May 30, 2005
Battery energy storage system
The world’s largest battery energy storage system, which uses ABB technology, has begun commercial operation in Alaska. The US$ 30 million dollar system is expected to cut power blackouts by more than 60 percent. The battery energy storage system will consist of 13,760 battery cells.
ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 102,000 people.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:38 PM | View the original post
May 29, 2005
FAMA Presents "Car of the Year" Award to the Pontiac G6
FAMA, a leading Spanish-language lifestyle and entertainment magazine will present it's 2005 Car of the Year Award to Pontiac at the North American International Auto Show on Sunday, January 9 at 1:30 p.m. in the Pontiac exhibit.
"We are thrilled that FAMA's Autos - Women at the Wheel chose the all-new Pontiac G6 as their 'Car of the Year,' said Jim Bunnell, Pontiac-GMC general manager. "Hispanics and women represent two of the fastest growing and influential vehicle buying segments in the industry and their buying power and presence warrant special consideration. Their recommendation of the G6 as a comfortable and affordable car with appeal and style is very important in creating broader awareness and acceptance of Pontiac in the Hispanic community."
FAMA magazine's Autos - Women at the Wheel is honoring the G6 because it believes the all-new midsize Pontiac fits the bill as the most appropriate car for today's Latina. "Women know very well what they want and the Pontiac G6 passed our test," commented Ileana Muniz, publisher of FAMA's Autos-Women at the Wheel magazine. "The Pontiac G6 is equipped with a series of amenities and is a winner because it is a car with proper style and appeal that fits into women's modern lifestyle."
Pontiac is a division of General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) and markets the Bonneville, GTO, Grand Prix, Vibe and Montana SV6. Pontiac sold more than 474,000 vehicles in 2004, ranking third among GM divisions in total sales. In 2004, Pontiac introduced the Montana SV6 crossover sport van and the G6 sedan. The G6 coupe, the V8-powered Grand Prix GXP and the Solstice roadster will follow in 2005, with the G6 hardtop convertible bowing in early 2006.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:42 PM | View the original post
New KODAK EASYSHARE V-Series Digital Cameras Unveiled
Sleek, Compact Models Smaller than a Deck of Cards
Kodak Pairs Style with Substance in KODAK EASYSHARE V550 and V530 Zoom Digital Cameras
Fresh for the summer season, KODAK EASYSHARE V-series digital cameras were unveiled today in cities around the globe. Two models -- each smaller than a deck of playing cards -- are designed for trendsetters who seek high-style, compact personal electronics that combine phenomenal quality, performance and simplicity.
Crafted to capture every pose, the V550 and V530 cameras are equipped with 5-megapixel (MP) resolution for breathtaking prints up to 20 x 30 inches. The included KODAK EASYSHARE Photo Frame Dock 2 -- which provides one-touch picture transfer to a connected computer while keeping the cameras’ high-capacity battery charged and ready to go -- can play ‘slideshows’ on the cameras’ high-resolution LCD screens, providing an additional degree of elevated design and innovation to EASYSHARE V-Series camera owners.
“With women buying more than half of the electronic items sold in the United States, Kodak is designing new products that particularly appeal not only to women’s sense of style, but also a desire to simplify their lives,” said Mary-Irene Marek, worldwide marketing manager at Kodak. “The new EASYSHARE V-Series cameras make it incredibly simple to take and share pictures and video, while being chic, fashionable and small enough to slip into the newest designer handbag.”
The KODAK EASYSHARE V550 and V530 zoom digital cameras also blend still photography and video. For the first time, videos can be automatically turned into stop-action still pictures perfect for printing and sharing. Record longer, high-quality videos with sound -- up to 80 continuous minutes -- while using less memory storage*. Avoid on-screen shaking with built-in video image stabilization technology, and zoom in on video subjects in real-time using the professional-caliber SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH lens. Then watch the videos with friends on the cameras’ big, bright, crisp LCD screens, viewable from nearly any angle. EASYSHARE Software version 5.0 -- available as a free download this summer from kodak.com -- makes combining, rotating, and adding music to video clips a breeze.
