Some of The Major Intel Motherboard Problems

Source : Intel

System does not boot up at first integration

2x2 or 2x4 power connector not plugged in
If the power supply cable with the 2x2 connector or 2x4 connector (depending on your desktop board) is not plugged into the 12V processor core voltage connector located near the processor socket, the system will not boot up. You will see lights onboard and on the chassis front panel and the processor fan will spin, but nothing will appear on the monitor. See figures below for cable placement.

or

Processor issues
'No boot' situations can be caused by any of the following:

If you have installed an incompatible processor, the system will not boot. Ensure the selected processor model is correct for your desktop board. Some processors require specific desktop board versions and BIOS revisions. To find the supported processor list for your board, go to Supported Processors. If the processor is compatible, try removing and reinstalling the processor to ensure it is installed correctly.

If the processor overheats, the system may not boot or may shut down shortly after booting.

• Make sure the fans on the processor are connected properly and running.
• Make sure that the thermal interface material or the thermal grease is applied to the processor properly.
• Make sure that the power supply fan is running properly and any other external case fans are running properly.
• Make sure that the air intakes for the external fans are unobstructed and have at least several inches away from walls and other items.

Memory issues
'No boot' situations can be caused by any of the following:

• If you have installed incompatible memory modules, the system may not boot. Verify the memory you've installed has been tested with your board. To find the tested memory list for your board, go to Tested Memory. If the memory is compatible, try removing and reinstalling the memory modules to ensure they are installed correctly.
• Some desktop boards require you to populate the memory sockets starting with the first socket. The product guide for your desktop board will indicate such a requirement.
• If you have defective memory modules, the system may not boot. One, two or three beeps at boot indicate defective memory. To isolate a specific memory module as defective, boot the system with just one memory module installed at a time.

Monitor issues
'No boot' situations can be caused by monitor configurations. Check the following:

• Make sure the monitor is plugged in and turned on.
• Make sure the video cable is connected properly at the monitor and the computer.
• Check the brightness and contrast controls on the monitor. The monitor may be dimmed where you cannot see anything on the monitor.
• Most monitors have a light indicating its current status:
  • A green light indicates the monitor has sufficient power and is getting a video signal.
  • An amber light appears if the monitor has power but it is not getting a video signal from the computer. This indicates the problem is most likely in the computer.
  • If the light does not turn on at all, it is likely a problem with the monitor itself. Make sure that the monitor is connected to a working AC outlet. If there is an on/off switch for the outlet, make sure the switch is on. If the problem still persists, try replacing the monitor or try the monitor on different AC outlet or a different system.

Power supply and chassis issues
'No boot' situations can be caused by any of the following power supply, chassis or fan issues:

• Verify that your chassis and power supply is appropriate for the processor model and frequency and the desktop board you have.
  • An ATX12V or SFX12V with the 2x2 connector is required for all Pentium® 4 processor-based and higher Intel® Desktop Boards. Power consumption requirements for high-end video cards, sound cards, peripherals, and the Pentium 4 processor will exceed the typical 5A current capacity of standard ATX & SPX power supplies.
• Do not use 2x2 power cable adapters with non-compatible older power supplies.
• Verify that the power supply has the capacity to power all the devices used in your system.
• Ensure the power cord is firmly connected to the power supply and the AC outlet.
• If the power supply or the AC outlet has an on/off switch, make sure that it is on.
• Determine power supply voltage selector setting (230 volts vs. 115 volts) is correct.
• Check for foreign objects inside the chassis such as screws that may ground the desktop.
• Attach the desktop board correctly to the chassis base with the spacers/stand- offs. Make sure not to tighten the screws too much.
• If possible, use a voltmeter to verify that each output from the power supply is correct. If any output is very low (especially the +5 volt output), consider replacing the power supply.
• If possible, use a voltmeter to verify the PowerGood signal is +5 volts. If the signal is below 1.0 volts, there may be a short or overload causing a constant reset. Consider replacing the power supply.

Cable issues
'No boot' situations can be caused by any of the following cabling issues:

• Make sure the drive ribbon cables inside the computer are attached correctly and securely. For IDE drives, check the orientation of pin 1 of the hard drive cable. A cable connected backwards may cause the computer not to power up.
• Check that the cables connecting the chassis front panel to the desktop board are plugged in properly to the onboard headers.

