The World’s Most Expensive Mobile Phone

The Goldvish Le million is the most expensive phone on the planet and is a masterpiece, basically in addition to the ILLUSION collection there was a limited amount of exclusive mobile phones the PLATO collection. There were only 100 of these phones made and is only available on special request. These Goldvish Le million handsets are of the highest levels of Swiss craftsmanship and precision. Well for $1,000,000 (£540,540) you should not get anything less should you now.

The Goldvish “Le million” is officially the most expensive mobile phone in the world and we know because the Guinness Books of Records says so, the Goldvish Le million $1,000,000 (£540,540) mobile phone has 120 carats worth of VVS-1 grade diamonds. GoldVish also make the ‘Illusion’, which comes in 15 different incarnations, encrusted with diamonds or not depending on your preference, but always made with at least 140 grams of solid gold. Would you buy one?

Global Warming

Increasing global temperature will cause sea level to rise, and is expected to increase the intensity of extreme weather events and to change the amount and pattern of precipitation. Other effects of global warming include changes in agricultural yields, trade routes, glacier retreat, species extinctions and increases in the ranges of disease vectors.

Remaining scientific uncertainties include the amount of warming expected in the future, and how warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe. There is ongoing political and public debate worldwide regarding what, if any, action should be taken to reduce or reverse future warming or to adapt to its expected consequences. Most national governments have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and outside of the United States there is considerably less debate over the effects and uncertainties of global warming.

This picture illustrates the cause and effects of what global warming can have on our planet.

REVIEW: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360 version)

Call of Duty 4 may very well be the first anti-war war game. At the very least, it makes a damn powerful argument for nuclear disarmament.

French film critic (and filmmaker) Francois Truffaut claimed that an anti-war war film was impossible to make. His argument was that, through the act of putting war on film, it was glorified. This sentiment should probably go doubly for videogames, especially in the traditionally gung-ho first-person shooter genre. So, how does this game manage to cause such an emotional reaction?

As is obvious from the game’s sub-title, the series has moved from the WWII era into modern times. So it’s ironic that Call of Duty 4 is, in some ways, the Saving Private Ryan of the videogame world: a look at war that is both viscerally thrilling and emotionally devastating. The game’s plot is a Tom-Clancy-esque foray into fictional conflicts, centralized in the Middle East and Russia. A militant group executes a Middle-Eastern leader in a coup, one of the most disturbing and memorable sequences in the game. In that sequence, the player is put into the doomed man’s shoes: a brilliant move that brings one closer to the story than any cutscene could. The leader of said group must be found and killed by the militaries of the free world, specifically the U.S. Marines and the British S.A.S. The campaign has you play as soldiers in both armies.

This is no morally ambiguous conflict: these guys are pretty seriously evil, so you never really question the need for military action. I never got a very good grasp on how the various regions are connected in the game, but the story, something sorely lacking from the previous games in the franchise, is pretty damn compelling. There’s a segment at the end of the first act which will stay with you for a long, long time after you finish the single-player campaign. It’s a powerful moment that really subverts your expectations of how a videogame’s story should play out. It extends to the gameplay, as well — the battles have a gritty, torn-from-the-headlines feel to them that, at times, can be downright uncomfortable.

There will be those that complain that it’s not much of a departure from Call of Duty 2 gameplay, which is valid, but Call of Duty 2 is the best WWII game I’ve ever played. The fact that Infinity Ward didn’t stray too much from formula is a good thing. The console version of the game is missing any leaning or cover mechanic, which would’ve been a good addition, but it still controls perfectly — a twitch gamers dream. There are a few annoying moments, such as enemy helicopters that fire on you with accuracy that would make William Tell crap himself, but nothing that damages the experience. This game’s polished to a shine. Some people might think the single-player campaign is a bit too short, but it’s very replayable, and there is an unlockable “arcade mode,” in which the player can replay individual levels with a scoring system. It’s also a memorable and extremely satisfying experience, and can be a hell of a challenge, at least on the higher difficulty levels. On Veteran, the hardest mode, it can get downright frustrating: truly for the hardcore gamers only.

