BANGALORE: If everything goes according to plan, guests at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi would be travelling from the games venue to the games village and back on pollution-free hydrogen buses!
This green initiative of ISRO and Tata Motors will see the country’s first hydrogen bus. Work has already started on the project and the prototype is expected to be ready by December 2008.
The bus will not run on an engine, but on electric power produced out of a mix of hydrogen and oxygen. It will use hydrogen fuel cell technology as against combustion technology which burns gasoline. The bus will emit nothing but a cloud of water vapour.
Tata Motors will get the frame and chassis ready while ISRO will provide the fuel technology. The first bus will be a 60-seater proto-model.
Based on its performance, modified versions will be built further on, ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair told reporters on the sidelines of the 14th session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum that opened on Thursday at the ISRO headquarters here.
The bus will roughly cost Rs 80 lakh with per kg of hydrogen gas that will run it costing around Rs 120 per kg or more. A 40-kg cylinder will allow the bus to run 560 km, ie an entire day for a typical metro bus.
“In short run it may be costly, but in long run when we are on the verge of hydrocarbon extinction, people will be willing to pay anything. We are working on a bus now because that will be more economical than a car as it would carry 60 people. In Phase II we will come out with a car with lower cost of hydrogen gas. Technological challenge of conversion of gas to electricity is immediate for ISRO now,’’ architect of the bus, V Vnanagandhi, programme director, ISRO, Ahmedabad, said.
“In fuel cell technology (buses that run on cells that store hydrogen in the form of fuel), hydrogen energy is reacted with oxygen to produce water and electricity,” Vnanagandhi explained.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Live Documents
Sabeer Bhatia known for his ‘Hotmail’ has gone and launched “Live Documents”, described as a ‘hybrid online-offline Office suite of applications.
Live Documents is a full-featured suite of online Office productivity applications offering functionality equivalent to Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Built using RIA technologies such as Flash and Flex, Live Documents allow users to view and edit documents within any common browser on any operating system from anywhere. Live Documents uses a Flash-based user interface that offers a richer and responsive user experience that is comparable to native Office software applications.
In addition, Live Documents is available as a optional desktop client application that wraps around Microsoft Office and embeds collaborative capabilities into these hitherto standalone software applications - Live Documents converts Microsoft Office applications from static standalone software to smart clients that are connected to the Internet and facilitate in-context document sharing (multiple people can edit a document at the same time) and management (security, access control and revision control) without requiring users to give up their familiar user interfaces. The Live Documents desktop client also ensures offline access to documents - a key failing of current online Office applications.
About InstaColl
Co-founded by Sabeer “Hotmail” Bhatia, InstaColl is a Bangalore-based software product startup offering solutions that bridge the gap between powerful, rich desktop software applications and collaborative web-based services, providing a user experience that marries the best of both worlds.Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The EKA has been rated as the fourth fastest supercomputer in the world and fastest supercomputer in Asia.
EKA, the supercomputer built at the Computational Research Laboratories (CRL), subsidiary of Tata in Pune has grabbed the top place in the list of Top500 Supercomputers announced at SC07, the international conference for high-performance computing, networking, storage and analysis at Reno, Nevada, USA.
The EKA has been rated as the fourth fastest supercomputer in the world and fastest supercomputer in Asia.
This Indian super computer uses nearly 1800 computing nodes and has a peak performance of 170 Teraflops (TFlops or Trillion Floating Point Operations per Second). Moreover, it delivers a sustained performance of 120 Teraflops based on the LINPACK benchmarks which are used by the world-wide community to rank supercomputers based on performance.
Celebrating this success Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata group said, “High performance computing solutions have an ever-increasing role in the scientific and new technological space the world over.”
He added, “The Tata group has supported this development activity and is extremely proud of the team that has developed and built this supercomputer, which is now ranked as the world’s fourth fastest. I am sure this supercomputer and its successor systems will make a major contribution to India’s ongoing scientific and technological initiatives.”
The supercomputer installed at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore is India’s second fastest computer and has been ranked 58th in the Top500 list. Meanwhile, the BlueGene/L System developed by IBM and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and established at DOE’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California is the fastest supercomputer in the world.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Dell XPS M1330 Product Details
Processor
 |
Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Processor T7250
Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium |
Chipset Intel® 965GM Chipset |
Memory
2GB Dual-channel 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
160GB 25400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Dell Recommends 250GB 25400RPM SATA Hard Drive
2GB Dual-channel 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive
160GB 25400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Dell Recommends 250GB 25400RPM SATA Hard Drive
HDD Callout
StrikeZoneTM Shock Absorber
Display/Monitor
I/O Ports
VGA, RJ45, 2 Headphone, Microphone, 2 mini-card slots, IEEE 1394a, consumer IR, HDMI. RJ-11 is supported via External USB Dongle. ExpressCard 54mm slot
Battery
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Dell Recommends Spare Battery: 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Dell Recommends Spare Battery: 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Network Card
Integrated 10/100 Fast Ethernet
Controller Card
Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card
Graphic Card
Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
8X max DVD+/-RW Drive with DVD+R double layer write capability
Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/Disk drive
8X max DVD+/-RW Drive with DVD+R double layer write capability
Software
N/A
Dell Recommends Microsoft® Office Home & Student 2007 - OEM version
Dell Recommends Microsoft® Office Home & Student 2007 - OEM version
Warranty
1-year XPS Premier Service with 1-year CompleteCover
Anti-Virus
McAfee® Security CenterTM 30 days Introductory Offer
Dell Recommends McAfeeTM SecurityCenter 15-months
Love great art? The XPS M1330’s sleek lines and elegant form elevate it from PC to icon. Opt for Alpine White, Crimson Red or Tuxedo Black and enjoy the surprisingly sensual look and feel of MicroSatin paint.
