3D Printed Photograp via instructables

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The 3d printer in our office (an Objet Connex500) prints with a rigid, semitransparent white material that can be used to create these unique black and white photographic prints.  These prints may be indecipherable when viewed from the side, but when backlit with a diffuse light, they recreate images with surprisingly high precision and even add some subtle dimensionality and texture to the scene.

By varying the thickness of a region of this semitransparent print you can control the amount of light that is able to pass through, thereby controlling the brightness (thinner regions of material will appear brighter and thicker regions darker).  In this project, I've converted each individual greyscale pixel of an image to thickness, allowing me to precisely reproduce any greyscale image.  The photos I've printed include an adorable picture my mom took of our cat Teddy (fig 4), Saturn and its moon Titan taken by the Cassini space probe (fig 5 and 6), and a huge print (19x16") of Mt. Williamson by Ansel Adams (fig 1, 2, and 3).

Step 1: The Code

All of these 3D models were generated algorithmically from Processing using the ModelBuilder libraryby Marius Watz.  This library allows you to save 3D geometries in the STL file format, STL files that form a watertight mesh can be printed by a 3D printer.

To get started using this code yourself, download the latest version of the ModelBuilder library, unzip the file, and copy the folder into Processing's "libraries" folder.  If you have installed the predecessor to the ModelBuilder library (called the Unlekker library), you will need to delete it.  Once this is done restart Processing.

Copy the Processing sketch above and save it.  Processing will automatically put this file inside a folder of the same name.  Copy any greyscale images you want to convert into this folder.

To run the sketch, replace the part in quotes in following line:

String name = "YOUR_FILE_NAME.jpg";

with the name of your greyscale image. I believe .gif, .jpg, .tga, and .png files will all work fine, but I have only tested .jpg so far.  Run the sketch, after a minute or two Processing will tell you that it is writing an STL file and eventually it will tell you that it is finished.  The resulting file will be located in the sketch's folder named "NAME_OF_ORIGINAL_FILE.stl"

You can open the stl file with a variety of CAD software and stl viewers, I like MeshLab for simple viewing (it's free and open source).

By default my sketch will scale images to 8" wide, with a base thickness of 0.02" and feature thickness of up to 0.1", you can change these setting by adjusting the variable at the top of the sketch.


source via instructables.com

Categories: 3D, 3d print, 3d printed, digital photography, foto, photo, Technology, Technology News

how is IOS7 Concept? Flat Design, Smarter...

We have seen our fair share of iOS 7 concept videos, and I’m sure that number will only continue to increase as we approach WWDC 2013.  There really are some talented designers out there, and when I see a concept video that showcases great work, I can’t help but want to share it with you.  This particular video caught my eye because it showcases the “flat” design we keep hearing Sir Jony Ive has been working toward.  Like it or not, there are many other aspects of this interpretation that are implemented in a way that I find very appealing.  Check it out for yourself, and let me know your opinion in the comment section below.  If your interested in what you see, check out what else SimplyZesty has to offer.





Apple plans to add even more social media integration to the forthcoming iOS 7 update. Both Flickr and Vimeo look set for Twitter and Facebook-like integration, which would see users able to tap in their credentials once within the Settings app and simply authorize any third-party movements from within the iOS infrastructure.

Of course, in the fast-moving world of social networking, any new integration is always welcome. But considering how popular the iPhone is particularly with users of the Yahoo-owned Flickr, it’s perhaps surprising this kind of integration hasn’t come along sooner.

The Cupertino company molded Twitter into iOS 5 before doing likewise with Facebook on iOS 6, and with both of those features having been well received by consumers, it effectively stands to reason that an expansion of this trend will continue through iOS 7.

Apple has long since sought to eradicate all remnants of Google from iOS, and having (admittedly unsuccessfully) removed Google Maps from the stock feature set in place of its own shocking Maps app with iOS 6, Vimeo integration would certainly help iOS 7 users refrain from downloading the Google-owned YouTube.

Bringing both Flickr and Vimeo right into the heart of iOS will also make sharing content a great deal easier, allowing users to upload their images and clips straight up to the two respective networks with relative ease.

As well as the promise of deep integration with Flickr and Vimeo, there’s also the small matter of the radical design overhaul we’ve heard so much about. Jony Ive now oversees the aesthetic elements of the fruit company’s mobile OS, and since his ideas conflicted vastly with former iOS SVP Scott Forstall, on looking tech fans are expecting a much cleaner, flatter looking iOS when the seventh edition is showcased at next month’s WWDC 2013.

The anticipated alterations to iOS 7 have certainly ramped up excitement ahead of the annual Apple developer conference, which takes place on the week commencing June 10th, and we certainly cannot wait to see what is going to be revealed in little under three weeks’ time.

Should we catch wind of any iOS 7 gossip or leaks you need to know about, we will be sure to share them with you guys, so make sure you stay tuned to our coverage here at Redmond Pie!

(source: 9to5Mac )

You can follow us on Twitter , add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Categories: Apple, apple tv, apple tv2, apple tv3, atv2, atv3, concept, ios7, ios7 concept, ipad, ipad2, ipad3, ipad4, iPhone, iphone 5s, ipod, Technology, Technology News

Apple iOS 7 looks set to be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in June. What do we know about the new operating system so far ?

Apple iOS 7 looks set to be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in June. What do we know about the new operating system so far ?

Apple's iOS platform is loved around the world, but even the most ardent Apple fan couldn't disagree that it needs sprucing up - with the platform essentially looking the same since iOS 4.  Thankfully, that looks set to change when Apple unveil iOS 7 at their WWDC in San Francisco in June.

iOS 7 will be totally revamped with Apple putting Jonathan Ive - lead design on most  of Apple's hardware - onto the project. This has apparently led to a change in design philosophy and the development of all-new user-interface !

