GPS

GPS stands for global positioning system, as system by which a handheld GPS unit uses information from satellites to determine the user’s exact spatial coordinates. This process is called triangulation, and information from at least four satellites is required for an accurate position. GPS was first developed by the Department of Defense in the eighties. In 2000, GPS signal degradation called Select Availability was removed, and this technology became available for civilian use.

GPS has many practical uses for hikers or anyone without a sense of direction, but the geocaching is the most interesting use! Geocaching is a global treasure hunt. First, geocachers look online for a set of co-ordinates in their area (start at www.geocaching.com), and then they use a GPS to find that site.

It seems like there would be no challenge in reading a set of co-ordinates and walking to that location, but, the GPS only shows you the most direct route to your destination, regardless of any obstacles, like buildings or rivers, in your path. Also, a good GPS is accurate to about ten or twenty feet, so even after locating the coordinates, the geocacher still hasn’t quite found the cache. Nearby structures like buildings and trees can interfere with the satellite signal, too, making it even less accurate, so a GPS isn’t any good for finding your car at the mall.

Once the cache is found, geocachers can see what’s inside! Caches always have a logbook, where finders can sign their names or leave a message for the next explorer. Some caches contain trinkets, like little toys or burned CDs, or a “hitchhiker,” something that travels from cache to cache (think of the world-traveling garden gnome in Amelie, only with geocachers photodocumenting it’s journey on www.geocaching.com).

Geocaching is proof that even tech geeks leave the house sometimes.

iBelieve…

I haven’t managed to know whether this was true or not. It feels, looks and tastes like real, at the least—it seems that one can order through Paypal on the website, although I haven’t gone through the complete procedure just for the sake of checking (because I see an item on the web doesn’t mean I want it!). In any case, amused or offended, you choose. I chose amused. I’m not a believer, after all, so the “perverted symbol” isn’t appaling to me.

So what’s the deal about? Well, iBelieve is the following, as per explained on the website directly:

Inspired by the world’s obsession and devotion to the iPod, iBelieve is a replacement lanyard for your iPod Shuffle. It is a social commentary on the fastest growing religion in the world. The iBelieve is constructed using the same materials and precision ball bearing snap fit as your existing Shuffle cap, so you can relax knowing your precious soundtrack is safe.

And since an image is worth a thousand words…:

(Via MoCoLoCo)

HP iPaq HW6500 on Cingular’s EDGE Network

Collaborating with HP, Cingular is going to be the sole carrier of the HP iPaq 6500 series, which will be the first Pocket PC to get access to Cingular’s high-speed wireless EDGE Network:

The device — to be offered by Cingular for US$449 with a two-year, $40 monthly wireless plan — will be voice- and data-ready via Cingular’s EDGE network, as well as GSM, and GPRS wireless technologies.

The new iPaq hw6515 will include a 1.3-megapixel camera, while the hw6510 comes without camera. Both devices feature mobile mail, multimedia messaging Latest News about multimedia messaging, GPS Latest News about global positioning system and navigation with Microsoft Latest News about Microsoft Pocket Streets, Bluetooth wireless capability and business applications including customer relationship management Siebel: The Leader in CRM Solutions Latest News about customer relationship management (CRM) and sales force automation software Get your FREE Oracle Database Software Kit today!. The companies also announced a solutions evaluation center aimed at simplifying the implementation of wireless solutions with the handsets.

(Full article available on Technology News)

Phunny Phone Gadget

I laughed until my body hurt after I saw this gadget and its explanation. It is pretty novel, and something I might consider buying if I had the money.

Yeah, we know all about bluetooth headsets for cell phones, but forget that stuff! We have here the latest development in cell phone technology and it’s a big hunk of beautiful plastic. An accessory for your phone that you can really grab onto. Something with heft and that good-old-American solid construction feel - like a 1972 Cadillac.

The Retro Phone Handset is a new production replica of the Western Electric 500-series model, which was the classic phone handset for several decades. It’s been slightly modified to work with the headset jack of most cell phones (or via a “hands free” adapter kit, sold elsewhere). Just plug-in and dial - or for added effect, put your cell phone in your pant’s pocket - then it looks like you’re talking on a phone connected to… well, who knows?

