all-night porridge places, coffee joints and karaoke lounges beckoning, it is no wonder Ms Jane Lim, 26, still has not exhausted her options, even after living there for almost five years.

On weekends, the singleton keeps busy visiting museums in Taichung, plucking strawberries in Miaoli and taking a dip in the hot springs of Ilan.

GETTING AROUND
The best way to explore the city is...
On a bicycle. To reduce the city's carbon footprint, the Taipei City Government recently launched the YouBike Program, which lets people rent bicycles for as little as NT$40 (S$2) a day.

You can rent a bicycle from any of the many stations located throughout the city and return it at another station which is convenient.

There are also bicycle paths everywhere in the city, ensuring the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

The best time to visit is...
From March to May, when it is spring. The average temperature during this season is 20 deg C - not too warm and not too humid. Flowers are in full bloom and people are generally in a better mood.

Participants of a dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan.

FOOD
Your favourite eating place is...
Any of the night markets. You can find all sorts of affordable local Taiwanese delicacies just along a street, usually in front of a Chinese temple. That's how night markets started, they served hungry devotees after they prayed.

I frequent Raohe Street Tourist Night Market, which stretches from the intersection of Bade Road, Section 4, and Fuyuan Street to the Ciyou Temple on Bade Road. It has a huge variety of foods, including bubble milk tea, smelly tofu, Doraemon pancakes, grilled squid and fried mushrooms. Trust me, you will not stop eating.
The coolest place to chill out is...

Any of the tea places along Zhong Xiao East Road, which I call the 'Orchard Road of Taipei'. The Taiwanese love to drink tea, hang out and people-watch. Most tea shops have board games or poker cards for customers.

Apparently, a lot of models or artistes are discovered in such places.

SHOPPING
Where is the best place to go shopping?
Wu Fen Pu (between Zhong Po Bei Road and Yong Ji Road) is a place that sells men's, women's and children's clothes, handbags, shoes and accessories at wholesale prices. These things are imported from China, South Korea and Thailand.

They are cheap but you get what you pay for. I once bought a skirt for NT$200 and it shrank quite a bit after just one wash. Now it's my dog's favourite winter coat.

For those with cash to spare, go to Taipei 101 shopping mall (45, Shihfu Road, Xinyi District) and the Xinyi Planning District Area (Xinyi Road, Sectors 4 and 5). With eight shopping centres and more coming up in one area, you can shop till you drop. There, you will find upscale brands and impeccable service.

Where's one place you'll always take your friends when they visit?

The night markets. Many Singaporeans know about them from Taiwanese talk and variety shows. So visitors frequently ask to be taken to these places.

The night markets are also where you can experience Taiwanese hospitality at its best. If store owners know you're a foreigner, they will encourage you to try their food and give you bigger discounts or free gifts when you buy from them. They won't pressure you to buy or give you a black face if you decide not to buy from them after trying.

CULTURE
Which places in the city excite you?
The Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall (21 Chung Shan South Road, Taipei) boasts the best concert halls in Taipei. I spent one of my most memorable times at this place watching a free outdoor performance of Dream Of The Red Chamber by a famous Taiwanese dance troupe, Cloud Gate.

The hall is also near the presidential palace, where a lot of political activities such as strikes are held, so this area is never dull, and there's always something to see.

What is the one thing you must do in your city?

Skinny-dip in the natural hot springs of Wulai, Beitou and Yang Ming Shan. For as little as NT$500, you can enjoy private or public hot baths amid lush greenery.

Taroko Gorge, a natural wonder in Hualien, a 25-minute flight from Taipei, Taiwan.
What do you think Singaporeans will like most about your city?

Without a doubt, it will be the food and nightlife. I truly believe that Taipei has the most number and greatest variety of shops that are open 24 hours, seven days a week, all year around.

Feel like having porridge or some spicy mala hotpot in the middle of the night? Want a cup of coffee after a night of heavy partying? Or maybe you want to sing overnight at a KTV lounge? Taipei has it all, nobody stays home on a Friday or Saturday night.

FURTHER OUT
What do you do on weekends?
I take my dog to the many dog-friendly parks in the city such as the National Dr Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall or the Da-An Park. It is great to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

I also go on short trips to nearby areas such as Taichung, Miaoli, Ilan or Hualien. These places are only a two-hour bus ride away from Taipei, yet they are completely different in terms of atmosphere and architecture.

You can pluck strawberries in Miaoli, soak in a hot spring in Ilan and enjoy nature in Hualien.

What is there to do or see outside of the city?

Plenty. Taiwan has many forests and mountains, more than 250 of which are 3,000m or higher. Alishan (Mount Ali) is the most famous. It will take you about half a day to get to Alishan from Taipei via a bus or train ride to Chiayi.

For an old-town experience, visit Jiu-Fen, a well-known tourist destination. It was an old mining town which became popular because of the 1989 movie A City Of Sadness, which won director Hou Hsiao-hsien the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival.

Taichung, the third largest city of Taiwan, is affectionately called the artistic capital of the country. It boasts the most beautiful museums and uniquely themed restaurants. Just two hours away from Taipei by bus, it is also home to one of the most famous night markets - Feng-Jia Night Market, located just beside Feng-Jia University.

frankiec@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

Source: Asiaone

Bamboo Notebook

2009-04-30T20:44:00.002+07:00

Asus UV6 Bamboo
By CHONG JINN XIUNG

EVERYONE likes their notebooks compact, light and thin these days. After all, what's the fun in lugging a heavy notebook wherever you go.

For these reasons the netbooks have become very popular but they are never quite as powerful as a regular notebook.

We take a closer look at Asus' high-end notebook, the UV6 Bamboo which is both compact and powerful.

Classy looks
We were immediately taken by the UV6's gorgeous aesthetics. On the outside, the UV6 has a beautiful bamboo finish and the laser etched Asus logo adds a touch of elegance.

The notebook is a head turner as on many occasions people have actually stopped to check it out.

The UV6 is bundled with two batteries - a lighter three-cell and a more powerful six-cell battery - which is great.

The review unit came with a nine-cell battery but Asus says the battery wouldn't be made available in Malaysia.

The trade off of course is that the nine-cell battery adds considerable bulk to the notebook, making it protrude out and weigh close to 2kg.

Around the sides are the usual array of ports for you to connect your devices. Some of the ports at your disposal include three USB ports for your mouse and peripherals, an e-SATA port for hooking up hard disks and a HDMI output which is great for displaying high definition content on a larger monitor.

The notebook also comes with a DVD drive and an express card slot.
On the inside, you've a 12.1in screen that has a 1,280 x 800-pixel resolution which provides a sufficient work space.

It's a decent display that's sufficiently bright for most situations but it has all the typical trappings of an LCD screen - bad viewing angles and colour shifts occur whenever you move from side to side.

The UV6 has a full size keyboard which is firm yet is comfortable to type on.
The wide palm rest area, also covered with bamboo which gives it a more organic look, provides sufficient space to rest your hands while typing.

There are no shortcut keys of any sort save for the F button for adjusting functions like screen brightness and volume.

However, some controls like the one for the volume have rather intruding onscreen pop ups.

While helpful this can be annoying when you're running full screen programs like games as it can cause the game to momentarily stutter.

Keeping in line with the bamboo theme of the notebook, the trackpad also has a smooth wooden finish. While it's nice to look and use, it has very little space for manoeuvring.

Also, the two trackpad buttons are difficult to press and aren't responsive.
Another disappointment is the lack of any multi-touch or finger gesture support on the UV6.

This is surprising because even the low budget netbooks have these features.
For the security conscious user, there's a fingerprint scanner nested within the trackpad that you can use as your login ID.

However, it's more of a novelty than a practical security measure. The sensor had lots of trouble detecting my fingerprint as

I had to swipe my finger more than five times to log in.

Besides the power button, there are two more located below the screen.

One changes the notebook's performance and doubles up as the power switch for the notebook's "instant on" Express Gate feature (more on this later) and the other activates the webcam.

The UV6's tiny built-in mono speaker leaves much to be desired, so don't expect to be using it often.

Oddly, the speaker is located directly below the palm rest, making it easy to muffle the sound as you place your hand over it.

Needless to say you should have a pair of headphones with you if you intend to listen to music.

The notebook is great for making Skype calls but the webcam's picture quality was still quite pixelated for a 640 x 480-pixel image.

Performance
Powered by a 2.40GHz Core 2 Duo P8600 processor and loaded with 3GB RAM, the UV6 is equipped to multitask and it smoothly handles multiple programs running simultaneously.

Like many notebooks today, the UV6 has power conservation modes for tweaking the notebook settings.

To no surprise, performance takes a huge dip when in battery saving mode.
We played a 720p video but it was noticeably slow and choppy but immediately picked up once we switched on performance mode.

It's not surprising that the notebook is a decent performer when it comes to playing games as it has an nVidia GeForce 9400M GS chip under the hood.

