DJ Hero Review
Nissan's LandGlider Narrow track vehicles - the convergence of the car and the motorcycle
Emue and Visa Europe have been working closely over the past 18 months to develop the Visa... Anti-fraud credit card features E-Ink display
SPDY from Google's Chromium development team has achieved 55 percent faster page loading t... Google SPDY aims to make web faster
BMW has brought back the C1 as an electric-powered concept scooter called the C1-E E is for electric: The BMW C1-E concept scooter
Yes, that's supposed to be a piece of underwear. No, me neither. C-string makes your average thong look like grannypants (NSFW)
MORE TOP STORIES »

Computer

1 2 Next »
ELECTRONICS

NIST develops the world's first two-qubit programmable quantum computer

By Dario Borghino

19:55 November 17, 2009 PST

NIST postdoctoral researcher David Hanneke at the laser table used to demonstrate the firs...

In a paper recently published on Nature Physics, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) documented the implementation and verification of a two-qubit quantum computer that, according to researchers, is a truly general-purpose machine and could soon be used as a building block for much larger quantum computers. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

litl webbook aims to be a big deal for the household

By Darren Quick

21:03 November 15, 2009 PST

The litl transforms from laptop to easel configuration with a flip of its hinge

The creators of the litl webbook have designed everything, including the hardware, software and operating system, to make it easy for users to blend “lean-forward” web-based content with “lean back” TV-like viewing of photos and other digital content. Aimed at every member of the family, the litl can be used as a regular laptop and the display also flips through 180 degrees into easel mode, which allows it to stand upright like a digital photo frame. Read More

ELECTRONICS

Esquire magazine to release augmented reality edition

By Paul Ridden

15:04 November 15, 2009 PST

Esquire's December edition invites the reader to download special software which allows th...

After experimenting with things like origami (May edition) and e-ink (October 2008 edition), Esquire magazine is running a special "augmented reality" edition in December where readers use custom-designed software and a webcam to interact with the pages being viewed and get access to 3D animated video content. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

AsusTek unveils the ESC 1000 - 1.1 teraflop ‘personal supercomputer’

By Paul Lester

19:26 October 29, 2009 PDT

Asus takes a break from 'cheap and cheerful' to produce a 1.1 teraflop desktop-sized compu...

Goodbye to the days when supercomputers had to fill a room and welcome Asus, purveyor of all things Eee and its first ever supercomputer - the ESC 1000. Produced in conjunction with NVIDIA and the National Chiao Tung university in Taiwan, the desktop-sized machine is capable of speeds up to a mighty 1.1 teraflops, which may pale in comparison to the petaflop Roadrunner, but then so does the footprint. Read More

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

Pocket projector meets handheld computer - the Allcam CP1

By Jeff Salton

17:24 October 28, 2009 PDT

The Allcam CP1 pocket projector and handheld computer

Allcam has crammed a lot of technology into a very small space to create the CP1 - a handheld computer/pico projector that runs Windows CE and is designed for the business professional who conducts presentations on-the-fly. It's got a built-in mouse-pad, but it also has mini-USB connector for keyboard and mouse (or any other USB device). There's also it a speaker, around four hours of battery life and it weighs just under 1kg (2.2lbs). Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Apple iMac updates - new features including 27-inch widescreen model

By Jeff Salton

01:16 October 21, 2009 PDT

The new iMac range features a 21.5-inch and a 27-inch LED backlight widescreen models with...

We’ve featured plenty of news lately about updates to laptops but here’s news for Mac-lovers who like their computers to "stay at home". Apple has unveiled an all-new iMac range featuring bigger and brighter LED-backlit 21.5 and 27-inch widescreen displays in a new edge-to-edge glass design and seamless all-aluminum enclosure. Apple says the new models are the fastest iMac’s ever, with Intel Core 2 Duo processors starting at 3.06GHz, and Core i5 and i7 quad-core processors for extra performance. What’s more, new iMacs come with a wireless keyboard and the all-new wireless Magic Mouse, the world’s first mouse with Multi-Touch technology pioneered by Apple on the iPhone. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

10/GUI the human computer interface of the future for people with more than two fingers

By Darren Quick

03:43 October 14, 2009 PDT

The 10/GUI moves the touch surface to the desktop

Those old enough to remember the command line interfaces of yesteryear are only too aware of what a godsend the Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) of today are. However, the human computer interface (HCI) developed in the 1970s at Xerox PARC, combining a desktop metaphor GUI and mouse controller, has remained largely unchanged ever since. Now R. Clayton Miller proposes the next step in the evolution of HCI's with his 10/GUI concept that harnesses the power of multi-touch by removing the touch surface from the screen. Read More

ELECTRONICS

New advances in excitonics promise faster computers

By Dario Borghino

16:44 October 1, 2009 PDT

Excitonics could provide us with faster computers and better communication speeds - except...

