Google eBookstore – Is bigger best?

I love to read, I pretty much read everything I get my hands on, including my morning cereal box. I have books on my iPod Touch, my iPad, my laptop and my phone, believe it or not, I think I’d still also enjoy having an eReader. I know I’m probably not the norm, but there are probably a few people out there just like me.

Enough folks like me, that the new Google eBookstore might just be a good thing. Touting themselves as having the largest digital bookstore in the world, the Google eBookstore is a bit different in a few ways. First, unlike Amazon, Google sells books that come in various formats and can be read on almost any device, from the iPad to your netbook or smartphone… but uh-oh, not on your Kindle.

Second, The Google eBookstore might just be bigger than it’s competitors, with over 3 million books available with many of them free and hundreds of thousands of titles for sale. The options are certainly extensive. Cheaper? Maybe not, but it certainly seems like a generous selection.

Lastly, Google also offers a Google eBooks Web Reader, where you can buy, store and read Google eBooks in the cloud allowing you access to your ebooks like you would your messages in Gmail, using a free account with unlimited ebooks storage.

Not everybody needs all this, but I believe its better to have and not need, you know what I mean? But if you have a Kindle, then never mind.

The Google eBookstore is open now, at  www.books.google.com

Source: www.books.google.com

 

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XM25 combat weapon deployed to Afghanistan

by Mark R - on December 1st, 2010

This is the XM25 weapon system, and it is the first-ever programmable “smart” grenade launcher.

It is called “smart” because this shoulder-mounted weapon uses micro-chipped ammunition to fire 25mm air-bursting shells up to 2,300 feet, which is well past the range of most rifles. The XM25 then programs these shells to explode at a precise distance. This allows for neutralizing insurgents behind walls, rocks, trenches, or even inside buildings.

According to a recent quote, this “sort of cover has protected people for thousands of years”, and now this smart technology is in the hands of the soldier “for the first time”. This XM25 includes many sights, sensors, and lasers that can read the distance to a target, and assess elements like air pressure, temperature, and ballistics. This data is sent to the microchip embedded ammo of the XM25 before it is launched.

This pinpointed firepower is going to be very advantageous in order to reduce civilian casualties in Afghanistan. My source says that the weapon is so advanced technologically, that the average soldier needs very little training.

I can’t help but be reminded of the movie Aliens when I see this gun. I guess we are truly living in a science-fiction warfare age. Perhaps that is not a good thing.

Source

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X-37B automated spaceship returns to Earth after 8 month first flight

by Mark R - on December 6th, 2010

We really do live in a very science-fiction age. It would appear that the X-37B US military spaceplane has taken off and landed after seven months in orbit.

In all honesty, I don’t understand why this is the first time I am hearing about this. However, this project has been under “top secret” classification, but thanks to leaks (not Wikileaks) we know about it now.

It was launched on April 22nd at Florida’s Cap Canaveral Air Force, and landed a few days ago at Vandenberg Air Force base in California.

Yes, we can send up an automated space vehicle, and have it come back home again. I know you can’t get a good size of the spacecraft with this picture, but the X-37B is less than 30 feet long, and about 15 feet wide. That is one-quarter the size of the space shuttle.

Since this is a test run of the shuttle, it is not really known exactly what it is supposed to do. According to my Source, some have feared that the X-37B could be used for the “weaponisation of space”, but that doesn’t seem to be on the agenda.

Whatever the case, the X37B clearly must do whatever real human astronauts must do, unless they want to use the X2 robot program.

Source

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Volvo Air Motion Canyon Carver is a Wind/Wind situation

by Mark R - on December 6th, 2010

Imagine a world where vehicles run on nothing but air. This is Volvo’s Air Motion Canyon Carver concept, which runs on nothing but compressed air.

When the driver runs out of air, he or she goes to refuel. These air refueling stations are not just giant tanks of compressed air, but they are air that comes from huge wind turbine generators that are mounted on balloons with flying kites on them.