The notebook could even handle a graphics intensive game like Far Cry 2 running at full resolution with antialiasing turned on.

We just had to turn the settings down a notch to get smoother frame rates.
Even a real-time strategy game like Company of Heroes faired well on the UV6 as we got stable framerates with the graphics set at slightly above medium.

The UV6 may not be a killer gaming machine but it gets the job done. You will definitely have to tone down the settings unless you don't mind a more sluggish frame rate.

Storage space shouldn't prove too much of a concern because the UV6 has a roomy 320GB hard drive.

Quick power up
The UV6 has an function called Express Gate that is handy when you have to power up the notebook in 10 seconds or less.

The Express Gate feature basically boots up a stripped down Linux OS that includes functions such as a web browser, a music player, a photo viewer, an IM client and Skype.

Take note that you can't playback any videos in this mode as the media player plays music only.

I found it to be a pretty useful feature that allows you do your work without the hassle of waiting for your system to fully power up.

Conclusion
Aesthetically, the bamboo theme gives the UV6 a classy look that is very attractive.
Relatively lightweight, the notebook is great to work on and even play games, albeit with the graphics toned down.

It's great that the notebook comes bundled with two batteries so users can use one based on their needs.

However, the onscreen notifications are intrusive and gets in the way when running programs in full screen.

Also, for a relatively high-end notebook, it is surprising that the UV6 doesn't offer better speakers than the built-in mono one.

Another disappointment is the trackpad's lack of multi-touch or gesture based commands that would've made navigation easier.

At RM6,588 ($2739), the UV6 Bamboo is a premium notebook that is designed for portability and performance on the go.

Pros: Attractive bamboo finish; lots of connectivity options; Express Gate feature; capable of multitasking and running games.

Cons: Pricey; distracting onscreen notifications; trackpad lacks multi-touch.

UV6 Bamboo Tech Specs
(Asustek Computer)
Portable notebook
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.4GHz)
Memory: 3GB RAM
Graphics: nVidia GeForce 9300M GS 256MB
Display: 12.1in WXGA (1,280 x 800 pixels)
Storage: 320GB hard drive, 8x DVD writer
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11a/g/n, Bluetooth, gigabit ethernet
I/O ports: Three USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, eSATA port, ExpressCard slot, VGA out
Operating System: Windows Vista Business
Other features: Card reader, 1.3-megapixel webcam, fingerprint scanner
Dimensions: 30 x 22 x 3.2cm (w x d x h)
Weight: 1.9kg (with six-cell battery)
Price: RM6,588 (S$2739)

(source: asiaone.com)
This story was first published in The Star.

10 Places Names

2009-04-22T22:46:00.003+07:00

Shops at Wee Waa, Australia

Top 10 most interesting place names

SYDNEY - Ever been attracted to or put off a place just by its name?
Travel website VirtualTourist.com (www.virtualtourist.com) have compiled a list of the "Top 10 Most Interesting Place Names." The list is not endorsed by Reuters.

1. Wee Waa, Australia
It may sound like the birthplace of Borat, but in reality it is the cotton capital of Australia and a great place to learn more about the history of the country.

2. Why, Arizona
Don't expect a town full of hyper-philosophical people. The name is a derivative of the town's distinctive Y-shaped intersection of two major highways.

3. Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Alberta, Canada
The name of this UNESCO world heritage site outside Fort Macleod refers to an ancient method of capturing bison.

4. Kissing, Germany
While not one of the world's most bustling tourist destinations, this town in Bavaria could be the ideal location for true romantics.

5. Try Again, South Africa
Giving new meaning to the term, "If at first you don't succeed." This is the perfect place for anyone looking for a second chance in life.

6. Slime, Croatia
Hard to believe that this rafting town has such an off-putting moniker. In fact, it's known for its beauty as well as its hospitality.

7. Roseberry Topping, England
It may sound like something you put on cake, but it's actually a stunning hilltop on the North York Moors with impressive views. Its name is derived from the Old Norse for Odin's rock or crag.

8. Hell, Cayman Islands
Known for its eerie rock formations, the town has good-naturedly set up a post office so that postcards can literally be sent from Hell.

9. Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
When the producers of the famous radio game show put out a call in 1950 for a town to name itself after the program and then host the show, this small spa city of about 7,300 people stepped up and changed its name from Hot Springs.

10. King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
It's generally agreed that a tavern established in the 1700s called "King of Prussia Inn" was the source of the name of this community of about 18,000 people.
(Editing by Miral Fahmy)
Asiaone.com

Mobile Phone

2009-04-22T22:38:00.002+07:00

Computer giant Acer launches mobile phones in Asia

Wed, Apr 22, 2009
AFP
SINGAPORE - Taiwan-based computer giant Acer on Wednesday launched a series of advanced mobile phones for the Asia-Pacific region, ramping up its expansion into the wireless communication market.

Company executives said Acer was banking on its experience as a leading computer brand to gain a share of the lucrative market for "smartphones" - feature-packed devices with multi-media functions including web surfing.

The unveiling of the products here will be followed by similar launches in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Australia and China, they said.

It came two months after the company announced a move into the mobile phone market in February at an industry event in Barcelona.

Best known for its laptops, Acer said its smartphones come equipped with powerful processing and memory capabilities.

"We are facing a very large opportunity here," said Roger Yuen, Asia Pacific vice president for Acer's smart hand-held device business group.

About 200 million smartphones are sold each year and Acer believes the market should grow at 15 percent annually in the next five years.

"Our ambition is to be among the top five smartphone vendors in the world in the next three years," Yuen said.

Finland's Nokia leads the market for smartphones, followed by Canada's Research in Motion, which makes the popular Blackberry, and California-based Apple which boasts the iPhone, industry research firm Gartner has said.

Other laptop makers are joining the fray, with Toshiba already manufacturing handsets, and there are rumours that US-based Dell is preparing to launch its own range.

One of the models Acer unveiled on Wednesday is the DX900, which has a dual SIM card function and comes with a 3.0 megapixel camera.

Another model, the DX650, is uniquely designed to be used on both sides, featuring a touch screen panel on one side and a keypad on the reverse.

Prices will range between 599 and 799 Singapore dollars (397-530 US). In all, five models will be unveiled in the first half of this year.

In the second half, Acer will roll out three more models geared for the mass market, meaning they will be cheaper but still contain multi-media functions, the company said.

"One of our goals in Acer is really to introduce smartphones that are more and more affordable," Yuen told AFP after the launch.

With the price gap narrowing, more people are expected to switch to from regular cellphones to smartphones, he added.

China and India are likely to drive demand in Asia, Yuen said.
SOURCE: Asiaone.com

S'pore Flyer

2009-04-15T22:26:00.002+07:00

Singapore Flyer Celebrates First Birthday with Key Milestone

The World’s Largest Giant Observation Wheel Welcomes 1.9 Million Visitors In 2008

SINGAPORE, April 8, 2009 – Singapore Flyer has much to celebrate, as the 165-metre-tall Giant Observation Wheel turns ONE! The iconic attraction played host to 1,900,000 visitors between February 11 and December 22 in 2008, and has planned several exciting events and offerings to attract new and returning visitors.

Kicking off the celebrations on April 9, the first 1,000 visitors who walk in and purchase the $29.50 Adult Basic Flight ticket from 6 pm to 9 pm can treat a companion to a flight for only $1 (See Annex)! They may also be able to catch a glimpse of President S R Nathan, who will be at Singapore Flyer to officially launch the President’s Challenge 2009 tomorrow evening.

“Following a successful inaugural year, Singapore Flyer will continue to strive to stay attuned and abreast of what our visitors need and want,” Mr Chng Hee Kok, Singapore Flyer Executive Committee Chairman said, adding that plans are in the pipeline to enhance the amenities and service at Singapore Flyer to make it a leading lifestyle destination to visit in the Republic.

Additional exciting promotions await the visitors of the Singapore Flyer (See Annex). On weekdays excluding Public Holidays, from April 9 to May 29, visitors with a valid student identification card who walk-in can enjoy the 30-minute panoramic flight of Singapore city and beyond for just $10!

“Despite the global downturn, we hope to attract just as many visitors to our flights in 2009 as we did in 2008. To achieve this, we target to roll out creative and attractively-priced offerings t hr oughout 2009 to draw new and repeat visitors,” said Ms Patsy Ong, Managing Director, Adval Brand Group. Adval is the exclusive sales, marketing and ticket distribution agent for Singapore Flyer’s flights.

Officially opened by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last April, 2008 saw Singapore Flyer play host to prolific figures in fields ranging from politics to entertainment and sports: Singapore President S R Nathan and various heads of state, Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza, Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda and Hollywood director Jan de Bont, among others.

With integrated services that enable visitors a unique Land-Sea-Sky experience around and from above Singapore , as well as a prime 200-metre waterfront dining front, Singapore Flyer was the venue of choice for many events and occasions in 2008.

