“Choosing to work with my good friend and exceptional designer Philippe Starck is always exciting. He brings a poetry to his work, and helps us deliver products that combine function and beauty.” said Philippe Spruch, Chief Executive Officer of LaCie. “The new Starck products showcase this amalgamation perfectly with LaCie’s constant innovation and Starck, who is the ultimate designer.”

The two drives both come with a USB 2.0 interface. Both drives feature aluminum cases to serve as both protection for internal components and to aid in heat dissipation. The mobile model features a conveniently placed built in USB 2.0 cable, allowing for easy access without the worry of misplacing or forgetting a cable on the go. The desktop edition features a touch sensitive surface capable of launching an application of the user’s choice. It also features an LED Starck signature symbol which glows orange or green to indicate activity. Both also include LaCie’s Desktop Manager and Backup Assistant software.

These meticulously designed peripherals are available at www.lacie.com as well as other authorized dealers and resellers. The Mobile drive is available in 320GB and 500GB and goes for a starting price $99.00. The Desktop drive is available in 1TB and 2TB flavors and retails for a starting price of $129.00.

“Technological genius explodes exponentially, each time with incredible power whose limits are yet to be known,” said Starck “The power remains, never abating, symbolically characterized by the sculptural magma that one attempts to cleave, to master within this geometrically perfect strongbox. A symbol of strength mastered, of freedom guided, of incandescent magma heeding to the form of its cast. The interpretation is free. But the mystery remains.”

The only American made manufacture that did not a accept bail out or needed to file for debt reorganization successfully managed to generate nearly a cool billion in revenue by cutting material costs, higher sales prices and increased market share. They will continue to see red with over $26.9 billion in debt though they project to be “solidly profitable” by 2011.

Now Ford just needs to hammer out that UAW contract.

Indeed, the ocean is the world’s largest “carbon sink�: As much as one-third of man-made CO2 emissions are stored in the oceans and therefore do not contribute to global warming. This is because its plant component, phytoplankton (its animal component is called zooplankton), pulls massive amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere as it photosynthesizes.

But various environmental factors are taking their toll on plankton the world over. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported recently that marine phytoplankton is declining across the oceans. Even Canadian cod fishermen are noticing that the plankton-feeding fish they catch are often nearly starving as a result of lack of this crucial food source.

A 2007 study published in the scientific journal “Nature” found that human-caused increase in CO2 pollution is altering the pH (acidity) levels in the oceans. This change in chemistry is expected to have adverse effects on the entire ecosystem. More acidic ocean water inhibits the ability of shell-forming marine organisms—from plankton to mollusks to corals—to form properly. Smaller and less healthy populations of plankton would be bad news for all the other creatures above it on the ocean’s food chain.

Higher water temperatures, also attributable to our fossil fuel addiction, can also have a devastating effect on plankton. A recent report in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom noted that, in the Adriatic Sea cooler winter conditions — which are less frequent in a warmer world — are needed for plankton production and nutrient availability. Furthermore, warmer sea temperatures can cause “bloomsâ€� of other sea life (such as happens with algae), resulting in oxygen starvation in the water, a condition that is devastating to plankton and other marine creatures and organisms.

In other situations, blooms of phytoplankton themselves—the tiny plants can gorge on the nutrients from the run-off from farms and lawns on land—can lead to oxygen — starvation in the water. “The decomposition of these multitudes of phytoplankton removes oxygen from seawater, creating oxygen-poor ‘dead zones’ where fish cannot live,â€� reports Carly Buchwald, a researcher at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Satellite imagery shows that these “dead zonesâ€� are expanding. Some scientists are advocating “iron fertilizationâ€� — the spreading of large amounts of iron across the world’s seas—to spur plankton growth. But others worry that such tinkering with complex ecosystems could have potentially harmful effects.

Take the night vision-technology that comes, optionally, built into these vehicles. In its first incarnation, night vision cameras could see the road ahead of you by amplifying the ambient light and displaying the resulting picture on a dashboard LCD. Later developments added infrared sensing, which blasts the road directly in front of you with IR light to see when ambient conditions are dark, to far-IR temperature detecting.

The system detects changes in temperature to help you distinguish between a parked car, a deer, or a human. Better yet, the imaging software from Autoliv can recognize the heat patters, and display a “pedestrian� warning as well as tinting the person standing in front of you in yellow to make them stand out on the black and white display.

Of course, the biggest downfall to these systems is that you have to pull your eyes off the road to use them. Its one thing to glance down at your speedometer, but it’s a whole another thing to try and process images from a screen and maintain safe control of your vehicle. In the future, the company might integrate the warnings onto a heads-up-display across the windshield, which is equal parts futuristic and cool.

Several years ago, cruise control was a fancy gadget relegated only to the most expensive luxury vehicles. Now, you’ll find it on just about every car. Luxury offerings have a way of trickling down to the average consumer, and mabye one day, you’ll climb into a night-vision equipped Civic.

(image via)

However, desktop 3D gaming is actually experiencing somewhat of a renaissance, and you can actually experience pretty decent 3D gaming from your computer.  We’ve looked at the hardware offered by North Quincy, MA computer manufacturer Psychsoftpc before, but the maker has since expanded their offerings, and now you can order your gaming rig with NVida’s 3D Vision Kit with their Psyborg Extreme Gamer PCs to experience 3D gaming straight out of the box, provided you have one of the many supported steroscopic montors. And, as the computer maker points out, this is probably the closest we’ll ever get a holodeck.

The kit comes with viewing glasses that function on the same principles as the ones you wore when you watched latest Pixar flick. Each eye sees a slightly different image, and the brain integrates the two images to produce a depth of field. The best part of the entire system is that the software inteagrates with existing games, meaning most games are compatible with the viewing system. NVidia often demos the system by playing Mirrors Edge, an experience that has to be absolutely and delightfully nauseating.

As we said before, Psychsoftpc makes some powerful computers, and by offering NVidia’s 3D Vision Kit with them, the package only becomes even more valuable.

Most performance-enhancing aftermarket products can be found under the hood of a vehicle, but they can also come in the form of replacement hoods, body parts and even wheels. (Media credit/ARA)

(ARA) — Did you miss “Cash for Clunkers?” A recent study from RL Polk found that the average age of both cars and light trucks is at an all-time record high at 9.4 and 7.5 years, respectively.

Those looking to re-energize these rides with a bit more power may want to consider installing a performance-enhancing aftermarket product. Thousands of such products are available to bring new life to a tired car or truck, and many are designed to elevate the car’s performance beyond what it was capable of in the first place. Here are just a few ideas:

Bolt-on power

A carefully designed intake system combined with a high-flow air filter can add significant horsepower to any car or truck. Combined with a performance exhaust system, gains can be as high as 25 horsepower or more on some engines. Because these changes offer a good return for relatively small investment, they are among the most common bolt-on upgrades on an older car or truck.

Lighten up

Another easy way to improve performance is to replace heavy original parts with lighter ones. Replacement hoods and body parts made from carbon fiber and other light-weight materials are available for almost any vehicle, as are wheels that weigh less than the ones from the factory.

Handling products

Improving handling is an often-overlooked form of performance. It’s rare to find a car that came with high-performance shocks or struts, and after a few years, the original suspension can wear significantly. By installing new, specially-tuned shocks, bushings and springs, a car can handle even better than it did when it was new. Another easy way to improve handling is by adding better brakes. These are widely available in bolt-on form, which allow for upgrading older cars to disc brakes, or adding specially designed brake pads, stronger calipers, and longer, better vented discs.

Turbochargers and superchargers

For those who are serious about improving power, turbochargers that force more air into the combustion chamber can add 50 to 100 more horsepower. It’s possible to replace the original turbo with a bigger or more efficient one, or add a turbo where no turbo was offered. Superchargers, another high-performance option, are commonly offered by manufacturers in their specialty high-performance cars and trucks.

For trucks and 4×4s

Replacing an easily-clogged air filter with a reusable one can save a lot on a truck that sees extreme duty. A wide variety of electric fans and auxiliary coolers allows trucks to pull more and work harder without overheating. For trucks and 4×4s, stronger axles, lower gears and better suspensions are available for models dating all the way back to World War II.

Generally performance parts come in kit form, with instructions and an 800-number to call for advice, so there are a lot of products that can be installed by the average backyard mechanic.

That said, most performance upgrades are best handled by a professional installer who has all the right tools, including a lift and service bay and experience with the type of job at hand. Visit www.enjoythedrive.com for information on the latest aftermarket performance parts and installers.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Panel, a new iPhone app, founded by Darius Fong, is aiming to bring back the record store experience of yesteryear, when music industry professionals and music buffs were present at your point of purchase to give you insight on what you might like or look forward to for the next addition to your record collection.

