App prevents insurance headache after disaster strikes

Looks like a GREAT APP, for those of us located in Tornado Prone area's. Easy way to LOG your serial numbers and photo's of your valuables for Insurance adjustments.
App prevents insurance headache after disaster strikes

Microsoft Buy Skype

Breaking news this morning in the tech sector.  Microsoft has agreed to purchase VOIP provider Skype for 8.5 billion, including some debit.  A formal announcement if forth coming in the next few hours.  The Wall Street journal reported in a online story Monday night that the deal was possibly going to occur.

Last week it looked like Skype and Facebook would possibly be partnering.

Under the deal, it places Skype CEO Tony Bates at the helm, in a new business unit within Microsoft.  He will be reporting directly to Microsoft Boss Steve Balmer.

Skype is a Luxembourg based Voice over Internet Provider that was started in 2003 by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, both of Kazza fame.

More updates on this story will come later in the morning so check back frequently on this one.

Update: 05/10/2011
Full details on the Aquisition of Skype in a Press Release from Microsoft added.  Blamer indicated that Skype technology will be integrated in Xbox, Outlook as well as phones.

Source: CNN Money, SeattleTimes, Microsoft

Intel increases speed while cutting energy consumption with New Transistor Tech

Intel announced on Wednesday that by build a key portion of a microprocessor's transistor above the chips surface, it has found a way to make it smaller, faster and lower power consumption.

Intel's new 3D 32nm transistor

The company stated that this new method of structuring their chips will require up to less than 50% of the power to run them and giving them a 37% speed boost as well.  With this entry coming into the market place this should give Intel the chips needed to break into the rapidly exploding smartphone and tablet market place.  Intel up till now has been relatively weak in that market because of the power consumption required by their processors.  The chips are expected to be in production in this year and should start appearing in computers in 2012.

The company has labels the technology FINFET (for fin field-effect transistor), and is based around small pillars or a fin of silicon that rises above the chip much like that of a high rise office.

Source: NYTimes, Reuters

Raid Wreckage Photo's point to a NEW SECRET Helo used in Bin Laden Raid

Photo's from Britain's "The Daily Mail" newspaper may have just revealed a very very big clue as to how the Seal Team was able to penetrate Pakistani airspace with out tipping off their air defense and warning systems.  At first it was thought maybe the RQ-170 (Beast of Kandahar) had helped JAM Pakistani air defense networks.

But the recent wreckage photo's seem to point to a new stealthy version of a helicopter.  The tail rotor section that the PAF is quickly cleaning up and covering with security blankets does not appear to be that of a MH-60.  If this is so, then the Pakistani's may have just scored a major tech coop and boost.  More details I'm sure will arise on this subject over time.  Photo's have now popped up in the Daily Mail, and the Wall Street Journal.  Blogger Steve Trimble spotted this and pointed it out first in his BLOG on May 3.

Sources: The Daily Mail, WSJ, Defensetech, FlightGlobal

Boeing announces first flight of "Phantom Ray"

Phantom Ray

The flight only lasted 17 minutes at Edwards Airforce Base in California, but the drone reached 7,500 feet.  Further tests expect the 36,500 pound and 36 foot long craft to reach altitudes near 40,000 feet and race along at nearly the speed of sound (mach 0.85).  With a range of nearly1550 miles, this prototype is not something to dismiss.  The "Phantom Ray" is a stealthy unmanned combat craft being developed by Boeing.  The Ray is based on the X-45C prototype that Boeing originally developed for DARPA/US Airforce/US Navy. The project is being fully funded with Boeing Funds as the X-45C was not selected as DARPA's/ UCAS program the X-47 built by Northrop Grumman won that contract.  Where exactly will this program go?  It's really anyone's guess at this point.

First Flight

The aircraft is expected to perform 10 test flights over six months.  Wireds Danger Room has several GREAT shots from the drones first flight.

Source: Wired, Wikipedia, Spectrum, DefenseTech

ReconRobotics Releases robot aimed at the fight agaomst pirates at sea

Throwbot

While almost weekly we hear about some new Pirate attack against shipping targets around the world.  Their taking of hostages and holding crew and cargo for ransom seems to have become a national industry in some parts of the world.  Until now we had not hear of many new tools being used of added to the arsonel of weapons to combat this.

ReconRobotics recent release of a beer-can sized robot based on it's Throwbot, has bee adapted to be fired from a cannon and stick magnetically to the side of a ship then climb up onto deck.  It can be guided remotely around to see what's going on with an infrared camera as well.  The video below show's the throwbot in use in a tactical senario used by a SWAT team.

Sources: TGDaily, ReconRobotics

Intel is ste to announce something BIG today!!

Stay tuned for INTEL news today.  Something very big coming out of the INTEL camp.  Speculation is that it will be the most significant tech announcement of the whole year.  Maximum PC even has a run down on Rumors and Verdicts on what it will be.

Updated 05/04/2011 12:36pm -  New Chip Announced see article above.

Source: EETimes, Maximum PC