Monday, October 27, 2003
The Digital Michelangelo Project
In an effort to create and archive three dimensional computer representations of some of history's most important cultural artifacts, researchers from Stanford University and the University of Washington have employed laser rangefinder technologies to scan items and preserve them digitally.
The project has mainly focused on some of Michelangelo's sculptures, including the famous David statue, but has also "scanned 1,163 fragments of the Forma Urbis Romae, a giant marble map of ancient Rome." Visitors to the project's homepage can download the ScanView software, which lets users virtually fly around the models of the statues. Full Article>>>
The project has mainly focused on some of Michelangelo's sculptures, including the famous David statue, but has also "scanned 1,163 fragments of the Forma Urbis Romae, a giant marble map of ancient Rome." Visitors to the project's homepage can download the ScanView software, which lets users virtually fly around the models of the statues. Full Article>>>
Intel Cuts Prices On Top; AMD Doesn't
As fully expected, Intel cut prices on PIV yesterday. This could make the 2.4GHz C a little bit cheaper, and gets the 3.0C under $300 and the 2.8C a bit over $200.
The 2.6C might get more of a look as an overclocking chip, especially if it ends up being priced about the same as the 2.4.
There's nothing earthshattering in any of this.
AMD reduced prices on higher-end Athlons, but left prices alone on FX/Athlon64. This has come as something of a surprise/disappointment to many, and one even said that this means AMD can now "deftly avoiding the price hammer strike, and doing what it wants."
The comment is dubious when it comes to the FX, and downright silly when it comes to the Athlon 64. Full Article>>>
The 2.6C might get more of a look as an overclocking chip, especially if it ends up being priced about the same as the 2.4.
There's nothing earthshattering in any of this.
AMD reduced prices on higher-end Athlons, but left prices alone on FX/Athlon64. This has come as something of a surprise/disappointment to many, and one even said that this means AMD can now "deftly avoiding the price hammer strike, and doing what it wants."
The comment is dubious when it comes to the FX, and downright silly when it comes to the Athlon 64. Full Article>>>
Tech Addicts Need Textual Healing
Dr. Mark Collins of The Priory clinic in London found himself catapulted into the world's press early this month when he was reported as saying that patients at the well-known addiction clinic were increasingly displaying compulsive behavior toward their mobile phones.
Collins, head of the addictions unit at the clinic, said that some patients spend up to seven hours a day sending text or SMS messages (as well as hanging out in Internet chat rooms), which in one case even resulted in repetitive strain injury.
Unfortunately, Collins was not available to provide further explanation. A spokeswoman at a leading substance abuse clinic in Southern California reported that no patient had yet been admitted for an addiction to mobile phones. She did note, however, that it was the clinic's policy to require patients to check their devices in upon admission. "People literally detox from their phones," she said. "Text messaging, games -- these are all sources of isolation, a way to zone out." Full Article>>>
Collins, head of the addictions unit at the clinic, said that some patients spend up to seven hours a day sending text or SMS messages (as well as hanging out in Internet chat rooms), which in one case even resulted in repetitive strain injury.
Unfortunately, Collins was not available to provide further explanation. A spokeswoman at a leading substance abuse clinic in Southern California reported that no patient had yet been admitted for an addiction to mobile phones. She did note, however, that it was the clinic's policy to require patients to check their devices in upon admission. "People literally detox from their phones," she said. "Text messaging, games -- these are all sources of isolation, a way to zone out." Full Article>>>
Cloning Remains a Meaty Issue
The Food and Drug Administration soon will decide whether the meat in your Philly cheese steak or your barbecue spareribs could come from a cloned animal.
Because of safety concerns, the FDA has barred the handful of companies that clone farm animals from selling them for meat. But since early this year, those companies have been submitting data -- generated by independent research firms -- to the FDA.
The specifics of the data will remain confidential until Oct. 20 when the FDA plans to post the research online for public review. But the majority of companies say that, in general, the research shows no significant difference between regular and cloned animals, suggesting that cloned meat would be perfectly safe for human consumption. Consumer watchdog groups are skeptical, and say cloned meat should at least be labeled. Full Article>>>
Because of safety concerns, the FDA has barred the handful of companies that clone farm animals from selling them for meat. But since early this year, those companies have been submitting data -- generated by independent research firms -- to the FDA.
The specifics of the data will remain confidential until Oct. 20 when the FDA plans to post the research online for public review. But the majority of companies say that, in general, the research shows no significant difference between regular and cloned animals, suggesting that cloned meat would be perfectly safe for human consumption. Consumer watchdog groups are skeptical, and say cloned meat should at least be labeled. Full Article>>>
Waiting for DVDs, the Sequel
Now that DVDs have become fully accepted by the masses, and even progressive-scan players can be found for under $70, what's a videophile got to do to stay ahead of the pack?
Or perhaps the better question is: Now that DVDs are almost 7 years old, which is an eternity in the consumer electronics world, what comes next?
The answer is high-definition DVD. These high-capacity DVDs can take advantage of the improved resolution of a high-definition television.
It's expected the next-generation DVD will use a blue laser, which has a shorter wavelength than the red lasers used in today's DVD players, meaning that more data can be packed into the same amount of space. Today's DVDs can hold about 4.7 GB of data, while a blue-laser HD-DVD could conceivably hold as much as 30 GB.
Unfortunately, the switch to high-definition DVD has hit a roadblock. The major consumer electronics companies are squabbling over what the standard should be for the new discs. Two camps, one led by Matsushita, Philips and Hitachi, and the other by Toshiba and NEC, are fighting over whose technology will be used and how much data the discs should hold.
Source: Wired News Full Article>>>
Or perhaps the better question is: Now that DVDs are almost 7 years old, which is an eternity in the consumer electronics world, what comes next?
The answer is high-definition DVD. These high-capacity DVDs can take advantage of the improved resolution of a high-definition television.
It's expected the next-generation DVD will use a blue laser, which has a shorter wavelength than the red lasers used in today's DVD players, meaning that more data can be packed into the same amount of space. Today's DVDs can hold about 4.7 GB of data, while a blue-laser HD-DVD could conceivably hold as much as 30 GB.
Unfortunately, the switch to high-definition DVD has hit a roadblock. The major consumer electronics companies are squabbling over what the standard should be for the new discs. Two camps, one led by Matsushita, Philips and Hitachi, and the other by Toshiba and NEC, are fighting over whose technology will be used and how much data the discs should hold.
Source: Wired News Full Article>>>