Oh, and the game runs like a charm. The engine is flat-out amazing. It runs at a silky-smooth 60fps with no noticeable hiccups, which is especially impressive considering the fact that it’s one of the best-looking games on the market. (There have been complaints that the game isn’t rendered at a full 720p, like Halo 3, but, playing it on a 720p monitor, I couldn’t tell any difference at all.) It’s certainly the most realistic-looking game to date (although I haven’t played Crysis yet, and, from what I’ve heard, that might take the cake), even if the texturing isn’t quite up to Unreal Engine 3 (The prolific engine used in Unreal Tournement 3, Mass Effect, Rainbow 6: Vegas, Bioshock, Gears of War, etc.) standards. But then, there’s next to no texture pop-in, so there’s something of a trade-off.

And it’s intense. The most intense FPS I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. The first time an RPG flies by a foot away from your face is guaranteed to get your heart pumping. It takes the intensity of the firefights in Call of Duty 2, and ratchets everything up about 10 notches. Forget the beaches of Normandy — Try storming a nuclear missile launch silo, knowing that failure means the death of everyone on the East Coast of the United States. You’re enormously outnumbered, there are enemy vehicles in the area, and hundreds of bullets are whizzing by your head. Your only cover is a crumbling roadblock. And you’re timed. This is one of the first games in which a timed segment actually adds to the experience, instead of cheapening it.

Similar to its predecessors in the series, the sound design is amazing. Play it loud. The whizzing bullets, the booming explosions, and the high-pitched whine in your ears when a grenade goes off a little too close for comfort… they all sound amazingly realistic. The Harry Gregson-Williams/Stephen Barton score adds to the intensity without ever overpowering the action on-screen.

The online multiplayer is both fun and addicting. Infinity Ward has really nailed the fine line between tactical and arcade shooters, and it makes for one hell of a multiplayer experience. The RPG elements that have been added this time around are handled perfectly, as anyone who played the beta can attest. You can unlock “perks,” special skills such as deeper bullet penetration, more health, or, my personal favorite, Last Stand, in which your character, when shot, falls to the ground and has a chance to seek immediate revenge by pulling out his sidearm and firing a few final bullets. These are a great addition to the online FPS formula, and make every game encounter unpredictable. The best part is that “experience” is gained by simply playing the game online. You get points for kills, and based on your standing at the end of matches, as well as for completing specific “challenges,” usually of the “get 100 kills with gun X” variety. It’s a very rewarding system. You could probably spend the rest of your natural life unlocking all the weapons, abilities, and completing challenges, if you saw fit. There is also a split-screen mode, something that should be included in every FPS release, but no co-op, which would’ve been a good addition.

Call of Duty 4 is one of the best FPS releases of the year, which is saying a lot, considering the veritable avalanche of triple-A shooters this year. It’s a testament to the power that first-person interactive storytelling can possess. Do yourself a favor and pick it up, as it might just redefine how a videogame can affect a player’s worldview.

Health Is Also Technologically Important

We have always talked about technology and other stuff that’s technologically important in life. Today’s it’s about health as it’s also very important whether you look at it technologically or in other way. We all know that morbid obesity and diseases are spread in the world in very large numbers. Today i found a really interesting site that gives the review of best diet pills and tells a person that which diet pill is good for you and can really work for you. The site ranks the products based off the following 12-Point Criteria:

Value, Ingredient Quality, Customer Feedback, Safety, Company Reputation, Reorder Rates, Customer Service, Product Sensation, Packaging, Long-Term Benefits, Product Convenience and Weight-Loss Potential

If you are a fat person and you want to lose weight, you must have a visit of consumerpricewatch.net, and find the best solution for you. Explore the reviews, find best diet pills for you and have a healthy and enjoyable life!

Crysis – Part 2 Review’d

Missed part one? Check it out here.

The AI of the enemy soldiers delivers most of the challenge in Crysis. When it’s one-on-one – you vs. a single enemy – they don’t stand a chance. When there’s a group of bad guys, however, the odds are somewhat evened.

