TECHNO WORLD

Vacuum Cleaner For Computer Keyboard

2008-08-11T01:41:00.000-07:00

Give your computer a clean sweep with our lightweight, compact mini vacuum. It powers-up from your computer's USB port - not heavy, expensive batteries - to suck-up hi-tech damaging dirt and dust. Built-in LED light illuminates hidden nooks and crannies. Comes with 48 inch coiled cable, for easy reah, and reusable dust bag. 4 Piece set includes:

Vacuum
Brush Attachment
Two Flexible Crevice Tools for a deep between-the-keys clean.

Sleek titanium/chrome finish.

Price:- $19.95 Add to Chart

SD2620W 26" Widescreen Stereo/3D Monitor

2008-07-31T11:33:00.000-07:00

SD2620W, full 1920 x 1200 resolution, 2.3 Mega Pixel, 26" diagonal display active area, 16:10 wide aspect, Stereoscopic 3D display, DVI, S-video and composite video input, 12ms response time (full cycle), excellent viewing angle, flicker free, high brightness. Five pairs of polarized glasses are included.

Specifications
Product Name SD2620W
Planar Part Number 997-4220-00LF
Pixel Format WUXGA
Display Resolution 1920 x 1200
Megapixel Count 2.3
Pixel Pitch 0.2865 (89 lpi)
Viewable Size 25.5 inch diagonal
Palette 16 million colors
Stereo Luminance 180 cd/m² (through glasses)
Response Time 12 ms (5.5 ms rise, 6.5 ms fall)
Refresh Rate 60 Hz
Interface 24-pin DVI, Analog VGA
Dimensions (W x H x D) 23.5" x 29.7" x 24.7" (596 mm x 754 mm x 628 mm)
Weight 58 lbs. (26 kg)

PX2611W 26" Widescreen LCD Monitor

2008-07-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

Expand your workspace beyond your imagination - with 82% more viewing area than a 19" widescreen. This ultra-equipped LCD Planar PX2611W widescreen LCD monitor features Digital and Analog features DVI-D, VGA video inputs and 4-Port USB 2.0 for flexible monitor setup, purely digital performance and easy interface with digital cameras, MP3 players, printers and other peripherals. Featuring Planar's RapidVideo™ accelerator it delivers superb full motion video at an incredibly fast response time for the best video performance even with the action at its fastest. The PX2611W hosts a QuadStand™ with height, swivel and tilt adjustments to help you reduce eye and neck strain by setting the display for your maximum comfort. The PX2611W widescreen LCD monitor offers enough viewable area to support multiple windows, toolbars, pop-up windows, stock tickers, email and anything else you can dream up-all at the same time. Let the PX2611W's vivid color and vibrant images help you create the dazzling workspace you need to let your creativity flow.

HELIOS-LX Integrated Touchscreen LCD - Linux Embedded Thin Client

2008-07-24T00:40:00.000-07:00

The HELIOS-LX is a touchscreen integrated 17" LCD thin client designed to deploy touch friendly applications on manufacturing lines, healthcare facilities, point of sale stations where space is premium. Using standard 100mm VESA mounts on the back of the unit, the HELIOS-LX can be mounted on walls, mobile battery powered carts, VESA arm mounts.

The HELIOS-LX comes complete with the latest ICA, RDP, XDMCP client, Mozilla browser with JRE and Flash.

Terminal emulations and Internal 802.11g wireless support optional.

Specifications

Features

Secure Embedded Linux OS
Latest Citrix ICA Client
Citrix Web Interface Client
Latest RDP Rdesktop Client
XDMCP X11R6
Telnet, xterm, rexec
Terminal emulation suite: (Optional)
VT/Wyse/Televideo/IBM/AIXterm
ANSI emulations
Latest Mozilla Browser with:
- Sun JRE
- Flash plug-in
- Media Player
- PDF Reader
Write protected file system
VNC
Built-in support for USB Storage

Setup

Touch and keyboard driven.
User friendly
Password protected
Allows automatic login into server sessions.
Allows shadowing through VNC port .

Hardware

1 GHz Processor
256 MB DIMM Memory (Max: 1GB)
Flash Medium 256 MB (Max: 2 GB)

For more informations Click Here

IRIS Series Widescreen LCD Thin Clients

2008-07-22T00:32:00.000-07:00

Overview

For window displays, in-store advertising, store theming or digital signage, our IRIS series LCD thin client monitors will enhance your retail locations with informative consumer information screens or streaming video. These integrated LCD thin client monitors with a native resolution support of 1366x768 can be shipped with Windows XP Embedded operating system custom built to your specifications. Wall mountable using standard VESA mounts.

Specifications

Software

Windows XP Embedded Feature Pack 2007 SP2
Citrix ICA client, Microsoft RDP
Internet Explorer with Java and Flash player plugin
Windows Media Player
Microsoft .net framework 1.1 / 2.0
Write protected system partition
Processor, RAM and Flash
VIA 1GHz or 2 GHz(with fan) processor
512MB DDR-400 SODIMM as standard (1GB Max)
Flash Drive or 40 GB internal hard drive

Hardware

Graphics - S3G Unichrome 8xIGP supporting 16:9 aspect ratio(1366x768)
Available in 22” or 32” or 42” Widescreen LCD monitor
I/O Ports - Stereo out, microphone in, PS/2 Keyboard and mouse , RJ45 Ethernet, 9 pin serial port, 25 pin parallel port, 2 x USB 2.0
Power : Input voltage: 100-240 VAC
Input frequency: 50/60Hz

Download Specifications Click Here

KREIOS-CE Windows CE Thin Client

2008-07-19T23:31:00.000-07:00

KREIOS-CE is a stylish compact box type thin client running Windows CE 5.0 operating system supporting all popular thin client protocols. The space saving design makes the KREIOS an ideal choice for a desktop thin client.

The KREIOS has an optional 100 mm VESA mounting bracket, to attach it to the back of any flat panel LCD monitor.

Specifications:

Model                 KREIOS

Processor             AMD Geode LX processor

Flash Disk            32 MB

Memory                128MB  DDR

Operating system      Microsoft Windows® CE 5.0

Protocols             Citrix ICA 9.0, Microsoft RDP 5.2, Terminal Emulation suite

Browser               Internet Explorer 6.0, Windows CE version

Management Software   Included

Display               Analog  VGA output ,resolutions up to 1600x1200, 32 bit color

Ports                 4 USB 2.0 port s – 2 front, 2 rear
                     1 Earphone jack
                     1 Microphone jack
                     1 Serial RS232
                     1 Parallel LPT port

Audio                 16 bit stereo FM synthesis.

Communications        Integrated: 10/100 Ethernet

Power Supply          External DC 5 W, 30W

Dimensions            190mm(L) * 140mm(W) * 40mm(H)

Weight                1.54lbs

Certification         FCC/CE/TUV

Sony Ericsson X1 Mobile Phone

2008-07-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

XPERIA™ X1 lets you enjoy the convergence of communication and entertainment. Choose an experience by simply touching the XPERIA™ panel interface. The QWERTY keyboard makes writing fast and easy.