Dell Recommends McAfeeTM SecurityCenter 15-months
Object of Desire
Sleek and SexyBe Free |
Go LongGet Face to Face*Upgraded LED display comes with 0.3MP camera |  |  |
Saturday, November 17, 2007
KTM bikes will be available very soon in Bajaj Probiking Showrooms
KTM bikes will be available very soon in Bajaj Probiking Showrooms
Yep!! you heard it right…."MG_Biker1806" a XBHPian revealed this news. KTM bikes will be available very soon in Bajaj Probiking showrooms. For the moment they have 3 models for India. They are:
1)990 Superduke
2)690 Duke-Adventure Sports
3)250EXC-F
250EXCF will be priced at 2.5 to 3 lakhs
KTM 990 Superduke
KTM 690 Duke
KTM 250 EXC-F
KTM 990 Superduke
You can barely find words to express the riding fun and the feeling that the KTM 990 Superduke gives you when it’s in motion. Just as KTM re-invented the Streetfighter, you try to invent new words for what happens beneath you curve after curve. The KTM 990 Superduke sweeps through curves – ultra-precise, radical and agile. The landscape flies past fast, faster, much too fast. You feel the road, the centrifugal force and want more.
KTM 690 Duke
KTM presents the 690 Duke, the ultimate single-cylinder naked bike! It's driven by the
most powerful, 65 HP (48 kW), street-legal single of all time, equipped with a superior street suspension and assembled with a discernible passion for design and technology.
KTM 250 EXC-F
If a bike can truly earn the name “muscle man” in the small class, then this super-light and extremely agile four-stroke does. Equipped with state of the art, four-valve technology, the XC-F delivers plenty of power, which it applies perfectly to the track every time. Excellent power development – from enormous force at lower speeds, to maximum performance at peak rpms.
But that is only the first key to success. Because, with its new chassis and totally new bodywork, the 250 XC-F is certainly a constant guarantee of podium placements.
Below are few models of KTM Motorcycles
990 SUPERDUKE (SERIES MODEL)
950 SUPERMOTO (PRE-SERIES MODEL)
990 RC8 (DEVELOPMENT LEVEL P1)
990 RC8 VENOM (CONCEPT BIKE)
Exactly a week after Carlos Ghosn’s high-profile visit to its Chakan plant, Bajaj Auto has announced another top-gear alliance, this time in the motorcycle market. On Monday, Bajaj picked up 14.5% in KTM from the open market for around Rs 300-350 crore as part of a ‘wide-ranging co-operation’ with the e566 million (Rs 3,200 crore) KTM Power Sports, Europe’s second-largest sport motorcycle maker.
Bajaj picked up the stake through its 100% Dutch subsidiary and sources say it may look at picking up another 5-10%. Industry sources add Bajaj Auto may also get a seat on the KTM board.
The alliance with KTM covers joint development of street bikes for both Indian and overseas markets and will complement Bajaj Auto’s efforts to hammer out a deal with another European motorcycle brand, Triumph.
Sources say talks are on with Triumph and if they go through, the focus would be more on cruisers and other higher displacement on-road products. KTM, on the other hand, makes mostly off-road sports bikes. Its jointly-developed street bikes with Bajaj will have smaller 125 and 250 cc engines.
The promoters of KTM currently own 50.1% of the company. When asked if Bajaj would increase its shareholding in the company to a more substantial 20-25%, KTM chief executive Stefan Pierer told ET: “Our company is listed on the Vienna stock exchange and Bajaj’s current stake comes from the free float shares. If there’s something free on the market they could do it and end up increasing their participation. We see this as a long-term partnership and we would be very positive about it.”
The partnership will jointly develop a high-performance, water-cooled engine platform for 125 and 250 cc bikes. "The engine platform will spawn several models," said Mr Pierer. "KTM will do KTM models and Bajaj will make Bajaj motorcycles." The two companies, he said, are focussing on their core markets for this new range of street bikes-Bajaj on India and the South Asian and South East Asian markets and KTM on Europe.
But in the second phase, that spread will increase. “We have a good presence in north America and we can figure out which models will work there," Mr Pierer said. "Also we have a footprint in Japan but not in the rest of Asia so the alliance can look at South East Asian markets like Indonesia, Philippines, China, Vietnam etc," he added.
