HOW TO: Cool Stuff

If your children, family members or employees use smart phones and you need to keep tabs on their usage and where they are, you may get Spymobil. This is the latest spying software for the new generation of smart mobile phones. It can help you check on your children, spouse and employees, whether you want to protect them or see what they are up to.

This software, once installed, can record call data, text messages and also give the GPS position of the person whose phone it is installed on.
The phone which it is used on should work on the operating system Android, Windows Mobile or Symbian. You can log in to your account via your own internet enabled phone and learn everything the person is doing while using the phone. The data is updated every 15 minutes.

All incoming and outgoing call details, including duration of call, time and date can be viewed, complete text messages, including deleted messages can be recorded. The software is available on different plans, ranging from quarterly to life time. Before purchasing the software, you should be sure that you are complying with the legal requirements of your state to do so.

SpyMobil offers free upgrades to their software which is easy to purchase online, so you can get immediate access. The company also offer 24/7 technical support.

20 Pain Cures You Can Find in Your Kitchen

Make muscle pain a memory with ginger

When Danish researchers asked achy people to jazz up their diets with ginger, it eased muscle and joint pain, swelling and stiffness for up to 63 percent of them within two months. Experts credit ginger’s potent compounds called gingerols, which prevent the production of pain-triggering hormones. The study-recommended dose: Add at least 1 teaspoon of dried ginger or 2 teaspoons of chopped ginger to meals daily.

Cure a toothache with cloves

Got a toothache and can’t get to the dentist? Gently chewing on a clove can ease tooth pain and gum inflammation for two hours straight, say UCLA researchers. Experts point to a natural compound in cloves called eugenol, a powerful, natural anesthetic. Bonus: Sprinkling a ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves on meals daily may also protect your ticker. Scientists say this simple action helps stabilize blood sugar, plus dampen production of artery-clogging cholesterol in as little as three weeks.

Heal heartburn with cider vinegar

Sip 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 ounces of water before every meal, and experts say you could shut down painful bouts of heartburn in as little as 24 hours. “Cider vinegar is rich in malic and tartaric acids, powerful digestive aids that speed the breakdown of fats and proteins so your stomach can empty quickly, before food washes up into the esophagus, triggering heartburn pain,” explains Joseph Brasco, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Center for Colon and Digestive Diseases in Huntsville, AL.

Erase earaches with garlic

Painful ear infections drive millions of Americans to doctors’ offices every year. To cure one fast, just place two drops of warm garlic oil into your aching ear twice daily for five days. This simple treatment can clear up ear infections faster than prescription meds, say experts at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Scientists say garlic’s active ingredients (germanium, selenium, and sulfur compounds) are naturally toxic to dozens of different pain-causing bacteria. To whip up your own garlic oil gently simmer three cloves of crushed garlic in a half a cup of extra virgin olive oil for two minutes, strain, then refrigerate for up to two weeks, suggests Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., co-author of the book, Best Choices From The People’s Pharmacy. For an optimal experience, warm this mix slightly before using so the liquid will feel soothing in your ear canal.

Chase away joint and headache pain with cherries

Latest studies show that at least one in four women is struggling with arthritis, gout or chronic headaches. If you’re one of them, a daily bowl of cherries could ease your ache, without the stomach upset so often triggered by today’s painkillers, say researchers at East Lansing’s Michigan State University. Their research reveals that anthocyanins, the compounds that give cherries their brilliant red color, are anti-inflammatories 10 times stronger than ibuprofen and aspirin. “Anthocyanins help shut down the powerful enzymes that kick-start tissue inflammation, so they can prevent, as well as treat, many different kinds of pain,” explains Muraleedharan Nair, Ph.D., professor of food science at Michigan State University. His advice: Enjoy 20 cherries (fresh, frozen or dried) daily, then continue until your pain disappears.

Fight tummy troubles with fish

Indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases...if your belly always seems to be in an uproar, try munching 18 ounces of fish weekly to ease your misery. Repeated studies show that the fatty acids in fish, called EPA and DHA, can significantly reduce intestinal inflammation, cramping and belly pain and, in some cases, provide as much relief as corticosteroids and other prescription meds. “EPA and DHA are powerful, natural, side effect-free anti-inflammatories, that can dramatically improve the function of the entire gastrointestinal tract,” explains biological chemist Barry Sears, Ph.D., president of the Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead, MA. For best results, look for oily fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, trout and herring.

Prevent PMS with yogurt

Up to 80 percent of women will struggle with premenstrual syndrome and its uncomfortable symptoms, report Yale researchers. The reason: Their nervous systems are sensitive to the ups and downs in estrogen and progesterone that occur naturally every month. But snacking on 2 cups of yogurt a day can slash these symptoms by 48 percent, say researchers at New York’s Columbia University. “Yogurt is rich in calcium, a mineral that naturally calms the nervous system, preventing painful symptoms even when hormones are in flux,” explains Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a professor of gynecology at Yale University.

