Boeing's Spectrolab subsidiary set to mass produce 39.2 percent efficient solar cells

Boeing's Spectrolab subsidiary set to mass produce 39.2 percent efficient solar cells:

Boeing's Spectrolab subsidiary has been working on making solar cells more and more efficient for years now, and it looks like it's now set to put its latest record-breaking cells into mass production. Those come in the form of the company's new C3MJ+ solar cells, which boast an average conversion efficiency of 39.2 percent, making them the most efficient mass produced cells to date. What's more, Spectrolab says that since the new cells are so similar to its current C3MJ production cells, it should be relatively easy for customers already using those to upgrade to the new cells. Still no word on a price, it seems, but the new cells should be available in January. And, yes, Spectrolab is also hard at work on breaking its own record -- it hopes to crack the 40 percent mark later in 2011.

Kingston unveils HyperX Max 3.0, a SuperSpeed SSD for your pocket, we tear it down (video)

Kingston unveils HyperX Max 3.0, a SuperSpeed SSD for your pocket, we tear it down (video):

USB 3.0 and SSDs, they were just made for each other, don't you think? Kingston certainly seems to agree, as it's now rolled out its first SuperSpeed portable solid state drive, giving it the catchy title of HyperX Max 3.0. It fits within the dimensions of a conventional 2.5-inch hard drive, but differs in being able to pump 195MB of data per second when reading or 160MBps when writing. Although pricing and availability details aren't yet available, we can expect 64GB, 128GB and 256GB varieties to crop up some time soonish. Until then, can we interest you in some unboxing and teardown action, courtesy of our brethren over at Engadget Spanish? You'll find it on video just past the break.

SteelSeries Shift MMO Keyset comes optimized for online questing

SteelSeries Shift MMO Keyset comes optimized for online questing:

Outside of Word documents and IM clients, one of the most intensive uses of keyboards nowadays is in massively multiplayer online games. But, gaze upon the button array before you and you'll notice that there's nary a single concession to your ten-hours-a-day WoW habit. SteelSeries is today looking to rectify that situation with its all-new MMO Keyset, which you can see above, attached to the company's already available Shift gaming keyboard. This assortment of oddly titled keys comes with an exhaustive set of customization and macro options, so even the most hardcore of online raiders should be able to extract some added value from it. We're not sure that utility will ever add up to the $25 (€25 in Europe) asking price, but then we've never managed to get our Night Elf Mohawk to Level 80, either.

AMD's Bobcat APU benchmarked: the age of the Atom is at an end

AMD's Bobcat APU benchmarked: the age of the Atom is at an end:

So small, and yet potentially so disruptive. AMD's 1.6GHz Zacate chip, bearing a pair of Bobcat modules, has been taken off the leash today, resulting in a torrent of benchmarks pouring down onto the internet. While perusing the sources below, you might think to yourself that it's not exactly a world beater, sitting somewhere in the middle of the pack on most tests, but compare it to Intel's dual-core Atom D510 -- its most immediate competition in the target sub-$500 laptop price range -- and you'll find a thoroughgoing whooping in progress. The highlight of these new Fusion APUs is that they integrate graphics processing within the CPU chip, and Zacate didn't disappoint on that front either, with marked improvements over anything else available in its class. The resulting chips might still not have quite enough grunt to earn a place in your daily workhorse mobile computer, but their power efficiency and netbook-level pricing goals sure do look delightful. Or dangerous, if you're Intel.


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Dell Inspiron Duo tablet could be with us next week

Dell Inspiron Duo tablet could be with us next week:

Alright, we know AMD's busy showing off its Atom killer, but there's still a little life left in Intel's netbook stalwart, which has been harnessed to its fullest in Dell's screen-flipping Duo tablet / netbook. And the good news is that we apparently won't have to wait too long to see that zany concoction out in the real world. Well placed sources have informed CNET that Dell intends to release the Inspiron Duo at some point next week, potentially on November 23rd, while pre-sale information should be dished out later this week, alongside Microsoft's announcement of a new store opening. Things are moving along nice and swiftly, it would seem.