Link to “ThinkGeek” where you can purchase this lovely piece of equipment

Samsung 3GB Phone

Meet Samsung’s new handset, featuring a 3GB hard-drive, which is now the largest cell phone storage capacity on the market. The little beast is going to be released this week in Korea:

The internal storage device of the up-to-date model, SPH-V7900, enables purchasers to carry a couple of high definition video clips or as many as 700 music files. The high-end gizmo will also be equipped with a 2-megapixel built-in camera and 2X optical zoom, which does not compromise picture quality when zooming in on subjects.

Samsung president Lee Ki-tae, who is in charge of the firm’s cell phone unit, said the SPH-V7900 will dictate the future trend of larger-sized embedded memory in handsets. Up until now, the highest-storage handset available in the global market has been the 1.5GB phone, SPH-V5400 of Samsung, which hit the shelves last September.

“The expansion of the internal memory would consolidate the mobile phone’s status as the mainstream gadget in the multimedia era. We are determined to lead the world’s premium market with cutting-edge technologies and innovative designs,” Lee said.

Samsung will retail the SPH-V7900 at around 750,000 won ($718) through KTF, the country’s second-largest wireless operator.

However, it seems that this model won’t be shipped to other countries, or at least this is not rumored to be in the plans.

(Read the whole article here on The Korea Times)

Camera Alliance Formed

The EETimes.com just reported that Pentax and Samsung have teamed up in attempt to get more of a share in the SLR camera market:

Pentax, Samsung join forces to develop SLR cameras
Yoshiko Hara

TOKYO — Pentax Corp. and Samsung Techwin Co. Ltd. have signed an agreement to jointly develop digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, the third such camera alliance announced in recent months.

The partners along with Canon and Nikon hold an overwhelming share of the SLR camera market. Other alliances among camera makers and electronics manufacturers are aiming to combine the complementary effects of optical and electronics technologies.

Olympus and Matsushita allied in January to develop interchangeable lens-type cameras based on the Four-Thirds System standard, which are scheduled to hit market next spring.

Konica Minolta and Sony teamed in July to develop SLR cameras based on the alpha mount system, which Konica Minolta has been using for its film cameras. Jointly developed cameras will hit the market next summer.

The digital SLR camera market is growing rapidly from an estimated 2.7 million units worldwide in 2004 to 4.5 million this year and 5.5 million next year, according to estimates by Olympus and Matsushita. Despite rapid price erosion in compact digital cameras, SLR cameras remain expensive, thus provide relatively high profit margins.

Samsung Techwin is a top supplier of digital still cameras in South Korea, but does not currently offer SLR cameras. Pentax said it expects to sell about 120,000 SLR cameras in its fiscal year ending in March 2006. It depends on suppliers for electronics devices such as image sensors.

Pentax said it expects its optical technology will complement Samsung’s electronics devices and image processing firmware for digital cameras.

The partnership’s first product work will be available next fall. For now, Pentax’s SLR cameras uses a KAF2 lens mount. Whether or not the joint product will inherit the mount will be decided soon, according to a Pentax spokesman.

The partners will both sell the jointly developed SLR cameras under their own brand names.

Buy a Laptop Recently?

Did you purchase a Hewlett Packard laptop between March 2004 and May 2005? If so, check out this article about a battery pack recall:

HP Recalls 135,000 Laptop Battery Packs
By The Associated Press
Fri Oct 14, 6:59 AM ET

Hewlett Packard is recalling about 135,000 battery packs for some HP and Compaq laptop computers because of reports they overheated and melted, the Palo Alto, Calif., company announced Friday.

The lithium ion rechargeable battery packs are used with HP Pavilion, Compaq Presario, HP Compaq and Compaq Evo laptop computers.

The company has received 16 reports of the batteries’ overheating; four cases occurred in the United States.

The recalled packs bear a barcode label starting with GC, IA, L0 or L1.

The battery packs were sold internationally from March 2004 through May 2005 by national and regional electronics stores and on Internet sites such as http://www.hp.com and http://www.hpshopping.com

Consumers should stop using the products and contact the company for a free replacement. For more information, call Hewlett-Packard at 888-404-7398 or visit http://www.hp.com/support/ or http://www.cpsc.gov.

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