Electrical short or overload
An electrical short or overload may cause a system not to boot.

Check for shorts and overloads by removing non-essential items such as extra controller cards or IDE/ATAPI devices. Keep only the desktop board, power supply, memory and processor installed. If the system boots, it is possible there is a short or overload with one of the components that you removed or one of those components is faulty. Replace each of non-essential items one at a time until you isolate which one is causing the problem.

If the problem occurs even after removing the non-essential components, the problem has to be with the desktop board, power supply, memory or processor.

Defective componentsDefective components, especially processor and memory, can cause a system not to boot up properly.

• Swap the memory modules with known good memory. In addition, test the suspected memory in another known working system.
• Swap the processor with a known good processor. In addition, test the suspected processor in another known working system.

System used to boot up and now does notChanges to your computer's configuration can cause your system to not boot properly.

New processor or additional memory was installed
If you upgraded the processor or added memory:

• Some processors require specific desktop board versions or specific BIOS revisions.
• Make sure the new processor is supported for your desktop board. To find the supported processor list for your board, go to Supported Processors.
• Make sure the new memory modules are supported for your desktop board. To find the tested memory list for your board, go to Tested Memory.

New PCI or PCI Express* card was installed
If you installed a new add-in card to a PCI or PCI Express slot and now the system won't boot:

• Some PCI Express graphics cards require additional power.
• Remove and reinstall the new card to make sure it is fully seated in the slot.
• Try the card in a different slot, if possible.
• Make sure other devices and cables inside the chassis were not disturbed or loosened when you installed the new card.

New drive was installed
If you added a new drive (hard drive, CD-ROM, DVD) and now the system won't boot:

• Make sure all drive cables are properly connected.
• Make sure the correct power cable is connected to the new drive.
• Make sure any drive jumpers (master, slave) are configured correctly according to the manufacturer's documentation.
• Make sure other devices and cables inside the chassis were not disturbed or loosened when you added the new drive.

New software or drivers were installed
If you recently installed new software or new device drivers:

• Try booting into Safe Mode and uninstall the new software or driver. If you can now boot normally, there may be a compatibility issue between the new software or driver and some component in your system. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.

Settings were changed in BIOS
Certain changes in BIOS settings (such as chipset timing or latency, memory timing or latency, processor clock frequency, etc.) can cause a system to no longer boot.

If you are able to enter the BIOS Setup by pressing F2, reset the BIOS to factory defaults by pressing F9. Save and exit the BIOS Setup.

If you cannot enter the BIOS Setup, clear the CMOS:

1. Turn off all peripheral devices connected to the computer.
2. Disconnect the computer’s power cord from the AC power source (wall outlet or power adapter).
3. Remove the computer cover.
4. Locate the battery on the board (see figure below).
5. With a medium flat-bladed screwdriver, gently pry the battery free from its connector. Note the orientation of the “+” and “-” on the battery.
6. Wait one hour then replace the battery.
7. Replace the computer cover.
8. Plug the computer and all devices back in.

You may also need to perform a BIOS Recovery after clearing the CMOS.

BIOS was upgraded to later version
After a BIOS upgrade, a hard drive that originally was configured as IDE may revert to the default value of AHCI, causing the system to no longer boot successfully into the operating system.

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

1. During boot, enter the BIOS setup by pressing F2.
2. Set the drive configuration back to IDE. Depending on the board model, this setting can be found as follows:
   1. Go to the Advanced > Drive Configuration menu.
   2. Set Configure SATA As... to IDE.
   Or
   1. Go to the SATA Drives menu.
   2. Set Chipset-SATA Mode to IDE.
3. Press F10 to save and exit BIOS setup.

Other Boot Issues

Resolving slow boot timesCheck the following tips to speed up the boot time of your computer:

• Set the hard drive as the first boot device in the boot order in the BIOS setup (Boot > Boot Device Priority menu).
• Enable Intel® Rapid BIOS boot in the BIOS setup (Boot menu).
• Disable Hard Disk Pre-Delay in the BIOS Setup (Advanced > Drive Configuration menu).
• Disable system functions and features if you do not need them. Examples include:
  • Legacy USB - this must be enabled if you use a USB keyboard or USB mouse outside the Windows* environment (Advanced > USB Configuration).
  • Unused I/O ports, such as serial, parallel and IEEE-1394 ports (Advanced > Peripheral Configuration menu).
  • Event logging (Advanced > Event Log Configuration menu).

