The Check Clearing Act for the 21st Century Act goes into effect Oct. 28 and will encourage the banking industry's use of image technology. If you ask for a canceled check for proof of payment, you'll likely receive an IRD (Image Replacement Document) instead. This fall, Californians will start paying $6 to $10 more for every monitor, flat panel, laptop and TV sold in the state -- the result of a recycling law that will take effect Nov. 1.
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Google queries can return Web sites that list personal information including names, addresses, phone numbers, and credit card data of hundreds of card holders. Google would not comment, but they've decided to allow anyone to request the removal of any document that includes a Social Security or credit-card number-simply send a note to help@google.com with a link to the page. So far this year, Visa has had 20 sites pulled from the Web for trafficking in stolen credit cards.
Intel will incorporate changes in its 65-nanometer strained silicon manufacturing process beginning in 2005, Circuits made on the 65-nanometer process can boost performance or cut power consumption or do both. The enhanced version can increase performance by 30 percent. With strained silicon, Intel is at least a generation ahead Competitors IBM and AMD who have also begun to include strained silicon in chips. In 2009 Intel expects to be making 32 nanometer chips.
Mayo Foundation will use IBM's Blue Gene supercomputer for mathematical modeling required to understand gene and protein structures and their interactions to get clues about disease causes. The technology, aimed at improving diagnosis, curing diseases and developing individualized treatment, may help Mayo understand which genes might be responsible for certain diseases, including various cancers.
Researchers have developed a way to print sheets of solid animal tissue by filling inkjet cartridges with animal cells, or "bio-ink" and using basic AutoCAD design software. The scientists are designing and generating tissue that could someday save heart patients who need new cardiac tissue and allow doctors to study, scan, and duplicate exactly what a patient needs and develop custom treatments. A free program from eMachineShop.com may be an inventor's dream. The program lets people design 3-D objects (such as car parts, door knobs, etc.) in metal or plastic and then order them online. The software checks to determine whether a design can be made, tells the customer how much it will cost, and sends the design to a "real world" machine shop for manufacturing. Freescale Semiconductor Inc. received certification from the FCC on Monday for its ultra wideband chip set. UWB (ultra wideband) wireless technology is expected to replace USB as a peripheral connector for PCs and could enable a new generation of wireless devices. The first generation products support 100-110 Mbps and the road map aims for speeds of 220 Mbps by the end of the year. Sony's new television technology allows viewers to zoom in, pan and tilt their perspective in television broadcasts. Sony said the new DRC-MFv2 or "Digital Reality Creation Multifunction" controller chip will help to unlock and take more advantage of the level of detail available in high-definition digital video. Digital Lifestyles believes it's got exactly what teenage computer users want. The hip-e computer is white with screen and keyboard framed in fuzzy pink fur. Or a leopard skin. Or a graffiti pattern. There is no restriction against any non-profit group using this article as long as it is kept in context with proper credit given the author. The Editorial Committee of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG), an international organization of which this group is a member, brings this article to you.