Gates Launches Vista in Europe

Bill Gates was on hand at the British Library's special Windows Vista launch event earlier today to tell all the pretty British peoples about his pretty new operating system. He spoke about the history of the Windows operating system, from its beginning 24 years ago as a DOS extending operating environment that borrowed heavily from Apple, to today's standalone multimedia powerhouse that borrows heavily from Apple.

"Now, in Windows Vista, we have the foundation to take things to a whole new level... It's about the digital workstyle and the digital lifestyle, and the number of things that will be revolutionised on top of the Windows Vista platform is quite large."


Digital lifestyle? Sounds like Apple to me.

Oh my god. Mark Wilson spent Saturday night in New York trying to convince me to buy a Mac laptop...I think he infected me! The bastard! There's only one thing for me to do. I've got Vista waiting on my computer desk at home, ready to revolutionize the way I play games. Slowly

Windows Vista handles japanese hentai games really well

Porn is a killer app. And right after Windows Vista launched in Japan, gamers clamored to show just the important things the new Microsoft OS could do. Look at how it handles multiple erotic games, porn game (hentai = adult japan anim, sexy girl animation) opened on the desktop. More of this all-you-can-eat smut smorgasbord after the jump! And all safe for work

The newest Windows operating System, Vista, hit stores worldwide yesterday. While I have to wait till April to get the purty new OS (that way I can get the Ultimate version for a mere $75), the Japanese are already trying out what they can accomplish with it. Turns out they've figured out you can run 9 different hentai games simultaneously!

Color Management Basics

What is color management? Why would you want it? And how do you get it?
Color Management. Two words that have been used, misused, abused, and kicked around since the inception of digital imaging. But what does it really mean? What is this mysterious concept, and how does it help us?

In its simplest form, color management is the science behind consistent color. What does that mean? From the first day I sat in front of a computer and learned how to manipulate an image with Adobe’s Photoshop software, the biggest issue I had to deal with was how to get my image to print the way it looks on the screen. Learning how to achieve that became a mission that I’ve pursued to this day. And I’m happy to report that I’ve had tremendous success with it.

But it wasn’t easy at first. Back in the early days of digital, the only way to get a printed image to match what you saw on the monitor was to open a file, print it, and then mess with the monitor controls until the image on the screen matched the print. That’s fine if you only print on one device. But when you have to print to several different printers, or worse, send your image to different labs or service bureaus, you can see how changing your monitor to match each printer can be a daunting task. And yet, to this day there are some labs that tell photographers to mess with their monitors to match their match print, and they call that color management. My response to them is, “Call me when you practice real color management and I’ll be happy to work with you.”

Understanding and Applying Color Management

Fortunately, technology has evolved and color management has become much more reliable and easier to work with and understand. This is thanks, in part, to the International Color Consortium, or ICC. It standardized the way we understand and address color. In doing so, it developed the concept of profiling, which is a way of telling a computer how a device “sees” or reproduces color. The science behind this is complicated. Fortunately, we don’t need to understand the science. We just have to know how to apply it.

Let me give you a simple example. If I have my monitor display 100% red, and I have my printer print its version of 100% red, and I put them next to each other, I can guarantee you they will not match. Why? Because pure red phosphors on a monitor cannot possibly look the same as red ink printed on paper, which we see by means of reflected light. But thanks to color management, a profile can exist on the computer that describes the characteristics of our monitor, while another profile describes the characteristics of our printer. Color management software uses those two profiles to “translate” the red on our monitor to the printer, so we will see a closer match than we had before.

Notice I did not say we would have an exact match. Most devices have characteristics that just don’t reproduce colors the same way—just like a monitor, whose colors are produced by luminescent phosphors, will display some colors that an inkjet printer just cannot physically reproduce with the inks that it uses to print. The important thing to remember is, since devices don’t all reproduce color the same, color management does not and cannot guarantee an exact match between devices. What it does guarantee is consistent, predictable color every time from every device that is color-managed.

What does that mean? It means, for example, if a print is a tiny bit bluer than it appears on our monitor, it may be close enough to be acceptable, but more importantly, we can predict that every print that comes out of that printer will be that same touch bluer than our monitor. What that means to us is, we’ll know exactly what we can expect from our printer every time we print. If that difference wasn’t acceptable, we can make a slight correction before we print the image so it looks the way we want it to.

