Glorious gadolinium gives flash memory

A conventional flash drive

College Park, MD (August 24, 2010) -- Future flash memory could be faster and store more data without changing its basic design by using a clever nanocrystal material proposed by researchers at Taiwan's Chang Gung University, who describe a new logical element made with the rare earth material gadolinium in the journal APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, which is published by the American Institute of Physics.

It's well known in the semiconductor industry that conventional flash memory -- an essential element of mobile electronics today -- cannot improve much more because continued shrinking of its floating gate structure in the pursuit of faster performance and higher data storage capacity will soon degrade its ability to retain its memory. The situation has stimulated a wide range of research worldwide into dozens of alternative memory designs, but most attractive to industry would be one that requires the least modification to the existing floating-gate design.

A research group headed by Chao-Sung Lai at Chang Gung University in Taoyuan, Taiwan, has done just that. They have demonstrated that a cleverly modified floating gate made of gadolinium oxide -- an inexpensive rare-earth compound already used in other microelectronic applications -- has the write/erase speed and data retention properties that will enable smaller, faster and higher-capacity flash memories in the future.

"The low-voltage and low-power operation of this memory should make it particularly attractive for future smartphones and other telecommunications applications," said Dr. Lai.

The Chang Gung scientists made two key insights that enabled their success. Last year, they realized that taken together, crystallized and amorphous gadolinium oxide had electrical properties that were close to those needed for future floating-gate flash memories. After creating gadolinium oxide nanocrystals within a matrix of its amorphous form, they then exposed it to a fluorine-containing plasma, which boosted the materials' properties to the desired level. Since all of the materials and processes they used are well-known in the semiconductor industry, Dr. Lai is optimistic that this design will ultimately be commercially successful.

 

(http://www.technology-blog.com)_

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3-D movies via Internet and satellite

Blockbusters like Avatar, UP or Toy Story 3 will bring the 3-D into home living rooms, televisions and computers. There are already displays available and the new Blu-Ray players can already play 3-dimensional movies based on MVC. The first soccer games were recorded stereoscopically at the Football World Championships in South Africa. What is missing is an efficient form of transmission.

The problem is the data rate mandatory by the movies in spite of fast Internet and sat-ellite links. 3-D movies have higher data rate requirements than 2-dimensional movies since at least two images are needed for the spatial representation. This means that a 3-D screen has to show two images one for the left and one for the right eye.

Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI in Berlin, Gera number of have already come up with a compression technique for movies in especially HD quality that squeezes movies while maintaining the quality: the H.264/AVC video format. What H.264/AVC is for HD movies, Multiview Video Coding (MVC) is for 3-D movies. The benefit is reducing the data rate used on the transmission channel while maintaining the same high-definition quality.

Videos on the Internet have to load quickly so that the viewer can watch the movies without interruptions. Thomas Schierl is a scientist at the HHI in Berlin and he explains that MVC packs the two images needed for the stereoscopic 3-D effect so that the bit rate of the movies is significantly reduced. These 3-D movies are up to 40 percent smaller. Thomas Schierl and colleagues are working to establish the MVC codec for television transmission over satellites or the Internet. New TV sets will start off by only playing 3-D movies from the Blu-Ray disc that is now coming into the third dimension. The next step to bring 3-D into living rooms will be made possible via broadcast or IPTV channels running via DSL or cable.

You will be able to experience 3-dimensional movies in your living room in future.

without any 3-D glasses because the MVC format has the technical features to code and compress several views. After all, everybody enjoying the movie with you on the sofa has a different viewing angle. That is why they need a separate view their own 3-D movie for his or her individual seat. MVC compresses all of these views into one compact file or stream and one receiver, one set-top box decodes this information and passes it on to the television.

It will also be possible to play the MVC-coded movies on older televisions and set-top boxes and Thomas Schierl tells us how: The first view corresponds to the signal that the existing television can receive and we would hide the second view in the same stream so that only the new receivers can use it. They are invisible to older tele-visions. That is particularly interesting to movie lenders and television stations because they do not have to worry about compatibility. And even mobile radio and mobile phone manufacturers can join the trend towards 3-D with the MVC standard. In the meantime, there are even displays the size of a mobile phone that allow a good 3-D impression.

The experts from the HHI show how the MVC-Codec functions transmitting television via DVB-S2 satellite from September 10-14, 2010 at the IBC in Amsterdam (Hall 8, Stand C81). 

 

(http://www.technology-blog.com)

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Powergorilla: portable charger

I have been testing a Powergorilla portable charger for a few weeks now, mainly as a phone charger for extended trips rather than a laptop charger, and one thing sticks out –  this is not your average power block. The massive 21000mAh capacity battery pack for standard 5V USB devices is absolutely superb, and means you can keep all your gadgets charged on the move, without having to worry about finding one of the majors power socket at all.

