Lable cloud for blogger. Tag clout to your web site

Well, I being very liberal while labeling my posts, ended up with a long list of labels that was occupying almost the whole of the sidebar. The only solution was a Technorati style tag cloud, rather a label cloud. A Google search, and there it was, a whole lot of links telling me on how to make a label cloud for blogger. But soon it appeared that almost all the pages directly or indirectly ended up linking the same source, which I guess may be the best resource for this. Why not one more page linking to that site? Yeah yeah , that’s the purpose of this post after all. Actually, the code and the steps you need to follow to make your own blogger label cloud is so simple that my label cloud was up and running in five minutes. Just check out for yourself. Its just three pieces of codes that you need to paste in different places of your template code and adjust some minor parameters if you want to and that’s it. Go through the source/documentation to create your own blogger label. Here is the code and setup information to use the Label Cloud in New Blogger. First you obviously have to have a blog on New Blogger, and you MUST be using the layouts templates, (this isn't available for classic templates, or FTP published blogs ) and you must have some posts labeled already. (There needs to be at least ONE label with more than ONE entry or the scripts hit a bug - so have at least one label with more than one entry before starting). Make sure you backup your template before making any changes! Log into Blogger and go to your layouts section. On the 'Page Elements' setup page make sure you have a label widget already installed where you want it (it can be moved around later). Then go to the Edit HTML settings and leave the widgets NOT exapanded. It will make things easier to deal with. Now the code comes in 3 parts. A section for the stylesheet, a configurations section, and then the actual widget itself. The first part to put in is the stylesheet section. The following code needs to be copied and inserted into your stylesheet, which in the layouts is marked out by the tags. Easiest thing to do is find the closing skin tag

WHAT IS GREASEMONKEY AND WHAT IS MEAN TO GMAIL AND OTHERS?

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com Enhance your web experience with Greasemonkey You may come across Greasemonkey scripts which does something useful but are clueless what the heck is Greasemonkey. If you already know about Greasemonkey, well go ahead and check out some other post on my blog, but if you don't know read on. Greasemonkey is a FireFox extension which once installed in FireFox lets you install scripts that make changes to Web Pages. Many times you wish for some feature while browsing your favorite site which isn't there. Like a download link to download videos when you browse YouTube. Install a Greasemonkey script and you'll have that feature. There are thousands of scripts available for various websites and if you know a bit of coding, you can build your own script. The summary is, Greasemonkey provides you with additional functionality for any web page by making on the fly changes to it. And as the scripts are persistent, the changes made to the web page are permanent. So what's you are waiting for. Go ahead and install this awesome extension and add that little feature to your favorite web page you were always wishing for. Download Greasemonkey Find thousands of Greasemonkey scripts Build your own Greasemonkey script. Tutorial and guide

Thousands of Greasemonkey scripts are available for download out there. But its very hard to find scripts which are really useful. There are way too many scripts to perform the same task. Here I have tried to compile a list of some useful scripts for Gmail. If anybody knows of any scripts which was left out, please be kind enough to comment on it.

Gmail Beautifier 2.31

Hides/Shows ads in Gmail, widens email body, removes beta from Gmail logo (disabled by default), & gives buttons a better look.

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/8212

Gmail Filter Assistant v0.17

Add an embedded filter management module in message display page, which makes adding a filter much easier

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/7997

GMailTo

Forces all mailto links to open in GMail

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/5722

Folders4Gmail

You love Gmail, but you miss folders to sort your emails? Organize your labels in a folder-like hierarchy with the Folders4Gmail userscript.

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/8810

Gmail Addons

Addon any functionality to the gmail interface. The script comes with Calendar and Chat. (This script replaces 'Enhance Gmail')

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/19956

Multi-Login GMail, YahooMail, HotMail

Add a drop-down box with your ID's to the WebMail login form.

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/5110

Gmail Reply To All Button

Adds a "Reply to All" button to Gmail main interface.

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/8812

Gmail Show Details

Always show details in the most recent message of a gmail conversation. "Details" include the from: reply-to: to: cc: date: subject: and mailed-by: headers.

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/12202

Google Notebook + Gmail Addons

Adds Google Notebook to Gmail

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/20136

Gmail Word Count

Adds a button to count the number of words in your current draft. Goes in as a text link to the left of "Check Spelling."

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/16117

SpamTracker Email Address Generator for Gmail

A script to insert an email address like 'youraccount+currentdomain@gmail.com' so that you can easily filter your Gmail, track who's sending you spam, block senders if necessary. Press "F9" if you're in a text box to insert the email address.

