Suck The Curtain !!

Call of Duty 4 Sounds Clip

2008-04-03T16:14:00.001+02:00

Great Work Guyz !!

13 videogames being made into films

2008-03-14T12:24:00.001+02:00

We've been through the production lists of Hollywood again, and uncovered a wealth of console and computer games coming to the big screen....

Yesterday, we dug up 38 old films that are currently in the process of being remade. Today? Here are thirteen computer games coming to the big screen…

EverQuest
The huge online role playing game is currently in the hands of writer Michael ‘300’ Gordon, who is penning a screenplay for a potential 2010 film.

Max Payne
Personally, I love the Max Payne games, and consider it a blight on the face of gamers everywhere that they weren’t more popular. But they’re very movie friendly, and that’s why filming has now commenced on a movie that may yet re-start the gaming franchise, too. Mark Wahlberg is starring, and John Moore (not the one who writes for us, rather the one who remade The Omen) is directing.

Kane & Lynch
Eidos’s 2007 game seemed to be made with the big screen in mind, and thus Lionsgate has picked up the tale of two Death Row inmates on the run. Jieho Lee is in negotiations to direct the film, which could move into production this year.

Gears of War
Underworld and Die Hard 4.0 director Len Wiseman is being linked with a live action version of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 hit game. Stuart Beattie is currently writing a screenplay (his credits include Pirates of the Caribbean, Collateral and the upcoming Spy Hunter). It’s still in the early stages of production, though.

Spy Hunter
Talking of Spy Hunter, the classic 80s arcade game (which re-emerged reasonably recently) is also being scribed by Stuart Beattie for the big screen treatment. Paul W S Anderson is down to direct the film, which is still at the writing stage.

Halo
Peter Jackson was linked to the project once upon a time, and Alex Garland has been working on a script. Yet the whole project seemed to hit the buffers last year, and thus far, there’s little sign of it coming back to life. Proposed director Neill Bloomkamp stated that he though the project was dead last Autumn, and he could well be right…

Prince of Persia Sands Of Time
Brit director Mike Newell has signed on the dotted line for the big screen Prince Of Persia outing, which has original creator Jordan Mechner involved in the script. Jerry Bruckheimer is producing, and the film is now in pre-production. Cast is yet to be confirmed, but it’ll be on the screen next year.

Splinter Cell
A film based on the Tom Clancy-branded stealth/action game is in the early negotiations stage right now. That’s make a finished product some way away…

Mortal Kombat
Another film in one of the more successful videogame franchises, this one has Christopher Lambert rumoured to be attached, but no script so far. Doesn’t usually stop them where game-to-film adaptations are concerned…

Metal Gear Solid
The game that pretty much popularised the stealth genre in games is coming to cinema screens, possibly as early as next year. Michael De Luca – who also has Ghost Rider on his CV – is producing, but no cast or director details yet.

Devil May Cry
Capcom has apparently signalled its attention for a film to be made around another one of its popular franchises (after Resident Evil), and while little else is known about the Devil May Cry movie project, 2010 has been pencilled in for its release.

Rainbow Six
John Woo is producing, but seemingly not directing, a movie adaptation of another Tom Clancy-branded videogame franchise. Rainbow Six is a bit more action packed, mind. Zach Snyder was attached, but apparently isn’t any more.

Broken Sword: The Shadow Of The Templars
The adventure game series is ripe for a film, and so one is being written right about now. Charles Cecil – who created the series – is attached as Executive Producer, and a 2009 released is planned.

by: Denofgeek.com / Simon Brew

Wanna know how a $6 million dollar home theater set up looks like ?

2008-02-09T23:22:00.001+02:00

http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=ps3&thread.id=2534367

WTTTTTFFFFFFF ????????

Enough Monitors I SAY !!

2008-01-23T11:43:00.000+02:00

After upgrading to 4 different monitors in the period of 1 year, I (THINK I) have finally settled on what should be the greatest LCD monitor man invented. Arrived before yesterday, I instantly installed it.

First, it was the Samsung 24" 243T. Then came the Westinghouse 37" LVM-37W3. Then came the Dell 30" 3007WFP-HC which i thought was the best. Until late October 2007 when the Gateway XHD3000 came out kick their asses all.
Having all the input connections a geek can dream of, 6ms response time, 1000:1 contrast, 400nits brightness, built-in hardware video scaler and 1600p HD Video Support, this 30" LCD Monitor SAYS ITS ALL.
Here it is competing with all the 30" LCD Monitors in the market..
http://www.gateway.com/programs/ExtremeHDdisplay/compare.php

And a video of it on YouTube.com

Of course I couldn't resist leaving my Asus GeForce 8800 Ultra to be single with this baby, so i added a second one to run them into SLI. Sacrificed the Killer NIC for the slot.
Below are some 3DMark2006 benchmarks:
1920x1200x 8X FSAA

2560x1600 x NO FSAA

Currently getting 40-49 fps in 1920x1200 , 4x FSAA, High Details in Crysis, thats actually not bad.

NOW I can say that i can play comfortably.. !!

New Hummer Concept

2008-01-15T16:30:00.000+02:00

GM says its new Hummer HX concept is inspired by ATVs, not Halo

It sure didn't take long for folks to jump to conclusions about the inspiration behind GM's new Hummer HX concept vehicle but -- surprise, surprise -- the company's now denying that any such influence exists. According to GM design director Carl Zipfel, the HX wasn't modeled on Halo's Warthog but on "modern-day ATVs" -- even though he freely admits that both he and several of the vehicle's designers play Halo. Of course, it's entirely possible that they're just saying that now that they've realized they'd already been outdone by Chrysler in the subconscious Halo-imitation department.

By Engadget

GeForce 9800 GX2 Exclusive Pics & Specs REVEALED !!

2008-01-04T12:55:00.000+02:00

NVIDIA's yet-to-be released GeForce 9800 GX2 in the "flesh." We reveal some of the specs and what should be expected.

The best way to think of the GeForce 9800 GX2 card is as an 8800 GPU that has been die shrunk to 65nm and placed in an SLI configuration in a "single" card. The 9800 GX2 is very reminiscent of 7950 GX2 of days past.

The GeForce 9800 GX2 will launch in late February or early March as it now stands and will replace the 8800 Ultra (single GPU) card in NVIDIA's high-end product line up. The 9800 GX2 is said to be at least 30% faster than a 8800 Ultra. While it is not clear from the pictures below, we are told it will support "Quad SLI."

GeForce 9800 GX2 Front

GeForce 9800 GX2 Back

GeForce 9800 GX2

1GB Frame Buffer

Two PCBs

Two 65nm GPUs Total

256 Stream Processors Total

All of the information here comes from sources overseas that we consider trustworthy. Obviously there are some specifications that could be a bit more clear, especially on the memory bus. We would expect to see two 768MB frame buffers per GPU here, but that is not what is spelled out. We are guessing 512MB per GPU currently.

By H-Enthusiast

I'm guessing that we should be readying a second mortgage on the house to actually afford it.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year ALL !!!

2007-12-25T12:52:00.000+02:00

May this year brings us more hardware components, more gadgets and more games like Crysis that require a $10,000 PC to actually run OK.

Enjoy your holidays.......

Optimus Prime Gets Real, Fanboys Get Wet !!!

2007-10-21T00:20:00.000+02:00

How is it possible to be as kick-ass as a real living superhero without actually being one? There is only one answer to this; owning/driving an Optimus Prime Peterbilt 1:1 Scale Replica. Check out the gallery below.

The hot piece of vehicle ass is currently on auction over at eBay, but unless you have serious cash burning a hole in your pocket, forget it. The auction currently stands at $55,000 and we are guessing it will fetch a pretty penny in the two days remaining. It may have a Caterpillar diesel engine, but in spirit it's all Autobot commander. Checkout eBay for the full spanking gorgeous gallery.

Battlefield 3 details leaked?

2007-10-11T20:47:00.000+02:00

Source: Digital Battle reported on the details, citing a leaked .pdf file sent to the site by a tipster.

What we heard: Digital Battle's article is based on a .pdf file with a features list for the unannounced Battlefield 3. The site said the file appeared to be intended for Electronic Arts investors, who supposedly should receive it by December. More than 20 bullet points paint a picture of the next full installment in EA's multiplayer military first-person shooter series, starting with its expected release date in late 2008.

