New Google instant search

Fly through your Instant search results with keyboard nav 

Our aim with Google Instant is to make search faster and easier, and this week we’re rolling out two enhancements to take that a step further. First, we’ve introduced keyboard navigation to help you explore your Instant search results using just your keyboard, with no need for a mouse or touchpad. We’re also making Instant available within many of the search features in the left panel of the results page including Videos, News, Books, Blogs, Updates and Discussions

Google Instant is already available in domains for seven countries and today we’re excited to announce that it’s rolling out in the domains for 12 new countries, for signed-in users in Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine. We’ll keep improving your search experience and make Instant available in more places internationally in the weeks ahead.
The implications of Google Instant are fairly exciting, but still somewhat hazy at this point for marketers. Google explains, "If everyone uses Google Instant globally, we estimate this will save more than 3.5 billion seconds a day. That's 11 hours saved every second."
Does this mean these searchers will use those 3.5 billion seconds to search more? Or does it mean these searches will be shifted to other channels?
Google claims this to be a "fundamental shift" in search. Let's remove the term "fundamental" and change it to "progressive," considering the 15+ new technologies and adjustments associated with the September 8 release.
As usual, Google leads and many follow -- or at least try. That being said, should we expect the same "progressive" shift in other search supported channels?
Comparison Shopping Engines
As comparison shopping continues to change and/or find its foothold again in the marketplace, is it beneficial for these engines to make a delivery change? Google will surely add Instant Product Search as their recent release carried over these in-line results for regular search.
Consumers will continue to become more visually aware and impatient, so how do we load product, prices and descriptions in a fashion that keeps the consumer motivated? Google's trend will change speed expectations for many (70 percent of the search market).
As marketers, we also need to be thinking about these changes for the query overlap from search to comparison search. Will it condense the way consumers search on CSEs?
News & Editorial Content
Could this change the way we search for editorial content? Currently, I search for [Tea Party] and the syndicated results include an assortment of timely results; however it strangely seems outdated.
If CNN began syndicating their dynamic image, editorial, and video content (similar to Google), I would be more likely to consume and research within that particular channel. This type of editorial interaction seems organized or at least more consumable.
My hope may come true. CNN on-site search is powered by Google already. Interesting.
Binghoo
I'm not going to touch this one quite yet.
As mentioned, "...many follow or at least try." This won't be top of their priority list, considering the potential 6-12 month strain of Yahoo integration. That being said, would it be worth Bing creating instant search syndication for some of their top content channels, such as entertainment and health? On-site Search Changes
Should we expect on-site search to change over the next few years? Will these legacy merchandising/e-commerce platforms be able to support such a change?
What if I went to Sierra Trading Post's site, navigated to the Outdoors tab, began typing in [khaki hiking pants] within their keyword search box, and suddenly received a rush of pants results within 30 milliseconds. Users receive an image conscious stream of results that provide relevant visual cues.
This type of site experience would allow sales-oriented marketers the ability to enrich and increase the product experience. Will this change the way consumers elbow through on-site product?
Conclusion
Google Instant has changed the game. How will it continue to change user behavior?
As a search marketer, this is somewhat refreshing, but still somewhat unclear. This progressive change opened the door to new ideas (like YouTube Instant -- the brainchild of a Stanford University student), but how will it change the way we market in general?

Justin Bieber To Launch Doll Range

Calling all Bliebers! You can now own your very own JB...

Ever wanted Justin Bieber all to yourself? Well, now you can, as the pint-sized singer has announced he is to release a range of dolls.
Fans of the One Time hitmaker can now buy their very own Bieber, as Justin's dolls will hit shelves just in time for Christmas.
CHECK OUT MTVS BEST OF BEIBER LIVE GALLERY HERE  
However, Bieber's dolls will not be your average plastic figurine, as the 16-year old's toy line will also feature singing mini JB's, toys and teddy bears.
Justin's toy line has been created by top global merchandising company, Bravado and Bridge Direct, with some of the figurines playing 30 second clips of Bieber's tracks, Baby or One Less Lonely Girl.
The Bieber dolls are almost identical to the teen-sensation, even sporting his trademark hairstyle, dogtags, sneakers and hoodies, with some even coming complete with a mini guitar.
SEE WHAT JUSTIN BIEBER GOT UP TO AT THE VMAS HERE!
The teddy bears will also don Justin Bieber t-shirts and will range from $8 to $28 for a singing JB dolly.
Justin Bieber's dolls and bears will hit Toys R Us stores in the US from 4th December or alternatively, can be pre-ordered from the beginning of next week from JustinBieberToys.com.

Coca-Cola Investing $1 billion in Philippines

Coca-Cola Co. will invest $1 billion in the Philippines over the next five years to expand its presence in the fast-growing market. Coca-Cola, the world's largest beverage company will focus on boosting marketing and improving its delivery capabilities in the country. Coca-Cola said its operations in the Philippines have seen strong growth on the back of several new products during the first half of 2010.
It marks the second big push this year by Coca-Cola to expand its business in the Asia-Pacific region. In March the company said it would spend $300 million to boost its presence in Malaysia.
"This investment is a proof point of our strong commitment to the Philippines, our confidence in the prospects of the Filipino economy and the continued growth of a broader and more affluent middle class in the Philippines," said Glenn Jordan, president of Coca-Cola Pacific Group. The investment was announced during a visit of Philippines President Benigno Aquino Jr. to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Coca-Cola employs more than 7,800 people in 23 plants and 42 sales offices in the Philippines. It is currently building a bottling facility in Misamis Oriental that will be one of the largest plants in the region when it begins operations next year, the company said.
In the last six months Coca-Cola has launched a new energy drink and a green-tea beverage and said it plans to expand its "Minute Maid" line of pulps and juices.
Coca-Cola has been present in the Philippines since the beginning of the 20th century and has been locally produced since 1912. The Philippines received the first Coca-Cola bottling and distribution franchise outside North America, and its bottling operation is among the 10 biggest Coca-Cola bottlers globally.
In morning trading, shares of the Atlanta-based company slipped 9 cents to $58.69.

Beyonce boogies w/local crowd at N.J. block party


Pop diva Beyonce Knowles was recently spotted boogying with a local crowd in West Orange, N.J., according to the New York Daily News.
Beyonce joined the crowd in a line dance called, "The Wobble" which is similar to the "Electric Slide." Beyonce and Jay-Z have been married since April 2008. The power couple hasn't shown signs of adding a baby to the mix yet, but the former Destiny's Child star told Britain's Daily Mail that a having her own family is definitely something she wants.
"My ambition is to continue to learn about the world and to eventually have a family," she said, adding there are "no dates, no times – it will happen when I am ready."