Patrols will respond instantly to suspicious noises like gunfire by fanning out and searching the surrounding area. If you give away your position you should expect to be pinned down by enemy fire while one or two Koreans try to flank you. This means movement is key – and you’ll derive a sadistic pleasure from the “de-cloak, down a couple of enemies, re-cloak and reposition” routine.

One major shortcoming in the AI reveals itself when you come across sniper towers. Assuming you can take out the current occupant, if you climb up you can effectively take out any enemies nearby with impunity… As long as you duck from time to time. No one will attempt to climb up or throw a grenade to flush you out. In fact, the only reason for not staying put would be if they call in a helicopter.

For most of the first part you’re given a goal – usually something like “get to the science station on the other side of the island” – and it’s up to you how you complete it. More or less. Let’s be clear – this is not some sort of free-form Oblivion or S.T.A.L.K.E.R-esque RPG where you’re given an island to explore at your leisure. You’re on a mission soldier! You do have some freedom of movement, but it’s by no means total.

To give you an idea of how the tactical gameplay works, let’s look at the kinds of choices you can make when faced with an enemy encampment: a) rush straight in, guns blazing; b) creep round the side in the undergrowth; c) use stealth and patience to pick off the soldiers one by one; or d) bypass it altogether by hijacking a boat downriver and sailing past?

Okay, there’s more to it than that, but you get the idea. Often your movement will be restricted by insurmountable physical obstacles, like walls of a ravine, but it never feels linear like Half Life. It regularly opens up and it’s up to you and your nanosuit to take on an army of Korean bad guys.

And it’s a lot of fun. The game throws some variation at you in the form of enemies with the same super-suit as you, but generally speaking it sticks to a tried and tested formula of sneaking around, ambushing patrols, and blowing up trucks and buildings. Great!

Until the second part. (**MODERATE SPOILERS**)

The last third of the game changes gear somewhat, starting off with a section where you’re floating around a buried alien spaceship. Then there’s an escape flight in a VTOL, and finally a series of super-boss battles with various alien nasties.

This represents a significant shift in pace and style – characterized by a much more linear, run-n-gun approach in contrast to the sneaksy stealth that preceded it. It’s a little disappointing, but not so much that it condemns the game.

There’s still plenty to enjoy in Crysis – not least the outstanding visuals – but sadly it narrowly misses out on classic status.

Great Gadgets: Are You Stoked About the Google Phone?

Whether you consider them a status symbol or a fundamental part of staying connected with the world, cell phones have not only become popular, they’ve become nearly necessary in our increasingly technological society. People love getting their hands on the latest gadgets and we most recently experienced this craze with the Apple iPhone.

Granted, the iPhone may not be the best business tool for a number of reasons — lack of third-party application support, no physical QWERTY keyboard, no 3G connectivity, etc. — but it has been a huge hit in the marketplace because it’s pretty to look at and a lot of folks love everything that Apple produces. The slick interface makes for some great eye candy.

Which leads us to wonder, how excited would people be about getting a Google Phone? There have been rumors floating around for several months now stating that the search engine giant is indeed working on a piece of hardware — there are already some cell phones out there that have been designed to run mobile Google apps — but Google has neither confirmed nor denied these reports. Now we’re hearing that Google may reveal their freshman foray into the cell phone market in as little as two weeks.

What you see above is a concept picture based on e-ink technology, but at this point, that design is probably a pipe dream. Just hop onto Google (ironically enough), search for Google Phone concept pictures and you’ll get an idea of what people are thinking, but until the big G has an official unveiling, it’s all conjecture.

HP Compaq Tablet PC TC1000

Of all the Tablet PCs in this lineup, the HP Compaq TC1000 may be the most innovative and, in several ways, the most daring. Unlike any other product previewed here, the TC100 is neither a “pure” slate nor a notebook convertible. It is something unique, closer to a slate than a notebook, but still offering more notebook functionality than any other slate with an add-on keyboard. The TC1000 is also completely different from the prototype HP (then still Compaq) showed over the past year, the one that looked like a giant iPAQ Pocket PC. Compaq had always said that prototype was just that, something to fuel the imagination and perhaps build on the iPAQ’s popularity and design recognition.

