World's Lightest Material Takes Inspiration From Eiffel Tower
REUTERS - A metal developed by a team of researchers from University of California at Irvine, HRL Laboratories and the California Institute of Technology is pictured resting on a dandelion fluff without damaging it in this undated publicity photo released to Reuters on November 17, 2011. The metal, which is about 100 times lighter than styrofoam, is the world's lightest material, according to a press release by the team. Their findings will be published in the November 18, 2011 issue of "Science" journal. REUTERS/Dan Little/HRL Laboratories LLC/Handout (UNITED STATES)
Motorola Bought 280 North, A Web Apps Company
Andy Rubin (Google) and Dr. Sanjay K. Jha (Motorola) join Om Malik on stage at Mobilize 2009 in San Francisco.
Motorola is buying 280 North, a tiny software and web applications start-up started by ex-Apple employees, for $20 million. The company makes a web application framework called Cappuccino that allows anyone to build desktop-quality applications for the web. A good example is their 280 Slides offering, which allows users to create and view presentations on the web.
The acquisition is a pointer toward Motorola’s future plans, when its handset business (along with some other hardware product lines) is spun off into an independent company, Motorola Mobility. It is also Motorola’s attempt to capture the Apple magic.
Google Tablets, A New Trend in the Mobile Industry
Heating up today is a fresh serving of new gadget in the 'tablet space'. With quite a few companies having already indicated that products based on Google’s Android platform are in progress. Recent rumors have surfaced that indicate Google is working on not one, but two, tablets, one based on Android, and the other on the Chrome OS. The company is working directly with HTC and Motorola if the rumors are to be believed, with the goal to produce a flagship tablet for each platform.
Intel Buying McAfee for $7.68B, A Bold Move
Intel finally decided last Thursday to buy security-software maker McAfee Corp. for $7.68 billion, in what looks like a major bet on the need for enhanced security at the hardware layer, as corporate computing becomes increasingly mobile and continues to move into the cloud. The acquisition will give the company a suite of products from software to services that it can tie to its hardware in order to appeal to corporate customers.
Robot with Emotion Prototype Now Completed
The first prototype of a robot that can develop emotions as it interacts with a human caregiver has been completed. A team across Europe was led by Dr. Lola Cañamero of the University of Herefordshire in the UK to develop the bot, which differs in several significant ways from those that came before it. These robots develop over time in much the way that a child does, learning to interact with and respond to the human beings around them.
India eyes Google and Skype in security crackdown
Once it resolves security concerns with BlackBerrys, , which are now under threat of a ban, India may ask Google and Skype for greater access to encrypted information once it resolves security concerns.
The 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, which were coordinated with satellite and cell phones, helped prompt a sweeping security review of telecommunications ahead of the Commonwealth Games — a major sporting event to be held in New Delhi in October.
Some analysts say more anonymous technologies — like the basic Nokia phones used by 10 gunmen who rampaged through Mumbai in November 2008, leaving 166 dead — and Gmail are more likely to be used to plan terror attacks than BlackBerry devices, which require reliable identity proof and contact information.
The 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, which were coordinated with satellite and cell phones, helped prompt a sweeping security review of telecommunications ahead of the Commonwealth Games — a major sporting event to be held in New Delhi in October.
Some analysts say more anonymous technologies — like the basic Nokia phones used by 10 gunmen who rampaged through Mumbai in November 2008, leaving 166 dead — and Gmail are more likely to be used to plan terror attacks than BlackBerry devices, which require reliable identity proof and contact information.
Scientists: Newly found fault caused Haiti quake
The devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti in January was unleashed by a previously undetected fault line — not the well-known one scientists initially blamed, according to an analysis of new data.
He said the analysis shows that most, if not all, of the geologic movement that caused January's magnitude-7.0 earthquake occurred along the newly uncovered fault, not the well-documented Enriquillo fault.
He said the analysis shows that most, if not all, of the geologic movement that caused January's magnitude-7.0 earthquake occurred along the newly uncovered fault, not the well-documented Enriquillo fault.
Oracle Corp sued Google Inc over Android
Oracle Corp sued Google Inc, accusing the later of patent and copyright infringement in the development of the popular Android smartphone software.
The case was filed last Thursday in California federal court, claims that Google "knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle's Java-related intellectual property" in developing Android, Oracle spokeswoman Karen Tillman said in a statement.
Analysts said the suit against Google could signal that Oracle intends to be more aggressive in seeking licenses for Java, a technology that is used in many types of Internet-based products. Oracle acquired Java through its $5.6 billion purchase of Sun Microsystems earlier this year. Analysts say Google's Android operating system uses portions of Java technology.
About 200,000 smartphones and other devices based on the Android operating system are sold each day, Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said at an August 4 conference.
The case is Oracle of America Inc v Google Inc, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California .