According to the article, the game will be set in the modern day (like Battlefield 2), with an emphasis on Middle Eastern settings and support for up to 40 players per team on eight different maps. For the numbers crazy, each of Battlefield 3's two factions will have access to its own assortment of 24 different vehicles and 17 different weapons. The game will also supposedly feature unlockable equipment, customizable characters, and in-game replay functionality.

While the article says the game won't launch until the end of next year, gamers might get a crack at a possible public beta in the summer. However, the leaked info suggests the game will only be released for Windows Vista PCs and the Mac's OS X, with Windows XP users left out in the cold. An announcement for the game--along with a teaser trailer--are pegged by the article as coming in January.

While there's not a whole lot of evidence backing this story up (Digital Battle is not posting the .pdf, citing legal concerns), the list of features given for this Battlefield 3 doesn't sound especially out of the ordinary. By the time the supposed release date rolls around, it will have been three years since the last full installment in the series and two years since the Battlefield 2142 spin-off. The lack of XP support may be an irritant for some PC gamers but will be more and more commonplace going forward, especially into late 2008. Meanwhile, the OS X version makes sense considering EA pledged more Mac support at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this year.

The official story: An EA representative had not returned request for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: Tentative not bogus.

Goodbye dollar, hello QUID: intergalactic currency proposed

2007-10-09T13:18:00.000+02:00

Does it say something about our priorities as a species that before space tourism has even been proven safe for and desirable to the masses, people are already coming up with ways to spend money in zero gravity? Well according to a group of researchers from the University of Leicester and the UK's National Space Centre, the payment methods we use here on Earth would not make for viable space currency -- due to sharp edges or radiation-prone magnetic strips -- and would need to be replaced with something more suited to the environment. Enter the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination (or QUID -- clever Brits), a stackable, molded chip made of the same material used in non-stick pans, and lacking the chemicals or sharpness inherent to paper, plastic, and coins. The inventors peg the current exchange rate for the QUID at £6.25 to 1Q, which seems not only completely arbitrary, but fairly unnecessary, considering that we'll have already spent all our Earth money (and probably re-financed the house) to pay Sir Richard for the damn flight.

More here..

A Quicky

2007-09-24T15:42:00.000+02:00

New PC Upgrade...

New Video Card --> Asus GeForce 8800 Ultra
New Sound Card --> Creative Sound Blaster X-FI Fatal1ty XtremeGamer Professional
New Case --> Thermaltake Armor VA8003BWS
New Keyboard --> Razer Tarantula
New Ethernet Card --> Killer NIC
New LCD Monitor --> Dell 30" 3007WFP-HC

Full system specs can be seen on the right tab in my blog

Dell 30" 3007WFP-HC

Microsoft's Photosynth at TED Conference

2007-09-09T15:29:00.000+02:00

In March of this year Microsoft Live Labs Architect, Blaise Aguera y Arcas spoke at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference in Monterey, CA. Blaise demonstrated Seadragon and Photosynth to an enthusiastic audience and painted a vision for how these technologies will evolve in the months and years ahead. Watch the short video above to see some of the amazing ways these technologies will change the way you interact with your images in the future, and visit the Photosynth site to try the latest collections from the team.

http://labs.live.com/photosynth/blogs/Photosynth+At+TED+Conference.aspx

Four of a Kind

2007-07-21T16:22:00.000+02:00

After having the components in IDLE MODE on my desk for approximately a week of not having time to dismantle my PC and install the new hardware, I finally decided to wake up one day early, install the components, install the OS and get the f$%^ over with it.

Got the Asus Striker Extreme mobo.. No need for intros. This mobo speaks for itself when its being used approximately by ALL the tests/benchmarks that TomsHardware conduct on different components.
Also, decided to migrate from AMD to Intel after being a very happy AMD user since 1996. Got the Intel Quad Core Q6600. Now this thing is NICE !!.. It has a CPU Speed of 2.4GHz, 1066MHz Bus Speed AND 8MB L2 Cache. Fancy THAT.

Got 4 sticks of 1GB Corsair DDR2 800 TWIN2X2048-6400C4. Also no intros..
Also got the WD Raptor X 150GB 10000RPM HDD. Yes its VERY FAST.
Had some issues with the bios at first.

Installed Microsoft Windows VISTA Ultimate 32-Bit..

Had some issues with the Vista updates + drivers.
Installed all my games + benchmarking software.
Ran all my games + benchmarking software.

Results are SUPER.
I'm Happy :D

1.5 GigaPixel Photograph !!!

2007-07-20T17:58:00.000+02:00

Gone are the days of megapixel.......

Photography meets software in this amazing creation....

This is something really amazing…..
So all the guys the talkin abt Megapixel ’n’ all those..check out where the technology is headed to.

It will makes ur Eyes Wide Open……
Once on the site…..ZOOM the Photo…. It will take some time to refresh the page…. Zoom it to the MAX and see the Difference

Simply Amazingggggggggg………………….

The same photographer who did a 720 megapixel photo of Sydney earlier this year has now done a 1500 megapixel photo of Machu Picchu. The level of details is amazing - you can zoom in so far you can see the expressions on people’s faces!!!

(Technical Specifications)
Total Resolution : 1500 MegaPixels (approx 60,000 x 26,000 pixels)
Camera Used : Canon 10D, Canon 100-400L lens
Total Photos Used : 404 (95% at 400mm, 5% at 100mm)
Time to take Photos : 65 minutes
Software Used to Create Image : Autopano Pro using SmartBlend
Time to Render Image : Approx 11 hours
Final Image Size : 13.5 GB!
Web Viewer Software : Zoomify, with 31,805 demand-loaded images

This shot was taken at the end of the 4 day, 42km walk along the Inca Trail carrying over 10kg of camera equipment for the primary purpose of taking this photo!

http://www.docbert.org/MP/

Sydney Link :

http://www.docbert.org/SydneyByNight/info.html

75 year old has fastest home broadband

2007-07-13T12:20:00.000+02:00

A 75 year old woman from Karlstad in Sweden has been supplied with the world's fastest home internet connection.
Sigbritt Löthberg's has a 40 gigabits per second connection which is the first time ever that a home user had such bandwidth to play with.
Sigbritt, who had never had a computer until now, happens to be the mum of local internet legend Peter Löthberg who, along with Karlstad Stadsnät, the local council's network arm, arranged the connection.
Karlstad Stadsnät network boss Hafsteinn Jonsson said that this was more than just a demonstration. He was trying to get internet operators to invest in faster connections. And Peter Löthberg wanted to show how you can build a low price, high capacity line over long distances.
According to the Local, the silver surfer will be able to flick through 1,500 high definition HDTV channels simultaneously or download a full high definition DVD in just two seconds. (OMG)
The ultra-fast connection is possible thanks to a modulation technique which allows data to be transferred directly between two routers up to 2,000 kilometres apart, with no intermediary transponders. Apparently the most difficult part of the project was installing Windows on Löthberg's PC.
It is not clear what Löthberg thought about the connection, or if she will even use it.

[The Inquirer]

Thank You AGAIN !!

2007-07-12T02:32:00.000+02:00

Mr. Michael Bay and Mr. Steven Spielberg for giving us TRANSFORMERS.

I saw it for the second time today and I'm still in SHOCK over how good this movie is.

Tiesto's Concert

2007-07-08T23:12:00.000+02:00

hmmm.. No wonder he's the best DJ in the world..

Tiesto started playing from 01:00 until 04:30... 3 and a half hours CONTINIOUSLY NON-STOP WITHOUT ANY BREAK NOR DID HE SAT DOWN. Can you believe this ??

