LAS VEGAS — Anyone awaiting a new Micro Four-Thirds camera from Panasonic will be disappointed, but the company did announce six new point-and-shoot cameras today at CES 2010.

All of Panasonic’s new Lumix offerings will support the superhigh-capacity SDXC card format, as well as SDHC and SD cards. The unveiled models include the brand-new Lumix FH series, as well as a touchscreen camera.

Lumix FH Series: Slim and Well-Rounded

Three FH-series models will be available in 2010, and all of the cameras will have slim frames (about an inch thick), wide-angle zoom lenses, and 720p high-definition video capture at 30 frames per second.

The highest-end FH series model is the 14-megapixel Lumix DMC-FH20, which offers an 8X-optical-zoom lens (28mm to 224mm), a 2.7-inch LCD, optical image stabilization, and Intelligent Auto mode.

The 14-megapixel Lumix DMC-FH3 has a less-powerful, 5X-optical-zoom lens (28mm to 140mm), but otherwise offers the same specs. The lowest-end FH series model, the 12-megapixel Lumix DMC-FH1, also offers the 5X-optical-zoom lens (28mm to 140mm) and the same basic specs.

Panasonic has not announced pricing or availability for the new Lumix point-and-shoots.

Lumix FP Series Adds Touchscreen Model

Panasonic also announced two additions to the existing FP series of cameras. Neither of the new FP models offers wide-angle lenses; both the DMC-FP3 and the DMC-FP1 have 4X-optical-zoom lenses that range from 35mm to 140mm.

The 14-megapixel, touchscreen-controlled Lumix DMC-FP3 serves up a 3-inch-diagonal touchscreen LCD, 720p high-definition video capture at 30 fps, and Intelligent Auto mode. The camera will have touchscreen-controlled playback navigation and touch-to-focus features.

A non-touchscreen model, the Lumix DMC-FP1, will also ship in 2010. It provides a 12-megapixel sensor, a 2.7-inch LCD, 720p HD video capture at 30 fps, and Intelligent Auto features. Pricing and availability are still in the works for the new FP models, as well.

Entry-Level Lumix DMC-F3

Rounding out the announcements is the wide-angle Lumix DMC-F3, a 12-megapixel model with a 4X optical zoom (28mm to 112mm), 720p HD video capture at 30 fps, a 2.7-inch LCD, and digital image stabilization.

Though Panasonic has not announced pricing or availability for the F3, this camera will almost certainly be a sub-$200 model.

SEOUL, South Korea -

The Internet is set to undergo one of the biggest changes in its four-decade history with the expected approval this week of international domain names - or addresses - that can be written in languages other than English, an official said Monday.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN - the non-profit group that oversees domain names - is holding a meeting this week in Seoul. Domain names are the monikers behind every Web site, e-mail address and Twitter post, such as “.com” and other suffixes.

One of the key issues to be taken up by ICANN’s board at this week’s gathering is whether to allow for the first time entire Internet addresses to be in scripts that are not based on Latin letters. That could potentially open up the Web to more people around the world as addresses could be in characters as diverse as Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Greek, Hindi and Cyrillic - in which Russian is written.

“This is the biggest change technically to the Internet since it was invented 40 years ago,” Peter Dengate Thrush, chairman of the ICANN board, told reporters, calling it a “fantastically complicated technical feature.” He said he expects the board to grant approval on Friday, the conference’s final day.

The Internet’s roots are traced to experiments at a U.S. university in 1969 but it wasn’t until the early 1990s that its use began expanding beyond academia and research institutions to the public.

Rod Beckstrom, ICANN’s new president and CEO, said that if the change is approved, ICANN would begin accepting applications for non-English domain names and that the first entries into the system would likely come sometime in mid 2010.

Enabling the change, Thrush said, is the creation of a translation system that allows multiple scripts to be converted to the right address.

“We’re confident that it works because we’ve been testing it now for a couple of years,” he said. “And so we’re really ready to start rolling it out.”

Of the 1.6 billion Internet users worldwide, Beckstrom - a former chief of U.S. cybersecurity - said that more than half use languages that have scripts based on alphabets other than Latin.

“So this change is very much necessary for not only half the world’s Internet users today, but more than half of probably the future users as the use of the Internet continues to spread,” he said.