I’ve successfully used it to keep my phone charged for 10 days with no hassle. The array of connectors is impressive, as is the flexibility of the power output options, from 5V up to 24V for heavy devices such as laptops or video cameras. It’s kind of like carrying around your own powerstation in a bag. It’s not lightweight at 700g, but worth the lug if you’re always finding yourself out of power when it counts.



The company also promotes the Solargorilla solar charger as an optional accessory to keep the Powergorilla charged up in the field, but when I tried I found the output of the solar unit so weak (it took an hour to add 10% juice to my phone) that I gave up almost instantly. I guess you need to be in Africa to get the most out of it, and really if you’re serious about solar you’ll need to carry around one of those hefty suitcase products to get the job done.

However, the powergorilla unit really shines as a power source on the run, and for £150.00 it’s not too heavy on the wallet. It’ll deliver around 2 to 3 hours of power for your laptop and the blurb says 20 hours for your phone from one recharge of the unit, which could be a lifesaver in extreme emergency.

 Then simply hook up your gadget and away you go! You can even daisy-chain, so whilst the powergorilla is charging your laptop, you can charge the powergorilla from the mains power supply. Or you can charge your laptop and your mobile phone simultaneously! One-touch button technology means the powergorilla charger for laptops is easy to use and its sleek, aluminium casing with shock resistant rubber protection strips makes it totally robust. 

(http://www.technology-blog.com)

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Advance could change modern electronics

CORVALLIS, Ore. Scientists at Oregon State University have solved a quest in fundamental material science that has eluded researchers since the 1960s, and could form the basis of a new approach to electronics.

The discovery, just reported online in the professional journal Advanced Materials, outlines the creation for the first time of a high-performance "metal-insulator-metal" diode.

"Scientists have been trying to do this for decades, until now without success," said Douglas Keszler, a distinguished professor of chemistry at OSU and one of the nation's leading material science researchers. "Diodes made previously with other approaches always had poor yield and performance.

"This is a fundamental change in the way you could produce electronic products, at high speed on a huge scale at very low cost, even less than with conventional methods," Keszler said. "It's a basic way to eliminate the current speed limitations of electrons that have to move through materials".

A patent has been applied for on the new technology, university officials say. New companies, industries and high-tech jobs may ultimately emerge from this advance, they say.

The research was done in the Center for Green Materials Chemistry, and has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Laboratory and the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute.

Conventional electronics made with silicon-based materials work with transistors that help control the flow of electrons. Eventhough fast and comparatively inexpensive, this approach is still limited by the speed with which electrons can move through these materials. And with the advent of ever-faster computers and more sophisticated products such as liquid crystal displays, current technologies are nearing the limit of what they can do, experts say.

By contrast, a metal-insulator-metal, or MIM diode can be used to perform some of the same functions, but in a fundamentally different way. In this system, the device is like a sandwich, with the insulator in the middle and two layers of metal above and below it. In order to function, the electron doesn't so much move through the materials as it "tunnels" through the insulator almost instantaneously appearing on the other side.

"When they first started to develop more sophisticated materials for the display industry, they knew this type of MIM diode was what they needed, but they couldn't make it work," Keszler said. "Now we can, and it could probably be used with a range of metals that are inexpensive and easily available, like copper, nickel or aluminum. It's also much simpler, less costly and easier to fabricate".

The findings were made by scientists in the OSU Department of Chemistry; School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; and School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering.

In the newly released study, the OSU researchers and engineers describe use of an "amorphous metal contact" as a technology that solves problems that previously plagued MIM diodes. The OSU diodes were made at relatively low temperatures with techniques that would lend themselves to manufacture of devices on a variety of substrates over large areas.

OSU scientists have been leaders in many important material science advances in recent years, including the field of transparent electronics. University researchers will do some initial work with the new technology in electronic displays, but a number of applications are possible, they say.

High speed computers and electronics that don't depend on transistors are possibilities. Also on the horizon are "energy harvesting" technologies such as the nighttime capture of re-radiated solar energy, a way to produce energy from the Earth as it cools during the night.

"For a long time, everyone has wanted something that takes us beyond silicon," Keszler said. "This could be a way to simply print electronics on a huge size scale even less expensively than we can now. And when the products begin to emerge the increase in speed of operation could be enormous". 

