World's Smallest PC - "Space Cube"

It was said that this space cube could be the smallest pc. So what is this Space Cube?

The Space Cube is designed for use in space, where it can communicate with NASA, ESA, and JAXA, the space agencies of the U.S., Europe, and Japan, respectively. Credit: PC Pro.

Measuring just 2 inches by 2 inches, the Space Cube is roughly the size of a large die. However, the cube is actually a tiny PC, developed by the Shimafuji Corporation in Japan.


The PC is designed for use in space, where its task is to control various electronics and manage an "interstellar computer network." While it´s normally only available in Japan, the UK-based site PC Pro recently got hold of a Space Cube, and revealed several interesting details.

First, the Space Cube´s metal chassis is "utterly rock solid," enabling it to withstand cosmic encounters. As might be expected, it has very low power requirements, running on just 5 watts.

Inside the tiny computer, there´s a CPU with a top speed of 300 MHz, and 16 MB of on-board flash memory - low by today´s standards, but impressive for its size. The PC runs on a Linux OS from a 1GB CompactFlash card that fits into a slot in its side. The Space Cube´s hard drive is a 64MB SDRAM card, and it also comes equipped with a LAN port, USB port, Ethernet port, and a VGA monitor connector. A pair of jacks even accommodates speakers and headphones.

In addition to the normal computer features, the Space Cube also has some more unique characteristics. It has a SpaceWire port, which is an extremely thin socket that serves as an interface used by NASA, ESA, and JAXA, the space agencies of the U.S., Europe, and Japan, respectively. When the Space Cube goes into space, it can link up to each agency´s systems, where the SpaceWire acts as a common interface for linking together different kinds of devices.

PC Pro discovered that the Space Cube isn´t all serious, though. For instance, they found that typing "xeye" in the command line brings up a pair of googly eyes that follow the cursor around the screen.

Although the Space Cube isn´t currently available outside of the Japan, a company called Star Dundee plans to start selling the device after making some improvements. Star Dundee, a spin-off company from the Space Systems Research Group of the University of Dundee in Scotland, supports users and developers of SpaceWire technology. When it goes for sale, the Space Cube will be priced at around £1,500 ($2,750). As PC Pro speculates, rocket and robotics clubs might find the device quite useful.

-physorg.com

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Top 10 Do's and Don'ts in Making a Business Plan

TOP TEN DO'S

1. Prepare a complete business plan for any business you are considering.
2. Use the business plan templates furnished in each session.
3. Complete sections of your business plan as you proceed through the course.
4. Research (use search engines) to find business plans that are available on the Internet.
5. Package your business plan in an attractive kit as a selling tool.
6. Submit your business plan to experts in your intended business for their advice.
7. Spell out your strategies on how you intend to handle adversities.
8. Spell out the strengths and weaknesses of your management team.
9. Include a monthly one-year cash flow projection.
10. Freely and frequently modify your business plans to account for changing conditions.

TOP TEN DON'TS

1. Be optimistic (on the high side) in estimating future sales.
2. Be optimistic (on the low side) in estimating future costs.
3. Disregard or discount weaknesses in your plan. Spell them out.
4. Stress long-term projections. Better to focus on projections for your first year.
5. Depend entirely on the uniqueness of your business or the success of an invention.
6. Project yourself as someone you're not. Be brutally realistic.
7. Be everything to everybody. Highly focused specialists usually do best.
8. Proceed without adequate financial and accounting know-how.
9. Base your business plan on a wonderful concept. Test it first.
10. Skip the step of preparing a business plan before starting.

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One of the Best Place to Travel - Milan, Italy

Milan is a glamorous city, but not quite in the same class as Rome, Florence, or Venice. The city provides the tourist a number of delightful explorations that are tightly clustered in the vicinity of the Duomo, Milan's ostentatious cathedral. Widely known as a fashion center, Milan is a great place for shopping . I would to go in Milan someday.

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Canova Dual Touch Screen Laptop

this Dual Touch Screen Laptop from Canova is another ultimate notebook design meant for the creative mind. The notebook features dual display with touch-sensitive screens, sketch pad, music score, graph paper, an electronic pen and a dedicated hardware for its smooth functioning.I've read that its only sold at Italy and Australia. Hmmm...

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Noise Cancelling Headphones...If You're Not Into Punk Rock

ere's an interesting fact: people who listen to music in their headphones too loudly can suffer from permanent hearing loss. Well, that's not that interesting and many people would agree with that statement. Here's why it's an interesting fact: The reason people listen to music too loudly is not necessarily because they love loud music. Rather, it's because the background sound is too loud and interferes with the music.

So what's the solution? Music should be enjoyed through headphones (remember, not everyone shares your musical tastes!)...that's a given. But music doesn't have to be enjoyed at a massive volume. After all, the true enjoyment of music does not come from the volume but from the quality of the sound.

And how do you get sound quality? One of the ways is to reduce the outside sound you hear. This is done through noise cancelling headphones.

What are noise canceling headphones? The most common type is the kind that goes over your ear and completely encloses it in a shell. There's soft padding around the sides so it conforms to your head. This type of shape is called circumaural, although you need to know that not all circumaural's are noise cancelling headphones.
Aside from that shape, noise canceling headphones have another piece of technology that allows them to actually eliminate the background sounds: they use special circuitry, padding insulation, and other technology inside the shell of the part that goes over your ear. This special circuitry works to kill noises from the outside as the sound waves are directed toward you.

The result? Put them on and the world goes quiet. That will allow you to listen to great music at a lower volume and enjoy it more, while keeping others from having to listen to your unique musical tastes.

Because of the insulation and circuitry required to deaden background sounds, the head phones will naturally be bigger in size than the small earbuds you use in your ears. So they may not always be appropriate for travel. If you're cycling or riding on the bus, you need to hear the background sounds for safety or to know when your stop is. However, if you're traveling by plane or you want to have a quiet night in a hotel that seems too loud, the noise canceling headphones are just the thing you'll need for absolute privacy.

If these types of cans are too expensive, you may want to consider circumaural headphones that are not noise cancelling. They'll still dampen the noise. Or, if you find that they are too big and bulky, you may want to bypass earbuds and instead purchase canalbuds. Earbuds fit right at the end of your ear canal while canalbuds actually go into your ear. They do a better job of deadening external sounds. These are often referred to as noise isolating or passive types of head phones.

Article Source: EZINEPRIME - FREE WEB CONTENT and ARTICLES

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