With Windows Mobile® inside, you can enjoy your favorite entertainment and work efficiently on the move. XPERIA™ X1 is a premium mobile experience.

Arc slider design, 3 inch Wide VGA display and premium metal body: with its sophisticated and distinctive design, XPERIA™ X1 redefines premiumness.

Energized communication, the premium experience

Life is mobile. Let everything that is important to you be with you all the time. The people in your life, the Internet, your music, pictures and video. X1 is coming soon.

Notify me via email when the X1 becomes available in store.

Samsung HT-Z515T 5.1-Channel 5 Disc Home Theater

2008-07-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

Product Description

Get the total home theater experience with the SAMSUNG HT-TZ515. Tired of tripping over wires or trying to hide them? This home theater system has rear wireless included. Got an iPod? The HT-TZ515 has a dock so you can listen to your favorite songs from your iPod whenever you want. And the 5-disc DVD changer will transform standard DVDs to beautiful high definition for the ultimate cinematic experience.

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #1597 in Consumer Electronics
Color: Black
Brand: Samsung
Model: HT-TZ515
Dimensions: 90.00 pounds

Features

5.1-channel 5-disc changer home theater surround sound system
Equipped with four tallboy speakers (2 front, 2 rear)
Total power output: 1200 watts
Comes with Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic and DTS system
XM Radio Ready and iPod cradle included

Sony Ericsson C905 Mobile 8.1 Megapixel Camera

2008-07-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

C905 has all the functions you need for perfect pictures. Smart Contrast balances light and color. Face detection helps you focus on people.

With the C905, you have a pathfinder in your pocket: your phone comes with built-in aGPS. Let Google Maps™ guide you to your destination.

Press the shoot mode key to activate the camera, snap away and share. Your C905 has support for picture and video blogging.

Getting the best shot.

The 8,1 megapixel C905 Cyber-shot™ phone is equipped with Xenon flash and always ready to capture the best moments of your life.

C905 is coming soon. Notify me via email when the C905 becomes available in store.

Nokia N96

2008-07-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

Operating Frequency

WCDMA2100/900 (HSDPA) / EGSM900, GSM850/1800/1900 MHz (EGPRS)
Automatic switching between bands and modes
DVB-H Class C, 470-750 MHz

Dimensions

Volume: 92 cc
Weight: 125 g
Length: 103 mm
Width: 55 mm
Depth:18 mm, locally up to 20 mm

Memory Functions*

16GB internal flash memory, plus microSD memory card slot (hot swappable) for expandability and flexibility
Approximate dynamic memory capacity indication with 16GB storage:
-Video: 40 hours**
-Music: 12,000 tracks***
128MB RAM, 256MB system memory (operating system plus dynamic user data area)

Nikon D3

2008-07-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Flagship pro D-SLR with a 12.1-MP FX-format CMOS sensor, blazing 9 fps shooting at full FX resolution and low-noise performance up to 6400 ISO.

$4,999.95^*ESP

Nikon's original 12.1-megapixel FX-format (23.9 x 36mm) CMOS sensor: Couple Nikon's exclusive digital image processing system with the 12.1-megapixel FX-format and you'll get breathtakingly rich images while also reducing noise to unprecedented levels with even higher ISOs.
Continuous shooting at up to 9 frames per second: At full FX resolution and up to 11fps in the DX crop mode, the D3 offers uncompromised shooting speeds for fast-action and sports photography.
Extreme low-noise ISO range with advanced noise reduction: This enables photographers to confidently select from 200-6400 ISO with an expanded range that includes: Lo-1 (100 ISO), Hi-1 (12,800 ISO) and Hi-2 (25,600 ISO).
Nikon's exclusive EXPEED Image Processing Concept: The foundation of Nikon’s newest Image Processing Systems, EXPEED incorporates the concepts, innovations and years of Nikon’s digital image processing experience, providing superior image quality with state-of-the-art technologies at blazing processing speeds.
Selectable 12-Bit or 14-Bit A/D Conversion: The choice of selecting bit depths at 12-bit (4,096 tones) or 14-bit (16,384 tones), both yielding incredible image quality through a full 16-bit processing pipeline, enables photographers to choose smaller files at faster operating speeds, as opposed to larger files with smoother tonal gradations at slower operating speeds.
3.0-inch super density 920,000-dot VGA color monitor: With 170-degree, wide-angle viewing and tempered glass protection, you'll get even better critical image review capabilities.
Fast, accurate 51-point auto focus with 3D focus tracking: Add onto that, three dynamic AF modes to deliver exacting autofocus precision at blazing speeds.
Two LiveView shooting modes: Use either hand-held or with a tripod when shooting in a studio, remote situations or from challenging angles.
Nikon's exclusive Scene Recognition System (SRS): Improved 1,005-pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering II provides even more intelligent auto exposure capabilities, along with smarter auto white balance detection and faster, more accurate AF performance.
New Picture Control settings: This gives photographers dramatically advanced color control with 4 preset options; standard, neutral, vivid and monochrome, as well as 9 customizable settings.
Nikon's exclusive Active D-Lighting: Image enhancement provided on the fly while shooting produces broader tone reproduction in both shadows and highlights by controlling light intensity and exposure compensation while applying localized tone control technology to achieve the right level of contrast across the entire image for sharp, detailed results.
The World's First Virtual Horizon Graphics Indicator: The D3's super-density color LCD monitor, teamed with Nikon's innovative Electronic Virtual Horizon delivers instant and accurate confirmation of the D3's position relative to "horizon level." You can also level the D3 while looking through the viewfinder or on the top-deck LCD.
Nikon's self-diagnostic shutter system: Tested to 300,000 cycles, this system is a clear indication of advanced engineering and durable construction.
Comprehensive state-of-the-art dust and moisture countermeasures and electromagnetic interference: With a rugged, durable and precise magnesium-alloy chassis and body, the D3 goes beyond other D-SLRs to protect against invasive moisture, dust and even electromagnetic interference. A comprehensive series of O-rings and other specialized seals, combined with additional engineering, keeps you shooting when lesser cameras would fail.

ImCoSys Linux Mobile

2008-06-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

With Linux penetrating the marketplace so pervasively, it comes as no surprise that even the ubiquitous mobile phone now runs a variation of the popular OS. The latest mobile device to run Linux is this smartphone from ImCoSys, a small Swiss company that started up in 2005.

Sporting features like quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900), Bluetooth 1.2, EDGE, Wi-Fi (802.11b), and GPS, the phone has the necessary equipment to be competitive in the marketplace. A 200MHz TI OMAP 730 processor provides the necessary computational power, with 64MB ROM/64MB RAM for memory and a QVGA touchscreen LCD to handle input duties. An oddball feature that’s included is RS-232, which certainly seems strange in these days of USB dominance.

Approximately $350 USD.

Mitsubishi XL1550 Business Projector

2008-06-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

The new Mitsubishi XL1550U business projector is one of two interesting, sibling projectors from Mitsubishi. The other is the more powerful XL2550U. This review will focus on the XL1550U, but I will comment occasionally on the XL2550U projector where it differs from the lower cost XL1550U projector. I only had the XL1550 LCD projector to work with. All subjective comments about the XL2550 projector are based on the spec differences, and other factors, but again, I did not have one in here for testing.

