Solar technology for consumer products

Hoping to speed up the implementation of solar energy technology in everyday products, a a Lowell, MS, based company, Konarka, plans to embed an organic type solar energy in clothing, windows, and building facades.

Konarka says it is ready to distribute its new solar power technology on consumer products after Summer. The company will initially market a product range consisting mainly of gadgets, smart cards, and lights. It has implemented the technology into inkjet printer products.

Swiss academic Michael Gratzel is the original inventor of the dye-based solar technology mentioned here. The solution is more robust than regular photovoltaic panels, Gratzel claims. The dye cells are composed of titanium oxide nanochrystals that absorb light. Subsequently, the dye is immersed in electrolyte. This releases electrons as soon as light is cast on the surface. The electrons create positive charges as a result of lost electrons. The titanium dioxide transfers this electricity to an electrical circuit.

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Photoshop Express

Adobe recently released its online Photoshop Express application (on public beta). This isn't GIMP but it's a free web-based application that is also cross-platform available. Installed with Adobe's Air technology, Photoshop Express could readily serve the needs of MySpace users and educators who upload illustrations and images on the web.

This new online Adobe service features all the basic photo manipulation features including red eye reduction, retouching, and cropping. Adobe is looking into the possibility of monetizing the service but for now, it appears Photoshop Express will be available for free in its present form.

Photoshop Express offers a variety of features in an easy-to-use package with 2GB of web storage and sharing for photos. One minor drawback though, there is no Linux support for Adobe Air yet. Moreover, Photoshop Express may not be satisfactorily considered as an online extension of the image editing heavyweight. Seems a disappointment: How can Adobe let itself lose to Splashup and the extensive design suite Aviary.

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May be the best web hosts...

I'm a Blogger-loyalist but I happened over this site dedicated to Wordpress themes and resources. The site is called Kaushal Sheth and I was able to reach it while looking for my future web hosts.

Yes, this author is loyal to Blogger but he has a few other websites that may need to migrate from free web hosts to serve better purposes. Webnode and Weebly aren't long-term options for one who intends to launch bigger or commercial websites after all.

Finding a good web host is somehow synonymous to finding one that is reliable and affordable. Basically, a web hosting company's measures of reliability are age, feedback, and reviews. The bad thing about feedbacks is they usually lead to various directions that it's quite impossible to find the best web hosting services with them. The same goes for reviews. With age, on the other hand, determining the most reliable web hosting service provider based on longevity is an easy task. A company with over a decade of experience in providing web hosting services has--most probably--already built a reputation and foundation of expertise and sufficient capabilities to provide excellent service.

Kaushal Sheth's selection of the best web hosting services has the following:

1. Host Monster ...picking it for its low price, Cpanel, and knowledgeable tech support (that's what Kaushal Sheth states)
2. Host Gator ...putting it on the list for the reputation
3. Yahoo Host ...highlighting its ability to greatly satisfy webmasters who value branding

Oh well--these top three picks from somebody with the experience are worth considering. May be the cream of the crop. Sorta.

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Reason to buy PS3 console as Blu-Ray player

Sony's PlayStation 3 video game console was the cheapest Blu-Ray player on the market when it was launched. Recently, an announcement of a firmware upgrade seems to give consumers a reason to buy the console a little beyond it Blu-Ray capabilities.

Sony says the new firmware enables users to take advantage of something called BD-Live, and to dynamically download "additional content and special features" associated with movies on Blu-ray. This means (as Sony adds) that BD-Live "will keep your (Blu-ray) discs fresh with new content and in some cases exclusive content only accessible to owners of BD-Live enabled discs." "With this update, the PlayStation 3 becomes the first Blu-ray player on the market with BD-Live functionality."

The PS3 appears (for the video gamers' community at the least) to be that illegitimate child that has been always outclassed by Nintendo's Wii and Microsoft's Xbox 360. This recent--shall we call it smart--move from Sony could bring up sales for the machine. And as how a CNET article puts it "After all, they say, when faced with lemons, make lemonade."

