Nikon D3 and D300 Scene Recognition System Developer Interview
Nikon has provided a behind the scenes interview with the developer of their new scene recognition system technology which is incorporated in the latest Nikon D3 and D300 digital cameras. Leveraging the data provided by their 1005 pixel RGB matrix meter, Nikons new SRS provides more precise subject identification, optimizing autofocus, exposure and white balance detection. See full story...
Monday, September 29, 2008
Photokina 2008: Wednesday Wrap Up
- Fuji Real 3D close to market?
- Interchangeable optics in Lensbaby
- Video: Canon IS at work
- Leica D-Lux 4 previewed
Stephen Hawking to send DNA into space
Stephen Hawking to send DNA into space
Along with daughter Lucy, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is planning to send his digitized DNA into space as part of NCsoft’s Operation Immortality. The pair hopes the exercise will help publicize the Archon X PRIZE for Genomics; a competition that will award $10 million to the first person or team that can sequence 100 human genomes within 10 days or less...
Tags: DNA, Space Travel, X-Prize
Related Articles: 
Along with daughter Lucy, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is planning to send his digitized DNA into space as part of NCsoft’s Operation Immortality. The pair hopes the exercise will help publicize the Archon X PRIZE for Genomics; a competition that will award $10 million to the first person or team that can sequence 100 human genomes within 10 days or less...
Tags: DNA, Space Travel, X-Prize
Related Articles:
- Stephen Hawking chooses a new voice
- Google co-founder joins space tourism club
- The Intelligent dustbin
- Australia considered as location for Suborbital Spaceport
- Space Adventures to build a Sub-Orbital Spaceport
- Space Adventurer Greg Olsen successfully launches to the International Space Station
Silverlight 2 reaches release candidate stage
Running a little behind schedule, Microsoft have in the last few hours made Silverlight 2 RC0 available for developers to download. Originally the final release of Silverlight 2 was slated by end of the U.S. Summer which has now been and gone. Indica... (more in the full post) 
Read More
Read MoreRound Up: Photokina 2008 Top Five
Round Up: Photokina 2008 Top Five
So that's it: Photokina 2008 has come to a close. What newly announced technologies have the potential to make the biggest splash? Here are my top five picks.
So that's it: Photokina 2008 has come to a close. What newly announced technologies have the potential to make the biggest splash? Here are my top five picks.
Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) 2008 RTMs in initial form
Microsoft have finished of the first version of the new Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) which replaces the current ISA Server 2006 product.This initial version is titled 'Forefront Threat Management Gateway Small Business Edition'... (more in the full post) 
Read More
Read MoreIE7 icon missing On WinXP Desktop
IE7 icon missing On WinXP Desktop
My poor technician must have freaked out earlier today when his boss (me) suddenly burst into fits of hysterical laughter and couldn't stop giggling for at least 5 minutes.
The thing that provoked such mirth was a couple of lines from the Microsoft Help section. It read like a cross between Monty Pythons Cheese Skit and a programmers joke. The lines in question are bolded below.
Some claim it is part of Microsoft's anti-trust agreement responsibilities to have the icon removed and to also remove the ability to put the icon on the desktop as part of the display properties. Personally I think that is bollocks too. How long ago were the anti-trust hearings? Years. To take this long is a mockery of anti-trust, if indeed that was the causative action.
Secondly - with the advent of service pack three, Microsoft's IE components and Internet Explorer security properties are more tightly integrated with the system than ever. As an example, to Install Mozilla Firefox version 3 requires IE 7, or at least some of its components to be present. Why? Because without them some of the dialog boxes and under laying componentry is not present causing the failure of Mozilla 3 during installation.
Further more Mozilla Firefox Three is now so affected by the internet settings in XP that in order to tighten IE 7 to stop downloading and running active X ( and other executable code ) in the Internet Zone also disables downloads in Mozilla Firefox Three (Ref 1). It is now impossible to cripple IE's active X vulnerability completely without also crippling Mozilla's ability to download programmes. While some of these problems stem from Mozilla developers tying Firefox into the Internet Security Panel (Ref 2), the rest also points to Microsoft's embedding of IE in the operating system. Again, try removing IE7 and watch how fast Mozilla Firefox, and presumably other applications, fail.
