Open-source social network Diaspora goes live

IDG News Service - Diaspora, a widely anticipated social network site built on open-source code, has cracked open its doors for business today, at least for a handful of invited participants.

"Every week, we'll invite more people," stated the developers behind the project, in a blog item posted Tuesday announcing the alpha release of the service. "By taking these baby steps, we'll be able to quickly identify performance problems and iterate on features as quickly as possible."

Such a cautious rollout may be necessary, given how fresh the code is. In September, when the first version of the working code behind the service was posted, it was promptly criticized for being riddled with security errors.

While Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg may not be worried about Diaspora quite yet, the service is one of a growing number of efforts to build out open-source-based social-networking software and services. Others include Identica, a Twitter-like messaging service built on open-source software, and the Free Software Foundation's GNU Social.

Four New York University students came up with the idea of Diaspora earlier this year, and quickly raised US$200,000 from investors in the project. In interviews, they have stated their collective goal was to develop open-source software for social networking as an alternative to commercial alternatives such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

"When you give up that data, you're giving it up forever," said co-developer Max Salzberg, in an interview with The New York Times. "The value [sites such as Facebook] give us is negligible in the scale of what they are doing, and what we are giving up is all of our privacy."

The students' plan with Diaspora is to allow participants to retain ownership of all the material they use on the site, and retain full control over how that information is shared. It will also allow users to divide their social connections into individual groups, called Aspects, and control which groups see which material, according to the website.

by Joab Jackson

source: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9197882/Open_source_social_network_Diaspora_goes_live

Mitsubishi Concept PX MiEV at the 18th IIMS 2010

Mitsubishi’s attendance at 18th Indonesia International Motor Show 2010, July 2010 should come with a bevy of concept cars in tow to unveil to the automotive world. One of its newest showcase vehicles is the PX-MiEV, a next-generation hybrid crossover CUV that the Japanese automaker says was created to maximize fuel efficiency, decrease emissions, all while keeping the Mitsubishi standard of performance at a high level.

The PX-MiEV comes with a 1.6-liter inline-four powerpack for the front wheels and a revolutionary auto-volt plug-in system. Similar to previous Pajero models, the PX-MiEV is capable of running on either front or all-wheel drive, only this time the CUV also has a hybrid mode plus a parallel hybrid system when the PX-MiEV is running on heavy. Mitsubishi also gave some of its Evolution X configurations to the PX-MiEV, including the S-AWC and E-AYC systems, which is capable of triggering power shuffling in any part of the car whenever the need arises.

As far as the car’s interior is concerned, Mitsubishi installed a bevy of technological features, including what looks like two touch-screen configurators found in the front and rear of the car. The PX-MiEV also comes with a revolutionary safety system that – by all accounts – should make its way to a number of Mitsubishi vehicles down the road. The system, which in all appearances looks just like a camera, warns the driver of any potential problems through visual or audio warnings, in addition, of course, to alerts of the vibrating persuasion.
The CUV is set to be unveiled at 18th Indonesia International Motor Show 2010 where it is expected to be one of Mitsubishi’s meal tickets during the two-week event.

Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI Arrived in Indonesia

PT Garuda Mataram Motor (GMM), the sole agent of the Audi in Indonesia seem to want to strengthen its presence in the premium car market for Indonesia. GMM will present one of the super-fast car that Audi R8 V10 Spyder in the homeland.

The Audi R8 Spyder will be on display at leading automotive exhibition in Indonesia, the Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) 2010 at the JI Expo Kemayoran, on July 2010. Not only are displayed, in conjunction with the appearance of the Audi R8 at IIMS 2010, PT GMM plans to start selling Audi R8 in the domestic automotive market.

"We're going to show off the Audi R8 V10 Spyder in IIMS. Not only be displayed but our immediate and direct selling can be obtained," said Wanny Bhakti, the Head of Public Relations Department GMM, Sunday (05/09/2010).

Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro is the next variant of its top-of-the-line model. With the Audi R8, the brand has established itself at the forefront of high-end sports cars from the very start - and now comes the Audi R8 V10. Its 5.2-liter, ten-cylinder engine churns out 386 kW (525 hp) and 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque, which makes for breathtaking performance. With superior Audi technologies such as quattro all-wheel drive, the lightweight aluminum body, the innovative all-LED headlights, and its striking design, the Audi R8 V10 takes pole position against the competition.

The V10 engine in the production sports car will be almost identical in construction to the one in the racing version. Its displacement is 5,204 cc, at 6,500 rpm it delivers 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque, at 8,000 rpm its power tops out at 386 kW (525 hp).

The specific power output is 100.9 hp per liter of displacement - and each hp has to propel only 3.09 kilograms (6.91 lb) of weight, because the Audi R8 V10 in the version with the six-speed manual gearshift weighs only 1,620 kilograms (3571 lb). The engine accounts for 258 of these kilograms (569 lb) - that's only 31 kilos (68 lb) more than the V8.

The Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro rockets from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 3.9 seconds. In the version with the sequentially shifting R tronic it reaches 200 km/h (124.27 mph) in another 8.1 seconds. Even then its propulsive power hardly lessens: it's sufficient to reach a top speed of 316 km/h (196.35 mph). The immense force, the spontaneity and the thrust of the acceleration, plus the sound of the engine - all these impressions coalesce into a breathtaking sports car experience. The V10 plays a concert with growling bass tones and powerful high notes, which grows into a grandiose fortissimo as the engine revs up. This sonorous acceleration doesn't reach its limit until 8,700 rpm.

The 5.2-liter powerplant uses direct injection according to the FSI principle developed by Audi. A common rail system injects the fuel into the combustion chambers with up to 120 bar of pressure. Direct injection reduces the susceptibility to knocking and provides a certain amount of cooling through the evaporation of the fuel, which in turn supports a high compression ratio of 12.5:1. This in turn contributes to superior performance and improves fuel economy. The Audi R8 V10 with R tronic gets by on an average of 13.7 liters per 100 km.

Although Audi has not announced the price of this new model for the Indonesian car market, but the mere comparison of the Audi R8 V10 prices in the United States market is USD 147,000 or approximately IDR 1.3 billion.

Then what the price of Audi R8 when it arrived in Indonesia?

The 18th Indonesia International Motor Show 2010

The 18th Indonesia International Motor (IIMS 2010) Show is the most prestigious motor show in Indonesia featuring the latest automotive products and most innovative services with emphasizing the latest trends in the global automobile industry and will show a dazzling array of full range passengers and commercial cars to grand public growing from year to year. This 23 July – 1 August 2010, the IIMS 2010 will once again bring new atmosphere and experience with most entertaining and business enabling at Jakarta International Expo, Kemayoran.

Event Date :

23 July - 01 August 2010

Opening & Press Day :

23 July 2010 (Press Credentials are Required)

Public Show :

24 July - 01 August 2010Monday - Thursday : 12.00 - 21.00 WIBFriday - Sunday : 10.00 - 22.00 WIB

Venue :

Jakarta International Expo - Arena PRJ Kemayoran

Organized by:

GAIKINDO and Dyandra Promosindo

Website:

18th Indonesia International Motor Show 2010

Garmin Asus nüvifone M10

The nüvifone M10 is a full-featured smartphone that works as hard as you do. Combining the enterprise-friendly Windows® Mobile platform with Garmin's proven navigation, the nüvifone M10 was designed to take you places. And with access to Windows Marketplace, you'll have hundreds of apps right at your fingertips.

Connect Your Worlds
With nüvifone M10, you'll have a digital assistant at your side. This stylish smartphone was built to give you the best of both worlds — seamlessly connecting your business life with your personal life. In addition to running the powerful Windows Mobile OS, the nüvifone M10 comes preloaded with FacebookTM and YouTubeTM apps — allowing you to stay in sync with your surroundings while getting more done in less time.

Designed to Move You
The nüvifone M10 is ready to go with the included car kit and power cable. Simply plug it in and snap it in the car mount and you'll be on your way in no time. The nüvifone M10 also features a bright 3.5" display to help guide you on your way. And with a 5.0 MP camera that automatically geo-tags your pictures, you'll be able to share location details about the places around you.

Stay Informed
The nüvifone M10 puts all the information you need right on the home screen. From new emails and text messages to missed calls and calendar appointments, you'll have at-a-glance details via the intuitive interface. And to give you easy access to your contacts and emails while keeping the content secure, the nüvifone M10 can be synched over the air with your computer and enterprise systems via Exchange ActiveSync functionality.

Choose Your Own Path
Featuring Garmin's award-winning navigation, the nüvifone M10 will get you wherever you want to go. With the nüvifone M10, you can find addresses and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. The nüvifone M10 also supports junction view and lane assist — so you'll always know the right lane at the right time. And with highway mode on the nüvifone M10, you'll have details on upcoming exits to give you perspective on your trip. In addition, the nüvifone M10 comes preloaded with millions of points of interest so you'll have details — including phone numbers — to assist you while you're on the move.

Experience Location-based Services
Recognizing that location is relevant to every aspect of every day, the nüvifone M10 is designed with location-based services (LBS) at its core and it has the most advanced LBS experience for a Windows Mobile phone. Navigation functions are linked to frequently used applications such as calendar, contacts, email, Internet browser, and messaging. Because no matter where you're going, getting there is as important as being there.

Make it Your Own
The nüvifone M10 is easy to customize to fit your needs. In addition to the apps available from the Windows Marketplace, you'll also have access to our suite of connected services, which include flight status information, weather forecasts, traffic details, and more. With the nüvifone M10, you'll have a phone designed for the way you work.

Source: http://www.garminasus.com/en_GB/phones/nuvifone-m10/