Mars investigation Orbiter Mission Status Report
Mars investigation Orbiter
PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars investigation Orbiter put itself into a safe mode Wednesday morning, Aug. 26, for the fourth time this year, as maintaining spacecraft health and communications. While in safe mode, the spacecraft has incomplete activities pending further instructions from ground controllers.
Engineers have begun the process of diagnosing the problem previous to restoring the orbiter to normal science operations, a process expected to take several days. They will watch for engineering data from the spaceship that might aid in identifying the cause of event and possibly of previous ones. The orbiter spontaneously rebooted its computer Wednesday, as it did in February and June, but did not switch to a redundant computer, as it did in early August.
To help in investigating a root cause of the three previous anomalies, engineers had programmed the spacecraft to often record engineering data onto non-volatile memory. That could give a better record of spacecraft events leading up to the reboot. We hope to gain a better understanding of what is triggering these events and then have the spacecraft safely resume its study of Mars by next week, said Mars investigation Orbiter Project Manager Jim Erickson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
The spaceship has been investigating Mars with six science instruments since it reached that planet in 2006. It has returned with more data than all other current and past Mars missions combined.
ASTEROID WATCH
Sunday, August 30, 2009
How our solar system was formed has fascinated scientists and laymen alike for -well, for a really, really long time. New research may have answered a piece to the puzzle - how big were the first planetesimals? For those of you scoring at home," planetesimals" were the first solid objects in our newly minted solar system (also known as the protoplanetary disk). They began life as small grains of dust orbiting an infant sun. These grains would bump into each other, clump together and gradually form larger grains of dust, which eventually became small space rocks.
Now the theory goes that some of these small rock-sized planetesimals aspired for greater things, and continued to gradually grow in size to become asteroids, and that a few of those continued to grow beyond the asteroid stage and become planets.
The problem with this tidy little theory is that when the burgeoning space rocks grew to about one meter (3.3 feet) in size, orbital mechanics tells us the gas comingling with them in the protoplanetary disk should have acted like a brake, slowing their velocity appreciably. Their orbital speed having been cut, these filing cabinet-sized space rocks would have spiraled into the sun. Essentially, the gas would have acted as a celestial "mini-vacuum." The problem is, there are asteroids up there in space. Honest, ask any astronomer. So what happened?
Evidence is now mounting that these small space rocks quickly jumped (or grew) in size from below one meter to multi-kilometer in size. Planetesimals that big were big enough to plow through the drag created by the gas in the protoplanetary disk without having their orbits appreciably altered. Hence they did not spiral into the sun.
What data point to a jump in asteroid sizes? Simply, the asteroids available for viewing in the night's sky. Telescopic surveys indicate there is currently a plethora of asteroids less than one kilometer (.62 mile) wide but those over one kilometer drop considerably in number. The authors used computer simulations in an attempt to mimic the impacts and coagulation processes that took place over the millions of years between when the asteroids formed and now. The only way they could arrive at the current asteroid size distribution was to begin these simulations with planetesimals that quickly morphed into asteroids hundreds of kilometers in size. Once their growth spurt was over, these massive celestial bodies began an epoch-sized game of demolition derby as they orbited the sun. Over the eons, and with each extraterrestrial pileup, came fewer and fewer large asteroids - a fragmentation process that continues to this day. Despite the modest sizes of asteroids today, the paper's authors conclude that asteroids must have been born big.
Gmail takes new contact chooser
Friday, August 28, 2009
Gmail has long had a feature that automatically suggests and fills out the name of people you have corresponded with. On Tuesday night, the service got a tweak that makes that process easier--it's also likely to be second-nature to Microsoft Outlook users.
Now clicking on the link next to the "to" field pulls up Gmail's contact list manager, where you're able to very quickly sort through your contacts, or anyone you've e-mailed, and pick the ones you want to include in the message. The same goes for removing anyone; you just have to click on their name again and they get removed.
Not readily available when using this new menu is a way to select which of these users you want to add as CC's or BCC's. Outlook does this in the same menu, whereas in Gmail, you have to open up each of those fields in the message, and then click to open up the contact manager yet again. Hopefully future versions update this process and combine those options into the same UI.
This may seem like a very little feature, but for heavy Gmail users it removes the need to create particular lists of contacts they e-mail on a regular basis. Instead, it makes use of regular e-mailing habits and more deeply integrates the short list of people you are communicating with the same one that's found in Google's contacts manager.