The alliance will not only enable Bajaj to take over the distribution of KTM products in India and South East Asia, it will also enable the Indian two wheeler major to access the European market through KTM. “We are currently looking at how we can market and sell Bajaj products in European markets,” Mr Pierer said. And sourcing will also be part of the deal. “Bajaj will also support us with supplier systems,” said Mr Pierer.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Pulsar 300 cc??
pulsar 300 cc ???
One of my friend called me and said in a desperate voice.. “I changed my plan of buying Pulsar 220 after i saw the pulsar 300cc! Man its sexy!”..For a second i was shocked.Pulsar 300cc? Meanwhile he opened the spec sheet.. Monoshock, dual front disc, rear disc,……
Err..I was sure that it will be another hoax! And seeing the picture of so called pulsar 300cc , i confirmed it. But i should say , it really looks great even though its a photoshopped image.
Currently there are many versions of these photoshopped images claiming that they are pulsar 300cc.
New Panasonic Toughbooks - CF-W5, CF-T5 and CF-Y5
Panasonic has unveiled three new laptops that will be placed on their Business-Rugged Toughbook line, one thing is true: they have a cool design and meet the Military Specification drop-test but the specifications related to the performance could be a lot better. The 3 newborns are called CF-W5, CF-T5 and CF-Y5 and some people might say that the first two laptops are twins since the only difference is the screen, while W5 comes with a 12-inch LCD screen, the T5 adds a touch sensitive feature that is perfect for a certain kind of business. Both have an Intel Core Solo processor and 512MB of RAM only which can't be upgraded. To continue the similarity trend, they both cost the same $1,899 and will be in stock during October, have a 60GB hard-drive and battery life has a difference of 2 hours: the W5 can handle 8 hour while the Y5 will work for 10 hours. CF-Y5 is the best one, bigger display and better performance = a 14.1-inch display, a 1.66-GHz Intel Core Duo L2400 processor and RAM memory expandable to 1.5GB instead of the miserable 512MB. It has a built-in DVD/CD-RW optical drive, supports Bluetooth and can provide 6 hours of battery life, that's the price of better performance. The CF-Y5 will cost $2,199 and be available on December. All the new models are light (from 3 pounds to 3.5) and tough which means they are also perfect to take for work or university because they can handle impacts and accidental drops like no other notebooks.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
One of the best German car coming to India: The Volkswagen Passat
Now this particular post is purely for my love for this German car: The Volkswagen Passat. I love everything about this vehicle. I drove this car in 2004 for a month and since then I have been in awe with it. Not only the engine of this is best in world (some may not agree), but it is one of the sturdiest and most reliable cars on the road.
I was so happy to read that Volkswagen would be launching their first “assembled in India” model sometime later this year. The first model that they are launching would be “Luxury Sedan Passat”.
In US, Volkswagen Passat costs in the range of $25,000/- (around 9 lakh rupees), but in India with the kind of tax structure we have on Luxury Sedans, it is going to end up costing more than 20 Lakhs - which I think is really not worth it at all. As for me, I will be happy seeing them on Indian roads.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Microsoft’s spyware strategy
Microsoft’s spyware strategy
Spyware is one of the most vexing challenges to face computer users today. Industry analysts, partners, government leaders, and consumer advocacy groups all identify spyware as a serious problem that threatens to undermine public trust in computing.
As Microsoft and its manufacturing and internet service provider (ISP) partners receive ever more support calls related to spyware, Microsoft continually renews its commitment to deliver a powerful response to the threat.
Defining spyware
The term spyware (and other unwanted software) refers to a wide range of programs designed to take partial control of a computer without the consent of the owner or a legitimate user. Spyware uses this control to generate unsolicited pop-up advertising on a computer, track Web-browsing habits for marketing purposes, or change the configuration of a computer.
Effects of spyware
Spyware can be a minor annoyance, or it can have a serious impact on computer performance, security, and privacy. Common symptoms of spyware infestation include:
•
Advertisements pop up, even when you are not browsing the Web.
•
Settings change unexpectedly and are difficult to restore. For example, your browser home page or default search engine might change without your consent.
•
New, unwanted toolbars appear in the browser and are difficult to remove.
•
Performance suddenly and dramatically slows down.
•
Operating systems, Web browsers, and common applications crash more often.
Less common but potentially more harmful forms of spyware can also:
•
Record keystrokes, which allows the spyware to capture passwords and login information.
•
Collect personal information, such identification numbers, social security numbers (in the United States) or bank information, and send the information to a third party.
•
Take remote control of a computer to gain access to files, install or modify software, use the computer to help spread viruses, and more.
All forms of spyware are alike in this respect: they are installed without the user's consent and without the user's knowledge of what they will do.
Answering the spyware challenge
Microsoft is focused on helping to solve the problems caused by spyware and other unwanted software.
As the platform of choice for millions of customers and developers worldwide, the Microsoft Windows operating system provides a foundation for new growth and opportunity. Microsoft's vision rests on providing an open and extensible platform, and powerful core components and open application programming interfaces (APIs) that offer exceptional power and flexibility for software development, innovation, and learning.
The popularity of the Windows platform makes it especially attractive to hackers, criminals, and others who seek to exploit its capabilities and widespread use. The challenge for Microsoft and other responsible technology providers is to take advantage of the platform's power and extensibility, while helping customers protect the integrity of their data and configurations.