KODAK EASYSHARE V550 zoom digital camera
Like the little black dress or classic button-down shirt, the KODAK EASYSHARE V550 digital camera is perfect for nearly every social occasion. The V550 model captures all moments with 5MP resolution and its pro-caliber, SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH C-VARIOGON 3X optical zoom lens in addition to its video features. Nineteen scene modes such as beach, snow, sunset, and party help you get the best possible shot with the least likely effort.
The black and silver metal camera bodies, paired with luminescent blue indicator lights, beg to be shown off. A brilliant 2.5-inch, very high-resolution LCD screen (230,000 pixels) is viewable from almost any angle (170 degrees). It can be used to preview a shot -- as can the optical viewfinder -- before instantly sharing the snapped picture with friends.
The EASYSHARE V550 camera will be available worldwide beginning this June for US$399 (MSRP).
KODAK EASYSHARE V530 zoom digital camera
Dressed in the season’s hottest colors -- Absolute Pink, Red Shimmer, Midnight Black and Silver Essence -- the V530 camera is small enough to fit in this summer’s most trendy clutch. Women can take and share pictures and videos in style, thanks to this model benefiting from the same performance characteristics -- 5 MP resolution and a pro-level 3X optical zoom lens -- as the V550 camera. A 2-inch, high-resolution, brilliant LCD helps show off pictures to friends and also doubles as the camera’s viewfinder.
The EASYSHARE V530 camera will be available worldwide beginning in July 2005 for US$349 (MSRP).
EASYSHARE Software
V-series cameras include KODAK EASYSHARE software for WINDOWS and MACINTOSH systems, providing effortless digital picture organization, editing, sharing and printing -- and even CD and DVD burning. The exclusive One Touch to Better Pictures feature takes advantage of proprietary color technologies developed by Kodak to help users get vibrant, true-to-life prints from inkjet printers. Version 5.0 -- available as a free download from www.kodak.com beginning this summer -- will feature new editing tools that allow people to quickly and simply trim, splice, rotate, and add music to videos.
KODAK EASYSHARE Software is now among the most widely used picture software titles in the world, with more than 22 million consumers enjoying its features.
Kodak makes it easy to accessorize the new V-series cameras, with a range of products that help show off your pictures. For instance, the popular KODAK EASYSHARE Printer Dock Series 3 (US$149 MSRP) makes it one-touch simple to print real KODAK pictures at home in just seconds -- with or without a computer. Browse more accessories at www.kodak.com.
In the J.D. Power and Associates 2004 Digital Camera Satisfaction Study SM evaluating performance, connectivity, cost, and appearance, KODAK EASYSHARE cameras in the US$200-399 and US$400-599 price ranges ranked Highest in Customer Satisfaction. Digital cameras in these segments comprise more than 60 percent of the U.S. market, according to data from The NPD Group.
According to IDC, Kodak is the leading shipper of digital cameras and snapshot printers in the United States, based on 2004 full-year reporting. It is also the fastest-growing brand of digital cameras in the world.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:19 PM | View the original post
May 26, 2005
Nokia launches new Linux based Internet Tablet product category
The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet enables easy broadband access to the Internet over Wi-Fi
New York - Today Nokia introduced its first device in the new Internet Tablet category, the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet, at the LinuxWorld Summit in New York. The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet is a dedicated device optimized for convenient Internet browsing and email communications in a sleek pocketsize format. The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet features an impressive high-resolution (800x480) widescreen display with zoom and on-screen keyboard, ideal for viewing online content over Wi-Fi. Aside from Wi-Fi, the device can also connect to the Internet utilizing Bluetooth wireless technology via a compatible mobile phone.
