Archive for September, 2010

 
 
30 09/10

Mozilla: Forget about Firefox on iPhone

Mozilla yesterday again rejected the concept of crafting a model of Firefox for your iPhone, saying that it’s instead focusing its iOS efforts around the Firefox Residence sync software.

Firefox House, which was admitted into the iPhone’s App Retailer by Apple in July, is not a full-fledged browser, but rather a spin-off from the bookmark and tab synchronization technologies Mozilla is baking into Firefox four.

The application gives customers access to their browser bookmarks and history, at the same time as towards the open tabs from their most recent Firefox sessions. The iPhone software also includes technologies from Firefox’s address bar to let customers search for previously-visited pages utilizing keywords or characters in either the URL or the page title.

Synchronization is one-way only — from Firefox to the desktop towards the iPhone, but not the reverse.

In a blog post that outlined Mozilla’s future plans for Firefox Household, the company reiterated that it won’t try to turn the app into a fully-functional browser. “People have asked about adding extra browser-like features to Firefox House, but you can find technical and logistical restrictions that make it difficult, if not impossible, to build the full Firefox browser for your iPhone,” explained Ragavan Srinivasan, a product manager at Mozilla.

Even though Apple clarified its App Store admission policies earlier this month, competing browsers remain off limits to outside developers like Mozilla unless they’re willing to totally rewrite their code.

“Apps that browse the Web must use the iOS WebKit framework and WebKit JavaScript,” Apple’s revised guidelines read.

But Firefox is based on Mozilla’s Gecko rendering engine, not on WebKit, as are Apple’s Safari within the desktop and iPhone, as well as Google’s Chrome to the desktop. Mozilla also relies on its own JavaScript engine, dubbed TraceMonkey.

The thumbs-down for Firefox on the iPhone was no surprise: As long ago as February 2009, the company’s then-CEO, John Lilly, explained that Mozilla would not develop a browser for Apple’s smartphone.

Instead of dump resources down a black hole, Mozilla yesterday stated it would push on with Firefox Household for your BlackBerry and Symbian platforms — Symbian powers Nokia’s phones. Srinivasan also explained the team might write an iPad-specific edition of the sync application.

According to Srinivasan, the business plans to beef up the current Firefox Home for your iPhone with additions including password synchronization, and possibly new connections to social networking services like Twitter and Facebook that would let users share links or other comments.

Mozilla’s built-for-mobile browser, called Fennec, will run on Google’s Android operating system, putting the business on that fast-growing platform. Fennec, which was recently renumbered from model 2 to model 4 to keep it in step with Firefox about the desktop, went public as an alpha preview final month. Mozilla froze development in the initial Fennec four beta earlier this month.

The company has no plans to create a model of Firefox Household for Android.

Firefox Residence 1.02 was released final week, and could be downloaded from the iTunes App Retailer.

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29 09/10

Panels Loaded With Advanced Battery Technology May Power Future Volvos

Battery technological innovation has given a massive volt to the automobile business. More models provide a “hybrid” choice, and plug-in hybrids have developed a buzz, regardless of whether it’s over the Volt or Leaf. But those batteries pose their challenges: they require rare metals which are costly to extract, are pricey, and are heavy.

Volvo is currently in the middle of a US$4.8 million research mission to test whether or not there is a far better method to design a automobile battery. Working with London’s Imperial College and various European firms, the undertaking “Tomorrow’s Volvo Car” could lead to an even additional power efficient car, revolutionize battery engineering, and decrease a car’s weight too.

The trick is a composite blend of carbon fibers and a polymer resin that could be shaped into a car’s panels. This development is behind the first stage of the venture. Imperial’s researchers believe they can develop a casing that wouldn’t only lighter than conventional materials that go into an automobile’s frame, but even eliminate those bulky batteries. No matter if energy generates from braking or electric recharging, Volvo and Imperial envision parts in the vehicle including the roof, doors, or hood thanks to advances in nanotechnology. For now engineers are focused on figuring out how to transform cars’ spare wheel recess into a battery.

The mission has an additional three years, and other advantages could result if this engineering proves successful. The composite could store and discharge vitality faster than what is possible with current battery technological innovation. The material also would not use any chemical processes, adding an additional reason for a quicker discharge time although causing little degradation. Batteries now used in hybrid cars—or for other products–eventually degrade and must be replaced.

