Attention span
August 15, 2008
By Marc Settle
Reporter, BBC iPM
As the age at which children start to get familiar with computers and the net gets ever lower, questions are starting to be asked about what that exposure is doing to our children’s brains and their ability to concentrate.
These questions are ones which eminent neuroscientist Baroness Greenfield says needs to be confronted. The director of the Royal Institution says the “sensory-laden environment” of computers could result in people “staying in the world of the small child”.
Professor Greenfield has spent a lifetime researching the physiology of the brain, and now thinks that there could be a link between the attention span of children and the growing use of computers.
In an interview for Radio 4’s iPM she said: “The last 10 years have seen a three-fold increase in the prescription of the drug Ritalin, a drug used for Attention Deficit Disorder. One asks why
“Why suddenly is there greater demand for a drug for attentional problems” she asked. “This might, and I stress might, be something to do with the increased exposure of young children to unsupervised and lengthy hours in front of a screen.”
"The technology is creating an environment that is answer rich, but we’re question poor"Susan Greenfield
iPM: Listen to the interview with Baroness Greenfield
Baroness Greenfield wondered if the cause was growing computer use.
“Could it be, and this is just a suggestion which I think we should look into, could it be if a small child is sitting in front of a screen pressing buttons and getting reactions quickly for many hours, they get used to and their brains get used to rapid responses” she said.
If children do not have stories read to them and have little practice of concentrating for long periods this could effect how they handle the sedate pace of school life, said Baroness Greenfield.
She asked: “Could it be that they then have to sit still for half an hour and of course they’re not used to that because they’re used to the rapid interaction with the screen, and could it - again a question - be that they are fidgety and hyperactive and then diagnosed as having a disorder”
The brain, says the distinguished neuroscientist, changes all the time - but it is very sensitive to the environment its in, and so it might be affected by the continual use of computers.
“What we need to question is this: are we putting people into the optimum environment How can we create an environment which will pre-dispose the brain to react in ways we consider ideal” she said.
“The technology is creating an environment that is answer rich, but we’re question poor.”
She contrasts the life of modern-day children with the generation which grew up without computers, who had to work to find answers by going to a library to look things up.
Baroness Greenfield also claims that the distinction has been lost between information and knowledge - with the facts provided by easy-accessed information losing the context necessary for knowledge.
Her views are echoed by the writer Nicholas Carr in his recent essay “Is Google making us stupid” that was published in Atlantic Monthly. In the article Mr Carr claims that his mind is changing as a result of greater computer use. “Deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle,” he said.
But a contrasting view comes from the philosopher Julian Baggini, who has written that the fear of change and of children becoming “degenerate aliens” is as old as parenthood, an “age-old anxiety” which he accused Baroness Greenfield of dignifying.
In response, the professor told iPM that she would rather not be complacent and “end up with a world that we don’t want”.
Baroness Greenfield can be heard on BBC Radio 4 at 17.30 on Friday 15 August 2008.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation
New Noise Blackout feature with Jabra BT530 Bluetooth headset
August 15, 2008
The new Jabra BT530 with Noise Blackout feature has been announced by GN Netcom, and according to GN Netcom this Noise Blackout feature reduces ambient sound without compromising voice quality.
The Jabra BT530 is the first Bluetooth product to feature the new Noise Blackout technology, which has been developed by GN Netcom. Noise Blackout uses dual microphones to capture sound, intelligently filtering background noise only.
“Used together with advanced DSP technology and Audio Shock Protection that monitors incoming audio volume, sound is balanced to filter out background noise, leaving both sides of the call with a natural sounding voice quality.”
The Jabra BT530 weighs .35 ounces and specs are as follows: Noise Blackout technology; High Performance with Bluetooth 2.0, including Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) and eSCO; A2DP & DSP technology; Multipoint technology; Auto-pairing.
With the Jabra BT530 also comes: 8 ear gels and one ear hook provided for added comfort; Micro USB Charger Connection; and has Acoustic Shock Protection; Dual microphone, with 5.5 hours talk time and 250 hours standby time.
The Jabra BT530 will be available at stores beginning of September for roughly .99
Source – slashphone
Motorola intros the ZN200 W396 and W388 mobile handsets
August 15, 2008
Three new low-end mobile phones are being pushed out by Motorola, and all three of differing form factors; the Motorola ZN200, Motorola W396 and Motorola W388.