We arrived at Petra at approximately 14:00 on July 5th. We had reservations in the Marriott Petra. Tired, we thought that we wouldn't do anything but chelax to prepare for a looooong energetic night. We had the schedule written in our tickets for who is playing one. Tiesto was coming in at 01:00.. We decided to hit the road heading to the concert location at 22:00 knowing that the party had already started at 19:00 with various DJs playing before the big man. We were told that the party is located in "Little Petra". After Petra, Al Beidha or Little Petra is the next most important site for the casual visitor in Wadi Musa. This site is only a few kilometers from Petra and easily accessible by taxi or rented car. It is literally hidden away in the center of a mountain. A perfect place to thrown in a BIG music concert event. We arrived at and started walking in the middle of the desert.. Everything was dark. The stars were sparkling in the sky. It was an amazing site. After a 20 minute walking distance we finally started to hear the music banging against the ancient rocks. WE WERE FINALLY THERE. We checked in and were tagged with Red VIP labels around our wrists. Music was playing loud.. Lights were pointing in every direction. A white colored text for "PRANA" was projected on the mountains. It was the organizing club that organized this event. There was a small kiosk that was selling "Glowing" stuff. We bought glowing sticks, glowing arm bands, glowing bunny ears and a glowing shirt that had a spectrum-anaylizer operated on a battery that was very cool.

After relaxing on the couches, having a couple of drinks, waiting for the big man,, he finally arrived..

The concert IGNITED. Lasers, Flames and Fireworks.

Tiesto started playing from 01:00 until 04:30... 3 and a half hours CONTINIOUSLY NON-STOP WITHOUT ANY BREAK NOR DID HE SAT DOWN.

He played all of our favorite tracks including my own personal favorites "Adagio in Strings & The Pirates of the Caribbean Theme".

We were dancing alllll night.. Its good that we had lots of energy drinks to drink or we would have slept all of us.

The whole concert event ended at 06:30 in the morning. We returned back to our hotel.. Had breakfast and went up to sleep as much as possible until our driver comes to take us at 12:00 heading to Aqaba in the Red Sea. From there it was just Total relaxation.

End of Tiesto story..

Petra was chosen one of the New Seven Wonders of the World on 07/07/07.

Below are some photos of the truely greatest DJ in the world and some video clips.

Tiesto - Petra - Adagio in Strings

Tiesto - Petra - Pirates of the Caribbean Theme Remix

Thank You

2007-07-04T18:40:00.000+02:00

Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg for giving us Transformers..
We are ever SOOOOOO Grateful.

Sean Paul's Concert

2007-06-30T13:54:00.000+02:00

Sean DA Paul was cooler than ever...
We arrived at approximately 22:00 when we were told that the "Prime Time" should be around 23:00.. Before we came there were about 5 different DJ's who played different types of music which as we heard weren't that good..
The only thing that was dissappointing was the BAD organization of the concert seating area.. Although we paid for the VVIP tickets and a table "SHOULD" have been reserved for us, we arrived and all the tables were taken. We had to stand waiting for them to organize us a table which took almost 30 minutes.. We were angry.
As soon as we sat down, we got ourselves some drinks and we cooled down.
DEN DA BIG MAN ARRIVED..
The Stage was burning .... 6 or 7 Jamaican chicks were dancing.. about 3 rappers also were dancing and RAPPIN'.
AND Sean DA Paul.
We danced alot... HE danced alot. He played all of our favorite songs..
He performed for about an hour and a half.

Then the mission started for us trying to get photos with him..... which resulted in a failure as he left the place a couple of minutes after he finished singing.. we learned that he was staying at the Radisson SAS hotel here and that he's flying the next morning at 07:30... So we thought it was impossible. Therefor we closed the case :( .

Below are some photos & video clips of the concert. I appologize for the shaky filming but everybody was dancing their asses off. Also the audio is distorted because i was standing next to about a gazillion speakers.

A clip from We Be Burnin'....

iPhone. A Guided Tour.

2007-06-25T10:27:00.000+02:00

20 minutes video.

Can't wait for the launch on June 29th...

http://www.apple.com/iphone/usingiphone/guidedtour.html

Not Just Any Tickets......

2007-06-20T09:34:00.000+02:00

But the FIRST 8 VVIP tickets to the upcoming PeaceProject concert (June 29th) for the KING OF REGGAE: SEAN PAUL.

Yes thats true... It is an AMAZING month.... full of surprises..

We have struggled so hard to get our hands on these tickets to the point where we have bombarded the organizers with phone calls everyday until they reached the fact that we are HUGE fans and that they must get us these tickets to shut us the $%(*$ up.
As we have heard, these tickets are VERY VERY limited. Regular tickets will be available in two options: Standing Front Row and Standing Back Rows. The VVIP tickets will include a very private seating area that has a full view over the stage, our own waiters, our own bar and buffet and our own body guard security services.

Can't wait... Very Excited..

Rumor: Shakira "might" be coming too so watch this space.....

Come July 5th.....

2007-06-05T14:51:00.000+02:00

and Jordan is going to witness the LARGEST musical event in its history.

A month ago it was just rumors. But until a week ago, it was announced.

More than 5 of the world-renowned DJs, 6 perfomers, flame jugglers, dancers & vocalists will perform live on a state-of-the-art stage with large screens and highly advanced sound & lightings ALL for the announcement of the New 7th Wonder of the World: PETRA featuring the ONE & ONLY DJ TIESTO !!!!!!!!!

It is said that the announcement will happen on 07/07/07 07:07

The show will start from sunset till sunrise.

7,00 PM = DJ Yazan from Prana Club (Chillout rising to Classy Tunes)

10,00 PM = Sarah Main from Pacha Ibiza (Funky to Techno House)

12,00 AM = JES Vocalist / Singer

1,00 AM = Tiesto (The World Greatest DJ)

4,00 AM = Fady Ferraye from Club NL (Minimal - House)

We got 7 VIP tickets..

I'll be posting some photos and videos after the concert.

The Surface is Surfacing soon !!

2007-06-03T14:57:00.000+02:00

No comments except my jaws were wide open for almost 10 minutes.

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

Enjoy

I caught the Barracuda

2007-05-13T19:08:00.000+02:00

Reaching the nearest point of waiting for my neighbours to come kick my ass for the bashing bass that i have on my Creative Gigaworks S750 while playing Battlefield 2142, i decided to get me a good surround sound headset. So, i went "FISHING" and caught the Razer Barracuda HP-1 8 channel Gaming Headset.

All i can say is "WOW". It features a dedicated amplifier for each channel, 99% oxygen free cable, built-in uni-directional Noice-Cancelling Mic and On-The-Fly positional volume control over each individual pair of drivers. And best of all, it has that Neon-Blue Razer logo glowing in the dark.

Pricy but DEFINETLY WORTH IT.

Here's the review ...

http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Razer_HP1/index.shtml

BlackBerry Cheesecake ??

2007-05-07T10:02:00.000+02:00

Hi All,

Decided to go with the BlackBerry hype and discover its amazing world by buying the latest BlackBerry phone which is the BlackBerry® 8800 series smartphone.

As stylish as it is powerful, the BlackBerry® 8800 smartphone is designed to let you do your best work from wherever you choose. It gives you phone, email, organizer, web browsing and instant messaging. And then it goes a step further, providing GPS for enhanced access to location based applications and services, including the pre-loaded BlackBerry® Maps application. A media player for your video clips and music. Expandable memory to ensure you’ve got the room you need for your media files. And a high-capacity battery to allow you to make the most of it all. Sleek and performance-driven, it’s the stylish way to get things done.