User-Interface

Apple's current user-interface - designed by Scott Forstall - is known and loved by users across the world. However, it's already a good few years old and could do with a major overhaul.

iOS 7 will introduce a new user-interface which is thought to be cleaner than ever and will "flatten" out the whole experience - with the WSJ suggesting it'll have a more "minimalistic" design. It'll totally move away from the old skeuomorphism design - which is when something resembles another material or technique.

iOS 7  will also be fully-optimised to take advantage of today's higher resolution displays. Precise details are thin-on-the-ground, but the Mac team has been brought in to assist development - who have a lot of software design experience.

Application Overhaul

When updating an operating systems' user-interface you also have to give the applications a new lick-of-paint. Apple are apparently doing just that to their core applications - which will be improved visually and get new features.

Applications that currently feature a skeuomorphic design - such as the Notes app which looks like a piece of paper - will be redesigned. With Bloomberg reporting that the Mail and Calendar applications will be totally redesigned - with many thought to be unimpressed by their current guises.

NFC features could also integrated across the platform - with next-gen Apple devices expected to support the contactless payment technology. iOS 7 will make new notifications and messages much clearer to the user - improving on the current drop-down system and adding support for actions (like Android).

Could we also see the minimalistic - and slightly boring - lock-screen jazzed up to bring it more in line with other operating systems ?

New Security !

The recent iOS 6.1 lock-screen hack was embarrassing for Apple , so it wouldn't be at all surprising to see everything changing in iOS 7. Finger-print sensors are long overdue and could this feature be supported in Apple's new operating system ?

Unlikely, but MacWorld have suggested that a new unlock procedure will be introduced. Apple patented a new feature where users are given a random photo from their gallery and have to identify the person pictured. After a number of correct answers they'll get access to their Apple device - which sounds interesting , but will it be secure enough ?

Car-Mode

Apple made a right pigs-ear of their latest Apple Maps software - even going as far as recommending users to download 3rd party solutions - but they are persevering with the software. Infact, iOS 7 is expected to introduce a new mode for use in vehicles !

Navigation will play a huge part in the new car mode - as you'd expect - with Siri also sure to feature prominently. 9to5Mac is reporting that Apple have been working closely with car manufacturers to hook-up their devices to vehicles displays - which sounds like a great idea to us.

Potentially , you'd then be able to check your social networks, send text-messages , control music playback and much more. All without having to touch your iPhone - leaving your hands free to steer round hairpin bends.

Apple iOS 7 Launch

Apple will unveil iOS 7 at their Worldwide Developer Conference on June 10th and will rollout to Apple devices shortly after. We'll continue to bring you any news about the new operating system as it leaks-out including news of any new features it'll introduce. Until then you might want to checkout the iOS 7 concept video posted above !

source via 3g.co.uk 

Categories: Apple, cell phone, cellphone, ios7, ipad, ipad2, iPhone, ipod, Technology, Technology News

Ask Maggie: On cell phone taxes and the life and death of Flo TV

A mobile phone bill may be one of the most confusing documents for a consumer to understand. With all the different federal, state, and local taxes tacked on at the end of your monthly bill, it's difficult to know what exactly you're paying for.


And now wireless subscribers who hold onto their old phone numbers when they relocate around the country may want to double check that they're being charged the appropriate rate. In some cases, some wireless subscribers may be paying the wrong rate. This means that some subscribers may be getting overcharged. While in other cases, some people are getting a break on their monthly bills.

In this week's Ask Maggie, I explain how cell phone state and local taxes should be assessed, and I offer information and links to help readers figure out if they're getting charged the correct fees.

I also answer a reader's question about whether the new BlackBerry Torch will be coming to Sprint Nextel. And I explain why I think Qualcomm's failed mobile TV service Flo TV is dead in the water.

Ask Maggie is a weekly advice column that answers readers' wireless and broadband questions. If you've got a question, please send me an e-mail at maggie dot reardon at cbs dot com. And please put "Ask Maggie" in the subject header.
Are you overpaying your mobile tax?

Dear Maggie,


I was recently looking at my cell phone bill, trying to figure out what all the taxes and fees mean. How is the local and state sales tax I am supposed to be paying figured? I moved to California from Pennsylvania a couple of years ago. I still have the same phone number I had when I lived in Pennsylvania with a Philadelphia area code. So should my state and local sales tax be based on that area code or where I currently live in California? I think I am being incorrectly overcharged.

Thanks,

Larry

Dear Larry,

To answer your question, your specific tax rate should be based on where you live and use your cell phone. The Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act, which went into effect in 2002, mandates that wireless taxes and fees should be based on their "area of primary usage." In other words, the wireless carrier should apply the tax rate for your billing address. This means that your carrier should not use your phone number's area code to determine your state and local tax rate.

Unfortunately, some consumers have discovered that when they've moved, they have been taxed inappropriately. So it may be worth looking into.

In your case, Pennsylvania has a local and state sales tax of around 6.5 percent, according to a chart prepared by MyWireless.org, a consumer advocacy group sponsored by the wireless industry group CTIA. Localities can pile on additional fees, and the average Pennsylvanian is paying about 13.58 percent in state and local taxes and fees every month. (Keep in mind this does not include the 5.05 percent federal tax that every U.S. wireless subscriber is charged. With that fee included, Pennsylvania wireless subscribers pay 18.63 percent of their cell phone in taxes every month.)

By contrast, California's local and state sales taxes come out to 9.10 percent. Localities in California have not added as many additional fees as those in Pennsylvania, so the average monthly rate for local and state taxes and fees for Californians is 10.67 percent, about 3 percent less than what people in Pennsylvania are charged. With the 5.05 percent federal tax, Californians pay 15.72 percent in tax on cell phone bills each month.

In your particular case, the difference between what you should be paying in California versus what you paid in Pennsylvania is not huge. But those pennies and dollars add up over time. And because these are percentages of your total bill, the more you spend each month, the bigger the difference becomes. So it might be a good idea to make sure you are paying the correct rate.

On average American cell phone consumers are taxed 15.75 percent on every month's cell phone bill. This average percentage includes state and local taxes as well as federal taxes. The CTIA, the trade organization that represents wireless carriers, says this is outrageous considering that the average tax rate on other goods and services is about 7 percent.

