Download Of The Week

Version 12.04 is a significant release of Ubuntu as it will replace 10.04 as the LTS for at least the next 5 years 

on the desktop. Ubuntu 12.04 carries with it significant improvements to its Unity desktop management system, which has been a peeve of many Ubuntu users. Due to improvement in its code and that of Compiz, the new version of Unity promises better power management and system performance which should be more apparent for laptop and netbook users.

Ubuntu 12.04 feature something called ‘Heads Up Display’ that is similar in function to the search option Microsoft introduced with Windows Vista which lets users quickly search for a specific file, application or system task. A new addition to Lens us the Video Lens that enables searching and playing of online and local videos right from the desktop. Lastly, staying with the current times, Ubuntu has its own applications store with the obligatory categories and user ratings. You can download Ubuntu 12.04 from the official website, or you could take a virtual tour of the system before taking the plunge

Toilet Water-Not a Waste Anymore

A new invention, funded by Bill Gates, aims to turn used toilet water fit for drinking. Manchester University's Sarah Haigh, an expert in nanotechnology, says the invention could make waste water from toilets safe to drink.The innovation, which has been funded by billionaire Bill Gates, could transform the lives of millions of people in the developing countries. The researchers plan to have a prototype ready to demonstrate by 2013. Haigh believes a new range of materials could extract energy from human waste.

Although the result may not be bottled mineral water, the researcher says the results could be the difference between life-and-death in regions without clean water, the Daily Mail reported.  "There has been a lot of research into biofuels. There is a lot of energy already present in human waste. Nano-scale materials mean that you can harvest the hydrogen and turn it into hydrozene, which is basically rocket fuel," Haigh said.

                                                           A rough Sketch on The Idea

The expert, from Manchester University's school of materials, believes that a scaffold device holding a mixture of bacteria and tiny metal nano-particles will react with the water to extract useful hydrogen, with the remainder filtered again to produce clean water.Haigh, working with scientists at Imperial College London and Durham University, was given an initial $100,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Their idea for an inexpensive fuel-producing, water-cleaning device for the developing world beat more than 2,000 other proposals.  And the group stands to receive a further $1 million from the Gates next year if they can demonstrate the chemical reactions they propose can actually work.  The Microsoft founder, one of the world's richest men, has promised to sink his fortune on combating worldwide poverty.

"The phrase 'off to spend a penny' is used in polite society to refer to a visit to the lavatory. We plan to turn this essential everyday outgoing into an investment by developing novel materials that convert natural waste into a useable resource," Haigh said.

Japanese firm has developed self-repairing protective film

Toray Advanced Film Company has developed techniques to manufacture protective film that is capable of 

mending itself from small scratches. The company is calling this "Self-cure Coat Film" and it is produced using a

wet coat of self-repairing layer (made of disclosed material), over a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film.

Toray has been selling these in limited numbers for some time now, as decorative films for notebook computers;
however, the company is now equipped to go into mass production.According to the company, the protective

film has a high viscosity that gives it cushioning characteristics, in addition to being able to self-repair minor

abrasions. The company further claims that the protective layer is able to mend scratches in 10 seconds, under

room temperature and they have confirmed this by testing it about 20,000 times in succession. Toray is

expecting to begin mass production of Self-cure Coat Film at its setup in Fukushima, at a rate of several

hundred thousand square meters per year.

Now i know where It cam from

Mac computers are spreading malware to Windows PC, a recent study conducted by Sophos points out.

Sophos analyzed 100,000 Mac computers running its free anti-virus software, and found that one in five machines carry Windows malware. Additionally, Sophos also found 2.7 percent (one in thirty six) of Macs carrying Mac OS X malware.The Windows malware on Macs, though not causing any symptoms in the computer (unless users also run Windows on their computer)can still be spread to other computers.

 “Some Mac users may be relieved that they are seven times more likely to have Windows viruses, spyware and Trojans on their Macs than Mac OS X-specific malware, but Mac malware is surprisingly commonly encountered. Mac users need a wake-up call about the growing malware problem,” said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos. The Mac malware spreads via USB stick, email attachments, website download, sometimes even without signaling the user in any way.

Cluley further adds that cybercriminals target Macs, because their owners don’t typically run anti-virus software. Therefore,Mac users must be extra careful about protecting their computers,otherwise malware can become a major issue.

Ubislate 7+

Datawind has released a revised version of Ubislate 7 tablet, and announced the availability of Ubislate 7C that will have increased onboard storage. Ubislate is a commercial, non-subsidized avatar of Aakash tablet, and for all other practical purpose, the two are essentially the same.

The new version of this tablet is called Ubislate7+, but since its price remains quite low, the improvements are quite underwhelming.he hardware configuration of Ubislate 7+ includes a Cortex A8 700 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM, 3.5 mm stereo port, USB port, 2GB of onboard storage, SD card slot, 7 inch resistive touch-screen, and support for WiFi, GPRS, and SIM calling function. On the software front, the Ubislate 7+ will be factory installed with Android 2.3, a couple of preinstalled apps from Yahoo, and ‘Gold Application Program’ from GetJar. Ubislate 7+ is selling for Rs. 2, 999 and orders for it can be booked via the Ubislate website. Meanwhile, Ubislate7C is poised for release by the end of May at Rs 3,999, and it will distinguish itself from its cousin with a capacitive touch-screen and 4GB of onboard storage.