Whitman admits using undocumented immigrant as housekeeper

California Republican gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman acknowledged Wednesday that she paid an undocumented worker to clean her residence and provide other services in her home for nine years but insisted that she had been unaware of the woman's immigration status.
Whitman, who has vowed to crack down on illegal immigration, said her family hired Nicandra Diaz Santillan through an employment agency to which Diaz Santillan had provided documentation suggesting she was an American citizen. Whitman said Diaz Santillan showed her a copy of her Social Security card and California driver's license, and campaign officials distributed those documents to the media.
Whitman said she fired Diaz Santillan in June 2009 after the woman revealed that she was living in the country illegally.
Diaz Santillan, by contrast, said at a news conference in the office of her attorney, Gloria Allred, that Whitman had been aware she was undocumented and used that knowledge to exploit her.Whitman's aides were quick to note that Allred is a longtime supporter of Democratic candidates.
The controversy poses potential threats to Whitman's campaign. A similar incident severely damaged Michael Huffington's effort to be elected U.S. senator from California in 1994. Whitman has made a point in her campaign that employers should be held responsible if they hire illegal workers.
In Tuesday night's debate against her Democratic opponent, Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, Whitman had reiterated her disapproval of employers who hire illegal immigrants, saying, "We do have to hold employers accountable for hiring only documented workers, and we do have to enforce that law."
Pitting Whitman against a Latina who says she was badly treated could undermine the candidate's extensive outreach efforts to Latino voters, a segment of the electorate critical to winning.
The issue also could hurt Whitman among conservative Republicans, some of whom have criticized her for being insufficiently tough on immigration.
Whitman tried to court conservatives in her party's spring primary by pledging to be "tough as nails" on illegal immigration but is now erecting billboards in Latino neighborhoods emphasizing her opposition to measures such as Arizona's controversial new law.
The allegations already have stirred passions among conservatives, serving as a hot topic Wednesday afternoon on the "John and Ken" radio show on KFI-AM (640), which has been hammering Whitman for being too liberal on illegal immigration.
The hosts suggested that Whitman should have known her housekeeper was undocumented. They focused on Diaz Santillan's allegation that Whitman and her husband for years received letters from the Social Security Administration seeking more employment information about their housekeeper.
The federal agency sent the letters starting April 22, 2003, because the Social Security number that Diaz Santillan provided to Whitman did not match her name — a red flag that often pops up when an illegal immigrant provides a false Social Security number, according to Allred.
Whitman denied receiving any such letters.
Allred, appearing at her Wilshire Boulevard office in her trademark red blazer, and Diaz Santillan laid out their case in English and Spanish, a nod to the crush of Spanish-language television and radio stations on hand for the news conference.
The attorney said her client was cheated out of wages and mileage reimbursement, as well as threatened with termination when she needed to take a leave to give birth. She said Diaz Santillan was "exploited, disrespected, humiliated and emotionally and financially abused."
Whitman denied the allegations, and her campaign officials produced employment records they say Diaz Santillan falsified to give the appearance that she was an American citizen.
"We had no reason to believe she was not legal," Whitman said after a San Jose campaign event. "No one could have been more stunned than I was when she came to us on that Saturday that June and said, 'I'm not here legally.' "
Allred declined to say whether Diaz Santillan remains undocumented. She said Diaz Santillan has retained an immigration attorney.

Obama’s iPod: Stones, Coltrane And Stevie Wonder

Obamas iPod Stones Coltrane And Stevie Wonder Obamas iPod: Stones,
 Coltrane And Stevie Wonder
With the Democratic party lining up for what is most likely going to be a colossal ass-kicking in November, Jann Wenner’s left-leaning Rolling Stone decided the time was right to drag out a cover story on President Obama.
The interview covers the usual political/social issues, but, lucky for us, we are treated to yet another breakdown of what the President listens to on his iPod.

“I am probably still more heavily weighted toward the music of my childhood than I am the new stuff,” Obama tells RS.
“There’s still a lot of Stevie Wonder, a lot of Bob Dylan, a lot of Rolling Stones, a lot of R&B, a lot of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Those are the old standards.”
That’s a solid list of artists right there, and one that must be applauded regardless of political persuasion.
What’s giving the RS interview extra news juice is that the president reveals he also has acquired “a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne” for his iPod collection.
“Thanks to Reggie [Love, the president's personal aide], my rap palate has greatly improved.”
I like to think when the president is pouring over the latest unemployment numbers, he has Lil Wayne’s “Got Money” playing on the presidential iPod in the Oval Office.
The president is quoted as to having about 2,000 songs on the iPod, which besides soul, jazz and rock n’ roll also features a great deal of classical music.
“I’m not a big opera buff in terms of going to opera, but there are days where Maria Callas is exactly what I need.”
I feel the same way, Mr. President.
The president does say a lot of other, non-music related things in the interview, which is essentially a direct address to his base. But leading with his iPod collection is far more interesting than the current state of the economy and upcoming mid-term elections.
“Music is still a great source of joy and occasional solace in the midst of what can be some difficult days,” said the president.
Considering all the nonsense and madness happening in Washington D.C. these days – from both sides of the aisle and everywhere in between – the president is right on message about music and its healing effects.

Pregnancy is great for sex: Angelina


Angelina Jolie says being pregnant has its perks.
"It's great for the sex life," she tells Entertainment Weekly magazine. "It just makes you a lot more creative. So you have fun, and as a woman you're just so round and full."
Jolie, who's expecting twins, has said the babies are due in August. She and partner Brad Pitt have four children: Maddox, six; Pax, four; Zahara, three; and Shiloh, two.
When asked how she and Pitt plan to handle six young children, the 33-year-old actress says: "We really don't know. His mum and dad are on standby to come out and help. And fortunately we can hire help if we need it, but we're going to try as we usually do to balance it as well as we can."
Jolie says the couple want to make sure their older children feel included after the babies are born.
"They're old enough to feel included to change diapers (nappies) themselves, to feed bottles themselves, like if I pump into a bottle. We're trying to find ways where it can be a fun group thing," she says.
How do Jolie and Pitt, 44, define their relationship?
"We have that problem all the time," she says. "I say 'partner' sometimes. 'Father of my children' is too long. But half the time people refer to us as, 'So, your wife this, your husband that.' We've stopped correcting everybody."'
Jolie, who has two upcoming films, Wanted and Changeling, continues to draw strong reactions from the public, which she sees as a good thing.
"That some people support me and some people really don't like me tells me that I'm making decisions and I'm standing strong for something I believe in. I'm making choices in life. And that's the right thing to do."

