Technology

When people envision the Italian landscape, images of ancient architecture, paintings and sculptures abound. Imagining old-world Italian cities as havens for hi-tech innovations is difficult for many. But located in the main piazza of Duino-Aurisina ... is a trash bin like no other; one that could potentially alter our approach to garbage collection here in North America while improving pollution and traffic controls around the world. The communal bin contains a small metal box about the size of a one-quart milk carton. A radio connection lies beneath the box, allowing the bin to "communicate" ... (view more)

The Large Hadron Collider, the machine tipped to revolutionize our understanding of physics, could be out of action for the rest of the year. Scientists had planned to use the machine to create a near light-speed collision between particles so they ... could answer fundamental questions like "what makes up black holes?" and "why is gravity so weak compared with other forces?" However, after an earlier delay with a power failure, the project is on hold thanks to a suspected melted electrical connection between two of the giant magnets which steer the protons (a type of particle ... (view more)

When you think of an "interactive classroom" what are the first images that pop into your head? Is it a classroom filled with computers? Interactive activities shared using a smartboard? Teacher-led discussions being conducted via podcasts? While ... some of the above items have been adopted into modern classrooms already, a coalition of researchers at Durham University (UK) calling themselves the TEL (Technology-Enhanced Learning) Research Group have aspired to redefine the concept of an interactive classroom, with the recent introduction of the first available multi-touch student desks. Think ... (view more)

Ever wonder what it would be like to live in a 'house of the future'? Several companies, including LG and Toto, are working to re-define the way we think about 'housework'. Stepping into the kitchen, LG Electronics has a new refrigerator model ... complete with built-in cable television, electronic cookbook and weather channel for roughly $4,000. Other modern refrigerators boast advanced climate controls that monitor food expiration dates to let their patrons know when certain foods have spoiled. (Source: matr.net ) In a few years, manufacturers are even hoping to include a "projection kitchen ... (view more)

Once the king of illegal file-sharing protocols, Napster operated in the law's gray area for a few years before 'going legal' not long ago. The firm's owners have now cashed in on their reputation -- good or bad -- after being bought out by Best Buy ... for $121 million. Napster became known as the leading file sharing site for music in 2000. While the software could be used for any files, the comparative lack of broadband connections at the time meant it was mainly used for single songs rather than albums or movies. It met with widespread legal opposition at the time, the most prolific coming ... (view more)

Research In Motion (RIM), creators of the popular BlackBerry mobile device, are launching a more direct challenge to cell phone producers. The firm's newest model includes a flip-down keyboard, making it the first BlackBerry in the traditional phone ... shape. Previously, the BlackBerry had been available only as a flat-one piece device. Marketed primarily as a way to access emails wirelessly, its telephone functions had been seen as of secondary importance. For this reason it's generally been viewed as a business tool rather than a consumer device. The new BlackBerry Pearl is the first flip-down ... (view more)

The number of text messages sent by US phone users has more than doubled in the past year. However, an influential politician is asking questions about suspiciously similar price increases among leading politicians. The mobile phone trade body CTIA ... has just reported a record 75 billion text messages were sent during June, up from 28.8 billion in the same month last year. The same survey found 260 million people use some form of wireless communications device. That certainly raises questions as it would mean an average of 10 text messages per user per day, which sounds remarkably high. CTIA ... (view more)

How many times have you been driving to work and thought "Did I remember to lock the front door?" Or who remembers coming home early from school and finding all the doors locked with nobody home? Thanks to a new system, people will never have to ... worry about forgetting to lock their doors or bringing their house keys with them again. All you need is an Internet connection or a mobile phone. The company behind the plan, Ingersoll-Rand (under the "Schlage Lock" brand name) has manufactured a system that allows locks to be opened and closed via Internet commands. Now, users can lock and unlock ... (view more)

Those returning to school this month might want to invest in a new writing tool sure to take the pain out of jotting down lecture notes. The Pulse Smartpen boasts a hi-tech twist: while the pen writes with real ink, it also contains an infrared ... camera, audio recording device, twin microphones and a speaker. How does it work? The user removes a sheet of specialized "dot-paper" from their coiled notebook (included with the purchase of the Smartpen) and writes down information as they would using a standard pen. However, while a user is listening to what the teacher is saying, the built-in ... (view more)

If Plastic Logic has its way, printed newspapers will be a thing of the past. The company today introduced a new electronic reader focused on handling business and newspaper documents. The reader offers the same highly-readable display created by E ... Ink and offered on Sony and Amazon readers. The primary benefits of the E Ink display are that it does not need to be backlit, content remains on the screen even after power is turned off, and it looks better, not worse, in bright light. The Plastic Logic display, however, is more than twice the size of the Sony and Amazon readers and can store ... (view more)