My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on May 19, 2006

Micron Technology Inc. has built a thumbnail-sized digital sensor for pocket cameras and cell phones that will enable ‘bursts’ of up to 10 images per second at 8 megapixels according to a company press release. This is substantially higher than current sensors and according to the company will be produced next year in its facilities in Idaho and Italy.

According to a MSN article, “devices using the new chip should reach consumers by late 2007 and will feature high-speed, high-megapixel digital photography capabilities normally found in more expensive, single-lens reflex cameras.”

Currently most high end ‘picture-taking’ cell phones are capable of taking photos in the 1.2 megapixel range while still cameras are capable of capturing many more pixels … as long as its one photo. Micron’s new sensor includes a faster processor that eliminates usual point-and-shoot delays between taking pictures. That means users can shoot up to 10 images per second at 8-megapixel resolution or 30 frames per second at a resolution of 2-megapixels.

According to MSN, “The new sensor is a type of chip known as a “complementary metal-oxide semiconductor,” or CMOS. Analysts say the technology, which is also used in memory chips and microprocessors, will challenge the dominance of traditional light-sensing charge-coupled devices, or CCDs.”

Images are starting to become more common place, especially with younger consumers. The “mobile video” users will find that they will soon be able to shoot very high quality photos and video without having a dedicated camera or video camera. Cell phone may very well replace the point and shoot camera for a whole generation … and HD 30 frame video on a mobile device is not far behind.

Category: Photography | No Comments »
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Posted By RichC on May 18, 2006

Does this seem odd to you? The US is economically concerned over the price of fuel, yet the State of Texas prepares to increase highways speed from 75 to 80 MPH. Maybe its just me, but I recall the last time we were sweating about oil price and imports … we reduced, not increased, speed limits? Before the comments start, I drive above the current highway speeds and prefer it that way. I can’t imagine having slow to a 55MPH limit again … but that’s not the point. The point is the timing; why would any state increase the speedlimit when as a nation we want to reduce our demand for fuel?

As a nation we’re looking for ways to stretch petroleum and reduce dependance on foriegn oil by combining trips, inflating tires, tuning engines and selecting ‘right sized’ automobiles. The car companies are required to increase efficiency in building cars and tax incentives are put in place to implement alternative fuels sources and hybrids. We’re trying to reduce our consumption and use energy more efficiently so why would someone ‘now’ propose a higher speed limit knowing that every vehicle on the road would use more fuel at higher speeds?

Currently, the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming have 75 MPH speed limits.

Category: Uncategorized | 10 Comments »
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Posted By RichC on May 18, 2006

Mobility Today video taped a first look at the Treo 700p as they somehow got there hands on a new PDA smartphone. If you are at all interesting in a Treo device and what it can do, check out the the video clip that David Ciccone put together. It is mirrored at several locations so I’ve included it below as well. Interesting first look, although besides the impressive browsing speed of Blazer, it was about what I expected.

Be sure to check out MobilityToday.com and leave a comment if you appreciate their video podcast.

Category: Cellphone, Video | No Comments »
Tags: ciccone, mobility, palm, podcast, treo, video

Posted By RichC on May 17, 2006

Twenty years after its debute, DirecTV has capitalized on the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with a with a commercial sure to make a few of us grin. Who can forget Ben Stein as the dull … I mean dull … teacher taking attendance — “Bueller, Bueller …” Kudos to DirecTV’s ad agency for nabbing a clip from this 1986 Paramount Picture release, even if Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller) isn’t in it. (here’s the original audio in MP3)

Category: Marketing, Video-TV | 4 Comments »
Tags: advertising, bueller, commercial, directv, ferris, mp3, mp4, video

Posted By RichC on May 16, 2006

Under the Freedom of Information Act, the complete video taken by two video security cameras was release on May 16. The images show a hijacked airliner slamming into the Pentagon that were used in an ongoing investigation involving Zacarias Moussaoui. The government refused to release the video until after the trial.

The still images from these cameras were leaked in 2002.

Category: Misc, News, Video | 8 Comments »
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Posted By RichC on May 16, 2006

My daily interest in stock trading and investing occasionally turns up ‘timing’ opportunity (beware this is risky). I often trade for daily moves but have a philosophy of building long term positions in companies that are leaders in their industry. This strategy short term often looks ugly, but long term generally outpaces the market and allows one to sleep at night since purchases of solid companies are made when the share prices have been beaten down. One stock in particular has been taken down by investors because of product liability: Bausch & Lomb (BOL).

This past month the news has all been negative and confidence in both the company and management has been low. Management does deserve a couple black eyes in how they handled the news that ‘one’ of their products ‘might’ have contributed to a fungus that appeared in contact lens wearers. The frightening news in a country of lawsuits is that this product could cause infection and in sever cases blindness. According to a report just released yesterday, a number of outside items needed to come together to cause this to happen. I is believed that subtropical conditions grow a fungus found in some sink drains and this in combination with the use of Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu “with MoistureLoc” which is not the same as their more widely used Multiplus brand of contact lense cleaner is associated with the infections. “The company stressed that the recall is limited to MoistureLoc and does not involve other solutions in its ReNu line, including the older and more widely used MultiPlus brand that some victims reported using.”

