Microsoft is set to hand out pre-betas of Windows 7 to various developers, and it looks like they’ve finally found the perfect name for it’s next-gen OS. Get ready… introducing.. Windows 7. That’s right, it turns out the code name which has been used all through development has been chosen as the real name, which is a first for Windows. Apparently the company decided to stick with Windows 7 because it “just makes sense”. Seinfeld must have helped them on the set of the commercials with this idea. Whatever it’s called, I just can’t shake the feeling that Windows 7 is little more than a patch Vista.

Tags: Beta, Seven, windows 7, windows vista

It seems these days that the quality of an electronic device is not determined by the parts and quality it delivers, but whether or not it’s covered with crystals. Swarovski crystals, to be exact. If you are in need of a crystal encrusted camera to take with you to cotillions or charity balls, then you should look no further than the Mju 1040 by Olympus. It’s a limited edition camera which features a 10 megapixel shooter which is adorned with ninety-eight Swarovski crystals. The price for the camera is around $303 and will be available at the end of October.

Tags: Crystals, Megapixel, Mju, Olympus, Swarovski

Earlier this month, we saw Mozilla CEO John Lilly claiming that Firefox mobile would be available within the next few weeks. The development track has been following schedule, with an additional bit of information. The first screen shots from the mobile browser have been available on the internet, and show Firefox Mobile running quite well on a Windows Mobile Professional touchscreen smartphone. The browser features full HTML browsing, which has become the industry standard for mobile browsing as more and more phones pick up the mini-computer moniker. No word on the release date, but if everything goes as planned, we should see it before the end of October.

Tags: FireFox, Firefox Mobile, Full HTML, touchscreen

Okay, so maybe that last bit of news has you a bit scared when it comes to the robot uprising. Maybe this will give you a little bit of peace. According to Maryland professor Jaydev Desai, a prototype of a robot being developed at the University of Maryland could one day be used to diagnose, hunt, and destroy breast cancer cells in one sitting and much more efficiently than human beings.

The prototype can work inside an MRI because of it’s titanium and stainless steel construction. Everything from the biopsy to the hunting of cancer cells will be done in the MRI, making it much easier on the cancer patient. The robot kills the cells by using a probe which is inserted into the breast until it comes into contact with the tumor. The probe then burns all of the cancerous cells until they’re dead. This would effectively consolidate three months of trips to the hospital into one visit.

Tags: Breast Cancer, MRI, Robot, Tumor

For those of you who are afraid of robot overlords, this probably isn’t the best article for you to read. A computer named Elbot achieved a 25% success rate when trying to convince a human being that they were conversing with another human. Simply put, Alan Turing, the father of the whole test, stated any artificial intelligence need only achieve a 30% success rate to be considered sentient. While Elbot can not officially be considered sentient, this is just another huge step in making computers who literally think and act just like humans. Where’s Isaac Asimov when you need him.

Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, Computer, Robot, Sentient

I’m not sure what the fascination is with plastering diamonds on everything, but the trend shows no signs of dying down. In the latest bit of news, you can purchase covers, that’s right. Covers, for your iPod earphones, which are encrusted in diamonds. The diamonds are worth $60,000 dollars. If you’re troubled by recent the recent economic crisis and don’t want to fork over quite that much cash, you could always opt to purchase a $4,500 set which is encrusted wit black or white diamonds, or even cheaper, a set covered in Swarvoski crystals for just $110.

Tags: Diamond, Earphone, ipod, Swarvoski

ATM skimmers have been around for quite a while now, but one of the downsides of them, aside from the fact that it’s identity theft and you could serve serious time, is that thieves would have to personally retrieve the skimmer from the ATM it was planted on. A new model of ATM skimmer has been released which sends the information gathered via SMS to the thief’s phone. The go for around $8,500, so it’s not likely you’ll have one used against you. Just remember these devices do exist the next time you go to swipe your card at an ATM.

Tags: ATM, Identity Theft, Scammer, SMS

This seems completely and utterly useless, other than for someone like James Bond who would actually be getting shot at while wearing a suit and handkerchief. There are only ten of these babies being made, and the official name for them is Srulirecht’s DÆmdur. The kevlar based handkerchief functions as a regular handkerchief, but apparently also doubles as protection for your breast while it rests in your pocket. Sure, the manufacturer says the integrity of the handkerchief shouldn’t be tested and they can’t be held responsible, but I’d like to see the plausibility of this concept on Myth Busters. Could these things really serve two purposes? Who knows.

Tags: Handkerchief, james bond, Kevlar, Myth Busters

With today’s focus on the world going green, in home power consumption monitors have been popping up all over the place. Most monitors simply tell you what a wasteful person you’re being, but a new UK service called AlertMe could stand to make you more efficient. The service starts at $260 for the hardware and $17.50 a month, with Smart Plugs purchasable for $43 which communicate wirelessly to the heating controller you purchased. Once your service is active, you can monitor your energy usage online via computer or phone. The service also includes key fobs, which will automatically turn down the heat and deactivate devices when you’re away, so you conserve energy. You can also control your thermostat by text message, so you’ll never be more than a few key presses away from a warm home.

Tags: AlertMe, Energy, Going Green, Power Consumption

As if Dubai needed to claim another world’s first, the city will be receiving the planet’s largest LED screen, designed by UAE development company Tameer Holding. The enormous LED screen will be 33 stories high and will reportedly be “embedded on an intended commercial tower in the Majan district of Dubai.” The gigantic LED will stand tall and serve up advertisements to onlookers from a mile away. The building which will house the screen is being called Podium, and will features 33 levels of commerical office space, as well as two floors dedicated to retail and four floors of parking space. There’s no word on when the project will be finished, but residents of Dubai should be glad there homes aren’t anywhere near the monster screen.

Tags: Dubai, led, screen, World Record