Tri Valley Tech News

According to Los Angeles Police Department reports and Los Angeles personal injury lawyers, a three-year-old Los Angeles boy was killed when he accidentally wedged himself between a closing power window and the doorframe to the car he was in.

Arturo Campos, age 3 was the car waiting for his father on September 12, 2008. His father had left the car running while he got out to make use a pay phone to make a phone call.

LAPD officers state that the father was watching his son while he made the phone call. The boy reportedly pressed the power window button when his father momentarily turned his back while engaged in the phone conversation. Arturo was wedged between the window and doorframe and succumbed to a crushed neck. It was a tragic accident that should have never happened.

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety reports that the majority of power window accidents happen when the window is accidentally closed on a finger, hand, wrist arm or head. Almost all power window injuries or deaths happen when a child is left alone in the car with the key turned on. Statistics show that 68% of all power window accidents involve broken bones or crushed body parts.

Other injuries from power window accidents include such things as cuts, scrapes and bruises. Children who have died due to head and neck injuries from being trapped by a power window have usually been trapped for at least five minutes or more so that resuscitation attempts are futile.

A new warning is out that cell phones may cause potential injury to men, according to Los Angeles products liability attorneys, a recent study shows that men, who carry their cell phones in their pockets and use a hands-free device, may suffer the injury of an alarming decreased sperm count as a result.

Researchers recently found that exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic waves from the handset that was left on the talk mode and the carried in the front pocket can potentially damage the quality of sperm count in men. Testing was done on 32 male volunteers who allowed sperm samples to be taken. The specimen was placed at a distance of a minimum of 2.5cms of an 850 MHz cell phone for one hour that was left on the talk or voice mode. A significant decrease and quality of the cell phone were documented. The damage is done only if the cell phone is left on voice mode and in the front facing pocket or clipped onto the belt facing the groin.

Ashok Agarwal of the Cleveland Clinic conducted the study. Cell phone exposure has been suspected in brain cancers in the past so the hands free device was developed for safety reasons. People thought they were much safer using the hands free device. Men however, have the tendency to put the cell phone in their pocket or wear them clipped to their belts. Ongoing radiation exposure from any source has long been thought to cause health problems. It is probably safer for men to carry their cell phones in the back pockets to avoid over exposure to radiation.

A recent discovery by researches at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine is showing promise of repairing spinal cord injuries in humans. Manipulating embryo stem cell precursors before they are implanted is a new development in stem cell technologies that will heal spinal cord injuries and relieve pain.

Two kinds of spinal cord support cells have been developed from embryo stem cell-like cells that are precursor cells called GRP’s. These precursors have a positive effect on injured spinal cords.

Researches say that his is the very first time that 2 sub-types have been generated from a common stem cell. Early Astrocytes precursor cells from embryonic stem cells help support spinal cord regeneration and does not scar or leave the injury site in a painful state.

Rats that were treated with these cells regenerated new nerve fiber regeneration with in only 8 days. Normal limb mobility was normal after about 2 weeks after the treatment.

Besides the GRP’s the researchers developed cells called GDAsBMP and they promote regeneration and relieving the pain of spinal cord injuries. GDAsCNTF another type of precursor cells that they developed did not speed healing or relieve pain.

The good news is that spinal cord injuries are coming closer to receiving a breakthrough to healing. Scientific research on stem cells is bringing hope to those who have suffered a spinal cord injury and have been told they will have to live with it for the rest of their life.

California state representatives have been getting increased calls concerning pedestrians who have been involved in more and more hybrid car vs. pedestrian accidents. A bill was sent to Governor Arnold Swarzenegger for review that would that would require the California Energy Commission to set up a committee to study this issue. Los Angeles Pedestrian accident attorneys have been wondering when the State would see what the injury lawyers had been seeing all along.Hybrid cars are gaining in popularity and there will be many more added to the streets as years go by. One attractive feature of the hybrid cars is the fact that they are so quite. They are so quiet though that people simply do not hear them approaching and if you are deaf or blind, that makes matters worse. Even a hearing and seeing pedestrian can enter a crosswalk or roadway with out seeing an on coming silent vehicle.

Lobbyists for the California Council for the blind are trying to get legislators to do a study on this problem. Other groups are trying to push them to mandate technology to be included on these vehicles that would put an artificial sound on them.