Other possibilities for this engineering could transfer to other products. Cellular phones may be wafer thin, the result with the elimination from the traditional rechargeable battery. Laptop computers might be lighter at the same time if they could draw power from their frame or casing as opposed to a bulky battery.

No matter whether all this is achievable will probably be clear inside the latter stages of the project. Even if the technology doesn’t prove cost-effective for automobiles, the chance that it could revolutionize electronics would be quite an achievement as well.

For Volvo, this is yet another example of how the company is exploring alternative fuels, for instance its investment in bio-DME for its trucks in Sweden.

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26 09/10

My car once ran without a battery, much less a computer

As a teenager, I attempted from time to time to perform assorted mechanical functions on my own car or truck.

Sometimes, these were like daredevil stunts. Not the kind that involved jumping over empty school buses or anything like that. Once we made the decision that it would be cool if we could crank up the auto, take out the battery and drive it around town.

This is the a part of my life wherever they could have shipped me off to some research institution and identified that my brain was not fully developed.

The car was a 1970 Dodge Dart, one particular of the ugliest cars ever made. It had a steering wheel that was held together from the center with a pair of Vice-Grip pliers. I’m sure that the folks who make Vice-Grips have found all sorts of uses for their fine tool. However, I may well be the initial to have utilized them as the important a part of a steering wheel.

It also had an 8-track tape player mounted under the seat. It wouldn’t quite fit inside dash, and I identified that mounting it below the dash left no room for a young woman to sit next to me, if I was so lucky.

The car or truck had an engine known as a slant six. It was a wonderful engine that I proved on more than a single occasion would run with out oil.

But one day, a group of guys sitting close to with nothing far better to do made a decision to test their theory on battery-free operation of a car.

With no going into the details, a 1970 Dodge Dart will run without a battery. If they ever open a driving with no a battery museum, I may be included. I’ll be inside the driving without oil division.

Do not try this these days.

In the last month, we have replaced a battery in one particular vehicle and a computer in an additional. Inside the old days, your battery just went dead and that was it. Now, because of computers and needed amounts of voltage, the entire vehicle goes nuts and does not run smoothly due to a weak battery.

And wherever is that man who determined a auto required a computer?

The computer costs much more than the 1st seven automobiles I owned (with batteries)! The personal computer just lost its mind. I can relate to that. I’m the guy who drove a car or truck close to town 1 day without having a battery.

Apparently, when the pc goes kaput, the vehicle gets stuck in third gear. You don’t need to pull out in front of an oncoming tractor-trailer truck in third gear.

It’s fixed now and my grousing does no very good.

I do miss the days when an adventurous boy could use some combination of duct tape, a wire coat-hanger, a pair of pliers and some kind of goo that would fill up cracks in your engine and make an automobile functional again.

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25 09/10

How to Fix iPhone iOS 4.1 Battery Life Problems

Some unlucky apple iphone users got the short end of your battery existence right after updating to iOS 4.one. Customers have reported battery daily life issues among other issues with prior firmware updates (remember apple iphone OS three.one?) but now some running iOS 4.one are seeing their battery percentage drop to zero within hours.

On the net discussion forums are hopping with activity from apple iphone 4 and apple iphone 3GS customers complaining of shortened battery living and warm phones running iOS four.1. Some reports have suggested that errant processes are running from the background regularly and draining the battery energy. Bugs inside the modem firmware, tethering software, and Game Middle have all been cited as achievable causes from the issue.

If you’re not interested in shutting down many good features of your respective iphone to extend and maximize your battery life until finally the next Apple firmware update is released, one particular or more of your following fixes must solve the issue.

one. The easiest thing to try is to open the Game Center app. Log out of your account. Exit the app then double-click the house button to bring up the multitasking dock. Maintain down on the Sport Middle app till the icon wiggles and a purple circle appears. Touch the pink circle to stop the app totally.