Of course the 15.75 percent tax rate is just an average. Cell phone subscribers in some states are charged a much higher rate while consumers in other states are charged much lower rates. For example, Washington is the highest taxed state on cell phone service in the nation, according to MyWireless.org. Subscribers there pay on average 23.6 percent in taxes every month. Meanwhile, people just across the border in Oregon, which has no sales tax and very low local taxes and fees, pay the lowest tax rate in the country of 6.79 percent.

Figuring out exactly how much you are being taxed and what tax you should be charged is not easy. One of the most confusing things about reading your cell phone bill is figuring out what all the taxes and fees are for.

Part of the problem is that everyone seems to want a piece of the revenue. There's the federal tax, which is used to fund the Universal Service Fund. This fee is about 5.05 percent of your phone bill, and it's charged to everyone in the U.S. using a cell phone.

Then there are also state taxes and local taxes and fees that are tacked on to your bill. States and local governments, if they have one, add a sales tax. They can also add fees for e911 service. And on top of these fees, cities and other local governments often add even more fees.

For example, the city of Baltimore adds a flat $4 fee every month to cell phone bills for all residents. New York City, where I live, is among the worst places to live for all the local fees added. The local government here tacks on several taxes and fees in addition to the state and local sales taxes and e911 fees. For example, New York City adds a "Transit District sales tax," a "Transit District Excise Surcharge," and a "Local Utility" charge. In other words, New York City cell phone subscribers are helping to pay for the subway system and public utilities in the city. In total, New Yorkers pay 16.05 percent in local and state taxes and fees and 21.10 percent overall in taxes and fees when you add in the federal taxes.

The best place to start trying to figure out how much tax you should be charged is to check out a Web site on Mywireless.org, which provides a chart with the average state and local tax rates for all 50 states as of July 2010. MyWireless.org is a nonprofit consumer advocacy group sponsored and funded by the CTIA wireless industry association.

CTIA, which represents the wireless carriers, has been pushing Congress to pass legislation to limit taxes on cell phone service. The group is currently backing a proposal that would allow the federal government to put a moratorium on all new discriminatory taxes and fees at the state and local level.

After you look up the tax rate you should be charged and do the math on your phone bill to figure out what percentage tax you're actually being charged, if you believe, you are being charged incorrectly, Jim Schuler, assistant vice president at CTIA, who specializes in tax issues, suggests calling your wireless carrier. Ultimately, it's the carrier's responsibility to charge you the correct tax based on your billing address. And if it is not applying the appropriate rates, then the carrier must refund you the money.

If you are not making headway with your carrier, Deirdre Cummings, a legislative director for MASSPIRG, the Public Interest Research Group of Massachusetts, which is an independent consumer advocacy group, suggests you contact your state attorney general's office.

"It's better to work through a state agency than to complain to the Federal Trade Commission or the Federal Communications Commission, because these are state and local issues," she said. "The closer the agency is to where you live, the more likely you are to get a better result."

And finally, if you still feel like you are not getting the results you believe you deserve, consider contacting an attorney. Law firms, such as Edelson McGuire in Chicago, specialize in class action lawsuits and have worked on behalf of wireless clients in the past. The firm is currently not involved in any class action litigation on this issue, but it might be a case the firm would be interested in, depending on the exact circumstances.
A Sprint Nextel BlackBerry Torch?

Dear Maggie,


Do you know if Sprint will be coming out with the BlackBerry Torch or a comparable BlackBerry phone anytime soon? I've been going back and forth with Sprint for months now because I keep having problems with my BlackBerry Curve. They keep replacing it for me, but it's still not working properly. They've given me a new one three different times. I am considering dumping the BlackBerry altogether and getting an Android phone, even though I am a faithful BlackBerry user. I have always liked previous BlackBerry phones. I would get the BlackBerry Torch or something similar if it came to Sprint instead of a Droid. What should I do?

Thanks,

Zinia

Dear Zinia,

I have some good news for you and some bad news. The bad news is that I have not heard of the BlackBerry Torch or a similar BlackBerry phone with a touch screen and slide-out QWEERTY keyboard coming to Sprint Nextel anytime soon. I checked with some insiders who also said they had not heard of this phone or a similar BlackBerry device coming out in the CDMA/Sprint version. AT&T launched this phone in August as an exclusive. And the carrier has spent a lot of money marketing the BlackBerry Torch, so my gut tells me it will be quite a while before another similar device ends up on Sprint or any other competing carrier.


The RIM BlackBerry Style has a 2.7-inch main display plus a full QWERTY keyboard. (Credit: RIM)

Now for the good news: even though RIM won't likely introduce a BlackBerry Torch look-alike on Sprint in the near future, the company did just recently introduce the new BlackBerry Style on Sprint. This phone is the second BlackBerry to use the new BlackBerry 6 operating system. The BlackBerry Torch was the first phone to use this new operating system, which greatly improves the user interface and Web browsing experience.

The BlackBerry Style is exclusive to Sprint and its form factor is a clamshell design. It does not have a touch screen. But it does have a full QWERTY keypad, unlike the BlackBerry Pearl Flip, another clamshell phone that had the abbreviated SureType keypad.

Even though the form factor of the Style is different from the Torch, because the phones use the same software, the user experience and apps running on the phones will be similar. The BlackBerry Style also has a 5 megapixel camera and sufficient memory. Kevin Michaluk from the Crackberry blog said in his review of the device that he liked the BlackBerry Style. He called the new BlackBerry 6 software on the device "snappy." And he said you can't beat the $99 price tag.

"The camera has been taking good photos and the battery has been getting me through the day OK," he said. "If you're a flip phone fan the Style is a no brainer--especially at Sprint's attractive $99/2year contract pricing--and I could even see some non-flip phone fans getting won over by it too. It's a nice little addition to the BlackBerry lineup."

Nicole Lee, who reviewed the device for CNET, also gave it a good review:

"Despite a few quirks, the RIM BlackBerry Style's practical design and advanced feature set make it a great smartphone for BlackBerry newbies and veterans alike," she said.