The BlackBerry 8800 features complete functionality, including:
BlackBerry® Maps
Media Player
Corporate Data Access
Wireless Email
Organizer
Wireless Calendar
Phone
SMS
MMS
Wireless Internet
Paging
GPS-enabled for Location-based Services
64 MB of memory and expandable 2GB memory via microSD card
Full QWERTY keyboard
The tethered modem capability lets you use the smartphone as a wireless modem for your laptop or PC
Dedicated Send, End and Mute keys, a trackball navigation system, plus user definable convenience keys
Speakerphone and Voice Activated Dialing
High capacity battery
Bluetooth® capability for hands-free dialogue via headsets and car kits
Stereo headset capable
Integrated attachment viewing
Compatibility with popular Personal Information Management (PIM) software
High resolution, light sensing screen that adjusts lighting levels automatically for ideal indoor and outdoor viewing
Easy email set-up directly from your BlackBerry 8800 via the set-up wizard
Enterprise friendly

Size and Weight * 4.49"/114mm (Length ) * 2.60"/66mm (Width ) * 0.55"/14mm (Depth ) * 4.73 oz/134g (Weight )

Data Input/Navigation * Trackball * QWERTY (Keyboard ) * Keyboard backlighting

Voice Input/Output * Headset jack * Integrated earpiece/ microphone * Built-in Speakerphone * Headset, hands-free and serial port profiles supported (Bluetooth® technology )

Display * Font size (user selectable) * Color display * Backlighting * Light sensing screen

Notification * MIDI ringtones * Polyphonic ringtones * Vibrate Mode * LED indicator * MP3 ringtones

Battery Type * 1400 mAhr (removable/rechargeable lithium cell)

Approximate Battery Life * 528 hours or 22 days (Standby Time ) * 300 minutes or 5 hours (Talk Time 2 )

Memory * 64 MB (Flash Memory )

Modem * RIM® wireless modem * Tethered modem capability 3

Email Integrations * Works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange * Integrates with existing business email account * Integrates with existing personal email account * Integrates with optional new device account * Includes desktop software * Works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server for IBM Lotus Domino * Works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Novell GroupWise 4

Device Security * Password Protection and Keyboard Lock * Support for Triple DES or AES Encryption when Integrated with BlackBerry Enterprise Server * Pending Approval (FIPS Validation ) * Optional Support for S/MIME

Wireless Network * North America: 1900MHz GSM/GPRS networks * Europe/Asia Pacific: 900MHz GSM/GPRS networks * Europe/Asia Pacific: 1800MHz GSM/GPRS networks * North America: 850 MHz GSM/GPRS networks * EDGE networks

Nothing is On Sale for $6.28

2007-05-05T23:01:00.000+02:00

It had to happen. Someone is now selling Nothing, and undoubtedly, some suckers are buying it. It's a piece of packaging with a clear plastic sphere sticking out of it that contains absolutely nothing. Well, there's something in there, but it's just the same as what's outside it: thin air. And get this: It costs $6.28. It's Nothing for something!
Heck, if Seinfeld could makes billions of dollars on an entire TV series about nothing, certainly some enterprising entrepreneur can swipe a few thousand from those who want to send a message to their "loved ones." But if there's actually something in there, then this is not nothing, it's something.
So besides being a poor value, it's mislabeled. Might be worth $2 worth of laughs, but not $6.28. Is this that "nothingness" Camus and Hemingway wrote about? – Charlie White
Product Page

from Gizmodo

Numbers......

2007-05-03T23:24:00.001+02:00

At three minutes and four seconds after 2 AM on the 6th of May this year, the time and date will be 02:03:04 05/06/07 This will never happen again.

Fancy THAT !!

Prince of Persia IS COMING TO THE BIG SCREEN !!

2007-04-16T20:16:00.000+02:00

AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH !! COULD THIS BE TRUE ??? IM HYPED !!

Another video game series is being eyed for a film adaptation franchise, this time the Prince of Persia games from Ubisoft. The game has taken off in recent years with at least 3 recent sequels and become a huge hit for Ubisoft. The series has been in discussion for a while with Disney, since Hollywood mogul Jerry Bruckheimer bought the rights in 2004. The Jim Hill Media blog talked about it briefly, stating that “in theory [Prince of Persia] will be Disney's big action-adventure release for the Summer of 2008.” Which afterwards “could then lead to a new hit series of movies for the studio.”
Although nothing is officially confirmed for a 2008 release, it does sound like the project is moving along and they're waiting to use the Prince of Persia series as the new successor to Pirates of the Caribbean (unofficially ending this year on May 25th). FilmJunk has some interesting commentary as well, with quotes from an executive producer stating that they don't want to copy a single game, but rather use the general concept to create a “world” in which new stories will be set.

I personally love the games and I think that in Bruckheimer's hands this could be brilliant. It's a very rich world, like Pirates of the Caribbean, and could end up being just as immersive and just as entertaining. Anyone else getting just a bit more excited for this?

I WISH ALL KICK ASS GAMES BE TURNED TO MOVIES... I have a small list please if you can hear me:

Battlefield 2142
WarCraft
StarCraft
Command & Conquer
Quake
God of War
Flashback
etc...........

And in this link, you can find the candidates that have submitted their interest in playing the role as the "Prince".

The PhysX of Games.....

2007-04-15T00:56:00.000+02:00

After waiting for almost a month after receiving my Asus EN8800GTX 768MB GeForce 8800GTX Card, I got the Asus PhysX P1 128MB GDDR3 PCI card today.. Decided to do some benchmarking before and after.. I used 3DMark2005 & 2006 for the non-physx setup and 3DMark2006 for the PhysX setup because it supported it.

The results were impressive in 3Dmark2006. I haven't noticed any difference in the games that i'm currently playing which appeared not supported by the list of games that Ageia PhysX supports, games such as Battlefield 2142 and C&C3.. but i did notice a BIG VISUAL Difference when i tried playing Ghost Recon : Advanced Warfighter, which was the game that was bundled with the PhysX card. Whats promising is that the upcoming Unreal Tournament 3 will FULLY support Ageia's PhysX technology.

Here are some videos of actual game footage with/without PhysX Technology.
Here are some side-by-side video examples.

3DMark 2005

3DMark 2006

3DMark 2006 with PhysX

The FlowerHorn

2007-04-14T17:07:00.000+02:00

I know that i've been posting alot about my aquarium but i had to post this as i've been waiting for this fish to arrive for almost 3 months until it finally arrived from Malaysia. Its a Red Dragon FlowerHorn. Its a very rare freshwater fish. The Flowerhorn cichlid is a hybrid cichlid "made" originally in Malaysia. Like all other "hybrid" species, including fancy goldfish and even Dachshund dogs, the selectively bred animals have been given special features which are not found collectively in any other species. The Flowerhorn is a rare cichlid only because it is specially bred from earth's most beautiful cichlids. This means that they are each one of a kind. And they're fun to play with. They even do acrobats. And they're responsive.

Shark Attack !!

2007-04-09T13:21:00.000+02:00

Just thought of sharing with you some pics and video of my Sharks.. I have two High Fin Sharks and three Blu Sharks. All of course are freshwater sharks in my 55 Gallon (220liter) aquarium.

I appologize for the blurry pictures but the sharks tend to move fast and thats the best i can get with my Sony Ericsson K800 phone camera. Too lazy to take pictures with the Sony R1.

Did you know ??

2007-04-09T12:19:00.000+02:00

that an Indian discovered that nobody can create a folder anywhere named as "con"
This is something pretty cool...and unbelievable...
At Microsoft the whole Team, including Bill Gates, couldn't answer why this happened!

I've personally tried it on both Vista and XP Pro.

Dell & The Beast

2007-03-29T11:38:00.000+02:00

After having my previous custom-made Fujitsu-Siemens P7010 for almost two years, I decided that it services would come to a halt. So I went shopping for another super sub-notebook and came across lots of options. But nothing fancied my ass more than the Dell XPS M1210. The sleek design, black color and the good specs you can customize. So i went to Dell's site, and custom-made it over there and had it shipped to me. It arrived about a week ago but I didnt post about it until now because yesterday was the day when my Microsoft Office 2007 Pro package arrived, installed it, and was officially migrated from my previous laptop. The only hassle i faced was the new Microsoft Vista Home Premium OS that needed lots of configuration, download of new programs just to migrate from XP to it. Anyway, passed that and I'm happily enjoying this awesome laptop. Specs are below:

Dell XPS M1210

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7200 (2.00GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB)

Integrated Webcam and Mobile Broadband Antenna

2GB Dual Shared Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz (2 Dimms)

256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7400 TurboCache™

120GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

Genuine Microsoft Windows® Vista Home Premium

Genuine Microsoft Office 2007 PRO

Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem

8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability

Integrated High Defintion Audio

Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 Internal Wireless

6-cell Primary Battery and 9-cell additional Lithium Ion Battery

Dell Media Direct 3.0

Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate)

Here's a review about it from X-Bit Labs

I'm Blu Da Ba Di, Da Ba Da

2007-03-26T11:35:00.000+02:00

For those who want to be on the leading edge of technology, like myself, here it is. Sony's first generation Blu-ray drive, the BWU-100A, combines format compatibility with all flavors of DVD and CD media, while adding the ability to record to the newest format on the block, Blue-ray Disc.
Single-layer (25 GB), dual-layer (50 GB), and rewritable Blu-ray Discs can be recorded on the BWU-100A. The drive supports DVD and CD authoring, too.The drive supports recording both 50 GB and 25 GB BD-R (write once) and BD-RE (rewritable) discs, as well as 4.7 GB DVD+R/+RW/RAM, 8.5GB DVD+R Double/Dual Layer, and CD-R/-RW discs. Simply put, this drive is ready for your most ambitious video and data storage needs.
A single dual layer 50G BD disc can store up to 4 hours of 1080 HD video, making the BWU-100A the perfect solution for keeping High Definition video shot on your HDV camcorder in native HD. Boasting up to 50GB of online, random access storage, BD discs are also ideal for computer backup and data storage applications. And, since the BWU-100A can record DVDs and CDs, all your burning projects can be handled by a single drive.