2. Some suspect that other apps could possibly be causing the issue. Make sure your entire apps are updated to the latest version in your apple iphone. Do this making use of the update button inside the App Store or with iTunes on your pc. After updating change the iphone off by holding the sleep button and sliding to energy off. Change your device back again on and see if there’s any improvement. Some apps that have not been updated for iOS four.1 might need to be uninstalled from your apple iphone.

three. See if any apps are abusing Location Solutions. Change off some or all from the apps operating Location Providers to check if one particular of them is causing the battery drain. Options -> Normal -> Site Solutions will give you a list of the apps that recently asked for permission to use Area Providers.

four. Close open Safari windows. Touch the red circle on each and every open browser window to close the page. You are able to also quit the Safari app by double-clicking the Home button until finally the multitasking dock seems. Hold down on the Safari app until it wiggles and press the purple circle to give up the app.

five. Do you use Net Tethering? There may perhaps be a trouble with tethering continually trying to connect. To switch tethering off of navigate to Options -> Normal -> Community -> World wide web Tethering -> Away from. To make positive connection attempts are stopped turn away Wi-Fi temporarily. Configurations -> Wi-Fi -> Away. Exit Options then turn Wi-Fi back again on at your convenience.

6. Some report that a hard reset (or various) fixes the issue. To very difficult reset the apple iphone maintain down the sleep button and residence button simultaneously right up until the apple iphone shuts away from and the Apple logo seems.

7. We’re not sure if this one particular helps with iOS 4.1, on the other hand it has been reported to enable with previous firmware battery troubles. Let your iphone battery run down so low that the device turns itself off of automatically (normally sometime after it falls below 5%)! Now plug the apple iphone in to charge and let it charge fully to 100%. This may recalibrate the battery.

8. Mail accounts and Thrust may very well be the culprit. Attempt turning off of Thrust by navigating to Configurations -> Mail, Contacts, Calendars -> Fetch New Data -> Thrust -> Away. Setting up e mail accounts can be a drag, but if turning away from Push alone does not support this is the next step. With Thrust off, delete your electronic mail accounts by navigating to Configurations -> Mail, Contacts, Calendars -> Accounts (pick the e-mail account) -> Delete Account. This won’t delete your actual mail messages!

When all your electronic mail accounts are deleted reset network settings, then reboot your apple iphone by holding the sleep button and sliding to energy off. To reset network settings navigate to Settings -> Common -> Reset -> Reset Community Options and confirm. Change your apple iphone back again on and re-add each mail account with Settings -> Mail, Contacts, Calendars -> Add Account. You may turn Drive again on or test the battery lifestyle keeping Drive away from for the time being.

9. When all else fails you might need to restore your apple iphone with iTunes. Plug the iphone into the computer and sync every thing. Afterwards, click the Restore button in iTunes with your apple iphone selected inside left side menu. Make confident you select ‘Set up as a new iPhone’ when asked. This will likely wipe your entire options and you’ll must re-sync music and contacts, etc. from iTunes when the process is complete. You may lose your entire progress to date in Angry Birds.

Even though restoring as a new phone is a lot more work, it’s needed to eliminate any complications in the backup that might be affecting battery lifestyle. Right up until Apple releases iOS four.2 this November (or gets much better at not messing up people’s batteries during firmware updates) a full restore will most likely be the most effective solution.

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18 09/10

Toshiba’s Plans for Fuel Cell-Based Battery Charger

Toshiba is planning to release a methanol gas cell-based (DMFC) battery charger this fiscal quarter comes to a close, specifically before the end of this March, and they may possibly actually deliver that promise. Toshiba, along with their competitor organizations in Japan, have been working for years on creating gas cells. So far only a prototype of a cell phone fuel-cell charger has been revealed. There was speak about commercializing them at the recent International Consumer Electric Show in Las Vegas, but the discuss was only about future prototypes. Toshiba has not released much far more facts about the chargers and there was no talk about whether the chargers were being designed for particular electronics for instance cell phones or computers, or if they’re making a general battery charger which will charge several different items.

Methanol Gas Cell-Based Batteries (DMFC)’s are a greener source of vitality when compared to standard batteries. DMFC based batteries produce vitality from a reaction between methanol, water, and air, along with the only by-products are carbon dioxide and some water vapor. Also, a new cartridge of methanol can replenish a battery in seconds which is another advantage which makes them convenient.

Let’s hope that Toshiba delivers and reveals their product into the gas cell market by April as they intend to.

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15 09/10

Intel Revamps Classmate Netbooks; Adds More Life to Battery

Intel has announced that its Clamshell Classmate netbooks have been revamped and will be coming with a variety of new functions. The new layout offers a ruggedized exterior, water resistance along with other attributes which are tailored for the less than delicate handling by students.

The new model might be protected against drops from desk heights, stacking and rough handling, mainly because it gains improved ruggedness. It comes having a rubberized surface along with the addition of “crush zones” and a lot more air cushions positioned near fragile areas, for instance corners and also the display, to protect from shocks and vibrations.