Panel is different than other music applications or online players. While many online music sites can match a playlist to your liking very well, like the engine at Last.fm, nothing is strictly personal, like press releases or ads. It’s by music lovers, for music lovers. Each Panelist can explain their choice and their influences to help users find out more about the album.

The Panel App streams two full albums each week in various categories, including rock, pop, indie, jazz and more. Curators of the Panel App will be featured panelists that are composers, radio DJs, record storeowners, producers, musicians, and others with a musical background, every month to feature music that they love.

The iPhone application will also feature interviews with the Panelists, album descriptions, and a one-touch process will be made available to users in order to purchase albums they like. In addition, these users may then comment on selections and invite friends to join, listen, and create a fan-supported community.

To find out more, go to WearePANEL.com for images of panelists and photo journals of each week’s content, interviews, “Panel Blogâ€Â�, videos, podcasts, and links from featured albums to iTunes and Amazon.

The DB-90 mixes traditional metronome functions, including 30 kinds of beat patterns and a 30-250 tempo with features like its “Rhythm Coach” exercises to keep you matching the beat.

The unit features a MIDI input and 1/4-inch headphone and input jacks with amplifier simulating, meaning you can plug your guitar into the Dr. Beat directly, and it will act as a monitor for you. There’s no MIDI output though, so you won’t be sending any data back to your computer/workstation/etc.

The DB-90’s “tap” feature lets you choose your own tempo without having to dial in to a pre-programed setting. After all, it’s your music.

The unit’s default power supply is a 9-volt battery, but we’d recommend buying the Boss PSA DC power adapter to save on batteries.

It’s a big device, but it has all the practice and tuning features you could imagine. It’s a perfect solution for any musician.

The event, held at Microsoft’s Cambridge office on Memorial Drive, featured product giveaways, a live DJ and activities such as Halo matches and Rock Band to keep those in the tenth floor lounge entertained between demonstrations of the new operating system. Attendees waiting in line to receive their free copy of the operating system noshed on Windows 7-themed cupcakes as George Matthews, a Microsoft software development engineer, showed off Windows 7’s slick new features via projector at the far end of the lounge. In keeping with the spirit of a student event in Boston, Matthews’ presentation even included an Easter egg of sorts that he claimed proves Microsoft Office’s chief icon designer is a Red Sox fan.

The author of our favorite webcomic xkcd redesigned his homepage today as a tribute to the passing of Geocities.

Every so often, someone will tell me something that reminds me of how old I am. For instance, did you know that kids who turned 18 this year didn’t see Aladdin in theaters? Today, it’s the passing of Geocities, which is shuttering its doors tonight at 11:59pm.

Finding that out today is just one big mixed bag of nostalgia for me. I’m writing this from a bus wi-fi connection, which has about as much bandwidth at the 14.4k modem I used way back when I made my first Geocities website. Of course I let it fall into neglect shortly thereafter and Geocities, or the current owner Yahoo, cleaned it off their servers.

For those too young to remember geocities, it was one of the first sites to allow used with a basic knowledge of HTML to code their own web pages. Five million fan pages for Jonathan Taylor Thomas later, we had what was the most garish collection of sites that were perpetually under construction displaying blink tags �perish the thought � and comic sans headlines. Yahoo purchased Geocities back in 1998 for $3.5bil, which was no small sum of money, and has taken care of it since.

However, now that personalized sites are more likely to be found on Facebook or (the equally garish) Myspace, Geocities has become something of a money bleeder, and Yahoo is pulling the plug. Users are encouraged to port their sites over to Yahoo’s paid service.

So, let us mourn the passing of Geocities as it goes into that good night.

Google saw the millions of people searching for the pop-artists name and assumed they had to of come from an automated source, either requiring them to perform a CAPATCHA or denying their request altogether. Realized they were missing a key market opportunityâ€â€�second to not inventing Twitter in the first place, of courseâ€â€�Google and Bing have both reached agreements with Twitter and Facebook to start indexing peoples’ tweets and public status updates, respectively.

Bing’s Twitter search page is live now, as is Google’s Twitter incorporation. We tried a few searches that are trending right now (Ed: Are we really still talking about balloon boy?), and sure enough, both search engines displayed a few results. Bing also has a tag cloud with trending topics organized by how hot they are.

It will be interesting to see how well the two companies are and handling the intense amount of link and hashtag spam occurring and to see how successful they’ll be at keeping it from befuddling search results. Of course, now that Twitter has included adding spam links and non-relevant hanstags as violations to their terms of service, it looks like everyone is trying to keep a handle on the problem.

The most extensive Twitter search, set at search.twitter.com, only indexes two weeks worth of tweets, so it’ll be interesting to see how long Google keeps tweets in their indexes. Right now, there is no easy way to find a specific tweet that you sent in the past. That being said, it also doesn’t appear that the purpose of indexing these tweets is for long-term storage�Google and Bing are probably only looking for a way to figure out what’s hot now.

Critics have also been dismissive of Twitter for a long time, pointing out that without ads, the company has no monetization strategy, and will never turn a profit. While making a profit is secondary when you have millions in venture funding coming in already, but licensing its API to Microsoft and Google is a great way to make money, and Twitter may have finally stumbled upon their key to monetary success.

But beyond the plastic, these filters�which are on cigarettes in the first place to absorb contaminants to prevent them from going into the lungs�contain trace amounts of toxins like cadmium, arsenic and lead. Thus when smokers discard their butts improperly�out the car window or off the end of a pier or onto the sidewalk below�they are essentially tossing these substances willy-nilly into the environment.

Studies done by Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and even the tobacco industry itself show that these contaminants can get into soils and waterways, harm or kill living organisms and generally degrade surrounding ecosystems.

While individual discarded cigarette butts may be small, they add up to a huge problem. Some 5.5 trillion cigarettes are consumed worldwide each year. The non-profit Keep America Beautiful reports that cigarette butts constitute as much as one-third of all litter nationwide when measured by the number of discarded items, not volume. According to the Ocean Conservancy, a non-profit that advocates for stronger protection of marine ecosystems, cigarette butts are the most commonly littered item found on America’s salt and fresh water beaches according to feedback received by hundreds of thousands of volunteers taking part in the group’s annual Coastal Clean-up event.

While the tobacco industry may have its hands full just trying to stay afloat in the maelstrom of ongoing bad publicity, critics say it should be doing more to prevent cigarette butt litter. “Just as beverage manufacturers contribute to anti-litter campaigns, and have invested in public education on litter issues, so too should the tobacco industry,� says Kathleen Register, founder and executive director of Clean Virginia Waterways, a non-profit that has spearheaded the fight against cigarette butt litter in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. She adds that cigarette manufacturers “need to take an active and responsible role in educating smokers about this issue and devote resources to the cleanup of cigarette litter.�

Register suggests a number of strategies including putting anti-litter messages on all cigarette packaging and advertisements, distributing small, free portable ashtrays, and placing and maintaining outdoor ashtrays in areas where smokers congregate. She also suggests putting an extra tax on cigarette sales, with proceeds going toward anti-litter education efforts and to defray the costs of cleaning up butts. “Picking up littered cigarette butts costs schools, businesses and park agencies money,� she says. “By taxing smokers for anti-litter educational efforts, some of the costs of cleaning up cigarette butts will shift onto smokers.� One way or another, Register hopes, smokers will learn that the Earth is not one giant ashtray.

The deal, reached with D.A.W. Inc, a subsidiary of Florida-based Nyer Medical Group,

Shares of the penny Nyer stock were up some 200 percent in after hours trading.

Eaton has stores in Dorchester, Brockton, Danvers, Peabody, Salem, Sherborn, Framingham, Southborough, Gloucester, Wellesley, Lynn, Westwood, Weston, Marblehead, Woburn and Newton.

Walgreens promised to keep on most of the Eaton employees.

“Today is a very special day for our Boston market,â€Â� said Dave White, Walgreens market vice president for Boston, in a statement yesterday. “Not only are we keeping most of the pharmacies open, but we also intend for eligible employees at all 12 locations to join our team.”

White said Eaton’s long-time customers will see the same familiar faces and level of service with the expanded Walgreens umbrella of products and services.

“We look forward to continuing Eaton’s 100-plus year tradition of quality pharmacy service in communities around the Boston area,” White said.

“I am confident that the best choice for our customers and employees is Walgreens,” said Mark Dumouchel, President of D.A.W and Nyer Medical Group

The acquisition is subject to certain terms and conditions, and is expected to close within the next 90 days, Walgreens said.

Walgreens is the nation’s largest drugstore chain, operating some 7,000 stories in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The company did $63 billion in sales in fiscal year 2009.

The speech, delivered at MIT’s Kresge Auditorium, praised the school’s faculty members and students for their commitment to energy research and achieving new advancements in clean energy technologies. He spoke about his excitement after touring the school’s Energy Initiative program laboratories and the benefits that these new technologies can bring to the world.