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/12876

Gmail Signature Float

Moves your signature in Gmail to the top of the message rather than the bottom

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/21748

Gmail 2.0 Multiple HTML Signatures

Automatically inserts HTML signatures into your Gmail messages based on which address you are sending from.

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/21665

Gmail Mark Read Button

Adds a "Mark Read" or "Mark Unread" button to Gmail pages (active only when mail items are selected).

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/689

Google Mail Customize

You can customize Gmail interface. Works with Gmail (older and newer versions) and Google Apps Mail.

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/8326

Modified Gmail Macros v. 2.0

Extra (customizable) keyboard shortcuts and macros for Gmail 2.0. Based on the work of Mihai @ persistent.info. Version(date): 20080214.1

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/14189

How to create Firefox extension from Greasemonkey scripts Here's an online tool which converts a Greasemonkey script into a FireFox extension (XPI). Its very easy to use, just enter details like GUID, creator name, extension version etc and copy paste the content of the user script and hit the 'Compile' button. The XPI file would be available for download immediately. Once you install the extension into Firefox, you can take advantage of the script even without Greasemonkey. __

Free RSS/Feed Icons

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com

If you are bored of the same conventional RSS/Feed icons, there are many different styles of buttons available which you can use for free in you site/blog. browse through the sites listed below and find the one button for you! Free Glass Style RSS/Feed Icons Web 2.0 style feed buttons Feedicons from zeusboxstudio Rss Icons Orb Standard Feed icons 30 Free Vector RSS Icons Buttons for RSS, Feeds, and XML in various styles.

FREE FREE FREE __

Sending/Receiving SMS CODE YOU CAN LEARN AND INNOVATE

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com Sending sms from nokia series 60

import messaging
messaging.sms_send(number, text) 

Sending/Receiving SMS from MIDlets

// Lets send an SMS now.
//get a reference to the appropriate Connection object using an appropriate url
MessageConnection conn = (MessageConnection) Connector.open("sms://:50001");
//generate a new text message
TextMessage tmsg = (TextMessage) conn.newMessage(MessageConnection.TEXT_MESSAGE);
//set the message text and the address
tmsg.setPayloadText(message);
tmsg.setAddress("sms://" + number);
//finally send our message
conn.send(); 

// Time to receive one.
//get reference to MessageConnection object
MessageConnection conn = (MessageConnection) Connector.open("sms://:50001");
//set message listener
conn.setMessageListener(
new MessageListener() {
   public void notifyIncomingMessage(MessageConnection conn) {
      Message msg = conn.receive();
      //do whatever you want with the message
      if(msg instanceof TextMessage) {
         TextMessage tmsg = (TextMessage) msg;
         System.out.println(tmsg.getPayloadText());
      } else if(msg instanceof BinaryMessage) {
         .....
      } else {
         ......
      }
   }
}
); 

Send and receive SMS text messages with Ruby and a GSM/GPRS modem

require 'serialport'
require 'time'

class GSM

SMSC = "+447785016005"  # SMSC for Vodafone UK - change for other networks

def initialize(options = {})
 @port = SerialPort.new(options[:port] || 3, options[:baud] || 38400, options[:bits] || 8, options[:stop] || 1, SerialPort::NONE)
 @debug = options[:debug]
 cmd("AT")
 # Set to text mode
 cmd("AT+CMGF=1")
 # Set SMSC number
 cmd("AT+CSCA=\"#{SMSC}\"") 
end

def close
 @port.close
end

def cmd(cmd)
 @port.write(cmd + "\r")
 wait
end

def wait
 buffer = ''
 while IO.select([@port], [], [], 0.25)
   chr = @port.getc.chr;
   print chr if @debug == true
   buffer += chr
 end
 buffer
end

def send_sms(options)
 cmd("AT+CMGS=\"#{options[:number]}\"")
 cmd("#{options[:message][0..140]}#{26.chr}\r\r")
 sleep 3
 wait
 cmd("AT")
end

class SMS
 attr_accessor :id, :sender, :message, :connection
 attr_writer :time

 def initialize(params)
     @id = params[:id]; @sender = params[:sender]; @time = params[:time]; @message = params[:message]; @connection = params[:connection]
 end

 def delete
   @connection.cmd("AT+CMGD=#{@id}")
 end

 def time
   # This MAY need to be changed for non-UK situations, I'm not sure
   # how standardized SMS timestamps are..
   Time.parse(@time.sub(/(\d+)\D+(\d+)\D+(\d+)/, '\2/\3/20\1'))
 end
end