Overall, these Mitsubishi projectors would have to be considered moderately bright, portable projectors. They are neither very small (ultra-portable, micro-portable, pico portable), nor very light at 10.4 pounds (4.7 kg). The XL1550U claims 3100 lumens, while the brighter Mitsubishi XL2550U claims 4000 lumens. In reality, Mitsubishi refers to them as install projectors, and they have the features to match. Still, they are not so large or heavy to preclude them from being used for a lot of local portable presentations, being moved from room to room, or building to building. It's far less likely that people will want to use them if traveling by plane, just too bulky. Despite Mitsubishi promoting them as Installation Projectors in its brochures, it does include a carry case with both models.

Two notable features come to mind with these two projectors. First, is that they offer interchangeable lenses, and are relatively inexpensive among projectors that do offer lens options. The other feature is long lamp life (in low power modes).

Projector Highlights:

XL1550U rated 3100 lumens, XL2550U rated 4000 lumens
3LCD technology, with very good color
Interchangeable lenses
Very quiet operation (XL1550U), moderately quiet (XL2550U)
Best in class warranty!
Heavy duty security lock bar
Huge selection of inputs, outputs, and wired networking
XL1550U measures very close to its claimed 3100 lumens
Lamp can be replaced without unmounting the projector

Business Projector: Basic Specs

MSRP: $2495 XL1550U, $3994 XL2550U
Technology: 3LCD
Native Resolution: XGA 1024x768
Brightness: 3100 lumens (XL1550), 4000 lumens (XL2550U)
Contrast: 400:1 (XL1550U), 600:1 (XL2550U)
Zoom Lens ratio: 1.27:1
Lens shift: No
Lamp life: XL1550U 2000 hours at high power, 5000 hours at low lamp power
XL2550: 2000 hours at full power, 4000 at low power
Weight: lbs. 10.4 (4.7 Kg)
Warranty: 3 Years Parts and Labor standard, with replacement program all 3 years

Industrial rackmount LCD monitor

2008-05-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

The RM LCD monitors are rugged industrial flat panel monitors engineered as a panel, wall or rack mountable display for use in harsh and space constraint environment. The RM product series are available in 5 sizes from a 12.1" to 20.1" LCD to accommodate different requirement. These LCD are housed in a ruggedized enclosure and protected by a 2mm impact resistance glass.
Advanced Video Conversion Board
Every RM LCD monitor has an advanced smart image-processing board built inside the enclosure. The smart-chip on this board allows the RM digital LCD monitors to interface with standard analog VGA video signal. Therefore making the RM monitors compatible with almost all computers, workstations and servers. The smart-chip has built-in gamma correction, brightness, contrast, hue and saturation control; a versatile support, HDCP decription logic, auto image positioning, input format detection, and compatibility with all DVI-compliant (optional) signal sources.

Selections of Display
The RM series offers an affordable 12.1" display in a 5U panel to a large 20.1" high performance high-resolution display in an 8U panel. These displays are sealed and protected by a 2mm glass against occasional impact, splashes, oil and dust. A four button LCD controls are located in the front panel allowing users to fine tune the LCD to the desired brightness, V-Size, H-Size and resolution.

Features:

* Heavy-duty aluminum chassis
* 2mm impact resistance glass
* Panel, wall and rack mountable
* LCD size available from 12.1" to 20.1"
* LCD resolution available from 800x600 to 1600x1200
* Interface and auto-sync with standard analog VGA
* Compact enclosure with 2.5" to 3.5" rear depth

Japanese Invisibility Jacket

2008-05-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

This jacket is awesome. you can be invisible by wearing this jacket ...........watch this video.... japanese are crazy for making such things.....

HP's new iPAQ rx4000

2008-05-13T04:04:00.000-07:00

A quick glance at the spec sheet of HP's new iPAQ rx4000 Mobile Media Companion doesn't really show it as a force to be reckoned with, but a quick look at the device itself reveals it to be quite a new thing entirely for the iPAQ line. HP seems to be going after a consumer dollar with this device, with a $300 pricetag and cute PMP-inspired design, but the specs aren't terrible. The rx4000 features a 2.8-inch screen which runs in landscape or portrait mode, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and is naturally a full-fledged Pocket PC with support for VoIP software and Microsoft Office apps if you're feeling in a productive mood. Of course, the "Mobile Media Companion" moniker reveals the proposed functionality of the device, and between the media player support, nifty scroll wheel and decent screen the rx4000 shouldn't go far wrong there. Unfortunately, HP has so far only announced an October launch in Asia, so there's no telling when or if we might get this little guy in the States. There's also no word on internal storage -- a few gigabytes of flash memory wouldn't go far wrong here -- but we're guessing it isn't anything much if HP has decided not to mention it in their press release. From Engadet

Animation Technology

2008-05-11T03:25:00.001-07:00

NaturalMotion Ltd. announced euphoria, a new run-time animation technology for game play and development on next-generation platforms, including Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
Based on NaturalMotion?s DMS technology, euphoria uses the CPUs of next-generation platforms to synthesize interactive animations on the fly.
Euphoria is the run-time version of NaturalMotion?s DMS technology, first introduced in endorphin, the company?s off-line character animation tool.

DMS is based on artificial intelligence controllers that imitate the human nervous system. Unlike conventional animation techniques such as keyframing or motion capture, euphoria uses the CPU to simulate the brain and body of 3D characters, which allows animators working on nextgeneration development platforms to synthesize human movements in real time. This approach produces fully directable and fully interactive 3D characters with real-life movements that are unique every time thus dramatically reducing animation asset production time.
Euphoria enables a whole new level of interactivity and realism during game play,? said Torsten Reil, CEO of NaturalMotion. ?Every time euphoria synthesizes what happens on the screen you know that no player has seen it before. It makes every game your unique experience.?
Euphoria is currently being integrated into multiple AAA next-generation titles and is available through NaturalMotion?s co-development program. NaturalMotion will show euphoria behind closed doors at the 2006 Game Developers Conference (GDC).

Service Pack 3 Demands IE7

2008-05-11T03:05:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has warned users updating to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) that they won't be able to downgrade from Internet Explorer 7 to the older IE6 without uninstalling the service pack.

The warning first appeared in a post Monday to a company blog written by the Internet Explorer (IE) development team. Microsoft released Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update as an optional download Tuesday.

"If you choose to install XP SP3, Internet Explorer 7 will remain on your system after the install is complete," said Jane Maliouta, an IE program manager , in the blog entry. "Your preferences will be retained. However, you will no longer be able to uninstall IE7. If you go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, the Remove option will be grayed out."

The inability to downgrade to IE6 after installing XP SP3 was by design, said Maliouta, because the service pack includes newer versions of the old browser's files. If Microsoft had allowed users to revert back to the pre-SP3 version of IE6 -- the one saved on users' PCs when they upgraded to IE7, and until now what was used to back out of the newer browser -- Windows would have ended up in a "mixed file state," Maliouta said.
This state is not supported and is very bug prone. To ensure a reliable user experience, we prevent this broken state by disabling the ability to uninstall Internet Explorer 7," she said.