Stink bug invaders cause uproar for Baltimore County homeowners



At the University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center, a team of horticulture specialists fields calls on all manner of plants and pests.
But for the past few weeks, one topic has dominated the call center: stink bugs.
“By and large, that’s all everybody wants to talk about,” said Christine McComas, a certified professional horticulturist who estimated that 90 percent of calls to the center’s hotline in recent weeks are for stink bug queries.
Callers want to know what they are, where they came from and, most of all, how to get rid of them.
McComas has answers. They just might not be the answers callers want.
They are winged brown marmorated stink bugs from Asia (Halyomorpha halys) ... and there’s no foolproof way to control them at this time, McComas said.
In recent weeks, homeowners throughout the region have been brushing them, carrying them, vacuuming them and squishing them — though that particular remedy carries a high price. Namely, the bugs stink.
It could be worse, according to Jane Wolfson, director of the Environmental Science and Studies Program at Towson University.
“They can’t hurt you. Be glad they’re not mosquitoes,” said Wolfson, a resident of Jacksonville. “They do smell, there’s no question about it. But the smell’s not permanent.
“They’re looking for a place to hang out for the winter,” she said. “If you shoo them outside, they’ll just try to come inside again.
“It’s not personal,” Wolfson said. “They’re just trying to do what they do.”
Oh, you little stinker
The bugs, which are roughly the size of a pumpkin seed and are a mottled brown color with a shield-like back, made their first confirmed appearance in Allentown, Pa., in 2001. They arrived in western Maryland by 2003, and began heading east.
The bugs are native to areas of China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and were unintentionally transported to the U.S. in shipping containers.
The bugs have spread to more than 20 states, although the epicenter of the infestation is the mid-Atlantic, according to Michael Raupp, professor of entomology at the University of Maryland.
Raupp calls the exotic bug a “wild card in the ecosystem.”
Residents have seen an insurgence of the insects in recent weeks, as the air cools and they seek indoor places to “overwinter.”
They mate and lay eggs outdoors in the spring and summer and spend their winters in a somewhat dormant state in sheltered areas.
Then they come back in the spring.
“It’s arrived, but I don’t think it’s over,” he said. “We’re just on the front edge of the infestation,” he said.
The odor emitted by stink bugs serves as the insect’s defense when it feels threatened.
Olfactory reports from area residents vary, likening the smell to everything from musk, pine and detergent to rotten fruit and skunk.
According to Raupp, the stink bug’s odor has two aromatic chemicals: trans-2-decenal and trans-2-octenal, the former of which is also found in cilantro.
“I don’t find that smell to be particularly offensive. I kind of like it,” said Raupp, who first noticed the bugs near his home in Columbia in 2006. “Maybe we’ve got a new dip coming up here.”
Still, Raupp said he understands the fear many feel toward these new critters.
“We shouldn’t discount a general fear people have of insects,” he said. “I don’t think it’s trivial that people are afraid of insects and spiders. It might be irrational, but it shouldn’t be minimized.
“I’m trying to tell people not to freak out about these things,” he said. “This is something everyone is dealing with.”
The U.S. has native brown and green stink bugs, McComas said, although those aren’t the ones now driving homeowners and farmers crazy. McComas said stink bugs are not known to carry diseases and are not harmful to humans or pets. (The Asian stink bugs can be distinguished from native stink bugs by the alternating dark and light bands on their antennae.)
The best line of defense, experts say, is to try to prevent the bugs from entering one’s house by sealing and caulking windows, foundation cracks and other points of entry and to be sure that window screens are in good condition.
The bugs typically are more attracted to light-colored houses and the south side of buildings, she added.
“These are nuisance pests, but they’re not going to bite you,” McComas said.
Raupp and McComas both said chemical pesticides are not the answer, as they aren’t particularly effective in controlling stink bugs but can kill plants and pose serious hazards to humans and animals that inhale them.
McComas recommends residents vacuum the bugs.
Wolfson has her own home remedy: partially fill an old liter soda bottle with soapy water and use a funnel to direct bugs into the bottle.
Although they may let off their defensive odor, “the bottle should be easy enough to cap off quickly with little of the odor escaping,” she said.
What a pest
The first telephone calls about strange flying insects came into Atlantic Pest Control, in Baltimore City, about three years ago, Charlie Libby remembers.
“People didn’t know what they were,” he said.
Now they know. The stink bug phenomenon in Maryland has the region buzzing — and from a business standpoint, Libby couldn’t be happier.
In the past week, Libby said, Atlantic Pest Control has received about 200 calls to exterminate the smelly, buzzy bugs.
“This year, it just literally exploded,” he said.
Exterminators are seeing the effect of the stink bug boom.
“Last week, every day we had at least five to six calls,” said Abderrahim Elhani, owner of All Star Pest Management in Catonsville.
Elhani has been fighting the good fight against the bugs, but recalled one memorable infestation.
“Basically, two sides of the house were 80 percent covered with the stink bugs,” he said. “They were flying all around me. I was there an hour, and when I left I could still smell the odor.”
If it’s any consolation, the stink bugs know no geographic boundaries. Catonsville resident Lisa Dickey makes two rounds with her vacuum cleaner each day to sweep up stink bugs that have found their way into her home near Oella.
“I dump the vacuum bag immediately so it doesn’t stink too bad,” she said.
“They do frighten me. I don’t like bugs, especially when they flutter around and get in your face. One was on my shirt the other day and I nearly peed my pants,” she said with a laugh.
As a real estate agent, the bugs present a professional challenge for Dickey as well, she said.
“When a home is on the market, they’re trying to keep it looking as nice as possible. No one wants to walk into a home and find bugs,” she said. “It’s frustrating to say the least.”
At Towson University, Wolfson said there’s still much to learn about the Asian stink bug.
Based on her understanding of insect behavior and life cycles, Wolfson said a lack of predators, plentiful food sources and weather conditions likely contributed to the insurgence of the bugs this year.
“As long as there aren’t predators or pathogens or parasites that are affecting these organisms, their survival rate is very high,” she said.
“This year we had very unusual weather. It was warm early. There were very many very hot days.
“We might have been very uncomfortable,” she said, “but it might have been stink bug heaven.”

