Blog temporarily discontinued!

I am sorry to announce that this blog is temporarily discontinued due to start of a new project. Being busy with that project I will not be able to continue it for some time. Also there are possibilities it is merged with sister companies for better prospective.  

This blog will be re-started INSHAHALLAH in mid of February 2008  with a new look and better SEO with WordPress blog management tools and more attractive content.

I am thankful to all regular readers that spend their precious time visiting this blog. I request you to stay tuned and do visit this URL in mid of February 2008.

You are also requested to comment on this post to express your ideas that you want to share for the new version that will be available in February 2008. Express your likes and dislikes of this blog so that we can make it better in the next version

Thank you

nVIDIA GeForce 9 Series comes in March

According to current plans, Nvidia plans to introduce its Geforce 9 series high end part codenamed G100 around march 2008.
We don’t know many details, but we do know that the chip should end up faster than two G92 D8E dual PCB card which is scheduled for launch in late January.
It will be on time to launch with G96 which is a mainstream part.

Source:
Fudzilla

Wateen Telecom Launches its Wi-Max Services For Home Users: Confusions and Cool things!

Wateen finally  launched its WI-FI broadband for home users on 16 December 2007.

This service was awaited so much with a lot of expectations. But the question is: is this what we waited for?

Wateen's web site has enough ajax to impress Pakistanis but still its pretty unclear about the services it provides. Most of stuff there is confusing! CEO is taking about about 'tadaaaa!' and 'wow' of his own company and a cluster of mixture of packages enough to confuse an average Pakistani reader. Plus there is written at end "All prices are exclusive of all taxes!". Come on Wateen guys, where are you standing? Why you want all people to call you? or visit you office? Why you have a website? is to display CEOs enthusiasm about its own company?  ...Few pages are still under construction even after 4 months of delay.

Ok enough criticism. Coolest thing is "yeayyy we have WI-MAX in Pakistan!" and now we have one of the largest hotspot in the world-Thanks to Wateen :) ...And its as affordable as other Broadband Services  

Vista's Security & Architecture Compromised & Busted?

Govind Singh demonstrates a very scary thing he did with vista! If its true then Vista's Security & Architecture can be easily busted!

He says in his blog
"Though VISTA claims to be the most secure operating system amongst the Microsoft OS family, still there are serious flaws which Compromise, Collapse & Bust down the Microsoft VISTA Security and Architecture."

Watch the Video yourself and decide

First Moonlight port of Silverlight to Linux due in six months

Miguel de Icaza, Vice President of Developer Platforms at Novell, said this week the first release of "Moonlight" -- Novell's port of Microsoft's Flash-competitor Silverlight to Linux -- should be done in another six months. De Icaza provided an update on that status of Moonlight during this week's XML 2007 conference. Moonlight 1.0 (which will not include support for Mono, Novell's port of .Net to Linux -- not surprising given that Silverlight 1.0 doesn't support .Net, either) is due in six months. Moonlight 1.1, which does include Mono support, is application-programming-interface (API) complete now, and will be ready shortly thereafter. Moonlight 2.0, which will be based on Silverlight 2.0 (the product formerly known as Silverlight 1.1) will be out six...

Read More


Source: ZDNet Blogs

Apple filing details multitasking touch-screen for mobile gaming

Apple is always had less-than-enthusiastic stance towards gaming, so the company's latest patent filing seems a bit out of character, seeing as it details a multitasking touchscreen that would allow games to be played while still controlling other applications like media players. The system works be categorizing touch inputs and routing the data to the appropriate application -- a simple tap might go to the game, while a longer press might be sent to the media player. According to Apple, "the invention allows various applications to be integrated and used on devices that are not readily suitable for supporting multiple applications at the same time." Of course, there's no word on when we might see this make its way into an actual product, but if this means we might see games on the iPod touch and iPhone, bring it on.

Via Engadget

"Here comes another bubble"- my favorite video

No comments! watch the video...it may change your life

Windows Live Messenger 9 Beta New Features

These are the new features in WLM 9 (currently in pre-beta stage) that are posted around the web.

New features:

1. Sign-in and messaging in multiple locations up to four at once.
2. Signature sounds. 
3. Per contact sounds.
4. SPAM Reporting.
5. Animated Display Pictures - supports animated .gif files as display pictures.
6. Link in Personal Status Message
7. URLs in Personal Status Messages are hot and clickable in the Messenger contact list.

General improvements:

1. Behind the Scenes Changes 
2. Architectural changes that modified how things work but shouldn’t have changed how things look. 
3. Changes to sign-in, connectivity, presence, sending text IM’s, voice & video features.
4. Windows Live Contacts Server
5. wlcomm.exe runs in the background to keep your contacts’ information up-to-date and helps Messenger sign you in faster.

Microsoft to make Vista harder to crack with SP1

Microsoft will change the user experience of its automatic anti-piracy checks in Windows Vista and also make it harder for hackers to bypass the system in the first service pack for the OS due out early next year. Once Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is installed on a PC, that computer will no longer go into limited functionality mode if a user or administrator fails to activate Vista on that system in 30 days, or if the system fails Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation, which checks to see if a version of Vista is pirated or counterfeit. In Vista, WGA is called the Software Protection Program feature.

In limited functionality mode, a computer will shut down after 60 minutes and then allow only browser use. Now, instead of going into that mode, a version of Vista that has not been activated in 30 days will start up with a black screen and a dialogue box that gives users the choice of activating Vista now or later, said Alex Kochis, a group product manager at Microsoft.

Via Neowin
Read More

Nokia's "Comes with Music" free subscription service

So here's the deal. Nokia just launched a "Comes with Music" program. No, not software, but a deal which allows you to buy a Nokia device with a year of unlimited, subscription access to "millions of tracks." Once the year is complete however, customers can keep all their downloaded music -- it doesn't disappear just because the subscription is over. What's the catch? Don't know yet. We know it's limited to Universal Music Group tracks for the time being but there's no mention of any fees, DRM, advertising, or other restrictions.
It's free for one year! All the Universal Music tracks you can download for 12 months can be yours. The offer doesn't begin until mid 2008, just as long as the deal doesn't fall apart by then.