The bottom line is that the BlackBerry Style on Sprint is not the Torch, but it's an adequate substitute. And it should offer a better experience than your current BlackBerry Curve. So if you are a true BlackBerry fan, you may want to check it out before you move over to Android.
Buh-Bye to Flo TV

Hi Maggie,


I called FLO TV last week to activate a second personal Flo TV and give it away as a gift. That's when I was told that they weren't accepting any new accounts or activating any more Personal Flo TV units. They offered to send me literature with instructions for proper disposal of these TVs. I entered into a one-year subscription in June 2010. Services are projected to terminate in the spring of 2011. Do you think some company will buy out Flo TV's parent/present company and reintroduce the service, thus, saving the fate of the personal TVs? I really like my Personal Flo TV and wish the company would stay in business.

Cris

Dear Cris,

I hate to break the bad news to you, but unfortunately, I don't see anyone saving Flo TV. You are one of the few consumers who even knew about the product and the service.

The Flo TV network was built by MediaFlo, a subsidiary of chipmaker Qualcomm. It uses spectrum in the 700MHz spectrum band and it only provides one-way broadcast communication. Qualcomm's original vision was to build the network and wholesale the mobile broadcast TV service to wireless carriers. Meanwhile, Qualcomm would manufacture special chips for devices that were necessary to receive the broadcast TV signals.

Verizon Wireless was the first to sell the service in 2007. AT&T followed about a year later with its offering. But the service never took off. There are a couple of reasons why. First, because the service required a special chip from Qualcomm, it only worked on a handful of handsets. And because it costs money to put additional chips into device, they didn't end up in the most popular handsets. Second, the service cost consumers about $10 more a month, and it wasn't available in every market. The spectrum Qualcomm acquired was for the analog TV channel 55. So the company had to wait until the digital TV transition to launch the service in many markets.

But I think the biggest reason that the service never really took off is that most people are not interested in linear, live TV on their mobile phones. And if they are interested in it, they don't want to pay $10 a month for it. Instead, people are much more likely to watch snippets of video on mobile devices on-demand. What's more, as paid TV services, such as Comcast and Verizon's Fios TV service, offer "TV everywhere" services, people will be able to use their existing paid TV subscription to catch up on TV viewing on a mobile device for no additional charge.

Because the service was not selling well through AT&T and Verizon, Qualcomm and MediaFlo decided to sell the Personal Flo TV device that you have. Unfortunately, these devices were also not a big hit among consumers.

This is why the company announced in October that it would discontinue the product and service. In its statement, executives said they were "examining strategic opportunities for FLO TV." Some of these conversations have been about partnerships, of which some of them have focused on selling the spectrum, the company said. My guess is that Qualcomm will try to unload the spectrum.

Right now, wireless spectrum is considered gold to many mobile operators and possible mobile Internet entrepreneurs. The Federal Communications Commission has said there is a spectrum shortage. And the federal agency is scrambling to make 500MHz of wireless spectrum available in the next decade. So there is a chance that the spectrum used to build the Flo TV network may be more valuable than the broadcast mobile TV network itself.

The only problem with the Qualcomm spectrum is that it may not fit the needs of specific wireless service providers, who may be interested in buying it.

For example, Lowell McAdam, chief operating officer for Verizon Communications, said in an interview with CNET recently that he had talked to Qualcomm's CEO Paul Jacobs about the MediaFlo spectrum. Verizon bought a nationwide block of 700MHz spectrum a few years ago to build its next generation wireless network. But he didn't seem enthused about bidding on Qualcomm's sliver of 700MHz spectrum.

"We have to see how their spectrum would fit into our existing spectrum," he said. "Even though the spectrum we are using for LTE is 700MHz, and the spectrum they have is also 700MHz, they are different flavors of 700MHz. So their flavors may not work with what we have."

This could be a problem that Qualcomm faces in general as it tries to offload this spectrum.

At any rate, I wouldn't hold my breath for another company to save the mobile TV service. Most experts would agree that the service wasn't something consumers really desired or were willing to pay for anyway.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20021876-266.html?tag=topImage2#ixzz14RyCQpfI

Categories: ask maggie, cnet, computer, Computers and hardware, hardware, Technologies, Technology, technology access foundation

How to Fix VirtualBox USB Support

It
is actually a known fact that there is an issue with VirtualBox and the
attached USB devices that many of us are trying to use in the virtual
machine. Here is a real-life example:

I am a 100% Linux user and I have a photo printer that Linux can’t recognize. Let’s say that I want to print some photos quickly, to give them to someone. I have a Windows installation in a virtual machine just for this reason (sad, I know) and I want to access my printer,
which is connected via a USB port. To my surprise, I can see the
printer in the USB device list of VirtualBox, but I can’t access it
(very frustrating). Firing up Firefox and searching on Google for a fix takes too long, because there are many old tutorials that teach you how to modify various files
or change permissions, etc. What to do? Well, below is the answer to
the endless VirtualBox – USB issue (and it’s pretty damn simple too!).

This tutorial was created mostly for my needs, but I am sure that many of you will find it very helpful. Ready?

This is how a default installation of VirtualBox in Ubuntu 9.04 shows the USB devices, and we need to fix it.

Step 1: Go to System -> Administration -> Users and Groups…

Step 2: Click the “Unlock” button…

Step 3: Type your password and click the “Authenticate” button….

Step 4: Click on the “Manage Groups” button…

Step 5: In the “Groups settings” window that will
appear, scroll down until you see the vboxusers entry. Select it and
then click on the “Properties” button…

Step 6: Another window will appear, called “Group
‘vboxusers’ Properties. Just check the box in front of your username and
click the “OK” button when you’re done…

Step 7: Close the “Group settings” and “Users
Settings” windows and log out. Log in and open up VirtualBox, start your
virtual machine and you will see that you can now access the USB
devices!

pctipsbox.com

Categories: computer, linux, Technology, Technology News, virtualbox

Exploring Firefox Cache

The
browser cache temporarily stores images, scripts, and other parts of
websites while you are browsing. This is normally a good thing because
this enhances performance and load time.