Its amazing how the drive has this kind of futuristic design look on it.. I added a couple of 50GB DL BD-R's and some 25GB BD-R's and a couple of 25GB BD-RE's. Also, to continue the madness, I have ordered about 9 Blu-Ray movie titles. I can say that im about %60 HD Future Proof, given that Blu-Ray is kicking HD-DVD's butt. All i need is an HD-DVD PC drive. Thats ALL.

Here's the technical datasheet for the drive in PDF format.

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow

2007-03-16T12:25:00.000+02:00

We woke up yesterday here in Amman to find the land completley white. The March snow has fallen on the kingdom. Everybody is in hysteria. Because of the lack of special vehicles that remove the snow from the roads, this country comes to a complete sudden PAUSE when snow falls. Everybody rushes to the supermarkets to completley wipe out everything from the shelves. You see long lines of people standing in bakeries to buy and stock bread. Crowded grocery shops also reflect the same image. Offices are closed. Schools are closed. Everybody is terrified what might they do if they spend a WHOLE 24 hours indoor. And the funny thing is that the temperature hasn't dropped below zero c. I was carefully monitoring the outside therometer in my house and also the one in my car, and the lowest it scored was 0.8c. I even made a trip to the airport to bring my brother-in-law, and thought that in the Amman suburbs it would be much lower, but it wasn't. It was the same. We woke up today to a shiny sun that melted almost all of the snow from yesterday's storm.

Ahhhh, i remember the days when we used to live in Moscow, when in late January/early February the temperature used to drop to -35c. And when it used to become -15c, we used to celebrate that the weather is NICE SO WE SHOULD GO OUT. Life continued normally with schools, colleges, offices and everything. I remember one very nasty cold Sunday, i went out to the computer software market to buy some cds, and the weather was -34c, i could've swear that

the mucus in my nose FROZE !!.

Anyways,, back to the good warm Middle-East.

Here are are a couple of pictures of the yard near our house.

More Power, More Space, More View of the Battlefield

2007-03-09T19:26:00.000+02:00

After a suspension of almost two weeks having to wait for my items to arrive while my PC is left covered with a sheet of cloth untouched… My items are FINALLY here.

To start with, I’ve order the ThermalTake ToughPower 850watt as I’m feeling that my old TT 680watt is not enough with today’s power demanding hardware. The best thing about this PSU is that it comes with Cable Management Technology which means that you don’t have to worry about burying your unneeded cables inside your case. You can simply just hook the required power cords to your components. Its nVidia Quad SLI certified, Supports Dual Core & Quad Core CPU’s and has 8 SATA Connectors. A big 14cm fan that runs at 2300RPM with an airflow of 105CFM and a quite 16dBA at 1300RPM. This monster was heavy as it weighed 8lbs.

Lately, I’ve been having this habit of downloading High Definition movies, concerts & documentaries. Its really nice to watch a movie in a whooping 1920x1080 resolution alongside a DTS soundtrack. You get crystal clear/crisp AV. But the downside of this is that each movie ranges from 5GB up to 35GB depending on the bitrate that it was captured with. And it also takes ages to download on my 1mb ADSL connection. So I’ve ordered a couple of Western Digital’s WD5000KS 500GB SATA II drives and a couple of WD2500KS 250GB drives and they’re now configured in a RAID to support my growing library of HD material.
And above all, this all can’t be completed without having a new monitor to watch these wonderful HD movies and play all the cool games on. So…….. Having sold my previous Samsung SyncMaster 243T 24” widescreen LCD monitor, I got the Westinghouse LVM-37W3 37” High Definition LCD TV with an 8ms response time & Dual DVI, HDMI+HDCP connections. America’s number one selling LCD brand. Below are the specs:

Display
Screen Size 37"
Recommended Resolution 1920 x 1080
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Viewing Angle 176°(H) / 176°(V)
Display Colors 16.7 Million
Brightness 550 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio 1000:1
Response Time 8ms
Connectivity
Input Video Compatibility PC Input Analog RGBNTSCHD Ready: 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
HDTV Capability HDTV Ready
Connectors HDMI(R)-HDCP + L/R Audio 1DVI -HDCP + L/R Audio 2VGA/D-Sub/RGB + Audio mini jack 1YPbPr Component Video + L/R Audio 2S-Video+ L/R Audio 1Composite Video + L/R Audio 1 L/R Audio out, Switched, Fixed Volume 1
HDCP Ready Yes
HDMI 1
Convenience
Built in Speakers 2-15 watt speakers
Features Progressive Scan, Aspect Ratio Conversion, CCS (Cross Color Suppressor), 3D Noise Reduction, PIP, Inverse 3:2 pulldown, Freezing Picture, 3D Video Processing, 3D Comb FilterLamp Life: 60,000 HrsColor Gamut: 75% NTSC
Dimensions
Dimensions (W×H×D) with Base: 25.9" x 37.3" x 8.2"
Weight with Base: 60 lbs.

Ofcourse, it wouldn’t be fair to connect such beauty to a PC with a regular DVI cable so I’ve connected it to a Monster Cable Digital Video DVI400 to my PC. This two meter long cable (6.56 feet) is perfect for your digital connection needs. In order for high definition all-digital video to look its best, the data must be transferred from your set top box or DVD player to your HD display in pure digital form. Most video cables are analog and won't do the job. The Monster DVI400 is an all-digital, high bandwidth video interface. The concept is to see on your screen exactly what was digitally transmitted. The DVI400 supports up to 24-bit digital RGB data behind each pixel for the highest quality image.

I have a couple of more hardware components on its way, so watch this space……..

Chinese man dies after week-long marathon gaming session

2007-03-01T12:19:00.000+02:00

The Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in Chinese tradition. Globally, it stirs a mass-migration of Chinese who return to their families to celebrate the New Year.
However, this holiday season was marked by tragedy with the death of a 26 year old man who died alone in his home. Apparently the man was engaged in a week-long online gaming marathon, during which he passed out and never regained consciousness.
The man, who was only identified by his gaming alias “Zhang,” is what China has come to classify 2.6 million of its 20 million under-18 youth: gaming addicts. Though Zhang’s death was attributed to his 330 pound obesity, we feel this, too, is more than likely linked to his gaming habit.
Sadly, Zhang is far from the first gamer to die; another gamer was pronounced dead after a 50-hour-long gaming session he engaged in at a video cafe.
In a much worse case, a distressed gamer stabbed a fellow player to whom he lent one of his online swords; that player sold the sword in question for 7,200 Yuan. The gamer contacted police to regain possession of his sword, but because there are no virtual property laws in place, the gamer had no case against the offender.
The stabbed gamer died, and the sword lender was sentenced to a suspended death sentence, although he may gain parole after 15 years of good behavior.
China is racing to address this rapidly-growing addiction; they are trying to help the addicted in question through rehab clinics (where counseling and electro-shock therapy are used in conjunction) and a controversial new system that will limit gamers online time to 3 hours.
The majority of gamers in China invest their time in MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games), in which they can create upgradeable characters and interact with thousands of fellow gamers in a virtual world.
For those trying to break their gaming addictions (or even those that aren’t), I would point you to my mother’s sage advise: Why not go outside? There’s stuff out there, and real people too! Granted, you can’t carry your level 31 Warhammer with invulnerability to fire and magic, but you could gather a party and make a quest for McDonald’s, or something.

from tech.blorge.com

Nokia N800 Internet Tablet

2007-02-27T01:15:00.000+02:00

Internet at Your Finger Tips, Nokia N800 NSeries Internet Tablet. The Nokia N800 Internet Tablet exemplifies the epitome of technology, style and portability. The N800 easily connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi or compatible cellular phone. Enjoy the Internet on a portable size tablet with a high-resolution widescreen display in the palm of your hand. Effortlessly make Internet Phone calls, check & send e-mail, instant message and so much more with the Nokia N800. You can also access Internet media at home or on-the-go with the Nokia N800s high quality stereo audio.