Microsoft's goal is to help customers make informed decisions about the software that installs and runs on their computers. The company uses four primary approaches to meet this commitment. Microsoft:
•
Provides technology.
•
Provides consumer education.
•
Works with the software industry.
•
Works with legislators and law enforcement.
Providing technology
Microsoft's vision includes a commitment to providing technology that helps detect and remove spyware, helps improve Internet browsing safety, and includes timely updates that address the latest spyware threats.
Detecting and removing spyware
Microsoft acquired the Windows Defender security technology from GIANT Company Software, Inc. in December 2004. Windows Defender technology can help customers identify and then disable or remove known spyware and other potentially unwanted software from their computers. The software also provides optional regular spyware scans that customers can choose to be run automatically.
Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) also helps provide protection against some of the most common ways that Web sites and programs install spyware on computers. The Pop-up Blocker in Internet Explorer helps prevent installation from pop-up ads, and the Internet Explorer Information Bar helps suppress unsolicited downloads. In addition, with the Internet Explorer Add-on Manager, advanced users and support professionals can see all installed and running Internet Explorer browser add-ons. This enables them to easily remove add-ons that were installed without their consent.
Improving Internet browsing safety
Windows Defender provides a continuous safeguard by monitoring computer software and looking for changes that are characteristic of malicious Web sites or programs. If Windows Defender detects these changes during an installation process, it alerts the user and asks whether to permit the installation.
Windows Defender uses three tools to monitor software behavior:
•
Internet agents. These agents help protect against spyware that makes unauthorized connections to the Internet or that changes a computer's Internet access settings (including dial-up or wireless settings).
•
System agents. These agents help protect against spyware that makes unauthorized changes to the computer's settings (including security permissions, password settings, and other critical system settings).
•
Application agents. These agents help protect against spyware that makes changes to applications (such as modifying Internet Explorer by adding unwanted toolbars, automatically downloading Internet Explorer add-ons from the Internet, or starting potentially unwanted programs when the computer is turned on).
Updating against the latest threats
As new instances of spyware appear and spread, Microsoft updates Windows Defender to help you protect yourself against the latest spyware threats. You can choose to have Windows Defender automatically download and install new updates, or you can choose to update the software manually. If AutoUpdater is not turned on, a yellow indicator appears in the Windows notification area to alert you when updates are available. You can click the Check for Updates button to download software enhancements and spyware definition updates.
Microsoft spyware team. Researchers at Microsoft work to discover new spyware and other potentially unwanted software, then create and release updates to help detect it.
Windows Defender customers. A network of Windows Defender users also help define which suspicious programs are classified as spyware. Any Windows Defender user can join this network and help report potential spyware to Microsoft. Those who participate in the global network help the Microsoft spyware team discover and respond to new threats quickly so that everyone gets better protection.
Top of pageTop of page
Providing consumer education
Microsoft provides up-to-date information from trusted resources on how to avoid and remove spyware. This helps customers learn what to look out for before they are tricked into downloading spyware by deceptive advertisements, alerts, or sites that bundle spyware with "free" programs. The Microsoft Web site also provides public newsgroups on spyware topics. These newsgroups are monitored by security-focused Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) who assist the online community through forums and discussions of spyware-related issues.
Working with the software industry
Until now, individual industry leaders have used a variety of approaches to address the problem of spyware. This lack of cohesion has limited everyone's ability to make a broad, coordinated impact on the problem. Now Microsoft and other industry leaders work together to share best practices and create common ways to identify and address spyware issues. This cooperative effort has resulted in the creation of common understandings of unwanted software, and industry-standard spyware definitions.
Microsoft is also actively engaged with other industry groups—such as the Center for Democracy & Technology and its Consumer Software Working Group—to help focus regulatory and enforcement efforts on truly deceptive spyware practices. Additionally, Microsoft works with top manufacturing and ISP partners to share best practices that help identify new instances of spyware.
Industrywide best practices provide an incentive for legitimate software publishers to distinguish themselves from less scrupulous publishers. This helps them minimize the risk of being classified with those who engage in unwanted behavior.
Working with legislators and law enforcement
Few laws apply to the development or distribution of spyware. This limits the ability of law enforcement agencies to identify and pursue spyware-related activity. Microsoft works with the appropriate government leaders and law enforcement agencies to help ensure that perpetrators of spyware are forced to cease illegal practices. Microsoft cooperates with law enforcement and regulatory agencies to assist them in their effort to enforce existing laws. (Examples include the PC Fraud and Abuse Act in the United States and similar international consumer protection laws). Consistent enforcement could put the most insidious violators out of business, which would help dramatically reduce the amount and type of spyware produced and distributed.
Microsoft also works with legislators on technologies as needed for those practices not already considered illegal under existing laws. It is important to note that Microsoft believes that any legislation should be carefully crafted to avoid unnecessary regulation on legitimate programs that enhance a computer user's experience.
Vision for the future
The threat of spyware and other unwanted software, like all security threats, is unlikely to be eradicated. Hackers, criminals, and others with malicious intent will always attempt to exploit computers and computer networks for vandalism or profit. Nevertheless, Microsoft is deeply committed to continue its intensive efforts to counteract security threats.