Much of today's research in electronics is geared towards obtaining faster computing and higher communication speeds. Researchers at UC San Diego are no exception, and have recently announced they have made another important step towards achieving exciton-based computation at room temperatures. Excitonics exploits the unique properties of excitons instead of the usual electrons, and promises much faster performance by interfacing more naturally with optical communications such as fiber optics. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Cyber 'ants' patrol PC networks against computer worms and other threats

By Dario Borghino

00:46 September 29, 2009 PDT

Even though individually unintelligent, digital ants exert highly intelligent group behavi...

In looking for highly efficient ways to solve complex problems, we've often seen researchers mimic the solutions found by nature over billions of years: smart fabrics inspired by pine cones, spectrum analyzers modeled after the human ear and powerful search-and-optimization genetic and evolutionary algorithms, to name just a few. The latest piece of news comes from Wake Forest University, where the group dynamics of ant colonies have inspired security software to fight computer worms and other threats. Read More

RESEARCH WATCH

New computer tool could lead to better crops and safer pesticides

By Jeff Salton

21:11 September 23, 2009 PDT

Scientists are hoping their computing tool prototype will lead to better crops, like longe...

Researchers engaged in developing new strains of crops, such as drought-resistant wheat and new pesticides that are more environmentally-friendly, are also creating a computing tool that could help scientists predict how plants will react to different environmental conditions. It’s hoped their findings will help create better crops, such as tastier and longer-lasting tomatoes. Read More

AROUND THE HOME

The multimedia Athena sofa

By Jude Garvey

17:19 September 20, 2009 PDT

Access to technology is just an armrest away when you have the Athena sofa

Call me crazy, but isn’t a sofa meant to be a place of relaxation? Apparently, it’s not any more. Swiss-based Artanova has created a modern, upholstered sofa that incorporates multimedia into its design. Featuring creamy upholstery and stainless steel feet, this is one stylish-looking piece of furniture on its own, but it also boasts a computer, wireless MP3 player and iPod/iPhone dock, as well as subwoofer and loudspeakers. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Freeze your hard disk with the USB Windows Icebox

By Dario Borghino

15:16 September 20, 2009 PDT

Windows IceBox plugs into an USB port and freezes the data in your hard drive protecting i...

Almost every PC user knows about the importance of making regular data backups — often from their own, unfortunate personal experience. But, due to laziness and technical difficulties, only a small percentage of users actually performs regular maintenance other than updating antivirus software. The Windows IceBox is a convenient solution to this problem that plugs into your USB port and immediately freezes changes on your selected hard drive partitions, virtually eliminating the need for maintenance. Read More

ELECTRONICS

Close shave with Thanko USB Electric Razor

By Jeff Salton

20:04 September 10, 2009 PDT

The USB-powered shaver from Thanko

Got a last-minute hot date? Meeting with the boss? Getting snide comments about your ‘porn star mustache’? Or just couldn’t be bothered? Whatever your reason for needing a quick shave at work, the Thanko USB Electric Razor is your savior. Just plug it into the USB port on your computer, and whiskers-be-gone. And if your monitor’s nice and shiny, who needs a mirror? Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Altec Lansing's 200W Expressionist Ultra MX6021 computer speaker system

By Jeff Salton

19:29 September 7, 2009 PDT

The Altec Lansing Expressionist Ultra MX6021 - 200W RMS on your desktop

Some people like their PC gaming experiences big. They spend big money on big games, big monitors and big gaming accessories but suffer from SSS (small sound syndrome). Well, listen up! Altec Lansing has released the Expressionist™ Ultra (MX6021), a distinctively styled and powerful three-piece home speaker system for computers, MP3 players and more that delivers 200W RMS. And with this quality of sound, it won’t be just the gamers taking advantage of all that power. Consumers who keep their music on their PC will greatly benefit from these speakers. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

No surface too shiny for new Logitech mice

By Jeff Salton

23:48 August 20, 2009 PDT

The Logitech Performance Mouse MX and Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX

Logitech has released a mouse that makes portable computing easier – one that operates on shiny surfaces. Utilising its Darkfield Laser Tracking, the company says its mouse can operate on virtually any surface – including clear glass (that’s at least 4mm thick) and other high-gloss surfaces found in today’s modern home and office. The technology is available in two models – the Logitech Performance Mouse MX (full-size) and the Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX (compact for notebooks). Read More

RESEARCH WATCH

Extending Moore’s Law using nuclear fusion

By Darren Quick

22:22 August 20, 2009 PDT

Nuclear engineer Ahmed Hassanein in his Purdue lab (Photo: Vincent Walter)

We recently looked at a technique that could help extend Moore’s Law by using DNA molecules as scaffolding to pack more power and speed into computer chips. Now researchers from Purdue University and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory are working to achieve the same result by adapting the same methods used in fusion-energy research to create extremely thin plasma beams for a new class of 'nanolithography'. Read More

RESEARCH WATCH

Building circuit boards using DNA scaffolding

By Darren Quick

00:50 August 20, 2009 PDT

High concentrations of triangular DNA origami binding to wide lines on a lithographically ...