Facebook IPO likely after late 2012: board member


Reuters – Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during a news conference at Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, California …
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during a news conference at Facebook headquarters in Palo AltoSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Facebook, the world's largest online social network, is likely to go public sometime after late 2012, a board member said, satisfying investors' appetite for a slice of one of the Internet's biggest growth stories.
A stock market debut by a company valued in the tens of billions of dollars would be one of the most highly anticipated initial public offerings of the decade.
But Facebook board member, venture capitalist and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel stressed on Monday that will not happen until after late 2012, and would depend on the company hitting certain revenue targets and how its business model develops.
"It probably will IPO at some point. The lesson from Google seems to be that you don't go public until very late," Thiel told Reuters on the sidelines of the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco on Monday.
Palo Alto, California-based Facebook, the booming social networking site dreamed up by Mark Zuckerberg and his buddies in a Harvard dorm room in 2004, is privately held and has released only nuggets of financial information.
With half a billion users and counting, it is closely watched by investors hoping to one day buy public shares in the fast-growing company. Sources have told Reuters its revenue approached $800 million in 2009 and it was already profitable -- a solid showing for a six-year-old service.
Still, the social network is increasingly challenging more established Internet players such as Yahoo Inc and Google Inc for consumers' online time and for ad dollars, even as it tries to strike a delicate balance between protecting privacy and promoting social sharing by its users.
Its backers now include Digital Sky Technologies, Microsoft Corp, Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka Shing and venture capital firms Accel Partners, Greylock Partners and Meritech Capital Partners.
Thiel's comments were first reported by the Fox Business network.

Wigan's Pat Richards named 2010 Man of Steel

Pat Richards in action for Wigan Warriors
Richards has played a key role in Wigan's resurgence this seaso
Wigan Warriors' prolific Australian goal-kicking winger Pat Richards has been named as the 2010 Super League Man of Steel.
League leaders and grand finalists Wigan completed a clean sweep of the major awards at Monday's gala dinner.
Michael Maguire won the coach of the year award in his first season, and stand-off Sam Tomkins retained his young player of the year title.
The resurgent Warriors were also named club of the year.
Richards was adjudged to have made the biggest impact on the season, beating Tomkins and Warrington captain Adrian Morley, who was short-listed for the second successive season, in a poll of his fellow players.
He succeeds fellow countryman Brett Hodgson, the Huddersfield full-back, and is the fifth Australian to be crowned Man of Steel since the award was introduced in 1977.
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Richards, who was named as the Rugby League Writers' Association player of the year earlier this month, was instrumental in helping Wigan to their best season for 10 years.
He scored 29 tries, kicked 135 points and amassed 388 points in total to top all three scoring charts and equal the Super League record set by former Wigan captain Andy Farrell.
Only two players have made more metres than Richards this season, and he is also joint top for clean breaks.
George Riley, BBC five live's rugby league reporter, said: "Richards has been outstanding all season and was the overwhelming and obvious choice in my eyes.
"Remember, this award is for the player who has made the biggest impact on the season, and as such topping scoring charts doesn't always mean you'll get the vote.
"With the players choosing the winner they have recognised that as well as topping the try-scoring, goal-kicking and points-scoring charts, Richards has been consistently outstanding all over the pitch.
"Richards said this month that he perhaps wasn't even the best player at his own club this season, given the form of team-mates Sam Tomkins and Sean O'Loughlin, but his Super League peers recognise just what an impact he has had."
Special awards to mark their final seasons in Super League were made to St Helens captain Keiron Cunningham, Salford skipper Malcolm Alker and Wakefield captain Jason Demetriou.
BBC commentator and former dual code international Ray French received the Mike Gregory Spirit of Rugby League Award to mark his contribution to the game.

Stuxnet worm hits Iran nuclear plant staff computers

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Sian John, Symantec: "It's very sophisticated"
A complex computer worm has infected the personal computers of staff at Iran's first nuclear power station, the official IRNA news agency reported.
However, the operating system at the Bushehr plant - due to go online in a few weeks - has not been harmed, project manager Mahmoud Jafari said.
The Stuxnet worm is capable of seizing control of industrial plants.
Some Western experts say its complexity suggests it could only have been created by a "nation state".

Start Quote

An electronic war has been launched against Iran”
End Quote Mahmoud Liayi Ministry of industries
It is the first sign that Stuxnet, which targets systems made by the German company Siemens, has reached equipment linked to Iran's nuclear programme.
The West fears Iran's ultimate goal is to build nuclear weapons. Iran says its programme is aimed solely at peaceful energy use.
Stuxnet is tailored to target weaknesses in Siemens systems used to manage water supplies, oil rigs, power plants and other utilities.
'Electronic war' The fact that Stuxnet has now been detected on the personal computers of staff will have no impact on plans to make the Bushehr plant operational next month, Mr Jafari said.
A team is now trying to remove the malicious software, or malware, from several affected computers, he told IRNA.
It is believed to be the first-known worm designed to target major infrastructure facilities.
"An electronic war has been launched against Iran", Mahmoud Liayi, head of the information technology council at the ministry of industries, told the state-run Iran Daily newspaper.
A working group of experts met last week to discuss ways of fighting the worm, which Mr Liayi said has now infected about 30,000 IP addresses in Iran.