Microsoft is committed to help preserve the right to privacy, and fully supports a person's right to be left alone. Customers must be free to have access to any of their personal information and to control how it is used. They must be able to trust that their personal information is only used appropriately and with their consent. Microsoft regards the protection of customer information as a vital element of trust, and it regards customer trust as vital to the success of its business.
What customers can do
Microsoft invites customers to evaluate Windows Defender.
Microsoft also strongly recommends that customers:
•
Use an Internet firewall on all computers.
•
Use up-to-date antivirus software.
•
Update all computers with the latest security updates, available at Microsoft Update.
Additionally, Windows XP users should install Windows XP SP2, which includes advanced security technologies to help users protect themselves against viruses, hackers, and worms.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
WORLDS MOST EXPENSIVE CARS
According to Forbes, these are the world's most expensive cars. Surprisingly enough, you won't find Lamborghini, Bentley, Ferrari (where's the Enzo?) or Rolls Royce on this list. More after the jump.
10. Maybach 57S - $367,000
9. Maybach 62 - $385,250
8. Porsche Carrera GT - $440,000
7. McLaren SLR - $452,750
6. Koenigsegg CCR - $545,568
5. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo - $555,000
4. Leblanc Mirabeau - $645,084
3. SSC Ultimate Aero - $654,500
2. Pagani Zonda Roadster F C12S 7.3, Clubsport - $667,321
1. Bugatti Veyron - $1,192,057
Friday, October 5, 2007
BladeCenter HT Chassis
BladeCenter HT Chassis
- BladeCenter HT is the right choice for the ultimate combination of high performance and durability in telco, military, medical, government and industrial deployments.
- IBM BladeCenter HT tightly integrates servers, storage, networking, I/O and applications, allowing clients to build robust and flexible IT infrastructures using common building blocks.
- Flexible modular technology integrates Intel® Xeon, AMD Opteron, and IBM POWER™ processor-based blade servers supporting a wide range of operating systems.
- Take command of your Central Office or IT infrastructure with powerful IBM Cool Blue™ technology, a portfolio of products and tools to help customers plan, manage and control power and cooling — helping to build greener networks and infrastructures.
- BladeCenter Open Fabric is a highly adaptable portfolio of products and tools that delivers a flexible, open, connected infrastructure to help optimize application performance.
- A powerful set of management tools help simplify the IT environment. BladeCenter provides tools that are open, easy and seamlessly integrated, allowing you to focus on your business, not your networking or IT.
- Dramatically increase high-speed connectivity and throughput with multi-terabit networking (more than 1.2 Tbps internal chassis throughput on backplane) and 40 Gbps aggregate internal throughput per blade server
- Improve network flexibility and interoperability bridging new services to control gateways supporting SS7, VoIP, legacy PSTN, WAN devices and network interfaces with special purpose telecommunications blades
- Efficiently consolidate network resources while delivering high scalability for NGN applications such as IPTV, VoD and IMS, with higher port concentrations and 10 Gbps Ethernet network bandwidth
- Certified testing by Underwriters Laboratories® (UL) of the BladeCenter HT chassis is in progress, and when complete, the BladeCenter HT chassis will be covered under a UL-certified NEBS Level 3/ETSI test report, which will be available for review with customers
BladeCenter HT helps reduce network infrastructure costs while increasing network infrastructure performance and flexibility—making it the ideal platform to run your next-generation network (NGN) end-to-end infrastructure applications.
| Product features | | Hardware summary |
| ||
| |
|
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
BMW Debuts Its 2008 1 Series Convertible
BMW Debuts Its 2008 1 Series Convertible
For those whose definition of pure driving pleasure includes wind in the face and sunshine above, the new BMW 1 Series Convertible follows the tradition established by the iconic BMW 2002 sport sedan. The essence of such driving purity - a responsive six-cylinder engine positioned within a rear-drive chassis to provide balanced, sporty dynamics - is at the heart of this compact four-place convertible.
The 128i Convertible, which joins the new 1 Series Coupe going on sale in the spring of 2008, will be powered by BMW's 3.0-liter, 230 horsepower inline six-cylinder engine generating 200 lb-ft of torque. Like its fixed-roof stablemate, the 128i Convertible will feature Valvetronic valvetrain management and aluminum/magnesium cylinder block construction-core elements of BMW's EfficientDynamics.
The 135i Convertible, on sale later in 2008, features BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque from as low as 1,400 rpm. With its direct piezo gasoline injectors, twin low-mass turbochargers and air-to-air intercooler, optimum performance and economy is achieved with no loss in engine response. For the 135i Convertible, acceleration from 0-62 mph is accomplished in 5.6 seconds and top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. Both engines feature on-demand engine coolant pumps that improve fuel economy and reduce parasitic losses for increased efficiency.
What to do after a car accident
What to do after a car accident
Your heart is beating hard, you're breathing fast and you can't believe you just got into an accident. Look around. You're alive? Good. Everyone else? Even better. Now here's what you need to do once the dust settles.