There have been a few breakthroughs in recent years that hold the promise of sustaining Moore’s Law for some time to come. These include attaching molecules to silicon and replacing copper interconnects with graphene. Now IBM are proposing a new way to pack more power and speed into computer chips by using DNA molecules as scaffolding for transistors fabricated with carbon nanotubes and silicon wires. Read More

ELECTRONICS

Reconfigurable supercomputer aims for best of both worlds

By Dario Borghino

17:51 July 28, 2009 PDT

The Novo-G reconfigurable supercomputer (Photo: University of Florida)

Today's computers can carry on a wide range of tasks thanks to a general architecture that allows for great flexibility at the cost of a non-optimal performance; on the other end, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) can carry on a very specific task with great speed and energy efficiency, but are very inflexible. Now Novo-G, a reconfigurable supercomputer developed at the University of Florida that's described as the most powerful of its kind, is attempting to take the best from both worlds by being able to effectively change its hardware configuration as needed to compute with the greatest possible speed and efficiency. Read More

ELECTRONICS

Scientists stick with silicon to extend Moore's Law

By Jeff Salton

23:40 July 26, 2009 PDT

Attaching molecules to semiconducting silicon affects the threshold voltage, or gate volta...

Scientists at Rice University and North Carolina State University have found a method of attaching molecules to semiconducting silicon that may help manufacturers reach past the current limits of Moore's Law as microprocessors become smaller and more powerful. Read More

SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

‘Beauty’ of sunspots revealed by supercomputers

By Jeff Salton

23:13 July 26, 2009 PDT

The beauty of sunspots has been revealed through the use of supercomputers (Photos: Matthi...

An international team of scientists led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has created the first-ever comprehensive computer model of sunspots. It is hoped the use of the supercomputer modeling - the supercomputers undertake 76 trillion calculations per second - will help scientists unlock mysteries of the sun and its impacts on Earth. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

New software ensures no-one will ever read over your shoulder again

By Michael Mulcahy

19:14 July 23, 2009 PDT

What you see and what shoulder-surfers see using the Oculis Chameleon system

We need a name to describe that sensation you often get, in an office or out in public, that someone’s looking at your computer screen from behind you. Screen-dropping? Shoulder-surfing? Whatever it’s called, it’s annoying – and a potential security threat. Baltimore company Oculis, has developed a program that tracks an authorized reader's eyes to show only them the correct text. Anyone else looking at the screen will see only gobbledygook Read More

RESEARCH WATCH

MIT team develops hi-fi quantum memory

By Dario Borghino

20:27 July 21, 2009 PDT

Timing of the optical writing, write and read signals. (Photo: Haruka Tanji, Saikat Ghosh,...

Scientists are rapidly achieving important breakthroughs in quantum computing, from obtaining precise manipulation of four photons at the same time to the very first quantum processors. But just like in traditional electronics, a quantum computer can't be realized with information processing alone — we need a reliable way to store and retrieve quantum information too. A new breakthrough by MIT researchers represents a step forward in acheiving this goal of high-fidelity quantum memory. Read More

ELECTRONICS

Quantum computer closer: Optical transistor made from single molecule

By Dario Borghino

23:51 July 6, 2009 PDT

Artist's impression of a molecular transistor. (Photo: Robert Lettow)

Quantum photonics is a particularly attractive field to scientists and engineers alike in that it could, once some core issues have been resolved, allow for the production of integrated circuits that operate on the basis of photons instead of electrons, which would in turn enable considerably higher data transfer rates as well as dramatically reduced heat dissipation. Now in yet another important achievement on the road to quantum computing, researchers from ETH Zurich have managed to create an optical transistor from a single molecule. Read More

PERSONAL COMPUTING

Viewsonic enters the PC market with the VPC100 All-in-One PC

By Darren Quick

21:35 July 2, 2009 PDT

The Viewsonic VPC100 All-in-One PC

Viewsonic, well known as a manufacturer of affordable LCD monitors, has decided to add a little bit extra to its latest release by cramming the guts of a PC behind a 19-inch LCD display to produce the VPC100 All-in-One PC. Viewsonic’s first entry into the PC market maintains the company’s reputation for affordability with its USD$599 price tag and cuts office clutter with its lone cable. Read More

HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Hillcrest motion sensing mouse keeps you in the Loop

By Jude Garvey

20:27 June 21, 2009 PDT

The Loop allows you to control your TV or PC from any position or direction

Almost three years after we first encountered the Loop pointer, Hillcrest Labs has announced that its uniquely designed motion sensing mouse is available direct to consumers. Read More

1 2 Next »
 
Editors Choice
Recent Comments