Tame chronic pain with turmeric

Studies show turmeric, a popular East Indian spice, is actually three times more effective at easing pain than aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen, plus it can help relieve chronic pain for 50 percent of people struggling with arthritis and even fibromyalgia, according to Cornell researchers. That’s because turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, naturally shuts down cyclooxygenase 2, an enzyme that churns out a stream of pain-producing hormones, explains nutrition researcher Julian Whitaker, M.D. and author of the book, Reversing Diabetes. The study-recommended dose: Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of this spice daily onto any rice, poultry, meat or vegetable dish.

End endometrial pain with oats

The ticket to soothing endometriosis pain could be a daily bowl of oatmeal. Endometriosis occurs when little bits of the uterine lining detach and grow outside of the uterus. Experts say these migrating cells can turn menstruation into a misery, causing so much inflammation that they trigger severe cramping during your period, plus a heavy ache that drags on all month long. Fortunately, scientists say opting for a diet rich in oats can help reduce endometrial pain for up to 60 percent of women within six months. That’s because oats don’t contain gluten, a trouble-making protein that triggers inflammation in many women, making endometriosis difficult to bear, explains Peter Green, M.D., professor of medicine at Colombia University.

Soothe foot pain with salt

Experts say at least six million Americans develop painful ingrown toenails each year. But regularly soaking ingrown nails in warm salt water baths can cure these painful infections within four days, say scientists at California’s Stanford University. The salt in the mix naturally nixes inflammation, plus it’s anti-bacterial, so it quickly destroys the germs that cause swelling and pain. Just mix 1 teaspoon of salt into each cup of water, heat to the warmest temperature that you can comfortably stand, and then soak the affected foot area for 20 minutes twice daily, until your infection subsides.

Prevent digestive upsets with pineapple

Got gas? One cup of fresh pineapple daily can cut painful bloating within 72 hours, say researchers at California’s Stanford University. That's because pineapple is natually packed with proteolytic enzymes, digestive aids that help speed the breakdown of pain-causing proteins in the stomach and small intestine, say USDA researchers.

Relax painful muscles with peppermint

Suffering from tight, sore muscles? Stubborn knots can hang around for months if they aren’t properly treated, says naturopath Mark Stengler, N.D., author of the book, The Natural Physician’s Healing Therapies. His advice: Three times each week, soak in a warm tub scented with 10 drops of peppermint oil. The warm water will relax your muscles, while the peppermint oil will naturally soothe your nerves -- a combo that can ease muscle cramping 25 percent more effectively than over-the-counter painkillers, and cut the frequency of future flare-ups in half, says Stengler.

Give your back some TLC with grapes

Got an achy back? Grapes could be the ticket to a speedy recovery. Recent studies at Ohio State University suggest eating a heaping cup of grapes daily can relax tight blood vessels, significantly improving blood flow to damaged back tissues (and often within three hours of enjoying the first bowl). That’s great news because your back’s vertebrae and shock-absorbing discs are completely dependent on nearby blood vessels to bring them healing nutrients and oxygen, so improving blood flow is essential for healing damaged back tissue, says Stengler.

Wash away pain injuries with water

Whether it’s your feet, your knees or your shoulders that are throbbing, experts at New York’s Manhattan College, say you could kick-start your recovery in one week just by drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. Why? Experts say water dilutes, and then helps flush out, histamine, a pain-triggering compound produced by injured tissues. “Plus water is a key building block of the cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones, your joints’ lubricating fluid, and the soft discs in your spine,” adds Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., author of the book, The Good Mood Diet. “And when these tissues are well-hydrated, they can move and glide over each other without causing pain.” One caveat: Be sure to measure your drinking glasses to find out how large they really are before you start sipping, she says. Today’s juice glasses often hold more than 12 ounces, which means five servings could be enough to meet your daily goal.

Heal sinus problems with horseradish

Latest studies show sinusitis is the nation’s number one chronic health problem. And this condition doesn’t just spur congestion and facial pain, it also makes sufferers six times more likely to feel achy all-over. Horseradish to the rescue! According to German researchers, this eye-watering condiment naturally revs up blood flow to the sinus cavities, helping to open and drain clogged sinuses and heal sinus infections more quickly than decongestant sprays do. The study-recommended dose: One teaspoon twice daily (either on its own, or used as a sandwich or meat topping) until symptoms clear.

Beat bladder infections with blueberries

Eating 1 cup of blueberries daily, whether you opt for them fresh, frozen or in juice form, can cut your risk of a urinary tract infection (UTIs) by 60 percent, according to researchers at New Jersey’s Rutgers University. That's because blueberries are loaded with tannins, plant compounds that wrap around problem-causing bacteria in the bladder, so they can’t get a toehold and create an infection, explains Amy Howell, Ph.D. a scientist at Rutgers University.