(http://www.technology-blog.com)

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Jobs breaks from medical leave to unveil iPad 2

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Play Video ABC News  – iPad 2 Wait Is Over

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AP – Apple Inc. Chairman and CEO Steve Jobs waves to his audience at an Apple event at the Yerba Buena Center …

By JORDAN ROBERTSON and JESSICA MINTZ, AP Technology Writers Jordan Robertson And Jessica Mintz, Ap Technology Writers – Wed Mar 2, 7:47 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO – Apple is back with a refined second-generation tablet computer that squeezes more power into a thinner shell while keeping prices in check. It's a three-pronged push that should handily hold off competitors for another year.
Underscoring the tablet's importance to Apple, CEO Steve Jobs briefly emerged from a medical leave Wednesday and made a surprising appearance to unveil the iPad 2 himself.
With the original iPad, Apple proved there is great demand for a tablet that's less than a laptop and more than a smart phone, yet performs many of the same tasks. Dozens of copycat touch-screen devices are in the works, but so far none has broken into the mainstream consciousness the way the iPad has.
"The competition is essentially going to be picking up the crumbs that Apple decides to leave behind," said Ashok Kumar, an analyst with Rodman & Renshaw.
He said the number of software applications — or "apps" — available for the iPad gives Apple a huge advantage.
"Is the tablet market anything beyond the iPad? So far the answer is no."
Sarah Rotman Epps, a Forrester Research analyst, said iPads should make up at least 20 million of the 24.1 million tablet computers she expects people in the U.S. to buy this year.
Except for Jobs' appearance, little came as a surprise after months of speculation about features and upgrades. The tablet has two cameras built in for taking photos, recording video and video chatting. The battery life will be the same as the original — about 10 hours of usage or a month on standby.
The iPad 2 is faster than its predecessor. Ross Rubin, an analyst for the market researchers NPD Group, said that should make the iPad better for creating music, video and other content, rather than just consuming it.
The iPad 2 is also thinner — 8.8 millimeters, or about a third of an inch, instead of the current 13.4 millimeters. It weighs just a bit less — 1.3 pounds, compared with the original 1.5 pounds.
With a $39 accessory, people can connect the tablet to televisions, so they can watch high-definition videos on the bigger screen.
The next-generation iPads will cost the same as the originals — $499 to $829, depending on storage space and whether they can connect to the Internet over a cellular network. Apple will add a white model to the current black. In the U.S., the iPad 2 will go on sale March 11 and work on AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless.
Apple's online store began selling the original models for $100 off, starting at $399. Refurbished versions were even lower, starting at $349.
A reporter who used a white iPad 2 immediately after the announcement found it noticeably thinner, with a more rounded back. YouTube video loaded quickly using AT&T's data service, and "Toy Story 3" played smoothly. Given its size, the iPad 2 appeared impractical for taking lots of photos, but both cameras will help with video chats — the front one to show the caller, and the back one to show what the caller is seeing.
The iPad 2 shared the spotlight with the man who presented it — Jobs, who announced in January that he would take a third leave of absence to focus on his health. In the last decade, Jobs, 56, has survived a rare but curable form of pancreatic cancer and undergone a liver transplant.
Jobs, looking frail in his signature black mock turtleneck and blue jeans, was greeted with a standing ovation.
"We've been working on this product for a while, and I just didn't want to miss today," Jobs told an audience that included bloggers and Apple enthusiasts. "Thank you for having me."
He did not address his health or say if and when he would return.
Tablet computers existed long before the iPad, but it took Apple to build a device that made sense to consumers. Apple simplified the software, designed a sleek, shiny shell and sold 15 million of the iPads in nine months.
The iPad was initially used for checking e-mail, surfing the Web and watching online video. But as the number of apps grew, the tablet made itself at home in offices, shops, restaurants and countless other settings.
Competitors including Dell Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. have been trying since last year to lure consumers with smaller tablets, without much success. In February, Motorola Mobility Inc.'s Xoom went on sale with a new version of Google Inc.'s Android software that was designed for tablets, not smart phones.
For a moment, the Xoom looks promising, with a comparably sized screen, a faster processor and a few other bells and whistles the original iPad didn't have. But the iPad 2 catches up again with dual cameras and a faster chip inside. It pulls ahead with a slimmer profile and the ever-expanding number of tablet-specific apps.
After its March 11 U.S. launch, the iPad 2 goes on sale March 25 in 26 other markets, including Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and other European countries.
Apple also introduced updates to the software that runs on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The company said the update, iOS 4.3, will work on iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 models, except the new version for Verizon Wireless.
Among other things, the new system turns iPhones and iPads with 3G cellular connections into personal Wi-Fi hotspots, so you can share the connection with computers or other devices — if your wireless carrier allows it. Many charge additional fees for this service.
Apple also announced new software designed for the iPad, including a $4.99 version of iMovie for video editing and a $4.99 version of GarageBand, its music recording and editing software. GarageBand includes instruments that can be played by touching the iPad 2's screen, and it can even sense whether you're tapping quietly or banging on the "keys."
The company also said Random House became the last major publisher to agree to sell its titles in Apple's e-books store.
Shares of Apple, which is based in Cupertino, Calif., rose $2.81, or less than 1 percent, to close Wednesday at $352.12.
___
Mintz reported from Seattle. AP Technology Writer Rachel Metz in San Francisco contributed to this report.