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Bad credit offers on the web

The number of consumers of bad credit loans in the United States is growing each day. For this, BadCreditOffers.com offers some form of assistance. BadCreditOffers.com is a free consumer resource created to help consumers with not so attractive credit ratings in making the right choices. Practically providing temporary financial aid, the site allows visitors to compare several bad credit offers from major providers and enables them to find the offer that best suits their needs.

Aimed at those with a less-than-perfect credit ratings, BadCreditOffers.com monitors the credit marketplace to bring to consumers the best "bad credit" offers they can avail of. It serves as a convenient online guide and knowledge resource where consumers need not worry much about bad credit history. Made up of enthusiastic staff with years of experience, BadCreditOffers.com presents a variety of options for credit cards, auto loans, home loans, personal loans, and more.

The credit offers featured in the site are selected on factors such as interest rate, ease and speed of approval, and other key features. The site is also designed to empower consumers to learn more about their credit standing, rating, and history. It provides the significant insights, reports, and credit counseling sections. Furthermore, by encouraging consumers to make on-time payments, BadCreditOffers.com promotes better credit and financial futures.

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Windows Mobile to get Flash support

Microsoft has Silverlight, its own mobile video-viewing software, but it has still decided to license Adobe's Flash Lite and Reader software. What does this mean? Simply put, future generations of Windows Mobile devices will be able to view and interact with a wider range of mobile websites.

This development between Microsoft and Adobe provides Microsoft's mobile browser an advantage. IE for mobile devices is fine but other mobile browsers that perform better -- Opera Mini, Opera Mobile, the S60 browser, and the iPhone's Safari. The iPhone browser has no Flash support.

Devices that offer users greater web experience are definitely welcome. There is a prevailing perception that Apple's products are better and more user-oriented. And Microsoft seems to be hell-bent on changing that. If for Apple, less is better; Microsoft thinks otherwise. Undoubtedly, Flash is the hot and dominant item Microsoft would find hard to topple. Microsoft's move here is a welcome one. Definitely benefits users!

The financial terms of the agreement weren't disclosed, and Microsoft didn't provide any details on when or the software support would become available to users.

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Slots machines on the web

The web's first online slots were introduced in 1996 by the first web-based casinos. They were basically three-reel slots similar to actual slot machines in Las Vegas. Today, powered by evolving Internet technology, online slots of a wide variety have been developed. Many of them incorporate various features and bonus rounds.

Generally, slots are classified according to these common categories: three Reel Slots, five Reel Bonus Slots, Progressive Jackpot Slots, Fruit Machines (Pub Fruities), and Non-standard Slots. Nowadays, online slots typically integrate features from more than one category. A combination of a progressive jackpot with a "free spins" or "random jackpot" bonus round is prevalent.

Online slots are probably most frequently played games in online casinos. This is somehow attributable to the fact that slots are played in clubs and casinos around the world, they are addictive, and it takes very little skill to play them.

Visit Onlineslotscity.com, a popular online slots website, for a comprehensive list and reviews of the best online slots websites on the web.

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Ad management service from Google

The leader of web advertising launches a free hosted service called Ad Manager. It is designed to help website publishers in selling advertising slots on their websites faster. It aims to streamline the way ads are placed on websites and to generate performance reports that detail how successful published ads are in reaching readers or viewers.

Google says Ad Manager is meant to ease some problems associated with the management of website advertisements. It simplifies the gauging of inventory and the process of picking the highest paying ads. Website owners can easily access this new service as it is hosted on Google's servers.

Ad Manager is developed to be flexible enough to allow publishers sell their own advertising. For ad space they can't sell, publishers can choose to use Google's AdSense system to fill unsold slots. What's more, Google also enables publishers to use Ad Manager with similar technology from other competing ad placement networks.

Ad Manager can also target ads at specific users and delivers ads based on a user's domain, the brand of web browser, language, operating system, and bandwidth.