Heal mouth sores with honey

Dab painful canker and cold sores with unpasteurized honey four times daily until these skin woes disappear, and they’ll heal 43 percent faster than if you use a prescription cream, say researchers at the Dubai Specialized Medical Center in the United Arab Emirates. Raw honey’s natural enzymes zap inflammation, destroy invading viruses and speed the healing of damaged tissues, say the study authors.

Fight breast pain with flax

In one recent study, adding 3 tablespoons of ground flax to their daily diet eased breast soreness for one in three women within 12 weeks. Scientists credit flax’s phytoestrogens, natural plant compounds that prevent the estrogen spikes that can trigger breast pain. More good news: You don’t have to be a master baker to sneak this healthy seed into your diet. Just sprinkle ground flax on oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce or add it to smoothies and veggie dips.

Cure migraines with coffee

Prone to migraines? Try muscling-up your painkiller with a coffee chaser. Whatever over-the-counter pain med you prefer, researchers at the National Headache Foundation say washing it down with a strong 12- ounce cup of coffee will boost the effectiveness of your medication by 40 percent or more. Experts say caffeine stimulates the stomach lining to absorb painkillers more quickly and more effectively.

Tame leg cramps with tomato juice

At least one in five people regularly struggle with leg cramps. The culprit? Potassium deficiencies, which occur when this mineral is flushed out by diuretics, caffeinated beverages or heavy perspiration during exercise. But sip 10 ounces of potassium-rich tomato juice daily and you'll not only speed your recovery, you'll reduce your risk of painful cramp flare-ups in as little as 10 days, say UCLA researchers.

Grace Electric Bike Is Part Motorcycle, Part Race Car and Part Fighter Jet

There are plenty of electric bike designs out there, but few (possibly none) can compare to the Grace E-bike. Its CNC-aluminum frame is fitted with eurofighter and Formula One parts, and it has a top speed of 40 mph.

So it's a hell of a lot cooler and more powerful than a scooter, moped or Segway—but the 1300 watt lithium ion-powered motor will only take you between 18 and 31 miles on a one hour charge (depending on weight). That's not enough to make it a serious mode of transportation, but if you live in an urban area it might make some sense. You don't need a parking spot and you can ride it in the same areas as a traditional bicycle. Of course, that kind of flexibility won't come cheap. Expect to pay €5877 ($8742) for the Grace E-Bike when it ships in January.

Convert your wall power outlet to a USB charger

I can't tell you how many times we have come across USB chargers that can be plugged into an outlet, so why not cut out the middleman and simply convert the outlet to USB?

Not only that, the guy behind the hack claims it can be done in 30 minutes on a budget as small as $10. In a nutshell, he just inserted two apple mini usb plugs into the outlets and tucked them back in the wall, but you could soldier the wires to the chargers if you have the skills to go that route. Yeah, you could just keep the chargers plugged in to the regular outlet, which is even easier and seems like less of a fire code violation, but this certainly looks a whole lot better

Thursday, 26 May 2011

iPad crowned as preferred e-book reader, beating Kindle

U.S.-based cable news channel MSNBC conducted a survey in November where 2,800 people were asked which e-reader device would they prefer to purchase. The Apple iPad took the lead in the results with 42 percent approval. Next came Amazon's Kindle with 33 percent votes. The Barnes & Nobles' Nook scored a low 4 percent, while Sony's e-reader device touched the flat-line at just 1 percent.

The Amazon Kindle is a device dedicated for reading thanks to its e-ink electronic paper screen, which makes content look a lot like printed material. This screen technology also allows the device to run much longer than LCD powered displays found in tablets. Amazon also takes pot-shots at the readability of traditional LCD displays under sunlight as compared to e-ink displays (that have no reflection issues). Then there's the vast 7,50,000 books available on Amazon.com. Lastly, comparing it directly to the iPad, the 9.7-inch screen sized Kindle DX is a good $120 cheaper in U.S.

Yet, all these advantages put together haven't put any visible dents on the acceptance rate of the iPad. Possibly because Apple's tablet can portray books, magazines, websites and newspapers with all color shades splattered as you please. Plus the iOS has more than 3,00,000 apps to work and play with. Many believe in the Kindle's e-ink display being less strenuous due to the absence of a back-light. But that doesn't seem to bother the 42 percent people wanting to read on the iPad's brightly backlit screen.