To enter BIOS Setup, press the <F2> key after the Power-On Self-Test (POST) memory test begins and before the operating system boot begins.

Warning If any problems occur after making BIOS settings changes (poor performance, intermittent issues, etc.), reset the desktop board to default values: During boot, enter the BIOS setup by pressing F2. Press F9 to set defaults. Press F10 to Save and Exit.

If the system locks or won’t boot after making BIOS settings changes, perform a BIOS recovery.

BIOS beep codesRefer to BIOS Beep Codes for troubleshooting tips for when you hear beep codes and your desktop board does not boot up successfully.

Port 80h POST codes
Refer to Port 80h POST Codes for information regarding beep codes, error messages and POST codes associated with BIOS versions based on Extensible Framework Interface (EFI).

Error "PXE-E61 Media Test Failure" at boot
The error PXE-E61 Media Test Failure can occur at boot, if all the following are true:

• Boot to LAN is enabled in BIOS Setup.
• A network cable/connection is not present.
• Network Boot is in the boot order before a present boot device.

To resolve this, remove Boot to LAN from the list of boot devices in BIOS Setup.

Source : Intel

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Some of the great videos I came across while browsing..

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Google Android Vulnerability Fix

In the second half of May, folks over at University of Ulm in Germany determined that all Android phones running any version below 2.3.4 Gingerbread are vulnerable to attacks over unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. That pretty much means that around 99.7 percent of Android users at risk.

The German researchers published their findings in a paper entitled 'Catching AuthTokens in the Wild: The Insecurity of Google's ClientLogin Protocol'. Vulnerability is specific to unencrypted Wi-Fi hot spots, where the team demonstrated an attack that gained access to such items as contacts, calander events and private pictures, including those currently being synced.
By stealing authToken, the hackers can theoretically access a variety of other Google services on the phone. The best solution is to upgrade to Android 2.3.4 but the upgrades are hard to come by.
Three or four days after the vulnerability was reported, Google began rolling out a fix, and users were not required to make any changes. It's quite apparent that the fix being rolled out is all back-end, with the way the network handles credentials, connecting to a more secure HTTPS server instead. However, the fix doesn't resolve all issues, and the third-party Gallery app will still leak data when communicating with Picasa.
Response was relatively quick, but the flaw shouldn't have existed in the first place. Connecting to open Wi-Fi networks with mobile device is not good anyway.

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What is Virtual Credit Card (VCC)

Now a days Internet and online shopping become an integral part of everyone’s life, but everyone is not comfortable with online shopping due to fear of online fraud especially Indians.

Virtual Credit Card (VCC)

Online transactions and payments are very important for a freelancer or blogger as their life depends on them.Here are solutions for safe online shopping,you can use Virtual Credit Card instead of traditional credit card.Virtual credit card can generated for free or bought for few bucks.

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Skyhook announces agreement with Intel to enable location services on mobile devices

Skyhook, the world leader in location positioning, context and intelligence, announced a license and distribution agreement with Intel to make Skyhook’s Core Engine hybrid location platform available to the Intel AppUp center through the Intel AppUp developer program at Mobile World Congress 2011.

Skyhook's software-only location system determines precise device location quickly and accurately by synthesizing data from Wi-Fi access points, GPS satellites and cell towers using advanced hybrid positioning algorithms. Intel will enable Skyhook’s software to deliver advanced positioning capabilities for app developers creating applications for Windows and MeeGo-based devices.

“Intel has shown great leadership in driving the growth of mobile computing and we’re excited to play a part in helping them to continue their efforts,” said Michael Shean, founder and senior vice president, business development, Skyhook. “Intel AppUp center is becoming a big part of the rapidly growing consumer app market and we’re looking forward to working with Intel to enable location-based capabilities on a broad range of Intel-based platforms.”
“Fast, reliable and accurate location positioning has become a required capability for mobile devices, applications and services,” said Christos Georgiopoulos, general manager, Developer Relations Division, Software and Services Group, Intel Corporation. “Adding location-based capabilities to the Intel AppUp developer program provides our developer community with the opportunity to offer consumers exciting applications through the Intel AppUp center.”

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The latest builds of Windows 8 in the hands of developers has resulted in more leaked screenshots, this time showing off the new Advanced Task Manager of the OS. New and improved, the we have two different screenshots displaying two different types of Task Manager. Some believe one is the touch edition, and the other is the standard.

