Storage Takes a Page From ‘My Book’
Western Digital has launched its newest line of external hard drive storage in the Middle East. The first models of the My Book family are available now in capacities from 160GB to 500GB at select retail stores and online retailers. My Book’s unique book-shaped enclosure stands vertically, leaving a tiny footprint and sitting naturally on desktops and bookshelves. It features vents around the book’s page ends, keeping the hard drive inside cool for long-term reliability. The My Book family enclosure employs shock protection for the drive inside and operates quietly for home and office environments.
The simple-to-use experience of My Book begins when owners first plug the device into their computer: It self-installs, requiring no CDs to insert or separate software to install. Organizing photos, music, video and all other content is made easy with included desktop, photo and search engine management software. My Book Premium Edition features a capacity gauge, which indicates to owners the remaining storage capacity as they add data.
Two members of the My Book family initially are available: My Book Essential Edition and My Book Premium Edition. Both versions connect to PCs or Macs with USB 2.0 and have a lighted on/off button on the binding of the book. My Book Premium adds FireWire 400 connectivity for a 25-percent performance improvement in reading files compared with USB 2.0; easy-to-use backup software and a capacity gauge.
Participate in the Lightroom Public Beta
Adobe Lightroom is a new digital imaging solution for professional photographers. With its modular, task-based and streamlined environment, Lightroom’s goal is to deliver a complete photography workflow solution. Lightroom Beta has been designed with a user interface that puts the focus on what photographers really care about — the image. With just one click, the control panels and tools fade into the background in Lights-Out mode, allowing the image to take center stage. The innovative Identity Plate feature allows photographers to apply their own branding to the application and its output, so that it becomes their own personal gallery for showcasing work. Photographers also can rapidly scroll through hundreds of images and Quick One-to-One Zoom allows instant magnification of the finer points within the image.
Download the Lightroom Beta at http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom. Although initially available as a beta for Macintosh, Lightroom will later support both the Windows and Macintosh platforms. Sign-up to be notified when the Windows version becomes available.
Making the Most of New LCDs
A number of LCD manufacturers have recently announced development of LCD monitors using LEDs of six different colors as a backlight. ColorLink’s ColorComb eyewear leverages these recent developments. Using the theory of spectral-division stereo display, ColorComb glasses will allow viewers a more realistic experience by making possible affordable 3D viewing, much in demand by video game players. Seeking to have privacy when using your laptop on a plane? ColorComb eyewear allows only you to see the display. It appears gray to the person seated next to you. In addition, ColorComb glasses used with specially enabled LCD TVs allow one viewer wearing one pair of glasses to watch one TV show and a second viewer with a second pair of glasses can watch another show on the same TV at the same time.
Web-Based Surgical Training Program
Karl Storz Endoscopy-America, a world leader in endoscopy and solutions for integrated operating rooms, has found that participation in Network 1, the company’s latest educational initiative, is exceeding expectations. Network 1 is a web-based program that gives participants access to top surgeons performing live surgeries at locations around the world, as well as archived webcasts. The program offers an effective tool for teaching advanced surgical techniques in minimally invasive surgery. It also provides information to patients to help them make informed decisions about their own health care.
This innovative program uses established Karl Storz OR1 facilities and Network 1 links to present regularly scheduled webcasts of surgeries in a range of minimally invasive specialties. OR1 users, surgical experts, academic training institutions and surgeons-in-training can observe these surgeries as they are performed and even interact with the surgeons via e-mail during live procedures. They can also review the archived webcasts at their convenience. Patients can view the surgeries to familiarize themselves with less-invasive procedures they may be considering. Information about Network 1, including details on upcoming webcasts, registration and archived presentations can be accessed at www.karlstorzOR1network.com.