def messages
 sms = cmd("AT+CMGL=\"ALL\"")
 # Ugly, ugly, ugly!
 msgs = sms.scan(/\+CMGL\:\s*?(\d+)\,.*?\,\"(.+?)\"\,.*?\,\"(.+?)\".*?\n(.*)/)
 return nil unless msgs
 msgs.collect!{ |m| GSM::SMS.new(:connection => self, :id => m[0], :sender => m[1], :time => m[2], :message => m[3].chomp) } rescue nil
end
end


destination_number = "+44 someone else"

p = GSM.new(:debug => false)

# Send a text message
p.send_sms(:number => destination_number, :message => "Test at #{Time.now}")

# Read text messages from phone
p.messages.each do |msg|
puts "#{msg.id} - #{msg.time} - #{msg.sender} - #{msg.message}"
# msg.delete
end

Python - SendSMS over BT and AT

import bluetooth

sockfd = bluetooth.BluetoothSocket(bluetooth.RFCOMM)
sockfd.connect(('00:00:00:00:00:00', 1)) # BT Address
sockfd.send('ATZ\r')
sockfd.send('AT+CMGF=1\r')
sockfd.send('AT+CSCA="+393359609600"\r') # Client TIM ITA
sockfd.send('AT+CMGS="+39xxxxxxxxxx"\r') # TO PhoneNumber
sockfd.send('Messaggio da mandare...\n')
sockfd.send(chr(26)) # CTRL+Z
sockfd.close()

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FEDUP WITH ALL SCRIPTS AND TAGS. JUST DRAG AND DROP YOUR WAY

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com A COOL SITE LETS YOU CREATE SMALL APPLICATION JUST IN DRAG AND DROP METHOD.

Apart from rolling out new applications and improving the existing ones, one of the focus for Zoho is integration between applications. In this post, I want to highlight some of my favorite integrations we have already done between Zoho Apps.

Zoho Sheet integration into Zoho CRM

Database based applications like Zoho CRM are primarily form based which make them not-so-easy for simultaneous editing. Lets take a simple example of editing multiple contacts. In form based apps like CRM, you have to open individual contact, edit them and save them. On the other hand, a spreadsheet interface provides a very easy way to edit content. By integration Zoho Sheet into Zoho CRM, we have married the power of relational database back-end with the ease of editing the content in a spreadsheet.

The in Zoho CRM lets you edit multiple contacts in a spreadsheet view and save them to the relational database in Zoho CRM. This certainly is an interesting and unique integration for Zoho.

Zoho Writer & Sheet integration in Zoho Projects

Maintaining all the documents related to your project in your project management application is a no-brainer. If you also have the ability to create documents inside your project management app, it is an added bonus. Zoho Writer & Sheet integration into Zoho Projects lets you create documents under the documents section in Zoho Projects.

Zoho Meeting & Chat integration in Zoho Show

One of the unique and powerful features of Zoho Show is the ability to do Remote Presentations where you can make a slide show virtually with multiple attendees from different locations and everyone is on the same page (slide). But then, what if you want to chat with all the attendees? We have Zoho Chat integrated for this reason. What if you had to share your desktop to all the attendees? Well, we have integrated Zoho Meeting as well for this purpose. With this combination, the Remote capabilities in Zoho Show makes it a free web conferencing solution.

Zoho Creator integration in Zoho People

Recently released HR Management application Zoho People is all about customization as each business has its own way of doing things. For this reason Zoho Creator has been adopted for customization of all forms in Zoho People.

Zoho Projects integration into Zoho Invoice

Our recently released Zoho Invoice lets you create invoices for the time you spent on your projects managed from Zoho Projects.

Zoho Writer, Sheet & Show integration into Zoho Notebook

Zoho Notebook is a content creation and aggregation tool. To help you aggregate different type of content (including documents), we have integrated Zoho Writer, Sheet & Show documents inside your Notebook pages. You can create a Writer Page or a Sheet page in Notebook where one page in notebook can act as a word processor or a spreadsheet. You can also add Writer, Sheet & Show documents to your Notebook pages.

Zoho Writer, Sheet & Show Integration into Zoho Wiki

Similar to the Notebook integration, it makes perfect sense for your content to exist at a single place like Wiki. We have integrated Zoho Writer, Sheet & Show into Zoho Wiki.

