China claims supercomputer crown

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11644252

28 October 2010 Last updated at 11:14 ET BBC News

The Tianhe-1A supercomputer is about 50% faster than its closest rival.

China has claimed the top spot on the list of the world's supercomputers.

The title has gone to China's Tianhe-1A supercomputer that is capable of carrying out more than 2.5 thousand trillion calculations a second.

To reach such high speeds the machine draws on more than 7,000 graphics processors and 14,000 Intel chips.

The claim to be the fastest machine on the planet has been ratified by the Top 500 Organisation which maintains a list of the most powerful machines.

High power

China's Tianhe-1A (Milky Way) has taken over the top spot from America's XT5 Jaguar at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee that can carry out only 1.75 petaflops per second. One petaflop is the equivalent of 1,000 trillion calculations per second.

The news about the machine broke just before the publication of the biennial Top 500 Supercomputer list which ranks the world's most powerful machines.

Prof Jack Dongarra from the University of Tennessee, one of the computer scientists who helps to compile the list, said China's claim was legitimate.

"This is all true," he told BBC News. "I was in China last week and talked with the designers, saw the system, and verified the results."

He added: "I would say it's 47% faster than the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's machine, 1.7 Pflops (ORNL system) to 2.5 Pflops (Chinese system)."

Tianhe-1A is unusual in that it unites thousands of Intel processors with thousands of graphics cards made by Nvidia.

The chips inside graphics cards are typically made up of small arithmetical units that can carry out simple sums very quickly. By contrast, Intel chips are typically used to carry out more complicated mathematical operations.

The machine houses its processors in more than 100 fridge-sized cabinets and together these weigh more than 155 tonnes.

Based in China's National Center for Supercomputing in the city of Tianjin, the computer has already started to do work for the local weather service and the National Offshore Oil Corporation.

5 WEBSITE DESIGN TIPS TO BOOST SALES

https://www.paypal-marketing.ca/merchantservices/en/5-website-design-tips.html

Looking for new ways to grow your online business? This issue we have some helpful resources to help you do just that, including five tips to improve your website's design, a checklist for superior customer service and insights from a leading consumer electronics retailer.

When it comes to website design, even seemingly small design elements can affect your sales—one way or another. Here are five design "do's" that can have a positive impact.

1. Do make calls-to-action (CTAs) obvious

Make sure your shopping cart link is easy to find on a page. Use contrasting and/or bold colours to call attention to CTAs, which allow them to stand apart from other elements and get noticed.

2. Do use an action colour for buttons

People respond differently to different colours. Cool colours like blue and green have a calming effect. Warm colours like red and orange inspire passion and impulsive actions. Using red (or other warm colours) for your "add to cart" buttons will help increase clicks on those buttons.

3. Do use the principle of proximity to group related items

For clarity, place descriptions and buttons near the products they're associated with. Make sure each product, description, and button group is separated from other groups to avoid confusion.

4. Do control the flow in your design

Show your product image, then your product description, and then your "buy now" button. Organize design elements to follow the buying process that goes through the customer's mind.

5. Do use whitespace

Allow your design to breathe. Whitespace helps elements on a page get noticed, communicating the desired action to users. Whitespace also improves usability, is aesthetically pleasing, and increases comprehension.

A few simple changes can go a long way towards helping increase sales on your site. Experiment with the above do's and turn more of your visitors into customers.

How to Fix a Windows Infection Using Linux

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/25/AR2010102503988_pf.html

Katherine Noyes
PC World
Tuesday, October 26, 2010; 12:19 AM

If you use Linux on your company's desktop or server computers, you're already familiar with many of the security advantages the open source operating system offers over its Windows and Mac rivals. What many people don't realize, however, is that Linux can also be used to rescue a computer that has been crippled by malware.

Malware is a frequent occurrence in the Windows world, in particular, and it can be devastating. When a Windows virus strikes, not only can it become difficult or even impossible to continue using the affected machine, but it can be dangerous as well, since prolonged use can further the infection.

That's where Linux can be a life-saver. Without ever having to install the free alternative, you can still use it temporarily on a PC to get rid of any infection. Here's how.

LiveCDs and USBs are a wonderful thing in the Linux world because they let you boot a machine directly from the CD or USB stick without ever having to access the computer's boot records. Not only are they a great way to take Linux for a test-drive, but they can also be put to work when Windows can't.