You should:
- Keep your auto insurance information in the glove compartment, including a pre-printed form allowing you to provide the particulars of any accident, including a sketch of the scene. (Even better, use that disposable camera you keep in the car. You don't? You should.)
- Stay at the scene of the accident until police have come and gone, making sure you have the name of the officer(s) and that they have your version of what happened. Do not assume a police report will "take you off the hook" or even that one will be generated in the event of a minor accident ("minor" may mean no one is injured even though your car suffers a direct hit).
- Exchange names, addresses, driver's license and insurance information with the driver of the other car.
- Review your policy to make sure of your coverage. Make a list of questions and related information you want to know.
- Report the accident promptly to your insurance company. This may not seem wise or necessary to you. The accident may be minor, you may not want to risk seeing your rates rise or you may live in a no-fault state and think that the other driver's insurance company will pay for everything. But state laws generally protect you from higher rates unless an accident was your fault. And even though you may think no-fault lets you off the hook for the other driver's medical expenses, it does not. It simply says his insurance will pay for his expenses (up to the limits of his coverage), regardless of who is at fault. But rest assured his insurance company will come knocking on your insurer's door seeking repayment if it believes you were at fault in the accident. The point is, your insurer should be informed.
Think that's the end of it? Read on.
Admit it. You've never read your auto insurance policy, you don't want to read it and even if you're in an accident, you're still not sure if it would force you into those endless lines of fine print and insurance-speak. Assuming you can even find the policy.If you can, look in the back for what are called the conditions of your policy -- what you are supposed to do in the event of an accident. These requirements are pretty straightforward, although compliance may seem like a hassle when you're already upset by the accident itself. But you may forfeit some of your rights if you don't follow these instructions.
Next, look at the cover sheet of the policy, which is called the declarations page and which lists the types and dollar limits of your coverage, including short-hand references to any discounts or special provisions you have elected to purchase.
Last, there's the actual insuring agreement itself, which explains what your insurer is protecting you against, including definitions of terms used in the agreement and explanations of what's not covered (called the exclusions).
If you don't understand your policy, keep calling your agent and/or state insurance department until you get clear answers to your questions. Most people have heard that ignorance is no defense under the law, but they don't think they'll ever have to find out. Auto accidents are one of the most common ways to discover the sobering cost of ignorance.
The payments
Hopefully, your accident involves only damages to things and not to people. And, hopefully, it wasn't your fault.Even if it's just your car that's banged up, repairs can be a major headache. This is where the reality sets in that replacement cost is not the same thing as market value. Your car can easily be declared a total loss even though the money you'd receive is nowhere near what it would cost you to replace the vehicle.
The best advice about getting your car fixed is to remember that the money may be coming from the insurance company but you should control the repair process. This means refusing to settle for a repair job you don't like. And it may also mean refusing to accept the use of generic replacement parts instead of the original manufacturer's parts (your policy may give your insurer the right to use generic parts, so it's important to check the fine print to know your rights). Even if your favorite shop doesn't do the repairs, you can still have your mechanic look at the car (although this may be at your personal expense) and provide an assessment of what should be fixed. Ultimately, it's your car and your call about what's done to it.
Talk to your agent and/or insurer about your rights (better still, you should really ask these questions before you buy a policy). And if you don't like the answers, call your state insurance department.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Quad-Core AMD Opteron™ Processors: Uncompromised Design. Unprecedented Performance-per-Watt.
Quad-Core AMD Opteron™ Processors: Uncompromised Design. Unprecedented Performance-per-Watt.
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors with Direct Connect Architecture deliver industry-leading performance within a consistent footprint, and power and thermal envelopes.
Optimal Virtualization
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors with Direct Connect Architecture enable industry leading virtualization platform efficiency.
Featuring AMD Virtualization™ (AMD-V™) technology with Rapid Virtualization Indexing, Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors can accelerate the performance of virtualized applications and improve efficiency of switching among virtual machines — so customers can host more virtual machines and users per system to maximize the consolidation and power saving benefits of virtualization.
Learn more about our virtualization technology.
Enhanced Power Efficiency
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors are the most power efficient server CPUs we’ve ever produced, thanks to Enhanced AMD PowerNow!™ technology and the addition of innovative CoolCore™ Technology.
These innovations are designed to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO), data center power needs, and cooling costs by lowering the energy consumption of your IT infrastructure.
Find out how to decrease your data center power needs.
Investment Protection
By leveraging AMD’s Common Core Strategy and Same Socket Technology, Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors are designed to minimize changes to your software and data center infrastructure to protect your IT investment and simplify IT management.
AMD plans include a stable consistent roadmap and well-timed transitions to help decrease your IT TCO.
Learn more about how Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors can reduce your IT total cost of ownership.
Outstanding Performance
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors are designed for optimum multi-threaded application performance.
We start with a native quad-core design — featuring four cores on a single die for more efficient data sharing — and add an enhanced cache structure and integrated memory controller designed to sustain multi-threaded application throughput.
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors provide outstanding processing power and can increase performance-per-watt to improve IT responsiveness while maintaining costs.
Learn more about AMD Opteron processor performance.