“Windows that generate electricity by directing light to solar cells; lightweight high-power batteries that aren’t built but are grown. That was neat stuff. Engineering viruses to create batteries; more efficient lighting systems that rely on nanotechnology; innovative engineering that will make it possible for offshore wind power plants to deliver electricity even when the air is still,” said Obama.

He pointed out that every country has recognized that the world’s energy supplies are growing scarcer and “that’s why the world is now engaged in a peaceful competition to determine the technologies that will power the 21st century. The nation that wins this competition will be the nation that leads the global economy,” he said. “I am convinced of that. And I want America to be that nation. It’s that simple.”

Obama also promoted Ricovery Act Investments that are creating advancements in wind energy as well as creating jobs. He said the Act includes $80 billion to create thousands of jobs for Americans developing new battery technologies for hybrid vehicles, modernizing the electric grid and doubling the country’s capacity to generate renewable electricity.

Susan Hockfield, the president of MIT, said that having Obama speak about renewable energy at the university can motivate more students in getting involved in new energy technology and policy development.

“It’s enormously energizing. The Energy Initiative has become a real centerpiece at activities here at MIT. And having the president here to make a major statement about energy really confirms and amplifies the work that’s already been done on campus,� said Hockfield.

MIT’s Energy Initiative program director Ernest Moniz said that energy research conducted around the country has helped the US be a frontrunner for leading the global economy in clean energy. However, he said there’s still much work to be done.

“United States still has, in my view, the world’s foremost science, technology and innovative system. In the other hand, we cannot be complacent. We can compete as long as we have the resources sustained and commitment from the highest levels, which the president demonstrated today,� explained Moniz.

Obama has been the second president to visit MIT but was the only one who met with faculty members and received a tour of school laboratories. The previous presidential visit was made by Bill Clinton who delivered a Commencement address in 1998.

Video report by Melissa Unger

We talked to Marty Cassidy, the general manager of the northeast district for Microsoft, about what makes Windows 7 tick. Here’s what we got:

BLAST: For people that downgraded or stayed with Windows XP, what will be the biggest differences between XP and 7 for users?

MICROSOFT: For current XP users, there are several reasons to upgrade to Windows 7, including enhancements to security, networking and search.

• Security – while Microsoft prides itself on software security measures, the security levels have increased from XP to Vista to Windows 7 making it the most secure operating system on the market today.
• Networking – previously networking all devices took a few extra steps that were challenging for some – now with Windows 7, connecting to a network can be done with a simple click of the mouse.
• Search – with the ability to search across various networks, Windows 7 takes the search for files to the next step. Search functions can also utilize Internet Explorer 8 to provide assistance to those users looking for computer help.

BLAST: What about Windows gaming on 7?

MICROSOFT: Games Explorer is the center for gaming on Windows 7, providing information about games, such as game play statistics, ratings and requirements. In addition, you can find new games or more information about online providers right from Games Explorer. Also, with the Game Update feature within Games Explorer, you can request to be notified whenever there are updates for your games. Parental Controls features also allow specification for which PC games your children can play.

If you’re a gamer, you know how graphics, sound and interaction capabilities are becoming richer. You probably also know that the hardware limitations of 32-bit PCs can limit the gaming experience. As more people opt for 64-bit PCs, new games will be able to take advantage of more robust and powerful processing. Because Windows 7 fully supports 64-bit PCs, you’ll be ready when they arrive.

As part of the newest DirectX Graphics Technology Platform, Direct3D® 11 helps game developers create high performance games with richer, more realistic graphics. With a DirectX 11 compatible graphics card, you’ll be playing games with higher frame rates, more organic, realistic looking characters, smarter artificial intelligence, and more natural-looking effects. A large subset of the Direct3D 11 feature set is also available on existing DirectX 10-compatible graphics cards.

All games built to perform on Windows XP will remain available on XP mode.

BLAST: What are the top differences between Windows Vista and Windows 7?

MICROSOFT: Windows 7 builds upon innovative features from Windows Vista and feedback from our customers. The greatest difference users will notice with Windows 7 is that it works the way people want with less time needed for boot-up sequences and shut down. Some of the top differences include:

• Better and faster performance – start-up times and boot-up sequences have been decreased as users interact with a faster and more efficient operating system
• Increased integration beyond the operating system – Windows 7 has upgraded the pop-up message when connecting a device, as more drivers will be supported and more device-specific options including links to manufacturer’s website which will allow you to see additional related software that supports the device
• Improved taskbar – Windows 7 will improve on the many advancements of Windows Vista by allowing for personalization of icons to display on the taskbar
• Less storage requirement – storage requirement for the operating system has been nearly reduced by half
• Multi-touch capability – users can interact directly with the PC through finger keystrokes
• Enhanced media center – features include Internet TV with greater telecasting capabilities

BLAST: What are the brand new features in 7?

MICROSOFT: Microsoft continues to further innovation and produce technologies that people want to use and that will help manage their busy home and business lives. Many of the latest features in Windows 7 are designed to decrease search times while increasing access across multiple devices. Some of the highlights include:

• Desktop – introducing improved taskbar previews, bigger icons and creative ways to personalize
• HomeGroup – takes the headache out of home networking, so it’s easier to share files and printers
• Jump lists – speedy access to your favorite pictures, songs, websites, and documents
• Snap – a quick (and fun) new way to resize and compare windows on your desktop
• Windows Live Essentials – must-have software for your PCâ€â€�free. Get Mail, Photo Gallery, and other favorites
• Windows Search – at last, searching your PC is as simple as searching
• Performance improvements – it’s designed to sleep and resume quicker, be less memory hungry, and spot USB devices faster
• Full 64-bit support – Windows 7 makes the most of powerful 64-bit PCs, the new desktop standard
• Power management – new power-saving features are designed to help laptops run longer on battery
• Easier wireless networking – Windows 7 gets you online in fewer clicks
• Windows Media Center – watch, record, and pause live TV (additional hardware required)
• Windows Touch – pair Windows 7 with a touch-sensitive PC and you won’t always need a keyboard or mouse

BLAST: What new programs/apps are there in Windows 7?

MICROSOFT: Those top applications that worked on previous operating systems will continue to operate on Windows 7 as new apps are being continuously developed. Many of the latest programs are designed to connect multiple units, creating greater collaboration amongst devices.

• PC interaction – Windows Touch and improved handwriting recognition provide new and more direct ways of interacting with your PC
• Navigation – the customizable taskbar presents previews in a larger, clearer format. You can get to documents, applications and tasks faster with jump lists
• Home collaboration – creating a home group has easier set-up, easier file and media sharing across multiple PCs, along with one step printer sharing, simple security control
• HomeGroup – connecting multiple devices and sharing music, photos, documents and more
• Direct Access – this feature enables IT managers to provide mobile users with reliable and security-enhanced access to corporate network resources when they are on the Internet, without having to initiate a VPN connection. It also allows servicing and updating of remote PCs, even when they are on the road. This helps ensure that all mobile PCs are always up to date, and Windows Powershell means IT pros can automate many standard tasks to help reduce helpdesk costs, minimize user disruption and ease PC management. Direct Access is delivered by Windows 7 with Windows Server 2008 R2
• BranchCache – delivered jointly by Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, this feature enables IT pros to decrease the time branch office users spend waiting to download files from remote servers by caching the previously accessed content locally in a branch’s network
• Libraries – helps you find files faster. Gives users a single view of content across multiple sources

The Windows 7 upgrade edition costs $119 for the Home Premium version and $219 for the Ultimate edition. We highly recommend it.

Google is partnering with iLike and Lala for a new music service. Both of these sites allow users to stream samples of any song in their catalogs, while Lala allows users to stream whole songs once, on-demand before requiring a small fee. The sites also allow users to embed the stream in a site. Because both sites have signed deals will all four major record labels, the vast majority of music will be available.

Google has long had a music search built into results, despite never having advertised it much, useable with a simple “music:� operator. Results included a listing of songs and albums that matched the query, with links to music sellers to purchase the songs. While this is strictly conjecture, we’re predicting that Google will start incorporating song streams directly into the search results.

While the music labels are usually seemingly adverse to any incorporation of new technology, they’ll likely be happy with all the extra eyes being directed to sites where users might purchase music legally. The offical announcement is scheduled for October 28, so we’ll let you know if anything changes.

Tumor growth is actually relatively common; however, most tumors are benign, and do not invasively grow further outward or take up residence in other locations. That process, known as metastasis, is the true killer in cancer, as the body becomes unable to fight off the multiple new tumors that begin to disrupt normal body function.

The ACS is now telling patients that we may be over-treating the less-threatening tumors, and in the process missing more-threatening cases.  Since advocating screening, the ACS acknowledges that cancer diagnoses have increased. However, for frequent screenings to actually prove beneficial to the public health, there should have been a corresponding decrease in cancer deaths. Instead, widespread screening has only led to an increase in the discovery and treatment of tumors that would have remained harmless and wouldn’t have required any intervention.