The browser cache usually works behind the scene: you are unlikely to notice it even exists unless you feel like digging deeper.

But do you know that you can actually have quite a bit of fun viewing
your browser cache? Do you know why and how you can clean it? Today’s
tutorial is just about that: what you can do with your Firefox cache.

Viewing Your Firefox Cache

The cache statistics and directory location can be viewed in about:cache. Then:

• about:cache?device=memory – Lists memory cache entries.
• about:cache?device=disk – Lists disk cache entries.

It is really not easy to make sense of that interface but luckily we have an addon to make it easier.

CacheView is a GUI Front-end of “about:cache”. It allows searching
and sorting memory and disk cache files. CacheView gives you a preview
pane for any images, and makes it really easy to save MP3s and flash files from the sites you’ve visited.

After you have it installed, just go to Tools ->CacheView (or just
use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+C) and you will be presented with a nice
table containing your cache files and a preview pane.

The table is sortable by column (key, size, MIME Type, storing
device, Last Fetched date) and what’s more it has a search function
which adds a lot of sense to your cache database.

You can also right-click on an entry and delete it. It won’t delete things if the page is still opened in one of your tabs.

CacheSearch is another useful cache addon for FireFox which can search through the full-text of cache records.

Clearing The Firefox Cache

There are a few reasons why you may want to clear the Firefox cache,
including privacy concerns and technical problems. I usually do it when I
have any issues with a website: problems on sign-up, incorrect interface loading, etc.

Clearing the Cache Manually

Official Guide:

• Navigate: Tools -> Options -> Advanced panel -> Network tab
• In the Offline Storage section, click Clear Now.

FireFox Addons:

If you find yourself clearing the cache too often, you can find this little addon helpful . it adds a button to your browser toolbar  with it you can clear the cache with one click of a mouse.

Note: After installation, you will need to manually install the button to where you want it to be. For that, right-click on the sidebar and select “Customize“.

Here’s an alternative addon that can be used for that: Cache Status which will both monitor your cache statistics for both memory and disk devices and allow to clear it any time.

Clear The Cache Automatically:

• Navigate: Tools -> Options -> Privacy panel
• In the drop-down select “Use custom settings for history. “
• Select the check box for Clear history when Firefox closes and in the Settings next to this check box select Cache:

More Tips On The Firefox Cache:

Override cache for any individual page with either of two shortcuts: Ctrl+F5 and Ctrl+Shift+R

pctipsbox.com

Categories: Firefox, Technology, Technology News

if wordpress is slow, you must change these

first of all you must backup these ;
cp /etc/my.cnf /etc/my.cnf   backup
cp /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf backup
cp /usr/local/lib/php.ini /usr/local/lib/php.ini backup

after that
/etc/my.cnf ---- inside that and restart
service mysql restart
you must make this command ;

Code:

query_cache_type = 1 
query_cache_size = 26214400 

/usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf ---- inside that and restart

Code:

Timeout 30
KeepAlive On
MaxKeepAliveRequests 100
KeepAliveTimeout 6
<IfModule prefork.c>
StartServers 8
MinSpareServers 5
MaxSpareServers 20
ServerLimit 512
MaxClients 512
MaxRequestsPerChild 4000
</IfModule>

/usr/local/lib/php.ini ---- inside that and restart
service httpd restart
you must make this command ;

Code:

expose_php = Off
register_globals = Off
register_long_arrays = Off
register_argc_argv = Off
magic_quotes_gpc = Off
magic_quotes_runtime = Off
magic_quotes_sybase = Off

Serdar KILICASLAN
PROGRAMMER
info@ekomoni.com - last.turkwolf@gmail.com

Categories: apache, changes, computer, Fast, operating system, slow, social, sql, Technologies, Technology, technology access foundation, Technology News, web format, website, wordpress

Help for Slow Mobile Phone Typists

By NICK BILTON

Some people are born with a knack for typing quickly on a mobile phone, clacking away at a virtual or physical keyboard as if it were attached to a desktop computer. But if you weren’t, there may be help, from 3qubits, a mobile phone software company started by two Ph.D. mathematics student at Cambridge University in England. Their solution to tiny mobile keyboards is  a new virtual keyboard they call 8Pen, expected to be introduced on Tuesday.

At first glance 8Pen replaces the traditional area of a keyboard with a multicolored X and a large black dot. Letters seem to be randomly placed, yet the keyboard creators say there’s a rhyme and reason to every aspect of the new layout.

8Pen The 8Pen keyboard interface.

Michael Fester, who worked with his partner, Volker Schlue, to create the new interface, said in a phone interview that the new keyboard was born from a discussion about the frustration of typing on small mobile phones and constantly making mistakes.

“We really think this could replace keyboards for small devices,” Mr. Fester said. “At first we are going to launch with an Android version of the software, but we’ve filed a patent on the keyboard and want to build it out for the iPhone, Windows and even game controllers.”

On the company Web site the two 8Pen creators try to explain how to use their newfangled keyboard:

A character is produced by pressing down in the center, entering any of the 4 sectors, and then passing through either 1, 2, 3 or 4 adjacent sectors in either clockwise or anticlockwise direction, before returning to the center. The order of the letters along the edges, and the side on which they are placed, indicate the number of sectors to be passed through, and the direction of the movement, respectively.

Sounds confusing, I know, but the interface is designed to recreate the action of handwriting and from a video accompanying the new keyboard interface, it looks as if it might actually work.

“From a personal use I was very amazed when I first used it,” Mr. Fester said. He said that it took him only 10 minutes to feel comfortable with the interface, and that it didn’t take long before he could type as quickly as on a traditional desktop keyboard.

“It looks confusing, but it’s really just a matter of using your finger to create a number of circles and figure 8s on your phone,” Mr. Fester said.

8Pen is going to have some competition. Swype, a software company based in Seattle, offers a keyboard interface that lets users “glide a finger across the virtual keyboard to spell words, rather than tapping out each letter.” But the Swype keyboard doesn’t rearrange the keys or placement of the letters.

