ORTHOsoft Launches Advanced Computer-Assisted Surgery Tracking ...

ORTHOsoft, Inc., makers of the Navitrack(R) Navigation Systems, is introducing an advanced Computer-Assisted Surgery tracking device called the Navitracker(TM) at this year's American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting (February 14-16, San Diego Convention Center). "Navitracker(TM) trials in the North American and European markets have been highly encouraging," said Dr. Louis-Phillipe Amiot, CEO of ORTHOsoft, Inc. "This new CAS tracking device will provide surgeons increased visibility, accuracy, robustness and ease-of-use during hip, knee and spine surgeries," added Dr. Amiot. Dr. T. Mattes, University of Ulm, Germany used the Navitracker(TM) in a recent trial and commented, "Everyone on my team found these new trackers very easy to handle. Our scrub tech found them quicker to unpack, and most importantly we never lost the tracking even during extensive leg motion or when the trackers were soiled after the use of power tools.

Read More

Jewelry Made from Computer Parts

Tired of spending time and effort on buying the latest gadget gift for your lady (okay, for you) only to disappoint her and have yet another round of the "you never buy me jewelry" conversation? How about a gift that satisfies your urge to geek out and her biological need for jewelry? Try Zelle jewelry, made from Cat 5 cable, Diodes, Hex-Ferrite and MIDI plugs, which have a hip indie/DIY vibe for your stylish geek girlfriend. Bonus—these unique necklaces, bracelets and keychains won't break your bank with their reasonable prices. –Dana Bushman Zelle Jewelry [Elsewares via Popgadget] .

Read More

Study: Computer Files More Valuable Than Hardware

(BCN) A majority of American adults agree that the content of the files they have stored in their computers is worth more to them than the dollar amount paid for their computer, according commissioned by Seagate Technology.Harris Interactive found the increasingly personal value of digital content indicates that for a majority of Americans, virtual files which often include family photos, songs, or videos, have become the "stuff" life is made of.According to the study, 81 percent of computer users said they are more likely to download and store digital content today than they were one year ago.Ninety-six percent of Americans reported using at least one desktop or laptop computer in their home and more women report downloading or store photos than men.The study found adults with children under 18 years of age were 64 percent more likely to own one or more video game consoles, and one in four adults own and use digital video recorders such as TiVo.

Read More

Computer swindler gets a year and a day

Federal prosecutors said yesterday that Patrick Buttery's cooperation helped them win a guilty plea against the CEO of a now-bankrupt computer company that bilked consumers, suppliers and credit-card companies out of $39 million. But unlike the CEO, George Capell, who was sentenced last November to seven years and two months in the slammer, Buttery, 55, of Philadelphia, who was chief financial officer of Computer Personalities Systems Inc., fared much better. U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody gave Buttery 12 months and a day in prison, five years of supervised release, and ordered him to make restitution with Capell of $31.9 million. Brody also ordered Buttery to perform a period of community service during his first year of supervised release. He must begin his prison term on May 4.

Read More

Computer Parts Smuggled Into Tucker Prison

Investigation of what officials say was a scheme to provide state prisoners with unsupervised access to computers has resulted in the resignation of one prison employee, the dismissal of two others, and placement of four on leave. That's according to prisons spokeswoman Dina Tyler. Tyler said Wednesday that computer parts smuggled into the Tucker Unit in Jefferson County, and then reassembled into working computers, allowed inmates to play games, watch DVD movies and potentially get access to the Internet. Investigators found at least six rebuilt computers in buildings scattered around the Tucker Unit, northeast of Pine Bluff. Officials don't know if the computers were used to send messages or communicate with others outside the prison, but Tyler says it was a possibility.

Read More

Polar F6 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Denim Stone)