As this blog entry isn't a rant about MS or how IE is such a PITA I wont go into detail about the fact that if you start IE7, after it has upgraded itself, you have no ability to set the default page until you stop pushing cancel and start answering the damn questions about security and settings youhave ... eeerrr .. had already dealt with previously and that has now been reverted by MS with the IE 7 upgrade.
Did I mention that trying to tell IE7 to push off and not bother me with Live Search (AKA dead useless) as I am already using Lycos, or google, or yahoo or wiki or ....bugger!!!!! There is now only live seach - and if I click on - "Go make another search engine the default" - Mozilla pops up as the default browser so I have to enable IE7 as the default browser to get rid of live search tool bar and then re-enable Mozilla as the default browser.
No IE7 tie in to the operating system - hah - my left testicale is less tied in to me than IE is to Microsofts OS.
1 - http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/07/firefox_3_follows_ie7s_securit_1.html
2 - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_save_or_download_files#Reset_system_Internet_security_settings_-_Windows
* DISCLAIMER - Not my programming practices - other peoples. I just had to explain or fix up their bollocks - honest injun - it wasn't me.
loadTOCNode(1, 'summary');loadTOCNode(1, 'cause'); 
My poor technician must have freaked out earlier today when his boss (me) suddenly burst into fits of hysterical laughter and couldn't stop giggling for at least 5 minutes.
The thing that provoked such mirth was a couple of lines from the Microsoft Help section. It read like a cross between Monty Pythons Cheese Skit and a programmers joke. The lines in question are bolded below.
SUMMARYTheAs a programmer I know that poor programming practice* leading to buggy functionality is often passed off on the poor unsuspecting customer as a 'feature' or an implementation 'by design'. For Microsoft to state that the ability to put the Internet Explorer icon on the desktop or Start Menu is not an issue and is by design is ludicrous. Further more for Service Pack Three to REMOVE the icon from the Start Menu or Desktop or even worse, to change the functionality of the icon to bring up Internet Properties instead of starting IE is doubly idiotic.
Internet Explorer icon might be missing after either you upgrade the
Internet Explorer version to 7, or installed through Windows updates.CAUSEThis
Back to the top
is not an issue and is by design. Unlike the previous versions of
Internet Explorer, the option to enable to Internet Explorer icon on
the Windows Desktop is not available. The behavior of Internet Explorer
7, which is bundled with Windows Vista is also the same.
[ BTW - HERE IS THE FIX FOR THIS ] -> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555849
Some claim it is part of Microsoft's anti-trust agreement responsibilities to have the icon removed and to also remove the ability to put the icon on the desktop as part of the display properties. Personally I think that is bollocks too. How long ago were the anti-trust hearings? Years. To take this long is a mockery of anti-trust, if indeed that was the causative action.
Secondly - with the advent of service pack three, Microsoft's IE components and Internet Explorer security properties are more tightly integrated with the system than ever. As an example, to Install Mozilla Firefox version 3 requires IE 7, or at least some of its components to be present. Why? Because without them some of the dialog boxes and under laying componentry is not present causing the failure of Mozilla 3 during installation.
Further more Mozilla Firefox Three is now so affected by the internet settings in XP that in order to tighten IE 7 to stop downloading and running active X ( and other executable code ) in the Internet Zone also disables downloads in Mozilla Firefox Three (Ref 1). It is now impossible to cripple IE's active X vulnerability completely without also crippling Mozilla's ability to download programmes. While some of these problems stem from Mozilla developers tying Firefox into the Internet Security Panel (Ref 2), the rest also points to Microsoft's embedding of IE in the operating system. Again, try removing IE7 and watch how fast Mozilla Firefox, and presumably other applications, fail.
As this blog entry isn't a rant about MS or how IE is such a PITA I wont go into detail about the fact that if you start IE7, after it has upgraded itself, you have no ability to set the default page until you stop pushing cancel and start answering the damn questions about security and settings you
Did I mention that trying to tell IE7 to push off and not bother me with Live Search (AKA dead useless) as I am already using Lycos, or google, or yahoo or wiki or ....bugger!!!!! There is now only live seach - and if I click on - "Go make another search engine the default" - Mozilla pops up as the default browser so I have to enable IE7 as the default browser to get rid of live search tool bar and then re-enable Mozilla as the default browser.
No IE7 tie in to the operating system - hah - my left testicale is less tied in to me than IE is to Microsofts OS.