Categories: iPhone, Technologies, Technology, Technology News

Google Extends Security Reward Program

By NICK BILTON

Isaac Brekken/Associated Press At the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas in July.

Earlier this year I wrote a story about the enigmatic world of cybersecurity, where ”white hat” hackers work with corporations to find flaws in computer systems, in the hope of fending off “black hat” hackers who try to take advantage of these vulnerabilities.

In the article I discussed how some companies threaten legal action against hackers who try to penetrate their computer systems or software — even if the programmers’ goal is to protect users. In contrast there are companies that work closely with hackers, even paying and rewarding them when they find flaws in a system.

On Monday Google said that an existing program promoting security for the company’s open-source Chromium project has been so successful that it is now extending it to Google Web applications.

The new reward system will offer financial compensation to hackers and security researchers who find flaws in products like Google, YouTube, Blogger and Orkut, the company’s social network.

The amount of compensation will depend on the severity of the security breach.

In a company blog post, the Google Security Team said the base reward for finding a bug starts at $500, while “unusually clever” or severe flaws can be rewarded as much as $3,133.70. The amount will be decided by a panel of Google security experts.

The company also acknowledges that some researchers are not compelled by money, but enjoy the recognition that comes with finding a security flaw. In such instances, these researchers will be thanked publicly on a section of the Web site titled “We Thank You.”

Not everyone gets to play hacker for Google. The company makes a point of noting that people in countries sanctioned by the United States, which include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria, are not eligible to receive rewards for hacking Google products.

Categories: google, Technologies, Technology, Technology News

Apple Looks to a New Computing Era

By NICK BILTON

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The new MacBook Air doesn’t include a DVD slot.

Remember the floppy disk? I’m willing to bet Steve Jobs does. I’m also willing to bet he remembers when he killed it.

It was 1998, to be precise, and the murder weapon was the new iMac, a computer that was missing the then-standard internal floppy drive.

Last month Mr. Jobs rang the final death knell for another piece of technology: optical discs like DVDs and CDs.

For this execution, his weapon of choice is the new MacBook Air, with a little extra help from the iTunes store, of course.

During the unveiling of the new MacBook Air line, Mr. Jobs said these computers were next-generation laptops. This was reiterated in the commercials for the computers, in which a voiceover calls them “the next generation of Macbooks.”

Left, Paul Sakuma/AP The 1984 version of the Mac included a built-in floppy drive.

In other words, don’t expect a DVD slot in your next Mac laptop, or your next desktop computer for that matter.

Apple hopes to replace those discs with a fluffy white iCloud, where software, music, video and your own personal content fly around in the air like happy seagulls at the beach.

Apple has a lot at stake with its move to this new era of computing.

The disastrous launch of MobileMe, which offers online storage and syncing between devices, was one of the company’s biggest flops of the past few years. Although the service works relatively well now, it’s still very expensive, priced at $100 a year, and the iDisk storage software is much slower than third-party products like ZumoCast and Box.net.

To add to the pressure, Apple is also up against Google, a company that has essentially grown up in the cloud and built a number of successful services for this next era of software.

None of this is news to Steve Jobs. Last week a report noted that a $1 billion, 500,000-square-foot data center that the company has been working on for years is getting ready to open for business. And Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s chief financial officer, recently said that the data center would open “any day now.”

When the North Carolina center is ready, people can expect any number of cloud-based interactions to appear on their Mac computers.

Photos and music could begin to flow between computers without the need of pesky wires, and you could even imagine a time when your computer’s operating system isn’t just a desktop, but a cloudtop, where any kind of file saved to your machine is automatically beamed into space, accessible on iPads, iPhones and other Apple devices.

But the company isn’t in a rush to switch everyone and everything to the cloud just yet. Apple wants to get it right this time around, and customers will likely see these changes happen slowly.

One thing is for sure: get ready to stuff those old DVDs and CDs in a box with your video tapes and floppy disks.

Categories: computer, Technology, technology access foundation, Technology News

Google Settles Suit Over Buzz and Privacy

By DAMON DARLIN

Google informed users of its Gmail service Tuesday evening that it had settled a class action lawsuit brought against it by some users who were upset by the way the company rolled out its Buzz social networking service.

You may remember it. Last February the company announced the service to its millions of Gmail users, who then discovered that their network of Buzz “friends” was created from their list of Gmail contacts. People they corresponded with, but who were not necessarily friends, were suddenly grouped together, and in some cases the contact lists were made public. A considerable amount of consternation resulted. Google quickly retreated.

But the settlement of the lawsuit won’t result in any monetary compensation for Gmail users. Instead, Google is putting $8.5 million into an independent fund that it says will be used to support organizations promoting education about privacy on the Web. Google said: “We will also do more to educate people about privacy controls specific to Buzz. The more people know about privacy online, the better their online experience will be.”

Anyone who wants to object to the settlement must do so with the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in San Jose before Jan. 10. No word yet on how much the lawyers will get.

Categories: google, Technology, Technology News

Andreessen Horowitz Starts Second Fund

By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER

Last year, when Marc Andreessen set up shop on Sand Hill Road, the tree-lined home to Silicon Valley’s venture capital firms, he was already a big name.

The Midwestern transplant, had co-founded Netscape, which made the first popular Web browser, and Opsware, which Hewlett-Packard bought for $1.6 billion. But he wanted to prove that he could become one of the storied venture capitalists who invest in the next big thing.

In 16 months, Mr. Andreessen’s firm, Andreessen Horowitz, which he started with Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Opsware, has earned a solid reputation among entrepreneurs because it helps founders run their companies. It has also managed to break into the top ranks of venture capitalist firms by investing in some of the most competitive deals, like Foursquare and Zynga.

On Wednesday, Andreessen Horowitz cemented that status when it announced that it has raised $650 million for its second fund. The size of the fund is unusual and all the more remarkable because the firm is so new to the scene.

Although it is too early to judge the firm’s financial success, Andreessen Horowitz represents a new breed of venture capitalist who is financing new kinds of start-ups. They are shaking up an industry in need of change because returns for the decade ending in June were a negative 4.2 percent.