By far the fastest way to get a LiveCD or USB is to download the .iso file of the Linux distribution you'd like to use and then burn it onto a CD or USB stick. Since Ubuntu is the most popular distribution out there, I'll go with Maverick Meerkat--the latest version of the software--for this example.

Ubuntu can be downloaded from the project's Website for use on a LiveCD or USB; download links for other distributions can be found listed onFrozenTech. UNetbootin is another nice option if you want to go the USB route, which tends to run much faster.

Of course, to take either of these options you'll have to have a working, Internet-connected computer. If you don't, or if your Internet connection is slow, you may want to order a LiveCD or USB via snail mail. OSDisc and LinuxCD both offer a variety of options; pricing is about $2.

Once you're equipped with a Linux LiveCD or USB, you'll need to make sure the infected computer is turned off, and then turn it on again with the CD or USB installed. This will boot the computer into Linux, completely bypassing Windows and its infection. Again, nothing has been installed -- you're simply using Linux to get the machine running reliably again.

Next it's time to get the Linux-based ammunition you'll need to wipe out the malware: antivirus software. I'm going to use ClamAV, my favorite, via ClamTK, which provides a nice graphical front end.

From the main Ubuntu desktop, then, go to "Applications" and then "Ubuntu Software Center." Choose "Edit" and then "Software Sources." You'll be presented with a box entitled, "Downloadable from the Internet," and you should be sure all four boxes are checked before you click on "Close."

Next, from the main Ubuntu Software Center page, click on the "Accessories" icon and type ClamTK into the search box. It will be shown as "Virus Scanner," but if you click on "More Info" you can verify it's the right package. Click "Install" and wait for it to download.

Once installation is finished, you should launch ClamTK by going to "Applications" in Ubuntu's main menu, then "Accessories" and "Virus Scanner," which is how the software will still be shown.

When the ClamTK window opens, click on the "Scan" tab and select the option for a Recursive Scan. Next, you'll need to tell the software which drive you want to check for viruses, which in this case is the one that includes Windows. Scanning may take some time, but once the infection is found you'll get the usual options for what to do with it, including quarantine and removal.

Assuming the infection has now been removed, your computer should be clean once again, making it safe to remove the LiveCD or USB and boot back into Windows as usual. As you enjoy your malware-free machine once again, remember that it's all thanks to Linux. It's also not a bad idea to keep your LiveCD or USB handy so you'll be ready for the next time.

Follow Katherine Noyes on Twitter: @Noyesk.

Google Privacy Lesson: Tighten Your Wi-Fi Security

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9192864/Google_Privacy_Lesson_Tighten_Your_Wi_Fi_Security?taxonomyId=84&pageNumber=2

How to Secure a Wi-Fi Connection

Many people think that the firewall built into your router will protect you from Wi-Fi snoops. It won't. It will stop someone from hacking into your network from the Web, but it's not designed to safeguard the Wi-Fi signal itself. So you've got to use encryption.

There are a few standards out there. The best known is called WEP, but it's old and ways to hack it are well known to the black hats. If that's all your router supports, use 128-bit WEP keys. Much better though, is to buy a router that supports the newer WPA or WPA2 protocols. Use a strong password, please.

But neither WEP nor WPA will work if you don't turn them on. By default, security is turned off on most routers.

Suppose you and your laptop or netbook are at an Internet cafe. Since you're using someone else's network, there's no way to know if it's secure. I try not to conduct financial transactions, particularly online banking, when I'm on a public network. Sometimes, though, it's unavoidable.

At the very least, be sure your file sharing options are turned off. And be certain that the hotspot is a legitimate one. When you're done, be sure you log out; and if you're working on a public computer, be absolutely certain that you've closed the browser.

What You Need to Know Before You Buy Hearing Aids

http://www.ldrc.ca/contents/view_article/303/

Article Topics: Phonemic awareness, Voice, Speech,
Article types: Editorial,

Submitted By: Henry Smith

View Submitter's Profile (henry_smith)