Beckstrom, in earlier remarks to conference participants, recalled that many people had said just three to five years ago that using non-Latin scripts for domain names would be impossible to achieve.

“But you the community and the policy groups and staff and board have worked through them, which is absolutely incredible,” he said.

ICANN is headquartered in the United States in Marina del Rey, California.

A 46-year old shouldn’t be able to go toe-to-toe with a 33-year old in mixed martial arts, but that’s exactly what Randy Couture did against Brazilian legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. He simply wasn’t big enough to hurt Nogueira on the feet. When the fight went to the ground Nogueira was better technical fighter. He threatened with the most dangerous moment of the fight in the middle of the second round with an arm-triangle choke for 42 seconds. Nogueira rolled to a unanimous decision (29-28 and 30-27 on two cards) over the former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion at UFC 102 in Portland.

Nogueira (32-5-1, 3-1 UFC), a former Pride and UFC heavyweight champ, put himself in line for a shot at Brock Lesnar’s title down the road. It was an excellent comeback performance after he looked so sluggish in a loss to Frank Mir at UFC 92. He was also dealing with a staph infection at the time and said he was in the hospital a week before the fight. He looked much more crisp tonight and took repeated heavyweight punches walking through Couture bombs on several occasions.

Couture was gracious in defeat:

“I’m disappointed to lose [but] you gotta love this sport. The guys come out and every single fight they put it on the line. What keeps me going are guys like Nogueira and interesting fights. He was very tough tonight.”

Couture didn’t sound like he’s ready to retire:

“We’ll let the dust settle see what the UFC wants to do. I feel the best I’ve ever felt.”

Nogueira set the tone in the opening round as he stood right in front of Couture trading leather. Nog landed a right of his own that floored Couture with three minutes left in the first. He turned that into a choke attempt (pictured at the top of the story) that Couture eventually freed himself from.

Couture, master of ground and pound, had top control on several occasions but couldn’t never unload big shots. Nogueira held Couture close to his body and was able to reverse the position on each occasion

NEW DELHI - India’s only satellite orbiting the moon came close to failure after overheating but scientists improvised to save it and have achieved more than 90 percent of the mission’s objectives, an official said Friday.

The launch of Chandrayaan-1 in October 2008 put India in an elite group to have lunar missions along with the U.S., Russia, the European Space Agency, Japan and China.

But on May 16, the satellite lost a critical instrument called the star sensor, the Indian Space Research Organization’s chief Madhavan Nair told reporters.

The sensor helps the satellite stay oriented so its cameras and other recording equipment are constantly aimed at the lunar surface.

However, ISRO scientists were able to salvage the $80 million satellite within a week and resume normal operations by activating the satellite’s gyroscope, which also gives satisfactory orientation, Nair said.

He said more than 90 percent of the two-year mission’s objectives had already been achieved, and dismissed suggestions that the sensor’s failure might reduce the life span of the spacecraft.

The “life (of the spacecraft) is not dependent on this instrument. This instrument is used only for orientation of the spacecraft,” he said.

“The sensor cannot be recovered at this stage and we hope that the remaining part of this mission will be completed,” he said.

Nair told the NDTV television network earlier the satellite came close to overheating and failing after it was put into orbit 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the moon.

“The entire spacecraft would have baked and would have been simply lost,” Nair said.

As India’s economy has boomed, it has sought to convert its newfound wealth - built on the nation’s high-tech sector - into political and military clout.

Scientists hope the Chandrayaan project will boost India’s capacity to build more efficient rockets and satellites, especially through miniaturization, and open research avenues for young Indian scientists.

India plans to follow the Chandrayaan, which means “moon craft” in Sanskrit, by landing a rover on the moon in 2011.

OAKLAND, Calif. - A westward dash to power electricity-hungry cities by cashing in on the desert’s most abundant resource - sunshine - is clashing with efforts to protect the tiny pupfish and desert tortoise and stinginess over the region’s rarest resource: water.

Water is the cooling agent for what traditionally has been the most cost-efficient type of large-scale solar plants. To some solar companies answering Washington’s push for renewable energy on vast government lands, it’s also an environmental thorn. The unusual collision pits natural resources protections against President Barack Obama’s plans to produce more environmentally friendly energy.