Venture capitalists in Silicon Valley are finding that the competition for the best deals is again highly competitive. The valuations of start-ups are soaring, up fourfold in the last year, Mr. Andreessen said, which means that investors have to pay more to buy pieces of companies.

The fiercest competition is for very early-stage, or seed, investments in entrepreneurs just starting out, which is typically for relatively small amounts of money — between $25,000 and $200,000.
This kind of investing has been growing rapidly while venture investing overall has slowed. In the three months ending in September, overall financings shrunk 7 percent from the same period a year earlier, to $4.8 billion, but investments in companies raising money for the first time ballooned 60 percent to $1.2 billion, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association.

Mr. Horowitz and Mr. Andreessen are two of the major players in this new wave of early-stage financing, known as super angel investing. Unlike typical angel investors, who invest their own money in fledgling companies as a hobby, super angels invest their money and other people’s money as a full-time job.

The two are also simultaneously at the forefront of a second trend – super angels going pro and morphing into venture capitalists by also investing in more mature companies and building a firm instead of investing alone.

These V.C’s, which also include firms like Floodgate, First Round Capital and True Ventures, could reshape Silicon Valley. Meanwhile, established venture capital firms like Greylock Partners and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers are latching onto the trend by starting seed investment funds within their firms.

Mr. Horowitz and Mr. Andreessen decided to expand into a venture capital firm last year, after they had invested $4 million into 45 start-ups, among them Twitter, Qik, a live mobile video company, and Aliph, the maker of Jawbone headsets.

Categories: Technology, Technology News

Trial Opens Over Damages in Oracle Copyright Case With SAP

OAKLAND, Calif. 

By VERNE G. KOPYTOFF

— The dispute between the software giants Oracle and SAP, in one of the most closely watched court cases in Silicon Valley history, is not over whether SAP engaged in a copyright infringement scheme, but over how much damage was done to Oracle.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Lawrence Ellison of Oracle, which has argued that it is owed $2 billion from its competitor SAP.

SAP has already admitted that it infringed on Oracle’s copyrights and has conceded liability. At issue in a jury trial that began on Tuesday in Federal District Court is how much money SAP will pay in damages. Oracle has argued for $2 billion, and SAP has countered that tens of millions of dollars would be enough. It has set aside $160 million to cover the cost.

For most people in the technology industry, though, the trial is a forum for Lawrence J. Ellison, Oracle’s outspoken chief executive, to go after Léo Apotheker, SAP’s former chief executive and now chief executive of Hewlett-Packard. H.P. had been a close partner of Oracle’s, but in recent months the companies have become rivals.

In the weeks before the trial, Mr. Ellison publicly castigated Mr. Apotheker for overseeing the infringement. He also criticized H.P. for hiring Mr. Apotheker, who succeeded Mark V. Hurd. Mr. Hurd was hired by Oracle as co-president after he resigned from H.P. over an ethics question.

The opening arguments in the trial, which is expected to last four weeks, highlighted the cutthroat business tactics of competitors in the business software industry.

Jo-Ellen Pozner, a professor of management and organization at University of California, Berkeley, said that Mr. Ellison was using the trial to sully the image of his rivals. She likened his attacks to a negative campaign advertisement, calling them nasty but memorable in the minds of potential customers.

“He’s killing two birds with one stone,” Ms. Pozner said.

Geoffrey Howard, a Bingham McCutchen lawyer representing Oracle, told Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton, an eight-person jury and a packed courtroom that SAP executives had been well aware of the theft carried out against his client, and that, in fact, they had encouraged it. He painted a picture of a company so fearful of Oracle’s growing power that it chose to purloin its software in an effort to steal its customers.

“The scope is vast,” Mr. Howard said. He also quoted from a 2005 e-mail written by Mr. Apotheker that said, “We need to inflict some pain on Oracle.”

SAP’s lawyer, Robert A. Mittelstaedt of Jones Day, was contrite about the copyright infringement, telling the jury that SAP admits “that it did something wrong.” But he minimized its scope by saying that other than some lost profits and lost customers, Oracle suffered little damage.

“They want a windfall,” Mr. Mittelstaedt said. “They want a bonanza that is all out of proportion to the harm.”

The theft stems from SAP’s acquisition in 2005 of TomorrowNow, a company that provided technical support to some of Oracle’s customers. TomorrowNow routinely downloaded copies of Oracle’s software and maintenance manuals onto its computers and distributed some of those copies to clients — all without paying Oracle.

One of the biggest questions about the trial is whether Mr. Apotheker will testify in person. Oracle’s lawyer was vague on the matter, leaving the door open to his appearing in a video deposition.

Mr. Ellison has suggested that Mr. Apotheker, who started work at H.P. on Monday, is trying to dodge an appearance by staying outside the country. H.P. declined to comment on Mr. Apotheker’s whereabouts.

Ray Lane, H.P.’s chairman, defended Mr. Apotheker’s integrity in a statement last week. He emphasized that Mr. Apotheker had known little about the infringement, and he called Mr. Ellison’s criticism merely an effort to harass Mr. Apotheker and “interfere with his duties.”

At the trial, each side produced e-mails and internal documents that shed an unflattering light on the other.

Oracle’s lawyer showed an e-mail in which an SAP executive had warned Shai Agassi, then SAP’s president, of the potential copyright liability of acquiring TomorrowNow. John Ritchie, a TomorrowNow employee, offered another blow in a video deposition by saying that his superior had ignored his concerns about copyright infringement and went so far as to tell him never to write anything down.

SAP’s lawyer countered with e-mails in which Juan Jones, an Oracle employee, had referred to Toyota, an Oracle customer, with an expletive and boasted of refusing it a lower price on software. The lawyer said the contents had showed that Oracle’s poor service led to some customer defections and that SAP should not be held liable for those.

Indeed, Oracle claimed that SAP had been trying to steal thousands of customers it provided support to, pointing to an internal SAP presentation. But SAP responded that despite its rosy projections, the company lured only 358 of Oracle’s 9,000 or 10,000 support business customers, and that many of them would have left anyway.