Google adds translation to Docs
Google continues to go language transformation into more and more of its products. On Thursday, it became a feature of Google Docs, letting anyone do an on-the-spot translation into one of 42 languages.
The new feature, tucked away in a settings menu, has the smarts to automatically detect in which language the original document is written. It then opens the translated version in a new window, allowing you to compare and contrast the two side by side, more easily checking whether the translation has bungled any words or phrasing.
This new version can then either replace the original or be saved as a copy, though Google makes no visual indication in your document source list that its contents are in another language. Over the last six months, Google has been quite busy adding translation to its other products, including its Gmail and Friend Connect services.
In Gmail's case, users can translate entire messages into one of Google Translate's supported languages; however, this feature must first be enabled in Gmail's Labs settings menu. The translation implementation in Friend Connect is a little more interesting, as it's able to unify the language on any comment thread, regardless of how many languages in which the user comments are written.
source: news.cnet
source: news.cnet
Google to struggle on loan referrals
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Lending Tree, which allows potential borrowers to get quick offers from several lenders, claims Google is about to get into the same business.
A Lending Tree court case against a separate technology provider claims that it has educated Google plans to launch such a service later this month or in early September. The lawsuit claims that Lending Tree has received screen shots i.e. pictures of a computer screen, it showing a trial version of Google's service that point out Google will give customers loan offers and contact information for lenders.
The company said that “We have numerous experiments going on at any one time, but we don't wonder on future product development”. Google has made several steps that guide it away from its core business of selling ads alongside Internet search results. Last month it changed its popular Google Maps page to emphasize its real estate search tools.
Other experiments have included an OS for mobile devices, and Google Voice, which gives public an additional phone number that is not tied to any one phone line. Earlier this year it revealed a PowerMeter that home owners can use to track energy use. An analyst said that Google's move into the lending referral business would be one more step away from its core business. It could symbolize a solid threat to Lending Tree and an interruption for Google.
Tracking current traffic flow: Google Maps
Google has invited US motorists to contribute their progress or lack thereof with other vehicle drivers through the Internet giant's online mapping service which is linked to smart phones. Google Maps is being enhanced this week to combine feedback from individual drivers with other traffic information to let people know which roads are likely to get them to their intended destinations the quickest.
It takes almost very minimum effort on your part, Google Maps product manager said in a message on the California technology titan's website. Just turn on Google Maps for mobile before starting your car, and the other people that participate, the better the resulting traffic reports get for everybody.
Google Maps software for mobile devices will use satellite positioning features in smart phones to gather anonymous information regarding how fast people are moving along different roads, according to Google Maps product manager.
Crowd sourcing traffic gives us a way to harness bits of location data from our users and give it back to them in a form they can use to make conclusions that affect their free time, their pocketbooks and the environment. Google Maps users with concerns about strangers keeping track of where they drive can choose out of the program, according to the Internet firm.
We understand that many of the peoples would be concerned about telling the world how fast their car was moving if they also had to tell the world where they were going, so we construct privacy protections in from the start. According to Google information regarding vehicles remains anonymous and no records are kept regarding start and end points of journeys. They hope this new technology would help the people a lot.
Microsoft’s New Zune HD
The MP3 player also ran is being relocated as a service for delivering content to game consoles, cell phones and even Personal Computers. Delayed by a failure to sell large numbers of digital music players, Microsoft is now singing a new Zune.A few days before releasing a new version of its MP3 player which is called as Zune HD, Microsoft (MSFT) is taking strange steps to courtyard software developers to make applications for the device, which competes with Apple's hugely successful iPod and iPhone. One developer of a popular iPhone application for reading Twitter messages says Microsoft freshly approached him about modifying the software to run on Zune, with Microsoft foot holding the bill for development costs.
The programmer refused, but Microsoft's present speaks to the company's famous perseverance at trying to make successes out of products that fail to stimulate customers the first or second time around. Along with new Zune HD, Microsoft is making a Zune service available for delivering cinemas to Microsoft's Xbox video game comfort. A Zune-branded tune service for the Xbox, mobile phones, and Personal Computers is in the works as well. The mobile device or the MP3 player is just one screen that can use many of the service.