Blackberry launches Playbook rival to iPad

Blackberry has announced its answer to Apple's iPad with a device called the Playbook.
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Mike Lazaridis of Research in Motion outlined some of the PlayBook's key features
The company unveiled its tablet computer to much anticipation at its developer conference, DEVCON, in San Francisco.
This is the first business-centric device in the tablet market.
It is seen as a clever move by Blackberry maker Research In Motion whose smartphone is seen as the phone of choice among this sector.
'Cutting edge'
"This is one of the most exciting times in our history," said Mike Lazaridis, RIM chief executive officer.
"RIM set out to engineer the best professional-grade tablet in the industry with cutting-edge hardware features and one of the world's most robust and flexible operating systems," added Mr Lazaridis.
Mike Lazaridis holds the Playbook Mr Lazaridis says it is an "exciting time" for RIM
Analysts have said the Playbook will give RIM an opportunity to dominate in a market it is familiar with and where it enjoys a solid reputation.
"RIM's Blackberry Playbook tablet looks to be a real challenger to Apple's iPad, playing on its business credentials, rather than being just another joy machine'," Stuart Miles, editor of mobile technology website Pocket-Lint told BBC News.
"Whether RIM can deliver what it promises in the business environment with a selection of new apps on yet another operating system will be the real test though. Either way, it's clear that the battle of the tablets is now full steam ahead."
QNX software
In the smartphone arena, RIM maintains a comfortable lead with a 39.3% share according to research firm ComScore.
The iPhone's share of the US market was 23.8% and Google's Android was 17% for the quarter ending in July.
The RIM Playbook The Playbook will have Bluetooth and WiFi.
The Playbook will have a 7-inch screen with front and rear facing cameras to enable video conferencing, an important feature that will appeal to the business market.
The operating system will not use the new Blackberry OS 6 but has instead opted for QNX software, which was recently acquired by RIM and has extensive expertise in embedded systems for the car.
The new OS is designed specifically for the tablet size computer and will avoid the difficulties that come from adjusting a smartphone OS to the tablet platform.
The Playbook will have Bluetooth and WiFi. It will have no 3G capabilities but will enable 3G data connecting by tethering to a Blackberry smartphone.
'Exciting'
RIM expects to ship the device to corporate customers and developers in October.
It will become commercially available early in 2011.
RIM has yet to set an exact price but says it will fall in the lower range of prices for consumer tablets already in the suddenly congested market.
"It's by far the most exciting thing we've seen from BlackBerry for a while and for once the buzz seems to have been justified," said Kate Solomon of mobile news and views site Recombu.com.
What remains to be seen is whether RIM can keep the price realistic for everyday users - despite all the high quality features, a high price tag will put a lot of people off and convince them that a tablet is a superfluous gadget that they don't really need."
Tablet market
The launch of the Playbook comes as the tablet market becomes an increasingly competitive and crowded field, energised in no small part by the iPad.
Since its April launch, the iPad has dominated the space with research firm iSuppli predicting sales of 12 million by the end of the year.
Another research firm, UBS, put iPad sales at 28 million by 2011.
One contender looking to put a dent in the iPad's lead is HP.
At a nearby conference called TechCrunch Disrupt, Todd Bradley, the company's executive vice president for the personal systems group said tablets are going to be a huge market.
Mr Bradley told attendees that he estimates that in the next few years tablets will be a $40bn market.
Samsung recently introduced its Galaxy tablet as did Dell with the 5 inch Streak. Other companies waiting in the wings with their versions include Lenovo, Asus, HTC, and Acer as well as Google and Microsoft.
A possible contender for the business customer is likely to come in the form of Cisco's Cius tablet.

Lindsay Lohan Helps Others in Need Before Heading to Rehab

Lindsay Lohan may have a mountain of problems of her own, but on Sunday, she was focusing on other people in need.On Sunday evening, the troubled actress, 24, visited the homeless at the Dream Center, a Los Angeles mission and outreach facility. While there, Lohan -- who visited the facility along with her mother Dina, sister Ali and two friends -- met with children and families, signing autographs and handing out purses to some of the teen girls. E! News snapped a photo of the actress surrounded by the Dream Center's residents.
Later, Lohan wrote about the visit on her Twitter account:
"What a great place The Dream Center is here in LA... had a nice time there today, it's so important to give back. I feel blessed," she tweeted. Lohan herself is expected to check into a facility of a much different sort -- to seek treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, in a matter of days. TMZ.com reported Sunday that Lohan is "agonizingly aware she has an addiction problem" and is ready to acknowledge the reality that addicts tend to lose control again before they recover.
A conservator for Lohan may also be appointed by the Los Angeles court system that put her back in jail on Friday. In 2007, Britney Spears, a similarly troubled pop culture icon, was placed under the conservatorship of her father Jamie Spears to keep watch over her personal and business affairs.
Lohan was freed from her latest jail stint Friday night. After one judge ordered her held without bail until a court hearing next month, a second judge cleared the way for her release on $300,000 bail on several conditions -- including that she be fitted with an alcohol-monitoring bracelet within 24 hours of her release and refrain from drinking alcohol or possessing controlled.

Did Sarah Palin Just Get Booed on Dancing with the Stars?


Sarah Palin is in tonight's DWTS audience to support her daughter, Bristol (watch Bristol's grody routine from last week here). Tom Bergeron interviewed Palin a bit ago, and—just beforehand—the audience booed. Loudly! What gives? The video, inside.

[Dancing with the Stars]

Lil Wayne-I Am Not a Human Being Released Online, Not Offline

"I Am Not a Human Being", Lil' Wayne's newest track was released today, on the rapper's 28th birthday. Not all retailers are happy though, as the young CEO decided to release it solely online. Physical copies of I am Not A Human Being won't hit retailers in October.
"My family, I like to do things for him for his birthday, you hear me?" rapper and Weezy collaborator Birdman tells MTV.com. "This the first time we not gonna get a chance to do that. But he is putting a new album out called 'I Am Not a Human Being.' We pop bottles for him while he's gone."
Lil' Wayne is currently serving a prison sentence.
"It's disturbing," one retailer told Billboard, "It's definitely putting brick-and-mortar second, and we are going to lose business that we would normally get. How is the consumer going to know that the album will have a second physical release?"
I Am Not A Human Being features guest appearances by Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Jay Sean and is available on iTunes.
See below for the detailed track listing:
1. "Gonorrhea" feat. Drake
2. "Hold Up" feat. T-Streets
3. "With You" feat. Drake
4. "I Am Not a Human Being"
5. "I'm Single" feat. Drake
6. "What's Wrong With Them" feat. Nicki Minaj
7. "Right Above It" feat. Drake
8. "Popular" feat. Lil Twis
t 9. "That Ain't Me" feat. Jay Sean
10. "Bill Gates"
11. "YM Banger" feat. Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda and Tyga
12. "YM Salute" feat. Lil Twist, Lil Chuckee, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, and Nicki Minaj (I Am Not A Human Being)