Features
Experience true internet browsing with an impressive high-resolution widescreen display Conduct video conferences on-the-go using internet calling and the integrated webcam Stay connected with instant messaging, email and more. Entertainment is always at hand thanks to the integrated media player, high quality stereo speakers, UPnP audio and expandable mass memory. The ultra-slim design makes web browsing more portable and convenient than ever.

Technical Specs
Access the web on a portable internet tablet High-resolution widescreen display Opera 8 web browser Supports Flash 7 Internet communications Internet calling with integrated web camera Instant messaging E-mail client Full-screen, touch keyboard Access to internet media at home and on-the-go High quality stereo speakers Media player UPnP Expandable mass memory Dimensions Weight: 7.27 ounces Height: 2.95 in Width: 5.7 in Thickness: 0.5 in Color Cool silver front cover with matte black at the back Display High-resolution (800x480 pixels) touch screen with up to 65,536 colors Operating temperature This product can be used within an environment ranging between the following temperatures: 14 - 131 Fahrenheit Memory and storage RAM 128 Two internal memory card slots, compatible with SD, MicroSD, MiniSD, MMC, and RS-MMC. Compatible with cards up to 2GB. Configurable up to 4GB. Flash 256MB, 128 MiniSD with extender included in sales package * Changes to product details are possible without prior notice. Application offering may vary. Dynamic memory means that the available memory is shared between dynamic memory functions. When any of these functions are used, there is less available memory for other functions which are also dependent on dynamic memory. Operating times* Standby time: up to 10 days Browsing time: up to 3 hours * Operation times may vary depending on radio access technology used, configuration and usage. Form and function High quality stereo speakers and microphone High-resolution widescreen display Integrated desk stand for on-table use Internet Tablet OS 2007 edition Key applications (additional applications available) Web Browser (Opera 8) with Flash 7 Internet calling with video Instant Messaging E-mail Media player Internet Radio RSS Feed Reader Input methods Full screen finger keyboard On-screen keyboard Handwriting recognition Display functions Zooming, full-screen and panning functionality Utilities Application installer PDF viewer Sketch File manager Backup/restore Image viewer Notes Calculator Supported file formats Audio: AAC, AMR, MP2, MP3, RA (Real Audio), WAV, WMA Image: BMP, GIF, ICO, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, SVG-tiny Video: 3GP, AVI, H.263, MPEG-1, MPEG-4, RV (Real Video) Internet radio playlists: M3U, PLS * Media player does not necessarily support all features of a file format or all the variations of the file formats. Connectivity Auto connection to saved Wi-Fi hotspots or through Bluetooth compatible phones WLAN: 802.11b/g Bluetooth specification: 2.022 For Internet connection and file transfer via phone Profiles supported: File transfer, Dial-up Networking, Data Terminal Role, Generic Access, Serial Port, SIM Access, Object Push, File Transfer and Human Interface Device profiles USB 2.0 high speed device mode for PC connectivity Language User Interface: American English, British English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French, Latin American Spanish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese User's Guide: American English, British English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French, Latin American Spanish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Arabic Sales package contents Nokia N800 Internet Tablet (RX-34) Extra stylus Battery (BP-5L) 128MB MiniSD card with extender (MU-17) Stereo headset (HS-48) Travel charger (AC-4) Carrying case (CP-136) Data cable (DKE-2) Quick start guide Safety, warranty and other product information Accessories Available separately: Navigation kit for N800 Wallet and case for N800 Memory cards Mobile charger DC-4 Charger adapter CA-44 External Bluetooth keyboard Stereo headphones Extra stylus pack * Internet features require connectivity through WLAN or compatible mobile phone.

Transformers and GM Form Power Partnership

2007-02-25T13:03:00.000+02:00

Since i haven't really expressed and shared my opinion for the new upcoming Transformers movie, i just wanna let you know that im DYING for it just to be released. Ever since 1986, Transformers the movie was out, it had a great impact on me whe i was growing up. I had all these transformer toys to play with and loved them especially Grimlock, Sound Wave and Hot Rod. I will be posting more on the development and filming of this year's highly-anticipated movie which is supposed to launch on July 4th 2007, directed by Michael Bay and produced by Dreamworks (ie: SPIELBERG)

Transformers and GM Form Power Partnership (from Comingsoon.net)

Four new movie stars – "Bumblebee™," "Autobot Jazz®," "Autobot Ratchet®" and "Ironhide®" (see new photos below) – from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures', in association with Hasbro's, forthcoming July 4th action-adventure release, Transformers, were introduced this evening by General Motors Corp. as it hosted its sixth annual "ten" pre-Oscar fashion event at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood."Bumblebee" changes from the classic Chevrolet Camaro, and is a central character in the saga of aliens who take mechanical forms when on Earth. "Autobot Jazz" converts from a Pontiac Solstice in a hardtop format. A Hummer H2, modified as a rescue vehicle, changes into "Autobot Ratchet" and "Ironhide" changes from a GMC TopKick medium-duty truck.Buzz about the roles that these vehicles play in the movie has been spreading since a quick glimpse of the new Camaro was spotted in Paramount's newest Transformers trailer, which began appearing in theaters on Dec. 20, 2006. This clip, which is currently the most-viewed movie trailer on Yahoo!, also contains images of the Solstice, H2 and TopKick for fans who were quick enough to have freeze-framed it."'Transformers' is a compelling project and offers us a global platform for marketing GM products and building our brands," said Mike Jackson, GM North America vice president, marketing and advertising. "It represents the perfect intersection of entertainment, marketing and design.""The first time I saw the new Camaro, while touring the GM Design Center, I knew immediately that it would be the perfect 'Bumblebee,'" said Michael Bay, the film's director. He continued, "It's got beautiful lines and a classic, timeless look. There were no other cars that came even close. I have had a great working relationship with GM for many years and am psyched to be working with them on 'Transformers.'"Gerry Rich, President of Worldwide Marketing at Paramount Pictures, added, "We are thrilled to be working with GM on this incredible and action-packed film. Having integrated the cars as characters in the film is truly an innovative concept that will help eventize this exciting 4th of July tentpole film."GM will roll out a fully integrated marketing and promotional effort around the film in the near future, including a major Chevrolet promotion, according to Jackson.

Skype phone arrives with no string attached

2007-02-22T10:47:00.000+02:00

IMAGINE BEING able to take full advantage of Skype's low cost telephony service without even having to turn your computer on. That's exactly what the Dualphone 3088 promises with this wireless handset for use around the home.
RTX has, it claims, effectively built on the success of its original 9211 Dualphone model. That gave us a single handset which could act simultaneously as a regular cordless digital phone for wandering around the home. And a Skype handset for making low cost Internet calls.
The chief advantage which this latest version of the Dualphone provides is a combined Skype and cordless handset which doesn't need the PC to be turned on to provide the Skype connexion.
It may sound mundane, but the sheer fact that you don't need your PC to be switched on and fully operational just to make a simple Skype call is a major improvement.
Instead of having the handset base station hanging off the back of a PC via a USB link, with the new 3088 offering, the base station simply connects into an existing broadband router/modem via an Ethernet cable.
The INQ anticipated that setting up the whole system to work with Skype would be very tedious. The opposite was true.
Once the base station was powered up; connected and functioning - switching on the handset takes you straight to a series of easily understandable setup questions.
This ensures the base station is correctly configured to work with a land line in whichever country you're located. It even stores useful parameters such as the local dialling code, so that calls can go through quicker.
When it comes to establishing Skype connectivity, nothing could be simpler. Tap in your existing Skype username and password and the handset takes care of the rest. Once registered, you can see all you existing Skype contacts, for example.
Armed with that directory, you can call all your existing Skype 'buddies' for free. There's no cost. Nothing to pay.
Offering free calls to your mates is a tremendous advantage seeing as the same handset hangs around the house for use as a digital cordless phones. So now you can call all your Skype contacts from the bath, if you should so choose.
By paying to take advantage of Skype's Skypeout service, it's also perfectly possible to call ordinary fixed telephone numbers as well as mobile phones.
The downside is that's there's no PC link to enable you to add loads of landline numbers to the handset's 'Contacts' list.

