Cool GooDies

HP has unveiled the world's first web-connected home printer - The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web.

The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web features an entirely new web-based printing platform with HP applications(apps). Similar to other Internet-connected devices, these apps, which are viewable on a TouchSmart panel, allow people to connect instantly with fun, informative and personal content.

In addition to receiving apps preloaded on the printer, people can download new ones as they become available at the HP Apps Studio to suit their interests and needs. With the sweep of a finger, users will be able to browse and view popular web destinations and simply touch the app of their choice to launch a web page where they can customize and print content on demand in an easy-to-read format.

The world's first HP app partners will be USA TODAY, Google, Fandango, Coupons.com, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, Web Sudoku and Weather News Inc. Through these apps, people will have free access to customized daily news, maps, coupons, coloring pages, movie tickets, recipes, personal calendars and more – all at the touch of a finger.

The new printers also will connect directly to a user's Snapfish account to view, print and upload photos. People additionally can access projects from the HP Creative Studio.

People will be able to create and share their own apps to customize their printers through the HP Apps Studio starting in late 2009.

From Google Maps, consumers will be able to enter their destination and print a map; from Google Calendar, they will be able to print their weekly schedule to place on their refrigerator or bulletin board.

With Coupons.com, users can save money by printing coupons for groceries, restaurants, entertainment and more. People also can browse and print recipes for quick, easy meal planning.

Consumers will be able to search movies in their local area from any one of Fandango's 16,000 theater screens across the country. They can then buy tickets in advance and print their tickets at home or the office, helping ensure an easy and convenient movie-going experience.

Through the DreamWorks Animation app users also will be able to view movie trailers to upcoming releases without having to log on to a computer. Nickelodeon printables will include color-ins, word finds, mazes and more from top properties, including "Dora the Explorer,” "The Wonder Pets!,” "SpongeBob SquarePants” and "iCarly.”

For commuters, Weather News Inc. provides a weekly forecast to allow for informed travel planning. With Web Sudoku, people can quickly print brain teasers for light entertainment on the go.

The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web has an extra-large 4.33-inch touchscreen and can print, faxes, copies and scans – producing laser-quality text documents and lab-quality photos. With a full range of wired and wireless connectivity options, the printer provides the flexibility to print directly from Wi-Fi-enabled PCs, Bluetooth-enabled devices, the Apple iPhone and the Apple iPod touch using HP iPrint Photo.

Expected to be available this fall, the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web will retail in the United States for a target street price of $399. 

If you're a budding photographer moving up in life, Sony says they've got just the thing for you. Three things to be precise. They've just introduced what they claim to be three easy-to-use Alpha DSLR cameras - the DSLR-A380, DSLR-A330 and DSLR-A230 - that will come loaded with four new lenses. Senior manager for the Alpha business at Sony Electronics Inc. had this to say:

"Our new alpha cameras, lenses and accessories make it easier for new users to get the great photos they expect without the steep learning curve that DSLRs have traditionally required.

By overcoming the obstacles, we've made it much easier for newcomers to take great pictures with DSLRs."

 The way they're overcoming obstacles is via what they claim to be an extensive built-in Help Guide, that will help new photographers by showing them the ropes.

The A380 will support up to 14.2 megapixel while the other two cameras will go up to 10.2 megapixel. The camera will come equipped with Sony's Quick Autofocus (AF) Live View technology, so you can frame photos on the camera's LCD screen as well as in the optical viewfinder. In addition, they'll all feature extensive HDMI compatibility, so you'll be able to view images on any HDTV if you connect the camera via HDMI. To futher the Sony integration, you'll be able to control the camera's photo/video preview on Sony's  Bravia via the Bravia's remote. The cameras will release this July. There's no India price out yet, but here are the American prices -

The A380L, Aa330L and A230L will cost about $850, $650 and $550, respectively. The L series one-lens kit comes with the SAL-1855 standard zoom lens.

The A380Y, A330Y and A230Y will cost about $1050, $850 and $750, respectively. The Y series two-lens kit comes with both the SAL-1855 standard zoom and SAL-55200 telephoto zoom lenses.

Sony has waved its magic wand once again, and given us a sparkling new LCD TV, the 40-inch Bravia ZX1. It is touted as the world's slimmest LCD TV - 9.9mm thick and weighing in at about 15kg.

The ZX1 comes with many technologies to help contribute quality images and digital entertainment experience. At its heart is the Bravia Engine 2, surrounded by Edge LED technology, Motionflow 100Hz and Image Blur reduction. The ZX1 comes with a Full HD display resolution of 1920 X 1080 pixels, and a glossy black bezel and screen.
Apart from the usual Bravia features like Live Colour Creation, 24p Cinema, Xross media bar, Bravia Theatre Sync, the ZX1 has audio enhancement features like digital amplifier, S-Force Surround, voice zoom, dolby digital plus, etc. This screen has two integrated speakers and a woofer that delivers a net output power of 20 watts (5 Watts for each speaker + 10 Watts for woofer).

