Write a guest post for HashOut!

I'll be off for a fortnight for a holiday this Saturday and may not be able to post regularly. So here is a chance for you to write guest posts for HashOut and get a link back to your blog/website. Everyones invited!

You can write on anything from Technology, Gadgets, Automobiles, Sports, Entertainment, Travel & Holiday, Photography, Lifestyle, Politics, Business, Blogging, Making money online, social bookmarking, social networking, Web 2.0, or for that matter anything that would fit into any of the categories there on the sidebar. For example you can write on the ongoing Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean, the upcoming US Presidential elections or how you reached there in the top 1000 blogs on Technorati or Alexa. Make sure your content is original and that it adds value to the readers.

Submit your posts along with a suitable title, your name and blog/website address to . Offer valid till April 10th, 2007. All submissions will be subject to approval/editing before they go live. » Continue reading

Read more on About HashOut, Blogging

Nokia N95 out at last!

Almost six months after announcing the Nokia N95 (in September 2006), Nokia has started shipping the Nokia N95 in key European, Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and in the coming weeks will be available in more countries in those regions.

The Nokia N95 is an all-in-one multimedia computer with a unique 2-way slide design, the first smart mobile cell phone with integrated GPS functionality, a 5 megapixel camera and support for high-speed mobile networks, making it easier to watch and record videos, listen to songs, take high-quality photos, browse the internet, or catch up on email while on the move.

It supports High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), WLAN (Wi-Fi), EDGE and WCDMA networks.

The Nokia N95 sports a Carl Zeiss optics on the 5 megapixel camera, built-in stereo speakers, a standard 3.5 mm audio connector and support for compatible microSD memory cards.

The integrated GPS works with the Nokia Maps application which includes maps for more than 150 countries, enabling users to explore the world, find specific routes or locate services such as restaurants and hotels and covering more than 15 million points of interest. You can also purchase additional features, such as city guides and voice guided navigation.

The innovative 2-way slide design makes it easy to switch between different modes, going from reading maps to watching a video with a simple slide.

The Nokia N95 runs the S60 software on Symbian OS.

Am waiting to get my hands on it as soon as possible. » Continue reading

Read more on Cell Phones, Gadgets, Technology

Organic power for computers & electronic devices

Research Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Tennessee and the US Naval Research Laboratory have proved what Popeye already knew -- spinach is an excellent source of energy. They have taken up developing a spinach-based material to coat portable computers and mobile phones. The aim: for the electrical devices to recharge themselves from sunlight, similar to the way plants use chlorophyll to convert light into energy, harnessing photosynthetic power of spinach in the field of electronics.

The phone is no longer red or blue; it becomes green. So what? - Shuguang Zhang, associate director of MIT's Center for Biomedical Engineering

Started in 2004 with some financial assistance from Intel, the project is expected to take around 10 years to be completed when electronic devices will turn green.

For further information read MIT's official news release and The Boston Globe article.

If you have any updates on this project, do keep us informed. » Continue reading

Read more on Cell Phones, Computers, Gadgets, Technology

Chasing storms and hurricanes with Jeff Gammons

Are you a storm chaser, a nature enthusiast, an adventurer seeking some thrill watching mother nature on a destruction spree? Do you enjoy watching hurricanes wiping entire towns away? Join South Florida based 32 years young Jeff Gammons on his perilous expeditions chasing severe storms and hurricanes through his blog StormVideographer.com which features the latest on Weather chase expeditions.

Founder of Weathervine.com, Jeff has been chasing severe storms and hurricanes since the mid 1990's and has to his credit intercepting hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, Rita, Dennis'05, Jeanne, Frances, Charley, Lili, Gabrielle, Gordon, Irene, Floyd, Dennis'99, Georges, and Erin.

Jeff relies on Hi Tech gear which includes laptops, PDAs, Cell Phones, GPS, GPS overlay with radar (Wxworx), wireless broadband cell data cards, WiFi, Satellite up and down link systems, pro video and audio cameras, ham radio, and digital camera.