To compensate the product offers full support for CLI (Calling Line Identity) so if you feed a regular telephone number into your contacts book it will show who's calling.
Unlike the previous model, the 3088 doesn't beep to let you know when one of your Skype contacts has just gone online. Which is quite a useful facility to lose.
This handset does, however, show how much credit is remaining should you decide to make a non-Skype call using the standard Skypeout facility.
The handset can be set to default to Skype; the landline; or simply ask which link to use each time you want to make a call.
Purists might think that the 3088 should use Wi-Fi to create the link between the handset and the cordless base station. Instead the 3088 uses DECT, which the INQ has found to give much better coverage and voice quality than a Wi-Fi phone.
Those who hate making Skype calls via a mike and speakers connected to their PC should definitely consider acquiring a Dualphone.

An article from The Inquirer

Microsoft's High Defintion Web Camera

2007-02-14T12:34:00.000+02:00

Hi all,
Just received my Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000 High Defintion web camera.

Specs from the Microsoft website:

. High Definition 2.0 Megapixel Video
Get crystal clear video with High Definition Video. (1600 × 1190 pixels)
. High Definition 7.6 Megapixel Still Photos
High Definition still photos show you in the best light. (3200 × 2380 pixels, interpolated)
. Built-in Microphone
The built-in microphone automatically picks up your voice with remarkable clarity.
. Wide-angle Lens
The 71 degree wide angle lens ensures no one gets left out of the picture.
. 3X Digital Zoom
The zoom delivers realistic, up-close-and-personal video, so you can see the contours of every smile.
. Optimized for Windows Live Messenger
Seamlessly integrated with Windows Live Messenger for easy setup and use.
. Notebook Mobility
Compact and reliable, this webcam was designed especially for notebook computers.
. Pan and Tilt
The pan and tilt functionality make it a snap to capture the big picture, however you want to see it.
. Crystal-clear Audio
Automatic audio control for enhances clarity.

You can find the Technical Data Sheet for it here in PDF format.

RAY

2007-02-06T18:13:00.000+02:00

It all began when I was inspired/motivated by our scuba-diving trip in Sharm el Sheikh back in September 2006. Ofcourse after that I convinced myself that I HAD TO buy a home aquarium. After an intensive research I found out that the salt water aquarium is more expensive (fish wise and equipment), more advanced to handle and take care of than the fresh water aquarium. BUT at the same time, salt water has the most beautiful kinds of fish in the world. So, as a fish-collecting begginer, I bought a nice 55 galon (=~ 210liter) fresh water aquarium in mid November 2006. Began learning about all the habbits, food, water cycles, etc... of the lovely small creatures. Been collecting different kinds of fish since then. Of course some died because of my improper care taking but i replaced them all.
Today arrived the awaited. For almost three months I have orderd a fresh water StingRay. Today it arrived on a 18 hour flight from Thailand. The one I wanted was "suppose" to be a 10cm diameter StingRay. Instead, a giant 25cm diameter (80cm length from head to end of tail) underwater-UFO disguised as a StingRay had arrived. ITS AMAZING !! Just to watch it swim and hover over the sands and gravel of the aquarium is very interesting. Below are some pictures of my aquarium with a couple of shots for Blue Sharks and the StingRay.

StingRay on the Move

Thermaltake's IXoft: Revolutionary Fanless Notebook Cooling Pad

2007-02-06T11:19:00.000+02:00

Thermaltake Technology, the world’s leading brand in high-end computer chassis, power supply and thermal solution, is launching its latest passive notebook cooling product. Leveraging on its expertise in thermal management as well as innovative product design capability, Thermaltake engineered a completely fanless, ultra-portable cooling device with the launch of iXoft Fanless Notebook Cooling pad. The most innovative thermal designed feature is found in its patented Heat Shift Technology which consists of phase change material that exhibits cold and solid property when not in use then transforms into liquid form when dissipating heat away from the heat source. Upon contact with heat source such as a computer notebook, iXoft quickly absorbs heat away from the source and accelerates thermal dissipation by distributing heat across all available surfaces on iXoft and into surrounding through natural convection. All this is done without any moving part which guarantees iXoft to operate continuously without consuming any precious battery from the notebook and without producing any noise. Portability played in equally important part in the design of iXoft, which weighs in at only 650g (22 ounces), makes it the world’s lightest notebook cooler available today. In addition to its light weight property, iXoft can also be folded for easy transportation and storage. iXoft Fanless Notebook Cooling Pad is available in mysterious black or snow white.
For more information ...

Blog launch post

2007-02-02T00:58:00.000+02:00

Hi all,

This is a test post. Today i created my first blog site. I'll be posting here stuff that I'm used to emailing to my friends. That way you're not FORCED to read anything that I share. So feel free to comment on anything you like.

Note: All the material before this date are old stuff which I have already emailed to my friends.

TIMZ - The Iraqi Rapper (Updated with Interview)

2007-02-01T17:50:00.000+02:00

My friend send me this guy's YouTube music video link.

On his fiery and autobiographical debut CD, TIMZ—aka Tommy Hanna, an American born rapper of Chaldean and Iraqi descent--gets right up in our faces, mixing explosive, Middle Eastern tinged beats with incendiary rhymes in an effort to shatter those ugly stereotypes that have plagued people who look like him since 9/11 and the start of the Iraq war.
More on TIMZ please visit http://www.timzonline.com/

TIMZ interviewed on FOX News' Hannity & Colmes

The Rooney shirt is here

2007-01-20T13:12:00.000+02:00

Since im a huge Manchester United football fan, i've ordered this $175 Wayne Rooney home shirt from the ManUtd Old Trafford store. I've added the Premiership Numbering Styling with the Premierleague Patch. It arrived today. I'm really excited. This is added to my collection of "signed" David Beckham, Christiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy shirts. Btw, did you know that Rooney, now 21, makes $20.4 million dollars a year from salary+bonus and other incomes ?? APART from his $60 million dollar 3-year contract which he signed with Manchester United in 2004 ??

Underwater filming

2007-01-10T13:45:00.000+02:00

I've received today the Sony SPK-HCB Sports Pack. It's designed to protect my Sony DCR-SR100 30GB HDD Digital Video Handycam camcorder (and a bunch of other Sony handycam models), the SPK-HCB lets you record amazing digital video and still images at a depth of up to 5m (17 feet). Its Perfect for keeping the Handycam safe from rain, sleet or snow during difficult weather conditions. Too bad I didnt have it with me when I went Scuba Diving and Snorkeling in Sharm el Sheikh when I went there in September 2006. Although we did take some underwater photos with a disposable Kodak camera, its nothing like DIGITAL !! The fish and coral reefs underwater ARE SIMPLY AMAZING in the Red Sea.

Wanna know where I was last weekend ?