Pen Drive Security Threat

Pen drive is one of the most familiar devices with anyone who is using a computer these days. The portable gadget is growing immensely popular for its extended functionality in different sectors.
Apart from being a perfect device for storing and transferring data, the popularity of the device has been fueled by its convenience of use.
However, every technology has its downside. The more the tech-savvies run after improved technology, the more they are being exposed to the dangers that are associated with the technology. Pen drive is not an exception in this regard. Although it has simplified the process of storing volumes of data, it has its own share of threats that can be hazardous and sometimes lead to disastrous consequences.
Some of the major problems with pen derive are discussed bellow.
Virus threat:
In the corporate world, chances are their one can send virus to the PCs of an organization and disrupt functions. Earlier, the prime sources of virus to a computer were emails or floppy drives. However, the technology has evolved to check the virus from these sources and protect the PC. But, it is really difficult to detect the virus transmitted through a pen drive. Unless a company has strong anti-virus policies or unless each file in a networked is being checked for the security, it is almost impossible to protect the PCs against the virus that comes with a pen drive.
Data insecurity:
The corporate sectors across the world are vying with each other to stay afloat and at times they don`t hesitate to deploy any unethical means to get data from their rivals. If you flip the pages of history, you will find numerous instances where hackers and spies have been employed for espionage. Being a small device, pen drive creates opportunities for the miscreants to access data from unprotected PC that has an open USB port and steals information such as research data, clients` list, quotes and etc. As it is possible to store huge amount of data in the pen drive, anyone can easily bring the software in it to decode the password of the PC or hack other information.
Use of spam ware:
Sometimes, the treats come with the employees of the organization. Apart from bringing the virus, the pen drive is able to carry malicious software that can be planted in a PC by anyone. Often, the employees go against the corporate ethics and use the device to take unauthorized software and data such as shareware, games, MP3 music, software pranks, video clips, pornography pictures, etc. Moreover, the introduction of the pen drive has multiplied the threats of data insecurity and bringing bulky spamware with its available space. The organizations are more susceptible to threats as the software with password cracking ability can also be carried easily.
Prone to data Loss:
Pen drive is a very small and useful device. But the most dangerous downside of the device is that it lacks any security system. So, if you have stored data in it and it is misplaced, anyone can access the data. Due to its small size the chances of loss are high. You and your organization may be in trouble in case the data is manipulated. Of late, there have been growing demands among the pen drive users to develop the device with security system.
Companies have been taking conscious protest against the threats involved with the portable device like small drive. However, the organizations need to be extremely careful about the use of this device inside the office premises.

Wireless spy camera hidden in a toy

One of my minor complaints about Scarlett Johansson's latest movie, The Nanny Diaries, is that a nanny cam hidden in the eyes of a teddy bear is such a painful cliche that you don't even have to see it in the trailer to know it's there.

You would think that a wealthy family on the Upper East Side of Manhattan would at least have something a bit less obvious, like this $149 Puppy Wireless Camera Set by Brando, for example. The camera is hidden inside the puppy's nose and can transmit both video and audio over a 2.4GHz frequency so as not to interfere with certain wireless routers or cordless phones (neither of which would be in a palatial apartment like the one in the movie, anyway).

This little pooch is way cuter than that raggedy old teddy bear, too. And you know that appearances are no small thing to the well-to-do.

Now get back your lost or stolen mobile phones

When I lost a phone a few years ago my biggest concern wasn't the cost of replacing the handset, but instead with losing all the personal information that was inside. Despite repeated calls to the number, my phone was gone for good and I called my carrier and had the phone disabled. But by disabling it, I was told the chances of someone returning it greatly decreased because any finder of the phone would not be able to call me.

Now the Yougetitback service might make retrieving a lost phone a little easier, while ensuring that a stolen phone doesn't give away the goods. Once a user determines that a phone is lost or stolen, it can be remotely locked by accessing an online account. No outgoing calls can be made, except to the Yougetitback service, while all other sensitive data including e-mails, contact details, text messages and photos are locked from viewing or use.

This service is also includes other electronic devices and accessories. Users can purchase adhesive security tags that can be affixed to phones, PDAs and laptops. People can also buy the software for $20 per year, while tags are $10 for three-years, and there is even a premium service that will provide a full replacement of a digital device if the software and tag are not successful. Losing a phone sucks, but getting it back is really priceless!

Space Hotel Expected to Open by 2012

The Galactic Suite Space Resort is expected to open the first commercial space hotel by 2012. If opened, hotel guests would be able to see the sun rise 15 times per day, and would be able to travel around the world in just 80 minutes. The company said 200 people are reportedly interested in the multi-million dollar stay, with 43 clients already signed up.

Each guest will be able to wear a velcro suit that lets them counter weightlessness in space by sticking to the wall and rooftops of the craft. Each space pod has room for four passengers and two trained astronauts, as they speed around space at 19,000 m.p.h., according to Galactic Suite Space Resort.

Galactic Suite plans on having one pod in orbit to begin with, but will have additional pods readied if demand increases. It will take a day and a half to reach the pod, and visitors will be there for three days.