Engineers at Toyota are working on trying to come up with a solution to meet the needs of persons who cannot see. In fact, loud speakers were put under the hood of a hybrid Toyota Prius near the radiator. It has a high pitch frequency effect to identify the distance and speed as it approaches objects. This is being done on a trial basis by Toyota and is not perfected yet. Another group of researchers from Stanford is doing work on developing an after market audio add on that would cause the hybrid vehicle to make a noise when in operation.

A new technology from Europe done by Lotus, has also been developed and can simulate the noise of a real engine. This would be beneficial to those who are deaf or blind and to cyclists also who do not see vehicles as they approach from behind. An executive from Lotus Group is hoping that a minimum noise requirement is legislated for vehicles to insure pedestrian safety. Opponents to this legislation state that it is the drivers responsibility to give the right away to pedestrians and to be fully aware of what is going on around them at all times.

All these studies, researches and inventions are being done in response to the growing concerns that quiet hybrid car accidents have been causing an increased number of accidents resulting in serious injuries. Just as in the need for seat belt laws, there appears to be a need for a minimum vehicle noise law for the protection of all.

There has been a lot of innovations and headlines coming out of the Apple Corporation and music technology as a whole. Some newer technology which permits both iPhones and iPods alike to recieve streaming music is just starting to gain seem it would appear. Sports talk shows may likewise be received and all at absolutely no cost whatsoever for the listener. These world wide web-based feeds are fast gaining in popularity.
For instance, Pandora and Last fm, along with AOL Radio could shortly commence the streaming of songs onto iphones which is adapted to the listener’s specific tastes.
Slacker is yet another internet radio provider which streams music onto the venerable BlackBerry device. Research in Motion also uses this unique technology to allow various outside applications onto the smart phone to bring about more attention to the smart phone marketplace.
As mentioned in previous news stories on this weblog in recent weeks, the new Google Android technology will also be offering new ways of accessing the music, based on consumer preferences.
This is all good news to those who are tired of downloading and spending for their listening music. There areseveral drawbacks to be considered, however. The problems to be solved are how to pay the artists and those who produce and license the songs. It is not sure if advertisements can be added to provide the revenue or not. They are not sure yet if listener will be turned off by that and then just not use this technology as a way to listen to music. I think some of these issues will basically sort themselves out eventually.

Some technology analysts have not given the Google Chrome browser the very best of reviews thus far. In fact some of the individuals who have downloaded the browser so far were feeling somewhat let down when they eventually discovered that it does not have certain key features which they have grown used to in a browser, such as a search bar. In addition to this, it is not certain if there are any parental controls as of yet.
All in all, the Google Corporation has put out a new EULA agreement which will give the right to use and reproduce anything which the user posts, submits or displays thru their service, anywhere in the world they want, without paying you any royalties for the use of it. Wow I wish I could obtain free content like that! What a racket. Well, perhaps racket is a bit harsh, but those are some rather extreme conditions I think.
furthermore, if you happen to love your bookmarks, Google Chrome simply cannot import them for you either; from your old Google browser at least, so you will simply have to put each one in your browser all by yourself. It covers importing the bookmarks from Internet Explorer and Mozzila Firefox with no issues to speak of, however.
Aside from these relatively minor issues with the browser in question, there are indeed at least a few positives that the Shiny New Google Chrome has to offer. One of these particular positives is that it can do downloads very quickly and with virtually no issues. In addition, it enables the elimination of cookies, so you can surf the internet without others knowing where in the information superhighway you have been. This however might have the tendency to be a minus in certain specific cases; if you are for example a parent are keeping track of the plusses and minuses of the new Google Chrome web browser in general.

Cable TV’s leading operating system, Cablevision Systems, is going to be offering a new system in 2009. The new system will allow programs to be recorded with out using a DVR. Instead, it will only take programming a program to be recorded by a digital set-top box and the shows will then be stored at the server for you instead of the DVR in your home. This is going to save about $700 million dollars for the company and other cable companies will be offering this technology in a few years.
This new network DVR technology is not without it’s own legal problems though. There is still a question of copyright-infringement that has to be worked out with movie and TV companies. Time Warner is thinking of a federal appeal after recently losing its two-year battle with Cablevision over its new network DVR system.
Cablevision did win its first battle so they do have plans to put it into operations in early 2009. The new system operates just like a home DVR and those using it will need to start recording the shows they want to watch later. Each user will be given an initial 160 gigabytes of storage where they will be able to store their programs at the server for later viewing. Cablevision’s fee for this is about the same as it is for the home DVR.
Cablevisions new technology will allow the cable user to be able to open up a display on their television where they will be able to pick the program they want to record, simply by using their remote. They will be able to store the programs they have recorded at the server for an unlimited length of time. Cablevision will record over the oldest stored programs once the storage limit has been reached. The old DVR boxes that are already being used will simply stay put till they are phased out.

