11:14 AM
Robots are narrowing the gap on humans--one expert quoted in the article go on to discuss what could happen when we have truly intelligent robots, with the line: "If we're very lucky, they'll treat us as pets. If not, they'll treat us as food":
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1011838.html
The Department of Homeland Security is studying "Brain Music", which uses music created from listeners' own brain waves to help them deal with things like insomnia, fatigue, and stress-related headaches:
http://www.dhs.gov/xres/programs/gc_1214511688798.shtm
The Army has been trying for a year to find out what happened to 3 small vials of a virus that went missing...at least this virus isn't as harmful as others could be, but they still worry when a biolab loses something:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042202005.html
Lip-reading computer created that can distinguish between languages:
http://www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/2009/apr/homepagenews/lipreading
Wii gaming controller has been adapted for use for radiologists to navigate through patient images, avoiding repetitive motion injuries that occur today due to the reliance on using a mouse and keyboard:
Article link
Scientists are getting close to creating an "artificial nose" via nanostrings:
http://www.en.uni-muenchen.de/news/research/kotthaus.html
Astronomers cannot figure out (or even name) a giant space "blob" that is out of proportion and out of time for its size:
http://www.azstarnet.com/news/289953
The Australia government agency who claims to have invented the core technology behind 11a and 11g has received settlements with the top 14 WiFi companies...they are expected to get a HUGE amount of money now:
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/101510,csiro-patent-case-closes-with-secret-deals.aspx
US cellular companies do not seem to be interested in adding this free mobile DTV to their cell phones. That is a problem because few people will buy a mobile device just to watch TV--it really needs to be on cell phones to get widespread use. Maybe the next Nintendo DS or Sony PSP will add this feature to drive sales?
http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2009/04/20/free-mobile-dtv-is-coming-but-who-is-buying/
Qualcomm and Broadcom are apparently close to a global settlement of their legal disputes. This would be great for both companies and for the wireless industry...each company has spent millions over the past 4 years on legal fees and products have been delayed due to the dispute:
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/apr/23/1b23qcom21927-qualcomm-nears-deal-broadcom-lawsuit/?business&zIndex=86975
Apple dismissed the growing market for netbooks, ending speculation about an upcoming Apple netbook being released soon:
http://www.infoworld.com/d/hardware/apple-dismisses-netbook-trend-720?source=NLC-DAILY
iPhone sales exceeded expectations, leading to a 15% profit increase last quarter and a nice jump in Apple stock:
Article link
AT&T is preparing for the Palm Pre release by sending an internal memo to employees to be able to put down the Pre and talk up the iPhone, and even holding seminars for employees so that they know how to convince customers to stay away from the Pre:
http://www.precentral.net/att-vs-pre-internal-document-smackdown-oh-no-you-didnt
AT&T admitted that the leaked internal memo was a real memo:
http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/04/purported-att-internal-documen.html
Clearwire is being sued by its customers (including customers from Washington, Hawaii, Minnesota, and North Carolina) because its service is "slow and unreliable" and its early termination fees are too high. This is NOT the type of PR a company wants!