From a purely economic standpoint, color management helps us save money by not wasting paper and ink (or dyes or chemicals) on test prints and reprints. It also allows us quicker turnaround time on producing our finished prints. From a service bureau’s standpoint, less waste and money saved translates into higher profits. And, as a side benefit, by turning around a job faster, they gain a better reputation with their clients.

Microsoft Takes on JPEG with HD Photo

Microsoft has formally announced HD PHoto, a new image format promising higher quality and better compression - but will the industry embrace a proprietary format?
Although it hasn't exactly been a secret, Microsoft has formally announced HD Photo, a new file format aimed at digital photographers and high-end image manipulation which claims to offer higher image quality and better compression than existing image formats, while adding features for advanced image editing programs.
According to Microsoft, HD Photo offers up to twice the compression of the existing JPEG image format while producing fewer artifacts: in Microsoft's words, producing "higher-quality images in one-half the size." The new format offers the ability to decide only a portion of an image or region (rather than having to decompress an entire image to utilize or manipulate a section of it), and Microsoft claims its compression technology better preserved image fidelity, enabling higher-quality image manipulation even in compressed images. HD Photo also supposed lossless image compression, and enables applications to change color balance and exposure data without discarding or truncating image data, so those changes can be undone or re-done later without a loss of fidelity.
"With HD Photo, we're taking a new approach to creating and editing photos that simply isn't available to photographers with today's formats," said Amir Majidimehr, corporate VP of Microsoft's Consumer Media Technology Group . "HD Photo fully preserves the original image fidelity with high dynamic range while still allowing for significant improvement in compression size."
Windows Vista offers native support for HD Photo by a Windows Imaging Component (WIC) codec, and support can be rolled back to Windows XP and Windows 2003 Service via a WIC download. HD Photo support is also rolled into Microsoft's .NET Framework 3.0. What's new today is that Microsoft is offering a beta HD Photo plug-in for use with Windows versions of Adobe Photoshop CS2 and CS3; Microsoft expects to release final versions of the plug-in for Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Mac OS X within 60 days.
It's not entirely clear whether the digital imaging industry will embrace a proprietary format, although certainly offering free near-native support in Photoshop will garner some attention amongst professionals. If the format indeed offers capabilities which can't be mirrored in more-open formats and applications, Microsoft might see HD Photo embraced in image editing applications and workflows; of course, Microsoft is also urging device manufactures to add HD Photo support to cameras, printers, and other platforms.

REPAIR CELL PHONE

UNLOCK CODE FOR GSM

NOKIA
*#06# Display imei
*#0000# Shows software version
*#746025625# Shows if your phone supports sim lock stopping
*#92702689# Displays various info, repair date, purchase date, etc
*3370# Activates enhanced full rate
#3370# Deactivates enhanced full rate
*4370# Actives enhanced half rate
#4370# Deactivates enhanced half rate
*#2820# Bluetooth information
*#7220# Enables GPRS pccch
*#67705646# Clears operator logo on some versions of 3310 and 3330
*#7370# Software reset (beware your data will be lost)

SONY ERICSSON
*#06# Display imei
<**<>*<<*<* Service menu

BOSCH
*#06# Display imei
*#0000# Language automatically (reset to englih)
*#3370# Enchane Full Rate
#3370# Reset the phone
*#9000# Enter Sim Lock
*#9001# Enter the corporate code (bosch 908)
*#9002# Enter the provider Code (bosch 908)
*#9003# Enter network code
*#9004 Enter the subset code
*#9100# Remove the sim lock permanenly
*#9101# Remove the corporate lock permanenly
*#9102#Remove the provider lock permanently
*#9103# Remove the network lock permanently
*#9104# Remove the subject lock permanently
*#3262255*8378 Hidden 10th menu

LG
*#06# IMEI (ALL)
*#07# IMEI and SW (LG 510)
*8375# Software version (LG B1200)
*6861# Recount checksum (LG B1200)
#PWR 668 Factory Test
1945#*5101# Simlock menu (LG B1200)
2945#*5101# Simlock menu (LG 510W, 5200)
2945#*70001# Simlock menu (LG 7020, 7010)
2947#* Simlock menu (LG 500, 600)

MOTOROLA T205/ T19x
*#06# Display imei
*#300# OK List the software and hardware version
*#301# OK Full keypads functional test
*#303# OK Set default language to english
*#304# OK Set OFF engineering mode
*#304*19980722# Set ON engineering mode
*#307# OK Engineering test mode
*#311# OK Phone code changed to default code
*#402# OK Adjust display intensity/ contrast
*#403# OK List the manufacturing informations
19980722 OK Master unlock code for phone and simlock
*#302# OK Accoustict test
*#3370# Enhanced full rate
*#0000# OK Settings saved, restore set phone to default language