1 - http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/07/firefox_3_follows_ie7s_securit_1.html
2 - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_save_or_download_files#Reset_system_Internet_security_settings_-_Windows
* DISCLAIMER - Not my programming practices - other peoples. I just had to explain or fix up their bollocks - honest injun - it wasn't me.
loadTOCNode(1, 'summary');loadTOCNode(1, 'cause');
World’s largest WiFi digital photo frame announced
World’s largest WiFi digital photo frame announced
A digital photo frame is usually considered a nice addition to your living room side table, but for this behemoth you might well need to clear some wall space. Smartparts' recently announced SP3200WF is a 32 inch, WiFi enabled digital picture frame offering 1366x768 resolution and the ability to display RSS Feeds, PowerPoint slides or PDF files in addition to your favorite snaps and video with sound supplied via built-in speakers...
Tags: Digital Photo Frame
Related Articles: 
A digital photo frame is usually considered a nice addition to your living room side table, but for this behemoth you might well need to clear some wall space. Smartparts' recently announced SP3200WF is a 32 inch, WiFi enabled digital picture frame offering 1366x768 resolution and the ability to display RSS Feeds, PowerPoint slides or PDF files in addition to your favorite snaps and video with sound supplied via built-in speakers...
Tags: Digital Photo Frame
Related Articles:
- Smartparts introduces 32-inch digital photo frame
- WiFi digital photo frame offers instant messaging
- Digital Picture frame gets bigger and smarter and accepts images straight from a mobile phone
- Portable memories: Kaiser Baas Digital Photo Key Ring
- Pocket Album digital keychain photo viewer
- LG Digital Photo Frame and DVD Player
Apple iPod classic Black (80GB, PC/MAC - MB147LL/A) (80 GB, 20000 Songs) Digital Media Player
The new iPod Classic will store so much of your favourite music with either 80GB or 160GB hard drive, Read More
Samsung Le 40F86B Tv
The Samsung LE40F86B 40 1080p HD Ready LCD TV is one of the latest additions to Samsungs range of Read More
Thursday, September 25, 2008
AVA Direct Gaming PC Workstation
AVA Direct Gaming PC Workstation
AVA Direct builds custom gaming systems to order, and our review sample turned out to be the computer equivalent of a 22-ounce filet mignon paired with a $500 bottle of merlot. Not surprisingly, the $6,200 amalgamation of high-end hardware blew nearly every game we could throw at it out of the water, with build quality and attention to detail from this manufacturer to match. This specific system build doubles as both a workstation and a gaming PC which explains why Xeon processors were used.
Read | Permalink | User Reviews | Linking Blogs
Sony Bravia Kdl 40V3000 Tv
The 40inch 1080 High Definition Sony V3000 Bravia LCD TV has the Sony customary glossy black finish Read More
Windows Media Player 11 - Disable Video Acceleration if Experiencing Playback Problems
If videos do not display correctly in Windows Media Player 11, reduce or disable video acceleration.
Some Windows Media Player 11 users may experience problems when playing video. Video playback might halt or crash the machine, or video playback might appear jerky even when viewing videos stored on a computer and not streamed over the Internet.
To solve some video playback problems you can try adjusting an accleration slider that may fix issues with certain graphics cards....
Read more at MalekTips. Read More
Some Windows Media Player 11 users may experience problems when playing video. Video playback might halt or crash the machine, or video playback might appear jerky even when viewing videos stored on a computer and not streamed over the Internet.
To solve some video playback problems you can try adjusting an accleration slider that may fix issues with certain graphics cards....
Read more at MalekTips. Read More
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 with 4x Wide-Angle 25mm Zoom
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 with 4x Wide-Angle 25mm Zoom
Panasonic has today introduced the 10.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FX35 with an impressive 25mm ultra-wide-angle LEICA DC lens and 4x optical zoom (equivalent to 25mm to 100 mm on a 35mm film camera). Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode, which includes various shooting-assist functions, has been enhanced in the DMC-FX35 by adding an Intelligent Exposure feature and Digital Red-eye Correction. See full story...
Panasonic has today introduced the 10.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FX35 with an impressive 25mm ultra-wide-angle LEICA DC lens and 4x optical zoom (equivalent to 25mm to 100 mm on a 35mm film camera). Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode, which includes various shooting-assist functions, has been enhanced in the DMC-FX35 by adding an Intelligent Exposure feature and Digital Red-eye Correction. See full story...
