Archive for June, 2008
photo credit: nicolasnova
Instead of building more energy efficient cars, Chrysler is now trying to turn your car into a wifi hot spot. My first reaction when i read about this was WHAT??? Aren’t Cell Phones a big enough distraction already? The number of accidents caused by drivers on cell phones is still on the rise.
Chrysler says motorists can only surf the net when they are at stoplights and not when the car is in motion. How about implementing this in such a way that motorists can only surf the web or check emails when they have their gear set at “Park” or when the engine of the car is turned off?
Chrysler says it will be first to bring Wi-Fi into the car on a mass scale. The dealer-installed system, called UConnect Web, will be an add-on to Chrysler’s UConnect information and entertainment systems.
via:usatoday
A UK based company called ‘Live Luggage’ is getting ready to sell its new PA Series battery powered suitcases starting at $1,365.25. They say the suitcase has special sensors that know when you are trying to pull your suitcase and would give you a helping hand. The suitcase features two huge wheels at the bottom and has a motor in each of the two wheels. The batteries on the suitcase are rechargeable and will go for a distance of a little less than 2 miles on a single charge.
With rising air ticket prices and protruding bellies in most western nations, i guess this suitcase will probably be of no interest to most travellers. Frequent fliers, senior citizens and people with fat wallets might still be interested.
For more on this battery powered suitcase, read this blog by Mike Elgan at ComputerWorld
photo credit: Capture Queen ™
Last Week, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone 2.0. Going by the initial excitement and response to this new version of iPhone, it seems to me that the iPhone will finally be a huge hit among the masses. Even the ones that could not afford the iPhone earlier will probably open up their piggy banks to get their hands on this marvel from Apple.
Its almost more than a year since the iPhone 1.0 was launched. Phone makers were probably running scared with the amount of press and publicity, the iPhone was receiving. A number of big phone manufacturers – Nokia, Samsung, RIM etc., have unveiled what they dub as ‘iPhone Killers’. Killers? Really?? Mike Elgan says that some of these ‘iPhone Killers’ might have features superior to the iPhone, but they did not copy the 7 easy features that he has enlisted here.
1. Huge letters and numbers
2. Empty, unused space on the screen
3. Transitions between functions
4. Do-it-yourself setup at home
5. A single cable for USB and wall power
6. Carrier bypass for music
7. A lack of choice between models
‘Green Motion’ is an environmentally friendly vehicle rental (thats their tag line, BTW) company based in the United Kingdom. The company offers low Cabon-di-oxide (CO2) emitting vehicles for rent.
Starting in June 2008, Green Motion will partner with Trees4Good to plant a tree for every car rented at Green Motion. Trees4Good will mainly have these trees planted in the rain forests of Brazil and Borneo.
Commencing in June 2008, Green Motion, in conjunction with Trees4Good, will plant a tree on behalf of each and every one of its corporate and retail customers – you rent a car – we plant a tree. The cost of this programme will be absorbed by Green Motion and its network and therefore the company will not be asking its customers to opt in or out or in fact pay for each tree planted.
The tree planting campaign undertaken by Trees4Good is mainly concentrated on the rain forests in Brazil and Borneo. Their objective is to concentrate on re-forestation where the rain forest has been decimated providing employment for the local population as well as the ability to grow crops that in turn will allow the locals to be self supporting and be in a position to provide a sustainable future income which will contribute towards education and health care. Planting trees and subsequently harvesting their crops, which in turn are sold through the fair trade system to retailers including Tesco, Marks and Spencer and the Co-Op deters, at can provide revenue as a result of the crops which results in deterring the local population from cutting the trees down for profit.
The carbon benefits for each tree planted will more than offset each rental vehicle during its operational life with Green Motion, creating the world’s first and only carbon negative vehicle rental operation.
via : Green Motion
photo credit: Arria Belli
Dr.Mark Ukra, more popularly known as Dr.Tea, has been making multiple appearances on popular daily talk shows like “The View” and “Good Morning America” to promote his new book “The Ultimate Tea Diet”.
Dr.Tea Mark Ukra wants people to choose tea over coffee and has been talking about how coffee actually dehydrates your body and traps body hat. Whereas tea has the anti-oxidants that aid the human body in losing weight. The most effective Tea is Wulong Tea.
Mark Ukra’s book ‘The Ultimate Diet’ is currently being sold on Amazon.com for $16.47
The following description about the book and the sample recipe are from the book description section on the Amazon.com page:
Tea has been widely recognized for its amazing health benefits. It can help:
• Boost the immune system
• Lower blood sugar and cholesterol
• Prevent cavities and tooth decay
• Slow the aging process
• Decrease high blood pressure
• Prevent arthritis
• Sharpen mental focus and concentration
• Reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, cancer, and more…
Now, it’s time for tea to be recognized, not only for all of these wonderful health benefits, but also for its ability to help tea drinkers lose weight.
The Ultimate Tea Diet harnesses tea’s incredible weight-loss potential in a straightforward plan for losing weight in a safe and healthy way. Simply find a tea you love, drink it all day, follow an easy food plan, and see the pounds fall off.
Tea’s ability to encourage weight loss comes from the synergy of its three main ingredients: caffeine to stimulate, L-theanine to neutralize the harmful side effects of caffeine and act as an appetite suppressant, and EGCG, which causes you to burn fat faster and more efficiently. In other words, tea reduces your appetite and stimulates your metabolism.
Don’t worry–you won’t go hungry on the Ultimate Tea Diet. The food plan includes tasty tea-based meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as tempting choices for midday snacks and sweet treats. All are made deliciously with tea so not only is your food incredibly flavorful, but you’re also getting the health and weight-loss benefits in every single bite you enjoy.