Update: And just to fan those flames of desire a little more, the Duo has shown up in Microsoft's latest cloud computing advert. See it after the break.

Mimo announces iMo eye9 USB touchscreen with built-in webcam

Mimo announces iMo eye9 USB touchscreen with built-in webcam:

Mimo Monitors isn't exactly short on small USB monitors these days, but that hasn't stopped it from rolling out yet another new model: the 9-inch iMo eye9. As with some of the company's recent models, this one is a touchscreen monitor (resistive, as you might expect), but it takes things one step further than the rest by adding a less-than-discreet 1.3 megapixel webcam. Otherwise, you'll get a basic 1,024 x 600 resolution, plus full Mac and PC compatibility, a detachable base that allows for both portrait and landscape viewing, and a built-in stylus that will also double as a stand. Look for this one to start shipping on November 20th, and you can get youpre-order in now for $229.99.

Viewsonic rolls out 3DV5 pocket camcorder, other gadgets of 2D and 3D varieties

Viewsonic rolls out 3DV5 pocket camcorder, other gadgets of 2D and 3D varieties:

Viewsonic has been touting a whole range of 3D gadgets since IFA this summer, and it's now finally brought a few of them to North America. That includes the $180 3DV5 pocket camcorder, which was already released in Europe and does 720p video along with 5 megapixel stills (in both 3D and 2D), and the also-$180 3DPF8 8-inch digital photo frame, which will let you view 3D videos and photos without the need for 3D glasses. Joining those are the $330 DVP5 pocket camcorder, which isn't 3D but does pack a built-in projector, and the $150 DPF8-CAM Digital Photo Copier, which is actually an 8-inch digital photo frame with a built-in scanner to let you easily convert your snapshots to digital copies. Head on past the break for the complete press release, and hit up the gallery below for a closer look at the whole lot.

Search Engine Friendly URLs with .htaccess and mod_rewrite

Search Engine Friendly URLs with .htaccess and mod_rewrite:

I was recently developing a PHP website that used mod_rewrite to make its URLs search engine friendly. Websites have been using mod_rewrite and .htaccess strategies to do this for years now and there are a 100 ways to accomplish the task. One issue that was occurring with this site was URLs without the a trailing slash would work, but URLs with a trailing slash would break (trigger a 404 error):

//works

http://mydomain.com/my-page

//breaks

http://mydomain.com/my-page/

The original .htaccess source was:

#adds '.php' to a URL that isn't a directory or a file
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.[^./]+)$
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_fileNAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_fileNAME} !-f
RewriteRule (.*) $1.php [L]

The solution was simple: an extra statement to accommodate for the trailing slash:

#removes trailing slash if not a directory
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.+)/$ /$1 [R=301,L]

#adds '.php' to a URL that isn't a directory or a file
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.[^./]+)$
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_fileNAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_fileNAME} !-f
RewriteRule (.*) $1.php [L]

This method may be a bit inefficient as there are two redirects but it does the job. Do you have a better solution? If so, share it!

Ubuntu 10.10's multitouch Unity UI demoed on Dell, makes multitasking look easy (video)

Ubuntu 10.10's multitouch Unity UI demoed on Dell, makes multitasking look easy (video):

Want to see how multitouch works in Maverick Meerkat's Unity UI, but don't have a convertible tablet PC? You're in luck today, as Ubuntu Developers put together a handy-dandy video of the Ubuntu 10.10 interface running on their very own Dell Latitude XT2's dual-digitizer touchscreen. As you'd expect, the $2,400 convertible does a bang-up job as a tablet PC, playing Flash video and OpenGL games with ease, but the uTouch gestures appear to contribute to the overall experience by making window management a relative breeze. But in the immortal words of LeVar Burton, you don't have to take our word for it -- see for yourself right after the break, while we pray for Canonical to reconsider its stance on a dedicated tablet version of Ubuntu.