World’s fastest production car to go electric – with “several years between charging”
September 24, 2008 Last week saw the one year anniversary of SSC’s Ulimate Aero becoming the fastest production car in the world at 256.18 mph, pushing past marks set by Koenigsegg’s CCR and Bugatti’s Veyron. It’s the first time the top speed record has stood for a whole year since McLaren’s F1 held it for seven years with 386.4 kmh (240.1mph). Now comes news that an Ultimate Aero EV (Electric Vehicle) is in development. A 500 bhp EV is planned for late 2009 and a 1000 bhp 4WD EV is also under consideration. Now here’s the kicker – the press statement reads: “The drive train under development will feature a revolutionary power source allowing for extended time between charging intervals with the possibility of several years between charging.”..
Related Articles: 
Read More
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- What's got eight wheels, does 370 km/h and doesn't use gasoline? The Eliica!
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- e-mobility Berlin project to provide 500 EV charging points
- Sealegs breaks amphibious on-water record
- Fully-electric, 95mph Sports Utility charges in 10 minutes
Read MoreFast and Furious - New Movie coming `09.
This looks like they have gone back to the basic formula and blown it all up, hopefully they haven't worried too much about the story line, and mainly focused on the action, but I think this should be a pretty good watch especially considering the budget they likely have. looking forward to it. 
Read More
Read MoreCreative Zen X-Fi 8GB
Creative has been hawking its X-Fi sound enhancement technology hard in the last couple of years, putting it in everything from sound cards to headphones -- and now in a portable AV player. Aside from the usual voice recorder, FM radio, expandable storage, and audio/video playback, the Zen X-Fi is the first player from Creative to offer built-in WiFi. Like Microsoft's Zune, the X-Fi lacks a Web browser, which is a major stumbling block for a WiFi device, but it also lacks the Zune's wireless sync. It does, however, offer limited chat capabilities and AV streaming via LAN.
Read | Permalink | User Reviews | Linking Blogs
Read MoreWednesday, September 24, 2008
Fujifilm: EXR-equipped camera coming in Q1 2009
Fuji's new Super CCD EXR technology has only been public for a day, but this potentially revolutionary technology may soon be coming to a FinePix near you. Read More
A new approach to virus removal?
A new approach to virus removal?
Over the past six years a lot of changes have happened in the world of virus removal and computer security. Basically with the advent of Microsofts most secure operating system ever (Windows XP) the world of virii / spyware / rootkits / exploits (collectively I'll refer to them as malware for this article) etc has exploded. Estimates of the number of new virus released each week are normally in the thousands, if not tens of thousands range. Add to that spyware, unwanted applications (e.g. WinAntivirus2008) , trojans, adware ... and the listis enormous.
Recently I have found it is getting harder to ensure that the latest malware definitions are really catching the latest problems. In the last three weeks we have found several pieces of malware or viruses which have had to be carefully hand removed - with new definitions to detect them coming out 2 to 4 days after we have already discovered them.
Malware detection always lags behind the advent of new malware as a new virus / spyware / trojan etc, when it is released, normally has at least several hours, if not days, head start on the first definitions being released. In order for a new definition to be released the Malware has to be noticed, caught, reported, analysed and finally a fix / detection signature released for it. Finally the update has to be downloaded by the end user.
Part of the process we employ when doing a "Virus Bust" is to run several anti spyware / malware removal and root kit detectors across a system. This of course is quite time consuming, and again - if the malware is a new one, sometimes the only way it is detected is by seeing the results of the malware still present (e.g. rubbish exiting the firewall, strange PC behavious, pop ups etc). Which started me thinking ....
Is it possible that the number if items of legetimate software on the average users PC is growing at a slower rate than the number of malware instances. For example, the average user only wants to surf the net, send emails, write letters, do some word processing and listen to music / videos. Throw into that mix a bit of spreadsheeting, VOIP and games and you are stil only looking at a fairly limited range of software.
On an average week the average user does not add much new software to a system. Microsoft updates and anti virus updates probably account for most of the changes to executable code on a system. Instead of scanning for malware maybe a better solution would be to have a list of known good executable software and run a scan based on that. Any executable code found on a system not in the known good DB can then be flagged as suspicious and that subset of files be scanned / isolated instead of scanning an entire system of mostly good code for the odd piece of rot that has crept in.