Users who want to retain the ability to downgrade from IE7 to IE6 should uninstall the former before upgrading to XP SP3. Once Windows XP has been updated to SP3, users can then install IE7. That process allows for reverting to IE6 in the future.

"The restriction on uninstalling only applies to when you install a Windows Service Pack release on top of a standalone IE release," Maliouta said.

If Windows XP SP3 has already been installed, the only way to return to IE6 is to first uninstalled the service pack. At that point, IE6 can be restored on a PC that's been updated to IE7.

Microsoft released IE7 in October 2006; it was the first major update to Internet Explorer since August 2001, when IE6 went final.

The newer browser has not been able to usurp IE6, particularly in businesses, where it remains Microsoft's most popular browser. According to a survey released in late March by Forrester Research , only 30% of corporate Internet Explorer users had switched to IE7 by the end of 2007. IE6 accounted for nearly all the remaining 70%.

Maliouta also outlined how Windows XP SP3 upgrades affect in-place copies of IE6 and IE7; in both cases, she said, the currently installed browser remains undisturbed by the update.

However, users who have installed IE8 Beta 1 -- a preview of its newest browser that hit the streets two months ago -- will not be offered Windows XP SP3, according to Maliouta, again because of possible instability problems.

"We strongly recommend uninstalling IE8 Beta 1 prior to upgrading to Windows XP SP3 to eliminate any deployment issues," she said, "and install IE8 Beta 1 after XP SP3 is on your machine."

Laptop For Game

2008-04-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Processor & Chipset
Intel Core2 Duo

E6400 2.13GHz, E6600 2.4GHz, E6700 2.66GHz OR,

Intel Core2 Extreme X680 Desktop Processor @ 1,066 FSB w/4MB L2 On-die Cache
Chipset: Intel P965 Express Chipset + ICH8R

Display
17" WSGXA+ (1680x1050) or WUXGA (1920x1200) "Super Clear Glossy" LCD Display
Built-in Hybrid Digital/Analog TV-Tuner w/MCE Remote Control (Optional)
32-Bit True Colors

Disk Drives

Up to 3 - 200GB 4,200 RPM, 160GB 5,400RPM or 100GB 7,200RPM SATA/150 Hard Drives
DUAL Pioneer Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW
External USB 1.44MB Floppy Disk Drive (Optional)
Built-in 7-in-1 memory card reader:
MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC

Memory
1024MB DDR2/667MHz Memory (expandable to 4GB w/64-bit Vista)
TWO SO-DIMM sockets

Network
Built in Ethernet 10/100/1000BaseT Network
Built in IntelPro 3945 802.11ABG Wi-Fi
Built-in Bluetooth Wireless Card
Built in 56k V.90/v.92 Modem

Audio Features
Built-in ALC655 AC'97 Audio CODEC Sound System
4 Built-in Stereo Speakers
4 Audio ports:
1. Headphone out
2. Mic-in
3. S/PDIF-out
4. Line-in
Wavetable 3D Surround sound
Sound Blaster compatible

Video Controller
Single or DUAL nVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX PCI-Express 16X Modules with 512MB (1,024MB Total w/SLi) GDDR3 Video Memory
Supports nView - two DIFFERENT applications
open at one time; one on the External
Monitor, and one on the Laptop Screen
Multi-tasking has never been more Productive!

Intel® Atom™ Processor smallest chip

2008-04-05T00:48:00.000-07:00

Intel’s smallest and lowest power processor², the Intel Atom processor will enable the industry to design new Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and affordable Internet-focused notebooks (netbooks), and desktops (nettops). This new processor also serves as the foundation for the all new Intel® Centrino® Atom™ processor technology, a collection of chips that enables amazing Internet experiences in pocketable devices.

Newly designed from the ground up, 45nm Intel Atom processors pack an astounding 47 million transistors on a single chip measuring less than 25mm², making them Intel’s smallest and lowest power processors.¹ All this, and while still delivering the power
* Get a new range of power-efficient devices with excellent performance enabled by all new hafnium-infused 45nm high-k silicon technology
* Increase energy efficiency in smaller more compact designs with a thermal design power specification ranging from subwatt to 2.5 watts for mobile devices
* Extend battery life in select devices with an incredibly low idle power as low as 30 mW allowing the device to stay powered on while also conserving energy

Powering the next generation of Internet-centric devices, Intel Atom processors will power the latest in pocketable, portable devices. Based on an entirely new microarchitecture, the Intel Atom processor was developed specifically for performance and low power while maintaining full Intel® Core™ microarchitecture instruction set compatibility. Some Intel Atom processors will also feature multiple threads for better performance and increased system responsiveness.

Devices powered by Intel Atom processors allow you to stay in touch on-the-go, connect to business and enjoy entertainment, remain connected affordably with a new series of netbooks and nettops, and so much more.
source:-intel.com

KEYLESS KEYBOARD

2008-04-04T00:36:00.000-07:00

This keyboard is awesome. Looks is nice The orbiTouch is a keyboard and mouse combination device with no keys, it features two round domes that control all mouse and keyboard functions.

The orbiTouch® is a revolutionary keyless ergonomic keyboard solution that removes the barrier posed by the traditional keyboard/mouse combination. Persons who benefit include those with repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome , other hand and finger injuries, limited fine motor skills, reduced finger function and other cognitive and physical challenges. The comfortable design of the biTouch® keyless ergonomic keyboard makes it the ideal tool for computing and accessing the Internet.
Source:-gadgettastic

Accenture to Invest $250 Million to Expand Technology

2008-03-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

Accenture will invest more than $250 million over the next three years to expand its technology consulting capabilities to help clients align information technology and business strategy.
"Aligning IT with business strategy has, once again, become a top issue for companies worldwide. To address this, we areenhancing the end-to-end services we offer through Accenture Technology Consulting, an organization within our Systems
Integration & Technology growth platform,” said William D.Green, Chairman & CEO, Accenture.

The investment is designed to address a strong increase in
demand from clients for services and advice from technology
-platform-independent services providers.It will enable Accenture to enhance its strategy planning,
marketing, offering and asset development, alliance
development and management, and recruiting and training for
its technology capabilities.
It will focus on helping clients: develop IT strategies that
deliver measurable business outcomes; standardize,
virtualize and secure their IT infrastructures and
applications; improve worker productivity; and implement new
consumer-like, Web-based applications that tap into the
potential of services-oriented architecture (SOA) and other
newer technologies.
The investment will enable Accenture to expand on the
development of next-generation data center capabilities,
including data center consolidation; server consolidation
and rationalization; storage transformation; test- and
development-environment transformation; service desk
optimization; and "green computing" for optimizing data-
center performance while reducing power consumption.
It would also focus on a series of enterprise network
offerings that leverage Accenture's expertise in designing
and building converged data and voice systems, highly
specialized IT infrastructure and application security
capabilities and next-generation workplace capabilities to
help deploy IT to automate common workplace activities.
“We are enhancing the services we offer by building and
expanding our technical capabilities and investing
aggressively in our workforce,” said Don Rippert, Chief
Technology Officer, Accenture.