'Titanic' star Gloria Stuart dies at 100


Image: Gloria Stuart
Matt Sayles / AP file
"Titanic" star Gloria Stuart, who celebrated her 100th birthday in July, has died.
Gloria Stuart, the 1930s Hollywood beauty who gave up acting for 30 years and later became the oldest Academy Award acting nominee as the spunky survivor in "Titanic," has died. She was 100.
Stuart died of respiratory failure Sunday night at her Los Angeles home, her daughter, Sylvia Thompson, said Monday. The actress had been diagnosed with lung cancer five years ago and had beaten breast cancer about 20 years ago, Thompson said.
"She did not believe in illness. She paid no attention to it, and it served her well," Thompson said. "She had a great life. I'm not sad. I'm happy for her."
In her youth, Stuart was a blond beauty who starred in B pictures as well as some higher-profile ones such as "The Invisible Man," Busby Berkeley's "Gold Diggers of 1935" and two Shirley Temple movies, "Poor Little Rich Girl" and "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm." But by the mid-1940s she had retired.
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She resumed acting in the 1970s, doing occasional television and film work, including Peter O'Toole's 1982 comedy "My Favorite Year." But Stuart's later career would have remained largely a footnote if James Cameron had not chosen her for his 1997 epic about the doomed luxury liner that struck an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage in 1912.
Stuart co-starred as Rose Calvert, the 101-year-old survivor played by Kate Winslet as a young woman. Both earned Oscar nominations, Winslet as best actress and Stuart as supporting actress.
"I am so saddened to hear of the loss of this remarkable woman," Winslet said. "I feel blessed to have met her, known her and to have acted alongside her. Anyone who spent time in her presence will know what an extraordinary shining light she truly was. She will be deeply missed."
Cameron wanted an actress who was "still viable, not alcoholic, rheumatic or falling down," Stuart once said. Then in her mid-80s, Stuart endured hours in the makeup chair so she could look 15 years older, and she traveled to the Atlantic location, where the wreck of the real Titanic was photographed.
Video: 'Titanic' actress dies at 100 (on this page) Leonardo DiCaprio, who appeared in "Titanic," said Stuart "was a force both on and off screen."
"An amazingly sweet person, a fantastic actress, and someone who always fought for what she believed in. She was one of the last great actresses from the Golden era of Hollywood," DiCaprio said in a statement through his publicist. "I was honored to have worked along side her. She will be missed," he said.
"Titanic" took in $1.8 billion worldwide to become the biggest modern blockbuster, a position it held until Cameron's "Avatar" came along last year and passed it on the box-office chart.
It was the first time in Oscar history that two performers were nominated for playing the same character in the same film, and it made the 87-year-old Stuart the oldest acting nominee in history.
"Anchors aweigh!" Stuart said when nominations were announced in February 1998.
The film's release was preceded by delays and speculation that it could turn into a colossal flop. Of the film's doubters, Stuart said: "They were dissing it all around. That happens in Hollywood."
Stuart was thought by many to be the sentimental favorite for the supporting-actress prize, but the award went to Kim Basinger for "L.A. Confidential."
But she capitalized on her renewed fame by writing a memoir, "I Just Kept Hoping," which raised eyebrows because of its sexual frankness, including reflections on free love and a statement that Stuart was devoted to masturbation.
Shortly after her 100th birthday on July 4, Stuart was honored with a tribute at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
"She talked with a thousand or so people as if they were in her living room," Stuart's daughter said. "She was just the ultimate hostess."
The best known of her early film work came in two of the celebrated series of horror films by director James Whale.
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In 1932's "The Old Dark House," Stuart plays one of the travelers who take refuge in a spooky home peopled with strange characters, one played by Boris Karloff, fresh off his star-making turn in Whale's "Frankenstein."
In 1933's "The Invisible Man," Stuart is the love interest for the scientist (Claude Rains) who makes himself invisible.
Among her other films were the Eddie Cantor comedy "Roman Scandals," John Ford's "The Prisoner of Shark Island" and a string of dramas. She said she quit the business because she was tired of playing "girl detective, girl reporter and Shirley Temple's friend."
A founding member of the Screen Actors Guild, Stuart said in an interview with The Associated Press last summer that she realized she would not achieve the level of success of Hollywood's top stars.
"I didn't get to be Greta Garbo," Stuart said. "Terrible. A terrible blow. It took me a long time to get over that. But I'm over that."
Still, Stuart brought spirit and intelligence to many routine plots.
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"The Girl on the Front Page" is typical of such films. Made in 1936, it tells the story of a socialite who inherits a newspaper when her father dies suddenly. Stuart's character decides to learn the business by working anonymously as a reporter, and after some sparring with the tough editor, she winds up helping him solve a murder-blackmail plot.
In her later years, she took an occasional role in television, but before doing "Titanic," she had not worked in several years. She also became an acclaimed painter, holding exhibitions of her work, and took up fine book printing, for which she did her own artwork.
Stuart was born in 1910 in Santa Monica, Calif., and began acting while in college. She soon signed with Universal Studios, which was responsible for "The Old Dark House" and many other horror classics of the 1930s.
Stuart is survived by a daughter, Sylvia Vaughn Thompson, four grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Google Doodle: 12th birthday cake for search engine

Google has marked its 12th anniversary with a 'doodle' painting of a cake by 89-year-old Los Angeles artist Wayne Thiebaud.

Google doodle showing picture of a cake
Google doodle showing picture of a cake by Wayne Thiebaud, to celebrate Google's 12th birthday Photo: VAGA NY/GOOGLE
Users visiting the search engine's home page are greeted with a picture of a cake whose candle represents the 'L' in the Google logo.
The California-based company was first incorporated as a privately held corporation on 27 September 1998.
Thiebaud's work, reproduced by permission of VAGA, Visual Artists and Galleries Association, includes many cakes, most painted in the 1950s and 1960s.
He is associated with the Pop art movement because of his interest in objects of mass culture, although his work is earlier than the likes of Andy Warhol.
It is a more straightforward 'doodle' than the recent ball game animation that distracted millions of internet users.
Before that, Google marked the 25th anniversary of the discovery of the "buckyball", a spherical dome of exotic molecules of carbon, with a special moving design.
The animated logo replaced the logo's middle O letter with an orange ball. It then formed into the "buckyball", which is a form of carbon composed of 60 atoms.
By scrolling their mouse across the logo, users could twist and turn the ball, which has replaced the search engine's usual logo on its home page.
The new interactive doodles follow one produced in May to celebrate the 30th birthday of Pac-Man.
That design, which went public on Friday, May 21, 2010, was the first doodle to be fully interactive. The Pac-Man character could be moved by using the arrow keys on the user's keyboard.
Google Doodles have become newsworthy in their own right after the technology firm started using the customised versions of its logo to mark what it considered significant occasions.
The first of them was used in August 1998 when Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the firm's founders, designed one for the Burning Man Festival.
In October 1999, it produced a Halloween doodle: the first after the firm switched to a new logo.
The first "Christmas card" doodle was presented in 1999, on Christmas Day, featuring a snowman and flakes drifting onto the name.
Mother's and Father's Day doodles appeared in May and June 2000 respectively before the firm started noting more esoteric and, let's face it, interesting occasions.
On October 7, 2009, it did "Google" as a bar code to recognise the anniversary of its invention in 1948 by Bernard Silver, which some saw as a significant shift away from human language and towards machine language.
On Saturday, June 5, 2010, a hologram replaced the logo to honour Dennis Gabor, the inventor of holograms.
Most recently the firm marked the 71st anniversary of the Judy Garland film The Wizard of Oz with a doodle of Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow walking down the Yellow Brick Road towards a landscape with "Google" on it. Perhaps it's a metaphor.
Mary Shelley, the British author of Frankenstein, had the 213th anniversary of her birth celebrated by a spooky Google Doodle late last month.