So what is the TC1000? It is a very compact slate computer with a keyboard that attaches to the slate to provide notebook functionality without actually making the TC1000 a notebook. By itself, the TC1000 has a footprint of just 10.8 x 8.5 inches, almost as small as the diminutive Acer TravelMate. However, being a slate, the TC1000 is thinner than the Acer by three tenths of an inch (0.8 vs. 1.1 inches) and lighter, too (3.0 vs. 3.2 pounds). In tablet mode, the TC1000 is thus an ultra-compact, sleek and elegant slate with that’s big enough to let you hold it in your hands without obscuring the 10.4-inch display, but small enough to look tight and neat and efficient.

The big difference between the Compaq and any other product in this lineup is the keyboard and the way it is implemented. Having the exact same footprint as the slate part, the keyboard snaps onto the bottom edge of the TC1000. It contains a swivel mechanism that lets you either lay the keyboard flat against the backside of the slate, or have the slate part be on top so that the combo can be used just like a notebook. The swivel is engineered so that the bottom hinge is not at the end of the keyboard where it would be in a standard notebook, but just behind the keys, about 40% away from the back edge of the keyboard. This means that the combo sits securely and is never in danger of tipping over, despite the light weight of the keyboard part. Very, very clever. The arrangement also means you can use the keyboard as a stand when you’re running presentations on the display. The one thing I had to get used to is that I instinctively tried to twist the keyboard over the display side of the slate as if it were a standard notebook, when in fact it folds down over the backside. I would have preferred that transformation actually, but it would have precluded the clever mid-mounting of the hinge, so it was a design decision I can live with. I also liked the fact that the keyboard securely fastens to the backside of the TC1000 when you use it as a slate. No rattling there.

The keyboard itself has its pros and cons. On the plus side, apart from being an ingenious solution, it feels good and provides good tactile feedback. It also has a pointing stick navigation knob that I much prefer to any touchpad. And there are the traditional left and right mouse-click tabs. On the minus side, the design does not allow for a wrist rest and, as a non-touch typist who needs to look at the keyboard, I found the thick white numeric keypad markings too prominent, making the keys look cluttered. Also, while the ever-important QWERTY part of the keyboard is 95%-scale, it could easily have been made a much more satisfying full size by reducing the width of ancillary keys–a common sin committed by Asian keyboard designers.

Innovative overall design, however, is not the only area that separates the TC1000 from the crowd. Alone among this initial lineup of Tablet PCs, HP chose a Transmeta processor and the FinePoint digitizer. The 1GHz Crusoe TM5800 “code morphing” chip goes about its business in an entirely different way than the competition from Intel and AMD. In essence, it uses a hardware/software approach to reduce the number of steps required to get the work done, thus also reducing transistors, power, and heat. Transmeta and its supporters claim that this approach results in real world performance similar to that of Intel processors, but with significantly longer battery life. In our hands-on, the TC1000 felt quick and definitely not slower than the Intel-powered competition. And Hewlett Packard does claim over five hours of typical use (with wireless off).

The second difference is the FinePoint digitizer instead of the Wacom system used by the others. FinePoint supporters claim significantly less noise and more accurate cursor control, especially along the edge of the display. On the other hand, the FinePoint pen requires its own AAAA battery which lasts over a year even when the computer is used a full shift every day. The FinePoint pen is thicker than the Wacom pens, but I definitely liked the very steady “feel” of the pen/digitizer combo. Another neat thing is a sheet of tempered glass that covers both the digitizer and the bezel. On the connectivity and onboard peripheral front, HP managed to pack an amazing amount of functionality into a slate as small and light as this one. A flap on the top (or left if used in landscape mode) covers two USB ports, LAN and modem ports, and a standard VGA connector for an external monitor. Next to that are, stacked on top of one another, a Type II PC Card slot and a Type II/III CF card slot. Beside that is the bay for the pen. The CF slot dummy insert is actually part of the edge design, so make sure you don’t misplace it when using a CF card. Along the right top there is the power switch with a built-in power/standby light, an “Email launch” button, an Escape and a Tab button, a “Q menu” button that brings up a very handy on-screen master configuration utility, and a Pocket PC-style jog dial. Hidden between the Tab and Escape keys is the Ctl/Alt/Del “security button” that can only be triggered with a paper clip or something similar. Along the bottom there is a microphone jack and both a stereo-out and a headphone jack. Absent are IR and Firewire. I should mention that HP also implemented three silk-screened touch areas that launch the Input Panel, Journal, and rotate the display.

