Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, November 07, 2008

EWA System Sucks Drinkable Water Out of Thin Air [Water]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/YhrfARfKy-Q/ewa-system-sucks-drinkable-water-out-of-thin-air

While energy issues tend to get a lot more media play, a perhaps even bigger challenge we'll need to collectively deal with soon is the problem of potable water. Israeli company EWA is hoping to help nations with less fresh water resources get it inexpensively by turning humidity in the air into drinkable fluids. EWA, which stands for Extraction of Water from Air, uses a heat-based absorption system and a special energy saving condenser to suck moisture from the atmosphere and into reservoirs cleanly and efficiently.

The technology works thusly: First, the desiccant, made of silica-based gel granules, absorbs the air's humidity using an exothermic (heat releasing) process. Then the water is drawn out of the gel and condensated. It's not the first water from air generator out there, but its heat recovery techniques have vastly reduced the cost for producing water with this method. The end product is cheaper to operate than other filtration systems, such as desalination.

According to EWA, one cubic kilometer of air contains about 10 to 40 thousand tons of water, enough for two million to not go thirsty. Considering that over half the world's population could be facing a water crisis by 2025, this kind of technology is definitely something we should keep an eye on. [Green Prophet]

Google Seals Up Android 'Jailbreak' in Automatic Update [Android]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/e-qF2cxGPz0/google-seals-up-android-jailbreak-in-automatic-update

It only took Google about three days to recognize, examine and fix the vulnerability that allowed Android phones to be 'jailbroken', and users should see the fix (update RC30) pushed to their phones via an over the air update during the next few days. From the mouth of the Google:

We've been notified of this issue (Jailbreaking of Android) and have developed a fix. We're currently working with our partners to push the fix out and updating the open source code base to reflect these changes.

So what do Android users stand to lose from this Apple-like vigilance?

At present, very little. The so-called 'jailbreak' was of a completely different nature than the app-enabling hack that iPhone users are now so accustomed to. The technique was a telnet trick that allowed for easy root access to the operating system. The reality of the situation is less like a 'jailbreak' in the iPhone sense, and more like finding the administrative password on a desktop Linux system.

The exploit did provide more access to the the Android's core functions, some of which could be useful for app development and porting to other phones, but it also exposed a gaping vulnerability that would be immediately shut on any other Linux distribution. Google's fix is most accurately characterized as a security fix, not a party poop. [ModMyGphone, XDA —Thanks, Kyle]

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

NTT DoCoMo reveals fall 2008 lineup: Bold, E71, 20 others

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/JgJ1UmalJaI/

Filed under: Cellphones

Hot on the heels of RIM's BlackBerry Bold finally hitting AT&T sales channels comes word that Japan's NTT DoCoMo has also joined in to offer the handset. As the Asian carriers dump their cornucopia of fall 2008 mobiles onto the world, this particular one is serving up 22, all divided into the STYLE, PRIME, SMART and PRO series. Naturally, the latter category piques our interest the most, as it hosts the Bold, Nokia E71, HTC Touch Pro (HT-01A), HTC Touch Diamond (HT-02A) and Sharp's decidedly handsome SH-04A. Feel free to have a look at the entire family (and their respective launch dates) just below in the read link.

NTT DoCoMo reveals fall 2008 lineup: Bold, E71, 20 others originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's T*Omnia praised by Ballmer in Korea, older Omnia coming to US this month?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/t2St_vJ2bHQ/

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Steve Ballmer definitely gets around, last month taking a trip to the UK just to mock Android, this month heading all the way to Korea to praise Samsung's new T*Omnia. He says it's "at the forefront of this new generation of mobile devices," and digs how it "brings together communications, productivity, multimedia, and entertainment in a way that meets the needs of both consumers and mobile professionals." We think he's most fond of its operating system (WinMo 6.1), but must admit we're smitten by the handset too -- especially its 800 x 480 screen. That's more than twice the resolution of the older Omnia, which by the sounds of it will be released in the US sometime this month. Samsung didn't actually say which Omnia, but since it's the older one that's been FCC approved don't go holding your breath for WVGA goodness. Lucky Koreans, meanwhile, can expect the T*Omnia to start being served up by SK Telecom on November 20.

Samsung's T*Omnia praised by Ballmer in Korea, older Omnia coming to US this month? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC's Touch HD now available for Â£514.99

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/hDSZkQMnDEo/

Filed under: Cellphones

It's not apt to ever go on sale in America (okay, so maybe there's a sliver of a sliver of a chance), but HTC's Touch HD is now on sale for fortunate Britons with a fair amount of poundage to spare. The drop-dead gorgeous WinMo 6.1 handset can be procured right now for £514.99 ($821) sans contract, but if you're a North American mulling an import, you should obviously tack on a few more bills to that. You're still mulling, aren't you?

[Via MoDaCo]

HTC's Touch HD now available for £514.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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