Space tourism remains a growing industry, as a select group of billionaires have paid upwards of $35M for a stay in space aboard the International Space Station (ISS). For those on a budget, Virgin Galactic will let passengers to fly into suborbital space for just $200,000 per trip.

Dell’s Solar Parking Lot

Think about how hot your car gets on a sunny day. Dell decided to harvest all that wasted energy by installing these solar panels in their parking lot. Now they're keeping cars cool and putting that sunlight to good use.

The structure generates 130 kilowatts of solar power, enough to offset 145,000 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions annually. There are even charging terminals available for electric cars, but only two can be charged at a time. Seems like a pretty smart way to keep drivers comfortable and harvest some spare energy on the side.

Telephone Company Ripping You Off? Get Revenge With This Lamp

Somehow it doesn't seem like landline providers would be happy about people using the tiny bit of electricity coming through phone-jacks to power lamps, but this thing is so kitschy looking that it'd be hard to resist. Plus it's cheeeeeeap.

Less than five bucks for an 8-LED lamp that won't even be a blip on your electricity bill? Why not grab one, especially if it somehow pisses off your teleco?

This $250 Flashlight Has a 20 Year Battery

Search Amazon.com for flashlight

The mPower Emergency Illuminator combines a beautiful design (courtesy of the Porsche Design Studio) with new battery technology. One tube holds two CR123 batteries, while the other stores a Lithium Reserve Battery that has a minimum shelf-life of 20 years.

"The mPower Reserve Battery offers an unprecedented minimum shelf life of 20 years and has an immediate activation to full power. Through an intricate battery design, mPhase developed a way to eliminate power dissipation before initial activation."

The flashlight uses an intense, high-performance LED, and has an accessory USB connection to charge your mobile devices. It's slated to arrive in March, but we hope to get a better look at it at CES in January

smartphone can sense dangerous chemicals

Jing Li, a scientist in California's NASA Ames Research Center, has designed a smartphone plug-in device that could sense chemicals from the environment. Current prototype of the device works with the iPhone, and plugs into the handset's bottom connector. The device can detect chemicals in ambient air such as methane, ammonia and chlorine gas. It's designed to connect to a network through WiFi or a regular phone connection in order to send alerts to other phones also equipped with the device. According to Li, a previous prototype of the device was the size of a soda can - this iteration, however, is touted as one of the smallest complete sensing-device in the world.

The device contains a silicon-based sensing chip with 64 nanosensors. Li and colleagues had to work on making a chip that can contain all those nanosensors and yet is compact, high-speed, low-power and low-cost. The chip consumes 5 milliwatts, and can last for 100 hours when ran continuously. Although connected to a bottom connector and draws power through it, data communication is routed through the audio input jack due to restrictions imposed by Apple upon third-party developers. There might be a chance that the second phase of the device's development could be made for a smartphone other than an iPhone. Whether this happens or not, Li envisions future prototypes to be used by fire fighters and other kinds of emergency responders.

HOW TO: Spy on someone during the festive season

If you feel like spying on someone in a festive and fragrant manner, consider getting a GSM listening device hidden in a basket of potpourri. Send it to one of your enemies along with a deceptively cheery card, and then call the bug from anywhere in the world (a SIM card is included) and you’ll be able to hear whatever is going on around the basket for up to two weeks.

To be honest, whenever someone has given me a stinky bag of dead plants, I’ve said something along the lines of “thank you, this is absolutely wonderful!” and then thrown it out as soon as they were gone. I mean, putting a bug in potpourri strikes me as being like trying to feed your kids vitamins by mixing them in with lima beans. It doesn’t help that the GSM bug is about $275, but at least the potpourri and basket are included.

Worlds most expensive MOBILE PHONES

Check out the 10 most expensive mobile phones in the world below. The list starts from the lowest cost to the highest cost models.

Number 10: Lamborghini 8800 Sirocco: Price £500

Lamborghini has partnered with Nokia to provide a mobile telephone for lovers of the Italian car maker. This phone has the famous emblem engraved on the front and back of the phone. It is a limited edition model and only 500 will be made. The phone also comes with Lamborghini wallpapers, screen-savers and ring-tones.

Number 9: Bang & Olufsen Serene: Price £675

Another partnership between a luxury brand and mobile phone manufacturer takes the form of Bang & Olufsen and Samsung with the Serene which is on sale for £675. It has a sleek design with an inbuilt motor to open and close the telephone. There are some design issues however as you have to use a screwdriver to get to the battery and SIM card which is inconvenient.

Number 8: The Gresso: Price £1,000

It seems luxury telephones are becoming more like fashion accessories than actual mobile phones. The Gresso is made of gold and African Blackwood and will come in five models. This particular phone has been designed by a well known Italian designer. The Russian based company also has other models made of crocodile skin.