The solar hopefuls are encountering overtaxed aquifers and a legendary legacy of Western water wars and legal and regulatory scuffles. Some are moving to more costly air-cooled technology - which uses 90 percent less water - for solar plants that will employ miles of sun-reflecting mirrors across the Western deserts. Others see market advantages in solar dish or photovoltaic technologies that don’t require steam engines and cooling water and that are becoming more economically competitive.

The National Park Service is worried about environmental consequences of solar proposals on government lands that are administered by the Bureau of Land Management. It says it supports the solar push but is warning against water drawdowns, especially in southern Nevada. In the Amargosa Valley, the endangered, electric-blue pupfish lives in a hot water, aquifer-fed limestone cavern called Devil’s Hole.

“It is not in the public interest for BLM to approve plans of development for water-cooled solar energy projects in the arid basins of southern Nevada, some of which are already over-appropriated,” Jon Jarvis, director of the Park Service’s Pacific West Region, wrote to the BLM director in Nevada.

Jarvis’ e-mail from February, obtained by The Associated Press, noted that the rare pupfish’s dwindling numbers prompted Nevada to ban new groundwater allocations within 25 miles of the pool.

Jarvis urged the BLM to promote technologies that use less water and hold off on permits until it finishes its assessment of the solar program next year. The BLM tried suspending new applications last year but relented under pressure from industry and advocates of renewable energy.

“Water is a big concern and the desert tortoise is a major concern, and the amount of site preparation is a concern,” said Linda Resseguie, a BLM project manager. The government in reviewing each project wants to make careful decisions over what it considers “a potentially irreversible commitment of lands,” she said.

Water is among the complications in deserts where more than 150 solar applications have been submitted for hot spots in Nevada, California, and Arizona, plus a few in New Mexico.

Companies are wrestling with routes for long-distance transmission lines and habitat for the threatened desert tortoise. They also are worried about a proposal being developed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., for a Mojave national monument, which could put up to 600,000 acres off-limits alongside already protected park and military lands. It could affect at least 14 solar and five wind energy proposals.

The Spanish-owned energy company, Iberdrola, has submitted 12 applications in four states. Its solar managing director, Kim Fiske, said her company is planning to use photovoltaic technology in Amargosa Valley but elsewhere will evaluate each site’s feasibility for water. Photovoltaic systems use conducting material to convert sunlight directly to electricity and need only nominal amounts of water to wash their solar panels, compared with the traditional steam-turbine solar that uses much larger volumes of water for cooling towers.

“Water usage is becoming the larger issue. Some companies still want wet cooling and say it’s less efficient to do dry cooling, and they need 10 percent more land to get the same output,” said Peter Weiner, an attorney representing solar companies. Some are exploring hybrid systems that use water during the hottest part of the day.

The government won’t say how much water would be needed by applicants because those proposals are still in flux. But National Park Service hydrologists last fall tallied more than 50,000 acre feet per year - nearly 16.3 billion gallons - proposed by applications in Amargosa Valley alone, or enough to supply more than 50,000 typical American homes. Nevada previously said the basin could support only half that. Since then, some companies have dropped out or switched to photovoltaics, making that estimate of 16.3 billion gallons outdated.

Nevada’s policy and legal mandates restrict water in the driest areas. California regulators warn that wet-cooled projects face an uphill climb. The two under review there so far on government land use minimal water. First up is Oakland, Calif.-based BrightSource Energy’s five-square mile, air-cooled, mirror complex near the Mojave National Preserve.

In Arizona, most solar proposals are away from populous areas with the most water restrictions.

Water is “a hot button for everybody,” said Fiske. “Everyone is concerned about water. It’s probably one of the biggest issues.”

In the three years since it first launched, the Nintendo Wii has sailed past competing systems from Sony and Microsoft to consistently claim the top spot in the console war.

But if a recent rash of troubling stories about the Wii is a vision of things to come, the tide might be turning for the seemingly unbeatable machine.

Wii On Top For Now, But For How Long?

Kinks in the system’s shiny white armor starting showing last month. Despite steady success in Japan, the Wii fell into second place in March as the underdog Playstation 3 clambered atop the region’s sales charts for the first time in 16 months. That was enough to garner some uncharacteristically somber comments from Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, who deemed the climate in Japan “unhealthy” for the Wii.