First up is the Motorola ZN200, a slider mobile with quad-band GSM, EDGE and GPRS connectivity, 2 megapixel camera fixed-focus, 1.9 inch colour display, Bluetooth, USB, FM radio, CrystalTalk technology, and 2GB capacity microSD card slot.
Next the Motorola W396, a clamshell design mobile and has two dual-band GSM versions. The W396 sports a 1.8 TFT colour display, Motorola’s proprietary CrystalTalk technology, GPRS data transfers only, FM radio, USB, and 2GB capacity microSD card slot. The W396 measures 95 x 45 x 17mm with a weight of 88-94grams.
Last but not least we have the Motorola W388 candy-bar and has doen the rounds on the web for quite some time, so the officiall announcement on it isn’t that much of a surprise. Probably the cheapest of them all the W388 packs a1.8 inch colour display, FM radio with RDS, USB, microSD, and twin dual-band GSM versions with only GPRS.
The Motorola ZN200, W396 and W388 become available sometime the end of Q3 and as yet carry no pricing.
Source – GSMarena
Your questions
August 15, 2008
Have you ever wondered how the Universe started How did we get here And what other secrets are out in space
On September 10, scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) will try to answer these and other questions by re-creating the conditions that existed just billionths of a second after the Big Bang.
The BBC will join scientists as they switch on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a giant subterranean machine that will probe the mysteries of the cosmos.
By smashing together tiny particles, it is hoped that the LHC will reveal the origins of mass, show us what all the invisible matter in the cosmos is made of, and perhaps even create mini black holes.
Professor Brian Cox is one of the LHC scientists and a physicist at CERN. He is on hand to answer you questions about the project and what could be found.
Send in your Big Bang questions using the form below.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation
Gateway P-7811FX
August 15, 2008
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Finally we have the pleasure to tell you about a new notebook from Gateway, while there has been a long time since we haven’t heard news from this company regarding new portable computer additions. The latest laptop is optimized for video gaming and entertainment on the go as well, included in the P-Series FX Edition line of Gateway laptop computers, and being powered by the Intel Centrino 2 processing technology.
Besides the strong high-end capabilities, Gateway P-7811FX is also an affordable model and the company’s first powered by the newest Intel technology with faster multi-tasking support at lower power consumption.
“The Gateway P-7811FX is a great choice for customers such as students and professionals who want a notebook that can handle all of their computing needs - from creating videos and playing games to tackling work, school and home projects,” said Todd Titera, senior manager, notebook product management. “And while the new notebook is ideal for demanding gamers and enthusiasts who want the latest technology, its affordable price also makes it perfect for digital media hobbyists and casual PC game players.”
Coming at a retail price of 1,399.99, Gateway P-7811FX has other cool components such as the NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTS video card with 512MB DDR3 dedicated graphics memory for real-time 3D imaging, 2.26GHz processing speeds, 4GB memory, 200GB HDD storage capacity, second drive bay, all working to display the best results on a 17-inch large wide screen with a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels.
Additional elements include HDMI connectivity, cool illuminated multimedia keys for direct access to audio and video controls, built-in 1.3MP web camera for char conferences, VoIP support, wireless 802.11 Draft-N support, a 5-in-1 media card reader, 3 USB ports, Multi-Format Dual Layer DVDRW w/DVD-RAM with LabelFlash, and the Microsoft Windows Home Premium 64-bit Edition operating system pre-installed.
Will Apple iPhone 3G software update fix reception problems?
August 15, 2008
More reports are coming in on iPhoners experiencing less than acceptable 3G signal reception along with call dropping on their Apple iPhone 3Gs.
The Carrier’s are obviously shoving the blame at Apple’s door, while Apple shoves it right back saying it’s carrier network problem, and as usual as the debate drags on it is the iPhone 3G owner who suffers.
It now seems the finger is being firmly pointed in the direction of the Apple iPhone 3G’s Infineon-sourced 3G chipset.
The belief is that Apple has programmed the iPhone 3G to actually demand a more powerful signal than it actually requires, and a new report on Business Week contemplates that an iPhone software update would fix the 3G problem.
It is presumed that the iPhone 3G has been programmed to revert to EDGE when it perceives too many people are accessing their local 3G cell and perceives the 3G signal has dropped below the threshold.
With Apple every expanding the countries it ships the iPhone 3G to and the growing number of sales, any problems of overcrowding with 3G networks is simply bound to get worse.