"We are very excited to introduce our first Nokia Internet Tablet device to the market. With the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet consumers can access broadband Internet services away from their desktop, for example in the backyard or at a café within a Wi-Fi hotspot", says Janne Jormalainen, Vice President of Convergence Products, Multimedia, Nokia.
The device runs on Linux based Nokia Internet Tablet 2005 software edition which includes widely deployed desktop Linux and Open Source technologies. The maemo development platform (www.maemo.org) will provide Open Source developers and innovation houses with the tools and opportunities to collaborate with Nokia on future devices and OS releases in the Internet Tablet category.
"Linux is a logical choice for the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet as Linux and the Open Source development platform provide us with fast and efficient solutions to build products for this new, Nokia product category. This is the first step in creating an Open Source product for broadband and Internet services. We will be launching regularly updates of the software. The next software release planned for the first half of next year will support more presence based functionalities such as VoIP and Instant Messaging", continues Janne Jormalainen.
Additional highlighted applications of the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet with the 2005 software include an Internet Radio, RSS News reader, Image viewer and Media players for selected types of media. The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet is planned to start shipping in the third quarter of 2005 in selected countries in the Americas and Europe.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:54 PM | View the original post
Yahoo! goes mobile on Nokia smartphones
A wide selection of Yahoo! Internet Services pre-installed on Nokia Series 60 devices
Espoo, Finland - Nokia, the global leader in mobility, and Yahoo!, the number one global internet brand, today announced an agreement that allows millions of Nokia smartphone users to stay informed, entertained and in touch through Yahoo!'s rapidly developing internet services. Yahoo! data communications services such as e-mail, Yahoo! entertainment services such as ring tones, wallpapers and downloadable games and Yahoo! Search for Mobile, will be the first set of services available through Nokia devices based on Series 60, the industry-leading smartphone platform.
"Access to information, entertainment and the ability to stay in touch when and where you want is at the heart of our vision of a mobile connected life," said Harry Santamäki, Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, Nokia Multimedia. "Our agreement with Yahoo! is a progressive step in facilitating the adoption of an online lifestyle: we are providing consumers with a familiar way of accessing the internet and Yahoo! email through their mobile devices, with the added convenience of content downloads on the go."
Juha Varelius, VP & MD of Yahoo! Mobile said: "With consumers' lives across the world becoming increasingly centered around mobile communications, this new international relationship between Yahoo! and Nokia is a great way for people to have the Yahoo! internet experience on their Nokia phone and benefit from a range of essential services on the go."
Nokia is the first handset manufacturer with Symbian-based products to distribute Yahoo! services for consumers in such a large number of European and Asian markets, including Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Spain and the United Kingdom. The first Nokia devices with Yahoo! internet services are the Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681 and the Nokia 6630. More devices will be announced on April 27. The existing Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681 and Nokia 6630 owners will be able to download similar applications over-the-air in the same markets starting from the second half of 2005.
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.com
Yahoo! Inc. is the No. 1 Internet brand globally and the most trafficked internet destination worldwide. Yahoo! provides online products and services essential to consumers' lives, and offers a full range of tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with internet users around the world. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:48 PM | View the original post
Twist and Shoot: Nokia N90
Picture taken by Nokia N90
Part of the Nokia Nseries high performance multimedia range, the Nokia N90 brings Carl Zeiss optics into the mobile arena
Amsterdam, Cancun, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur - Nokia today proudly presented the Nokia N90 multimedia, an advanced and inspirational multimedia device. Starring Carl Zeiss optics and a full set of advanced digital camera features, the Nokia N90 is targeted at high-technology enthusiasts who value the ultimate in connected mobile photography. The Nokia N90 boasts a 2 megapixel camera with autofocus and 20x digital zoom, integrated flash, macro mode for sharp close-ups, and high quality video capture with on-phone editing capabilities.