PANASONIC
*#06# Display imei
*#9999# (press within first 10 sec after poer on) Displays software version

PHILIPS
*#06# Display imei
*#2254*# Status register: C, BS, RR, MMI, Creat
*#2255*# Activate and deactivate the debug call
*#2558*# The time in days, hours and monutes you are connected to the net
*#3377*# Init, flags, sim lock
*#7378*# Name, length, sim phase
*#7489*# Security code
*#7693*# You can activate and deactivate the sleep mode

SAMSUNG
*#06# Displays imei
*2767*5282# Java reset and (deletes all java midlets)
*2767*63342# Reset media (deletes all sounds and pics)
*2767*927# Wap reset
*#9998*4357# Help menu
*#9998*5282# Java menu
*#9999#0# Monitor mode
*#9999# Software version
*#8888# Hardware version
*#9998*746# Sim info
*#9998*523# Display contrast
*#9998*842# Vibration on (until you push ok)
*#999*289# Buzzer on (until you push ok)
*#9998*288# Battery and field info
*#9998*377# Error log
*#9998*778# Sim service table
*#9998*782# Show date and alaram clock
*#8999*638# Show network information
*#9998*5646# Change operator logo at startup
*#9998*76# Production number
*#9998*968# View melody for alarm
*#9998*585# Non volatile memory
*#3243948# Digital audio interference off
*#32436837# Digital audio interference
*#9999# Show software version
*#0837# Show software version (instruction)
*#0001# Show serial parameters
*#9125# Activates the smiley when charging
*#9998*228# Battery status (capacity, voltage, temperature)
*#9998*246# Program status
*#9998*324# Debug screens
*#9998*364# Watchdog
*#9998*427# Trace watchdog
*#9998*544# Jig detect
*#9998*636# Memory status
*#9998*837# Software version
*#9998*862 Vocoder reg-normal, earphone or carkit can be selected
*#998*872# Diag
*#9998*947# Reset on fatal error
*#9998*999# Last/ check
*#9998*9999# Software version
*2767*2878# Custom EEPROM reset

ALCATEL
*#06# Display imei dan Software Version
000000 Entering in engineering Menu 1 9with sim)
###847# Reset to Factory Defaukts (with sim)
###765*02# Add Barring Groups
###765*05# Locking to Network
###765*07# Unlocking from Network
###765*78# Deactive Barring Group

SIEMENS
*#06# Display imei
*#06# then press left long button Display software info
SP unlock *#0003* (secret code 8 digits)#
*#0000# then the green button Reset language to automatic selection.

Samsung Concludes Contract with International Olympic Committee to Sponsor Olympic Games Through 2016

Beijing, China, April 23, 2007 - Samsung, an official TOP Partner of the Olympic Games in wireless telecommunications equipment, concluded a sponsorship contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on April 23, 2007 at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China. Samsung first became a full sponsor of the Olympic Games during the Nagano Olympic Winter Games in 1998. According to the new contract, Samsung will officially sponsor the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement for the next eight years, through the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games in 2010, the London Olympic Games in 2012, the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, and the 2016 Olympic Games.

The Samsung-IOC Olympic Games sponsorship contract signing ceremony was attended by Samsung Chairman, Kun-Hee Lee, who arrived in Beijing after a three-week business trip to Europe, and more than 200 officials in sports from around the world, including International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) John Furlong, and London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) Chairman Sebastian Coe.

According to guidelines set forth by Samsung Chairman, Kun-Hee Lee in 1996, “Devise strategies that can raise brand value, which is a leading intangible asset and the source of corporate competitiveness, to the global level." Samsung decided to sponsor the Olympic Movement to strengthen its global corporate image and brand value and has been carrying out a global marketing campaign with the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement as the single theme.

Accordingly, Samsung concluded a TOP (The Olympic Partner) sponsorship contract with the IOC in 1997. Since then, the company has been an official sponsor in the wireless telecommunications equipment category, including the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, and the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. By sponsoring the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement for the last ten years, Samsung has made great strides towards becoming a “cutting-edge global brand” that leads the mobile phone industry. The Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 are expected to be the climax of the company’s efforts for the last ten years.

The partnership between Samsung and the Olympic Movement is mutually beneficial. Samsung is demonstrating its cutting-edge wireless technology at the Olympic Games, and is fully living up to its corporate philosophy, “contribute to society,” through the Olympic Movement. Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), first released by Samsung for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, is a service that enables the real-time transmission of Olympic Games information to mobile phones.