Two independent back-up systems were installed in January 2009, as well as enhancements to the existing primary system and safety protocol to boost overall passenger safety. For t hr ee weekends in February 2009, over 10,000 visitors queued – some for up to 15 hours overnight – at Singapore Flyer, for the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) “2009 Reasons to enjoy Singapore” SMS Passport initiative.

New offerings that will be launched starting from April include: (1) the Singapore Story Audio Guide in Mandarin and Japanese, (2) the Singapore Fengshui Audio Guide in English and Mandarin, (3) the Revamped Wedding Solemnisation Package that now includes a private yacht cruise and a limousine transfer, and (4) Birthday and other special flights, among others.

As part of its birthday festivities, Singapore Flyer will host the launch of President’s Challenge 2009, with President SR Nathan as the Guest-Of-Honour. The President’s Challenge is an annual series of community-based initiatives to inspire the public to give back to our community. A Singapore Flyer-President’s Challenge Charity Heart Box will be placed at the Flyer from April 9 to December 31, 2009 for any visitor who wishes to make a contribution.

Mr Chng said: “We are delighted to cap off our maiden year with this milestone and would like to thank all of our visitors, as well as valued sponsors, corporate , travel and trade partners. Their support in the past year has been vital to establishing Singapore Flyer as an iconic Singapore attraction on the world map. Together, we also hope to make a difference in our community!”

-- END --

About Singapore Flyer

Towering at 165 metres, Singapore Flyer is the world’s largest Giant Observation Wheel with a unique 360° day-to-night panorama of Singapore city and parts of Malaysia and Indonesia at every turn of the wheel.

Singapore Flyer has 28 capsules – convertible into a unique moving venue in the sky for all occasions – that can each host up to 28 people. Strategically located at Marina Bay – the hotbed to several exciting new developments – each scenic 30-minute flight on board the Flyer offers a glimpse to the past, present and future of Singapore .

Sitting atop a t hr ee-storey building with an enticing and diverse array of retail shops and restaurants overlooking the Bay, Singapore Flyer’s central atrium opens out to a tropical rainforest, an open-air theatre and a 210-metre-long waterfront dining promenade. Special LED lighting on the giant wheel rim provides a kaleidoscopic visual display at night.

Leisure in S'pore

2009-04-11T22:51:00.006+07:00

Roof top winebars in S'pore

ORGO
Where: 1 Esplanade Drive, Esplanade roof terrace (fourth floor), e-mail: nick@orgo.sg
Open: Daily from 5pm to 2am
View: A panoramic view of Marina Bay, the upcoming Marina Sands integrated resort and the skyscrapers of the central business district
Drinks: Japanese mixologist Tomoyuki Kitazoe concocts cocktails such as watermelon margarita ($18), soursop calamansi martini ($18) and nonalcoholic cocktails at $15 each
Rating: *****

MR PUNCH WINEBAR
Where: Mint Museum of Toys, 26 Seah Street, tel: 6334-5155
Open: 4pm to midnight (Mondays to Thursdays) and till 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed on Sundays
View: Mid-level view of skyscrapers along Stamford Road
Drinks: Monthly one-for-one promotion includes lychee martini ($14) and wines ($12). The three-for-two deal includes tequila shots ($8), gin and tonic ($8) and Mr Punch cocktail ($9)
View rating: ***

HELIPAD
Where: 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, The Central, 05-22, tel: 6327-8118
Open: Daily from 6pm to 2am (Mondays to Thursdays) and till 3am (Fridays and Saturdays). Closed on Sundays
View: A spectacular bird's-eye view of Clarke Quay and the Singapore River
Drinks: One-for-one housepour at $11 from 6 to 9pm. Try the signature lychee mojito cocktail for $15. Note: On Wednesdays, women get the first one free. After that, each one costs $5
View rating: ****1/2

THE NEST, DXO
Where: Colours by the Bay, The Esplanade Mall, tel: 6582-4896
Open: 7pm to late on Fridays and Saturdays, from next month
View: The busy food street at Colours by the Bay and Esplanade Drive, which is also the Formula One race circuit
Drinks: Housepour drinks at $7 each from 7 to 9pm. Daily promotion: A 2-litre vodka tower with mixer (for up to eight persons) at $22
View rating: ***

BREEZE
Where: The Scarlet, 33 Erskine Road, tel: 6511-3323
Open: 6pm to 12.30am (Mondays to Thursdays) and till 1.30am (Fridays and Saturdays). Closed on Sundays
View: Bustling scene of Chinatown
Drinks: Housepour drinks from $12 to $22 each
View rating: ***1/2

Source: Asiaone.com

Hot Tea

2009-03-28T21:18:00.002+07:00

Very hot tea may cause throat cancer: study

By Michael Kahn

LONDON (Reuters) - Drinking hot tea may cause throat cancer, Iranian researchers said Friday, suggesting people should let steaming drinks cool before consuming them.

Previous studies have linked tobacco and alcohol with cancer of the oesophagus, and the research published in the British Medical Journal suggests that scalding beverages may also somehow pave the way for such tumors.

Drinking very hot tea at a temperature of greater than 70 degrees Celsius was associated with an eight-fold increased risk of throat cancer compared to sipping warm or lukewarm tea at less than 65 degrees, the researchers said.

Reza Malekzadeh of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and colleagues studied the tea-drinking habits of 300 people with oesophageal cancer and another 571 healthy men and women from the same area in Golestan Province in northern Iran.

That region has one of the highest rates of throat cancer in the world but smoking rates and alcohol consumption are low, the researchers said. Nearly all the volunteers drank black tea regularly, consuming on average more than a liter each day.

People who regularly drank tea less than two minutes after pouring were five times more likely to develop the cancer compared to those who waited four or more minutes, the researchers said.

British studies have reported people prefer their tea at an average temperature of 56 degrees to 60 degrees, they noted.

It is not clear how hot tea might cause cancer but one idea is that repeated thermal injury to the lining of the throat somehow initiates it, researchers said.

Cancers of the oesophagus kill more than 500,000 people worldwide each year, with the bulk of the disease occurring in discrete populations in Asia, Africa, and South America. The tumors are especially deadly, with five-year survival rates of 12 to 31 percent.

Earlier this week, U.S. and Japanese researchers reported that about a third of East Asians -- Chinese, Japanese and Koreans -- have an enzyme deficiency that puts them at higher risk of developing oesophageal cancer when they drink alcohol.

Source: Asiaone

Ronaldo

2009-03-26T12:19:00.003+07:00

Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend Gabriela Entringer confirms romance
Brazilian fitness trainer opens up about relationship

Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Cristiano Ronaldo's latest squeeze Gabriela Entringer has admitted they're seeing each other.

The Manchester United hunk hit it off with the Brazilian fitness trainer when they met at a nightclub six weeks ago.

But until now, Cris, 24, and Gabi, 28, have stay tight-lipped about the romance.

‘Everything’s happened very quickly,’ she says. ‘Cristiano won me over. I feel very passionate about him.’

But Gabriela’s mum Rosana and police officer dad Jadson are worried about the media attention she's getting.

‘Jadson has become a bundle of nerves over this,’ Rosana tells the Daily Star.

‘He thinks Gabi should stay clear of Cristiano because he’s going to turn a lot of things upside down in her life. Their relationship has been all over the Brazilian press.

‘There has even been talk that Brazil’s Playboy is ready to offer nearly £200,000 to put Gabi on their front page. Jadson would have a heart attack if that ever happened.’

Source: Zimbio.com

WWW Birthday

2009-03-14T08:00:00.004+07:00

Happy birthday World Wide Web

GENEVA, March 13, 2009 (AFP) - The World Wide Web (WWW) on Friday marked its 20th anniversary and one of its founders admitted there are bits of the phenomenon he does not like.

The creation of the web by British computer software genius Tim Berners-Lee and other scientists at the European particle physics laboratory (CERN) paved the way for the Internet explosion which has changed our daily lives.

Berners-Lee and CERN colleagues such as Robert Cailliau, who originally set up the system to allow thousands of scientists around the world to stay in touch, took part in commemorations on Friday at the laboratory.

In March 1989, the young Berners-Lee handed his supervisor in Geneva a document entitled ?Information Management: a proposal?.

The supervisor described its as ?vague, but exciting? and later gave it the go ahead, according to CERN.

''It was really in the air, something that had to happen sooner or later,'' said former CERN systems engineer Cailliau, who teamed up with Berners-Lee.

They drew up the global hypertext 'language which is behind the ''http'' on website addresses ' and came up with the first web browser in October 1990, which looks remarkably similar to the ones used today.

''Everything that people talk about today, blogs and so on, that?s what we were doing in 1990, there?s no difference. That?s how we started,'' Cailliau told Swiss radio RSR.

The WWW technology was first made available for wider use on the Internet from 1991 after CERN was unable to ensure its development, and the organisation made a landmark decision two years later not to levy royalties.

Cailliau still marvels at developments like wikipaedia that allow knowledge to be exchanged openly around the web, but never imagined that search engines would take on the importance they have assumed today.