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Apple's Jobs puts on lively iPad 2 show

t

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By Gabriel Madway and Alexei Oreskovic Gabriel Madway And Alexei Oreskovic – Wed Mar 2, 11:35 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A thin but energetic Steve Jobs made a surprise return to the spotlight on Wednesday, taking the stage to unveil Apple Inc's new iPad and drawing a standing ovation.
The Silicon Valley legend has been out on medical leave since late January and his reappearance, in trademark turtleneck and jeans, bolstered Apple shares and reassured investors and fans worried about his health.
Defying speculation in some tabloid reports that he was seriously ailing, Jobs took swipes at rivals and mocked competing tablet computers. Striding back and forth across the stage at the Yerba Buena Center, Jobs spoke passionately about the iPad 2's features as No. 2 and heir apparent Tim Cook looked on.
The $499 device is thinner than the iPhone 4, twice as fast as the last tablet, camera-equipped, and ships March 11 in the United States and March 25 in 26 more countries. The surprisingly fast roll-out highlights the fierce competition in the tablet market.
"We've been working on this product for a while and I just didn't want to miss today," Jobs told a packed auditorium in San Francisco with his characteristic flair and energy.
A relaxed-looking Jobs lingered near the theater stage for more than 20 minutes after the show wrapped up, chatting amiably with acquaintances and Apple employees.
In the run-up to the event, there had been almost as much speculation about whether Jobs would appear as there was about the device itself.
Jobs, who has been treated for a rare form of pancreatic cancer, remains on medical leave for an undisclosed condition. An Apple spokesman referred questions about his medical leave back to Jobs' statement in January that he planned to remain involved in major strategic decisions for the company.
His appearance on Wednesday comes at a critical moment. Apple is launching the next generation of its ground-breaking tablet computer just as its main adversaries are releasing their first such devices.
"Steve Jobs is the most important asset for Apple without a doubt and that's why investors are so curious about whether he will remain and continue to have an impact," said Robert Lutts, chief investment officer at Cabot Money Management.
"The stock went up after his appearance but not as much as it normally would if Apple had a fully healthy CEO."
IPAD 2 ARRIVES NEXT WEEK
The iPad 2 goes on sale at AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless, and at $499 is about $100 cheaper than Motorola Mobility's Xoom. Its shares slid 4 percent.
Avian Securities analyst Matthew Thornton said Motorola investors were concerned by both its earlier-than-expected release and its still-aggressive pricing.
"The hardware is as good as anything on the market, the price is still very aggressive, and the software just buries the competition," said Gartner analyst Van Baker. "They're still the guys to beat by a large margin."
"This does serious damage to the competitors in the market. Xoom now looks like an extraordinarily expensive tablet, and the HP tablet looks under-featured."
Apple sold nearly 15 million iPads in nine months of 2010, two or three times as many as analysts had predicted. The company is expected to sell 30 million or more this year, which would generate close to $20 billion in sales.
That is despite a growing cast of competitors such as Motorola, Research in Motion and Hewlett-Packard Co.
Shares of Cupertino, California-based Apple rose 0.8 percent to close at $352.1 on Nasdaq. It held steady in after-hours trade.
"It's pretty positive. It's definitely a sign that he's in good enough health," said Vijay Rakesh at Sterne Agee.
Tablets are seen as a must-have device for consumers and many businesses over the next few years. Analysts expect the market to surge to more than 50 million units this year, and 200 million units by 2015.
As in the smartphone market, Apple's chief rival is expected to be Google Inc's Android platform, which is free to license and is being used on a number of tablets.
The iPad, along with the iPhone, is expected to fuel Apple's growth over the next several years. The two product lines already make up more than half the company's revenue.
Apple's products tend to be priced at a premium to its rivals, but the iPad has been priced aggressively low versus the competition, both to dominate the market and because the company can leverage its own retail network and pre-bought manufacturing capacity.
That has pinched the company's margins, a problem Apple seems happy to live with if the tablet can deliver such startling growth.
A longer-term problem might be the question of who might replace Jobs were he to step down -- Cook is the favorite for the top job and has been running Apple in his boss's absence.
But for now, concerns that Jobs might have to exit -- stirred by sensationalist and unsubstantiated tabloid reports -- appear to be allayed by Wednesday's proceedings.
"Investors know his illness is pretty serious, but it's comforting to know that while he's in his supposed leave of absence, he's still involved," said Capital Advisors Growth Fund co-manager Channing Smith. "The new product looks good and the key is they continue to innovate, which is what we want to watch rather than looking at Steve Jobs."
(Writing by Edwin Chan; Additional reporting by Bill Rigby in Seattle, Sinead Carew and Liana B. Baker in New York, Noel Randewich and Braden Reddall in San Francisco; Editing by Richard Chang