Epson shoves a Core i7 processor in a chunky nettop, will build it to your specification

Epson shoves a Core i7 processor in a chunky nettop, will build it to your specification:

Tiny desktops? Good. Wimpy processors? Bad. Epson's Endeavor ST150E? Possibly the best of both worlds. Sure, it's bigger than your average nettop, about twice as tall, but for that extra girth you get a selection of Intel processors ranging from a Celeron P4600 all the way up to a Core i7-640M. It also sports a DVD-R/W drive, up to 8GB of RAM, 640GB on platters or a 64GB SSD, mountability behind an LCD, and power consumption as low as 16 watts -- though we're guessing that's with the Celeron. Indeed you can get this built however you want, with a starting price at 64,890 yen, or just under $800. But, get liberal with the options and you could be looking at a rather less frugal 190,000 yen. That's about $2,300, and an awful, awful lot for a little machine.

Mint Automatic Floor Cleaner review

Mint Automatic Floor Cleaner review:

We live in a world full of fabulous idle distractions -- a million TV channels, videogames at our fingertips, the world's greatest literature just a few menu selections away. Yet still we're stuck cleaning the same floors more or less the same way our forefathers did, despite the fact that they had a lot less fun stuff they could be doing instead. The $249 Mint Automatic Floor Cleaner is another attempt to free us from that burdensome task and, like the Neato XV-11 we recently reviewed, it is quite clinical and comprehensive in the way that it does things. However, while this one is likewise a heck of a lot smarter than a Roomba, for some it'll be of rather more limited usefulness. Why? Read on to find out.

Vim Novice Tutorial Videos - Derek Wyatt's Blog

Vim Novice Tutorial Videos - Derek Wyatt's Blog

Installing A Multiserver Setup With Dedicated Web, Email, DNS And MySQL Database Servers On Debian 5.0 With ISPConfig 3 - Page 3 | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials

Installing A Multiserver Setup With Dedicated Web, Email, DNS And MySQL Database Servers On Debian 5.0 With ISPConfig 3 - Page 3 | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials

QNAP intros 1080p-capable NMP-1000P network multimedia player

QNAP intros 1080p-capable NMP-1000P network multimedia player:

It's a minor refresh, but a refresh nonetheless. If you'll recall, we saw the original NMP-1000 break cover at CeBIT 2009, and now that we're 1.5 years in the future, the QNAP NMP-1000P is making its debut for those who crave 1080p. Judging from the exterior, little has changed from then until now, but the revamped innards may be of interest -- there's a Sigma Designs SMP8643 SoC, a 667MHz CPU with floating point processor, support for 1080/24p playback and WiFi integration if you spring for an optional adapter. You'll also get a revised user interface, local and internet-based content streaming and room for a user-supplied 3.5-inch SATA hard drive, not to mention compatibility with just about every file format under the sun. Mum's the word on pricing and availability, but we're guessing it'll be out on shelves somewhere prior to the holidays.

The Quick & Easy Way of Getting into YUI: SimpleYUI

The Quick & Easy Way of Getting into YUI: SimpleYUI:

The Yahoo! YUI is an incredibly feature-rich JavaScript library with a LOT of functionality but getting your head around all of those features can be tough. The YUI team wants to help developers get up and running more quickly and announced yesterday the release of SimpleYUI; a basic and more streamlined version of the YUI library.

SimpleYUI will contain basic DOM access and manipulation including support for CSS 3 selectors in the selector engine, animations via the new transition module, the event system, Ajax and JSON support.

The great thing is that when you're ready to leverage more advanced features like managed attributes and custom events, you still have the ability to do on-demand loading just like you'd expect from the full-featured version of YUI. This includes any YUI 2 or 3 component or YUI 3 Gallery module.

Digital Cowboy announces Xtreamer Pro NAS / media streamer

Digital Cowboy announces Xtreamer Pro NAS / media streamer:

Your media streamer options aren't exactly limited these days, but if you're looking for one that will also double as a NAS (and prefer to get your gear from Japan), you might want to consider Digital Cowboy's latest addition to its Movie Cowboy line: the Xtreamer Pro. This one packs the same dual 3.5-inch hard drives as the company's previous DC-MCNAS1 model (not included), but adds an HDMI port to directly connect to your TV, and what appears to be a whole new interface to let you access the wide variety of media the device supports. No word on any plans for a release over here, but you can look for this one to be available in Japan next month for ¥22,000, or about $260.