Boot and run Linux from a USB flash memory stick

2008-03-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

USB Linux installation enables you to install a portable Linux operating system on a flash drive or USB key no larger than your thumb. This portable Linux operating system can then be run from any computer that can boot from a flash device, allowing you to bring your operating system, desktop, applications, files, email, personal settings, favorites, games and more with you. It’s like having your own personal operating system you can carry in your pocket. On this site, we provide many simplified portable Linux flash drive installation tutorials.
Information from pendrivelinux.com

The Intel® Core™2 Quad processor

2008-03-20T00:02:00.000-07:00

Overview
The Intel® Core™2 Quad processor is the latest in cutting edge processor technology. Based on the new Intel® Core™ microarchitecture, the Intel Core 2 Quad processor delivers four complete execution cores within a single processor, delivering unprecedented performance and responsiveness in multithreaded and multitasking business and home-use environments.The Intel Core 2 Quad processor features four complete execution cores. More instructions can be carried out per clock cycle, shorter and wider pipelines execute commands more quickly, and improved bus lanes move data throughout the system faster.The evolving set of threaded multimedia applications, including digital content creation, shines as users are able to complete tasks faster. Game play can achieve even greater visualization and realism as tasks such as artificial intelligence (AI), physics, and rendering can be distributed across each of the four complete execution cores and run in parallel.For more legal information please go to www.intel.com/sites/corporate/tradmarx.htm
With four execution cores, the Intel® Core™2 Quad processor blows through processor-intensive tasks in demanding multitasking environments and makes the most of highly threaded applications. Pioneer the new world of quad-core and unleash the true power of multithreading.

Unleash quad-core performance
Put more robust execution resources to work with four cores per socket, up to 8MB of shared L2 cache1, and up to 1066 MHz front side bus.Improve responsiveness of data-intensive, memory-bound applications with fully-buffered DIMM technology, which speeds up the memory subsystem with a buffer on each memory module and serial point-to-point lanes between modules.Increase headroom with the performance features of Intel® Core™ microarchitecture, such as delivering more instructions per clock cycle with Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution, improving cache efficiency with Intel® Advanced Smart Cache, and accelerating floating-point-intensive applications with Intel® Advanced Digital Media Bo

Reap the benefits of 64-bit computing2
Increase your ability to handle memory-intensive applications by breaking through the 4GB limit of system memory imposed by 32-bit architectures.Control cost of ownership by enabling mainstream business PCs to execute workloads that previously would have required servers or specialized hardware.Handle larger data sets in implementations that range from digital video to high-performance clusters and the largest transactional databases by handling data in chunks twice as wide as 32-bit architectures.
Improve server scalability and power efficiency
Improve server compute density by deploying more processor cores per socket, which allows you to efficiently scale up infrastructure.Save on power by holding energy consumption relatively constant with an increasing number of cores, even as performance scales upward, to help decrease energy costs.Build power efficiency of the processor by turning off components that are not being used with Intel® Intelligent Power Capability.14MB of Intel® Advanced Smart Cache per core pair.264-bit computing on Intel® architecture requires a computer system with a processor, chipset, BIOS, operating system, device drivers and applications enabled for Intel® 64 architecture. Processors will not operate (including 32-bit operation) without an Intel® 64 architecture-enabled BIOS. Performance will vary depending on your hardware and software configurations. Consult with your system vendor for more information.For more legal information please go to www.intel.com/sites/corporate/tradmarx.htm

Intel Unveils 16 Next-Generation Processors, Including First Notebook Chips Built on 45nm Technology

2008-03-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

Intel Corporation unveiled 16 products, including the company's first 45 nanometer (nm) processors for Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology based laptops.All of these new chips include the company's new transistor formula and 45nm manufacturing process that boost a PC's speed, reduces power requirements, saves on battery life, helps the environment and comes in smaller packages for more fashionable and compact computer designs. With the introduction of the new processors, Intel will be offering a total of 32 desktop, laptop and server processors based on these industry-leading innovations.The company also highlighted how it will take advantage of its transistor and manufacturing advances to spur a category of small form-factor, low-powered, high-performance devices that deliver broadband Internet access "in your pocket." The processors are up to 25 percent smaller than previous versions so computer makers can create sleek, new designs for consumers ranging from stylish all-in-one desktop PCs to smaller notebooks.Among the 16 new products, 12 are designed for new laptops and desktops products and four are for servers. All are now lead-free1 and, starting this year, halogen-free2, making the processors more eco-friendly."The new products we're announcing today provide consumers and businesses with the benefit of sleeker and higher-performing laptops and more powerful and fashionable PCs that deliver for the most hard-core gamer, high-definition enthusiast and just about every other consumer demand," said Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager, mobile platforms group, Intel. "And later this year, Intel will begin delivering the mobile Internet with much smaller, lighter and powerful Internet-enabled devices that ultimately will fit right into your pocket."

Intel Adds Mobile Processors to Line-up

Intel is shipping five new mobile processors, enabling breakthrough performance and improved battery life, providing consumers with the ability to be more productive or just enjoy their digital entertainment while on the go. Helping to extend battery life is also a new Intel Core microarchitecture design feature for advanced power management state called Deep Power Down Technology that reduces the power of the processor when it's not running data or instructions to the laptop.The processors are the foundation for the company's popular Intel® Centrino® technology for laptops, and deliver improved content and video capabilities with HD DVD* and Blu-Ray* support with an optional third-party decoder. Centrino-based notebooks also come with the Mobile Intel® 965 Express Chipset and wireless networking including the optional support for 802.11n networks with Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N.Intel has also added new video and graphics capabilities with Intel® HD Boost that includes Intel® Streaming SIMD Extensions 4 (SSE4) for speeding up workloads including video encoding for high-definition and photo manipulation.Intel will also use this mobile technology foundation and energy-efficient performance to enable a variety of smaller, cooler and quieter, stylish desktop designs. These computers, including the increasingly popular "all-in-one" category, provide the performance to run a variety of digital media and the latest software simultaneously, as well as enhanced high-definition video and smoother playback using Intel® Clear Video Technology.

More Mobility on Tap: in Your Pocket; Wireless WiMAX

Pushing the power of the full Internet "in your pocket," Intel's strategy for using low-power Intel Architecture platforms that drastically reduce CPU and chipset power, and package size continues to gain momentum. Intel plans to ship in the first half of this year its first-generation low-power platform chipset that will help deliver a range of ultra mobile and mobile Internet devices from a growing ecosystem of customers.Intel also continues to work closely with carriers around the world to deploy mobile WiMAX networks. These networks will help deliver true high-speed mobile Internet experiences to a variety of digital devices starting later this year.