Microsoft plans to release WinMob 6.5
Thursday, August 20, 2009
According to a recent report Microsoft has plans to release Windows Mobile 6.5 version right now. Though, after it releases Windows Mobile 7 next year, it will keep selling old 6.5 version as a discount Operating System. Microsoft has been falling behind in smart phone Operating System market share. This is newer approach make gains.
More features about Microsoft will continue to offer Windows Mobile 6.5 even after it releases Window Mobile 7 next year.
According to Gartner Microsoft has been behind in market share steadily in the mobile operating systems market. He added that Microsoft really resorts to a dual-OS strategy Download Free eBook. This is the Edge of Success i.e. Building Blocks to Double Your Sales to try to turn the tide.
In a related growth, Microsoft has told application developers or engineers they can set their own prices for apps on its app store when that opens later this year and they are expecting high.
Be quick to download windows 7
If you are looking to test the final release of Microsoft's Windows 7 you will have to be quick as at around 11 a.m ET on Thursday. Because Microsoft will be no longer permit you to download it from their website. What I am trying to say is Microsoft will also no longer be providing people with Product Keys. I hope all of you know that the RC is a build of Windows 7 which is 15 days older than the RTM version, because it is much more similar to the RTM copy, but not quite as complete. The existing new technology i.e. RC version is free to test until March 2010.
Microsoft engineer said that over the past weeks the number of Windows 7 related emails I get has increased numerous folds. The top Windows 7 upgrade path related question I am getting related to upgrade options. It is clear shown that people are not confused, but that information from Microsoft on upgrade paths is not helping much.
You might think that upgrading from existing Vista or XP to Windows 7 would be a break. You buy the software, go off in the compact disk and away you go. Well, it is that simple, but only if you are happy to carry out a custom install, where you install a completely fresh copy of the Operating System and then load on your programs and files afterwards. While I think of a clean install as giving the best possible results. It is a harass that many people looking to upgrade their systems would like to avoid. Most people I have spoken to want to do what Microsoft calls an “in place upgrade” where they get to keep their files, folders, settings and programs intact.
So, there is some problem exists, what is it? Well, the problem is that whether you can do an in-place upgrade or you may have to carry out a clean install depends on what Windows version and edition you are starting off with, and where you are going to. OK, but definitely this upgrade path is pretty clear, is it right? Well, we will see outlining of the various upgrade paths in the technology verses world blog.
The difference between Bing & Caffeine
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
With Bing, images are the listed first then the news and blog links are nowhere to be found on the first page of results. The whole Bing page feels more like a site optimized to sell users some goods. But with Caffeine, video links are fourth on the page. News and blog posts are listed a little further down the video results. Caffeine and the exiting Google search results are less different from one another than are Google's and Bing's current results.
Video results are in approximately the same place using the current Google search infrastructure as they are when using Caffeine. With the existing infrastructure, image results are at the bottom of the first page of results. News and blog spot results are the same way they are with Caffeine about 2/3 of the way down the page.
They added that search engine experts will be analyzing Caffeine far more methodically in the coming days. Also they added that Google's Caffeine indexing system seems like it is meant to give up results that are more Bing like in any way.
Google's 'Caffeine' Verses Bing's result
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Bing search results
It is hard to imagine large, bad search monopolist Google trembling in its boots over Bing or even both Bing and Yahoo. Two months after Microsoft launched Bing, Google announced there will be an alteration in its own search infrastructure.
Google officials said on August 10 that the company is seeking help testing a new as well as improved search system. The new Technology code is named as Caffeine. The new code system is entirely different in indexing, ranking and crawling mechanisms from the previous searching system. Already we saw in the previous posts that Caffeine could be the “secret project” to which the blog Post was referring back in June when it reported that Google founder Sergey Brin was assembling a team of Google search experts to pinch Google's engine in response to Bing.
Bing, the restore Live Search, included a number of user interface changes, as well as twists to the underlying Microsoft search algorithm. The Caffeine new test site in which anyone can try themselves starting in last August doesn't offer any kind of obvious user interface tweaks. It does, however, change the way results are ranked.
The Google engineers said that the new Google searching infrastructure returns video and news results midway down the page. We know that the current Google search system, however, returned news at the top, video in the middle, and images at the bottom of the page, Search Engine Land found.
Soon the world would see the new technology
Soon the world would see the new technology
Technology Verses World
Monday, August 17, 2009
The new arrival of technology would lead the world in a new direction. The technology verses world gives you updates of new technology that appears in the world
Microsoft introduces new Starter edition: Microsoft tax
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Last month, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer confirmed at its annual financial analyst day that the Starter edition of Windows 7 would be limited to devices with small screens, small keyboards and low power processors. The new technology is called as Microsoft tax .