You may not be aware that Zoho Wiki is infact built on top of Zoho Writer. This means our Wiki inherits most of the capabilities of our word processor.

Zoho Chat integration with Writer, Sheet, Show, Notebook, Meeting etc

Zoho Chat is the common bus that runs across many Zoho Apps enabling collaborative editing in applications like Writer, Sheet, Notebook etc. It lets you chat with other users while collaborating on a document/spreadsheet/Notebook. In fact, as long as you are logged into Zoho, Chat lets you communicate with others users no matter which Zoho Apps you are on. Currently Zoho Chat is integrated into Zoho Writer, Sheet, Show, Notebook & Meeting.

There are other similar integrations, but you get the idea. You’ll probably notice a theme here. Productivity applications can be integrated with other productivity apps to make them more useful (last three integrations). Also, productivity apps can also be integrated with Business Apps to create unique and useful workflows (first five integrations). Going forward, you’ll see us rolling out more interesting integrations. The marriage between productivity apps and business apps is inevitable.

Would you like to see any specific integration in Zoho? We’d love to hear your feedback.

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Dell vs Apple

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com y brother has a Dell Inspiron, my sister has an Apple Macbook. The inspiron has a Dell Wireless 1390 or Intel Wireless 3945 card, while the Macbook has AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n. The other night we were all playing an online game, with mixed results. They share a DSL connection to the internet, while I measured their latency over time from my Verizon FIOS:

Looking at the box-plots for my brother, who has the Dell, he is spending about 50% of his time experiencing latencies up to twice as bad as they should be, while my sister is getting decent, consistent Wireless performance. I don’t know if it’s environmental to their home, or something else, but what’s causing such bad performance for my brother? Does Dell just suck that much?

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ANDROID AND MORE ---GOOGLE.....Android - An Open Handset Alliance Project

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com The Open Handset Alliance, a group of more than 30 technology and mobile companies, is developing Android: the first complete, open, and free mobile platform. To help developers get started developing new applications, we're offering an early look at the Android Software Development Kit. Open Android allows you to access core mobile device functionality through standard API calls. All applications are equal Android does not differentiate between the phone's basic and third-party applications -- even the dialer or home screen can be replaced. Breaking down boundaries Combine information from the web with data on the phone -- such as contacts or geographic location -- to create new user experiences. Fast & easy development The SDK contains what you need to build and run Android applications, including a true device emulator and advanced debugging tools.     Sergey Brin and Steve Horowitz discuss the availability of the SDK, that it will be open source in the future, and demo some applications. Three part overview of the Android architecture and APIs First look at building an Android Application more videos __

GWT -- Google Web Tool ----- know more

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com     __

Google Developer Day US - Fast, Easy, Beautiful: GWT

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com   Google Web Toolkit (GWT) makes it easier to write high-performance AJAX applications. You write your front end in the Java programming language and GWT compiles your source into highly optimized JavaScript. Writing web apps today is a tedious and error-prone process. You spend 90% of your time working around browser quirks, and JavaScript's lack of modularity makes sharing, testing, and reusing AJAX components difficult and fragile. It doesn't have to be that way. High performance JavaScript. GWT produces AJAX apps that: Load faster than hand-written JavaScript apps Use smaller, more compact, cacheable code Automatically support IE, Firefox, Mozilla, Safari, and Opera Use the browser's "back" button correctly Better development tools. Since you're writing in Java, you can use: IDEs that you love like Eclipse, IntelliJ, and NetBeans Full-featured debugging, with variable watches and breakpoints Unit tests (based on JUnit) both in a debugger and in a browser Google APIs and reusable UI components. GWT comes equipped with useful libraries: Built-in UI components serve as cross-browser building blocks for your app RPC helps with client-server interaction JavaScript Native Interface (JSNI) simplifies integrating GWT code with existing JavaScript code   __

MICROSOFT TOCHY TABLE, COOL AND REALLY FRIENDLY

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com

Microsoft has just unveiled a new technology called Microsoft Surface. A Surface computer is able to recognize physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell phone and allows hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music and maps. Surface turns an ordinary tabletop into a dynamic surface that provides interaction with all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects.

But don’t let me spoil all the fun, there is a great Popular Mechanics video embedded below. Have a look, i think you’ll like it. As well as a couple of great promotional videos on Microsoft Surface website.

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

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how can you get in with the fun? Ans: JOOST

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com

If you are a Web 2.0 enthusiast you, probably, have already heard of Joost. The Web 2.0 version of your home television.

For those of you that don’t know what joost is, here is a quick explanation.