HP's latest AMD powered Laptops

2008-02-23T07:51:00.000-08:00

HP has announced three new laptops that are based on AMD processors. The new models that have been introduced are the Pavilion dv9500z ($ 1,000), dv6500z ($ 750) and Compaq Presario v6500z ($ 500). While the first two models are aimed at multimedia desktop replacements, the final one is an entry-level machine. The AMD processors that are on offer on these machines are variations of the Turion 64 X2 58/60/62/64 chips.The 17-inch dv9500z is a desktop replacement machine with Nvidia GeForce Go 7150M or 8400M GS graphics chipset, comes with max up to 4 GB of RAM, up to 500 HDD storage, HD DVD drive, 17.1 inch LCD panel with 1680 x 1050 resolution, fingerprint reader, webcam, microphone, a/b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth, Verizon Wireless V740 ExpressCard, digital TV Tuner, and Windows Vista. The same specifications are applicable for the dv6500z except max storage is reduced to 250 GB.The 15.4-inch Presario v6500z provides up to 2 GB RAM, max 160 GB hard drive, dual layer DVD burner, GeForce Go 7150M graphics, a/b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth, ExpressCard, TV Tuner, and Windows Vista. No word on availability yet

LG Introduces R200 Laptop in India

2008-02-23T02:47:00.000-08:00

LG Electronics India has launched the R200, a notebook PC with a 2.5 inch auxiliary LCD display on the top.Targeted at the high-end home segment the R200 sports a functional innovation called Sideshow, which provides the convenience of enjoying slideshows, listening to music, and accessing Windows mail, using the Auxiliary Display on the top without actually booting the system. It has a piano black design with red touch sensitive buttons on glossy black background and features DirectX 10. The R200 sports a 12" widescreen and is equipped with Intel Core2 Duo processor, 1 GB RAM and 160 GB HDD. It has the latest dedicated graphics of ATI Mobility Radeon HD2400 and the latest built-in Bluetooth/Intel Wireless (802.11 abg).R. Manikandan, Business Group Head, IT Division, said, "We strive to create new and innovative products that allow people to give the customer delight. We at LG believe that R200 model laptop will revolutionize the way people perceive technology." The R200 is available for Rs. 79,990.

Information technology in India

2008-02-02T06:23:00.000-08:00

MOST foreigners visit Mysore to see its many palaces, testaments to bygone royal splendour. But the city, south of Bangalore, is also a good place to observe monuments to India's modern might. One of its suburbs contains a lush campus with a collection of futuristic buildings: the Global Education Centre, one of the world's largest corporate-training facilities, operated by Infosys, a leading Indian information-technology (IT) services firm.
Visiting the centre, you would think that for India's IT businesses, the sky is the limit. Rarely has an industry grown so rapidly for so long. It has boasted annual growth rates of nearly 30% in the past ten years, with revenues now nearing $50 billion, about 5.4% of India's GDP. But some in India are starting to worry that the industry is heading for a fall. At the very least, analysts say, the industry's leading firms—Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys and Wipro, to name only the three largest—need to do more to adapt their business models as the industry matures

The “IT” in India's IT industry has always been something of a misnomer. True, most of its more than 1.6m employees sit in front of computers, writing software for Western firms, remotely maintaining their computers and electronically handling some of their operations. But the business is mostly about people and processes. The very essence of India's IT firms is their ability to marshal huge local workforces to supply high-quality services.
One of their biggest innovations has been to borrow ideas from manufacturing and apply them to services, by building a sophisticated human supply-chain, for instance. They have also focused on certification and continuous improvement—a result of having to be, at least initially, better than their Western rivals in order to win business, says Girish Paranjpe, the boss of Wipro's consulting arm. Today more Indian than American firms meet the highest internationally recognised standards for software development.
All this has enabled Indian firms to take advantage of a rare, if not unique, set of market conditions. On the demand side, Western companies needed to cut costs, but their computer systems still required a lot of human labour. On the supply side, there was an army of well trained, English-speaking engineers demanding only a fraction of a Western salary. Fast fibre-optic links brought both sides together and a favourable exchange rate made this global connection even more attractive: customers paid in dollars, and employees were paid in rupees. The result was a “low-risk, high-margin business”, says Kiran Karnik, the outgoing president of Nasscom, the industry's trade group. To increase sales, firms could hire more people without caring too much about productivity, with the result that growth in revenue correlated closely with growth in headcount.
So why the concern? Indian IT faces a host of threats, says Sudin Apte of Forrester Research, a consultancy, who argues that the industry needs to reinvent itself. The most immediate difficulty is the rapid appreciation of the rupee against the dollar in recent months (see article).

Since its low in mid-2006, it has gained 16%. This has made a liability out of what had been a big asset for Indian IT firms—making most of their sales in America. The strong rupee has also thrown other structural problems into relief. These fall into three categories.
What goes up...
First come the familiar problems. One is India's clogged and insufficient infrastructure: workers in Bangalore can spend four hours a day in traffic. Then there are the tax breaks that subsidise the industry, some of which expire in 2009. There is also a growing talent shortage. Indian engineering schools award around 200,000 diplomas each year, and produce around 250,000 graduates, but only half are employable by the IT industry. Employees have learnt to switch jobs for better pay, and salaries are going up by 10-15% a year. For senior staff, they will soon reach Western levels.
Second, competitors are starting to emerge. IT industries in other parts of the world, such as Central Europe, may never match India's in size, but they can still pick off valuable contracts. Meanwhile, foreign IT firms have been beefing up their Indian subsidiaries. In 2002 the six biggest—including Accenture, IBM and HP—had fewer than 10,000 employees in total in the country. Their combined Indian workforce now exceeds 150,000. This enables them to rival the Indian firms in scale and cost, while exploiting their stronger brands and international scope.
The third category concerns future threats. In the short term a slowdown in IT spending looms as America's economy weakens. In the longer term Indian firms must keep abreast of technological changes. Many of the services they now provide will eventually be automated; this is already starting to happen, for example, in software testing. Western firms, meanwhile, increasingly want Indian providers to do more than just keep systems running; they want help in developing new solutions to business problems—something few Indian firms are set up to do.
The question is whether the industry's business model can cope with these threats even as the potential for growth in its established markets declines. According to calculations by CLSA, a French-Asian investment bank, Indian IT firms will soon have a share of nearly 20% of their addressable market's value and almost 40% of its volume. They will also struggle to make their existing business more efficient: most fat has already been cut.
Many think that Indian IT firms need to move into new, higher-margin services and to cut the link between revenues and headcount, for instance by offering more consulting, developing more intellectual property and making acquisitions abroad. To be fair, the leading firms are already doing this. Infosys now generates nearly a quarter of its revenues from consulting, says its new boss, S. Gopalakrishnan; and Wipro recently paid $600m for Infocrossing, an American firm, the largest in a series of acquisitions by Indian firms.
But is the industry moving fast enough? Nasscom's Mr Karnik says no, but he thinks there is still time to change things. Partha Iyengar of Gartner, another consultancy, sees more urgency. He expects slower growth and lower margins if the big firms are not making most of their money in consulting and other high-margin areas within three or four years. This will be hard, he says: today's focus on people, processes and profits may keep many firms from reaching the next level. But, he says, India's IT firms have shown before that they can change if they really need to.
Even if the heavyweights stumble, smaller firms are ready to take up the baton. For example, MindTree Consulting was founded 1999 in anticipation of the very threats that have now materialised. However potent these threats prove, they have already demonstrated that for all the talk of the world being flat, economic gravity still applies.