T-Mobile and Google have come up with an awesome new smartphone which basically operates by using a new technology known as the Android mobile operating system. This brand new smartphone is expected to be for sale to the public at large perhaps in the the middle of October or so.
This particular smartphone will be running on 3G networks which will basically have much faster data speeds. All in all, it will allow the user in question to access the ‘real internet’. By the end of the year, they are hopin to reach T-Mobile and Googles’ twenty-seven-market goal. These devices will be able to make the most of the HSDPA network. They think that it may produce a download speed of 1 megabit per second or thereabouts. Thisnis a pretty impressive gadget if you ask me.
The audience that T-Mobile and Google are trying to reach is the youths who use their smartphones to listen to music and watch videos.
Right now, T-Mobile’s 3G network uses multiple UMTS capable phones and HSDPA phones like Sony, and Ericcson. This is going to help expand T-Mobiles bid to increase the 3G mobile wireless network. AT&T has already been offering 3G - coverage so T-Mobile and Google’s Android Operating system is going to be providing for some heated competition. Google’s Android Operating system has recently been developed and is in its early beginnings. Telecom will be monitoring this new system to make sure it meets their expectations and that their customers will be happy with it. We have written about this system in some detail in the past as we consider it to be a major story in and of itself.
The new Google smartphone is going to be comparable to the Apple iPhone and will have features like iPhone and th BlackBerry. The new smartphone will have a touch screen like the Apple iPhone and a slide out keyboard. Also included will be a trackball, GPS that is already built in and the smartphone will be supporting the new Google Chrome web browser. Customers have been anxiously awaiting the new Android Operating system and the new Google smartphone.

There are some big items being introduced according to a press event held by the Apple Corporation and their CEO Steve Jobs in San Francisco. This new line is being called “Lets Rock,” and they have also reduced the cost of the iPod Touch. During this Bay area event he also made public the new Nano video player, which is both thinner than the other Nano models as well as having a feature for the screen to change from vertical to horizontal depending on the why it is being held. The Nano will shuffle the play list by being shaken and there is also a brand new service for the Nano named Genius to recommend music and movies based on the users interests. The new Nano is 8 gigabyte and is being priced at the same price as the original model was and they now have storage capacity up to 16 gigabytes.
These new models will be coming out with a different type of headphone than the earbuds, these will sport in-ear headphones and the battery life has also improved with 24 hours of music and 6 hours of video.
Other things that have changed are the iPod classic that has 120 gigabytes of space that can hold as much as 30,000 songs. The iTouch that resembles the iPhone and the volume control has been made easier to adjust; there are an 8, 16 and 32 gigabyte choice with the iTouch. Speaking of the iPhone, there are also some major announcements concerning that superstar as well. For example, some of the cutting edge apps which were displayed with the iPhone at a technology event recently include WebDiet, which will help users with calories. Meanwhile some others which will be involved in software apps are Echo Nest, Rudder, SkyData and Telnic. Mapflow is a not only a mapping software yet is additionally an aid for drivers in finding individuals who are looking for rides. It has a focus on safety as well because the individuals photograph will be shown and there is a cost for the riders per mile. I think all of these developments are pretty fascinating and I am anxious to see what Apple has in store for us next.

Google has begun releasing some updates for known problems; this included a new version from0.2.149.27 to the new version 0.2.149.29, and just what the changes were in this new version Google has not said other than it was for security issues. They have stated the reason for this is because not all of their users have received the updated version yet and they will comment on it further.
Google Chrome automatically updates approximately every five hours, this is if there is an update available and is integrated in the browser on the next startup.
One of the reasons the updates are automatic and there is no description with the update is to keep the user from rejecting any of the updates that include security patches. There is also no notification with these updates that include security fixes to keep the browser users safe. Google will also not make announcements of these updates or the vulnerability to keep users safe from unwanted attacks.
While other popular browsers notify the user and offer them the update to accept, users can then accept or reject the updates. Those who reject these updates can be vulnerable to attacks on the Internet.