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China rights group slams 'repression', web curbs

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<img width=1 height=1 alt="" src="http://us.bc.yahoo.com/b?P=PJpB42KIKjzYnTdfTW8_vAx9RLSWiE1vRz0ADMMJ&T=1h8nf1ols%2fX%3d1299138365%2fE%3d95959694%2fR%3dnews%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d2.1%2fW%3dH%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3d2308336844%2fG%3dCnVzCgo-%2fH%3dY2FjaGVoaW50PSJuZXdzIiBjb250ZW50PSJnb3Zlcm5tZW50O25ldHdvcms7aXQ7c2VjdXJpdHk7SW50ZXJuZXQ7aG9tZTtJdDtwb2xpY2U7RmlyZXdhbGw7bmV0d29ya2luZztzZXJ2ZXJzO0hpbGxhcnkgQ2xpbnRvbjtob3VzZTtyZWZ1cmxfbmV3c195YWhvb19jb20iIHJlZnVybD0icmVmdXJsX25ld3NfeWFob29fY29tIiBzZXJ2ZUlkPSJQSnBCNDJLSUtqelluVGRmVFc4X3ZBeDlSTFNXaUUxdlJ6MEFETU1KIiBzaXRlSWQ9IjQ0NjQwNTEiIHRTdG1wPSIxMjk5MTM4MzY1OTI1MjA5IiB0b3BpY3M9InJlZnVybF9uZXdzX3lhaG9vX2NvbSIg%2fQ%3d-1%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3d022B8862&U=12ahg6c9d%2fN%3dyYRnSkoGYmI-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dFB%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d0"> <img width=1 height=1 alt="" src="http://us.bc.yahoo.com/b?P=PJpB42KIKjzYnTdfTW8_vAx9RLSWiE1vRz0ADMMJ&T=1h8mbl5sb%2fX%3d1299138365%2fE%3d95959694%2fR%3dnews%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d2.1%2fW%3dH%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3d2443508925%2fG%3dCnVzCgo-%2fH%3dY2FjaGVoaW50PSJuZXdzIiBjb250ZW50PSJnb3Zlcm5tZW50O25ldHdvcms7aXQ7c2VjdXJpdHk7SW50ZXJuZXQ7aG9tZTtJdDtwb2xpY2U7RmlyZXdhbGw7bmV0d29ya2luZztzZXJ2ZXJzO0hpbGxhcnkgQ2xpbnRvbjtob3VzZTtyZWZ1cmxfbmV3c195YWhvb19jb20iIHJlZnVybD0icmVmdXJsX25ld3NfeWFob29fY29tIiBzZXJ2ZUlkPSJQSnBCNDJLSUtqelluVGRmVFc4X3ZBeDlSTFNXaUUxdlJ6MEFETU1KIiBzaXRlSWQ9IjQ0NjQwNTEiIHRTdG1wPSIxMjk5MTM4MzY1OTI1MjA5IiB0b3BpY3M9InJlZnVybF9uZXdzX3lhaG9vX2NvbSIg%2fQ%3d-1%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3d022B8862&U=12avp011s%2fN%3dyoRnSkoGYmI-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dFB%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d0">

– 1 hr 30 mins ago

BEIJING (AFP) – Rights campaigners in China are facing a "new wave of frenzied repression" after an anonymous online call for anti-government rallies echoing those in the Arab world, a Hong Kong-based group said Thursday.
The Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), a network of activists, made the statement as it released its annual report for 2010, which catalogues a litany of alleged rights abuses, from web curbs to detentions to claims of torture.
The group called on Beijing to release all rights activists including jailed Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, investigate security personnel accused of rights violations and guarantee free expression and unfettered Internet access.
"The fact that Liu is serving an 11-year prison sentence for engaging in peaceful advocacy for human rights and democracy also highlights the severe repression that those engaging in human rights activism can face," CHRD said.
"The regime is once again reacting with a new wave of frenzied repression targeting these activists after the call for 'Jasmine Revolution'," the group's international director Renee Xia said in a statement accompanying the report.
"The international community must do more -- it must provide sustained and concrete support to these activists by speaking up for them and providing them with resources as they inch forward in the struggle for their freedoms."
Authorities in China have become increasingly nervous about the Internet's power to mobilise ordinary citizens in the wake of unrest in the Arab world, and the subsequent online call for anti-government "Jasmine" rallies at home.
CHRD's 24-page report said the Internet was vital to activists as a tool for spreading information and organising protests but said it was "the principal arena where the battles for freedom of expression were fought out" in 2010.
The group noted attacks on the websites of activist groups including its own, the shutdown of activist blogs and microblogs, the suspension of their web access and changes to the "state secrets" law that put web campaigners at risk.
It described the Internet blackout in China's far-western Xinjiang region -- where deadly ethnic violence erupted in July 2009 -- as "the most extensive and protracted electronic communications shutdown in the Internet era in China".
The Chinese government has expended tremendous resources to police the web, blocking anti-government postings and other politically sensitive material with a system known as the "Great Firewall of China."
Foreign social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are officially blocked, yet are accessed by some of China's world-topping 457 million Internet users via proxy servers.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last month renewed a call for global Internet freedom, pointing at China as one of several countries that restrict web access, impose censorship or arrest bloggers who criticise the government.
CHRD condemned restrictions on the right to freedom of association, saying those curbs worsened during "sensitive" periods such as in the weeks following the announcement of Liu's Nobel win.
It decried the illegal detention of petitioners seeking redress for alleged wrongdoings at the local level, saying it had documented more than 2,600 cases involving so-called "black jails".
Hundreds more were subjected to house arrest, short-term detentions by police or "enforced travel" -- being made to leave one's home at a sensitive period for a number of days, CHRD noted.