The main USP is probably Wireless HD, one of the most innovative features in the Bravia ZX that enables users to enjoy Full HD quality images without any messy wires and cables. Wireless technology allows the user to utilize the media library located anywhere in the house, via the supplied HD media receiver. Wires from the HD devices are connected to the HD media receiver and the display will receive the input signals from the media receiver wirefree, with the help of high-speed wireless connection and RF technology.The connectivity of the Bravia ZX1 is distinguished with 4 independent HDMI inputs, a PC input, composite inputs, component inputs, USB connection, and a RBG compatible SCART input.

There is no price point attached to the Bravia ZX1 as yet. You'll know as soon as we do.

India's No. 4 mobile operator, state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), said on Friday it had launched third-generation (3G) services in 11 cities and planned to expand services to other areas in the country.

BSNL said in a statement it had invested 27 billion rupees ($530 million) on rolling out 3G infrastructure and would cover all district headquarters and important commercial towns.

India will hold an auction of 3G spectrum later this year, but state-run firms have already been given one slot in each service area, and will have to match the highest bid from private operators. Third-generation services give users a chance to enjoy fast Internet access, games and a host of multimedia content from maps to music on their cellphones. BSNL provides telecoms services across the country except in the major cities of New Delhi and Mumbai, which are covered by another state-run firm, MTNL.

The folks at Gmail Labs have been busy and they're now dishing out offline access to Gmail.

 On enabling offline access, Gmail will load in your browser even if you don't have an Internet connection. You can read messages, star, label and archive them, compose new mail and messages ready to be sent will wait in your Outbox until you're online again.

It's built on the Gears platform, which has already been used to offline-enable Google Docs, Google Reader, and other third-party web applications

To get started with offline Gmail -

- Sign in to Gmail and click 'Settings'.
- Click the 'Labs' tab and select 'Enable' next to 'Offline Gmail'.
- Click 'Save Changes.'
- In the upper righthand corner of your account, next to your username, there will be a new 'Offline' link. Click this link to start the offline synchronization process.

Standard Edition users can follow these instructions immediately, while Premier and Education Edition users will first need their domain admins to enable Gmail Labs from the Google Apps admin control panel.

Google's Friend Connect is now available in beta, seven months after its preview release.

Friend Connect makes it easy for users to sign in to a website, share a bit about themselves through a personal profile, discover other people with similar interests, invite their contacts, and interact with friends, all through their existing account from Google, Yahoo, AOL, or OpenID.

Users can choose to to either establish a new profile or use profiles and friend sources from other social networks that have opened up their services, like Plaxo and Orkut.

Google's been working with a handful of website owners, social networks, and application developers to improve Friend Connect's speed and scalability, ease of use, and customization capabilities. They've also expanded the features available to users with more integrated profiles and new ways to discuss and share content, like including YouTube videos in comments.

Websites that use Friend Connect become OpenSocial containers, capable of running applications created by the OpenSocial developer community.

Click here for more. 

Picture this: marketing executives Arvind Vyas and Supriya Verma are on a client visit. On nearing the glass doors to the office, Arvind pushes his way through first, without taking into consideration that his female colleague is just two steps behind. He lets go of the door, which promptly closes in Supriya's face!
Understandably, Supriya is quite piqued -- Arvind clearly displays a lack of manners. It is customary for a gentleman to not only open any door for a lady, but to politely usher her through before making his own way in. In fact, whoever reaches a door first, irrespective of gender, needs to hold the door open for the person behind. It is such a simple task and yet so many of us fail to do it.
The globalisation of businesses in India has vastly improved manners at work, but there is still much to be desired. In far too many companies, basic courtesies are still overlooked. Every work place has its own complex dynamics but the basic social rules which make people comfortable with each other remain valid in every working situation. An organisation where people are treated well and treat each other well tends to be more successful than others.
Here are certain guidelines to follow in a working environment.
How to welcome newcomers

• Newcomers should be welcomed by their seniors and colleagues.
• They should be briefed about their jobs and company practices.
• Staff at any level should be introduced to any newcomers they encounter.
• Courtesies should be extended to everyone you meet, irrespective of whether it's the receptionist or the CEO.
• Avoid asking personal questions regarding the newcomer's educational qualifications/ parentage/ marital status/ age/ income etc.
• Our names are an important symbol of our identity. Do not mispronounce, misspell or mix-up anybody's name.'
• Using someone's first name usually implies that you are superior to him, decidedly equal or friends. Therefore, it is best to start off formally. Use their surnames, preceded by Mr, Mrs or Ms. He/ she can then easily suggest that you use a first name.