Facebook's Zuckerberg gives $100 million to Newark

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg walks among the crowd gathered prior to unveiling the company's new location services feature called ''Places'' during a news conference at Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, California in this August 18, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg walks among the crowd gathered prior to unveiling the company's new location services feature called ''Places'' during a news conference at Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, California in this August 18, 2010 file photo.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced a $100 million gift to the beleaguered public schools of Newark, New Jersey, to help improve public education in a city he has no connection to.
The billionaire announced the grant on Friday on the Oprah Winfrey television show. He denied suggestions the timing was aimed at deflecting attention from a movie that depicts the 26-year-old in an unflattering light.
"I've had a lot of opportunities in my life, and a lot of that comes from ... having gone to really good schools. And I just want to do what I can to make sure that everyone has those same opportunities," Zuckerberg told Winfrey about his gift to a city once the backdrop for Philip Roth novels but more recently struggling with crime, corruption and decay.
On a conference call for reporters with Newark Mayor Cory Booker and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Zuckerberg said he chose Newark -- a city to which he has no tangible connection -- after meeting Booker at a conference this summer.
He said he was simply impressed by the mayor's plans.
The gift brings together two of the Garden State's rising political stars from opposite sides of the political divide.
Youthful Democrat Booker is a former Rhodes scholar and Yale Law School graduate whose first run for mayor was shown in the Oscar-nominated documentary "Street Fight."
In less than a year as governor, Republican Christie has earned a reputation as a tough-talking politician who will do whatever it takes to get New Jersey's fiscal house in order, pushing through his agenda despite a Democrat-controlled legislature.
During Friday's conference call Christie called Newark "a city in desperate need of transformation."
Booker told Winfrey, "I think that Newark is going to change the paradigm for urban education."
As part of the deal, Christie will cede some control of the schools to Booker, including choosing a superintendent. Christie retains the right to take back control.
"He's investing in the vision that Cory has. I'm investing in Cory's vision as well. And together Mark and I are going to help Cory make sure we execute and implement that vision to improve the lives of the families in the city of Newark," Christie told reporters.
Zuckerberg's donation funds his Startup: Education foundation, which will disburse the cash. He said he hoped to be involved in many more charity efforts in the coming years.
Newark's 40,000-plus student school system is among the worst in New Jersey -- only 40 percent of students are able to read and write by the end of third grade. The state took control of the schools in the mid 1990s but the hoped-for improvement has failed to materialize.
Zuckerberg said the gift will come from the sale of shares of privately held Facebook, the world's No 1 Internet social network, and distributed to Newark over five years.

5 skin mistakes that age you

Skipping sunscreen on a gray winter day or flopping into bed in makeup is unlikely to do any real harm, but too many lapses in beauty judgment could lead to signs of age. The flip side? Taking a few minutes a day for smart skin care can prevent years' worth of wrinkles, brown spots, and more. Whether you're a repeat offender or just make the occasional mistake, here are five common excuses that could be aging your skin, plus simple solutions to keep you looking young.
1. I'm too tired to cleanse "It's been a long day, and the last thing I want to do is wash my face."
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Excuse buster: The 2 minutes it takes to cleanse before bed helps ensure a fresh-faced look for years. "Sleeping with dirt, oil, and makeup on causes acne and enlarged pores," says Audrey Kunin, MD, an associate clinical instructor of dermatology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. To easily remove debris, keep no-rinse face wipes in your nightstand.
Try: Boots No7 Quick Thinking 4-in-1 Wipes ($7; Target) or Pond's Clean Sweep Age Defying Wet Cleansing Towelettes ($6.50; CVS).
2. SPF is for summer "I don't need sunscreen, it's winter!"
Excuse buster: Exposure to UVA rays, the primary culprit behind aging, happens all year long. And because they can penetrate glass, you're susceptible even when you're indoors, says Fredric Brandt, MD, a New York- and Miami-based dermatologist. The number one way to guard against this and keep skin looking youthful: Every day, use a sunscreen or moisturizer with an SPF 30 that's labeled broad-spectrum. For the best protection, choose one that contains either avobenzone, Helioplex, Mexoryl, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide.
Try: Olay Professional Pro-X Age Repair Lotion with SPF 30 ($42; drugstores) or Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Moisturizer, SPF 30 ($20; drugstores).
3. Products are too pricey "Taking care of my skin costs too much."
Excuse buster: To save, shop at drugstores. Studies show that mass products are as effective as (and sometimes more than!) more expensive lines. "Look for active ingredients, not fancy labels," says David E. Bank, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at Columbia University/Presbyterian Hospital. The most effective anti-agers include retinoids, AHAs, peptides, vitamin C, and hydrators such as hyaluronic acid.
4. My efforts are futile "I've tried almost everything, and nothing seems to work."
Excuse buster: It can take at least 8 weeks to see the results of many ingredients, so give products time to deliver their benefits.
Another must: Incorporate new products slowly — one about every 2 months. "Your skin needs to build up a tolerance to aggressive anti-agers," says Bank. "Going overboard can cause inflammation, which accelerates fine lines, brown spots, and sagging."
5. My skin is too sensitive "Exfoliating makes my face red and irritated."
Excuse buster: Getting rid of dead cells helps soften wrinkles and brighten skin, but aggressive scrubs can lead to redness and irritation. To slough safely, choose a chemical exfoliator, such as glycolic acid, or gentle cleansing beads. Avoid scrubs with an uneven texture, such as walnut shells. Exfoliate just once or twice a week; if you're using an OTC or Rx retinoid or AHA, it alone provides sufficient skin sloughing.
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Katy Perry finds her way back to 'Sesame Street' by way of 'Saturday Night Live'


Katy Perry's play date with Elmo was cut short this week, but the singer found her way back to "Sesame Street" with this hilarious "Saturday Night Live" spoof.
Perry was the musical guest on the NBC show's 36th season premiere Saturday. Her performances of "California Gurls" and "Teenage Dream" were memorable. But everyone's surely going to be talking about her skit with Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph, who returned to "SNL" for the season opener.

