Technology

Do you subscribe to OnStar or use an old analog-based cellular phone? This next story might have you fuming. For those of us old enough to remember the coming of the Motorola Flip phone and its predecessors, analog satellite technology was the ... original network that made the cellular phone possible. In fact, some people argue that an analog phone is superior because it gets better reception and clarity than current digital technologies. Nevertheless -- if you are the owner of one of these devices, the end is near. As of February 2008, the analog phone network is scheduled to be shutdown per U. ... (view more)

Tests at the University of Washington have shown it's possible to reroute brain signals to move paralysed limbs. The results could eventually lead to treatment for spinal injury victims. The study works on the idea that, although spinal injuries ... damage the connections which carry nerve signals, victims usually retain both the muscles in the affected limb and the use of the motor cortex, the part of the brain which controls movement. Unlike some parts of the brain, which work on a 'use it or lose it' basis, studies have shown people can retain full control over the motor cortex even after ... (view more)

Think you're safe using a cell phone behind the wheel? Maybe; clearly there are enough people out there employing such tactics that at least a few have become experts at balancing rush hour traffic and plans for dinner and/or a movie. Unfortunately ... for British drivers, not even especially refined multitasking skills will save them from a hefty fine and even jail time, if caught. According to reports from across the pond, drivers caught talking on a cell phone could face both 24 months in prison and a fine as steep as five thousand pounds. That's over $10,000 American dollars, more than what ... (view more)

Since owning his cell phone, Piotr Staniaszek has never paid more than $147 a month for service. Last month, he was more than a little shocked to peek into his mailbox and find a phone bill totaling $59,000 in additional charges. When he called to ... complain about the perceived error, he discovered that his current phone bill was clocked at $83,000...and counting. The reason for such a drastic increase in cost? Staniaszek had recently begun using his cell phone to download music and videos onto his personal computer. Staniaszek has pleaded total ignorance for his actions, citing that he ... (view more)

These days, there's a lot of concern about the economy. Under these circumstances, people begin to worry about the security of their own jobs; the auto industry, for example, feels a bit shaky right now. This is also true of the real estate and ... mortgage industries. But, according to the latest Robert Half Technology survey, IT jobs are staying the secure course. According to the Robert Half Chief Information Officer (CIO) survey of 1,400 companies with more than 100 employees, 82% of CIO's expect to maintain the status quo for the next quarter. Another 13% of those CIO's expect to add IT ... (view more)

The technological upgrades made to several U.S. airlines will not end with cellular paperless boarding passes. For the small fee of 10 dollars, passengers can now purchase in-flight Internet connections. JetBlue Airways was the first carrier to jump ... on board with the project, already offering their customers free email and instant messaging services. Virgin America also has major plans to link wireless technology directly into their back-seat entertainment systems. This would allow passengers not traveling with laptops or smartphones to still be able to transmit messages from the plane. ... (view more)

Couch Potatoes are becoming YouTube "tubers". Males in the 18 to 24 year old age group are redirecting their time; a 2007 Harris survey discovered that 1 in 3 of the frequent visitors to YouTube claim to be watching less TV as a result of watching ... YouTube and 66% were sacrificing other activities to watch YouTube. Among their sacrifices: 20% were pre-empting their email and social network time, 19% were deferring their work or homework, 15% sacrificed playing video games, and 12% were substituting spending time with friends or family. (Source: lostremote.com ) And we're not just ... (view more)

Continental Airlines passengers flying out of Houston, Texas will soon be able to board their flights using their cell phone or personal-digital assistant in place of a standard boarding pass. The paperless boarding pass is part of a three-month ... test program that will gauge the responsiveness of passengers and overall efficiency of the service. Instead of fumbling through a myriad of papers, Continental Airlines will only require their passengers to show a bar code that the airline had previously sent to their cell phone or PDA. The two-dimensional bar code is nothing more than a jumble of ... (view more)

UK laptop buyers will now have greener purchasing options thanks to a recent Toshiba initiative. For an extra £1.18 (or $2.43) Toshiba will plant a tree in the consumer's name, which they claim will "offset the lifetime carbon footprint of your  ...computer." One of several companies to launch recent green initiatives, Toshiba's new program is certainly a step in the right direction. However, critics warn that these activities may give consumers a false sense of accomplishment. (Source: arstechnica.com ) Toshiba will plant native UK trees and smaller ground cover species for the next ...<a href="/news/2940/stop-global-warming-one-toshiba-laptop-time" class="more-link">view more

We all do dumb things. I once lost my house keys for days, only to find them placed neatly underneath a bowl of salad in the kitchen fridge. Now, there's a response to these "mental farts": fish. According to researchers at the University of Oxford ... in England, elderly men and women performed better when tested for memory, visual conception, motor skills, verbal fluency, general orientation, and even attention after they had consumed fish regularly over an extended period of time. According to Dr. A. David Smith, principal author of the Oxford study, "All six cognitive tests were performed ... (view more)