"We foresee that already this year, the camera phone market will grow to be over four times the size of the digital camera market," said Juha Putkiranta, Senior Vice President, Multimedia Imaging, Nokia. "And not only is the market growing at an enormous pace but, as fantastically highlighted by the Nokia N90, camera phone functionality is also developing rapidly to meet the needs of the more demanding picture taker. With its pioneering multi-hinge twist-and-shoot design, we have brought ease-of-use and high quality photography into mobile telephony."
Facilitated by its two screens, the Nokia N90 features two ergonomic modes for instant photo and video capture. Simply twist the unique rotating camera barrel, and automatically the 2 megapixel camera is ready to shoot high quality photos, in a snap. A dedicated capture key and the cover display (128 x 128 pixels) of up to 65,536 colors as a viewfinder make the snapshot experience ever more effortless. Unfold and twist the main display (352 x 416 pixels), and the Nokia N90 is ready to shoot high quality video in MP4 format using the high-resolution (352 x 416 pixels) 262,144 color landscape display as a viewfinder. Dedicated record and zoom keys, including up to 8x digital zoom for video capture, provide for very convenient one-hand operation.
Capture
The Nokia N90 is packed with advanced camera features that ensure high quality photos and videos every time. With autofocus, pressing the shutter key halfway automatically focuses in on the target, after which pressing the key all the way captures the image with amazing clarity. Furthermore, the macro mode feature provides for striking accuracy when taking close-ups.
Print
Printing great quality images is now possible directly from the Gallery with just a few pushes of a button. With the Nokia XpressPrint printing solution, users can select from a range of mobile printing options, including PictBridge, where the handset is connected directly to a compatible photo printer with a USB cable; wireless printing over Bluetooth wireless technology; or by extracting the Reduced Size Dual Voltage MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC) from the side of the phone and inserting it into a compatible printer.
Store
Photos and video clips taken with the Nokia N90 can conveniently be stored on the phone's internal 31 MB memory or the 64 MB in-box RS-MMC. Users can also easily store captured content at full resolution using the Nokia PC Suite Image Store, which, when connected, automatically saves images and video clips to the PC.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:40 PM | View the original post
May 24, 2005
Siemens Remote Services
A look into the Siemens Remote Expert Center in Karlsruhe, Germany: Power stations from more than 140 customers worldwide are being remotely monitored from here. Thanks to today’s advanced communication networks, the operation, maintenance and optimization of industrial facilities and entire buildings can be managed remotely. Such remote services are also suitable for use with other products. Fault diagnoses and software updates from a distance are also possible for medical equipment, cell phones and vehicles.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:28 PM | View the original post
Medical Personalization
Personalization is one of today’s important trends. Companies that want to jump on the bandwagon are taking steps to strengthen their customers’ loyalty. That also means advantages for the consumer. Medications, for example, could be customized to meet an individual’s needs. The electronic health card and the digital patient file will store medical records in the future. Pictures of the Future is reporting on molecular imaging and labs on a chip - technologies that detect illnesses at an early stage - and on a pioneer of personalized medicine: Lakeside Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:21 PM | View the original post
Development of high-speed trains
In the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, Siemens Transportation Systems (TS) and Russian Railways (RZD) today in Hanover signed a contract for the development of high-speed trains for Russia. This contract governs such aspects as development and configuration of the high-speed trains, the localization concept and the structure of the delivery contract. The delivery contract comprises a project volume up to € 1.5 billion and is scheduled for signing in the summer of this year. RZD intends to place orders for sixty of these trains, which can travel at up to 300 kilometers per hour. An agreement to this effect was reached in December 2004.
The Velaro platform is based on a distributed traction system concept, which means that the drive train and all technical modules are distributed beneath the bottom of the train. As a result, the entire length of the train is available for passengers, resulting in 20 percent more space. The ICE 3 for Deutsche Bahn AG and the Velaro E in Spain are the first European high-speed, distributed-traction trains. Velaro’s concept enables the seamless integration of European train safety and communication systems. The world’s fastest series-built train reaches a top speed of 350 km/h and offers comfort and technology of the highest class.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:58 PM | View the original post