Source: Engadget

Windows Mobile 6.1 gets pictured, detailed

The Boygeniusreport has revealed 100 detailed pictures of Windows Mobile 6.1 running on Motorola Q9 with Wi-Fi. check out full Windows Mobile 6.1 gallery, and the new things we found!

Copy / Paste (finally!)

Domain Enroll in Settings (Enrolling in a domain will connect your device with company resources.)

New home screen (pan left and right to check out missed calls, notifications like email, sms, etc.)

Change Master Security Code

Added text input settings

Recent Programs when pressing Start menu

Threaded SMS!

When you compose an email, or SMS, and start typing the name of the contact in the "To:" field, the contact names finally pop up like Windows Mobile Professional!

Internet Explorer now lets you define a homepage, and also zoom in and out using a nice and clean interface

Click on over to our Windows Mobile 6.1 gallery!

Trojan Remover 6.6.5

 

Trojan Remover was written to aid in the removal of Trojan Horses and Internet Worms when standard anti-virus software has either failed to detect the problem or is unable to effectively eliminate it. The majority of Virus and Trojan Scanners are well able to detect malicious Trojan Horses and Internet Worms but are not always very efficient in removing them once they have been triggered.Trojan Remover was written specifically to carry out such a removal without the user having to manually edit system files, including the Registry. The program also removes the additional system modifications some Trojans carry out which are ignored by other Virus and Trojan Scanners. You can download a free fully-working evaluation copy of Trojan Remover by clicking on the download link below. The program will work for a full 30 days, after which it will expire - registration costs $29.00.

Recent Changes/Improvements:

*Added new heuristic detection routine for Adware.NaviPromo files.

*Improved detection of usermode rootkitted files.

*Added routines to remove hidden registry keys/values during PC restart if they cannot be removed normally.

*Added information on whether UAC is enabled/disabled in Windows Vista/Server 2008.

Download: Trojan Remover | Mirror | Mirror
Screenshot: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
Link: Home Page | Updates

Source:Neowin

Wii fit

 

Well this is about Nintendo's home fitness thing named Wii fit, the only gaming console that keeps you healthy...Have a look at it

Wii fit trailer:

Wii Fit (known as Wii Fitness in EU territories) is an upcoming video game for the Wii console, currently in development by Nintendo. Previously revealed under the code name Wii Health Pack, it was announced under its current title at Nintendo's E3 press conference on July 11, 2007 by famed video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. At Nintendo's media briefing, it was demonstrated by Miyamoto himself, Reggie Fils-Aime and other participants. Like the rest of the Wii Series, Wii Fit will integrate Miis into its presentation and gameplay. The game is designed to function with the Wii Balance Board peripheral and is an example of exergaming. Wii Fit is set for release in Japan on December 1, 2007 for a price of 8,800 yen (roughly US$81). It will arrive in the United States and Europe sometime in early 2008.

Wii Fit will use a unique platform peripheral called the Wii Balance Board that can measure a user's body mass index and their center of gravity. The game will have about 40 different activities, including yoga poses, press ups, and other exercises. Furthermore, Wii Fit will allow its players to compare their fitness by using Wii Fit's own channel on the Wii Menu.

In a similar manner to the "Brain Age" calculated within Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!, Wii Fit will also track a user's "Wii Fitness Age".

Video Demonstration of Wii Fit at E3 Gamer conference:

Wii Fit was first revealed as Wii Health Pack, by Shigeru Miyamoto, during a conference in mid-September of 2006. Then described as a "way to help get families exercising together", the game idea had first been included in Miyamoto's original design document for the whole Wii Series, the entirety of which was scribbled down on a single sheet of paper.

Text Courtesy: Wikipedia

ooVoo 1.1.0.6

ooVoo™ is a free application which uses state-of-the-art audio and video technology enabling you to meet over the Internet using live video. It's the closest thing to being there with your family, friends and people you meet with. You can participate in a video conversation one-on-one or with up to 6 participants using a standard computer (Pentium 4 1 GHz or higher) with just a web camera and headset (or microphone and speakers). The video and audio is of superb quality and only requires a standard broadband Internet connection (such as DSL or cable). You can see which contacts are online and easily call them for a live video conversation. The application is easy to use and also enables you to record and send video messages, chat with friends, and share files. Does it contain spyware? Absolutely not. What you see is what you get. No cookies. No spam. No spyware.

Download: ooVoo
View: Features
Link: Home Page

Source: Neowin

A light-powered toothbrush?

Would you like to use a light-powered toothbrush which needs no toothpaste and no batteries? It’s already available in Japan and North America and it costs about $30. Its rod contains titanium dioxide that generates a plaque-removing electrochemical reaction. This ’solar’ toothbrush of the future ‘works by releasing electrons that then react with the saliva in the mouth and help to breakdown plaque.’ It just needs some light — so you’ll be able to wash your teeth in your garden or on your balcony. And as it has no batteries, this is a very eco-friendly device. It is currently tested today by 120 students at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, but it’s already available online.

You can see above how the light-powered Soladey toothbrush works. (Credit: Soladey-USA, on this page Here is a link to an ebven better graphical explanation from the New York Times. And you also might want to look at this short TV Commercial about this toothbrush.

Here are some more details provided by the Cosmetics Design Europe article. “The toothbrush is powered by light. When light hits the solar panel in the handle of the toothbrush electrons are released and delivered to the semiconductor head (titanium dioxide), explains the manufacturer. In addition, when light strikes the wet titanium dioxide head more electrons are released, which form a negatively charged fluid inside the mouth that can remove hydrogen ions from the plaque making it easier to break down, says the manufacturer. The toothbrush, therefore, cannot work in the dark. However, it takes the same amount of light as a solar-powered calculator, so that if the user can see their reflection in the mirror there is enough light to operate the brush.”

In “New brush could make toothpaste obsolete“, Janet French from CanWest News Service added that “University of Saskatchewan dentistry professor emeritus Dr. Kunio Komiyama and his colleague Dr. Gerry Uswak are recruiting 120 teens willing to brush with a prototype light-powered toothbrush and sit in a dentist’s chair for a few extra inspections.” So far Komiyama saw a complete destruction of bacterial cells.