But to Cowan & Company analyst Doug Creutz, the U.S. market isn’t necessarily any healthier, at least if you’re thinking of investing in a console game. In an interview with Gamasutra, Creutz called the Wii “fool’s gold” for third-party game developers.

“The choice here is really between investing for the Xbox 360 and PS3 — since their capabilities are fairly similar — or the Wii,” he said. “I would caution investors and developers that the larger installed base of the Wii is really a bit of a red herring.”

Crueutz goes on to point out that while the 19 million Wiis in North America trounce competing consoles individually, combined sales of the 360 and PS3 actually top 22 million. That represents a larger chunk of the pie for game developers who can more easily port games back and forth from the two systems. Additionally, Creutz notes that Nintendo’s first-party games and the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises account for nearly one-half of all Wii software sales, a far larger percentage than what’s found on the other consoles. Comparatively, the Wii is simply a tougher nut to crack for third-party developers.

Peter Moore, president of enormous third-party game maker EA Sports, echoed Creutz’s concerns while speaking at a recent conference.

“You simply can’t take what you’re doing on the PS3 and Xbox and port - that’s a dirty word - down to the Wii,” he said, insisting that instead you have to build Wii games “from the ground up.”

He’s not the only one at EA with issues. Earlier in the month, an EA producer confessed to having trouble incorporating Nintendo’s upcoming Wii MotionPlus control attachment into its Grand Slam Tennis game, raising questions about when the tech would be ready for consumers. Nintendo answered that by officially announcing a release date only to curiously push back the release of the game they’ve repeatedly used to show off the new technology, surefire smash sequel Wii Sports: Resort.

Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom. NPD Group reports that the Wii again led the way in March 2009, outselling both the 360 and PS3 by a wide margin. Nintendo is also enjoying strong numbers for its newly released DSi handheld, with the company reporting first-week sales of over 600,000 units in the U.S. and Europe. Mario’s checking account won’t run out of funds any time soon.

The question is, will gamers run out of interest? The last two major first-party Wii games, Wii Music and Animal Crossing: City Folk, failed to generate the kind of excitement (and, in turn, sales) that Nintendo is accustomed to, a fact that analyst Ed Barton of Screen Digest believes is a big reason why the Wii is struggling. While older blockbusters like Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii are still selling well, Barton points out that the company needs new experiences to drive new sales.

Nintendo hopes to deliver exactly that with upcoming high-profile games like the aforementioned Wii Sports sequel and a remake of classic boxing game Punch Out!, but that still leaves plenty of wiggle room for the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 to continue closing the gap. And if Japan is any indication (and it usually is), that gap can disappear in a heartbeat.

What’s the biggest-selling program on the iPhone’s App Store?
No, it’s not one of those oh-so-hilarious apps that make a rude noise when you press a button. It’s actually Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, a really rather good racing game featuring Sony’s one-time unofficial mascot, GI.biz reports.

Crash fans are due some good news. After starring in an innovative string of late-90s Playstation platformers, the marsupial was catapulted to a status rivaling Nintendo’s Mario and Sega’s Sonic, but his fortunes took a turn for the worse after the Playstation 2 hit the scene. Shuffled between numerous developers and publishers, he looked to be on track for an early retirement — until this kart racer debuted along with the App Store itself last July.

A healthy crop of other games fill out Apple’s list, including Sega’s Monkey Ball, EA’s Tetris, and PopCap’s Bejeweled 2. The top free game is Tap Tap Revenge, which came fourth in the overall free listing, behind Facebook, Google Earth, and Pandora.

Mini Laptops

Welcome to our site. I found the size of laptops very interesting. However not many websites are devoted or even mention the small mini laptops that have been made by the various laptop manufacturers. Dell, Toshiba, Compaq and even Hewlett Packard have made small laptops that can be considered Mini.
Used Laptops

The used laptops that we found on the web included but are not limited to the Dell Latitude CSx, Latitude C400 or the Latitude L400. Toshiba had the Protégé 3400 series, Compaq had the Armada M300 series and Hewlett Packard had the Omnibook 500 among others as well. These used laptops were small and under 3 pounds. I would consider them mini laptops.