AMD Opteron processors enable stable, long-term solutions with industry-leading performance and performance-per-watt to simplify your IT management — now and in the future.
forx trading
forx trading
Forex currency trading is a great way for use to be able to easily double the currency in the forex market. Investing currency in the forex is the easiest way to earn substantial profit, because this is one of the few ways of entering into forex currency trading. We have to learn more about the currencies where we are going to invest our money.
Make sure you take the time to study about the currency you plan to put your money in. The companies we are going to be investing it in will be based on other currency, so we will have to exchange your money into that currency before investing in the stocks and forex. We have to understand about the forex currency trading market and companies in which we are going to invest before we place our money into it.
People always invest money in the stocks and forex to make money. To invest in the forex we are allowed directly to invest in the market or through a forex broker. In forex many of them will be the investing currencies in the forex currency trading and the traders will approach in the market, but it will be first time for the investors and it can appear at times daunting and this influences us to use the interactive forex currency trading. The dollar will change to some other currencies which are equal to the opportunities to purchase some additional stocks. Now even banks and the financial institution will help us by giving some currency for the low investment investors who are all involved in stocks and Forex.
The bank will provide us online services. The majority of the banks and financial institutions have clients who are all in high level trading. It tells that if someone opens a small account in forex marketing then he will have the ration of one to one hundred. There is a large investment in the trades which make up the forex market. The forex investing involves in making high profits with low amounts of investment.
In today's world most of them invest some level of currencies or transaction to be made, for trading on the stock market, futures and options, or any other market, foreign exchange is almost always involved. This has created a diverse market in the forex investing. The investors are based on the offer of forex trading online. The forex investor will receive various choices for investing in stocks and forex. This service is offered by the forex markets. A forex currency investor is also like a regular employee in the office. We can learn more about the markets and the forex trading companies, and about the value of foreign currenciesMonday, September 10, 2007
Bajaj has come up with yet another inovation for ppl who actually care for millage:-
PUNE: Bajaj Auto on Thursday announced a breakthrough with the launch of a new engine for its new two-wheeler range which the company claims gives a mileage of 109 km per litre under ideal test conditions.
The company will launch a new model `Exceed', powered by the new engine, in September, Bajaj Auto Managing Director Rajeev Bajaj told reporters on Thursday.
`Exceed' is expected to be priced at Rs 40,000 ex-showroom (Pune) but the actual pricing will be decided later, Bajaj said.
The new engine called Digital Twin Spark--Swirl induction (DTS-Si) surpasses the mileage offered by all current 100 cc motorcycles. The company has applied for a patent for this engine, Bajaj said.
The breakthrough offers a huge opportunity to upgrade the 100 cc customers with an engine which offers the best of both worlds--100 cc mileage and 125 cc performance, top officials of the company said.
The DTS-Si engine is far superior to the conventional 4-stroke engines which dominate the 100 cc segment at present, the said.
General Manager, Marketing, Amit Nandi said brand Bajaj enjoys a market share of 47 per cent in the growing and profitable 125 cc and 150 cc segments against a smaller share of 24 per cent in the declining but larger 100 cc segment.
Bajaj will offer customers a value proposition much superior to the currently over-priced and under performing 100 cc products with the launch of `Exceed' next month, he said. 100 cc customers will upgrade to this 125 cc bike that gives superior mileage and power, he said.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Why Choose GEICO
Why Should I Buy My Car Insurance From GEICO?
Warren Buffett on his experience with GEICO, and why it offers you an advantageLow rates, great service, and exceptional financial strength-that’s why!
Low Rates and Great Discounts
GEICO’s competitive rates and discounts could save you 15% or more.
These are just a few of our money-saving discounts:
- Multi-car discount.
- Discount for cars with air bags and other safety features.
- Discounts for membership in one of over 250 organizations that partner with GEICO.
According to a recent *survey, 97% of our policyholders were satisfied with the service they received.
- 24/7 service by phone or online-even on holidays.
- Claims settled quickly and fairly.
- Local offices
- GEICO will have the resources to pay your claims.
- GEICO is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. and has assets of over $15 billion.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Bajaj Auto unveils revolutionary DTS-Si engine
· All new Technology offers 100cc Mileage and 125cc Performance
· All new engine with ‘swirl induction’ technology
· Technology that will catalyse upgrade of 100cc customers to superior 125cc bike
Bajaj Auto, has achieved another breakthrough with the launch of new ‘Digital Twin Spark - Swirl induction’ (DTS-Si) engine. The new 125cc engine with DTS-Si technology will give an amazing mileage of 109 kilometers per liter under ideal test conditions surpassing the mileage of all current 100cc motorcycles. With this breakthrough there is a huge potential and opportunity to upgrade the 100cc customer with a engine which offers the best of both worlds – 100cc mileage and 125cc performance.
Designed and developed completely by ‘**Ahead’, Bajaj Auto’s R&D, the technology promises to revolutionalise the industry with
Bajaj had first dramatically improved on existing engine technology in 2003 when it launched the DTS-i (Digital Twin Spark-ignition) engine with two Spark plugs located at opposite ends of the combustion chamber (as compared to a single spark plug in conventional 4-stroke engines) to achieve faster and more efficient combustion. The DTS-i technology offered better performance, improved fuel efficiency with lower emissions and helped establish the Bajaj Pulsar and then the Bajaj Discover as leaders in their respective segments.