And in “Brushing Innovations, Built on Titanium,” Joyce Cohen, from the New York Times, provides additional technical details. “The brush, available at soladey-usa.com, relies on a property of titanium dioxide. It is photocatalytic, meaning that it causes chemical reactions in the presence of light. Light shining on the titanium dioxide rod in the brush’s handle generates negatively charged electrons, which steal positively charged ions from dental plaque, causing oxidation. Brushing creates a slurry of negatively charged saliva, which attracts and decomposes plaque.”

According to the New york Times, Donald C. Selmarten, a senior scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, thinks that the concept makes sense, but “has questions about the details — whether the wavelength of visible light is high enough to drive the reaction inside a dark mouth, and whether the resulting positive charge will actually remove plaque.”

This toothbrush is manufactured by Shiken Corporation of Osaka, Japan (page in Japanese) and available in North America from Soladey USA. And here are two questions you might ask about this toothbrush which are already answered in the Soladey FAQ section.Here is one: “Can Soladey be used with or without toothpaste? Yes, the ionic power of Soladey works with or without toothpaste. If you do want to use toothpaste, just make sure it doesn’t go all down the handle, blocking the light from getting to the light-sensitive rod. A strong light source is what makes Soladey most effective. If you wish to freshen your mouth we recommend using a natural mint rinse after brushing.”

But here is my preferred one. “Will any light source do? I’m not going to have to go outside to clean my teeth, am I? No, any light source will work, a fluorescent bathroom light, or a plain light bulb will do fine. Any natural or artificial light is all that’s needed. However, the better the light source is, and the more the titanium rod is in the light, the more effective Soladey is. Perfect your brushing habits by keeping the Titanium Rod in bright light as much as possible.’

Sources: Katie Bird, Cosmetics Design Europe, November 23, 2007; and various websites
Extracted from ZDnet blog

Windows Live Messenger ads!

Three cool WLM advertisements :)

Wateen's WI-Max: delayed

Wateen is still not able to launch its WI-max service that was promised this month.

According Wateen's costumer support, main reason behind this delay is not laziness of the company but some legal issues that are pending to be resolved by the Govt. of Pakistan. As country is under state of emergency, many major issues are hanging in between and waiting to get resolved.

So there is no expected date for the launch of this service and no details of the tariff.

 

A Windows Vista launch show from History

I just saw this video on youtube...its recodring from a famous Indian channel Star Plus. Its Windows Vista and Office 2007 launch...and its really wow!
I wish this happens in Pakistan too

New iPod Nano Clone PMP With Integrated Camera And Touch Screen

The China-based manufacturer, ECNokia has recently released its new PMP (Portable Media Player) which designed like latest third-generation iPod Nano, just as what you see in the photo.

The Chinese iPod Nano clone features a large 2.4-inch TFT touch screen display, FM radio tuner, voice recording capability and an integrated 1.3 megapixel camera, sounds like better deal than Apple’s iPod Nano. The new ECNokia iPod Nano-like MP4 player which measures 90 x 60 x 3.5mm also includes a SD/MMC card slot (up to 2GB) to store your musics/videos. No words on its price and availability yet.

Source:
My Digital Life

MTV's new music game set to rock music industry

FrMTV's Rock Band video game took the stage on Tuesday, a new entrant in the fast-growing genre of musical games that could boost the fortunes of the flagging music industry.




More a rock band simulator than a game, the title takes on the hit Guitar Hero series that has sold millions and become a cash cow for publisher Activision.

Many retailers opened their doors at midnight so gamers could plunk down $170 for a Rock Band bundle that includes the game software and controllers shaped like a guitar, drum set and microphone.

Rock Band is the headline act in Viacom unit MTV's plan to spend more than $500 million on games over the next two years as it expands beyond its traditional TV base.
Rock Band is the crowning achievement of Harmonix, a Boston-based game studio started by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students seeking to make the experience of playing music accessible to the masses.

A partnership with accessory maker Red Octane resulted in the hit formula of Guitar Hero, but the teams parted ways as Activision bought Red Octane while MTV picked up Harmonix.
"For the first time ever, we had the resources to really go for it," Harmonix head Alex Rigopulos said. "For us, it's a dream game. It's really sort of everything we've ever dreamed of doing."
It's a dream many gamers apparently share. The "band in a box" won an average rating of 95 on CNET Networks' Metacritic.com, which compiles reviews from different game sites and publications.

In Rock Band, four people can play together on guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. Players hit buttons on the guitar or tap drums in sync with notes on-screen. Players can also sing along, karaoke-style. If notes are hit accurately, the song plays properly, and the band earns points.
Much as MTV's music videos transformed the industry in the early 1980s, industry executives and analysts said Rock Band may change the way people enjoy music. New songs will be available for download every week, with players able to tailor their game to their favorite genres or bands.

Just as musicians tested the novelty of downloads a few years ago by releasing songs online at the same time as on CD, MTV is working with labels to release playable versions of new tunes alongside their debuts in established formats.

"In 10 years, people are going to look at idly listening to music the same way as we look at watching a TV show in black and white," said Geoff Keighley, co-chair of the Game Critics Awards that named Rock Band the best game of the industry's annual trade show in July.
Game downloads are attractive to game makers and the music business because they are priced at about $2--double the cost of a song from an online store.

"I don't really expect it to be a huge source of income for the industry, but it is a positive story when they need one," said Billy Pidgeon, an analyst at market research firm IDC.

Activision Chief Executive Bobby Kotick said new songs for Guitar Hero will boost profit margins. Activision has sold more than half a million Guitar Hero song packs. That's only $3 million in revenue, but it's a highly profitable drop at a time when the overall music bucket is shrinking.

MTV, for its part, aspires to build an iTunes for games.
"We've moved from initial rounds of discussions with the labels to talking about how we can harness this platform to break new artists and to introduce new music from established artists," Paul DeGooyer, vice president of MTV Games, said in an interview.

The music business badly needs growth drivers. Downloads are expected to more than double over the next five years to $3.4 billion--more than a third of all music revenue--but that's partly because the industry is contracting, according to a report released Tuesday by JupiterResearch.

For all its grand plans, Rock Band is still playing the role of an upstart new act that must meet several challenges.

This year, the game is only available in $170 bundles that are nearly twice as expensive as "Guitar Hero." Individual instruments won't be offered until next year.
There is also the issue of availability. MTV said it would ship more than a million units this year, but Guitar Hero 3 sold 1.4 million units in its first six days on the market and is enjoying wider brand recognition.