''A search engine is very centralised... while the web is totally decentralised, I couldn't have predicted the things that it does,'' he said.

But the commercial development of the web still irritates some of the founders.
''There are some things I don?t like at all, such as the fact that people have to live off advertising,'' said Caillau, who preferred the idea of direct 'micro payments' to information providers.

''And there?s the big problem of identity, of course, the trust between the person who is consulting and the person who provides the page, as well as the protection of children,'' he added.

Berners-Lee, now a researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States and a computer science professor at Southampton University in Britain, still heads the World Wide Web Consortium that coordinates development of the web.

Lynn St. Amour, chief executive of the Internet Society, said the web is often wrongly confused with the wider Internet.

''The Internet is a vast network of networks, interconnected in many different physical ways, yet all speaking a common language,'' she explained. 'The Web is one ' albeit, the most influential and well known ' of many different applications which run over the Internet.'
''The great achievement of Tim Berners-Lee was to recognise the power and potential in the Internet,'' she added.

//ASIAONE//

Baby oh Baby

2009-02-11T15:13:00.004+07:00

For 10 years, I waited for baby

SHE had wanted a second child badly for many years but all she could do was dream.
Still, Malaysian Chen Xiuyun, 46, a businesswoman, did not give up.

Not even after four miscarriages.

In 1998, she followed the doctor's advice to freeze her embryo and improve her health before getting pregnant.

Ten years later, her dream finally came true.

On 30 Dec last year, she gave birth to their newborn girl Huijing. The 10-year-wait is believed to be a record in Malaysia, reported Guang Ming Daily.

On Monday, Madam Chen and her husband Mr Huang Jinjun, 47, were all smiles when they met reporters.

The couple's first child is now 20.

In jest, they told reporters that Huijing was "made in 1998" but only "registered as a product in 2008".

Said Madam Chen: "I waited for 10 years. This would have been my last attempt if we had been unsuccessful."

In 1993, five years after the birth of their first child, the couple decided to have a second one.

However, they were unable to conceive naturally. "My body was too weak," said Madam Chen.

So, they opted for medical aid. She tried to conceive artificially eight times, but had four miscarriages.

In 1995, she had conceived a pair of twins, but her double joy became double heartbreak after realising that it was an ectopic pregnancy (a complication in which the baby develops outside the womb).

To be sure, it was also becoming a drain financially. Each attempt costs between RM3,000 ($1,300) and RM20,000.

But now they are in seventh heaven.

To commemorate the birth of her second child, she even went to a photo studio to take a family album with her husband and older daughter.

Imitating pregnant celebrities, Madam Chen decided to bare her bulging tummy in the photoshoot.

Although she's aware that it's risky for her to give birth at her age, Madam Chen is not stopping at two. When asked, she told reporters: "No, it's not enough, I'll not stop till I'm 49."

Madam Chen said she is not worried as she has full confidence in medical science.
She said: "During my parents' time, giving birth at 49 wasn't a problem too."

Ready for 3rd, 4th child
The birth of Huijing has boosted confidence in her health. Madam Chen said she will be trying to conceive her third or even fourth child naturally.

She believes that she is ready.

Said Madam Chen: "For the sake of child-bearing, I had kept a healthy lifestyle. I kept to less oil, less sugar and less salt. I abstained from alcohol and cigarettes.
"I don't over-eat. I stop when I'm 70-per-cent full and I also exercise frequently."
Dr Zhang Shaoqiang, the doctor who advised Madam Chen to freeze her embryo then, was also the doctor-in-charge for her second successful pregnancy.

He said that every year, about 2,000 to 3,000 Malaysian couples seek aid to conceive artificially. The success rate is up to 50 per cent.

He said: "Theoretically, frozen embryos can be kept up to 50 or even 100 years as long as they are not harmed by ultraviolet rays."

This article was first published in The New Paper on February 5, 2009.
Source: Asiaone.com

The Ox

2009-01-29T21:17:00.002+07:00

The ox never gives up

Sun, Jan 25, 2009
The Straits Times

In Chinese astrology, the ox is a working animal. To put it not so decorously, it's a beast of burden. People born in ox years are said to be strong and hardy and put muscle into whatever it is they do. Oxen are also stubborn. Or, if you will, tenacious creatures which never give up on their tasks and objectives. True to form, everybody would expect this particular Year of the Ox, opening tomorrow, as a year of hard work and fortitude and a test of wills.

In this Ox year more than previous ones in 12-year cycles, fortitude is one quality that will be asked of everybody in a trying year. The growth estimate has been revised again to a range of between minus 2 and minus 5 per cent. By the third quarter of last year, there were 67,200 people unemployed. Layoffs will grow. Despite government efforts made via the Budget to save jobs and keep businesses afloat, there will be individual tales of woe aplenty in the coming Ox cycle. For those of you who may suffer reversals, take heart that there are many others like you. Do not be defeated by the change in circumstances. It is not how badly things turn out for you so much as how you respond to them that is important. For bad times are a test of wills, and how you hold up will be a measure of your fortitude and resilience. Seek new opportunities and lower your expectations. Upgrade yourself. Be tenacious in spirit and never give up. Be like an ox, as it were.

As Chinese Singaporean families sit down to their reunion dinner tonight, on the eve of the Chinese New Year, they should not dwell on the doom and gloom but reflect on their non-material blessings. There is more to the fulfilling life than just money and acquisitions. What will endure are family kinship and relationships with friends. Cherish them. They are even more important in uncertain times. They will help keep you afloat when the tide turns against you. Gongxi.

Aspirin & Liver Damage

2009-01-28T20:32:00.001+07:00

Yale study: Aspirin may prevent liver damage

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Simple aspirin may prevent liver damage to millions of people suffering from the side effects of common drugs, alcohol abuse, and obesity-related liver disease, a new Yale University study suggests.

The study published on Monday in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found aspirin reduced mortality caused by an overdose of acetaminophen, best known by the brand name Tylenol.

It further showed that a class of molecules known as TLR antagonists, which block receptors known to activate inflammation, have a similar effect as aspirin, the paper said.

Since these agents seem to work by reducing injury-induced inflammation, the results suggest aspirin may help prevent and treat liver damage from a host of non-infectious causes, Wajahat Mehal from the university, who led the study, said.

"Many agents such as drugs and alcohol cause liver damage, and we have found two ways to block a central pathway responsible for such liver injury," Mehal said. "Our strategy is to use aspirin on a daily basis to prevent liver injury."

Promising drugs that have failed clinical trials because of liver toxicity might be resurrected if combined with aspirin, he said.

"This offers the exciting possibility of reducing a lot of pain and suffering in patients with liver diseases, using a new and very practical approach," Mehal said.

Brazilian Model

2009-01-26T21:08:00.004+07:00

Brazilian amputee model dead at 20

Written by franksheung on Jan-24-09 2:23pm
From: imacroautobots.com

Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa, whose hands and feet were amputated in a bid to save her from a deadly and little-known illness, died early Saturday, two friends of the model told CNN.

"Unfortunately Mari couldn’t resist any longer. She passed away at 3 a.m. today," Henrique Fontes, executive director of Miss World Brazil, said in an e-mail to CNN.
Renato Lindgren, a friend of the model who runs a blog dedicated to her, confirmed da Costa’s death.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common bacterium which can cause diseases in animals, including humans. It is found in soil, water, most man-made environments throughout the world. It thrives not only in normal atmospheres, but also with little oxygen, and has thus colonised many natural and artificial environments. It uses a wide range of organic material for food; in animals, the versatility enables the organism to infect damaged tissues or people with reduced immunity. The symptoms of such infections are generalised inflammation and sepsis. If such colonisations occur in critical body organs such as the lungs, the urinary tract, and kidneys, the results can be fatal.[1] Because it thrives on moist surfaces, it is also found on and in medical equipment including catheters, causing cross infections in hospitals and clinics. It is also implicated in hot-tub rash, a form of dermatitis associated with poor hygiene and low maintenance of hot tubs.

Source: zimbio & wikipedia

Text of Barack Obama's Inaugural Address

2009-01-21T22:36:00.004+07:00

Text of Barack Obama's Inaugural Address

20 January 2009

Barack Obama takes oath of office as President of the United States

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Inaugural Gown

2009-01-21T20:59:00.004+07:00

Michelle Obama Wears Jason Wu Inaugural Gown
Written by Alicia on Jan-21-09 9:20am

U.S President Barack Obama and his wife First Lady Michelle Obama dance on stage during MTV & ServiceNation: Live From The Youth Inaugural Ball at the Hilton Washington on January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States today, becoming the first African-American to be elected President of the US. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

The news is out: First Lady Michelle Obama chose a white asymmetrical gown by 26-year-old designer Jason Wu for tonight's festivities.

The decision was brilliant. Ms. Obama looks breathtaking in the creation, and she's also bound to get major fashion props for choosing a youthful up-and-comer like Wu, who debuted less than three years ago.