Internet Hit by Cable Breakdown

2008-02-01T02:16:00.000-08:00

Bogged down by slower-than-usual Internet speeds for the last couple of days? Brace yourself for a couple more such days... The reason: Internet access in India and large parts of West Asia including the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia has been hit following breakdown of two undersea cables in the Mediterranean Sea.

The disruption was caused by an anchoring ship that accidentally damaged Indian-owned Flag cable and SEA-ME-WE after being diverted from the Egyptian port of Alexandria due to bad weather. Repair teams have already set sail for the location but the disruption that started yesterday hasn't yet been resolved. Reportedly, it will take a week to a fortnight to restore services back to normalcy. Indian Internet service providers have put the disruption at 60 percent of normal services, while those in Egypt have put it down at 70 percent of normal services. The Indian capital almost but all logged out following the disruption, with Internet service providers putting it down at at least a 50 percent loss of service. Across the country, irritable customers complained that they were unable to access Web sites and that the Internet was drearily slow. Cyber cafes had no explanation for the Internet's erratic behavior. By contrast, BPOs across the country remained largely unaffected by the breakdown. Indian Internet service providers have now said they've started a downgraded service, but that full restoration might be possible only after ten to fifteen days. Apart from India, Cairo suffered a partial disruption of Internet services and other telecommunications across most of Egypt. Internet services were also disrupted in Dubai in the UAE. International telephone services were affected by the cable breakdown.

Tata Indicom Spurs Mobile Education

2008-02-01T02:13:00.001-08:00

Tata Indicom has joined hands with SNDT Women's University, ATOM (Any Transaction on Mobile), and Indian PCO Tele-services (IPTL) for an initiative called Mobile Education (M-Education).
The purpose of this program is to aid distance learning, and support learning for rural communities and for the physically challenged. Through M-Education, the coalition wants to make education available in the remotest corners of the country.

The strategic alliance aims to harness technology through a unique model. The model being; a mobile phone becomes a device that not only allows access to voice and text messaging, but also generates accredited educational content, letting people take mock tests on the move, etc. And all this is achieved sans any geographic or physical constraints. For the purpose of imparting M-Education, SNDT University will develop and manage content, Tata Indicom will be the carrier, ATOM will provide the intermediary interfaces, while IPTL will look after service distribution and dissemination. With the help of CDMA technology, M-Education intends to offer up-to-date content to students -- without having to go to schools and colleges. In the beginning, the M-Education service will be available in Hindi and English languages. The alliance plans to later make the service available in other regional languages as well.

India and the Industrial Revolution

2008-02-01T01:15:00.000-08:00

Nevertheless, there were powerful forces at work that inhibited the growth of science and technology in India and prevented Indian manufacturing from entering the industrial era on it's own terms.
Perhaps the most important of these factors was the relative prosperity that India enjoyed vis-a-vis the rest of the world. A mild climate meant that the peasantry and working class could survive relatively cheaply. And the huge trade surplus the country enjoyed enabled the nobility and the middle classes to live lives of relative luxury and comfort. There was little incentive to bring about revolutionary changes and the forces of parasitism and conservatism prevailed quite easily over more radical forces. Harry Verelst (Senior Officer of the East India Company) described Bengal before Plassey quite succintly: "The farmer was easy, the artisan encouraged, the merchant enriched and the prince satisfied".
But in Europe, virtually all classes had an interest in bringing about revolutionary changes that could improve their lives. Long and harsh winters meant that even the peasantry and working class needed more items of personal consumption just to survive, let alone live comfortably. The demand for cheap manufactured goods for mass consumption was initially far greater in Europe than in the warmer parts of the globe. The short days in the long and harsh winters created a much more compelling need for breakthrough inventions like the light bulb or electric heater or piped hot water and indoor toilets.
But need alone was an insufficient factor in securing technological breakthroughs. Europe also needed important social changes to create a climate where scientific study and technological innovation could flourish. For centuries, the catholic church in Europe had preached the idealogy of worldly renunciation and taught it's followers to accept their earthly suffering in exchange for a promise of redemption in the next world. Rational and scientific thinking was routinely condemned as sacriligious or heresy. It was then little wonder that Europe had slipped into a period of intense stagnation and became inordinately dependant on imports from the more developed nations of Asia.
But it was precisely this backwardness and internal oppression that lead to mass radicalization and calls for revolution or reform. The protestant movements were the first in a series of movements calling for greater democracy and radical improvements in social conditions for the masses. At the same time, the European intelligentsia was no longer willing to wait for redemption after death but wanted to enjoy the good life right here on earth. Secular and rational challenges to Christian orthodoxy grew and science and philosophy were gradually liberated from the strangulating influences of the church. The knowledge of the East was translated into the European languages and found it's way into university curriculums. Scientific research and investigation began to thrive and technological innovations followed. All the social ingredients for the industrial revolution were beginning to fall into place.
But at first, Europe still lacked a vital ingredient for the industrial revolution to take off and succeed - and that was capital. For centuries, Europe had to fund it's negative trade balance (vis-a-vis Asia) by exporting gold, silver and other precious metals. To make matters worse, exports from India (which made up an important share of European imports) were heavily marked up by various intermediaries in the Middle East and later by the Venetians. By the 15th century, this burden was becoming almost impossible for the royal houses of Western Europe to bear. It was in response to this crisis that voyages to discover a new route to India were funded, and eventually led to the creation of the East India Companies. {The pillage and plunder of the Americas (and later Africa as well) played a significant role in financing these voyages.}
While this made imports from India more affordable, it did not eliminate the negative trade balance. European banks were initially in little position to fund the new inventions that were waiting to find industrial sponsors. Colonization provided the answer. Europe thus embarked on a complex transition where within it's borders it followed a path of progress and radical reform, but externally, it raped and pillaged without mercy.
This occurred at a time when the rest of the world was largely ill-equipped at dealing with such a wily and complex enemy. In much of the world, large sections of society were moving in the opposite direction - and particularly so in the Islamic world. Madrasahs resisted numerous attempts at introducing anything resembling science and reason in the curriculum. This was also true in India. In spite of repeated attempts by Akbar to introduce a secular curriculum in the nation's Madrasahs, the conservative clergy successfully resisted all attempts at change. Similiar processes were at work in many of the Buddhist monasteries and the Hindu Gurukuls who had succumbed to the influence of orthodox Vedantism. In extreme versions of the Vedantic world-view the real world was more an illusion, and hence all efforts at changing it or transforming it were deemed unimportant.
Even in schools that escaped Vedantic influences, and where science and logic remained a part of the curriculum, religious instruction often took precedence. In addition, Brahminical notions of purity created a needless divide between the mental and physical creating obstacles to experimentation and transfer of theoretical knowledge to practical applications. The fixation on astrology and other such superstitions also served to distract sections of the intelligentsia from more scientific pursuits.
So just as Europe was preparing itself to meet the challenges of the industrial revolution, significant sections of society in Africa and Asia were becoming more resistant to studying science. This made the process of colonization much easier as those who resisted colonization were technologically outmatched and outwitted.
Once colonization had taken hold of a nations economy, educational options became further limited. Often, the few who were keen to pursue a career in the sciences could only do so under the auspices of their colonial masters. But for the colonial powers, teaching science and technology to the colonized was not necessarily a benevolent act. The western educated individual played an important role in the colonial process - either as a manager or engineer in a company that produced cheap raw materials (or industrial goods) for export from the colony to the master nation, or as a representative of an import agency that imported expensive manufactured goods and machinery into the colony.
So great was this contradiction in some nations that science and technology almost came to be associated with treachery and religious obscurantism became synonymous with patriotism. As a result the masses were often denied the opportunity to deal with an industrializing Europe on anything even remotely resembling equality.
Like other colonized nations, India was dragged into the industrial era on terms that were not of it's own choosing and many of the technological developments that have since taken place in India have been geared more towards the export market than bringing about all-round improvements in the quality of life for the Indian masses.
For that reason, it cannot yet be said that India has fully entered the modern industrial era. Only when India is able to harness the power of technology and modern industry towards improving the quality of life for the vast majority of it's people will that be the case. That will require not only major advances in the Indian education system but radical social changes that have yet to take place in a systematic way. Above all, the forces of religious fundamentalism, religious obscurantism and social backwardness will have to be pushed back and defeated. That is the real lesson of the Industrial Revolution that has yet to sink in completely in India.