Other game makers aren't expected to sit still, either.
Electronic Arts, which is distributing Rock Band under a three-year deal, may jump in with its own music game at some point. While EA books the revenue from each Rock Band sale, its share of profits is much lower than if it was publishing its own game.

Asked whether EA was working on its own game, EA Partners general manager David DeMartini praised Harmonix before telling Reuters, "That's not to say that we wouldn't, at some point, be involved in the genre, as this is a huge genre that hasn't reached full potential. We wouldn't rule anything out."

Source:
News.com

23andme introduces the first Personal Genome Service

Anne Wojcicki, the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, hasto launched 23andme today— it appears they are already taking orders before though. The service, partially funded by Google, has set out to revolutionize how we look at ourselves in reference to the past, present and future. For $999 you will receive a complete DNA scan that reveals your ancestry, what your risk factor for developing certain diseases is, and will keep you up-to-date with the latest medical advancements that directly affect you.

If I had $999 to spend, I’m not sure I would do it yet though. I have no problems morally, or otherwise, sending my cheek swab to 23andme for analysis. I’m not even overly concerned with the price point. It’s the fear of what they are going to tell me about myself that scares the bejesus out of me. What they are offering isn’t too extreme, but it’s almost like knowing the exact date and time of your death — cool, but not for me.
It would be interesting to know how many people take the plunge on Monday — it’s a lot of money, but the information you get is potentially invaluable. What do you think? Would you be willing to send your DNA to a private company for analysis? If so, would you pay $999 for it?

Source:
based on article by Garett Rogers on ZDnet Blogs

The 20 (Mostly Free) Downloads You Can't Do Without

You likely have plenty of software on your PC. But do you have the right software?
Any well-equipped system needs a basic software suite, a collection of tools that can keep your machine in working order and help it take care of everyday tasks--as well as some not-so-ordinary tasks. Since such software doesn't ship with your PC, for the most part, you'll have to accumulate it over time.

Which programs should you get? We've put together a suite of 20 must-have applications--the tools that will allow you to get the most out of your PC. We've included a wide variety of software, from security utilities to system cleaners to graphics tools. We've mixed some all-time favorites with some apps that you've probably never heard of. They all have one thing in common: You need them. Now. So read on and start downloading... [PC World suggests some very cool freeware that u cant resist to download]...click here for full article

Youtube To Launch HD Videos Soon

The leading online video-sharing company, Youtube which has developed into a global phenomenon is currently testing HD video capabilities which aimed to enhance your Internet video-sharing experience, according to Youtube co-founder Steve Chen.

The new Youtube HD is expected to be available to everyone within 3 months.

New Zunes get unboxed, reviewed, and Microsoft firms up plans

Well Zuneinites, the new models are primed and ready for store shelves tomorrow, but we've got first looks and reviews today. As Microsoft's new media players make their way into the hands of eager beavers across the internets, we're here for you, picking up the pieces and putting it all together. As it stands right now, we've got videos and reviews from a number of sources, including (but not limited) to: CNET, Zune Thoughts, and Zunerama. All of the sites currently have unboxing videos and / or reviews of the new units, and Zune Thoughts even has an informative video on some firmware update problems they discovered with the Zune 80. Some interesting Zune Marketplace info has also come out, including details that the DRM-free track cost will be $.99, or 79 Microsoft Points (the same as pricing on protected tracks). Additionally, we've received the official word from Microsoft on the Zune Originals, as well as all the confirmation you'll ever need that the Zune-bomb really does drop tomorrow. Hold on to your hats folks, it's going to be an exciting week.

Read -- CNET First Look: Zune (second generation, 80GB, black)

Read -- Zune Thoughts

Read -- Zunerama: Full Zune 2 coverage

Read -- Microsoft Unveils Device Customization via New Zune Originals Store, New Zune Players Available Tomorrow

Source:
Engadget

Intel launches world’s first 45nm processors

Intel extended its lead in microprocessors today by launching the world’s first 45nm microprocessors. Along with the new “Penryn” 45nm processors being launched today, Intel is also launching the “Seaburg” chipset designed for the HPC (High Performance Computing) chipset which is timed perfectly with this week’s supercomputing conference. Both the new processor and chipset will officially be called the 5400 series processor and chipset.

The new 5400 series processor is built on a brand new 45nm process using High-K dielectrics and dramatically cuts power consumption. Its key performance enhancements over the previous generation Intel 65nm processors are higher clock speeds, 50% more level-2 cache, enhanced SSE3, brand new SSE4 instruction set which can double the performance of video encoding, enhanced dividers. The following is a table of the new server and HPC workstation processors launched today. Note that the FSB 1600 models are designed for the new 5400 series chipset whereas the FSB 1333 and 1066 models will work on the existing 5300 series chipset which Intel launched back in mid 2006.

The new 5400 series chipset supports 128 MBs of Fully Buffered DDR2-800 whereas the older 5300 series chipset only supported Fully Buffered DDR2-667. The new chipset also features a 50% larger 24 MB snoop filter which allows for more efficient cache indexing.

Source: ZDNet Blogs

iPhone Firmware 1.1.2 Hacked Before Release

When Apple announced the release of the iPhone for the UK, it also announced that iPhone and iPod touch firmware version 1.1.2 would be released at the same time. Released today, firmware 1.1.2 closes the TIFF vulnerability in mobile Safari that was used to jailbreak firmware 1.1.1. Confirmed by DailyTech, the TIFF vulnerability no longer works. However, despite Apple's effort to lockdown the iPhone and iPod touch, firmware 1.1.2 has already been jailbroken.

View: Full Story @ DailyTech

EA Donates Original SimCity to One Laptop Per Child

Today Electronic Arts Inc. announced the company will donate the original SimCity™ — the blockbuster 1989 game credited with giving rise to the city-building game genre—to each computer in the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative. OLPC is a not-for-profit humanitarian effort to design, manufacture and distribute inexpensive laptops with the goal of giving every child in the world access to modern education. By gifting SimCity onto each OLPC laptop, EA is providing users with an entertaining way to engage with computers as well as help develop decision-making skills while honing creativity. This is the first time a major video game publisher has gifted a game to the world.