Update: Apparently this Digital Cowboy is a rebadge of the Xtreamer Pro announced in Europe back in February.

LG's 31-inch OLED prototype to slice through IFA

LG's 31-inch OLED prototype to slice through IFA:

OLED's failure to do anything for the mainstream so far outside of phone and camera displays is only bittersweet: sure, we don't have millimeter thick TVs yet, but LCD has gotten slim enough that it hardly matters. So, in keeping with tradition, LG has stolen its own OLED thunder today. In line with earlier rumors, it will be showing off a 0.11-inch thick 31-inch 3D OLED display prototype at IFA this week, but that poor little OLED-that-would will be sharing a booth with a ready for retail 0.35-inch thick LCD that comes in big people sizes. Despite our undying affection for OLED, we know which one we'll be (theoretically) taking home in the windowless van we (theoretically) plan on parking out behind the Messe Berlin.

LG's 31-inch OLED prototype to slice through IFA

LG's 31-inch OLED prototype to slice through IFA:

OLED's failure to do anything for the mainstream so far outside of phone and camera displays is only bittersweet: sure, we don't have millimeter thick TVs yet, but LCD has gotten slim enough that it hardly matters. So, in keeping with tradition, LG has stolen its own OLED thunder today. In line with earlier rumors, it will be showing off a 0.11-inch thick 31-inch 3D OLED display prototype at IFA this week, but that poor little OLED-that-would will be sharing a booth with a ready for retail 0.35-inch thick LCD that comes in big people sizes. Despite our undying affection for OLED, we know which one we'll be (theoretically) taking home in the windowless van we (theoretically) plan on parking out behind the Messe Berlin.

Roku lowers prices across the board: HD box now $69, $99 HD-XR to get 1080p support

Roku lowers prices across the board: HD box now $69, $99 HD-XR to get 1080p support:

Looks like Roku's going aggressive on price with its lineup of streamers in response to Sony's new $130 Netbox streamer, the upcoming Google TV launch, and rumors that we'll see that rumored $99 iOS-based Apple TV arrive on Wednesday. The SD box is down to $59 from $79, the standard HD is now $69 from $99, and the HD-XR with dual-band 802.11n and soon-to-be-enabled USB playback support is now $99 from $129. The HD-XR is also due to get 1080p streaming support later this year; it'll be focused on USB playback at first since most of the streaming channels are 720p right now.

Those prices are definitely getting close to impulse-buy territory, especially since a Roku is now one of the cheapest ways to get Netflix and Amazon VOD on a TV, along with other channels like MLB and UFC. In fact, Roku says its goal is to put three streamers in every house -- one next to every TV in the average American home. We applaud the ambition, but we've got a feeling this entire market is about get turned upside down once Apple and Google launch their initiatives.

ASUS Eee PC 1215N review

ASUS Eee PC 1215N review :

About nine months ago ASUS released its 12.1-inch Eee PC 1201N to much fanfare. It was the first 'netbook' to pack NVIDIA's Ion platform and a desktop-class Atom processor. Translation: it absolutely wrecked regular netbooks (and even other Ion netbooks) on the graphics and performance battlefield. Indeed, the 1201N blurred the lines between netbook and regular laptop, but we ultimately knocked it fairly hard for not lasting longer than 2.5 hours on a charge -- it was dubbed a 'netbook' of course.

Our apologies for the brief history lesson, but it's actually quite important in understanding why ASUS' second generation of the 1201N is such a big deal. The 1215N has a Pine Trail 1.8GHz dual-core Atom D525 processor and NVIDIA's Ion 2 with Optimus, which no longer requires the GPU to be running the entire time and saves battery power. The $500 rig (though we're seeing it on sale for as much as $599) is still on the pricey side for a 'netbook,' but promises 1080p playback, seven hours of battery life and a 250GB hard drive. So, does the 1215N correct all the wrongs of the 1201N and live up to the 'netbook powerhouse' title that ASUS has given it? And more importantly can it compete with some of the newer thin and light laptops, like the Dell Inspiron M101z? We found out, and we're assuming you want to as well in our full review after the break.