Drinking tea–and maintaining a conscientious focus on good health–can easily become a way of life. Slim down to a leaner, more energetic, and healthier you with the Ultimate Tea Diet.
A Sample Recipe From The Book
Rosemary Orange Tea Chicken
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 oranges
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon of dried, plus fresh sprigs for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground green tea
• 1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Mix together the olive oil, juice of 1-1/2 oranges (set aside the other half0, pepper, salt, chopped rosemary, and dry tea. Pour this marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat a grill pan or barbecue until hot. Remove chicken from the bag, discarding the remaining marinade, and grill until browned on both sides. Thinly slice the remaining orange half and serve with the chicken. Decorate with a sprig of rosemary.
Serves 4.
Nutrition Per Serving: calories 170, fat 2.5g, protein 28g, carb 8g
The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino is deploying six Microsoft Surface units operating in the ‘iBar’ bar inside the casino. Rio is also deploying its own home grown applications that will allow patrons to create and order their own drinks and also let them ‘Flirt’.
Harrah’s will deploy a suite of their own customized applications and be the first to install Microsoft Surface in an entertainment venue, providing guests with uniquely personalized and engaging social experiences. Their most ambitious application is “Flirt” which uses strategically placed video cameras to create an exciting new way to initiate conversation, flirt and meet new people from one Surface to another. Additional applications include a series of play-for-fun interactive games like bowling, a challenging musical memory game, and multi-player pinball with a twist. There’s even a cool mixologist app that lets you design and order your own drinks.
Video: Microsoft Surface at the Rio in Las Vegas
Via : MSDN blog
Yamaha is calling it the “SuperSport” bike and the only one of its kind. The Yamaha YZF-R15 will make its keenly anticipated debut on Indian roads on June 12 2008. The bike has generated great excitement, like never before, in local media and in the minds of young indians.
Here are some of the features of Yamaha YZF-R15 (Via:yzrf15.com)
(1) A newly developed 150cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC, single-cylinder fuel-injected engine
(2) An all-aluminum DiASil Cylinder produced by an exclusive Yamaha casting technology
(3) Eco-friendly performance that clears the next-phase Bharat 4 emissions standard
(4) The Deltabox frame known for excellent rigidity balance
(5) Impressive 2-eye multi-reflector headlight design in the YZF-R series image* Tyre Front: 80/90 – 17 inch tubeless
* Tyre Rear: 100/80 – 17 inch tubeless
* Brakes: Front- Disc, Rear- Disc
* Fuel Tank: 12 Litres
* Wheelbase: 1290 mm
* Min Ground Clearance: 160 mm
Promo video from yamaha:
A 360 degree view of the bike:
First real look at the bike from a showroom in chennai:
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, commonly referred as DWP, has dropped about 400,00 floating plastic balls into the Ivanhoe Reservoir. All this in an effort to protect LA’s drinking water supply from getting contaminated with the carcinogen ‘Bromate’.
In 2007, the DWP discovered high levels of Bromate in the Silver Lake, Ivanhoe and Elysian. Ivanhoe’s water already contains Bromide and Chlorine and sunlight can trigger a chemical reaction between the two resulting in the formation of Bromate. The plastic balls are being dropped into the reservoir in an effort to ’shade’ the water from direct sunlight.
Pankaj Parekh, DWP’s director for water quality compliance, says “Ivanhoe and Elysian reservoirs will be blanketed by about 3 million balls each for about four years”
Via: LA Times – Images By Irfan Khan of LA Times
The new 3G Apple iPhone has finally arrived. After months of speculation, Steve Jobs unveiled the 3G Apple iPhone at the Apple WWDC Event in San Francisco.
Here are some of the features of the new 3G Apple iPhone:
1. 8GB version to cost $199 and 16 GB version to cost $299
2. Built in GPS.
3. 3G data speeds very close to Wi-Fi Speeds
4. Improved Battery Life – 300 hours of standby time, 6 hours of Web browsing, 7 hours of video, and 24 hours of audio
5. The new phone will go on sale in 22 countries starting July 11
6. Full support for Microsoft Office documents, including PowerPoint presentations.
7. Bulk delete and move capabilities to its Mail application. Mail users will be able to save images from e-mails into their Photo Library.
8. Revamped S/W and new iPhone Apps.
9. 3.5-inch (8.9-centimeter) touch screen
10. 8 GB Version available in Black and 16 GB version available in White and Black.
11. For Business Users : Microsoft’s Exchange email over the iPhone and will employ technology from Cisco to ensure that data sent between businesses and employees’ iPhones are secure.
Video of Steve Jobs introducing and talking about the iPhone 3G:
This is the picture of a black Densuke watermelon that was sold in Japan today for $6,100. That makes it the most expensive watermelon ever.
Following is from a LA Times article
What does a Densuke watermelon taste like? Gold bullion? Has anyone out there ever tried one of these? Is it worth it? (A Japanese agricultural expert was quoted as saying the melon is crisp and hard, with an unparalleled appeal: “It’s a watermelon, but it’s not the same. It has a different level of sweetness.”)
The 17-pound black melon is considered the cream of the crop, one of only 65 from the first harvest of the season. The fruit is grown only on the northern island of Hokkaido, adding to its value. The new owner is said to be a marine products dealer who wants to support local agriculture. I wonder what he plans to do with it.
Here’s the real kicker, though. The watermelon is a bargain compared to the $23,500 recently paid in Japan for a pair of Yubari cantaloupes, the AP reported, adding that melons are a luxury item commonly given as gifts.
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