OLPC will begin distributing laptops in countries such as Uruguay, Peru, Mexico, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Haiti, Cambodia and India by the end of 2007. The idea to connect SimCity with OLPC came from internet pioneer, activist and OLPC advisor John Gilmore who knew the game’s history and recognized its potential relevance to the not-for-profit project. Not long after its 1989 release, SimCity became a phenomenon, winning more than 24 domestic and international awards. The game soon made its way into more than 10,000 classrooms as an educational tool and became part of the annual Future City Competition, a contest that still runs in seventh and eighth grade classrooms today.

Source: neowin

More about Google Phone

GPhone will be powered by Android.

Android is an open source mobile phone platform based on the the Linux operating system and Java programming platform and developed by the Open Handset Alliance.[1] The release of the Android platform on 5 November, 2007 was announced with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 34 hardware, software and telecoms companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices.When released, the Android platform will be made available under the Apache license.
PC world tells teh story with some Concept designs that popped up all over internet

Move over iPhone. The tech world is now drawing its attention to a rumored gPhone.
Reports are popping up everywhere that Google is shopping around prototypes of mobile phones. Confirmation came from a report from The Wall Street Journal. It reported Google has built prototype cell phones, to be mass-produced by multiple hardware manufacturers.

What might those phones look like? Just as iPhone prototypes began popping up on the Web (long before Apple made an official announcement), so are Google phone prototypes.

Don't expect anyone to guess correctly what a gPhone might look like. But that hasn't stopped designers from dreaming. Here are some images I rounded up on the Web of prototype Google phones (and one prototype iPhone) linking back to the sources where I found them.

Earlier this year IntoMobile and other Web sites posted this prototype Google phone.

Here is a sleek design from a UK-based gadget Web site called T3.

Lets wait to see what will Google bring to our mobile life!

Microsoft launches advertising campaign in UK: StartDoingMore.co.uk

... and an especially designed website: StartDoingMore.co.uk has been prepared! Interestingly American version of this site is also available : StartDoingMore.com - but it looks completely different than the British version. Here is what Microsoft uses as unique selling points of Windows Mobile: Familiar Microsoft Software and Services With a Windows Mobile phone, your easy-to-use Microsoft software and services go wherever you go.

Microsoft Office Mobile
Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile
Microsoft Internet Explorer Mobile
Windows Live for Windows Mobile

Windows Media Player Mobile Conclusion: competitors of Microsoft can create other operating systems for smartphones but in one area they will never be able to beat Microsoft: familiarity with Microsoft Software that is used in majority of Personal Computers worldwide. Cleary Windows Mobile division doesn't have such huge budget as some manufacturers, but Microsoft is starting to understand that the battle is not about mobile phone industry only but about everything!

Source:
Ms Mobiles

How to play XBOX Live through your Windows Mobile cell phone

Yes, it is possible! Gaming fans had 10 XBOX 360 connected to XBOX Live service last weekend through a Windows Mobile phone... and they ordered a pizza at the same time (when playing, without the need to disconnect):

So how did I use a cell phone as my ISP? Windows has a neat little feature called Internet Connection Sharing. This does exactly what you'd think, it enables a PC to share it's internet connection with other local PCs, via a small local network, or even a crossover cable. Both PCs need to have ICS, so both need Windows, hence my need for Windows Mobile on the device. The Blackjack, when you think about it, is really more of a PC than a phone. It has a processor. It has memory. And it has storage, although not in the form of a hard drive, but flash storage. It also has an I/O system, and an OS. It has networking capabilities, both wired and wireless. It meets all the basic criteria of a PC. With the included software, you can sync it w/ your PC, and share data between the two. None of this is news to most folks.

What I did find to be surprising, both to myself and others, is that by "bridging" the connection that my PC uses (i.e. my Blackjack connected via USB) to my Local Connection (ie my Xbox 360 via ethernet) I could connect to XBL.

Read full Article Here

Source:
HushedCasket via MsMobile

Google to announce mobile platform Monday; target: iPhone?

Google negotiators this weekend continue to hammer out agreements with wireless carriers, handset makers, software developers and hardware providers, as the company prepares to announce on Monday an ambitious platform for creating mobile applications. Although Google has declined to comment for months on its rumored move into the mobile space, sources said the company will make an announcement Monday at 11 a.m. EST, and that details of the plan are being finalized this weekend.

Google will announce an open source development platform for mobile applications that will contain a full set of components, including an operating system, a set of common APIs, a middleware layer, a customizable user interface and even a mobile browser, sources said. Instant messaging standard protocols will also be supported. The platform is intended to simplify the process of creating and deploying mobile applications, so that an application can be built once and be compatible with multiple phones. On the partner side, well over 30 industry heavyweights are already on board, including Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Nvidia, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, China Mobile, Telefonica, NTT DoCoMo, LG Electronics and HTC, the sources said.

Source:
Neowin

Researcher: Leopard's Firewall is a Mess

The launch of Apple's newest OS, Leopard, has been, to say the least, tinged with negative press, what with reports of bluescreens due to third party applications and Java incompatibilities. On Friday, Rich Mogull, a security consultant and former Gartner analyst, added more fuel to the fire when he said "[Leopard's] firewall is a mess" after spending two days digging into the new firewall's capabilities. "It's a step back from Tiger's firewall. I was originally pretty bullish on Leopard's security, and I still am on the concepts, but the implementation makes most of its advances ineffective or unusable."

The firewall in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard uses a bare-bones interface -- earlier this week, Mogull called it "so simple as to be nearly useless" -- that offers users three options: allow all incoming connections, block all incoming connections, and set access for specific services and applications Unfortunately, the implementation seems fraught with problems. "'Block all' does seem to block actual connections," said Mogull, "but any shared ports are detected as 'open/filtered' on a port scan." And unless users turn on stealth, some services -- Bonjour, Apple's network-device-locating technology, is one -- are seen as open by scans, no matter what firewall setting is selected. Only by using "Block all" with stealth enabled are shared services actually invisible.

Those inconsistencies pale against the firewall's ability to break some applications without warning. When the "Set access" mode is turned on, the firewall digitally signs applications that the user allows access to incoming communication; although most firewalls will block a program from running if it detects change, such as an upgrade to a new version, Mogull discovered that Leopard takes it one step further, blocking applications that change at runtime. Skype, the popular VoIP software and instant messenger, is one such program. If the user has set the firewall to "Set access" and runs Skype, the icon will bounce a time or two on the dock, but not load. Nor does Leopard tell the user that Skype has failed or why it won't launch. Only the Mac OS X Console gives a clue, with a message such as: 11/2/07 9:47:51 AM [0x0-0x35035].com.skype.skype[399] Check 1 failed. Can't run Skype.