It can also come equipped with water resistant keyboards, screens and touchpads. The computer is going to be able to handle spills of up to 100cc of liquid, all thanks to a water channel which will direct the liquid down by means of draining holes on the bottom.

It will also be coming with improved anti-microbial coating on the high-touch surfaces, such as the touchpad and keyboard, which will offer protection against microorganisms.

Furthermore, the netbook will be coming having a new six-cell lithium-ion battery. The style integrates the latest Intel core-based Atom processor with enhanced battery life and different technologies designed to decrease power consumption, such as a more efficient motherboard layout.

There’s no confirmation on the pricing of the device, but it can obtainable soon for schools along with other institutions.

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14 09/10

How to jump-start a car battery

Probably the most hard task your auto battery should perform is beginning the engine. Nothing else even comes close. If it has any weaknesses, the problem will most likely show up during the engine beginning procedure. Even so, when your battery can not offer the power required to turn the engine over, it may be leap started out making use of a different power supply. The added power can come from any heavy duty twelve volt supply. A portable bounce starter containing its own battery, an AC battery charger with increase feature, even a gas powered generator with a twelve volt output. The most common procedure even so, is to join to a different vehicle making use of jumper cables. Whichever method you employ, the goal would be to join the external vitality supply in parallel with your battery to form a single big twelve volt power source. To accomplish this, good should be attached to constructive and damaging to adverse. Positive is identified by the symbol or the color red. Detrimental is indicated by the – sign or the color black. When you are employing a devoted device for soar beginning, there will be one particular red and one particular black clamp. If achievable, switch the electrical power off for the device although you make the connections. Join the red cable on the good facet of your battery. Connect the black cable to a solid metal bolt or bracket attached towards the engine. It’s not recommended to attach the last connection close to the battery. Batteries produce combustible gasses. Several times, the last connection will create a spark at the point of contact and can cause these gasses to detonate resulting in property damage and/or injury. Usually make the last connection away from anything flammable. When you are utilizing jumper cables, you’ll have to make four connections between both vehicles. These really should be made inside the following order to prevent injury or injury. Clamp one stop from the red cable for the optimistic aspect with the dead battery making certain the other stop in not in contact with either vehicle. Connect the other conclusion for the positive facet with the very good battery. Clamp one conclusion of your black cable towards the damaging aspect in the good battery. Adhering towards the warning stated above, make the last connection to a very good ground close to the engine from the dead car. To complete the jump begin, ensure there’s strength coming from the extra supply. Most devoted soar starters have a switch that have to be turned on. Battery chargers have to be plugged in and set to increase mode. If jumper cables are used, the beneficial car or truck could be started out for maximum voltage output. Now start the dead automobile, when it starts, turn off the further energy source and remove the cables in the reverse order of installation. Congratulations, you’ve completed the jump start process.

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07 09/10

How to increase your laptop battery life

How you can increase your laptop computer battery living

1 Comment By Ashish Gourav It truly is irritating to look for a strength outlet to charge your laptop battery when you happen to be on the move. Mobile computing has transformed in recent years with far better materials, amazingly smaller chips and faster processors, even though there isn’t a lot development inside pursuit of increasing laptop battery life. You need to have had those unpleasant experiences of working on a project on your laptop computer, and your battery dies. Here are 15 some basic yet effective tips that may aid you extract the maximum out of your laptop battery.

1. Usually preserve your laptop in “stand by mode” when it truly is left idle for quite long time. To set the standby mode go to “control panel” , select “power option” and select the “power scheme”, from there select the time you wish to wait until going for stand by.

2. Retain your network card disabled as computer uses lots of electrical power to search networks.

3. Often close all the unnecessary programs as these also consume electrical power.

4. Learn to control the packages that run from start off up. You may well not have any clue about these programs running inside background. Follow the start menu, click on “run” and sort “msconfig” press “enter”. Now click the “start up tab” here pick the program you wish to close and retain operating.

5. Condition the batteries by totally draining it’s cost and then recharging it completely. Partially charging the battery reduces battery everyday living.