In preparation for meeting with a hearing aid dispenser to buy hearing aids, there are a few steps you should take to ensure that you get the most out of the visit. Most importantly, you should not only have had a complete hearing test administered but you should also have had your test results explained to you in detail. Make sure you have the results handy so you can bring them to discuss with the hearing aid dispenser. In addition, it may be helpful to make a prioritized list of the concerns that you have and the benefits that you wish to get from your hearing aid. You should also call your insurance provider to find out ahead of time if any part of your purchase or any of your fittings will be covered. Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not offer coverage when you buy hearing aids, but some do, and it is important to ask. Finally, if you feel it is necessary, recruit a friend or family member to come with you to the hearing aid dispenser - someone who has no problem saying no to high-pressure sales tactics, should the situation arise. At the Dispenser's Office When you are at the dispenser's office, if you are still unclear about the meaning of your hearing test results, ask about them first and be sure that you understand the answers completely. Next, bring out your prioritized list and ask the hearing aid dispenser to discuss it with you. You should be able to find out which items on your list you can reasonably expect when you buy your hearing aids, and which may not be possible to achieve with your particular level of hearing loss. Then, the hearing aid dispenser should discuss the sizes of hearing aids that are available to you and which have the most benefit for your situation. If you have limited dexterity - such as from arthritis or complications from diabetes - you may wish to buy hearing aids that have larger, easier-to-use controls. If mobility is not an issue for you, you may instead look to buy hearing aids that are smaller and less visible. Next, find out from the hearing aid dispenser which extras or options are available with the hearing aid models that work best for your needs, and find out how much these cost. Consider which options you will actually use, and which are not worth the extra money. For example, if you are in noisy situations many times during the week - you like to go to restaurants, or you work in a noisy environment - then you may want to buy hearing aids that have a directional microphone. If, on the other hand, you rarely leave your home or you are rarely in loud situations, then you may not need to spend the money on this feature. Pricing At this point in the discussion, ask about the price of the hearing aid that you are considering - and get that price in writing. Do not feel pressured by a sales person who quotes you one price, and then offers you a discount "if you buy the hearing aids right now." Make sure that the price you are quoted will remain the same for an established period of time - you should be able to leave the office of the hearing aid dispenser in order to think about your purchase for a day or two, and you should able to return at a later time when you are ready to buy hearing aids at the quoted price. Warranties When you buy hearing aids, it is also important to find out about any warranties offered. Ask how long the warranty lasts and what it covers. You should also find out how much it costs to extend the warranty beyond its initial coverage period, and whether the warranty covers repairs only, or whether it also covers loss or remakes for fit problems. Ask the hearing aid dispenser to explain the entire warranty to you in detail until you feel comfortable that you understand what is being offered. In addition, you should ask what happens when your warranty expires. What types of fees will the hearing aid dispenser charge you for any repairs when that time period ends? Also find out what type of warranty is given on repairs - ideally you will be given a new six month warranty after any repair is performed. Many manufacturers will charge a flat rate for certain repairs, but may require additional fees if a case needs to be remade or other more complex changes need to be performed. Find out this information before you buy hearing aids. Return Policies and Restocking Fees You should also ask about the return-for-credit policy that the hearing aid dispenser has. Federal law mandates that when you buy hearing aids, you be able to return them within 30 days, for any reason at all, and some dispensers will extend this timeframe to 60 days or longer. However, you also need to find out if a restocking fee will be charged if you do decide to make a return. A 10 percent restocking fee may not sound like much, but if the hearing aid costs you $3,000, you will be charged $300 for your return. Look for a hearing aid dispenser that charges a reasonable fee, or, ideally, no fee at all for returns. Additional Important Questions Digital hearing aids will require fine-tuning of their internal programming, and you may need to return to the hearing aid dispenser several times until the hearing aid sounds best to you. Ask how many of these visits are included when you buy hearing aids from that vendor - often three or four will be included, which is usually sufficient - and how much additional visits will cost. Finally, find out the upgrade policy of the hearing aid dispenser. If a new hearing aid product is introduced within a certain period of time, will the dispenser allow you to purchase that for a reduced fee? Will you be allowed to trade in your current hearing aid for the newer model? Try to find a hearing aid dispenser who offers some sort of upgrade policy when you buy hearing aids. At this point in the conversation, you may think it's time to buy your hearing aids, but, actually, it is not. You may be surprised to hear this, but you should be able to walk out of the office, go home, and think everything you have learned. Do not let anyone pressure you into making a purchase on the spot. Instead, before you buy hearing aids, comparison shop, as you would for any other product. Ask different dispensers what they offer and how their products compare to others. And do not make a purchase from someone with whom you do not feel completely comfortable. If you follow the guidelines discussed above, you will be able to weed out the high-pressure salespeople and the bait-and-switch pricing tricks that some vendors use. Instead, you can be sure that you will find a hearing aid dispenser that you can trust and from whom you can buy hearing aids that will improve your hearing and your quality of life. About the Author Henry Smith is the founder of America Hears, a leading manufacturer and distributor of hearing aids online for over 26 years. Henry started the company in 1979, following a 15-year career at the Pennsylvania School of the Deaf, including his work as an Acoustic Technician. Henry is a pioneer in the use of computers and the Internet to allow customers to have a hands-on approach to the tuning and adjusting of their digital hearing aids. He strives to be customer-centric in all aspects of his work.