Joost is a new way of watching TV on the internet. With Joost, you get all the things you love about TV, including a high-quality full-screen picture, hundreds of full-length shows and easy channel-flipping.

You get great internet features too, such as search, chat and instant messaging, built right into the program - so you find shows quickly and talk to your friends while you watch. And with no schedules to worry about, you can watch whatever you want, whenever you like - as often as you want. Joost is completely free, and works with most modern PCs and Intel Mac-based computers with a broadband connection.

Sounds good? So how can you get in with the fun. Currently joost is in beta invitation only. But lucky you, I have some invites to give away for free.

Just leave a comment to this message, and the invite will be on it’s way.

How can you thank? Your thank could be by spreading the word about the invites so more people can be reached and they can also receive the invitation. An easy way to spread the word is by Stumble (Clicking “I like it!“) on this post or digging this post up the digg ladder.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IcwG0jUFxU[/youtube]

Joost Commercial

Please, do not forget to provide your valid e-mail address in the comment form. This way I will still be able to see it and your privacy will be protected.

540 invites have been sent till today, and there are enough invites for everyone to enjoy. Don’t be skeptical, leave a message and in a few hours the invite will be in your mail

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Free music all for free

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com

Back a while ago i wrote about a useful music service called SeeqPod. Ever since i have been using Seeqpod for all my music discovering needs.

Then came Blogmusik (Version 2)! Blogmusik has been around for a while now (and featured on AllMyFaves ever since we launched). It is another ad-supported streaming music service.

Recently, Blogmusik launched a new version of their site that allows you to search for music and play songs and albums on demand. The selection is amazing - that’s because all the music in the service is uploaded by their community. The legality of the service is a little skatchy but Blogmusik claim to be completely legal by saying.

“All tracks abailable to the user of the Blogmusik have been thoroughly analyzed by our song recognition engine. Each title you’ll upload will be analyzed, if a track matches an official release then it will be available to the community. This process takes a bit of time and is mandatory to pay the artists. If a track is not recogized, it’ll only be available for you through the ‘My MP3′ section. You’ll be able to share these songs through the ‘Blog Share’ section.”

The flash user interface is very intuitive and elegant. In order to search your favorite artist just type in the name of the artist/song into the search box and a nice comprehensive list will be available for immediate listen. After selecting the song you can interact with the service by viewing the full details of the artist, listen to the complete discography or just make yourself a playlist with all your favorite songs. If you can’t find your favorite song you can always upload it to the site and have it on your playlist.

Blogmusik is an amazing music service which i strongly recommend. Below i added myfaves playlist for your listening pleasure. Let me know what you think about the service or the playlist in the comments. Enjoy.

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GOOGLE EARTH OR SKY, DISCOVER EARTH, 60 HUORS AROUND THE AERTH AND MORE

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com

At 8PM on March 29, 24 cities around the world will turn off their lights. What began as one city (Sydney, Australia) taking a stand against global warming caught the attention of the world. This act has been created in order to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced. Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming. Wherever you look around - Planet Earth is slowing down so if you can’t change the world change yourself! Earth Hour.

Here at youthsprouts we try to support each week new initiatives for good causes. We are taking this opportunity to round up a few of the causes that we featured on our Weekly Faves. This way you can take a stand and see how can you make a difference.

You’ve heard about global warming with its subsequent impending ecological disasters, but what’s the real story? Spin the Globe in any direction to see the state of the earth from any angle. The layers that spin across the globe are gathered over the latest 30 days giving you a near-real time glimpse of the state of the earth. My fave layer is Earth Lights - Looking at the Earth as it appears when darkness falls across the globe and the lights come on. Make sure you check the red and pink dots. Google Sky - After Google Earth check the new addition by Google, The Sky - Explore the universe. The sky has been an inspiration for many, enjoy some of my faves - The sky is the limit, First moon landing 1969, Fly me to the moon, Space Cowboys, Armagedon and Star Wars. Don’t forget to check Google Moon or Google Mars. __

Now listen to blog. Allow it to buffer if the brodband seep is low.

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com Are you bored and tired of reading lot of content? We have already seen VozMe to listen to blog posts. Here comes another cool web service with lot of features to listen to blog post of your favorite blogs - BlogBard.