6. Regularly deferment to arrange data, this outcomes lesser time in fetching data from tricky disk. You must know the quicker tricky disk moves it consumes lesser strength

7. Should you aren’t heading to use your battery for a while then cost them to 40% and hold them in a cool place. Lithium battery‘s average age is 2-3 years and with some care its life may be increased. A

8. Attempt to make use of updated softwares and new drivers as they tend to eat lesser battery.

9. Constantly use original adaptor with exact specification. Any mismatch could lead to over load and damaging battery.

10. Heat and temperature could trigger battery damage slowly but surely, so never leave the laptop under direct sun , or in a closed automobile.

11. Pause the scheduled tasks whenever you aren’t certain about power supply. It may well be a defrag or a virus scan, but always schedule them for a time when you are near a strength outlet.

12. USB gadgets eat out a major chunk of battery strength. Remove all the unused external units like external mouse, Wi-Fi, exterior speakers, PC cards, Bluetooth and iPod.

13. Never leave CD/DVD within the drives, spinning drives drains power incredibly quick.

14. Practice to desist DVD or any other exterior gadgets when battery is on; make an effort to shift content to virtual drives like pismo file mount or virtual CDROM control panel or difficult drive.

15. Well LCD screen is another huge ability drainer so set the brightness degree to the lowest level achievable for you to work on. This may not be required but I suggest you do this.

I hope you follow if not all but most of the tricks above and enjoy the battery living which you deserve.

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06 09/10

How do I Choose the Correct Laptop Adapter?

Choosing the correct laptop computer adapter is all a matter of voltage, output energy, and proper connection. If all of these things usually do not match the original specifications of your personal computer, than a new laptop computer adapter will likely not operate on your machine and may potentially cause plenty of damage. Within the end, most replacement adapters will have a list of computers they are compatible with.

The first issue to look at for the laptop adapter could be the voltage. The easiest way to check this would be to turn the laptop or computer over and see if there’s a voltage listed anywhere on the bottom with the machine. A sticker might be affixed with this information and other similar notebook specs listed. It ought to be a range having a V attached to it, for example 19.5V. This information is also accessible around the original adapter, if it is available.

The second point to look for may be the existing output needed for the notebook adapter. This number may have an A of mA associated with it. For instance, it may well say something like 4.7A or 950mA. These numbers guarantee that the energy going to your machine will probably be acceptable and keep it operating within normal parameters. Not paying attention to either of these numbers could trigger the electrical systems inside the laptop or computer to malfunction and quit working altogether.

Once these two issues have been settled, the other essential step is simply to ensure the connection fits the port in your pc where it is always to be plugged in. The voltage and output current with the laptop adapter won’t matter if it truly is not able to be connected. If ordering on the web or if you usually do not have your computer, it truly is advisable to verify this out as soon as possible.

Several may possibly choose the safest route possible and go having a replacement notebook adapter directly from the manufacturer, if accessible. While this is often a great choice, these parts may well be a lot more high-priced than others that may be readily available from after-market manufacturers. Further, as long as the numbers match, all must work nearly the same and be just as safe and effective.

Another thing to contemplate is whether you want an AC notebook computer adapter or DC adapter. An AC adapter is created to be plugged into any standard electrical outlet just like those in a residence or office. The DC adapter is created for automobile use.

Generally, laptop computer adapters can be found for sale anyplace laptop or computer accessories or notebook batteries are sold. Though the price will depend around the model and manufacturer, most tend to run between $40 US Dollars (USD) and $100 USD. They’re also available from numerous on the net retailers as well.

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04 09/10

How to recycle your cell phone battery

My cell phone battery died. How really should I dispose of it?

The increasingly prevalent rechargeable batteries that power cell phones and other electronics aren’t supposed to go in the waste basket; they need to be recycled, according to Call2Recycle, a totally free battery assortment program sponsored by manufacturers.

The business, which has collection agreements with national retail chains, tracks battery recycling nationwide. Based on their most recent data, battery recycling is taking off inside the South.

So far this year, recycling of rechargeable batteries in Alabama is up 7.7 percent.

But Birmingham is lagging behind, having only increased its recycling .8 % this year.

The people today of Birmingham have recycled 2,970 pounds of batteries via Call2Recycle, which represents only 12.5 percent of the total pounds of batteries collected in Alabama throughout the first eight months of 2010.

There are much more than 35 active assortment websites within the city of Birmingham where men and women can take their rechargeable batteries for recycling, including the DeWALT Factory Service Center on Valley Ave., which holds the record for the most batteries collected in Alabama; Home Depot; RadioShack; Lowe’s, and Allcomm Wireless.

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