Microsoft is obviously still experimenting with different types of interface for the app, and any of the below versions, a combination of them, or something absolutely new, might be what actually releases with the full version of Windows 8 in 2012. The first screenshot is the dashboard of the Advanced Task Manager, showing basic CPU, disk load, memory, and network information graphically. The second screenshot is another version of the Task Manager, seemingly touch-friendly, showing a list of programs, users, and start up items. Check them out below:

Click to enlarge

.

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Google Video to be axed, come April 29

 

Google Video, the video hosting website which was a former rival of YouTube (before being bought over by Google), will stop hosting videos from April 29 this year. Google had stopped users from uploading new content of Google Videos since May 2009.

In a mail sent out to users who have uploaded content on the site, Google has asked them to download their content or move it over to YouTube.

Here is a copy of the letter being cirulated by Google:

Dear Google Video User,

Later this month, hosted video content on Google Video will no longer be available for playback. Google Video stopped taking uploads in May 2009 and now we’re removing the remaining hosted content. We’ve always maintained that the strength of Google Video is its ability to let people search videos from across the web, regardless of where those videos are hosted. And this move will enable us to focus on developing these technologies further to the benefit of searchers worldwide.

On April 29, 2011, videos that have been uploaded to Google Video will no longer be available for playback. We’ve added a Download button to the video status page, so you can download any video content you want to save. If you don’t want to download your content, you don’t need to do anything. (The Download feature will be disabled after May 13, 2011.)

We encourage you to move to your content to YouTube if you haven’t done so already. YouTube offers many video hosting options including the ability to share your videos privately or in an unlisted manner. To learn more go here.

Here’s how to download your videos:

Go to the Video Status page.
To download a video to your computer, click the Download Video link located on the right side of each of your videos in the Actions column.

Once a video has been downloaded, “Already Downloaded” will appear next to the Download Video link.

If you have many videos on Google Video, you may need to use the paging controls located on the bottom right of the page to access them all.

Please note: This download option will be available through May 13, 2011.

Thank you for being a Google Video user.

Sincerely,

The Google Video Team

Google Video was launched back in 2005 but within no time YouTube came onto the scene and gave a completely new meaning to the 'going viral' terminology. It was eventually bought over by Google. The death of Google Video was inevitable after it stopped accepting uploads from users in May 2009. And let's face it, YouTube is synonymous with video hosting service.

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Sling Media brings placeshifting technology to India with Slingbox 120 and Slingbox PRO-HD

Placeshifting technology, which involves viewing and listening to live, recorded or stored media on a remote device over the internet or a data network, is fairly unheard of in India. Sling Media Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Echostar Corporation announced the launch of Slingbox in Mumbai on Thursday, a product that falls under the placeshifting tech category.

Sling Media unveiled a range of consumer electronic products such as Slingbox 120, Slingbox PRO-HD, SlingPlayer and SlingLink which promise to enrich your TV viewing experience across various screens. Slingbox acts as a medium between your TV's set-top box and devices like your laptop, tablet, media-player or phone (basically any device that can be connected to the net) and can beam the TV content onto these devices. It allows you to watch and control live TV content from a cable box, satellite receiver, DVR or video camera on any remote device such as a cellphone, laptop or tablet located anywhere in the world via broadband internet connection.

The Slingbox accepts TV source input and is also connected to your home network router. You will have to install the SlingPlayer on your device (laptop, tablet or cellphone) which will use your home network (if you are at home) or surrounding WiFi or wired internet network (if you are outside your house) to beam your TV content onto these devices.

There is a catch thought. You can only view one active stream at a time. Consider these two scenarios:

a) Your TV in the living room is OFF, but your set-top box connected to the Slingbox is on. Then you can view your TV channels on your laptop / tablet / phone as you would on a TV and change channels accordingly, using your home network.

b) Your TV in the living room is ON, then the device configured with the Slingbox will only be able to see what is being played on the TV. As set top boxes are limited to a single tuner in India (one TV per set top box), therefore you cannot view a different channel on your mobile device from the one that is currently on your TV.