How to show courtesy towards colleagues

• Greet everyone you encounter cheerfully and with a smile on your way into the office. On your way out, remember to thank the receptionist / office boys etc.
• Good bosses, employees and colleagues don't forget their manners. Remember 'please' and 'thank you'.
• Always show your appreciation with a smile.
• Small talk and light chitter chatter at work is essential; it expresses friendliness without demanding attention. Whether you talk about the traffic or the weather, the vital message is that you are all part of the same team.
• Be polite to hired help like peons, drivers, delivery boys etc.
• Do not talk loudly when you talk over the phone or to your colleagues. Talk in a soft and clear voice.
• Take instructions with grace and give instructions gracefully.
• On occasions like birthdays, staff members should receive a personal gift, good wishes and words of appreciation from the boss and colleagues.
• Always be considerate. The last person to leave the office should not have to switch off all the lights, air conditioners and computers. For example, when a photocopier runs out, whoever used the last sheet of paper should refill it.
• When you are going to get yourself a cup of tea, coffee or a cold beverage, offer to bring one for your co-workers as well.
How to make yourself likeable and pleasant to work with
• Don't be a whiner who is always complaining and miserable with his/ her lot in life.
• Never use words like 'can't' and 'won't', nor phrases like 'I'm busy' and 'that's not my job'.
• Do not criticise anyone -- that's not your job. And if you get criticised, be professional about it. Do not take it personally.
• Keep personal conversations down to a minimum and keep out of earshot of others.
• It is shabby to look through people's computers, emails or letters -- and don't ever make the mistake of sneaking into people's personal property like handbags or wallets. Be responsible for your own property and valuables. If you lose your expensive items, everybody else becomes a suspect and nobody likes being one!
• Never borrow anything from someone's desk without permission and when you do always return it in good condition.
• Do not misuse office property. Keep your workplace orderly. Do not infringe on other people's space.
• Be friendly with colleagues of the opposite sex but know where to draw the line. Don't get involved needlessly in any situation which could lead to embarrassment and could potentially damage not only your reputation, but that of the organisation as well.
• Do not get indulge in office gossip or discuss delicate topics (religion, politics, money, sex etc).
• Do not fidget or make unnecessary sounds which can be distracting to your co-workers.
• Maintain stringent standards of personal hygiene. Do clean up after yourself when you use the restrooms so the next person using it does not have to scrunch up his/ her nose!
• Do not convert your desktop into a place of worship. Since you might be working with people who follow different faiths, it might be better to display a vase of flowers instead.
• Use office privileges like sick leave etc thoughtfully so that you don't burden your co-workers with extra work.
Business meeting etiquette
• Be punctual. If you are late, apologise briefly but sincerely and immediately give total attention to the meeting. Those who wish to leave early should ask their seniors' permission beforehand. Leave quietly, with an 'excuse me' and catch the eye of the person who is talking at that point.
• Dress well -- it gives a good impression.
• Always remember to switch of your mobile phone.
• If there is an established seating pattern, accept it. If you are unsure, ask.
• Do your homework; get all your facts and figures in order. Go prepared.
• Acknowledge any introductions or opening remarks with a brief recognition of the chair and other participants.
• When discussions are underway it is good business etiquette to allow more senior figures to contribute first.
• Never interrupt anyone -- even if you disagree strongly. Note what has been said and return to it later with the chair's permission.
• When speaking, be brief and ensure that what you say is relevant.
• It is a serious breach of business etiquette to divulge what has been discussed at any meeting with a third party -- consider it confidential.
• Thanking the person who organised the meeting is not only good etiquette; it is also a sign of respect.
Keep competition within the organisation healthy
• A team tends to behave like a human body, accepting what is part of it and rejecting any alien tissue. People are accepted if their behaviour mirrors the group norms.
• Faults and blunders usually take place due to lack of communication. Find out the cause of the mess-up and solve the problem so that it is not repeated.
• Curb your annoyance and control your temper.
• Do not strive to pull a colleague down just to get the approval of the boss. This will backfire on you in the long run.
• Back-stabbing and petty talk is not only unpleasant, it is in poor taste.
• A secure and efficient worker never grudges another's success. Envy and jealousy among co- workers ruins the working environment for everyone. The following notice, seen on several office walls, gets the point across well:
'This department requires no physical fitness programme. Everyone gets enough exercise:
• Jumping to conclusions
• Flying off the handle
• Running down the boss
• Knifing friends in the back
• Dodging responsibility
• Pushing their luck!'
•  

This has to be one of the smartest ideas i’ve seen in a long time.
Last year Mr peng yu-lun devised a system which, when implemented at mrt stations, will negate the need for trains to stop or decelerate at all stations, when approaching the station itself. The idea as you’ll see in the video below, is to have a separate designated carriage for people wishing to board or alight the train which waits at the platform. The carriage then attaches to the train as it passes underneath and eventually rests on the roof until the next stop approaches and the carriage detaches and comes to a halt.
Have a look at the clip.

One advantage that immediately springs to mind is a presumably huge energy saving due to the fact that the main train would no longer have to stop and start on a regular basis.
I came across this video by complete mistake today on a chinese version of youtube and subsequently spent what seemed like a lifetime trying to find related information that wasn’t in taiwanese. If anyone can translate the audio i’d be grateful. the only written info i could find was from the ‘taiwan headlines’ website, which can be read here.

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