The Polar F6 heart rate monitor is a great choice for using in large groups, where other excercisers might be using wireless training gear that could interfere with your own signal. The F6's coded transmission prevents crosstalk with other monitors so you'll get a personalized workout--even in a class environment. It's packed with innovative training features to help you toward your exercise goals, including: Zone Pointer: A visible and audible feature on the display of your heart rate monitor showing your target heart rate zone and where your current heart rate is within that zone. Polar OwnCal: This feature shows your energy expenditure during one exercise session as well as your accumulated kilocalories during several exercise sessions. You can set daily and weekly exercise goals in terms of calorie expenditure with the OwnCal feature. Because the OwnCal tracks both the energy expenditure during one exercise session and the accumulated kilocalories during a longer time e.g. one week, it helps in achieving both short term and long term goals. Polar OwnZone: This feature guides you through an appropriate warm-up routine and automatically determines a safe and effective exercise heart rate zone--your OwnZone--while taking into account your current physical condition. Polar OwnCode: This technology blocks unwanted signals from other heart rate monitors, ensuring disturbance-free transmission of your heart rate data. The Fitness Bullets feature shows a bullet on the monitor's display for every 10 minutes spent exercising/training in your target heart rate zone. The Time in Target Zone feature calculates the amount of total exercise time spent in your personal target zone. You can use this feature together with the Total Exercise Time to determine the effectiveness of your exercise program. You can also better assess your training data using the included Polar Precision Performance (PPP) 4.0 software and the SonicLink feature, which wirelessly uploads exercise settings to the software or to Polar's web service. Other features include: Display of heart rate, exercise time and average heart rate 24 hour clock with day/week indicator and stopwatch Large easy-to-read display with split screen One-year average battery life Water resistant to 30 meters (100 feet) Manufacturer's Warranty The original purchaser of this heart rate monitor is backed by a limited warranty that states that this product that the product will be free from defects in material or workmanship for two years from the date of purchase. About Polar The first EKG accurate wireless heart rate monitor was invented by Polar back in 1977 as a training tool for the Finnish National Cross Country Ski Team. The concept of "intensity training" by heart rate swept the athletic world in the eighties. By the 1990s, individuals were looking to heart rate monitors not only for performance training needs, but also for achieving everyday fitness goals. Today, the same concept of heart rate training is being used by world-class athletes as well as everyday people trying to lose weight. Polar is the leading brand among consumers, coaches, and personal trainers worldwide and the company is committed to not only producing the best products, but also being the leading educator on the benefits of heart rate based exercise.

Read More

Apple.com leads all computer hardware sites in visits

"Apple Computer Inc. in November 2006 continued to lead in the number of visits to computer hardware e-commerce sites, with 39.7 million visits, up 29% from 30.8 million in November 2005, according to Nielsen/NetRatings Inc.," InternetRetailer.com reports. InternetRetailer.com reports, "Dell Inc. ranked second with 18 million visits, up 3% from 17.5 million in November 2005; followed by Hewlett Packard Co., 15.2 million, up 22% from 12.5 million; Sun Microsystems Inc., 3.8 million, up 46% from 2.6 million; Nintendo Co. Ltd., 3.5 million, up 218% from 1.1 million; IBM Corp., 2.1 million, down 36% from 3.3 million; Gateway Inc., 2 million, down 13% from 2.3 million; Sony Computer Entertainment, 1.7 million, down 15% from 2 million; Bose Corp., 1.7 million, down 6% from 1.8 million; and Xbox.com, 1.7 million, down 19% from 2.1 million." "Ranked by time per visit, Apple led with 1 hour, 8 minutes, 30 seconds; followed by Dell, 17 minutes, 4 seconds; IBM, 15 minutes, 18 seconds; Xbox, 14 minutes, 15 seconds; Alienware, 13 minutes, 50 seconds; Hewlett Packard, 11 minutes, 43 seconds; Lexmark, 10 minutes, 44 seconds; Creative Technology Ltd., 10 minutes, 42 seconds; Intel, 9 minutes, 23 seconds; and TiVo, 8 minutes, 39 seconds," InternetRetailer.com reports.

Read More

A computer-free job search is still possible

LLuddite: Member of the organized bands of 19th-century English handicraftsmen who rioted for the destruction of the textile machinery that was displacing them. Source? Not Wikipedia, but my handy Micropaedia. Volume 7 to be exact, from the 1985 Encyclopedia Britannica. Yes, I have an encyclopedia, all 30 volumes, and yes, I use it. So sue me. I could go on about how I prefer paper to pixels, or the comfort of ad-free research. The truth is that I'm lazy and it's easier to scan for Luddite in a book than it is to fire up the computer, get into my browser, type in my search word and dig through all the amusing but time-eating close-fit entries. Which makes me, I'm pretty sure... a Luddite. By the way, to verify the common usage of that term to connote someone who eschews technology, guess where I had to go? Yep.

Read More