Press release
The Bluetooth 3.0 standard has been finalized and products using it should be out in 9 to 12 months. I'm looking forward to having it on my next phone:
http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/bluetooth/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216900441
More than half of the children in Europe under the age of 10 have a cell phone, and 95% of those 16 or older have cell phones. It is unfortunate that the network carriers aren't bothering to try to block access for the kids to porn and gambling sites even though they have been asked to do so:
http://web20.telecomtv.com/pages/?newsid=44829&id=e9381817-0593-417a-8639-c4c53e2a2a10&view=news
Myspace just forced out its co-founder and CEO--Facebook and other sites have been growing much quicker than it, so they made a major shakeup:
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/digital-downloads/broadband/e3i2b46d200e6140dd09254b0a4ea1f6910
Detroit woman was shot by a burglar, but her bra's wiring stopped the bullet and saved her life:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/23/detroit_bra/
Target has created a reservation (pre-order) system for popular video games that could sell out. The interesting thing about this is that they are giving $5 gift cards to those who pre-order the games:
http://www.cedailynews.com/2009/04/target-announces-reservation-program-for-popular-video-games.html
Pregnant woman stopped in the middle of robbing a bank to answer her phone, then she got so distracted by the call that she left the bank without any money!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30361435/
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1011838.html
The Department of Homeland Security is studying "Brain Music", which uses music created from listeners' own brain waves to help them deal with things like insomnia, fatigue, and stress-related headaches:
http://www.dhs.gov/xres/programs/gc_1214511688798.shtm
The Army has been trying for a year to find out what happened to 3 small vials of a virus that went missing...at least this virus isn't as harmful as others could be, but they still worry when a biolab loses something:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042202005.html
Lip-reading computer created that can distinguish between languages:
http://www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/2009/apr/homepagenews/lipreading
Wii gaming controller has been adapted for use for radiologists to navigate through patient images, avoiding repetitive motion injuries that occur today due to the reliance on using a mouse and keyboard:
Article link
Scientists are getting close to creating an "artificial nose" via nanostrings:
http://www.en.uni-muenchen.de/news/research/kotthaus.html
Astronomers cannot figure out (or even name) a giant space "blob" that is out of proportion and out of time for its size:
http://www.azstarnet.com/news/289953
The Australia government agency who claims to have invented the core technology behind 11a and 11g has received settlements with the top 14 WiFi companies...they are expected to get a HUGE amount of money now:
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/101510,csiro-patent-case-closes-with-secret-deals.aspx
US cellular companies do not seem to be interested in adding this free mobile DTV to their cell phones. That is a problem because few people will buy a mobile device just to watch TV--it really needs to be on cell phones to get widespread use. Maybe the next Nintendo DS or Sony PSP will add this feature to drive sales?
http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2009/04/20/free-mobile-dtv-is-coming-but-who-is-buying/
Qualcomm and Broadcom are apparently close to a global settlement of their legal disputes. This would be great for both companies and for the wireless industry...each company has spent millions over the past 4 years on legal fees and products have been delayed due to the dispute:
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/apr/23/1b23qcom21927-qualcomm-nears-deal-broadcom-lawsuit/?business&zIndex=86975
Apple dismissed the growing market for netbooks, ending speculation about an upcoming Apple netbook being released soon:
http://www.infoworld.com/d/hardware/apple-dismisses-netbook-trend-720?source=NLC-DAILY
iPhone sales exceeded expectations, leading to a 15% profit increase last quarter and a nice jump in Apple stock:
Article link
AT&T is preparing for the Palm Pre release by sending an internal memo to employees to be able to put down the Pre and talk up the iPhone, and even holding seminars for employees so that they know how to convince customers to stay away from the Pre:
http://www.precentral.net/att-vs-pre-internal-document-smackdown-oh-no-you-didnt
AT&T admitted that the leaked internal memo was a real memo:
http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/04/purported-att-internal-documen.html
Clearwire is being sued by its customers (including customers from Washington, Hawaii, Minnesota, and North Carolina) because its service is "slow and unreliable" and its early termination fees are too high. This is NOT the type of PR a company wants!
Press release
The Bluetooth 3.0 standard has been finalized and products using it should be out in 9 to 12 months. I'm looking forward to having it on my next phone:
http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/bluetooth/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216900441
More than half of the children in Europe under the age of 10 have a cell phone, and 95% of those 16 or older have cell phones. It is unfortunate that the network carriers aren't bothering to try to block access for the kids to porn and gambling sites even though they have been asked to do so:
http://web20.telecomtv.com/pages/?newsid=44829&id=e9381817-0593-417a-8639-c4c53e2a2a10&view=news
Myspace just forced out its co-founder and CEO--Facebook and other sites have been growing much quicker than it, so they made a major shakeup:
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/digital-downloads/broadband/e3i2b46d200e6140dd09254b0a4ea1f6910
Detroit woman was shot by a burglar, but her bra's wiring stopped the bullet and saved her life:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/23/detroit_bra/
Target has created a reservation (pre-order) system for popular video games that could sell out. The interesting thing about this is that they are giving $5 gift cards to those who pre-order the games:
http://www.cedailynews.com/2009/04/target-announces-reservation-program-for-popular-video-games.html
Pregnant woman stopped in the middle of robbing a bank to answer her phone, then she got so distracted by the call that she left the bank without any money!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30361435/