However, Mogull isn't all bad news. "Fortunately, all of this is fixable," he said. "Apple clearly was a little rushed, but they're moving in the right direction. It's our responsibility to keep on Apple to make sure they convert these concepts into actual implementations."

Source:
Neowin

Facebook Hack: Transfer and Add Friend Invites Sent to Alternative Email Address

Chances are over the cause of time you have used many email addresses to communicate with friends, such as those given by your school, college or company, or even some age-old e-mail addresses that you no longer used as you prefer new e-mail address as preference changes. It’s also highly likely you only want to register one Facebook account with your main email address so that you can connect with all your friends, ex or current coursemates, colleagues and family members from one place.So now what if you receive an invitation from somebody to add you as a friend on Facebook, however, the invitation request is sent to your other email address, which is not the email used to register Facebook. The cases like this is not unexpected, as your old or alternative email addressees different from the one in Facebook may reside in friends’ address books or contact list as Facebook retrieves the email to automatically send you invitation to join.

Hearing from friends especially some long lost or no contact friends is always a happy news. Problem is that when click on invitation to accept the add as friend request, you have to register a new Facebook account with that email in order to add the request sender as friend. Attempting to login to existing Facebook account to check for any new invitation will result in nil invite, and the invitation page loaded by link in email when logged in is lost or failed, and simply got redirect back to Facebook homepage without error mesage.
So how to transfer the invite sent to other mail address to the one registered in Facebook, and add the sender whose invite addressed to wrong email as friend? Facebook does not have a feature to allow users to add, define or associate alternative email address other than the main registered email, so that when somebody send invites to these addresses, it will automatically match to your profile. So Facebook has no mean to know that the another email is your alternative email, which also belongs to you and should link to your Facebook profile. So the workaround is to search for your friend who sent the invite to wrong address and request to add him or her to your Facebook profile instead.

The easy way is to search for friend’s first name, last name, or email address (this is another annoying part in invite received, as it won’t show the actual email address of the sender, so you have to dig your own address book) in Facebook. If you friend has common name such as David, Michael, James, John, Robert, Mary, Linda, Patricia, Smith, Johnson, Wilson, Jackson, Thomas, White, Moore, Davis, Martin and etc., the search results probably run into hundreds if not thousands of profiles in Facebook. If it’s impossible to find your friend by searching due to factor above, or another reason been your peer doesn’t put his or her real name in the profile, here’s another hack to easily locate his or her profile in Facebook.

The Facebook invitation URL sent to you in the email has the format similar to the following:
http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=XXXXXXXXX&k=YYYYYYYYYY&r&v=2

The XXXXXXXXX after the i variable is actually the Facebook user profile ID. With this information, you can visit straight away to the your friend’s profile by attaching the ID number (XXXXXXXXX) to the following URL of Facebook user profile location:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=XXXXXXXXX

Of course, XXXXXXXXX is just a mask and you should get the correct profile ID from the invitation email you received. Once the profile page is loaded, click on the Add as Friend button. Wait for your friend to accept you as his or her friend, and simply discard the invitation email you received.

Source:
MydigitalLife

"Time" declares iPhone as invention of the year

Oh! I am definetly surprised! iPhone is cool but there are better things invented this year. Apple's "love it," "hate it" or "hack it to pieces" iPhone is Time's "Invention Of the Year," !

Invention of the year that was unlocked by a 17-year-old teenager, needs $0.99 to set a ringtone of favorite song, can only be used legaly on AT&T network, expensive and has nothing to offer better than many other phones except its so called icandy interface and iPod music. Is it invention of year because more than 1.4 million iPhones were sold? ...does it helps to make our lives really better than before? (except playing with icons and listening to iPod quality Music). What about OLPC?

What Lev Grossman of Time wrote is ...

Stop. I mean, don't stop reading this, but stop thinking what you're about to think. Or, O.K., I'll think it for you:

The thing is hard to type on. It's too slow. It's too big. It doesn't have instant messaging. It's too expensive. (Or, no, wait, it's too cheap!) It doesn't support my work e-mail. It's locked to AT&T. Steve Jobs secretly hates puppies. And—all together now—we're sick of hearing about it! Yes, there's been a lot of hype written about the iPhone, and a lot of guff too. So much so that it seems weird to add more, after Danny Fanboy and Bobby McBlogger have had their day. But when that day is over, Apple's iPhone is still the best thing invented this year. Why? Five reasons:

1. The iPhone is prettyMost
high-tech companies don't take design seriously. They treat it as an afterthought. Window-dressing. But one of Jobs' basic insights about technology is that good design is actually as important as good technology. All the cool features in the world won't do you any good unless you can figure out how to use said features, and feel smart and attractive while doing it.
An example: look at what happens when you put the iPhone into "airplane" mode (i.e., no cell service, WiFi, etc.). A tiny little orange airplane zooms into the menu bar! Cute, you might say. But cute little touches like that are part of what makes the iPhone usable in a world of useless gadgets. It speaks your language. In the world of technology, surface really is depth.

2. It's touchy
feelyapple didn't invent the touchscreen. Apple didn't even reinvent it (Apple probably acquired its much hyped multitouch technology when it snapped up a company called Fingerworks in 2005). But Apple knew what to do with it. Apple's engineers used the touchscreen to innovate past the graphical user interface (which Apple helped pioneer with the Macintosh in the 1980s) to create a whole new kind of interface, a tactile one that gives users the illusion of actually physically manipulating data with their hands—flipping through album covers, clicking links, stretching and shrinking photographs with their fingers.

This is, as engineers say, nontrivial. It's part of a new way of relating to computers. Look at the success of the Nintendo Wii. Look at Microsoft's new Surface Computing division. Look at how Apple has propagated its touchscreen interface to the iPod line with the iPod Touch. Can it be long before we get an iMac Touch? A TouchBook? Touching is the new seeing.