While screening has resulted in fewer late-stage cancer cases for colon and cervical cancers, unfortunately there’s no data to show that we’ve seen fewer deaths in breast and prostate cancers, and doctors are now worried that the public has been over-promised on the benefits of some cancer screens.

However, Colin Begg, a biostatistician at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York told The Times that he’s worried that the message will confuse the public who will assume that all cancer screenings are unnecessary. “I am concerned that the complex view of a changing landscape will be distilled by the public into yet another ‘screening does not work’ headline. The fact that population screening is no panacea does not mean that it is useless,� he said.

For now, it will just take time for doctors and researchers to determine which tumors should be treated, and which, counter intuitively should be left alone. In the mean time, follow the advice of your doctor, whatever that might be.

(photo via)

The ability to grow new tissues in a lab is an area of much fervor. The long list of people waiting for an organ transplant certainly could use it, as could land mine victims. One of the largest hurdles in tissue engineering is the development of bone, which requires certain chemical signals to grow. While researches have long known what these signals are, they have yet to be able to deliver them in a way that leads to proper bone growth.

Now, researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a new technology meant to aide the human body in growing new bone. The scientists developed a flexible scaffolding of soluble fibers that promote the growth by trapping the growth-stimulating drugs within the scaffold, preventing them from being metabolized too quickly by the body, and holding them in specific locations to dictate the growth pattern of the new bone.

While the technology is far from being ready to test in human subjects, the scientists predict that the technology could be used at first to grow new bone for dental implants. Further developments could eventually allow the technology to be adapted for cosmetic surgeries, allowing patients to grow their own implants.

“Our fibers provide all the advantages that clinicians in tissue regeneration are calling for,” says Professor Meital Zilberman. “Being thin, they’re ideal when delicate scaffolds are called for. But they can also be the basic building blocks of bones and tissues when bigger structures are needed.”

Further research will be aimed at growing new types of tissues, and eventually developing complete sets of tissues. We may never be able to grow a new arm on our own, but science may give us a way in the future.

How much does size matter?

One of the best parts about a netbook is also one of its drawbacks.

They’re small.

The keyboards are undersized. The displays are tiny. But the battery life is huge, and that’s why netbooks are the hottest thing going right now.

The Lenovo S12 attempts to bridge the gap by tossing up a 12.1-inch screen and slightly larger keyboard than the usual netbook. But it is still a netbook with out the bells, whistles and optical drives of traditional computers. This model doesn’t yet have the much rumored and hotly anticipated Nvidia Ion chipset, which will let us run 1080p video and modern PC games on a low power netbook. Therefore, we’re still dealing with a regular old netbook that’s a little bigger.

That’s not a bad thing, mind you. The S12 gets more than five hours of battery life during normal use. You can squeeze out more juice if you’re really careful. The glossy screen is surprising light on the eyes. It’s back-lit running at 1280×800, which is much higher than other netbooks we’ve encountered out there.

The S12 has three USB 2.0 ports, an ethernet port, a 4-in-1 card reader, a 1.3-megapixel Webcam, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, an ExpressCard slot and a standard six-cell battery, which is very, very necessary. Some earlier models came with the three-cell battery. Don’t bother.

The interface is comfortable, and the touchpad is smooth and easy to navigate with. The keyboard is really comfortable to type on, but Lenovo switched the FN and CTRL keys on the left side of the keyboard. It’s a huge pain, because when you think you’re hitting CTRL-C, you’re actually hitting FN-C and not copying that text you wanted.

The 160GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM are both sufficient for the needs of a netbook user. You can even sneak a few video files on there.

The Intel ATOM N270 processor is also sufficient, especially because the S12 runs Windows XP.

Lenovo also throws in a hard drive backup utility that operates independent of the operating system and a facial recognition security utility that uses the on-board webcam.

If you’re looking for a slightly larger than normal netbook that’s comfortable, with decent battery life, look no further. At $449, it’s pricier than what you might find at the store, but the computer is stable, fairly speedy and still cheaper than a “real” laptop.

We could probably file this under “Obvious Science,� but officals at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate Troy, NY have warned students that the sharing of cups during games of beer pong lead to the spread of disease, and especially of the spread of H1N1 this flu season. The same officials sent out a campus-wide email detailed a group of students who had all come down the virus after a weekend game.

Area schools are reporting many cases of the swine flu; RPI, a school of about 7,000 total students has reported 21 cases this semester so far.

(photo via)

Smith Micro’s Anime Studio Pro 6 ($199) is a vast update over the previous versions and adds many great new features. Enhancements to version 6 include motion tracking, integrated lip-syncing, a scatter brush, auto shading, morph targets, a new sequencer, HD video support along with the ability to export to more video formats and better scripting. This edition also adds speedier production times, improved drawing and design enhancements, the ability to directly upload content to YouTube right from the application and a large collection of predesigned graphics, sounds and templates.

I decided to put Mac version of the product to the test and the results stacked up well. One thing to note is this is a very large piece of software. The installation took about 578 megabytes of disk space, so I would recommend you have plenty of space before you go ahead and decide install this product. Other than that, the installation was smooth and took only about two minutes.

Anime Pro sports a sleek, clean interface, reminiscent of Photoshop or Flash. Performance-wise, everything seemed to run smoothly and I never ran up on any errors. Because this product is designed for professional use, there’s a bit of a learning curve and training may be necessary to fully utilize the capabilities of the software, but those who have used this product before will be satisfied with the interface, commands, tools and navigation of the application.

The applications preloaded content is especially useful for people who are just starting off. Within fifteen minutes I had my own animation going (AnimeStudioPro sample). It’s simple, but it just shows that in less then fifteen minutes, someone who has never used this product can get right to work with the simple, yet familiar interface.

The product retails for $199 new or $129 to upgrade from a previous version. If you currently use previous versions of this software, the new features are definitely worth the upgrade cost.

You can purchase this product online from Smith Micro’s online store.

Beyond manufacturing, the transport of wine in glass bottles across the country and around the world also takes its environmental toll. According to wine writer Tyler Colman, upwards of 90 percent of American wine is produced on the West Coast, but then shipped to the East Coast where the majority of wine consumers live. Trucking all these heavy glass bottles generates a much larger carbon footprint, ounce-for-ounce than the transportation of much lighter boxed wine. Almost half the weight of an ordinary case of wine comes from the bottles; about 95 percent of the weight of a case of boxed wine is the wine itself.

“A standard wine bottle holds 750 milliliters of wine and generates about 5.2 pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions when it travels from a vineyard in California to a store in New York,� reports Colman, who blogs at DrVino.com. “A 3-liter box generates about half the emissions per 750 milliliters.�  He concludes that switching to wine in a box “for the 97 percent of wines that are made to be consumed within a year� would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about two million tons, or the equivalent of removing 400,000 cars from the roads.

According to the Wine Group, the third largest wine company in the world by volume and a big advocate for switching away from glass bottles, there are other advantages to boxed wine (which typically includes a plastic bag within a cardboard box). The vacuum packaging of boxed wines allows the contents to stay fresh for up to six weeks in the fridge once the seal is broken and the first glass has been poured. The Wine Group has launched the “Better Wines Better World� website in an attempt to curry public favor for technologically advanced, environmentally friendly and economically practical boxed wines.

Still, despite the benefits, boxed wine may still be a tough pill to swallow for many wine connoisseurs still bent on tradition. “Even those traditionalists who are coming around to the idea that maybe screw caps are fine for some wines, balk at the idea of a cellar full of cardboard boxes,� says wine writer and vineyard owner Lee Asbell. “It is difficult to imagine how wine service at fine-dining establishments would handle such a change.� For now, boxed wine is still the domain of cheaper brands. But that could all change as more and more wine makers and drinkers take up the mantle of saving the Earth.

Coming in early 2010, Google will open its e-book store with 50,000 titles. The books would be indexed and searchable via the Google Books site. This also means that purchasers will have access to the purchased books via a web interface as well as on their reading devices. Users’ browsers will also allow the books to be cached for offline reading using Google Gears.

While nothing official relating to Google’s new OS announced, a web-app for reading e-books fits in perfectly with Google’s plans to moving everything into a Chrome browser-OS-web application system. Also, there are many companies currently offering e-books that have been a round for a while, so Google is hardly new to the game. At the same time, e-books have yet to truly catch on yet.

We, of course, would like to think that this is only because Google wasn’t playing the game.

The FDA warning comes after the government agency purchased and analyzed several products from the Internet that claimed to be “Tamiflu.”