Number 7: Mobiado Professional EM: Price £1,027

Another wood luxury mobile phone has entered the market with titanium buttons and a host of functions including a camera, FM radio and Bluetooth capability. Apparently they are only making 200 of them which make them very rare.

Number 6: Nokia 8800 Gold Edition: Price £1,500

Nokia has launched a 24 carat gold version of its 8800 mobile phone. The gold edition phone comes with a camera, radio and MP3 player as standard. As well as these features the telephone also has a special edition box and charging dock.

Number 5: Motorola V220 Special Edition: Price: £28,000

Motorola has also decided to release its own ultra expensive mobile phone and commissioned well known jewelery designer Peter Aloisson from Austria, who has also designed several other phones. The phone itself has 1,200 diamonds and its buttons are made of 18 carat gold.

Number 4: Vertu Diamond: Price £50,000

Vertu is a British based company that specialises in luxury mobile phones. The Vertu Diamond is one of its handsets which is made of platinum and encrusted with diamonds. One of the benefits of owning a Vertu telephone is the special concierge button which allows the owner to use the concierge service 24 hours a day to book fine dining and travel whenever they need. Only 200 have been made.

Number 3: Sony Ericsson Black Diamond: Price £162,000

Only 5 of these mobile phones have been made it is a Windows mobile with WIFI, camera and a SD memory card to store photos and other media. Jaren Goh which is a design company based in Singapore created the phone which is made from various materials including diamonds, titanium and polycarbonate.

Number 2: Vertu Signature: Price £167,000

Another Vertu mobile phone this time designed by French jeweller Boucheron. This particular telephone has one pear cut diamond along with two emerald eyes and 439 rubies. Only 8 are being made and if you can not quite afford the £167,000 price tag there is a cheaper version available without the rubies at just £62,000.

Number 1: Goldvish: Price £540,000

The most expensive mobile phone in the world is the Goldvish. It is a one off which has an incredible 120 carats worth of VVS-1 grade diamonds which are very high quality. Emmanuel Gueit had the pleasure of designing this mobile phone who usually designs watches for a living. The specifications of the phone include a radio and 2GB memory for storing media. The phone has already been bought by a Russian businessman for his wife.

How Fast Does Human Hair Grow?

Human hair typically grows at a rate of around half an inch (1.25 centimeters) per month, and this rate of growth is consistent across the head. Several factors can influence both the rate and quality of hair growth, including diet, age, and general health. As a general rule, products which claim to increase the rate of hair growth are not effective, although such products can encourage the development of stronger, healthier hair.

When human hair grows, it goes through three states. The first state is the anagen phase, during which hair is actively growing, and it can last from two to six years. During this phase, cells in the hair follicle are actively dividing, pushing the hair out from the head. During the catagen phase, the rate of growth stops as the follicle grows dormant, and in the telogen phase, the hair falls out to make way for new hair growing in.

As human hair grows, nutrients can help to make it stronger and sleeker. Things like gelatin, keratin, vitamin E, and various mineral supplements can improve the overall health of hair, making it glossier, thicker, and less prone to splitting. Many people also use regular conditioners and hot oil treatments to keep their hair in good shape, especially when hair is long. However, nothing can actually speed up the rate of growth, because the growth rate is limited by cell division.

Some factors which can influence hair growth include age and medical conditions; people with thyroid problems, for example, often develop problems with their hair. Hormones associated with pregnancy can actually speed the rate of hair growth, and an assortment of other conditions may influence the condition and growth rate of human hair. In fact, hair health can sometimes be used as an indicator for general physical health.

As humans who have attempted to grow their hair out may have noticed, many people seem to have some sort of hair “set point,” beyond which their hair will not grow. After a certain point, human hair gets too old, and it becomes brittle, split, and unsightly. Some individuals are able to grow their hair out to immense lengths, especially when supplementing with vitamins, while others may find that their hair refuses to thrive much past their shoulders; in this situation, the best thing one can do is find a flattering cut for shorter hair, rather than enduring the frustration of cultivating long hair.

Tuesday, 24 May 2011

10 things only man can do

Ladies, prepare to get your panties in a bunch, as we relate the 10 things only men can do. Tired of hearing that you’re a member of the lesser gender? Take heart guys, there’s some things you do a whole lot better than women and we’ve compiled a list of the top 10. Each item on this list of things only men can do was evaluated on a particular genetic or social difference that gives us guys an advantage over women. Are you ready to see what you’re better at? Here’s our top 10 list of things only men can do.

1: Go topless

Sure, women can go topless on the beach, but we can do it whenever and wherever we please. Walking down the street? Off. Mowing the lawn? Off. Street ball? Skins. Rollerblading -- women can try it, but it might be painful. Still in doubt? What gender do you think is responsible for “No Shirts. No Shoes. No Service.”? Useless nipples and the lack of oversized sweat glands are the reasons for this entry on our list of things only men can do.

