Designer hopes to plug into intelligent fashion!

By Claudia Gaillard

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Tired of running out of batteries and having to find a socket to charge your cell phone or iPod? An Argentine fashion designer may have the answer: a timeless jacket with a built-in solar panel.

Julieta Gayoso's line of "intelligent" clothing acknowledges technology's constant presence in the modern world and the annoyance caused by dead batteries.

"Today, technology is more and more mobile. It has the freedom of wireless connection, but when batteries run out you have to plug into the grid. So this is a way to have mobile energy and, of course, it's clean," Gayoso, 36, told Reuters Television earlier this week.

Enter Gayoso's innovative solar-panel jacket. A cable runs from the panel to a battery in the inside pocket where up to eight electronic devices can be recharged at the same time whenever there is sunshine.

That's not all Gayoso has come up with. Her Indarra.dtx (http://www.indarradtx.com) clothing line includes pants and jackets with wireless control devices that let users skip songs or pump up the volume with their MP3 players stowed safely at the bottom of a backpack.

It may sound gimmicky, but her clothes are not futuristic catwalk creations. They are deliberately classic in style -- utilitarian garments built to be worn over time.

"We're focusing on products that are not seasonal, that can be used during the winter, during the summer," she said. "It's a classic style. The pants aren't too tight or baggy, but made so you want to wear them for years."

Gayoso started the project in late 2006 and launched the first line of clothing earlier this year.

She is now working on a second collection and hopes to export next year.

(Writing by Brian Hagenbuch)

Clint Eastwood give up acting? Don't count on it!!

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clint Eastwood spends more time behind the camera these days directing films. But anyone who believed him a few years ago when he said he had given up on acting, can think again. Clint has changed his mind.

The Academy Award-winning director, who was promoting his latest film "Changeling" at the New York Film Festival on Thursday, began acting more than 50 years ago and gained fame playing tough-minded cowboys and cops.

But in recent years, the 78 year-old Eastwood has perfected his skills as a director, winning Oscars for directing "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby" and earning nominations for "Mystic River" and "Letters from Iwo Jima."

Yet, Eastwood said that despite past declarations against returning to acting, if he likes a role, he will gladly act again. In fact, he has a new film, "Gran Torino," coming out in a couple of months in which he does just that.

"Since this picture ('Changeling') was completed this year I have done another film in which I have performed, even though I said I wasn't going to do that anymore," Eastwood told reporters.

"I think I started saying that back a few years ago, I said 'I don't think I'll act anymore, I'll stay behind the camera'" and then 'Million Dollar Baby' came along and I liked that role," he said. "Now I've done 'Gran Torino'."

It is his first acting role since 2004's "Million Dollar Baby," but the Hollywood veteran joked that after directing several young actors in "Changeling," maybe he should go ahead and quit acting -- again.

"I'm always amazed at how good some of them are at such young ages because it took me forever to learn how to say my own name," he said.

"It's a great thing, that's one of the reasons why, in my senior years I do this sort of thing, I stay behind the camera and let the young people out there jump and run," he said.

"Changeling" is a gripping 1920s drama based on the true story of a woman whose search for her missing son forced her to confront the Los Angeles police and a serial child killer.

The film is due for release in the United States on October 31, after a world premiere at May's Cannes film festival that drew mostly good reviews. The movie debuts at the start of Hollywood's award season, and industry watchers are wondering if it will bring Oscar directing nomination No. 5 to Eastwood.

But if not, there's always "Gran Torino," which Eastwood not only stars in, but directs. He portrays a Korean war veteran forced by his immigrant neighbors to confront his racial prejudices after his Gran Torino car is stolen.

That movie reaches theaters in December and for Oscar watchers who follow the race, Eastwood's backers at Warner Bros. have a history releasing his movies late that month in time to qualify for the Oscar race.

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

User interface design!

User interface design or user interface engineering is the design of computers, gadgets, appliances, machines, mobile communication devices, software applications, and websites with the focus on the user's experience and interaction.

Unlike traditional design where the goal is to make the object or application physically attractive, the goal of user interface design is to make the user's interaction experience as simple and intuitive as possible - what is often called user-centered design.
Where good graphic/industrial design is bold and eye catching, good user interface design is often subtle and invisible..

Cancer Doctor Issues a Warning About Cell Phones, and Causes Panic!

The director of a cancer research center in Pittsburgh issued a surprising warning to his staff yesterday, advising them to avoid using cell phones as much as possible, because of the possible risk of brain cancer. The memo was promptly leaked to the media, igniting a firestorm of debate over whether the ubiquitous devices are dangerous.

