Technology Folk | Tech News for IT Professionals

Mozilla hopes to finish Thunderbird 3.1 in April

Mozilla Messaging hopes to release Thunderbird 3.1 in early April, a date that reflects a new frequent-release strategy adopted from the better-known Firefox effort at Mozilla. by Stephen Shankland CNET News

Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-376018.html

No Nook by Christmas? Here's a $100 gift card

Barnes & Noble promises that it will send an e-mail notification on December 23rd with a $100 gift certificate if they are unable to ship the Nook e-reader in time. by Anne Dujmovic CNET Crave

Full story at http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-376019.html

First Functional Molecular Transistor Comes Alive

Nearly 62 years after researchers at Bell Labs demonstrated the first functional transistor, scientists say they have made another major breakthrough.

Researchers showed the first functional transistor made from a single molecule. The transistor, which has a benzene molecule attached to gold contacts, could behave just like a silicon transistor.

The molecule’s different energy states can be manipulated by varying the voltage applied to it through the contacts. And by manipulating the energy states, researchers were able to control the current passing through it.

The transistor, or semiconductor device that can amplify or switch electrical signals, was first developed to replace vacuum tubes. On Dec. 23, 1947, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain (who’d built on research by colleague William Shockley) showed a working transistor that was the culmination of more than a decade’s worth of effort.

Vacuum tubes were bulky and unreliable, and they consumed too much power. Silicon transistors addressed those problems and ushered in an era of compact, portable electronics.

Now molecular transistors could escalate the next step of developing nanomachines that would take just a few atoms to perform complex calculations, enabling massive parallel computers to be built.

The team, which includes researchers from Yale University and the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea, published their findings in the Dec. 24 issue of the journal Nature.

For about two decades — since Mark Reed, a professor of engineering and applied science at Yale, showed that individual molecules could be trapped between electrical contacts — researchers have been trying to create a functional molecular transistor.

Some of the challenges they have faced include being able to fabricate the electrical contacts on such small scales, identifying the molecules to use, and figuring out where to place them and how to connect them to the contacts.

“There were a lot of technological advances and understanding we built up over many years to make this happen,” says Reed.

Despite the significance of the latest breakthrough, practical applications such as smaller and faster molecular computers could be decades away, says Reed.

“We’re not about to create the next generation of integrated circuits,” he says. “But after many years of work gearing up to this, we have fulfilled a decade-long quest and shown that molecules can act as transistors.”

Photo: A benzene molecule can be manipulated to act as a traditional transistor

Courtesy: Hyunwook Song and Takhee Lee

See Also:

‘DNA Transistor’ Could Revolutionize Genetic Testing

Dec. 23, 1947: Transistor Opens Door to Digital Future

Scientists Build World’s Smallest Transistor, Gordon Moore Sighs

Gallery: Once Mighty Bell Labs Leaves Behind Transistor, Laser

Scientists Create First Memristor

Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/RM1nhDySXvA/

Wired?s 20 Favorite iPhone Apps of 2009

2009 was the “year of the app,” especially for the iPhone, whose App Store is overflowing with more than 100,000 offerings. While it’s easy to make fun of the more ridiculous apps, some truly stellar wares stood out from that massive pile, and we’re taking the time to honor them.

We recently published Wired readers’ favorite iPhone apps of 2009, as well as Apple’s top picks. Now it’s our turn. The Wired staff has chosen its 20 favorite apps, broken into separate categories: productivity, games, hobbies, and travel and outdoors. These are apps we deemed exceptional either for their innovation, elegant design, usefulness or a combination of all these qualities.

Ready for this? Drum roll, please.

Productivity

BeeJiveIM

We’ve been using instant messaging for years, but BeeJiveIM is the most feature-rich, well-designed app we’ve seen that crams this communication method into our pockets. The app supports several IM services (such as Google chat, AIM and Yahoo! Messenger), as well as chat-room functionality and the ability to upload videos and photos. Plus, it’s got push support, so IMs can pop up on your iPhone, just like text messages, the instant you receive them. It’s a fancy app worth the $10 (on sale for $7 until Jan. 1, 2010). Download BeeJiveIM.

Dropbox

Who doesn’t like Dropbox? The service allows you to store and share your computer’s files online through a “dropbox” folder, and this new iPhone app allows you to access your Dropbox anywhere you go. On the iPhone, Dropbox really comes in handy for listening to your friends’ shared music or viewing their videos and photos. The Dropbox service is free for 2 GB of storage per month. It costs $10 per month for 50 GB and $20 per month for 100 GB. The iPhone app is free. Download Dropbox.

Instapaper

We’re gaga for Instapaper here at Wired. The app is perfect for tech-savvy newshounds constantly on the run — i.e., us. After downloading the app, you add a “Read Later” button to your web browser toolbar. Whenever you see a webpage with contents you want to save to read on your iPhone, you click the Read Later button. Launch Instapaper et voila — it’s there. Very useful not just for saving web articles, but also recipes, map directions, airplane itineraries and so on. The app is $5; there’s also a light version you can get for free. Download Instapaper.

Tweetie 2

We’ve been raving about this app for months, and with good reason: Tweetie 2 is probably the most loved app in the App Store. Its beautiful interface and rich feature set make using Twitter a blast. It’s a must-have for any Twitter user with an iPhone. Tweetie 2 is $3. Download Tweetie 2.

Tom Young, Computing, Monday 21 December 2009 at 12:03:00

LSE IT chief David Lester tipped to be head of new joint venture

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) announced this morning that it will take
control of rival trading platform Turquoise.

The LSE will merge the platform with its own Baikal operation, to create "a
new pan-European trading venture".

The merged entity will be 60 per cent owned by LSE and 40 per cent by
existing Turquoise shareholders and will continue to trade under the Turquoise
name.

Xavier Rolet, chief executive of the LSE, said: "Turquoise's existing
pan-European footprint is a strong proposition and together with the
introduction of new trading technology and a neutral structure, we believe it is
now well positioned to be an agent of change and to capture a healthy slice of
the market's growth potential."

The exchange will incur exceptional costs of up to �20m in the current
financial year, comprising the write-off of legacy technology costs, and other
restructuring and integration costs, including contract exit costs.

Turquoise was set up by a consortium of investment banks following
deregulation, and was an attempt to force traditional exchanges such as the LSE
to lower trading fees. It began operating around 18 months ago.

But the banks were no longer willing to fund the unprofitable platform after
being hit hard by the recession. The deal this week is being seen by some in the
City as a political move by the LSE to make peace with the banks.

Christopher Morris, director of consultancy Aequitas Associates, told the
Financial Times: ?It is rebuilding goodwill with the banking community
that will be the most valuable asset.?

The LSE will fully fund the cash needs of the new venture for the first two
years and says it wants to bring the business to sustainable profitability.

David Lester, the LSE's head of IT,
has
been tipped as the head of the new joint venture, which is expected to be
run as an independent operation.

Full story at http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2255350/lse-buys-turquoise