“One of the orders, which arrived in an unmarked envelope with a postmark from India, consisted of unlabeled, white tablets taped between two pieces of paper. When analyzed by the FDA, the tablets were found to contain talc and acetaminophen, but none of the active ingredient oseltamivir,” the FDA said in a statement. The website was gone shortly after the FDA placed the order.

At the same time, the FDA also purchased four other products that arrived with various levels of Tamiflu, but were not approved for use in the US.

“Products that are offered for sale online with claims to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus must be carefully evaluated,” said FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg. “Medicines purchased from websites operating outside the law put consumers at increased risk due to a higher potential that the products will be counterfeit, impure, contaminated, or have too little or too much of the active ingredient.”

Two prescription antiviral drugs are approved by the FDA to treat or prevent the H1N1 virus: Tamiflu and Relenza. Consumers can also visit FDA’s website for tips about how to protect themselves when buying medicines online.

The iBend itself weighs less than one gram and is incredibly thin. They come 2 to a pack and are easy to store.

Three renowned artists from Canada, New York and California designed the Artist Series. Each artist was responsible for four designs, which come two per pack. This resulted in a grand total of 12 new designs for iPhone and iPod Touch owners.

The iBend Classic is available in black and white for $4.99 and the Artist Series packs are available for 7.99 from www.myibend.com

Car-like interiors with the higher stance of a SUV make this class appealing to those who no longer want a sedan but are not quite ready to make the leap to a full size SUV. The midsize crossover has developed appeal with all generations which has helped ease suburbia from the land of the minivan, into the land of the SUV. With the clouds clearing in Detroit, Ford and GM have finally stepped up with their finest in hopes that they can break into this competitive market as well as bring back their once loyal following.

When GM unveiled the redesigned Cadillac SRX with the signature “Here I am, look at me� front end, it made me stop and stare. Gone was the boxy, awkward past SRX and in the place was one that stood out in this already busting at the seams class. The sleek lines of the exterior wrap this crossover into a visually appealing package. From the front to the rear, it doesn’t look like anything else out on the road these days.

With four trim levels: Base, Luxury, Performance and Premium, and an array of standard options, this midsize crossover gives several manufactures a run for their money. The SRX starts at $33,330 and comes standard with FWD, a 3.0 liter V6 with 265 horsepower and optional AWD available. It provided enough get up and go, but late this fall, and well worth the upgrade, is the 2.8 turbocharged V6 that boasts 300 horsepower and 295 foot pounds of torque that would put a little zing in your drive.

The Haldex AWD system with electronic limited-slip and a tweaked suspension really make this one stand out. Both come standard with the upgrade.

The six speed transmission allows you to not only get around town in a conservative fuel sipping mode, but by switching to Sport, allows you to really enjoy the drive and watch this vehicle come alive. Braking was responsive and smooth.

The Cadillac quality we have come to expect is not forgotten once the door is opened. The interior provides a solid, quiet ride at both highway and city speeds. The optional soft, buttery leather wraps you in a power seat that would make the elevator in Willie Wonka seem sub-par — it goes in every direction possible. The ample legroom up front as well the ability to not rub elbows with the passenger make the interior of this midsize appear larger than it really is. The backseat provides room to seat two adults comfortably, three children not being an issue. Rear cargo room is ample enough to lug not only a double stroller but leaving room for groceries. By laying down the 60/40 split rear seats, a healthy shopping trip at your local home improvement store or a day of retail therapy could easily be contained in the 61.1 cubic feet.

The instrument cluster is neatly displayed with the center LCD allowing the owner to program and personalize the display. The layout of the entire dash is done in a neat, organized fashion that allows every control within reach surrounded by satin nickel and warm toned wood. The optional pop-up DVD navigation with a 40GB hard drive would impress even the techiest of techs. The options most now consider necessities such as integrated iPod connectivity, XM radio and OnStar are just a few additional features one can come to expect with a GM. With the optional sunroof, you just might find those riding in the rear a little more fascinated with the view from above thanks to the almost the entire center being composed of glass. For the those times you just want to crank up the radio loud and not enjoy the silence, the optional 10-speaker Bose® 5.1 Cabin Surround® Sound System will deliver crystal clear quality, no matter what you’re listening to.

The positives of the SRX include the multiple trim levels to appeal to even the savviest of buyers, zippy performance with surprising well handling, attractive styling and impressive features. The downsides are the average fuel economy, smaller cargo area and larger SUV sized pricing. The quality this vehicle oozes makes would make whomever owns it, proud to display the GM name once again on the road and in their garage.

Lincoln stepped into the scene in 2007 with their crossover, MKX, refining a few areas for 2010 model. The MKX is classy with the signature flashy Lincoln grill coupled with large headlights that make for a happy looking front and a smooth all around appearance. Starting price for the MKX is $38,345 for the FWD version, with several optional packages to pick from. Both the FWD and AWD come with a 3.5 liter V6 that has 265 horsepower and 250 pounds of torque each equipped with a six speed automatic transmission. The Duratec V6 provides enough power, but in the one I tested, was nothing to write home about. The transmission does not allow for any variation in drive style but it is surprisingly unnoticeable while accelerating. The braking patterns hint more like a truck, sometimes a bit sluggish and not as quick to respond for a vehicle this size.

Through the windows, the cashmere colored leather with black piping that came as part of the optional Monochrome Limited Edition package, made the interior appear bright and appealing. However, I was immediately disappointed with the excessive plastic that covered the door once I opened it. The ebony wood placed throughout the cabin appears plastic-like too. The front seats were given more than enough leg room with the distance between the two being comfortable, not squished. The supple leather cooled front seats provided another level of comfort during the hot October day. In the backseat, there is adequate seating for two adults. I felt claustrophobic as the roof felt rather close even at my average height. Any taller, one would find their head mashed against it, so forget about rocking a beehive if you plan on riding to the in the backseat. Leg room was appropriate and the backs of the seats were sufficient in providing ample support for those extended drives.

The interior remained quiet and provided a great buffer to the sounds outside of the vehicle even while stopped. A great option, Easy Fold release, allows with a push of a button for the rear seats to fold flat giving you a whopping 68.6 cubic feet of space to stuff with snowboards, camping gear, estate sale finds or annuals from the garden center. With the seats raised, a week worth of groceries and other normal sized items fit into the area with ease.

The instrument cluster fell under the category of boring even with the chrome and bright nickel accents. It’s plain, flat, uninteresting and can I say boring once more to drive it home? Lincoln played it too safe and could stand to add little WOW factor.

The optional voice activated navigation system provided by Integrated Sirus Travel Link, was very easy to use, but the screen is set too low. I had to look down for too long while driving.

MP3 player connectivity, Sirius radio and Sync are all available in the MKX. One of the best options has to be the Vista Roof, a large sliding front piece and a rear fixed panel. All passengers would dig the THX II Certified Audio System with 14 speakers, in dash 6-disc changer and a whopping 600 watts which cranked out enough power to satisfy the metal heads three cars over in traffic. It was loud, crisp, and I rocked out.

The positives of the MKX are the solid built construction Lincoln has perfected over the years, tomb like ride, satisfactory cargo area and an awesome audio system that you just might possibly be able to reenact the old Maxell commercial in. The downsides are the unimpressive engine, overly plastic interior and claustrophobic feeling one might have while riding in the rear seats.

Overall, the SRX wins in appearance, performance, and features. The SRX is a breath of fresh air to a class that provides many options but only a few can say they are truly a luxury midsize crossover. As Cadillac promised, when I turned on the SRX, it returned the favor. At a time when comebacks are welcomed, this one just might do the trick for GM.

Measuring just 9.99mm thick and curiously shapen when its open, the Adamo is intriguing. No word on specs, pricing, etc. Stay tuned on this one.

Image courtesy Enertia Building Systems.

Enertia is a brand name for homes designed and sold in kits by North Carolina-based Enertia Building Systems (EBS). The idea essentially marries the concepts of geothermal and passive solar heating/cooling into what amounts to a highly energy efficient hybrid system. Architectural inventor Michael Sykes coined the term “Enertia� in the 1980s to describe the innovative homes he was designing that would store solar and geothermal energy and make use of it for most if not all heating and cooling needs.

Under such a system, solid wood walls replace siding, framing, insulation and paneling, while an air flow channel�or “envelope��runs around the building inside the walls, creating what Sykes terms a miniature biosphere. Inside the envelope, solar heated air circulates, pumping and boosting geothermal energy from beneath the house and storing it within the wood mass of the walls, where it is doled out gradually.

By harnessing the properties of thermal inertia�the ability of materials to store heat and give it off slowly�an “Enertia� house maintains a relatively fixed and comfortable temperature throughout the warmer day (when solar heat is collected and stored) and cooler night (when the wood walls give off heat to keep things toasty as the mercury dips).