This means that you cannot watch your IPL matches, while someone else in your house is watching 'Balika Vadhu'. Also you cannot simultaneously play your TV content on your laptop and other mobile device. It has to be your TV + laptop / tablet / cellphone. When we asked him about this limitation, Bhupen Shah, Founder and CTO said, “We cannot stream the content simultaneously on more than one device, as that would amount to broadcasting and that is not fair on the content authors.”

The Slingbox devices come with composite ports, component ports and a LAN port. There is a USB port as well, but as of now you cannot connect your hard drive and stream media from it. You can connect your HD media player or Blu-ray player to the Slingbox PRO-HD device alongwith your TV source in. You can watch content off the stored media device, while someone else is watching TV in your house. The user interface has a virtual remote control from which you can operate your media as you would on your home TV. Sling Media have fed the remote control codes from all the popular Direct-To-Home providers.

On being asked how different SlingPlayer for mobile is from the Mobile TV offered by various 3G service providers, Raghu Tarra, MD Sling Media, said, “In the mobile TV option offered by cellphone service providers, you have to buy their packages, and you are limited by their choice of channels. In case of the SlingPlayer on your mobile device, you are watching content that you have already paid for. You do not have to buy a separate mobile TV plan as such. You are just watching your TV on the mobile screen.”

The MRP for Slingbox PRO-HD, which can stream high definition content is Rs. 14,999. Slingbox 120 can stream standard definition will set you back by Rs. 7,999. The SlingPlayer software for mobile phones is selling at $29.99 (approx. Rs. 1350). In addition to these products there was SlingLink, which is a basic network adapter which allows you to create a Slingbox network over your existing home's electrical wiring. SlingLink was priced at Rs. 4,999.

While the product is great for home use over your home network, we felt that outside your house, you are limited by bandwidth of the internet connection you will get. On the mobile phone platform, Sling Media is banking heavily on the 3G technology, but again the user will have to bear the data charges for the streaming. The pricing we felt was on the higher side, and the least they could have done to sweeten the deal was bundle in the SlingLink for free.

Let's face it, in most home setups, the TV source is located in the living room whereas your router is in another room. One way to connect the Slingbox to the router will be by moving the router in the living room and use a WiFi dongle on your system or WiFi on your laptop. Other alternative, which looks aesthetically disastrous is connecting a LAN cable from your router (in your room) to the Slingbox in the living room. So shelling out Rs.4,999 for a tool which will help ease the connectivity mess, seems a bit too high.

Summing up, we will be keeping an eye on the consumer response to this product. Keep an eye out for our review of these two products in the near future.

Specifications

Slingbox PRO-HD

Network Bandwidth:

HD Video: 1.5 Mbps or higher

SD Video: 600 Kbps or higher

Mobile Video: 150 Kbps or higher

Supports audio and video sources like: Cable TV STB, Digital Cable STB, Digital Video Recorder, DVD player/recorder, HD Component input support with reolution upto 1080i, Satellite receiver, Video/security camera, Windows Media Center Extender

Slingbox 120

Network Bandwidth:

SD Video: 600 Kbps or higher

Mobile Video: 150 Kbps or higher

Connects to one SD composite video source such as: Cable TV STB, Digital Cable STB, Digital Video Recorder, DVD player/recorder, Satellite receiver, Video/security camera, Windows Media Center Extender

The products will be available at retailers like Croma, Reliance Digital and online stores like Flipkart.com by the end of the month in Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and NCR regions. 

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Adobe announces Creative Suite 5.5 (CS5.5), as well as Photoshop apps for tablets

 

 

Adobe has announced the availability of an update to its Creative Suite 5 software pack, called Creative Suite 5.5, or CS5.5. The update can be downloaded by way of monthly subscriptions. The update will begin rolling-out in a month's time.

 

The Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 packs many new tools, and focusses on providing design features that are relevant for popular modern devices such as smartphones and tablets. One of the features includes the Photoshop Touch Software Development Kit scripting engine, which gives developers the ability to create touch-based Photoshop applications, which can be used on four tablet operating systems, including Android and iOS. Using the feature, Adobe has already created three applications for the iPad, called Adobe Color Lava Adobe Eazel, and Adobe Nav, which will allow users to edit and create images with a variety of Photoshop tools. The update also includes complete support for what is being called the future of the web - HTML5.

 

Speaking on the launch of the update, a spokesperson for Adobe commented: "This launch marks a major change to Adobe's product release strategy for Creative Suite. Adobe now plans to have milestone Creative Suite product introductions at 24-month intervals and -- starting with Creative Suite 5.5 -- significant mid-cycle releases designed to keep the worldwide creative community ahead of the latest advances in content authoring."