It sounds pretty weird, doesn’t it? This is what the design team has done at Volvo, in an attempt to free the world from our dependence on fossil fuels. As much as I would like to say “good luck with that”, we clearly need to do our cars without oil. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but the oil companies could use a little loss of profits. This is why these refueling stations are powered by kites to make compressed air. There is a video of it after the jump so you can check out what the designers were thinking.

I’m not certain if this Canyon Carver is made to go across canyon roads, but it is made to seat four so a whole group can enjoy the fun. The cars themselves weight about 902 pounds, and they are constructed with frames like motorcycles and boats. I wouldn’t mind driving one of these things myself.

Source

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Warsaw Subway designed by BMW

by Mark R - on November 30th, 2010

Well, we all know that BMW designs some high-end luxury vehicles, so why not have them design a Subway car?

This is the Inspiro. Seriously, that is what it is called. It is designed by DesignworksUSA to hit Polish tracks in Warsaw sometime in 2012.

You may notice its modern look, and it looks as advanced on the inside as it looks on the inside. It has a bigger interior than it looks, and it shows a lot of maps and other information for riders.

Of course, if you want to make a vehicle today, then it has to be green, right? Fortunately, the lightweight chassis is made from aluminum that can cut down on energy consumption, and the body of the train itself are 97.5 percent recyclable.

Just to let you know, I have no idea what the transportation is like in Poland. I think we all want an effective form of mass-transit, and this train certainly looks quite good. You will note how the bars branch out in the center pole.

I’m also not certain how fast this things goes. I know those ones at the airport go really quick, and I’m sure the ones in New York go pretty fast to get around the city on time.

Source

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Cowon gives glasses-free 3D to a PMP

by Mark R - on November 30th, 2010

We all know that Sharp is releasing two phones that can do 3D without glasses with the 003SH and 005SH mobile phones, and Nintendo gets the 3DS.

Glasses-free 3D technology is going to get another improvement as Cowon is going to make a Portable Media Player (PWP) with a 4.3 inch glasses-free 3D screen with 800 x 480 resolution.

This PMP, which is currently called the Cowon 3D, will have the ability to do 1080p high definition video, not to mention other PMP features like reading ebooks, web browsing, photo viewing, and listening to music.

The battery on this thing is good for about 10 hours of mobile use. I can’t help but wonder if what we are seeing is the home or menu screen to this PMP.

The one thing that we don’t know, and my Source asks as well, is if this can convert 2D into 3D. I really don’t know how much 3D can really happen from 2D. I’m sure that advancements in 2D to 3D are occurring everyday, but I don’t think we are “there” just yet.

I believe that the Cowon 3D will be out in December, but I’m not certain where. The price of this will be $430 for the 32GB model and $510 for the 64GB brand.

Source

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Cisco introduces the ūmi – Even better than being there

by Julie - on December 1st, 2010

I can’t tell you how many friends there are that I simply haven’t had time to get together with these days. Time is moving too fast, and I just can’t seem to slow it down enough to make plans.

Finally, technology seems to be catching up with the fast paced lifestyles we all seem to be living, as Cisco introduces the umi, a new set top box that makes telepresence a reality. Connect the umi to your HD television, and leave your car in the garage.

The umi allows you to be together as easily as you watch your TV, interesting how we all seem to still have time for that. You can take video calls, manage your contacts, leave and receive video messages and because you can receive video calls from any computer with a webcam, everyone can be in on the fun.

The umi makes it possible for any, or every, day to be a get together. Grandma never has to miss another Christmas, and we can eat dinner with Dad, even if he’s away on business.Thats just the beginning, you can also use The umi to make home videos, pan the room and zoom in on the folks at the party in your living room, and share it with the friends that couldn’t be there, or upload it to your favorite social networking site.

You need The umi, an HDTV, a broadband connection and an umi service plan. Make everyday a day you spend with loved ones. Don’t wait for the time, make it.  Available now for $599.00 at  www.homestore.cisco.com

Source: www.home.cisco.com

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