My point is that Bausch & Lomb’s stock has been beaten heavily and may have found a bottom and is beginning to understand the extent and causes of the infections. Considering they are the leading eyecare company and have ownership through all aspects of eyecare, and that only 122 cases are reported of the more than 30 million Americans who wear contact lenses …. this might be right to purchase a well pummeled BOL. Consider that about about 2.3 million users use MoistureLoc (with 122 reporting problems tied to this infections), and 11 million using the MultiPlus ReNu products … the impact fiscally is not that heavy. The company has sales over 100 million dollar and the stock dipped last week to about half the price it was earlier this year. ($87.89 in July 2005)

I’m a buyer of the stock under $50 and believe there is short term money for those wanting out in a short period of time. The long term investment prospects look even better is you compare this ‘blip’ on a company that has been around since the 1800s. I see a slow recovery and continued grow in eye care from Bausch & Lomb and believe it is a great stock to add to a long term portfolio. An analyst at Piper Jaffray commented that investors who were originally worried about this problems spreading to other BOL products were heartened “by the strength and conviction of the FDA statements in saying that they too thought the problem was limited to MoistureLoc.”

Category: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
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Posted By RichC on May 15, 2006

The rumors are over and Palm officially released the long awaited new model replacing its hugely successful Treo 600 and 650 smartphones. On Monday their news release and website gave specifics similar to the many rumors of its release. Currently the only 700 model is the Verizon exclusive Treo 700w which is windows based. (the first using windows for and OS) For Palm familiar users, this 700 model was still a no-go until May 15th. Several upgrades have been included: EV-DO high speed internet service and a much faster processor are the two big ones, but many smaller additions are also part of the 700p. One highlighted difference between the Windows version and the Palm based version is the resolution of the display: 700w = 240×240; 700p = 320×320. Currently the only two carriers will be Sprint and Verizon, with Verizon the only carrier with both Windows and Palm based models.

I look forward to getting my hands on one — maybe as owner — and will detail more at that time. Nevertheless … the wait, speculation and rumors are over.
Operating System – Palm OS® 5.4.9
Memory – 128MB (60MB user accessible) non-volatile
Processor – Intel® XScaleâ„¢ 312MHz processor
Screen – 320 x 320 color TFT touchscreen display 16-bit color displays displays up to 65,536 colors
Wireless – CDMA 800/1900MHz digital dual-band, CDMA2000 EvDO network-backwards compatible with 1xRTT and IS95 networks, Bluetooth® 1.2 wireless support
Phone Features – Personal speakerphone, Hands-free headset jack, Microphone mute option, TTY/TDD compatibility, 3-way calling
Digital Camera – 1.3 megapixels with 1280×1024 resolution, Automatic light balance, 2x digital zoom, Integrated self-portrait mirror, Video capture with 352 x 288 resolution
Features – Speaker, 2.5mm headset jack is stereo headset compatible-requires a stereo headset adapter, sold separately, for use with standard stereo headphones, Polyphonic MIDI, MP3, WAV & video ringtone
External ringer on/off switch w/ vibrate mode, Audio, Full QWERTY key layout with backlighting, Integrated number dial pad, Keyguard feature, Keyboard, Support for MultiMediaCard, SD & SDIO cards, Expansion Slot Removable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, Talk time: up to 4.5 hours, Standby time: up to 300 hours, Battery, Multi-connector on device, USB sync cable, AC adapter (108-132 VAC/60Hz), Power/Sync
Size – 2.28″ W x 5.08″ H (excluding antenna) x 0.89″ D / 58mm W x 129mm H x 58mm D
Weight – 6.4 ounces / 180 grams
Desktop Support Requirements
Windows® 2000 or Windows® XP Service Pack 2 (later versions may also be supported), USB port (USB sync cable included), CD-ROM drive
or
Mac OS 10.2.4-10.4, USB port (USB sync cable included), CD-ROM drive
—
EDIT: Received an email from Denny mentioning that I didn’tinclude the price … well that’s because it was’t ‘really’ known. I little digging though and I was able to at least glean that Sprint will be contracting it for $399. (Read PDF press release from Sprint)

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Posted By RichC on May 14, 2006

Chrysler is ‘diesel-izing’ the hot selling 300 for the European markets while North America waits … 2008 maybe … who knows? Nevertheless, those of us wanting a few more US diesel options are speculating what cars besides the Mercedes Benz 300E CDI will be ready for the US market. Joseph White reporting for the Wall Street Journal, had an opportunity to test drive the new Chrysler 300c last week; his impression was positive.

The Chrysler 300c is getting an all-aluminum turbocharged V-6 CRD engine. The new engine is smaller and lighter than the previous I-5 European diesels and is a 3.0 liters for displacement that produces 207 horsepower and a whopping 376 lb-ft of torque at 1600 rpm. The common rail diesel uses high-pressure injection, variable geometry fins on the turbocharger, four-valve heads, and dual overhead cams — the result is more power while burning less fuel, sending fewer pollutants out the exhaust. The diesel version of the 300Cs will be using same five-speed automatic used in the Chrysler Hemi. According to the EPA published numbers, the V-6 gasoline version is rated at 22 mpg and in Mr. White’s test drive the new diesel logged 28 mpg on a combination highway and city test drive.