From Wu's about section on his site:
[Wu] combines modern lifestyle dressing with the spirit and detailing of haute couture in a way that is both innovative and romantically reflective.
It's hard not to see Michelle Obama's choice of gown as somehow emblematic of the youthful administration and its championing of diversity and innovation. The comparisons to Jacqueline Kennedy are inevitable, as, like Kennedy, Mrs. Obama's sartorial decisions are consistently reflective of her appreciation for modernity yet intrinsically classic at the same time. The economy may be in the tank, but we certainly have four years of sophistication to look forward to.

Source: zimbio.com

Chemistry Weapon to Gaza

2009-01-12T14:10:00.004+07:00

Gazans fear Israel using phosphorus

Human Rights Watch said it was clear Israel had fired shells containing white phopshorus[GALLO/GETTY]

Doctors in Gaza City have told Al Jazeera that people have been admitted suffering burns consistent with the use of the controversial chemical white phosphorus.

Human rights campaigners say that Israeli forces have used the munition, which can burn away human flesh to the bone, over Gaza City and Jabaliya in recent days.

Al Jazeera's Ayman Mohyeldin, reporting from the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, said: "Doctors here say they are seeing unprecedented levels of deep burns.

"They cannot categorically say that white phosphorus is being used, they are saying that the munitions being dropped are unprecendented."

Residents in densely-packed Jabaliya have described Israeli forces exploding shells that drop scores of burning fragments and spread suffocating smoke.

"Its the first time we see this type of weapon, it must be new and its seems like its phosphorous," one resident told Al Jazeera.

"Its suffocating and has a deadly poisonous smell that I am sure will cause a lot of sickness and disease on all of the civilians here," he said.

Another witness said she saw "... a bright flash and then all of these sparks fell on our area ... landing all around us and in our homes. Our mattresses caught on fire".

Law 'violated'

The use of the munition in densely-populated areas violates the requirement under international humanitarian law for all feasible precautions to be taken to avoid civilian injury and loss of life, Human Rights Watch said.

International law permits the use of white phosphorus in order to cover troop movements and prevent enemies from using certain guided weapons.

Marc Garlasco, a senior military analyst at the human rights group told Al Jazeera on Saturday that he had watched Israeli ground forces using white phosphorus.

"Clearly it is [white phosphorus], we can tell by the explosions and the tendrils that go down [and] the fires that were burning," he said.

"Today there were massive attacks in Jabaliya when we were there. We saw that there were numerous fires once the white phosphorus had gone in.

"We went by Israeli artillery units that had white phosphorus rounds with the fuses in them."

Major Avital Leibovich, an Israeli military spokeswoman, told Al Jazeera that the Israeli army was "using munitions with accordance to international law".

"The policy of the IDF [Israeli Defence Force] is to not specify the types of munition, we have not done it before and we will not do it now."

Mark Regev, the Israeli government spokesman, said he was unable to confirm or deny whether the military was using the chemical, but that Israel did not use munitions that were banned under international law.

"I don't have the knowledge of the detail of what ammunition we are using. I can only know for a fact that Israel uses no ammunition that is outlawed under conventions and that Nato forces would not use in a similar combat situation," he told Al Jazeera.

Israel used white phosphorus during its 34-day war against Lebanon's Hezbollah movement in 2006, while the United States used it during the controversial siege of the Iraqi city of Fallujah in 2004.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencie

Tokyo Auto Salon 2009

2009-01-11T21:48:00.004+07:00

An exhibitor polishes a 'Luxury Crystal Benz', the customized Mercedes-Benz SL600 with 300,000 Swarovski crystals, displayed at a booth at Tokyo Auto Salon 2009 at Makuhari Messe on January 9, 2009 in Chiba, Japan. More than 300 companies, associations and groups are displaying more than 600 custom cars in the auto exhibition, which takes place between January 9 and 11.
(Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Toyota's iQ, a customized car collaborated with Japanese emcee Verbal of m-flo, is displayed at a booth at Tokyo Auto Salon 2009 at Makuhari Messe on January 9, 2009 in Chiba, Japan. More than 300 companies, associations and groups are displaying more than 600 custom cars in the auto exhibition, which takes place between January 9 and 11.
(Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Model poses with Nissan Xanavi Nismo GT-R at a booth at Tokyo Auto Salon 2009 at Makuhari Messe on January 9, 2009 in Chiba, Japan. More than 300 companies, associations and groups are displaying more than 600 custom cars in the auto exhibition, which takes place between January 9 and 11.
(Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Toyota's iQ, a customized car collaborated with Japanese emcee Verbal of m-flo, is displayed at a booth at Tokyo Auto Salon 2009 at Makuhari Messe on January 9, 2009 in Chiba, Japan. More than 300 companies, associations and groups are displaying more than 600 custom cars in the auto exhibition, which takes place between January 9 and 11.
(Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Source: zimbio.com

VICTIM IN GAZA

2009-01-09T20:29:00.005+07:00

Palestinians inspect the damaged at al-Taqwa mosque, after an Israeli air strike, January 8, 2009 in Gaza, Gaza Strip. Israeli aircraft continue to bomb targets across the Hamas-ruled territory of Gaza Strip. According to reports at least four rockets were today fired into northern Israel from Lebanon, injuring four prople and raising fears that the conflict is spreading. Almost 700 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive on the region as international negotiations for a ceasefire continue. (Photo by Abid Katib/Getty Images Europe)Source: zimbio.com

Physiotherapists and volunteers Corrie Vaw Wijk (C) of the Netherlands, who works for the International Red Cross, and Palestinian Ahmad Mousa (L) treat a Palestinian girl, Jamela Habbash,15, who lost her legs during an Israeli missile attack last sunday at the Al-Shifa hospital on January 8, 2008 in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Israeli aircraft continue to bomb targets across the Hamas-ruled territory of Gaza Strip. According to reports at least four rockets were today fired into northern Israel from Lebanon, injuring four prople and raising fears that the conflict is spreading. Almost 700 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive on the region as international negotiations for a ceasefire continue. (Photo by Abid Katib/Getty Images Europe)Source: zimbio.com

Elec Show

2009-01-08T20:33:00.010+07:00

The International Consumer Electronics Show
Usually held every January in Las Vegas, the International Consumer Electronics Show is a trade-show not open to the general public. Previews of products and new consumer electronic products are introduced

Sneak Peak at the International Consumer Electronics Show

Written by tatiana on Jan-8-09 5:59am

It's that time of the year again, when adults gather in Las Vegas to totally geek out over yet to be released gadgets. Yup, the International Consumer Electronics Show is in town and runs Thursday through Sunday. This year's show features over 2,700 exhibitors and expects over 130,000 attendees, making the show the largest gathering for the consumer electronics industry.

Unfortunately the trade-show, which regularly features product releases and new product announcements, isn't open to the general public, but we've got a sneak peak of a few of the gadgets on display this year. CES has had a number of revolutionary technologies debut on their exhibition floor like the Xbox (2001), DVD players (1996), the CD Player (1981), Pong by Atari (1975) and the VCR (1970).

Although at first glance it doesn't look like much, what's actually on display here is a pair of Powermat wireless charging transmitters. Yes that's right, these devices are simultaneously being charged just by sitting on top of these mats. Doesn't technology totally blow your mind?

If you live in a state that has legally banned talking on your cell phone in your car, this little gadget might be your next best friend. This is a solar-powered, hand free, Bluetooth car kit speakerphone by LG Electronics. It runs for about $100 and aside from being totally useful, it features noise cancellation and one hour of talk time for every two hours of sunlight.

Let's listen in to what Samsung's Scott Birnbaum is saying about the company's latest technology. "This giant cat wallpaper will not only revolutionize wallpapers as we know it, but it's pretty darn cute to don't you think? Personally, I like its little button nose." But seriously, this is Samsung's LCD panel 46'' TV with a 7.33 mm bezel, apparently the world's smallest bezel in an LCD display.

This fancy device by Novint Technologies is the world's first three-dimensional touch controller and if you're a gamer, the next thing to hog up all of your free desk space.

Called the Pacemaker, this is obviously not actually a pacemaker. Designed by Swedish company Tonium, this is a portable mixer, which allows the owner to DJ anywhere at anytime. Included is a 60 GB hard drive, cross fader and the ability to upload mixes to the Internet.

Source: zimbio.com

News in Gaza

2009-01-07T14:30:00.004+07:00

Israel kills dozens at Gaza school

An Israeli attack has killed at least 43 people taking refuge inside a UN school in the Gaza Strip, medics say.

About 100 people were also wounded in Tuesday's strike on the school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) in the northern town of Jabaliya - the third school to come under fire in 24 hours.

Doctors said all the dead were either people sheltering in the school or residents of Jabalya refugee camp, in the north of the Gaza Strip.

John Ging, director of operations in Gaza for Unrwa, said three artillery shells landed near the school where 350 people were taking shelter from the Israeli offensive now entering its 12th day.