We found a get web page that shows Used Laptop Videos. The list is small at the moment but I have noticed that the list is growing on a daily basis.
Cheap Laptops

Since these laptops are older they are usually cheap laptops in comparison to new laptops. Since they are under 3 pounds their CDROM and floppy drives are usually external which can sometimes be a hassle. Something that you give up with a decrease in size. Hence to be a mini laptop there may be some hassle involved.
Website Reviews

In our travels around the web looking for mini laptops that meet our criteria we came across some nice websites which we will review. We have our favorites and of course our not so favorites. In any case it should give some good reading.

All in all we found the mini laptop fun and in some ways rather popular. They have some real followers that love the small size. In a way the newer laptops have lost the idea of portability with the desktop replacement. After all why do you need a huge laptop to replace a perfectly good desktop. A laptop is for portability and ease of use in a mobile situation. I much prefer the mini laptop. You can also check out the www.mini-notebooks.com website as well. They also talk about the small laptops.

Cross Our Palms With Silver

The future is not yet at its desk. The past is already gone. The present is on break. Such is will of the universe.

But even though you can’t reach the cosmic forces directly, there’s no need to give up. Hundreds of men and women worldwide have a special power that puts them in touch with destiny. In honor of the Dyson DC25 we’re selling today, we’d like to introduce… Char Latean, Psychic Advisor.

How do you do?

Really? Wow. If you have to ask a question like that we must have been wrong about you. Take her away, fellas.

Wait! Wait! It was just casual conversation! An ice breaker! A cultural standard used as a greeting!

Oh. Let her go, fellas, it’s my mistake. Okay, Char, come up here by the Dyson DC25 and tell us what you see.

I see… a ball of light.

Wow! You mean a spirit form?

No, it is a hard plastic, designed to change your direction at the flip of a wrist. Smooth, easy, always in motion. Like the future.

Oh, right, you’re looking at the DC25’s ball motor. That does make the DC25 easier to steer. But we’re interested in the future, Char. What can you tell us about that?

Dust. All is dust.

Dust? You mean we’re all doomed? A war? A plague? The collapse of the Republican Party after Michael Steele fails to grow a backbone?

No, real dust. I’m looking at the HEPA filtration filter.

Oh, right. The DC25 has a clear bin that’s easy to empty. Okay, fair enough, that’s two for two. But how about a hard one? Who’s gonna win the game next week?

I see… I see…

Who, Char? Who? Carolina? Michigan? Pittsburgh, in a surprise re-entry? Radford? Alaska State?

I see… England over the West Indies.

What?

Destiny is not just for Americans, you know. It’s a big world. Cricket is very popular.

Well, there you go. The Dyson DC25’s ball design might be ideal for cleaning your house, but it can’t tell the future worth a darn. Thanks for nothing, Char.

Is the Greek Chorus in today? Can I get an autograph?

Warranty: 6 Month Dyson
Authorized for SquareTrade Extended Warranty

Features:

* Suction power - 220 airwatts (constant)
* Rides on a ball so you can get the vacuum where you need it with out pushing and pulling, back and forth around corners and obstacles
* The motor is stored inside the ball which gives it a lower center of gravity that improves maneuverability
* Conventional upright vacuums sit on four fixed wheels, making them awkward to steer
* Root Cyclone Technology - Uses cyclonic separation to remove dirt from the air with out using a filter.
* Lifetime HEPA Filtration - HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters can remove 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 micrometers in diameter. This can trap fine particles such as pollen or other allergens.
* Certified Asthma Friendly - Air expelled from a Dyson DC25 has up to 150 times less mold and bacteria than the air you breathe.
* Easy Empty Bin - Button controlled system allows for a clean and hygienic way to discard dust and dirt it traps.
* On Board Tool Storage - Brush and crevice tools store on the machine.
* Brush Bar - Will protect delicate floors and rugs
* Clear Bin - You can see when the bin should be emptied. No need to buy specific vacuum bags.

Specifications:

* Dimensions: 42.4×15.4×12.2 (HxWxD) inches
* Weight: 16.12 pounds
* Suction power: 220 airwatts (constant)
* Bin capacity: 0.31 gallons
* Cord length: 24.6 ft
* Max reach: 40.3 ft