The heart of the system is a south-facing sun space within the envelope that is dominated by windows and which therefore soaks up lots of solar energy, filling the house’s wood walls with thermal energy that in turn radiates into the primary living space. The entire house functions like an electric heat pump�moving warm and cool air around to accommodate the comfort needs of the occupants. It works even throughout the seasonal changes of the year�with minimal to no fossil fuels consumed or pollution generated.

In one Enertia house in North Carolina, the only power bill the owners typically pay is $35/month for electricity. They also have a back-up in-floor radiant heating system powered by natural gas for long cloudy stretches or unusually cold weather. Gas bills for heat typically total $150 for the year, meaning the owners’ total annual outlay for heating, cooling and electricity is less than $600�some $1,000 less than traditional homes in the same zip code are paying, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy.

EBS markets several different designs for its Enertia houses, but all share the basic premise of primary interior living space heated and cooled by air channeled in from a south-facing “buffer zone� envelope and from below grade. Smaller houses in the line top out at about 2,000 square feet over two floors of living space, while larger ones encompass some 4,000 square feet of living space over three floors. Depending on the model, you could spend anywhere from $66,000 to $292,000 for a complete plan and building materials kit. The rest�including the selection and cost of the land and the labor to build the house�is up to you.

Blast relies on a big MySQL database for all its stuff. It’s a great technology that let us and millions of others run dynamic websites.

More and more people turning to WordPress and content management platforms on their own domains, through hosting providers that make setting up your SQL database a cinch.

But like any database — or like any pile of data — it gets cluttered, and your hosting provider usually isn’t there to help with these problems.

Just like your computer’s hard drive needs to be defragged every now and then, it’s also a good idea to “optimize” your MySQL tables. Optimizing a messy database can create drastic performance improvements.

Here’s how.

Before you do ANYTHING to your database, make sure you back it up. A good method is to “export” the database to a file on your hard drive. We aren’t responsible if you screw up.

The common MySQL management tool is called phpMyAdmin, and it can usually be accessed by typing the name of your SQL server into your browser and logging in. Once you’re in, click on the database you want to optimize. On the left panel, you’ll see all the database’s tables. Scroll to the bottom and click “check all.”

Then — very carefully — click the dropdown menu and select “Optimize table.” Again, be careful, because “drop” and “empty” are also options in this menu. You don’t want to click those.

Now your server will run an analysis, repair and optimization sequence on your entire database. It can take a few minutes depending on the size of your database.

Enjoy your optimized MySQL database.

As reported by Universal Hub, the group says it owns a patent for the type of layout that Facebook uses in its user profiles.

Tele-Publishing says their patent was awarded in 2001.

The federal suit, filed in US District Court in Boston seeks unspecified damages, but Facebook’s owners recently settled for millions in a suit brought by ConnectU, for allegedly stealing its creator’s idea. The current lawsuit also seeks an end to Facebook using their patented layout

If Tele-Publishing wins, this could be a game changer for the social networking world. The patent denotes a method by which a user can upload data and images to a server to create a web page.

We talked to Barracuda Networks, a California-based company best known for its spam and virus firewalls. The company also offers storage, backup and e-mail archiving solutions.

The controversy originated from a Boston Globe request to review e-mails from advisers to Mayor Thomas M. Menino. But city hall could only account for 18 e-mails sent or received in a six month period from Michael J. Kineavy, Menino’s Cabinet chief of policy and planning and one of his closest advisers. City hall acknowledged that Kineavy deletes his e-mails on a daily basis, which circumvents the city’s nightly backup process. The city has said Kineavy’s actions exploited a glitch in the backup process because he both deleted his messages from his inbox and cleared his deleted items folder.

Government officials’ e-mails are a matter of public record.

Kineavy has since taken an unpaid leave of absence. But could this all have been prevented?

After talking with Barracuda and doing some of our own research, it is clear that City Hall addressed the issue of preserving its e-mail messages incorrectly. Boston’s backup process is a poor solution for archiving e-mails, and it runs contrary to accepted best practices.

“Relying on users to save e-mails (i.e. ‘do the right thing’) and not delete e-mails is prone to failure as people can mistakes,” said Barracuda spokeswoman Kylie Heintz.

Having faith in traditional backup systems is not the right answer. Even without the “glitch� that allowed e-mails to be permanently deleted, the City of Boston’s approach to ensuring all e-mails are saved by backing up the e-mail system was not ideal.

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There is a functional difference between “archiving” and “backing up.”

Archiving is like storing e-mails in a filing cabinet in your office or an alphabetized library card catalog. Backup is like locking them all in a safe deposit box in the bank, behind a time-lock and a password that only the bank manager knows.

Backup systems typically compress all the files and messages into a single file — similar to “zipping” your photos so they take up less room on your hard drive. This creates another problem, because it’s more difficult to search inside these compressed files.

Even if Kineavy hadn’t deleted his e-mails, it still may have been difficult for the city to find, isolate and release his messages.

A backup process is routine, predictable and easy for an end-user to avoid. These processes rely on the end-user’s system. Products like the Barracuda Message Archiver and many of its competitors completely take the end-user out of the equation. An archiver is ideal in these situations, because these products save messages at the server level. Whenever an e-mail is sent or received by the server, the archiver takes it, copies it, saves it and makes a search-able index so that messages can be found later on.

Since public officials’ e-mails need to be saved, it is expected that they will need to be searched through at some point in time — like if a journalist requests copies of them. Backup systems are not designed with archiving in mind. The only way to access e-mails from backup systems is to restore the backup file and then manually search through the results. This is very time consuming, error prone and expensive.

Several cities in Massachusetts use hardware archiving solutions, and Heintz confirmed that some used Barracuda’s Message Archiver. None of the cities would go on the record for Blast, however, given the controversy surrounding e-mail

Boston’s backup script was a good solution for a disaster or system failure, but not necessarily the best solution for a public records request. Archiving is a superior method for public records requests.

“Organizations have needs for both,� according to Aseem Asthana, Message Archiver Product Manager at Barracuda Networks. Backup is vital to organizations. If something happens to an e-mail server, or a natural disaster wipes the server out, a backup can be used to restore all the data present at the time of the backup. But pulling individual files is more difficult. Often, an information technology professional is required to restore individual files from a backup.

An archiver, as opposed to a backup, allows e-mails to be accessed readily and seamlessly.

Menino’s office did not respond to a request to comment on this story.

We acknowledge that Barracuda is a for-profit company. Its Message Archiver starts at $1,999, but it would cost about 10 times that for a model amped up to serve a major city like Boston.

But it would also have saved a few headaches and maybe prevented Boston’s E-mailgate scandal.

John M. Guilfoil of the Blast staff contributed to this report.

Clarification: We changed the sentence “A backup process is routine, predictable and avoidable.” to “A backup process is routine, predictable and easy for an end-user to avoid.”

While many of these discoveries are based on shoddy science, a recent study, which was actually rather elegant in design, has found that a lack of social interaction can lead to increased breast cancer tumor growth, indicating that social environment could play a role, along with environmental and genetic factors, in the determination of the severity of a cancer.

The study used genetically similar mice that are altered so that they develop mammary tumors. Mice were either housed alone or with other mice. The mice kept alone showed greater tumor growth than the mice housed together.

Scientifically, the researchers found higher stress hormone levels in the mice housed alone before there were even measurable changes in the tumor sizes. Even though the two groups of mice were genetically very similar, the stress hormones caused measurable changes in gene expression before there was even any indication that the tumors in the two groups were growing differently.

The researches point out hat they intend to focus further research on researching the specific cell types in which these genetic changes are occurring, and then targeting the pathways that connect the stress hormones to their detrimental effects rather than to suggest that cancer patients should maintain strong social contacts.

Either way, every new thing we learn about cancer is another tool in our arsenal to conquer the disease, and this is an interesting find that gives scientists a new avenue of research.

Image courtesy Flickr/Rick in Rio.

Shooting from a plane in the sky at Kirtland Air Force base at the White Sands Missile Range in, this was the first time the laser had been switched on with the intent of casing damage. And damage it caused, as evidenced by the video the Air Force released of the weapon in action.

The weapon was developed by Boeing for the military to use in dense urban environments, where highly targeted weapons are valued to minimize collateral damage. “This milestone demonstrates that directed energy weapon systems will transform the battlespace and save lives by giving war fighters a speed-of-light, ultra-precision engagement capability that will dramatically reduce collateral damage,” said Greg Hyslop, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems.

Even though it may appear that this is the Air Force preparing for a battle with Megatron, the weapon, along with a similar sibling laser to be mounted on a 747 as a missile defense system, still have more testing to undergo before they’ll be completely combat ready.

Thanks Nichole!