2006-12-19T17:22:00.000+02:00

A Story... It all started when my friend, Ali SOB, informed me about the recently announced Jean Michel Jarre concert which would take place on December 16th. The concert would be called "Water for Life" and it should be a message to all the world to start preserving water as its the most essential element of life. That as i recall was in early November. I got all excited and hyped about the intention of going there to attend the concert. So, i took myself a couple of days later to the Moroccan Embassy in Amman/Jordan. There I was inquiring about the VISA process since its really EASY (NOT) nowadays for Iraqis to get a VISA to any destination in the world. So, the first question i was asked in the embassy was what my nationality was. I answered: Iraqi. Then he asked if i had a residency in Jordan. So I answered no to that one. The guy goes: "Hmm, let me show you something...." He took me to his office and showed me a VISA application for an Iraqi "RESIDENT" in Jordan, with a bank statement of $25,000 and a work permit in Jordan and his application WAS REFUSED!!!. So it took me about 2 seconds to realize that my chances of ever having a Moroccan VISA have just faded away into farts. Weeks passed by, while i was checking my usual Jarre fan site http://www.jarreuk.com/ , seeing early pictures of the location that the concert will take place on, which is Merzouga in the Sahara Desert Dunes in Morocco, the "BIG LONG WORM" started to spin up my ... you know where... so I started making some calls to some people to see if I could EVER get a Moroccan VISA. This and that .... to make a long story short... I ended up having a Moroccan VISA stamped in my passport because of one man who made some calls to get it for me. My dear beloved FATHER. Making a late flight booking, and late wire transfer bank payments to the Moroccan travel company that is coordinating this concert in Morocco, Atlas Voyage, I took my wife, Basma, and went to Morocco on the 11th of Dec. Landed in Casablanca. Made some tours there... Took a train to Marrakech. Stayed a couple of nights there too to do some tours. Returned to Casablanca on the 15th. We laid down in the hotel resting for the next BIG day as we were told that we would be picked up at 9:00am on the 16th. Woke up on the 16th. Had breakfast. The bus came for us at precisely 9:00am. Headed to the airport. Flew to Errachidia which was about 45 mins flight southeast of Casablanca towards the Algerian borders. In the airplane, I was approached by a new-friend of mine, which was the one who coordinated all my booking, payment and organizations for this trip to Merzouga. He learned that I was a big Jarre fan. His name is Ahmed Amine Fadhil. He sat next to me in the airplane. Whispered "Zaid, I have a surprise for you." A two-meter width smile immediatly drew on my face wishing that he will get me some pre-concert stuff. He said "I have changed your hotel to a different one than what we have booked." We originally had a reservation in a 4 star hotel called Al'Salam in Merzouga. He changed it to another 4 star hotel called Xaluca. (pronounced Zaluca). Expecting something else, i said "Ok....". Before we landed, he opened his bag, took out a couple of Green wrist tags that had "Jean Michel Jarre - Water for Life - Merzouga Morocco 2006" printed on them. Whispering, he said "Wear these when you reach the concert.". Landed in Errachidia. We then took Land Rover Jeeps to drive us through the rough, sandy roads of Errachidia to Merzouga where our hotel was. Ofcourse all the roads were decorated with the signs "Jarre - Water for Life" concert. We were hundreds of people all going on the same journey to the Merzouga concert. Reached the hotel after an hour drive. The driver stopped near the entrance and all the people entered directly to the reception to check-in after a long journey. It was about 3:00pm. Basma had the video camera on her and I had the photo camera because we were shooting some pictures on the road to the hotel. While filling out some papers, i heard a woman behind me saying to her friend "Did you see him ?? There's Jarre". THE WORLD FROZE IN MY EYES. Its like playing Max-Payne or FEAR and going into SLOW-MO. I turned and saw Jean Michel Jarre passing RIGHT BY ME going out of the hotel with a distance of almost HALF a meter seperating us. At a split of a second, Basma turned on the video camera while i turned on the photo camera and followed him out to a car, a Volkswagen Touareg, which was waiting to take him to the concert to start the rehersals. Taking three pictures and recording less than a minute of video of this whole incident, I woke up from the SLOW-ME only to realize that Jean Michel Jarre has just passed by me, got into a car and drove by me. We realized that Jarre was staying in the same hotel that we are staying in. Hence the surprise by my friend Ahmed Amine which i came to realize that its FAR more better than the pre-concert stuff i wished for. Had lunch + a light dinner we were told to gather up at the reception to departure to the Sahara Dunes at 7:00pm. In the car, we wore our phosphoric-green wrist tags. After an hour drive into the middle of literaly NO-WHERE in the Sahara Dunes, we arrived at the concert location. Every thing was set up and ready.. The temperature was -5c. It was freezing cold. As we got out of the car, we saw thousands of people marching towards the concert location. We were guided through a special lane to a special warmed big tent where we saw about 10s of other people sitting and standing. We now realized that we were in the VIP Section. HMMMMMMM. Another surprise by my friend Ahmed Amine. We waited about 30 mins and drank hot mint tea which was really REALLY helpful in the freezing situation. We then walked to the concert location where the majority of the people attending the concert were standing while we were guided to a special sitting area which had an upper-level view of the WHOLE stage and concert. THE VIP LOUNGE. This and this... That and That... I ended up filming the whoooooole concert with my video camera in Wide HQ Mode (10mbps bitrate), which is higher than the MAX DVD bitrate of 8mbps with 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. Took a couple of pictures too. In short: THE CONCERT WAS AMAZING. BREATH-TAKING. FASCINATING. AWESOME. ITS TRUELY A ONCE IN A LIFE-TIME OPPERTUNITY AND EVENT FOR US. I used to envy my friend Ali SOB for going to the Jarre Gdansk/Poland concert, but now i stopped. I witnessed it myself. After the concert which ended about 11:30pm, they drove us back to the hotel. Thinking all the way to the hotel if i ever will see Jarre in person again in the hotel, how many pictures will i take of him. When we arrived, I asked the guy in the reception which room he was staying in, he smiled and replied "101, The Royal Suite". We woke up the next day to have breakfast as we were told that we should be ready to leave on 10:00am to go back to Casablanca. I went and asked the guy in the reception about Jarre. When did he arrive after the concert and when will he leave. He said that he arrived at 5:00am in the morning and that he asked to be waken up at 12:00 in the afternoon. He said that he will stay one more night in this hotel before he leaves. I told Basma to grab the photo camera and follow me. Imagine what i did..... I went to Jarre's suite.. stood outside the door.. Heart beating at over 200bps... I knocked on the door calmly... wishing that he comes out and just talk to me and take a picture with me and even sign anything that i can hold in my hands even if its my underwear. There was no answer... Hesitating to knock again, i told Basma to just let it go. i saw enough.. As we were walking, heading towards the reception, I STOPPED. Turned at Basma and told her "Why not give it a second chance ?" So we headed back towards his room, reached there and knocked again on the door. With the heart almost stopping there was no answer.... I smiled at Basma knowing that he is deep in sleep. We went to the reception. While waiting for everybody to gather up to leave to the airport, i ran to the reception, asked the guy there for a paper and envelope, took it,, and wrote a fan letter to Jarre and how that we are Iraqi fans and how we were in his concert which we flew alll the way this far to attend this concert and see him and asked him if he could sign it and send it to me by mail. Taking this envelope, i rushed towards his suite which was in a different area of the big hotel,, i reached his room, crouched and slipped the envelope from under the doorway. Ran back to the reception smiling to Basma and then we left Merzouga. Returned to Casablanca and then left to Amman. The End. For more pictures and videos, you can visit http://www.jarreuk.com/ , http://www.concert-merzouga.com/ , http://www.jeanmicheljarre.com/ Thank You GOD, Thank You father, Thank You Ali SOB, and last but definetly not least Thank You Ahmed Amine !!!!

The KING KONG of Video Cards

2006-07-26T19:04:00.000+02:00

Got this baby yesterday. Attach are the benchmarks. Its amazing how a single card can beat 2 GeForce 7800GTX in SLI mode. Here's the review. http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=841&cid=2

My current Gaming PC specs are:

Motherboard : Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe nForce4 SLIx16
CPU : AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Toledo 1GHz FSB 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket 939 Dual Core Processor
CPU Cooler : ThermalTake Big Typhoon CL-P01114
Memory : 2GB Corsair TWINX2048-3500LLPRO DDR433 XMS3500 ProSeries Memory
HDD : 160GB (2 x 80GB) Maxtor Diamond MAX 9 (RAID 0)
HDD : 160GB (2 x 80GB) Maxtor Diamond MAX 9 (RAID 0)
Sound : Creative Sound Blaster X-FI Platinum
DVD-R/DVD-RW : Pioneer DVR-108 16x DVD-+RW 4x Dual Layer DVD+R Black
Video Card : ASUS EN7950GX2/2PHT/1G Geforce 7950GX2 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Dual GPU Video Card - Retail
Monitor : Samsung SyncMaster 243T 24" Widescreen LCD
Speakers : Creative GigaWorks S750 7.1
Case : ThermalTake XaserV WinGo V7000 Gaming Tower
Power Supply : ThermalTake Silent PurePower 680W Power Supply, Model "W0049 RUD"
Keyboard : Saitek Ultimate PC Gaming Keyboard
Mouse : Razer CopperHead Tempest Blue First Edition
Mouse Pad : Razer eXactMat

The new Sony babies

2006-07-18T19:11:00.000+02:00