The claim from the Pittsburgh researcher, Ronald Herberman, was particularly unexpected because numerous academic studies have found no connection between cell phone use and the risk of brain tumors. But Herberman says he’s basing his alarm on early unpublished data. He says it takes too long to get answers from science and he believes people should take action now — especially when it comes to children. “Really at the heart of my concern is that we shouldn’t wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later,” Herberman said [AP].

The focus of debate is the small amount of electromagnetic radiation that cell phones emit. Some researchers argue that chronic exposure to this radiation may raise cancer risk, perhaps by heating brain tissue or damaging DNA. Many researchers worry about children’s exposure, because their skulls are thinner and their brains are still developing [Baltimore Sun].

But so far, large-scale studies have found no evidence to support this theory. An analysis by the University of Utah this year of thousands of brain tumour patients found no increased risk as a result of [cell phone] use, but added that the effects from long-term use “awaits confirmation by future studies”…. Recent Danish and French studies also found no increased risk of cancer [BBC News]. Still, people who wish to err on the side of caution can follow simple steps to minimize their exposure to cell phones’ electromagnetic radiation, like using a wireless headset and making longer phone calls from a landline.

“Why People Aren’t Hiring You Right Away”

Back in the ‘80s Tavares sang a song called, “It Only Takes a Minute, Girl.” (I’m dating myself here, but somebody’s gotta do it.)

Accustomed as we are to the speed and convenience of the Web, that seems to be the theme song for the vast majority of entrepreneurs these days when it comes to acquiring new clients.

Fast food, high speed internet, purchase decisions - We want it all to happen right now, in a minute.

When clients come to me for help with their Irresistible Free Taste (you know, the freebie I keep telling you to have on your website so you can collect visitors’ contact information), I always ask them what their top two goals are for the project.

Invariably I hear some version of “I want them to download the article (or audio) and then hire me.”

As Master Po told Caine in the 1970s TV series Kung Fu (my goodness, there she goes with the ancient history again!), “Patience, Grasshopper.”

I’d like to share a bit of wisdom with you today - Remember that leads often aren’t “sales ready” right at that moment.

That’s why we call them “potential” clients.

Your job at this point is to be welcoming, helpful, and patient. You need to create a sense of rapport so they feel connected to you. To do that it’s important to be both curious (about their situation and the challenges they’re facing) and informative (about how they can solve those problems, possibly with your help).

The other unpleasant aspect of wanting clients to hire us right now is that it often springs from a sense of lack. The resulting anxiety is not especially attractive. Clients can smell desperation a mile away – and they tend to steer clear of it.

If you stop expecting that one exposure to your brilliance is going to turn every prospect into a raving (and paying) fan, you’ll take the pressure off both of you. Embrace the mantra, “Everything in its own good time.”

In my experience, education is the foundation of quality marketing. And most learning happens over time, not in one sitting. Don’t worry that you’ll run out of things to share. You have a lot to offer. And they have a lot to learn!

You don't need a big budget, but you do need to be willing to learn as much as you can about your clients and your field of expertise. And you need a desire to share what you've learned with others.

The Future of Green Computing

What is Green Computing?

Global warming and environmental change have become big issues with governments, corporations and your average Joe alike all seeking out new ways to green up their daily activities. Computers certainly make up a large part of many peoples lives and traditionally are extremely damaging to the environment, which begs the question: What is Green Computing?

Green Computing is the study and practice of minimising the environmental impact of computers through efficient: manufacturing, use, and disposal.

Problems of Electronic Waste

Electronic waste is an increasing problem globally due to the quick obsolescence of electronics, which make up a staggering 70% of all hazardous waste. Computer waste is high in many toxic materials such as heavy metals and flame-retardant plastics, which easily leach into ground water and bio-accumulate. In addition, chip manufacturing uses some of the deadliest gases and chemicals known to man and requires huge amounts of resources.

In an average year 24 million computers in the United States become obsolete. Only about 14% (or 3.3 million) of these will be recycled or donated. The rest - more than 20 million computers in the U.S. -- will be dumped, incinerated, shipped as waste exports or put into temporary storage to be dealt with later. We never stop to consider what happens when our laptop dies and we toss it. The reality is that it either rots in a landfill or children in developing countries end up wrestling its components apart by hand, melting toxic bits to recover traces of valuable metals like gold.

Wasting Electricity

The manufacturing of a computer consumes 1818 kw/h of electricity before it even gets turned on and when running, a typical computer uses 120 watts. Research shows that most PC’s are left idle all day, and many of them are left on continuously. Every time we leave computers on we waste electricity without considering where that electricity comes from. The majority of the world’s electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels which emit pollutants such as sulphur, and carbon dioxide into the air. These emissions can cause respiratory disease, smog, acid rain and global climate change.