2: Hold our liquor

Sorry ladies, we’re genetically wired to pack it away a lot better than you. Men produce more of the protective enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which breaks down alcohol. This ultimately means that while you’re buzzing off one Cosmo and saying “I love this song” for five songs straight, we can enjoy another two whisky sours and continue to debate whether or not the world can be saved from global warming.

3: Manscape

The playoff beard, the love canal, the Fu Manchu, and the goatee are strictly male innovations, and growing them are things only men can do. Plus we can wear chest, underarm, leg, ear, and nose hair as proudly and loudly as we like. Women? Sure they can imitate our Sasquatch look, but like the Sasquatch, they might limit their survival to a small band of tree huggers, who also share their “natural” beauty.

4: Navigate spatially

Men are much better at seeing things as they really are -- in 3-D. True, the fact that we can see Spy Kids 3-D in focus is no reward, but our superior ability to see shapes also improves our abilities in geometry and math. This explains why more men are math geniuses than women. Sure, the journal Science declared otherwise in 2008 and we are socialized to believe girls are less competent in this realm, but tradition is a hard thing to beat.

5: Shave our heads

Sure, Natalie Portman, Sigourney Weaver and Demi Moore all sheared their locks for Hollywood, but as a true lifestyle choice in everyday society, guys have mastered the bald top. From Michael Jordan to David Beckham to Samuel L. Jackson guys wear bald better. Still need more proof? Just look at bald Britney. Result: Shaving our heads is something only men can do.

6: Play real sports

Be honest; which of these would you prefer to watch: WNBA or NBA? NHL or women’s hockey? NFL or women’s rugby? MLB or softball? We understand that women play plenty of sports and, yes, they are good athletes, but their sports are a snoozefest to watch. An example, in the WNBA a slam dunk stops the presses, while in the NBA, unless it’s a back reverse through three defenders, it’s just another two points.

7: Fertilize eggs

Call it mankind, humankind or peoplekind, we have fertilized history. Yes, our swimmers are under siege from early scientific studies that show women can create sperm from their own bone marrow. And of course, studies are also underway to grow babies out of the womb. Are these studies headed by lesbians? Anyway, until our offspring are named 1765A and 1766B, our tadpoles will continue to hit the target.

8: Pee standing up

Full bladder, but there’s a line for the urinal? Just step outside and pee behind a dumpster. On a camping trip? Pee and lean against a tree to steady your flow. While women have to unzip, pull down and crouch before they can go, our process is pretty simple: Find some cover, unzip and go. And if we want to write our name in the snow, we can see exactly what we’re doing.

9: F*** things

Yep, we can stick ourselves into the middle of things better than anything else. Of course, some of us can do it better than others, but no amount of plastic pegs, rods or mambas can come close to our natural technique.

10: Age well

Sorry ladies, all your creams, moisturizers and youth-in-a-bottle remedies have nothing on us. Our male hormones give us thicker skin, which means we get fewer wrinkles and our skin stays younger longer. While women have Joan Rivers to look forward to, we have Sean Connery. Keith Richards? Well, we’ll just count him as a genetic anomaly.

How to Avoid Falling Prey to Online Scams

Most internet frauds result from poor customer awareness. Here's how you can guard against them

The biggest concern for online customers is the possible theft of their online credentials, especially those relating to net banking. This often happens without the customers' knowledge, enabling fraudsters to steal money from their accounts in a recurring manner.

IDENTITY THEFT

The basic security threat a net banking customer is exposed to while transacting online is the compromise of his/her login credentials and other confidential and personal information,� says Shalini Mehta, executive vicepresident, Kotak Mahindra Bank. One of the most common threats that customers face online is 'phishing'. Phishing scammers send fraudulent email disguised as an official request from a bank for account information. Recipients of the scam mail are lured to believe that the email is from the bank and are prompted to click on a particular link. The click causes the fake website to open in a browser and the recipient is usually asked to input the user ID and password of his/her net banking profile. The fraudsters capture these details and use them to their advantage.

Customers get deceived and part with confidential information like an IPIN or net banking password, making it easy for the scamsters to commit a fraud.
'Vishing' and 'identity theft' are some other ways through which customers are tricked to reveal their confidential information online. While 'phishing' is carried out via fraudulent emails, 'vishing' is orchestrated via bogus voice messages and phone calls. In 'identity theft' fraudsters try to obtain the key pieces of personal information such as date of birth, mother's maiden name, passport number, etc, to gain access to the customer's accounts, says Mehta.
In view of the increasing cases of online banking frauds, most banks have implemented 256-bit secure socket layer (SSL) encryption. It is recognised as the best industry standard for encryption of information transmission for net banking sessions.