 

The new update also brings subscriptions editions for Creative Suite software, allowing customers to use software for a limited time and reduced fee, via online subscription. These include month-to-month plans, for yearly plans. Current users of CS2, CS3, and CS4 have a grace period going on right now, during which period if they upgrade to CS5, they will automatically get a CS5.5 update. Check out some pricing information below:

• Adobe Photoshop - $49 month-to-month, $35 a month in one-year subscription
• Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Design Premium (InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash Professional and Adobe FlashCatalyst, Acrobat X Pro, Illustrator CS5, Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended and Adobe Fireworks CS5) - $139 month-to-month, $95 a month in one-year subscription, $1,899 for full edition.
• Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Master Collection -$195 month-to-month, $129 a month in one-year subscription, $2,599 for full edition.
   

For a complete list of release notes, visit Adobe's page.

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Leaked Windows 8 screenshots show upcoming Windows App Store

While the following Windows 8 images were leaked more than a month ago, they have begun circulating all over the web in the recent past. The images, sourced from milestone builds of Windows 8, show the Windows App Store.

Apart from hosting Microsoft software like Office 2010, users will also be able to download Windows compatible third-party apps, share gift coupons, and more. Very similar in interface to the Apple App Store, Mac App Store, and the Chrome Web Store, the Windows App Store layout has been criticized for being unoriginal.
As the images are from a milestone build, you can expect more than a few changes before the release.

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Twitter reports 3x faster searches with new Blender

So you think Google, Yahoo and Bing are the only search engines around? Well, you aren't entirely wrong, but five-year old Twitter too has a search functionality, and although it may not be comparable to the search giants, it still serves over a billion search queries a day. On Twitter, a search can be for a particular term, but more often it is for a term which begins with a hashtag.
Twitter recently changed to a Java server called Blender, which has reportedly made its search function upto three times faster.
Seen below is a graph, which Twitter engineer Krishna Gade has used to illustrate the drop in search latencies. The week prior to launching Blender, the search queries around the Japan tsunami and the earthquake resulted in a spike in the latency.

According to the Twitter Engineering blog, the search latency has come down from 800ms to around 250ms and the CPU load on the front-end servers has been cut into half. This essentially means that Twitter can handle more requests per machine, thus requiring investment in fewer servers and a fast response.
To know more about the inefficiencies of the former Ruby-on-Rails front-end servers and how present day Blender works go here.

Hopefully, now we should expect less encounters with the (in)famous Twitter fail whale.

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Autodesk launches 2012 line of products

Autodesk today announced new releases of the company's digital entertainment creation software and middleware. The 2012 versions enable iterative workflows, help users manage complexity and provide new creative tools. Autodesk is following the suites model, by packaging individual products together in the form of a creation suites.

While highlighting the challenges faced by customers, Arun D'Souza, Head, M&E, Autodesk India & SAARC said “To remain competitive, studios must improve production efficiency and maximise their creative capabilities.”

In addition to cost saving, following the “suites” model allows users multiple advantages such as common shortcuts, enhanced interoperability, and a single click workflow, to name a few. Further, Suites can make it easier for customers to explore new products and technologies, and provide a consistent user experience, making it easier to learn and work with multiple Autodesk tools.

To bring out the current trend where digital artists in the creative industry are expected to do more with less, T.K Sim, (APAC Marketing Manager for Media & Entertainment) who joined us over voice conference, spoke of several game studios shutting down in the recent past.

Some of the products talked about include Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suites which comes in a standard and premium version. The Premium version includes a choice between 3ds Max or Maya along with Softimage, Autodesk, MotionBuilder, and Mudbox. The Creative Finishing Software for Film, Telivision and Commercial Post Production includes the Autodesk Flame Premium software which combines high-end visual effects and finishing tools with real-time colour grading in a single solution.

 

 

The entire suites portfolio of products is slated to begin shipping by 8th April 2011. For details on individual suites and products in the digital entertainment creation space, head over to www.autodesk.com/me

One of the other interesting range of products showcased was Autodesk's Games Middleware. The middleware comprises of products such as Beast, HumanIK, and Kynapse. While on the subject of games we picked up on something called Project Skyline, which is Autodesk's attempt to enter the game-runtime space directly from the design side without involving any third party applications or pluggins. Project Skyline will enable art from Maya or 3ds Max to directly move on to the game. Hmm, an Autodesk game engine in the offing, we wonder?

