CYBERZONE

THE FUTURE IS FEMALE

We have had the industrial age, we have had the information economy. __But now for something different: "the care economy", predicts BT's Ian Pearson. __And, says Mr Pearson assuredly, women -- not men -- are best suited for this shift. __After years of so called soft skills - such as communication -- being sidelined, they will now play center-stage.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6518241.stm

FCC 700MHz AUCTION MEETING A DUD

Postponing the open meeting on the upcoming 700MHz auction by more than nine hours Wednesday, the FCC made no formal rulings on the rules of the auction but did ask for public comments on some of the more controversial proposals. The FCC made Frontline's spectrum proposal a possibility, while ending speculation that Cyren Call's proposal may have a chance. It doesn't. The Google-led group, Coalition for 4G in America also garnered praise from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin who said he was "surprised" and "puzzled" that his fellow commissioners didn't support the group's requests for rules on building a wireless access network from scratch. Some believe the nine hour delay could have been partially because Martin wanted to institute some of the group's proposed ideas. The coalition is comprised mostly of online content providers like Google, Yahoo and eBay as well as DBS players like EchoStar and DirecTV.

http://gigaom.com/2007/04/25/fcc-punts-on-700-mhz-rulemaking/#more-8849

U.S. TRAILS OTHER NATIONS IN BROADBAND USE AND GROWTH

The US has dropped from 12th to 15th in broadband growth and use, says the OECD. Among the 30 industrialized nations, Denmark and the Netherlands are leading with 30 subscribers per 100 inhabitants, followed by Iceland, Korea, Switzerland, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Japan leads the OECD in FTTH connections. France (in 13th place) now surpasses the US, not surprising given how competitive the French broadband market is. Neuf Cegetel just started offering 50 Mbps FTTH service in Paris and Pau for 30 EUR per month ($40). Free Press has analyzed the OECD's data and concludes that while the world's broadband leaders pay far less than $1 per Mbps, US consumers pay $10 per Mbps. What accounts for the "scarcity" of Megabits in the US? Will more competition from wireless broadband providers force the incumbents, cable and DSL, to lower prices and increase bandwidth?

http://www.muniwireless.com/article/articleview/5922/1/3

EARTH'S ARCHITECTURE

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) recently launched a new AIA layer in Google Earth called "America's Favorite Architecture." Google Earth users can now see many newly created 3D models of the ballparks, bridges, buildings, and memorials that characterize architecture for Americans. By clicking on America's Favorite Architecture, users can view texturized 3D images of the nation's most popular landmarks created with Google SketchUp.

http://link.abpi.net/l.php?20070426A6

KORDIA TESTS CELLPHONE TV

State-owned enterprise Kordia has carried out the first trial in New Zealand of DVB-H, an emerging technology that could bring mobile TV to the masses by delivering broadcast-quality television to mobile phones and handheld TVs at no cost to viewers.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/hlc/1,,104084~4026566a28~,00.html

PC VENDORS SEEK PROFITS FROM RECYCLING

The profit motive has become a major catalyst for companies to start sustainable IT programs and maintain green IT practices

http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/04/20/HNpcvendorsrecyclingprofits_1.html?source=NLC-TB&cgd=2007-04-23

TECHNOLOGY CAN IMPROVE LIVES

The part technology plays in helping and/or hindering people with disabilities.

http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php?id=104995&utm_source=EM&utm_medium=enews&utm_content=story

SCIENCE ZONE

COMPUTER'S GOT RHYTHM

Researchers are teaching computers to convert scores into sound, follow a soloist's lead, and recognize beat, rhythm, melody, harmony, tempo, and other musical elements. A soloist can now practice accompanied by software representing other musicians.

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070421/bob8.asp

MAKING GASOLINE FROM CARBON DIOXIDE

Chemists have shown that it is possible to use solar energy, paired with the right catalyst, to convert carbon dioxide into a raw material for making a wide range of products, including plastics and gasoline.

http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/18582/

PLASTIC SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCY BREAKS RECORD

 Wake Forest researchers have achieved record efficiency for organic or flexible, plastic solar cells by creating "nano-filaments" within light absorbing plastic, similar to the veins in tree leaves. __This allows for the use of thicker absorbing layers in the devices, which capture more of the sun's light, reaching more than 6 percent efficiency.

http://physorg.com/news96200990.html

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS

The latest UN climate change report - Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability - addresses how climate change will affect human society.

Heather Catchpole looks at the challenges facing Australia, and at the report's predictions for our future - ter, weather and foodwise.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/features/climateimpacts/

BRAIN MAY USE ONLY 20% OF ITS MEMORY-FORMING NEURONS

Study shows that that pace at which a brain cell activates a key protein may influence its role in memory formation-a finding that could lead to new Alzheimer therapies

http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe3015737661047a701477-fdfb15737467027b72147874-ff3310707762-fef61c7471640d-fe2615717c670174701272

PLANT NOAH's ARK PASSES BILLION PASSENGERS

The Millennium Seed Bank, a UK "Noah's Ark" for plants, reaches a milestone with pleas for more cash.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/sci/tech/6593333.stm

MALARIA TREATMENT

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD) have cured malaria-infected mice with single shots of a new series of potent, long-lasting synthetic drugs modeled on an ancient Chinese herbal folk remedy. The drugs mimic artemisinin, the active agent in a Chinese herbal drug used to treat malaria and other fevers for thousands of years. Artemisinin comes from the Artemisia annua plant.These peroxide compounds promise not only to be more effective than today's best malaria remedies, but also potentially safer and more efficient. The oxygen-oxygen unit in the peroxides causes malaria parasites to self-destruct.

http://link.abpi.net/l.php?20070424A6

RESEARCH OPENS WAY FOR BIONIC EYE

US scientists have opened the way for the development of a "bionic eye" by carrying out tests in monkeys.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/health/6585367.stm

ASIA PACIFIC ZONE

BLOGGING AS THERAPY IN JAPANß

According to the Japan Times, a recent survey has found that out of all the blog content in the world, the most blogs are published in Japanese -- not English or Chinese. Apparently about 30% of all blogs are in Japanese.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ed20070422a1.html

TOKYO STUDENTS SET INTERNET SPEED RECORD

 The University of Tokyo has once again set two Land Speed Records in a competition hosted by networking consortium Internet2. The team was able to achieve a throughput of 9.08 Gbps over a 30,000 km-long IPv6 network path. The feat demonstrates IPv6's reliability and practicality in supporting ultra-high bandwidth applications, Internet2 said.

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/57083.html

CHINA PRES SAYS PURGE UNHEALTHY WEB CONTENT

 "Unhealthy" content should be purged from the net, China President Hu Jintao is reported as saying.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/technology/6592003.stm

WIRELESS ZONE

FACETIME OFFERS SKYPE MANAGER FOR BUSINESS

A new security product has been released that manages certain aspects of Skype's VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) application, which may assuage fears from IT managers that the Skype program may save on phone bills but pose a security risk.

http://newsletter.infoworld.com/t?ctl=1735832:ECCF9AA50A17C8DC2C57DE46B8C6D1EFEFF29049075316B4

SITE CITE

BRAILLE CONVERTER EASE WEB USE

A free to use document conversion service that produces Braille or audio files is proving an instant web hit.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/technology/6542441.stm