3. It will make other phones better
jobs didn't write the code inside the iPhone. These days he doesn't dirty his fingers with 1's and 0's, if he ever really did. But he did negotiate the deal with AT&T to carry the iPhone. That's important: one reason so many cell phones are lame is that cell-phone-service providers hobble developers with lame rules about what they can and can't do. AT&T gave Apple unprecedented freedom to build the iPhone to its own specifications. Now other phone makers are jealous. They're demanding the same freedoms. That means better, more innovative phones for all.

4. It's not a phone, it's a platform
when apple made the iphone, it didn't throw together some cheap-o bare-bones firmware. It took OS X, its full-featured desktop operating system, and somehow squished it down to fit inside the iPhone's elegant glass-and-stainless-steel case. That makes the iPhone more than just a gadget. It's a genuine handheld, walk-around computer, the first device that really deserves the name. One of the big trends of 2007 was the idea that computing doesn't belong just in cyberspace, it needs to happen here, in the real world, where actual stuff happens. The iPhone gets applications like Google Maps out onto the street, where we really need them.

And this is just the beginning. Platforms are for building on. Last month, after a lot of throat-clearing, Apple decided to open up the iPhone, so that you—meaning people other than Apple employees—will be able to develop software for it too. Ever notice all that black blank space on the iPhone's desktop? It's about to fill up with lots of tiny, pretty, useful icons.

5. It is but the ghost of iPhones yet to come
the iphone has sold enough units—more than 1.4 million at press time—that it'll be around for a while, and with all that room to develop and its infinitely updatable, all-software interface, the iPhone is built to evolve. Look at the iPod of six years ago. That monochrome interface! That clunky touchwheel! It looks like something a caveman whittled from a piece of flint using another piece of flint. Now imagine something that's going to make the iPhone look that primitive. You'll have one in a few years. It'll be very cool. And it'll be even cheaper

Wateen Telecom's Wi-Max still pending to launch :@

I called Wateen Telecom today (They said last month that they will launch Wi-Max after 30 October) and still they say it is delayed due to some technical reasons! :@ man! what are they doing? They are putting thier advertisements everywhere for a service that is being delayed and delayed. Since last 4 months, they are saying "we are expecting to launch it in this month!" And today they did same when I called them.

Thier website is showing off all the time
"With more than 10,000 registered customers in 20 days and the count still going strong ..."

But guyz where is the Service?... I am waiting for this service from last 4 months and using a slow internet connection hoping that I will upgrade soon with it!...its a frustration for highly intrested costumers of Wateen and some friends of mine ended up thier patience with an alternative broadband connection and they say they are not going to shift to Wateen's (even if it offers better) for next 6 Months.

Expectations for Wateen is to bring cheaper broadband rates with mobility. They are not revealing the Tariff to anyone...don't know wht they have in mind! I don't think so people will prefer an expensive wireless broadband connection over less expensive landline broadband

DirectX 10.1 in Windows Vista SP1 – The Evolution

As Windows Vista brought to the table the exclusive DirectX 10, the first service pack for the operating system will evolve Microsoft's graphics technology to version 10.1. DirectX 10.1 is already available to over 12,000 testers via the first beta of Vista Service Pack 1, concomitantly with the official release of Build 6001.16659. Although the testing milestones of Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows XP SP3 Beta, are officially limited in terms of access, a hack is available designed to permit the download of Windows Vista SP1 Beta Build 6001.16659 straight from Microsoft, and simultaneously test drive DirectX 10.1.

However, Vista users have to understand that DirectX 10.1, as well as DirectX 10 is a technology intimately connected with the underlying graphics card, such as the upcoming ATI Radeon HD 3800 Series. According to an AMD whitepaper focused on the implementation of DirectX 10.1 in the ATI Radeon HD 3800 Series, the latest application programming interface from Microsoft, manages to "unlock the state of the art in GPU technology."

Source: Neowin

Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 Beta Free Download

This new version has a whole new look and feel, along with some great new features that make it well worth the upgrade. Here’s a quick look at what’s new in Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 Beta:

- A whole new look for your contact list. Keep it in detail view to see larger Avatar images for your friends, or switch to compact list view (in the Contacts menu). Plus, you can just hover and click to IM, SMS or call a friend.

- Brand new skins and emoticons! Click the dot near the top of your Messenger window to choose a skin, and check the emoticon menu for the new ones that were inspired by user entries in our Emoticontest earlier this year (more on our winners in a future post).

- New Flickr integration in the photo sharing feature. Easily share photos from your Flickr.com account, or save photos shared with you directly to Flickr.

- A new in-line media player that makes it easy to view maps, photos and videos from sites like Yahoo! Video and YouTube right in the IM window. No plug-ins needed, no extra downloads — it’s built right in. Just send a video, map or photo link to another friend who’s also on 9.0 to try it out.

- New features for voice calls. You can have your incoming Phone In or free PC calls forwarded to another number like your mobile, home or office phone, even if you’re signed out of Messenger (Phone Out account required). Plus there’s a new way to get voicemail. When someone leaves you a voicemail in Messenger, an email is sent to you with an MP3 of the voice message attached.

The new Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 also offers localized versions in six new markets: Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India (Hindi), and Vietnam. With these additions, Yahoo! Messenger is available in 25 international markets.

Link:
Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 Beta!

Source:
Yahoo Messenger Blog

Google Goes OpenSocial to Trump Facebook

Google will officially join the club of social software development platform providers Nov. 1, when it unveils a set of application programming interfaces that will allow programmers to write social applications that will work on LinkedIn, Friendster and other social networking sites.
OpenSocial is designed to help programmers build applications that reach more of the 400 million users of social networks than they would under the original open developer model, Google product manager Joe Kraus told eWEEK Oct. 31.

The Mountain View, Calif., search vendor's initiative is an answer to the launch of Facebook's highly successful developer platform, on top of which 7,000 applications have been built since the social networking site launched it May 24.

Google is going the extra mile by enabling programmers to write applications for multiple social networks under three APIs, which will offer access to a user's profile and their friends, and the ability to let their friends know that activities have taken place.
In this learn-once, write-anywhere scenario, developers can tailor their application to run on any Web site enabled by OpenSocial.

In addition to Google's own Orkut social site, roughly a dozen partners have signed up for OpenSocial, including LinkedIn, hi5.com, iLike, Friendster and Ning. All told, the sites comprise over 100 million users, or roughly double the Facebook user base.

