Over Phone Number Problem

Linda Roth Conte considers it a tremendous breakthrough that when you call 411 and ask for the number of her company, Linda Roth Associates, you are told that there is no such listing.

That's because until just this week, when you called 411, you got her company's old phone number. The number she had before her public relations company moved from Ballston to Reagan National Airport. A move that took place 14 months ago.

more

Nokia N95 - N-series Multimedia Computer Mobile Phone Launched

Today is a day of celebration, for no reason other than Nokia’s latest launch, the Nokia N95 – a GPS capable ‘multimedia computer’ mobile phone. And our love for Nokia means we can’t let this glorious day go unmentioned.

Available on a variety of tariffs, the Nokia N95 is retailing between £50 and £100, or off-tariff for around £350. But don’t be put off by the price, as this is not just any phone. This is, according to Nokia, a ‘multimedia computer’ disguised as a mobile phone. Apparently it has it all, bar a memory card, so let’s have a look at what it’s boasting under its mini-laptop status.

'Fully-packed with cool Multimedia options'

Nokia’s N95 has everything a top of the range mobile phone has to offer and more, including GPS capability, giving it sat nav device status, combined with a mobile phone. Via the advanced web browsing options, the GPS mapping is available on ‘mini-map’, which gives you a location based search option; on this you can choose a point of interest, address, or postcode, just like the options on a stand-alone sat nav device. Using the advanced internet options, you can also open, read and reply to emails, and more importantly open and view attachments, including PDF files.

Surf the web - Fast internet browser

Well-designed slide mechanism

Maps, music and menus

'Satisfaction guaranteed'

The fun is taken out of snapping away on your mobile phone shortly after photos are taken, as most people leave them right there, on their phone, and forget to download or share them, and when it comes to needed more memory, they get deleted. Nokia has taken this into account and come up with a solution. Now you can upload your photos instantly to Flickr, a free photo sharing website, which automatically adds photos to your chosen networking site, including MySpace, Bebo, and Friendster. And you’ll want to share the photos and DVD-like videos taken with the N95’s five megapixel camera combined with Carl Zeiss optics. The top-quality video is shot at up to 30 frames per second, and when replayed on the 2.6-inch crystal clear and colourful screen, you’ll know you’ve made the right choice. Although a memory card does not come as standard, some service providers are currently throwing one in, but you may be happy enough with the already integrated 2GB memory.

Nokia’s marketing motto ‘whatever you need, wherever you are’ comes into play when looking at the Nokia N95’s multimedia capabilities. A progressive spec means users can download movies, before linking the phone up with compatible home electronics, to watch downloaded movies on the big screen, for example, via a TV-out cable. PC, Mac or laptop connectivity is guaranteed via a USB 2.0, WLAN, or Bluetooth wireless technology. Nokia’s N95 audio spec was like sweet music to our ears. Cool and futuristic options include the ability to stream your music wirelessly to compatible headphones, or a car or home stereo. Alternatively, you could hook up your favourite headphones or home stereo speakers. We love it, you’ll love it. Don’t delay, go and get the Nokia N95 today

Thawing Out

Calamari anyone?

Researchers in Wellington, New Zealand are considering microwaving the largest squid ever caught. They don't want to heat up the creature to eat it, but rather to inspect it.

Scientists froze the squid after it was captured in Antarctic waters last month in order to preserve it.

The massive animal weighs 495 kilograms and measures 10 metres.

Researchers at New Zealand's national museum are considering putting the squid into a massive microwave to defrost it. They can't place it out at room temperature due to its size. The process would take days and the outside would rot before the insides thawed out.

"There are certain microwave equivalents that are used by industry, for treating timber and the like, that we could probably fit this thing into," expert Steve O'Shea said. "But that is just one option."

This squid would make calamari rings the size of tractor tires if cut up.

So it's probably for the best that this creature isn't destined for human consumption. How would you dunk those suckers in a nice chipotle mayo?

source : www.citynews.ca

Apple TV's Relentless Takeover: Will Soon Work with Slingbox

The hacker-magnet that is the Apple TV seems destined to for stardom. Only a few weeks after launch, the thing has generated a ridiculous amount of buzz for a box that really doesn't do that much in it's un-hacked form.

It's similar to the iPod, which was really just another MP3 player when it came out. Due to some rethinking by Apple about what people might want to do with their music, the iPod changed the game entirely. And the Apple TV might be the thing that changes how people think about television and movies.

In an interview with CNET, Brian Jaquet from Sling Media has confirmed that they are are in the process of testing their Slingbox with the Apple TV. This will let you stream anything in your iTunes library to a mobile device via the internet. It's a bit of a kludge, as you will first have to sync your Apple boxes and then sync to Slingbox, but once those kinks are worked out you have yet another reason to pony up for new kit.