The Future of Green Computing

A Canadian company, Userful Inc. (www.userful.com) have come up with a solution that turns 1 computer into 10 - DiscoverStation. Quickly becoming the standard for green computing worldwide, DiscoverStation leverages the unused computing power of modern PC’s to create an environmentally efficient alternative to traditional desktop computing. Multiple users can work on a single computer by simply attaching up to 10 monitors, mice and keyboards. This makes it possible to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 15 tons per year per system and reduce electronic waste by up to 80%. Userful has recently stated that in the last year their software has saved over 13,250* tons of CO2 emissions, the equivalent of taking 2,300 cars off the road. (More info at: http://userful.com/greenpc)

The European Union

The European Union is tackling the problem twofold. Companies are now required to produce computers free of the worst toxic materials and are responsible for taking back their old products. Faced with disassembling parts and cycling them back into the fabrication process, companies are making more careful decisions about how those parts are assembled in the first place. In 2002 NEC came out with the first computer to use lead-free solder, a fully recyclable plastic case, and which contained no toxic flame-retardants. Since then many computer companies worldwide have started selling lead-free PCs and it is becoming common practice for companies to offer their customers free recycling of their old computers.

Go Green

Here are some suggestions that will help you reduce your computer energy

Don't use screen savers. They waste energy, not save it.

By computers & monitors labelled “energy star” which can be programmed to automatically “power-down” or “sleep” when not in use.

If you are using more than 1 PC, Userful's 10 to 1 advantage can save electricity and your wallet.

Turn your computer and peripherals off when not in use. This will not harm the equipment.

Use flat panel monitors, which use about half of the electricity of a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display.

Buy ink jet printers, not laser printers. Ink jet printers use 80 to 90 percent less energy than laser printers and print quality can be excellent.

If all of us did this every day, we could make a small difference. We only have one earth; let's treat it right.

Firefox download record official!

Mozilla has officially made history with a new Guinness world record for the largest number of software downloads in a 24-hour period.

So far there have been more than 28 million downloads of Firefox 3.0

The final record breaking 8,002,530 downloads for Firefox 3.0 took place in June with parties in over 25 countries.

"The enthusiasm and creativity of Firefox fans was key to making this happen" said Marketing head Paul Kim.

Gareth Deaves of Guinness World Records called it "an extremely impressive accomplishment".

The official figure was confirmed after logs from download servers were audited and checked to ensure duplicate and unfinished downloads were not counted.

Mr Kim told the BBC: "The notion of going for a world record, as gooky and nutty as it may have sounded, was a really sticky idea.

"It was an idea that translated really well across national borders and to all different kinds of people around the world."

Marketing manager Mary Colvig said no party is planned to celebrate the record until the actual certificate is presented by Guinness World Records in London next week.

"Here at Mozilla headquarters (in Mountain View) I think most of us are just going to try and get to bed early now that we have the confirmation. We are all tired."

Security flaw

On launch day some of the shine was taken by security firms claiming to have found the first flaws in the new software.

Within five hours of Firefox 3.0 making its debut, DV Labs/Tipping Point reported a flaw that potentially let an attacker take over a PC if a user clicks on a booby-trapped link.

Mr Kim told the BBC "Firefox users are safe. We have a patch in the works and hope to release it very soon."

Mozilla says the number of downloads surpassed their expectations

Another potentially disastrous glitch ahead of the world record attempt came when servers handling the downloads collapsed under the weight of visitors checking to see if the new version of the browser was available.

Once they were all up and running the clock started counting down.

At their busiest the servers were handling more than 9,000 downloads per minute. Within five hours the number of downloads for Version 3.0 exceeded the 1.6 million set by Firefox 2.0 in October 2006.

Market share increase

Another boost for the open source browser comes with the announcement that it has boosted its market share to over 19% making it the second most popular browser after Microsoft's Internet Explorer, or IE.

Net Applications says a chunk of the gain seems to have come from rival IE, although much of the growth came in users upgrading.

The company said while IE reached a record low last month, it predicted Firefox will break the 20% share bar sometime this month.

Mr Kim said "We offer the best browsing experience and this shows people are getting the message and voting with their browser choice."

Meanwhile Mozilla has shipped a high priority update for Firefox 2.0, warning that there are at least five serious vulnerabilities that could lead to code execution attacks.

Mr Kim said Mozilla will continue to support Firefox 2.0 until the middle of December.

After that users will be expected to switch over to Firefox 3.0 which since its launch over two weeks ago boasts 28 million downloads and counting.