The DTS-i Engine can be further engineered to deliver either exceptional performance or exceptional mileage. Bajaj Auto worked on the mother DTS-i technology to design the DTS-Si engine to deliver outstanding mileage. The DTS-Si technology gives the highest possible fuel efficiency by introducing ‘Swirl induction’ to the DTS-i engine to create turbulence in order to achieve extremely efficient combustion.
The DTS-Si engine is far superior to the conventional 4-stroke engines, which dominate the 100cc segment at present. With the new DTS-Si engine the consumer now would not have to compromise between power and mileage - he gets the best of both.
Says Mr. Abraham Joseph, Head of R&D, Bajaj Auto Ltd., “We realized that at light loads on DTS-i, an opportunity existed to improve the combustion even further. When burning lean Air-Fuel mixtures through the two spark plugs, the combustion conditions could be further improved by generating high turbulence in the combustion chamber. Once the solution was arrived at, the design and geometry modifications followed.”
Bajaj enjoys a market share of 47% percent in the growing and profitable 125 cc and 150 cc segments, as against a smaller share of 24% percent in the declining but larger 100 cc segment. Says Mr. Amit Nandi, General Manager (Marketing), “Bajaj will offer customers a value proposition much superior to the currently overpriced and underperforming 100cc products with the launch of an all new bike with the DTS-Si engine next month. 100cc customers will upgrade to this 125cc bike that gives superior mileage and superior power.”
The first product, which will be powered by this engine, would be launched in September 2007.
BAJAJ 125 DTS-Si: ENGINE Specifications
Type: Four stroke Natural Air-cooled
No. of cylinders : One
Bore: 54 mm
Stroke: 54.4 mm
Engine displacement : 124.58 cc
Compression ratio: 9.5+/- 0.5 : 1
Maximum Net Power: 9.53 PS( 7.01 kW) at 7000 rpm
Maximum Net Torque: 10.85 Nm at 5000rpm
Ignition system: Microprocessor controlled Digital CDI, with TRICS incorporated in Carburettor
Ignition Timing: Variable Timing with Multiple maps
Fuel: Unleaded Petrol, 87 RON minimum
Carburetor: Side draught type,
Ucal – Mikuni VM16 with Auto choke/ Keihin FIE PTE16, with Auto choke
Lubrication: Wet sump, forced
Clutch: Wet, mulit disc type.
DTS-Si (DIGITAL TWIN SPARK - SWIRL induction)
Introduction
In a conventional single spark plug equipped combustion chamber, the rate of combustion is slow. The spark plug situated at one end of the combustion chamber, ignites the air-fuel mixture and the ensuing flame front spreads like a slowly inflating balloon. There is an inevitable delay for this inflating balloon to reach the furthest part of the combustion chamber. Thus, the combustion is slow and inefficient.
Digital Twin Spark ignition (DTS-i system)
The Digital Twin Spark – ignition, equipped combustion chamber takes care of the slow rate of combustion in a simple but novel way. The cylinder head is equipped with two spark plugs, instead of the conventional single spark plug. By generating two sparks at either ends of the combustion chamber, (approximately 90° to the valve axis) the Air-Fuel mixture gets ignited such that, there are 2 flame fronts created and therefore a reduction in flame travel of the order of 40% is achieved. A fast rate of combustion is achieved leading to a fast rate of pressure rise. The obvious outcome of this is more torque, better fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
Digital Twin Spark – Swirl induction (DTS-Si system)
The Digital Twin Spark - ignition or DTS- i is the mother technology for the latest Digital Twin Spark – Swirl induction or DTS-Si technology.
Thanks to DTS- i, a fast rate of combustion and therefore the resulting fast rate of pressure rise is harnessed, by optimally positioning this pressure, to deliver maximum possible work and hence obtain more torque, better fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
When burning lean Air-Fuel mixtures, the two plugs provide rapid combustion, but at light loads, opportunity exists to improve the combustion further.
Combustion efficiency in lean Air-Fuel mixture conditions can be further improved by generating high turbulence in the combustion chamber.
Combustion chambers having low turbulence give rise to propagation of a flame front, which is akin to that of a gradually expanding balloon. This results in a slower rate of combustion and thus slower rate of pressure rise. End result is lower efficiency.
When high turbulence is generated and combustion takes place, the surface of the ballooning flame front fragments itself, with projection like fingers, which increases its surface area, thereby improving combustion further.
The straight ports used in conventional engines have limitations in generating high swirl values due to their geometry. One of the ways to generate more swirl is to have a port configuration that promotes this phenomena. An offset port configuration was arrived upon and optimised to generate the required swirl numbers.
Incorporated in the new engine, this results in a swirling motion of the incoming charge, which decays itself into turbulence as the piston moves in the Induction and Compression strokes. This results in the Air-Fuel mixture being more thoroughly mixed and spread around the combustion chamber.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)