Beginner's Guide to Tethering

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/research/beginner-s-guide-to-tethering/rc8227.aspx?path=904369b42defa42a37f55f55554fba50en04

September 07, 2010

By Lauren Penticost; edited by Natasha Dennis Do you have a brand new mobile phone with a speedy Internet connection? Chances are you're not making the most of your mobile data allowance every month - so why not spread your wings and share your phone's web connection with other devices? Let us introduce you to the wonderful world of tethering.

What is tethering? Simply put, tethering is sharing your cell handset's Internet connection with other gadgets, such as your laptop or even another smartphone. It's a relatively new phenomenon, as until quite recently mobile broadband speeds simply weren't fast enough to make it worthwhile trying to piggy-back a laptop on the back of the connection. With the rise of speedy 3G mobile Internet, however, mobile broadband connections now have plenty of juice to have several devices using it at once.

The benefits of tethering But what can tethering offer you in real terms? Surely a conventional router-based Internet setup that connects to the web via your phone line is better? In many cases it is, but tethering offers several features that a traditional Internet connection doesn't. For starters, there's the potential for cost-cutting. If you aren't a heavy Internet user, forking out for both home broadband and mobile broadband might be a waste. If you're already paying for a mobile Internet connection on your phone, why not simply use it for all your needs?

Born free More importantly, mobile broadband doesn't tie you down to one place - wherever you go, your Internet connection goes. So long as you've got a 3G signal, you'll have the web right at your fingertips ready to go. Tethering also provides a potential workaround for the small percentage of homes that still aren't able to receive home broadband - it certainly beats having to rely on a pedestrian dial-up connection.

Getting started So what do you need to get started? Well, a web-enabled phone is an obvious place to start, and ideally both your phone and laptop should have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on board so that they can communicate with each other wirelessly. If not, you'll be restricted to connecting them up via a USB cable. Make sure that your mobile phone contract actually allows tethering. If it doesn't, you could risk violating the terms of your contract and be cut off. Also, check how much data usage your contract allows you per month. Most smartphone contracts these days offer unlimited data - but be aware that this is within a "fair usage" policy, which can vary in its range. Most "unlimited" deals should be plenty for most web tasks, such as checking email and streaming content - be aware that downloading music or movies will see your usage jump considerably, so check the file size on anything you download before you begin. Whatever contract you have, find out your limits - data use becomes exorbitantly expensive once you've gone over your usage. Depending on your network, you may need to purchase a mobile data "bolt on" - an allowance of data set aside specifically for the purposes of tethering. Again, check what the limits are.

Setting up tethering Each phone will differ slightly in the way it sets up tethering, but most will follow the same principles, and these pointers should help. Most phones offer Bluetooth, USB or Wi-Fi tethering. The first step is to switch on Internet Tethering, which can usually be found in most handsets' settings menu, under "Network". If you're using Bluetooth, remember to activate it on both your mobile and your laptop or PC - the exact procedure differs from one machine to the next - and once the two sides are paired, you're good to go. If tethering using USB, start by physically hooking up your phone to your computer using a USB cable. In the case of a Mac, the connection should configure automatically without you having to do anything further. On a PC, you'll need to go into Control Panel and set the connection up yourself in the Network section.

Set the web free Now you're ready to start using tethering. Whether you're using it instead of a traditional Internet connection, or to browse using your smartphone and laptop team on the go, you'll find that after a simple set-up tethering can add a whole new dimension to your Internet usage - and unleash your smartphone's true potential.

Android系统不稳定

http://www.williamlong.info/blog/archives/579.html-月光微博客

　　手很贱，安装了一堆Android应用，不知道是哪个出了问题，导致打开所有的应用，都提示"应用程序（某某进程）意外停止，请重试"，卸载了很多程序依然无法解决，不得已进入Recovery模式，在wipe data里factory reset，重启后正常，设置和主屏丢失，程序在app2sd中，竟然都不用重装。

　　Android对于底层的过于开放，导致很多应用可能会十分"危险"，目前的Android应用也是鱼龙混杂，不可以随便安装，有些写的不好的程序甚至会威胁到整个系统的稳定和安全，另外Android系统的稳定性的确也令人担心，比iOS还是有着较大的差距。