Are you bored and tired of reading lot of content? We have already seen VozMe to listen to blog posts. Here comes another cool web service with lot of features to listen to blog post of your favorite blogs - BlogBard. With BlogBard you can turn any news/feed to a personalized radio. Click here to Listen to www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com Life tothepc Blog posts. Even though I have written all those posts, I still wanted to listen to them. Audio output was very clear and it was a pleasure listening to Techno Life stuff ;) Though the basic concept of converting text into speech is not new, but the number of ways you can access this service is for sure new. Here goes: Add it to your Blog - Enter the name or RSS feed address of your Blog. Then use the embed code to put BlogBard voice box on your blog. Click on the post you want to listen and you very own radio show will begin. Integration with Google Reader & BlogLines - This service has sound integration with Google Reader and BlogLines. You can listen to any blog you are already subscribed to. This integration should attract many more users. Here is more, this service is already optimized for iPhone and iPod touch. Blackberry and Treo support will be added soon. You can also download the entire feed as audio via iTunes. One intelligent text to voice service that has excellent interface options of adding it to your blog, Google Reader, Bloglines, iphone support and much more. __

World maps flashed and flashing here live. NASA GOOGLE MICROSOFT YAHOO ALL ARE HERE

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com

One of those interesting websites, which I am sure you are going to be using a lot is Flash Earth. It is more of an experimental application that uses the satellite imagery from many different sources, in order to give you a feel for the differences between all of them.

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1.3 Megapixel Spy Camera Sunglasses

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com

We all remember seeing those incredible ads for x-ray specs in the back of comic books and some of us probably even mailed in the $3 to a PO Box in New Jersey for rush delivery. “Surprise your friends with amazing x-ray vision” the ads would read. Yeah, someone is going to be surprised but it’s not going to be your friends.

These camera sunglasses certainly aren’t x-ray specs, but they do capture 1.3 megapixel still images (at a resolution of 1280×1024

). The included RF remote-control is ideal for easy, stealth-style photo shooting. High-quality lightweight frame material and UV400 polarized flip-up lens. A polymer li-ion rechargeable battery provides a battery life of up to 9 hours (shooting 1 photo/minute). USB 2.0 interface via a standard Mini USB port for data upload and download & re-charging the battery.The sunglasses also allow you to enjoy your music via MP3 playback. Built-in earbuds provide super convenient listen capability and can be hooked out of the way when not in use.

Price: $99.99 __

Silicon chips stretch into shape. ELASTIC CHIPS

www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com

The stretchy circuits could be used in wearable health monitors

Enlarge Image

Normally fragile and brittle silicon chips have been made to bend and fold, paving the way for a new generation of flexible electronic devices.

The stretchy circuits could be used to build advanced brain implants, health monitors or smart clothing.

The complex devices consist of concertina-like folds of ultra-thin silicon bonded to sheets of rubber.

Writing in the journal Science, the US researchers say the chip's performance is similar to conventional electronics.

"Silicon microelectronics has been a spectacularly successful technology that has touched virtually every part of our lives," said Professor John Rogers of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of the authors of the paper.

But, he said, the rigid and fragile nature of silicon made it very unattractive for many applications, such as biomedical implants.

"In many cases you'd like to integrate electronics conformably in a variety of ways in the human body - but the human body does not have the shape of a silicon wafer."

Silicon wave

The chips build on previous work by Professor's Roger's lab.

In 2005, the team demonstrated a stretchable form of single-crystal silicon.

BUILDING BENDABLE CHIPS 1. Plastic sheet is bonded to a rigid substrate with adhesive 2. Complex circuits are built using conventional silicon fabrication techniques 3. Adhesive is dissolved, allowing circuits embedded on plastic sheet to be peeled away 4. Sheet is bonded to pre-strained rubber, creating bendable silicon chips

"That demonstration involved very thin narrow strips of silicon bonded to rubber," explained Professor Rogers.

At a microscopic level these strips had a wavy structure that behaved like "accordion bellows", allowing stretching in one direction.

"The silicon is still rigid and brittle as an intrinsic material but in this accordion bellows geometry, bonded to rubber, the overall structure is stretchable," he told BBC News.

Using the material, the researchers were able to show off individual, flexible circuit components such as transistors.

The new work features complete silicon chips, known as integrated circuits (ICs), which can be stretched in two directions and in a more complex fashion.

"In order to do this, we had to figure out how to make the entire circuit in an ultra-thin format," explained Professor Rogers.

The team has developed a method that can produce complete circuits just one and a half microns (millionths of a metre) thick, hundreds of times thinner than conventional silicon circuits found in PCs.

"What that thinness provides is a degree of bendability that substantially exceeds anything we or anyone else has done at circuit level in the past," he said.

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