According to Mr. White, the new diesel Chrysler 300 “is quiet, except for a pleasant rumble that makes it sound like an old-school V-8.” He continued with a positive comment regarding the low end torque of the diesel and it ablity to “lope along at 1800 rpms” on the freeway. The downside, unlike the new Mercedes BlueTec diesel, is that the Chrysler does not comply with the US clean-air rules. White quotes Mr. Klegon, the Chrysler product -development chief who says, “We know how to meet them [CARB standards], but at some cost.” That costs is estimated at around $5000 – 6000 per vehicle which is probably not realistic for consumers or for Chrysler.

There is some hope, since Mercedes already has their system ready to go call “Adblue” technology. It is being used successfully on commercial vehicles successfully in Europe, and is planning to adapt a number of their models. Volkswagen is also stubbling to get there clean diesel technology ready for the US too. According to recent reports, the 2007 Volkswagen line up in the US will be without diesels and that dealers will be doing their best to stock up on 2006 TDIs. With fuel prices at an all time high and consumers shopping for more fuel efficient vehicles this news is coming at a bad time. Currently Volkswagen has a very limited model lineup of diesel, yet 20% of their April 2006 sales were diesels, compared to 14% last year. Hopefully 2008 will bring improvements, as according to VW spokesperson Steve Keyes, Volkswagen will be offering new diesels that meet emission standards in all fifty US states in it vehicles, “including a new model — a diesel Rabbit.”

Category: Automotive | 7 Comments »
Tags: chrysler

Posted By RichC on May 13, 2006

Another slipped date about the Treo 700p smartphone being rolled out by Sprint this month; this one looks to have been a mistake (or scam) release which included the date of the new 700p Sprint model. In the online version of TechWorld, a article appeared and then was quickly pulled down, but not before this PDF was printed of the page. Since I’m following the release of the Sprint Treo 700p closely … these rumors intrigue me.

11 May 2006
Palm version of Treo 700 arrives
By Ben Ames, IDG News ServiceMonths after the Windows version (which we reviewed in January)
Palm is launching a Palm version of its Treo 700 smartphone next
Monday. Launched in the US, with 3G (EV−DO) wireless, the Treo 700p is the first Palm smartphone on 3G, and the second of four new devices Palm will launch this year.
With e−mail and Office functions, a digital camera and MP3 music player, it should appeal to both consumer and enterprise users, said Steve Sinclair, a senior product manager at Palm.
Smartphones are now crucial to Palm’s business. In March, swelling Treo sales pushed the company past earnings estimates for the first quarter of 2006 despite falling demand for the PDAs which the company started out making.
Palm says that success is also helping it to win a greater share of the smartphone segment, as the company posted 111 percent growth in units sold from 2004 to 2005, while the market grew just 65 percent. Research in Motion (RIM) still leads the 4.85 million unit smartphone market with 53 percent market share, Palm said. But Palm holds a strong second place with 33 percent. Other vendors, including Samsung, Hewlett−Packard, Motorola, Nokia and Sony Ericsson, each have 3 percent or less.
Like the existing 700w, which runs Windows Mobile OS, the 700p uses EvDO networking, offers a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, and stocks 128 Mbyte of memory, all driven by a 312MHz Intel XScale processor. One benefit for the Palm version is ability for laptop users to use it as a wireless modem, connected with either a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or Bluetooth wireless.
Despite their similarities, the Treo models could appeal to different users. “The 700w and 700p are comparable in the sense they are both designed to be able to handle anything really well, but I expect the platforms to drift toward different segments,” Linsalata said. “For mobile enterprise, Microsoft has a stronger hold, while the Palm version could drift toward a more balanced role.” Even in the US, the Treo 700p is not yet in stores. Palm said telephony carriers Sprint and Verizon Wireless would soon announce pricing and availability.

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Posted By RichC on May 12, 2006

It’s amazing to me that with all the recent news coverage that any teacher thinking about having relationships or inproperly interacting with students could still allow it to happen, let alone encourage it. Teachers certainly know better and shockingly are not showing judgement worthy of their position of trust.
It hit pretty close to home yesterday when a local teacher in our Lakota district was arrested. According to local news reports, Angela Johnson a Lakota East High School teacher, was alleged to have sent unusual gifts (underwear) to a male student and sent inappropriate text messages by cell phone since January. Its sad to see someone who has the trust of the community, after investing years of education, waste it all by knowingly interacting with a student. I doubt her employment can continue in our Southwestern Ohio school district, yet since the student was eighteen I suspect she will not be facing jail charges? Hopefully with this kind of attention and quick response by administrators (and resources officers), the school district is able serve notice to other teachers to be ‘overly careful’ in how they interact with students.

New Brief from the Associated Press via Ohio.com. EDIT: A morning update on this story with additional detail was published in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Category: Education, News, Video | No Comments »
Tags: lakota east, relationships, students, teacher, video, wkrc