Samsung seeks to boost the value of the Olympic Games and prepare for the Olympic Ceremonies as a worldwide partner in the wireless telecommunications equipment category, making a shift from a voice-based, “mobile phone-centered” sponsorship to delivering all forms of information via the mobile phone.

By sponsoring the Olympic Games for the next eight years, including the TOP VII (Vancouver 2010, London 2012) and TOP VIII (host countries not yet determined), in addition to the TOP IV (Nagano 1998, Sydney 2000), TOP V (Salt Lake City 2002, Athens 2004) and TOP VI (Torino 2006, Beijing 2008), Samsung will create a strong association between the Olympic Movement and Samsung, and will further enhance the status of the Samsung brand. By concluding a long-term Olympic sponsorship contract, Samsung is proving that investing in the Olympic Games is key to growth of a “brand” and “mobile phones”, and is showing the world that investing in the Olympic Games means unlimited growth potential.

Vice Chairman and CEO, Jong-Yong Yun of Samsung Electronics and International Olympic Committee Marketing Commission Chairman, Gerhard Heiberg held a signing ceremony on Samsung’s eight-year sponsorship at a specially produced signing table at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on the evening of April 23. Samsung Chairman, Kun-Hee Lee demonstrated great interest by personally welcoming officials in the sports field from across the globe, including the IOC President, Jacques Rogge.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2006 parent company sales of US$63.4 billion and net income of US$8.5 billion. Employing approximately 138,000 people in over 124 offices in 56 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business, Telecommunication Network Business and Digital Appliance Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs.

Sony Cybershot S800

Sony Cybershot DSC-S800 : Teaming great looks and superb imaging performance with a powerful 6x zoom lens, the Sony Cybershot DSC-S800 opens up the exciting world of digital photography to everyone. Weighing just 185g (without battery and media), the beautifully compact Sony Cybershot S800 stands out from the crowd thanks to its sleek lines and luxurious allmetal body. It’s also incredibly easy to use, even if you’ve never picked up a digital camera before. Pulling you closer to the action, the 6x optical zoom lens offers the highest magnification ever from a compact Cyber-shot model - boosted further still to 12x with digital zoom. In macro mode it’s possible to focus right down to 2cm for fantastic close-up views of any subject.

Latest Digital Camera:
Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro
Olympus E330 Scuba diving
Apple Aperture 1.5
Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ3
Panasonic Lumix FZ8
Olympus E400
Nikon D80
SUN Digital photo frame
Canon EOS 400D
Nikon D80
Nikon D40
Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ50
Canon Powershot S3 IS
Nikon D200
Sony Alpha 100
Canon PowerShot A640

Internet Bubble? Investment Expert Says ‘Worldwide’ Bubble Coming

This was a historic week for the stock market as the Dow hit 13,000. But some are wary of drinking the euphoria kool-aid currently gripping Wall Street.

Picked up some recent commentary from well-known investor Jeremy Grantham who said:
“The bursting of [this] bubble will be across all countries and all assets, with the probable exception of high-grade bonds," Grantham warned. "Since no similar global event has occurred before, the stresses to the system are likely to be unexpected. All of this is likely to depress confidence and lower economic activity.”

Nintendo: Don't Worry, We'ill Make More

Nintendo has acknowledged it's still hard for some customers to get their hands on their popular Wii gaming console - so the company is going to make more.

Just after announcing robust financial results for their fiscal year—buoyed largely by sales of its Nintendo DS and Wii gaming systems—Nintendo has acknowledged that shortage of its popular Wii console continue to frustrate some customers, and promised to ramp up production to increase deliveries to retailers.

"We must do our best to fix this abnormal lack of stock," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told reporters in Tokyo. "We have not been able to properly foresee demand." Iwata declined to say how many Wii consoles Nintendo plans to produce in a month, but Nintendo plans to move 14 million Wii machines during its fiscal year ending in March 2008, which would necessitate production of over a million systems a month, on average.

Nintendo has sold 5.84 million Wii's since the system's introduction in November 2006. During roughly the same period, Sony has managed to sell 1.84 million PlayStation 3 consoles. Sales for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console have topped 10 million, but the machine has been on the market a year longer than either the Wii or the PlayStation 3.

Iwata also noted the company is making 2.5 million Nintendo DS systems a month, which is the highest disclosed production figure for any Nintendo gaming system.