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Microsoft-Nokia deal brings Silverlight to the mobile web

Software giant Microsoft has inked a deal with handset manufacturer Nokia to introduce its Silverlight platform to mobile phones. Deemed as a competitor to Adobe's Flash, Silverlight will debut on Nokia's high end smart phones that run a Symbian operating system.

This development means that the latest web 2.0 applications that run on Mac or PC may now run on mobile phones as well.

Nokia's (Symbian-running) S60 platform will be the first to make use of Silverlight's advantage. S60 is the most popular smart phone software with an over 53% market share. S60 is used in LG and Samsung handsets. It is also used in Nokia's latest phone, the N96.

The Silverlight platform enables web designers and developers to create rich web applications that are not dependent on browsers, operating systems, and handsets. A challenger to the Flash-dominated mobile web world, Silverlight will try to compete in a market of mobile phones that has over 450 million handsets already installed with a cut down version of Flash, called Flash Lite.

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ET2, flos, bath vanity strips, and atypical lighting products

Farrey's is an online resource for an extensive range of lighting fixtures, lamps, and outdoor lighting items. It offers products for every room and every imaginable purpose.

The wide array of Farrey's lighting products features a variety of styles from dozens of top manufacturers: Ambience, Fine Art Lamps, Flos, Fontana Arte, George Kovacs, Hinkley Lighting, Maxim Lighting, Minka Lavery, Quoizel, Sea Gull Lighting, Murray Feiss, and many more. Farrey's indoor lighting include desk lamps, mini-pendants, floor lamps, accent lamps, wall mounted sconces, chandeliers, fine art lamps, and flush and semi-flush ceiling light fixtures. Outdoor lighting, on the other hand, include pier mount lanterns, post mount lanterns, flood lights, deck lights, and landscape lighting.

Shoppers can easily find their desired product in Farrey's by making use of the site's lighting product search tool. Searching may be done by keyword, style, brand, type, finish, and price. Item photos are presented along with details on price and dimensions. Farrey's makes use of an online shopping cart software so ordering that desired lighting item is as easy as clicking buttons.

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Green automotive products

California-based Green Earth Technologies (GET) has established a Detroit facility that will produce a line of environment-friendly automotive products, including motor oil and cleaners. It's called GET Manufacturing.

About 50 people have already been employed at the facility and 75 more will have to be hired in the coming weeks. Spokesperson Brian Ruby says: "They've been setting this up, getting everything in line, testing, etc., for a few months...now they have officially formed the subsidiary and launched the company."

GET Manufacturing has a 240 units per minute capacity which equates to $1 million in sales per day. It is located at 4060 Russell St. in Lipson's Kwik Paint Products facility.

GET Manufacturing is set to take on all production needs including manufacture, logistics, bottling, labeling, boxing, quality control and assurance, inventory, distribution, customer support and all functions required to service retailers and distributors.

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National Relocation real estate search

National Relocation facilitates searches for real estate for-sale and for-rent. Covering all US states, it provides information on residential properties from Alabama to Wyoming.

The National Relocation site is basically divided into two parts. One is dedicated to for-sale residential real estate and another is for houses for rent. For renters, a comprehensive directory of available rental properties is presented. Sellers, on the other hand, may post their rental properties for free. The For-Sale real estate section provides a variety of useful information including insights on foreclosures, home inspections, title insurance, mortgages, and loans.

An easy-to-use search tool is provided on the site. With this, users may find real estate by city, state, or ZIP code. Likewise, a mortgage calculator makes it easier to calculate mortgage amounts with information on principal, interest rate, and number of months. Users of the National Relocation website may also view and compare prevailing mortgage rates in certain US states.

The National Relocation site also provides a search tool and information on US real estate agents and realtors. Featured agent profiles and photos are presented.

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Microsoft Office Live

"Microsoft Office Live" is a Microsoft service that allows users to save Office documents online so that they may be accessed by other users over the Internet.