For those who intend to use the TC1000 as a desktop replacement at least part of the time, Compaq offers a heavy docking station that adds your choice of optical drive plus an additional three USB ports, and its own LAN, VGA and audio ports. The dock can accommodate the TC1000 both with and without its keyboard attached to it. If the dock is too much and all you need is an optional external MultiBay that can accommodate a variety of drives.

Overall, it’s hard not to be impressed with this machine. For once, a big company went all out with a new design and different technologies instead of simply playing it safe. Despite the Acer and the Toshiba’s versatile convertible hinge designs, the TC1000 is easily the most innovative design of the bunch and it offers unmatched flexibility. In addition, it looks great and it works well, and it comes from one of the biggest computer companies in the world. The various hinges and connections don’t always twist and turn the way I would have expected (and wanted), but the TC1000 is a very compelling design. Hewlett Packard deserves a big pat on its corporate back. –

HP/Compaq: www.hp.com Hewlett Packard: www.hp.com -

– Conrad H. Blickenstorfer

Type	Slate with detachable keyboard that rotates and folds flat onto back
Processor	1.0GHz Transmeta Crusoe TM5800
OS	Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
Memory	256MB PC133 expandable to 768MB via one expansion slot
Display	10.4″ SVGA TFT
Digitizer/Pens	FinePoint/1
Keyboard	95%-scale, 83-keys
Storage	Shock mounted 30/40/60 GB hard disk * CD-ROM drive in optional dock
Size	10.8″ x 8.5″ x 0.8″
Power	Lithium-Ion, 40WHr (“over 5 hours”)
Communication	10/100base-T, 56K V.92 Modem, internal 802.11b wireless LAN radio (opt.)
Interface	2 USB 2.0, audio/mic, RJ-11, RJ-45, VGA, 1 PC Card Type II, 1 CF Card Type II/III
Options	Multi-Bay, PC Dock, Carry Cases
Price	From US$1,699
Contact	Hewlett Packard www.hp.com

Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte Is Peppered With Diamonds

If the gorgeous creation by Thomas Heyerdahl on the 8800 left you breathless, then this Diamond Encrusted Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte will leave you speechless. Swiss luxury designer and jeweler Knalihs Athem has done his take on the 8800 model and come out with spectacular results. This limited edition phone comes with more that 1000 finest quality brilliant cut diamonds that weigh 6.75 carats in total. Only 20 people with rich tastes will be the proud owner of this phone. To support the authentication of the diamonds, suitable official diamond grading report from a gemological lab accompanies the set. Incase you are gifting this to your beloved, then you can personalize it with name, initials, lucky number, logo or love declarations etc.

Microsoft does a class act with the Wireless Arc Mouse

The Wireless Arc Mouse from Microsoft aims to make style and looks its USP. This wireless, collapsible device adds “fashion edge” to style and portability. This $59.95 optical mouse comes in both red and black and will be out by the holiday season. It’s interesting to note that Maximum PC has been asked to take down this story, as the information is currently under embarg

Neo 808i small and cute

The 808i is the first mobile phone from Neo and it is surely going to be the smallest mobile around. Despite its tiny form factor it does not compromise on features this little baby holds a 1.3 Megapixel camera, 128 MB of internal memory, Micro SD card slot for memory expansion which can swallow a 2GB card, Bluetooth connectivity, MP3 and video playback.

The Neo 808i measures 65mm x 40mm x 13mm and weighs 90 grams. It will be available in Asian and Middle Eastern markets by March 2007. The company will be launching a new 3G phone soon with Wi-Fi capabilities.