The launch of OpenSocial fans the flames between Google and Facebook, which look like real rivals with each passing day. Google's move comes a week after Microsoft announced that it won an extension as the exclusive ad provider for Facebook, in which the Redmond, Wash., software giant also took a $240 million stake.

Via : eWeek

Jason D says about poor iPod touch battery life

I’m always leary of manufactures claims of battery life, my rule of thumb is to cut what the manufacturer says in half.Apple claims that the iPod touch gets “up to” 22 hours of audio playback time and “up to” 5 hours of video playback time when fully charged according to Apple’s iPod touch Tech Specs page.

Many users have been complaining of significantly lower battery runtimes with the touch.

Here’s an example:
I purchased an iPod Touch (16 gig) last week. I have been waiting for iPhone service in my area, but waiting is painful.

I am really disappointed with the battery life and standard features of the iPod Touch. Battery life is totally unacceptable. After 3 to 4 hours of listening to podcasts I got the warning that 20% of the battery remained.

After a fully recharge I attempted to play a 2 hour movie (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). The touch made it through about 1 hour and 50 minutes then the battery crapped out. None of these times are close to Apple’s estimates and what some reviewers are indicating.

This particular reader disclosed that he ran iJailbrake on the iPod touch and installed some third-party applications–which could be the culprit, but I’m not sure.

Update: The reader quoted above clarifies the process of problems with his touch battery:

1. Ran iPod Touch as shipped from Factory for several days. Battery life terrible. 2 to 3 hours max when I got a message battery life was low.

2. Ran the iJailbreak hack and battery life was no better or worse.

3. Restored iPod Touch to default settings and used for another day. Less than an hour of listening to podcast (PowerPage Podcast), showed friend the features over lunch. Listened to remainder of said podcast and got the warning of less than 20% of battery life remaining.

4. Did a full recharge upon returning home. Disconnected from charger and started movie (Indiana Jones) got about 1 hour and 50 minutes when the iPod Touch turned off.

Source: ZDnetBlogs

LifeSize unveils low-cost HD video-conferencing solutions

LifeSize Communications was the first company to release an HD conferencing solution which I covered at Interop Las Vegas spring 2005. Now at Interop fall 2007 in New York, it appears that LifeSize has again rocked the video conferencing world by releasing 720p HD products at half the price of competing 720p solutions. The LifeSize Express sells for less than $6K and is cheaper than many standard definition video conferencing solutions. The new LifeSize Telepresence solution can be built for a quarter of the cost of competing Video Telepresence solutions.

Pictured to the left is the newest low-cost LifeSize Express 720p HD video conferencing solution. It will ship tomorrow on 10/23/2007 and it has an MSRP of $5,999 which is nearly half the price of competing 720p HD conferencing solutions on the market. The LifeSize Express has dual-input capability and it has HDMI input and output which carries audio. The 720p codec in this model is limited to 1.5 mbps. The $5,999 price comes with microphone, remote, and camera.





Pictured above is the back of the LifeSize Express. At this time the HDMI ports which carry digital audio and video capability don’t have HDCP compatibility which means you won’t be able to input commercial HD DVD or Blu-ray video in to the system since they require HDCP copy protection. At this point in time that wasn’t really a priority and no other product on the market has HDCP protection either nor do they have the convenience of HDMI ports.

Pictured left is the new LifeSize Team MP product which ships tomorrow on 10/23/2007. It has an MSRP of $8,999 and it adds 4-way continuous presence multipoint capability and supports up to 2.5 mbps. At under $9000 the Team MP is about the same price as some competing standard definition video conferencing solutions. Like the Express system it also supports a single camera and single display.







Pictured left is the LifeSize Room system which has been the flagship product for LifeSize for a year. It supports up to 6-way continuous presence multipoint, VAS (Voice Activated Switching), and up to 5 mbps. This model supports dual camera and dual screen. Seen in the picture is a LifeSize IP phone which is powered by standard RJ45 802.3af POE (Power Over Ethernet) port. The smaller microphones shown with the LifeSize Express and Team MP are analog microphones that go in to the microphone jack.

Pictured above is the new LifeSize Conference solution which is essentially a “Telepresence” solution without the display and furniture. The solution is essentially two LifeSize Team MPs and one LifeSize Room system bound together by a controller. It is extremely disruptive to the Telepresence market space because it sells for an MSRP of $39,999 when competing Telepresence solutions sell for $200K which includes the furniture and displays.Since you can buy three 52″ flat panel LCD displays for $6K and some pretty nice custom furniture and video studio lighting for $14K which means you can build a LifeSize Telepresence solution for about $60K. As LifeSize CEO Craig Malloy explained it to me in a telephone conference today, you can build a house in Texas with the remaining $140K. In the

picture above you’re probably looking at $2000 of furniture and wall mounts and I can’t see why you would need anything more than this other than a brightly lit room which produces a much better picture quality. This gets you the same video Telepresence quality of systems costing 4 times more money.

Source:
ZDnet blogs

Nokia and Reuters develop an N95-based "Mobile Journalism Toolkit"

The rise of the cameraphone has certainly changed the face of journalism, and old-guard wire service Reuters isn't about to get passed by -- the company has entered into a long-term partnership with Nokia to develop new mobile reporting technologies, and the two companies have recently completed trials of an N95-based "Mobile Journalism Tookit" that takes moblogging to a whole new level.

So what is in the Mobile Journalism Toolkit? First of all the phone. This is a Nokia N95 which now comes in three different versions. The original European version that we used for most of the trial (image on left). Then there is a the US edition which adds more memory and support for US carrier frequencies. Finally there is the news 8GB version which can store much more music and videos, and for our journalists more raw materials. The next part of the toolkit are the peripherals. A key component was the bluetooth keyboard that we used. This made it much easier to enter text-based stories in the field. For this we used the Nokia SU-8W (see image on left). This folds up and has a bracket to hold the phone. We also supplied a basic tripod to help in video interviews and a Sony microphone for directional audio recording and reducing background noise in interviews - this required a special adaptor plug that was made by Nokia for the project. Finally to deal with power issues we also used Power Monkeys, both basic and Explorer versions (see photo). The Explorer has a solar charging system which was particularly useful in Senegal


Link:
Reuters