(http://news.yahoo.com/)

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Apple unveils thinner, faster, camera-packing iPad 2

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AFP/Getty Images – An attendee looks at the Garage Band program as he plays with the new iPad 2 during an Apple Special …

• Slideshow:Apple Inc.
• Play Video Apple Computer Video:Steve Jobs Takes Stage for iPad 2 Event ABC News

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<img width=1 height=1 alt="" src="http://us.bc.yahoo.com/b?P=woPM52KIKjzYnTdfTW8_vAx9RLSWiE1vRrcABi3F&T=1kecv3qv7%2fX%3d1299138231%2fE%3d2142911104%2fR%3dnews%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d2.1%2fW%3dH%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3d2108436259%2fG%3dCnVzCgo-%2fH%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%2fQ%3d-1%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3dEE2A8862&U=12alqj9jp%2fN%3dq_sCKEoGYvo-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dFB%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d0"> <img width=1 height=1 alt="" src="http://us.bc.yahoo.com/b?P=woPM52KIKjzYnTdfTW8_vAx9RLSWiE1vRrcABi3F&T=1ke9kr96c%2fX%3d1299138231%2fE%3d2142911104%2fR%3dnews%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d2.1%2fW%3dH%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3d1174655016%2fG%3dCnVzCgo-%2fH%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%2fQ%3d-1%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3dEE2A8862&U=12accdtqg%2fN%3dqvsCKEoGYvo-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dFB%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d0">

By Ben Patterson ben Patterson – Wed Mar 2, 1:23 pm ET

A year after revitalizing the once-sleepy, now red-hot tablet market with the original iPad, Apple surprised absolutely no one Wednesday by taking the wrapper off a slimmer, trimmer version of the wildly popular slate, complete with a front-facing camera for video chat (finally!) and a souped-up processor.
The new iPad 2 took the spotlight during a press event at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, with none other than Apple CEO Steve Jobs—who is still on medical leave, mind you ("he looks good," Engadget noted on its live blog)—taking the stage to unveil the much-anticipated follow-up to the best-selling original.
The "dramatically faster" iPad 2 boasts a dual-core A5 "system on a chip" processor under the hood, said Jobs, good for twice the CPU power and nine times the graphics performance of the original while maintaining the same 10-hour battery life.
(Related: How the iPad 2 stacks up against the competition)
Also new: dual cameras (at last), including a front-facing camera for VGA-quality video chat, while the rear camera will be good for 720p video capture. (Apple hasn't listed specific megapixel counts for the iPad 2's cameras yet.)
As predicted, the 9.7-inch display on the iPad 2 has the same resolution as that on the original: 1,024 by 768, to be exact, disappointing news for anyone hoping that the new iPad would boast an improved "retina"-style display.

Measuring 9.5 by 7.3 by 0.34 inches, the iPad 2 is slightly shorter and narrower than the original (according to Apple's specs, at least), with the listed weight of 1.33 pounds (or 1.35 for the 3G-enabled iPad 2) a bit lighter than the iPad 1.
As with the first iPad, the iPad 2 comes with Apple's proprietary 30-pin dock connector for syncing and charging, along with a 3.5mm headset jack. Missing in action, however, is a slot for SD (or microSD) memory cards.
A white version of the iPad will be available on "Day One," promised Jobs, with Apple probably hoping to avoid last year's debacle of the white iPhone that never quite arrived.

