Hasta La Gadget!

Many researchers over the years have worked towards increasing data speeds, something that has had breakthroughs in various ways over the years. The latest one involves a method the creators say is a simple concept, but one that – for whatever reason – was never done. By creating mirrored beams of light that cancel out noise, the researchers sent a 400GB/s signal down nearly 8,000 miles of fiber optic cables.

According to the researchers, fast data transfers over long distances is best achieved using two beams of light rather than a single one ran down a fiber optic cable. These twin beams, as they’re called, are mirrored images of each other, something that has the added benefit of cancelling out the noise resulting from traveling down the cable. As such, data can be send across long distances.

The merging of the signals is done at the end of the cable, with the noise-cancelling effect being the result of something call phase conjugation. When light beams are sent down the fiber optic, they produce a pattern full of essentially “ups” and “downs” referred to as peaks and troughs. The way phase conjugation works is by forming an inverse of one light beam so that a peak becomes a trough and vice versa. As a result, the noise effects are cancelled out.

While conventional methods would require phase conjugation to be performed using devices located a various places along a cable length regardless of where the cable is located – even the ocean floor – the researchers’ method removes that necessity by using the twin-beams method instead, and simply merging them together so that the noise is automatically cancelled out, resulting in a perfect signal.

Such a concept has the prospect of both increasing data speeds and increasing the distances a signal can travel without suffering from the effects of signal noise. Said lead author Dr. Xiang Liu: “Nowadays everybody is consuming more and more bandwidth – demanding more and more communication. We need to solve some of the fundamental problems to sustain the capacity growth.”

SOURCE: BBC News

Image via Ozan Uzel

Twin-beam signals send data 4x faster than conventional speeds is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Summer is the prime season for European cyclists, whether they’re racing the Tour de France or just embarking on voyages of self-discovery. It’s a good thing, then, that Google Maps’ biking directions have reached six more European countries. Those in France, Ireland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Poland can now plot pedal-friendly routes using their phones and the web. Google may miss a hidden trail or two when it’s crowdsourcing the data through Map Maker, but the upgrade should still help riders avoid the inevitable crush of tourist traffic.

Filed under: Transportation, Internet, Google

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Source: Google Europe Blog

There are plenty of cloud storage options out there which offer some initial amount of free space — including Dropbox (2GB), Google Drive (5GB), Box (5GB) and Microsoft Skydrive (7GB). While these services usually provide additional free storage via referrals and special deals (bundled with device purchases for example), Microsoft is doing something different with Skydrive by gifting students an extra 3GB of free space for one year. If you have a valid .edu email address you can visit the URL below to receive a free storage code. The offer is limited to one per person and the code must be redeemed before December 31st 2013. It’s unclear what happens to your data after the year’s over but it presumably remains available in read-only form. Considering the price of tuition, this deal isn’t quite as juicy as getting 100GB of free space for two years on Google Drive with the purchase of a Chromebook — still it’s a no brainer.

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Microsoft

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Via: Via

Source: Microsoft

Google has been throwing a lot of effort and money into its Google Fiber gigabit Internet plans, having announced several cities in the past couple months that are slated to get the service. That won’t be the extent of its dabbling in the territory of Internet provider services, however, if sources who spoke to the Wall Street Journal are correct. Reportedly, Google plans to bring wireless Internet to a billion or so new users in emerging markets.

The sources are said to be individuals familiar with the matter, with the unnamed people saying that Google will both fund and partially run wireless Internet networks in emerging markets. Some of the places specified include locations in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, giving connectivity to individuals who can’t access the Internet primarily only available in the large cities.

The plans reportedly also extend beyond that, with larger cities that already have Internet service potentially getting a Google-funded speed boost, although that was specified in such a way that it seems more of a possibility rather than a certainty. Although Google declined commenting on the matter, the sources say the company is “deep” in the program already.

The networks will be a multi-source effort, with word having it that Google’s mission involves partnerships with local telecom companies and providers in the markets for network development. The Internet giant will also develop and provide business models for each network it puts in place, helping ensure they remain viable and run smoothly. According to the WSJ, it is not known whether any partnerships or deals have already been formed.

The information didn’t stop there, however. It is also said Google is now in talks with regulators in South Africa and other locations, seeking to have current regulations altered to facilitate the construct of these networks. One such change being sought is permission to use TV broadcast airwaves in some of the planned locations for the network.

The Internet giant has toyed with the idea of helping develop satellite Internet networks, but such is only a notion at the moment. As part of the network efforts, Google has reportedly been developing cheap, low-energy smartphones running Android for the WiFi networks. In addition, blimps or similar balloon-like structures called high-altitude platforms are in development, and will be used for signal transmission over long distances in remote areas.

SOURCE: Wall Street Journal

Google plan to launch WiFi networks in emerging markets will connect millions is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The rumors on the potential sale of Hulu started circulating again a couple of months back. Now, according to AllThingsD, Yahoo is joining other big-name companies (such as Time Warner Cable and DirecTV) in the race to try and acquire the streaming service. Per the always-insightful sources “familiar with the process,” Marissa Mayer & Co. submitted a bid for Hulu just this morning, though there are no details on how much the company is willing to spend on the video site. Something tells us we’ll know more soon enough, but we can say with confidence that Yahoo is starting its holiday shopping really early.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

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Source: AllThingsD