Getting fresh data is very important and when you can get current surface obs, radar and Visible satellite imagery every few minutes, your chances of a successful chase greatly increase.

Catch Jeff chasing the Great Plains in mid-spring and during the summer and early fall months intercepting hurricanes. And when he is not chasing storms, he travels across Florida to teach severe-weather safety to schoolkids.

Jeff is currently running a promotional campaign for his blog in which he is distributing FREE Hurricane DVDs to the first 30 people who review his blog on their blogs or websites, provided you meet some basic criteria, which is why you are reading this post here. Not only that all reviewers will get a link back to their reviews. » Continue reading

Read more on Featured, Internet

Looking forward to quit smoking?

Are you a smoker fighting hard to give up on smoking or already given up on giving up smoking? Don't worry! There is some good info and tools available on-line to help you.

WAY2QUIT.com, a GlaxoSmithKline campaign to promote its Nicotine Replace Therapies-Nicorette, NicoDerm CQ and Commit, has some tools that can help you in overcoming your nicotine withdrawal cravings.

1. Readiness indicator: Decide if you are really ready to quit.
   
2. Dependency quiz: Access how much you depend on nicotine.
   
3. Health risk assessor: Weigh the risk of lung cancer you reduce by quitting to smoke right this moment.
   
4. Savings calculator: Calculate how much money you'll save in a day, week, month, year by kicking the habit.
   
5. Slip meter: Recoup from lapses during weak moments.
   
6. Trigger detector: Avoid things that spark the urge to smoke.
   
7. Cravings pacifier: Find relief when nicotine cravings hit.
   

Also watch some really scary (funny) promotional videos here. » Continue reading

Read more on Computers, Internet, Technology, Web 2.0

Social networking for cats and dogs!

Fluffy has the latest, most fashionable collar, more toys than some kids do and his very own bed. But have you given your pet a home page? Yes, animals are going online in droves. Dogster.com is a free social networking site for dogs, while sister site Catster.com is for cats. Check out the intriguing statistics of Dogster here and Catster here.

These technologically savvy animals, with a little help from their humans, are sharing photos, diaries, travel tips and more. Owners use the forums to schedule play dates and discuss topics such as grooming, training and bereavement. When Little Bit, a terrier mix, was diagnosed with lymphoma, the owners stumbled upon Dogster. The site has given them a place to show pictures, keep friends updated on Little Bit's condition and reach out to others in their position. What's next? Doggle, a canine search engine? » Continue reading

Read more on Internet, Pets, Social Networking, Technology, Tid Bits, Web 2.0

Sony launches 4GB version of Micro Vault Tiny, a USB 2.0 Flash Drive

Sony eventually launched the much awaited 4GB MICRO VAULT Tiny today. A new addition to its range of colourful, ultra-portable USB storage media, it is available in a stylish purple colour with a fashionable clip-on carrying case.

The 4GB MICRO VAULT Tiny is ideal for carrying business or personal files whilst travelling, enabling access to personal files from any computer. Even if you are carrying a laptop while traveling, it is a good idea to take a backup of your important files which you are going to need while traveling, on an external flash drive which you can slip into your wallet so that you don't have to panic if you lose your laptop.

A 4GB MICRO VAULT Tiny can store up to 69h50min of music (MP3, 128Kbps), 2928 digital photos (5Megapixel, Standard mode); 16h20min video (MPEG4 QVGA 384Kbps with 128 Kbps audio).

The pre-loaded Virtual Expander data compression software, compatible with Windows XP(SP1 and higher) and Windows 2000(SP3 and higher), allows users to store on an average up to 3 times more data than the native capacity. The MICRO VAULT Tiny products are compatible with Macintosh and Windows operating systems, including the new Windows Vista.

You can buy Sony 4GB Micro Vault Tiny USB 2.0 Flash Drive at Amazon » Continue reading

Read more on Flash Drives, Gadgets, Storage Media, Technology