This is where it gets interesting. The iPod's success was due in large part to the vertical integration of the player and iTunes, and later the iTunes Store. When the iPhone ships later this year, could this be the next part of the plan? ITunes streaming directly to iPhone? The technology is certainly there, and Apple have proved that they are the masters of delivering this kind of thing in an easy to use way. Bring on June 21st!

source : www.blog.wired.com

EU to vote on mobile roaming fees

Why costs are high

Plans to cut the cost of mobile phone calls between European Union member states may be about to move a step closer with a key vote in Brussels.

A committee at the European Parliament will on Thursday vote on European Commission proposals to cut so-called roaming charges by as much as 70%.

If the bill passes the committee, it will then move to the main parliament.

The commission wants the cuts in place by the summer, but they will still need to be approved by EU nations.

more

mobile roaming fees

Hang up and drive: House passes cell phone bill

The Washington state House on Wednesday approved a measure that would require drivers to use handsfree devices when talking on their cell phones.

The bill passed on a 59-38 vote in the House, where it has gotten stopped in prior years. It passed the Senate last month, but must head back to the Senate for concurrence before going to Gov. Chris Gregoire, who is expected to sign it.

"This bill sends a message to all drivers all across the state that talking on your cell phone while driving is dangerous, or as the bumper sticker says, 'hang up and drive'," said Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island.

Under the proposed law, if you're caught holding a cell phone when you're pulled over for another infraction, such as speeding, you could be slapped with an extra $101 fine.

Sen. Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way, has tried to get a handsfree requirement onto the books for seven years. While her measure has passed the Senate in past years, it has never come up for a vote in the House until this year.

"I think its day has come," Eide said. "It's about time."

The House has already passed a measure that would ban all drivers from text messaging while driving. That measure is awaiting action in the Senate.

Opponents of the phone bill said that talking on the phone is no more distracting than rowdy children in the back seat or eating in the car. And some argued that even with a headset, drivers can still be distracted by their phone calls.

"Dialing that phone number is a lot trickier than having that phone up to my ear," said Rep. Mike Armstrong, R-Wenatchee. "We are passing a bill that really isn't going to stop the true unsafe behavior."

The measure would allow motorists to use hand-held phones to summon help in an emergency or to report illegal activity. Emergency workers would be allowed to use a cell phone while driving if they are performing official duties. Tow truck drivers responding to disabled vehicles would also be allowed to use hand-held phones.

An amendment exempting people who wear hearing aids was added to the measure on the House floor.

Several other amendments were rejected, including one that would have limited the restriction to King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, and another that would have banned eating or drinking while driving and talking on the cell phone. Attempts to exempt taxi cab drivers and commercial drivers were also rejected.

All states have considered some sort of distracted driving measure in the past five years, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., all have laws prohibiting the use of hand-held phones while driving, he said. California passed a similar law that will go into effect in 2008.

Thirteen states prohibit drivers with learning permits from talking on a cell phone and 11 states have laws against school bus drivers using them.

If it's signed by the governor, the bill would take effect Jan. 1, 2008. For the first six months, the State Patrol would just give out warnings.

The House on Wednesday also passed:

-A measure to expedite construction of new ferry vessels. The state is building at least four new ferries to serve the growing population in the Puget Sound region and to replace vessels that were built in 1927. The legislation, which now goes to the Senate, would allow shipbuilders to collaborate on a single joint proposal. The state could modify the plan. The bill passed 91-6.

-A bill that would extend the state's anti-discrimination protections to veterans and active duty military. The measure, which went to the governor for her expected signature, passed 90-7

source : www.komotv.com

SanDisk Offering iPod and Zune Competition

SanDisk Corp., maker of flash memory said Monday that it will be teaming up it new musicplayer with Yahoo's music services to bring users free and subscription music services. Users of the Sansa Connect device will be able to use a Wi-Fi wireless connection to listen to Launchcast Internet radio, browse Flickr photos and see what Yahoo Messenger friends and other Sansa Connect owners nearby are listening to. Launchcast and Flickr are both part of the Yahoo network.

Users of the new SanDisk music player Sansa Connect, with a Yahoo Music Unlimited To Go subscription will be able to download and listen to music and also download tracks that their friends are listening to or have recommended. When the four-gigabyte Sansa Connect is not connected to a Wi-Fi network, the player behaves like a traditional Flash music player and can be connected to a personal computer. Users can play music and view photos stored either on the player or on an optional microSD card.

Apple's iPod still dominates the portable music player industry as they control more than 70 percent of the market. SanDisk has risen over the past few years to rank second with about a 10 per cent slice of the market, according to market researcher NPD Group.

At the same time, Apple announced on Monday that it has sold its 100 millionth iPod and see no slow-down to its sales.