Ging said Unrwa regularly provided the Israeli army with exact geographical co-ordinates of its facilities and the school was in a built-up area.

"Of course it was entirely inevitable if artillery shells landed in that area there would be a high number of casualties," he said.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for the Israeli prime minister, said initial findings were "that there was hostile fire at one of our units from the UN facility".

"Our unit responded. Then there were explosions out of proportion to the ordnance we used," he said.

Avital Liebovich, an Israeli military spokesperson, told Al Jazeera that Hamas had "booby-trapped" installations in Gaza and Israel had no choice but to retaliate.

Earlier in the day, two people were killed when an artillery shell hit a school in the southern town of Khan Younis and three people were killed in an air strike on a school in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, medics said.

At least 660 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 3,000 wounded in the offensive that began on December 27.

Four Israeli soldiers were killed and 24 wounded in battles around Gaza City on Monday night, the Israeli military said early on Tuesday, bringing the Israeli toll to eight.

Expanding assault

The Israeli military also appeared to be broadening its assault on the Gaza Strip as heavy artillery fire was reported from Khan Younis.

Palestinian witnesses said Israeli tanks had moved into Khan Younis, the second biggest urban area in the strip after Gaza City, in what appeared to be an attempt to isolate it from the border town of Rafah.

Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza, said Khan Younis was strategically significant partly because Palestinian fighters could fire missiles into Israeli territory from there.

He stressed that news teams could not confirm the reports as they were unable to reach the south from Gaza City in the north because the strip had been dissected by Israeli forces.

Despite its apparent broadening of its offensive, Israel has not been able to achieve its declared goal of stopping Palestinian rocket fire, with about 30 rockets launched across the border into Israeli town Sderot and surrounding areas on Tuesday.

Worsening humanitarian crisis

Fierce clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian fighters were also reported in Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip and two black plumes of smoke could be seen rising over the area.

Fares Akram, a Gaza city resident, told Al Jazeera there was "no safe place in Gaza" as "the Israeli war planes don't stop dropping bombs and firing missiles into Gaza".

In addition, the humanitarian situation in Gaza – already bad following the 18-month Israeli blockade of the strip that left the territory desperately short of fuel, food and medical supplies – is worsening.

Unrwa's Ging said he was "shocked" by "the brutality of the injuries" he had seen during a visit to the Shifa hospital in Gaza.

"There are very real shortages of medicine. This hospital has not had electricity for four days. If the generators go down, those in intensive care will die. This is a horrific tragedy here, and it is getting worse by the moment," he said.

Ging described the situation as "the consequences of political failure and complete absence of accountability for this military action" and appealed for political leaders in the region and around the world to "take on the responsibility".

A French-Egypt ceasefire proposal appeared to be gaining some traction early on Wednesday, with the US giving qualified backing and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, supporting the deal.

Israel has said it was taking the proposal "very seriously" but was still considering its response.

Pressure mounted at the United Nations late on Tuesday for Israel to stop its offensive, with Abbas calling for "urgent intervention by the security council to ... deter the aggressor".

But Gabriela Shalev, Israel's ambassador to the UN, said that the Gaza offensive was a "pre-requisite" for, not an obstacle to, peace.

Israel kills 215 kids, 98 women in Gaza

Medics say 660 Palestinians, including 215 children and 98 women, have been killed in the Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip.

Gaza emergency services chief, Moawiya Hassanein, also said on Tuesday that more than 2,950 Gazans have been wounded during Israeli attacks on the impoverished region.

The toll includes 43 civilians who were killed and 100 wounded when Israelis struck a school in Jabaliya, northern Gaza, he added.

Earlier in the day, Israeli forces hit two UN-run schools, one of which was crowded with refugees, in the Gaza Strip.

Israel launched a massive military campaign on Gaza, one of the most densely-populated areas in the world on December 27.

As the result of ten days of uninterrupted fighting, the situation of Gaza civilians is "extreme and traumatic", said head of operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross, Pierre Kraehenbuehl.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Endeavour

2009-01-04T20:45:00.003+07:00

Ready for a Lift

After dark at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour was attached to the sling that lifted it off the shuttle carrier aircraft underneath.

Endeavour landed in California, bringing to a close the STS-126 mission and was returned to Florida on a piggyback flight atop the shuttle carrier aircraft. After being lifted off the carrier, the shuttle was towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility. In the processing facility, Endeavour began preparations for its next mission, STS-127, targeted for May 2009.

Image Credit: NASA/ Jim Grossmann

Columbia File

2008-12-31T12:58:00.002+07:00

New NASA report details final minutes of Columbia

A new NASA report released Tuesday detailed chaotic final minutes of Columbia, which disintegrated over Texas on Feb. 1, 2003, making known many of the details about the astronauts' deaths.

The 400-page report aims to figure out how to make NASA's next spaceship more survivable, targeting problems with the spacesuits, restraints and helmets of the Columbia crew.

Besides the known reasons to death like lack of oxygen or hitting something as the spacecraft tumbled and broke up, the new report paints a more detailed picture of the final moments of the crew than the broader investigation into the accident five years ago.

Astronaut Pam Melroy, deputy study chief, said analysis showed the astronauts were at their problem-solving best trying to recover Columbia, which was starting to crack up as it reentered Earth's atmosphere with a hole in its left wing, damage that had occurred at liftoff. "There was no way for them to know that it was going to be impossible."

The crew had lost control of the motion and direction of the spacecraft. The spacecraft was pitching end-over-end, the cabin lights were out, and parts of the shuttle behind the crew compartment, including its wings, were falling off.

"It was a very disorienting motion going on," NASA deputy associate administrator Wayne Hale said in a telephone conference call. "There were a number of alarms going off simultaneously. The crew was trying very hard to regain control. We're talking about a brief time in a crisis situation."

The report lists events that were each potentially lethal to the crew: Loss of cabin pressure just before or as the cabin broke up; crew members, unconscious or already dead, crashing into objects in the module; exposure to a near vacuum at about 30480 meters(100,000 feet); and crashing to the ground.

A NASA study team is recommending 30 changes based on Columbia, many of them aim at the spacesuits, helmets and seatbelts for both the shuttle and the next space capsule NASA is building. Since the accident, NASA has quietly made astronauts put more priority on getting their protective suits on, Melroy said.

Deadly Winter

2008-12-30T21:54:00.001+07:00

Deadly winter storms unlikely in 2009: CMA official

www.chinaview.cn
BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Snow and sleet storms that wreaked havoc in southern China earlier this year are unlikely to occur again this winter, said Zhai Panmao, spokesman for the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on Tuesday.

"We forecast a relatively warm winter this year. The possibility of a snow and ice disaster like the one at this year's beginning is small," Zhai said.

Winter storms, which hit the country's central, south and southwest in January and February, were the worst in half a century for China. They led to 129 deaths as well as power outages, traffic jams and damaged homes.

Zhai said the average temperature in the first ten days of January 2009 will be 1 centigrade higher than usual for most northern areas, while that for southern China will stay around previous levels.

Weather experts will closely monitor the weather condition and make timely warnings once changes occur, said Zhai.

From Tuesday to Wednesday, flurries or sleet will fall on some parts of south and southwestern China, according to the CMA forecast.

China Education

2008-12-30T21:43:00.004+07:00

China produces 240,000 PhDs in last 30 years

www.chinaview.cn

The Grand Auditorium at Tsinghua University in Beijing is seen on May 7, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Universities have conferred doctoral degrees on 240,000 people in China over the past 30 years, officials said here on Monday.

The Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council (cabinet) also told a conference that 1.87 million master's degrees have been awarded, as well as 14.15 million bachelor's degrees.

State Councilor Liu Yandong said the post-graduate students nurtured by China have become a leading force in different sectors.

She urged the improvement of the academic degree system to improve the country's base of human resources.

MARS

2008-12-30T14:11:00.003+07:00

Mars Rovers Near Five Years Of Science And Discovery

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA rovers Spirit and Opportunity may still have big achievements ahead as they approach the fifth anniversaries of their memorable landings on Mars.

Of the hundreds of engineers and scientists who cheered at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 3, 2004, when Spirit landed safely, and 21 days later when Opportunity followed suit, none predicted the team would still be operating both rovers in 2009.

"The American taxpayer was told three months for each rover was the prime mission plan," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The twins have worked almost 20 times that long. That's an extraordinary return of investment in these challenging budgetary times."

The rovers have made important discoveries about wet and violent environments on ancient Mars. They also have returned a quarter-million images, driven more than 13 miles, climbed a mountain, descended into craters, struggled with sand traps and aging hardware, survived dust storms, and relayed more than 36 gigabytes of data via NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. To date, the rovers remain operational for new campaigns the team has planned for them.

"These rovers are incredibly resilient considering the extreme environment the hardware experiences every day," said John Callas, JPL project manager for Spirit and Opportunity. "We realize that a major rover component on either vehicle could fail at any time and end a mission with no advance notice, but on the other hand, we could accomplish the equivalent duration of four more prime missions on each rover in the year ahead."