Autodesk's commitment to education was also highlighted by Jayant Keswani, Head – Marketing (India and Saarc). “We have a service (https://students.autodesk.com/) from where students belonging to a college or university with a valid ID, can get access to Autodesks products”, he said.

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Feasible nanogenerators to power future electronics through motion

A team of scientists lead by Dr. Zhong Lin Wang at the School of Materials Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a feasible nanogenerator that could power electrical devices simply by their movement. The study was funded by a remarkable number of institutions, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Air Force, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
According to Dr. Wang, they team has progressed quite a bit from its early days, now offering power several orders of magnitude higher than before. He added: “This development represents a milestone toward producing portable electronics that can be powered by body movements without the use of batteries or electrical outlets. If we can sustain the rate of improvement, the nanogenerator may find a broad range of other applications that require more power.”

Dr. Wang believes nanogenerators will be commercially available within three to five years. The nanogenerator, seen above, is a flexible chip made up of millions zinc oxide nanowire piezoelectric filaments, which generate electricity if stressed, squeezed or bent. The current iteration of the nanogenerator is powerful enough to drive such electronics as liquid crystal displays, light emitter and laser diodes, and sensors. According to Dr. Wang, five of these nanogenerators piled up together can generate nearly 1 microampere of current at 3 volts, roughly the same as two AA batteries.
As you can imagine, the applications are endless, especially in portable devices, from entertainment to medical. Bio-mechanical/electrical prostheses, machines and implantations could also be powered by such nanogenerators.

Image courtesy: Georgia Tech

A prototype nanowire array

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Tata and MIT develop inexpensive artificial leaf; the Holy Grail of energy research

A team of researchers at MIT’s Nocera Lab, headed by Dr. Daniel Nocera, claim that they have invented a durable playing-card sized artificial leaf using inexpensive and readily available such as silicone, electronics and catalysts – therefore making it the first practical artificial leaf technology.
Previous attempts at creating artificial leaves, or, man-made devices that perform photosynthesis, have been very expensive, and not durable. Nocera’s artificial leaf uses common materials, and has been successfully tested to run continuously for 45 hours without a drop in output. According to Nocera, the breakthrough came with the discovery of a cobalt catalyst that did the same job more exotic materials were trying to do.

Seen above, the first iteration of the leaf - a cobalt- and phosphate-coated silicon leaf sitting in a jar of water. He claims the artificial leave is 10 times as powerful as a natural leaf at photosynthesis, and, that this figure will go up quickly once the technology is perfected.
To be clear, the artificial leaf doesn’t actually create energy directly for consumption, but rather, uses sunlight to split water into oxygen and hydrogen, economically. For now, the two elements are then used to generate electricity in a separate fuel cell, however, in the future, an all-in-one device is possible.
While the technology has innumerable economic, political and environmental implications, it uses in developing nations is worthy of much dissemination. Nocera says that soon enough, a leaf placed in a gallon of water and left in the sun could provide a home with basic electricity for a day. Almost any type of water can be used, including waste water.

"A practical artificial leaf has been one of the Holy Grails of science for decades. We believe we have done it. The artificial leaf shows particular promise as an inexpensive source of electricity for homes of the poor in developing countries. Our goal is to make each home its own power station. One can envision villages in India and Africa not long from now purchasing an affordable basic power system based on this technology." Indian giant, The Tata Group, has invested significantly in the technology, and is currently working with Daniel Nocera and his company – Sun Catalytix – to commercialize his artificial leaf. According to a company spokesman, the efforts are the company’s latest endeavour to serve the "bottom of the pyramid."
The future of the technology is certainly impressive, with Nocera hoping to power the entire planet with a swimming pool worth of water - changed daily.

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Religious activist files FIR against Facebook for 'instigating communal passions'

An activist from Meerut, Dr Nutan Thakur, has filed an FIR against Facebook and a few of its members for “instigating communal passions.” Filed under Section 66A of the Information Technology Act 2000, the complaint has accused Facebook and its members of abusing the Hindu religion, by allowing and creating pages that ridicule deities and religious practices. It goes so far as to say the offending pages might cause riots across the country.
In the complainant’s words: "Several groups are formed by users on Facebook and one of them uses abusive language against Hindu gods and goddesses. On this site, open abuses and dirty words are used against many revered Hindu Gods and Goddesses and followers of Hindu religion."