For reasons still unknown to public health experts, certain cities across the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe and Africa have seen an explosion in bed bugs in recent years. According to Larry Pinto, author of The Techletter, a leading information source for the pest control industry, increased worldwide travel and the rising popularity of second-hand goods may be factors in the resurgence of bed bugs, but the most likely reason is our rejection of DDT and other harsh insecticides composed of chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Pinto suggests that the kinder, gentler pesticides available now, as well as more conservative pest control methods (such as using bait traps for specific infestations instead of all-around, periodic preventative spraying) are less effective at keeping bed bugs�and likely other pests�away.  “Modern insecticides are proving to be somewhat ineffective against bed bugs,� he reports, adding that insects can also develop some level of resistance to insecticides in general.

Due to the bed bug problem in many cities, charities like Goodwill often won’t accept old mattresses or couches any longer. Consumers should beware of purchasing reconditioned or used mattresses and furniture accordingly. Even new mattresses can arrive at your home already infested, especially if they travel in trucks that contain old mattresses that new customers are discarding. If you can drive your new mattress home from the store yourself you are more likely to avoid a bed bug infestation altogether.

The upside of our abandonment of pesticides like DDT, of course, is the resurgence of bald eagles and other wildlife negatively affected by the accumulation of such toxins in the environment during the latter half of the 20^th century. DDT was causing the shells of bird eggs to be thin and weak, resulting in many fewer hatchlings. By the mid-1960s, the U.S. played host to only 400 breeding pairs of bald eagles�less than one percent of the bird’s estimated population in the region prior to white settlement. DDT was finally banned in 1972, and today nearly 10,000 breeding pairs of bald eagles thrive in the continental U.S.

Some home-use treatments made with natural non-toxic ingredients are now available. XeroBugs’ Best Yet, a top choice of hotel/motel managers, makes use of cedar oil and natural enzymes to kill bed bugs. Another leading product is Rest Easy Bed Bug Spray, which uses cinnamon and other natural ingredients. Although these products are deemed effective, some argue that they don’t work nearly well enough to eradicate what some are calling a bed bug epidemic. Some are even calling for bringing back DDT (for use in small doses and for specific applications only) to help eradicate the growing bed bug problem.

But no matter how much I try to justify it to myself, I just don’t have that much of a reason to personally have a car. I ride my bike around town eight months out of the year and curse the MBTA’s existence the other four. Cambridge, the place I call home, is replete with bike lines on practically every major thoroughfare, and Boston is certainly attempting to get there too. And when all else fails, I’m always up for a lovely stroll through town. It’s Boston, after all!

But there are times when it’s clear that I need a car. Like for my frequent trips to Ikea. Or like every eight or so weeks when I go on a massive grocery shopping binge because I hate walking back and forth between the grocery store, even though its only ten minutes away form my house. Or like every eight weeks when I do the laundry because I hate doing laundry with every fiber of my being.

Luckily for those times, there’s Zipcar. If you’ve been living underneath a rock, I’ll � pardon the pun � zip Zipcar up for you. The Cambridge based and founded company allows licensed drivers aged 21 and over to rent a wide variety of cars parked all over the city by the hour or by the day.

If you’re feeling eco-conscious, grab Prius Pete � every Zipcar has an adorable, alliterative name � from the Genzyme Garage in Kendall Square for $7 per hour. If you’re feeling flashier, grab Baker the BMW 328 for $13 per hour from the Boston Common garage.

To become a Zipcar member, users pay a $50 annual fee to join. For those who only grab a car every now and then, they pay the hourly or day-rate for whichever vehicle they want. For those who drive more often, users can make a minimum monthly commitment, and cash in on discounted rates. Every reservation includes 180 miles of driving, a gas card to fill the car up � and make sure to use it any time the vehicle falls beneath a quarter tank! � insurance to cover your indiscretions, and a parking pass if the Zipcar lives in a non-free lot.

Users make a reservation, tap their RFID-tagged Zipcard on the windshield to unlock the vehicle, which already has the key inside the ignition. They then zip around town, and then lock it up when finished by tapping their Zipcard on the windshield again.

Car sharing is as simple as the name sounds. The cars are meant to be parked near where users will need them. Because everyone pays a membership fee, they all in a way jointly own and share the vehicles. Everyone is expected to fill the gas when it gets low, keep the car relatively clean, and keep it from being damaged. Zipcar will even reimburse users that pay for a carwash. Another big part of car sharing is making sure the vehicle is where it’s supposed to be. When Zipcar says your reservation is over at 6:00 PM, they mean 6:00 PM, sharp. If you haven’t locked your car up by then, you’ll get a late fee. Get enough late fees, and Zipcar will suspend you from driving.

Obviously, I don’t want to turn you off from Zipcar. You have to really piss someone off to actually get your account suspended, and because it’s a car sharing program after all, users are usually rather fanatic and therefore largely respectful of the rules. Overall, Zipcar is simple, effective, and much better than having a car and insurance payment every month � plus, for me at least, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to driving a Beamer before I can ever afford one of my own.

While Zipcar got its start in Cambridge back in 2000, it has since spread to 49 cities across the world. Zipcar was founded by residents Robin Chase and Antje Danielson who based the company on car-sharing programs similar to those in Europe. By the end of 2002, the company had 6,000 users in Boston, D.C., and New York.

Zipcar got its start by stocking different neighborhoods with different cars, giving each area it’s own identity. In Cambridge, home to the recycling, biking, hippie granola crunchy type, the company filled the neighborhood with gas-sipping Priuses. In the Back Bay, Zipsters were more likely to want a showier convertible Mini-Cooper for weekend trips to the Cape.

Now in 2009, Zipcar has merged with former rival Flexcar, and now commands a fleet of 6,000 vehicles for 675,000 users in places as far as Ann Arbor, Mich., Tuscaloosa, Alab., and even across the pond in London. In fact, in one of the tougher economic times we’ve seen, Zipcar is preparing itself to go public, and is launching an IPO in 2010. The company is constantly adding cars to its fleet and expanding its user base. With the influx of cash from an IPO, Zipcar really will be going places.

What makes Zipcar so special is its amazing blend of cute personality, sharp business prowess, and of course, cutting edge technology. The technology starts when you try to start the car. Sitting in the upper right corner of every Zipcar is a little black box. When you tap your Zipcard on the windshield above it, the system sends out a signal to Zipcar HQ over EVDO � yes, that ancient data technology your old cell phone used to run � that matches your card to a reservation to a specific Zipcar. When everything aligns correctly, the black box unlocks the car door, the black box releases the kill switch on the engine, and you get in and drive off.

The black box is also hooked into the on-board diagnostics system, or OBD. When my Zipcar wouldn’t start on a particularly cold January night, I called Zipcar, and the helpful man on the phone could already tell me that I had killed the car battery by leaving my headlights during my quick trip into Trader Joe’s. If you somehow lock your Zipcard inside the vehicle, a quick phone call to Zipcar customer service can unlock it. Likewise, the black box has a simple GPS system so that the vehicles can be located should they wander off and get lost. The same kill switch that keeps the car from being stolen can also kill the car should it somehow manage to drive off.

However, the newest technology debuted at the tail-end of September is, of course, Zipcar’s new iPhone app. Up to now, users have had to make reservations though the Zipcar website, the mobile website, or over the phone. Both of the websites are robust, AJAXy, and a breeze to use. The phone however, well, lets just say it’s not Zipcar’s fault if you’re using a technology from the 19th century.

But now with the magic of the Zipcar iPhone app, users can locate themselves on a map of all of Zipcar’s offerings, make a reservation, and even unlock the car from inside the application. When I did just that with my iPhone app, I almost cried from the sheer amazingness of what I’d just done. It also made me feel amazingly futuristic, despite the fact that we’re all supposed to have personal jetpacks in the future. And OK, fine, people have been able to remotely unlock cars since OnStar in the 90s, but that still required calling someone who was sitting at a computer somewhere in Arizona. Now, I can do it from my touch screen god-phone.

Using the rest of the app was just as easy as you would expect Zipcar to make it. Making my reservation was a breeze. The app grayed out all Zipcar lots that didn’t have a car that matched my time reservation. If you needed the exact location of a Zipcar lot, the app would send the exact coordinates to your Maps application which would then direct you to the lot. While my reservation as open, I could extend the time I needed the car from inside the app as well.

Zipcar polled its users and found that 25% of them had an iPhone, hence releasing their first app on Apple’s platform. Everyone else without an iPhone can still use the mobile website to make reservations. Also, once you’ve given Zipcar your cell phone number, they’ll send you text message reminders about your reservations. You can then extend your reservation just by texting Zipcar back. “Ext30mâ€Â� will get you an extra half-hour to get back while “End today 4pmâ€Â� will do just what it says.

Zipcar has always been a company to embrace technology, and now every car in their fleet now comes equipped with an auxillary cord to plug into your iPod or mp3 player of choice, so you can jam out to Taylor Swift, or any other embarrassing musical offering you might enjoy. Every car has a toll-tag that auto-magically bills your Zipcar account for the tolls.