The iPad 2 retains the same price points as the original: $499 for the 16GB version, $599 for the 32GB model, and $699 for the 64GB model. The 3G-enabled versions will also come with the same $130 premium over the Wi-Fi-only models (think $629 for the 3G-ready 16GB iPad 2, $729 for 32GB, and $829 for the 64GB version), and they'll be available for both AT&T and Verizon Wireless.
The ship date? March 11 in the U.S., and March 25 in 26 additional countries.
Jobs also announced a new "Smart Cover" to go along with the iPad 2—one with magnetic clasps that either wakes up the iPad or puts it to sleep depending on whether it's being attached or removed. The polyurethane version of the case will sell for $39, while a pricier leather one goes for $69.
Another new accessory is a $39 HDMI video-out cable that's capable of 1080p video mirroring. The cable works with all iPad apps, Jobs said, and it'll charge your iPad when plugged into a power source.

March 11 will also see the release of iOS version 4.3, with new features such as personal hotspot support for the iPhone 4 (nice), a speedier version of Safari, improvements to AirPlay media streaming, and FaceTime video chat. Not bad, but the iOS 4.3 release on the 11th will only be for iPads, third- and fourth-generation iPod Touches, and the GSM version of the iPhone—meaning that owners of the iPhone for Verizon (which runs a CDMA network) will have to wait.
There will also be a new iPad version of Apple's iMovie video-editing app, which is slated to arrive March 11 for $4.99.
Before unveiling the new iPad, Jobs confirmed recent rumors that book publisher Random House, the last of the major iBooks holdouts, would be offering more than 17,000 volumes through Apple's e-book store.

Jobs also took a shot at Honeycomb, Google's new Android-based tablet OS, by bragging that only 100 Honeycomb-ready apps are currently available for download, versus about 65,000 apps for the iPad—perhaps not the fairest comparison, since the first Honeycomb-enabled tablet only landed in stores about a week ago.
The first iPad, originally unveiled last January before landing in stores the following April, was initially greeted with skepticism.
Where's the camera, reviewers (including me, I'll admit) and wary consumers asked? Why no SD card slot—or USB, for that matter? How are you supposed to hold the thing, especially while tapping the on-screen keypad? Isn't it just a jumbo-sized iPod Touch? And what are you supposed to do with the thing, anyway?
Valid questions all, but in the end, the numbers speak for themselves: 14.8 million sold in 2010 alone, a total that shocked even the most optimistic Apple watchers, with the iPad laying waste to the once-burgeoning netbook market and even taking a bite out of laptop sales. During Wednesday's event, Jobs claimed that the iPad now has a 90-percent share of the tablet market.
Unsurprisingly, the massive success of the iPad has drawn a slew of competitors, with sleek new tablets from the likes of Dell, HP, LG, Motorola, and Samsung either on sale now or waiting in the wings.
Most of the hottest new tablets (such as the Motorola Xoom and the upcoming LG G-Slate) are based on Google's tablet-oriented Android 3.0 "Honeycomb" OS, although we'll also be seeing such non-Android tablets as HP's WebOS-based TouchPad and the BlackBerry PlayBook from RIM.
So, what do you think—is the iPad 2 a worthy successor to the iPad? Planning to get one on March 11, or will you instead go for one of the iPad's increasingly powerful, feature-packed competitors?
(Image credits: Reuters, via Yahoo! News; Apple)
— Ben Patterson is a technology blogger for Yahoo! News.

(http://news.yahoo.com)

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How the iPad 2 stacks up against the competition

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Reuters – Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs introduces the iPad 2 on stage during an Apple event in San Francisco, California …

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• Play Video Video:iPad 2: Worth the Wait? CNBC

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By Ben Patterson ben Patterson – Wed Mar 2, 2:57 pm ET

Now that we've finally got the official details for the next iPad, those in the market for a new tablet can begin comparison shopping in earnest.
On paper, it looks like the iPad 2 (read the announcement details right here) adds the features it needs to keep up with its upcoming tablet competitors. For example, we're talking a faster, dual-core processor (essential for speedy performance and smooth multitasking), dual cameras (including a front-facing lens for video chat, a key omission in the original iPad), and a thinner and lighter form factor. The second iPad also keeps a couple of key qualities from the first: 10 hours of battery life, and a $499 price tag for the cheapest, 16GB Wi-Fi-only model.
But several of the tablets listed below, including the Dell Streak 7, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and (eventually) the dual-core processor-packing Motorola Xoom come with Flash support (the Xoom is still awaiting a software update from Flash developer Adobe), while the LG G-Slate and the PlayBook will connect with bleeding-edge 4G data networks. (The Xoom will ultimately do so as well, although you'll have to ship it back to Verizon Wireless for hardware and firmware tweaks.)
Any true head-to-head evaluation of these tablets will have to wait until we get them in for testing, of course. For now, though, I've gone ahead and compiled a list of specs for the top iPad competitors that are either available now in the U.S. or are on their way soon.
We're still waiting for full details and pricing on some of 2011's most-anticipated upcoming tablets, but hey—I figured you'd want to see the details we do have, at least.
Specifications are supplied by the manufacturers—particularly when it comes to battery life. If I've reviewed or had hands-on time with any of the tablets, you'll find a link below the list of specs.
All set? Then here we go...
Apple iPad 2

