eKey's biometric entry system converts your fingers into keys

Biometric door locks are far from new, but eKey's Biometric Entry System ups the ante over traditional iterations by putting more than just one of your digits to work. The Bio-View biometric access system enables your various fingers to control different tasks, meaning that swiping your index finger could open or lock a door, while your middle finger controls the security system. Additionally, the unit includes "an adjustable camera and intercom," and it can be configured "with a wide range of options and colors." The device is said to even be compatible with several third-party apparatus, and while you can certainly hit the read link for more details on eKey's latest, we'll hopefully be getting a much closer look ourselves when it debuts at CEDIA.

Microsoft SkyDive - Beta

When you sign in to Windows Live SkyDrive, you're in charge

500 MB of free online storage, available from any computer with Internet access.
Create personal, shared, and public folders -- you decide who has access to each folder.
Windows Live SkyDrive works well on any Windows or Macintosh computer with Firefox 1.5 or higher, or Internet Explorer 6 or higher.

You log into SkyDive using your Live account, which is the same thing which you would use to log into your Hotmail accout, meaning that you dont have to remember any new username and password, this is why I really like the Windows Live services you can access them all from one username and password. If you do not have a Live account yet your really should jump on the bandwagon and go sign up.

Panasonic's Biometric System Verifies Identity in 2 Seconds

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd.'s Panasonic System Solutions Company has developed the "Walkthrough Iris Identification System" able to verify a walking person's iris.
Iris identification is a biometric authentication technology that does not require IDs or passwords, which users could forget. Biometric authentication technologies, however, face a challenge that the verification is not always accurate, but this iris identification system features a low verification failure rate of below 1/1,200,000. Full Story

Speedtest.net

I switched from AT&T DSL and Dish TV to AT&T U-VERSE today. In addition to a much better TV selection my Internet download bandwidth increased about 10% and upload bandwidth increased about 100%. The best part is it is the same cost to me. See the updated results below.
Here is an interesting site for Uverse updates. UverseUsers.com



Here is a quick and easy ISP speed test. I like the fact that I did not have to register for anything or download any apps to run the test.

Here are my results



Not bad considering this was an old HP pavilion with a usb wi-fi connection 20 feet from the host

Info from the Speed test site

Speedtest.net is a broadband connection analysis tool with a huge selection of geographically dispersed testing servers. Ookla provides this service free to hundreds of thousands of people every day. If you are experiencing slowness with your Internet connection or are simply interested in testing your speed, Speedtest.net is for you. If you have a web site, please feel free to link to Speedtest.net.
Speedtest.net measures the performance of your broadband connection. At the end of each test, you are presented with the download (the speed of data from the server to your computer) and upload (the speed of sending data from your computer to the server) bandwidth speeds. The tests are performed completely within your web browser over HTTP (just like normal web browsing). If you experience any problems using Speedtest.net, please visit our Questions & Answers section for help.
The technology behind Speedtest.net is identical to that of the Ookla Speed Test which is provided to a wide variety of companies and organizations on a licensed basis. Collectively, the application is used over eight million times each month by millions of individuals worldwide. If you would like to have a Speed Test to install and run on your server, please visit our licensing site. We have a variety of options from basic to highly customized.
At Ookla we are focused on building and operating cross-platform web applications that are reliable, accurate, scalable and matched with an attractive and useful user-interface. We are currently working on additional connection diagnostic tools for specialized applications such as VoIP and future network environments where the individual may have have multiple wired and wireless connections to a variety of devices. Learn more here.

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Processor is a 3GHz quad-core powerhouse

Check out this recent recent review from Denny Atkin of Computer Shopper


Reviewed by: Denny AtkinReview Date: July 2007
Intel's newest enthusiast processor, the Core 2 Extreme QX6850, is a 3GHz quad-core powerhouse that offers faster stock performance, better overclocking ability, and slightly cooler temperatures than Intel's previous top-of-the-line processor.


Intel's Core 2 Extreme CPUs are aimed at enthusiasts who want the best possible performance and are willing to pay a premium for it. The QX6850's $999 price is right in league with earlier Core 2 Extreme processors, which have sold for prices ranging from $999 to over $1,300.
For that price, the QX6850 adds support for a 1,333MHz front-side bus (FSB) to the features that made Intel's previous QX-series chips performance leaders: four CPU cores, an unlocked multiplier to simplify overclocking, and a whopping 8MB of L2 cache memory. Packing four cores on a single chip makes for a lot of heat when all of them are in action, but we found the QX6850 to run about 6 degrees Celsius cooler than its QX6800 and QX6700 predecessors. Still, you'll want to pair the chip with a large heat sink and fan, particularly when overclocking. We used Thermalright's Ultra 120 Extreme, a towering heat sink with a 120mm fan, to keep temperatures around 36 degrees Celsius at idle and 52 degrees Celsius with all four cores churning.


Because the QX6850 uses a 1,333MHz FSB, you'll need a motherboard with a newer chipset that supports that bus speed, such as Intel's P35 or nVidia's nForce 680i. The QX6850's 3GHz rated speed is barely faster than the QX6800's 2.93GHz, but the faster system bus and the ability to pair the CPU with fast 1,333MHz DDR3 memory combine to offer a noticeable performance increase.

Full Review