Details of these limitations had been leaked earlier, but this serves as confirmation, although the “blah, blah, blah, blah, blah” bit is troublingly unclear. Although I think that's what's behind this ambiguity is the fact that Microsoft has had to change plans. Because of bad publicity, Microsoft had to dump the idea of the three-app limit. This made Starter edition pretty much all the Operating System that most people would want, especially on a portable system. But the problem with that is the fact that Starter edition is the budget edition, so it doesn't help Microsoft's bottom line.
Microsoft tax
Microsoft tax
This is a distressing growth on the new technology in the world . Why because The Microsoft is using the different editions of Windows 7 as a “Microsoft tax”. I know we have talked about this tax before, but this time it is for real. The tax is based on how expensive or fully featured the system that you buy is, and not based on a feature of the Operating System that the user wants access to. A cheap system, you get access to a cheap Operating System, but on more expensive systems, Microsoft wants to sell you basically the same Operating System for more wealth. How much you pay for Windows now depends on your hardware. It is so deliberately obvious that it is a tax that I am surprised Ballmer even said the following:
When we launch Windows 7, an OEM can put XP on the machine at one price, Windows 7 Starter Edition at a higher price, Windows 7 Home Edition at a higher price, and Windows 7 Professional at a higher price. So, you can get XP, which basically does everything you need, or you can go with Windows 7 and enter a minefield of options. It also lays naked the fact that the real reason behind having a plethora of Windows 7 editions is to allow Microsoft to sell higher-priced Operating Systems on more expensive systems. It might seem like more editions give us many options, but these limitations at the bottom end of the market, creating little more than the delusion of choice.
Google's Caffeine: A new searching Technology
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Google would introduce new changes in its searching algorithms and infrastructure. The Google engineers were trying to put up Google's new searching technology from last three years. Now this project is almost over. We know this Monday Google silently began soliciting to offer feedback by introducing new technology i.e. Caffeine . This is the new system for Web searches that is being tested completely from the live search results currently found through Google.com.The principal engineer of Google, Matt Cutts said that Google makes many changes in its searching algorithms and infrastructure. Caffeine is a reorganization of the computing network that Google uses to connect end users and results. Also he added that this new technology system is more robust, that can do very faster than previous approach. Caffeine is completely different code from the larger part of our older system.
This new technology updates i.e. the part of the Caffeine does affect the ranking of ads on the search engine and not it shows any changes in the user interface side, said Google. Hence the average user trying to find a new set of results and even they won't be surprised by how the results are presented. Matt Cutts said that by this new technology of indexing, they have got a little speed which is the additional benefit of this project.
By the arrival of the new technology those who are involved in the search engine optimization at their companies or clients are just starting to get busy. The changes to indexing methods by the Google bot will likely have a crash on the way Web sites are presented on the extremely important first page of search results. For this they need for testing and feedback.
Google refused to give the detailed information about the rework in its back-end architecture and indexing process with Caffeine. The new search technology that is coming along with Caffeine has been in the works for months.
Google introduces new technology
Google's new technology
Google is now trying to upgrading its search infrastructure and it is the hot news provided by the Google engineers. Till now this is the shady news for the end users. In the blog posting today Sitaram Iyer and Matt Cutts who are the engineers of the Google, explained that normal users won't see the difference.
A large team of Google Technical engineers has been working for the last several months on that secret project. I.e. a next generation of the Google's web search architecture. They involved in the first step. It is in a process that they will push the envelope on size, indexing speed, accuracy, comprehensiveness and other dimensions. But the only difference is the user interface is unchanged.
Google engineers who are working in this secret project are encouraged to try out the new technology on a sandbox page and then Google offer feedback. We can submit our feedback by clicking the word caffeine in Google's feedback text field. These Google engineers aren't completely finished the whole project, but still remains some work.
On the other side buzz in the industry is obviously a considerable issue of it. The engineers of the Google said that there's a rightful new candidate in the search engine market i.e. The Microsoft's Bing, which is fueled by heavy advertising dollars and has begun to little way up in its market share since its debut earlier this summer. Google CEO Eric Schmidt confirmed that they aren't worried about Microsoft's Bing.
we can get ready to experience new technology verses world wide users.
