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Virtual lab Budding scientists wary of performing experiments in school or college laboratories lest they break a pipette or a burette need not despair anymore. A Mumbai-based physicist has evolved a virtual lab that does away with the usual paraphernalia and puts the user in total control of the environment. D.C. Kothari of the Physics Department at Bombay University said he had developed the concept essentially for science students in remote areas. "The virtual lab is a software programme that can be run on a PC. It does away with expensive chemicals and equipment and the need for a supervisor," Kothari told IANS. "With virtual lab, one can perform 10 experiments on 10 separate workbenches. HP in China US computer and IT giant Hewlett-Packard expects to invest $200 million by 2007 to expand its information technology services business in China, according to a senior executive. Siaou-Sze Lien, senior vice-president for HP Services Asia Pacific, told Reuters, HP Services sees revenue doubling in China over the next three years on the strength of telecom and financial services. HP has invested over $500 million in China since 1985. Challenge to Microsoft South Korea has said it has agreed with Japan and China to expand cooperation in key information technology sectors and help boost development and use of open-source software. The agreement came as the three countries moved to jointly develop an alternative computer operating system to Microsoft Windows. The South Korean official, who declined to be named, said the agreement did not specifically refer to the move, but emphasised the need for the three countries to cooperate in the IT sectors. "The agreement is basically confirming the countries share an opinion that more use of an alternative operating system software would be helpful," the official told Reuters. A Tokyo-based Microsoft executive said over telephone that the move would raise concerns over fair competition. Self-destructing DVDs Walt Disney has developed
an experimental type of DVD that self-destructs 48 hours later. The red
DVDs turn an unreadable black 48 hours after their packages are opened,
exposing them to oxygen which reacts with the disc in a process similar
to how Polaroid film develops, reports Reuters. The DVDs, which are
being distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Disney’s home
video unit, will carry a suggested price of $6.99. The advantage to
format — known as EZ-D — is that such discs can be sold anywhere and
never need to be returned. |
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