Dimensions: 9.5 by 7.31 by 0.34 inches
Diagonal screen size/resolution: 9.7 inches, 1,024 by 768
Weight: 1.3 pounds (Wi-Fi-only), 1.33 pounds (Wi-Fi + 3G)
Processor: 1GHz dual-core Apple A5
Cameras: VGA in front, 720p video capture-capable in back
Battery: 10 hours of Wi-Fi surfing
Ports: 30-pin dock connector
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 3G
Platform: iOS 4.3
Price: $499 (for 16GB Wi-Fi version) up to $829 (for 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G model)
Release date: March 11 (U.S.), March 25 (additional countries)
Click here for more details

Dell Streak 7

Dimensions: 7.9 by 4.7 by 0.5 inches
Diagonal screen size/resolution: 7 inches, 800 by 480
Weight: 1 pound
Processor: Dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2
Cameras: 5MP (rear), 1.3MP (front)
Battery: 2780 mAh, four hours video playback
Ports: microUSB, microSD
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 4G
Platform: Android 2.2
Price: $449 (no contract, T-Mobile), $199 (with two-year T-Mobile contract)
Release date: Available now
Click here for my review
HP TouchPad

Dimensions: 9.45 by 7.48 by 0.54 inches
Diagonal screen size/resolution: 9.7 inches, 1,024 by 768
Weight: 1.6 pounds
Processor: 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060
Camera: 1.3MP (front)
Battery: 6300 mAh
Ports: microUSB
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 3G
Platform: WebOS
Price: Unknown
Release date: Summer
Click here for more details
LG G-Slate

Dimensions: Unknown
Diagonal screen size/resolution: 8.9 inches, resolution unknown, 3D (anaglyph) capable
Weight: Unknown
Processor: Dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2
Cameras: 5MP (rear, dual-lens stereoscopic), front-facing lens (unknown resolution)
Battery: Unknown
Ports: Unknown
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 4G
Platform: Android 3.0 "Honeycomb"
Price: Unknown
Release date: Spring 2011 (T-Mobile)
Click here for more details
Motorola Xoom

Dimensions: 9.8 by 6.6 by 0.5 inches
Diagonal screen size/resolution: 10.1 inches, 1,280 by 800
Weight: 1.6 pounds
Processor: 1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2
Cameras: 5MP (rear), 2MP (front)
Battery: 10 hours Wi-Fi browsing
Ports: MicroUSB, mini-HDMI, microSD (not enabled yet)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G later this year (must be shipped to carrier for upgrade)
Platform: Android 3.0 "Honeycomb"
Price: $800 (32GB), or $600 with a two-year Verizon Wireless contract
Release date: Available now
Click here for my review
Samsung Galaxy Tab

Dimensions: 7.48 by 4.74 by 0.47 inches
Diagonal screen size/resolution: 7 inches, 1,024 by 600
Weight: 13.6 ounces
Processor: 1GHz Cortex A8 "Hummingbird"
Cameras: 3MP (rear), 1.3MP (front)
Battery: 7 hours
Ports: microUSB, microSD
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 3G
Platform: Android 2.2
Price: $249 with two-year contact on T-Mobile, $299 with two-year Sprint contract, $549 on AT&T, no contract, $599 on Verizon, no-contract, or $299 with two-year Verizon contract.
Release date: Available now
Click here for my review
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Dimensions: 0.43 inches thick
Diagonal screen size/resolution: 10.1 inches, 1,280 by 800
Weight: 1.3 pounds
Processor: 1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2
Cameras: 8MP (rear), 2MP (front)
Battery: 6860 mAh
Ports: microUSB
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 4G
Platform: Android 3.0 "Honeycomb"
Price: Unknown
Release date: Spring (Europe), unknown (U.S.)
Click here for more details from CNET
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook

Dimensions: 7.6 by 5.1 by 0.4 inches
Diagonal screen size/resolution: 7 inches, 1024 by 600
Weight: 0.9 pounds
Processor: 1GHz dual-core Cortex A9
Cameras: 5MP (rear), 3MP (front)
Battery: 8 hours (or so RIM is promising)
Ports: microUSB, mini-HDMI
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 4G (summer, through Sprint)
Platform: QNX
Price: Unknown (but expected to be $500 or less)
Release date: Q1 2011

(http://news.yahoo.com)

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