Categories: Technology, technology access foundation, Technology News

German Street View goes live with enhanced privacy

The mayor of Oberstaufen wanted his town on the Street View map

The first images via Google's Street View service in Germany are live after months of wrangling over privacy.

The first town to be mapped on the service is Oberstaufen, in Bavaria.

Germany is the first country to have negotiated with Google to allow citizens to opt out before the service goes live.

Almost 250,000 Germans have requested that their properties be pixellated in the final imagery.

But in a recent blog on the German roll-out the search giant warned that it would not be able to respond to all requests immediately.

"Given how complex the process is, there will be some houses that people asked us to blur that will be visible when we launch the imagery in a few weeks time.

We've worked very hard to keep the numbers as low as possible but int any system like this there will be mistakes," Andreas Turk, product manager for Street View in Germany said in his blog.

Street View is available in around 20 countries and allows users to walk through town and cities using photos taken by specially-equipped cars.

Personal data

But some countries are becoming suspicious of the service, following complaints from citizens that their privacy has been invaded when the images are captured.

In Germany, the question of whether to allow the service sparked a nationwide debate.

During its assessment of the Street View service, the German data protection agency asked Google to audit the information being collected by the cars.

It was via this request that Google discovered that its Street View cars were collecting personal data from unsecured wi-fi networks, including whole e-mails, addresses and phone numbers.

The discovery, which Google has said was an accident, sparked investigations around the world. Google immediately grounded its Street View cars and alerted data commissioners in countries affected.

The German investigation of the circumstances under which Google collected the data is still ongoing.

Cake baking

The people of Oberstaufen baked Google a cake

While some German citizens do not want to take part in Street View mapping, others have embraced it.

Oberstaufen's mayor and tourist board publicly invited Google to put their town on the map and even baked a cake for the occasion.

Google plans to launch Street View in 20 German cities in the near future.

Alongside the images of the Bavarian town, Google also released a special preview tour of the country, with images of landmarks, including Bayern Munich's football stadium and the office of Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.

Google confirmed that Germany was the first country to allow users to opt out of the service before it was live, saying it was "obeying local privacy laws", adding that it would not become standard practice in other countries.

But the change of heart is likely to reignite the debate about Street View and privacy.

In the UK, people can request that their properties be removed from Street View - but only after the images have gone live.

Tough line

In a parliamentary debate on privacy last week, Conservative MP Mark Lancaster raised the case of a women's refuge in his constituency which had asked to be removed from Street View and received no response.

Google said it had not heard the case but that it removed images quickly when asked.

The UK's information commissioner ruled out the possibility of allowing people to opt out of the service, saying it was the equivalent of a TV station asking individual permission from every member of the crowd before televising a football match.

But other countries have taken a tougher line.

Italy has asked Google to give citizens notice before starting mapping operations while the Czech Republic has banned Google from any further image capture, saying it invades peoples' privacy.

Categories: google, Technologies, Technology, Technology News

Implanted chip 'allows blind people to detect objects'

By Neil Bowdler Science reporter, BBC News

A man with an inherited form of blindness has been able to identify letters and a clock face using a pioneering implant, researchers say.

Miikka Terho, 46, from Finland, was fitted with an experimental chip behind his retina in Germany. Success was also reported in other patients.

The chip allows a patient to detect objects with their eyes, unlike a rival approach that uses an external camera.

Details of the work are in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Professor Eberhart Zrenner, of Germany's University of Tuebingen, and colleagues at private company Retina Implant AG initially tested their sub-retinal chip on 11 people.

Some noticed no improvement as their condition was too advanced to benefit from the implant, but a majority were able to pick out bright objects, Prof Zrenner told the BBC.

However, it was only when the chip was placed further behind the retina, in the central macular area in three people, that they achieved the best results.

Two of these had lost their vision because of the inherited condition retinitis pigmentosa, or RP, the other because of a related inherited condition called choroideraemia.

RP leads to the progressive degeneration of cells in the eye's retina, resulting in night blindness, tunnel vision and then usually permanent blindness. The symptoms can begin from early childhood.

The best results were achieved with Mr Terho, who was able to recognise cutlery and a mug on a table, a clock face and discern seven different shades of grey. He was also able to move around a room independently and approach people.

In further tests he read large letters set out before him, including his name, which had been deliberately misspelled. He soon noticed it had been spelt in the same way as the Finnish racing driver Mika Hakkinnen.

"Three or four days after the implantation, when everything was healed, I was like wow, there's activity," he told the BBC from his home in Finland.

"Right after that, if my eye hit the light, then I was able to see flashes, some activity which I hadn't had.

"Then day after day when we started working with it, practising, then I started seeing better and better all the time."

Soon Mr Terho was able to read letters by training his mind to bring the component lines that comprised the letters together.

The prototype implant has now been removed, but he has been promised an upgraded version soon. He says it can make a difference to his life.

"What I realised in those days was that it was such a great feeling to focus on something," he says.

"Even having a limited ability to see with the chip, it will be good for orientation, either walking somewhere or being able to see that something is before you even if you don't see all the tiny details of the object."

Electrical impulses

The chip works by converting light that enters the eye into electrical impulses which are fed into the optic nerve behind the eye.

It is externally powered and in the initial study was connected to a cable which protruded from the skin behind the ear to connect with a battery.

The team are now testing an upgrade in which the device is all contained beneath the skin, with power delivered though the skin via an external device that clips behind the ear.

This is by no means the only approach being taken by scientists to try to restore some visual ability to people with retinal dysfunction - what's called retinal dystrophy.

A rival chip by US-based Second Sight that sits on top of the retina has already been implanted in patients, but that technique requires the patient to be fitted with a camera fixed to a pair of glasses.

Charities gave the news of the latest work a cautious welcome.

David Head, of the British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society, said: "It's really fascinating work, but it doesn't restore vision. It rather gives people signals which help them to interpret."

Categories: Technologies, Technology, Technology News