Source – businessweek via intomobile
Mars robots begin test campaign
August 15, 2008
By Pallab Ghosh
Science correspondent, BBC News
Engineers have unveiled the latest prototypes for a European rover that is due to land on Mars in 2015.
BBC News has had exclusive access to the test vehicles which are being put through their paces by space company UK Astrium at its HQ in Stevenage.
The British team on this European Space Agency (Esa) project has nicknamed the prototypes Bruno and Bradley.
The six-wheeled robots are claimed to be the most robust and manoeuvrable planetary rovers to be built.
According to Chris Draper, Astrium’s ExoMars rover vehicle industrial manager, they can go literally where no rover has gone before.
“Obviously, the American MER rovers (Spirit and Opportunity) that were put up by Nasa enjoyed an extreme amount of success. They were able to travel large distances, well beyond their planned lifetimes. But we’re hoping that with our baby, we’ll be able to go places that are actually much further.”
EXOMARS MISSION CONCEPT- Set to leave Earth in 2013; primary aim is to search for life
- Will launch on a heavy-lift rocket, such as the Ariane 5
- Vented landing bags allow for a larger payload
- Rover will carry a 16.5kg ‘Pasteur’ instrument suite
- 30kg geophysics/environment static station also possible
- This would study the weather and listen for ‘Marsquakes’
- Concept to cost Esa states more than first estimates
Each prototype has six-wheel steering, which means that they can turn all six wheels and crab sideways.
They also have what engineers describe as “wheel walking capability”. This means that when the vehicles come across a particularly steep or slippery slope, they can anchor themselves with five of the wheels and inch each wheel forward one at a time, to crawl over an obstacle.
The prototypes have a unique intelligent navigation system which enables them to plot their own course.
Such is the distance between the planets, it can take 20 minutes for an instruction sent from Earth to arrive at Mars. The delay means instant commands to change direction are not possible and so a rover must have autonomy to make decision if, for example, it is approaching a dangerous precipice.
And because the rover will make its own decisions, it can also cover more ground.
ExoMars’ primary mission is to search for signs of past or present life.
To do that, it will make its way to locations thought most likely to support life and drill up to two metres into the ground. Sub-surface soil samples will be analysed by an onboard laboratory.
The rover will have the largest array of scientific instruments to be taken to Mars. So if it gets strong indications that organisms might be present, it will be able to subject samples to a wide range of tests to confirm initial readings.
But the executives at Astrium are concerned that after having done the groundwork in developing the vehicle systems (the chassis, locomotion and navigation systems), the company might actually lose the opportunity to build the final flight vehicle.
"It’s quite a tense period for us in Astrium and for the other companies involved in building ExoMars"Dr Ralph Cordey, UK Astrium
The concern stems from the recent funding difficulties faced by the Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC), the agency which supports astronomy and space science in the UK.
The company won its role on the mission as leader of vehicle development partly because of the funding the STFC put through Esa. But Astrium’s science business development manager, Dr Ralph Cordey, said that given the recent squeeze on British astronomy and space resources, he was now unsure if that same level of funding would continue.
“It’s quite a tense period for us in Astrium and for the other companies involved in building ExoMars; and for all the many, many scientists who will depend on this mission,” he told BBC News.
“On the one hand, we are moving ahead with a great momentum, as you’ve seen. This is not a paper project - there is real engineering going on and we are on the verge of building the real hardware that will go on to the planet Mars. 
“But on the other hand, we do have a real problem. In order to complete the project, further funding needs to be made available and it won’t be until November that we are sure that that is in place.”
The cost of ExoMars has risen dramatically since European space ministers first approved the venture in 2005. Revised estimates to be agreed next month with industrial partners mean the price for ExoMars will nearly double from its original 650m-euro price tag.
If the UK wants to maintain its position on mission, it will have to boost its financial commitment to ExoMars or come to some other compensatory arrangement with Esa.
If the UK plays the wrong hand at the next space ministers’ meeting in November, UK Astrium warns, the contract to build the flight vehicle could go to a space company sited in another Esa member state.
The STFC said: “The UK will be working with its international partners to try to bring about a mission that has high impact and is affordable, in a process of negotiation that will culminate in decisions at the ministerial in November 2008.
“Meanwhile, it remains a high strategic priority for the UK as emphasised previously.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation
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