Another thing that’s hard to ignore about Zipcar is that the company is rather green�and we’re talking about more than its logo. Like I said before, I only drive a Zipcar when I really need one. But if I had a car of my own, I’d probably take a lot more places. That means I’m driving more, burning more gas, and doing my part to warm the earth with more carbon dioxide. When you factor in people who just use Zipcar instead of owning a car, that’s a lot fewer miles being driven out there.

Zipcar recognizes this, and discounts the Priuses in its fleet more than the other vehicles. Zipcar even ran a “low-car diet challenge� which in return for media coverage, encourage drivers to hang up their keys for a month and ride public transit or use a Zipcar when absolutely necessary. While the miles saved from these twelve users is merely a minuscule blip in the amount of carbon spewed into the atmosphere by the millions of drivers in the U.S. every day, the ideas are still a good one. It’s also a counter intuitive notion, considering that Zipcar essentially makes its money when people drive, but it’s just the good-nature of the company. When was the last time you saw gas companies encouraging eco-consciousness?

Zipcar is here for good it seems, and that’s something that I, and thousands of other users certainly embrace. While Zipcar advertises through print frequently, a lot of Zipcar’s brand strength comes through word of mouth. Zipcar user Matthew Lasek shared just such a story. “About two weeks ago I rented a Volvo and zipped to the hardware store to fill up on more paint, brushes and cleaner to remove all the paint I would inevitably spill. While locking the car a 65 year-old woman asked ‘So how does Zipcar work?’” Lasek then explained the entire membership and rental rental process to the questioning woman, Brookline resident Lauren Smith, who lamented how expensive it is to rent a cart through a traditional car service and how she hated asking her daughter to drive her on her errands.

When asked to sum up the Zipcar experience, Lasek put it like this: “I think this is what Zip Car is: freedom. This strong and able senior wanted to have the freedom to do something as simple as go to Johnny’s Fresh Market; while my exploits in Zipcars to the beach or Six Flags are a little more adventurous, the fact remains that Zipcar lets us do things that our own two legs can’t, or what our wallets would prohibit.”

Images courtesy Zipcar, the author, and Flickr users Andrew Currie, rakka, reinvented, and scoobyfoo.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 is great if you get the optional 6-cell battery

Here’s an old reviewers’ question for you. Is it fair to judge a product by its default configuration?

I recently called the Dell Inspiron Mini 10’s 3-cell 24WHr battery a deal breaker, and it’s absolutely true. Dell’s netbook gets just over three hours of battery life, which is poor by both small laptop and netbook standards.

But when you’re buying the Mini 10, you can upgrade to a 6-cell battery with more than six hours of life for just $30.

A lot of people, I’d imagine, just buy the default configuration, not wanting to deal with the specs, like the difference between the hard drive and optional SSD drive.

Even with its 10″ x 7″ x 1″ dimensions, weighing only 2.63 pounds in my test, I’d never recommend someone buy the Mini in its default form.

It’s principle. The Mini 10 is an otherwise stellar computer. It’s fast, light, comes in a variety of colors, has an on-board TV tuner with HD antenna and cable adapter, comes with an HDMI port, SD/MS/MMC card reader, 3 USB ports, ethernet and built-in a/g/n WiFi. Even the display puts it over the top. The Mini 10 standard (as opposed to the V edition) comes with a 720p HD display. The keyboard is small, like on all netbooks, but it’s more comfortable than the Asus Eee PC that won the day in my Globe story.

At $349, the Inspiron 10 is a good value with this anchor called a 3-cell battery holding it down.

Dell should drop the 3-cell battery, make the 6-cell the default and only battery option, and charge $379 for the product. That would still make it cheaper than most of the Asus, HP and Lenovo competitors, and other reviews back up the fact that the Dell is right behind these laptops.

Dell’s idea with the Mini appears to have been to give users more regular “computer” features. The HDMI port is a great touch, and even the digital TV was appreciated. It’s pre-configured, and the software actually works. the Dell TV software fires up, scans the signal for channels, and works quickly and easily — and that’s from Dell. Years ago, if you bought a Dell, you could easily spend an hour or two deleting all their bloated support and utility software.

So let’s do this:

Dell Inspiron Mini 10 with a 3-cell battery.

Dell Inspiron Mini 10 with a 6-cell battery.

If Dell throws in the 6-cell battery and throws out the 3-cell without jacking the price too much, then I believe it’s a winner. Good screen, good keyboard, Atom processor, television, HD video — all great features, but something has to power it all.

An example of accelerator pedal interference caused by out-of-position all-weather floor mat. (Media credit/Courtesy of NHTSA)

“This is an urgent matter,� said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “For everyone’s sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.�

According to NHTSA, the problem is with the clearance of the actual foot pedal.

Toyota and Lexus vehicles affected by this consumer alert are:

• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2004-2009 Prius
• 2005-2010 Tacoma
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2007-2010 ES 350
• 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350

According to NHTSA, in September 2007, Toyota recalled another all-weather floor mat sold for use in some 2007 and 2008 model year Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry vehicles because of similar problems.

For more information, call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s hotline at 888-327-4236 or the Toyota Experience Center at 800-331-4331 or the Lexus Customer Assistance Center at 800-255-3987.

Admittedly, tires aren’t the sexiest things, but recent technological advances have made them easier on the planet.

The dB Super E-spec tires from Yokohama are made with orange oil, which replaces much of the normally-used petroleum. This new tire represents one of the biggest breakthroughs in tire making since the more than century-old discovery of vulcanized rubber. It certainly gives new meaning to the common auto phrase, “peel out.”

“We’re trying to help save the planet, one orange oil tire at time,” said Yokohama’s Mark Chung. “Essentially, the Super E-spec blends renewable natural rubber with the orange oil extracted from peels at juicing plants. This combo makes the tire 80 percent petroleum free, which is great for the environment.”

“Folks can also save cash at the gas pump because the orange oil tires are lighter and more fuel efficient. Every gallon of gas saved by the Super E-spec means 20 fewer pounds of CO2 released into the atmosphere,” said Chung.

Another way fuel efficiency is achieved is through proper tire inflation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that approximately 37 million cars and 29 million trucks have underinflated tires. According to AAA, a motorist who drives an average of 12,000 miles annually on tires that are underinflated by five to eight psi (pounds per square inch) is wasting up to 50 gallons of gasoline, equating to $141.50 (at $2.83 a gallon) a year. That’s more than half the cost of a week’s worth of groceries ($226) for a family of four, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Yokohama offers additional earth-friendly tips:

• Once a month, check tire inflation when the tires are cold (at least three to four hours after the vehicle has been driven) check tire pressure with a reliable tire gauge. Be sure that the valve stems have a plastic or metal cap to keep dirt out and seal against leakage.
• Tires should be rotated at least every 6,000 to 8,000 miles and the alignment should be checked once a year. Misaligned tires can cause the car to scrub, which lowers mileage and causes unnecessary tire wear.
• An overinflated tire changes and increases wear on the center of the tread. A tire is designed to run with the vehicle’s weight spread correctly in the road contact zone.
• Clean or replace your air filter. A clogged air filter blocks the air needed to burn fuel efficiently which wastes gas.
• Keep your car tuned up according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule and you’ll keep all systems in good working order, which can optimize your mileage.
• Slow down. For every five miles per hour you go above 60 mph, you’re lowering your gas mileage and, ultimately, paying even more for each gallon of gas.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

GMC had announced earlier in the year that it would continue to manufacture Saturns until 2011 but in April they stated they were looking to sell or close the brand.

In June, negotiations began with Roger Penske, and his company Penske Automotive Group Inc, to sell off Saturn. In the deal Penske would get roughly 350 dealerships and 13,000 employees. The deal, which was supposed to close today, fell through because Penske could not find a manufacturer to provide the vehicles. GM had previously agreed to continue producing the vehicles until 2011, and after that Penske and Saturn would be on their own. Penske had a tentative deal with a third, unnamed auto company, but that company’s board of directors rejected the agreement, bringing the entire deal to its knees.

GM will stop producing Saturns as soon as possible and will phase out its dealerships. Saturn owners can still receive service at a Saturn Dealership or any GM certified dealer after the closures.

The software uses Microsoft’s own Dynamic Signature Service which fingerprints threats constantly, without having to wait for new definitional updates. The tool is low-resource, and minimizes CPU and memory usage while the computer in use. Of course, the biggest advantage will come when the vast majority of users have installed the software, preventing the spread of malware between users. While Microsoft has no plans to push MSE out to its users, the real benefit will come when it decides to do so.

MSE has remained largely unchanged since the beta tests, and requires no registration, trials or renewals and will be available for download directly from Microsoft for XP SP2 through Windows 7, although users will have to pass a Windows Genuine Advantage test to download the product.