The Impetus for Metallurgy

2008-02-01T01:14:00.000-08:00

Monumental architecture required considerable advances in the technology of lifting, loading and transportation of construction materials, building construction ramps, scaffolding, and related tools and implements. As in ancient Egypt or Babylon, appropriate techniques also had to be developed and implemented in India. But more importantly, stone-based construction presupposes the existence of hard metal based tools and implements for cutting and shaping stone. The discovery of iron thus played an essential role in the development of monumental architecture in India which may have in turn given a further impetus to the development of metallurgical skills.

As early as the 4th C. BC, Kautilya's Arthashastra had a section outlining the processes for metal extraction and alloying. Later Sanskrit texts talk about assessing metal purity and describe techniques for achieving metal purity. Various alloying techniques were in use and some may have had their origin in the Harappan or Vedic periods. (For instance, there are references in the Vedic literature that suggest that copper vessels were coated with tin so as to prevent milk from going sour.)

A combination of scholarly investigation and broad dissemination of practical techniques propelled the development of metallurgical skills. The fifth century Iron Pillar of Delhi is a remarkable example of those skills. Standing over 23 feet high it consists of a single piece of iron and has weathered over 1500 monsoons without showing any signs of rust. The pillar is made of wrought iron with an iron content of 99.72 % and appears to have been protected from rust by the application of a thin coating of manganese dioxide.

By the 12th century, construction engineers were using iron girders and beams on a scale unknown in any other part of the world. The most significant use of iron beams was in the temples of Puri and Konarak. The Puri temple contains 239 iron beams and one of the beams in Konarak is 35 feet long. All are 99.64 percent iron and were produced in a similiar manner to the Delhi iron pillar.
During the middle ages, India acquired a reputation for producing very high quality steel and was also able to extract zinc from it's ore by the 14th century. Bidari (an alloy of copper, lead and tin developed in the Deccan) was also extensively used.

Unsurprisingly, developments in metallurgy also had their impact on artillery production. According to A. Rahman (Science in Medieval India), by the 16th century, the heaviest guns in the world were being cast in India and a variety of weapons were being manufactured in the subcontinent. The Jaigarh cannon factory was one of India's best and before the crucial battle of 1857, the Jaipur Rajputs laid claim to owning Asia's largest cannon. Yet, none of the Rajput cannons were ever used to confront the British who succeeded in conquering the sub-continent without ever having to fight against the country's best equipped armies, thus demonstrating that technological progress is not an end in itself.

Social Conditions and Technological Progress

2008-02-01T01:10:00.000-08:00

It is quite possible that the decline in civil society extended to other areas such as agricultural planning and maintenance of irrigations systems making the civilization more vulnerable to natural disasters such droughts, floods, fires or earthquakes - thus contributing to the eventual extinction of that vibrant civilization. This suggests that technological progress cannot be divorced from social conditions that may either encourage the progress of technology or conversely cause civilizations that may be (in relative terms) quite advanced to stagnate and even decline.

For instance, 3000 years after Harappa, we find anecdotal evidence of impressive urban settlements constructed during the Mauryan period. Greek travellers have left behind admiring descriptions of Patliputra - the Mauryan capital. But social strife brought a precipitous end to the grand civilization. The growth of a parasitic, exploitative and socially oppressive elite led to massive social upheavals. In the course of the civil wars, fires and looting destroyed virtually all of the wood-based dwellings including grand palaces and public buildings.

Thus, an entire tradition of wood-based urban construction - (which may have taken several centuries to develop) was destroyed. But it also led to a greater emphasis on the use of more lasting construction materials. The very social conditions that destroyed technological progress in one direction gave birth to technological progress in another. Sculptural finds from the Mauryan period indicate that Mauryan sculptors of that time had achieved a high degree of proficiency in working with stone. They must have had tools and implements that enabled them to create smoothly modelled and highly polished representations of human and animal figures. Later civilizations in India employed these skills not only for the purposes of sculpting but for creating entire monuments constructed from a variety of hard building materials. For instance, various methods for preparing cements were developed, and by the 7th century, cement of highly durable quality came into use in the construction of important monuments that survive to this day.

Technological discoveries and applications in India

2008-02-01T01:06:00.000-08:00

The earliest evidence of technological progress in the Indian subcontinent is to be found in the remains of the Harappan civilization (4000-3000 BC). Archaeological remains point to the existence of well-planned urban centres that boasted of private and public dwellings laid out in orderly fashion along with roads and drainage systems complementing them. The drainage systems were particularly remarkable for the times since they were built underground and were constructed in a manner to allow for regular cleaning. Smaller drains from private homes connected to the larger public drains.

Larger private dwellings were invariably multi-storied and all homes were constructed from standardized fired bricks and provided for separate cooking areas and toilets. Storage facilities for grain and goods for trade were built as were public baths and other buildings intended for various public functions.

Urban centres were often planned near riverine or sea-ports. Accurate weights and measures were in use and ports such as Lothal were developed as export centres of early manufactured products from smelted copper and bronze. Kilns for smelting copper ingots and casting tools were in existence as were metal tools such as curved or circular saws, pierced needles and most significantly, bronze drills with twisted grooves. The drill enabled the production of items with unparalleled precision for the times and could be regarded as an ancient precursor of the modern machine tool.

There is also evidence of planned irrigation systems and it appears that fire and flood control measures to protect farms and villages were also in place. Artisans made use of the wheel and clay pottery was decorated in a variety of colors and designs. Cotton was grown and used to produce textiles.

Urban centres in the Harappan region traded with each other as well as with counterparts in Babylon, the Persian Gulf, Egypt and possibly the Mediteranean. The span of the Harappan civilization was quite extensive, and included much of modern Sindh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Western UP.

But prior to it's disappearance, there is also evidence of considerable social decay and disintegration. Excavations from the later phases of the Harappan civilization suggest that population pressures led to greater anarchy in building construction. Urban dwellings became smaller and settlements became more haphazard indicating a breakdown of social mores and structures that promoted urban regulations and enforced construction codes.