SHUN PIRATED SOFTWARE

Pirated softwares on an end-user's desktop should not pose any harm to safety features of online banking unless they are injected with malicious codes (malwares) or viruses specifically meant to dynamically alter contents of the visited pages or user input fields, a net banking page, for example, asking additional information such as credit/debit card numbers, ATM PIN, CVV details on a login page, which is never asked by any bank. Pirated softwares sometimes contain malwares or some sort of an automated virus initiated at the time of optical copying.

The biggest risk in using pirated software is that there is no security upgrades available for them. This leads to the software being vulnerable, which can be exploited by the latest trojans. These trojans can then steal customer information from the PC and transmit it to a fraudster, says Vishal Salvi, chief information security officer, HDFC Bank. The solution to these concerns lies both with banks and customers. Bankers as well as IT experts believe it is not the security systems, but poor customer awareness that leads to most internet banking frauds.

Cyber cafes should be strictly avoided for online transactions. There are higher chances of viruses capturing your data from terminals in internet cafes, thereby increasing the scope of misuse. The line and systems of an internet cafe are usually not secure. There is no guarantee about the authenticity of the software on the cafe's system. Further, smart hackers will use desktop cookies saved in the system to access your bank account details. Some counterfeit software might inject key loggers, bots, spywares, which collect all the login credentials with keystroke entries or search locally for any password related files and send them to the fraudsters.

Computers with pirated software can sometimes behave erratically. The worst scenario is when you have downloaded a counterfeit software that may be infected with viruses that will damage your hard drive or cripple your network. Also copying or using pirated/counterfeit copies of software at work or at home puts the entire company or individual at risk of copyright infringement, which may lead to civil penalties and criminal prosecution, Mehta of Kotak Mahindra Bank says.

In view of this, banking sites are regularly scanned for any such injection of malwares or bots by pirated softwares to prevent malware from being downloaded from the banking site itself.

VIRAL ATTACK

The most common trojan impacting bank customers in India in Zeus. This trojan gets downloaded on a user PC when the user clicks on a link, opens an attachment from an unknown user or accesses a website which has the trojan. Once installed in the user's PC, the trojan waits for the user to open the bank's net banking site. As soon as the user opens the site, the trojan starts collecting all the user information, including the user ID, password, account details, etc, and transmits it to a drop site manned by the fraudster. The fraudster is then able to use the compromised credentials to carry out fraud on the customer's account,� says Salvi of HDFC Bank.

USE VIRTUAL KEYPAD

While accessing net banking from public computers or internet cafes there is the risk of the customer's password being captured by malicious 'spyware' and 'trojan programmes' designed to capture keystrokes.

To mitigate such risks, banks have implemented the dynamic 'virtual key pad'. Virtual keypad is an online application, which substitutes the physical keyboard with a mouse. When you click on the virtual keyboard option at the time of net banking, the monitor flashes a keyboard on your screen. You have to use the mouse to click on the relevant keys to sign into your net banking ID.

Changing passwords often helps in protecting your account, especially after you may have inadvertently disclosed it to someone. Moreover, avoid passwords that could be obvious, like your spouse's or your pet's names. Alpha-numeric passwords, along with some special character like * or #, are the safest bet.
Lastly, whenever you have to submit sensitive information online you have to check if the site uses encryption to protect your personal data. The URL in the address bar should start with 'https://' and not just 'http://'. So the next time, do not get wary of online transactions. Just follow these security measures for a safe online banking experience.

Safe Way to Internet Transaction

Win32/Bancos and Zeus are among the most common banking malwares, known as trojans, used to steal bank details to perpetrate fraud. Here is how you can prevent any damage

WHAT TO DO

* Make net banking passwords difficult to guess, change them regularly

* Before keying in sensitive information, ensure the site is running in a secure mode by looking for the padlock symbol at the bottom of the browser

* Scan email attachments for viruses before opening them. When unsure about the source of an attachment, delete it

* Tear or shred any old cheques or account statements before discarding them

* Don't share your password or CVV details orally with banks. Bank never asks for confidential information like user ID, password, credit card number, CVV, etc, via mail, SMS or bank initiated phone calls.

* Customers should install a good anti-virus system on their PCs and ensure that it is updated regularly.

WHAT NOT TO DO

* Do not share passwords with anybody, including family members, friends or bank employees

* Don't access bank website from a link provided in an email from any source. Instead, type the address of the bank website in the address bar of browser to access the bank account

* Don't click on any link provided in emails, they may redirect users to a fake/phishing site.

* Never note down user ID, password on piece of paper, documents or phones for easy retrieval.

* Customers should also never use the 'remember password' feature provided by browsers to save their net banking passwords.

* Don't access net banking from cyber cafes. If you have to, use the virtual key board to key in details and ensure you log out of the system once you are done.