Security based not on positive detection of malware but the isolation of unknown code offers a chance to allow quicker detection of potentially dangerous software on a PC. Certify the good code, isolate the unknown code and then apply positive antivirus detection methods against the unknown executables.
Not only does this method have the possibilty of being faster in its scanning of systems (creating and checking hashes is potentially faster than applying heuristic algorithms against an entire executable) but means the ability to certify code as being safe might alleviate some of the Zero Hour threats we face now days. Certainly for someone like me isolating the known good from the unknown means we can rapidly discard 99% of all files in a system has safe and concentrate on isolating the threats in the unknown one percent. It also offers a very positive way of providing reliable scanning from an alternative boot disk on compromised systems.
Historically old anti virus systems (circa DOS and Windows 3.1) were able to add CRC codes or hashes to executable files and then check to see files matched a known hash. That method presents problems today, and has fallen out of favour. However as an off-line virus scan, booted from an alternative operating system or boot disk and making use of a 'white list' database, it has the potential to add another tool to the security experts arsenal.
Heaven knows we need it.
This has been a random thought from the fertile and over caffinated brain of Shane. Thoughts, feed back and offers of millions for the idea welcome.
Over the past six years a lot of changes have happened in the world of virus removal and computer security. Basically with the advent of Microsofts most secure operating system ever (Windows XP) the world of virii / spyware / rootkits / exploits (collectively I'll refer to them as malware for this article) etc has exploded. Estimates of the number of new virus released each week are normally in the thousands, if not tens of thousands range. Add to that spyware, unwanted applications (e.g. WinAntivirus2008) , trojans, adware ... and the listis enormous.
Recently I have found it is getting harder to ensure that the latest malware definitions are really catching the latest problems. In the last three weeks we have found several pieces of malware or viruses which have had to be carefully hand removed - with new definitions to detect them coming out 2 to 4 days after we have already discovered them.
Malware detection always lags behind the advent of new malware as a new virus / spyware / trojan etc, when it is released, normally has at least several hours, if not days, head start on the first definitions being released. In order for a new definition to be released the Malware has to be noticed, caught, reported, analysed and finally a fix / detection signature released for it. Finally the update has to be downloaded by the end user.
Part of the process we employ when doing a "Virus Bust" is to run several anti spyware / malware removal and root kit detectors across a system. This of course is quite time consuming, and again - if the malware is a new one, sometimes the only way it is detected is by seeing the results of the malware still present (e.g. rubbish exiting the firewall, strange PC behavious, pop ups etc). Which started me thinking ....
Is it possible that the number if items of legetimate software on the average users PC is growing at a slower rate than the number of malware instances. For example, the average user only wants to surf the net, send emails, write letters, do some word processing and listen to music / videos. Throw into that mix a bit of spreadsheeting, VOIP and games and you are stil only looking at a fairly limited range of software.
On an average week the average user does not add much new software to a system. Microsoft updates and anti virus updates probably account for most of the changes to executable code on a system. Instead of scanning for malware maybe a better solution would be to have a list of known good executable software and run a scan based on that. Any executable code found on a system not in the known good DB can then be flagged as suspicious and that subset of files be scanned / isolated instead of scanning an entire system of mostly good code for the odd piece of rot that has crept in.
Security based not on positive detection of malware but the isolation of unknown code offers a chance to allow quicker detection of potentially dangerous software on a PC. Certify the good code, isolate the unknown code and then apply positive antivirus detection methods against the unknown executables.
Not only does this method have the possibilty of being faster in its scanning of systems (creating and checking hashes is potentially faster than applying heuristic algorithms against an entire executable) but means the ability to certify code as being safe might alleviate some of the Zero Hour threats we face now days. Certainly for someone like me isolating the known good from the unknown means we can rapidly discard 99% of all files in a system has safe and concentrate on isolating the threats in the unknown one percent. It also offers a very positive way of providing reliable scanning from an alternative boot disk on compromised systems.
Historically old anti virus systems (circa DOS and Windows 3.1) were able to add CRC codes or hashes to executable files and then check to see files matched a known hash. That method presents problems today, and has fallen out of favour. However as an off-line virus scan, booted from an alternative operating system or boot disk and making use of a 'white list' database, it has the potential to add another tool to the security experts arsenal.
Heaven knows we need it.
This has been a random thought from the fertile and over caffinated brain of Shane. Thoughts, feed back and offers of millions for the idea welcome.
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