Palm Pumps Up Pre and Pixi, Latches Onto Verizon

One year after the first shows the world its Pre smart phone, Palm (Nasdaq: PALM) on Thursday announced a new generation device Consumer Electronics Show. It also came forward to improve my Pixie, a smaller smart phone, which is based on the same software as webOS PRE.

These before and Pixie Plus Plus, will debut on the Verizon network January 25



They include some new features, such as three-dimensional games and the ability to act as mobile hotspots to five other devices. Pre Plus is not a physical button on your face, unlike the original, and it has doubled its memory capacity, but Pixie Plus Profit WiFi capabilities. Palm also opened up its developer program to promote their apps to create web OS platform, which powers all the generations before and Pixie.

About Pluses:
Plus both the Palm device will be Synergy's information-gathering function, universal search and navigation gestures. They will have a full QWERTY keyboard, an integrated global positioning system (GPS) and a removable battery.

Both come with a charger Pluses / micro USB connector with USB 2.0, USB mass storage mode, proximity and light sensors, accelerometers, multimedia capabilities and access to Verizon Wireless' VZ Navigator app, which provides voice turn-by-turn directions.

Communication skills, as well as support for messaging, e-mail and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Exchange Server support. The devices support WiFi 802.11 b / g and Bluetooth.

Both devices are complemented by automatic daily time Palm users to create profiles. Users can restore the data by signing their profiles. They can also delete your data remotely via SMS, if the phone is lost or stolen.


Games and other options:
During the launch at CES, Palm announced that the 3-D games are available on its platform webOS. Six of the EA Mobile division of Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: Erts) - "Need for Speed Undercover," Sims 3 "," Tetris "," Sudoku "," Scrabble "and" Monopoly ".

Other games Gameloft's' Let's Golf! "," Asphalt 5: Elite Racing "," Oregon Trail "and" Brain Challenge ". GLU Mobile's Glyder 2, "and laminar Research's X-Plane" is also available webOS.

Getting More Apps:
Palm also opened up its developer program and announced U.S. $ 1 million developer Hot Apps Bonus program. This program will run from 1 February to 31 May and will award $ 1 million for the best apps available in this period.

Restoring Palm luck?
Palm will also present two web OS devices operate on the AT & T's (NYSE: T) network, although they are vague. "The devices will probably be very similar to the Plus device, it will focus on expanding its Palm-based developer," says Chris Hazelton, Research Director of the 451 Group.

Pre and Pixie is greatly overshadowed by the i Phone and Android handsets since the start, though the Plus devices and the new operator, the vendor hopes to improve their lot.

Freeloader solar charger is having many plugs now

A look at Solar Power International's FreeLoader Pro solar charger shows how these can function as multipurpose chargers that happen to have solar panels.

The Freeloader Pro, which will be available in the U.S. starting next week, is a handheld charger made up of two small solar panels and integrated lithium ion battery.

Like the dozens of solar chargers on the market, the Freeloader Pro can charge up cell phones, GPS devices, and other small gadgets. What makes it versatile is the accompanying CamCaddy, an adjustable device for charging different sized block batteries for digital cameras, camcorders, or digital SLRs.


Generally FreeLoader Pro's battery takes atleast 8hours to juice up by the solar panels (a larger solar array is also available, which will cut charge time to three hours). There's enough charge to run an iPod for 28 hours or 70 hours of standby power for a phone, according to the company. It can also be charged from an AC adapter.

Because the Freeloader unit is equipped with a USB port, it can charge various devices. The primary use of the charger is to have portable power for camping or when someone can't get to an outlet. But the company has found that a number of customers are business travelers looking for a trimmed-down way to charge their various gadgets, said CEO Adrian Williams. Instead of carrying dedicated power packs for three or four items, a person could take the Freeloader, USB cables, and adapter tips.

"We don't way people to buy it because it's green. We want them to buy because it's useful. The green part is an added benefit," he said.

What about the battery itself, which over time will wear out? Walker said that, because of EU directives, Solar Power International will take back the Freeloader unit and replace the worn-out battery after two years for about $13. The material in the batteries themselves will be recycled, he said.

Astronomers said that, We could find Earth-like planets in the space soon

Astronomers say they are on the verge of finding planets, as Earth orbiting other stars, a key step to determine if we are alone in general.

NASA's top official, and other leading scientists say that four or five years they have been detected before the Earth as a planet where life could develop, or perhaps already has. Close to the size of planet Earth might even find some this year if the initial recommendations of a new space telescope pan out.

At the annual American Astronomical Society conference this week, each discovery includes a so-called "exoplanets" - which is outside our solar system - pointed to the same conclusion: Quiet planets, the Earth, where life could possibly have developed a lot, despite the violent universe of exploding stars crushing black holes and galactic collisions.

New NASA's Kepler telescope and a lot of new research from the suddenly hot and competitive field of exoplanet raises considerable buzz on the convention. Scientists talk about it "incredibly special place in history" and closer to answering the question that haunted humanity since the beginning of civilization.

"The fundamental question is: Are we alone? In July, the first time, there is optimism that sometimes in our lifetime we will be able to get to the bottom," said Simon "Pete" worden, an astronomer who headed NASA's Ames Research Center. "If I were betting man, I am who I am but we're not only - there is lots of life."

Even the Roman Catholic Church has held a scientific conference on the prospect of extraterrestrial life, including a meeting last November.

"These are big questions, to reflect on the meaning of the universe the human race" Director of the Vatican Observatory, the Rev. Mr. Jose Funes, said on Wednesday in an interview at this week's conference.

Worden told Associated Press: "I certainly expect the next four or five years, we would like to be Earth-sized planets habitable zone."


Worden's Center operates Kepler telescope, which makes intense planetary census of a small part of the galaxy.

Unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, which is a universal instrument, Kepler telescope is directed only to the planet-hunting. Its only instrument is a light meter that measures the brightness of more than 100,000 stars while looking for something that causes the star dim. This dimming is often a planet passes in front of a star.

Any planets that could support life would almost certainly be rocky rather than gaseous. And it would be just the right location. Planets too close to the star will be too hot, and they are too far is too cold.

"Every rock we turn over, we find the planet," said Ohio State University astronomer Scott Gaudi. "It occurs in all types of environments, all the type of place."

Researchers are finding exoplanets at dizzying pace. In 1990, astronomers found a planet a few years. For most of the last ten years, it was up to a couple of planets per month.

This year, the planet is found on a daily basis, thanks to Kepler telescope. Number of exoplanets discovered is now well past 400th But none of these components have the right to life.

This is a change, say experts.

"From Kepler, we have strong indications to smaller planets in large numbers, but they have not been tested yet," said Geoff Marcy of California at Berkeley University. He is one of the founders of the field of planet hunting and Kepler scientist.

But a large protest. Most already exoplanet candidates discovered Kepler approached to be something other than a planet, like the stars through telescope view of the double and triple checked, "said Kepler top scientist Bill Borucki.

Kepler is concentrating on about 1/400th of the night sky, scanning more than 100,000 stars, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand light years away. Light year is of 5.9 trillion miles. Thus, these planets are too far away to travel to, and they can look just like our solar system planets.

If it were Earth-and body zone Kepler wanted to find a telescope, Marcy said. But it may take three years to confirm the planet's orbit.