World's Most Precise Clocks Test Relativity

The world's most precise clocks can reveal tiny time dilations predicted by Einstein's theory of relativity -- but that's not all. Tom O'Brian of the National Institute for Standards and Technology talks about using these precise clocks in everything from cell phones to satellites.
PAUL RAEBURN, host:
This is SCIENCE FRIDAY from NPR. I'm Paul Raeburn, sitting in for Ira Flatow.
Earlier this year, scientists built the most precise clock on Earth, an aluminum ion clock. Now, don't try this at home with a roll of aluminum foil. It's not going to work. These are among the most precise clocks ever built.
And now researchers have used a pair of these clocks to test Einstein's theory of relativity at a very, very tiny scale. They've been able to measure the miniscule changes in time that occur when you are sitting in a moving car or standing at the top of a staircase. The research appears this week in the journal Science.
But what's so important about measuring time so precisely? Testing Einstein's theory of relativity is good sport, and it has been for decades now, a century, but is it really worth all the time and trouble? Let's just give Einstein a break from all this testing and retesting. Or maybe we can learn something else from these clocks that even a Rolex would never tell us.
We're about to find out. Joining me now is Tom O'Brian, chief of the Time & Frequency Division I love that title - at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado. Hi, Tom.
Mr. THOMAS O'BRIAN (Chief, Time & Frequency Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology): Hi, Paul.
RAEBURN: How are you? Nice to have you with us.
Mr. O'BRIAN: It's good to be here.
RAEBURN: If you have questions, give us a call, questions for me or for Tom. Our number is 1-800-989-8255 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-989-8255      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. That's 1-800-989-TALK begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-989-TALK      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. If you're on Twitter, you can tweet us your questions. Our account is @scifri. If you want to know more about what we're discussing this hour, go to our website, sciencefriday.com, where you will find all kinds of links.
So Tom, give us a little refresher on the theory of relativity, if you can, and what role time plays in that.
Mr. O'BRIAN: Well, Einstein developed the theory of relativity, and one way of looking at it is to say space and time are not really separate but are intertwined.
And he expressed that in two different ways. The special theory of relativity, one way of looking at it is to say when a clock is moving, it appears to tick more slowly than a clock that's standing still.
And the general theory of relativity has to do with the effect of gravity on space and time, and one way of looking at it, it says that the stronger the gravitational field is, the slower the clock ticks.
So basically if you're moving really fast, close to the speed of light, you can see significant changes in the ticking rate of a clock. Or if you're in a very strong gravitational field, like near a black hole or something like that, you can see a significant change in the ticking rate of a clock.
What happened in this experiment at NIST was that the scientists made a clock that is so accurate and so precise that instead of having to go at close to warp speed or something like that or be near a black hole, you can actually see the ticking, the change in the ticking rate of the clock just by lifting the clock up about a foot or by making the ion, which is the ticking part of the clock, just move at even walking or jogging speed.
RAEBURN: So you guys were showing off is what it comes down to.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. O'BRIAN: That's right. I mean, at NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of our job is to make the best measurements possible. But it's not just to get the next decimal place or just for fun.
The measurements that we make affect people's lives every day - and for example, very accurate timing.
I mean, do you need to be able to measure the time change on your watch that's going to be caused by you walking? Well, no, your watch isn't going to measure that, and it's not going to make any practical difference in your life.
But very accurate timing and synchronization is a part of our modern technological infrastructure, and people are using it every day. When you make a telephone call, when you use a computer network, you're relying on networks that have to be synchronized to better than a millionth of a second per day.
Electric power distribution has to be synchronized to better than a millionth of a second per day, and the global positioning system, GPS, which allows you to get your position anywhere on Earth, whether you're driving or walking around with a handheld receiver or while an airline pilot is flying, that relies on atomic clocks that are better than a billionth of a second per day.
RAEBURN: Okay, now, I mentioned in the introduction, we seem to be hearing about tests of Einstein all over the place all the time. The poor guy, let's give him a break, and why do we keep testing Einstein? Is it fun? Is it real? What's going on here?
Mr. O'BRIAN: We would have been very surprised, perhaps shocked, if we had found a departure from Einstein's theory of relativity in these measurements. But you never do know.
I think it is valuable in and of itself to keep pushing the extremes of measurement because many of the things that we take for granted today in science and in technology in fact came about by somebody trying to push for that one more decimal place and finding something very unusual or exciting.
While Einstein himself developed a lot of the theory of relativity just through his mental powers, his very prodigious mental powers, it was in fact based on precision experiments, which were looking at things called the ether, which was some mythical substance through which light was supposed to propagate.
And when it was discovered by measurements in the late 1800s that, in fact, this ether did not in fact exist, people had to come up with other theories to explain what's really going on. And that led, directly and indirectly, to Einstein developing his theory.
And things like the discovery of quantum mechanics, which governs everything from electronics to even the way we're looking at biophysics nowadays again came about through very precise measurements showing things that were behaving just a little bit differently than expected and then pursuing those measurements.
RAEBURN: Now, are there you talked a little bit about GPS and other sensitive measurements we need. Tell me a little bit more about that. What are the potential practical applications from this kind of work?
Mr. O'BRIAN: Well, for any of those things that I mentioned, such as telecommunications, distribution of electric power, more precise positioning with GPS, having better clocks will make all those things better.
You might be able to pump more calls onto a limited amount of capacity if you have better timing. The way you do that is by breaking up the calls into little pieces, sending different pieces at different times and synchronizing those sending very accurately so that you can keep the call.
A global positioning system, of course, basically relies on timing, very precisely, how long it takes a radio signal from the GPS satellite, traveling at the speed of light, to reach you from different satellites.
Since that speed is roughly one foot and one-billionth of a second, the more accurately you can measure time, the more precisely you can get your location.
But actually what I think is going to be the major applications for clocks like this aluminum ion clock, which was part of the relativity experiment, and similar clocks that NIST and other organizations are working on, are not necessarily to measure time directly but to measure other quantities.
So by looking at the ticking rate changing, by having the clock moved up just one foot, basically what you're doing is measuring the change in gravity, and right now, people try to measure changes in gravity for everything from looking for minerals under the ground, for example oil is less dense than rock, so there's a very slightly - there's a very slight reduction in gravity if you happen to be above a source of water or oil or other minerals, and you can detect that without having to dig holes down deep into the earth.
Just measuring the very small changes in the Earth itself that result from everything from climate change, from changes in the amount of ice that there is, which pushes down on the Earth's crust, to just how the Earth is changing in general. Those are important measurements.
And the ticking rate of atomic clocks can also be affected by things such as the magnetic fields. Typically, in most atomic clocks, what we try to do is shield out the magnetic field so it doesn't affect the ticking rate, so we get the best time measurement possible, but if you let the magnetic field come in, it becomes a very sensitive magnetometer.
And in fact not with the aluminum ion clock but with other atomic clocks we have here at NIST, some of the scientists have even done things like measured the magnetic fields that are generated by the heart and brain activity of a mouse.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Now, again, you might say well, what's the deal with that? This might be a whole new way of medical imaging, about getting information about normal physiological processes and disease states.
Right now, people measure the electrical fields from the heart activity and brain activity. Those are electrocardiograms and electroencephalograms. But sometimes, that electrical information has a hard time getting out of the human body because the human body does have some electrical conductivity.