The group being referred to bears the above image on its Facebook page, depicting three prominent deities as the main characters in the film ‘3 Idiots.’ The group’s page is apparently one of many such pages on Facebook, slandering either Islam or Hinduism.

Reacting to the outrage and the FIR, the creators of the 3 Idiots page, who are the primary accused, have stated that they will not remove it until similar anti-Islam pages are removed. Facebook itself is being accused of providing a platform for these offensive pages. While Facebook will probably not react to the FIR at all, it is interesting to see the lengths to which people go to aggrandize their own faith by defacing others. That Facebook has become a platform for these hate wars is unfortunate, but only natural – there will always be those who abuse power, even if the power is just to create a free web page.

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Holy smoke! New tech creates 3D images projected into mist (video)

Finally, fog can be used for something other than keeping planes grounded. A group of students at Japan's Osaka University have devised a way to use mist as the backdrop for a 3D hologram floating in midair. Using a stream of water vapor and three Pico projectors, the team has been able to render a levitating neon rabbit which can be seen from multiple angles as the viewer moves about the hovering rodent.

The holographic effect is created by taking advantage of the directionality of light dispersed by fog. Each of the three projectors presents an image of the rabbit taken from a different angle—if you stand at one angle, you are presented with the front image reflected through the fog, as you move to the side you'll be presented with the corresponding side of the bunny, etc. The end effect: an adorable Easter hologram.

The team claims they can create larger and more detailed images with more cameras. One might imagine this tech one day being used in conjunction with the University of Arizona's real time holographic broadcast technology. While the U of A version renders their holograms behind a solid plastic material, the Osaka fogograph would allow viewers to safely reach in and interact with the image. It wouldn't be Star Trek's Holodeck quite yet—in that the user would not receive any tactile feedback—however a Kinect-like motion sensor might allow real time three-dimensional interaction. Moistened hands would be the only drawback.

Check out the video below. It's as if the bunny is ready to plea for help from Obie-Wan at any moment, thus setting an epic space opera in motion.

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Processor

The processor is the heart or rather the brain of your smartphone; essentially what makes a smartphone smart. It does all the processing involved, be it when you run an applica¬tion or even calculations to translate the position of your finger on the touch screen. Current high end smartphone processors are clocked at 1GHz.

The Processor

Samsung, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments make these processors and are battling it out. Much like the desktop space, which is populated by names like Phenom, Core i and Athlon processors in the mobile space too at times acquire brand names. Samsung has Humming¬bird, and Apple A4 while Qualcomm calls them Snap¬dragon, Scorpion etc; and Texas Instruments, OMAP. These chips are all based on processor cores from ARM, a company doesn't manu¬facture chips but rather only designs the cores for such application processors. Some of ARM's designs include older generation cores such as the ARM9, ARM11 and the relatively recent Cortex- A8 and Cortex-A9. Manu¬facturers make their own chipsets (System on Chip design) often combining a GPU, cellular modem, and GPS on board. The QSD8250 chipset featured here for instance, used the Adreno 200 graphics solution and a Cortex-A8 core, together called Snap-dragon by Qualcomm

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Removable Storage

Removable storage for smart phones comes in the form of SD (secure digital) cards. Depending in size there are variants such as MicroSD (most common) and MiniSD. Phones can only support upto certain amount of memory, with smartphones its usually 32GB. There are speed classes in SD cards specified by the SD association. Class 2 for example support H.264 video recording, MPEG-4 and MPEG-2 video recording.

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Battery Gyaan

Most smartphones these days come with Li-on (lithium-ion) batteries. In the cell, Lithium ions move from negetive electrode to the positive electrode producing the current. These are rechargeable but have a fixed number of life cycles. The capacity is measured in milliampere-hours (mAh). Phones with 1500 mAh battery rating usually last long enough.

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Camera Gyaan

CAMERA

Smart phone carema depend a lot on image processing rather than just the hardware when it comes to image quality. This is because no matter how large the camera resolution gets in MegaPixels (MP), but the sensor size remains small you will have bad imaging . The sensor is what converts the optical image into electrical signal. What matters also id the autofocusing capability, shutter speed control, etc.

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