Chip Everywhere

Although CASPIAN - Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering is protesting fiercely against tagging products, RFID chips seems to be unstoppable.


Photo-Illustration for Time by Viktor Koen

Cathy Booth-Thomas of Times.com wrote a comprehensive article about RFID entitled "The See-It-All Chip" . With RFID, the family fridge will tell you when the milk is spoiled or you’re out of butter. In the store, your grocer will know all. A tag will help you find Fluffy too.

During the recent Auto-ID Expo 2003 in Japan, there are a significant increase in the number of industries that showcased their RFID related products/demos.

From 29-31st Oct, IDTechEx is hosting Smart Label Asia 2003 - the first major bilingual RFID and smart labels conference in Asia, held in Tokyo, Japan.

0.5x0.5mm Malaysian Microchip (MM Chip)

A larger version of this image at SinChew-i.com

“This RFID chip technology is indispensable to Malaysia in order to achieve our Vision 2020,” Dr Mahathir said at a press conference after the seventh annual meeting of the Multimedia Super Corridor’s International Advisory Panel (IAP) at Cyberjaya MSC.

Its call Malaysian Microchip - MM Chip. Measuring 0.5x0.5mm, the chip is expected to cost less than US$0.10 (38sen) each when commercial production is in full swing.

The MM chip measures 0.25 sq mm – about the size of a decimal point – and can be embedded in paper. It is useful for a variety of purposes, such as a replacement for barcode tags in retail goods, for differentiating between genuine and counterfeit currency notes, and for use in passports.

Its a Malaysia-Japanese venture between Malaysia Government, FEC Inc and Silterra.

Read on @ theStar Online or sinchiew-tech

Grand daddy of all vision videos - 'Knowledge Navigator'

Apple Computer • 'Knowledge Navigator'
Producer: Jane Hernandez
Director: Randy Field
Director of Photography: Bill Zarchy
Filmed on location in San Francisco
AC: Rod Williams
Gaffer: Jani Vournas

Apple QuickTime > View

Another Clip : RainForest

According to Jakob Nielsen, it was commissioned back in 1987.

"Paper Feel" Technology

BBC News > J.Fildes > Hi-tech tome takes on paperbacks

Researchers at Hewlett Packard have developed a prototype electronic book which can hold a whole library on a device no bigger than a paperback.

BCC News Image


The interesting point about this ebook is that it tries to stimulate the human experience with real paper - flipping the page.
The pages are turned by running a finger along one of the strips. Stroking the strip at different speeds allows the reader to speed read or casually browse the book.

from [Gizmodo]

Mouse Innovation - Tilt Wheel Technology

Microsoft is reinventing the mouse wheel, adding "Tilt Wheel Technology" for horizontal scrolling and smoothing the vertical scroll motion.

Microsoft is planning to launch three mice with the new tilting wheel on Sept. 3, one corded and two cordless operating at 27MHz, a company spokeswoman said. The mice will also have a feature that lets users toggle between open applications on a PC by pressing down on the wheel, she said.

The new Microsoft mice will be sold worldwide. Further product and pricing details will be announced at launch. Pricing is expected to be in line with Microsoft's current mouse portfolio, which ranges from $34.95 to $44.95 for corded and 27MHz cordless mice. Microsoft's Bluetooth mouse costs $84.95, according to Microsoft.


PC Watch Image


PC Watch Image

From infoworld.com, PC Watch