Occasional cleaning of dust from the rovers' solar panels by Martian wind has provided unanticipated aid to the vehicles' longevity. However, it is unreliable aid. Spirit has not had a good cleaning for more than 18 months. Dust-coated solar panels barely provided enough power for Spirit to survive its third southern-hemisphere winter, which ended in December.

"This last winter was a squeaker for Spirit," Callas said. "We just made it through."

With Spirit's energy rising for spring and summer, the team plans to drive the rover to a pair of destinations about 200 yards south of the site where Spirit spent most of 2008. One is a mound that might yield support for an interpretation that a plateau Spirit has studied since 2006, called Home Plate, is a remnant of a once more-extensive sheet of explosive volcanic material. The other destination is a house-size pit called Goddard.

"Goddard doesn't look like an impact crater," said Steve Squyres of Cornell University, in Ithaca, N.Y. Squyres is principal investigator for the rover science instruments. "We suspect it might be a volcanic explosion crater, and that's something we haven't seen before."

A light-toned ring around the inside of the pit might add information about a nearby patch of bright, silica-rich soil that Squyres counts as Spirit's most important discovery so far. Spirit churned up the silica in mid-2007 with an immobile wheel that the rover has dragged like an anchor since it quit working in 2006. The silica was likely produced in an environment of hot springs or steam vents.

For Opportunity, the next major destination is Endeavour Crater. It is approximately 14 miles in diameter, more than 20 times larger than another impact crater, Victoria, where Opportunity spent most of the past two years. Although Endeavour is 7 miles from Victoria, it is considerably farther as the rover drives on a route evading major obstacles.

Since climbing out of Victoria four months ago, Opportunity has driven more than a mile of its route toward Endeavour and stopped to inspect the first of several loose rocks the team plans to examine along the way. High-resolution images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which reached Mars in 2006, are helping the team plot routes around potential sand traps that were not previously discernable from orbit.

"The journeys have been motivated by science, but have led to something else important," said Squyres. "This has turned into humanity's first overland expedition on another planet. When people look back on this period of Mars exploration decades from now, Spirit and Opportunity may be considered most significant not for the science they accomplished, but for the first time we truly went exploring across the surface of Mars."

For more information about Spirit and Opportunity, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/rovers

New Year's Message

2008-12-30T14:07:00.002+07:00

NASA TV To Air Space Station
Crew's New Year's Message

WASHINGTON -- NASA TV will air a special New Year's message from International Space Station Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Sandy Magnus beginning on Monday's noon EST Video File (newsfeed).

From their vantage point 220 miles above Earth, the astronauts express their year-end thoughts on the significance of the international outpost and their New Year's wish for the complex in 2009. The crew also shares their wish for peace in the languages of all of the countries represented in the space station partnership.

For the NASA TV downlink, streaming video and scheduling information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more about the space station and the Expedition 18 mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

NASA News

2008-12-29T19:23:00.003+07:00

NASA Tests Lunar Habitat in Extreme Antarctic Environment

WASHINGTON - NASA will use the cold, harsh, isolated landscape of Antarctica to test one of its concepts for astronaut housing on the moon. The agency is sending a prototype inflatable habitat to Antarctica to see how it stands up during a year of use.

Agency officials viewed the habitat Wednesday at ILC Dover in Frederica, Del., as it was inflated one last time before being packed and shipped to Antarctica's McMurdo Station. NASA is partnering on the project with the National Science Foundation, Arlington, Va., which manages McMurdo Station, and ILC Dover, the company that manufactured the prototype structure. All three organizations will share data from the 13-month test, which runs from January 2008 to February 2009. An inflatable habitat is one of several concepts being considered for astronaut housing on the moon.

"Testing the inflatable habitat in one of the harshest, most remote sites on Earth gives us the opportunity to see what it would be like to use for lunar exploration," said Paul Lockhart, director of Constellation Systems for NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, Headquarters, Washington.

NASA's Constellation Program is working to send humans back to the moon by 2020. After initial sorties, the astronauts will set up a lunar outpost for long-duration stays, and they will need a place to live. The agency is developing concepts for habitation modules that provide protection for the astronauts and are easy to transport to the lunar surface.

"To land one pound of supplies on the lunar surface, it'll require us to launch 125 pounds of hardware and fuel to get it there," Lockhart said. "So our habitation concepts have to be lightweight as well as durable. This prototype inflatable habitat can be taken down and redeployed multiple times, and it only takes four crew members a few hours to set up, permitting exploration beyond the initial landing area."

The structure looks something like an inflatable backyard bounce house for children, but it is far more sophisticated. It is insulated and heated, has power and is pressurized. It offers 384 square feet of living space and has, at its highest point, an 8-foot ceiling. During the test period, sensors will allow engineers to monitor the habitat's performance.

The National Science Foundation also is interested in lighter, easier-to-assemble habitats. It currently uses a 50-year-old design known as a Jamesway hut, which is bulky and complex in comparison to the habitat being tested. Modern variations on the Jamesway, although lighter, are still rigid and difficult to ship, with limited insulation. During the test of the new inflatable habitat, the foundation will study improvements in packing, transportation and set up, as well as power consumption and damage tolerance for this newest variation of the concept.

To enable lunar exploration, the Constellation Program is developing a new fleet of spacecraft and rockets, as well as transportation and power systems for use on the surface of the moon. More information about NASA's space exploration plans is available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/constellation

The inflatable habitat is being developed under NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program. For more information, visit:

http://www.ipp.nasa.gov

Video of the send-off event is expected to be available Thursday on the NASA Television Video File. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Herbal Remedy

2008-12-29T18:42:00.002+07:00

Herbal Supplements for Insomnia

Written by DeeBr on Dec-26-08 1:18am
From: www.moms-blog.com

Often when people are experiencing insomnia they are quick to grab an over the counter medication in the hopes of remedying the problem. These medications can have more negative effects than anything else.

Therefore, many turn to herbal remedies and attempt to battle their insomnia in a more natural fashion. There are several herbal choices that can be extremely beneficial in treating insomnia.

Many of the herbal remedies that are on the market today actually mirror some prescription drugs minus the sometimes complicated and unpleasant side effects. For example, many use St. John Wort for anxiety rather than going on some other drug like Zoloft, Paxil, or Prozac.

The leaves of the catnip plant are known to cause sedation in humans. The only problem with this approach is that there is no designated dose to take, however it is safe for humans to consume.

Because of the problem with accurate doses, it is not a good idea for small children to use it and also it should not be used by women who are pregnant.

The great thing about catnip is that it can easily be grow at home, as a matter of fact; many people who choose herbal remedies have herb gardens at home. Just like Ritalin has a counter affect similar to a stimulant when those who do not have

ADHD take it, the same is true with catnip. In adults, catnip provides a very soothing and calming affect but in cats it acts as a stimulant. So keep kitty away from the herb garden.

Chamomile herb has been used for thousands of years to treat insomnia. Apigenin is a chemical in chamomile that causes the muscles to relax and initiates sleep. In laboratories, chamomile has been proven to produce a mild sedative and anti-anxiety effect in mice.

Again, it has not been determined as of yet exactly how much chamomile had to be dosed to be sedative. It is safe for human consumption and can be used by pregnant women as well as those that are breastfeeding.

Those who should not use chamomile are people who are allergic to ragweed. Chamomile is available it its original form or in pre packaged tea bags.

Other herbal products are worth looking into such as Hops, Kava, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Oats, Passion Flower, Skullcap, and Valerian. All of these herbs have sedative and relaxing properties.

While these herbal supplements are very safe for human consumption and are also very safe, if you are taking any prescription medications you should cross check those before taking anything to ensure that there are no interactions.

When insomnia becomes severe doctors are often left with no choice but to prescribe heavy sedatives that induce sleep and while the patient will likely get sleep many have complained of bizarre dreams while sleeping on these medications and the inability to function normally the next day.

This is why many people come to embrace treating their insomnia naturally so they can avoid the day after effects. Herbal remedies do not have any next day complications at all.

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Research

2008-12-25T21:41:00.003+07:00

Researchers derive first embryonic stem cells from rats

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 -- Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) have, for the first time, derived authentic embryonic stem (ES) cells from rats.

This breakthrough finding will enable scientists to create far more effective animal models for the study of a range of human diseases, the university said in a press release on Wednesday.

The research will be published on the Dec. 26 issue of the journal Cell.

"This is a major development in stem cell research because we know that rats are much more closely related to humans than mice in many aspects of biology. The research direction of many labs around the world will change because of the availability of rat EScells," says Qilong Ying, a native of China and the study's principal investigator.

The finding brings scientists much closer to creating "knockout" rats -- animals that are genetically modified to lack one or more genes -- for biomedical research. By observing what happens to animals when specific genes are removed, researchers can identify the function of the gene and whether it is linked to a specific disease.