A promotional campaign scheduled Tuesday (March 4, 2008) featuring actor Jeremy Piven and scripts of HBO's "Entourage" will introduce "Office Live Workspace." This new Microsoft service enables users to save more than 1,000 Microsoft Office documents to one place over the web. It allows users or collaborators to access shared/uploaded documents and make modifications.

Google, Zoho, and other Internet companies have been offering similar services already. The difference with Microsoft's Office Live is it simply makes it easier for users to use their previously purchased Office applications over the Internet. Signing up for the Microsoft Office Live service is for free.

Microsoft also announced that it would offer its online business services to companies of all sizes. In the past, those services were limited to firms with at least 5,000 users.

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Online gambling directory and review

Online Casino Links is a comprehensive directory and review site for online casinos. It aims to provide users an easy-t0-use resource for the best online casinos the Internet has to offer.

Easily navigable and user-friendly, Online Casino Links makes a good resource for Internet gambling. It features the web's top destinations for poker, slots, blackjack, backgammon, bingo, roulette, and more. There's over 100 links on the list with reviews that provide detailed casino site descriptions.

Eliminating the need for tedious searches and the risks of getting spammed or scammed, this review portal enables users to access the best online casinos by presenting sites according to ratings, payout time information, and bonus details.

Online Casino Links includes a list of casinos that accept US players. It can also present casino listings by popularity and reliability (based on player votes). Moreover, the reviews presented provides details or insights on a variety of factors including game experience, site trustworthiness, and the bonuses offered.

For newbies, Online Casino Links offers answers to frequently asked questions, Internet gambling tips, an online gambling guide, and online gambling software.

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Atom: Intel's new chips

Most probably deriving the name from the Physics term's connotation of extreme minuteness, Intel announced Sunday that is has chosen the name "Atom" for a new family of ultra-small chips.

The "Atom" name will be applied to Intel's new family of chips with two members that are expected to be released later this quarter.

One of which--previously know as Silverthorne--is a low-power mobile processor designed for use in next generation of mobile Internet devices. Featuring a state-of-the-art low-power state, this chip essentially shuts down in between processing tasks, thus limiting power consumption.

Another one, code-named Diamondville, is a single-core processor for ultra-low-cost laptops. Diamondville is a tiny 45-nanometer processor that involves a design simpler than standard Intel processors. Intel refers to the low-cost notebook design as "netbook" and estimates the pricing for these devices will go as low as $250.

On the other hand, Intel has rebranded its Menlow chip as the Centrino Atom--a low-power companion chip with integrated graphics and a wireless radio. It also features thinner and lighter design.

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Online Casino List

Online Casino List features the best casinos over the Internet as selected from thousands of sites worldwide. This online information service has a team of 20 editors who review the best online casinos worth visiting.

Online Casino List provides information on top Internet gambling sites including reviews on the bonuses offered, payout time, game play, speed, graphics, and security. Users get to read detailed articles and reviews, allowing them to get a clear picture of the actual experience editors have had in each reviewed site.

The site also features a beginner's guide to online gambling. It has answers to typically asked questions as well as tips and hints. The editor and user ratings are definitely useful while site screenshots offer instant glimpses of the featured/reviewed casinos.

As an added advantage to user-friendliness, users are also provided the option to search for top casinos by bonus details and popularity (based on player/user votes). This information service is a recommended resources most specially for newbie "web gamblers." Click here for the full list of reviewed casinos and start enjoying the fun of online gambling now.

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Up to 48% Vista price cut

Prices for the latest OS from the world's largest software company will be trimmed 15-20% in the US and up to 48% in non-US markets.

Microsoft announced late Thursday the sweeping price cuts on boxed copies of Vista. According to the company, it plans to slash prices for retail copies of Windows Vista up to almost 50% for certain editions in poorer countries to help raise lower-than-expected sales. The price cut is primarily aimed at markets in developing countries. Wealthier countries may see lower price cuts -- as small as 3% or none at all.

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