Setting Minimum Sound Levels for Hybrids..

Fisker Karma's recently announced hybrid sports car that generates motor noise through some external speakers might have received a good bit of derision when it first made itself known, but it now looks like it may actually be a bit ahead of the game, at least if a bill expected to be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives ever actually becomes law. As AutoWeek reports, the bill was apparently prompted by concerns that hybrid and electric vehicles are a little too quiet, and pose a risk to pedestrians, especially the blind. To address that supposed danger, the bill reportedly demands that the U.S. Secretary of Transportation initiate a study to determine if a minimum sound level is in fact needed and, if so, require that automakers comply with it (possibly as early as 2010).

 

http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/267860859/

EMT Paintball Sentry Turret renders your personal militia useless

Automated paintball machines have been spotted holding down a-many of forts, but it's still been relatively hard to find one pre-built and ready for purchase. Enter Evolution Model Technology, whose Paintball Sentry Turret is mighty enough to mow down even the deepest of crosstown rival cliques trying to get up in your area. Arriving in wired and wireless versions, the unit is available with water- or winter-proof armor, can be controlled remotely and features a head that rotates 350-degrees and tilts 90-degrees. Best of all, the cold blooded plastering machine can be customized to the hilt for those living in seriously dodgy locales, but considering the $1,399.50 (and way, way up) price tag, you better have one incredible stash of valuables to protect before pulling the proverbial trigger.

iPhone virus threats as market share increases.

I personally don't think this is a big deal. Virus threats are pretty common with the devices we use day to day. The iPhone is just another computer and should be treated as such.

• Don't open untrusted email attachments.
• Turn your Bluetooth and WiFi off if you don't need it.
• Set the phone to ask before joining WiFi Networks
  
• Don't click on untrusted URL's
• Tip - Hover on a link before you let go - the URL will pop up for you to review.

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/hughes/25934/can-my-iphone-get-a-virus-you-bet/

Jajah to allow VoIP Calls on iPhone soon.

by Jan Harris
April 3, 2008

Jajah, which already provides iPhone users with a call-back service, is extending its iPhone support with the development of the first native global VoIP application.

The application could be available this summer, when the iPhone 2.0 software is due for release.

Jajah’s web-activated telephony solution is already available to iPhone users via the integrated Safari web browser at http://iphone.jajah.com .

Jajah is now participating in the iPhone Developer Program to create the new Jajah Mobile VoIP client for the iPhone.

It will allow iPhone users to make free or low-cost global calls to any phone in the world either through the known callback service, or through the sole use of a Wi-Fi network.

The callback service is suitable for low bandwidth locations, while Wi-Fi support allows international and long-distance callers to place Wi-Fi hotspots at locations such as airports and hotels.

 

Trademark taken too far?

Deutsche Telekom has sent a cease and desist letter to engadget for the use of magenta in a logo. Give me a break. If you want to split hairs, it’s not even the same shade of magenta! I wonder if the colour I painted my house is in breech of some Trademark or Copyright somewhere.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/31/deutsche-telekom-t-mobile-demands-engadget-mobile-discontinue/

Photoshop Express

I just signed up for a Photoshop express account and I have to say it’s a great basic photo editor.  It’s not too different then iPhoto really but to have a tool like this on-line is a great feature.  Hmm.  I wonder if it will work on my iPhone.

 

I was surprised that I was actually able to sign up for an account as it does clearly state on the sign up page that it’s US only.  One I got logged in, I uploaded the first photo I could find to play around with.  The tools that are available are pretty basic and I was disappointed that there wasn’t an eraser tool available.  This seems to be a pretty basic tool that perhaps will be added later.  Another tool that would have been nice is the rubber stamp tool but again – perhaps later.

 

I guess there are some things in the EULA that are causing some chit chat.  Basically that Adobe reserves the right to use the photos that you upload there limitlessly though they do acknowledge that you still retain ownership of the photos.  Meh.  I guess it’s the same EULA that is used by all the social networking sites, so really users that are complaining should check all the other EULA’s that they agreed to.

Payback is a bitch!!

Sony BMG busted for software piracy in France

Posted Apr 1st 2008 3:22PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Ouch, that payback, it can be a bitch -- Sony BMG, distributors of rootkit-installing CDs and litigious foe of P2P users worldwide, has just been busted in France for using pirated software on its servers. And it gets even worse: Windows admin tool developer PointDev says a Sony BMG was caught when an IT staffer actually called up for support and gave a pirated license number to the phone tech. That's some pretty shady behavior for a company that's rammed anti-piracy measures down its own customers' throats -- too bad it's probably not going to feel the hit of the €300,000 ($475,000) lawsuit nearly as hard as the college students it routinely sues for $5,000.

[Via ZeroPaid]