"Without ES cells it is impossible to perform precise genetic modifications for the creation of the disease model we want," he says. "The availability of rat ES cells will greatly facilitate the creation of rat models for the study of different human diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, addiction and autoimmune diseases."

The first ES cell lines were established from mice in 1981 by Martin Evans of Cardiff University, Britain, who was last year awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology. Researchers have long been working on establishing rat ES cells, but faced technical hurdles because the conventional methods developed for the derivation of mouse cells did not work in rats.

Building on recent research into how ES cells are maintained, the USC researchers found that rat ES cells can be efficiently derived and grown in the presence of the "3i medium," which consists of molecules that inhibit three specific gene signaling components. This approach insulates the stem cell from signals that would normally cause it to differentiate. By blocking these signals, the researchers found that stem cells from rats, which have previously failed to propagate at all, could be grown indefinitely in the laboratory in the primitive embryonic state.

Researchers at USC are currently working on generating the first gene knockout rat through ES cell-based technologies. "If our work is feasible it is likely that many labs will follow up to generate different types of gene knockout rat models," he says. "This will have a major impact on the future of biomedical research."

Blood

2008-12-25T21:29:00.001+07:00

FDA approves first imaging agent to enhance scans of blood flow

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Vasovist Injection, the first contrast imaging agent for use in patients undergoing magnetic resonance angiography, or MRA, a minimally invasive test for examining blood vessels.

Although MRA can be performed without the use of a contrast imaging agent, Vasovist provides a clearer image in patients who are suspected of having blockages or other problems with the blood vessels in their abdomen or limbs. The MRA is performed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which relies on magnetic fields to create highly detailed images of the inside the body.

"This MRA contrast imaging agent provides clinicians with a much clearer scan of blood vessels, compared to MRA without contrast, even in vessels that are difficult to scan because they twist and turn in the body," said John Jenkins, the FDA official in charge of new drugs.

When blood vessels are scanned using MRA without any contrast, radiologists are unable to interpret the images about 10 percent to 30 percent of the time. As a result, radiologists have typically used X-rays to detect blood vessel abnormalities. But this is a lengthy procedure and requires sticking a needle into an artery to inject the X-ray dye, a procedure that may result in injury to vessel walls, blood clots, allergic reactions and potential kidney damage. Vasovist is injected into a peripheral vein and no artery is punctured, thus the potential risks are fewer.

Vasovist is manufactured by a Massachusetts pharmaceuticals company. The active substance in Vasovist is gadolinium, a rare earth metal element that is detected by MRI scanners. When injected, gadolinium interacts with water molecules in the body, giving a stronger signal and, in turn, a better picture.

Tombs in Egypt

2008-12-23T15:20:00.005+07:00

Two 4,300-year-old tombs found in Egypt

Men walk near the site of two recently discovered tombs in Saqqara Dec. 22, 2008. Egyptian archaeologists have found the tombs of two court officials, in charge of music and pyramid building, in a 4,000 year old cemetery from the reign of Pharaoh Unas. The tombs were found buried in the sands south of Cairo and could shed light on the fifth and the sixth dynasties of the Old Kingdom, said Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

CAIRO, Dec. 22 -- An Egyptian archaeological mission has found two tombs dating back to some 4,300 years ago in the southern suburb of Cairo, an official said at the site on Monday.

"We announce a major important discovery at Saqqara, the discovery of two new tombs dating back to 4,300 years ago," Zahi Hawass, secretary general of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) told reporters as he toured the site.

The two tombs found in an old cemetery in Saqqara, some 30 km south of Cairo, were from the reign of Pharaoh Unas of the fifth dynasty in ancient Egypt, the SCA has said in a press release.

The rock-cut tombs were found buried in the sands at the El-Deir bridge area in the Saqqara necropolis, some 400 meters away from the step-pyramid, said the press release.

Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass speaks to the media about restoration work at the site of a recently discovered tomb in Saqqara Dec. 22, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

One of the tombs belonged to Iya-Maat, the supervisor of king Unas's missions to bring granite from Aswan and other materials from the Western Desert.

Iya-Maat bore several titles including the "supervisor of the king's property."

The second tomb was built for Thinh, who was a woman singer in the fifth dynasty and also had different titles such as "supervisor of all singers."

Hawass said the discovery was just the beginning of a large cemetery and the excavation would continue to find more ancient tombs in the area.

Earth Time

2008-12-23T15:10:00.004+07:00

Year 2008 earns one more second due to slower Earth rotation

BEIJING, Dec. 22 -- The year 2008 will be one second longer as the global time service system will be adding a leap second at the end of the year to keep it synchronized with the rotation of the earth, the China's National Time Service Center said Monday.

This will be the 24th time adjustment since the International Earth Rotation Service (IERS) called for the first leap second in 1971.

The leap second will come at 12:00 p.m. by Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on Dec. 31.

For China, which uses the Beijing Time, eight hours ahead of GMT, the leap second will come at 7:59 a.m. on January 1, according to National Time Service Center based in Xi'an, capital of northwest Shaanxi Province.

The time people read from ordinary timepieces is determined by the rotation of the Earth and its celestial position, or universal time, which is counted 0 hour at midnight.

However, the Earth rotates in different speeds in different years, as it is affected by the moon's gravity, said Dou Zhong, a senior researcher at the center.

The international scientific community has relied on atomic clocks in since 1958 to accurately measure time based on atomic resonance frequency.

The atomic time that the IERS releases is calculated from the readings of more than 200 atomic clocks located in metrology institutes in about 30 countries, including China.

Although non-binding, countries throughout the world accept coordinated universal time announced every few years. The IERS rules that any time difference bigger than 0.9 second necessitates a one leap second in universal time.

In a world that is increasingly more interconnected, Dou said, any refusal to the coordination in particular countries might lead lapse or even collapse in communication, aerospace, finance and transportation.

Since the introduction of atomic time, the Earth's rotation has gained 33 seconds. The last leap second occurred before 2006.

Dinosaur Dads

2008-12-22T21:42:00.003+07:00

This illustration shows a male of the medium-sized predatory dinosaur Troodon, which lived in North America in the late Cretaceous Period, brooding over a clutch of newly laid eggs.(Photo: Shanghai Daily)

Dinosaur dads had a mothering instinct

BEIJING, Dec. 20 -- Scientists who examined the fossilized remains of three types of medium-sized dinosaurs found with large clutches of eggs have concluded that the males rather than the females seem to have taken care of the eggs.

Writing in the journal Science, they said this behavior is seen in certain existing species of birds. Scientists believe birds evolved from small, feathered predatory dinosaurs more than 150 million years ago.

The three types of dinosaurs, Troodon, Oviraptor and Citipati, lived roughly 75 million years ago and were primarily meat-eaters.

"There are a lot of characteristics that we once thought were unique to birds that are turning out not to be - that they first arose in their theropod ancestors," Montana State University paleontologist Frankie Jackson, one of the researchers, said.

The scientists said the findings suggest that at least in these types of dinosaurs, the males may have mated with several females that laid eggs in one large clutch. When the females left, the males incubated and protected the eggs on their own.

Male-only care for eggs occurs among certain large flightless birds such as emus and rheas and the South American tinamous, according to fellow Montana State University paleontologist David Varricchio.

In these cases, the dinosaurs were found with an unusually large number of eggs - each nest containing from 22 to 30 eggs. They were found in Montana in the case of Troodon, and Mongolia in the case of Oviraptor and Citipati.

After a close examination of the fossils, the scientists concluded the dinosaurs were males.

Males contribute to parental care in less than 5 percent of mammal and reptile species.

(Source: Shanghai Daily/Agencies)

Singing Record

2008-12-22T21:35:00.001+07:00

NZ singer breaks world record by singing for 47 hours

WELLINGTON, Dec. 15 -- New Zealand singer Karen Davy broke a world record on Monday after nearly 48 hours of non-stop singing in Auckland.

She went home for a well-earned sleep, with a world record and a lot of money promised to Kidney Kids, a charity which takes care of children with kidney disease.

Davy began her record attempt on Saturday morning at the Botany Town Center in southeast Auckland.

She ended 47 hours and 29 minutes later, breaking the record by51 minutes.

She got a five minutes break every one hour. Every song she sang had to be over three minutes in length and she got a 30-second break between songs to take a sip of water.

Each song was also timed by supporters and a representative of Guinness World Records.

She sang a series of songs which lasted three hours and repeated the series over and over for the duration of her 47 hours and 29 minutes on stage.

Butterfly Migrated

2008-12-22T21:22:00.003+07:00

Butterfly found to have migrated 1,600 km from Japan to China

Dec. 19
Photo shows a chestnut tiger butterfly found in the city of Pingfu in Zhejiang Province, near Shanghai, in October 2006 that migrated from Japan. The butterfly, known scientifically as Parantica sita, tagged with letters and figures on its wings, was released in August that year in the central Japan city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, by a group of researchers from Japan and Taiwan. (Photo courtesy of Zhu Jianqing) (Kyodo)